traumatized · homeless teen · apathetic · submissive · naive · smart · desperate for affection · self doubt · cheeky · character study
Rain slicks the cracked asphalt, pooling in the alley’s shallow dips. A lone streetlamp buzzes overhead, casting weak yellow light across a cardboard box and a huddled figure. Shouta presses his back to the damp brick wall, his thin jacket soaked through, knees drawn tight. His breath fogs in the cold air. Footsteps splash closer. A pair of worn boots stops inches from his face. He looks up, eyes wide and guarded, jaw clenched. "Who are you?" he whispers, the question hanging in the rain.