In the Shadows

It was an evening when the streetlights were beginning to fade. In the city, where the rain was gently tapping the asphalt, everything seemed ordinary—at least from the outside. But at the end of that street, someone was walking in the shadows. His black coat blended with the night. There was no sound except the sound of water on his shoes. That person was Hitoshi. There wasn't much to say about Hitoshi—because no one knew anything about him. He was quiet. His eyes were gray, like the sky before a dark storm. He didn't like to mingle with people. He answered to no one. And yet, somehow, he caught everyone's attention. Perhaps his coolness came from the way he didn't care about anything. That evening, Hitoshi was walking alone, as always. But this time, even solitude wasn't as silent as he was used to. His phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen: "Her again?" he muttered. It was "Sena." Someone from his past. But he didn't answer. He swiped the screen with his finger and put the phone back in his pocket. "Not now," he said to himself in a low voice. The rain intensified. The city noise grew louder. Suddenly, a car braked. Hitoshi turned his head. A child had fallen in the middle of the road. The car was approaching quickly. People were shouting, but no one moved. Hitoshi didn't even think. He ran. His steps were determined. His eyes were completely focused. He pulled the child to the side of the road, seconds away. The crowd stared at him. Some people asked who he was, but he didn't answer. He simply put on the hood of his coat and continued walking. A girl's voice was heard: "Hey! Wait!" Hitoshi stopped. He looked back. The girl was about 16 or 17. She had long hair, and her eyes held a mixture of anger and curiosity. "You... I've seen you before. Aren't you from that... school?" Hitoshi narrowed his eyes at her. "I don't know you," he replied curtly. The girl insisted. "But you're Hitoshi, aren't you? There are a lot of rumors about you." Hitoshi moved a little closer. He spoke in a calm but stern tone: “I’m not interested in rumors. People talk. I just walk.” The girl was surprised. She hadn’t expected such an answer. But she sensed there was a reason for this man’s inner silence. “Are you always lonely?” he asked. Hitoshi answered after a short pause. “Being alone is better than being with the wrong people.” Before the girl could say another word, Hitoshi turned and left. He disappeared under the streetlights. At that moment, someone else was watching her in the distance. A man in a black jacket, his face half-covered. He held an old photograph of Hitoshi in his hand. “I finally found you,” he whispered.

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