139 Mortal World 5

L and Y?

The atmosphere turned heavier. A suffocating feeling climbed up Lia's leg making its way to her throat. Her heart started beating faster and she felt anxious. This was only a coincidence. She read too much into it.

L and Y. Why did she think of their names? Lia and Yano? There was no way Yano knew her but the thought didn't let go.

Lia took a few deeper breaths and calmed her mind. This might be an important ring for Yano and it could mean anything. Lia wanted to put it back when a deep and pleasant voice made her jump.

"You say you don't want me to get close but now you're just begging."

Lia turned slowly around on the spot, hiding the ring in her hand behind her back. Yano looked amused and she could see the playful expression on his face.

With each step Yano took towards her, Lia backed off until she hit the edge of the bed, nowhere to escape. Lia almost fell onto the bed, her knees bending as Yano slung his arm behind her back, preventing her from falling.

However, the action also resulted in Lia being pressed further against Yano. Their bodies touched, clinging onto each other as if no space was allowed between them.

The tip of their noses met and their breaths mingled. Yano was too close. Lia never had such intimacy with another person, not even with Min as they slept together. She never even had her first kiss, although she gave up her first time.

Yet Lia's legs felt buttery, she could barely stand and all she could was to stare into his deep eyes. As deep as the waters that were about to swallow her up and pull her into the dangerous tides of infatuation.

One hand with the ring behind her back, Lia used the other to push Yano away, yet he caught her hand with his free one and his little, infuriating yet attractive smile deepened.

Lia didn't know why but her heart started to beat wildly as she was lost in his gaze. Playful, amused and with a hint of arrogance. This was Yano in front of Lia.

No one said anything. Only their hot breaths needed to do the talking and everything was conveyed.

Lia wanted to push him away but Yano didn't budge. What did he want? What was he about to do? All of a sudden, Lia's mind blanked, she could only continue staring at him, not knowing what he wanted from her.

This intimacy, this closeness, these feelings, she's never experienced, a warmth she's always sought from Min but never got, it all rushed to her head and turned off any switch that caused her to function properly.

What Lia couldn't see was her own face. The flustered expression she made that Yano enjoyed a lot. It was enticing and adorable, he couldn't help but tease her more.

His face drew closer to Lia until their lips almost touched, then deeming the distance as appropriate, this paper-thin gap, he mused, "It's fine, don't worry too much."

Lia's head spun. His words rode a carousel in her mind. She shouldn't worry about what? About this closeness, these inappropriate actions or what he was going to do the next second?

Lia wanted to close her eyes but couldn't stop looking into his eyes that pulled her in and slowly mesmerised her. She could feel his cheeky hand trailing down her back thirsting for a place Lia was shocked to offer.

Yano pulled a bit away from Lia, so she could see his full face and then gave her another little smile before he finally let her go.

Wide-eyed and not realising what had just happened, Lia plumped onto Yano's bed and looked up at him. Her face started to heat up and she only now noticed how flustered she was.

She out of all people, over a mere guy, over some mere meaningless actions? Lia couldn't believe it. Her temporary embarrassment finally made way for her anger to rise.

Lia looked up at Yano and glared at his self-fulfilled face. Yet in Yano's eyes, she was like a small angry bunny and he laughed. Realising she wasn't intimidating at all to him, that the effect she had on others didn't work on him, made her even more frustrated and she wished he'd just disappear.

But before she could do anything, Yano once again towered over her, his arms confining her body and she had nowhere to go.

"Why are you angry? You came to my room and stole my stuff?"

"I didn't steal anything," Lia remained calm and unfazed by his actions this time.

"Oh really?" Yano pulled away and now crouched down, so they were the same height, "What's this then, I wonder?"

From Yano's hand, a golden ring emerged and twirled around between his fingers. Lia looked at her own and realised he has done all of that just to take her ring back. Lia got even more furious and lied, "It was lying on the ground, I only picked it up for you."

"Oh?"

Lia could hear the amusement in his voice and refused to look at him but his cheeky hand brushed the strands of hair out of her face as his eyes never left her, "Then you have my thanks."

"I don't need it," Lia still refused to meet his gaze. Yano sighed but made no attempt to back off, only remaining to crouch before Lia and looking at her.

Lia finally couldn't take it anymore and asked, "Where did you get the ring?"

"It's mine."

"As if."

"Ah," Yano sounded like he understood her intention, "No need to be jealous, I'm single and I never had anyone, so I'm also-"

"Shut up," Lia pressed her hand over Yano's face before he could produce any more words that made her want to slap him.

Low muffled laughter and a playful glint still managed to make Lia boil with anger. The room was originally cold but now it was evaporating with heat. The lights were out and it was night outside, but Lia could still see Yano very clearly.

He was wearing a black uniform but the jacket was open and his shirt inside torn, revealing his muscular body. The belt on his trouser was also loose. This sight of Yano, messy but in a uniform, arrogant but charming, could really set fire to every fragile maiden's heart to turn it into fireworks.

It was too tempting and too seductive, yet Lia only glared at him. Yano helplessly shrugged his shoulders as his appearance had no effect on her. He didn't want to make her any angrier and said, "I found it in the academy."

These words instantly lit another emotion in Lia, one that had nothing to do with Yano, much to his dismay, "In the Immortal World?"

"Yup," Yano answered casually but Lia couldn't believe her ears.

What were the odds? Was the possibility of this ring here being the real one and the one she found a fake one, really true?

However, only with so little information, Lia didn't jump to any conclusion yet. Lia narrowed her eyes at Yano as he still crouched in front of her and his hands on the bed, each on one side of her body, almost touching her.

Yano only looked at her with a completely new expression, one that resembled a puppy waiting for its owner's order. Seeing and imagining this Lia had to hold back her laughter that wanted to fill this magical room and further the bond they shared.

Yano noticed her effort to keep her laughter down and wanted to tickle it out of her as his hands felt itchy but he really couldn't make her more angry.

"So, you stole it," finally Lia said solemnly after a successful attempt to extinguish the hateful laughter inside of her.

Yano froze for a second in surprise before the corner of his lips rose, "I only found it on the ground, I didn't steal anything."

This guy! Lia almost exploded, he was using her words against her! Seeing the struggle on Lia's face, Yano couldn't help but laugh again, infuriating Lia ten times more.

"It doesn't belong to the Ghost King either," Yano choked out in between his amusement but this was enough for Lia to confirm her suspicion.