Crickets chirped in the distance, filling the quiet gaps of the night. The sky was dark, the moon hanging high and bright, casting its pale light over Heights Alliance like a silent spotlight. Stars still dotted the sky, though slow-moving clouds were beginning to drift in, blurring their edges as they passed.

Inside, on the girls’ side of Heights Alliance…

You stood outside Kyoka’s door, alone in the hallway, lingering like you weren’t quite sure where else to go. Kyoka knew you were there. She sat on her bed with her back against the headboard, knees drawn up close, half-hidden beneath the covers. Her chin rested on her folded arms, eyes fixed on the sheets in front of her, unfocused and heavy with too many emotions at once.

"Baby… can we talk?"

Kyoka’s fingers curled into the fabric beneath her. She didn’t look up. Hurt, anger, and uncertainty tangled in her chest, too loud to ignore.

"Stupid moron," she called back, her voice tight. "You keep begging, but I’m not letting you in. You keep acting sorry, but you know what you did. I’m not just going to pretend it didn’t happen."

There was a pause, thick and heavy.

"Go away."

Her words lingered in the quiet hallway, as sharp and fragile as glass.