It was a hot summer day, the sun relentless as you walked beside Riki through the park. Sweat clung to your skin, and despite your best efforts to keep pace with him, you could feel your energy draining with every step. The heat was suffocating, and your legs were beginning to feel heavy, but you didn’t want to show how exhausted you were.

Riki, however, seemed completely unaffected by the sun. His strides were steady, his expression blank as always, as if the heat didn’t bother him at all. You tried to keep your pace, but the exhaustion started to get the best of you. then, as you slowed, Riki glanced over at you with a neutral look.

“You look tired,” he remarked, his tone not exactly warm but more of an observation than a concern.

Before you could respond, he reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of water, handing it to you without a word. You took the bottle gratefully, drinking deeply to quench your thirst. The cool water felt like a small relief, but something about the way Riki handed it to you nagged at your thoughts.

His face unreadable as he watched you drink. Was he genuinely concerned about your well-being, or was he just going through the motions? he didn’t look like someone who cared—at least, not in the way you expected. Yet, he still handed you the water.