WHEN THE DEVIL MEETS (BOOK1)

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 37

RUI

I looked out of the window, my mind filled with questions about why Ruvik had locked me up and who that girl I escaped with from Ruvik's house could be. The room Ryuk had offered for me to stay was beautiful, adorned in soft, almost ethereal shades of pink, like a delicate blend of white and pink. The room was quite impressive, but it also filled me with apprehension about getting deeper into Ruvik's tangled web. I didn't want anything to jeopardize Ryuk's safety.

As I pondered my next steps, there was a knock on my bedroom door. I had just finished showering and had no other clothes, so I was wrapped in a towel. After a brief moment of hesitation, I opened the door to find Ryuk standing there. His gaze was intense, sweeping from my toes to my lips, leaving me feeling slightly uncomfortable and uncertain.

I cleared my throat to break the silence. "Ryuk, what's in your hand?" I asked, hoping to divert my thoughts from his intense stare.

Ryuk seemed to snap out of whatever had him captivated. He replied, "There's a shop nearby, so I brought you some clothes to change into."

Feeling overwhelmed with gratitude and comfort, I hugged him. Ryuk and I had been friends since I was two and he was four, and he had always watched over me. He embraced me warmly and gently ran his hand through my wet hair.

The door beside my room creaked open, and the mysterious girl stepped out. Reluctantly, Ryuk and I parted from our embrace, and he tenderly brushed away the tears on my face. He handed a bag to me and another to the girl, and he informed us, "Get changed, and join me for dinner."

With that, he left . I glanced at the girl, and she stared back at me without blinking once. Before I could say anything, she swiftly turned and retreated into her bedroom.
I slipped into the purple hoodie and white cotton shorts that Ryuk had brought. They fit me perfectly, and I left my hair open, still slightly damp from the shower. As I stepped into the kitchen, I found Ryuk sipping wine, his face lighting up as he saw me.

"Thank God those fitted you, there was no returning them," he quipped, his smile infectious. I pulled a chair next to him, sat down, and took in the sight of his intense gaze.

He reached into a cabinet and handed me a packet of chocolate Oreos, my favorite indulgence. Without thinking, I opened it and began licking the creamy center of one, savoring the sweet taste. I couldn't help but notice Ryuk's eyes fixated on me as I enjoyed the treat. A pang of awareness hit me – the situation was becoming more intimate by the second. First, I'd shown up in just a towel, and now, I was indulging in an Oreo in a rather provocative manner. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and I quickly set the Oreo down. Ryuk continued to sip his wine, his eyes never leaving mine.

I decided to change the subject, asking, "So, how have you been?"

Ryuk's gaze briefly dropped before returning to meet mine. "Not good, not a single day," he admitted, the pain in his voice palpable. "I was broken without you, Rui. I was so down that I got an idea of how real hell feels."

His words touched me deeply, and I reached out to gently grasp his hand. I wanted to assure him that I was here now, that things would get better. But the confusion still lingered. Before I could voice my thoughts,
Ryuk says
"I tried to find you every single day," he continued. "I even went to your parents' house, but they said you were fine, just needing some alone time on vacation. I refused to believe that lie. I went to the police station every day, hoping they might have found you. I turned the world upside down, but I failed. Each day..." His voice trailed off, and he finally asked, "Where were you?"

His words overwhelmed me with gratitude and guilt. I knew Ruvik had compelled people, making them believe I was enjoying a beach vacation. But the question that loomed large in my mind was, why hadn't Ruvik compelled Ryuk? Ruvik knew how close we were.