Back Off, She's Mine (Sano Manjiro)

FORTY-EIGHT: The Enemy's Assault

I mounted my CB250T, revved up the engine, and took off down the streets, the wind whipping through my face. I let the roar of my motorbike drown my heavy thoughts away, enjoying the taste of freedom on the main road. Whenever I was with my bobber, I never felt so alive and carefree just as I was with my beloved Y/N. But I also had to deal with a few mishaps along the way that tried to ruin my mood.

After hours of roaming around the city, I stopped by a food stall to buy some freshly baked taiyaki and opted to hang around the port area to enjoy my treat and take in the scenery. I parked my motorbike nearby and sat down on the dock, overlooking the calm sea and feeling the gentle breeze. The sound of seagulls squawking and the scent of the seawater in the air brought a sense of tranquility to my mind.

I sent a few messages to Y/N on the phone and waited for her to respond. "She's probably still busy with her workout," I mumbled to myself when I received no reply from her. I just sighed and took out one taiyaki from the paper bag, having a mini roleplay with the tasty bread like I was playing with a kid toy.

"Blob. Blob. Blob. You want to escape into the sea, too?" I said to the taiyaki and answered in a minuscule voice, "Yeah, I do."

I continued playing with my snack until a voice was heard out of nowhere and interrupted my little antics.

"In the taiyaki-kun song, how do things end for it?"

I looked to my left and saw a tan-skinned male who was most likely in his late teens with bleach-blonde hair and wore a pair of Hanafuda earrings. He was also sitting on the dock not far from me, facing the sea. I failed to notice his sudden appearance until now. Was he already there before? "I'm not sure. I forgot," I replied nonchalantly. My phone buzzed with a new message from my girlfriend. She said she was done with her workout and agreed to meet me up here at the port.

"Nice bike you got there," remarked the stranger, bringing back my attention to him. He pointed at my bobber.

"Mm. Thanks." I felt a bit wary of our interaction and my eyebrows furrowed in curiosity. Who was this guy?

"I'm Kurokawa Izana," the tanned guy introduced himself with a friendly smile as if he read my mind and I merely watched him turn his back on me, bidding farewell. "See you around."

"Mikey!"

My ears picked up the sound of my name being called and turned my head in the other direction to see Y/N walking toward me. Her pretty face was etched with a lovely smile as she waved her hand at me.

My dark eyes lit up at her presence and I eagerly stood up to greet her with a hug and kiss. She leaned into my embrace as we talked a little about her workout. The scent of soap and lavender shampoo infiltrated my nostrils as if she had just taken a bath.

Unfortunately, our happy moment together was cut short when Y/N's body suddenly began to quiver and she was gasping for breath. I was momentarily startled by her abrupt shift in demeanor, as it appeared like she was having a meltdown. I tried to ask her what was wrong but she was struggling to form coherent words. It was my first time seeing her look so terrified at the unknown, making my heart race with deep concern.

I held her close and stroked her back gently in an attempt to soothe her, whispering reassuring words to her.

"Hey, it's okay, Y/N. It's okay. Calm down and take a deep breath."

It took some time for her to relax and once she did, I let her sit on the dock and asked her what just happened. Yet, Y/N did not tell me anything. She only pursed her lips and chose to remain silent. I could see the fear and distress in her tearful eyes, and it pained me to see her in such a state. I felt a strong desire to help her and try to act as a considerate boyfriend, however, she kept shutting me out, leaving me frustrated and at a loss. All I could do was hold her hand and give her comfort. Did she truly not trust me enough to share her secrets with me? Was it that hard for her to rely on me?