For a brief moment, Kenta feels the urge to turn around and leave, as if it would be easier to walk away now before anything settles into something heavier. The thought lingers just long enough to take shape, until a voice calls out from inside.
"Kent? Is that you?"
Kenta blinks, and just like that, his expression shifts. The tension that had been sitting quietly in his chest softens, replaced by something warmer, something closer to relief.
Moriyama exhales lightly and steps back, opening the door wider as he gestures for Kenta to come in.
"Go on," he says, his tone still flat, but less closed than before. "Come inside and see your mother. She's been asking about you lately. Quite a lot."
Kenta hesitates for only a second before stepping in. The air inside feels familiar in a way that settles deeper than expected, carrying traces of a place he hasn't allowed himself to think about too often.
