The Crow Club: Over My Dead Body

This novel is only 10 chapters, but they are long. Long, complicated, and not the easiest to translate 😫 When the series airs, I will probably have to come back and edit the names. So, read at your own will lol.

Chapter 1.

Friday evenings in Bangkok are far from pleasant, even though people's spirits are high because it's the last workday of the week, meaning they don't have to wake up early tomorrow to battle the massive crowds before dawn (and it's not even certain there are any real chickens in the city). But before they can truly enjoy their rest, they have to survive a brutal battle before reaching home.

 

Van wasn't a full-time employee anymore, so he wasn't overly depressed by the chaotic rush to get home. He just considered today another of those awful days working outside the home, and, coincidentally, his shift ended at the same time as most office workers'. 

 

By 4:30 PM, crowds were already building at both the BTS and MRT stations. 6 PM to 7 PM was pure hell. Everywhere was packed with sweaty, grimy office workers. Even the office ladies, who had been dressed and made up since morning, looked a mess by this time. They'd been battling work all day and then had to contend with the massive crowd of office workers rushing through the stations. Their hair was a mess, their faces reflected exhaustion, and only the last bit of lipstick on their lips was a faint glimmer of encouragement. 

 

Van thought his height was an advantage because it prevented him from sniffing the backs of other people's heads while queuing for the BTS. The air upstairs was slightly cleaner and more pleasant to his nose, but he still couldn't escape the head of the man in front of him. He tried to ignore the crowds, the rudeness of some people who just pushed and shoved him without apologising, and the sticky feeling of the evening air in the capital, even though the sun was no longer scorching his skin. But the heat accumulated on the concrete floor and buildings was slowly melting and radiating, making him feel as if he were bathing in sticky sea air. 

 

The difference was that at the BTS station, there was no breeze to dry his sweat, compounded by the suit he was wearing. Besides feeling strange and out of place, it was as hot as sitting in a sauna. But he chose to keep the suit jacket on because taking it off and carrying it now would be too cumbersome.

 

The first train arrived. Van knew from the crowd that he wouldn't be able to get on this one, as it was packed with passengers. Even if people got off at this station, the people in front of him would all be scrambling to board first. He, near the back of the line, had no way to squeeze in. The only option was to maintain his politeness and run through the crowd, which wasn't Van's habit. He chose to casually scan the giant advertising screens of the famous department store, with Sombre's "Undressed" playing in the background. He didn't know all the celebrities on the screen, only those who starred in popular movies and the big names who had been around for a long time. 

 

These days, new faces are popping up like mushrooms after a rainstorm, and they often come in groups. T-pop was flourishing this year; idol culture was taking shape, similar to what was happening in Japan and Korea a decade ago, but in a more independent form. Van wasn't a huge fan, but he knew some of the songs, even if he didn't know their faces. And because of that, he had no idea who the large group of people gathered in front of the department store was screaming about.  From up here, he could only see a group of five or six teenage boys enthusiastically cracking jokes with microphones, receiving encouraging cheers every half minute. Many girls on the station crowded at the front, trying to zoom in and film the scene below with their phones, while those who weren't interested muttered under their breath in annoyance. Five minutes later, the second train pulled into the station. 

 

People poured out, sighing heavily as if they had been holding their breath the entire way. Those who had been waiting outside swarmed inside. Comfortable seats were out of the question; in this situation, just having enough space to put your feet down was enough. Van managed to find a spot near a door pole, comfortably gripping the overhead handrail. He tried to look through the window instead of at the people inside. This level of crowding made him uncomfortable. He didn't want to be touched by anyone, especially the women surrounding him. He knew they didn't want to be touched either, but they had no choice; everyone had to act like bottles crammed together in a plastic pack. Van didn't want to make eye contact with anyone, and he certainly didn't want to accidentally glance at anyone's cell phone screen.

 

It took Van about twenty minutes to reach his destination station. The crowds were thinner than before, so he didn't have to jostle through the chasing crowd as if trying to escape. Van sighed heavily, checked the time on his phone, which he'd kept the whole way, and found that, as expected, he should arrive home around 7 PM, just as he'd told the others.

 

Van stepped off the BTS station and walked a few steps further when he saw a gang of motorcycle taxi drivers waiting for him. They communicated primarily through eye contact; sometimes, a handshake or nod wasn't even necessary. Just a split-second glance, and the driver in the orange vest would be straddling his trusty motorcycle waiting on the sidewalk. Van was quite familiar with this group of drivers because he used to ride with them regularly. While they weren't close enough to be friends, he was sure they all recognised him and knew where he went.

 

Nevertheless, he always whispered his destination to them. As a formality, it took no more than three minutes for Van to teleport to his house. The distance from the station to his house wasn't far, but walking down the street was tiring, especially after a long day on a mission like this. Van wanted to get there as quickly as possible, and Win was the perfect solution, even if it was a little nerve-wracking, and Win would roll his eyes in annoyance when Van asked to pay by scanning his phone.

 

Van's current home looks quite different from what most people imagine when they hear the word "home." It's not a detached house, nor a condo, but a five-story building that used to be white, which Van now calls "dirty." Looking up, you can see balconies jutting out from every floor, overgrown with plants that seem intentionally planted but not meticulously maintained. You could say the green adds freshness, or you could say it looks like an abandoned house left for plants to inhabit, especially the green wrought-iron balconies. In their original state, they were probably beautiful. Still, now they are strong vines around them, the dark green peeling off with the wind and weather, matching the colour of the wooden folding doors downstairs, which house a small bar with unusual liquors from around the world (whatever they can find), local spirits from every province, and live music from unknown musicians every day. Many people say this bar has an incredibly old-school vintage style, but Van is quite sure it's genuinely old, not faking it.

 

Van looked at the folding doors, folded flush against the edges. Beyond the folding doors was another door, slightly ajar. He checked the time on his phone screen again and frowned, thinking 7:16 PM was a bit early for customers. The shop usually opened at 8:30 PM, and tonight they were having a celebratory gathering for a friend who had completed a major project after four months of hard work. But Van didn't expect his aunt to open the shop so early.

 

Van pushed the door open, took only a step and a half inside, and didn't even have time to look around. Searching for an answer to his burning question, Van suddenly saw a long, straight object fly towards him, whizzing past his ear before slamming into the back door with a loud thud! Van froze in shock, looking down at the floor and realising it was a drumstick. He glanced back in the direction it had come from and saw that it had come from a group of people standing in a circle, shouting in front of the musicians' area. He couldn't make out what they were arguing about, but he knew for sure the conversation was full of foul language, and some of the people in the group were his friends.

