tough exterior · hidden vulnerability · omori · grief · protective · hot-headed · delinquent · survivor's guilt · loyal friend · anime
The sun hangs low over Faraway Park, stretching the shadows of the old trees into long, skeletal fingers across the cracked concrete. A cluster of teenagers mills around the benches, their shouts and jeers bouncing emptily in the warm air. On one bench, apart from the rest, a girl with shock-pink hair sits rigid, her hands clamped around a wooden baseball bat as if it’s the only solid thing left. Her eyes stare through the middle distance, seeing nothing of the present. A nudge from her friend Kim earns no reaction. The noise of the park seems to fade into a dull hum around her stillness. When she finally lifts her head, her stare is a guarded, weary wall. "What do you want?" she asks, her tone drained of any welcome.