I WAS The Rank–1 Hero

To my surprise, Ruby's eyes went wide. She was now staring at me, opening and closing her mouth as if trying to find the correct words to reply.

But before she could speak, I did.

"Ruby," I said, grinning, "I'm someone who will enjoy even the tiniest 'hello' if it's from you…"

"And my heart will flutter each time, so…"

"…so, no need to think that much. I promise, once all of this is over… I'll flaunt you by holding you in front of everyone in this world."

"Ah..!" She placed both her hands over her mouth, covering it and hiding her widest smile.

Her crimson eyes glimmered as they went wide, and before I realized it, she came close to me…

I held still, not moving even the slightest. She slowly raised her face over my shoulder, and the next thing I felt was a warm, soft sensation on my cheek.

—Smooch.

"…!"

My mind went blank. It took me minutes before I realized what she had done.

"R-Ruby?"

I stuttered, watching her face pull away from mine before she grinned wildly at me.

"That was for acting this sweet," she said, brushing her lips with her fingers.

I raised my hand and touched the spot on my cheek. It was still warm and slightly wet from her touch.

I blinked.

This felt like a whole new sensation, and to be honest, my whole body was heating up.

I was lost for words, just blinking mindlessly at her stunning figure. I covered my face with both hands.

I didn't want her to see my face now, because right now…

It was completely mimicking her hair color.

Noticing my reaction, she grinned even wider, and with a devilish tone, she asked:

"Oh… what's this?"

I tried even harder to hide my face, but Ruby leaned toward me the more I did.

Narrowing her eyes, and with a teasing voice, she continued:

"…is that little kiss on the cheek your weakness?"

Now, that's a critical hit.

"…?!" I backed a step away from her figure. "N-No!"

I was literally on air—I could hardly describe how I felt right now.

"Y-You just took me by surprise, that's all!"

I was fighting for my coolness here.

But Ruby didn't back off either.

With each passing second, the grin on her face grew wider.

W-What is she planning now?!

What's more, is she going to pull out a ring and ask me to marry her?

I brushed that ridiculous thought aside.

She stopped just a few inches away from me, and holding her hand in a dramatic position, she cleared her throat before speaking.

"Ahem..!" Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a tiny box, wrapped like a gift with a cute ribbon on top.

"This is for you."

She handed me the box.

I took it. Confused, I asked, "What's this?"

"Open it," she ordered. But I could still see that mischievous shine on her face.

Gulping harder, I did as she told me to.

Slowly, I unwrapped the box, and what came into view was a tiny black case with a small button on the side.

I looked at the box, then at Ruby…

"Go on, open it."

She was clearly enjoying this.

I pressed the button.

—Click.

The first thing I saw was two tiny diamonds of different colors—one red, and the other silver. I picked it up, but then I noticed it wasn't just a diamond. It was a whole ring.

A freaking ring!

My hands shook as I lifted the ring in front of my face, and through it, I saw Ruby… but this time she wasn't grinning. No, she was forcing a grin on her face. Her ears had turned red, and her cheeks were flushed.

"R-R-Ruby," my voice shook, "aren't we moving way too fast…?"

I was just joking about proposing, but—

Ruby's next line shattered the moment.

"…D-Don't overthink it, alright?" She pouted, averting her eyes. "It was just for your birthday."

"…"

Squinting at the ring, then back at her, I tilted my head.

"A ring?"

"…Ugh!" Now she was frozen in place.

Pouting and making an adorable face, she went for her final blow. "Don't you like it?"

Cute.

That's cheating!

How could I say no to that adorable face?

I hurriedly took the ring and studied it carefully.

The red diamond and the silver diamond—there was something about it that pulled me in.

"This is…" I glanced at Ruby. "This color, it matches our eyes."

"Mhm." She nodded, smiling.

The way the ring looked, on a platinum surface, two diamonds side by side, held tightly together.

"It's beautiful."

"Hehe," Ruby chuckled, "I'm glad you like it."

I was blushing pretty damn hard, and I think she was too…

Staring at the ring, I clenched it tightly.

"I will treasure it," I said, forming a smile. A genuine smile.

"Hmm," she backed away from me and turned around.

I glanced at her.

"Are you leaving?"

She tilted her head toward me and asked with a grin, "Why? Want me to stay?"

"Oi…!" I reacted, "Don't say embarrassing stuff."

"Heehe," she chuckled, "Alright, it's getting late… Tomorrow is class."

And with that, she headed toward my balcony, and without looking back, she just vanished.

"..."

I was left alone in my room.

I glanced at the ring in my hand, then to the open balcony.

Quietly wearing it on my index finger, I threw myself onto my bed.

I grinded my face deeper into the pillow…

"Aaaahhhhhh!!"

I screamed joyously.

Hesitantly, I asked Sera.

"Hey Sera, I'm not dreaming, right?"

Almost immediately, she answered.

'Not at all,' she continued, 'Congrats on getting a girlfriend, Human.'

I don't want to lose these feelings, and her too…

Clenching my fist, on which Ruby's ring was, I made a commitment to myself.

As long as I am breathing, I promise that… I will keep that smile on her, I will protect her, and I will free her from the Association.

Until then… I won't stop.

…

That night, for the first time in a long while, Zane slept peacefully with a faint smile on his lips.