 

In the middle of the group was Taengmo and another overweight man, whom Van didn't recognise. They glared at each other, Taengmo pointing at the other and shouting insults until his throat was hoarse. Mimi stood beside him, looking like she was about to cry, gripping Taengmo's arm tightly because he kept trying to lunge at the fat man. Meanwhile, Nae stood holding Mimi's wrist, between Taengmo and the other two, Yo-ye. He tried to stop them both with his hands, his face showing he wanted to bash their heads together. Further away, Talay stood watching anxiously. He was trying to shield Taengmo from a gang that seemed to be friends of the "pig demon" (sorry for the name, Van didn't know his real name), but in his hand, he held a liquor bottle, not in a drinking pose, but more like he was about to smash it on someone.

 

What the hell is this? While Van watched the scene unfold in confusion, someone walked up to him, stopped, and calmly picked up a fallen drumstick. It was Patee.

 

"Tee," Van called out. The other person turned to look as if they hadn't even seen him standing there from the very beginning.

 

"Oh," Patee said calmly. What did he mean by saying "Oh" with such a blank expression? Van had no idea whether this expressionless man was surprised.

 

"Did you go to a wedding?" Patee asked after scanning Van from head to toe. Van frowned incredulously at the eccentric guy's detached behaviour. While his friends were having a huge argument behind him, this guy just walked out to pick up his drumsticks and then asked Van, "Did you come from a wedding?" as if the scene behind them was just a rehearsal.

 

"Nothing," Van answered dismissively, then asked anxiously, "What happened?"

 

"The new musician secretly took pictures under Mimi's skirt," Patee replied calmly, glancing briefly behind him as if afraid Van wouldn't know who Mimi was. "Nene saw it and told Taengmo; that's why it's like this."

 

There was no need for a lengthy explanation (Patee never did; that was the longest he could ever speak at once). Van understood the situation immediately. Mimi was a pretty girl, that fat guy was a perverted psychopath who secretly took pictures of her, Nae was Mimi's best friend and protector, and Taengmo was a rabid dog. Van understood that Nae must have been furious with that fat demon to choose to unleash the rabid dog and deal with it this way, which was understandable, because if Van had witnessed the incident first, he wouldn't have been able to handle it quietly either.

 

"What the f*** are you, you fatass! Go see a doctor if you have a mental illness, you animal!" But it's not sure if that will be as popular as Taengmo is now.

 

"Can I borrow your phone?" Patee asked. Van handed him his phone without asking any questions, because he was thinking about what to do about the situation in front of him. Should he intervene or get into a fight?

 

"Where did Auntie go?" Van asked.

 

"I have some errands to run," Patee replied calmly, lowering his head and pressing buttons on his mobile phone.

 

"Right now?"

 

"Mm-hmm," he replied before raising his cell phone to his ear. Van stared at the strange man, speechless. He couldn't believe Patee's calmness, which is sometimes a little creepy in a way I can't quite explain.

 

Crash!

There was no time to think any longer. Another bottle of liquor flew towards Van. He dodged, and the bottle slammed into the back door, shattering. Liquor splashed onto his back and into his pants. Van looked down at the pungent liquid pooling on the floor, some of it staining his rented leather shoes, before letting out a deep sigh.

 

A chaotic brawl ensued, and it seemed the suppression team couldn't control the hotheadedness of both sides. Taengmo swung a punch squarely in the face of the pig-like demon, while at the same time, a giant man lunged at Yo-ye. Yo-ye raised his hands in a fighting stance, closing his eyes tightly, bracing for the blow. But the giant fell first, struck by a powerful jump kick from Mimi, who seemed to forget she was wearing a skirt completely. Yo-ye's eyes widened in amazement at Mimi's kick (she's a karate instructor, what's so surprising about that?), before she got up, took off her jacket, and tied it around the waist of the young woman who looked terrified but had been relentlessly kicking men.

 

"You bastard!" Van cursed angrily. The situation left him no choice. He reached for a wooden chair lying nearby and then lunged into the group as well.

 

"Yes, The Crow Club. Please hurry." Patee spoke to the police officer on the phone while glancing at his friends and the musicians. A new battle is underway, kicking up dust.

 

"The suspect hasn't escaped yet. We've apprehended him," Patee said, but he didn't specify the exact method of detention, because he believed that giving more details might end up in jail for his friends. People in this world can be divided into two very crude types: those who follow trends.  And the second is the opposite: the counterculture seekers.

 

Trendsetters are the majority who know what society wants and follow that path in line with expectations. This type of person can be further divided into two groups: those who naturally follow the trend, seeing what the majority are doing and naturally following suit without questioning it. These people lead the simplest and most comfortable lives. The second subgroup consists of those who question things but choose not to act on them. This group disagrees with certain mainstream ideas, harbouring slight resistance, but ultimately chooses to follow the path society has laid out because they want to be like the first group—simple and safe.

 

The opposing factions, though few in number, have had a significant ripple effect on many occasions. However, they are a group that society tries to suppress and push out of the system to prevent further dissent. This causes frustration and annoyance for the primary group that is trying to protect the established social order, because as long as everyone thinks and acts alike, governance is easy. The more those opinions align with the leaders' wishes, the more peaceful society will be. It means... At least I feel peaceful.

 

Nobody likes people who are different from themselves. Deep down, humans appreciate themselves and have more faith in themselves than we think.

 

The night of October 31st was one of those exciting nights for the young people of Vancouver. It's strangely creative how Thais adopt cultures from other countries without much thought; it's like, whatever's cool or trendy, go for it. That's why our country has a mix of Thai, Chinese, Western, and other cultures. They go about their day artistically, having fun year-round without getting bored. Today is no different. Some people might head straight home and collapse into bed as soon as work (or school) ends, but many others spend hours dressing up as celebrities, important figures, or their favourite movie or cartoon characters. Although realistically, everyone should be dressing up as ghosts today, but seriously, how many types of ghosts are there in the world? Besides, if not today, when else would they get the chance to dress up as Spider-Man and walk around outside?

 

Like most bars and pubs across Bangkok, Club Iga was also having a Halloween party tonight. The whole family had been helping decorate the club since morning. Van even got a chance to show off his impressive skills with (fake) blood splattering, but unfortunately, he had to leave for another job he'd booked. Therefore, he didn't get to see whether the final result was a truly terrifying and unsettling party, or just a kindergarten-level Halloween party.

