Ryan stumbled off the ride with two girls in tow, looking pretty disheveled. He had thought heâd be the last one to get dragged off, but things had taken a complete 180.
âI told you, if you didnât want to go, you didnât have to. I donât get why you two were so competitive about it.â
Mia had barely stepped off the âJoyful Doughnutâ ride before she lost control, clutching her chest with her right hand and dry heaving several times.
She then collapsed onto Ryanâs shoulder, her legs still trembling even though she was already off the ride.
Ryan sighed and shook his head. Mia and Anna were acting really strange. Normally, they werenât this competitive in everyday life, so why were they suddenly so determined to one-up each other?
âRyan! You tricked me!â
Miaâs face was pale, and if she werenât clinging tightly to Ryanâs arm, she probably wouldâve wobbled and fallen after just a few steps.
Gone was her usual soft, girly demeanor. Now, she was like an angry little kitten, pointing a finger at Ryanâs nose, her voice full of frustration.
âYou werenât even scared! Why did you pretend to be? You made me⦠you made meâ¦â
She huffed, but Ryan just looked more confused.
Even Mia realized she was being a bit too aggressive, and under Ryanâs puzzled gaze, her voice gradually trailed off.
She didnât finish her sentence, but Ryan could already guess what she was trying to say. He rolled his eyes at her, annoyed. If he could, heâd probably let go of her and let her fall to the ground.
What she meant was probably something like, âIf Iâd known you werenât scared, we wouldnât have gone on the ride, and I wouldnât be in this mess.â
Ryan had been unsure earlier, thinking Mia might actually enjoy these kinds of thrill rides. But now, it was clear what was really going on.
The little troublemaker just wanted to see him embarrassed. That was all.
Ignoring Mia and her mischievous antics, Ryan turned his attention to Anna.
Compared to Mia, who was now practically a koala clinging to Ryan, Anna was doing a bit better. At least she could still walk on her own.
But her face didnât look great either, and there was a hint of regret in her expression.
She had thought that after the ride, sheâd be the one helping Ryan off, taking care of him and offering comfort. But she hadnât expected to be so shaken herself.
The reason she was here today was because sheâd caught wind of Miaâs plan and had arrived before Ryan did.
She had everything planned out, hoping to take advantage of the so-called âsuspension bridge effectâ during this trip to the amusement park.
Ryan had always been kind to her, but it was more like the care a senior shows to a junior. If she didnât make a move, there wasnât much chance of things progressing further.
So, sheâd decided to take the initiative. This was her first bold attempt, and she wanted Ryan to mistake the adrenaline rush from the ride for feelings of love.
But while the bridge had been set, she was the one who ended up falling into the trap.
Now, she was feeling pretty down. But there was no undoing it, so sheâd just have to come up with another plan later.
After they got off the ride, Ryan headed straight for the parkâs rest area.
Mia didnât seem like sheâd be recovering anytime soon, so Ryan crouched down and offered her a piggyback ride to make her more comfortable.
The little troublemaker wasnât about to refuse. Her eyes lit up as she eagerly accepted Ryanâs offer, showering him with exaggerated praise for being so considerate.
âRyan, youâre doing great! Mia loves you so much~â
If sheâd known earlier that acting a little weak would get her some close contact with Ryan, she wouldâve done it ages ago.
Ryan mightâve looked a bit lean, but once Mia was on his back, she was surprised by how broad and sturdy he felt. She gripped his shoulders tightly and let out a little squeal of excitement as he stood up.
As Ryanâs steps became steady, her heart, which had been racing from the ride, only beat faster. It felt like someone was pounding on her chest with a drumstick.
Her nose brushed lightly against Ryanâs cheek, and she breathed in his comforting scent.
Seeing that Ryan wasnât reacting negatively, her eyes sparkled. Like a sneaky thief, she quickly planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
Ryan, still chatting with Anna beside him, didnât seem to notice Miaâs little move.
Mia was always like this, throwing around words like âloveâ so casually. Ryan just chalked it up to her being a kid who didnât really understand what she was saying, thinking it was all just playful banter.
Ryan might think nothing of it, but to others, it was a completely different story.
Take Anna, for example. Just a moment ago, she had been laughing and chatting with Ryan, but the second Mia planted that quick kiss, her gaze sharpened instantly.
If Aliceâs usual stare was cold, then Annaâs in that moment was downright venomousâlike a predator with bloodshot eyes, ready to strike. Under that piercing gaze, Ryan felt like heâd been hit by a thousand arrows all at once.
âWh-whatâs wrong, Anna?â Ryan asked, his voice tinged with fear as he instinctively took a couple of steps back.
To be honest, the look on her face just now had been terrifying, as if she were staring at a corpse.
But in the next second, Annaâs expression returned to normal.
With the sunlight behind her, Ryan had been looking at her in a sort of backlit silhouette, making her sudden change in expression even more jarring. He started to wonder if he had imagined the whole thing.
He knew Annaâs personality well enoughâshe was always so gentle. How could someone like her ever show such a frightening look?
âItâs nothing. I just remembered something,â Anna replied softly, her voice as gentle as ever. She avoided his gaze, lowering her eyes to look at his feet.
He had stepped backâ¦
âRyan, how about we go on some more relaxing rides next?â Anna suggested, stepping closer to him and taking the bags from his hands.
Ryan had been carrying the things the two girls had boughtâmostly plush toys and other souvenirs. They werenât heavy, but they were awkward to hold.
Annaâs gesture lightened his load considerably, making things much easier for him.
âSure, Iâm good with whatever,â Ryan said with a smile, quickly brushing off the strange moment from earlier.
Such a sweet, thoughtful girlâthereâs no way sheâd ever do anything scary, right? He convinced himself that his earlier feeling had been nothing but nonsense.
Meanwhile, Mia, still clinging to Ryanâs back, was in a much better mood than before. She had seen Annaâs brief lapse in composure perfectly, and it reminded her of something sheâd experienced before.
Itâs like thereâs a wild beast locked inside, and every slight or moment of being ignored only makes that beast stronger. You try to suppress it, to lock it away so it never gets out.
But suppression is just a temporary fix. Those negative emotions donât disappearâthey just pile up, waiting for the next chance to explode.
Mia knew her little kiss had been impulsive, but she didnât regret it one bit. After all, Ryan was going to be hers sooner or later, so what was the harm in stealing a few kisses now?
As for Annaâs foul mood and barely-contained rage? That wasnât Miaâs problem. If Anna wanted to lose it, let her. In fact, it might even be better if she did. Ryan would see her true colors sooner, and then Mia could just kick her out of the picture.
If Anna really went off the deep end, Mia would be the first to make sure she was thrown overboardâfiguratively or literally.
With that thought, Miaâs mood improved even more. She tightened her grip around Ryanâs neck and shifted her body forward, clearly enjoying the closeness. She was getting addicted to the feeling of rubbing her cheek against his.
Her body was soft, and with only a thin summer dress on, the fabric did little to mask the warmth and sensation of her pressing against him.
âMia, could you loosen up a little?â Ryan asked, his voice strained.
âNo way, no way! You tricked me, and Mia remembers everything,â she said, tugging playfully on his ear, her voice full of mock scolding.
Ryan was speechless. How was that even considered tricking her? It seemed like no matter what he said, this little troublemaker would find a way to twist it. Maybe staying quiet was his best option.
But, as it turned out, he was still underestimating her.
While Anna remained silent, her head down, Mia was just getting started. She tugged on Ryanâs ear again, this time speaking loud enough for all three of them to hear.
âRyan, donât you think this feels a lot like weâre on a date right now?â