A delicate hand grabbed his arm.

“You finally came. I’ve been waiting for more than an hour,” a woman chuckled softly. “I kept searching for you here and there.”

Milan stiffened for a brief moment.

The girl who clung to him looked ordinary at first glance—yet strangely captivating. She wore a casual outfit: a plain T-shirt beneath a jacket, loose jeans, and worn-out sneakers. Her appearance was simple, but her presence was disarming. Big, shining navy-blue and brown eyes shimmered like deep water, the kind of gaze that pulled anyone into them without escape. Puffy cheeks, long dark-brown hair with streaks of black, and a shy, adorable demeanor made her look like someone who didn’t quite belong to this world. She might have been mistaken for a fairy had it not been for the mask covering her lips.

For a split second, Milan’s body went rigid. His eyes narrowed behind his dark glasses, and beneath the mask, a vicious, almost inhuman glare surfaced. It was the kind of look that could kill. He didn’t miss the subtle movement behind her—three men lingering not too far away, their eyes fixed unnaturally on her. They pretended to walk casually, yet their hesitation and spacing gave them away.

So… she’s using me as a shield.

Milan didn’t respond right away. Instead, his mind pulled him back into memories he had long buried.

A vision.

A beautiful woman clinging to his arm, laughing brightly, jumping playfully. He, too, had been smiling. A rare, genuine moment. But in the next heartbeat, the warmth shattered. A deafening blast. The air turned cold and metallic. Blood sprayed across the ground, across his clothes. The girl’s face in his memory blurred and dissolved, leaving behind a faceless figure drenched in red, her empty sockets staring into him. She advanced with slow, jerky steps, reaching for his throat with ghostly hands.

Milan’s breath hitched. His chest grew heavy, sweat dripping beneath his mask.

“Hey… why aren’t you answering me?” the girl tugged at his sleeve again, her voice trembling now with worry. Her eyes quivered, dangerously close to tears. She had thought he might be ignoring her, or worse—that he was just another man who would leave her to her fate.

Milan blinked. Reality snapped back in place. His breathing was rough, but he quickly steadied it. He looked at her once more, his mind acknowledging the situation with clarity.

With a voice softer than before—gentle, almost out of place—he finally spoke.

“I was at the convenience store. Where were you all this time?”

Relief washed over the girl’s face. Her shoulders loosened, warmth flooding her expression.

“I was just… sightseeing this city. Let’s go home,” she said, though fear still lingered in her eyes.

Milan carefully retracted his arm from her grasp.

The girl froze, stiffened—her heart sinking. For a brief, dreadful moment, she thought he had misunderstood her, that he would abandon her here, leaving her defenseless. The fear was about to consume her when she heard it:

“Okay,” Milan’s calm, deep, commanding voice cut through her spiral. “Hurry up. Let’s go. I’m hungry.”

Her soul seemed to return to her body all at once. Tears threatened to spill, but instead, she smiled—wide, trembling, but full of life. “O-Okay. Let’s go.”

They walked side by side, heading toward Milan’s apartment. Milan’s sharp gaze never wavered from the three men who shadowed them, stopping at odd intervals and pretending to be part of the crowd. He understood they had noticed something when he had delayed his answer earlier.

Without a word, Milan placed his hand gently on her shoulder, as if guiding her.

The girl flinched at first—her heart jumping. For a second, she thought he might be taking advantage of her vulnerability. But the sensation that followed was undeniable. Safety. Warmth. A presence so steady and unyielding that it made her feel as if nothing could touch her while he was there.

She leaned slightly closer without realizing it. She could hear his heartbeat, steady and strong, pulsing through the hand resting on her shoulder. His scent was subtle, yet strangely familiar, like the faint fragrance of home, of belonging.

This… this is what it feels like to be protected, she thought.

Then she shook herself. No. This is just because I’m scared. I shouldn’t think like this…

Her eyes drifted toward the three men again. They were still there, pretending, trailing. She understood now. The danger was real.

Her gaze returned to Milan. Without looking at her, he tilted his head slightly in the faintest nod. That single gesture carried more reassurance than any words could.

Her heart trembled harder. What she felt now wasn’t just safety. It was awe. Gratitude. Respect. The smallest gestures from him seemed magnified into something profound. How capable… how good… how honest… how caring… her thoughts raced, spiraling. Perhaps, she reasoned, it was only because of her situation. Perhaps desperation made his smallest actions look grand. Yet the feelings inside her only grew.

Eventually, they reached his apartment. Milan hesitated briefly—unsure, conflicted. But after observing her carefully, he judged her differently. Pure. Kind. Harmless. If he had ignored her, things could have spiraled into something far worse.

Still, his mind raced. What if she’s part of a setup? What if they’re a group?

For a fleeting second, his mask of composure cracked. That inhuman, predatory aura flashed again, as he calculated countless scenarios and countermeasures. Then, just as quickly, he suppressed it. His mind was already prepared for any possibility.

He pressed the elevator button. The lift descended.

As they stepped inside, Milan withdrew his hand from her shoulder.

The girl felt conflicted once again. She was not the type to lean on strangers. And yet… she couldn’t deny it. The warmth she had felt moments ago was something she had never experienced from anyone her age, neither younger nor older. It reminded her of the quiet strength of her father—someone who could shoulder any burden, no matter how heavy.

The realization made her blush faintly, though she kept her head low to hide it.

Milan noticed. His eyes darkened once more, that unnatural, chilling aura flickering to life. A silent warning lingered in the air—if she made one wrong move, if she revealed herself as anything other than what she appeared… he would act without hesitation.

The elevator door slid shut with a metallic hiss.