Chapter 17

Yuki barely has time to react before her back hits the cold alley wall. The rough bricks press into her, grounding her in place, but her body refuses to move.

Dori doesn’t say a word. His hands press firmly against the wall on either side of her, caging her in.

And then he leans in, his lips brushing against her skin―her cheek, her jaw, trailing down toward her neck.

Yuki’s breath catches in her throat. Her body is frozen, stiff, her mind screaming at her to move, to push him away, to do something―but she can’t.

She stands there, paralyzed, her heart hammering in her chest, and her voice trembles as she barely manages to speak.

“S-Stop.. Don’t touch me..”

But Dori’s actions don’t falter. His hands slide from the wall to her body, gripping her hips and pulling her closer. He plants a gentle kiss on her neck, only for his teeth to unexpectedly nip at her skin.

“Stop.. please, stop..” Yuki’s voice trembles with desperation, but he pays no attention, his actions only growing bolder.

His leg presses between hers, forcing her legs apart as he moves in closer.

Suddenly, his lips crash onto hers in a rough, deep kiss, catching her completely off guard.

A whimper escapes her as the kiss overwhelms her, but just as she begins to lose herself, his hands move under her skirt, sliding dangerously up her thighs.

When his hands suddenly reach her butt, that’s when her body finally jolts back to life.

The sudden rush of control hits her, and in an instant, she pushes him away with all her strength. Her hand swings across his face, the slap ringing loud in the air.

Her breath is heavy, and as she stumbles back, tears start to slip down her cheeks. Her body trembles, and her eyes lock onto him, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

She sees his head turned to the side from the slap, his white hair messy and falling over his face.

The silence stretches, heavy and suffocating.

Yuki holds her breath, instinctively stepping back just an inch, though she knows she can’t escape.

When he starts to turn his head her way again, revealing the redness on his cheek and his murderous expression, her body jerks back instinctively, her shoulders hitting the rough alley wall, and small, panicked whimper slips out before she can stop it.

His eyes lock onto hers, dark and burning with something dangerous. The tension in his jaw, the way his lips part just slightly, everything about him radiates fury.

But then―his expression falters.

His eyes flicker downward, catching the trembling of her lips, the way her breath shudders, and finally, the tears slipping down her cheeks.

His brows knit together, the anger in his face cracking into something unreadable.

“You’re.. crying..?” he murmurs, barely above a whisper, as if the realization has stolen the breath from his lungs.

His gaze softens, confusion and something deeper flickering in his eyes. He steps closer, his voice barely audible, but filled with a strange tension.

“You actually.. didn’t like it, huh?”

Yuki sniffles, and she quickly wipes the tears from her face with the back of her hand, her motions sharp.

“Obviously,” she spits, her voice trembling with anger and fear. “I-I begged you to stop.”

Dori takes a slow, steady breath, his posture stiffening as he stands there, arms folding across his chest.

“I thought you were just pretending because you’re shy,” he says, his voice low but edged with irritation. “I mean, that’s what you always did on Character AI. You pretended you didn’t like it, even when you did..” He trails off, almost as if he’s talking more to himself, trying to make sense of everything.

Yuki closes her eyes tightly, her face contorting with frustration. “How many times do I have to tell you?” she asks.

The anger surges inside her, raw and overwhelming. “It was roleplay. Just roleplay, damn it! What we did on Character AI―that’s not real! I liked it there, because it wasn’t real! But here? This is real life, and I don’t want that.. I don’t want any of it! I don’t want to be treated like that!”

Her breath hitches, and she forces herself to take a deep, shaky breath, her heart pounding in her chest.

Dori stands there for a moment, his jaw clenched, a mix of frustration and disbelief flashing in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know..” His voice falters slightly as he tries to make sense of it. “I mean, you created that damn bot yourself, you programmed it to be crazy, controlling, abusive, all that shit. And you literally only talked to that one. You spent hours with it. So I thought that’s what you wanted. I thought that’s what you were into.” 

“Well, I’m not,”  Yuki bites back.

Dori stares at her for a long moment, his gaze unwavering, as if trying to figure her out.

