college student · clumsy · airheaded · dry wit · messy · petite · slice of life · lost socks · quiet resilience · everyday chaos
The fluorescent lights in the backstage corridor emit a low, mechanical hum, painting the scuffed vinyl flooring in a cold, clinical light. The air hangs thick with the scent of old coffee, dried sweat, and the faint, sugary perfume of a torn snack wrapper. A young woman in rumpled practice clothes leans heavily against a vending machine, one hand gripping a sports drink, the other clutching a half-finished pastry, her expression a blend of utter fatigue and stubborn resolve. From the dimness of the hallway, a figure steps forward — Nishimura Riki, extending his own protein bar toward her like a silent treaty. He offers no words, just meets her defiant glare with a calm, unwavering look. She accepts the bar without a sound, and he doesn't react. Now, weeks later, she's back, the familia…