Sofia grit her teeth, clearly exasperated by Henry's stubborn attitude. She turned to the guy behind her. "Sorry, Dylan. He doesn't know anything outside of his books," she said apologetically.

Dylan smiled, glancing at Henry, who was already back to focusing on his work.
"It's fine," Dylan said, still smiling. "I can see that"
This is... interesting.

Sofia glanced awkwardly at Henry, her thoughts racing.
"Henry, this is Dylan Smith, and Dylan, this is Henry Lues, my one and only best friend," she said, wrapping her arms around Henry from behind in a playful hug.

"Hey," Dylan greeted with a friendly wave, but Henry only offered a brief nod in return. Sofia shifted uncomfortably, sensing the tension between them. She caught Dylan's slightly uneasy smile, mirroring her own feelings of awkwardness.

"Henry... there's a dinner invitation... please come with us?"
Sofia asked nervously. She already anticipated his answer, but part of her still hoped he'd surprise her. It would be nice if he could come along and make a few friends. But deep down, she knew better.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I have the evening shift," Henry replied, his voice flat. His eyes met hers briefly, giving the expected answer.

Sofia sighed, defeated, but nodded. "Alright, then. I'm leaving," She muttered. Henry offered a small wave in response.

"It was nice to meet you, Henry," Dylan chimed in, breaking his silence. Henry gave him another short nod, not saying a word. Dylan seemed to take it in stride, understanding Henry's aloof nature without further comment.

As Sofia and Dylan walked away, Henry's eyes followed them, his expression unreadable. He returned to his work without a second glance.

He had no interest in social events or parties; his only focus was on improving his life. Juggling multiple part-time jobs to cover his expenses, Henry had no one to rely on for support.
Tonight, he was scheduled to work the night shift, as usual. After nearly finishing his assignment, he packed up and left the library-it was time for his shift at the food delivery job.

Henry stepped out of the library, the cool evening air hitting his face as he tightened his grip on his backpack.

The weight of his textbooks and work uniform seemed heavier than usual, but he was used to it by now. As he walked through the campus, the fading light cast long shadows over the buildings, and the noise from the library disappeared behind him.

He made his way to the delivery service office, tucked away in a small corner of the city.

Henry carried out his tasks as usual, but on his way back to his room, each step felt slow and heavy, weighed down by a mix of anxiety and fear. He couldn't shake the feeling that something like yesterday wouldn't happen again, yet the thought of it loomed over him.
As he approached his building, a sense of relief washed over him; the path was clear, and he was almost home. But that relief quickly turned to shock and fear when he spotted the sleek black car parked right in front of his building.
His heart raced as he recognized the man leaning casually against it-the same man from last night.

Today, he looked different, dressed in casual clothes rather than the disheveled appearance Henry remembered. The man seemed engrossed in his phone, oblivious to Henry's presence. Henry stopped a few meters away, rooted in place, unable to approach.

"What is he doing here? What does he want from me?"

Henry mumbled to himself, gripping his bag tightly as a wave of panic surged through him. Just then, the stranger turned his head in Henry's direction. Instinct kicked in, and Henry quickly ducked behind the wall, His pulse thundered in his ears as he pressed himself against the cool surface, the fear coiling tightly in his stomach.

He couldn't stay here, not tonight. With shaky hands, he pulled out his phone and called Sofia-the only person he felt he could turn to.

Henry's heart raced as the phone rang in his ear, each second stretching longer than the last.

His back pressed against the cold wall, his breaths shallow as if the stranger might hear him from across the street. When Sofia finally answered, her voice was bright, but Henry's tone was tense.

"S-Sofia, where are you?" he whispered, glancing around nervously as if expecting the man to appear out of nowhere.

"Henry? What's wrong?" Sofia immediately caught the strain in his voice, her playful tone replaced with concern.

