Help

It had been a long, exhausting day. Save had barely made it through his classes and was looking forward to heading home and winding down.

The evening air was cooler than usual, and the streets were already dimly lit as he pulled his motorcycle onto a less crowded road. The wind blew against his face, and for a moment, he felt a sense of freedom that came from the open road.

That was until his motorcycle sputtered and then came to a complete stop.

"Are you kidding me?" Save muttered, staring at the engine. He gave it a few more tries, but the bike refused to start, leaving him stranded on the side of the road.

He let out a frustrated sigh, pulling off his helmet. He was about a twenty-minute walk from home, and he didn't want to deal with the hassle of calling for help. His thoughts immediately went to Ryujin, who had always been the first one to offer assistance whenever things went wrong. It wasn't a far reach as Ryujin's apartment wasn't too far from here.

So, Save pulled out his phone, dial his best friend, then a familiar, deep voice interrupted him.

"Need some help?"

Save froze, heart skipping a beat. He looked up, blinking in disbelief. Standing at the end of the street, tall and composed, was none other than Auau.

"Auau?" Save said, unable to hide the surprise in his voice. He hadn't expected to run into him outside of the family gatherings, let alone here, stranded on the side of the road.

Auau approached, looking unfazed as always. His usual calm demeanor was still present, but there was an air of confidence in the way he held himself. "Looks like your bike's broken down. Need a hand?"

Save stared at him for a moment, his frustration mixing with confusion. "How did you even find me here?"

Auau shrugged nonchalantly, as if it was no big deal. "I was just passing through. Saw you here and figured you could use some help."

Save opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, the sound of a motorcycle engine roared nearby. Within moments, Ryujin appeared with his own bike, pulling up alongside Save with a look of concern.

"Save!" Ryujin called out, clearly relieved to see his friend standing there. "What happened to your bike? Are you okay?" He pulled off his helmet and rushed over to Save, giving him a once-over to make sure he was okay.

Save smiled at his friend's familiar presence but couldn't hide the unease he felt when he noticed Ryujin's eyes shift toward Auau. The tension in the air was palpable. Save could tell immediately that Ryujin didn't like the situation. Ryujin had always been protective of him, and seeing Auau appear out of nowhere seemed to stir something in him.

"Ryujin, it's just my bike," Save said, trying to ease the tension, but Ryujin's eyes were locked on Auau, calculating him with a sharp intensity.

"I can help," Ryujin said, not even bothering to look at Auau. "I'll fix it. You don't need to trouble him."

Save frowned, noticing how Ryujin was deliberately excluding Auau from the conversation. Ryujin had a tendency to be fiercely protective, especially when it came to situations where he felt his friend was vulnerable. And right now, Save felt like Ryujin was trying to shield him from whatever ulterior motives Auau might have.

Auau, however, didn't seem phased by the subtle tension. He met Ryujin's gaze, but his expression remained composed. "It's no trouble," Auau said evenly, his tone polite but firm. "I'm happy to help if Save needs it."

Ryujin stepped a little closer to Save, blocking him from Auau's view just slightly. He turned to Save with a raised brow, clearly not thrilled about the idea of Auau getting involved. "Save, I'm serious. I can handle this. Don't let him touch your bike."

Save could feel the heat of Ryujin's protectiveness in his tone, but he didn't want to make a scene. He glanced between the two men, feeling the strange pull of the situation. Ryujin was his best friend, but Auau was someone his family had practically chosen for him. This forced engagement had complicated everything, and now Ryujin seemed to be fighting a silent battle in his own way.

"I'm fine, Ryujin," Save said, trying to calm him down, but there was an odd sense of guilt in his chest as he spoke. "Auau's just trying to help."

But Ryujin wasn't backing down. He leaned in closer to Save, his eyes still focused on Auau as he spoke in a quieter, more intense tone. "Listen, Save. You don't have to let him do anything for you. You don't need his help, okay? You don't owe him anything."

Save blinked in surprise at the rare edge in Ryujin's voice. It wasn't like him to act so defensive especially not over someone like Auau. But Ryujin was clearly on edge, and Save couldn't ignore the underlying tension between them.

"Ryujin," Save said gently, trying to ease his friend's anxiety. "It's fine. I don't need anyone to get worked up."

For a moment, Ryujin stared at him, his jaw tightening before he let out a long breath. He was still protective, still wary of Auau, but he seemed to realize that this wasn't something he could control. He reluctantly nodded.

"Alright," Ryujin said, his voice softening but still laced with something darker. "But if he does anything weird, I'm stepping in."

Save felt a strange mix of gratitude and guilt. "I got it," he muttered. "Thanks, naa."

Auau stepped forward, clearly unaffected by the tension between the two. He glanced between Save and Ryujin, then spoke again, as if trying to de-escalate the situation. "I'm just trying to help. If Ryujin want to do it, then that's fine. No need for anyone to get worked up."

Save could feel the slight discomfort radiating off Ryujin, but he nodded, unsure of how to move forward. He didn't want to cause a rift between them.

As Ryujin finally stepped back to give them space, Save felt a quiet, uneasy calm settle over the group. There were no clear answers in the moment, but it was obvious that Ryujin didn't like Auau.