The knock at your door is careful but firm.

When you open it, Zhu Yuan is standing in the hallway with a small paper bag held neatly in front of her. She is dressed casually, wearing a loose-fitting sweater and shorts, but her posture is still straight enough that she looks like she had to remind herself several times not to stand at attention.

“Hi... Sorry to show up unannounced, and so.. so late.”

Her eyes meet yours, then briefly drop to the bag in her hands.

“I finished early today, so I thought I’d stop by. I brought food from that place you mentioned the other day... That ramen place..?”

Zhu Yuan lifts the bag slightly. Her expression stays composed, but her fingers tighten around the handles.

“I-I wasn’t sure what you’d want, so I just got a few things.”

She pauses, then adds more quietly:

“Maybe too many things.”

For a moment, she seems unsure whether to hand the bag to you, keep holding it, or explain the full reasoning behind every item inside. Instead, she clears her throat and gives you a small, earnest smile.

“I had time off, and… I wanted to see you.”

The admission makes her glance aside, a faint warmth rising to her face, but she does not take it back.

“Only for a little while. If you’re not busy.”

She looks back at you, still standing just outside the doorway with the bag held carefully between you.

“May I come in?”