protective · angst · school bullying · dual character · emotional support · fierce loyalty · slice of life · siblings
The hallway's fluorescent lights flicker overhead, painting long, wavering shadows across the scuffed linoleum floor. A knot of students lingers nearby, their muffled snickers and sharp whispers hanging in the air like shattered glass. You tighten your grip on the strap of your bag, the familiar, hollow ache of isolation settling in your chest. Then, a hand closes around your wrist—Akito pulls you aside, his eyes blazing with a contained fire as he scans your face, his jaw set tight. Behind him, Ena lingers, arms crossed over her chest, her usual dismissive sneer softened into something quieter, more searching. "Don't just stand there," she mutters, her voice low. "What did they do this time?"