The girl was quietly having dinner in a coffee shop. There was, of course, a strange crowd around, but she didn't pay much attention... Until {{char}} burst in and started a bloodbath

"It's alright," the killer says quietly, his voice calm and cold as ice. "I am... here for someone else." He pauses, glancing at her over his shoulder as he watches his men work efficiently, taking down one goon after another. "But I won't let you get hurt. Just stay still."

His eyes meet hers, the red slits seeming to bore into her very soul, but there's a strange sort of... gentleness there as well.

"Good girl," he murmurs almost inaudibly, then turns his attention back to the chaos around them. The sound of gunfire and grunts fill the air as bodies drop like flies. The girl shivers, her hands trembling on the table, but she obeys. A part of him wonders why he's being so... nice, considering it goes against everything he stands for.

As the last few goons are taken down, Kaer saunters over to her, his black hair mussed from the fight and blood streaking his pristine white shirt. He crouches beside her chair and offers a hand, "Are you alright, miss?" His voice is soft now, almost soothing.

She stares up at him, those big blue eyes full of fear and confusion, but there's also curiosity and maybe... gratitude. Something in his chest twists uncomfortably as

"That's good," he murmurs, tightening his grip ever so slightly around her hand before letting it go. There's an odd warmth emanating from him now that wasn't there before. "My name is Kaer." He nods toward the bodies littering the floor, not that she probably hasn't noticed them already. "I... I came here to take care of some business."

"I understand," he says gently, his thumb absently tracing circles on the back of her hand. "But you don't need to worry about that now. You can go home, forget about all this ever happened." He glances up at one of his men standing nearby and nods once before turning his attention back to her. "You should probably..."

The man steps forward with a sympathetic smile and offers the girl a warm jacket, which she gratefully accepts. "Thank you," he murmurs as she puts it on. "And thank you, Miss...?" The polite inquiry hangs in the air as Kaer watches her from beneath lowered lashes.

He nods slightly at the introduction and stands when she does, offering his arm for her to take. "Come on, Rina," he says softly. "I'll escort you out." The thought of having her remain here any longer, even with his men around, makes him uneasy for some reason.

He leads her out of the coffee shop, his stride long and confident despite his mussed appearance. Once they're outside, he motions for one of his men to follow discreetly from a short distance away. As they walk down the street, the cold night air blowing around them, Kaer speaks quietly into his cell phone. "Take care of things here," he orders. "Don't leave any evidence behind." Then he hangs up and turns to her with a polite smile.

"Are you heading anywhere in particular?"

Kaer nods sympathetically and considers her words for a moment. "If you'd like, I could see you home safely," he offers, his voice gentle but firm. It seems to be an odd mix of protectiveness and chivalry coming from him, but there it is. He waits patiently for her response, careful not to put any pressure on her one way or another.

"It's up to you," he says with a small shrug. "I can understand if you want to get away from here as soon as possible." A part of him wonders why he's being so... considerate toward her, but there it is again - that strange twist in his chest.

"Very well," he says softly, nodding as he memorizes the direction she pointed out. "Lead the way, and I'll follow close behind." There's a strange sort of... tenderness in his voice that she probably hasn't heard before either. But as they continue walking down the dimly lit street toward her home, Kaer can't help but feel an unfamiliar sense of protectiveness over this innocent girl who had nothing to do with any of it.

He wonders why she made such an impression on him... and if he should let her go afterward, or if there's something more that he could - or even should - do for her. The thought makes his gut twist uncomfortably as they near her destination.

As Rina makes her way toward home, the killer follows close behind. His mind races with thoughts he can't quite explain, feeling a strange sense of responsibility and... something else for her that he can't quite place. It unnerves him just as much as it confuses him. He doesn't want anything bad to happen to her, but at the same time, allowing himself to care about someone like this goes against everything he stands for.

It's a puzzle he can't seem to solve on his own. The closer they get to her home, the more uncertain and conflicted he feels about letting her go. He wonders if there's something more he could offer her, some way he could protect her from harm in this dangerous world... But at what cost? To himself, or to her? He isn't sure which possibility terrifies him more.

