The night descended swiftly, blanketing the small town as the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the horizon. The diner's neon sign buzzed softly, the flickering lights casting an eerie glow on the pavement as Eliza and Anne waved goodbye to their bosses. "See you tomorrow, Mr. and Mrs. Tzipor!" they called out, their voices fading into the night as the couple drove off into the darkness, leaving the two girls standing by the curb.
"So, are we still on for Thursday?" Eliza asked, her tone laced with excitement as she bounced on her toes. Anne hesitated for a moment, her voice wavering when she replied, "Yeah." The uncertainty in her tone was palpable, drawing Eliza's keen attention like a moth to a flame.
"You and Pallo okay?" Eliza probed, concern knitting her brows together as she stepped closer to Anne.
Anne let out a heavy sigh, the weight of her worries evident in her expression. "We had another argument. He wants to rush things, and I'm just not ready to dive into that yet. It's only been two months," she confessed, looking down at her hands.
Eliza's lips curved into a mischievous grin, lifting the mood instantly. "Oh, forget Pallo! He can go find the nearest cliff and jump off. Don't worry, girl; by Thursday, I'm finding you a decent man for our date." Anne chuckled, the lightness of her friend's words easing some of her tension.
Just then, a sleek black Mustang GT roared up beside them, the engine rumbling like a restless beast. Zec, Eliza's boyfriend, leaned out of the window, his smile infectious. "What's up, girls? You both good?"
"Babe!" Eliza squeaked, her face lighting up as she trotted over to the car.
"Hey Zec!" Anne greeted, though her voice carried a hint of reservation.
"Was heading downtown—need a lift?" Zec offered, his eyes glimmering with mischief.
Eliza turned to Anne, her excitement bubbling over. "You coming?"
Anne shook her head with a slight frown. "Nah, I need to grab some stuff for my dad."
Eliza pouted, disappointment flickering across her face. "Aww." She hugged Anne tightly, her warmth wrapping around her like a comforting blanket. "I'll call you, okay? Be safe on the road," she urged, before hopping into Zec's car. The Mustang crashed through the stillness of the night as it sped away.
Anne pulled her hands into her black jacket, wrapping them for warmth as she began to stroll down the sidewalk, her thoughts drifting to Pallo and their recent spat. Meanwhile, in the park just ahead, two figures were idly chewing on taco chips as they waited for her arrival.
"Dude, don't you think it's a bit creepy just loitering here for a girl to pass by?" Kuma asked, crunching down on another chip with a loud crunch.
Yosefu, his gaze fixed on the path, rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. "It's the only way I can talk to her."
"Err, you do what you gotta do, Romeo," Kuma joked, smirking. "But it's kinda stalker-ish, you know?"
After several tense moments of silence, they noticed Anne approaching. "There she is, Yosefu!" Kuma exclaimed, nudging his friend urgently.
Yosefu's heart raced as he stood up, paralyzed by a mix of excitement and dread. "Uh… Hi! Anne?!"
Anne paused, surprised to hear him call out. She recognized him as a regular from the diner, though they'd never spoken much. Her initial apprehension began to ease as she took in his ordinary demeanor; he didn't look dangerous, just shy, even a bit cute.
"Er, hey. Can I help you?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.
Yosefu fumbled his words, heat creeping up his cheeks. "Um, I was, uh… wondering if you'd like to walk with me?" He swallowed hard, hoping he didn't sound too awkward. "I mean, I wanted to see if you could, you know, walk home—since I can follow you."
Anne raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a smile. "You want to walk me home?"
"Y-yeah!" he confirmed, his grin breaking through the awkwardness.
"I live in the Kamagasaki district," Anne shared, her tone shifting to a more serious note. "The Yuni gang runs that area."
"I don't mind," Yosefu stated, though he gulped as fear prickled at his spine. "I live nearby too, so it'll be fine."
"Okay then…?" she prompted, her gaze piercing through him and causing him to blush again.
"Yosefu, or you can just call me Fu," he stammered.
"Alright, Fu," she replied with an inviting smile.
The two began to walk, yet an awkward silence hung in the air, threaded with tension. Finally, Anne broke the stillness, curious about his sudden decision. "So, why tonight of all nights? I mean, you could have stayed back at the diner."
"Uh, y-yeah, I suppose. I guess I wasn't thinking…" he trailed off, internally chastising himself. He could almost hear Kuma's teasing laughter echoing in the back of his mind, nagging at him for being so creepy.
As they approached the edge of the park, a group of thugs loomed across the street, casting shadows in the chilly night air. Their laughter hung like smoke in the atmosphere, and when one of them spotted Anne and Yosefu, he smirked wickedly. "Hey, look what we got here!" he sneered, his voice dripping with malice.
