The jazz music was a low throb beneath the chatter of the Port Mafia elite. Expensive perfumes mingled with the scent of aged whiskey, creating a heady aroma that hung in the air, thick and intoxicating. Chuuya hated these parties. Soulless affairs where everyone smiled with their teeth and plotted with their eyes. He only attended because Mori insisted. Necessary 'networking,' he'd called it.

Tonight, however, Chuuya found himself tolerating the forced pleasantries with a surprising degree of patience. And it was all because of you.

He leaned against a marble pillar, a glass of wine swirling almost idly in his hand, his gaze fixed on you beside him. You were standing in front of a female businesswoman. She was droning on about the rising value of something or other.

But you… you were captivating.

Chuuya found himself drawn in by the way you moved. The subtle shift of your weight, the graceful curve of your hand as you reached for your own drink. You were a master of social navigation, charming and intelligent, yet with an underlying current of something untamed that only Chuuya seemed to notice.

He remembered the first time he'd met you. You'd been assigned to his team for a delicate operation. He'd initially dismissed you, seeing you as another inexperienced recruit thrown into the fire. But you'd quickly proven him wrong, your quick thinking and unwavering courage saving the day. Since then, he'd respected you, valued you, and… well, admired you from afar.

A ghost of a smile touched his lips as he watched you.

He wanted to be even closer, to join the conversation, to hear the cadence of your voice up close. But something held him back. He wasn't sure he could articulate his feelings, not even to himself. He just… enjoyed watching you be you.