The Professor|| Sylus

Jealous

As they returned to the group, Ayako immediately marched up to Mei, her worry turning into playful scolding. She pinched Mei's cheek, her voice laced with concern. "You had me more worried than the rides! You can't just disappear like that—what are you, immortal?!"

Mei winced but laughed, rubbing her cheek. "I'm sorry, Ayako..."

Meanwhile, Kieran and Luke exchanged glances with Sylus. Kieran was the first to ask, "Where's Mina?"

Sylus shook his head, a subtle but clear signal. "She left early. Had some things to take care of," Dr. Gregory added.

Luke checked his watch and grinned. "It's 6 p.m. We've still got time for more rides. Who's in?"

Kieran's eyes lit up. "Heck yeah!"

Ayako overheard them and groaned, "Oh no, don't tell me you two are dragging me along again—"

Before she could finish, Sylus casually slipped his arm around Mei's shoulders, sending a rush of warmth through her as her face turned a deep shade of red. She tried to compose herself, but his proximity made her heart race. Sylus looked at Ayako with a mischievous smile. "Mind if I borrow Miss Mei for a while?"

Ayako, completely flustered by his wink, stammered, "O-Of course!"

Before Ayako could protest further, Kieran and Luke each grabbed one of her arms, dragging her toward the next ride as she playfully surrendered with a sigh of defeat. Dr. Gregory, noticing the moment, turned to Rita and smiled. "There's a nearby antique shop I've been wanting to check out. Care to join me?"

Rita nodded with enthusiasm. "I'd love to"

As Dr. Gregory and Rita prepared to leave, Dr. Gregory glanced at Sylus. "Just text us when you're done," he said, winking knowingly at Mei, which only made her blush even harder.

Once the others were gone, Mei turned to Sylus, her voice barely above a whisper. "I-I guess it's just the two of us now." She then looked away to the rides.

Sylus followed her gaze to a large ferris wheel in the distance. "Are you afraid of heights?"

Mei shook her head, trying to steady her racing heart. "Not really."

"Good," Sylus replied. "Come on, follow me." He gently took her hand in his, leading her toward the line for the ferris wheel. His touch was soft, yet firm, and Mei felt a surge of warmth at the simple gesture.

As they waited in line, everything around them seemed to blur. Mei's focus was solely on Sylus—the way his hand felt wrapped around hers, the calmness in his voice, and the way he made her feel safe even in the midst of her confusion. Nothing else seemed to matter in that moment but him, and Mei felt her heart flutter in a way she couldn't quite control.

As they settled into the ferris wheel carriage, Mei found herself seated across from Sylus. The small space felt even more intimate with the soft creaking of the wheel and the quiet hum of the carnival below. Sylus sat in front of her, his posture relaxed but still commanding—arms crossed, legs crossed, his gaze unwavering. The silence between them felt thick, almost heavy, until he finally broke it.

"You know, I should be mad at you" Sylus said, his voice low and serious, "for behaving so carelessly with your actions." The shift of emotion felt almost to easy.

Mei's eyes flickered up to meet his, but instead of feeling scolded, she was distracted by how effortlessly handsome he looked. His eyes were intense, and the way his deep dark commanding voice spoke with a slight edge only made her heart beat faster. But before she could say anything, Sylus noticed the way her thoughts were drifting.