21|Missing?Another jacket.

"That is him"

From a little far distance from where Eris and Rhea stood, three men dressed in black and had a mask covering their faces squatted behind bushes. They had killing intent on their faces.

"Let's get him!" The one who seems to lead the group said.

"There is a lady with him" Another noted.

"You want to keep her? Waste her" The boss said heartlessly. He stood straight and moved forward towards Eris and Rhea cautiously.

Just then, Eris paused his actions and raised his head. He looked around suspiciously before returning his gaze to Rhea.

"It is getting late, let us go back" He said unhurriedly.

"The flower—" She started.

"You did not tell me you love flowers so much" He said and suddenly ran his fingers sluggishly from her cheek down to her neck and to her collarbone before playing with the collar of her cardigan. She could not help but blush deep.

"We can get a truck of flowers later" He looked in her eyes as he paused his fingers. "Now, let's leave". He dropped his hand and took her hand in his. Her heart warmed and pumped harder. She even forgot all he said about going back until he tugged her forward.

The two kept on walking on, to Rhea, they were returning back to the camp area but unknown to her, they were venturing further into the forest. As they walked, Eris increased their pace.

Rhea heard shuffling of bushes and hurried footsteps behind them, she tried to turn around but Eris stopped her.

"Don't" he said holding still.

"Is someone following us?" She asked him.

"It's nothing, just keep walking" he said to her.

Although she felt a bit of uneasiness, she still believed she was safe with him around him. She had subconsciously created a sense of safety around him.

Rhea heard another movement, it was a bit louder than the former ones. Eris held her tighter and diverted their ways into thicker forest. Then a loud bang was heard. It sounded like gunshot.

"What was that?" Rhea asked breathlessly.

"Nothing of importance" Eris said and afterwards, everything became calm. They could no longer hear the footsteps following them.

"It is okay now" Eris said as they stopped walking. He twirled her around to face him. He brushed off the strands of hair that the breeze blew on her face. He then used his hand to rub circles on her cheeks. She felt loved.

Just then, they felt water drop on them and they looked up at the same time. They shared the same thought at the moment, it was going rain. There is no way that they would escape getting drenched since they were not near any shelter.

Meanwhile, on Taylor's side. He was going through some documents when a knock was heard on the door.

'Could that be Eris?' He wondered before opening the door. It ended up being another man with stoic face who was soaking in sweat. Although the man looked like one who just had a tussle, his appearance was still tidied.

"You are...?" Taylor asked, discreetly giving the man a look over.

"The boss was attacked in the forest this afternoon, we successfully fend off the men. We also confirmed their identity and who sent them before cleaning up. The boss is now safe with his lady, he might take a little while as he had to venture a bit into the forest while leading the men to us. His message to you is that you should stay put where you are".

The stoic man explained robotically. Without any more explanation, Taylor already knew who he was, one of Eris shadow guards.

"But it's—" Taylor started, but the man has left.

"What the hell is that!" Taylor stepped out of the house and looked around but there was not a single trace of the man.

He was only just standing before him right now, where had he left to? Taylor thought. Now he can understand why he never saw any of them until now. They were too good.

It was close to evening and the sky was darkening. It was going to rain. Taylor was worried, knowing his friend's low tolerance to cold. But as he was instructed, he stayed put.

Back at the camp area, most of the students were beginning to return to their tents due to the weather. The game had been stopped since most groups already found their searches. Claire went to the tent.

She had been to the score board and noticed that Rhea's group had finished their search, so she thought Rhea would also be in the waiting in the tent.

Claire entered the tent but there was no Rhea anywhere. 'Where could she be?' Claire thought. What if she got caught up in the rain in the forest—

The rain began dropping non stop. Eris and Rhea needed to find shelter. The clothes were getting drenched and the weather was becoming windy sending chills to their skin.

"Come, let's go there" Eris said. He took Rhea's hand and led her to a big tree. The leaves served as a protection from the rain. Eris pulled her down with him to seat under the tree.

Eris removed his leather jacket and covered Rhea with it leaving him with his shirt. Although his shirt was still dry because of the leather jacket he wore, Rhea could not help but get worried about him getting cold from sacrificing his jacket.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked. He did not answer but continued buttoning the jacket for her. He only stopped when he was sure she was properly covered.

