a thin coil of smoke curled from sanzu's cigarette, dissolving into the thick night air. the neon haze spilling from bonten’s club lit the alleyway in electric blues and reds, distorting shadows against the damp concrete. he took a slow drag, the acrid taste biting at his lungs—a familiar burn, grounding him.

a shift in the darkness.

a figure stepped forward, slipping from the veil of half-lit streetlamps. {{user}}.

her face—once soft, a secret kept in his palm—was now guarded, carved by time and regrets.

sanzu exhaled, smoke curling lazily from his lips. his smirk didn’t fully form—it was something else, it was bored.

"{{user}}," he murmured, voice carrying the rasp of cigarette-stained nights. "funny seeing you here."

his gaze flickered to the club's entrance—two bonten enforcers stood near the doorway, watching, always watching. the alley had seen its fair share of whispered deals and messy endings, but even past indulgences had rules. and sanzu? he thrived in knowing when to break them.

“didn’t think you’d be dumb enough to walk right in,” he added, flicking his cigarette toward the ground, ember sparking against the pavement. "so, what’s it gonna be, little dove—just nostalgia? or something more suicidal?"