[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game":3,"chapter-how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-338":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1218730,1604,"Chapter 338: An unexpected Reunion Interlude","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-338",338,"\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I-I'm really s-sorry, Junior!!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice's frantic voice rang through the room, a mixture of frustration, worry, and\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>overwhelming embarrassment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face was practically glowing scarlet, the blush running all the way to the tips of her ears as she fidgeted restlessly on the edge of the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley, still standing a few feet away, raised his hands in an attempt to calm her down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I told you, it's fine, Senior-\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, that only seemed to make things worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice let out a tiny whimper, shaking her head furiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her pink hair swayed messily, her teary golden eyes glistening with guilt as she continued bowing over and over in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I-I-! I can't believe I did that-! A-And in your room-! J-Junior-! I—I—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The apologizing had been going on for several minutes now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She showed no signs of stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this rate, she looked like she was ready to apologize until she died from sheer embarrassment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley sighed, glancing at her form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice was clutching a large pillow to her chest as if her life depended on it, burying half of her face into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her entire body curled up defensively, making her seem much smaller than usual, her usual composed demeanor utterly shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was almost like watching a tortoise retreat into its shell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her heart was probably pounding out of her chest, considering how tight she was hugging that pillow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time she peeked at Riley from behind it, her blush deepened, as if just acknowledging his presence was too much for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer mortification she felt was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he had seen her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fresh out of the bath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice groaned, hiding her face deeper into the pillow as the memory hit her again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just thinking about it was enough to make her want to curl up and disappear forever. Riley, on the other hand, felt a little bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, it wasn't his fault this whole situation happened-but it wasn't entirely hers either. \"E-Even though this is J-Junior's room, I-I ended up doing that to you...!\" Alice choked out, her voice quivering. \"O-Once again, I-I'm truly sorry!!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her bow was so deep, Riley was actually worried she might hit her head on the floor at this rate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed, running a hand through his hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Senior, I told you, it's fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He patted his chest lightly, offering a small smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"See? I'm not even hurt. And besides, it was my fault for startling you, so why don't you calm down for now, okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice hesitated, gripping the pillow even tighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"B-But....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice was barely above a whisper, her fingers trembling slightly as she held onto her last remaining shreds of dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Riley was saying it was fine-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That didn't change the fact that she had blasted him straight off the balcony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That didn't change the fact that he had seen way too much of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And most importantly-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That didn't change the fact that she had just screamed like a maiden in distress in front of the very person she wanted to appear composed and dignified in front of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clearly her fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice knew that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though what Riley said was technically true, and even though she had witnessed him doing something pretty absurd with her undergarments, in the end-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the one who had trespassed into his room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His room, which had somehow become so familiar to her over time that she treated it like a second home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And despite that-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had blasted him straight out onto the balcony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice internally screamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'How shameful!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'You idiot, Alice!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It's been so long since you've seen him and yet-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Yet, you showed him such an embarrassing side of yourself!!!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to crawl into a hole and never return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as if that wasn't bad enough-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her favorite underwear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He held it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even stretched it in the air and examined it like some kind of fashion critic-!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He must think I'm a lecherous woman....'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face, already scarlet, darkened even further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could still see the image of Riley standing there, holding up her delicate, lacy lingerie, muttering to himself about how 'erotic' it was-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice let out a strangled sound, grabbing the pillow and burying her entire face into it to\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>muffle her suffering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'AHHH!!! I WANT TO DIE!!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mind kept replaying it again and again and again like some kind of cruel joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her fingers dug into the fabric of the pillow as she squirmed uncontrollably, her golden eyes\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>swirling with emotions too chaotic to name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Riley, watching her very obvious unease, sighed to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn't calming down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, she was spiraling even further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this rate, there was no way Alice would even be able to look him in the eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'... Yeah, I need to do something before she actually explodes from embarrassment,' Riley\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>thought, rubbing his temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How was he supposed to properly fix this mess...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Senior, like I told you, I really don't mind being blasted like that. I mean, I didn't take any damage whatsoever,\" Riley reassured her, casually waving off the issue. \"And besides, it's not like I didn't take anything out of that situation, so let's just call it even, yeah?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice blinked, confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. \"Well, I did end up touching your undergarments\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>without permission and all...\" he admitted, his voice trailing off slightly. \"So if you think\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>about it, your reaction was only fair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice's ears twitched, and her posture snapped upright as she processed his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"T-That's right!\" she blurted out, as if desperately clinging to a lifeline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her golden eyes darted back and forth as she scrambled to regain her composure, her mind\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>moving at a million miles per second to justify what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"R-Right! Y-You're absolutely right, Junior!\" she continued, her voice rising in pitch. \"I-I only reacted that way because you were being a lech- No, a lecherous pervert!