Ryan hung up the phone after his call with Alice, blinking hard to ease the dryness in his eyes. Finally, he let out a long sigh of relief.
His request had been a bit unreasonable, to be honest. It deviated too much from their original plan, and he was almost certain Alice wouldnât agree to it. But, for some reason, she had been surprisingly understanding this time and agreed without much fuss. Ryan couldnât help but wonder when Alice had become so easygoing.
Then again, if Alice had insisted that he return, he really wouldnât have known what to do.
On one hand, that mysterious $10,000 expense was too suspicious to ignore, and Ryan couldnât help but focus on it. On the other hand, he had his own reasons for not wanting to rush back to Aliceâs side just yet. As for what those reasons wereâ¦
âRyan, Iâm really sorry! I wonât say weird stuff anymore, okay? Please donât be mad at me!â
Ryan glanced at his arm, which was being shaken back and forth vigorously. Mia was clinging to him like a baby koala, refusing to let go no matter how much he tried to shake her off.
Just like she said, Ryanâs expression was seriousâso serious, in fact, that his face couldâve rivaled that of a stern judge. Just looking at him was enough to make anyone nervous.
âPtooey, ptooey, ptooey!â
âSee? I said something I shouldnât have, but I spat it out! So, itâs like I never said it at all!â
Mia spat dramatically a few times, as if trying to sever ties with her earlier self. Then, like a guilty kitten, she started rubbing her face against Ryanâs arm, trying her best to win his forgiveness.
Her big eyes were misty, and Ryan could tell that if he didnât forgive her soon, she was definitely going to cry.
Watching Miaâs antics, Ryan couldnât help but sigh internally. His stern expression softened a little.
It wasnât that he was mad at Mia. It was just that one particular issue was stuck in his throat like a bone, making it impossible for him to act like everything was normal.
âI knew you were the best, Ryan! Letâs go grab lunch!â
The moment Ryanâs expression relaxed, Mia immediately took advantage, clinging to him even more. She rubbed her stomach dramatically, clearly trying to change the subject.
Seeing her smile againâso bright and sweet, like cotton candy soaked in fruit juiceâRyan couldnât help but feel a warmth in his heart. Even the coldest assassin would probably say, âUgh, thatâs too sweet for me.â
But the cuter Mia acted, the more Ryan felt a deep sadness welling up inside him.
Her playful words might seem like a joke, but given everything that had happened, how could Ryan not jump to the worst conclusion?
By now, Ryan was almost certain that something was seriously wrong with Miaâs health. And it wasnât something that could be fixed with money alone.
For someone like her, with her background, even she wasnât spared by fate.
âRyan! What are you thinking about? If you keep ignoring me, Iâm going to get mad!â
Mia noticed Ryan spacing out again. She put her hands on her hips, stood on her tiptoes, and gave him an ultimatum in a playful, whiny tone.
Their noses were barely half an inch apart. Ryan could see his reflection in her clear, amber eyesâso pure and untainted.
For a brief moment, Ryan really believed that this was the real Mia. Maybe the mischievous side of her, just like Aliceâs cold demeanor, was nothing more than a protective mask.
âAlright, alright. What do you want to eat? Iâm sure youâve already decided.â
Ryan took a half-step back to put some distance between them, but the sweet scent of orange soda still lingered in his nose. He rubbed his nose awkwardly and asked in a muffled voice.
He couldnât blame Mia. He had no right to. What could he even blame her for? Hiding her illness?
But if it was something even she couldnât handle, what good would it do to talk about it? It would only invite pitying looks from others.
And in a place like this, surrounded by gangsters, you couldnât expect anyone to show you sympathy. If anything, showing weakness would only put her in more danger.
People here loved nothing more than kicking someone when they were down.
The moment Ryan agreed, Mia jumped up excitedly and grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the hospital exit.
She really didnât want to smell the disinfectant anymore. It reminded her of too many bad things.
With Ryan here, she could act spoiled for a little while longer. Maybe she could even cause some trouble for Alice. And if she could somehow steal Ryan away from Alice, that would be even better.
Compared to these growing obsessions, nothing else really mattered anymore.
Five minutes later, Mia was pulling Ryan into a small, unassuming restaurantâone of those places you could find on almost any street corner. Ever since theyâd grabbed snacks together outside the construction site, Mia seemed to have developed a fondness for these simple, everyday places.
It might sound a bit off to describe it this way, but the truth was, the food she usually ate wasnât exactly the kind of stuff youâd find on a typical familyâs dinner table.
As soon as they stepped inside, Miaâs eyes darted around the restaurant, full of curiosity. Ryan, still lost in thought, handed over the responsibility of ordering to her. For once, she quieted down, focusing intently on the menu, trying to decide what to get. Ryan took the opportunity to rub his temples, and while Mia wasnât paying attention, he let out a deep, heavy sigh.
This was where his selfishness came into play. Even before Mia had made that dark joke, Ryan had already sensed something was wrong. Heâd been mentally preparing himself for a while now.
He kept telling himself that he shouldnât get too involved in Miaâs situation. If even the doctors couldnât help her, what could he possibly do?
But when she finally said it out loud, all his mental defenses crumbled. Just the thought of Mia lying in a hospital bed, looking so fragile, made it hard for Ryan to breathe.
He had plenty of friends, but after heâd faked his death, none of them had stayed in touch. They probably didnât even know he was gone. And yet, after all this time, not a single one had reached out.
At school, the only person he could still call a friend was Anna. And aside from her, the only people Ryan truly cared about were Alice and Mia.
So, this wasnât just a matter of whether he could helpâit was about how he could help.
What Mia was dealing with was likely something beyond the reach of modern medicine. Ryanâs first instinct was to turn to the system for a solution.
The systemâs store refreshed once a week. Skills like Bloodhound Instinct and Drama Magnet were ones heâd drawn from the current pool. Ryan carefully reviewed the skill pool again, but it only deepened his disappointment.
There were some medical-related skills available, but the one called Basic Medical Knowledge was only a B-rank skill. Clearly, it wasnât going to be enough to tackle the problem at hand.
âThis is such a headacheâ¦â
Ryan muttered under his breath, which made Mia glance up at him, her eyes wide with confusion. He quickly waved his hand, signaling her to keep ordering.
He had to help Mia. That much was certain. And if he wanted to change the situation, heâd have to rely on the systemâs abilities, which often defied common sense.
At the moment, there were only two possible options.
The first was to wait for the next skill pool refresh. In the meantime, heâd need to stockpile as many Skill Points as possible. If he got luckyâreally luckyâand the next pool included a high-level medical skill, and if he managed to draw it, then maybe he could turn things around.
But the odds of that happening? Ryan didnât even want to think about it.
The second option was to focus on the final reward for this mission. Completing Aliceâs Crucial Mission would grant him a Wish Point, wouldnât it?