-Levi POV-
"Let's meet. I have something important to tell you. It's about Haruka Charles Auclair."
I froze.
My grip on the phone tightened slightly as my mind raced. I knew it. I knew there was something wrong.
Who the hell was this? And what did they know about Haruka?
I stared at the message for a moment longer before replying.
"Who are you?" That's all.
"I'll tell you later. Please meet me at Café Montreux after work." He replied.
Café Montreux? That's a cafe that I frequently go to.
Whoever this was, I'd find out soon enough.
-Café Montreux-
I arrived at the cafe. The cafe is quiet, only a few tables were occupied. And then, at the back, I spotted a man sitting alone, a cup of coffee in front of him.
I approached him cautiously. "Are you the one who sent the message?"
The man looked up, sharp brown eyes meeting my gaze. "Mr. Levi Ackerman." He extended a hand. "I'm Ray." He introduced himself.
I didn't take the offered handshake. "Who the hell are you?"
He let out a soft chuckle. "You're just as cold as people say. Please, have a seat first, Mr. Ackerman."
Without wasting any time, I took a seat in front of him. The atmosphere was tense, thick with unspoken words, but I wasn't the type to dance around a conversation.
"So?" I broke the silence with my sharp voice. "What did you want to tell me?"
The man took a slow sip of his coffee before setting the cup down, studying me with a faint smirk. "First, let me introduce myself properly."
I narrowed my eyes. "You already did."
He chuckled. "Not really." He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. "Ray Leonardo Walker. Former MI6." He stopped for a moment before continuing. "And… Haruka Charles Auclair's personal bodyguard."
I could feel my posture stiffening and my eyes flickering with something unreadable. I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed, staring at the man sitting across from me. Ray Leonardo Walker. Former MI6 and Haruka's personal bodyguard.
That last part didn't sit right with me, actually.
Ray took another sip of his coffee, watching me with an unreadable expression. "You don't seem surprised."
"I'm not." I said flatly. "Haruka's always been reckless. Someone had to be keeping him from getting himself killed." I said, trying to act calm.
Ray smirked. "True. But do you know why I was the one assigned to him?"
I frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
Ray set his cup down, his expression turning more serious. "I wasn't always a bodyguard. I was an MI6 agent for years before I took on this job." He paused before adding, "I quit because of Charles."
That caught my attention.
I straightened slightly. "Why?" I asked.
Ray exhaled and leaned back. "Because Charles was kidnapped."
I felt my stomach tighten. My fingers curled slightly against the table. "What?" I asked in shock. Is this the incident Chris had mentioned before?
Ray nodded. "Years ago, I guess about 7 years ago. The people who took him weren't after money or politics. They took him because of him."
I narrowed my eyes. "Explain."
Ray's jaw tightened. "Haruka is… rare. You know that better than anyone. His beauty, his intelligence—there are people out there who see that as something to own." His voice lowered. "He was taken because someone wanted him for themselves."
A sharp, unfamiliar anger flared in my chest. I gritted my teeth. "And what happened?"
Ray's expression darkened. "MI6 got involved. So did his grandmother, Princess Catherine. My grandfather used to be one of the royal family's bodyguards. That's how I got involved. We managed to find Charles before things escalated further, but…" He hesitated before sighing. "Let's just say it wasn't an easy rescue."
I stared at him, my mind racing. Haruka—kidnapped. Taken like some kind of prize, like something to be possessed.
I felt something twist inside me, something cold and dangerous.
"After that incident," Ray continued, watching me carefully. "Haruka's grandmother, Princess Catherine, and his grandfather personally requested that I become his personal bodyguard. Not just for protection, but to make sure something like that never happened again."
I was silent, my grip tightening around the edge of the table.
Haruka never told me.
Not once.
But then again, I'm not someone who should tell me something like that.
I stayed quiet. My mind is racing. I had always known Haruka wasn't just some average assistant, but hearing this—knowing that people had targeted him, taken him—made my stomach twist with something dangerous.
Ray watched me carefully before leaning forward. "Now that you know this, I need you to understand something, Levi."
I met his gaze, sharp and unwavering.
"Ray's voice dropped slightly. "Haruka has always been a target. And now, after what happened with Claude, it's worse."
My eyes darkened at the mention of Claude. "What does Claude have to do with this?" I asked in a sharp, cold voice.
Ray exhaled, then finally said, "That's the second thing I wanted to tell you."
He leaned back, crossing his arms. "Haruka's been keeping a secret from you. About Claude. And about what's really going on."
"Start talking." I said, voice sharp.
Ray sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Fine. I'll tell you everything."
I crossed my arms, waiting.
Ray's gaze was steady. "Last week, Haruka came to me with a request. He wanted me to infiltrate Claude's estate."
I felt my fingers tighten against my sleeve. "What?"
Ray nodded. "Yeah. He wanted dirt on Claude. Anything that could bring him down."
I clenched my jaw. "And you agreed?"
Ray scoffed. "Of course not. I told him it was too dangerous. But you know how Charles is. When he sets his mind on something, he won't back down." He exhaled. "He told me that if I didn't help him, he'd do it himself."
