Yuri's smirk lingered as he sat down beside me, ignoring the boys' teasing like it was background noise.
Keif leaned in again, still grinning:
"Seriously though, man. That was public. Since when do you do hand-holding and hallway drama?"
Yuri glanced at him sideways, eyes cool.
"Since it's her," he said simply, as if that answered everything.
And maybe… it did.
I tried to focus on my notebook, but my heart was thudding louder than I wanted to admit. The stares had faded, but the weight of that moment still lingered like perfume in the air.
Class was about to begin, but I could feel it —
this day… wasn't going to be normal.
Lunch Break
I pushed my chair back and started to stand, but before I could take a full step—
A hand gently wrapped around my fingers.
I looked back, startled, and there he was, eyes on me with a soft but teasing tone.
Yuri: "Where are you going?"
Me: "Cin and Rakki… they'll be waiting for me for lunch."
He tilted his head slightly, lips curling.
Yuri: "Your boyfriend is here and you're going to others for lunch?"
I rolled my eyes, cheeks burning slightly.
Me: "Shut up… they're my friends. If you want, you can join us."
He leaned back in his chair like a smug cat that got what it wanted.
Yuri: "That makes sense."
I smirked and crossed my arms.
Me: "Call your friends too. Let's see how chaotic this lunch gets."
He raised an eyebrow.
Yuri: "Oh, you're not ready for that kind of chaos."
And with that, the most unexpected lunch squad was about to assemble.
We walked out of the classroom, hand in hand — his grip still firm, like he wasn't planning to let go anytime soon.
Down the hall, just outside the cafeteria, I spotted Cin and Rakki waiting by the benches.
Cin caught sight of us first, and the dramatic gasp he let out could've been heard across campus.
Cin (in his loudest, most theatrical voice):
"WOI WOI WOIIII… MY EYES!!"
Rakki turned, then choked on his drink mid-sip.
Rakki: "What the hell— since when did this happen?!"
I laughed, cheeks warming up, and tried to pull my hand away, but Yuri only tightened his hold, smirking confidently at the two.
Yuri: "We're early. Hope you saved us seats."
Cin raised an eyebrow, grinning like a devil.
Cin: "Oh, don't worry. We saved tea too."
The squad had officially gathered—
and it was about to be one spicy lunch.
The cafeteria buzzed with the usual lunchtime noise — trays clattering, conversations overlapping, and chairs scraping across the floor.
We sat together — me, Yuri, Cin, Rakki, and eventually Keif , David and Felix joining the table with their own loud energy.
I was mid-laugh, talking with Cin about something ridiculous from class, while Rakki threw in side comments that made me laugh harder.
But I didn't notice the way Yuri had gone quiet.
His elbow rested on the table, his chin propped against his hand as he just… stared. Not in a creepy way — in that intense, thoughtful Yuri way.
⸻
Yuri's thoughts:
Why…?
Why does this soft-hearted, gorgeous girl fall for someone like me?
She deserves peace. Something gentle. Not someone like me who's tied to blood, danger, and shadows.
But if fate gave her to me… I'll make sure she never regrets it.
Even if I have to burn the world down for her.
He didn't say a word — just reached for her hand under the table.
She looked at him, confused for a second.
He didn't explain. Just gave a small smile. The kind that held a million promises without saying a thing.
The light mood shattered in seconds.
Felix's phone buzzed against the table, barely heard over the laughter — but the moment he glanced at it, his smile disappeared. His entire expression shifted—eyes narrowing, lips tightening, like someone had poured ice down his spine.
Keif leaned in, voice low.
Keif: "Hey… what happened?"
Felix didn't answer at first, but then slowly said the name.
Felix: "It's… Hawls."
That alone made David sit up straighter, tension immediately settling over the table.
David: "What did they say?"
Now everyone was quiet. Even Cin and Rakki felt the shift in energy.
Yuri watched Felix closely, his body already tensing before the answer came.
Felix finally looked up, his voice hard.
Felix: "They saw Yuri walking with Y/N. Hand in hand. So now… the target is her."
Before anyone could respond, Yuri snatched the phone from Felix's hands and opened the message himself.
[Tell your boss to be ready for a brawl — or I'll take Y/N myself.]
Yuri's fingers clenched around the phone so tightly his knuckles turned white. His jaw locked, eyes darkening with fury.
Cin, unsure what was going on but seeing the shift, asked softly:
Cin: "Y/N… what is this?"
Yuri didn't speak. Not yet.
But the promise in his eyes said one thing loud and clear:
They messed with the wrong girl.
Y/N: "Me?? Why??? What is their problem?"
Her voice cracked slightly, a mix of fear and confusion.
Keif sighed, running a hand through his hair.
Keif: "We're antis."
Everyone went silent as Keif leaned forward, his voice low, steady.
Keif: "One day, we were walking down this alley behind the old arcade. We saw these guys—Hawls—messing with a girl. Snatching her stuff, cornering her."