—————————

"When you go in, I think you should cover your face," Nim said. She looked worried and seemed a little embarrassed.

 

"Why is it closed?" Van asked, savouring the matcha ice cream from a famous shop that his female client had bought for him. He walked slower than usual because Talay had told him that walking faster than his date was rude.

 

"For safety reasons."

 

"Was your ex-boyfriend really that jealous?"

 

"It's more accurate to call it jealousy," Nim sighed. She had been cheerful and bright all day until she remembered she had to pick up something from her ex-boyfriend's condo. Her face was heavily made up, her skin pale, her eyebrows thick and dark, and her eyes adorned with rainbow-colored contact lenses because she had just returned from a cosplay event. She still looked like Doma (from Slayer), only in a demon-themed tracksuit version. Nim changed her clothes before leaving the event because she didn't want to look pathetic in her ex's eyes anymore.

 

Van didn't object, even though deep down she thought changing clothes while her makeup was still so heavy wouldn't make much difference. "He doesn't love me anymore. But if I bring you into the room, he's definitely going to be furious. And if he recognises you, he'll harass me endlessly."

 

"Oh..." Van nodded slowly. "I thought he couldn't stand seeing people who were better looking than him." Nim glanced at Van, about to say something, but when she saw Van calmly biting into his ice cream cone, she changed her mind. She understood that Van was joking.

 

"Or are you saying I'm ugly?" Van asked when Nim didn't answer.

 

"No, you're really handsome," Nim replied languidly as they turned the corner into the luxurious condo. The security guard saluted Nim with a friendly smile. "But please don't get angry if we say something," he added.

 

"I rarely get angry at people. Usually, it's other people who get angry when I speak."

 

"Your face is so annoying, I'm afraid my ex will kick you in the face."

 

Van felt a sudden rush of heat to the back of his neck the entire time he was in the condo. Nim's ex-boyfriend didn't say a word to him, but instead used a piercing gaze that was undisguised. His appearance and demeanour didn't seem as intimidating as Van had imagined. Nim had described her ex-boyfriend as a ruthless gangster, but after meeting him, Van thought he looked like an ordinary young man of Chinese descent.

 

"I thought you'd have better taste," Nim’s ex-boyfriend said flatly, speaking softly to Nim, but Van felt like someone had deliberately bumped into his shoulder. "You broke up with me for that Spider-Man?"

 

This time it wasn't just a bump on the shoulder. Van felt like he'd just been kicked in the face, but he chose to stand there silently, hugging Nim's treasure chest. That deliberately excessive insult didn't anger Van at all. In fact, it seemed fair enough. Think about it: an ex-girlfriend came to get her things from the room with her new boyfriend, who was wearing a Spider-Man mask. Van found it funny. But for Nim's ex-boyfriend...it probably wasn't so bad.

 

"You talk like I'm the one who broke up with you," Nim replied coldly, pacing around the room, searching for her remaining belongings, with Van following closely behind, carrying a box.

 

"He sounded like he really wanted to break up."

 

"It sounds like he's forcing himself to say it."

 

"Maybe so. Just look at how you're behaving."

 

An awkward silence enveloped Van, making him feel as if he were drowning. Luckily, he was wearing his Spider-Man mask so that no one could see his nauseated expression. Nim paced around the room, with her ex-boyfriend following closely behind; now they looked like two ducklings following their mother. The first duckling was wearing a mask, and the second wanted to punch it.

 

"What's wrong with you?" Nim suddenly turned sharply towards Van. Van flinched slightly before realising the other person wasn't talking to him, so he stepped aside to let the two confront each other without him getting in the way.

 

"Can we talk?"

 

"Go ahead and say it. You've said worse things than this before, haven't you?"

 

Once again, the silence made Van afraid to breathe. He feared that even the slightest sound of his own breathing would cause one of the estranged lovers to explode before he could safely leave this room of memories.

 

"Don't act as if you've never said anything offensive before," the young man with slanted eyes said, his face turning red. He crossed his arms and glared at her, looking determined to win.

 

"I've probably said it before. If you don't like it, I apologise," Nim said, lifting her chin defiantly.

 

"Here it is. Is it okay?"

 

"A simple 'sorry,' huh?"

 

"Why? There's the word 'sorry,' isn't there? People haven't even said 'I'm sorry' yet."

Do I have the right to be so demanding?"

 

Van stood, watching the ex-couple exchange sarcastic remarks, unsure what to do. He began to regret taking on this responsibility for Taengmo because of the rare t-shirt. He wasn't suited for this kind of thing. Van thought he should have spent his time watching the couple argue, doing his job and saving up to buy that shirt himself instead.

 

"So you're all cocky now that you have a new boyfriend, huh?" The ex-boyfriend smirked, still not even glancing at Van, acting as if this Spider-Man didn't exist. 

 

"Going out with all those idiots again, huh? Completely insane, huh?"

 

The young man's words were anything but pleasant to hear, but Van could already guess why they broke up. In fact, the way he sighed when he saw Nim's face was clear enough. The young man wasn't pleased with his girlfriend's preferences; in fact, he seemed rather embarrassed. Van wondered to himself, "Why bother dating an otaku in the first place?"

 

"If so, then what?" Nim retorted, tossing the small Akasa doll into the box Van was holding without even turning to look. "You never liked me the way I was anyway, did you? You couldn't stand it and broke up with me, and that was right. He didn't say anything. So what do you want from me now? I just wanted to be with someone who wasn't ashamed to be around me. What did I do wrong?"

 

For the first time, her ex-boyfriend's gaze met his. Van stood still, his eyes behind the mask glancing at the ceiling to avoid eye contact. It was clear that his ex wasn't looking at him with admiration, and to be more precise, Van thought the other man was saying, "How embarrassing? Look at his condition." Van wondered if he was really that shameful. He wasn't even wearing a tight-fitting suit like the real Spider-Man—a hoodie, jeans, nothing. And the sneakers...it's just a normal outfit. He's just wearing a mask that covers his face and hair. It's not like he's wearing a black balaclava or anything. Yeah, it looks like a balaclava, but it's Spider-Man, Peter Parker!

 

"I didn't say I was embarrassed.”

 

“But you told me not to talk about anime when we're out, and not to call you over to cosplay events. We've been together for two years, and you've never taken a single picture with me at a cosplay event! Not a single one!" 

 

This was probably the loudest Nim had ever spoken since Van met her (which was only a few hours ago). She was yelling so hard that the veins in her temples bulged, and her face was red like a heated iron. It was unbelievable in Van's eyes, because throughout the day they'd been together, she was nothing more than a Teletubby. 

