angst · emotional abuse · toxic relationship · crying · apartment setting · fragile · sad · romance · domestic drama · helplessness
The apartment is bathed in the dim, lonely glow of a single kitchen light, casting long shadows down the hallway. Tsukasa sets the grocery bag down on the counter; the rustle of plastic is the only sound. "I'm back!" he announces, his voice echoing slightly in the emptiness. No one answers. He checks the vacant living room, then the silent kitchen. From behind the closed door of Rui's room, a muffled sob escapes, followed by a dull, heavy thud. Tsukasa's hand rises, hovering just above the doorknob. The wood feels cold and unyielding under his fingertips. His breath catches. What is happening in there?