The late afternoon sunlight filtered through the tall windows of the rooftop café, casting long streaks across the polished floor. Yui Nakamura clutched her notebook to her chest, balancing a cup of coffee in her other hand, careful not to spill it. Just a few more steps to the corner table, she thought, and she could finally breathe, finally study in peace. Nothing could go wrong.
She never saw him.
Haruto Kuroya leaned against the railing, blazer casually draped over one shoulder, tie loosened, eyes dark and sharp as they scanned the empty lounge. There was a dangerous weight in his calm, a presence that made the air itself feel heavier. Yui's chest tightened, fear fluttering in her soft heart.
And then it happened.
Her hand wobbled. The coffee tipped. Warm liquid soaked his crisp white shirt.
"Oh—oh no!" Yui gasped, panic surging through her gentle voice. She reached instinctively to steady the cup, clutching her notebook tighter.
Haruto spun toward her instantly, eyes blazing like a storm.
"What the hell—?! Are you stupid?!" His voice cut through the quiet, jagged and sharp.
She flinched. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean—"
He didn't let her finish. With a swift, brutal push, he sent her stumbling back. Her knees nearly buckled beneath her, and the notebook threatened to fall from her trembling hands.
"You think saying sorry makes it okay?!" His voice dropped low, dangerous. "Do you even know what you've done?!"
Yui shook her head, voice barely above a whisper. "I… I really didn't mean to… I just—"
Haruto yanked her chin upward with one hand, forcing her to meet his piercing gaze. His smirk was dangerous, twisted, and somehow intoxicating.
"Don't let me see you again," he growled, leaning closer, voice rough as gravel, "…Or else… I wonder how I will smash your little face with my hands."
Yui froze, her soft eyes wide in terror. She trembled but didn't fight, didn't scream. She whispered, "I… I won't… I promise…"
For a moment, he simply stared, amusement and curiosity flickering across his dark eyes. Normally, he thrived on chaos and fear—but her trembling innocence beneath his dominance… it was addictive in a way he hadn't expected.
Then, with a sharp shove, he pushed her away. She fell hard to the floor, curling instinctively as tears pricked her eyes. Her chest heaved with quiet sobs, the sting of humiliation cutting deeper than the physical impact.
Haruto didn't move closer. He didn't even look back. He laughed—like a maniac, the sound echoing off the walls of the lounge. The wild, unhinged laughter filled the space, making Yui shrink further into herself.
She tried to gather herself, wiping her tears with shaking hands, heart hammering violently. Every instinct screamed at her to flee, but something held her in place.
And then… she sensed it.
Movement. Above her head.
Her eyes widened as she looked up. Haruto was standing there, a maniacal grin spreading across his face.
Before she could react, he tilted a can of soda over her. Cold, sticky liquid poured down her hair, her face, her clothes.
"Now…" he whispered, dark eyes gleaming, "…I like it."
Yui gasped, sputtering, blinking rapidly to clear the liquid from her eyes. Her hands flew to her face, trembling, tears mingling with the sticky soda.
Haruto crouched slightly, a smirk curling on his lips. He watched her carefully, eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and obsession.
Haruto swiped the soda off her lips with his thumb—and licked it, a low smirk curling his lips. "Today, she is the prey," he muttered, walking away, leaving Yui trembling, her hands to her face, wiping sticky liquid and tears alike.
The sound of his maniacal laughter rang in her ears, echoing through the crowded café. And then she noticed it—the subtle flashes from phones around her. Students were clicking photos of her, her messy hair and soaked clothes on full display. Her stomach dropped.
Panicked, she scrambled to her feet and ran to the washroom, hiding in a stall, trembling and sobbing. She stayed there the whole time, until the last bell rang. She could hear the distant laughter, whispers, and phones snapping around the school—her humiliation spreading like wildfire.
Finally, when the halls had mostly cleared, Yui cautiously stepped out. The washroom mirrors reflected her soaked, disheveled figure. Quietly, she gathered her things, avoiding eye contact with anyone, moving like a ghost through the near-empty corridors.
And then… it happened.
One of Haruto's gang members stepped forward suddenly, extending his leg just as she passed, tripping her. She stumbled violently, arms flailing—and fell straight into Haruto.
He caught her effortlessly, one arm around her waist, dark eyes glittering like a predator. His grin was chilling, dangerous, and addictive all at once.
"Where were you, my prey?" he whispered, low and rough, voice dripping with amusement and dark intent.
Yui's heart raced uncontrollably, cheeks burning hot—not just from humiliation, but from the terrifying, intoxicating presence of the man who had made her life a nightmare in one afternoon.
Her soft body shook as she started crying. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't do it on purpose…"
Haruto hushed her, leaning close enough to catch her trembling face. Slowly, he licked a tear from her cheek. "Salty… just the way I like it," he smirked, a cruel, intoxicating glint in his eyes.
The rest of his gang laughed, teasing in low, sinister murmurs, while Yui trembled further, frozen in fear.
"Leave me alone! I swear I didn't do it on purpose!" she whimpered.
Haruto's smirk lingered for a second, then he straightened abruptly. "Let's go… she's boring," he said, leaving her there, trembling and humiliated as his laughter faded down the hallway.
Yui walked down towards her apartment, as she stumbled into her room, closing the door quietly behind her. She collapsed onto her bed, hugging her knees, tears streaming freely down her face.
The soft knock on her door came almost immediately. "Yui… what happened?" Her elder brother's concerned voice filtered through.
She pressed her face into the pillow, muffling her sobs. "It's nothing… really," she whispered. When he persisted, she shook her head, her voice trembling but firm. "I… I just miss Mom and Dad. Don't worry. I'll be fine."
The knock stopped. Yui stayed curled up on her bed, the quiet of her room both a comfort and a reminder of how alone she felt.