As if it wasn't enough of a surprise that he had to meet all the capture targets in broad daylight and in a place where they weren't supposed to be, Another unexpected figure appeared behind them: The Heroine.

Akira's eyes narrowed slightly.

'Hm? I don't remember any events that took place on the common outskirts of the game at all. What are they doing here? '

"Akira,"

He got a bit startled when the five men suddenly appeared in front of him.

He took a step back and almost lost his balance if not for Dion's help.

"Thank you," He said. Dion nodded slightly with a smile that seemed a bit friendly, but Akira quickly noticed how fake that was. He stared at Dion for a while before straightening himself and turning his attention back to others.

"Aki! Good morning!"

Akira's face was distorted a bit. The heroine currently wears a gentle and soft smile, but he can't help but get chills every time he's in front of him.

He quickly turned his attention back to Dion, who suddenly got quiet beside him.

'He seems bored.'

'Well, who wouldn't? We were about to have a date if it weren't for them.'

He frowned but got into a daze when it suddenly hit him—the word he just thought of.

'.....Date..... A date? ..date? aaahh.... Did I really think that we were having a date? for real? '

Akira lowered his head in shame. He felt the heat rushing up and bubbling on his cheeks. As if it weren't enough, he can even hear the rapid beating of his heart.

'D*mn! D*mn! D*mn! This is definitely his fault! '

Akira thought, but while doing so, he didn't know how he looked from others perspectives.

"Akira, are you okay?" Khalid asked in worry. He was about to reach out his hand to touch Akira, but it was stopped midway when someone else got ahead of him.

They watched as the guy who was with Akira suddenly put his hands around him, wrapping them around his waist. Pulling Akira closer to himself.

"Aki? Are you okay?"

And then the man's gentle and intimate voice using Akira's pet name wasn't of any help at all.

Khalid narrowed his eyes darkly. He glared at the man and was trying hard to suppress the dark emotions that were urging to come out at this moment.

"I'm fine, and also your hand; don't touch me there," Akira said, looking a bit flustered.

His voice wavered as he tried to maintain composure, but his cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red, betraying him. Dion holding his waist and pulling him closer had caught him off guard, and he couldn't help but feel a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance.

'This guy! '

Dion slowly retracted his hand, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

"Apologies, Aki. Just making sure you're okay," he said, his tone laced with amusement.

Though his words sounded innocent enough, Akira couldn't shake off the unsettling feeling that Dion was intentionally pushing his boundaries.

Everyone's expression grew even darker, and their fists clenched tightly. They were not ones to easily tolerate such intimacy between Akira and another person, especially not from someone they felt suspicious about.

'A commoner dared to snatch my Akira? '

One of them thought, eyes full of jealousy and resentment.

But who knows who?

One person has already fallen.

----------

He never anticipated that there would come a day when he would see himself surrounded by dangers named -captured targets and heroine- that he was desperately trying to avoid.

Akira watched as the heroine walked in front of them, having fun looking around.

"Dylan! Look! A magic show!" Noah excitedly said, pointing in the direction of the magic show being held in the center of the plaza.

While everyone's attention was on the heroine, Akira felt someone hold his hand. The familiar feeling of warmth once again came back.

He tilted his head sideways and looked at Dion, whose eyes never left the road. Then he glanced at their intertwined hands, a small smile rose up from his face, and he giggled softly.

'At least, there's someone who is not on the 'danger' list beside me. For some reason, I felt comforted.'

"When will they leave?"

Dion suddenly whispered near his ear, which got him startled. He quickly faced the other, but he quickly regretted it when he found Dion's face so close to him that their noses were almost touching each other.

'AGAIN!'

Akira lowered his head again in embarassment. He then leaned his head on Dion's chest, as he didn't want him to see his current face. And by doing so, he felt some kind of relief. It was as if just hearing Dion's heart beat loudly and at a rapid pace washed away his anxiety and stress.

With their current state, with Akira leaning on Dion while their hands remain intertwined, the situation can be easy to misunderstand. Dion's bright and gentle smile while staring at Akira also added fuel.

It was as if people were looking at a sweet couple having PDA in the middle of the street in broad daylight.

"Let go of Akira, you b*stard!"

And it was ruined immediately.

Dylan's words got everyone's attention.

'Ugh, what a bum! Akira thought, frowning, but he didn't move even a little bit.

Meanwhile, Dion's mood seemed to darken when Dylan ruined the moment, but he was left speechless afterwards, seeing that Akira didn't even move after everything that happened.

A soft smile made its way again to his face, and he used his free hand to embrace Akira.

"What! You!"

"Dylan!"

Dylan gritted his teeth and glared at Dion.

Dion's smile widened, feeling a bit boastful. He gave them a mocking look that got them fired up even more.

"Akira! Why are you letting that commoner touch you?"

"Dylan!"

"You hated commoners!"

"....."

"Have you already forgotten what they did to you?"

"Dylan! Watch your mouth! We're in public!"

Khalid spoke sternly, his voice filled with coldness and authority.

"...Dylan," Noah hold Dylan's shoulder tightly. Shaking his head, trying to stop Dylan.

Dion's eyes narrowed, and unknown emotions seemed to flicker within those navy blues. He felt it. Akira flinched after hearing Dylan's last words.

'What happened before? ' Dion thought. Without realizing it, his hold on Akira tightened, which reassured the man beneath him, without knowing himself. Akira decided to move away from Dion's embrace, but his hands didn't let go.

He turned his head towards the other, his eyes looking so tired and indifferent.

What happened before is not his concern.

He is not the real Akira, so why would he care about what happened before?

What he wants right now is to avoid getting dragged into the plot of the game.

meaning erasing the past and changing the outcome of his future is the only thing he needs to care about.

And even if the real Akira hated commoners or have some dark past from them. It's not really his concern. He at least doesn't dislike or hate them.

Akira looked at Dion when he thought of it.

Dion smiled softly at him and made his heart waver again.

"It's getting dark, and we're getting tired. Please go back to the academy."

He said it blankly.

"But, Akira, you have to go back---"

"Young Master Wartinlock."

"What....."

"Please keep in mind that we are not close enough to mind each other's business."

"...."