 

"If I show off my merchandise, you call me stupid. You complain about wasting money, even though it's all my money. Have I ever asked you for a single penny, seriously?"

 

"No..."

 

"So what's the big deal?"

 

Van was wondering when he could subtly slip out of the room without being noticed by the two of them. He felt invisible, yet at the same time, too conspicuous (perhaps because of the red mask). He'd agreed with Nim not to say anything when they entered the room, and he'd kept his word, which made him seem like a complete outcast. But if he were to open his mouth, he wasn't sure what to say in this situation. "Calm down," he thought. That would probably only irritate them more.

 

"I'm sorry." After a moment of silence, the ex-boyfriend's hot head suddenly softened. "It's my fault for having a problem with my own interests. I was embarrassed about something trivial. Maybe... maybe I was just annoyed that so many people liked you because you're good at cosplay. After all, you're pretty. Maybe I was just... jealous." Van fell silent, and suddenly the atmosphere changed. It was still awkward.

It's the same as before, but not like when his head was being held underwater. Now, it feels like a love scene is popping up while he's watching a movie with his parents, something like he wants to pretend to drop something or suddenly get up to go to the bathroom.

 

"Is it really necessary to say things that will hurt my feelings when you're jealous?" Nim said softly, her face still red, but Van guessed it was red for something other than anger.

 

"I'm sorry. I was being mean. Can we talk again?" Van timed watching them hug for about a minute and a half before Nim turned to him, her face showing embarrassment. "You can go now. I'll handle the rest." Van was unsure at first, his heart already racing as he headed out the door to wait outside. But his brain kept telling him it would really be okay if he left Nim alone with her ex-boyfriend, the one she'd been telling him all day was crazy.

 

"It's okay, Ton won't hurt us. He's actually kind." 

 

That's not what I've been hearing all day.

 

"We'll pay the same price. Let's go home. Don't worry."

 

But okay, Nim will pay the same price, and the landlord has kicked me out. If I'm still stubborn and refuse to leave, they'll probably call security to drag me out. So Van put the box on the floor, waved quickly, and left the room.

 

Van shuffled to the elevator, pressed the down button, pulled up his hood, and stood with his hands in his pockets, wondering if he should dress up as Spider-Man tonight or ask Nae to help him find a better costume. Van didn't want to be given disapproving looks, like, "That's all you're wearing for Halloween?" even though he knew there was always someone in the house who wouldn't dress up. 

 

The elevator reached his floor and opened. Van was about to step in but stopped, realising he didn't have his key card, which meant he couldn't use the elevator. He stepped back, thinking he'd go back and knock on Nim's door to ask her to use her key card. Just then, someone walked past him and into the elevator.

 

Van followed the neighbour into the elevator, relieved that he didn't have to go back and knock on the door of the apartment where time stood still for that volatile couple. Van subtly followed Nim's neighbour down, who didn't seem to notice. He kept his head down, engrossed in his mobile phone. Van stood with his hands in his pockets, watching the elevator's numbers slowly decrease. Now it was eighteen. And the young man started talking on the phone.

 

"Okay, I know. Just text me," he whispered, as if he was being considerate of Van, or perhaps embarrassed because the voice on the other end of the line was so loud it cut through the silence in the elevator. Van could hear it clearly without even trying to eavesdrop. "Buy some condoms too. I forgot." 

 

That sentence wouldn't be so embarrassing if the young man weren't banging his head against the elevator wall like this. "Just a sec. That's your room. What are you so scared of? I'm going down to the convenience store."

 

No matter how much he didn't want to hear it, the cramped space inside the room where only the two of them were present wouldn't allow Van to do so. The frantic voice on the other end of the line kept coming through, making Van wonder what that person was so afraid of in their room. Did they have a giant spider or a cockroach? If it were anything like that, it would be creepy.

 

While Van was talking to himself, the elevator suddenly stopped. It didn't stop to pick up more passengers because it felt a slight jolt before coming to a complete stop. The elevator lights went out quickly, as did the floor number display.

 

Oh no!

Van cursed inwardly. He turned to look at his fellow victim, who looked up. He looked upwards with a panicked expression before turning towards him.

 

"It's... Aah!"

 

Then he screamed in the elevator.

My ears almost burst.

 

"Calm down," Van raised his hand to stop the young condo resident who was about to melt himself into the elevator wall. He looked about the same size as Van, but his high-pitched voice was surprisingly powerful. "He's a person, a person!"

 

Van quickly tried to explain himself before turning on his phone's flashlight to shine it on his face. The owner of the destructive voice flinched again, perhaps because Van was shining the light from a low angle, making the Spider-Man mask look less impressive. But seeing that he didn't look like someone about to commit murder, the timid young man slowly breathed a sigh of relief (but still seemed a little afraid of Van). It seemed he hadn't noticed Van from the start, not realising Van was wearing a mask until they looked up at each other because the elevator was stuck.

 

"What's wrong with the elevator?" Although he seemed puzzled about taking the elevator with Spider-Man, that wasn't the most important thing right now. The young man asked Van in a trembling voice.

 

"I don't know," Van answered honestly. He knew a little about mechanics and electricity, but he wasn't an expert. And even if he did happen to be an expert, how could he fix the elevator while trapped inside with his bare hands? He was wearing a superhero mask, not a real hero. 

 

"Maybe the power went out."

 

"So what do I have to do...?"

 

Van didn't answer. He walked over and pressed the phone icon on the control panel, trying to contact outsiders, but received no response.

 

"What the hell..." Van muttered before turning to look at the actual resident, who was standing there, frozen behind him. "Do you have the condo management's phone number?"

 

"Yes...I have LINE."

 

"Call them."

 

"Oh... okay," the young resident hurriedly scrolled through his phone screen, his hands trembling, trying to find the name of the condo management company. He almost dropped the phone several times just trying to press a button, and kept making mistakes when trying to make the call, until he couldn't watch anymore. He snatched the cell phone from the timid young man and made the call himself.

 

"Hello, is this the building management office?" Van said into the phone. "I'm stuck in the elevator. I'm not sure if the power's out outside. Could you come and check it out? Yes..."

 

"Two people...they're probably on around the tenth floor."

 

Van handed the phone back to its owner after speaking with the building management. The other person took it, their hands still trembling, and even though the elevator wasn't brightly lit, Van could tell the young resident's face was as pale as a boiled chicken.

 

"The power is out. The building management will call a technician right away."

