Two weeks after the incident…
The broom scraped the floor—loud, steady, unforgiving. He tied the garbage bag and tossed it into the bin. Moments later, water burst against tile as he washed the plates one by one, sleeves damp, breath slow. He paused, stared off, then returned to it again.
Night settled in with a cold breeze. He yawned as he walked the street, steps heavy. His energy was gone; his hands trembled as he pulled out his wallet. He stared at the bills he'd earned that day, fingers tightening around them.
A small smile slipped through.
For the first time in weeks, the weight eased. 8 months of rent—right there in his hand
Haru folded the bills once, then again, before sliding them back into his wallet. The leather felt worn, familiar. He tucked it into his pocket and kept walking, the streetlights flickering past like tired eyes refusing to close.
His phone vibrated.
He stopped near a closed storefront, thumb hovering before he answered.
Static crackled on the other end, then her voice—soft, careful, like she was afraid of stepping on something broken. "You still up?"
Haru leaned his shoulder against the metal shutter. The cold seeped through his jacket. "Yeah."
A pause. He could hear her breathing, uneven, counting time. "Did you eat?" she asked.
He glanced down at his hands. Red knuckles. Soap still clinging beneath his nails.
"Not yet."
Another silence. Longer this time.
"You sound tired," Yue said.
Haru exhaled through his nose, a quiet huff that almost became a laugh. "I'm okay."
He wasn't lying. Not fully.
A car passed, headlights washing over him, then gone. He shifted his weight, the street suddenly too wide, too empty.
"I got paid today," he added, almost under his breath.
"Oh?" Her voice lifted—just a little.
"Enough," he said. His fingers curled in his pocket, brushing the edge of his wallet.
"For rent."
On the other end, Yue didn't speak right away. When she did, it was softer. "I'm glad."
Haru closed his eyes. The cold didn't feel as sharp anymore.
"Go eat," she said. "Call me when you're home."
He nodded, even though she couldn't see it. "Yeah."
The call ended. Haru straightened, slipped his phone away, and started walking again—slower this time, steadier.
——
After the call ended, Yue set her phone on the bedside table and lay back on her bed.
"Should I tell him how I feel…?"
The words barely left her lips. She hugged her body pillow tighter, fingers curling into the fabric.
"And if I do… I might pressure him. Especially now."
She turned onto her side, still holding the pillow. Her grip loosened as she exhaled, the tension draining from her shoulders.
"I'll take it slow."
She pulled the pillow closer to her chest, as if it were him.
Outside, strong winds battered the night. Yue drifted into sleep—and somewhere else, so did Haru.
The wind howled harder. Stars vanished one by one. Lightning split the sky, gone as fast as it appeared.
A small figure prowled the street, fur bristling, a low, aggressive purr rumbling from its throat as it faced the shadows. Sensing danger, the cat bolted—only to be dragged into the darkness in an instant.
The street fell silent.
Haru opened his eyes, hand reaching blindly for his phone to silence the alarm. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before turning his head toward the window. He rubbed his hair, then checked the screen.
"Ah… finally, a day off."
He stood and stretched, joints popping softly, then headed to the kitchen. Water boiled as he prepared his coffee. He glanced around his apartment and sighed.
"It's messy."
The kettle clicked off. As he poured the water into his mug, his phone buzzed. He paused, then picked it up once the coffee was ready.
"Hurry, turn on the TV. Look at the news!" —Yue
"I'll be there within an hour." —Landlord
His brows knit together. After a moment, he turned on the TV.
"We can't provide enough information yet about this sky phenomenon or its cause."
The screen showed a short clip—people filming themselves in an open area, laughing and doing a dance trend, right before the sky changed.
"And in other news, several animals have been found dead. Some were discovered missing limbs…the reason is still unknown. "
The footage shifted to a farm. Rows of dead cows filled the screen, parts blurred out, the silence heavier than the censor bars.
——
He turned off the TV, sank into the sofa, and took a sip of his coffee.
"Maybe it's just a rare lightning strike… or a wild animal."
Another sip.
"…"
"It can't be that. Right?"
He let out a short scoff. "A monster? Who would even believe that."
His phone buzzed again.
"I'm on my way there :3" —Yue
His eyes widened before his fingers even moved.
"Why?" —his reply. The reply came almost instantly; "Hang out at your place?"
He stood up slowly and looked around. Boxes. Dust. Clutter everywhere.
He didn't hesitate.
One box went out the door. Then another. And another. He swept the floor, wiped every surface, moved to the kitchen, then the bedroom, then the bathroom. Time slipped by unnoticed.