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley raised a brow, amused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh-huh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice nodded rapidly, as if convincing herself more than him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Y-Yes! I-If you hadn't touched my-m-my p-panties like that...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face instantly combusted into a shade of red so intense it could rival molten lava.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I-It wouldn't have happened!\" she finished, nearly tripping over her own words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't entirely a lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a valid excuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...No, deep down, she knew it was a stretch- a massive stretch-but at this point, she was too\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>far gone to backtrack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her dignity depended on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley, watching her desperate attempt to rationalize the situation, couldn't help but grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her slowly regain some semblance of confidence-even if it was flimsy at best-was\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>honestly pretty entertaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a chuckle, he leaned back slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's right,\" he said playfully. \"This Junior of yours is a shameless pervert. That's why it's\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>only natural for him to get hit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice, still frazzled beyond belief, instinctively nodded before realizing the tone in his voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Y-Yes, that's-\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her brain suddenly caught up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His smug smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That lighthearted chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way his eyes glimmered with amusement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face somehow turned even redder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"W-Wait a second...!\" she stammered. \"You're not taking this seriously, are you?! I-I'm being\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>serious, Junior-!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hahaha,\" Riley laughed, crossing his arms behind his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice puffed her cheeks in frustration, but her flustered demeanor made her protests feel\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>anything but threatening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As much as she wanted to argue-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could tell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley wasn't mad at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, he was just enjoying her suffering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That infuriated her even more, in a weirdly comfortable sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mood in the room had shifted-the air felt lighter, the tension that once gripped Alice's\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>heart slowly unwinding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her racing heartbeat steadied, though not entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time since their chaotic reunion, she allowed herself to really look at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley sat before her, his face now clearer, no longer obscured by panic or embarrassment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he was looking right back at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression was gentle, patient-as if none of what had just happened mattered to him in\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if he didn't mind her outbursts, her flustered apologies, or even her embarrassing display moments ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somewhere deep inside her, Alice felt a wave of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had expected him to tease her more-or worse, to be annoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he wasn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was simply here, facing her with that same unshaken warmth she hadn't realized she had\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>missed so much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her chest tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her heart skipped a beat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had it always been like this between them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had she always felt this... drawn to him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was then, in that quiet moment of realization, that the words slipped out before she could\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>even think.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I really missed you, Junior...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second the words left her lips, her mind froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened in pure horror, her hands shooting up to cover her mouth as though she\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>could physically shove the words back in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face burned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her whole body tensed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And worst of all-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He heard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley, watching her reaction, let out a quiet chuckle. Not a teasing one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But something... softer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So genuine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when Alice saw the way he smiled at her-so sincere, so utterly unaffected by her embarrassment—her heart betrayed her again, hammering wildly against her ribs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes,\" he said, his voice smooth and warm. \"I missed you as well, Senior.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice's breath caught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mind blanked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her body froze as the weight of those words sank in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"W-What...?\" she barely managed to whisper, her voice shaky. Riley tilted his head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean, 'what'?\" he asked, amused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze didn't waver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I mean it exactly as what you're thinking right now, Senior.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice's entire brain short-circuited. What was that supposed to mean?! \"Y-You're acting very strange right now junior...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was already struggling to get her thoughts straight, and now he was throwing words like\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>that at her so casually?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Is this really junior?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could fully process his words, Riley moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Purposefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He got up from where he sat and approached her, his every step making her heart beat in\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>rapid-fire succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The closer he got, the harder it became to breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'H-He's too close...!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her instincts screamed at her to retreat, to hide, to bury herself under the pillow like before-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before she could react, his hand gently landed on her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice froze completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fingers were light, barely there, but firm enough to send a jolt down her spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with that same calm, unbothered expression, Riley began fixing her hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She felt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way his fingers brushed against her scalp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way he carefully pushed aside the slightly damp strands of her hair, fixing what had come\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>loose from her earlier flustered thrashing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't say anything at first. And neither did she.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because she couldn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her entire mind was in absolute chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, after a moment, he finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know it's a bit weird to say this now...\" he started, his voice gentle, \"but I'm back, Senior Alice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice swallowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley continued, his hand lingering for just a second longer before pulling away. \"I'm glad you're doing well,\" he said. \"I was actually a bit worried about you. You looked like\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>you had a few problems when I left... and there was also the issue of what I said to you that day\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but that can be talked about later, right now I'm just really, really glad you're safe and sound senior....