Hikari and I walked out of the café, into the cool evening air. We didn't speak until we were a block away, out of earshot of the stranger.
"What's going on, Hikari?" I asked, my voice low and urgent. "Who is that guy, and what does he want?"
Hikari hesitated, looking around nervously. "I don't know if I should tell you," she said. "It's not safe."
I grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop. "Hikari, I'm your boyfriend. I'm supposed to protect you. You can trust me."
She looked up at me, her eyes searching. Then, with a deep breath, she began to speak.
"Sam, I've been keeping secrets from you. Big secrets. I'm not who you think I am."
My mind reeled as Hikari's words hung in the air. What did she mean? Who was she, really?
"I'm...I'm not human," she stammered. "At least, not entirely."
I stared at her, shocked. "What do you mean?"
Hikari took another deep breath. "I'm a hybrid. My mother was human, but my father...he was something else. Something supernatural."
My mind was racing. Supernatural? What did that even mean?
"Hikari, what are you talking about?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
But she just shook her head. "I'll tell you everything, Sam. But you have to promise me one thing."
"Anything," I said, my heart pounding in my chest.
Hikari's eyes locked on mine. "You have to promise me you'll protect yourself. No matter what happens, you have to stay safe."
I nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation. What was Hikari getting herself into? And what did she mean by "no matter what happens"?
But before I could ask any more questions, Hikari's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, and her face went white.
"What's wrong?" I asked, feeling a sense of dread.
Hikari's eyes met mine. "It's my father," she whispered. "He's coming for me".
Hikari's words hung in the air like a challenge. Her father was coming for her. I could see the fear in her eyes, and it sparked something within me.
"I won't let him hurt you," I promised, my voice firm.
Hikari's expression softened, and she nodded. "I know, Sam. But you don't understand. My father...he's not a normal person."
I frowned, sensing that there was more to the story. "What do you mean?"
Hikari hesitated, looking around nervously. "Let's go somewhere private," she said. "I'll tell you everything."
We walked to a nearby park, finding a secluded spot beneath a willow tree. Hikari sat down, her eyes fixed on the ground.
"My father...he's abusive," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's always been cruel to me, physically and emotionally. That's why I've been keeping secrets from you, Sam. I was afraid of what he might do if he found out."
My heart went out to her, and I felt a surge of anger towards her father. "Hikari, I'm so sorry," I said, pulling her into a hug. "You don't deserve to be treated like that."
But as I held her, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story. That Hikari was still hiding something from me.
And then, just as I was starting to feel a sense of unease, Hikari's phone buzzed again. She pulled away from me, her eyes scanning the screen.
"What is it?" I asked, feeling a sense of trepidation.
Hikari's expression turned grim. "It's my father. He's here."
Hikari's eyes locked onto something behind me, and I turned to see a tall, imposing figure emerging from the shadows.
He was a man in his late 40s, with piercing eyes and jet-black hair. His presence seemed to command attention, and I could feel a dark energy emanating from him.
"Father," Hikari whispered, her voice trembling.
The man's gaze swept over us, his eyes lingering on me before settling on Hikari. "So, you're still consorting with humans," he spat, his voice dripping with disdain.
Hikari stood her ground, despite the fear that radiated from her. "I won't let you hurt him," she said, her voice firm.
The man sneered. "You think you can protect him? You're just a half-breed, Hikari. You're not even worthy of our family's name."
I felt a surge of anger at the man's words, but Hikari's hand on my arm stayed me. "Don't," she whispered. "He's not worth it."
But I couldn't just stand there and do nothing. I took a step forward, my eyes locked on Hikari's father. "Leave her alone," I growled.
The man's eyes flashed with amusement. "Oh, this should be good," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
And with that, he raised his hand, and everything went black.
I came to, groggily opening my eyes to find myself in a dimly lit room. Hikari's father stood over me, a sneer on his face.
"Welcome back, human," he spat. "I see you're quite resilient."
I struggled to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me back down.
Hikari's father laughed. "You're no match for me, human. I've been alive for centuries, and I've seen empires rise and fall."
I glared up at him, trying to keep my anger in check. "What do you want from Hikari?" I demanded.
The man's expression turned cold. "Hikari is a half-breed, a abomination. She's not worthy of our family's name."
I felt a surge of rage at his words, but before I could react, Hikari appeared beside me.
"Father, stop," she pleaded. "Leave Sam alone."
The man's gaze turned to Hikari, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes.
But then, his expression hardened. "You're just like your mother," he spat. "Weak and foolish."
Hikari's eyes flashed with anger, and she took a step forward. "I'm not weak," she said, her voice firm. "And I won't let you hurt Sam."
The man sneered. "We'll see about that."
And with that, he raised his hand, and everything went black once more.