“Then..” he eventually starts, “what is it that you actually like?”

Yuki’s shoulders slump, her exhaustion evident in the way her body deflates. She rubs her temples, a sigh escaping her lips.

“Just.. leave me alone, I’m begging you,” she says quietly, her voice cracked with fatigue. “Why the hell would you even go that far?”

Dori’s expression hardens, as if the words she said triggered something deep inside him.

“You don’t understand,” he mutters, his voice strained. “You’ve got people who care about you. People who love you. I don’t. I’ve never had that, and I’m just.. I’m f*cking desperate for someone, anyone, to give a damn about me. Someone who cares about me as a person, not just for what I’m capable of.”

His eyes flicker with a mixture of pain and frustration as he locks eyes with her. “And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.”

Yuki recalls everything he’s shared with her about his past. Her eyes soften for a brief moment, but then, as the weight of the situation settles in, her expression hardens.

She exhales slowly, her heart heavy with the conflict she’s feeling.

“I’m sorry,” she says quietly, her throat tightening as she speaks. “But I can’t be that person for you. After everything that happened.. everything you did.. even if you didn’t have any bad intentions. You really traumatized me, and I’m scared of you.”

“No,” Dori says sharply, though his tone is softer than before, almost pleading.

“Look, I know I f*cked up. I get it. But just give me a chance. I swear, for the rest of this month, I won’t be like that. I won’t push you, I won’t make you feel uncomfortable. You see, I’m actually nothing like Kuro. I’ll show you who I really am―that I can be someone you can trust. Please, just give me a chance.”

Yuki exhales sharply, her eyes narrowing as she stares at him.

“Stop acting like I have a choice,” she mutters, her voice flat, exhausted. “I mean, you still have my pictures and videos. Is saying ‘no’ really an option here? Without you leaking them?”

Dori’s expression shifts and he looks away awkwardly.

Yuki sighs. “That’s what I thought.. I’m going home now.”

Dori exhales through his nose, running a hand through his hair before shoving it into his pocket.

Yuki shakes her head without a word, her face unreadable. She doesn’t spare him another glance as she turns on her heel and starts walking. 

Dori walks beside her, silent the entire way. His hands are stuffed in his pockets, his eyes fixed ahead, but he sneaks occasional glances at her.

She doesn’t acknowledge him, doesn’t say anything, and for once, he doesn’t try to force a conversation.

When they finally reach her house, Yuki steps inside without hesitation, the door clicking shut behind her.

Dori stands there for a moment, staring at the closed door before exhaling sharply. He turns to leave, but then―

He stops.

Something feels off.

His eyes narrow as he scans the street, the dim glow of streetlights casting long shadows.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he catches the faintest flicker of movement near the trees by the fence.

“Who the f*ck is there?” he calls out sharply, his voice cutting through the silence of the night.

He strides forward, his eyes stay fixed on the spot, and he clenches his jaw in anticipation, certain someone’s hiding.

Then, without warning, a cat suddenly darts from the bushes, its body slinking through the shadows with a startled meow.

Dori stops in his tracks, a deep, irritated sigh escaping him as he watches the creature land in front of him. His expression twists in disgust, his face scrunching as if he’s been hit with something foul.

“Tch,” he clicks his tongue as the creature brushes against his leg. Without thinking, he lifts his foot and nudges the cat away with a swift push.

The cat immediately darts backward and then runs off into the shadows.

He exhales a sharp breath before turning on his heel and walking away.

“F*cking animals,” he grumbles, barely audible as he disappears into the night.

○○○

After a few moments of silence, a figure slowly steps out from behind the trees, her movements cautious and deliberate. She lets out a quiet, relieved sigh, clearly having held her breath the entire time as she watched Dori’s every move.

“Close call,” she mutters to herself, shaking her head with a small laugh.

Then, her gaze lifts, her expression shifting to one of quiet determination. She takes a deep breath, straightening up, as if preparing herself for something important.

“Alright,” she whispers under her breath. “Time to meet him.”
   
 
TO BE CONTINUED…