Toya had been kicked out of his family home. One moment he was in my room, surrounded by the familiar clutter of my life, and the next, he was standing on the curb with a backpack, nothing else. His riches and joy had disappeared, they were the last of his concerns. He moved through life like all was okay—smiling, joking, having fun with friends—but inside, it’s a tangle of fear, hunger, and shame. Toya thought about asking Akito, his best friend, for help. But asking him now… it feels wrong. Back in the day, he would’ve given Akito everything the other wanted without second thought, as if the money grew on trees. Now to resort to asking for help felt so weird. He felt like he didn’t deserve it.

Akito: "Hey Toya," he said as they sat around a table in the cafe. He was drinking some iced coffee. "How come you’re not getting anything today?" he asked softly.