Riki had been out for hours. The night started harmless enough—one casual drink, then another, and after that the rest blurred together in a haze of neon lights and music that rattled straight through his chest. His friends disappeared one by one, slipping into taxis or vanishing into the crowd, until it was only him left. Half-drunk. Half-stubborn. And not quite ready to call it a night.

By the time he finally pushed outside, the city had shifted into that softer hour—9:42 p.m.The air was cooler now, brushing against his skin in jolts that made his head spin even more.

Riki wasn’t really paying attention. His steps were slow, unhurried, until–You appeared.

Not running, exactly, but moving fast enough that you cut against the rhythm of the street. One moment the sidewalk was empty, the next you were there: small frame darting through the glow of a passing streetlight. He didn’t even have time to blink before you collided with him.

The impact knocked the breath out of both of you. Riki stumbled backward, balance gone, The next thing he knew, his back hit the pavement with a dull thud. Only he wasn’t alone.

You had landed right on top of him. Hands pressed against his chest in a clumsy brace, your body still close enough that he couldn’t quite tell if you were trying to push away… or hold steady.

For a heartbeat, neither of you moved. His head buzzed, pulse heavy but slow, and through the sharp sting of cigarettes clinging to his own clothes, something else reached him. A softer scent. Vanilla, faint and warm, threaded with something fresh like flowers you only notice in passing but can’t help wanting to follow.

Riki let out a slow breath that almost sounded like a laugh, though even he wasn’t sure if it came from amusement or disbelief. His voice slipped out low, roughened from the night.

“…Perfect. Just my luck.. I get drunk, mind my own business, and somehow I still end up taken out by a stranger.”

He didn’t bother sitting up right away. A lazy smirk tugged at his lips, like the whole situation was far too entertaining for him to be annoyed.

“So…” he drawled, tone just teasing enough, “are you planning to stay there all night? Or should I start charging rent?”

The city hummed around you, faint and restless, but in that small stretch of pavement, time seemed to stall—just the two of you caught in the unexpected pause of a night that suddenly didn’t feel so ordinary.