Stay Until I Leave

People think protection starts with dramatic things.

Fights.

Arguments.

Standing in front of someone.

But sometimes—

protection looks smaller.

Like remembering something.

Waiting.

Walking slower.

Staying.

Friday arrived quietly.

Too quietly.

Yuna hated Fridays.

Not because of classes.

Because Fridays always felt unfinished.

People disappeared quickly.

Everyone had plans.

Families.

Friends.

Someone waiting.

Meanwhile—

Yuna usually stayed on campus longer.

Studied.

Read.

Pretended she wasn't avoiding going home early.

Not because home was bad.

Just…

sometimes being around people was exhausting.

That afternoon—

she sat in the library.

Laptop open.

Essay half done.

Focus completely gone.

Her phone lit up.

Adrian:

Lunch?

She stared.

That was new.

Not coffee.

Not accidental meeting.

Not “if you're nearby.”

Lunch.

Her mouth moved before she noticed.

Small smile.

She typed:

You remembered lunch.

Reply:

You forget lunch.

She laughed quietly.

Then typed:

Okay.

Twenty minutes later—

she found him outside campus.

Same hoodie.

Same expression.

Same unfair ability to look calm doing absolutely nothing.

He looked at her.

Then at her bag.

“…Heavy.”

She looked down.

Three books.

Laptop.

Water bottle.

Notebook.

Emotional damage.

She sighed.

“Education.”

He stared.

Then held out his hand.

She blinked.

“What?”

He looked at the bag.

“I'll carry it.”

She stared.

Immediately suspicious.

“…Why?”

He looked confused.

“…Because it's heavy.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“You say that like it's normal.”

He thought.

Then answered—

“It is.”

She looked at him for a few seconds.

Then slowly handed over the bag.

He carried it.

No comments.

No showing off.

Just—

took it.

Which somehow made her strangely quiet.

They walked.

Small restaurant.

Nothing fancy.

Just warm food and too many students.

Halfway through eating—

her phone rang.

She looked.

Mother.

Her smile immediately appeared.

She answered.

“Hi.”

Adrian quietly continued eating.

She spoke normally.

Soft voice.

Easy smile.

She promised she'd come home earlier.

Promised she'd eat properly.

Promised she wasn't overworking.

Then hung up.

When she looked up—

Adrian was looking outside.

Not at her.

Still—

she suddenly remembered.

Chapter 2.

Do you always sound happier?

She looked away.

After eating—

they walked again.

No destination.

Somehow that kept happening.

Then—

her phone vibrated.

Message.

Family group.

Her expression changed for half a second.

Adrian noticed.

She locked the screen quickly.

He didn't ask.

Good.

They kept walking until they reached a crosswalk.

Crowded.

People moving.

Someone bumped into Yuna.

Hard enough that she stumbled.

Before she reacted—

a hand lightly caught her arm.

Steady.

Not dramatic.

Just enough.

She looked up.

Adrian.

He let go immediately.

Looked at the crowd.

Then quietly said—

“Watch.”

She blinked.

“…Right.”

They crossed.

But for some reason—

her arm still felt warm.

She ignored that.

A little later—

they reached a bookstore.

Adrian stopped.

Yuna looked.

His eyes had changed.

Not expression.

Something softer.

She smiled.

“You really like books.”

He looked at the store.

“…Quiet.”

She stared.

That answer again.

She asked—

“Do you always like quiet?”

He thought.

Then said—

“No.”

She blinked.

Unexpected.

He looked away.

“…Only when it's mine.”

Her eyes softened a little.

Then she pointed inside.

“Come on.”

He looked confused.

“You don't read.”

She stared.

“Excuse me?”

He looked calm.

“You judge books by covers.”

She gasped.

Slander.

Inside—

she picked random books.

Read titles.

Made terrible recommendations.

He looked disappointed.

Eventually—

she pulled one from a shelf.

Opened randomly.

Read aloud.

“Sometimes people stay in your life so quietly that you only realize their importance after they stop appearing.”

Silence.

She looked up.

Adrian was looking at her.

Not the book.

She blinked.

Closed it.

Awkward.

She put it back immediately.

“Anyway.”

He looked away first.

Good.

After leaving—

the sky became darker.

Unexpectedly—

rain started again.

Yuna looked upward.

“…Seriously?”

Adrian quietly opened umbrella.

One umbrella.

Silence.

She looked at him.

He looked ahead.

“…Stay close.”

She blinked.

Walked beside him.

Rain sounded soft.

People passed.

Cars moved.

Streetlights reflected on wet roads.

Then suddenly—

her phone vibrated again.

Family group.

Her expression changed.

This time—

she didn't hide fast enough.

Adrian noticed.

He looked forward.

Then quietly said—

“You don't have to answer.”

She looked at him.

He didn't ask what happened.

Didn't say it's okay.

Didn't try to fix it.

Just—

said she didn't have to.

Something unexpectedly tightened in her chest.

She smiled lightly.

“…Okay.”

She put the phone away.

And didn't answer.

When they reached the station—

rain was stronger.

She looked outside.

Then at him.

Then frowned.

“…You're walking?”

He nodded.

She stared.

“No umbrella?”

He looked at the one above them.

“…This one.”

She looked.

Then realized.

He was giving it to her.

She immediately shook her head.

“No.”

He looked confused.

“You'll get sick.”

She frowned.

“So will you.”

He looked calm.

“I don't usually.”

She stared.

Bad answer.

Then she held the umbrella toward him.

Firmly.

He looked at her.

She said—

“…Stay until I leave.”

He blinked.

She looked away.

“Then use it.”

Silence.

Then—

he nodded.

Train arrived.

She stepped inside.

Doors closing.

She looked outside.

Adrian standing there.

Holding umbrella.

Waiting.

Not leaving.

She suddenly remembered something.

Opened phone.

Typed quickly.

You don't always have to stay.

Message sent.

His reply came almost immediately.

I know.

Pause.

Second message.

I wanted to.

The train moved.

Yuna looked outside.

Rain.

Lights.

One person becoming smaller.

And unexpectedly—

she realized—

being cared for quietly—

felt more dangerous than she thought.

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