 

"How much longer...?" he asked in a trembling voice. It was faint and hesitant. It was as if he was breathing half a lung at a time.

 

"I don't know. They just said they would hurry."

 

"I don't want to stay...here...any longer."

 

"Really? That's weird. I really want to," Van said, drawn out, leaning back against the elevator wall. The other person's awkwardness and pointless words irritated him a little. Van knew the coward hadn't done anything wrong, but he thought he himself wasn't wrong to dislike overly anxious people, either.

 

The young man didn't say anything more. He lowered his head, typing furiously on his phone. It was obvious he was complaining to his girlfriend, who was probably just as timid. It was funny to think that if they were both utterly cowards, who would protect whom in a critical moment? Or would they hold hands and scream together?... Interesting.

 

"Hello," followed by a whining voice. The young man started complaining to his girlfriend, repeating the same incident over and over (it was just getting stuck in an elevator; what else could there be to tell?), and then went on and on about his fears. This made Van wonder if he should call someone, too. But who should he call? His aunt? And then what? Calling home wouldn't help at all; nobody could offer any assistance. At best, they just gave me some nonsensical excuses that probably made me more frustrated. 

 

"What should I do... I'm scared. I don't know when the technician will come... Hello..."

 

"She...she!"

 

The whiny one tried calling several more times, but he couldn't reach his girlfriend again. Now they stood side by side in silence, the flash from their cell phones making it slightly less eerie. And because it was so quiet, Van could sense the other person's breathing growing faster than usual.

 

"Are you trying to steal my air?" Van said calmly. The young man didn't answer, but slowly crouched down. 'Breathe slowly. There's not much air in here."

 

"I..." He seemed to be trying to say something, but could only utter the subject of the sentence. His breathing became increasingly rapid, his shoulders visibly heaving up and down, which initially annoyed Van, but now made him feel a little excited as well.

 

"I'm sorry... I..."

 

"Alright," Van muttered to himself resignedly, before kneeling in front of the young man and placing his hands on the other's shoulders. "Calm down. Breathe slowly. Don't panic."

 

"Trying... I'm trying," he said, but he didn't seem to calm down at all. On the contrary, he looked more and more panicked, to the point that Van thought he might have a seizure or lose consciousness in a few minutes. "It... can't stop... it won't stop."

 

"Have you ever experienced panic attacks?"

 

"No, no."

 

"Are you claustrophobic?" He didn't answer, but judging from his trembling eyes, there was no need to investigate further. Being locked in an elevator for so long without knowing when he would get out had triggered his fear. "Okay, then, do as I say."

 

Van took the other person's hands and brought them together in a gesture similar to a wai. 

 

Van said calmly. "Now breathe slowly."

 

"Breathe with me. In...out...in...out..."

 

The timid young man complied readily. He looked at Van's face, slowly slowing down.

Breathing in time with Van's words.

 

"It's okay. Someone's coming to help. You're not alone here. I'm here too. He'll be here soon, then we can go out together."

 

As if by magic, the young man’s panic gradually subsided after he managed to control his breathing for a moment. Van gently squeezed the other's shoulder to help him relax.

 

"Don't leave me," he said, his voice trembling.

 

"Even if I wanted to leave, I couldn't," Van shrugged. "You think I'm Spider-Man?"

 

"Actually, Ree."

 

"Can you breathe with that mask on?"

 

"Okay, I'm going out."

 

"But wouldn't it be more comfortable if you took it off?"

 

"No thanks, this is cooler."

 

"Okay, but don't faint. I don't want to be alone."

 

"Thanks for worrying about me," Van said sarcastically, before sitting down beside him, leaning back against the wall, and slowly taking a deep breath. He'd gotten a little too excited just now.

 

"Why are you wearing that Spider-Man mask?" he asked, his voice sounding a little better, and Van thought he should try to be friendly to prevent the coward from having another episode.

 

"I brought a girl to pick up something from her ex-boyfriend's room."

 

"His ex-girlfriend liked... Spider-Man?"

 

"Yes, and I liked her, so I dressed up as Spider-Man to flirt with her." The young man froze, his eyes widening twice as much. Besides being easily frightened, he was probably the type to believe everything strangers said, including someone wearing a Spider-Man mask. "I was being sarcastic. Don't faint."

 

"That was close," the young man sighed heavily.

 

"The girl was afraid her ex-boyfriend would come looking for trouble, so she asked me to cover my face when I came to meet him"

 

"Wearing a regular mask should be enough, right?"

 

"You can tell someone is good-looking just by looking into their eyes."

 

The young man fell silent again, but this time he didn't seem surprised. It seems unbelievable.

 

"Besides, his hair colour is so distinctive, it's too memorable," Van continued. "What colour is your hair?"

 

"It's like a rainbow, like a pony's tail."

 

"It's probably easy to remember," the young resident chuckled dryly, still unsure of what he was dealing with. Which was more worrying: being stuck in an elevator or being stuck in an elevator with a rainbow-haired Spider-Man? 

 

"And... are you leaving already?"

 

"Yes"

 

"Alone?"

Van nodded.

 

"Oh, and the girl…" The young man's voice trailed off as he realised that wasn't really the point of the question. Two people came, but he left alone. This was his ex-boyfriend's room. It was almost certainly bad news for this young Spider-Man. 

 

"Sorry."

 

"Sorry about that, I'm perfectly fine," Van said casually, stretching his legs as if he were getting used to chatting with strangers in this dark elevator. "I'm even glad to get home early."

 

"Don't you regret it at all?"

 

"About what?"

 

"In the end, she went back to her ex-boyfriend."

 

"I don't care," Van shrugged indifferently, "as long as I get the same money. Either way is fine."

 

Silence fell over the area. The young man was confused by Van's answer, but didn't think they were in a position to question him further. So he tried to figure out in his mind why this strange young man had brought up money when talking about the girl who had just left him, but unfortunately, none of the answers seemed plausible.

 

"The internet's not working," Van muttered, trying to text his friends back home, but it wouldn't send.

 

"Mine is the same," the young person said softly. The message was similar: "He said the power's out outside, right?"

 

"Yeah, the power went out throughout the whole building."

 

"...you're definitely going to cry."

 

"Ha?"

 

"I mean the person in the room," Van interpreted, implying the other person was referring to their partner.

 

"I just called, and they said, 'It's getting dark now.'"

 

"At least if you have a phone, you can turn on the flash."

 

"It's still scary," the young man muttered, more to himself than to Van.

 

"Even in broad daylight, it's scary."

 

Van wasn't sure what to answer. He didn't even know who his fellow elevator victim was.

