Aira ran without any sense of direction—just forward, lungs burning, legs screaming as the city blurred around her. Her feet struck pavement she barely registered, every step driven by the same desperation.

  She had no idea how long she’d been running. Time had dissolved into breath and pain. Her mind burned with the image of the Hollow standing in the alley, darkness pressing in, that singular red eye pinning her in place.

  I can’t stop. I can’t stop. I can’t—

  She slammed into someone.

  The impact knocked the air from her lungs in a sharp, humiliating gasp. She pitched forward, hands grabbing blindly at fabric, at anything, trying to keep herself upright. The person she’d collided with froze in surprise, solid and unmoving beneath her grip.

  Aira staggered, still gasping, trying to push herself back, when a familiar voice cut through the noise in her head.

  “Aira?”

  She looked up and saw a young man with messy light brown hair pulled into a low ponytail, sharp crimson eyes. A controlled expression she couldn’t quite read, but edged with faint alarm. Recognition hit her all at once.

  Hyakki.

  Something in her finally broke.

  The adrenaline drained out of her in a violent rush, leaving her hollowed out and shaking. Before she could think better of it, she buried her face into his chest and clutched the back of his jacket with both hands, fingers curling tight as if she were afraid he might disappear if she let go. Her legs gave out completely, exhaustion crashing over her in full force.

  She was crying before she realized it, tears streaking down her cheeks in silent sobs, then in loud shaking, breaths as everything she’d been holding back caught up to her at once.

  Hyakki hesitated before placing a hand carefully against her back, steady and gentle. He lowered himself down with her until they were both kneeling on the cold stone pavement, grounding the motion, making sure she didn’t fall.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked quietly.

  Aira didn’t answer. Her hands stayed twisted in his jacket, knuckles aching as she cried into his shirt. Up close, she caught the faint scent of cinnamon and something else she couldn’t quite place. It was warm and familiar, grounding her in the present. She breathed him in and clung tighter.

  “It’s—it’s trying to kill me.”

  The words tore themselves out of her throat, barely recognizable as speech. She clutched at his jacket like it was the only solid thing left in the world, fingers digging in desperately as her body shook with violent sobs.

  “It’s chasing me,” she gasped. “It’s coming—it’s coming to kill me—”

  Her chest burned with every breath, panic tightening until it felt like she might shatter from the inside out.

  Hyakki shifted slightly beneath her grip.

  “It’s not chasing you anymore,” he said quietly. His voice was low, even, cutting cleanly through the noise in her head. “You’re safe.”

  She shook harder at that, crying outright now, the words refusing to sink in. Her arms tightened around him on instinct, as if letting go would invite the world to collapse again. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t even know what she was feeling beyond the raw, overwhelming terror still echoing through her veins.

  Hyakki stayed where he was, solid and steady, one hand resting carefully against her back. The simple, unwavering presence grounded her in a way nothing else could. Time stretched strangely as she cried—long, hiccupping sobs slowly giving way to shaky breaths, her gasping gradually easing as the pain in her chest dulled from unbearable to aching.

  Eventually, exhaustion seeped in where panic had been.

  Aira rubbed at her sore eyes with the back of her sleeve, the motion weak and clumsy. She swallowed hard, finally managing a fuller breath, and pushed herself back just enough to straighten a little.

  Hyakki noticed and leaned back slightly, giving her space. His hands settled lightly on her shoulders.

  “Are you okay?” he asked gently.

  She shook her head.

  “I’m scared,” she admitted, her voice hoarse and small. “What if it comes back?”

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  His hand moved in a slow, reassuring motion against her back.

  “It won’t,” he said without hesitation. “I promise. You ran really far.”

  There was something about the certainty in his voice that eased the tight knot in her chest just a little. She nodded weakly, even if part of her still didn’t fully believe it.

  Aira watched hazily as he reached into a plastic bag and pulled out a bottle of water. He unscrewed the cap and offered it to her without a word. She accepted it with trembling hands and drank, the cool water burning slightly as it went down. She drained more than she meant to, breathing easier with each swallow.

  When she was done, Hyakki took the bottle back just as carefully.

  Aira took a few slow breaths and finally looked up. The street was unfamiliar, nothing like the one she’d been on before. Only now did she notice the warm yellow light spilling out from the convenience store windows beside them.

  Her voice came out quiet, almost fragile.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Hyakki glanced down at the plastic bag in his hand as he slipped the water back inside. She noticed then that it was filled with packaged food.

  “Buying noodles,” he said simply. “I was just about to go home when you ran into me.”

  Aira’s gaze drifted to the plastic bag, then fell to the pavement beneath them. The stone was cold and rough against her knees, biting through the thin fabric of her clothes. She registered the sting in the soles of her feet, the deep ache in her thighs, the way her limbs felt impossibly heavy.

  Her head swam as she collected her thoughts. The night before all of this felt unreal now. The apartment. The laughter. The warmth of being surrounded by friends. It all blurred together like a half remembered dream.

  Then the other memories surged up to replace it: the terror, the running. The alley closing in. That single red eye burning into her, filling her vision until there was nothing else.

