The morning air slid in through the open window, cool and light, but Kei had barely slept. He sat by the edge of the bed, silver strands falling into his face, eyes tracing the pale blue of the early sky.
The shop downstairs was silent for once. No customers, no chatter, just the rhythmic ticking of the clock. But silence wasn't always peace. Sometimes, it was the loudest thing in the room.
Footsteps padded softly from the hallway, and Min peeked in, hair slightly messy, eyes still heavy with sleep. "Kei?"
Kei didn't turn. "You're up early."
Min stepped closer, rubbing his eyes. "You didn't sleep, did you?"
"…No," Kei admitted after a pause.
Min exhaled slowly and sat beside him without another word. The wooden floor creaked faintly under their weight, the kind of sound that filled the quiet instead of breaking it.
"Was it… about him?" Min asked softly.
Kei's jaw tightened, but he didn't pull away. "Yeah."
Riku's face—his grin that wasn't really a grin, the bitterness hidden under easy words—kept flashing through his mind. Some things didn't fade just because you wished them away.
Min tilted his head slightly, studying Kei's expression. "You don't have to go through this alone."
Kei's lips twitched at the corner, not quite a smile. "You keep saying that."
"Because I mean it." Min's voice was quiet but steady. "You've been carrying too much on your own. It's okay to lean on someone… even just a little."
Kei turned finally, eyes meeting Min's. For a heartbeat, the weight in his chest loosened just a little, like a knot slowly being untied.
"Min," he murmured, voice lower than usual.
"Hm?"
"…Thank you."
The words were simple. But coming from Kei, they felt heavy and real.
Min gave him the kind of smile that didn't need any explanation—soft, understanding, and warm. "What are friends for?"
Kei's chest stilled for a moment at that word. "Friends."
But the warmth it left behind was something he didn't push away. Not this time.
Outside, the sun finally began to rise, casting a soft glow into the room. A new day had started, but the shadows hadn't vanished—they just didn't feel as terrifying with someone sitting beside him.
To be continued...