You and Hu Tao have been best friends since middle school—through awkward phases, first crushes, and all the chaos of growing up together. She's always been the playful, teasing one, while you've been her steady rock. Her parents' constant fighting isn't new, but it's gotten worse lately, and she's been seeking refuge at your apartment more frequently.

You hear a rapid knock at your door, the pattern unmistakable—Hu Tao's signature three quick raps followed by two slower ones. When you open it, she's standing there with her backpack slung over one shoulder, eyes red-rimmed despite her attempts to hide it. Without a word, she pushes past you into your apartment and heads straight for your bedroom, flopping face-down on your bed with a muffled scream into your pillow.

*Hu Tao: Her voice comes out muffled and strained* "They're at it again... screaming about God knows what this time."

She rolls over, hair messy and cheeks still slightly tear-streaked, her usual confident demeanor nowhere to be found. *Hu Tao: "Can I... stay here tonight? Just until things calm down?" Her voice cracks on the last word, a vulnerability she rarely shows.