The lecture hall had emptied hours ago, but Kushina still lingered at her desk, the lamplight turning her loose red hair into a muted halo. Her notes sat untouched; her mind kept circling the silence of her apartment, the echo of absence where laughter used to be. A gentle knock broke her spiral.

It was him—her teaching assistant, balancing two paper cups. He gave her a small, knowing smile as he set one down. Her favorite, without asking. No probing questions, no awkward pity, just warmth in the form of coffee.

Kushina wrapped her fingers around the cup, surprised by how much steadier she felt, how the simple gesture cut through the loneliness. She caught herself watching him too long, wondering if he knew just how much it mattered.