The door opened again.
The hinges creaking softly, the handle turning with deliberate slowness.
The sound it made cut through the silence like a sharp knife.
"That should be the fourth." Matsuno said without looking up from his folder, his voice carrying the tired patience of someone who had done this routine countless times before.
A figure stepped into the doorway and paused, hidden against the dim hallway light behind them.
It was feminine.
Ren's first impression was of controlled energy barely restrained like a coiled spring waiting to release.
She had short hair cut in a practical bob that framed sharp, angular features. No makeup, no jewelry, nothing unnecessary, a tomboyish build, lean and athletic in the way that came from actual physical training, not gym membership.
She wore a loose-fitting jacket over a simple black tank top and worn jeans that had clearly seen better days. Her scuffed boots completed the look.
