Jihoon slowly stepped forward and reached out, tapping Ryul gently on the shoulder.
"Hm?" The man stirred, barely opening his eyes.
"Umm… Ajeos-"
Before Jihoon could finish, Ryul turned and walked straight into his apartment, slow and heavy-footed like someone moving through a dream.
"Wait-" Jihoon reached out instinctively, but the man was already inside, trudging deeper into the room.
Jihoon stood there for a moment, casting one last glance down the quiet hallway. He told himself he would just place the container on the table and head back. Nothing more.
With a soft breath, he stepped into apartment 129. The door clicked shut behind him, sealing out the cold air like a thin boundary between two worlds.
He slipped out of his shoes and nudged them neatly to the side, glancing around as he stepped into the quiet space.
