Reian bolted upright, a sharp scream tearing from his throat.
Sweat drenched his forehead, and pure, raw terror filled his eyes.
He panted heavily, his gaze darting around the dim room, trying to escape the lingering image of the giant shadow.
“Flame!” he choked out, his voice cracking with panic.
Hearing the desperation in his brother’s voice, Flame rushed into the room, abandoning his spot by the door.
He dropped to his knees right beside the bed, grabbing Reian’s shoulders.
“Reian!
Hey, look at me.
You’re okay.
Are you alright?
The herb you told me about—it actually worked.
You’re safe.”
Reian froze, staring blankly at the wall.
His mind sank deep into thought.
The chains…
the massive shadow…
the blade piercing my chest…
was it all just a dream?
It had felt so terrifyingly real, yet here he was, breathing normally in their cramped apartment.
“Reian?
Earth to Reian,” Flame called out, gently shaking his shoulder to snap him out of his trance.
Reian blinked, pulling himself back to reality.
“Yeah…
yeah, I’m okay,” he murmured, wiping the cold sweat from his brow.
But as he leaned back, his eyes traveled past Flame’s shoulder.
Sitting quietly in the corner of the room was a stranger—a girl wearing Flame’s oversized clothes.
Reian’s eyes widened in utter shock, and he let out a sudden, startled yelp, pointing a trembling finger at her.
“W-Who is that?!
Why is there a girl in our room?!”
“Whoa, calm down!” Flame quickly intervened, waving his hands to soothe his brother.
With a sigh, Flame sat on the edge of the bed and explained everything that had happened the previous night.
He detailed the treacherous climb up the mountain, the fierce battle at the summit, and how he had to protect the sacred herb.
Finally, Flame took a deep breath, looking down at his hands with a look of heavy guilt.
“I’m sorry I never told you the truth.
I’m not just an ordinary orphan.
I am secretly a trained ninja.”
Reian stared at his brother for a long moment, the shock slowly fading into a warm, understanding smile.
He reached out and lightly tapped Flame’s arm.
“It’s okay, bro.
Don’t worry about it.
Everyone has their own secrets.
You saved my life, and that’s all that matters to me.”
Relieved, Reian turned his attention back to the silent guest.
“So…
what’s your name?”
The girl stepped forward, her posture straight and disciplined.
“I am Silvia,” she introduced herself, her voice calm but firm.
“I am a ninja too.
I come from a large, secluded mountain region far away from this city, where my clan guards the sacred altar.”
Reian nodded politely.
“Well, I’m Reian, Flame’s brother.
We’re just a pair of orphans trying to make it in the city.”
Silvia’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
A wave of regret washed over her face, and she quickly bowed her head.
“An orphan…?
I had no idea.
I am deeply sorry for attacking your brother and trying to stop him from saving you.”
“Hey, it’s totally fine,” Reian laughed, waving it off.
Then, a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes.
He leaned over and nudged Flame hard in the ribs, raising his eyebrows teasingly.
“But damn, bro…
I gotta hand it to you.
You went out to get medicine and ended up bringing a whole sister-in-law back home, huh?”
Flame’s face instantly turned as red as a tomato.
“R-Reian!
Shut up!
It’s not like that!” he stammered, his cool ninja demeanor completely shattering from sheer embarrassment.
A dangerous tick mark appeared on her forehead.
Before either brother could react, she moved like lightning.
BAM!
She delivered a swift, synchronized punch right to both of their heads.
“Ouch!” the brothers groaned in exact same time, rubbing the fresh bumps on their skulls.
“We’re sorry!
We’re sorry!” Reian whined, raising his hands in defeat while Flame hid his burning face in his hands.
Reian glanced at the clock on the wall and gasped.
“Oh shoot, Flame!
Look at the time.
We gotta move!
Today is the big chemistry practical test at school.”
Flame frowned, looking at Reian’s bandaged arm.
“Are you crazy?
You just survived a deadly poison.
You are not well enough to go to school.
Stay home and rest.”
“No way, I’m totally fine,” Reian insisted, swinging his legs out of bed.
“Look, the bleeding stopped, the blue marks are gone, and it’s just a clean bandage now.
I can’t miss this test.
Let’s go!”
Seeing that his brother wouldn’t back down, Flame finally gave in.
“Fine, fine.”
The brothers quickly got dressed and grabbed their school bags.
As they reached the front door, Flame turned around to look at Silvia, who was standing quietly by the kitchen.
“Hey…
please keep an eye on the apartment while we’re gone.”
“Understood,” Silvia replied simply.
With that, Reian and Flame hurried out, leaving the apartment quiet once again.
Silvia stood alone in the center of the room.
As the silence settled, her mind inadvertently drifted back to the previous night—the feeling of the cold rain, the slippery cliff, and the sudden warmth of Flame’s arms wrapping tightly around her to shield her from the fall.
Her cheeks burned with an intense blush.
She covered her face with her hands, groaning softly.
Why am I thinking about that idiot right now?!
Hope you enjoyed the seventh chapter.