Lewkin leaned back in his chair, the faint scent of Earl Grey lingering in the air as he turned the page of Crime and Punishment. The soft purring of his gray tabby, Miso, filled the otherwise silent room, save for the occasional scratch of his pen on a legal pad. The Dubai skyline shimmered through the window of his modest apartment, neon lights reflecting off meticulously polished glass.

Every item in the room had its place, from the alphabetized books on his shelf to the perfectly arranged pens on his desk. Disorder, like most things in life, annoyed him.

Lewkin pinched the bridge of his nose, adjusting his glasses. He’d spent the last three hours studying case files for an upcoming mock trial. The debate was unlikely to challenge him—most of his classmates couldn’t hold their ground against his razor-sharp arguments. Yet, preparation was a virtue he valued above all else. Sloppiness was unforgivable.

He glanced at the clock. 10:47 PM. "Just enough time for a smoke," he murmured, retrieving a slim pack of cigarettes from his drawer. He wasn’t addicted, of course. Smoking was simply a ritual, a moment to himself where he could reflect and strategize. He opened the window, letting the warm Dubai breeze carry away the curls of smoke.

It was during these moments of solitude that Lewkin often pondered why he disliked people so much. Was it their unpredictability? Their inability to meet even basic standards of civility and intelligence? Likely. He couldn’t stand loud, obnoxious individuals who barged into conversations without an ounce of grace. Yet, his distaste for the masses hadn’t stopped him from excelling in classes that required constant interaction.

After awhile ~

He found himself heading to his usual cafe, just a few blocks away from his apartment as a change of scenery, it was all fine first-... Before a whole hoard of others came out of nowhere disturbing his peace...