"Get out of the car! Find an open area to take cover! If a landslide hits and we're trapped inside, we're done for!"
Hayashi Shuichi unbuckled his seatbelt, barking the warning at Sharon Vineyard. But before he could finish, a deafening roar filled the air.
He glanced out the window and saw a torrent of earth and stone cascading down the hillside like a raging flood, sweeping along bushes and trees at terrifying speed.
Shit! Hayashi Shuichi cursed inwardly, his heart sinking.
He barely had time to react, instinctively throwing his arm out to push Sharon Vineyard down, shielding her with his body.
The next moment, the car plunged into darkness, the world outside swallowed by an impenetrable black. Nothing was visible.
The sound of tumbling rocks and debris roared around them, like the growl of some malevolent beast.
The car's roof and walls groaned with the sickening creak of twisting metal, sending chills down the spine.
Beneath Hayashi Shuichi, Sharon let out a sharp, panicked scream.
The silver Ferrari was shoved along by the sliding earth. Hayashi Shuichi had no idea how far it had been pushed.
Time seemed to freeze, each second stretching into an eternity.
After what felt like three agonizing minutes, the sound of falling debris finally subsided, and the car came to a stop.
The silver Ferrari's quality was undeniable. Despite the severe deformation—its metal shell twisted beyond recognition, as if mauled by a giant beast—it hadn't shattered.
A Japanese-made car would've likely crumpled under such an impact, reduced to a pile of scrap.
In the pitch-black interior, Sharon's screams continued, laced with fear and panic.
"You okay?" Hayashi Shuichi asked softly, reaching out in the dark to check if she was injured.
Sharon's screams cut off abruptly, replaced by an indignant shout. "You little punk, where do you think you're touching?"
She's yelling, so she's probably fine…
Hayashi Shuichi calmly withdrew his hand. "I was just checking if you were hurt."
"I know…" Sharon replied, her voice quieter now, a faint trace of gratitude barely detectable.
Hayashi Shuichi felt her hand reach up, cool fingers brushing his face.
"Kid, you okay?" Sharon asked awkwardly.
Her voice carried a hint of concern, tinged with unease from the earlier moment.
When the landslide hit, she'd been too stunned to react, and Hayashi Shuichi had pinned her down to protect her.
She was certain she was unharmed, but Hayashi Shuichi, who'd shielded her, was another story.
"I'm fine," Hayashi Shuichi said, only to feel a cold hand tracing along his back.
Sharon's fingers soon found wet, sticky patches. Her expression shifted, her voice tight with shock and worry. "Your back's bleeding!"
"It's nothing, just some scratches," Hayashi Shuichi said truthfully. His back burned, likely scraped and bruised from the car's twisting frame.
If he felt nothing, that'd be a real problem.
Sharon's hand explored his back further, quickly realizing the injuries weren't limited to one spot.
His entire back was slick with blood and bruises.
"You…"
Sharon froze, her eyes wide in the darkness, filled with shock and a flicker of emotion.
She'd never imagined that, in a life-or-death moment, Hayashi Shuichi would unhesitatingly risk himself to save her.
For someone like her, hardened by the deceit and ugliness of the Black Organization, his actions were utterly foreign—almost overwhelming.
In the pitch-black car, with no way to see her expression, Hayashi Shuichi sensed her silence.
A moment later, Sharon asked in a low voice, "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why save me? You should've protected yourself first!"
Her voice was urgent, confused—she genuinely couldn't fathom why he'd made that choice.
It was a reflex from his past life as a police officer, but he couldn't say that.
Hayashi Shuichi chuckled lightly. "Isn't it normal for a guy to protect a woman?"
"Tch, what kind of man are you? Just a kid who hasn't grown up…" Sharon muttered, half-amused.
She squirmed, trying to wriggle out from under him to tend to his wounds.
But the car, mangled by the landslide's impact, was a crumpled cage. The fact that their space hadn't collapsed entirely was a miracle—there was no room to move.
"Stop—stop moving!" Hayashi Shuichi's breathing grew ragged.
His back was probably fine, but the bigger issue was their current position: pressed tightly together, with him on top.
If this stunning blonde kept squirming, other parts of him were going to have a problem.
Sharon caught his meaning instantly and let out a wry laugh. "At a time like this, you're still thinking that?"
"It's human instinct. What can I do?" Hayashi Shuichi said, trying to clear his mind and suppress his reactions. But her presence beneath him was impossible to ignore, every movement sending his nerves into overdrive.
After struggling in vain, he gave up, letting nature take its course.
Sharon soon noticed the shift in him.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You little punk…"
"It's not all my fault," Hayashi Shuichi said, embarrassed. "Who told you to be so damn beautiful?"
The darkness hid their faces, which was a small mercy, easing some of his tension.
Sharon was fuming. Raised in the Black Organization since childhood, she'd often used her striking looks for espionage as an adult. But with the boss's favor, she'd never had to compromise herself.
Now, being pinned under a boy a decade younger and inadvertently taken advantage of, her irritation was palpable…
(Chapter End)
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