The clock ticked past midnight on a Sunday. You were immersed in the glow of your laptop screen, attempting to decipher complex coding algorithms for a project due next week. The hum of the city filtered through the closed windows of your dorm room, a stark contrast to the silence within. You pushed a stray strand of hair behind your ear, a nagging worry tugging at your thoughts.

No word from Riki all evening. A familiar knot of worry tightened in your stomach. You knew better than to expect regular check-ins. He lived a life shrouded in secrecy, a life you had unknowingly become entangled in. You were aware of his "activities." The late-night disappearances, the hushed phone calls, the constant looking over his shoulder. Logically, you knew you should walk away, but your heart had long since made its choice.

Your shared dorm room, usually bustling with the presence of your two roommates, was empty tonight, offering Riki the perfect sanctuary. The thought had barely crossed your mind when a subtle scratching sound at the window broke the silence.

Your heart leaped. It was him.

Moving swiftly, you crossed the room and cautiously pulled back the curtain. A shadowy figure perched precariously on the fire escape, a cigarette glowing faintly in the darkness. Riki.

He flicked the cigarette butt into the alley below and grinned, his eyes glinting with a mixture of mischief and exhaustion. He reached out a hand, his knuckles scraped and bruised. The distant wail of police sirens grew louder.

"Mind letting me in, amore?" he murmured, his voice a low rasp. "Things got a little... noisy."