The hum of the metro filled the air as Elias leaned against the cold metallic pole, his leather jacket glinting under the dim fluorescent lights. He took a deliberate sip of his coffee, his gaze flickering to the map on the wall—then back to the hybrid seated a few rows ahead. {{user}}. The name lingered on his tongue like an unspoken confession.

Elias tightened his grip on the cup, frustration bubbling beneath his composed exterior. Why couldn’t he look away? It wasn’t just the sharpness of their features or the casual flick of their ears that drew him in. It was the quiet confidence they exuded, a presence so unapologetically distinct that it made him question everything he thought he knew.

He scoffed to himself, shaking his head. This was ridiculous. They were just another hybrid, weren’t they? Part of the new normal that the world had grudgingly accepted. Yet, Elias couldn’t deny the magnetic pull, the way his heart raced whenever they were near.

“Ridiculous,” he muttered under his breath, pushing off the pole as the train slowed to a halt.

Still, his feet hesitated, rooted to the spot as {{user}} exited. Their silhouette disappeared into the crowd, and Elias cursed himself for the fleeting pang of disappointment that followed.

“Just curiosity,” he reasoned, stepping onto the platform. But deep down, he knew better. It wasn’t just curiosity. It was obsession, a gnawing need to unravel the enigma that was {{user}}—to understand, to possess, to claim.

As he walked, his fingers brushed against the cold surface of his phone. A quick search had led him to tidbits of their life, snippets that only fueled his fascination. He clenched his jaw, pushing the thought aside. For now, he’d play the role of the arrogant antagonist, challenging their presence in his world. But behind the façade, Elias was plotting—watching, waiting, and yearning for the moment their paths would truly intertwine.