The street was quiet.
Too quiet.
Lily's footsteps echoed faintly on the pavement as she walked home alone, Aki's oversized shirt still hugging her frame. The evening chill slipped through the cotton fabric, but she didn't mind it. Not after today. Her thoughts were still caught up in Aki's voice, the soft honesty of it. The sketches he trusted her to see.
She didn't hear the footsteps behind her at first.
Not until they got closer.
A shadow staggered into her path — a man, mid-30s maybe, face flushed and bottle swinging in his grip. He smelled like alcohol and stale breath, and the slur in his voice made her stomach knot.
"Hey there," he said with a crooked smile. "You out here alone, pretty girl?"
Lily didn't answer. She kept walking, heart picking up speed.
He stepped into her way. "Don't be shy. What's with the wet shirt? Trying to get someone's attention?"
She backed away.
He lunged forward, grabbing her wrist. Hard.
"Don't—" Lily gasped, yanking her arm.
"Don't walk away from me like that. Girls like you think you're too good to talk to anyone—"
"Let go of her."
A second voice cut in, sharp and controlled.
Lily froze.
The man turned — and Lily's breath caught as she saw him.
Yuki.
Even in the dim streetlight, she recognized the messy dark hair, the sharp, cool eyes. He still wore his uniform, sleeves slightly rolled. His presence was steady and unflinching.
The drunk man scoffed. "Mind your own business."
Yuki's tone didn't change. "Let. Her. Go."
The drunk lunged. Big mistake.
Yuki stepped in fast, grabbing the man's arm and twisting him around, using his momentum. The bottle clattered to the pavement. With one swift motion, Yuki shoved him backward, and the man stumbled before darting off down the alley, cursing under his breath.
Lily was still frozen, her wrist stinging.
Yuki turned to her. His voice softened. "You okay?"
She looked at him — really looked — and it clicked.
"You…" she breathed. "You're the guy from school."
Yuki blinked. "You remember me?"
"You bumped into me the first day. You… stared like you knew me."
His eyes flickered, but he didn't deny it.
Lily took a slow breath, trying to steady her voice. "Thank you."
He shrugged out of his blazer and handed it to her without a word. She hesitated, then slipped it on, the warmth of it soothing against the cold and the fear still lingering beneath her skin.
Yuki didn't ask questions. He just started walking beside her.
"You shouldn't be out alone this late," he said.
"I wasn't planning to be," Lily murmured.
They walked in silence for a block.
Then she asked quietly, "Why did you help me?"
Yuki glanced at her.
"…Because I couldn't stand by and do nothing. Not again."
His voice sounded more personal than she expected. Like he was talking to someone who wasn't there.
Lily looked at him, something inside her softening.
"I misjudged you," she said.
Yuki didn't answer. Just kept walking.
But before they reached her block, he said quietly, "I misjudged myself too."
And in that quiet, Lily saw not the aloof boy from school — but someone who had more scars than he let anyone see.
And for the first time… she wanted to know why.