"Happy New Year!"

The streets erupted with cheers as soon as the fireworks went off to mark the start of a new year, a new chapter for most of the people who laughed and gazed at the beautiful flowers blooming in the night sky.

Aries, however, was far removed from the festive energy. To him, the fireworks weren’t an explosion of colors but a grayscale display, muted and lifeless. While others celebrated with friends, lovers, and family, he wandered through the bustling streets alone with a gloomy countenance. It’s as though the heavens and the earth had conspired to swallow him whole.

Why did such misfortune have to strike on the very first day of the year? He had just finished his last shift of the day—a grueling one since it's the holiday season, and the meager pay barely made a dent in his bills. 

And then he lost it, or rather it was taken without his permission. Aries had to sugarcoat stealing so that his heart could handle it and block his tear duct from getting their work started too early in the year. "Ugh," he groaned when a group of drunk people bumped into him.

As a particularly bright burst of fireworks lit up the street, Aries stopped abruptly, his ruby eyes locking onto a familiar figure weaving through the crowd. It was the same man he had been searching for on Christmas Eve. Aries didn't think twice. His legs moved before his brain caught up, propelling him into the crowd as he shouted, "Hey, mister!" he called at the tall man wearing a black, fancy fur coat.

The man didn't stop. He didn't even flinch. Aries gritted his teeth and quickened his pace, pushing past the crowd as he called again, louder this time, "Hey!" He could've sworn the man's head tilted slightly in acknowledgment, but just as Aries thought he was getting through, the man's pace picked up, and his tall figure slipped through the wave of people like a shadow.

What the hell?

"Stop!" Aries yelled, now fully sprinting. The chase led him through the crowd, around corners, and finally into a dark, narrow alley. Aries hesitated as he reached the mouth of the alley, his feet skidding to a halt. The dim space stretched ominously before him, far removed from the noise and light of the streets.

I am sure he went this way. Did he purposely lead me away from the crowd? Does he think I'm a stalker? Does he want to fight? 

But Aries really didn't want to get involved in any more fights. "But I have to return it," he mumbled, feeling the object inside his coat with his hand. With a resigned sigh, Aries took a step into the shadows, then another, until he was running again; his eyes quickly adjusted to the dark. A glint of light near a dumpster caught his attention just as another firework burst overhead, illuminating the alley for a split second. A figure emerged from the darkness, slowly moving toward him.

The muffled cheers from the people on the main streets only made the isolation of the alley more pronounced. There was a sharp clicking sound, and anyone can immediately tell what it is. It was a gun. 

A gun? Is he one of them too?

The man stood tall; his silhouette was imposing. The gun was leveled at Aries, and the faint metallic gleam made his blood run cold. Despite knowing that the canister slung over his shoulder offered no protection against bullets, Aries slowly reached for it. He had just gotten it today as a present from his boss, whom he had worked for for a year already. He most definitely did not anticipate using it as a weapon.

"Y-you might have misunderstood, b-but I'm not following you with any bad intentions!"

As another firework soared into the sky with a loud whoosh, in that split second of darkness, the man was able to close their distance. Aries barely had the time to react before he felt the icy press of metal against his forehead. His breath hitched as his hands shot up instinctively, dropping his canister. Aries was fully aware that this man right here means business, and one wrong move and one wrong word from his mouth would have this man completely uninstall his existence from the system called life.

"Who are you?" The man's voice was low and cold, with an accent that hinted at something foreign. "You don't look Japanese."

Slowly, Aries lifted his gaze to meet the man's face. He should at least see the person who was about to make his four years of blood, sweat, and tears in college go to waste, no?

"I'm half. You, on the other hand, don't seem to have a single drop of it."

Blonde hair that glowed faintly in the dim light. A tall, proportioned frame, a strong jawline, and a sharp nose. Aries could tell that the man was a westerner. But to Aries, he doesn't appear to be a thug. More akin to... A member of the royal family?

But it wasn't his face that first caught Aries's attention that night. Firstly, it was the unique color of his eyes, the left of which resembled a full moon, and the right resembled the vast ocean. Secondly, it was the scent of his pheromones. They smelled sweet and musky, like wisteria blooming in spring.

Aries added. "But why does our heritage matter? You're not being a racist, are you?"

One fact about Aries is that even though he was afraid of losing his head, his mouth wouldn't just cooperate.

The man let out a low chuckle. Still not moving the gun away from Aries. "Not at all. It's just that my fellows are always the ones after my throat."

"I only chased you down to return something."

The man tilted his head slightly with a look of suspicion flickering across his sharp features. "Return what?"

Aries slowly lowered his hand, then, as if trying not to provoke a wild animal, he cautiously reached for his coat pocket. The sharp click of the gun's safety being disengaged made Aries pause mid-motion. He gulped, but his eyes did the opposite and rolled themselves so high that he almost got to see his brain. Guess it wasn't just his mouth?

"Go get it yourself then."

The man's free hand darted forward, slipping into Aries's coat pocket. When he pulled out, Aries could tell from the man's expression that he had recognized the small item; it was something that would probably cost Aries his heart or his lung. A lighter, made from gold and decorated with brilliant-cut blue diamonds.

"I was the part-timer at the bar you visited on Christmas Eve," Aries explained flatly. "You left this on the counter. I tried to return it then, but you disappeared."

"Oh," as if an invisible switch had been flipped off, the tension in the air shattered like glass. The man laughed; it was deep and rich. "How thoughtful," he said, slipping the lighter into his pocket. With his other hand, he pulled out a wad of cash, holding it out. "Here."

Aries stared at the money, his jaw tightening. It was tempting—more than tempting. If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn't hesitate and take it without a second thought. The amount could easily cover two months of rent and groceries, but taking it would only prove those people right. The same people he had been avoiding accepting help from. 

"No, thank you," he said firmly, grabbing his canister on the ground and slinging it back over his shoulder. "I've done my part. Now, I'll get going." He gave a small bow before turning on his heel and hurrying out of the alley.