“Pardon me? You were saying?” the man asked with the same smile on his face. He seemed to be sweating, too, even though the weather was cold. Realizing how much my palms got a little damped because of his sweat, I wiped them on the hem of my shirt. He must’ve been running all over while he was singing. Was he even the one singing?

“I’m sorry. Not to offend your, well, singing, but could you please lower down your voice, music, or whatever was that which was so loud? I was trying to sleep, just so you know,” I said with my eyes avoiding his stare, almost catching my breath. Nonetheless, I quite seemed to notice that he had some tattoos on his arms and even on the side part of his stomach. Why was I even looking at that part?!

“But who are you talking to?” the man interrupted and giggled. “Miss, if you’re talking to me, you should look at me, though,” he demanded.

I looked at him, straight into his eyes. Oh, such hazel eyes he had.

“Uhm…”

“You got anything to say?” the man asked with a voice I seemed to have heard already.

Oh, you have got to be kidding me.

“No way,” I uttered, still looking at him.

“You okay, Miss Forehead?” He smiled at me.

I’m doomed.

I’m seriously, incredibly, definitely doomed.

This can’t be real.

It was the man from this morning. The man who saved my forehead. The man whom I got bumped and fell into. The man who lent me his enormous shirt and cardigan I didn’t ask for—the man I jokingly told to that he was flirting with me.

What kind of fate is this? I didn’t ask for this.

“Right,” I said, collecting myself to be relaxed. “Okay, look, Mister! We weren’t on good terms this morning, but please be quiet. It’s almost 3:00 in the morning, and people, including me, are trying to sleep,” I said with an annoyed voice.

The man laughed instead. “Was I so loud? For real, I didn’t realize the time. Sorry about that,” he reckoned continuously, scratching his nape like the way he rubbed his neck earlier when he intended to wipe my stained shirt caused by him.

“One more shout and I,” I shouted and quickly pointed my right hand’s index finger in front of his face, which made him tilt a little, “will report you. For real!” I then showed him my phone using my left hand, my eyebrows almost meeting in the middle like I they were of Count Olaf’s one eyebrow.

I heard him giggle again.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, mentally writing an impassioned speech on how gravely he just ruined my supposed-to-be peaceful night. And if only I were in good condition, I would be saying it aloud to him. I was just restraining myself, thinking about the people sleeping already.

“Nothing. Alright, I will stop now, Miss Forehead,” the man said and turned his back.

“Good. And please, wear your shirt. It’s cold,” I quickly said, turned my back against the man, and started walking back to my unit.

But to my surprise, the man started singing so loud again—

“Oh, would you please have some manners?!” I raged, almost losing my voice.

“HEY! HEY! HEY!” he shouted once again. And from the tone of his shout, he did it in purpose. He intentionally did it so he could annoy me even more.

With my eyes glaring with anger and both of my hands positioned like I was ready to punch him even though he was almost double the size of me, I immediately ran back to him. Well, I was indeed prepared.

“Woah, woah! Easy, Miss Forehead,” the man uttered, his hands surrendering in the air.

“Seriously? Didn’t you understand me?” I raged.

“Sorry. I promise that was the last! I couldn’t control it,” he said, covered his mouth, and snorted. Was he mocking me? Well, it worked. Good for him. And not for me.

“Look, Mister,” I showed him my phone once again. “You’re doing this on purpose so I have no choice but to report you to the management. I’m pretty sure they’re on a 24-hour service these days,” I said the calmest way I could and started dialing the number. A few seconds later on, someone answered the phone.

“Hello—?”

The man abruptly hit my phone upwards, causing the line to be cut off, and it flew almost a meter above my height. I looked at my phone like it was in slow motion, like a white feather flying into thin air. I watched it slowly fall, but it didn’t shatter on the floor.

“Got it,” the man said, his body closer to me, with his left arm extended in a curving position behind my back like he was giving me a hug and his head almost closer to resting on my shoulder. He caught my phone.

I suddenly felt a strange thing pounding inside my chest.

What kind of drama is this?

He let go of me.

“No need for that,” he deadpanned and ended the call.

“You, you’re certainly crazy, aren’t you?” I could think of anything else to say.

“Yeah, probably. That’s what everyone is saying, so whom am I to disagree?”

“Why would you do that?”

“You see, Miss Forehead. We’re the only ones on this floor, only the two of us. Every unit is unoccupied. Didn’t you know?” he asked.

What? I was lost for a moment. How is that even possible?

No, no. That’s not possible. I was pretty sure I had neighbors before this man appeared in here. Before, I could hear someone vacuuming and sweeping the dust off the floor from the other side of my unit. If not, there would be some laughter or giggles from kids playing around, their bodies probably banging onto each other—just usual kids’ stuff.

What? They all moved out?

“Oh, is that so?”

How come I didn’t know I was the only one on this floor before this man showed up? This condominium is not that big, anyway. There are just five units on this floor.

“Yes,” he enunciated, his eyes looking at me.

I should be feeling vexed. I know that was supposed to be what I’m feeling.

“But it doesn’t mean that you are allowed to shout so loud at this hour! Hello?!” I waved my hands in front of his face. “I’m still here. Why? Am I a non-living thing? Excuse me, I could breathe and talk! So it’s way too obvious that I am a person!” I frustratingly exclaimed in the loudest voice I had, but he just stared at me. In a matter of seconds, he just laughed again—this time, a loud laugh that resonated so well along the hallway.

“Now, who’s the one shouting?” Did he just mock me?

“Very funny, Mister!” I reprimanded.

“Cute,” he muttered.

“Excuse me? I said stop flirting with me,” My eyebrows frowned. And though as funny they might’ve looked like, I was in a raging moment fighting for my right to sleep peacefully, so it didn’t matter how horrible my face looked.

“What?” The man confusingly asked. “Oh, that’s right. I remember.”

“What? No, I mean, just stop. Stop shouting and all. And let me sleep!”

My voice suddenly felt weak. Ugh, this man.

“Look, Miss Forehead, I’m sorry. Okay? I really didn’t know that another person is living on this floor. I thought I was the only one here,” he explained.

Could he stop calling me Miss Forehead?

“Fair enough. Would you please let me sleep?” I yelled at the man.

“Yes, Ma’am!” he said and gestured his hand to a salute position.

What is he? A snow scout or something?

“Good,” I uttered.

He closed the door, with me still outside of it. “You guys, sorry for that long interruption. The security officer called me because I accidentally hit the emergency button,” I heard him laugh from behind the door.

Now, I was a security officer. Really?

Never mind. I quickly rushed back to my unit. My soft bed caught greeted me again when I jumped on it. I immediately covered myself with my white blanket. But I was curious, though, did that man move into this condominium just recently? Or was he originally living here before? I don’t know.

Why am I even thinking about it? Right now, I need to sleep.

That man was annoying.