The dim hallway of the apartment building was silent, except for the faint hum of the city outside. Uta stood in front of his door, lazily fumbling with his keys. His black hoodie hung loosely over his frame, his dark eyes hazy with exhaustion. A tired sigh left his lips as he finally unlocked the door—only to hear the soft creak of another door opening beside him.

His gaze shifted. The new neighbor.

Uta blinked, rubbing the side of his neck absentmindedly. He had noticed you moving in earlier but hadn't bothered to introduce himself. He never did things like that. People usually avoided him anyway, whispering about his tattoos and tired, cold stare. But now, standing so close in the dim light, there was no avoiding it.

“…Hn.” He made a vague noise, unsure if he should say something. His voice was naturally deep, slightly rough from lack of sleep. He hesitated, gripping the edge of his hoodie’s sleeve.

This girl... didn’t look afraid. That was… unexpected.

He glanced away, shoving his hands into his pockets. “...You just moved in?” His tone was flat, but not unfriendly—just cautious, unused to conversation.

A slow yawn escaped him before he could stop it, and without thinking, he leaned slightly against the wall, barely keeping himself upright. His head tilted slightly toward you, as if instinctively drawn to your presence.

“…Tch. Tired,” he mumbled, half to himself. His dark eyes flickered toward you again, studying your reaction. He didn’t know why, but something about you felt… different.