We parted ways near Mizuya Market, the night already settling in. Thinking back to what happened on the train, a wave of embarrassment washed over me. She refused to let go until we reached our stop. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice in the crowded compartment, but damn, that was brutal on my heart. Even now, I can still feel the warmth of her breath against my chest, the way she clung to me so tightly, and the soft sensation of her body pressed against mine.
I'm sure Yuka felt just as embarrassed when she came to her senses—probably confused too. After all, we didn't exchange a single word after getting off the train, just walking in silence, awkwardly avoiding each other's gaze. Alright, no point dwelling on it any longer.
As I walked farther from Mizuya Market, a sudden thought crossed my mind—I didn't feel like cooking tonight. So, I thought of stop by a convenience store on the way and grab a sushi box along with a few other things for dinner.
I did just that and continued on my way home, but for some reason, the road felt longer than usual. Now I regret not taking a taxi. The streets were eerily quiet, with barely anyone around. Was it because today was Sunday and most people were just relaxing at home?
Then, in the distance on the other side of the road, my eyes landed on something—three guys surrounding a girl. One of them was even grabbing her wrist, and it was clear she was resisting. Yet, strangely, no one was stepping in to help. Or should I have expected that?
"Why are you being like this? We just wanted you to hang out with us," the guy holding her wrist said, irritation lacing his tone.
"Yeah, it won't hurt to spend some time with us, right?" another one chimed in.
"We promise—we're really good at showing girls a good time," the third added with a smirk.
The girl wasn't buying any of it. Her voice grew even louder as she snapped, "And I already said I don't want to! Leave me alone!"
The guy gripping her wrist snapped, "We were generous enough to invite you, and this is how you react? Looks like we'll have to teach you obedience the hard way."
With that, he raised his hand for a slap.
But it never came down.
A sudden, chilling presence washed over them, stopping them in their tracks. Before they could even turn to see what was approaching, a fist came out of nowhere—an insanely fast punch that crashed into the guy's face.
He was sent flying backward, hitting the ground hard and sliding a few feet.
He didn't look like he was getting up anytime soon.
The other three, including the girl, were stunned. Standing before them was a young man with black hair and striking crimson-red eyes. His build didn't seem like it carried enough power to deliver such a devastating punch—yet he undoubtedly had.
The newcomer, the one who had just stepped in to save her, looked her straight in the eyes and asked, "Do you need help?"
Why was he asking that now? He had already intervened.
But she couldn't answer. She didn't want to accept anyone's help. After all, there was no such thing as pure kindness. People only helped others because they wanted something in return. Aside from parents—though even that wasn't guaranteed—not a single person would act without some kind of motive.
And so, she chose to remain silent, neither accepting nor rejecting his help.
Hayato, the one who had stepped in to save the girl, noticed her silence. He figured she might be too terrified to speak, so he took her lack of response as a yes.
Now, shifting his focus to the remaining two, Hayato fixed them with a cold gaze and warned, "Take that guy and scram."
Of course, he knew they wouldn't listen so easily. This was just him testing his luck.
"Kid, don't think you've won just because of one sneak attack," one of them sneered, his voice dripping with anger.
Both immediately dropped into fighting stances, their eyes burning with rage.
Hayato sighed, then shifted into his own stance. So much for the easy way out
Two fists came at him simultaneously, but the moment they swung, Hayato instantly realized—they don't know how to fight. They were all brute force, relying on raw strength without any skill.
Lucky him though, That just made things even easier.
He ducked low, sweeping his leg in a sharp arc. His kick struck both of their legs, sending them crashing to the ground, landing flat on their asses.
Standing up, Hayato looked down at them, his crimson eyes cold and unwavering.
"Last chance. Leave."
He could've just knocked them out like the first guy—it would've been easier. But he wasn't in the mood for a fight today. It had been a good day, one he genuinely enjoyed, and he didn't want to ruin it.
However, if they pushed him further… he wouldn't hesitate.
It seemed today really was his day. The two guys scrambled to their feet, gritting their teeth in frustration. Without another word, they picked up their unconscious friend and hurried off into the night.
Now, it was just him and the girl, who had remained silent the entire time. He had no intention of getting tangled up with her either.
"If you're okay, get home soon. Looks like it's going to rain."
With those parting words, Hayato turned and started walking away.
As he took a couple of steps away, a soft voice called out to him.
"Wait."
Her tone was light—perhaps meek—but there was a mix of confusion and hesitation in it.
"You're leaving?"
I halted mid-step and turned to her, confusion evident on my face.
But then, as she looked up and I finally took a good look at her, I realized—she was quite the beauty.
Long, light brown hair cascaded past her shoulders, her bangs parting just enough to reveal a hint of her forehead. Her striking deep blue eyes, deep and mesmerizing like the ocean. Her figure was well-endowed, thick in all the right places.
That's when a thought crossed my mind—Why does every woman in this world look so beautiful?
However, it wasn't just her beauty that caught my attention.
Her eyes—those deep blue eyes—were darkened and emotionless, as if weighed down by something far heavier than mere exhaustion. Her entire presence exuded uncertainty, insecurity, fear, and a deep-rooted mental fatigue.
"Why? Do you need something from me?"
She fell silent again, as if taken aback by the question. Then, after a brief hesitation, she muttered,
"N-No… I mean, why would you help a stranger and risk getting hurt? Don't you want something from me?"
What is this girl talking about?
I mean, I understood what she meant, but what could she even offer?
I sighed. "Listen, I helped you because I wanted to. But if you really want to give me something, a simple 'thank you' would be more than enough. So instead of overthinking and making things complicated, just go home."
Right, in her current state, the best thing she could do was go home.
"I'm not going home tonight."
Her reply came immediately, though her gaze had dropped back to the ground.
I frowned. "Then what? Are you just going to sit here like this all night?"
I had asked half-seriously, not expecting an actual answer.
"Yes." She confirmed it without hesitation.
"What?!" I was taken aback. "Are you out of your mind? A girl staying out all night—you saw what just happened! Go home. Your parents must be worried."
She remained silent.
What is this? Why is she so stubborn?
Did something happen at her home? But what could it be for her to be this adamant about not returning?
At first, I thought it might be something trivial, just her throwing a tantrum at her parents. But now… it felt like something serious.
I closed my eyes forcefully and ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.
God, what should I do now?
I can't just leave her like this—I'd regret it for sure.
This whole situation reminded me of that anime about the runaway girl I watched a few years ago. Damn it, that was really depressing. I felt so sorry for that girl, to the point that I even argued with random strangers on the internet who were bad-mouthing her without understanding her situation.
(AN: Can anyone guess which anime i am talking about? And if you have seen it, tell me how long you have been depressed by it? For me, i still feel depressed till this day whenever i see an image or clip of that anime.)
I glanced at her once again. Ugh! Damn it.
With a sigh, I crouched down to be at eye level with her.
"I live alone and have plenty of extra rooms. If you want, you can spend the night at my place."
Dear God, I hope I'm not doing anything illegal here.