Do I look like I want to activate my skill at a time like this? Rukiyo thought, hissing and glaring at the system text that appeared before her.
The system interface changed and the text vanished, replaced by something else.
>> . . . . .
Rukiyo's eyebrows furrowed, confused as to what the system meant by the eclipses, but she teared her gaze away from it and looked at Blank instead.
Blank remained standing and was just staring at her. She could feel his gaze piercing at her, but she doesn't feel any kind of dangerous vibe getting exuded by him just yet.
So, she decided to just get it over with.
She stepped forward and continued doing so until she was right before him, her eyes glinting in the dark.
"Can.. Can you bring me out of here?" She asked, not sure if it was the right words to ask of him, but if dares try to do something, then she will just activate any of her skills to send him to the other side.
Blank tilted his head, his bangs shifting slightly and revealing his golden irises for a moment before getting obscured once again.
"Ok.. Okay.." He mumbled, finally speaking after simply staring at her for hours.
Rukiyo's face brightened up significantly, her enthusiasm hitting through the roof and exploding in the sky— and her tail made it clear that she was happy with the answer she received because it was swaying faster behind her.
The sight made Blank's cheeks warm and he scurried away from her.
Rukiyo's initial reaction immediately got replaced with confusion and she opened her mouth to ask what's wrong, but the man crossed the cave's hall and stepped over to his brother.
He crouched down beside him, his broad back facing Rukiyo.
With a flick of his wrist, he waved Rukiyo over by his shoulder, urging her to make a run for it while he guarded his sleeping brother.
Rukiyo quickly made her way across the cave and scurried past the two of them, the bottom of her feet thumping softly against the ground as she tried to get out of the cave as quickly as she could.
Once she got out, the night's chilly air immediately hit her in the nose.
But instead of being upset and shivering in the cold, her heart fluttered wildly inside her chest and her wings slowly spread behind her, the seemingly leathered texture catching the moonlight on its surface.
I'm out— I'm finally out of here! Rukiyo thought, cheering loudly in her mind.
As she did so, Blank stepped over his brother and pulled the thin fabric to his face to cover his eyes, then he followed right behind Rukiyo.
But he stopped and he stared at the sight before him, stunned speechless.
Rukiyo's messy, raven hair, which was tied back into a high ponytail, gleamed like a raven's wing under the moon's glow.
Her wings, which were stretched wide behind her, look like a dark, shimmering shadow, each plume edged with silver glow that came from the moon in the dark sky, but it's her face that truly steals the breath from him— her face, perfectly framed by her hair, and those beautiful golden eyes that gazed right at him.
All the air in his lungs suddenly got sucked away and he can do nothing, but stare at the monster before him.
Upon seeing him, Rukiyo's lips curled into a wide, relieved smile— one that reached her golden eyes, softening them in a way Blank didn't see while they were inside the cave.
There's no fear in her eyes now, only gratitude and something warmer, something hopeful.
"Thank you." She murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, being mindful of his sleeping brother in the cave behind him. "Thank you so much for helping me."
The genuine words hang in the night air between them, simple, but carrying a weight that makes Blank's chest tighten.
He doesn't move, because he doesn't trust himself to speak, but his gaze lingers on her like she's something miraculous, like she's something precious that needed to be worshipped.
Rukiyo's gaze darted towards Blank and she suddenly registered the expression on his face.
His jaw was slightly slack and there's a dazed, almost trance-like quality to his demeanor, and to make matters worse, she had seen that look before— on men admiring a beautiful woman, captivated by infatuation.
Just then, Rukiyo snapped out of her dizzying gratitude and took a step backward.
Her own smile fades, replaced by a sudden, sharp realization, because Blank.. He's not just looking at her like a stranger. There's an intensity in his gaze that feels... Extremely personal.
There's one in a million chances that Blank might turn out to be the type to obsess over the people he likes, and she knew that he was attracted to her— interested in her, one way or another.
She doesn't want anyone tailing her and following her everywhere, so she cleared her throat awkwardly, the air suddenly thick with tension.
A nervous laugh escapes her as she takes a step back.
"A-Anyway.. Uhmm.." She stammered out, eyes darting away from him. "Thank you again. I'll, uh... be on my way."
She pivoted on her heel, her wings spreading wider as she prepared to bolt— whether from embarrassment or the strange flutter in her chest when she saw the dazed look on Blank's face, she's not sure.
However, just as she was about to take her leave, her wings preparing to lift her into the air, a sudden, strong clasp around her wrist stops her in her tracks.
She froze, heart slamming against her chest as she whipped her head back, only to come face to face with Blank.
He's grasping her wrist gently, but his hold is firm— a silent plea for her not to fly away just yet.
Rukiyo stood there, frozen, her wrist held captive by Blank's hand and his fingers.. Were large and warm, like an unfamiliar brand against her skin.
The air between them is taut, a thick, wordless tension that seemed to press closer with every passing second and it didn't help her case that Blank's gaze is hard to read, his emotions shielded behind the shadows cast by his bangs.
Then, Blank opened his mouth to speak.
But a soft, sleepy groan floated out from the cave entrance and both of them froze.
"Blank?" Came a groggy voice.
It's his brother, stirring from his slumber— a sound that catches them both by surprise, causing Blank's hand to loosen around Rukiyo's wrist.
His head whipped around to look at the cave, just in time to see his brother stumble out of the cave, rubbing his eyes sleepily, the mere sight of him made Rukiyo and Blank flinch in their spot.
But seeing that Blank was distracted, she quickly seized her chance.
Her wings flared out before she took off into the night sky immediately, lifting into the air with a strong burst of wind, leaving Blank stunned in place.
"What the— what was that strong wind?! Where did it come from?" The man who just woken up hissed, disoriented from the sudden gust of wind.
Blank didn't answer him and simply watched the beautiful monster go, an unknown emotion flashing across his face before he abruptly turned towards his brother, hurrying to his side to help him get back inside the cave.