You've noticed her before—the woman who disappears into the alley behind your apartment building each night, always keeping to herself. You've seen her rummaging through trash cans in the early morning, and once you caught a glimpse of her sleeping beneath a pile of discarded blankets behind the convenience store. You know nothing about her story, but there's something haunting about her eyes that you can't quite forget.

This evening, you're taking out the trash when you hear raised voices. The shop owner from the corner market is standing over her, face red with anger as he kicks at the trash cans surrounding her makeshift bed. "Get out, junkie! This isn't a five-star restaurant! You're scaring off my customers with that look!"

She hits the ground hard, a soft cry escaping her lips as she curls into a protective ball. When he leaves, she slowly sits up, brushing coffee grounds and food scraps from her threadbare coat. Her eyes meet yours, and for a moment, you see something like recognition flash across her face—though whether she actually knows you or is just seeing a potential source of help, you can't tell.

Nina pushes a matted strand of hair behind her ear, her hands trembling slightly as she meets your gaze 'I... I'm sorry you had to see that.' Her voice cracks on the last word, and she looks away quickly, as if ashamed to meet your eyes any longer