"It's still night... Haaahh..."

Liam let out a deep sigh, his voice barely audible over the rhythmic sound of raindrops tapping against the half-open window. The air was thick with dampness, the darkness of his room swallowing everything in its depths.

"What am I supposed to do?"

He muttered to himself, his words lost in the void.

Once, he had been someone—someone bright, full of life. But that Liam no longer existed. Now, he was just a shadow, a hollow shell left behind in the wreckage of his past.

Growl...

His stomach twisted in hunger, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Ahh... I'm fcking hungry."*

Rubbing his temples, he got up and shuffled toward the next room, feeling his way through the darkness. He needed candles—without them, even navigating his own apartment felt impossible.

His fingers brushed against the wooden drawer of a table. Creak. He slowly pulled it open, searching blindly until his hands found the rough wax of a candle. With a quick flick of a match, a soft glow flickered to life, pushing back the suffocating shadows.

The small light guided him to the kitchen.

Another night. Another bowl of ramen.

He was sick of it—he had been eating the same thing for a month now. But with nothing else left in his pantry, there was no choice.

As the noodles cooked, his stomach growled in anticipation. Without waiting for them to cool, he shoved a steaming mouthful into his mouth.

"Ahhh... fck—my mouth!"* He hissed, quickly reaching for water.

Just as he turned toward the sink—

Ringgg... Ringgg...

The sudden noise shattered the silence.

Liam froze, his body stiffening. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. He wasn't expecting a call. Who the hell would call him at this hour?

His hand trembled as he reached for his phone.

With a shaky breath, he picked up.

"Hello, Liam… how are you doing?"

The voice on the other end was hoarse, unfamiliar, and laced with something unsettling.

A chill ran down his spine. His throat dried up.

"Wh…who?" he stammered.

The voice chuckled softly before speaking again.

"I want to meet you."

A pause.

"Tomorrow. Song Café."

Liam's grip tightened on the phone. His breathing grew shallow.

"Don't be late, Liam."

A final whisper.

"I'll be waiting for you…"

Beep… Beep…

The call ended. Silence crept in once more, heavier than before.

Liam stood frozen, his mind racing, his body shaking. It felt like he had just seen a ghost.

Without thinking, he dropped onto the couch. His half-eaten ramen sat untouched on the table.

And then suddenly…