When he finally stopped, his apartment looked clean—for the first time since his parents left.
He stared at it. The quiet felt heavier than before. His expression dulled, something sinking behind his eyes.
A knock snapped him back.
He opened the door. An old, heavyset man stood there, filling the frame.
"Mr. Haru," the man said, voice firm.
"Oh—uh… about the rent. I'll pay it. All of it."
The landlord placed a hand on Haru's shoulder, grip firm.
"Oh? You can?" A thin smile crept onto his face. "I was about to throw you out of my building."
Haru let out a strained laugh and went to his room.
He returned with a thick envelope and handed it over.
"Eight months. The full amount."
The landlord took it from his hand without a word and counted. Slowly.
"Hm. It's complete."
He patted Haru's shoulder hard, smug satisfaction written all over his face.
"Well.. We're good."
Haru only nodded.
As the landlord turned to leave, Yue arrived. She glanced at the old man, then at Haru.
"Yue—" Haru started.
"Who was that?" she asked. "Your landlord?"
He nodded, rubbing the back of his head, laughing it off.
"Come in."
She stepped inside—and stopped. Her eyes widened slightly. Relief softened her shoulders.
"Thank goodness," she said quietly. "It's not what I imagined."
She looked around as he locked the door.
"But… it's kind of dull," she added, frowning a little.
"You really only have what you need."
"It's fine," he said. "Living's what matters. I can't afford more anyway."
She turned back to him and gently cupped his face. Her touch was warm, careful. Her eyes searched his.
…
"So," he said, breaking the silence. "What do you want to do?"
She lowered her hand and shook her head lightly.
"A movie. Games. Or just a walk outside," she said, smiling, a faint blush rising.
"I just want time with you."
He opened his mouth—but she cut in.
"Let's do all of it. Okay?" She smiled wider. "The whole day. Just us."
She turned and headed for the bathroom. Haru nodded, still frozen where he stood. That familiar feeling stirred again—warm, unsettling, and frighteningly close to the surface.
She came back out a moment later.
"There's still a bit of dirt in the tile corners," she said gently. "I'll clean it for you later, okay?"
And just like that, the apartment didn't feel empty anymore.
——
Somewhere far away, beyond the mountains, the moon slipped through the trees.
At the foot of the range, deep in the forest, six people—three women and three men—camped in a small clearing. Fire crackled. Laughter bounced between the trees. Each pair teased the other, hands busy, voices light. Meat sizzled over the flames.
"Don't overcook it!" a woman snapped, gripping a skewer.
"I'm sorry—sorry!" her partner said, flinching.
"Let me touch your hair!" another woman giggled, rubbing the smooth head of her bald partner. He frowned, annoyed, but let it happen.
"Hey," a man said, adjusting the basket on his back. "We're heading out for a bit. Gonna collect some fruit."
"If we find meat, we'll bring it too," his lover added with a grin.
The other two pairs waved them off.
"Don't go too far," the bald man's partner called, still rubbing his head.
They nodded and disappeared into the trees.
Fifteen minutes passed.
"I think this is enough," she said, peering into the basket overflowing with fresh fruit.
"Yeah," he replied, wiping his mouth after drinking from the river.
She smiled and helped him lift the basket onto his back.
"Alright. Let's go."
They walked hand in hand through the woods.
Then screaming tore through the forest.
Birds burst from the trees. The ground trembled as animals came crashing through the undergrowth.
They froze.
Deer. Boars. Smaller creatures—everything sprinted past them, eyes wild, bodies desperate.
He pulled her close, turning his back toward whatever was coming——but the animals ignored them.
They weren't running toward safety.
They were running away from something else.
The forest fell silent again.
They didn't wait. They ran.
When they reached the campsite, she dropped to her knees.
Her hands flew to her mouth. No sound came out. "Th—"
He froze beside her.
Blood soaked the ground. Bodies lay twisted. Limbs torn apart. Organs spilled openly. One head lay far from its body.
The fire still burned.
Fear swallowed their thoughts as something shifted within the shadows.
He stepped forward instinctively, fists clenched holding a machete, breath shaking.
Sweat rolled down his face.
Her legs gave out completely.
Then—darkness surged.
Before he could react, something seized him and dragged him into the shadows.
She scrambled backward, mind breaking apart.
"RUN!! Yunyun! RU—"
His voice cut off.
She sobbed, forcing her hands beneath her, dragging herself across the dirt. Her knees screamed as she tried to stand—
A massive hand lunged out of the dark behind her.
Fast.
Close.
Too close.