  “I saw the Hollow,” she blurted suddenly, panic spiking sharp and overwhelming as the memory crashed back into her. Her breath stuttered, tears pricking at her eyes all over again. “It almost killed me. I—I can’t go back. I’m scared.”

  Hyakki shifted slightly on his knees and didn’t speak right away. He seemed to think, gaze unfocused as if weighing something carefully before he spoke.

  “You should go to the police station,” he said. After a brief pause, his voice softened. “I’ll take you there. Does that sound good?”

  Aira sniffled and nodded weakly.

  Hyakki rose to his feet and brushed the dust from his clothes before turning back to her. He reached out carefully and helped her up.

  Aira tried to stand but her legs wobbled immediately, refusing to cooperate. The effort drained what little strength she had left, and she sagged despite herself, muscles trembling uselessly beneath her. No matter how hard she tried, her body wouldn’t obey. She was just too tired.

  “It’s okay,” Hyakki said gently, adjusting his stance. “I’ll carry you.”

  Before she could even properly process the offer, he guided her onto his back. She slumped against him, arms automatically wrapping around his neck as he shifted her weight to make sure she was secure. His movements were careful, practiced, as if he were afraid of jostling her.

  She rested her cheek against his shoulder.

  He’s so warm…

  The steady rhythm of his footsteps grounded her, each step a quiet reassurance that she was moving forward, away from the alley, away from the red eye and the darkness. The city slid past in muted blurs of light. Somewhere above, the moon hung in the distant night sky.

  Her thoughts thinned, emptying out until there was nothing left but that warmth and the gentle rise and fall of his breathing, and she fell asleep without realizing it.

  Some time later, a soft voice tugged her back toward consciousness.

  “Aira.”

  She stirred, lifting her head slightly. Hyakki was glancing back at her over his shoulder, expression unreadable but calm. Only then did she realize that, at some point in her sleep, she’d buried her face against the side of his neck.

  “Huh…?” she mumbled groggily, blinking as she looked around. White lights washed over everything, blinding after the dark streets.

  “We’re at the police station,” Hyakki said, faint amusement threading through his otherwise gentle tone. “They want to ask you some questions.”

  Aira rubbed at her eyes. Just ahead stood a few uniformed officers, relaxed but attentive, giving her space while they waited patiently.

  Hyakki carefully helped her down onto a row of plastic chairs. The cool surface pressed through her clothes, grounding her further in the present. The officers approached then, asking for her name, checking her for injuries, scanning her carefully for any signs of infection.

  Aira answered as best she could. She told them everything and filled in details when they asked, voice steady even when her hands trembled slightly. Hyakki remained seated beside her the entire time, quiet and composed, occasionally offering his own answers when they directed questions his way.

  Eventually, one of the officers nodded thoughtfully.

  “It’s probably best if you stay here for the night,” he said. “It wouldn’t be safe to head back out. We’ll make sure you have what you need and that you’re protected. You should also let any family or loved ones know, so they don’t worry.”

  “Yes,” Aira said softly, nodding. “Thank you.”

  The officers stepped away to make arrangements, and the station suddenly felt quieter. She glanced sideways at Hyakki who was seated beside her, hands folded neatly in his lap. He looked calm at first glance, but the longer she watched him, the more she noticed how still he was. His sharp red eyes followed the officers as they moved, never quite leaving them.

  He noticed her gaze and looked back at her. A small smile tugged at his mouth.

  “You good?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Yeah. I… I feel a lot safer here.” After a beat, she added, “I’m going to call my brother to let him know I’m staying the night.”

  “You should,” Hyakki said, giving a small nod. “I’m sure he’s worried.”

  Then without warning, he stood, rolling his wrist absently and turning as if to leave. The movement caught her off guard.

  “You’re—you’re leaving?”

  Hyakki looked back at her, expression gentle but resolved. “It’s late,” he said. “You’ll be safe here. Everything should be fine now.”

  A sudden, sharp pang bloomed in her chest.

  “Wait—” The word slipped out before she could stop herself. “Please, don’t go.”

  Hyakki paused. He turned back, eyebrows lifting slightly as he met her gaze.

  “I just—” Aira swallowed, fingers curling into the fabric of her sleeves. “Can you stay a little longer? At least until the officers come back? I don’t want to be alone.”

  Hyakki was silent for a moment, clearly weighing the request. The pause stretched, and her heart thudded anxiously. She told herself she’d understand if he said no, he’d done enough. But the thought twisted tightly in her chest.

  Finally, he let out a quiet sigh.

  “All right,” he said. “I’ll stay.”

  He quietly sat back down beside her, and before she could overthink it, Aira leaned sideways and let her head rest gently against his shoulder.

  “Thank you,” she murmured, barely louder than a breath.

  Hyakki didn’t reply. He simply stayed where he was, allowing the contact without comment.

  Aira closed her eyes. The exhaustion was still there. The fear hadn’t vanished completely. But sitting there in the sterile quiet of the station, with his shoulder warm beneath her cheek, she felt a deep sense of grattitude rise in her chest.

  He stayed.

  And that made everything feel a little less lonely.

  ─ ? NEXT CHAPTER POV ? ─

  Akio