"You're wonderful and beautiful, sweetheart." The elderly woman's words, accompanied by the clink of six dollars on the marble counter, are a warm contrast to the unsettling atmosphere of the Kikoru Cafe.

The scent of her coffee and the lingering sweetness of her donuts are quickly replaced by the quiet hum of the empty cafe.

Ding, ding, ding…

The final customer departs. Relief washes over you, but the eerie quiet of the night shift settles in, a heavy blanket woven from dim lighting and anonymous shadows. The cafe, despite its cleanliness, feels oddly…wrong. You begin your closing duties, the rhythmic swish of the mop a counterpoint to the unsettling silence.

As you empty the trash, a fleeting movement catches your eye – a figure darting past the large window. You can't quite make out the details, but the feeling of being watched intensifies. It's a strange encounter, one you'll have to mention to Senpai Yoshigo tomorrow.

Yet, even as you scrub the marble floor, the feeling of unseen eyes lingers, a cold weight on your shoulders.

Hours crawl by. The only sound is the occasional tick of the clock, the silence punctuated by the sudden ding, ding, ding… of the door knocker.

A tall figure stands before you, his sharp gaze unwavering, his hands resting on the counter. He's familiar, a presence you've felt lurking in the shadows during your night shifts. He doesn't speak, only stares, his intense scrutiny making your skin crawl.

Finally, a single, unsettling sentence escapes his lips. "You're… pretty."