By the time the festival ended, the sun was setting. It was time for Rin to head back home. But sending her back alone didn't sit well with Rin.
No matter how powerful Shelly was going to get, right now, she was just a weak girl someone else could take advantage of. So he decided to take her to his place and have his driver drop her off later
"Shelly, let's head back to my place. I will ask the driver to drop you off later."
Shelly shifted nervously, her fingers clutching her bag tightly. She had something to say but struggled to bring it up.
Finally, she gathered her courage to speak.
"Actually, can I stay over? Our school dorms don't allow students in after 9 PM. You can have the driver drop me off early tomorrow instead."
It was something Rin could consider.
People would usually not consider a guy and a girl spending a night together under the same roof as proper, but there were too many staff members in Rin's house for anything inappropriate to happen. Besides, it wouldn't be the first time Shelly had stayed over.
"Alright, let's go. I will let Collin know about your visit."
Collin was Rin's butler and caretaker. He was also in charge of the meals being served at his place. So letting him know about an extra guest was a must.
Shelly knew that as well and waited for Rin to finish his business.
They were among the first to leave.. Most students stayed behind for the night market that was going to open nearby.
Since this was a public school, most students were local and lived within walking distance. Compared to them, Rin's home was a little far away and was a thirty-minute walk.
It had never bothered him—until today.
Rin could not tell if it was Shelly's presence or the feeling of being followed, but something felt off.
His instincts kept telling him to turn around and look around.
Being followed by someone was not a new feeling for him. The paparazzi and his bodyguards kept an eye on him. However, this gaze felt hostile, making Rin want to run. He grabbed Shelly's hand and pulled her along quickly.
Shelly did not question his actions, and she tightened her grip.
'What are my bodyguards doing? Why are they not doing anything about whoever's following me?'
Rin would need to have a talk with them later. But before that, he needed to make sure both he and Shelly got back to safety.
"Shelly, do you want to have some coffee before we head back? There is a nice cafe nearby."
The plan was simple. He was going to get Shelly settled with coffee while he had a small 'talk' with his team about professionalism and doing what they were being paid to do.
__________
Rin's question made Shelly's eyes light up with joy. She usually did not like coffee, but because Rin was asking her, it felt like a date.
She was aware of the hostile presence following them as well, but she did not even care because of how happy she was at the moment.
However, she did not want those low-lives to disturb her date with Rin. They had served their purpose and needed to be eliminated before they ruined things for her.
"Let's go get some coffee."
She told Rin, and they entered the small and cozy cafe. They took a seat and ordered what they wanted.
Once Shelly was sure Rin would not ask to leave, she grabbed her phone and a small purse and stood up.
"I need to head to the bathroom for a minute. Can you look after my stuff?"
Rin did not question her needs. He was a gentleman and was also more than happy to go along with her request.
"Do you want me to get you something in the meantime?"
Shelly shook her head while clutching her small bag.
"There is no need to. I will message you if I need something."
Rin nodded, and Shelly wasted no time in heading to the bathroom. The bathroom window was big enough for her to sneak out, and she immediately found the group that had been following them.
It was the same gang Rin had saved Reina and Amelia from yesterday. Shelly knew this because she had looked into it after being told about it by Rin's bodyguards.
Shelly had all of them bribed to pass her information about Rin's life. This was also how she knew which school Rin went to.
She prided herself on knowing everything about Rin. Even the color of the socks and underwear he had on today. That was how much she loved him.
And right now, for his sake, she would take care of these pests and make sure Rin was able to live a carefree life.
She had swiped more than a few things from her mother's inventory for such an occasion.
Her mother was a scientist in one of those government-funded secret labs, and she had developed many tools to keep Shelly's father safe. Shelly understood her mother's obsession and had learned to make some of her own.
Unfortunately, the ones she made were not as good as her mother's, so she had to rely on her mother's inventions for now.
The small bomb she took out smelled sweet, and she put on a mask before she lit it in the alley.
"-make sure to grab him. Boss asked us to—"
"Hey, do you smell this sweet smell as well? It's making me dizzy."
"Ugh, I don't feel so good. S-someone, help me out."
The gang members gathered in the alley and began to collapse one by one. It did not take long before all 12 of them had collapsed.
Shelly took out her phone and made a quick call. The bodyguards Rin's parents had hired quickly showed up and started cleaning up.
"Tie them up for me. I'll deal with them myself."
The bodyguards flinched at Shelly's cheerful tone. They knew her real self and suddenly felt sorry for these kids she had knocked out.
Anyone who saw this would only have one question—why were these bodyguards listening to Shelly when they did not even listen to Rin? The answer was simple.