☕︎ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒇𝒕

4 - ɪᴛᴀᴢᴜʀᴀ

- ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 1ꜱᴛ, ꜰʀɪᴅᴀʏ

*ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴠɪᴇᴡ*

i am so tired...glancing at my phone, i saw that it was a quarter after nine. thank god my shift is over, but i'm not looking forward to tomorrow's either. i stumbled into my apartment, eager to shed the weight of the day. the door closed with a reassuring thud behind me, and i kicked off my shoes, leaving them haphazardly at the entrance.

each step to the living room was a weary shuffle, and i collapsed onto the couch with a heavy sigh. "finally..." i whispered, curling up to one of the pillows before reaching for the remote where i started to mindlessly click through channels, my tired eyes scanning past various genres. cooking shows, children's entertainment, nothing caught my interest.

frustration crept in as i continued my aimless search until, unexpectedly, the news flickered onto the screen. again, i have no interest in the news, so just as my index finger covered to skip, i stopped...all because of the headline: 'sakura akiyama, age 17: reported missing'. i gulped when the sight of the young woman's family holding up an image of her filled the frame and, quickly, i turned up the volume.

"as of wednesday morning, we have received word that horikoshi high school student sakura akiyama has not returned home," her name echoed through the sterile newscaster's voice. leaning back, i couldn't help but fixate on the screen, a sudden knot forming in my lower abdomen. this is the second time today that something weird has happened. first, that lady at work talking about stalker cases rising, now this? this is all getting a little too hard to stomach. "she was last seen in nakano city. if you have any information concerning her or her whereabouts, please contact the local authorities." the urgency in the reporter's tone and the worry etched on sakura's family's faces made my own exhaustion momentarily insignificant.

"damn..."

my thumb hovered over the remote, debating whether to continue my mindless channel surfing or to delve into this unfolding mystery. with a resigned sigh, i decided to stay on the news for a few minutes, my tired eyes now focused on the screen until a pang emitting from my stomach broke me out of my trance. almost forgot how hungry i was, that news story must've made me temporarily lose my appetite.

frowning, i sit up, now placed on the edge of my couch, contemplating my lunch options—delivery or a drive to that cozy cafe across town? the tantalizing thought of a warm sandwich warred with the convenience of having food arrive at my doorstep. or maybe i could order a pizza? simple, but it does sound good right about now...

as my mind danced between menus and cravings, my phone shattered the silence with a sudden ring, startling me. i flinched, hand instinctively reaching for my back pocket, retrieving the device. an unknown number blinked on the screen, and a hint of caution crept over me. despite the uncertainty, i answered, a tentative "hello?" escaping my lips.

silence. the void on the other end of the line pressed against my ears, interrupted only by the disconcerting sound of heavy breathing. my pulse quickened, an uneasy chill settling in. what the fuck...? "h-hello? is someone there?" i speak up, attempting to bridge the communication gap, but the mysterious caller remained silent, the unsettling breaths persisting.

a knot of unease tightened in my stomach as the silence lingered. it couldn't be reina ito, funahashi senpai, or anyone else from work, all of their numbers are saved on my phone. i pulled my device away from my ear for a second to take a look at the time— it was almost 10 in the morning— who could be trying to contact me at a time like this? who...

putting the phone back close to my face, "listen..." i started as i rested a hand on my forehead. "if you're not going to talk to me, then i'm just going to go. goodbye," i hung up and then decided to toss my phone on the other side of the couch. "jesus..." i huffed.

just when i thought it was all over, my phone began to ring again. i tried my best to ignore it. at first. before i even knew it, my phone was now practically being spammed with all these calls. how many times has this person tried contacting me in a row? eight, maybe? "are you...kidding me?" i slowly looked at it with wide eyes. whoever was on the other line sure was persistent. frowning, i stood from the couch, grabbed my phone, and clenched my hand around it. now pacing around the apartment's main area, i wondered if i should answer it or leave it be. no, if it was someone from work— which i highly doubt— answering them would be important.

if i didn't, then perk & pour would surely mark me down as 'unreliable' which will taint my career. i could feel frustration mounting deep within my chest as i accepted the call and immediately attempted to coax some words from the mysterious caller.

"who is this?" i questioned. this felt pointless. each attempt i have made to engage so far has been met with nothing but the eerie breaths on the other end. "congratulations. you finally contacted me. i know you were anxious to do so. i've already made my piece. it's about time you made yours or else i'm muting my phone for the rest of the night." i half-threatened the person.

the only response was that familiar unsettling silence and the brief interjections of incoherent muttering.

ʙᴇᴇᴘ. ʙᴇᴇᴘ. ʙᴇᴇᴘ.

"did they just seriously just..." i pulled my phone away from my face once again. they did hang up on me! oh, they're not getting away that easy. "yeah. very funny," pissed off, i quickly type *1363# to redial the person. "let's see how you like it...." content with my pettiness, i put the phone to my ear, but the call went unanswered for a few moments. that's strange. the stranger seemed so adamant about getting my attention...what's with the change of heart?

as i waited impatiently for the stranger to pick up their phone, i could a distant but unmistakable ring echo, the elusive source teasing my senses, but where could the person be? wondering where it's truly coming from, i begin to wonder if it could be coming from outside. no, it couldn't be. i'm a few floors up, it'd be impossible...could it be coming from inside the building then? my eyebrows furrowed as i tried to pinpoint the elusive sound.

convinced it was originating from within my apartment building, i honed in on a room a few doors down. maybe it was coming from room #173? that room is infamous for gaining a group of unruly teenagers who had a reputation for pranks and seemed like the obvious culprits in my mind. they are disrespectful and above all else: loud. i, unfortunately, have been the butt of some of their jokes—they've put tape at the front door and waited for me to run into it, rammed into me when i'm holding a drink, things like that.

anger bubbled within me as i envisioned them orchestrating this irritating game, laughing at me. then, almost as if on cue, the ringing from my phone stopped and was replaced with the muttering. with a frustrated sigh, "can't you boys find something better to do than bother me?" i shouted into the device. with that, i angrily hung up once again.

little did i know, it was the prelude to a darker unfolding, a shadow i was yet unaware of, a figure with darker intentions than the imagined unruly teenagers i had unjustly accused.