The Love Hunter

Chapter 11

Breaking Through the Ice

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Sa mga araw na lumipas, patuloy kong ginagawang misyon ang pag-crack sa matigas na shell ni Rylan. He's an enigma—quiet, brooding, and always keeping people at a distance. Pero para sa akin, mas lalo lang akong naiintriga. The more he pulls away, the more I want to break through his walls.

Nakita ko siya sa training grounds ng Crystalveil Academy, practicing his fire magic again. Ilang beses ko na siyang inoobserbahan dito, and every time, his control seemed flawless. Pero may isa akong napansin sa kanya—there's always this slight hesitation before he fully lets his flames out. Parang may takot.

"You're thinking too much, Rylan," sabi ko, appearing out of nowhere behind him. He jumped, startled, and the fire he was conjuring flickered and disappeared.

He turned, glaring at me. "Why do you always have to sneak up on me?"

I grinned. "Kasi ang saya ng reaksyon mo. You should be used to it by now."

He sighed, brushing off the dust from his clothes. "What do you want this time?"

"Wala naman. Just wanted to see how my favorite fire mage is doing." I sat on a nearby bench, casually observing him.

Rylan crossed his arms, clearly annoyed. "Can't you leave me alone for once?"

"Why would I do that? Masaya akong nandito. Besides," I said with a smirk, "you actually don't mind me hanging around as much as you pretend."

He rolled his eyes, but I could tell he was used to my presence by now. Every interaction namin may halong sarcasm at irritation, pero alam ko na, deep down, there was something else. And today, I was determined to dig deeper.

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As the days passed, I continued my playful pursuit. Sa tuwing may oras, I'd find myself near him—whether sa hallway, sa training grounds, or kahit sa library. Rylan tried to avoid me at first, but eventually, he stopped fighting it. I guess he realized there was no escaping me.

One afternoon, habang nakaupo kami sa labas ng academy, I could feel his thoughts swirling. He was trying hard not to let anything slip, but I'm a master at this by now. His mind was like a storm, but underneath it all, may takot siyang hindi niya matakasan.

He was thinking about his fire magic again.

"Why are you so scared of losing control?" I asked out of nowhere, leaning back on the grass and staring at the sky.

Rylan stiffened beside me, his eyes widening in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"Your magic," I said casually, turning to look at him. "I've seen you. You're always so tense when you use it, like you're afraid it'll go wild."

His expression darkened, and for a moment, I thought he'd walk away. Pero nanatili siyang nakatayo, his hands clenched into fists. "You don't know anything about it."

"Sure, I do," I countered, reading the flashes of doubt and fear in his mind. "I know that you've been worried about it for years. Na baka isang araw, hindi mo na ito makontrol. That's why you push people away, right? You're scared you'll hurt them."

Rylan glared at me, pero alam kong tumama ako sa core ng iniisip niya. His silence spoke louder than words. For the first time, hindi niya ako tinulak palayo. He just stood there, the fire inside him crackling beneath the surface.

"That's ridiculous," he muttered, pero ang tono ng boses niya hindi sigurado. I smirked. Finally, a crack in the ice.

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In the following days, Rylan's usual sarcasm and frustration seemed softer. He still tried to act annoyed whenever I teased him, pero may halong playfulness na sa mga tugon niya. He wasn't as sharp with his words as before, and I knew I was slowly getting under his skin.

One afternoon, I found him sitting alone near the fountain, his face unusually relaxed. I sat beside him without asking, and this time, he didn't tell me to leave.

"Ang tahimik mo ngayon," I commented, watching him from the corner of my eye. "Wala ka bang witty comeback?"

He shot me a sideways glance, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I'm saving my energy."

"Ah, ganun ba?" I grinned. "Kasi parang iniisip mo ngayon na natutunan mo nang tanggapin na lagi kitang makikita."

He frowned, pero halatang pilit niyang tinatago ang amusement niya. "You're delusional."

"Maybe. Or maybe you're just too predictable." I leaned closer, giving him a teasing grin. "Kahit hindi mo sabihin, I can tell what's going on in that head of yours. It's like you can't hide anything from me."

Rylan's eyes narrowed slightly. "You act like you know everything."

I shrugged, nonchalant. "Hindi ko alam lahat, pero madali kang basahin."

For a split second, nakita ko ang pag-aalinlangan sa mukha niya. He was trying to figure out how I was always one step ahead of him, kung paano ko nasasabi ang mga iniisip niya before he even voiced them. I could sense his confusion—mixed with a growing curiosity.

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By the end of the week, masaya akong natutunan kung paano ko lalong mapapalapit si Rylan. Hindi siya madaling ma-crack, pero I could tell that his defenses were weakening. His sarcastic remarks now had a hint of playfulness, and though he still acted annoyed, there was something else beneath the surface.

Isang gabi, habang pauwi na kami galing sa practice grounds, I decided to make a bold move. As we walked side by side, I casually mentioned something that had been lingering in his mind all day.

"You're worried about tomorrow's test, aren't you?"

He stopped walking, turning to me with a shocked expression. "How—?"

I gave him a knowing smile. "It's written all over your face."

Pero deep down, alam ko na hindi niya ito mababasa sa mukha ko lang. 'I've been inside your head, Rylan.'

For a moment, he just stared at me, trying to process how I knew him so well. I could see the gears turning in his mind, wondering how much I truly understood about him.

"You're strange," he muttered, shaking his head. "But... you're not wrong."

I laughed softly. "See? I'm not so bad once you get to know me."

He didn't respond, pero nakita ko ang kaunting warmth sa kanyang mata, a flicker of intrigue na dati ay wala. Sa wakas, I knew I had made a breakthrough.

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Sa pagbalik ko sa dormitoryo, I couldn't help but smile to myself. Breaking through Rylan's icy exterior was no easy feat, pero ngayon, I had his attention. And whether he admitted it or not, alam kong naiintriga na rin siya sa akin.

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to be continued......

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