They were too close to her—so close that every instinct in me screamed to act. Beneath my silence, anger simmered like molten steel, coiling around my heart, demanding release. I hated that Aika was in danger because of me, that fate had drawn its cruel arrow aimed at her while I lurked hidden under the counter.
A robber's gaze locked onto Aika's. His eyes, cold and hard, narrowed as he prowled forward. Each step he took echoed in my skull like a hammer blow. My pulse thundered, every beat whispering the same command: MOVE. But I stayed frozen, because she had told me to remain hidden. She had promised to handle this. Still, the coil inside me tightened with each footfall, a living thing craving freedom.
She stood motionless, every muscle wound tight but poised. I could see the tension in the line of her jaw, the faint rise and fall as she drew breath, controlled and deliberate. Her calm was almost eerie—too calm for a prisoner facing armed men. She didn't flinch beneath that rifle, didn't let his presence shake her. Yet I knew her serenity was a mask; I could see her knuckles whitening around the countertop edge.
Has Aika ever experienced something like this before, to the point that she could stay so calm?
Or has she actually been through things far more terrifying than three armed robbers barging into her shop?
"What do you want?" Her voice cut through the charged air—steady, firm, unforgiving. Each syllable was a blade. My chest swelled with admiration, but pride was a luxury I couldn't afford. I watched her lip twitch at the end, the fraction of hesitation as she added, "I've given you everything. Just go."
Her plea cracked like glass in my mind. Everything: she had surrendered her savings, her livelihood, to protect every soul in the room. But was money enough to end this? The robber's lips curled into a cruel mockery of a smile. He stepped closer, crowding her space, as though daring her to recoil. Every inch of air between them shrank until she stood trapped in his shadow.
"Is that so?" he rasped, voice low, venom dripping from each word. "And what about your little friend under the counter? Why does he look so special? Does he have something to do with Himemori?"
My blood turned to ice. Tsukishiro Himemori—her name had slipped out, unknown to me until that moment. My heart lurched. If they believed I was connected to that name, then Aika had tied me to this danger. My hiding place no longer shielded her; it had become bait. Rage ignited in my veins.
Their suspicion widened the space between "us" and "them." The robber reached to lift a corner of the counter, half-expecting me to spring. I stayed still, as she said.
Aika never flinched. Her expression remained unreadable—iron-hard neutrality that belied the storm beneath. I recognized the same steel in her eyes that had held firm when we first met. She had the heart of a guardian. But I still didn't know who she truly was.
"He has nothing to do with this," she said, voice edged with conviction. "Take the money and leave."
It was bold. Borderline foolhardy. The robber's gaze sharpened. His smirk deepened as he closed the distance. He toyed with her fear—delighting in her courage, mocking her calm. Every breath he drew felt like a gauntlet thrown at my feet.
I bit into my cheek to swallow my first shout, the roar that would have ripped through the silence. Anger roared beneath my skin, a wildfire threatening to scorch everything in its path.
The air pressed down on me, thick and suffocating. My vision narrowed to the robber's boot about to step on her foot, his rifle trained at her side. He advanced, hand stretching out as if he could claim her as his prize. And then—his fingers closed around her wrist, jerking her toward him.
That was the final thread. I exploded from my hiding place.
I reached blindly beneath the counter, fingers closing around the bundle of cash I had stashed—enough for a week's food and fishing necessity. The money no longer mattered. All that mattered was saving her. "Take it!" I bellowed. "Take the money and leave her alone!"
Silence fell like a curtain. Aika froze, head snapping toward me, eyes wide—shock, anger, fear flashing in them. "Why would you do that?" she hissed, voice trembling. "You're so reckless!"
I couldn't answer. The robber's attention shifted, greed lighting his eyes as he stared at the cash. He spat it aside as though it were worthless. "You think this will stop me?" he snarled. "I get what I want."
He raised his hand to strike Aika. Instinct overrode restraint. I lunged forward, chest first, colliding with him. His blow struck my cheek, pain exploding in sparks, but I barely noticed. My world narrowed to Aika's wide eyes, her open mouth, the moment before violence could break over her.
"Take the money," I growled. "And go."
He staggered, but he wasn't done. His gaze flicked to the green jade pendant at Aika's throat, a delicate treasure shining in the lantern light. Obsession seized him. He lunged to snatch it from her.
Aika reacted before I could. She twisted free, grabbed his gun with one hand, and yoked it away in a single, fluid motion. The weapon clattered to the floor. But before I could register relief, a shot echoed across the room.
Time slowed. Aika's body jerked. Blood blossoming on her white shirt where the bullet tore through. Her shoulder sagged, and she stumbled into me. Panic roared in my chest louder than any anger I'd stifled. I dropped to my knees, arms wrapping around her as though I could arrest every drop of blood with my bare hands.
"Aika!" I shouted her name, voice thick with desperation. My hands trembled as I pulled her close, pressing her against my chest. Her skin felt cold beneath my palm, slick with fear and blood.
I tore off my sleeve in one swift motion, wrapping it around her wound. My fingers shook so hard I could barely tie the fabric tight enough to stem the bleeding. "Stay with me," I murmured, voice raw. "Stay with me."
Her eyes fluttered open, pain etched in every line of her face. She nodded, half-smile ghosting across her lips despite the blood at her collarbone. I swallowed hard, brushing her hair back and pressing the sleeve tighter until the flow slowed to a trickle.
Behind us, the robbers froze—uncertain, terrified. I had almost lost control. Almost destroyed everything to protect her. But in that moment, nothing else mattered.
Sirens wailed outside. Someone must have hit the silent alarm. Blue and red lights flickered through the windows, bouncing off walls in jagged patterns. The robbers exchanged panicked glances. Without a word, they abandoned their sacks and fled through the front door, disappearing into the night.
My suspicions were correct. They were only using this robbery as camouflage. What they were really after was someone named Himemori.
I didn't chase them. I couldn't. My arms were full—full of her weight, her fragility. Every muscle burned as I lifted her gently from the floor. She leaned against me, her head resting on my shoulder, and I took one careful step toward the back exit.
Paramedics swarmed in moments later, medical bags snapping open, voices calm and efficient. I watched them work, hands hovering helplessly. I wanted to help, but every second I spent away from her felt like a blade twisting in my gut.
They slid her onto a stretcher and clipped IV lines to her arm. She winced but gave me a small, brave smile. "Thank you," she whispered, voice weak but steady. "If it weren't for you…"
I knelt beside her, gripping her hand. "You're going to be fine," I promised, though my voice cracked.
One paramedic glanced at me. "We need to move," she said. I gave a curt nod and rose, staying close as they wheeled Aika out onto the ambulance.
The doors closed behind her. The engine rumbled to life. The ambulance pulled away, lights fading into the distance. I stood alone in the alley.
I pressed a hand to my temple, trying to calm the storm inside. I had nearly broken every promise I'd made—to bury the monster, to never kill. Yet I would do it again in a heartbeat to protect her. Because she deserved nothing less than every ounce of my fury, restrained or no.
But I was alive. She was alive. And for now, that was enough.
I exhaled slowly, tasting the night air, carrying both the metallic tang of blood and the sharp relief of survival. I would find her again. I would stay by her side until she was safe. And then… I would face the consequences of what I had nearly unleashed.