#ianah

ianah au

Character: BAKI HANMA

Nightfall. Your neighbour reminds you to let people stay in your house who seek shelter against the sun. He also warns you not to let an unknown pale creature know that you are alone and to not let it in. Someone should always be in the house with you at all times. He then sits down in your kitchen, bemoaning the chaos.

You live in your parents’ house but they aren’t home. Their work forces them to travel a lot and they have been gone for a while now. You tried reaching them on their phones but had no luck. You wonder how they’re holding up in all this chaos. You don’t have much time to think about it.

*Bam, bam, bam*

Someone knocks on your door. The sound startles you a little. You’re not yet used to have strangers stand in front of your door. Slowly, you make your way over to the front door. If you’re slow enough, maybe they will change their mind and ask a different neighbour for shelter.

You really don‘t want to let any strangers in. It’s the first thing parents teach their children after all: ‘You do not open the door for strangers.’

Yet the person continues to bang against your door. The sound is loud in your ears.

But before you open the door, you decide to draw back the curtains in front of the window to your left. The street lies empty and dark in front of you. The street lamps are doing their best to cast light into the shadows. You don’t know what you even expected to see and close the curtain again.

*Bam, bam, bam*

Your breath hitches and you slowly lean in, to look through the peephole of your door.

Outside stands a young man under the dim light of your door entrance. He has maroon hair and wears a white tank top and some pants. He has lots of muscles but not too many to make him look disproportionate. He wears a light smile on his lips, as if the situation doesn’t concern him much. His eyes have a dark glint to it. He’s not very tall but his aura unsettles you a bit.

“Hey. I was bringing a friend back to her home. Unfortunately, I cannot stay at her place. It’s really hot outside at this hour and I am dying for some water. I saw your house in the distance and decided to come here. Will you let me in?”

You squint your eye at the stranger. Why would he come to your place when he had friends?

“Why didn’t you stay with your friend?”

The young man shrugs his shoulders before he answers: “Her mom is super strict when it comes to guys staying at her place. She wouldn’t let me in. I won’t cause you any trouble. The sun will rise soon and I don’t have enough time to get back home. I won’t stay long.”

You considers his words and they make sense to you. But still, you didn’t want to let a stranger in.

“Is there no one else that would let you stay? Where are your parents?”

A wave of sadness crashes his features but it smoothes quickly.

“My parents don’t live nearby. I cannot stay with them. You won’t even notice me. Promise.”

You sigh defeated.

“Don’t make me regret this.”

You open the door and let him in.