Felix nodded, picking up where Keif left off.
Felix: "We couldn't just walk away. We stepped in. It got ugly real fast."
Keif: "During the fight… someone from Hawls pulled a knife. Aimed straight for David."
David, quiet until now, muttered: "I didn't even see it coming…"
Keif: "But Yuri did. He grabbed the guy's arm mid-swing—stopped him. But the knife…"
Felix: "…swung wild. Cut across Kiko's face — their leader. Not deep, but deep enough to humiliate him in front of his own gang."
Keif: "Since that day… they've wanted blood. And now that they know Yuri's weak spot…"
All eyes turned to me.
Me.
I stared at them, breath catching in my throat.
Yuri was still silent, the phone now crushed slightly in his grip. His gaze stayed locked on the screen, on that message — like he was burning it into his memory.
The tension at the table was thick, like the calm before a storm.
I sat there, still trying to process it all — the alley, the knife, the revenge… and now me, dragged into it by simply holding his hand.
But there was something more. I could feel it — something unspoken.
Felix glanced at Yuri, as if waiting for him to say it. But he didn't. He just kept staring at that message like it had personally insulted him.
Keif leaned back, muttering under his breath.
Keif: "And the stupid part? They don't even know who he is…"
I looked up, confused.
Me: "Who… Yuri?"
David raised an eyebrow at her, tone heavy.
David: "You think Yuri's just some university heartthrob with a mysterious vibe and a cool car?"
Cin blinked.
Cin: "He's not???"
Keif smirked bitterly.
Keif: "He's the only heir of the Hanamitchi Group. The biggest underground syndicate in this city. Maybe even the country."
Felix: "If Hawls knew that, they wouldn't be sending texts — they'd be digging their own graves."
But Yuri finally spoke — his voice quiet, calm, but layered with something deeper.
Yuri: "They don't know. And they won't."
Everyone looked at him.
Yuri: "This mess started because of me. I swung the knife. I humiliated Kiko. This blood is on me…"
He looked over at me, eyes softening only for a second.
Yuri: "…so I'll be the one to clean it."
And in that moment, I understood —
he wasn't just protecting me from them.
He was protecting them from him.
Yuri: "But I'm not apologizing to them."
Everyone turned toward him, surprised.
Yuri: "They bullied an innocent girl. They cornered her like animals. What happened after that — it's all on them. I stepped in. I swung. I hurt Kiko."
His eyes darkened.
Yuri: "And I'd do it again."
A tense silence filled the table, but not the kind that needed fixing — the kind that settled truths into place.
Yuri leaned back slightly, his gaze flicking toward me — softer now, almost protective.
Yuri: "This isn't about guilt. It's about cleaning the mess I caused… but not for them. For the ones I care about."
Time Skip — End of Classes
The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange glow over the campus buildings as students poured out through the gates.
We reached the car, slipping into our seats like we always did — but today, the air felt different.
As Yuri pulled out from the parking lot and drove toward the university gate… we saw them.
The Hawls.
A group of five, dressed in black, leaning against their bikes and cars, eyes fixed on us like wolves that finally found the trail. They stood right in the middle of the road — blocking our way.
Yuri slowed down.
His hand instinctively reached over, gripping mine tightly.
Yuri: "Stay here. Don't come out of the car."
Me: "Yuri, be careful…"
He paused, then turned to look at me — eyes calm but burning with something fierce underneath.
Yuri: "Miss…"
Yuri: "You need to be strong if you're going to be with me."
"I'm the leader of Shadow… you remember that, right?"
My breath caught.
I did remember. That wasn't just some nickname. Shadow was the most feared name in the underground — whispered, not spoken.
Yuri gave a small, confident smile.
Yuri: "I'm not losing, babe."
He stepped out of the car and walked toward the Hawls — alone, straight, with that quiet rage in every step.
And for the first time, the predators looked… unsure.
Yuri's POV:
I stepped out of the car, the door shutting behind me with a heavy click.
The air outside was colder than before — or maybe that was just the way they looked at me.
Five of them. Same smug faces. Same fake confidence.
I took slow, even steps until I was close enough to hear their breaths shift.
Guy 1 crossed his arms, smirking like he had backup tucked in every corner of the street.
Guy 1: "Hey, Yuri… Kiko wants you to come and meet him."
I tilted my head slightly.
Yuri: "Oh?"
Guy 1: "Tonight. KINGS GROUND."
That name rang like a bell in my head — an abandoned warehouse district at the edge of the city. No cameras. No eyes. Just dirt, blood, and silence. Its an underground ring that peoples fought with their life and paid the debts
Yuri: "He's finally crawling out from the shadows?"
Guy 2 chuckled.
Guy 2: "He said… bring your girl too. Let's settle this."
I didn't blink. Didn't move.
Then I leaned in, low enough that only Guy 1 could hear — my voice calm, deliberate.
