Can't Stop Teasing

"System, why would I break down as soon as I see him?" asked Cynthia as she twirled a test tube containing a cyan liquid. She put her chin on top of her face and was recalling the scene of tears dripping down the side of her face.

She was worried it might have something to with Gaia's consciousness interfering with her thoughts. It wasn't in line with her actions earlier as she was able to carry herself normally when meeting her mother.

[User, I am not a psychologist or psychiatrist.]

The system was blunt. It made Cynthia frown but since the system didn't mention anything related to Gaia, then that means that was all her.

She had her own guesses for why she reacted so drastically but wasn't willing to explore them as it would have to do with the incidents that had happened in the past timeline.

Ones that she had sealed away deep within her heart.

"It would make sense for Gaia to not be able to interfere with things that happen within gates. It's a different world after all."

The gates being locations on other planets was already confirmed by the system. With that, it was easily deduced that whatever happens with them cannot be overseen by Gaia.

So if she does need to get something done under its nose, that would be the place to do so.

"How much longer do you need to collect the data?" she asked.

The system was probably the only person who could help her understand the concept of being in a world that worked like a novel.

[Based on current rates, 7 days and 15 hours.]

Cynthia turned to face the digital clock on her table and took a look at the time and date.

Friday, September 27, 2099, 7:00 PM

10 AM of next Saturday was when she was most likely to do things without being completely unaware of what the world was planning on doing. Until then, she had to go with the flow of this world and try not to do drastic things.

Cynthia looked down at the test tube and scrutinized the contents for a couple of seconds. she shook her and was now ready to consume the first Intelligence serum.

She needed to exercise her body to an acceptable standard before taking the speed serum to maximize its effect since it multiplies her already present abilities.

Unlike her physique that's subject to change, her mind wasn't going through much more change in her lifetime. As a teenager, she was basically at the peak of mental performance. The only other time people could take this potion was when they were children and their learning capabilities were the best.

Just as she was about to take the stopper of the tube and take the contents in one gulp, the sound of nuclear alarms interrupted her.

[Beep! Beep! Intruder detected. Sending item to inventory.]

With that warning, the system snatched away the serum into a miniature blue portal. Cynthia sat there in surprise but quickly adjusted her expression to a cold one.

SWOOOSH!

The usually locked windows unlocked themselves as a heavy yet refreshing gust of cool air flowing into the room left Cynthia shivering.

She was wearing only a white long-sleeved shirt, a purple unzipped hoodie, fluffy purple pair of woolen pants.

It was enough to take a stroll in early fall but she wasn't mentally prepared for the cold. The feeling was imaginary.

In the middle of the room, a familiar figure in a fitting white shirt and tight, black jeans materialized out of nowhere.

With his crimson hair being lightly blown by the wind, he looked down at Cynthia who was shivering on top of her bed.

"I'm sorry..." he says in a low voice after frowning. Ryan flicks his hands as the windows shut and lock themselves.

'I.. it's okay." Cynthia replies nonchalantly as she shoved her hand in the sweater's pockets and stood up. She walked up to him, raised her head, and stared straight into his eyes.

Her confidence and bearing left Ryan feeling some sort of scary pressure. He felt like he was standing in front of a powerful monarch.

This left him perplexed as he knew very well that she was a lamb waiting to be slaughtered when compared to him. Regardless, he had a reason for coming here and he wasn't going to leave without getting what he wanted.

"Can I ask why you cried earlier?" he asked. This was the main concern as he didn't want her to feel sad in any way even if she seemed to be someone who shows a strong bearing.

'Mothe said that people often hide their weakness behind a mask of false strength.' He thought as he assumed that Cynthia was hiding something.

He didn't want to prod much if she doesn't share, he would just leave it at that. This was because they had only met for the second time. She wasn't inclined to share anything with him.

"I was moistening my dry eyes. Tears help keep your eyes clean." This is what she said in response with a shrug of her shoulders. There was not a trace of hesitation or sign of her lying.

Ryan tilted his head to side. He looked at her with a face of disbelief.

