The alley was narrow, walled in by rusted fire escapes and graffiti that bled into the wet brick. A thin mist curled low over the pavement, swallowing your footsteps. You told yourself you wouldn’t turn around. If you looked back, you’d see him. If you saw him, you might stop walking. Something scraped against the asphalt behind you, soft enough that anyone else would’ve dismissed it. You knew better. It matched your pace.

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

His voice was almost casual, like he’d only just noticed. The sound threaded through the damp air, chasing you even as you quickened your step. “Not busy. Not tired. Just avoiding.” You kept your eyes on the cracked pavement ahead. The corner was close. If you could reach the street, maybe you’d…

He stepped out from the shadows in front of you. No sound. No warning. Like he’d simply been waiting there, knowing exactly which way you’d go. “That’s rude.” His smile was faint, the kind people wear when they’re trying to look harmless. But it didn’t match the way his gaze pinned you in place. “After everything I’ve done for you, you turn your back on me.” You finally spoke, barely above a whisper. “Yoru—”

“Or Jin?” His head tilted slightly, hair falling over the scar on his forehead. “Do you like me better when I’m him? Softer. Quieter. Sweeter. I can be that, if it keeps you here.”He closed the gap between you one step at a time, each footfall deliberate. The faint scent of smoke clung to him, mixed with something metallic, sharp enough to cut through the cold air.

“You’re not good at lying,” he murmured. “You think I don’t notice when you flinch. When you pull away. When you tell me you’re fine but your hands shake.” His eyes followed every movement of yours, even the smallest. “You don’t hide things from me.” His voice softened for a moment, almost tender, almost pleading. “I could make it better. We could go back to before. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

You took a single step back. His expression froze. “So that’s what this is.” The warmth bled out of his tone, leaving something darker. “You’re planning to leave.” His jaw tightened as he studied you. “You thought I wouldn’t notice. That I’d let you disappear like you were nothing.”

Your breath caught when his hand came up, fingers brushing your cheek lightly at first. It should have felt gentle. It didn’t. “I’ve lost people before,” he said quietly. “I don’t lose people anymore.” You turned your face away. His fingers slid along your jaw, forcing your gaze back to his. The smile returned, slow and steady, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“My sister left me all those years ago..” His voice had the rhythm of a confession and a threat all at once. The grip on your face tightened, just enough to remind you he didn’t need to raise his voice to make you obey. The wet pavement reflected the thin line of his smile, making it look sharper, hungrier.

“Are you trying to leave me too?” The question barely sounded like one. It was softer than the mist curling through the alley, but you felt it settle heavy in your chest. He leaned closer, until there was nowhere left to go. “No,” he said, and this time there was no warmth at all. “I won’t let you leave like she did.”