There are eight billion people in this world, eight billion lives are changing and you're the one I need. -Hale
"I still can't find someone with a name y/n l/n. It's been three years since you've become a detective and until now, you're still looking for that girl you met in high school." Ryu, Naoto's partner said as he put the coffee on his table.
"I just need to know what happened to her. I owe her why I am in this position right now."
"Don't you think that the reason why we couldn't find her is that she doesn't want to be found?"
Naoto stopped typing on his computer and run his palms to his face. "I need to know if she's safe... She has no one before, I'm sure she's all alone now." He paused. frustration painted on his stoic face. "I really hate her."
"Hate?" Ryu said in a confused tone. "Isn't that the opposite?"
"What?"
"If you really hate her then why do you have this urge to find and protect her? Isn't it the opposite? You're in love with her since then."
"What?" Naoto's eyebrows furrowed. "No..." He paused when suddenly, your first and last genuine smile that he witnessed flashed into his mind. Then everything became clear.
I think I do... I do love you, y/n.
❀
A week later, Naoto's walking home carrying a plastic of beers in his hand. Since he joined the Tokyo Police, He has been working non-stop. Hina, his older sister was already married to her childhood boyfriend so, Naoto is currently living alone. The silence of his apartment is killing him that's why he rather work overtime than to go home.
He came to a halt when a girl suddenly appeared from a narrow alley not far from him. She trips on her feet and trembles like she's scared of someone. Naoto also noticed that she has bruises on her arms and legs.
As he was about to run towards her. a man with a cigarette in his mouth stepped outside the same alley.
"I told you, Bitch. Don't show me your ugly face when I'm with another girl. It's disgusting to look at you!" He then kicked the girl, Making her lay on the ground. Naoto immediately let go of the plastic bag and run towards them.
"Hey, It's against the law to hit a woman!" He crouches down to check if she's okay. He then took his badge and showed them to the man. "I am a police!"
"Oh shit." The man suddenly run. Naoto was about to follow him when the girl sat down and grabbed his wrist.
"Let go. He needs to get in jail! look at you!" Naoto looked at the girl and was in complete shock when he recognize her face.
"y/n?" Naoto moved a little closer to see your face clearly. He removed your hair from your face to have a better view. Your face have cuts, lips are red as a cherry, and hair cut into a long messy wolf cut. "It's you."
You resisted his grip and slapped his hand. "Great! first day back in Tokyo, I already bumped into you." You forced yourself to stand but quickly lost balance.
"Let me help you."
"I'm good." You stood straight and took a step back. You gaze at him for a while. He's wearing a nice suit and has a badge. Ah, he made it. You looked down to see yourself wearing a skimpy outfit, beaten by a man that's been treating you like shit but you don't have the guts to leave him. You're becoming like your mother... The person you despise the most.
"It's good to know that you achieved your dreams." You forced a smile and walked away but you're just a few steps away, You suddenly felt dizzy.
Naoto quickly moves and catches you before you completely fall down. "My apartment is near, let me get you there." He said. You looked at him and quickly realized that he is not the weak Naoto that you knew. His arms are strong and he's braver than you.
When you reached his apartment. Naoto made you a hot tea to calm your nerves. "Drink this. it will calm you," Naoto said as he hand you the mug. "Since I became a detective, I never stop looking for you."
"Why? I'm just a bully that made your high school experience a living hell." You said and looked at the tea that you were holding.
"I know that you did all of that to make me strong. I am here now because of you." Naoto held your hand and grasped them tightly. The tea in the cup waves a little. "Please, let me protect you."
"I am an adult now, Naoto. I think I can protect myself."
Naoto looked at your bruises and you discreetly avoid his gaze. "Acting tough as usual, y/n." Naoto sighed. "With me, you can be vulnerable."
His words... It's always his words that could bring your hidden emotions out. Tears unconsciously fall from your eyes as your hands begin to shake. Naoto took your cup and pulled you into a hug.
"Live with me, You don't have to live like this anymore. I will protect you, y/n."
❀
The next morning, Naoto woke up and went to his room. After you drank the tea, he let you rest there while Naoto slept on the couch in his living room.
He knocked on the door but no one answers. "y/n? Are you awake? I can cook you breakfast." He knocked three more times but still, no answers. "y/n? are you decent? I'm coming in." He count one to five before opening the door. His bed was fixed and everything was clean but you were not there.
He's not surprised that you're already gone. "You haven't changed, y/n."
Naoto went on his duty feeling a little down. Ryu welcomed him at the door. "Oh, isn't it too early to be this gloomy?"
"I found her."
"Who? Your childhood runaway lover?"
