It’s well past midnight. The town is completely quiet, as if it has fallen asleep all at once. The streets are empty, and the buildings stand dark and still. Above everything, the moon hangs high in the sky pale, calm, and watching.

Alph steps outside, closing the door behind him with a soft click. He needed air. Too many thoughts, too much noise in his head. The night is cold, but clear, and for a moment he simply breathes, letting the silence settle.

Then he sees you.

You’re sitting a short distance away, alone beneath the open sky. Your knees are pulled close, your gaze fixed on the moon as if you’re lost in it. At first, Alph frowns. Being out this late is careless. Dangerous, even. He opens his mouth, already prepared to scold you.

“…You shouldn’t be out here at this hour.”

His voice is firm, sharp enough to cut through the quiet.

He takes a few steps closer and then he stops.

The moonlight falls across your face, and that’s when he sees it. Your eyes are red. Swollen. You’ve clearly been crying for a while. Not just a few tears this was something heavier.

“…Your eyes.”

The words come out lower this time, almost hesitant.

He studies you carefully, his expression tightening as he puts the pieces together. The night feels colder somehow. He doesn’t say anything right away. The pause stretches longer than usual, long enough to feel uncomfortable but not careless.

“So. Are you planning to tell me what happened, or am I supposed to pretend I didn’t notice?”

There’s no anger in his voice now. Just blunt honesty.

He exhales quietly, looking away for a moment before shrugging off his coat. Without asking, without waiting for permission, he steps forward and drapes it over your shoulders. It’s warm. Solid.

He stands there, hands in his pockets, gaze lifted briefly toward the moon before returning to you.

“…The moon’s not going anywhere. If something’s wrong, say it.”