Chapter 5 part 2
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On the other side, Kiea sought solace in Ryzen's comforting embrace, letting her tears flow freely. As she reached him, she immediately requested a hug, and Ryzen, unsure of what else to do, held her tightly, maintaining a gentle silence while rubbing her back to provide comfort.
After several minutes of cathartic crying, Kiea finally released the embrace and wiped her tear-streaked face. Ryzen tenderly helped her fix her disheveled hair, understanding the need for a moment of composure.
Clearing her throat, Kiea sniffed and spoke, her voice slightly shaky. "Let's go. We need to go somewhere, right?" She was aware that Ryzen would approach the situation with caution, and so she nodded, not desiring any further discussion at the moment. "Am I feeling better?" she repeated Ryzen's question, and he instinctively held her waist as they walked away from the orphanage. Kiea sighed and nodded, granting Ryzen some reassurance. He had been worried as he embraced her just moments ago.
As they made their way toward Ryzen's car, silence still enveloped them. Ryzen gave Kiea ample time to relax and regain her composure, understanding the importance of allowing her space to heal and find ease before delving into any conversations about her recent actions. This had always been their dynamic. He listened attentively as she spoke or vented, remaining silent as she cried or faced challenging times, granting her the necessary time to calm down, regroup, and become fully okay before engaging in deeper discussions. It was this approach that helped both of them understand each other's pain and determine how best to alleviate it—a compassionate and comforting method of healing. His unwavering love for her played a significant role in her journey towards healing.
"Is that him?" Ryzen softly inquired after the prolonged silence, his expression unreadable. "Is he the one responsible for your pain? The reason why you couldn't set yourself free?" He glanced at Kiea before starting the car. Kiea looked back at him, observing his lack of reaction. "Yeah, he's the one. The reason I couldn't break free before was because of him. I waited for him not just to return soon, but to give me even a single word—a message. I was so foolish back then that I couldn't see how much I was suffering, all for the sake of nurturing a love that was being watered from a distance," Kiea admitted, her voice carrying a newfound sense of clarity. A genuine smile formed on her face as she looked at Ryzen. "Thank you, Ry. Once again, you've helped me. I know you don't like seeing me in pain, but I can't help but feel that I now owe you a great debt."
"Kiea," Ryzen called out her name, his tone indicating his disapproval of her remark. Kiea laughed in response, easing the tension in the air.
"Okay, I understand. You don't need to worry," Kiea reassured him, laughing lightly, causing Ryzen to smile sweetly and lovingly as he held her hand. "Look at you, you need to focus on driving if you want to hear my answer." Ryzen's eyes widened at Kiea's words, and he abruptly hit the brakes.
"What did I just hear?" he leaned closer to Kiea, his voice filled with anticipation and surprise.
Slightly taken aback, Kiea's body tensed, momentarily caught off guard.
"There, there, grown man," Kiea said, her tone filled with playful affection. "I was just reminding you to focus on driving—don't drive with just one hand. What if we get into an accident? What would we do?" She raised her hands that were still held by Ryzen, emphasizing her point.
"Tss! So, you did say something," Ryzen murmured, a hint of amusement in his voice. Kiea simply laughed silently, enjoying their lighthearted banter.
"Just be careful, Ry," Kiea chuckled, her laughter blending with her words. "By the way, I almost forgot. Where exactly are we heading?" Curiosity awakened within Kiea as she realized she had no idea where they were going.
"You'll find out when we get there. Just relax, we're almost there," Ryzen assured her with a smile. Kiea nodded in response, her heart unexpectedly racing, causing a sense of nervousness she couldn't explain. Before she could dwell on her racing thoughts, she decided to shift the conversation.
"You know, I was afraid," Kiea began, delving into a more introspective topic. "I was scared that if I set myself free, I would also be setting free my love for him. I was torn, wondering if I could just hold onto this love. I had already set him free, so couldn't this love stay with me?" Kiea chuckled as she reminisced about her past self.
"You love him, that's why," Ryzen commented, his voice calm and understanding.
"I loved him enough to let him go, to set him free, to..." Kiea's words trailed off as Ryzen interjected.
"...to help him mend his broken wing so he could fly away, leaving you behind," Ryzen finished her sentence, his words hanging in the air. Kiea felt a pang of surprise, but she shrugged it off and laughed.
"I was desperate to see him achieve something without any concerns," she said, her laughter tinged with bitterness. "Maybe my love for him wasn't as strong as I thought it would be. And then you came into my life, and I allowed myself to be free, sacrificing the love I had for him. I should be truly grateful that you came to me."
Kiea's (P.O.V)
"You shouldn't be like that, Kiea. What if I hadn't approached you? What if we never met? Would you have continued carrying those burdens on your own? Would you still have fought so hard to keep yourself from being free?" Ryzen's words nagged at me, and I knew he was right. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did.
"But you did approach me, and you did help me. Let's just focus on that now, okay?" I smiled at him, trying to ease the tension, but he let out a sigh, clearly concerned.
"We're here," Ryzen said, parking the car. He got out, and as I glanced around, my eyes fixed on the house before us. The heavy feeling I had experienced earlier only grew stronger as I stepped out of the car.
"Where are we?" I asked Ryzen once again, my gaze still fixed on the mysterious house.
"You'll find out. Let's go inside," he replied, pulling me towards the gate. He rang the bell, and within minutes, someone opened the door for us.
A woman who appeared to be around our age greeted Ryzen with a smile, causing me to raise an eyebrow. Did they know each other? It was evident that they did, but I pushed the thought aside. I reached for Ryzen's hand, and he tightened his grip on mine.
"You're here," the woman's smile faded as she turned her head to face me. After a brief moment of staring at me, she looked back at Ryzen and smiled again. "Let's go inside." With that, she walked in. Ryzen squeezed my hand, prompting me to look at him.
"Stop glaring at her. You're making her uncomfortable," he whispered in my ear. My brows furrowed, and I let go of his hand. He looked at me with a puzzled expression, silently questioning my behavior.
"Well, she made me feel uncomfortable first. She didn't greet me or ask about my presence; she just stared," I said, frustration evident in my voice. I glared at Ryzen. "This is important, isn't it? So let's go and make this quick. I want to go back home." I crossed my arms, signaling for him to lead the way inside. He tilted his head, clearly wondering what was going on with me, before he walked in and led the way.