Chapter 196: The Backlash
Andrey stood up slowly, his body still glistening with sweat. His cock remained hard and slick from the previous rounds. He walked toward the far side of the rest area where Hope was sitting.
Hope’s eyes widened as she saw him approaching. Her face turned a deep shade of red. She instinctively pressed her thighs together and looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Andrey... um... you don’t have to..." she stammered, her voice small and shy.
Andrey stopped right in front of her. He gently reached out and tilted her chin up so she would look at him. Hope’s blue eyes were filled with nervousness, but there was also a visible hint of curiosity and arousal.
"You’ve been watching the whole time," he said softly. "Are you okay?"
Hope bit her lip, her cheeks burning. "I... I didn’t mean to stare... It’s just... you all looked so... intense."
Andrey leaned closer to Hope, his hand gently cupping her cheek. Hope’s eyes widened in panic. She placed both hands on his chest, trying to push him back slightly.
"Andrey... wait... I-I’m not sure about this..." she said nervously, her voice trembling. "This is too sudden... I shouldn’t—"
But Andrey didn’t stop. He closed the distance and kissed her softly but firmly on the lips.
Hope’s eyes widened even more. "Mmmh—?!"
Her body stiffened at first, hands still pressing against his chest as if trying to resist. But as Andrey’s lips moved gently against hers, her resistance slowly weakened. A small, involuntary whimper escaped her throat.
She pulled back slightly, breathing heavily, her face bright red.
"Andrey... we can’t... hnna... this is... nhh..."
Andrey didn’t give her much time to protest. He kissed her again, deeper this time, one hand sliding to the back of her head while the other gently held her waist. Hope let out a muffled moan into the kiss, her hands clutching his shoulders tightly, torn between pulling away and leaning in.
When he finally pulled back, Hope was panting, her lips slightly swollen and glistening. Her blue eyes were misty with confusion and budding arousal.
"...This is wrong..." she whispered weakly, though her body was already trembling and her thighs were pressed tightly together.
Andrey’s hand slowly moved downward, gently caressing Hope’s thigh over her outfit. His fingers traced the smooth, toned muscle as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against her skin.
Hope’s body tensed. "Andrey... wait, that’s—"
But before he could go further, a sudden wave of extreme fatigue hit him like a truck. The backlash from Overdrive struck hard. His vision blurred, his body went limp, and all strength left him in an instant.
"Andrey—?!"
Hope’s eyes widened in shock as Andrey suddenly collapsed forward, falling straight into her arms. She instinctively caught him, holding his heavy body against her chest.
"A-Andrey?!" she gasped, panicking slightly. "What happened? Are you okay?!"
Andrey was completely unconscious, his head resting on her shoulder, breathing slowly but steadily.
Hope sat there frozen for a moment, still surprised and flustered. But seeing him like this, exhausted and vulnerable, her expression softened. She gently wrapped her arms around him, holding him securely in her embrace. One of her hands moved up to softly stroke his head, running her fingers through his hair in a comforting manner.
"...You pushed yourself too hard again, didn’t you?" she whispered softly, her voice full of worry and affection. "... rest well."
She continued gently stroking his hair, cradling him against her body while the other girls were still recovering nearby. Hope’s cheeks were still faintly pink, but her touch was tender and protective.
A few moments later, Sein stirred from her position, still breathing heavily. She looked over and raised an eyebrow when she saw Andrey unconscious in Hope’s embrace.
"Hah... he passed out?" Sein smirked weakly. "Typical. Overdrive is no joke."
Lisa, who was still lying beside her, slowly sat up and looked worried. "Is he okay? He pushed himself so hard during the fight..."
Sarah, still flushed and recovering, glanced over with a tired but amused expression. "Looks like our manager reached his limit. Let him rest for a bit."
Hope nodded, gently adjusting her hold so Andrey could rest more comfortably against her. She continued stroking his hair, her blue eyes filled with quiet concern.
"I’ll stay with him," she said softly. "You three should rest too. We still have two more floors to go."
After several minutes, Andrey’s eyelids fluttered slightly. He slowly began to regain consciousness, still feeling the heavy exhaustion weighing on his body.
The first thing he noticed was the soft warmth surrounding him, he was resting against Hope’s chest, her arms gently wrapped around him.
He quickly lifted his head, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Hope... I’m sorry," he said, his voice still slightly hoarse. "I behaved inappropriately toward you earlier. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable."
Hope smiled brightly, her expression gentle and cheerful as always.
"It’s okay, Andrey. As long as you’re feeling better now, that’s what matters," she replied softly, still gently stroking his hair one last time before letting him go.
Andrey sat up slowly, rubbing his temple. "How long was I out?"
Lisa, who had already straightened her outfit, moved closer and handed him a bottle of water with a caring smile.
"Here, drink this first," she said. "You were only unconscious for a few minutes. The backlash from Overdrive hit you pretty hard."
Andrey accepted the water and drank it gratefully. He looked around and saw Sein and Sarah also resting nearby, both of them looking more composed now, though their faces were still slightly flushed.
Sein smirked lazily. "You really went all out, huh? Collapsing right after. Pathetic."
Sarah rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything, though the corner of her mouth twitched upward.
Andrey let out a small sigh, leaning back against the cushion.
"Sorry for worrying you all. I’ll be more careful next time with Overdrive."
Hope smiled warmly at him. "You protected everyone well on the first floor. Rest a little longer if you need to. We’re in a safe zone, so there’s no rush."