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice's breath was still uneven. Her body still felt warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She barely heard his last sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because her mind was still stuck on everything that had just happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way he touched her so casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way he smiled at her like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way he said, 'I missed you as well.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face burned anew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, she wasn't sure if she was dying from embarrassment or something far, far\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice looked up her heart still unsteady, her mind still reeling from everything that had just\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, she saw him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley was still smiling at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same gentle expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same subtle warmth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, there was something more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A quiet enthusiasm in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A kind of genuine care that was always present in the way he treated her-but now, with\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>something deeper, something that sent a soft tremor through her chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had always possessed the ability to see beyond the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To see through the essence of a person, their emotions and truths manifesting in colors only\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>she could perceive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That ability had once felt like a burden-seeing the unspoken intentions of others, the hidden\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>threads of deceit, the fleeting shades of false kindness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as she gazed at Riley now-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gift blossomed anew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what she saw stunned her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep, resonant pink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A color she had always associated with him-a steady, thumping warmth that had remained\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>within him for as long as she had known him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, that pink was shifting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darkening, deepening, turning into new shades she had never seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't just warmth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't just fondness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was something stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the color her mother once told her about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The color of trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A color that indicated a person she could rely on-one who would never betray her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A color that signified the one she was destined to be with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't just his colors that had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice's breath caught in her throat as she felt her own colors shift-as if responding to him, as\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>if something within her had recognized what was happening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soft pink hues that had always dwelled within her those quiet, unspoken feelings she\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>had always been hesitant to name- They stretched outward. Reaching for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intertwining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Melding with his in a way that felt so right, so natural, so inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And suddenly-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What she had been feeling all this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What had been growing between them, without her even realizing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The color of deep affection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The color of Love.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just within Riley-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But within herself as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of warmth flooded her chest, and she clenched her fingers against the fabric of her\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>sleeves, trying to steady herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice always half denied her feelings due to suspicion but now...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice truly understood how much she loved him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Thump!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Thump!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Thump!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice's heartbeat pounded violently against her chest, so loud she swore Riley could hear it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She clenched her chest, trying to steady herself, but the warmth that had bloomed inside her\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>was overwhelming too much, too fast, too real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her emotions swelled, rising like a tide that she couldn't control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>happiness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or was it something more?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her fingers trembled slightly as she exhaled, struggling to regain control over her racing\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"S-Senior... are you okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley's voice pulled her back to reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She blinked up at him, his blue eyes filled with genuine concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His brows furrowed slightly, and the way he tilted his head-a soft, almost instinctive\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>gesture-made it painfully clear that he only half-believed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She must have looked like she was in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice hesitated, then forced a small, shaky smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Y-Yes... I'm fine...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She swallowed, gripping the fabric of her sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm just... really happy right now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley's concern didn't fade entirely, but he nodded, though the look in his eyes remained\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>uncertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, before she could think twice about it-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closing the space between them in an instant, she wrapped her arms around him, tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm glad you're back, Junior...\" she whispered, her voice gentle, raw, and filled with emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, Riley stiffened-just slightly-caught off guard by the sudden embrace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it only took a second before his expression softened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His arms lifted—slowly, hesitantly at first-and then, with a quiet exhale, he hugged her\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep warmth spread between them, neither of them speaking, neither of them pulling\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They stood there, locked in each other's arms, as if the moment itself had stretched into\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>eternity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world outside seemed distant, unimportant-like a blurry, forgotten dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, there was only this. Only each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither of them knew why-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why this warmth felt so familiar. Why this embrace felt so undeniably right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why they didn't want to let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, they didn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For minutes, they simply stayed like that-sharing each other's warmth, their emotions,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>their quiet understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither of them spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither of them needed to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because, in this moment-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Words were unnecessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had already said everything they needed to say.\u003C\u002Fp>",2790,"2026-06-03T14:40:38.925Z",1,"novelbin.me","8ecd708d629249b7ed6bd6e9b901e23f0b445d3768c27e55d68fb3dab5bcb6ac","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-339","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-337",727,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhow-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-cover.jpg"]