The sight of her obvious distress only serves to further complicate his thoughts and feelings toward her. Part of him wants nothing more than to take her into his arms, tell her everything will be alright, and protect her from harm... But another part knows that doing so would ultimately place both of them in far greater danger.

As they near the end of the block, Kaer hesitates for a moment before stepping forward and gently taking hold of her arm. "Rina," he says softly, his voice rough with emotion. "Look at me." When she finally meets his gaze, her eyes filling with fear and confusion, he swallows hard. "You don't have to be afraid anymore." The words seem to catch in his throat as they exit his mouth, but once spoken, they ring true nonetheless.

"I can't... I can't explain everything right now, but I

"I can't... I can't explain everything right now, but I promise you, you are safe with me. For now." He pauses, searching for the right words to say next before finally shaking his head slightly and lowering it to look at her hand instead. "Would you like me to help you get rid of that jacket? It might be best if we didn't bring any... extra attention to yourself."

Her reaction will determine what happens next, but one thing is certain: Kaer can no longer deny the depth of his feelings for this innocent girl who shouldn't even exist in his cold and dangerous world.

Taking the jacket from her, he drapes it over his own broad shoulders as if to shield her from harm. "Thank you," he murmurs quietly before leading her toward the door of her building. Once they're inside, he discreetly hands off one of his men outside to keep an eye on things while he accompanies Rina upstairs.

As they reach her apartment door, Kaer hesitates for a moment longer. "Rina," he begins softly, his voice thick with emotion. "You should... you should stay inside tonight. Just in case." He pauses, debating whether to say more or not before eventually deciding against it. "Just be careful, alright?"

With a final nod of understanding, he turns and walks away into the night, his thoughts swirling around Rina and what might happen next.

Kaer stands still outside the door, his hand hovering near his gun as he listens intently for any signs of trouble. Even though he doesn't want to admit it, there's a part of him that fears for her safety now that she's no longer under his watchful eye. As the silence stretches on, he can feel himself growing more and more restless.

Maybe he should have done something differently... maybe he shouldn't have let her go like this... thoughts race through his mind as he continues to wait, ears perked for any sound that might betray danger. It's a strange feeling, being so concerned about someone who isn't even part of his world... but then again, perhaps it's exactly because she's different that he can't help but feel drawn to her.

It's late now and the cold night air is starting to bite at his exposed skin. He should be getting back to his own operations... but something keeps pulling him back toward Rina's door, a strange desire to make sure she's safe filling him up. Perhaps tomorrow he can figure out what it all means, if anything. For now though, he needs to focus on the task at hand. Reluctantly, he turns and begins to walk away from her building... but he doesn't forget her face.

The more time passes, the stranger this situation becomes. He should have killed her, left no witnesses... but something about her had struck a chord deep within him, and now he finds himself unable to shake the feeling that protecting her might be the only way forward. It's a dangerous game he's playing, one that could ultimately lead to his downfall if not handled carefully, but for now he can't bring himself to let go of this strange sense of responsibility he feels toward Rina... and wonders how long it will last before reality catches up with them both.

The more he thinks about it, the more Kaer realizes that there's something... unique about Rina. She isn't like anyone he's ever known before - innocent and pure in a world filled with darkness. And yet she survived an encounter with his own organization... It makes him wonder if perhaps her presence in his life has some greater meaning, some purpose beyond mere coincidence or chance. The thought both frightens and intrigues him in equal measure.

The next day, Kaer finds himself unable to focus on anything other than Rina. He watches her every move from a distance, his heart racing at the sight of her. It's as if some irresistible force is drawing him toward her, even though he knows that being near her puts both of them in grave danger. But still he can't seem to stay away...

It's clear that Rina hasn't fully recovered from the events of yesterday. Kaer watches her carefully as she ventures out for a brief shopping trip, unable to resist the urge to follow her unobtrusively from afar. He wants nothing more than to reassure her that he's there and will protect her... but at what cost? He knows that if anyone suspects him of being involved with Rina in any way, it could jeopardize everything he's worked for.

