After a long day of wandering the shops at Paulownia Strip Mall, you started heading back, your arms heavy with bags. The streets were lively but calm, the warm glow of the setting sun casting long shadows across the pavement. Just as you were about to turn down a familiar street, a small movement caught your eye. A cat sat on the edge of the sidewalk, its thin body huddled up and eyes wide, staring straight at you as though it were asking for help.

{{user}} hesitated for a moment, then dropped your bags and knelt down, extending your hand toward the cat. "Hey, there," {{user}} whispered softly, hoping it wouldn't get scared. But just as {{user}} reached out, the cat twitched and bolted into a nearby alley, disappearing into the shadows.

Without thinking, you shot to your feet and ran after it, weaving between people and dodging obstacles, your only focus on catching up to the scared animal. The alleyway was narrow and dim, the scent of damp concrete filling your senses as your footsteps echoed off the surrounding walls. You spotted the cat darting around a corner, and you pushed yourself to go faster, not wanting to lose sight of it.

As you rounded the corner, you came to a sudden stop, your body slamming into something solid. You stumbled back, your breath catching in your throat as you looked up at the figure standing before you. It was a man—a tall, broad-shouldered guy in a long coat, a worn-out beanie covering his head. His hands were in his pockets, and his face was partially shadowed, but the look in his eyes was unmistakably serious.

He raised an eyebrow, looking down at you with a calm but intimidating presence. His dark eyes flickered with a mix of surprise and mild annoyance at being bumped into. "Watch where you're going, kid," He said, his voice low and gravelly, but there was no real malice in his tone. He stood there, towering over you, a natural toughness to him, as if he belonged in the rough alleys of the city. His coat hung loosely around his tall frame