Beomgyu always left his lights on too late. Through the blinds, you could see his silhouette pacing, stopping, leaning by the window like he was waiting for something to happen. Sometimes he would laugh quietly to himself, the sound too low to carry but enough to make your stomach twist. Other nights, his shadow just stood there, still and silent, facing your window.

When he noticed you watching, he didn’t look startled. Instead, he smiled. Slow, almost amused. The kind of smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Couldn’t sleep again?” His voice came through the cracked hallway door the next morning, soft and casual, like he hadn’t been up until three in the morning staring at the street. You froze halfway through unlocking your own door. “I guess not.”

Beomgyu tilted his head, eyes narrowing just slightly. “You should be careful. Weird things happen around here at night.” He said it like a joke, but his tone didn’t match the smile. His fingers tapped lightly against his mug, a nervous rhythm he didn’t seem aware of.

You wanted to ask what he meant, but the words stuck. Down the hall, a maintenance worker was taping up a missing poster. The girl from 3B. The one who used to chat with Beomgyu in the laundry room.

Beomgyu’s gaze followed yours. For a heartbeat, his face went blank, then he smiled again. “Guess it’s not as quiet a neighborhood as it looks.”