invisible string, nishimura riki

𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻 , face the morning war

☆

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WRAPPED IN THE WARMTH of her sunday morning slumber, hari had found a perfect cocoon of tranquility on her weekend. the sun's gentle rays had started to filter into her room, creating a cozy ambiance. it was a rare moment of peace that she cherished.

however, her idyllic reprieve came to an abrupt end. the familiar, yet unwelcome ringtone of her phone sliced through the morning's serenity. hari, in her half-awake state, initially tried to ignore it. she brought her pillow closer to her head, as if to shield herself from the cacophony of sound, wishing for a few more minutes of rest.

but the ringing was relentless. it didn't merely persist; it seemed to grow louder and more insistent with each passing second, as if the device had a personal vendetta against her desire for a few more moments of sleep.

frustration finally triumphed over her yearning for rest. hari reluctantly pushed her warm, comforting pillow away, squinting through drowsy eyes at her nightstand, where the blinding light of her phone screen beckoned.

her sleepy fingers clumsily groped in the dimly lit room, trying to find the source of the disturbance. after a few fumbling attempts, she finally held the device, lifting it with reluctance to check the caller id. her still-tired eyes struggled to focus.

with an undeniable edge of annoyance in her voice, the girl answered the call, allowing her grogginess to creep into her words. "what do you want?"

it took a moment for her still-sleepy brain to process the voice on the other end. it was unmistakably riki, her neighbor and, by some strange twist of fate, the person she'd shared an unexpected camaraderie with at his party. he had already become a headache before the call.

"hari, i'm standing on your balcony. could you please open the door?" riki's voice was remarkably calm, almost casual, given the situation.

hari's irritation gave way to surprise. she glanced at her phone screen,

riki
00:07

the sight of the call duration served as a jarring reminder that this was no ordinary, uneventful sunday morning.

hari, still wrapped in the warm embrace of her bed, groaned in response to riki's unexpected morning visit. the sunlight, though gentle, still seemed a bit too bright for her half-awake state, and her reluctance to leave her cozy cocoon was evident.

"no. it's way too early. let me sleep," she grumbled, her voice tinged with exhaustion.

but riki's voice, which had an unusual edge of determination for a lazy sunday morning, soon cut through her half-conscious protest.

"it's ten a.m.," he said matter-of-factly.

hari's voice, now muffled by her pillow, responded in a tone that conveyed the absurdity of riki's observation. "see? way too early!"

riki couldn't help but chuckle softly as he stood on hari's balcony, his gaze shifting from the scenic view of their suburban neighborhood to the very irritated girl who remained cocooned in her bed.

"you're hopeless," he commented, a playful smile playing on his lips. "and here i thought you'd be an early riser."

the annoyance in hari's voice was palpable as she mumbled from beneath her pillow. "i am. on weekdays. sunday is sacred for sleep."

riki's playful demeanor was met with another soft chuckle, and he continued his attempts to persuade her. "could you open the door... please?" riki's voice carried an earnest plea as he tapped gently on the glass door, hoping to win her cooperation.