 

What are we talking about? All I know is that he and his girlfriend are probably both incredibly cowardly. You could say Van judges people by their appearance, but judging from this guy's looks, he doesn't seem like a coward at all. He looks pretty masculine.

 

"They're still not here?" Almost ten minutes passed, and there was still no sign of anyone coming to help. The young man’s voice sounded anxious again. "It's been too long."

 

"He's probably working on it," Van replied. He was starting to feel uncomfortable, too. It was hot, dark, and the air was thinning, but he thought there was no reason to panic. That would only make things worse. "We'll get out, don't worry."

 

"...It's easy for someone who's been abandoned to say that," the young man murmured. But he may have forgotten that they were sitting only a cubit apart, in a small, rectangular box with just the two of them. Van could almost hear his stomach rumbling.

 

"What does that have to do with anything?" Van wondered. "If you're late, are you going to get dumped by your girlfriend?"

 

"Maybe."

 

"What?" Van exclaimed, his voice rising. He hoped the other person was joking, but judging from the irritated tone and the tearful expression, it seemed serious. 

 

"You're breaking up over something like this?"

 

 The young man sat silently, head down, repeatedly sending the same message, even though he knew it still wouldn't work.

 

"If she's going to break up with you after we get out, then so be it. What's the point of keeping her around?" Van said irritably. Seeing the dejected expression on the person next to him made him want to scream. He couldn't understand either the idiotic girlfriend outside or this cowardly guy at all. Or maybe this is what they say, that like attracts like? This is clearly a case of a rotten corpse in a coffin. 

 

"Who wants to sit around like an idiot in an elevator for ages? It's an elevator, not a private spa! Do you think you can relax here?"

 

The young man sighed heavily. "You wouldn't understand."

 

"That's right. Only a fool would understand."

 

"If you don't understand, don't speak."

 

"Sorry, it's too late. If I've heard it, I'll have to say something," Van said, completely disregarding the other person's displeased tone. As he said, it was perfectly normal for others to be unhappy with him. "Besides, you insulted me first."

 

"When did I ever insult you?" The young man turned to look Van directly in the face. It was the first time Van had seen his face properly. He was a good-looking man, ordinary but alright. Unfortunately, his personality was rather irritating.

 

"You said I was dumped."

 

"I'm not saying anything bad. You really did get dumped, didn't you?"

 

"Then why apologise in the first place?"

 

"According to etiquette."

 

"Oh, where have your manners gone now?" Van said sarcastically.

 

"Gone with your manners," the young man retorted bluntly. Although his thoughts were annoying, Van found him much more endearing when he tried to argue. "You know nothing about my girlfriend and me. What right do you have to tell me to break up with her?"

 

"Didn't you say she was going to break up with you?"

 

"I was just saying maybe."

 

"So I told you, 'If' she says she wants to break up, then let her go.'"

 

"Why should I listen to you?"

 

"I'm not saying you have to listen. I'm just giving you advice. If you follow it, that's good. If you don't, that's up to you. If you want to stay with someone who broke up with you because you got stuck in an elevator, who's going to say anything? Some people's standards are beyond description. It's understandable." 

 

Van gestured with both hands and shrugged lightly, indicating he didn't care at all, while the young man frowned so hard his eyebrows almost formed a bow. He couldn't believe that this man was both the one who saved his life and the one he wanted to slit the throat of.

 

"I'm starting to understand why that girl went back to her ex."

 

"Because she has strange tastes, just like you."

 

"Oh, would anyone be that weird...?"

 

Before the young resident could react, the elevator's lights suddenly came on, the display screen returned to life, and then they felt movement. The elevator slowly descended, heading towards the floor that had initially been held down. Van and the young resident looked at each other, confused and unsure what to do. Should they quickly press the button for the nearest floor, or was it safe to continue to their target floor?

 

"Is it okay now?" the young resident asked, his eyes still fixed on the screen displaying the floor number. Hesitantly, "Should we leave soon?"

 

"It looks normal," Van replied.

 

"What if it gets stuck again?"

 

"This is the fourth floor."

 

"So what? Can't it get stuck on the fourth floor?"

 

"three"

 

"Ha?"

 

"Two"

 

The timid young man glared at Van, ready to open his mouth and curse.

 

"One"

 

And the elevator doors opened.

 

Their conversation ended there. A female condo management representative rushed over to them both, looking worried. She flinched slightly when she saw the man in the Spider-Man mask. Van didn't say anything; he just lightly waved his hand to indicate that everything was alright. Then he walked out of the condo.

 

The female property management representative turned to speak with her resident, expressing concern and apologising as part of her duties. The young resident didn't hold a grudge, smiling politely and answering questions about what happened in the elevator. However, his eyes still lingered on the young man, a lingering feeling of guilt that he knew would never be resolved.

——————————-

The Halloween party at the club wasn't as lively as expected. Perhaps it wasn't the kind of club where people in costumes dance to upbeat music. Most customers preferred a quieter atmosphere and enjoyed drinking. Therefore, there weren't many people in costume, and nobody was dressed as elaborately as those at the city centre's popular clubs. They were probably the ones who went all out.

 

In the end, Van decided to dress up as Spider-Man because there wasn't enough time to find another costume. In fact, he wore the same one he wore when he got stuck in the elevator at Nim's condo. Taengmo dressed up as The Creature from Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro version). Because he's tall and big, Yo-Ye dressed up as Steve Harrington from Stranger Things (though even Taengmo somersaulted to prove it wasn't even remotely similar). Mimi dressed up as Lucy Grey-Bread from The Hunger Games (she sewed the rainbow skirt herself two weeks prior). Nae dressed up as the heroine from "Ten Rules of the Wild Heart" (Van thought she had a personality and appearance similar to Cat Stratford, and this style of dress suited her well). Talay dressed as Santi from "War Express" (which made him look a lot like his father). As for Patee, he dressed as if he didn't want to participate in Halloween at all (he didn't dress up).

 

They started partying (and helping out at the club) from early evening, drinking heavily according to their individual alcohol tolerances. Mimi was beaming more than usual because the long, big project had finally come to a successful conclusion. She had received her payment. A large lump, worthy of the sweat and tears shed, and it would become the tenth pillar of her future karate school.

 

As night fell and Van's breath picked up the pungent smell of alcohol, he began recounting the story of the stuck elevator and the cowardly young man from the house to his housemates. Taengmo laughed, tears streaming down his face, the makeup smudged around his eyes and cheekbones as he wiped away his tears. Nae, the makeup artist, made a big fuss. Talay laughed along but still asked questions out of concern. Mimi looked shocked and kept asking about the elevator. Nae teased Van about the young man, while Patee quietly sipped his fruit juice. Van wasn't even sure if Patee was listening.