A sharp wave of frustration coiled in my chest. That idiot. That reckless, stubborn genius.
Ray continued, "I didn't have a choice. If I didn't help, he would've gotten himself in danger. So I went in."
I stared at him, waiting for more.
Ray smirked slightly. "I have my ways. Getting into Claude's place wasn't easy, but it wasn't impossible either. I got in, found what I needed, and got out."
I frowned. "What did you find?"
Ray's smirk faded. "Something that is enough to make Claude back off. For now, at least."
I exhaled slowly.
"He's been involved in drugs, human trafficking, and other illegal works. Things that could ruin his father's reputation, and his own." Ray's gaze sharpened. "Charles took that information and used it against him. He called Claude to a meeting and made him think he was going to accept his offer.
I stilled. "You're telling me he went to meet Claude alone?"
Ray sighed. "I was there with him, of course. I wouldn't let him meet that bastard alone."
I gritted my teeth. "That genius idiot."
Ray smirked, but it wasn't amused. "That's what I told him. But Charles wasn't afraid. He went in there and threatened Claude. Laid out all the evidence and told him to back off."
I inhaled slowly. My mind raced, trying to process everything.
Haruka had done all this. For me.
Ray's voice pulled me back. "You might not realise it, but Haruka's been looking out for you from the beginning. Claude threatened you, and Haruka refused to let that slide." He crossed his arms. "He's reckless, yeah. But when he cares about someone, he'll do whatever it takes to protect them."
I stayed silent, my thoughts tangled.
Haruka… did all this for me. Risked himself. Confronted Claude head-on.
Ray studied me for a moment. "I'm not telling you this because I have a grudge against you or whatever. I just thought you should know the truth."
I exhaled, rubbing a hand over my face.
That idiot. That reckless, stubborn genius.
Ray chuckled. "I'm guessing you're pissed."
I shot him a look. "That's an understatement."
He shrugged. "Yeah, well. Now that you know the truth, what are you going to do?"
I tapped my fingers against the table, my mind working through the possibilities. I wasn't the type to sit around and do nothing—especially not when it came to Haruka's safety.
"Can you put a tracker into something?" I asked, cutting straight to the point.
Ray arched an eyebrow at me, clearly not surprised but still amused by my sudden request. "A tracker?"
"Yeah." I said. "Something small. Hidden. Something that Haruka wouldn't notice is that a tracker would be put there."
Ray leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "That's an easy task for me." He replied.
Of course it was. He was ex-MI6. If he couldn't do something as simple as hiding a tracker, then he wouldn't be worth much as a bodyguard.
I nodded. "Good." Then I paused, considering my options. I couldn't just hand Haruka some random device and expect him to carry it around. He was sharp, and he'd get suspicious if it didn't make sense.
I thought for a moment before saying, "I'll buy something. A bracelet, maybe. Something subtle."
Ray smirked. "A bracelet, huh? That's a smart move. He won't think much of it if it's a gift from you, I guess."
I ignored the implication behind his words and continued, "If I give it to him, I'll make sure he wears it. And that way, if anything happens, we'll know exactly where he is."
Ray studied me for a second before nodding. "Alright. I can make that work. Just give me the bracelet once you get it. I'll install the tracker and other devices needed."
I leaned back in my seat, exhaling slightly. It wasn't much, but it was something. Haruka was reckless when it came to protecting others, but I wasn't about to let him take all the risks alone.
"Good." I muttered. "That's settled then."
Ray chuckled, shaking his head. "You really are something, Levi."
I gave him a sharp look. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Ray just smirked. "Nothing. Just that Charles has no idea how much you're willing to do for him."
I scoffed, shaking my head. "I think you're mistaken." My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn't care. "He's the one doing all the dangerous shit for my sake. This is the least I can do for now."
Ray's expression shifted slightly, the amusement in his eyes dimming as he listened.
I clenched my fist under the table, my voice steady but firm. "I promised myself… I'll protect him with my own life if I have to."
Ray didn't speak right away. Instead, he studied me, as if trying to see how serious I was. When he finally spoke, his tone had lost all traces of teasing.
"That's a heavy promise, Levi."
I met his gaze without hesitation. "I don't make promises I don't intend to keep."
Ray let out a slow exhale and leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "Then you better prepare for whatever comes next. Because Claude may have backed off for now. But he's not done. Not with Haruka. And not with you."
"I know." I said simply.
Ray tapped his fingers on the table, his expression unreadable. "Charles… he's used to fighting his battles alone. Even with me around, he never really relied on anyone. Not fully." He paused before adding, "But if you're really serious about this, if you're willing to stand by him, then you better make damn sure you don't break that promise."
I didn't hesitate. "I won't."
Ray let out a small, almost approving chuckle. "Alright then, Levi. Let's make sure he never has to fight alone again."
I nodded. No more words were needed. We both understood.
Haruka wasn't just someone to be protected. He was someone worth fighting for. And I wasn't going to let anyone take him away from me.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!
PS/: MY INTERNSHIP MIGHT BE BUSIER THAN I THOUGHT SO MAYBE ONLY TWO CHAPTER A WEEK :'). AND I HOPE I COULD DO MY BEST FOR MY INTERNSHIP :')