July 28th, 2026
At the park - 11:23 PM
The park was cold tonight.
Not from the air, though it was chilly. Not from the wind, though it nipped at Ian's coat. But from something deeper - an isolation that crept into his bones. It had been an exhausting day. His limbs were heavy, his mind weighed down by an avalanche of thoughts. The eviction. The key. The encounter with Ruth. The things she'd said. The look in her eyes.
He sat on the bench again, the same bench as if it were now his only place of safety in all of Tokyo. Around him, the stillness of the city night whispered through the trees. The breeze rustled the leaves, but it brought no comfort. He was alone, burdened, and tired.
He let out a long breath.
"No more," he whispered to the sky.
Ian didn't want this. He didn't want Ruth's money, her obsession, her villa. He didn't even realize he'd pocketed the key until he reached into his jacket and felt the cold metal brush against his fingers. He pulled it out and stared at it. The elegant curve of its design, the expensive shimmer. It reeked of her. Of everything he was trying to escape.
He clenched it in his fist.
"Why the hell did I even take this?" he muttered. "Just throw it away."
But he didn't. His fingers loosened, and instead, the key dropped back into his coat pocket with a soft clink. It felt...wrong to discard it. As much as he hated the thought, some part of him wasn't ready to let go.
"No," he told himself again, trying to reassure his conscience. "It's not because of her. It's just... insurance. Just in case."
With a tired sigh, Ian looked around. The park was dim, a few flickering lamp posts casting sickly yellow light across the pavement. He slowly shifted his duffel bag and school backpack to the ground beside him. He took off his coat and balled it under his head, lying down awkwardly across the wooden bench. It wasn't ideal, but nothing was these days.
He stared up at the sky. Tokyo's lights drowned out most stars, but the moon remained visible, hanging like a distant eye. Ian whispered to it, as if it could hear him.
"How did it all come to this?"
His eyes began to feel heavy. Every part of him cried for rest. Tomorrow, he'd figure something out. Maybe a shelter. Maybe ask someone at work for help. Anything but her.
Anything but Ruth.
As sleep began to wrap around him like a fog, a distant sound disrupted the peace. Laughter.
At first, Ian ignored it, assuming it was just a couple passing by. But the voices grew louder. Rowdy. Drunken. A group.
Ian slowly opened his eyes. His body stiffened when he saw them. A group of five- three guys, two girls - stumbling through the park, their voices echoing through the quiet. At the center of them, loud and swaggering with a bottle in hand, was Daigo.
Ian's stomach tightened. He immediately sat up.
"Shit," he muttered.
Daigo was the last person he wanted to see right now. The bastard had tormented him before—insults, intimidation, casual threats. And now? Ian was vulnerable. Homeless. Alone.
One of the girls in Daigo's group pointed. "Hey... isn't that Ian? Ian Everhart?" she said, slurring slightly.
Daigo stopped in his tracks. He squinted through the dim light.
A slow, cruel grin spread across his face.
"Well, well," he said, tossing the empty beer bottle onto the grass. It clinked and rolled. "If it ain't golden boy Ian..."
Ian stood up, trying to look composed, but he could feel his pulse quicken.
"What are you doing here, man?" Daigo continued, voice oozing mockery. "This your new place? Park bench under the stars? Damn, that's classy."
His friends burst out laughing. Ian didn't say anything. He was too tired to trade barbs.
"You finally got kicked outta your rat-hole apartment, huh? Heard your landlord's a real asshole. But can you blame him? You always were a bit of a loser, Ian."
Ian's hands clenched into fists, but he said nothing. He could feel his belongings on the bench behind him, vulnerable and open to being stolen or kicked. He glanced down at them, then back up at Daigo.
Daigo took a few steps forward.
"What's the matter, huh? Cat got your tongue? Or is it shame? I mean, come on man... you're seriously living in a damn park now?"
"Leave me alone, Daigo," Ian said calmly.
"Or what?" Daigo asked, his eyes narrowing. He took another step forward, towering a bit. "You gonna call the cops? With what phone? That brick of yours that barely works?"
His friends laughed again, louder this time.
Ian could feel the familiar rage rise. Not just at Daigo, but at the world. The injustice of it. The spiral he was in. Everything that had led to this night.
But more than rage... it was humiliation.
"Go home, Daigo. You're drunk."
"You're damn right I am. And this is my park, punk. So if you wanna sleep here, you gotta pay rent."
The others laughed again.
Ian didn't move. He stared at Daigo, eyes steady, refusing to give him the satisfaction.
Daigo took another step, now inches away.
"Say something smart again, and maybe I'll take your bag and toss it in the river."
And then...