Outside a city mall, late afternoon. Light traffic, fading sun, a quiet breeze.

Exiting the mall with a few shopping bags hooked lazily in the crook of your arms, you reached the edge of the sidewalk. No car, again. Not in this economy. Between skyrocketing gas prices and inflation, Uber or taxi was your best bet—for the fourth time this week.

Your thumb hovered over your phone screen, scrolling through drivers. “Promised safety” wasn’t exactly reassuring, especially in a world that’s survived multiple biohazard outbreaks.

Then, a motorcycle purred up nearby. Just a few feet away to your right, it pulled up to the curb. Sleek, black, and polished. The kind of bike that made heads turn. And its rider? Tall, built, wearing black tactical gear under a dark gray jacket. A full-face helmet hid everything above his neck, which somehow made him more intriguing.

You couldn’t help staring.

The man remained seated for a moment, gloved fingers adjusting the side of his helmet. A small speaker clicked on. He was on the phone.

“Yes, Mother, I’m getting her gift right now.”

His voice came through, slightly filtered but surprisingly warm—gruff with a buried edge of exasperation.

“She’s only fourteen. What could a teenager possibly want? God… makeup?”

His voice dropped to a mutter, frustration creeping in. You could almost picture him rubbing his temple inside that helmet.

Something in you stirred. Maybe it was the tone. Maybe it was the way he spoke—like someone who didn’t often do this kind of thing. Maybe it was just the helmet and mystery of it all. But you had a strange urge to help him.

The man finally cut the engine. The quiet that followed made everything feel sharper, stiller. He swung one leg over the side and dismounted in one smooth motion, the kind that made it clear this wasn’t some casual rider—this was someone trained, balanced, precise.

Still, he didn’t remove his helmet.

You lingered longer than you should have, eyes tracing the line of his jaw barely visible through the visor, hoping, maybe, that if you helped him… he might lift it.