"I can be warm" He said looking at her. "Come here" He instructed and like she was hypnotized, she moved closer to him. He pulled her and yanked her into his embrace. In the sitting position they were, Rhea could only straddle him unintentionally.

"This is warm" Eris whispered in her ear, his warm breathe fanning the exposed skin of her neck. Rhea warmed up, her cheeks grew hot.

"Stop being cheesy" Rhea said and subconsciously hugged him tighter.

Eris took her hand and buried it inside his shirt. Rhea gasped when she felt her hand on his bared chest.

"What are you doing—" She tried to remove her hand Immediately but Eris held her back. He stared deep into the abyss of her eyes enchanting and entrancing her.

"Stay here, still..." -forever- . He said and obediently, she succumbed. She laid her head in his chest and let the moment be. Their breathe mixed creating a burning fire that warmed their body and soul. The cold was long forgotten.

The rain fell for hours and only stopped at about 8pm. The night has fallen in the forest but the moon was full, it graciously shone it's light in the brightest form.

"Are you cold?" Eris asked. He pulled Rhea to standing position. Thankfully to the tree, they were shielded from the rain.

"No, I am warm. Thank you" she answered in a small voice and he nodded.

"Let's head back from here, it will not be a good thing to be pronounced missing" Eris said.

"That is right" Rhea said and turned to walk but Eris stopped her. She faced him.

"Your hand" he held out his hand towards her. She smiled shyly and placed her hand in his. He closed his warm palm over hers and tugged her closer. Together, they started making there way out using the moonlight as their source of light.

They walked in silence, each lost in the world of his thoughts. Rhea was curious about the earlier event. She wondered if anyone was after Eris and why. She wanted to ask him but kept quiet.

She threw side glances at him. Eris noticed her quick glances and a small smile graced his lips but he did not say anything. He knew she was being curious but was not asking him anything. He rubbed circles at the back of her hand using his thumb. It was as if he was telling her not to worry.

Back in the camp area, Claire was worried her friend was still not back. She stomped out of the tent and went to report the situation. All of Rhea's teammates were gathered at once.

"So can either of you explain why Rhea Rutherford who was placed in your group is yet to return or why is she missing?" The moderator asked the group and they all looked at each other, the coordinator of their group threw a glance at Amelia.

"She was grouped with Amelia, so better ask her not us" the coordinator answered and all eyes turned to Amelia who sneered.

"Why the hell are you all looking at me, we went different ways. Whatever could have happened to her for all I care" Amelia said nonchalantly.

"What did you do to her you idiot!" Claire snapped. She was angry, her friend was missing and everyone else was treating it as nothing. She wanted to rip off Amelia's head right now.

"We went separate ways, are you deaf!" Amelia retorted. She was ready to sink her nails in Claire neck if she refuse to behave.

"You—"

"Claire, what is happening?" Someone said and everyone turned around. Rhea clothed in a very big jacket and obviously drenched walked towards them.

She and Eris went different ways when they were closer to the camp. After a very long time of holding her in his embrace and dropping a fleeting kiss on her forehead, he let her go. Rhea was still relishing in the moments when she heard her best friend's angry voice.

"So much for dragging us out of bed to find her" Amelia murmured. She eyed Rhea angrily. As planned, she knew Rhea had gotten lost in the forest and even was beaten by the rain but that jacket was obviously a man's own.

"I was looking for you, you are so wet" Claire said. Her voice was soft now that her friend is back.

"Ah... thanks to a particular someone that was planning my death but lucky me, I only got lost and stayed under the rain. I never died. Who knows the map can lead you so wrong" Rhea said with a loud sigh. Everyone got the message and turned to Amelia who turn and walked away angrily.

"Since you are here, everyone can head back. You can ask for a hot bath and medical attention" The moderator said.

"Thank you, I am fine. I will just have the bath and sleep" She answered.

The group returned to their tents and so did Rhea and Claire. Rhea took a bath, changed to warm clothes and went to bed.

'Another jacket' Claire thought. She smirked looking at her friend's sleeping figure before laying on her own bed.

At Eris side, Taylor would bit stop nagging and yelling at his friend since he walked into the apartment. He was only dressed in a shirt making Taylor worried to death, he quickly went to boil hot water for his friend's bath.

"Do you not care about yourself at all! You might become sick and we don't need you getting sick at this moment, you should know better than exposing yourself!" Taylor nagged.

"She was warm" Eris voiced after a long time.

"..." Taylor sat down, he was speechless.