Matchmaker Mayhem
Chapter 110: Escape into the Night – Love in Tokyo’s Glow

Chapter 110: Escape into the Night – Love in Tokyo’s Glow

The chaos of the day had finally settled, but Ava still felt the lingering adrenaline from the Omiai challenge. She’d bested Julian—again—saved Kenji and Rika from an awkward matchmaking disaster, and even managed to keep Ryan from causing more trouble. That should have been enough to let her relax.

Yet, as she stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of their suite, Tokyo glittering beneath them like scattered diamonds, she found herself still... restless.

Ryan, fresh out of the shower, towel-drying his hair, noticed immediately.

He leaned against the doorframe, shirtless, sweatpants hanging low on his hips. "You’re thinking too much."

Ava didn’t look at him. "I always think too much."

Ryan smirked, walking up behind her. "I know a way to fix that."

Before she could protest, his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against him.

Ava let out a half-laugh, half-sigh, leaning into his warmth. "If this involves distraction tactics, I’m onto you."

Ryan chuckled, his lips ghosting over her bare shoulder. "Not just a distraction. A Tokyo date night. Just us. No matchmaking, no Julian, no chaos."

Ava tilted her head slightly. "Mei and Harold are going to follow us, aren’t they?"

Ryan sighed dramatically. "Unfortunately, yes. But that’s why we have an escape plan."

Ava finally turned, eyebrow raised. "Oh? You actually planned ahead?"

Ryan grinned. "I may or may not have a decoy dinner reservation under Harold Kim to throw them off our trail."

Ava blinked. Then burst into laughter. "You’re ridiculous."

Ryan leaned in, voice low and teasing. "And yet, you love me."

Ava huffed, poking his chest. "I tolerate you."

Ryan smirked. "Sure, Lee."

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. He won.

---

Ava had almost forgotten how much she loved Tokyo at night.

The streets were alive—neon lights flickering, people bustling between massive screens and towering department stores. The sound of crosswalk chimes, laughter, chatter, and music spilling from underground bars, it all blended into something uniquely electric.

And for once?

Ava wasn’t thinking about work.

Ryan, holding her firmly by the waist, was leading them deeper into Shibuya.

"You’re way too excited about this," Ava noted, watching him scan the streets like a man on a mission.

Ryan grinned mischievously. "I’ve got three things I want to accomplish tonight."

Ava arched a brow. "Oh, do tell."

Ryan held up a finger. "First, win a stuffed animal from one of those rigged claw machines."

Ava snorted. "Good luck with that."

Ryan ignored her, raising a second finger. "Second, get you to admit Japanese street food is better than Parisian café food."

Ava gasped theatrically. "How dare you."

Ryan smirked. "Oh, it’s happening."

Then, a final finger. "Third... take you somewhere quiet before I lose my mind."

Ava felt a flutter in her chest at that last one.

But she covered it with mock skepticism. "Ambitious list, Kim."

Ryan winked. "Oh, I always deliver."

---

Ryan’s first mission? Failure.

Despite his absolute confidence, he lost to a claw machine five times in a row.

Ava, eating a fresh yakitori skewer, watched in amusement. "Wow. I was right."

Ryan glared at the machine, then at Ava. "You’re enjoying this."

Ava took another bite, smirking. "Oh, so much."

Ryan huffed, swiping his card again. "I refuse to lose to this thing."

Ten minutes later, a small crowd gathered to witness his epic failure.

A small child even walked up, won a plushie on his first try, and handed it to Ryan out of pity.

Ava wheezed with laughter.

Ryan, accepting his fate, took the plushie and turned to Ava. "Pretend I won this for you."

Ava snorted. "Absolutely not."

But when he stuffed it into her arms anyway, she held onto it.

Next?

Street food debate.

Ryan shoved a takoyaki ball into her mouth before she could protest. "Admit it."

Ava chewed slowly, pretending to think.

Ryan watched intensely.

Ava swallowed.

Then sighed dramatically. "Fine. It’s good."

Ryan beamed. "Victory."

"But," Ava held up a finger, "it still doesn’t beat French pastries."

Ryan’s smile dimmed slightly. "I was so close."

---

Ryan’s last goal?

Finding peace in the chaos.

Which led them off the neon-lit streets, weaving into a quiet path lined with cherry blossoms leading to a small, tucked-away shrine.

The contrast was staggering—one moment, they were surrounded by flashing billboards and crowds, and now?

Now, it was just the soft crunch of gravel beneath their shoes, the scent of incense in the air, and the faint glow of paper lanterns swaying in the night breeze.

Ava breathed in deeply, letting it ground her.

Ryan watched her quietly. "Better?"

Ava turned to him, soft smile playing on her lips. "Yeah."

They walked up the small shrine steps, pausing at the offering box.

Ryan handed her a five-yen coin. "For luck."

Ava tossed it in, clapped twice, and closed her eyes for a moment.

Ryan did the same, then glanced at her. "What’d you wish for?"

Ava peeked one eye open. "You know I can’t tell you."

Ryan grinned, leaning in. "Tell me, and I’ll tell you mine."

Ava tilted her head, amused. "Yours is probably something smug."

Ryan hummed, brushing his nose against hers. "Not this time."

Ava blinked.

Something in his tone...

It sent a shiver down her spine.

She swallowed. "Then tell me."

Ryan, voice barely above a whisper, said, "I wished for you."

Ava’s breath hitched.

Then, before she could recover—Ryan kissed her.

Slow. Deep.

The kind that wasn’t rushed, wasn’t teasing—but absolute.

Like a promise.

Ava melted into it, fingers curling into his jacket, pressing closer.

