Where is my home?

I'll Stand by You

The room fell silent as Riyan's declaration hung in the air. His parents exchanged a stunned look, while the relative who had made the initial comment looked taken aback, clearly not expecting such a stern response. Riyan's gaze scanned the room, his eyes daring anyone to challenge him or make another untoward comment about me.

The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension as Riyan's statement lingered. No one dared to speak up or contradict him. His parents, visibly uncomfortable, tried to break the silence. "Riyan, dear, calm down," his mother said, her voice pleading. "It was just a simple remark, there's no need to get so worked up about it."

Riyan's eyes flicked over to his mother, his expression unchanging. "It's not just a 'simple remark', mom," he said, his tone hard. "It's about respect. And I will not let anyone disrespecting Sanya."

Riyan's words hung heavily in the air, his stance unmoving. His parents exchanged a sheepish glance, realizing that Riyan was not going to back down. The relative who had made the offensive comment fidgeted uncomfortably under Riyan's gaze, clearly regretting his words. 

No one dared to speak up, the room remaining tense and silent, until finally Riyan's father spoke up. "Riyan," he began, his tone cautious. "We understand your concern, but perhaps it would be best if we discussed this privately?"

Riyan took a deep breath, his eyes still fixed on his father. He was clearly torn between his desire to continue defending me and the wish to not cause a scene. After a moment of internal struggle, he finally nodded. "Fine," he said gruffly, his voice low. "We can talk privately. But make no mistake, this conversation is not over."

The atmosphere in the room remained tense as Riyan agreed to speak with his parents privately. His eyes flickered towards me, his gaze softening momentarily as he saw the slight look of discomfort on my face, before swiftly hardening again as he turned his attention back to his parents.

As Riyan ushered his parents out of the room, he couldn't help but glance back at me one last time. His gaze lingered on me, holding a smoldering intensity, betraying his desire to protect me and his anger at the situation. 

Despite the distance between us, his eyes seemed to relay a silent message to me, a promise that he would not let anyone hurt me again. With a final nod, he turned to leave, his footsteps disappearing down the hallway.

Left alone with the remaining guests, I took a deep breath, trying to collect my thoughts. 

Riyan's departure had left me feeling a mix of gratitude and trepidation. Grateful for his steadfast defense, yet fearful of the conversation he was no doubt having with his parents. 

I attempted to plaster a smile on my face and engage in polite small talk with the others, all the while trying to suppress my anxious thoughts about what was happening behind closed doors.

The guests continued talking amongst themselves, occasionally casting curious glances my way. I tried to focus on the conversation but found it difficult to concentrate. 

Every few minutes, I would steal a glance towards the door, wondering what Riyan was saying to his parents and what the outcome of their conversation would be.

The time seemed to crawl by as I waited anxiously for Riyan and his parents to return. The conversation around me felt forced and awkward, everyone conscious of the elephant in the room. I smiled politely and made small talk, but all I could think about was what was happening behind closed doors.

After what felt like an eternity, Riyan finally returned to the room, his expression unreadable. He made his way over to me, his parents following close behind him. I tried to gauge his mood from his expression, but his face gave nothing away.