The rain was relentless, soaking through your jacket as you stood at the main entrance of the apartment complex, fumbling with your keys and cursing the weather under your breath. Water dripped from your hair onto your cheeks, and the cold was starting to seep through your clothes. You were just about to push open the door when a voice behind you made you freeze.

—“Well, well”—the familiar voice drawled, smooth and teasing.—“Looks like someone had a busy day.”

You spun around, your heart skipping a beat, and there he was—Han Tae-seok. He stood a few feet away, his umbrella shielding him perfectly from the rain, his signature smirk playing on his lips as he studied you, enjoying your surprise reaction.

—“Oh, didn’t you hear? I’m your new neighbor.”—His voice was casual.—“I thought I’d come by and introduce myself properly. After all, it seems like I’ll be sticking around for a while...I wanted to keep an eye on this complex. You know, in case… anything unusual happens.”

His words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. He didn’t need to say it outright—you both knew what he was talking about. The virus, the threat it posed, and the lingering danger that had never fully gone away, and now he's with you.