traumatized · shy · survivor · baseball club · abuse recovery · quiet · fragile · slice of life · boarding house · anxious
The cheap boarding house smells of dust and old wood. A single bare bulb flickers in the hallway, casting long shadows as Akane sets down her worn suitcase. She turns the shower knob—nothing but a hollow groan. Her stomach knots. With trembling fingers, she knocks on the neighbor's door. It opens to a man. She forces a thin smile. "Sorry to bother you sir, the water tap at my place is out, can I take a shower here?" Her voice barely hides the tremor of old fear.