"It's fine if you don't want to say it. I'll leave it at that so can I get my ring back?" Ryan kept his internal promise.

"Here." Cynthia took out her left hand from the pocket and unfurled her fist.

Inside was the shiny platinum ring he had handed to her earlier. It had the storage space filled with all sorts of monster corpses from the Gate earlier.

She had used one of them to get her membership card. As for how the black markets tracker thought she had killed one, she didn't know how it was done. But, it had to be done by Ryan by some means unknown to her.

Ryan took his own slender and unblemished, white arm towards the ring.

Zwing!

A blue portal appeared below it and it disappeared.

This made his vague frown turn pronounced as he gave a surprised and questioning look towards Cynthia.

"I answered your question so answer one of mine," she said with a grin.

"That's only fair." Ryan agreed. without hesitation.

"When are going to attend my school?" she asked curiously.

Ryan looked at her stumped, wondering how she knew that he was going to her school. He would assume that Cynthia had told her younger system or older brother about meeting him and they told her about it.

That wasn't possible as he was sure that they were not at home when she returned from both her trips to the black market.

'I haven't even shared my name with her yet.' he declared.

"How did you know?"

"Huh? What kind of question is that? You accepted by dating proposal and that wouldn't really work if we went to the same school, right? Unless you were planning on not keeping your promise toward your queen..." With a mischievous tone, she had started to tease him again.

"You..."Ryan was left speechless as she had started attacking him with words again. He then thought back to her little sister named Lilliana and realized that both had their way with words.

It's just that one was effective against him while the other one could not compare to him in any way. It was clear who could leave him unable to utter a straight reply.

Ryan shook his head internally and puffed up his chest as he put on his best Valliant and prideful look. It looked somewhat awkward as he wasn't used to doing so.

"Once I promise to something, I will never renege on it. It is against the principles that my brother has instilled in me." he declared with his best tone of pride.

"Hahahaha..." Cynthia started to laugh hysterically as she heard this and fell on top of her bed while holding her tummy.

She wasn't originally sure about who was intruding her room so she had her expressionless look on. But when she saw Ryan, she had relaxed as it was hard being cold to such a cute and clueless person.

She was laughing at the fact that he showed pride in learning something from his older brother. Someone who he would later find out to be completely different than what he has shown him.

Ryan might think of his brother to be someone worth looking up to but only find himself blushing in shame when he learns that in the future.

She also laughed because he was just too adorable when trying to put off a cool front. It would never work in front of her as he was not only inexperienced but she could practically read his mind.

"Why are you laughing? Is there something wrong with my face?" he asked with a bewildered look.

As always, this powerful young man was clueless about many things but this made Cynthia even more attracted to him. She felt it was one of his best charms.

She stopped her laughter soon and coughed twice before being able to control herself.

"I can laugh whenever I want. Is there something wrong with that?" She was grinning once again.

Ryan didn't know how to reply as this girl never lied but always left in situations that were hard to respond to because of his limited social experience. Everything she said made sense and there was no room for rebuttal.

As for how he was able to contend against Lillian with ease, it was because of what his sister-in-law had taught him.

She would always argue with other women both inside and outside the family. She showed her dislike towards people very openly without ever hiding.

She would treat those people with the cleverest yet most painful words. She could not be beaten in an argument. She had taught Ryan to treat people he wasn't disliked this way as well.

"Can i get my ring back now?" he quickly remembered one of his objectives.

"Sure." Cynthia casually summoned the ring from her system inventory and tossed it at Ryan who had no problems catching it with his inhuman reactions."Anything else?"

"Not now. It seems we are destined for interruptions," he said while looking at the door with a disgusted expression. He then disappeared as the windows opened once again and the wind-blasted in.

The windows closed a dozen seconds later.

Before Cynthia could question what he meant by another interruption, a set of knocks was heard on her door.

Then the sweet voice of Lilly came through.

"Are you talking to someone, sis? I came to tell you that it's time for dinner."

Cynthia sighed as she realized why Ryan showed a dispersed look before leaving. She remembered that he, for some reason frowned every time Lilly would appear near him.

Without dwelling on it much further, she went and opened the door.