 

"You've never even had a boyfriend yourself, and you dare to try to teach him?" Linda said, placing a basket of oranges in the middle of the table. It was a special item not on the menu, but served on-site because the landlady had bought them several days ago and was afraid they would spoil. She picked up a fruit, peeled it skillfully, then cut it in half and handed one half to Mimi.

 

"Living people still sit around telling ghost stories as if they were real," Van said, picking up an orange to peel. His orange peel came in small pieces, not in nice strips like the other ones, but he still got to eat it. Van was about to break the orange open when he noticed Patee hesitating over whether to pick up an orange like everyone else. Before Patee could reach the basket, the peeled orange in Van's hand was slapped into his. Van then picked up a new orange to peel without saying anything. He didn't even look at Patee and continued chattering nonstop, 

 

"Some people know everything as if they've been dead before."

 

"Is it a belief?" Talay said casually. He didn't eat oranges. He didn't like sour fruit; even a little bit of sourness was enough to make him refuse. Therefore, he just sat and watched others eat.

 

"But he likes to say he really saw a ghost," Van said.

 

"Because he believed he saw it."

"So that means you didn't actually see it, right?"

 

"Maybe it's true," Talay shrugged.

 

"Evidence?"

 

"It's about belief."

 

"Are you okay, P'Le? Are you a Bodyslam fan?" Van frowned, chewing on an orange and grumbling in annoyance. The gang, even Patee, wore slight smiles, probably because they knew Bodyslam and understood the joke.

 

"You have to open your mind a bit, Van," Taengmo said, chuckling. "Anything you've never experienced before..."

 

Just because you see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

 

"Because I've never seen it, that's why I don't believe it," Van argued. "If you want me to believe you, then show your face."

 

"Don't... you idiot!" Nae kicked Van's arm, making him sway. "Just keep the dog in your mouth!"

 

"Don't babble too much."

 

"Auntie! That kid assaulted me!" Instead of arguing, Van yelled, complaining to his aunt throughout the house. Linda, who was about to go outside to smoke, stepped back and said to the silver-haired boy with a bored expression, "He just nudged you with his foot. Don't be such a crybaby."

 

"Yeah, don't be such a drama queen," the novice whispered, joining in. Mimi, sitting next to him, laughed, but secretly gently patted his shoulder.

 

"I'm hurt! That's against the rules! I'll get fined!" Van yelled.

 

"Stop yelling, or I'll send you to clean up the customers' vomit," Linda said, and that was all before walking out the back door of the store.

 

"Auntie must hate me now," Van grumbled when he didn't get the attention he wanted.

 

"This house is unfair."

 

"Justice will prevail when you stop being crazy," Nae said, gently pushing Van's head.

 

Pulling Mimi's arm, Nene got up and went with them after swaying back and forth after trying every drink the bar had offered. Van watched the rom-com heroine, making a face and muttering curses under his breath in annoyance.

 

"Goodnight, you losers," Mimi drawled, waving goodbye as Nene was dragging her towards the red door. Nene didn't wish them goodnight as Mimi did, but she waved dismissively anyway, not wanting Mimi to think she was unfriendly.

 

"Good night," Talay replied. He got up as if to go back to his room. "I'm going too."

Some say, "I have a date tomorrow."

 

"Do you go on dates every day, P'Le?" Taengmo said, his hand sweeping away orange peel fragments, the small trash can I pulled from under the table.

 

"Because I hired her," Talay shrugged.

 

"Why don't you become a host?" Taengmo said.

 

"A style like yours would probably sell well," Van added in agreement, his eyes fixed on his phone screen, his thumb scrolling through it. If it wasn't news from the robotics industry, it must be something about his favourite anime. Van was interested in only a few things. 'Being a host definitely makes more money than drawing, right?'

 

Talay sighed, slapping Van on the head, making him fall face-first, but the punished one was completely unaware of why he'd been slapped. Van frowned and looked at him, confused

 

"I'm not as glamorous as those hosts," Talay replied casually. In truth, he didn't care much about Van's words. He couldn't deny that what the silver-haired guy said was true; otherwise, why would he take a job at the Crow Club? "My body isn't sexy, I'm not a good drinker, who would buy my drinks?"

 

"You're not good?" Van glared at him, annoyed by his irritating humility. "If I were born from a bamboo shoot, then you were born from a bottle of cheap liquor."

 

"I just like alcohol; that doesn't mean I'm a good drinker," Talay replied in a drawn-out voice. "The host has to have a high tolerance for alcohol. Some people drink hundreds of bottles a night. I can't handle that."

 

"But my... is made of gold," Taengmo giggled, amused by his own joke.

 

"Embed the diamonds," Van replied, joining in. Talay looked at those annoying guys with exasperation before they grabbed the two round heads and slammed them together, making them cry out in pain.

 

"I just go on dates; I never sleep with clients," Talay said.

 

"Swear?" Taengmo raised an eyebrow and smiled mischievously.

 

"Unless he's off-camera, my secret room doesn't cost anything."

 

"Outstanding"

 

Watermelon and Sea bumped fists before Sea went back up to her room.

 

"Are you going to bed yet?" Van asked Taengmo the Creacher, taking the last sip of liquor from his glass. In one swift motion, he placed the glass on the table with a loud clink before nodding slightly.

 

"I have work in the morning too."

 

"Then hurry up and go check on Yo, and then go to bed."

 

"Huh?" The Taengmo Creacher seemed to snap back to reality in a split second. He glared at Van disapprovingly. If his skin wasn't covered in latex (or silicone) and special effects makeup, Van would have seen a bright red streak across his cheeks by now.

 

"Why are you looking at it?"

 

"I saw him go out to talk on the phone a while ago," Van replied casually. "He can eat and use it too."

 

"Just now, I saw him walking unsteadily."

 

"So?"

 

"Well, then what? If you're not going to go see, I'll go see myself." Taengmo fell silent. Van looked at his tsundere friend with admiration. Not because of the confusion and turmoil he had awakened, but because he could still perceive the complex mass of feelings and emotions through Taengmo's face, even though that face may look as stiff as a statue.

 

"If it's lying dead behind the shop, I'll text you," Frankenstein rattled off, then got up from the table and left. Van laughed heartily. He'd never met anyone who hid their feelings as badly as Taengmo. Even he, who was called emotionally numb and heartless, could tell that the embers of their past hadn't completely died out.

