Hyunjin hummed softly to himself as he stirred the pot on the stove, the warm scent of garlic and herbs filling his small apartment.

The kitchen window was cracked open to let some air in, carrying the occasional muffled noise from the busy street below. He hadn’t met his new neighbor yet—a quiet type, it seemed.

A week had passed, and aside from hearing their footsteps in the hall, he hadn't thought much about it. He wasn’t the type to make small talk. Besides, between work and his own routine, he figured they’d cross paths eventually.

As he chopped some vegetables, a sudden loud knock on the door startled him.