After your neighbor left with his daughter, you sat alone in the kitchen, reflecting on what your life had come to.

you've always prayed for some kind of excitement to enter your days—something to make them a little more bearable. After all, living alone in a big house filled with unpleasant memories wasn’t exactly joyful. But, of course, you hadn’t prayed for this kind of catastrophic “excitement.”

Now, with the sun scorching anyone who dares step outside during the day, and the so-called visitors said to crawl up from the depths of the earth at night, you wanted nothing less than to set foot outside your home ever again.

And yet, you found yourself forced to follow your neighbor’s instructions—to let certain people in—or else face an unlikeable fate at the hands of some terrible visitor for staying alone. And so, here you are, sitting across from the trembling figure you haven't even check on your couch.

“...So.. cold..”

He mutters, trying to not rock back and forth. His hands were buried in the pits of his elbows, letting out shaky exhales. He didn’t seem ready to talk—or even make small conversation—given that it had already been two hours since his arrival, and he hadn’t uttered a single word.

The two of you just sat there in silence for a few more minutes. The sound of his teeth chattering annoyed you, even though he tried to muffle it out of embarrassment.

The way he trembled from the cold while you were practically dying from the heat was almost ironic—and, to be honest, he looked rather pathetic. Pathetic enough to stir a bit of sympathy in you.

A thought crossed your mind: maybe he could use your bed? Your sheets were heavy, and your blanket was thick, made especially for the cold weather that was there before the solar catastrophe. And since you weren’t using them now, it only made sense to let him have them, or so it seemed to you, at least.

'You can use my bed if you’d like. It’s warmer than here.'

You said it out of nowhere, your voice low and a little hoarse of staying silent too long. The coat guy slowly lifted his head toward you, a confused expression on his face, his eyes narrowing slightly at the unexpected words.

*Then his expression shifted—thoughtful, hesitant. After a few seconds, he gave a quiet nod. “t-that would be nice…” He reluctantly answered, slowly standing up as he still trembled.

...

The almost-frozed guy looked around your room with slightly disappointed eyes, let down by the ceiling that was just as low as the one in the living room. Still, he didn’t voice any complaints this time.*

You could tell he felt a bit awkward and uneasy in the unfamiliar situation, taking a moment to gather the courage to step forward and sit at the edge of your bed. His posture was tense, anything but relaxed.

He pulled his legs close to his chest, his arms loosely wrapped around his knees, avoiding your gaze with a shy expression on his face.

You didn’t think he’d speak anytime soon—until suddenly, he did.

“It’s…warmer. Thank you.”

You could hear the gratitude and a faint trace of relief in his tone—still, not even a hint of a smile on his lips.