Yosefu's heart raced, pumping adrenaline through his veins. He felt Anne's reassuring presence beside him, and she murmured, "Stay calm and just keep walking," her confidence igniting something deep within him.
Yet the gang leader, a brutish figure called Miyazaki, strode forward, flipping a knife open with a casual ease that sent chills down Yosefu's spine. "You've got some nerve ignoring me, huh?" he growled, closing the distance. His piercing gaze locked onto Anne, his intentions written all over his face. "Aren't you that cute little thing from the Tzipor diner? Been dying to get my hands on you."
Without thinking, Yosefu shot back, "L-Leave her alone!" Fear clenched his stomach, yet he mustered every ounce of courage in his voice.
Miyazaki shot him a mocking look, fury igniting in his eyes. "What did you say, you dumbass?!"
"W-What I meant was, leave her alone!" Yosefu stuttered, the fear creeping back into his voice as Miyazaki's friends laughed menacingly behind him.
"And what if I don't?" Miyazaki taunted, before punching Yosefu square in the face. The sickening crack echoed in the night, sending him tumbling to the ground, winded and dazed.
"Yosefu!" Anne shouted, horror flashing through her. She rushed forward, desperation coursing through her veins, but Miyazaki shoved her aside, and she fell hard onto the pavement. A wave of panic surged within her, but she forced herself to stay put.
"Bastard!" she shouted at Miyazaki, her heart pounding against her ribs as she glared at him defiantly.
Miyazaki crouched, grabbing Yosefu by his shirt collar, his breath hot and rancid. "You stupid little brat." He reared back, ready to throw another punch, but before he could, a new voice interrupted.
"That's enough, Miyazaki," Kuma said firmly, stepping forward, his expression serious. He was a sight of composed authority, an impenetrable wall against Miyazaki's menace. "Now get lost, or you want to make this a problem?"
Miyazaki's bravado wavered as he processed Kuma's words. He looked back at Yosefu, who struggled to his feet, blood trickling from his nose. With a sneer, Miyazaki tossed Yosefu aside like a rag doll, muttering, "This isn't over," before spitting on the ground beside Kuma and flouncing off with his gang.
As the tension in the air began to disperse, Kuma rushed to help Yosefu to his feet. "You okay?" he asked, concern cut through his usually laid-back demeanor.
"I'll be fine," Yosefu said, his voice shaky. "Did you follow us or something?"
"Yeah, I figured some of my uncle's men would be out causing trouble tonight. Wanted to make sure you two were safe," Kuma revealed, his eyes scanning the area, ever watchful.
"Your uncle… Lord Taoka's nephew?" Anne asked incredulously, surprise flashing in her eyes.
"Yeah, that's me. Don't worry; you guys should be safe now, at least for tonight." He shoved his hands into his pockets, his stance relaxing somewhat. "Just be careful, alright?" With that, he turned away, walking back toward the deeper shadows of the park.
"Thanks, man!" Yosefu called after him, still holding his bleeding nose.
Turning back to Anne, Yosefu noted her anxious expression. "Sorry for dragging you into this," he said, a mixture of embarrassment and anger bubbling within him.
"Uh, it's not your fault," she replied, giving him a reassuring smile. "And I think it was very brave of you to stand up for me, even when you knew you were outmatched."
They finally reached Anne's house, perched on the edge of the quiet street. She turned to him, hesitating before she spoke. "I would invite you in, but my dad would go crazy."
"It's fine!" Yosefu replied quickly, a nervous laughter escaping him.
"Okay, well, will I see you again?" she asked, her cheeks flushed as she looked up at him.
"Y-Yeah! I mean, surely we'll hang out again!" he said, trying to play it cool but feeling the heat rise to his face.
Anne beamed at him, stepping closer and planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thanks again for tonight," she murmured, warmth swimming through him at her affectionate gesture.
Yosefu felt his heart race as she turned to climb up the stairs to her front door, waving goodbye. As he stood there, the pressure from the night's events began to deflate.
"I should get going," he mumbled to himself, shaking off the lingering tension as he turned away. But unbeknownst to him, eyes in the shadows hungrily followed his every step.
As he walked home, he noticed the streetlights flickering wildly, illuminating the darkened streets like a heartbeat quickening in fear. A sudden gust of wind whipped through the trees, causing a shiver to creep up his spine.
"What the hell?" He glanced back nervously, the feeling of being watched gnawing at his instincts. Suddenly, the world around him plunged into darkness as a solitary streetlight flickered and died. In that chilling moment, darkness surged forward, revealing a horde of shadowy creatures that manifested from the darkness, their eyes glowing like shards of crimson.
Yosefu froze in terror, his pulse racing as he realized he was surrounded by beings cloaked in black mist, their chilling whispers blending into one terrifying chorus. "What the hell is happening?" He stammered, paralyzed by fear, his mind racing as he fought against the tide of panic rising within him.