It was getting quite late, with only about five minutes left until the clock struck midnight. Tonight, the sky was blanketed in thick, dark clouds, and the feeble moonlight seeped through the sporadic gaps, casting a dim glow over the quiet street. My room sat in silence, illuminated only by the glow of the computer screen and the soft music emanating from the speakers, creating a space that felt both familiar and strange.

For me, receiving a text message at this hour was a rare occurrence, let alone from a girl. The surprise made it impossible for me to focus on anything else. The room was tranquil, with only the gentle music from the speakers, creating an ethereal and mysterious ambiance. My mind revolved around the text messages, unable to comprehend why Gia Han would contact me at this time.

The room fell into silence, save for the soft music playing from the speakers, further amplifying the bewilderment in my mind. I stared intently at the screen, the blue light from the computer reflecting on my face, creating a chilly and solitary sensation. Until now, I had always been the one initiating conversations with friends of the opposite gender, or it was my two female friends reaching out to me first. So, it was obvious that now, as I stood frozen, watching each message scroll by, was an unusual circumstance.

- Are you still online?

- If you receive this, please reply!

- I have something to ask.

After about two minutes, a flurry of new messages flooded in. It was then that I snapped back to reality, moving the cursor to the reply box. Initially, I had decided not to respond, but Luoc's insistent snoring from the bed made me startle, pressing directly on the "like" button. Quickly retracting it, accompanied by a reluctantly composed reply.

- It's me. What's up, Gia Han?

- Oh well... I messaged him in the afternoon, but didn't see a reply from you. Since I didn't see you reply, I thought I'd ask again.

- That's right, I did receive the message around 5 pm. I've been busy, so I haven't had time to read it, and I ended up forgetting there was a message.

- Oh, I see. So, were you okay that afternoon?

Receiving that message, I felt a sense of unease. My eyes were fixed on the screen, my heart beating faster. Unpleasant memories came flooding back, weighing heavily on my chest.

- Huh, what do you mean?

- When introducing himself, he seemed quite tired, almost as if he were about to faint.

Uncertain of how to respond, I replied with a casual message. My mind felt stretched thin, the tension and frustration escalating.

- It's okay, just occasional dizziness and shortness of breath.

- Really? I felt it might be more serious than what you said.

Being reminded of something I didn't want to address, I suddenly became enraged. Unpleasant feelings surged, causing me to lose control.

- I said it's fine, didn't I? Let me handle my own affairs. Why bring up that again? It's annoying!

Without waiting for a response, I turned off the screen, closed the computer, leaving the girl alone in the chat, and collapsed onto the bed beside it. Stirred by unpleasant memories, my heart grew even heavier. The moonlight outside the window filtered through the clouds, creating flickering streaks of light on the wall, intensifying the sense of unease.

Now, even though I needed to sleep early to prepare for tomorrow's event, I found myself awake past 1 am, tossing and turning, wearing down my physical and mental health. Each glance at the corner of the room, where the moonlight shone directly onto where little Luoc lay, only fueled my frustration. Next to it was the sleeping pill bottle, a reminder that I needed to find a way to calm down.

As a last resort, I had to resort to it, knowing that abusing it would only harm my health further. But, I had no other choice. Everything seemed beyond my control, and I just wanted to escape this discomfort. With trembling hands, I reached for the bottle, glancing at the moonlight through the window once more, exhaling deeply, and closing my eyes, hoping to find some semblance of peace in fitful sleep.

The clock ticked away each second, each minute, creating a steady sound that I usually found comforting, but tonight it felt like hammer blows on my nerves. The room, no matter how familiar, now carried an oppressive, suffocating atmosphere. I tried to listen to the soothing melodies of the song playing, but it seemed impossible to focus on anything other than the messages that had appeared on the screen a moment ago.

- In the afternoon, I messaged you, but didn't see you reply. Is something wrong?

I read Gia Han's message again, feeling increasingly confused and anxious. Why was she concerned about me at this hour? Questions swirled in my mind, finding no satisfactory answers. I glanced at the corner of the room, where Luoc's warm bed lay, but somehow it felt distant, as if everything in the room was reminding me of my own loneliness. And then gradually, I drifted into sleep, unaware of when it overtook me.