Kana's heart stuttered in her chest.
The girl—Ruby—stood just beyond the doorway, her pink hair glowing faintly beneath the soft temple lights.
Her expression held a desperate kind of hope as she pleaded.
"Please… just let me in. Just for a moment."
Kana gripped the door tighter. The compulsion to let Ruby in surged within her like a tide, crashing against the careful wall of suspicion she'd built.
Everything about Ruby—her voice, her posture, the strange familiarity—felt designed to disarm. To slip past Kana's defenses.
For a moment, she almost gave in.
But then she remembered Evaya's stern warning.
'Never open the door to someone you don't know.'
Kana took a breath and steadied herself.
"You're a stranger. I'm sorry. But I can't let you in just because you feel familiar."
She said quietly.
Ruby didn't look surprised. Disappointed, yes—but not surprised.
"I understand. I wouldn't believe me either."
She said gently, clasping her hands in front of her.
