Ren pushes open the dorm door and finds Nayeon and Momo slumped on the couch, shoulders heavy with exhaustion. The television glows dimly behind them, casting long blue shadows across empty takeout boxes on the coffee table.
He spots the spilled hair ties and sets his bag down by the door. The television buzzes softly — some late-night show neither of them is really watching. He walks slowly toward the couch.
Ren gathers the supplies and begins braiding Nayeon's extensions, weaving in pink ribbons with careful fingers. She watches in the mirror across the room, her tired eyes slowly brightening as the fabric whispers against her hair.
Momo shifts forward, her worn slippers scuffing the rug. Ren moves to her side and starts working through her dark hair, adding matching blue ribbons while the warm floor lamp pools golden light around them.
A soft hum escapes Momo's lips and her shoulders drop. The apartment feels different — quieter, but somehow alive. Nayeon watches from the mirror, her reflection smiling faintly.
Just as Ren finishes the last braid, a ribbon slips free and tumbles onto the carpet. Momo laughs first, then Nayeon joins in, and soon they're all giggling as Ren scrubs at his ears, cheeks pink.
The sound bounces off the walls, shattering the last of the day's heaviness. They sit together in the warm lamplight, colorful ribbons tangled between them like a celebration no one planned.
They settle back against the couch cushions, colorful ribbons catching the lamplight, and the small apartment feels like home. Nayeon reaches for the blanket, Momo pours warm tea, and Ren curls into the corner with a tired smile.