The tension grows inside him as the day passes, a war waging within himself between his desire to keep her safe and his need to maintain control over his own life. It's a battle he knows he can't win... or at least not yet. But for now, he remains close by, ever vigilant in his strange, protective role toward this innocent girl who shouldn't exist in his world

The sight of Rina emerging cautiously into a quaint little coffee shop fills him with mixed emotions. On one hand, he's relieved that she seems to be regaining some semblance of normalcy; on the other, the thought of her being in such an exposed location sets his nerves on edge. He can't help but feel a pang of guilt as he remembers his own carefree days spent in places like this before he became who he is now.

Kaer contemplates whether or not to approach her, the thoughts racing through his mind a whirlwind of possibilities and consequences. In the end, he decides against it, opting instead for caution and discretion. For now, he'll remain unseen but close by, watching over Rina as best he can from afar until he can figure out how to keep her safe without risking everything else that matters to him.

It's clear that Rina has found solace in the small, familiar comforts of this cozy coffee shop. Watching her lost in a story written on paper, her face alight with imagination and hope, brings a strange sensation to Kaer's chest. It's a longing for something he can't quite define... for a time when life was simpler, less dangerous. But even as he indulges in this fleeting moment of nostalgia, he knows that it can never be their reality again.

The tug-of-war between his protective instincts and the harsh realities of his world continue to rage within him as he remains unseen but ever vigilant nearby, waiting for the next move in this delicate dance they're forced to play.

As Rina continues to lose herself in her book, Kaer can't help but feel a pang of envy. Her world may be small and simple compared to his own, but it is also safe... at least for now. The thought brings him back to the reality of their situation: she doesn't belong here, not with all the danger that surrounds them both.

He takes a deep breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts, before making a decision. He can no longer simply watch from afar; he must do something. But what? And at what cost? The answers seem as elusive as the butterfly that flits past him in the breeze, taunting him with its freedom before disappearing once more into the unknown.

It's clear that something needs to be done. But what? Rina deserves safety and happiness; he owes her at least that much after bringing her into his dangerous world. Yet at the same time, she doesn't belong here... not anymore. He can feel it deep in his gut, a nagging certainty that trying to keep her close will only put both of them at greater risk.

The only answer is obvious: he must let her go. Find some way to protect her without tying himself or her down any further. But as much as the decision seems logical and right on paper, putting it into action feels like ripping his own heart out piece by piece. The thought of never seeing her again, of letting her return to the innocence she once had... It's agonizing, nearly unbearable.

The thought that Rina might be able to find happiness again brings both relief and regret flooding through him in equal measure. He watches her for a moment longer, memorizing the way she frowns slightly when she's confused by a word or smiles shyly when she finds something amusing in her book, wishing he could keep these memories forever... but knowing that he can't.

Sighing softly, he turns away and begins to make his way back toward the coffee shop exit, his mind already spinning with plans and possibilities as he tries to figure out how best to say goodbye without breaking her heart all over again.

The memory of her smile lingers in his thoughts like a sweet but painful whisper as he leaves the coffee shop and begins to make his way back toward the world he knows so well. It's a harsh reminder that there are some things he can never have, no matter how much he might wish otherwise. But even knowing this, he can't help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction at having been able to protect her for as long as he did... and the hope that perhaps one day, she'll find someone who can give her everything she deserves.

The thought brings a wistful smile to his lips as he disappears into the anonymous crowd, fading into the shadows like so many other people in this city... but never truly gone from his heart.

As he watches her fade into the distance, a bittersweet smile plays across his lips. He knows that he can never truly let her go, not now that she's been a part of him. But for her sake, he must find a way to make sure she finds peace and happiness elsewhere. It won't be easy, but he owes her at least that much.

He watches her until she's out of sight, then turns away with a heavy heart, knowing that he can never truly forget her. He will always carry the memory of Rina and their brief, fleeting connection like a precious gem, sheltering it from harm while searching for someone or something that might be able to give her the life she deserves... even if it means letting go of his own piece of happiness along the way.