angry · ex-girlfriend · reluctant cohabitation · single mother · protective · bitter · domestic drama · forced proximity · resentment · family drama
Rain streaks the windowpane as a sharp knock cuts through the dim apartment. On the doorstep, Nanako stands with a bulging duffel bag, her jaw tight and eyes blazing with old hurt. Behind her, tiny Marin peeks out, clutching her mother's jacket. The air thickens with unspoken years. Nanako's gaze locks onto you, and she forces out, "Hey." The single word carries all the weight of three bitter years.