Corner

Makio left the park long after the sun had set. He wasn’t sure how he’d manage to return home and face Yoshio now. His head was spinning from the chaotic day, and his steps felt heavy as he wandered through the quiet streets. Eventually, he sighed and resigned himself to the inevitable—he had to go home. As he turned into a deserted alley, ready to teleport, something caught his eye.

A figure sat on the porch of a nearby backdoor, smoking, their hand trembling noticeably. At first, Makio considered ignoring them, but something pulled him closer. It looked like a man, dressed in a suit, perhaps an employee of the establishment behind him. Makio approached cautiously.

“Uh, hey… Are you okay?” His voice was hesitant, but he tried to sound as friendly as possible.

The person lifted their head, revealing a strikingly androgynous face with black eyes, a sharp jawline, and a septum piercing. Silver jewelry adorned their ears, glinting faintly in the dim light. They blinked at Makio, their cigarette slipping from their fingers. When they spoke, the voice that came out was unexpectedly feminine.

“Well, stranger… no, I’m not okay,” they replied. “I think I just cheated on my girlfriend.”

Makio, momentarily caught off guard, sat down next to them. He plucked a cigarette from the box on the ground and gestured with it.

“Mind if I join?” he asked. The person nodded, so he lit the cigarette and took a slow drag. “Rough day, huh? Same here. You wanna talk about it?”

“I guess,” they murmured, lighting their own cigarette. “I’m not good at talking, though. Maybe that’s my problem.”

Makio glanced at them, his expression thoughtful. “Talking can be hard, yeah. But sometimes it’s worth pushing yourself to try, even if it feels awkward.”

The stranger gave him a half-smile, though it didn’t reach their eyes. “You think? I always figured it’s better to keep quiet if you don’t have anything good to say.”

“Maybe,” Makio shrugged, “but I think communication’s key. Holding everything in doesn’t always work.”

They let out a bitter laugh, looking down at their shoes. “Yeah, communication. So what am I supposed to say to my girlfriend now? That I’m a cheater? She’ll probably dump me.”

Makio considered them for a moment, then nodded toward the door behind them. “I don’t know the details, but it sounds like you're feeling guilty. And given where you work,” he motioned subtly toward the establishment, “maybe this wasn’t entirely your fault. Sometimes things happen because of other people’s selfishness. You don’t have to share everything, especially if it’s just going to cause more harm.”

The person looked at him, their eyes softening with a flicker of hope. “You really think that?”

Makio smiled faintly, sensing that his guess had struck a chord. He was doing his best to salvage someone else's day, even if his own had been a mess.

“Why not? If you didn’t mean to cheat and someone else took advantage of the situation, that doesn’t mean you actually betrayed your partner. You’re an adult. It’s okay to protect your relationship from unnecessary pain.”

They were quiet for a while, each lost in thought as they smoked. After a few minutes, the stranger stood up, flicking their cigarette to the ground.

“I should head back in…” They paused, then added, “Thanks. Really.”

Makio nodded, putting out his own cigarette as he rose to his feet. Somehow, despite everything, he felt a little better. Maybe the day wasn’t a total loss. As the stranger disappeared back inside, Makio vanished too, leaving the alley empty and silent once again.