Chapter 184: Plain Clothes For The Countryside

“Honestly… I kind of enjoyed that,” she whispered, her voice soft as the low hum of the train filled the quiet carriage.

I turned my head slightly, looking down at her with an amused eyebrow raised. “Really? Running through dark alleys and hopping turnstiles in a multi-thousand-dollar dress?”

Ruby nodded, a small, peaceful smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Really. It’s the first time in years I felt like my heart was beating because of actual excitement, not just stage fright or anxiety.”

Without another word, she leaned in close, wrapping her arm through mine and resting her head gently on my shoulder. The flashing cameras, the Met Gala drama, and the chaos of the city were miles behind us now. ℯℯ𝑙.

I looked down at her purple hair spilled across my tailored jacket, felt her steady breathing, and just let the train carry us deeper into the night toward the next state, completely off the grid.

I looked down at her, the rhythmic clack-clack of the train on the tracks filling the quiet space between us.

“Ruby,” I said quietly, my voice low and grounding. “Tell me something honestly. Do you even want to keep being a superstar?”

She went quiet for a long moment. I felt her chest rise and fall in a heavy, drawn-out sigh against my arm. She didn’t pull away, but her gaze shifted toward the dark, blurry reflection of the window.

“I… I honestly don’t know, Ethan,” she admitted softly, her usual unstoppable confidence completely absent. “Some days I love the music, I love the energy on stage… but the rest of it just eats away at who I am.”

She turned her head slightly, looking up into my eyes with a gentle, half-smile.

“Ask me again after our runaway holiday,” she murmured, a playful spark returning to her eyes. “Let me remember what it feels like to just be Ruby first. Then maybe I’ll give you a real answer.”

“Fair enough,” I smiled, leaning my head back against the seat. “No pop star talk for the rest of the trip.”

“Okay,” I said softly, looking down at her. “Take your time. For now, let’s just be free.”

A few hours later, the heavy train slowed to a smooth halt, the brakes hissing into the cool night air. We had reached our stop—a quiet town tucked away in the countryside, miles away from the neon lights of the city.

We stepped off the platform, expecting immediate peace, but quickly realized the layout. To get to the rural residential area, we first had to trek straight through the town’s small, upscale business district. Late-night workers and boutique shop owners were still milling around the cobblestone streets.

We pulled our collars up and tried to stay close to the shadows, ducking our heads to keep our faces hidden. But hiding wasn’t easy.

I was wearing a sharp, custom obsidian silk-velvet tux with a high-end luxury watch on my wrist, and Ruby was draped in a massive, sweeping purple silk-velvet UncuT gown that practically caught every stray streetlight. We looked completely out of place, like two royalty figures who had lost their way back to a royal ball.

Every single head turned as we walked past. Passersby slowed down, squinting into the dim light and whispering among themselves as they took in our impossibly unique outfits.

Ruby caught my eye, biting her lower lip with an anxious, amused smile. “Ethan… I think our disguises aren’t working so well.”

We spotted a small, dimly lit clothing shop at the end of the block, its vintage wooden sign swinging gently in the breeze. Without thinking twice, I pushed the heavy door open, sending a quiet brass bell ringing through the small space.

Inside sat an old man behind a cluttered wooden counter, a pair of thick reading glasses perched right on the tip of his nose. He looked up from his newspaper, his eyes widening in pure bewilderment as he took in the pair of us—a guy in an obsidian Met Gala tux and a girl in a floor-length, high-fashion purple gown standing in the middle of his quiet country store.

“Evening,” I said smoothly, stepping up to the counter before he could ask a single question. “We need a quick change of clothes. Plain, simple, and comfortable.”

“Uh… right,” the old man stammered, pointing a crooked finger toward a few wooden racks at the back. “Take a look.”

We hurried over to the racks. I grabbed a pair of plain dark jeans and a comfortable charcoal grey t-shirt. Ruby, meanwhile, was flipping through the hangers with a look of pure delight, like a kid in a candy shop.

“Ooh, look at this!” she whispered softly, pulling out a light floral sundress.

It was as simple as it gets—soft cotton, thin straps, and a gentle sunflower pattern around the hem. No high-fashion structure, no heavy velvet, and no uncomfortable corsets.

“It’s perfect,” Ruby beamed, holding it up against herself. “I’m changing into this right now.”

I quickly grabbed a plain crewneck shirt and a pair of heavy-duty work jeans off the rack.

I reached for my wallet to pay, but froze halfway through. I had zero cash on me. If I swiped my black card, the transaction notification would immediately ping my phone and alert Sarah. Worse, the paper trail could easily be traced by anyone looking for us.

My eyes landed on the heavy garment bag Ruby was holding, which contained her high-fashion purple UncuT gown and my obsidian velvet tuxedo jacket.

I looked up at the old man, then at the garment bag.

“I’ll pay with the clothes,” I said calmly.

Ruby blinked, her jaw dropping. “Eh?! Ethan, are you insane?! That dress is a one-of-a-kind UncuT custom piece! It costs more than this entire building!”

The old man squinted through his thick glasses, looking back and forth between me, the massive purple velvet gown, and the simple $40 sundress Ruby was holding.

“Eh?!” the old man grunted, adjusting his reading glasses in absolute disbelief. “Son, is this a joke? You want to trade a dress fit for a queen for a cotton sundress and work pants?”

Power Ranking Weekly #10

Oct 13, 08:05 – Oct 19, 06:00

Mass release 50 chapters