Ryan’s hand found her waist, holding her firmly as his lips moved against hers, tasting like sweet soy sauce and something entirely, addictively him.

When they finally broke apart, Ryan’s forehead rested against hers.

Ava’s heart pounded in her chest.

She swallowed. "You—"

Ryan smirked, brushing a thumb over her bottom lip. "Yeah?"

Ava exhaled. "You cheat."

Ryan chuckled, pulling her into him. "Only when it comes to you."

---

By the time they returned to the suite, the atmosphere shifted.

The city was still buzzing below, but up here?

Everything felt slower.

More deliberate.

Ryan pressed Ava against the suite’s door the moment it closed behind them, mouth already on hers.

Ava gasped against his lips, fingers already undoing his shirt buttons.

Ryan smirked, lifting her effortlessly. "Shower’s big enough for two, you know."

Ava arched a brow. "Bold of you to assume I’ll share my water."

Ryan chuckled, carrying her toward the bathroom. "I’ll make it worth your while."

And as Ryan backed Ava against the bathroom counter, his lips trailing fire along her skin.

His fingers traced the silk straps of her dress before sliding them slowly down her arms.

Ava let out a soft gasp, gripping his shoulders.

Ryan smirked. "Still stressed?"

Ava barely had time to answer before his mouth covered hers again, pulling her into the deepest, slowest kiss of the night.

The marble counter pressed against her back, cool against her flushed skin, as Ryan’s hands roamed lower, fingers tracing the delicate curve of her waist.

Ava shivered when his lips moved down the column of her throat, trailing soft, slow kisses along the path of her pulse.

Her nails dug lightly into his bare shoulders, legs instinctively wrapping around his waist as he lifted her onto the bathroom counter.

"Ryan—" Her voice was barely a breath, caught between pleasure and anticipation.

He pulled back just enough to meet her gaze, eyes dark with intent. "What do you need, Ava?"

Ava swallowed, her pulse erratic. "You."

Ryan groaned softly, capturing her lips again, deeper this time. His hands slid beneath the silk fabric of her dress, finding bare skin, making her gasp against his mouth.

Then, in one swift motion, he carried her straight into the bath, the warm water enveloping them both.

Ava let out a half-laugh, half-moan as Ryan pinned her beneath him, the steam curling around them, water sloshing softly against the edges.

He kissed her again, slow and deliberate, hands mapping every inch of her exposed skin.

And when Ava arched beneath him, his low chuckle sent shivers down her spine.

"Still tense?" he murmured against her lips.

Ava let out a soft gasp as his hands moved lower. "You’re insufferable."

Ryan smirked, pressing another heated kiss against her throat. "And yet, you love me."

Ava pulled him closer, fingernails dragging lightly down his back. "Shut up and kiss me, Kim."

And so, he did.

The steam curled around them, thick and sultry, wrapping them in a cocoon of warmth as Ryan’s hands roamed over Ava’s bare skin, slow and deliberate. The water lapped against their bodies, soft ripples teasing over exposed flesh, heightening every sensation.

Ava’s breath hitched as Ryan’s mouth trailed along her collarbone, lingering just long enough to make her shiver. His lips brushed over the delicate line of her throat, pressing gentle, teasing kisses that had her toes curling against the smooth marble of the tub. She could feel the deep vibration of his chuckle against her skin as he moved lower, his teeth grazing just enough to make her gasp.

Ryan’s hands slid along the curve of her waist, his fingertips tracing delicate patterns over her skin. His touch was slow, measured—like he was memorizing her, like he wanted to take his time unraveling her completely.

Ava clung to his shoulders, nails digging in just enough to leave a mark as he pressed her deeper into the water. The sensation of heat—both from the bath and from his body against hers—sent a shudder through her spine. His lips found hers again, capturing her in a kiss that was unhurried but possessive, a slow-burning fire that sent warmth pooling low in her belly.

Ryan pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against hers, his breath coming in short, heavy exhales. His hands tangled in her wet hair, thumb brushing over the curve of her jaw, tilting her face up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze.

"You have no idea," he murmured, voice husky and rough, "how much I love you like this."

Ava swallowed, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Like what?" she whispered.

Ryan’s lips ghosted over hers, teasing, before he spoke. "Completely mine."

Ava felt the words ripple through her like a shockwave, a slow, burning ache spreading in her chest. She didn’t hesitate—her hands slid down his chest, nails grazing the hard planes of muscle as she pulled him back into another deep, searching kiss. This time, she was the one who took control, pushing forward, pressing herself flush against him.

Ryan let out a deep groan, his grip on her tightening as he sank against her, the water splashing gently around them. His hands roamed lower, sliding along the smooth expanse of her back before settling on the curve of her hips, pulling her against him with an urgency that made her breath stutter.

Ava let herself sink into it, into him, into the way he made her feel like the only thing that existed in the world was them.

The way his mouth claimed her.

The way his hands molded to her body, knowing exactly where to touch, where to tease, where to linger until she was dizzy with need.

And when Ryan pulled her into his lap, guiding her movements with slow, deliberate hands, Ava let out a soft, helpless sound against his lips—one that made his grip tighten and his body press even closer to hers.

"You’re so perfect," he whispered against her skin, his voice thick with reverence, his touch reverent as if he were worshipping her. "You don’t even realize it."

Ava, breathless and aching, tangled her fingers in his hair, tugging him back down to her. "Then make me realize it, Kim."

Ryan didn’t need to be told twice.

He kissed her again, deep and claiming, and the rest of the world faded into nothing.

Until all she knew was Ryan—his touch, his warmth, the way he made her feel like she belonged completely to him.

Because she did.

And Tokyo?

Tokyo could wait.