Sunsets With You || Sanzu Haruchiyo

✿ 01 || Stranger Danger

It was raining heavily again, but that didn't stop you from leaving your apartment in your yellow raincoat and favorite light pink floral boots. The perfect time for snacks and a cozy movie night, you told yourself.

With your umbrella in one hand and your bubblegum popping in your mouth, your earrings jingled as you power-walked down the street like it was a runway.

Once inside the store, you folded your umbrella and grabbed a nearby basket. You started picking out your favorite junk food like you were plucking flowers in a field-potato chips, gummies, choco pies, the works.

After paying at the counter, you left the store in a great mood. Holding two plastic bags in one hand and your umbrella in the other, you skipped along the roadside, humming your favorite tune.

Then you stopped.

A figure was slumped in front of you. Bloodied. Torn clothes. A uniform, maybe? Some cosplay kid who got jumped? You'd seen plenty of weirdos at school dressed like that, but this one felt... different.

Your stomach churned.

"Maybe she got bullied..." you whispered to yourself. "Ugh. This place is full of creeps. Rapists. Weirdoes."

Still, you couldn't leave her there. But bringing a total stranger home? Your grandmother might have a heart attack.

You crouched beside the figure, inching your face closer. You wanted to check if she was breathing, but a face mask covered her mouth. Your fingers hovered over the edge of it.

That's when a voice snapped you back.

"What do you think you're doing?"

You froze. That wasn't a girl's voice.

You blinked. He's a guy?!

"Ehh?! I was just-! I swear I was just checking if you were still breathing!" You yanked your hand back and stood up so fast you nearly tripped.

"..." He stared for a second... then passed out again.

"He must be really tired. Yeah. That's probably it..." You scratched your cheek awkwardly.

• • • 𖤣.𖥧.𖡼.⚘

Later that night, you sat in a corner of your room, watching the mysterious boy sleep on your bed. You were still kind of salty.

'How can a guy have better eyelashes and better hair than me? This is unfair.'

You didn't mean to bring him home. But the hospitals nearby were all closed for the night. And calling the police felt... extreme. So you cleaned his wounds and let him rest.

Your door creaked open. Grandma peeked in.

"Y/N, is the young boy alright? We should try to contact his parents. They might be worried sick."

You smiled reassuringly. "Let's let him rest a little more, Ma."

"Alright, it's up to you. I'm going to the flower shop. Call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay! Take care!"

• • • 𖤣.𖥧.𖡼.⚘

Blue eyes stared up at the unfamiliar white ceiling. The boy sat up slowly, his hand instinctively reaching for his face.

His mask-gone.

His clothes-changed.

His surroundings-totally foreign.

He panicked and turned his head, only to spot a girl wearing headphones, bopping slightly to some music, sitting beside the bed.

He stood up and tiptoed toward the door.