Blood Shadow's Favor.

The Shadowed Stranger

It was already eight o'clock at night, and the darkness outside was deep. Through the bookstore's warm lights, Sarah could clearly see the large raindrops pounding against the glass windows, leaving streaks that quickly overlapped, only to be covered again by new ones.

Sitting by the window, Sarah's pale fingers turned the final page of her art book, her brows furrowing slightly with a sense of lingering incompleteness. She tilted her head to gaze out into the night, her reflection faintly visible in the glass: a small face with delicate features, a beauty mark just below the corner of her eye, adding an alluring touch to her captivating look.

Outside, she could see umbrellas moving slowly along the street, each with a different pattern. There were a few, like her, who hadn't brought an umbrella—some hurried by, while others strolled leisurely in the rain. This rain had been falling for three hours, showing no signs of stopping.

Sarah pressed her lips together. It was late, and the rain probably wouldn't let up anytime soon. The thought of getting soaked on her way home and needing to take medicine afterward made her inwardly groan. With a resolute sigh, she closed her book and stood up to return it, finally freeing those few stolen glances that had been cast her way.

Downstairs, as she reached the bookstore's entrance, Sarah glanced left and right. The street was almost deserted, with only a few scattered figures in sight. She took a deep breath, ready to dash into the rain, when a hand gently grabbed her wrist from behind.

"Miss, take this," said a soft voice. Sarah turned to see a cute girl, likely a bookstore employee, holding out an umbrella.

"No, thank you," Sarah hesitated, looking at the umbrella before politely declining.

Noticing her reluctance, the girl smiled and explained, "I actually left an umbrella here before and brought another one today. You can use this one."

Before Sarah could refuse again, the girl pressed the umbrella into her hands.

"The rain's too heavy. Just take it, no need to be polite.”

"Well… thank you. Can I return it to you tomorrow?” Sarah asked.

"Sure! If I'm not around, you can leave it at the front desk,” the girl replied, her smile revealing two small dimples.

Sarah nodded, opening the umbrella. "Thanks.”

The name tag on the girl's chest read: Tina.

Stepping into the rain, the slanting raindrops sneaked under the umbrella, cooling her bare calves. It was still spring, and the night air was chilly. Sarah shivered slightly, thinking about the three hours she had been stranded in the bookstore. She pulled out her phone and, seeing the small sun icon for tomorrow's forecast, felt her mood lift a little.

Just one more turn down this alley and she'd be home. Quickening her pace, Sarah kept her eyes on the road ahead. But as she passed the entrance of the alley, she suddenly felt something cold wrap around her ankle.

Her heart skipped a beat, a rush of fear coursing through her as she recalled scenes from horror movies set on rainy nights. Moving slowly, she looked down. What she saw made her breath hitch—a pale hand gripping her ankle.

Her pupils constricted. At this hour, there was no one else around, and calling for help would be useless. Fortunately, the hand's owner didn't make any other moves. Steeling herself, Sarah gripped the umbrella handle tightly and tried to shake her foot free. After a few attempts, she was surprised to see a man slumped against the wall, his upper body falling out of the alley and onto the ground. His head hit the pavement with a dull thud, but even so, he continued to grip her ankle tightly.

The night was dark, and there were no streetlights nearby, so she couldn't make out the man's face. He lay motionless, and Sarah felt a slight sense of relief. Gathering her courage, she crouched down and pried his hand loose easily. Without a second thought, she bolted, not daring to look back, terrified that he might wake up at any moment.

The wind, laced with the rain's chill, swept past her ears as she ran. It was only when she saw the security office's lights in the distance that she allowed herself to slow down, her heart still pounding in her chest.

As the sound of the man's head hitting the ground replayed in her mind, she grew nervous again. She wasn't sure if he would make it until someone found him, or if any security cameras had caught her on her way out. But she knew that if he died, or if the police got involved, she would inevitably be questioned.

After weighing her options, Sarah's steps slowed, and she pulled out her phone. Her fingers hovered over the screen, ready to call the police, but she hesitated. Sighing in resignation, she turned back toward the alley.

She had already typed in 911, and her thumb hovered over the green call button, ready to press it at a moment's notice. She didn't want to go to the police station, but if the man suddenly woke up and attacked her, at least they would have her location.

As she approached the alley again, the silhouette of the man lying on the ground came into view—exactly as she had left him.

She stopped a few feet away, reaching out with her foot to nudge his shoulder. When he didn't react, she quickly pulled back. Glancing around, her eyes met the red light of a security camera across the street at a convenience store.

Expressionless, Sarah shoved her phone back into her pocket, crouched down, and checked for a pulse under the man's nose. He was still alive, but his breathing was faint.

Leaning her umbrella against the wall, Sarah took a deep breath. After several tries, she finally managed to lift him up and prop him against her shoulder. Carrying a man made it impossible to hold the umbrella properly, so she sighed in frustration, resigned to getting soaked on her way home.

Sticking close to the walls, she walked slowly, pausing every so often. By the time she reached her apartment complex, nearly half an hour had passed.

Two security guards poked their heads out from the office, squinting at the figures in the rain.

"What's going on?” one of them asked.

"Nothing,” Sarah replied, her voice flat. "My boyfriend's drunk.”

As soon as she spoke, she regretted it.

One of the older guards stepped out with a flashlight, the beam cutting through the rain and landing on Sarah. He blinked in surprise. "Oh, it's you! Is this really your boyfriend?”

"Yeah,” she answered, not expecting him to recognize her.

Satisfied, the guard stopped questioning her. "Let me help you carry him inside.”

Alarm bells rang in Sarah's head. "No, it's fine. I'm almost there.”

"It's raining hard, let me give you a hand. No trouble at all,” the guard insisted, moving toward them.

"Really, it's okay. Thank you,” she repeated firmly.

"Well, if you're sure. Be careful, then.” Seeing her determination, the guard reluctantly stepped back. He watched as the two figures disappeared into the rain, shaking his head before heading back inside.

"Who was that?” the younger guard asked.

"Who else? The ‘Fairy' of our complex,” the older one replied.

"What?! You mean that Fairy? She has a boyfriend?” The younger guard jumped to his feet, sunflower seed shells scattering from his clothes.

The older man nodded. "Yep, who else would it be?”

The younger guard pretended to wipe away tears. "Did you see what he looked like? Does he even deserve her?”

The older guard rubbed his chin, pretending to think. "A good match, I'd say.”

In reality, with the rain and the umbrella obscuring most of the man's face, he could barely make out any details. But judging by the man's silhouette, he figured the guy probably wasn't bad-looking.

"I don't believe it!” The younger guard couldn't accept the idea that anyone could be good enough for her.

"Believe it or not,” the older one said with a shrug.

After a few minutes, the younger guard sighed, a note of sadness in his voice. "What a shame… A perfect rose wasted on a pig.”

The older guard smacked him on the head. "Watch your mouth! You think the Fairy would fall for a pig?”

But deep down, he couldn't help feeling a bit regretful himself. After all, in a neighborhood mostly populated by the elderly, Sarah's beauty was striking. She was like a rare flower blooming in the snow.

Aside from the elderly residents, Sarah kept everyone else at a polite distance, her demeanor cool and unapproachable. Over time, people started referring to her as the "Fairy.” Many had tried to court her, and several of the elderly had even tried to set her up, but she had turned down every single one.

After witnessing so many failed attempts, it was hard not to feel a little disappointed that the Fairy had finally been claimed.