The night had settled into a deep, tranquil silence, the kind that enveloped the world when everything seemed still and peaceful. Priya had finally drifted into a sound sleep after the exhaustion of her first day in Tokyo. Her body was heavy with tiredness, and her mind floated somewhere between dreams and the soothing comfort of her bed.

But suddenly, in the dead of the night, her slumber was shattered by a loud, jarring noise. The sound of something—no, someone—stamping against the wall next to her bedroom. It was abrupt, forceful, and entirely out of place in the otherwise quiet apartment. Priya jolted upright, her heart racing in the darkness.

She lay still for a moment, straining to hear, trying to make sense of the noise. A faint thud. Another one. It was coming from the wall that separated her room from his—the man Mrs. Makino had warned her about. What on earth is he doing? she thought, irritation bubbling up within her. She placed her ear to the wall, hoping to discern what exactly was happening on the other side.

The noise persisted, rhythmic and relentless. Priya's patience wore thin. She sat up, her mind racing as she glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight. Why is he doing this? The sound was now constant, almost mocking in its insistence. She couldn't take it any longer.

After a few moments of silent debate, she finally stood up, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. With a resigned sigh, she slipped into her robe and walked toward the door. Every step felt like a hesitation, but the need for peace, for a good night's sleep, won out.

When she reached his door, she hesitated before knocking. She waited, holding her breath, but there was no answer. She knocked again, louder this time, her patience wearing thin. After what felt like an eternity, the door cracked open just slightly, and Priya found herself face-to-face with him.

The man stood in the doorway, dressed casually, the room behind him shrouded in darkness. He wore dark sunglasses even in the middle of the night, an odd detail that made her uneasy. A cigar hung from his lips, sending out slow curls of smoke into the dim light of the hallway. His reddened eyes met hers with an almost bored expression, as though her presence wasn't even worth his attention.

"Yes?" he muttered, his voice low and distant.

Priya took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "Why are you making so much noise? It's very hard to fall asleep with all that banging. Please stop, I don't know if you knew, but I just moved in next door."

He huffed, clearly uninterested, and without another word, he abruptly slammed the door in her face, leaving Priya standing there in shock. She blinked, unsure of what just happened. The door was now closed, and all she could hear was the faint sound of him returning to whatever it was he was doing.

Priya stood there for a moment, her heart racing. Is he a maniac? she wondered, a cold shiver running down her spine. Her thoughts swirled as she made her way back to her apartment. She sighed deeply, the weight of the strange encounter settling in. She didn't need this right now. She just wanted to rest, to settle in and start fresh.

But as she locked her door behind her, the unsettling feeling lingered in the pit of her stomach. Something about him, the way he had shut the door without a second glance, was unnerving. Priya tried to shake it off, but the thought of her neighbor, the mysterious man next door, kept creeping back into her mind.

A week had passed since Priya had settled into her new job, and she had slowly started to adapt to the rhythm of her new life in Tokyo. It had been a whirlwind of excitement, new challenges, and warm welcomes. Her colleagues at the office made her feel right at home, treating her as if she had been a part of the team for years. Priya was beginning to realize how much she was enjoying this fresh chapter, even if it was just the beginning.

One of the highlights of her days was visiting the convenience store near her apartment. It had become a little routine for her to stop by for a quick snack, and she had made an unlikely friend there—a teenage boy named Ren, and his grandmother, Mrs. Saito. Their friendly chats often brightened her evenings, and they always made sure to ask about her day, showing an unexpected kindness that Priya cherished. It was a Saturday night when, amidst their usual banter, the time slipped away from her. By the time she bid them goodbye, the night had grown late.

As Priya walked toward the elevator to head back to her apartment, her thoughts were elsewhere, absorbed in the conversation she'd just had. But as the elevator doors slid open, her heart skipped a beat—there he was, standing inside the lift: the man from next door.

He was leaning against the wall, cigarette smoke swirling around him, his dark glasses hiding his eyes as usual. Priya felt the familiar unease creeping in. She stepped back, debating whether to wait for the next elevator or just take her chances. She told herself to ignore it. He's just odd, nothing to be scared of, she reminded herself.

As she focused on her phone, the elevator began its ascent. She arrived at her floor, stepped out, and was walking toward her door when a sudden noise made her freeze. The sound of something heavy hitting the floor. She turned around, and to her surprise, saw the man sprawled out on the ground, unconscious.

