The hug felt nice at first. But wasn’t it lasting a bit too long? It had been over a minute already and Shelly showed no signs of letting go.
Rin patted her back, signaling for her to release him. But Shelly ignored his wishes and tightened her grip even more. He had no choice but to force her to let go.
"Shelly, can you let go now? I think you’ve been hugging a bit too long..."
Rin pointed out but Shelly only pouted back at him. Her eyes looked sad, and guilt surged within Rin.
He had never been good at telling Shelly ’no’ and today was no exception. Rin allowed her to cling to him for a little longer while he patted her back to comfort her.
Reina finally decided to help him get free and she grabbed Shelly from behind to pull her away from Rin. But Shelly’s grip only tightened, and she refused to let go.
"Hey, you need to let Rin go and allow him room to breathe. You’re going to suffocate him like this."
Reina finally lost her patience and snapped at Shelly.
Shelly imdiately let Rin go with an annoyed but slightly pale expression. Instead, her hands cupped Rin’s face gently to look at his complexion.
"Rin, are you alright? Can you talk to ? Do you feel dizzy because of my hug? S-Should I do sothing for you?"
The world was still spinning around him. Rin had finally gotten free from Shelly’s hug but the world was still spinning. He did not want to admit it, but Shelly had knocked the wind out of him.
But one look at her soft eyes was enough to make Rin forgive her. After all, no permanent harm had been done to him.
__________
Reina knew him all too well and her expression soured at Rin’s indulgence.
"Hey, I know it’s not my place to say anything, but aren’t you too lenient with Shelly? You’ll spoil her at this rate. She needs to learn to take accountability for her actions."
Reina was being far too harsh with Shelly. But her words did make sense. Even Rin knew that he was too soft on Shelly.
So he followed Reina’s advice for the sake of Shelly’s developnt. Reina looked smug but Shelly looked like her whole world was falling apart when Rin pulled back from her.
Her expression of betrayal was too much for Rin to handle, so he quickly looked away and addressed Reina instead.
"Can you bring up to speed on what’s happening here?"
Reina nodded and gestured for Rin to follow her.
"I will give you a brief update as I check on your condition. Head butler, you can call off the search now. You should also get Shelly settled down in a room. I’m sure she would enjoy the comfort."
Reina had seized the montum and positioned herself as soone important.
However, Shelly was not going to be outdone by her. Reina had only been Rin’s accomplice for a few years while Shelly had known him for her whole life.
"Don’t bother. I know my way around and unlike ’outsiders’ who need to be shown to their room, I already have a dedicated room in this mansion."
Shelly’s smile and kind words hid the sting behind her words.
Reina could not say anything against her claim because she knew Shelly was right. She did have a dedicated room near Rin’s.
In fact, when Rin had told Reina to select any free room, she had wanted Shelly’s, but Rin had just told her ’not that one’ because it already had an owner.
And now that owner is back.
"..."
Reina’s mood was soured, but that did not an she could sulk and throw fits around. The best she could do was wait for an opportunity to show Shelly’s true colors to Rin.
Rin was also trying his best to ease the situation and get everyone to cooperate. Reina did not want to undermine his efforts so she remained quiet.
"Shelly, you should head to your room and get settled down. Collin, you and Teressa should calm the people down and inform them that there is no need to panic. Reina, I am fine. But since you are the resident dical expert, I will allow you to examine one more ti."
Rin made it clear who was supposed to do what. He even included Teressa, who was standing quietly in the background.
Collin nodded first and went to calm the situation down with Teressa. Shelly did not move to leave for her room, so Reina took the first step and Rin followed behind her.
Shelly continued to look at them until the pair walked out of the room and were out of sight. And tension visibly left Reina’s fra once Shelly’s pressure was no longer on her.
"Are you feeling better? I’m sorry for scaring you by disappearing like that without telling anyone. I just wanted a shower."
Rin asked her with a concerned expression. He looked sorry for Reina and she shook her head.
"It’s fine. It was my fault for assuming things without thinking it all through. I am just relieved that you are doing fine."
Reina assured Rin as she led him back to her office. She told him to lie down so that she could examine him.
Once again, the scans showed nothing but chronic exhaustion. But sothing kept nagging at the back of her mind.
"Is there sothing wrong with my body?"
Rin asked her as he pushed himself to sit down. The shirt he had taken off for the check-up was still lying beside him and Reina tried her hardest not to look at Rin’s bare chest.
But it was hard not to notice the contrast and pay attention to it.
Rin’s body looked thin and lanky when he wore clothes. But he was soone who exercised a lot and Reina had personally seen his training regi. It should not have surprised her that he would have at least so muscles.
But even she had not expected his body to feel hard when she touched it. Of course, for dical reasons (and for dical reasons only. No matter what her heart told her, it was for dical reasons.).
"Reina, is there sothing wrong with ?"
Rin asked in a concerned voice. He was taking her silence as a bad sign and Reina knew to imdiately clear the air between them.
"No, it’s nothing like that. You’re healthy, but—"
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