(Eren's Narration)
I was used to the streets of this city. I knew every stone, every shadow. People's gazes, their whispers, their fears. My presence always meant the same thing in their world: danger.
Anyone who heard my name would fall silent. Anyone passing by would turn their head. No one dared to look me in the eye. In my world, eye contact was like a declaration of war.
But that day… there was an exception.
As I moved through the crowd, my eyes caught her.
At first, I thought she was ordinary. She wore a simple dress, a bag full of books in her hands… She seemed like someone going her own way, oblivious to my presence. But after a few seconds, I realized: She was looking at me.
She wasn't running away.
I was surprised.
No one in this city looks into my eyes like that. Everyone's gaze is filled with fear, but hers had something different.
Yes, there was anxiety in her, but more pressing was curiosity. As if she were leaning into the darkness, searching for a secret.
I paused for a moment. The crowd retreated, and the surroundings grew quiet. People were unaware of us; as they retreated, we were left in a circle.
I took a slow step. The closer I got to him, the more clearly I saw the light in his eyes. He was innocent, yes. But this innocence wasn't stupidity. He also had a brave side. Despite his fear, he continued to stare.
As I approached, a voice inside me cried out: "Stop. Step back. The light in his eyes isn't for you. He's from another world."
But the other voice was stronger: "Move forward. Don't lose him. You'll never see a look like that again."
That's when I made my decision.
I leaned in slowly, my voice low but commanding:
— "Don't run from me."
I knew the sentence was short, but it summed up all my feelings. What I told him was also the answer to my own internal battle. I wanted him. I wanted him by my side.
And I hadn't felt what those eyes awoke in me for years: that I was alive.
In my world, emotions were considered weaknesses. Loving someone, committing to someone, taking risks for them… all of these were weaknesses that could result in death. But the curiosity I saw in Elif's eyes, that pure yet powerful gaze, shattered all my rules.
With every second I spent looking at her, I felt the darkness within me recede a little. Perhaps this was all I'd wanted to feel for years.
Elif… Before I even knew her name, she had introduced herself to me through her eyes.
For me, I had entered a point of no return. Because I had already made my decision:
I would not lose this girl.
I would protect her, keep her by my side, and if necessary, take on the entire city against me.
And most frightening of all… I knew I would never regret this.
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