"y/n."
"Where—Where is she?"
"She snuck out while I was asleep."
"What?" Ryu's eyes widened. "did you two..." He let out exaggerated gasps while holding his mouth with his two hands, "I didn't know that you were that fast."
Naoto smacks his partner's head with his hand. "Dimwit! We didn't sleep together. You and your perverted mind!"
"Oh, I thought..." He let out a nervous laugh.
While working on his desk, the door of the police station opened. Everyone's attention went to a girl making a scene while the police were dragging her inside.
"Let me go! I don't want to go here... Fuck!"
"Shut up! If you haven't shoplift and punch the owner of the shop, you're not here!"
"Fuck!"
You and Naoto's eyes met. You quickly went quiet and looked down. "Ha! What happened to you? You suddenly became quiet. Have you seen a ghost?" The officer that was holding your arm asked. You looked at him, smirked playfully, and without any warning, you bit his hand.
"Pweh! You taste sour!"
The police were about to smack your head when Naoto interrupted him. "I'll handle this one, officer."
"Detective. but... this is not your work."
"It's fine." Naoto smiled at them and the officer pushed you, making you fall on your butt. Your head is throbbing like it was about to explode so you hold them tightly with your hands, you haven't eaten anything since yesterday evening.
You got surprised to see a hand reaching for you. you look up and see Naoto. You accept his hand and he pulls you up. You then look around, only see the people inside the station starting at you but you just shrug them off.
Naoto processed your bail and paid for them. You're now outside the police station, leaning on his car while trying to light a cigarette.
"Fuck!" You mumbled because the lighter doesn't work. After a while of trying, someone offered you light. You looked to your side and saw Naoto holding a lighter.
"Why did you leave without a word? I was worried."
"It has nothing to do with you, Naoto."
"I know... but I care about you, y/n."
"Why? What will you get from someone like me? My life is a mess and sex is the only thing I can offer." You puffed a smoke, inhaling them to your lungs, and released them with a deep sigh.
Naoto leans his back against his car. "I want answers, y/n. Why did you leave seven years ago? Why didn't you come to me for help? I may not do much but still, I can help you."
There's a long silence between you and Naoto. You just continue to smoke while he patiently waits for you.
"When I went home after we talked... I found out that dad sold me to a rich old man to be his..." You scoffed and tapped the cigarette to remove the excess ashes. "They planned to get me the next day so I stole my father's money and ran away. I never thought that the 30,000 yen won't last long and in the end. I sell myself in exchange for money. The irony."
You let out a bitter chuckle. "I didn't know that once you started this disgusting work... there is no turning back." You puffed another smoke and exhaled them. "I am not the y/n you knew, Naoto. The old me that was painted in your mind is now gone. I am a dirty lowlife whore." You puffed the last smoke and blew them on Naoto's face. He turned his head to the side to avoid it.
"So yeah, that's the reason. Happy now?" You threw the cigarette butt on the floor and stepped on them. "See ya!" You were about to walk away when he held your wrist.
"What now?!"
"You did not give up on me until I decided to be strong. Now it's my turn, y/n. I will not give up until you come back to me." Naoto's grip tightens. "Live with me. I can shelter you and help you find a better job. You can leave prostitution behind. I can take you away from that jerk of a guy and make sure that no one will lay their hands on you ever again."
He paused and looked straight into your eyes. He's sincere and it makes your heart ache for some reason. "I can do something now, y/n and I will do all of this without expecting anything in return from you so you don't have to worry. Please consider my offer."
"Just leave me alone. you cannot save me this time, Naoto." You shrugged his hand and walked away. To other lowlife people like you. that offer is one in a million chance but you stupidly rejected it. Is it pride? ego? or deep inside you... you don't want to overwrite the y/n Naoto remembers with the y/n now. The embarrassing, disgusting, weak, and dirty y/n.
"Ha, I pushed him away again." You mumbled as you continued to walk. Tears suddenly stream down your face. feeling hopeless, sad, and angry in this world.
There's a question that keeps repeating in your head. Why am I born in this kind of life? until now you can't find the right answer.
"I am no good." You were aggressively wiping your tears when someone pulled you. You turned your back and see Naoto.
"I knew it, as soon as you turn your back. You'll cry alone." He whispered.
Your eyes widened in surprised but quickly soften after. "You're one annoying brat." You said. you didn't hold back anymore and cried like a kid in front of him.
He pulled you into a hug. "from this day onwards, you are not alone, y/n."
