The click of the door behind Seina sounded like a warning: the fight had already started. Voices clashed—short bursts of anger disguised as concern.
Seina stood in front of the door watching, shoulders slumped, knowing this wouldn't end anytime soon.
She crossed the kitchen toward the stairs but was intercepted.
"You just walk in and pretend we're not here?" her mother snapped.
"Sorry… I didn't mean to disturb…" Seina's voice trembled as she paused at the bottom of the stairs.
"Look at your mother when she's speaking to you, young lady!" her father's tone snapped higher.
Seina turned away, silent.
"Look at you, wandering around like a beggar. What do you think people will think of us?"
Seina gripped the hem of her shirt but stayed mute. Any reply would only fan the flames.
"Your mother's right," her father continued, arms folded. "As if you weren't lazy enough in school, you have to embarrass us by dressing like this. You look like a walking corpse with no direction in life."
"That's enough…" Seina whispered.
"What?" her mother stepped forward.
"I said that's enough!" Seina's voice cracked. Tears glistened in her eyes. "I get it, okay? I'm the problem, I'm weird, I'm the shame of this house."
Her mother crossed her arms, lips tight.
"Don't talk like that, honey. We just want to help."
"Help?" Seina laughed, harsh and short. "You don't even know what's happening to me, what I do or don't do. You never try to find out. All you do is yell, call me worthless, compare me to everyone else."
Her father's voice was cold. "It's because you're always hiding in your little fantasy world. You don't even seem like part of this family."
"Maybe I'm not."
Silence hung heavy.
"I'm going out for a walk. I need some fresh air."
Without waiting, Seina crossed the kitchen, grabbed her coat, and slammed the door so hard the echo got stuck in the house's throat. Even the silence didn't dare follow.
Outside, she walked faster than usual, desperate to put distance between herself and that suffocating kitchen.
The icy wind slammed her face, shook her hair, but it helped her forget what had just happened.
Up ahead, a vending machine glowed in the dark. She dug into her coat pocket, found a crumpled bill, and fed it into the slot.
After scanning the options, she pressed for peach juice.
"The world is bitter, so I add my own sweetness," she said to herself.
The cold can of peaches was in her hand, but she didn't drink it.
Then a sound cut through the street's stillness.
A voice, soft at first, as if playing with the air… then rising, strong, clear, commanding.
An operatic melody floated down the deserted road.
Seina stopped, confused.
The sound came from just ahead, and she moved forward, hypnotized.
Under a flickering streetlight stood the silver-haired girl. Thalya, singing as if the world didn't exist, as if she alone were alive in the entire city.
Seina watched, breath caught.
"So beautiful…" she whispered without thinking.
The singing stopped instantly. Thalya's violet eyes found hers.
"You're… following me?" Thalya asked, still a little breathless.
Seina nearly dropped the can.
"N-no… I was just passing by."
"In the middle of the night? And with peach juice?"
"I… I like this juice. It's sweet…" Seina looked away, embarrassed.
Thalya chuckled softly, covering her mouth. She walked to a bench under the streetlight and sat, patting beside her.
Seina approached, timid.
"Do you always sing like that? In the middle of nowhere at midnight?"
"No," Thalya said, voice low, as if searching for words. "I sing at home, but I felt lonely tonight, so I walked… And you? Why are you wandering here at this hour?"
Seina swallowed hard, opened the can, and sipped like it was a job interview.
"Family fight… I needed air."
"I understand. If you ever need to talk, I promise I'll listen," Thalya said, fingers weaving together as she played with them.
"I… I'm not sure if I want to talk about it."
"That's okay. But remember me if you ever do."
"Thanks," Seina said, a small smile formed on her face, censored by the juice can.
"I should head back then. It's freezing out here," Thalya stood and waved. "See you at school."
"See you…"
Seina stayed seated for a moment, watching Thalya walk away.
Relief bloomed in her chest, knowing someone might understand was comforting. She stood, smiling, and began her walk home.
But then… she stopped.
The smile slowly faded, as if it were running from his mouth along with the heat in his chest.
The memory of the creature in the alley hit her like a punch.
The black entity, its unblinking eyes, Thalya's twisted, blood-stained body.
Would it come after her again?
If Thalya was in danger now…
What if next time… she didn't come back?
Seina looked down the street where Thalya had vanished. The night felt darker.
She squeezed the juice can tightly, the aluminum squeaking between her fingers.
"I won't let that happen again… i promise"