The Warmth of Strangers

(Akane's PoV)

—

The cold wind of the office district gradually softened as we made our way toward the restaurant, giving way to the warm glow spilling from the shops ahead.

The Italian restaurant wasn't far; it was barely a five-minute walk from the alley.

During the walk, I clung to Shin's right arm, my fingers wrapped securely around the rough black wool of his sleeve, drawing comfort from the steady warmth of his body, while Sora walked on his other side, leaving a careful, respectful distance between them.

As we moved along the sidewalk, I glanced past Shin to check on her.

Sora kept her eyes fixed on her loafers. Her fingers were twisted tightly around the handle of her bag, her knuckles pale.

She was walking straight, trying her best to look composed, but every few seconds a faint tremor passed through her shoulders, and I could see she was trying to hide it.

The sight brought back a memory I hated.

For a moment, I was a child again, sitting alone in the dark kitchen after one of those nights, waiting for the house to feel safe again.

The silence after the danger had passed was always the worst part, because it gave your mind too much room to replay everything, and if no one broke that silence, the fear just kept growing.

So, I leaned closer to Shin, bringing my lips near his ear.

"She's still scared," I whispered. "I'm going to try to get her mind off it."

Shin looked down at me, understanding immediately.

"Go ahead," he murmured.

Then he lowered his head and pressed a brief kiss into my hair.

Unexpected but also very, very pleasant.

'Ah, damn, I love him.'

My chest warmed.

Then, I reluctantly let go of his arm and moved closer to Sora, slipping my hands into the pockets of my hoodie and trying to look as casual as possible.

"So, Miss Beautiful Angel President," I began, keeping my tone light, "how are the festival preparations going? Are the vendors making your life miserable yet?"

The sound of my voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Her shoulders jumped slightly before she lifted her eyes. For a second, she looked disoriented. Then she blinked and tried to focus on the question.

"The festival?" she repeated. "A-Ah, yeah... well, to be honest, it's becoming rather stressful. There's far more paperwork than I expected, and lately I've been getting home after dinner time."

After her words, her grip on the bag loosened a little.

'Good.'

Then, she glanced toward Shin.

He caught her eye and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I can confirm that," he said. "Her desk looks like a paper fortress."

Sora stared at him for a moment before letting out a small laugh, with a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.

My inner alarm immediately started screaming, and I narrowed my eyes.

'Interesting. That's the perfect chance.'

A wicked little smile curled across my lips as I decided to test something.

"Sora-chan," I said, drawing out her name in a low purr, "tell me the truth. Has my precious fiancé been behaving himself during your student council shifts?"

In that moment, Shin's head turned toward me, but I ignored him.

"...Or has he been secretly plotting to betray me behind my back?" I asked.

I kept the words playful, mostly like it was nothing more than a joke.

Deep down, however, a small, unreasonable part of me was waiting very seriously for the answer. My toxic side.

Then, Sora met my eyes, and the moment she noticed my teasing smile, she 'understood' the game.

The fear still lingering in her expression faded, replaced by a spark of mischief.

"Well," she said thoughtfully, "if you really want the truth... Shin has become surprisingly popular over the last two days."

My smile vanished, and I felt a knot in my stomach.

Then, Sora continued, far too calmly.

"Several girls from the lower grades have asked me about him. Even a few members of the student council wanted to know whether he was single. And I was really surprised, to be honest."

I stopped walking.

My mind filled with images of faceless girls crowding around Shin's desk, smiling at him, touching his sleeves, breathing the same air as him—

No. Absolutely not. 

Then, I slowly turned toward him and saw that Shin had stopped too.

My hands slipped out of my pockets as I cracked my knuckles one by one, each snap sharp in the quiet street.

"It appears," I growled, "that someone nearby has decided he no longer values his life. I guess that it's punishment time." I added, looking at him with a deadly gaze.

In that moment, Shin's eyes widened, and he immediately raised both hands.

"Fujimoto-san," he said, panic creeping into his voice, "please don't joke about things that could actually get me killed. Akane is really dangerous—"

After his words, Sora burst out laughing, but this time, it was different.

A real one, clear and bright.

Then, Sora reached out and lightly touched my arm.

"I'm joking, Akane," she said between giggles. "Please don't murder him. As the president of the Student Council, I cannot allow killing another student."

I kept glaring at Shin. 'Tch—'

Sora's smile softened.

"The truth is, Shin had already made his feelings very clear. He told me directly that no one in the world matters to him more than you do."

My hands stopped, and I blinked.

In an instant, the anger drained out of me so quickly it almost made me dizzy.

"He... said that? Really?" I asked.

My voice came out much quieter than I intended.

Sora nodded.

"He did. And I believe him. Especially after today." Sora said, smiling at both of us.

Something warm and painfully sweet turned over inside my chest.

That was clearly unexpected since I didn't think that Shin would say these things to someone else.

Guess that I was wrong, and I've never been happier to be wrong in my entire life.

Then I looked at Shin and saw his face go pink, and he suddenly seemed very interested in the pavement.

A smug smile slowly returned to my lips as I slipped my hands back into my pockets and lifted my chin.

"Excellent," I said. "You've narrowly avoided a horrible death tonight, Ishikawa. Be grateful."

After that, Shin let out a long breath.

"I'm extremely grateful, boss. Thanks for sparing me." He said, sounding like a puppy.

Then Sora laughed again, and this time Shin and I joined her.

The remaining sparks of tension seemed to lift from her shoulders as the three of us continued down the street together.

Sora was smiling; my jealousy had faded, and Shin gave another proof about how much he cared about me.

"I wonder how much longer life is going to smile on me,' I thought, before resuming the walk.

When we turned the final corner, the Italian bistro came into view.

A warm golden lantern hung above the entrance, casting a soft glow across the pavement. The front of the restaurant was made of dark wood, with wide windows fogged slightly from the heat inside.

Then the smell reached me.

Garlic, fresh basil, and tomato sauce simmering somewhere beyond the door.

My stomach growled again, loudly, making me freeze on the spot.

Sora glanced at me, while Shin tried not to smile.

"Not a single word if you care about your life," I warned.

That only made both of them laugh.

We stopped beneath the lantern, our shadows stretching across the stone behind us.

Shin reached for the heavy glass door and pulled it open.

Warm air spilled out to greet us, and for the first time since the alley, Sora no longer looked afraid.

Together, the three of us stepped inside...