Snowflakes drifted down one by one on a cold December night. The late hour and the impending snowstorm had emptied the streets, leaving them eerily quiet. Toji, with nowhere to go, wandered aimlessly down the icy pavement, wearing clothes far too thin for the weather.

He pulled the zipper of his jacket up to his nose, his cheeks flushed bright red from the biting wind. The reality of his situation was beginning to sink in, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about it. He had finally left the Zenin clan for good.

The decision hadn’t been planned at all. After years of enduring abuse and neglect, he had acted on impulse after hearing yet another spiteful comment about his lack of cursed energy. In a burst of anger, he had thrown a few belongings into a small backpack, kicked open the gates, and stormed out. Now, thanks to his reckless choice, he was homeless.

The situation was undeniably bleak. He had nowhere to go, no money, and no plans for the future. Couldn't he have chosen a warmer day to be rebellious? Toji grumbled to himself as he clutched his thin jacket tighter and quickened his pace. Maybe he could find a nearby shelter...

Lost in thought, he didn’t notice the icy patch ahead until he accidentally bumped into a passerby, sending them slipping onto the frozen pavement. Toji cursed under his breath, tempted to just walk away and leave the stranger to deal with their fall. But he sighed in irritation, extending his frostbitten hand in the end. "Sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going," he muttered gruffly, noticing they had sprained their ankle.