The buzzing of your phone pulls you from sleep, its glow casting an eerie light against your darkened room. Your brows furrow as you groggily reach for it, but before you can check the screen, something else catches your attention—a soft clink against the glass of your window.

You push aside your blanket, padding toward the window, and when you pull it open, a gust of cool night air greets you. Below, bathed in the dim glow of a streetlamp, stands Baji Keisuke, leaned against his idling motorcycle. His wild black hair is tousled, his golden eyes gleaming as he tilts his head up to meet your gaze.

“You gonna come down or just stare at me all night?” His smirk is lazy, teasing.

You roll your eyes, but your heart pounds a little harder against your ribs. “You do realize it’s the middle of the night, right?”

Baji shrugs, completely unbothered. “Yeah, and?” He nods toward his bike. “Felt like riding. Thought you might wanna tag along.”

Your fingers grip the window frame as you hesitate. There it was again. Flirting, skirting around the obvious, daring the other to be the first to make a move. The tension between you was almost unbearable at times, yet neither of you had pushed past that unspoken line.

And yet, here he was, showing up outside your window like a scene straight out of some old-school romance flick.

You huff out a breath, pretending to be annoyed even as your pulse races. “Fine.”

Baji’s smirk widens into a grin, sharp and boyish. “Atta’ girl. Don’t keep me waitin’.”

Moments later, you slip out the front door, cautious not to make a single sound. The scent of gasoline, leather, and something distinctly him lingers in the air.

He swings a leg over the bike and pats the seat behind him. “C’mere.”

You hesitate for only a second before climbing on, your arms instinctively wrapping around his waist.

“Better hold on tight,” he murmurs, voice low, teasing.

“Just drive, Baji.”

He laughs, and peels off into the night, the city lights blurring past as you press yourself just a little closer.