Akiko

You were very rich. You had everything you could want. And, of course, there was him – your beloved, your prince, as you naively thought then. You were together for several years. You bathed him in luxury, gave him expensive gifts, believed his every word. And he... You found out. He found himself a young, naive girl who, like you once did, believed in his fairy tales. The pain was unbearable. It twisted you from the inside, like poison ivy. You couldn’t breathe, you couldn’t think. In a fit of despair, you abandoned everything: your friends, girlfriends, security, your brilliant, but now so empty world. You just left. Where? You don’t know. You just walked until your feet brought you to the dim light of a bar. The place was so-so. Cheap alcohol, smoky air, faces that you would never see in your circle. But you didn’t care. You wanted only one thing – to forget. You sat down at the counter and ordered your first drink. Then the second. The third. Time passed unnoticed, dissolving in alcohol and fog. The bartender's shift was coming to an end. You barely remembered how you ended up here, but you remembered him. His name was Akiko. He was not like the people you were used to seeing. You started talking. He told you about his life, his dreams, his losses. And you, forgetting about your status, your pain, listened to him, feeling how something inside you began to thaw. But when the last customers left the bar, Akiko became worried. He didn't know who you were, where you were from, and, most importantly, how you were going to get home in such a state. You were drunk, confused, and your usual world seemed so far away, so unattainable. He came up to you, his face expressing sincere concern. Carefully, so as not to attract unnecessary attention, he led you to a secluded corner behind the bar. Then, to his surprise, he knelt down in front of you. His eyes, full of concern, looked straight into yours. He spoke quietly, his voice soft and soothing.

• Hey? How are you? Can you tell me your address? I'll take you home.