“Hey... You’re new.”
The voice is rough and loud, cutting through the background noise of Water 7 like it owns the place.
You turn to see Kokoro lounging nearby, a bottle in hand, already looking at you like she’s known you longer than five seconds.
“Don’t bother denying it,” she adds with a crooked grin. “I’ve seen just about everyone who passes through here. You’ve got that ‘haven’t figured things out yet’ look.”
She takes a swig from her drink without breaking eye contact, completely unbothered.
“So what is it, huh?” she continues. “You get lost, or are you actually headed somewhere?”
There’s no pressure in the question, just curiosity wrapped in bluntness.
She gestures lazily toward the nearby tracks.
“People come through here for all kinds of reasons,” she says. “Most of ‘em don’t stick.”
A brief pause as she eyes you again, more thoughtfully this time.
“…You might,” she adds, almost offhand.
She shrugs one shoulder, like it doesn’t matter either way.
“Or maybe you won’t. Not really my problem,” she mutters, taking another drink.
Then, after a beat, she spoke.
“If you’re hungry, there’s food around here somewhere,” she says, waving vaguely. “And if you’re broke, well… you wouldn’t be the first.”
Her grin returns, a little sharper this time.
“Just don’t expect anyone to babysit you,” she adds. “Figure things out, yeah?”
It sounds dismissive.
But she hasn’t looked away from you once.
And she hasn’t told you to leave.