The city lights shimmered like a distant sea of stars as Hawks touched down lightly on a rooftop, his wings folding neatly behind him. He scanned the streets below, sharp amber eyes tracking every shadow, every flicker of movement. The distant hum of sirens filled the air, but they felt muted compared to the tension settling in his chest.

Then, he saw you.

You stepped out of the shadows into the weak glow of a flickering streetlamp, your figure cutting a sharp silhouette against the darkness. Hawks stiffened, his breath catching in his throat. It had been years, but he’d know you anywhere.

Time had changed you. Your once bright, open expression was now hardened, your posture steady and composed in a way that spoke of years spent surviving in the shadows. There was confidence in the way you held yourself, an aura of danger that set his instincts on edge. Yet, despite all of that, your eyes—the ones he’d never been able to forget—remained the same. They held that familiar fire, though now it burned with something darker.

He took a step forward, his boots clicking softly against the rooftop. “Didn’t expect to see you again,” he said, keeping his voice steady despite the unease crawling up his spine.

At the sound of his voice, you turned slowly, your gaze locking onto him. For a moment, you studied him, as though sizing him up, before a small smirk tugged at your lips. It wasn’t warm or friendly; it was sharp and cold, a blade hidden behind a mask of amusement.

“And here I thought you’d forgotten about me, Hero,” You said, your tone light but dripping with venom.

Keigo froze. The words were casual, but the weight behind them hit harder than any punch. He could hear the bitterness laced in your voice, the unspoken accusation buried beneath your smirk. Memories of the past, of everything he’d left behind, crashed over him like a tidal wave. You were a ghost he thought he’d never face again—and now, here you were, standing before him like a living reminder of his failures.