Yuri: "Tell Kiko…"
"If he touches a single strand of her hair—he better dig his own grave and lie in it."
I turned around and walked back to the car, not giving them a second glance.
They didn't follow.
They didn't speak.
Because they saw it too —
The leader of Shadow just woke up.
Hanamitchi Residence
The heavy gates closed behind them. No words were exchanged during the ride. The silence was louder than any fight.
As soon as they entered the house, Y/N marched upstairs — fast, without waiting, without looking back.
Yuri cursed under his breath and quickly followed, his voice laced with panic and guilt.
Yuri: "Babe… talk to me."
She didn't slow down.
She reached her room, swung the door open, stepped in, and—
SLAM.
The door shut in his face.
He stared at it for a second before knocking, gently at first.
Yuri: "Babe… open the door."
"Babe, lemme explain—"
Just as he raised his hand to knock again, the door swung open.
There she was.
Her eyes — fire.
Her lips — tight, holding in words she wasn't sure she should say.
Her whole presence — furious, hurt, confused.
And Yuri?
He smiled. Softly. Like a puppy finally spotting its owner after a storm.
Y/N: "Don't try to persuade me, Yuri."
He pouted instinctively, lips pushed out and brows drawn together like a guilty child.
Y/N: "Don't make cute faces. That's cheating."
Yuri: "Can I… come in?"
She didn't answer. Just walked back inside and sat at the edge of her bed, leaving the door open behind her.
He stepped in quietly, closing the door behind him — knowing full well this wasn't going to be easy.
Yuri walked in quietly, heart pounding behind his calm expression. He didn't sit beside her — instead, he knelt down in front of her, gently taking her hands in his.
His thumbs brushed across her knuckles as he looked up into her eyes, voice soft but firm.
Yuri: "I'm not losing tonight, babe. Don't worry."
"Our boys will be there too. Keif, Felix, David… we've got this."
She looked away, biting her lip. Her fists were tight, the fear in her eyes unhidden.
Y/N: "It's dangerous, Yuri…"
Yuri: "Babe—"
Y/N: "I don't want you to fight."
Her voice cracked slightly, her hands trembling in his.
He closed his eyes for a moment, leaning his forehead against her knee.
Yuri: "This will be the last."
"I promise you… after this, no more fists, no more blood. Just peace."
She looked down at him, breath shaky.
Y/N: "I'm going there too."
His head shot up.
Yuri: "What? No."
She met his eyes, strong and unflinching.
Y/N: "If you're going to bleed for me, I'm at least going to be there."
Yuri: "Babe, please… obey me just this once."
His voice dropped, laced with desperation.
"It's dangerous for you to be there. Kiko doesn't want peace. He wants revenge — and he'll use you to get it."
Their eyes locked — love, pain, fire all clashing in the silence.
Yuri reached up, brushing her cheek gently as his fingers caught the tear that rolled down.
Yuri: "I'll be back to you before midnight… I promise."
His voice trembled just slightly, only enough for her to notice — the weight of his words sinking deeper than anything he'd said before.
She closed her eyes, her lips quivering as a silent tear escaped.
Y/N: "Please… come back safe."
"You promised me that…"
"I'll be waiting for you. No matter what."
Yuri leaned in slowly and kissed the corner of her eye, right where the tear had fallen — as if sealing the promise there.
Yuri: "You're my reason to come back. I won't lose, babe… not when you're waiting for me."
He stood up slowly, still holding her hand for a moment longer before letting it slip away.
The clock was ticking.
And the King's Ground waited in silence.
Scene: KING'S GROUND
An abandoned warehouse district at the city's edge — forgotten by the world, remembered only by those who live in its shadows.
No cameras. No mercy. No rules.
Just the sound of boots against gravel, the hum of fluorescent lights flickering weakly above rusted beams, and the faint metallic scent of blood that never really fades.
This was King's Ground — the underground ring where debts are paid in pain, and respect is earned through scars.
The moment Yuri and his crew stepped in, everything stilled.
Eyes turned.
Heads nodded with a silent kind of reverence — not for the fight, but for him.
Because Shadow's leader had arrived.
Yuri walked in slow, steady steps — his black hoodie shadowing his eyes, fists wrapped, sleeves rolled. Behind him, Keif, Felix, and David followed, each one sharp and ready.
On the opposite side of the ring, Kiko leaned against a rusted pillar, smirking. His gang was scattered around like vultures, waiting for the carnage.
Kiko: "Took your sweet time, Shadow."
Yuri: "You sure you want to end this here?"
Kiko: "End it? Nah. I came to start something permanent."
The crowd began to form a circle, the ring unofficial but understood — a space where law doesn't exist, only will.
Yuri cracked his neck, his gaze never leaving Kiko's.
Yuri: "Good. Because after tonight, there's no more running."
The air grew colder.
And as Yuri stepped into the ring, the underground whispered a single word —
Shadow.