As Anon stood at the kitchen sink, scrubbing away the remnants of dinner, they called out to Junho several times, asking him to take out the trash. Each time, their voice echoed through the empty store below, met only by silence. Frowning, they dried their hands and descended the stairs, their footsteps echoing against the wooden floors.

Reaching the ground floor, Anon found the store deserted, with Junho’s workbench abandoned. Anon’s heart quickened as they noticed the small door leading to the basement standing ajar, a sliver of darkness beckoning from within. Just as Anon approached, Junho’s voice startled them from behind.

“What are you doing here, sweetheart?” he asked, appearing suddenly beside you before swiftly closing the door to the basement.