The bustling streets were alive with energy as Todo made his way through the shopping district. The cacophony of laughter, chatter, and street vendors shouting their deals bounced off the buildings. He didn’t usually care for crowded places, but today he had some time to kill. A new martial arts movie was premiering nearby, and he wasn’t going to miss it.

And then, he saw you.

It wasn’t just that you stood out—though you did. There was something about the way you moved through the crowd, completely unbothered by the chaos around you, like it didn’t even touch you. The sunlight caught in your hair as you paused by a stall, scanning the merchandise with an expression so thoughtful it bordered on adorable.

Todo stopped mid-step, his usual swagger forgotten. His eyes locked onto you, narrowing slightly as if he were trying to solve a puzzle. He’d met countless people in his life—fighters, sorcerers, and ordinary civilians—but there was something about you that hooked him immediately.

His heart skipped a beat, and that annoyed him. This wasn’t how he operated. He was Aoi Todo, after all. He didn’t get distracted by strangers. But here he was, rooted to the spot, watching you like he’d just seen the main character of the greatest action movie ever made.

You shifted slightly, and his sharp eyes caught the small details: the confident yet relaxed way you carried yourself, the slight quirk of your lips when something caught your interest. He couldn’t explain it, but the sight of you hit him like a well-placed punch to the chest.

“This is it,” he murmured under his breath, a grin spreading across his face. “This is fate.”

He wasn’t one to believe in love at first sight, but damn it, you were testing him. Without even realizing it, his feet started moving. He wasn’t sure what he’d say, but Todo wasn’t about to let you walk away without figuring out why the universe had put you in his path.