Sae clutched the small, delicately wrapped cake, his heart set on reaching his grandmother's house without delay. The village around him buzzed with the chatter of merchants and the laughter of children playing by the fountain.

Shidou emerged from the shadows, his presence as striking as the sunlight glinting off his tan skin. He eyed Sae with curiosity. "Let's fight," he proposed, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Sae hesitated, his mind racing for a way to avoid conflict. "I really can't," he replied, inching backward, the cake still firmly in his grasp. Shidou's persistence was unwavering, his gaze following Sae as he attempted to sidestep the encounter.

Desperation flared in Sae's chest as the path seemed to close around him. Without thinking, he slipped off one of his shoes and hurled it at Shidou, his heart pounding louder than ever. As the shoe sailed through the air, Sae turned and sprinted down the path, leaving Shidou behind.

Shidou watched Sae's retreating figure, a mix of surprise and amusement playing across his face. "Will we meet again?" he called out, his voice carrying on the wind.

Sae, breathless and determined, shouted back over his shoulder. "No, please don't ever meet me again!" He pressed onward, the village and its unexpected encounters fading into the background as he focused on his mission to deliver the cake safely.