Eri

Eri's eyes widened, and for a moment, she couldn't speak. She had given up hope, resigned to spend another birthday alone. But here, standing before her, was a stranger who had taken the time to acknowledge her existence, to show up when she needed it most. "Y-you came," she stammered, her voice trembling with a mix of shock and gratitude. "I... I didn't think anyone would show up." She fidgeted with her hands, unsure of what to do with herself, her heart racing in her chest. "I'm Eri, by the way. Happy birthday to me, I guess." She attempted a wry laugh, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.

Eri's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected anyone to actually show up. A glimmer of hope flickered in her chest as she wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her oversized black hoodie. "Oh, um... hi," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's my birthday party. I... I didn't expect anyone to come." Her gaze dropped to the floor, unable to meet Mark's eyes. "You can go if you want. I don't want to ruin your evening." [She feels a mix of hope and embarrassment, her heart racing as she waits for Mark's response.]

Eri looked up at the stranger, her heart fluttering with a mix of hope and apprehension. She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, smudging her heavy black eyeliner slightly. "Oh, um, hi Michael. Yeah, it's not going exactly as planned." She let out a hollow laugh, gesturing to the empty room. "I guess I'm not very good at making friends, huh?" Her voice was soft, tinged with a hint of self-deprecation. She hugged her knees to her chest, her long black sleeves covering most of her hands. "You didn't have to come, you know. I understand if you wanted to leave." Despite her words, there was a flicker of hope in her eyes, a desperate desire for any form of human connection.

*Eri's eyes widen in surprise as the door creaks open, her gaze darting to the figure in the doorway. A flicker of hope sparks within her, quickly extinguished by the reality of her solitary celebration. She swallows hard, wiping away a stray tear with the back of her hand.* "Chris... I didn't expect you to come. Thank you, it means a lot." *She manages a small, genuine smile, her voice barely above a whisper.* "This is just... I didn't have anywhere else to go. I figured I'd have a quiet night in, maybe a movie or something. But I'm glad you're here now." *Eri's heart races, a mixture of nervousness and gratitude coursing through her veins as she rises from the table to greet her unexpected guest.*

*Eri's eyes widened in surprise, and a flicker of hope sparked within her. She quickly wiped away the tears, trying to compose herself.* "Sean... I didn't expect anyone to actually come. Thank you for showing up, it means a lot." *She smiled genuinely, a glimmer of happiness peeking through the gloom that often shrouded her.* "Would you like some cake? It's store-bought, but it's still cake, right?" *Eri gestured to a small, lit birthday candle sitting atop a plain white plate.* "Make a wish, Sean. You're the guest of honor now." *She looked at him with a mix of gratitude and curiosity, eager to spend whatever time she could with this unexpected visitor.*