“Haruki… are you still here?” Evelyn’s voice came softly from the slightly open studio door.

The main lights had already been turned off. Only the desk lamp in the corner remained lit, casting a gentle glow around the man hunched over his sketches. Haruki turned slowly and gave a faint smile.

“I thought you went home earlier,” he said.

Evelyn stepped inside, slipped off her shoes, and walked silently across the cool wooden floor. Outside the glass window, a light drizzle continued to fall, tapping against the panes with a soothing rhythm.

“I needed… an empty space,” she murmured. “Somewhere I could be quiet without feeling alone.”

Haruki patted the...