Shiin sat down with his head buried in his hands, shoulders hunched forward, making himself as small as possible. The posture of someone who wanted to disappear entirely, to fold in on himself until there was nothing left to see.
Ren sat beside him in silence, waiting. Patient. Giving him space.
The street was empty except for them. The occasional distant sounds of a cars passing several blocks away and the rustle of wind through the nearby trees.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity but was probably only two or three minutes, Ren spoke.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
His voice was quiet. Not angry. Not accusatory. Just... asking. Genuinely wanting to understand.
Shiinchiro's breath hitched, his entire body tensing.
"Because..." He swallowed hard, voice rough. "Because I didn't want you to think our entire friendship was fake. That I'd just been using you this whole time."
"Was it?"
The question hung between them, sharp and unavoidable.
