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Kaili and Yuming left first, followed by Han and Hooman. At last, it was Ningshun's turn, but as he stepped toward the ride, his phone rang.
Meilin, who had her back to him, stiffened at the sound. That ringtone—that dreaded ringtone—had haunted them all day. It annoyed her and the rest of the team and, most importantly, upset Ningshun. Gritting her teeth, she approached him.
Ningshun stared at the phone's screen with a blank expression, hesitating to pick it up. Before he could decide, Meilin snatched the phone from his hand.
"What the—" He cocked his head, his jaw tightening as his hand twitched at his side. "Meilin! You!"
Without a word, she pressed the red button, declining the call. "Good riddance," she muttered, shoving the phone back at him. "I should've done this earlier."
The silence that followed was deafening.
His mint-green eyes darkened, the usual warmth stripped away. His gaze locked onto her, unblinking, as if the world had stopped. "What... did you just do?" His voice was low and strained, as if he were forcing himself to stay calm.
She froze, her stomach sinking. She had not thought—had not really thought. "I... I just—"
"Do you have any idea who that was!?" Ningshun's voice shot up sharp with accusation. Without waiting for her response, he stepped out of line, motioning for her to follow.
His anger pressed on her chest, her legs trembling as she trailed behind him to the corner, dread settling in her stomach. When he turned to face her, his glare struck like a physical blow.
"It wasn't enough to embarrass me earlier—now this? What were you thinking!"
A lump formed in her throat. "You've been so tense all day, and he just kept—"
"I can handle him, Meilin!" he snapped as if slicing through her defenses with his words. Once warm and full of light, his eyes now seemed cold and lifeless, as if he were a different person.
"I know! I just..." She clenched her fists, her voice trembling. "I just wanted to help. You looked so—"
"Do you think this helps me?" He let out a sharp breath and shook his head. "Why do you always do this? Why do you always act like you know what's best for me? Why do you care who calls me? Why do you even care if I've eaten or not? Why?"
Tears blurred her vision. "I... Ningshun, I'm worried about you," she murmured as her gaze fell.
"I didn't ask you to!" His words stabbed through, cold and cutting.
She flinched, her breath hitching as his words settled in. "I... I just thought—"
"Exactly. You thought. But you didn't ask. It's as if you don't respect me." His voice softened. He let out a long sigh, his gaze dropping before meeting hers again. "I misjudged you."
Her heart cracked. "Misjudged... me?" Her voice broke, her tears threatening to spill.
He ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair, his expression torn. "I thought..." He hesitated, the words catching in his throat. "Forget it... Don't cry."
"Ningshun..." Meilin's voice was barely above a whisper. "Are you... disappointed in me?"
He stared at her, but his silence was answer enough—until he finally spoke, his voice quiet and almost resigned. "I'm disappointed in myself... for even allowing myself to..." He stopped himself, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter."
It did matter, and they both knew it.
Without another word, he turned and marched toward the ride, leaving her behind.
Her instincts urged her to reach out, to hold his hand and offer comfort. She did—but he left. Now her fingers hovered in the air where his hand had been. "Ningshun, wait—"
He did not stop. The distance between them widened with every step as the ache in her chest clung to her. And as the line moved forward, he stepped toward the ride without glancing back. "Sorry, I stood at the front of the line."
She stood frozen, watching him go. Her stomach twisted, not from the dread of the haunted mansion but from what he told her. Her breath hitched as she turned to the eerie building, daring her to follow. She clenched her fists. 'I hate this place. But I hate leaving things like this with him even more.'
Before she could second-guess herself, she darted forward, her heart pounding harder with every step until she caught up to him at the entrance and sat next to him.
"Meilin?" Ningshun's eyes widened. "What are you doing here?"
"I..." She faltered, glancing at the shadowy depths of the ride ahead. The distant sound effects of creaking doors and wails of ghosts made her throat tighten, but she forced herself to face him. "I'm coming with you."
He blinked. "Don't you hate haunted houses? You don't have to—"
"I know." She cut him off. "But I'm not letting this end like that. Not between us."
He stared at her, the intensity of his gaze softening into something unreadable. "Why, Meilin? Why are you really here?"
"Because I needed to tell you something." She swallowed hard, capturing his attention as she gathered her courage. "I meddled earlier because I value you so much."
He bore his eyes into her, his gaze softened.
Her hands trembled against the safety braces, but she clasped them together. "And it's because I respect you that I couldn't stand a man like that talking to you the way he did... I hated his guts."
His eyes widened, but she did not stop.
"I can't promise you I'll never meddle again. But if I can protect you from someone like him, I'll do it every time. You're not alone in this."
His lips parted, but no words came. His eyes trembled, a hint of emotion breaking through as her words settled in his heart like the warmth of sunlight after a blizzard.
"And I thought... I thought I'd regret it, but I don't. I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry." Meilin's voice cracked, but her conviction stood firm like a fortress built on solid ground. "I care about you, Ningshun... I care about you."
His breath caught. The anger in his expression had long since melted away, replaced by something softer, deeper. He stared at her, his eyes—like the moonlight—searching hers as if trying to understand how she could mean every word.
"You..." His voice was quiet, almost uncertain. "You care about me that much?"
She nodded, her gaze persistent despite the tears pooling in her eyes. "I do. Even if it means making you angry. Even if it scares me... I care."
