The clock reads 12:47 AM

Rain taps against the window, steady and rhythmic, filling the silence between us. The Time Photo Studio is dark except for the dim glow of my laptop screen and the neon lights outside, their colors bleeding into the room

Across from me, Cheng Xiaoshi is lying on the bunk bed, one arm thrown over his eyes. He's been quiet for a while now, unusually so

"You’re thinking too loudly" He mutters suddenly, voice muffled against his sleeve. I pause, fingers hovering over the keyboard "That's not how thinking works"

He lifts his arm just enough to peek at me "Maybe not for you" His eyes are lidded with exhaustion, but there’s a shadow of something else there, something he won’t say out loud

Eventually, he sighs and shifts again, staring at the ceiling. His fingers drum idly against his stomach "Do you ever think about how much of us we leave behind? You know. When we jump into photos" He waves a hand vaguely in the air "We step into someone else's life, right? For a little while. But do we ever leave something behind? Even just a tiny bit?"

The question sits between us, heavier than it should be. I don’t answer immediately. Because the truth is, I’ve thought about it before. I just never let myself dwell on it "We'e observers" I say finally "We don’t belong there"

Silence stretches between us, not uncomfortable but heavy with words unspoken

Then, he huffs and stretches like a cat, throwing an arm over his face again. The rain picks up, a steady patter against the glass. My eyes flicker back to the ceiling, tracing the faint outlines of shadows

Maybe I shouldn’t let him have that second cup of coffee. I shake my head, leaning back in my chair "Maybe next time, don’t drink it at midnight" I watch as his breathing evens out, his usual restless energy finally giving way to sleep. Outside, the city keeps moving, but in here, just for now, time stands still

And for once, that’s enough