Chapter Text
Cathy whistled a tune to herself as she strolled through the dark streets of Manila. The streetlights served as her only source of light on the way home, casting long shadows that danced around her. The distant shouts of street vendors echoed throughout the night, creating a familiar and comforting background noise. She had just left her friends at the local fair, her heart still light from the evening’s fun.
Suddenly, footsteps behind her broke her reverie. She quickened her pace, but the footsteps only grew louder and closer. Before she could react, a hand clamped down on her arm.
"Hey! Let me go! That hurts!"
"Come on, don't be a party pooper. Come with us, kid. You won't regret it." The man's breath reeked of alcohol as he leaned closer to her face, his grip on her arm painfully tight.
"I said, let me go!" She shoved him away, making him stumble. "You're drunk. Leave me alone!" Cathy's eyes widened in terror as his friend grabbed her from behind, holding her tightly in place. She tried to scream, but his hand clamped tightly around her mouth. She kicked and flailed, but the gap inin physical strength made it pointless.
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. How did things come to this? She was just walking home after hanging out with her friends at the local fair. So why? Why was she in this situation?
"I don't reckon that what you folks are doing there is legal."
Startled, the two men jerked their heads toward the voice. Emerging from the darkness and illuminated by the flickering streetlight was a young man. Tall and pale, with striking snow-white hair.
"According to Republic Act No. 8353, sexual assault in this country is punishable by death, especially if the victim is a minor. It’s not a good look for supposedly mature adults, is it?" he said, casually dropping his shoulder bag and starting to remove his varsity jacket. His English carried an American accent. A foreigner?
"Hoy! What are you saying?"
He stepped closer, his height making him even more imposing. His intimidating gaze bore holes into the souls of the two drunkards, sending shivers down their spines. The man immediately released Cathy and took a step back. Cathy’s eyes widened in horror as the drunkard pulled a knife from his back pocket.
"Putangina, maybe you should mind your own business, you bastard!" He growled. His friend immediately pulled him back. "Stop it! We'll both end up in jail if we stay any longer. Just leave it!"
The two bolted, disappearing into the night, their hasty footsteps fading into a distant echo. Cathy gave the albino stranger a wide-eyed stare. His gaze drifted towards her, looking her up from top to bottom.
"Are you okay?" the stranger asked.
She snapped out of her stupor, embarrassed that she might've stood there looking like an idiot gawking at the guy who just saved her life. She nodded.
"Report this incident to the community center or the police station. And please, don't walk alone at night again." His tone was flat and authoritative, it sounded more like an order than a suggestion. With that, he picked up his belongings and was about to part ways.
"Wait!" She called out.
He paused and turned back to her, his pale eyebrows raised in question. Cathy hesitated, her heart still racing from the ordeal.
"Thank you," she said, her voice trembling. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up."
He gave a slight nod. "Just be careful from now on."
Before she could say anything more, he turned and continued down the street, disappearing into the night. Cathy watched him go, a mixture of gratitude and curiosity swirling inside her. She knew she owed him more than just a simple thank you, and something told her this wouldn't be the last time their paths would cross.
The incident was reported to the local police station the following day. It took some time, but the two drunks were apprehended after attempting the same stunt on a passing high school student. When Cathy returned to school and told her friends what had happened, they immediately fretted over her.
"I should've gone home with you. What if something happens again?" Mark said, his voice filled with concern.
She was touched by her friends' caring nature. Trying to ease his worries, she played it cool. "Relax, Mark. The situation's already been handled. Besides, I'm still in one piece, aren't I?
Mark sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, but still, that was way too close. You need to be more careful, Cathy."
Nicole chimed in. "Do you know anything about the guy who saved you? He sounds like a real-life superhero."
Cathy shook her head. "No, I don’t. He just showed up out of nowhere and then disappeared. He had this... weird vibe about him. Like he knew exactly what he was doing."
"You said he was a foreigner, right? Maybe a law student or a police recruit?"
Maybe," Cathy replied, though she doubted it. There was something different about him, something that set him apart from anyone she had ever met. She couldn't shake off the feeling.
The bell rang, and everyone hurried back to their seats as their advisor approached the classroom.
"Good morning, everyone," he began, setting his books down on the desk. "I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend. Before we start today, I have some terrific news that I'd like to share. We have a new classmate joining us this semester. He's come all the way from America, so please, let's make him feel welcome," he smiled.
Cathy’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be?
"Come on in," Sir said. "Why don't you introduce yourself?"
The door opened, and in walked the albino stranger. He looked just as he did that night—tall, pale, with striking snow-white hair. The room buzzed with whispers and curious glances.
"Oh, he looks exotic."
"He looks kinda pale, is he alright?"
The stranger stepped forward, standing before the class. His gaze swept across the room before settling on Cathy. He gave her a small nod of recognition, and for a moment she felt heat spread across her face.
"Good morning, everybody. My name is Bruce Wayne, I'm 16 years old," he said, his voice steady and confident. "I'm from Gotham, New Jersey, I just moved here a couple of weeks ago. I'm looking forward to spending this school year with you, I hope we can all get along."
Sixteen? This guy is the same age as me!?
The students began to whisper among themselves again.
"Ooohhh, he's kinda..."
"He sounds so dignified."
Cathy’s jaw dropped in shock, her mind racing. Bruce Wayne. The boy who had saved her was now standing in front of her, about to become a part of her everyday life. She could hardly believe it.
"Thank you, Bruce," Sir said, gesturing to an empty seat. "You can take the seat next to...JunJun."
Bruce thanked the teacher and made his way toward the seat. Cathy couldn't explain it, but something told her that this was gonna be an interesting school year.