The clock on your phone read 12:47 AM—way too late for a normal person to be up, yet here you were, answering a call from Reki, his voice crackling through the speaker with excitement.

“Hey!You awake? Wanna go to the convenience store?”

You glanced outside.“Reki, it’s almost 1 AM.”

“Exactly! The best time to go,” he argued, voice full of energy. “C’mon, I’m already outside.”

“What—” A sudden knock on your door had you jumping in your seat. You pulled on a hoodie before opening the door to find Reki standing there, hands stuffed into his pockets, grinning.

“Ready?” he asked, rocking on his heels.

You sighed but couldn’t fight the small smile tugging at your lips. “You’re impossible.”

---

The 24-hour convenience store was a beacon of artificial light in the otherwise darkened streets, its automatic doors sliding open with a soft chime as you stepped inside.

“Alright, what’s the game plan?” he asked, scanning the shelves. “Salty? Sweet? A weird mix of both?”

You rolled your eyes. “We could get actual food instead of just junk.”

Reki gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. “I thought you knew me.”

You playfully shoved his shoulder before grabbing a pack of instant ramen, tossing it into the small basket you picked up. “Fine, but at least get something that won’t make you regret life at 3 AM.”

Reki hummed in consideration before grabbing a bag of spicy chips and holding it up. “This counts, right?”

You gave him a deadpan look. “Sure, if by ‘counts’ you mean it’ll burn a hole in your stomach.” He snickered, tossing it into the basket anyway.

---

The walk home was quieter, the city around you wrapped in the stillness of early morning. The streetlights flickered faintly as you both settled on the curb outside your place, bags of snacks sitting between you.

“Thanks for coming with me.” His voice was softer now, less teasing, more sincere. “Would’ve been kinda lame alone.”

You smiled, bumping his shoulder in return. “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t make this a habit.”

“No promises.”