 

"Aren't you going up to your room?" Van said after sitting silently for about ten minutes. His eyes remained fixed on his phone screen, his fingers moving rapidly as he typed away with some idiots on the internet (it was a small job he'd taken on a week ago).

 

It was like he was the only one sitting there alone, but that wasn't actually true. Someone else had been sitting with Van the whole time. They were just the silent ones.

 

"Not yet," Patee replied. He was looking at something on his phone, too. His voice was listless and lifeless, the kind that was boring to listen to. Van thought the only time Patee was interesting was when he sang and played the guitar.

 

"Aren't you playing tonight?"

 

"We're playing," Patee replied, "very late at night."

 

"Are you going to take the last one?"

 

"Mm-hmm"

 

Then there was a long silence. Van and Patee's conversations were always like this. They'd exchange a few sentences about one topic, then pause for a moment of silence before starting a new one. It might sound awkward, but surprisingly, neither of them did. Van found Patee boring, yet, statistically, he was the club member who talked to him most often; conversely, Patee talked to Van the most (though "a lot" for Patee was very little for most people), even though he considered Van eccentric.

 

"Okay, I'll keep sitting here," Van said, still glued to his phone. "But could you sing the Naruto theme song for me?"

 

"Can we do it one more time? I promise this will be the last one this week."

 

"Mm-hmm," Patee replied, his eyes still fixed on his mobile phone.

————————

The following week, on a rainy morning with no chance of the sun fully rising, even though it was already late morning, Van had no work but was woken up at nine o'clock by noise from the next room. It turned out Mimi had taken in a chick. Taengmo was complaining because the chick had pooped on his athletic shoes, and Nae scolded Him for it. Mimi was annoyed, so they both carried the chick to sit and cry at the foot of Van's bed. That was the cheerful story of a weekend morning.

 

Talay wasn't home. Linda said her boyfriend's father, a model of a man, hadn't come home since last night. She guessed he'd probably spent the night at another girl's place again. Patee had gone to work. Lately, he's been taking on a job patrolling abandoned houses every early morning, and strangely, he doesn't stop even when it rains. Van ate breakfast in his room. He was too lazy to go downstairs, so he just made some instant noodles. And don't forget to boil some for the little girl who's sitting and chatting with her chicks.

 

"Auntie doesn't let me keep pets," Van replied, slurping a big gulp of instant noodles. He chewed heartily and continued, "If you catch them, she'll tell you to throw them away."

 

"How could you abandon it!" Mimi shrieked, covering her ears with both hands (chicks don't have external ears, but ear holes on the sides of their heads) so the little one sleeping on the small cloth on the dining table wouldn't hear. 

 

"It has feelings! How would you feel if your parents abandoned you?"

 

"I don't know. He never left me. He only ever kicked me out of the house."

 

"That's it," the chick's foster mother said softly. "Are you sad?"

 

"It's alright, I'm grown up now. I'll have to move out and live on my own someday."

 

"But the nuggets are still this small. Mimi cradled the little chick in her hand, looking at it with an expression of utter pity. 'It can't even take care of itself, and you're telling me to take it?'"

 

Did he throw it away again?"

 

"You named it Nugget. It must really want to stay with you," Van said with his mouth full of noodles. "And I didn't tell you to throw it away. I said if Auntie found out, she'd tell you to throw it away."

 

"What do you want me to do? I can't leave him outside alone."

 

"Give it to someone else. You can sell it too."

 

"Who are you selling it to?"

 

"Those guys from your school," Van replied. He was referring to the karate school Mimi went to.

 

"Give this to someone who lives at home, not in a dorm."

 

"Nobody wants it," Mimi said, looking at Van's eyes pleadingly.

 

"Does nobody like animals?"

 

"Some people like animals, but nobody likes me."

 

"Oh, my poor little Tuan," Van reached out and patted Mimi's shoulder sympathetically.

 

"Don't feel sorry for me. Other people don't like you either."

 

"I already have so few friends. Do you want to subtract one, you little brat?" Mimi giggled, gently stroking Nugget's little head. She was naturally gentle and kind; everyone in the house knew it. But to outsiders, she was a pretentious slut. The guys liked her because of her pretty face, while the girls often looked at her with a 'girl-reads' gaze. Van didn't know what it meant, only that many of them didn't really see through it as she thought.

 

Van's cell phone vibrated. He picked up the bowl and took another sip of the sodium-heavy soup before checking the latest notification. It was from a familiar account.

 

Madame Linda:

Finish eating and come down to the office.

Dress nicely.

No more than 15 minutes.

 

"Work?" Mimi asked, seeing Van staring at the screen and sighing.

 

"Okay, just going to take a quick shower," Van replied, getting up to put the bowl of instant noodles in the sink and grabbing a towel. Then he walked into the bathroom.

 

"I'm going out for a bit. Can you leave the chicken nuggets in your room?" - Chicken Nuggets' Mom, shouting to the room owner who was in the bathroom.

 

"Okay!" Van shouted back. "I was just craving spicy chickpea soup."

 

"Boil your mother, you old hag!"

 

Twelve minutes later, Van stood in front of the office, or as Linda called it. His hair was still slightly damp because he hadn't had time to blow-dry it. He had washed his face, brushed his teeth, showered, changed into clothes that didn't look like pyjamas, and come down as Madam had instructed. Of course, even a minute's delay could result in a lengthy reprimand.

 

Van knocked on the door three times (Linda didn't like it any more than that), his voice kind. It was unusual to hear a loud "Come in," Linda said, opening the door after receiving permission. Van met Linda's gaze as she sat at her desk, or what they liked to call the Empress's throne. Linda gave him a business smile, and Van returned a forced, strained smile. 

 

Opposite Linda was likely a client, judging by the back of his head, a man around Van's age. He secretly guessed he might be hiring him to test his girlfriend's loyalty or something similar. Just his hair colour and clothing were boring enough; this person couldn't possibly hire him to do anything more bizarre.

 

"He's here. This is the perfect person for the job," Linda said confidently.

 

The young man who had come to hire the man turned to look at Van, who was standing in the doorway. He felt a shiver run down his spine when he saw him. The other person's face was clearly visible.

 

"Hello"

 

Although this room was brighter than the condo elevator, Van recognised the face. His ordinariness and cowardly eyes were etched in Van's memory; only he remembered him.

 

"Love you."

 

But this doesn't seem like the kind of thing people would say to each other for the first time, does it?