"So she moved into the same apartment building as yours?" June asked casually, wiping down a table after the restaurant had closed for the night.
"Yeah," Nathan replied, attempting nonchalance, though his bashful grin betrayed him. "The one right below mine." He concentrated on mopping the floor, his movements deliberate, as if the task could shield him from further teasing.
"Ah, good for you," June teased, her voice carrying a hint of mischief.
"What do you mean?" Nathan asked, his laugh awkward, his neck flushing a deep red.
"Everyone in this restaurant knows you have a crush on her," June said with a smirk. "Even Mr. Eric."
"Mr. Eric?!" Nathan nearly choked, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Oh God, is it that obvious?"
June chuckled, leaving him to stew in his mortification. Meanwhile, oblivious to their conversation, Sera was fast asleep in her new apartment. The exhaustion from her morning shift had caught up with her, leaving her curled under her blanket, her breathing soft and steady.
Outside on her small balcony, cloaked in shadows, Ryou stood as still as stone, his golden eyes fixed on her window. He could hear the faint rhythm of her breaths, each one steady and calm. For a moment, it brought him a strange solace, a fleeting quiet in the storm of his world.
But then, the air shifted. A ripple of ominous energy surged through the night, sharp and unmistakable. Ryou's posture stiffened instantly. A rift was opening nearby.
He sent a signal to Markus through their communication array. Markus, broad-shouldered and steely-eyed, was a man who carried his years of combat like a badge. Every step he took spoke of precision, his energy-infused weapons humming with deadly efficiency. Ryou trusted him to lead the team with unmatched efficiency.
Though Ryou could seal the rift alone, he wouldn't risk Sera's safety—not even for a moment.
Nathan, on his way home, noticed the eerie glow emanating from the rift near the apartment complex. His heart thundered in his chest as dread clawed at him. He wasn't weak—years of Taekwondo had made him more than capable of a real fight. But as he approached, the sheer magnitude of the situation hit him. This was far beyond anything he had ever faced.
Ryou arrived at the scene first, his golden energy blazing as creatures spilled from the shimmering rift. The air was thick with their cries—piercing howls, guttural roars, and unearthly screams that reverberated through the night.
Twisted beasts lunged with feral intensity, their elongated limbs thrashing as they collided with StarDust operatives. Shadowy figures emerged, flickering in and out of visibility before solidifying into clawed horrors. Towering abominations crashed through debris, their grotesque forms illuminated by their glowing, unblinking eyes.
Ryou moved like a tempest, his golden light carving through the chaos with precision. Every strike was measured, every blow lethal. Around him, Markus rallied the operatives, their weapons flashing as they held the perimeter.
"Hold the line! Don't let anything slip through!" Markus barked, his voice steady amidst the chaos.
Nathan arrived just as Ryou worked to close the rift. He froze, overwhelmed by the sheer ferocity of the creatures and the eerie, otherworldly glow emanating from the dimensional rift.
He hadn't planned to join the fight—he knew his limits.
But then he saw it—a hulking abomination, its massive claws gleaming with a sickly green light, slipped through the fray. Its focus was locked on Ryou's unguarded back.
"Behind you!" he shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. Nathan threw himself into the path of the attack, shielding Ryou with his body.
In that moment, Nathan thought of Sera. Ryou was her protector—the one who could shield her from dangers Nathan could only begin to comprehend. If someone had to take the hit, it should be him.
The creature's claws tore into Nathan's chest, ripping through flesh and muscle as he crumpled to the ground. Blood sprayed across the pavement, and he gasped as pain seared through him.
Ryou spun, his golden energy flaring as he obliterated the abomination in a single, devastating strike. The monster disintegrated into ash, leaving a haunting silence in its wake.
"Stupid kid," Ryou growled, dropping to Nathan's side.
Nathan coughed weakly, his lips curling into a faint, bitter smile. "Unnecessary, wasn't it?" he rasped, his voice barely audible. He could see it in Ryou's eyes—he hadn't needed saving.
"Shut up," Ryou snapped, pressing his hands over Nathan's wounds. Golden light spilled from his palms, stemming the bleeding. His jaw tightened as guilt surged through him.
From her apartment window, Sera watched in horror. Her heart clenched painfully as she saw Nathan collapse, and without hesitation, she bolted for the door.
Ryou sensed her movement, his golden eyes flicking toward the apartment. "Markus!" he barked. "Hold the line. I'm getting him out of here."
Markus nodded sharply, his blade cleaving through a shadowy creature as he rallied the team. "Reinforce the perimeter! Don't let anything through!"
Ryou lifted Nathan effortlessly, his golden energy cradling the injured boy as he vanished into the shadows. Moments later, he appeared at Sera's door.
Sera flung it open, her breath catching at the sight of Nathan, pale and bloodied in Ryou's arms.
"He's alive," Ryou said, his voice clipped but steady. "Medics are on their way."
Sera's hands trembled as she cupped Nathan's face, her voice breaking. "Nathan... stay with me," she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Nathan's eyes fluttered open, his lips twitching into a faint smile. "Hey, angel... don't... cry," he murmured weakly, his humor barely masking his pain.
"Idiot," Sera whispered, her voice trembling as she tried to steady him.
Ryou set Nathan down on the couch, his gaze flicking between them. For a brief moment, something unspoken hung in the air.
"Stay here with him," Ryou said quietly, his tone heavy with restrained emotion, his golden eyes lingering on Sera for a brief moment before he turned away. "He'll survive."
And then, like a shadow, he was gone, leaving behind the sound of Sera's quiet sobs and the faint hum of approaching medics.