❀
Naoto managed to convince you to live with him. You left the prostitution scene and started fresh. Though, you haven't finished high school. Naoto helped you find a decent job with decent pay. He sheltered you and patiently listened to every story you tell him. Slowly but surely, you gain your confidence back with him by your side. he did all of that without asking anything in return.
"How's the progress with y/n?" Ryu asked Naoto who was busy reading some files.
"Ah, she's doing good. She's dedicated to her job, which is nice." He replied without looking at his partner.
"I am not talking about that. I can see that she's trying her best to live a peaceful life, what I'm asking is you... with her? It's been three years since you found her again."
Naoto sighed and put down the documents. "Look, I am not in a hurry for that. I am focused on helping her."
"Well, I'm just saying man, you're already 27... you've been waiting for her for ten years. You need to express your feelings for her because we never know what will happen tomorrow."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean... what if she met someone at work and she go out with him because you're too coward to tell her what you feel.
Naoto pause and think. There's a sting in his heart from what his partner just said. "Let's... Let's go back to work. You're prying too much in my personal life."
"I'm just concerned, Partner" He winked at Naoto and sat on his desk. On the other hand, Naoto is in a daze thinking about you being with someone else.
After your shift, You went on grocery shopping to surprise Naoto. You want a hotpot party to thank him for everything. Now, you don't need to beg for someone to give you food. You can now buy the things that you need with your hard-earned money.
As you walk back to the apartment, you walk past a guy wearing a street-style type of clothes. You got surprised when he pulled your hand which made you let go of the plastic bag that you were holding.
"Oh, if it is the hooker." You looked at him and your body instantly froze. It's the guy you've been with when you came back here.
"What do you need?"
"Ah, cocky now eh?" He looked at you from head to toe. "You look clean now. Oh! I'm gonna have so much fun with you."
❀
"Naoto! There's a call from the hospital! y/n got assaulted by a guy on the streets," Ryu said. Naoto panickily stood up "What—What hospital?"
"The holy angel's hos—" Naoto took his car keys and ran as fast as he could. "pital." when Ryu finished his sentence but Naoto is already outside.
"Please... I don't want to lose her again." He mumbles as he drives his car fast. When he reached the hospital, he asked the nurses at the nurse's station about you but he's in a panic that they hardly understand what he was trying to say.
"Naoto?" You called him. He looked back and saw you with an Ice pack in your hand.
"y/n!" He ran towards you and looked at you from head to toe. He's a bit shocked to see you... standing? "Are you alright?"
"I am ok—" You didn't finish your sentence when he suddenly hugged you tightly.
"I thought... I thought I'm going to lose you again." He said in a whisper that made your heart ram fast. Too fast that the beat is also in your ears.
"I'm fine, Naoto. I am a former delinquent, remember? I just punched his spirit away from him. I should've done that before." You chuckled awkwardly to change the heavy atmosphere. "Thank you for worrying."
Naoto let go of his hug. You could see tears are welling up in the corners of his eyes. "I don't want to waste any more time... I will... I will propose to you right now y/n. Will you marry me?"
There's an awkward silence for a good minute there. You find it cute that he looks serious now.
"What happened to I like you, please go out with me?" You said and Naoto froze from his place. His face turned red as a tomato.
"I—I am not thinking straight, the panic... I'm sorry!" Dammit Ryu! the thoughts you insert in my mind! He started to pace back and forth. "I made you uncomfortable. That's uncool of me."
You put the ice bag down on the seat near you and cup his face to get his attention. Naoto flinches and his eyes are looking away. "Hey. don't avert your eyes... You have the courage to propose so take responsibility."
Naoto hesitantly looks back at you. He's too shy that his face is now bright red. you then smile at him, that genuine smile he saw ten years ago. "I will not leave you Naoto, I am done running. I am done pushing people who cared for me away. I am done dodging my feelings towards you. So yes, I will marry you."
"Really?"
"Really."
"You're not in shock or anything?"
"No, I'm not." You smiled at him.
Silence filled the air once again. both of you looked at each other for a while and his eyes went down to your lips.
"Isn't this the part where you will kiss me then we'll live happily ever after?" You asked him.
"Oh, yeah!" He chuckled but it cracked. He nervously lifts his arms in an attempt to cup your face but his hands are shaking.
"Ah, you're so cute!" You cupped his face once again and kissed him passionately.
It's all clear now, Fate let us meet again so I can start my life with you. I'm going to keep you forever.
End
I was so close in making this an angst that I have to stop from writing and think for an alternative ending but I think I made it too fluff hehehehe.
This oneshot is inspired by the song The Ballad Of by the band Hale. (it was on repeat while I was writing this) （˶′◡‵˶）
Thank you guys for requesting part two! Hope you guys like it.