July 28th, 2026
Going to the address - 10:03 PM
The cold air bit into Ian's skin as he walked alone through the empty streets. The city buzzed far behind him, a distant echo of neon lights and laughter, all of it irrelevant to a man who had just lost everything - again. His clothes were wrinkled, heavy with the scent of sweat and city grime. His fingers ached from carrying his belongings in torn plastic bags and his weather-worn backpack. He wanted to sleep. He wanted warmth. He wanted silence. He wanted to not feel like a ghost.
But there was only one thing left to do.
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the crumpled paper with the address, and the key attached to it. The note still rang in his mind like a cruel lullaby:
"This is for you, my Ian <3"
Ruth.
The name brought a chill colder than the night wind. He should have thrown the key into the river. He should have ignored it, kept walking until he collapsed on some bench or shelter. But he had no strength left. No will. So he walked.
The route led him deeper into the coast near Tokyo Bay. As he passed by silent residential roads, the houses grew larger, more private. Then he saw it— the address on the note.
He stopped.
It wasn't a house.
It was a villa.
A grand, modern, opulent estate that looked like it belonged to a foreign ambassador or tech tycoon. Sleek white walls met dark oak panels, and ambient lights bathed the lawn in a serene glow. Large windows revealed glimpses of minimalist interiors that screamed luxury. A small path led down to a private beach, its sand glowing faintly under the moonlight.
Ian stared, wide-eyed, his mind unable to compute what he was seeing. His bags slipped from his hand and hit the stone walkway with a dull thud.
Was this some kind of joke?
He took hesitant steps toward the main gate.
And then - it opened on its own. A soft mechanical hum welcomed him like an invitation to a world he never belonged to. His breath hitched. The silence around him felt unnatural. His instincts screamed something was off, but he couldn't turn back.
He walked to the door.
The grand entrance loomed over him. Dark wood and engraved gold patterns, untouched by dust or weather. There was no doorbell, just a keyhole.
He looked down at the silver key in his palm.
Hand trembling, he pushed it in. It fit. A click echoed.
The door opened.
Inside the villa - 10:20 PM
The inside was silent. A heavy silence that seemed to press against his skull. He stepped in slowly. The villa was as luxurious on the inside as it was outside. White marble floors. Black leather couches. Huge oil paintings hung on the wall, abstract and mysterious. Everything was too clean. Too untouched.
No one was inside.
He moved from room to room, exploring the eerie beauty of the place. A state-of-the-art kitchen. A library filled with untouched books. A fireplace that looked like it had never seen fire. And finally, he reached a hallway that led to the terrace.
There was a single door at the end, half-glass, with pale light streaming through.
His hand reached for the knob.
He opened it.
There she was.....
Standing at the edge of the terrace, facing the moon.
Ruth...
She was barefoot, wearing a thin, flowing white gown that fluttered gently in the sea breeze. Her long black hair cascaded down her back like liquid obsidian. The moonlight painted her in silver and shadow, highlighting her delicate jawline, the curve of her shoulders, the porcelain smoothness of her skin.
She looked unreal.
Not a girl. Not a woman. But a myth.
The moon goddess.
She turned around slowly, as if she knew he was coming all along. Her soft, angelic face was calm, her eyes dreamy but sharp. Her full lips curved into a small smile, innocent but laced with something unreadable.
"Do you like my surprise?"
Her voice was melodic, gentle, filled with a calm madness that always made Ian's chest tighten. There was no sarcasm in her tone. No gloating. Just softness. As if she were welcoming him home.
Ian didn't say a word.
He couldn't.
He didn't want to admit that this woman, whose obsession suffocated him, could still steal his breath with a single look.
She stepped forward slowly, barefoot on the cold tiles.
"You always looked at the moon when you were sad," she whispered, her voice so gentle it was like the wind.
"So I thought... I'd let it welcome you. Here. With me." She added.
Her fingers touched the balcony rail as she tilted her head, her smile widening slightly. "You don't have to be alone anymore, Ian. This is your home now."
Ian felt his knees weaken.
Not because he believed her.
But because part of him wanted to.
He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay grounded.
The silence stretched.
And all he could do was stare.