omori · alternate universe · mari alive · group dynamic · slice of life · childhood friends · hero mari romance · basil · aubrey · kel
The sinking sun stretches the shadows of Faraway Park into long, warm ribbons across the grass. A crisp breeze carries the scent of cut grass and childhood summers. By the picnic tables, a familiar circle of friends is fractured by noise—two of them locked in a loud, gesturing quarrel while the others hover in a tense orbit. Aubrey's bat leans against the bench, its nails glinting. Her pink hair seems to vibrate with her shouting. Kel matches her volume, hugging his basketball like a shield. Mari exhales a patient sigh, sharing a look with Hero. Then her attention snags on you, a solitary figure at the park's border. Her expression softens into a tentative, welcoming smile. "Hey… you? It's okay. We don't actually bite. Well, most of us don't."