Chapter 127 Ryan Posted on Instagram and It Went Viral
When Amelia returned with a fresh glass of juice, Ryan's expression was back to its usual easy calm. He had even changed into a new hoodie, as if the moment earlier had never happened.
She didn't know why Ryan would hurt himself. The scars on his arm had been too many, too deliberate, to be the result of a single incident… and she doubted they were confined to just his right arm. The only thing she knew was that, for a brief second, she had glimpsed something raw and real beneath his flawless exterior.
"It's late, Little Cutie. You should head back to bed." Ryan set the juice down and reached out to ruffle her hair. His eyes held that same lazy, indulgent smile, the one that made it seem as though nothing unusual had happened.
"As for next Wednesday… it's settled. I'm coming to your team's event. Don't worry about me. Crowds are nothing new—I'm used to being surrounded everywhere I go. A high school celebration? That's nothing but a small stage."
His tone was light, dismissive, but Amelia stayed where she was. Then, without a word, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him.
The moment her embrace closed around him, Ryan's whole body went rigid. It was only for an instant, but it told her enough—what had happened earlier was still lingering in his mind, no matter how well he pretended otherwise.
"Little Cutie?" he murmured after a pause, his voice low.
Amelia said nothing. Ryan didn't need her to. He understood that this was the first time she'd ever initiated something so close, and it wasn't out of playfulness—it was comfort. She had seen the scars, and instead of questions, she had given him a silent promise: he wasn't alone.
Ryan's hand slid gently over her hair, his breath releasing in quiet, almost inaudible sighs. "It only happens sometimes," he said softly. "I'm fine. You don't need to worry."
His voice was warmer now, his gaze softer than before. "Be good. Go get some sleep."
She finally sat back. "Then you should sleep early too. Tobias says staying up late gaming makes you stupid."
Ryan's mouth curved. "Tobias has been a simple, straightforward guy since he was a kid. That's not something you can blame on video games."
Amelia tilted her head. "Zander and Tobias are twins, but apart from looking alike, they're nothing alike."
In intelligence, personality, even physical condition—they were opposites. Tobias was average in intellect, while Zander had been born a genius. Zander absorbed knowledge like breathing, while Tobias had no interest in learning at all.
"Tobias may not be as smart as Zander," Ryan said, "but he's uncomplicated, healthy, and happy every day. Zander… from the moment he was born, his mind was far beyond normal. He never had the carefree innocence most children do. He understood people and the world too early."
Ryan's voice grew quieter. "But for all that intelligence, he's lived with asthma and hemophilia since birth—dangerous, incurable conditions. People were afraid to get close. So he's been alone for most of his life."
He gave a faint, almost bitter smile. "Maybe that's what fairness looks like. When life gives someone extraordinary gifts, it also takes something away."
Amelia looked up at him. His words were about Zander… but she couldn't shake the feeling they were about himself too.
After she left, Ryan stayed in the room alone. The softness in his expression faded, his eyes flattening into something unreadable. He pushed up his sleeve and looked at the scars. It had been a long time since the last time. He was managing well. So there was nothing to worry about.
He reached into a drawer and pulled out a small white pill bottle, shaking two tablets into his palm before swallowing them dry. Then he picked up his phone and sent a message to Hugo.
Ryan: What's my Instagram password?
Hugo: Why are you asking? Planning to post something?
Five minutes later, Hugo sent the username and a string of letters and numbers. Ryan's Instagram account had been created two years ago, when he first debuted. He'd never posted a single thing himself—everything promotional was handled by the studio's account. His personal account had only two posts, both automatically generated birthday messages.
Still, even with zero activity, the account had over eighty million followers—more than many active A-list celebrities. That was what it meant to be at the very top.
Ryan studied the screen for a moment, fumbling through unfamiliar menus until he found the post option. Without much thought, he typed out a short message and hit send.
Next Wednesday I'll be at my sister's school anniversary event, working as a server at her team's café. Fans in River City can come to Prestige High School to support us. I'll also perform a song from my upcoming album as a surprise.
It was simple. Amelia had said there would be a popularity contest at the event. He figured he'd help her out—make sure her team didn't get overshadowed by Yvette.
He logged out immediately afterward and went back to gaming on the carpet. He had no idea what he'd just set in motion. He didn't use Instagram. He didn't think about influence.
The moment his followers saw the post, the internet exploded.
Am I seeing this right? Ryan posted on Instagram?
He's never posted before—this is from Ryan himself!
Next Wednesday… Prestige High School… working as a server? Singing a brand-new song?
Isn't he on vacation? How is this a thing?
Fans scrambled to book flights, organize support events, and flood the comments. Even his studio and official fan club were blindsided—Hugo hadn't mentioned anything about this.
Within twenty minutes, #RyanPostedOnInstagram was trending at number one worldwide. Right behind it were #RyanPrestigeHighSchool, #PrestigeHighSchoolAnniversary, #RyanServer, and #RyanNewAlbumTrack.
The original hashtag for the school's anniversary had barely scraped into the bottom of the trending list before—Yvette's repost had only nudged it into the forties. Now, thanks to Ryan's post, Prestige High School's event was everywhere.
Yvette opened Instagram out of boredom, saw the trending list, and froze. She clicked into Ryan's account, her heart pounding as she read the post. He was coming to Prestige High School. He was going to work in his sister's café. He was going to sing.
Her hands trembled. Ryan never did things like this. He hated fluff events. He was on vacation. Why would he take on something like this?
Unless… it was because she was going to be there.
Her pulse raced, her face heating until she thought she might faint. They'd be together all day. His aloofness before—it had all been an act. He was interested in her.
The thought sent a dizzy rush of happiness through her, so intense it felt unreal.