Ivaylo mustered a "thank you" and "see you" and then ended the call. He finally escaped the hell hole full of humans, but what he felt wasn't happiness, it was disappointment. Why? Why can't he be happy? Everything got cleared for him. Nobody will try to look down upon him anymore at the headquarters.

At the same time, it meant, he didn't need to live in that little apartment with the petite human girl. OH! That cozy space at the window! He won't be able to sit there. Yes, that's the reason he is upset. He loved to spend his free time lazing around with a book, snuggled up to his neck in a warm blanket. There is sure no other reason for it!

His mind was filled with pictures of the girl, the supervisor, and pleasant memories... He shook his head and began to pack his belongings. Tomorrow he planned to return to his condo in the city center.

Ivaylo left early morning to do some home office. He needed to prepare some documents for the start of the working week. His condo felt so cold and empty but this is what he called his true home and the city life. He walked over to that big window of the skyscraper he lived in and looked at the busy streets underneath. Car lights twinkling like falling stars.

Ivaylo had to admit to himself, that he preferred that calm way of living in the Outskirts. Here... nobody was waiting for him at home with a warm meal, nor pestering him with mundane things, having a try for small talk, or being covered with a blanket after accidentally falling asleep...

One good look back into the interior of his condo dressed in darkness and he was sure, that he didn't want to live like this anymore. The loud doorbell snapped him out of it. He walked over to the intercom to look who it was. His eyes widen in surprise. What is SHE doing here?

Ivaylo pushed the button to let her in, allowed to come up and after a minute he opened the door for the Beastwoman, whom he met at his parent's house. She was a persistent one. "You are... well,..." She leaned in. "Rose..." Ivaylo rubbed the temples of his forehead. "Right... and you came for?!"

The young Beastlady pouted her lips. "Don't you remember? We agreed to meet on Saturday at your place at 6 p.m. I asked your mother for the address, so here I am!" Oh gosh, she must talked about this when Ivaylo didn't pay any attention to her. He thought she was just happy to hear her own voice, so he let her. Ivaylo didn't expect this from Rose.

He thought it was over with this but now she came to pester him at his home. Sigh! Ivaylo stretched his arm out and behind to invite Rose in. She was wrinkling her nose while walking inside. Ivaylo was a rich business Beastman from a rich family but his condo looked like a chicken without feathers... naked and empty. Gosh! Another snoby woman!

This exact type of Beast-females... he despised the most. Ivaylo in general didn't like that kind of opposite gender and tried to avoid them as much, as possible. She swirled around and began to "interrogate" him. What kind of Beast types does he prefer, their profession, looks, and personality?

Meanwhile, Ivaylo walked over to the kitchen to get some refreshments for her as the host. Rose followed him and also caught him off guard when she hugged him from behind. He broke her embrace by pushing her away. "I would appreciate it if you would respect my personal space. I am not a very touchy-feely person so keep your distance, please!"

Rose again pouted her lips. Why does he not fall for her advances? She is pretty, also somehow rich, and comes from a prestigious family pedigree. She always has trouble with other Beast males fawning over her but not Ivaylo. Playing hard? That made her want him even more!



For the next weekdays, she always waited for him at the front door of his apartment. Ivaylo was getting more and more annoyed with her persistence. He wished for Rose to give up already. He iced her off from the start, so what is her deal? He humored her pestering just because of his mother, but it was getting old pretty quickly.

Every time she showed up, he gave her a half hour of his attention and then politely pushed her out to the curb. He could spare only so much time for Rose, until he got fed up. Who wouldn't?! She always tried to touch him every damn chance she got.

After she left the apartment Thursday evening, Ivaylo stood at the panoramic window looking out. Small snowflakes caught his attention. Has the winter already come? Is she warm? That question crossed his mind. Why did he remember that human woman? Ridiculous!

Ivaylo looked back into the condo dipped in the darkness again. Parts of it were just illuminated by the lights coming from outside. It perfectly described Ivaylo as a person, cold and empty of feelings, but the fragments of lights were his hopes and longings for some warmth in his life. He learned, where to get it...

Sitting at a window bench wrapped in a cozy blanket, sipping on a steaming tea and clutching a book... The mundane sounds of the kitchen utensils, used for their purpose, and the smell of delicious food cooking. That other, special and calming scent engulfing his Beast existence...



Friday afternoon, Ivaylo strolled around in the supermarket, doing his weekly shopping. He walked past an aisle with some sweets and he stopped. "Hmmm... tangerine candy in a tin can?" He remembered the warm Kotatsu table. "She would like that..." he grabbed one and then "Oh right, it would greatly pair with some coffee... what brand did she use?!" This is it! He should visit her. Nothing wrong about cozying up at his favorite sitting spot.

The initial working weekend had passed and Ivaylo at last got the time to travel back to the Outskirts. He finally realized how much he missed that part of the city, that small cozy apartment and somehow... that tenant living in it.

With a small bag, stuffed with some tin candy and the preferred brand of coffee she liked, he was walking down the sidewalk towards that little apartment.  He expressed having a relatively good mood. After two weeks of silence, he should at least explain, where he had been, even to a mere human.

Abruptly, Ivaylo stopped in his tracks dropping the paper back to the paved ground, looking up at the window. "What the hell is going on?!"