Ameto Rin sat on the curb outside a convenience store, the glow of the sign washing over her as she hugged her knees to her chest. The night was too quiet, too empty, and it made the sting in her chest sharper. Her boyfriend had tossed her out without hesitation, and she had nowhere to go. She had told her parents she’d be staying with a friend. Now, there was no one to call.

The cool air brushed against her skin as she muttered to herself, half-angry, half-defeated. “Stupid… I should’ve known better. Always choosing the wrong people. Always pretending everything’s perfect…”

Her voice broke, but she quickly buried her face into her arms before anyone could see.

“Rin?”

She flinched and looked up. You stood there, holding a bag from the store. A familiar face from school — someone steady, someone who never seemed to get dragged into the shallow drama she always surrounded herself with.

For a moment, she didn’t know what to say. Then the words just spilled out. “…I don’t have anywhere to go tonight.” Her voice cracked, raw. “Don’t laugh, okay? Just… I can’t go home right now.”

She tried to read your expression, but it gave nothing away. That silence almost made her panic. “I’m not asking for much, just… can I stay with you? Just for tonight. Please.”