NOVEL WEB Chapter 18: Unseen Threads
Adam's mind raced as he gave Pratham his next instruction. "Transfer all investigation tasks to Mikasa. Your only responsibility now is me." He looked at Pratham firmly, his decision unyielding.
"Yes, my lord," Pratham replied, acknowledging his command.
As Mikasa appeared on Adam's screen, she responded to him with unwavering loyalty, "As you wish, my lord," before vanishing from the device.
With his lunchbox in hand, Adam turned to head back to class. Upon entering, his gaze immediately fell upon Ani.
She met his eyes for a fleeting moment but quickly looked away, almost as if hiding something within that glance.
Adam took his seat quietly, placing his lunch beside him as the class began.
After class ended, he began packing his bag. Just as he finished, he spotted Leo. "Going to stay late again?" Leo asked with a smirk.
"Not today," Adam replied, trying to keep his tone casual. "I'll head home with you."
Leo chuckled, shaking his head. "Wish you'd mentioned it earlier. I'm off to the swimming club now and afterward I need to take Suzan home. You'll have to go on without me, Adam." He gave a playful wink as he left, leaving Adam momentarily alone.
Adam felt a faint tug of disappointment, though he brushed it aside. "I'll figure something out," he muttered. As he exited the classroom,
Ani noticed him leaving, her expression unreadable. Unbeknownst to her, Adam was lost in thoughts entirely separate from her.
Adam went straight home after school, but as he approached, he was taken aback by the sight before him: a locked door. The surprise halted him in his steps, as he wondered aloud, "Locked? Now what should I do?"
Pratham's voice sounded in his mind, clear and unwavering. "Lord Adam, I recommend going to Futaba Station."
"Why there?" Adam asked, puzzled.
"Mikasa has just spotted that suspicious man outside the school again," Pratham replied.
Adam felt a rush of concern. "ani…where is she now?" he asked anxiously.
Mikasa's calm voice responded immediately, "My lord, Ani is currently on the train, but from what I've analyzed, it appears that these individuals are specifically targeting her."
Adam's concern deepened. 'What could they possibly want with Ani?' He spoke decisively, "Mikasa, investigate Ani's family. They might be using her to get to them."
"As you command, my lord," Mikasa replied before her voice faded.
Pratham then spoke up again, "My lord, Ani will arrive at Futaba Station shortly. From my observations, these individuals are following her closely and may attempt to intercept her at the station or even at her home."
Adam's thoughts raced as he considered the possibilities. "Perhaps… I could take her somewhere. Get her away from this for a while."
Pratham agreed, "A wise idea, my lord. I'll alert Mikasa to keep watch over her."
With a nod, Adam set off, heading toward the station with a determined stride.
Upon reaching Futaba Station, Adam positioned himself near the platform, his eyes scanning the crowd. His senses were heightened as he kept his surroundings in check. Just then, Pratham's voice echoed in his ear. "Lord Adam, Ani's arriving now."
"Keep an eye out for anything suspicious," Adam instructed, his tone intense.
As the train pulled in, a crowd surged onto the platform. Among them, Adam spotted Ani stepping off.
She seemed tired, her gaze distant as she walked. Not noticing him in the crowd, she accidentally bumped into Adam, causing him to stumble backward.
Ani gasped, startled, "Oh! I'm so sorry!" Her eyes widened as she recognized him. "Adam? What are you doing here?"
Adam steadied himself, holding back a grin. "First… maybe help me up?" he said with a raised brow, gesturing to her outstretched hand.
"Oh, right, sorry!" She blushed, reaching out to pull him to his feet. As soon as he was upright, Ani's concern was clear. "Are you okay?"
Adam was momentarily distracted, recalling Mikasa's warning about the people following her. But Ani's voice snapped him back to the present.
She waved her hand in front of him, "Hello? Adam. Are you okay?"
He shook himself from his thoughts, giving her a reassuring nod. "Yes, I'm fine."
A look of curiosity crossed her face as she asked again, "Why are you here?"
He met her eyes, answering calmly, "I was waiting for you."
Her cheeks flushed at his words, her eyes darting away.' How does he say things like that so straightforwardly?' she wondered. 'Doesn't he realize how it sounds?'
Ani's lowered her head, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of her bag. Adam, noticing her reaction, tilted his head. "Is…something wrong?"
Ani's eyes widened, caught off guard, but she quickly replied, "No! No, nothing's wrong."
He observed her for a moment, noticing how drained she appeared, especially after the long school day. He ventured carefully, "You seem… a bit off today, especially after school."
Hesitating, she finally spoke, "I thought…maybe you'd wait again. Like yesterday."
Adam's face lit up with a sudden realization. "I was so caught up in my own worries, I almost forgot."
"What worries?" she asked, her voice soft with genuine curiosity.
He paused, trying to brush it off casually. "It's nothing, just…family stuff."
Ani looked like she wanted to probe further, but she held back. Sensing the shift, Adam asked, "So, are you free now?"
"Yeah, I am," she replied, her curiosity piqued.
"Then let's go somewhere," he suggested, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Aren't you supposed to be heading home?" she questioned.
Adam laughed lightly, a sound that was rare from him. "Not really. My family decided to lock me out today."
Ani's eyes widened in shock, her gaze fixed on him. "What does it mean that you have been locked out of the house?"
Adam has seen Ani's reaction and tells him "You want to hear about that, show me a good place to eat food here"
Ani laughs after listening to Adam, "ok, come with me, I will take you to my favorite place where you will have a lot of fun"
To be connected....