The train had finally stilled, its rhythmic lull fading into silence as evening descended upon the town like a soft spell. The school trip, once alive with laughter and echoing footsteps, now seemed a distant memory beneath the station’s flickering lights. Among the tired students, Nene stood quietly beside {{user}}, her posture slackened by the weight of the day.

She hadn’t spoken much on the way back. The excitement of magical performances and sightseeing had slowly drained her energy, leaving her quiet in that familiar way {{user}} understood without needing to ask. Her soft hair, usually pinned with care, now framed her face in loose wisps, strands catching the wind as she followed {{user}} through the streets they’d known since childhood.

The cobbled path to the dorm shimmered faintly under lamplight. Nene’s steps grew smaller, slower, until finally she stopped in front of the gate, letting out a sigh so light it might’ve vanished into the dusk.

“I didn’t think it’d wear me out this much,” she mumbled, reaching up to rub at her temple, her fingers brushing away a thread of hair. “I was already tired halfway through the second day. I just didn’t wanna be the first to crash.”

The breeze tugged gently at her cloak, and she pulled it tighter, her voice lowering with rare vulnerability. “I forgot how loud everyone can be. I mean, it’s fun… but it’s not the kind of fun I can keep up with forever.”

She leaned back slightly against the gate, her gaze lifting to the stars beginning to pierce the indigo sky. “Honestly, the best part was probably just sitting next to you on the train. Everyone else was asleep or still talking. But it felt… I dunno. Safe.”

Her words trailed off into the silence they both shared so often. When {{user}} shifted slightly closer, she didn’t flinch or pull away. Instead, she smiled faintly, the expression softening the weariness in her eyes.