Without thinking, Priya rushed back to him. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, gently shaking him. There was no response. Her heart raced. Was he hurt? She quickly knelt down, pulling off his sunglasses, and for the first time, she saw his face clearly. His eyebrow was bruised, a fresh cut marking the arch, as though he'd been in a fight. The stench of alcohol was overpowering.

Priya panicked for a moment, unsure of what to do. She grabbed her phone to call security, but there was no answer. Desperate, she grabbed her water bottle from her bag and splashed some water on his face. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, his vision blurry, but he was still in a daze.

The weight of him was more than she could handle on her own, and just when she thought she couldn't do it anymore, her phone rang. It was the security room.

"Priya-san?" the guard's voice crackled through the line. "What happened? Are you okay?"

She quickly explained everything, the concern in her voice rising as she described the state he was in. Within minutes, one of the guards arrived, followed by another, and together they gently lifted the man and helped him to her apartment. Priya felt a wave of relief when they managed to get him on her couch, his body slumping like a ragdoll.

She paced nervously, the unease still gnawing at her. "Should we call a doctor? He's hurt. Look at his face," Priya said, her voice full of worry as she gestured to the bruises on his forehead and his overall disheveled state.

The guard, a seasoned man who had clearly seen his fair share of drunken incidents in the building, shook his head. "Don't panic, Mam. This is very common for him. He usually comes home like this, sometimes with some random girl on his arm. You shouldn't be worried about him."

Priya frowned, still not convinced. "But what if he's really hurt? This bruise on his face... it doesn't look good."

The guard shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe he got into a fight. He's been causing trouble around here for a while now. We've tried to kick him out, but he pays the highest rent, so the owner doesn't care. Just leave him be, Mam. Don't worry too much."

Priya hesitated, staring at the man's unconscious form. She felt conflicted—torn between her own sense of kindness and the warning the guard had given her. "I understand... but I couldn't just leave him like that. It feels inhuman, right? To just walk away?"

The guard let out a small sigh, his voice softer now. "I understand, but just don't get too involved with him. He's not a good man, Mam."

Priya nodded, the weight of his words sinking in. "I know. I won't. But... I can't just ignore it either."

The guard gave a reassuring nod. "If you're sure, we'll leave him here. You don't need to stay with him. I'm sure he'll be fine after some time. Just... be careful."

"Thank you," Priya replied, her voice distant as she watched them leave.

After they had gone, Priya felt a strange silence settle over the apartment. It was almost suffocating in its intensity. She sat down, staring at the man, her mind still racing. How could anyone live like this? It wasn't just the alcohol. There was something deeper in his eyes, something that made her wonder if his reckless behavior was just a symptom of something more broken inside him. She shook her head, trying to push the thought away.

Sighing deeply, Priya stood up and went to freshen up, hoping the cool water on her face would clear her mind. When she returned, the man was still unconscious, though his breathing was steady. She couldn't help but watch him for a moment. What was his story? What had happened to him that he seemed to live this way?

Time passed in a blur. Priya had been in and out of her room, the uncertainty weighing heavily on her. Just as she was beginning to lose track of time, she heard a low groan, followed by a muttered curse.

"Where the hell am I?" the man's voice was rough, slurred, as he tried to push himself up from the couch.

Priya quickly rushed over, her concern immediately returning. "Hey, are you okay? You fainted earlier. I brought you here to rest. Are you feeling alright now?"

The man, still drunk, blinked at her in confusion. His eyes were bloodshot, his movements sluggish and erratic. "Why did you bring me here?" he muttered, his voice rough from the alcohol. "I wanna go back home."

Priya's heart sank. He was still disoriented, completely out of touch with reality. She hesitated, unsure what to do. "Can you stand? You need to stay here for a little longer."

But as he attempted to move, he stumbled forward, his legs unable to support his weight. Priya reached out instinctively to steady him, but he jerked away from her touch, stumbling towards the door.

"No, no, I'm fine," he slurred, his voice growing agitated. "I'm fine, I don't need help."

She tried to catch him before he left, but he managed to stumble to the door and fumble with the lock, finally getting it open. Priya watched, feeling a pang of helplessness. He seemed determined to go, even in his state. Before she could stop him, he pushed through the door and slammed it shut behind him.

She stood there for a moment, her heart racing.She shook her head, a mix of concern and disbelief filling her thoughts. How can anyone live like this? she wondered. With a sigh, she returned to her apartment, locking the door behind her, but her thoughts lingered on the man next door. The mystery of him was becoming something she couldn't easily ignore.