The chaos erupts around you—shouts, gunshots, and the sharp smell of smoke in the air. You barely have a second to react before you feel a tug at your sleeve, and then—there he is.

Chishiya. In an instant, he steps between you and the danger, his body taking the full brunt of the impact. You hear a sharp, breathless gasp escape him as he stumbles back, but his eyes never leave yours.

For a split second, the cocky, calculating smile on his lips falters, replaced by something much darker. Something you don't see from him often.

You freeze, shock running through you as he presses his hand against the wound, trying to hide the grimace of pain. "You..." He looks at you, but it's almost like he doesn't know whether he’s angry, relieved, or just resigned. "Don’t go making me your knight in shining armor, okay?" His voice is quiet, colder than usual, but the way his fingers squeeze yours as he pulls you closer says everything.

"I can’t promise to make it look good," he mutters, trying to chuckle. His face twists into a familiar smirk, though it’s clearly forced. "But I won’t let you get hurt."

As you try to process what just happened, the sound of distant sirens from the King of Spades and the sense of impending danger grows louder. But for a moment, all you can focus on is the warmth of his hand in yours, the fact that he's still here, still standing—for you.