Ryuha didn't know why she ran.
But it was just as glorious as she imagined it would be. The sun streamed down in slow jilting waves, the adrenaline thrumming though her veins as she ran through the concrete pavement, a warm hand on her wrist a huge back in front.
Ryuha didn't know where she was running, or where she was in general. The last turn they had taken had completely wiped any semblance of a map that she had in her mind. The though was like a bucket of ice cold water. It sent a chill through her spine, and shook her out of her dazed run.
What was she doing?
Where even was she?
Not that Ryuha cared much about her wedding dress fitting but she really did not want to be the girl who willing leaped into the arms of a thief or a serial killer. Her abrupt stop seemed to awake the man to his senses. Ryuha startled a little when he suddenly dropped her hand and plopped onto ground, almost falling on top of the road. His blonde hair framed his flushed red face as he breathed heavily, an excited grin stretched across his face.
"That was awesome!"
Ryuha towered over him in her heels and her black dress, frowning. She gazed at him for a bit before she turned around to head back when she realized she had no idea where she was.
The narrow alley seemed to stretch on forever on both sides, barely able to fir both of them, thin fences tapering with clothes hanging, flowing on the clothesline. It was a desolate alley, the sound of a pigeon echoing in the silence. Panic swept through her as she stood frozen, before she cast a wary glance at the man below.
"Hey. Sorry about that. In my defense you would have been crushed under me of I hadn't caught you and run." He shoved his hair from his face.
Ryuha cocked her head, "Where are we?"
"Oh we're," He looked around and then back at her, "somewhere in the Craftsman Alley?"
She sighed and took out her phone, careful to keep it out of his reach. He shifted awkwardly as she opened it and cursed. She didn't have any data or wifi.
"Um, you don't have to worry. I'll drop you of to that place. I know my way around pretty well"
Ryuha refused to deign him with a response as she walked forward. She was smart enough to not talk to a robber who had been chased around by security guards.
"That's the wrong way." He jogged up to her, throwing a sweaty arm around her shoulder. ryuha ducked under his arm a finger pointedly shoving him out of her space.
"And how exactly am I supposed to trust you?"
He smiled mischeviously, "You can. I swear on my mother."
"Yes, of course I trust you. I don't think you are a robber and I am going to willingly follow you to the ends of the earth."
"Right. I'm glad I inspired your trust. Now follow me."
He raised his hand towards hers but she batted it away with a deepening scowl.
"I was being sarcastic you nincompoop." Nevertheless, she still walked in the way he was about to go. She was still wary about him, bot no bother, she had two knives in her purse. It would be enough. In fact she was slipping her hand into it reaching for the rubber handle, gripping it tightly. She heard his footsteps catch up to her.
"I'm really not a thief. I was falsely accused."
At the same time a gold chain dropped onto the floor from his pocket. He swiped it up with surprising efficiency.
She furrowed her brows, "Stop talking. I don't care. Just tell me where to go. I can find way back."
He stared at her for a few seconds, "You'll get lost, trust me, you cannot find your way out of here with just directions."
"Then that is my problem, not yours. Why do you care anyway? You were callous enough to drag a stranger away here, Mr not-a-thief." Of course, it went unsaid that she should not have let herself be dragged.
"Okay. First of all I'm really not a thief. The gold chain happens to belong to me. Second of all you can call me Ashe. I can't have such a beautiful lady not know my name, can I?" Saying that he bowed a bit cocking his eyebrows as she simply rolled her eyes. "Follow me, I'll drop you of at the main street and then I swear I'll leave you alone."
"I won't be giving you money."
"Fine."
"And I won't be owing you anything."
He let out at an exasperated sigh, "Yes. Yes, fine. Now follow Captain Underpants as he leads the beautiful damsel out of misery."
She cringed.
"Stop that."
His smile simply grew, "Yes milady."
Her eyes narrowed as she smacked his back lightly. "Stop it. Don't talk to me. Don't look at me. Don't even walk in my shadow."
To her horror, he just let out an uproarious laugh.
To her surprise, the thief really did shut up and carted her through the alleys. It took at least fifteen minutes for the roads to widen and only then did she dare to breathe. Ryuha could see the main road. She hadn't gotten kidnapped. It was fine.
"That's all. Leave." Ryuha said when they reached the signal. It was a long walk to the the boutique and she did not intend to spend another hour in the cool crisp air looking at catalogues.
"No 'thank you'?"
"No. Leave. Your services are no longer needed."
He smiled, "At least give me a name to remember the beautiful lady by."
Just as she was about to give him a fake name to get him off of her, a car honked at her.
She whipped her head around to see the window slowly sliding off, the pissed face of Xavier Fox glaring through the driver's seat.
"Ryuha? What are you doing here?"