For a moment, he said nothing, his jaw tightening as if he were holding back a thousand thoughts. Then, with a soft exhale, he murmured, "You're unbelievable." His voice was low but filled with something tender. "I didn't expect this... but thank you, Meilin."
Her heart skipped a beat, and she blinked at him, startled by the sudden warmth in his gaze. Before she could respond, a sudden burst of eerie laughter from the ride's speakers made her flinch.
He gave a soft chuckle. "Can't believe you're actually terrified of some fake—"
All of a sudden, a sharp scream echoed through the ride, and a beast with horns appeared. She screeched, her instinct making her grab his arm. "I hate this ride!"
Ningshun glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, his gaze flickering down to her hand on his arm. His heart skipped a beat, his breath faltering. He swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure as his eyes darted back to her face. They had never touched before, and he had never thought that the first time would be so... direct. He pressed his lips together, trying to steady himself, but the heat rose in his chest. "Until when do you intend to hold me—"
"AH!" Meilin screamed and, in an instant, threw her arms around his torso.
His eyebrows shot up so high that he thought they might fly off his face. His mouth went dry, and his hand trembled as he shifted to the farthest part of the seat, his body stiffening. But she did not let go, as the flickering lights and ominous decorations only amplified her unease.
His heart raced, his view blurred as it dawned on him just how close she was now, how tightly her arms were wrapped around him, and it only intensified his growing discomfort. He could feel the heat of her body through the closeness of their embrace, and the way her breath came in sharp gasps against his neck. He tried to focus on anything but that—anything but her breath, warm and intoxicating, against his skin.
"Why the hell did I even join this ride? I'm such an idiot! AN IDIOT, I TELL YOU!" She flinched and let out another scream, closing her eyes as she tightened her grip on him—this time around his neck.
Ningshun's breath hitched in his chest. Her hands—her fingers—grazed his neck. He was haunted—not by the haunted mansion, but rather by the softness of her touch now lingering on his collarbone, so much that it made him shiver, electrocuting him. He tried to speak, but his words got caught in his throat. "You... What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to survive out here and not die of a heart attack!" Meilin's voice muffled against him as she tightened her grip. Their faces were so close, their breath mingling, and he felt his cheeks burning with heat.
The closeness, the sensation of her touch, overwhelmed him. He could hardly think straight. He, the one with the sharpest focus on the team, had his keenness shattered the moment she touched him. Her fingers, so soft, trailing over the hollow of his throat, ignited something deep within him. It was maddening. His heart hammered in his chest, and his breath came in uneven bursts.
A faceless ghost in gray rags appeared before them, and she screamed again, her grip tightening around his neck. His internal scream echoed louder than anything else, his thoughts spiraling into chaos. Her touch, her scent, her warmth—he could feel it all, overpowering him in a way he could never have imagined. The ghosts, the ride, the terror—it was all secondary now.
His body tensed, and his gaze landed on her, unable to look away. He wanted to push her off, to get some space, but he did not. He could not even move a muscle.
"STOP CHOKING ME!" he yelped.
"SHUT UP AND HOLD ME!" she snapped back, clinging to him like her life depended on it.
Ningshun blinked, stunned by her audacity as she refused to let go, wrapping her arms around him as if there were no alternative. Truth be told, her arms did not strangle him, but her touch—her touch was a different kind of suffocating. Every inch of her skin pressing against him set his pulse racing, making his mind hazy.
He gritted his teeth, trying to keep his composure, as his hand hovered over her wrists. The heat of her arms burned into him, and he had to force himself to gently grasp her wrists, pulling them away from his chest. His hand trembled slightly as he loosened her grip.
"NO! DON'T!" Meilin protested, her voice desperate. Her eyes widened, and her hands instinctively reached back toward him, but his mind remained in turmoil, unable to focus on anything but the warmth of her body so close to his.
He tried to steady his breath. "No touching." His voice was firm and sharp—almost too sharp.
"B-But..." She froze, her hands trembled at her sides as she retreated with fear in her eyes, her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. Her gaze fell, avoiding his, as though his harsh words had crushed her spirit. Her shoulders hunched in on themselves, as if to curl into a small ball of helplessness, her sadness sinking deep into her bones.
Ningshun's breath caught in his throat as she retreated further from him, eating away at him. He could see the tears gathering in the corner of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall, lowering her face to hide the vulnerability he had just forced out of her.
Something inside him twisted painfully, and his chest tightened in regret. What had he done? His voice had been too sharp, too cold. He had seen her in fear, in pain, and instead of comforting her, he had pushed her further away. He felt sick, guilt stabbing at him like a thousand knives.
He inched closer, his body moving instinctively toward her, drawn by the vulnerability she no longer tried to hide. He gently lifted her chin with one finger, urging her to look at him. But when her eyes met his, he saw the deep hurt he had caused—and it shattered him.
"I—" he stopped as his throat went dry. "Meilin, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... Today is just..." His voice softened, and his hands trembled.
She did not respond. Her lips quivered as she curled tighter into herself, the tiny sound of a broken sob escaping her. The sight of her so small, so fragile, broke his defenses. He could not bear seeing her like this, not when his words pushed her into this corner.
Without thinking, Ningshun slipped off his black leather jacket and shook it out. Before she could register what was happening, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Her breath hitched as he pulled her gently into his chest.
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