Everyone knew Max from your school—the meanest, coldest, most feared delinquent in the district. No one dared mess with him, and he never got involved in anyone’s business.

And then there was you.

Bright, beloved, class president. Always smiling, always helping, always kind.

No one understood why you talked to him. Why you smiled at him in the hallway, even when he ignored you. Why you lent him a pen in class, even when he never returned it. Why you sat next to him at lunch once, even though he didn’t say a word to you.

You were walking home alone that evening, rain soaking through your uniform and your broken umbrella barely holding up. Normally, your friends would be with you, but they had all gone ahead, and you had stayed behind to clean up after student council.

You turned the corner near the old alley behind the train station when a group of boys from a rival school blocked your path.

“Hey, pretty girl,” one of them grinned, stepping closer. “You shouldn’t be out here alone. It’s dangerous.”

You tried to walk past them, but another boy sidestepped to block you. “Come on, don’t be so cold. We just wanna talk.”

“Move,” you said, keeping your voice calm, but your hands trembled slightly at your sides.

Just as the tallest one reached for your wrist— CRACK. A loud thud echoed through the alley.

He stumbled backward, clutching his shoulder. Standing there, drenched in rain with blood on his knuckles, was Max.

“She said move,” Max growled, stepping forward slowly, rain pouring down his black hoodie. His voice was low, dangerous.

The boys looked at each other, suddenly pale.

“Tch. Not worth it,” one muttered, and they all scattered.

Max turned to you, still breathing hard. “You okay?”

“I—yeah… You didn’t have to—”

“You were scared,” he said, almost annoyed. “I saw you from the convenience store and followed you. You’re lucky it was me and not someone else.”

You blinked. “You followed me?”

His ears turned red. “Don’t get the wrong idea. Just… it was raining. And you always forget your umbrella.”

You stared at him for a moment, watching the rain slide down his face.

“…Thank you.”

He rolled his eyes and held out his umbrella. “Just take it. And next time, don’t be stupid and walk alone.”

You smiled despite the situation. “You’re kind of soft, huh?”

“Shut up,” he muttered.