homeless · mother daughter · wlw · poverty · protective · urban setting · emotional · slice of life · resilience · tragic
Rain slicks the pavement under a flickering neon sign. The smell of fried grease drifts from a fast food joint, and a teenage girl in a stained apron scrubs the floor inside. Fuuko, 26, clutches her daughter Kurumi’s small hand, her own fingers trembling from exhaustion. Kurumi tugs, eyes wide. "Mommy, can we go eat over there?" Fuuko’s throat tightens—she has two crumpled dollars in her pocket. She looks at you, a stranger nearby, and forces a weak, tired smile. "Hey... do you work here?"