Chapter 11: The Unplanned Ride to Danger
730 Words
Lee Arden Santos had survived mud, mafia, school, Kaito's cold stares, and a night of heroic dance at a bar.
Surely he deserved a nap. Maybe two. Or three.
Unfortunately, Arden was in the wrong place for that.
As he sprawled across the sticky dance floor, mumbling about milk tea, alley survival, and heroic stubbornness, the world started to spin faster than his dancing did.
His eyelids felt heavy, his limbs like spaghetti noodles drenched in liquid courage.
“Just… a… tiny… rest…” Arden whispered. And then-black.
He woke up to an entirely new perspective. His head was resting on something… solid. Warm. Immovably solid.
Arden’s first thought: Milk tea…? No. Wait. Danger…?
Slowly, he blinked. His eyes widened.
He was being cradled in Kaito Sakamura's arms. Calm, cold, and impossibly still Kaito Sakamura.
Arden's brain tried to process it.
I. am. alive? Or. am I about to get kidnapped?
Before Kaito could analyze further, he started to walk.
Arden tried wiggling and flailed like a caffeinated octopus.
"Hey! Put me down! I have homework! I have milk tea! I have. future plans! I. am. I. wait-STOP MOVING ME!" Arden yelled, arms flailing dramatically.
Kaito didn't slow down.
Arden looked around—the bar was far behind, patrons gaping, cocktails spilled, and one unlucky bartender holding a broken bottle.
"Where are we going?" Arden demanded.
His voice rose to a pitch previously only heard in emergency fire drills and when a cockroach flew past his face.
"To my mansion," Kaito said as if he was talking about the weather.
Arden froze. Mansion?! As in… huge, ominous, possibly-mafia-linked mansion?! His brain rapidly tried to recount every possible survival tactic he'd ever learned.
Step one: Don't panic. Step two: Milk tea is safe. Step three: Don't get kidnapped by tall, cold, possibly deadly transfer students.
He failed spectacularly at step three.
“I… I don’t… I have… I… THIS IS ILLEGAL!” Arden shouted, flapping about like a heroic jellyfish.
“MILK TEA! HOMEWORK! FUTURE! MUD! MAFIA! I… I… SURVIVED EVERYTHING… AND NOW—”
Kaito's voice cut in, low and composed. "You're surprisingly. persistent. I can see why they call you Arden."
Arden froze mid-sentence. Persistent?! Praise?! Or plotting? I don’t know! I’m panicking! I am heroic! I must survive!
He began to squirm violently, but Kaito's grasp was firm and unwavering.
Arden kicked and flailed, yelling, "I… I AM SPEED! I AM… HEROIC! I WILL SURVIVE… EVEN YOUR MANSION!"
Minutes later, Arden completely exhausted himself.
He slumped limply against Kaito’s chest, finally realizing his protests were useless. His head lolled slightly.
I.I. fainted?! Arden thought.
In the arms of. Kaito Sakamura?!
Kaito carried him through the quiet streets, Arden’s spindly legs dangling like a ragdoll, muttering incoherently about milk tea, alleys, and the proper order of heroic survival.
Arden’s hand flopped against Kaito’s chest every so often.
“Interesting,” Kaito murmured softly, almost contemplatively, seeming to find Arden’s chaotic energy intriguing rather than irritating.
The word filtered through Arden's half-conscious brain like a prophecy: Interesting… like the mafia leader… oh no… this is destiny… or doom… probably doom.
Finally, the car stopped in front of what looked like a mansion from a movie.
The towering gates, perfectly trimmed hedges, and an aura of 'I own this neighborhood' radiated from every wall. Arden's eyes widened.
"This… this is… a mansion?!" he whispered, shaking. "I… I… SURVIVED ALLEYS! MUD! MAFIA! SCHOOL! BARS! AND NOW… A MANSION?!"
Kaito carried him inside. With each step, Arden’s panic rose.
Chandeliers loomed above him, marble floors gleamed in his view, and somewhere, a piano played in soft tones.
Arden’s brain: I… I am doomed. Milk tea… abandoned. Homework… unfinished. Reputation… heroic… questionable.
Finally, Kaito set him down on a plush sofa.
Arden slumped over, muttering to himself about stubbornness and survival and the preservation of milk tea.
“You…” Kaito said, voice low, calm, deadly… and slightly amused. “You are… more chaotic than I anticipated."
Arden blinked. Amused?! Praise?! Respect?! Or… plotting doom?
"I. I. I am Arden Santos," he pronounced, panting, disheveled hair, slobbering drool on the expensive material.
"Hero of alleys, milk tea savior, school survivor, bar conqueror. AND NOW. mansion. conqueror? Maybe. if I survive. this." Kaito's lips twitched. Just slightly.
“Yes,” Arden whispered to himself, “I… survived… everything. Even… the arms… of… Kaito Sakamura.”
- Writer
