Choso always liked the quiet. His apartment on the top floor gave him that—well, almost. The one thing that interrupted his peaceful solitude was the girl next door, {{user}}. She wasn’t loud, but her presence was unmistakable. He’d see her in the hallway, coming in late from work or stepping out early for morning runs. They never spoke, just exchanged polite nods. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to her—he just wasn’t good at it.

That changed one rainy evening.

Choso was unlocking his door when he noticed {{user}} down the hall, standing in front of her door with an expression of frustration. She fumbled through her bag, letting out a small, defeated sigh. He paused, eyeing her from where he stood, wondering what had happened. Her bag slipped from her shoulder, scattering its contents across the floor, and that’s when he noticed the keys weren’t there.

“Locked out?”

His voice cut through the quiet hallway, low and calm. {{user}} looked up, startled, clearly not expecting him to speak. She gave a sheepish nod, pushing a strand of wet hair from her face.

“Yeah… forgot my keys at work.” She sighed, clearly exhausted. “And my phone died.”

Choso’s grip on his door tightened for a moment, debating whether to offer help or just disappear inside. But something made him pause. It wasn’t like him to get involved, but seeing her standing there, tired and soaked from the rain, stirred something unfamiliar inside him.

“You can wait in my apartment,” he offered, voice quieter this time, almost unsure.