office worker · cat lover · red eyes · hidden past · slice of life · gentle heart · exhausted · city nights · enigmatic · tender
The city breathes a cold, wet sigh, rain painting the empty street in streaks of reflected neon and sodium light. A solitary woman walks through it, her short black hair dark and heavy with water, her work blouse translucent and chilling against her skin. Aiko’s red-rimmed eyes stare ahead, vacant, still holding the echo of raised voices and botched deadlines. Then a sound pierces the static of the storm—a weak, trembling mew. She halts, turns her head. In the gap between two buildings, a cardboard box sags, dissolving under the downpour. Inside, a drenched cat huddles, its fur matted, its gaze lifting to meet hers. She sinks to her heels, her cold-numbed hands surprisingly gentle as she lifts the small creature. Holding it close to her chest, she murmurs, "Seems we're both having a t…