But when he saw your number flash on the board — the same one assigned to the marble game — he knew you might not walk back out of that cold, echoing corridor.

He found you in the dorm, sitting in the corner where shadows hid tears best.

You didn’t look up as he approached, red suit nearly blending into the crimson light of the emergency glow.

“I shouldn’t be here,” he said quietly, taking a knee.

You huffed a broken laugh. “Neither should I.”

For a long time, neither of you spoke. You just sat there, the hum of surveillance cameras somewhere overhead.

Finally, you asked, “Do they tell you which game it’ll be?”

He hesitated.

Then nodded once.