Headlights flashed through the broken window.
Aria stiffened.
"Rafael…"
He woke instantly.
Footsteps approached. Then a voice—
"Boss."
Rafael relaxed slightly.
The door opened.A well-dressed man stepped in—calm, controlled.
"Sir, area is clear," he said.
His eyes briefly flicked to Aria, understanding everything without asking.
"She's with me," Rafael said.
Outside, the rain had almost stopped.
A black car waited.The driver opened the door.Rafael stepped in—
Then paused.
He turned back.
Aria was still standing there.Alone.Uncertain.
He stepped out again.
"We're not leaving you here," he said.
She blinked. "I can manage—"
"No," he cut in gently, but firmly.
There was no argument in his tone.Only certainty.
"You brought me out of danger twice," he said, his voice softer now. "I don't leave people like that behind."Her chest tightened slightly.
The driver opened the back door again.
Rafael gestured.
"Get in."
She hesitated.
Just for a second.Then slowly nodded and got inside.
The car moved through the quiet streets.Silence filled the space between them.Not uncomfortable.Just… heavy.
Aria looked out the window, trying to calm her thoughts.
"Where do you live?" Rafael asked.She told him quietly.
He nodded.
After a while, the car stopped near her apartment.The rain had fully faded now.The world felt calm again.Too calm.
Aria opened the door and stepped out.
Rafael followed.
For a moment, they stood facing each other under the dim streetlight.
"I should go," she said softly.
Rafael didn't move.
Instead, he looked at her—longer this time.
More openly.
"Do you know why I came to your café that day?" he asked.
She frowned slightly.
"You were running from someone."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"No."
She blinked.
"Then why?"
His voice lowered.
"Because you saved my life."
Rafael stepped a little closer.
"Yesterday" he said. "Late night. You treated me outside your café. Didn't ask questions. Just helped."
Aria's eyes widened slowly.
Her heart skipped.
"That's why I came back," he added quietly. "And tonight… you did it again."
Aria looked away for a second.
"I just did what anyone would do."
Rafael shook his head slightly.
"No," he said. "Not anyone."
Their eyes met again.
This time—It lingered.Longer than it should.Dangerously longer.
Then Aria took a small step back.A reminder.
"I have someone," she said softly.Rafael didn't react immediately.
But his gaze didn't leave her.
"I know," he said.A pause.
Then he added—
"But that didn't stop you from saving me."
Her breath caught.
She didn't reply.Because she couldn't.
Rafael stepped back finally.Creating distance this time.
"I'll see you again, Aria," he said.
Not a question.A promise.
She didn't say yes.Didn't say no.
He got back into the car.
This time—He left.But not like before.Not leaving her behind.Not leaving things unfinished.
Aria stood outside her home, her heart still racing.
And whatever this was…
It had already begun.
Aria closed the door behind her slowly.
The quiet of her apartment felt… unfamiliar.
Too still after everything.
Her hand lingered on the door handle for a moment, as if part of her expected it to open again—expected him to come back.
But it didn't.He was gone.And yet… he wasn't.
Not from her mind.Not from her heartbeat.
"Aria?"
She flinched slightly.
Her roommate stepped out of the bedroom, concern instantly written across her face.
"You're soaked! What happened to you?" she asked, walking closer.
Aria blinked, as if snapping back to reality.
"I… it's nothing," she said softly, placing her bag down.
"Nothing?" her roommate repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You look like you just walked out of a storm—and not just the weather kind."
Aria let out a small, nervous breath.
"I just… got caught in the rain."
Her roommate crossed her arms.
"Try again."
Silence.
Aria looked away, running her fingers through her damp hair.
How could she explain this?
The running.
The danger.
Him.
She couldn't.
"I don't know," she finally admitted, her voice quieter now.
Her roommate softened slightly.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
Aria hesitated… then sat down slowly on the edge of the couch. Her hands rested in her lap, fingers lightly trembling.
"I met someone," she said.
That got her roommate's full attention.
"Someone?" she repeated. "Wait—what about your boyfriend?"
Aria swallowed."That's the problem."
Her roommate sat beside her now, eyes curious but gentle.
"What happened?" she asked softly.Aria stared ahead, lost in thought.
"He's… not someone I should even be near," she said.
"Dangerous?" her roommate guessed.Aria let out a quiet breath.
"Yes."A pause.
"Then why are you thinking about him like this?" her roommate asked.
Aria shook her head slightly.
"I don't know," she whispered.
And that was the truth.
Didn't understand why his voice still echoed in her mind.
Why her heart reacted the way it did when he looked at her.
"I shouldn't feel anything," she said softly. "I have someone… I already chose someone."Her roommate studied her carefully.
"But you didn't choose this feeling," she said gently.Aria's chest tightened.
"No," she admitted. "I didn't."
Silence filled the room again.
Then her roommate asked the one question Aria was avoiding.
"Do you like him?"
Aria froze.
Her heart skipped.
Rafael's face flashed in her thoughts.His voice.His eyes.
"I—" she started, then stopped.
Because she didn't have an answer.
Or maybe she did…
and was too afraid to say it.
"I'm just confused," she said finally.
Her roommate gave a small, knowing smile.
"That's usually how it starts."
Aria leaned back slightly, closing her eyes for a moment.Her heart still hadn't calmed down.
Not since he said—I'll see you again.
Her eyes opened slowly.
And for the first time—
She didn't try to deny it.
Something had changed.
Something she couldn't control.
"I don't know what's happening to me," she whispered.
Her roommate squeezed her hand gently.
"Then maybe," she said softly, "you're not supposed to know yet."
And that night—
As Aria lay in her bed in her room, staring at the ceiling—
She realized one thing.
It wasn't the danger that scared her.
It wasn't his world.
It wasn't even the fact that he was someone she should stay away from.
It was this—
The way her heart reacted to him…
without her permission.
And that terrified her the most.