REBIRTH : Chasing The Limelight-Chapter 77: Coward.
Riven walked over to her and stopped right in front of her, his hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face. "How have you been these days?" he asked, as if they were meeting by chance.
Elara only stared at him, her face calm and empty, not giving him anything back.
"Congratulations, I heard your song is doing well." He said, smiling more widely.
There was a long pause between them. Elara tightened her hold on her bag and finally spoke. "What do you want?" She asked coldly.
"Come on, is that how you talk to an old friend?" he said with a chuckle, raising his hand.
At that signal, the two men behind him began to walk forward, closing the distance.
Riven glanced at them and then back at her. "What I want is very simple, since you’re a celebrity now, we just need a few pictures with you. Don’t worry about the camera. A good and experienced photographer is already somewhere around." He said calmly.
Elara’s eyes moved quickly around the street. It was empty except for cars passing by without stopping. She looked back at him, her grip on her bag tightening. "What pictures?" she asked.
Riven’s smile didn’t change. "Any kind of picture," he said. "Something that will turn your hit single into a different kind of talk."
Elara took a slow breath, forcing herself to stay calm. "Don’t be reckless, think about what you’re doing." She said. But before she could say anything more, Riven’s expression suddenly turned cold. "Get started," he said.
The two men moved closer at once.
Elara’s eyes lifted to them immediately. "Don’t come any closer," she said, stepping back.
One of them suddenly lunged forward. Elara quickly moved to the side, but his hand caught her bag. He pulled it hard. Elara held on and pulled back, then suddenly let go. The man stumbled backward from the force, almost losing his balance.
She stepped back again, her mind racing. She knew what this was. There had to be someone watching and recording everything. She could not let them get what they wanted.
"Don’t come closer. Think of what you’re doing." She said while Riven suddenly burst into laughter.
Elara turned to him, her eyes cold. "Coward, are you afraid you can’t handle me alone? Is that why you brought thugs with you?"she sneered.
Riven’s expression changed instantly. His smile disappeared and his face darkened. He pointed at the two men. "Are you even men at all?" You can’t even handle one girl?" He snapped.
The two men rushed at her again without hesitation.
"Call them off," Elara said but Riven only snorted.
"That’s after they finish their job." He said.
Elara moved back until her back touched the wall behind her. Her heart was beating fast as she looked at them, trying to think of what to do.
Running was the only option left.
Her eyes shifted to the side, measuring the distance and preparing to move. But just as she was about to make a run for it, one of the men suddenly let out a loud, sharp cry.
Elara’s head snapped back toward them immediately.
–
Tonio was not a violent person by nature.
He was the kind of person people liked without trying. He’s always smiling and always easy to talk to.
But somehow, in the next few seconds after he arrived, the two men who had rushed at Elara were already on the ground, groaning and holding themselves.
Elara stayed where she was, her back still against the wall, watching everything without moving. She had not even realized when he got there, and now it was already over.
When the second man hit the ground, she slowly shifted her gaze away from them and looked at Riven. He was no longer standing where he had been. He was already sneaking away quickly, as if he hoped no one would notice him leaving.
Elara let out a small snort as she watched him. He had always been like this.
’Coward.’
He had barely taken a few more steps when Tonio caught up with him in a few strides.
There was a short period of struggle, and the next moment Riven was flat on the ground, staring up at the sky. His face and cheek were already swelling.
Tonio dusted his hands and walked back to Elara like nothing had happened. "Frostiebun, why are you walking alone at this time of the night?" he asked casually. Then he bent down, picked up her bag, and handed it back to her.
Elara took it and looked at him for a moment. "Thanks," she said quietly. She wanted to ask what he was doing here too, but she let it go. Right now, she was just... relieved.
Tonio smiled at her, then suddenly placed a hand on his back and winced. "Ouch, my back hurts," he said with a pained expression.
Elara stared at him for a second, then snorted softly. "Cut the act," she said.
"Alright, alright," he said straightening at once, then his face turned serious. "Who were those guys? What was that about? What if I didn’t come?"
Elara didn’t answer immediately. Her eyes moved back to Riven. He had already gotten up and was dragging himself away quietly. She watched him for a moment, then turned back to Tonio and opened her mouth to speak.
"Tonio!" a female voice suddenly called from across the road.
Both of them turned to look. A lady was standing there, waving her hand.
Elara looked at her, then back at Tonio, and a small knowing smile appeared on her face. "Oh... your girlfriend," she said.
Tonio’s expression changed immediately. "What the hell? No, she’s not–"
Elara didn’t wait for him to finish. She let out a small sigh and shook her head lightly.
It’s very much obvious. Why deny?
She also didn’t understand why he was trying to explain.
She stepped back and waved at him. "I won’t disturb you, goodnight." she said, already turning away.
"Wait," Tonio said quickly, following after her. "I can drive you back to Voice."
Elara shook her head without stopping. "It’s alright. I’m fine." she said.
Tonio looked back at the lady across the road, then back at Elara. He sighed and followed after her anyway. "At least let me walk with you. Who knows if there are more bad guys ahead." he said.
Elara didn’t reply, but she didn’t tell him to leave either.
So in the end, that night, she walked back to Voice with Tonio beside her, talking as if nothing had happened...
