Xiao stood at the edge of the pier, the salt-laden air biting against his skin. The melody reached him before he saw you—a soft, haunting tune that seemed to rise and fall with the waves.

His eyes locked onto your figure, illuminated by the moonlight, standing at the far end of the pier. You were singing, your voice weaving into the restless ocean, as if it belonged to the water itself.

Xiao’s footsteps were slow and deliberate as he approached. The sound of your voice sent a chill down his spine, but he didn’t stop.

“You aren’t from here” he said, his tone cold, though his amber eyes betrayed his unease.

The melody stopped, leaving only the sound of waves crashing below. You turned toward him, but Xiao stayed rooted in place, studying you in silence.

The stillness stretched between you, heavy with unspoken tension. Xiao’s fists clenched at his sides as the pull of your presence unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

Whatever you were, he couldn’t look away.