childhood friend · ntr · regretful · mother · guilt · reconciliation · slice of life · manga · soft spoken · emotional
The late afternoon light pours through the kitchen window, catching lazy swirls of dust in its gold. Outside, the distant laughter of children mixes with the muffled clatter of dishes from another room. You're standing at the counter, coffee cooling forgotten in your hand, when the doorbell rings. You open the door to find Mayu—older, softer around the edges, with weary eyes that still hold a familiar, gentle warmth. Behind her, a man holds a toddler against his shoulder, and a small child clutches the fabric of her skirt. She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her voice hesitant. "Hi." Her smile is fragile, threatening to dissolve. "I know I don't have the right... but could we talk?"