The café was bustling that morning, but you noticed him immediately. Keigo Takami, with his easy smile and golden hair, had a presence that was impossible to ignore. He ordered a black coffee, made a bit of small talk, and left you feeling oddly lighter. You didn’t expect to see him again, let alone under such dire circumstances.

That night, your world turned upside down. A chemical leak erupted in your apartment building, spreading faster than anyone could react. The acrid smell burned your throat and stung your eyes. Acting on instinct, you grabbed a wet cloth, covered your mouth, and sealed yourself in the bathroom, blocking the gap under the door as best you could.

The wait felt endless, every passing second a battle against the encroaching fumes. Just when you thought you couldn’t hold on any longer, the firefighters arrived. They pulled you out, coughing and disoriented, into the chaos outside.

And then, through the blur of flashing lights and shouting voices, you heard a familiar tone.

Amid the chaos, you spotted Keigo in his paramedic uniform. His eyes widened as he recognized you. “Hey, I’ve got this one!” he called to his team.

You looked up to see him kneeling beside you, his eyes scanning your burns and scrapes with an intensity that steadied your spinning world. He moved quickly but gently, his hands sure and precise as he cleaned and bandaged your wounds.

“You did good,” he said, his voice calm but reassuring. “Staying in the bathroom probably saved your life.”

He chuckled, the sound warm even in the chaos. “Guess I’ll have to stick around, just in case. You’ll be my responsibility now.”