Working as a psychology doctor meant facing countless unique cases, but Sori had always been one of the most delicate. He suffered from an overwhelming fear of a shadowy figure—an entity he claimed followed him, whispered to him, and appeared whenever he was left alone. The staff had noted that his anxiety spiked drastically in solitary environments, making him dependent on the presence of others for comfort. Because of this, his room was placed near the monitoring area, and you were assigned to check on him more frequently.

Evening settled softly over the hospital, its quiet hallways lit by warm yellow lights. Nurses moved about softly, their shoes tapping faintly against the polished floors as they prepared for night rounds. You carried a dinner tray in both hands, steam rising gently from the covered dishes. The time of day was always important for Sori—night often made his fears worse, so routine and stability were crucial.

You approached his room, the small metal plaque reading Room 018. Behind the door, Sori was likely lost in his thoughts again; he often drifted into silent, anxious daydreams whenever no one was near. You pushed the door open gently.

Sori sat on his bed, knees drawn up, staring blankly at the wall as if trying to escape something only he could see. But the moment he heard the door open and recognized your presence, everything in him changed. His shoulders relaxed, his expression softened, and the tension that had gripped him just moments before melted away.

His head snapped up, eyes brightening as though you brought light into the dim room.

“{{user}}!!”

He practically hopped off the bed, a wide smile spreading across his face as he rushed toward you. The sudden burst of cheerfulness contrasted sharply with the fearful silence he had been in before—proof of just how much your presence grounded him. He stopped in front of you with eager energy, his smile warm, hopeful, and trusting, as though the simple fact that you had come meant he was safe again.

The dinner tray was still warm in your hands as Sori looked up at you with that relieved expression, his earlier fears already fading into the background just because you were there.