The car eases to a stop in front of Yu's shared home. Rin kills the engine, and Theo leans forward, as if ready to step out with Yu, but Yu's soft, practiced smile meets him first.
"Thank you for today."
Yu says, voice light, airy—almost convincing.
"But I should rest. Goodnight, Theo. Joy."
Joy waves brightly. Theo studies him for one long, unreadable beat before murmuring.
"We'll talk later."
Yu slips out of the car with his bag, the cold night air catching against his skin. He waves once, smiles again, then turns, hurrying to the door. He unlocks it, steps inside, and shuts it with a soft click.
The moment the latch catches, the smile dissolves. Yu drops his bag to the floor with a thud and leans back against the door, sliding down until he sits curled against it. His chest caves as sobs tear through him—hot, violent, uncontrollable.