"Can I come over?" Henry asked, his voice barely audible, afraid to make any noise that would give him away. "Please. I... I can't go back to my place right now."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, and Henry could almost picture Sofia's worried expression. "Of course, Hen. Come over right now. I'll wait for you."

"Thanks," Henry breathed out, relief flooding him for a moment. He ended the call and took a deep breath, gathering the courage to slip away without being noticed.

His mind was racing, trying to figure out why the stranger had come back, why he was waiting in front of his building.

Stepping cautiously, Henry moved along the wall, keeping out of sight until he was far enough from the man and the car. When he reached the next block, he started walking faster, his legs fueled by fear and adrenaline.

Even though he was putting distance between them, the stranger's image stayed in his mind. His eyes, those haunting blue eyes, were all Henry could think about.
What did he want? Why was he here?

A few days had passed.

"Henry, make sure to close the door properly when you leave, alright?" Den said as he stepped out of the staff changing room. Den was Henry's boss at the café, where Henry only worked on weekends to lend a hand. Today was one of those weekends, and Henry had been at the café all day. Now, it was closing time.

"Don't worry, I got it. Have a great evening," Henry replied, waving as Den left.

With Den gone, Henry continued cleaning the tables, tidying up the café for the night. Just as he was about to finish, the doorbell chimed, signaling someone had walked in.
"I'm sorry, we're closed for today. Please come back tomorrow," Henry said, not bothering to look up as he continued wiping the table.

The soft echo of footsteps filled the café, slow and deliberate. He straightened up and turned toward the door.

His heart skipped a beat.

Standing there was the same guy from a few nights ago - the one with those striking blue eyes that had been on Henry's mind ever since. Today, he looked different: dressed casually in a fitted black jacket, his posture relaxed. But those eyes still carried the same intensity.

Henry froze, his hand loosening its grip on the cleaning rag, which fell to the floor with a faint thud. For a moment, neither of them moved. The silence in the café was thick, charged with unspoken tension.

Ignoring Henry's attempt to turn him away, the man calmly took a seat at one of the freshly cleaned tables.

He looked up, flashing a small smile that seemed effortlessly disarming, the kind that could melt stone.

"Can I have a cup of coffee? Please. I hope you don't mind?" His voice was low and smooth, sending an involuntary chill through Henry.

Henry hesitated, glancing at the clock. He didn't want any trouble, so with a reluctant nod, he gave in.

"Alright," he muttered, quickly grabbing a menu from the counter before approaching the table.

"What would you like to order?" he asked, placing the menu in front of the stranger.

The man chuckled softly, his eyes never leaving Henry. "What do you suggest?"

"I-I don't know what you like," Henry stammered, his pulse quickening under the stranger's steady gaze.

The guy nodded, as if understanding Henry's unease.
"Then I'll have a cappuccino, a latte, and some cookies," he ordered without even glancing at the menu.

Henry blinked, confused for a moment.
Cappuccino and a latte?
Why both? But he didn't question it. Nodding slightly, he turned and headed toward the counter, trying to calm the strange mix of anxiety and curiosity swirling inside him.

Henry busied himself behind the counter, his movements on autopilot as he prepared the drinks. His mind, however, was a whirlwind of confusion.

Why is he here?
Henry thought, trying to rationalize the situation. Maybe it's just a coincidence? But then he remembered-the guy had been outside his apartment building that day. This wasn't just some random encounter. His thoughts tangled, making it hard to focus.

He placed the cappuccino, latte, and a plate of cookies on a tray, his steps slow and deliberate as he carried them to the table. The stranger's eyes never left him, following every move with a quiet intensity that made Henry's skin prickle. The gaze was so heavy, so focused, that it felt like it was searing right through him.

Setting the drinks down on the table, Henry avoided eye contact, keeping his gaze fixed on the tray.

"Here you go," he said, his voice tight as he straightened up, eager to make his escape. He needed distance-something about this whole situation was suffocating.

But before he could turn to leave, the man's voice cut through the air, calm but with an underlying authority that froze Henry in place. "Sit with me."