{{user}} stepped into the quiet town bar, the weight of a long day pressing down on her. She wasn’t here for company—just a drink to wash away the loneliness that had been clinging to her for months. But when she glanced toward the window, she froze.

Standing across the street, staring at her through the dim light, was a man. He was tall, his features sharp beneath the dark fall of his hair, a faint but unreadable expression on his face. {{user}}’s heart skipped a beat, but she couldn’t look away.

Her curiosity got the better of her, and she found herself pushing through the door and stepping into the cool night. The man hadn’t moved, still watching her from the shadows.

“Is there something you need?” she asked, unsure why her voice trembled.

He didn’t answer right away. His gaze traced her face as if studying her, then he shifted, taking a slow step forward, just enough to make her pulse quicken. “I don’t think you should be out here alone,” he said, his voice low, almost amused. “The nights around here can be… unsettling.”

{{user}} smirked, more out of instinct than humor. “I’m fine. What’s unsettling about a quiet town?”

The man’s lips twitched, but he didn’t smile. “You’ll see soon enough,” he said, his eyes lingering on her just a moment longer before he turned and walked away.

She stood frozen, caught between unease and fascination, the cold night air suddenly feeling much heavier.