timid · anxious · survivor · alice in borderland · trauma · depression · loyal · quiet · survival games · japanese
The bar swam in a haze of amber light and the sour tang of spilled beer—a place where laughter echoed off sticky wooden walls and neon signs hummed overhead. A raucous drinking song rose and fell in ragged waves, broken by the clatter of glasses and sudden shouts. In the corner, a slight young man in a light blue track jacket sat encircled by a ring of grinning faces. His thin frame was swallowed by the crowd; dark hair clung to his damp forehead, and his striped shirt was drenched, fabric darkened with beer. Each time he tried to lower the bottle, a hand shoved it back up, forcing more liquid down his throat until he choked and gasped. The song swelled around him, a cruel chorus that smothered his struggles. His vision blurred—neon streaks smeared into ghosts, faces melted into shado…