Ramen Filled Aristocrat? (Mystic Messenger x Reader)

Return | Saeran Choi | 1

Warning: Spoilers for Ray's Route and V's Route ahead!

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All that you can hear is frantic breathing and shoes scuffing and drumming against the tiled floors. Your surroundings otherwise are quiet, yet you feel as though, in the distance, you can hear a dozen more heavy footfalls, waiting for yours to falter. Perhaps you're just paranoid; it's so faint that your mind may just be making it up. Yet in spite of your efforts the pristine white and navy halls seem persistent, infinite and reluctant to yield an exit.

But you trust him. You know he won't lead you astray.

"This way! Quietly; I can't tell where the guards are."

His eyes look haunted as they peer over his shoulder, daring someone to appear and confront him. He's close; there's only enough room between your bodies to allow your arms to swing back and forth while you run, and still your hands have brushed off of his sleeves once or twice before. Those mint eyes scan what's ahead of you before they look at you, and return the stare you had unknowingly been giving him for the last few seconds.

The moment your eyes meet, the anxiety in his hardens somewhat. He seems to gain more resolve. His hand reaches out to catch yours, layering a comforting warmth on your embarrassingly sweaty palms, and he slows, pulling you back as he does. "We should be more careful here," he says softly between heavy breaths. "They know we're free, so they'll expect us to go for an exit."

You nod your response so you can ask a more important question. "Are you alright, Saeran? Your breathing..."

He nods with self-assurance, and squeezes your hand to share that assurance with you. "I'm ok. I can keep going... we just need to keep running to a minimal."

He leads you down a side route that's barely wide enough for the two of you to walk side by side. He places you behind him regardless, but you make sure to keep a lookout from behind, even if you worry about Saeran in front.

The hallway is blissfully silent, and all the more tense because of it. Nothing indicates where any disciples may be. You know Saeran's right; they will be around. There's no way Rika would let you get away with her prized hacker.

As you come to the end of the hall, the hairs on your neck suddenly stand to attention, and you tear your eyes away from the hall behind you to look around. It doesn't take long to locate the camera in an alcove in ceiling. But Saeran said he shut everything down, and there's no way Rika could bypass his security...

You know too well that no one in Mint Eye has the skills to match the young man beside you. Still, you can't help but feel watched. Is this still paranoia?  You hesitate to write it off completely.

"It's clear up ahead," Saeran's voice informs you quietly. You turn back to him and nod. He leads you away from the eyes of the camera.

You shake off the feeling as soon as you move out of sight. However, it doesn't take more than two minutes before your discomfort returns. This time you don't waste time in glaring up at the nearest camera. In the dullness of the room, it's hard to decipher, but you still make out the slightest turn of the lens.

They're on.

"Saeran!" You hiss his name and tug his hand before realising you probably don't want him to look directly at the camera. As soon as he whips around in alarm, you shield his face with your hand– hoping to at least obscure his eyes. He looks bewildered as your fingers brush above his ear, then his cheeks tinge a rosy pink. You feel bad for invading his space so suddenly, but your escape is to be put first. "There's cameras watching. Someone has accessed your system."