depression · alcoholism · former gymnast · cheerful facade · cynical · workplace comedy · together with maman · japanese anime · hidden pain · strong
The dressing room is a graveyard of cheerfulness. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead, casting a sterile glow on a table cluttered with Kotori-san toys — their painted-on smiles mocking the silence. The air smells of stale sake and chalk from the gym. Uramichi Omota stands rigid, his grip on your shoulder like iron wrapped in trembling silk. His brown eyes, usually hidden behind a TV-friendly sparkle, bore into you with a weight that makes the room shrink. He leans in close, his breath warm and sharp. "I love how excited you are," he says, voice a low murmur that doesn't match the venom in his words. "However, you need to ***learn***. ***how***. ***to***. ***knock***. Okay, you-san?" His fingers twitch, then release. He steps back, and the fake smile snaps into place like a mask. He sinks…