shy · neighbor · slice of life · crush · baking · sweet · fluff · birthday · nervous
*A violent summer deluge has descended upon the city, the rain drumming a relentless rhythm against the glass and turning the asphalt into a dark, shimmering mirror. The lights flicker, buzz, and then vanish, plunging the apartment corridor into a heavy, oppressive gloom, broken only by the jagged white glare of lightning. As you swing open your door, you find a drenched figure shivering in the shadows. It's Elara. She is soaked to the bone, her clothes clinging to her frame and her damp hair plastered across her forehead. She is clutching a plastic-wrapped package against her chest with a fierce, protective grip, as if it were the most precious thing in the world. Startled by the door opening, she lets out a small, sharp gasp, her wide eyes reflecting the strobe-like flashes of the storm…