Ryo sat in the dimly lit conference room, the tension thick in the air as his boss, Riley, laid out the details of their next assignment. The room was filled with other professionals—just like Ryo—each as deadly and efficient as he was. But as the meeting dragged on, Ryo's thoughts kept drifting back to the message he had received earlier from Hana. He had finally opened it, and the simple text she had sent about him not coming to the ramen shop for a while made him smile, a rare moment of peace amidst the chaos of his work.
As he checked his phone again during a break, he noticed a new message from Kai. His brow furrowed slightly as he clicked on it, curious. The video started playing, and Ryo's eyes widened as the familiar sight of Hana blushing appeared on the screen.
Hana was standing behind the counter at the ramen shop, her cheeks flushed as she tried to hide the smile she couldn't contain, all while Kenta and Mei teased her about Ryo. Ryo couldn't help but laugh softly at the sight of her embarrassment. He'd never thought of her like this—so innocent, so genuine.
But before he could react further, a voice cut through his thoughts.
"What's that you've got there, Ryo?"
It was Riley, his boss, who had been watching him with an amused expression. The other professionals in the room turned their attention to Ryo, sensing the shift in atmosphere.
Ryo quickly tried to hide his phone, but it was too late. Riley had already moved closer and caught a glimpse of the screen. A grin spread across Riley's face. "Oh? Is that your little secret?" Riley teased. "A special someone back home?"
The others in the room chuckled, sensing the teasing atmosphere. Ryo's face flushed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure, giving a nonchalant shrug. "Nothing to see here," he muttered, trying to downplay the situation.
But Riley wasn't having it. "Come on, Ryo. I didn't think you were the type to be caught up in these things. A bit of a soft spot for someone, huh?" he continued, smirking. "Who's this girl? Should I expect an invitation to your wedding soon?"
The others laughed, and Ryo felt the heat of their gaze. He had to admit, there was something about Hana that made him feel more... human, more alive. But he wasn't about to let them see how much he cared.
"She's just someone I know," Ryo replied gruffly, his voice steady. But the teasing continued.
"Someone you know? You look like you're smiling about it," one of the other professionals remarked, a smirk on their face. "Never thought I'd see the day, Ryo Kobayashi, the heartless hitman, getting soft over a girl."
Riley chuckled and slapped Ryo on the back. "You're not fooling anyone, Ryo. I know when there's a soft spot. Don't worry, your secret's safe with us—for now."
Ryo clenched his jaw, trying to suppress his irritation. He hadn't realized the video would get out of hand this quickly. But the teasing didn't stop. Riley and the others continued to joke about his "secret" until the meeting finally resumed.
Ryo tried to refocus on the mission at hand, but Hana's image lingered in his mind. He could still see her shy, flushed face on the video. What am I doing? he thought to himself. He couldn't deny that she had made an impression on him. And now, more than ever, he couldn't ignore the pull he felt to return to the ramen shop.