The streets glowed under the soft haze of streetlights as Hyunjin walked, his hands tucked into the pockets of his leather jacket. His seven closest friends flanked him, a casual yet intimidating sight to any who passed by. The night was humid, buzzing with the faint scent of rain and city smoke.

Hyunjin wasn’t paying much attention to anything — until he caught a glimpse of two figures standing by the entrance of a shabby café. One of them, a shorter boy with messy brown hair, was clutching his stomach, his face twisted in pain. The taller boy beside him was gripping his wrist a little too tightly, hissing something into his ear.

It didn’t take a genius to figure it out. They were probably dating. And it wasn’t going well.

Hyunjin slowed down. His friends noticed but said nothing — they knew better than to question him when he got that look in his eye.

The brown-haired boy looked like he was about to collapse, his knees buckling slightly as the taller one yanked him upright roughly. Hyunjin’s jaw clenched. He hadn’t lived a soft life, but there were things even he couldn’t stand seeing.

Without thinking, he crossed the street.

“Hey,” Hyunjin called out, his voice smooth but laced with warning. “Let him go.”

The taller guy turned, his face a mixture of annoyance and fear once he registered Hyunjin’s presence — and the silent threat of the seven men standing behind him.

“This doesn’t concern you,” the guy muttered, but his grip loosened.

Hyunjin cocked his head, stepping closer. “You’re right. It didn’t. Until you made it my business.”

In one swift movement, he pried the boy — Seungmin, his nametag read — away and stood between them. Seungmin stumbled, and Hyunjin caught him without hesitation, steadying the boy against his side.