❂ The Day Before the official Apocalypse

Sakura’s sneakers vibrated as she pushed down the accelerator, the engine purred while she drove through the city’s sleepy afternoon glow. 

On the dashboard a cat bobblehead figure nodded its head Hypnotically, grabbing the attention of Sakura, it also seemed like the bobblehead cat hypnotically cawing “nyan nyan nyan.” Next to it there is an plush ramen bowl with googly eyes wobbled dangerously close to the edge. Dangling from the rear view mirror was a battlefield of keychains—dolls from sanrio karaoke edition, swords from anime, a mini garlic plush for “spiritual protection” and an object that was most definitely a shriveled octopus.

Sakura was chewing gum and nodding to a chaotic hyperpop playlist blasting from the speakers.

「RIIING. RIIING.」

Her playlist paused in the middle, as her phone connected to the car via Bluetooth broke through the voice

“MOM - DO NOT IGNORE”

Her mobile screen lighting up with the name "Mom - Do not ignore"

Sakura sighed and tapped the steering wheel button.
“Hey, Mom.”

Her mother’s voice immediately came through the car speakers, no hello, no warm-up—just straight in a pitch to annoy her.

“YOU STILL HAVEN’T DUMPED HIM?!”

Sakura groaned. “Ugh. Can we not do this right now?”

Her mother stopped for a while“Oh, so that’s a ‘no’? You’re still dating the man who brings you flowers just because it’s Tuesday and remembers your cat’s birthday?”

Sakura muttered in a low voice, "Exactly! He’s too perfect! It’s like... I don’t know, the magic’s gone.”

Mother's voice in a lightly teasing manner:
“So… have you finally decided to break up with Kaito, or are we still pretending you’re starring in a slow-burn romance with no fire?”

Sakura sighed, eyes fixed on the road ahead as the late afternoon sunlight flickered between the buildings, trying to understand the things, trying to clear the thoughts but couldn't. She made a sign and muttered, “I knew that was why you were calling.”

Sakura's mother was trying to make things clear for Sakura so she stated, “Well, I didn’t call to chat about your boyfriend" Stopped for a moment and continued, "I just want to say, ......Maybe Kaito is the one best suits you".

Sakura:
“Yeah… I’ve been thinking about it a lot."
She exhaled slowly, fingers tapping nervously against the steering
"I haven’t said anything yet, but I’m probably going to end it.”

There was a short pause. Her mother didn’t sound angry—just thoughtful.

There was a brief pause. On the other end of the line, her mother’s voice came through—steady, thoughtful, not angry.

Mother:
(with a calm, almost matter-of-fact tone)
“To be clear, he is perfect to be a life partner.”
She paused, a soft clatter of dishes faintly audible in the background.
“He does have more qualifications—he’s an architect, earns a huge sum of money, well-mannered, and most importantly, he respects you.”
Paused for a while, trying to make things clear
“He’s been with you since your university days… and he understands you well.”

Sakura exhaled slowly, making a sign, "Hey Mom! Iam Driving in here. Sooo Bye..Byee"

The call ends. Sakura’s hands rest on the steering wheel for a moment. She reaches for her phone.

Sakura; softly to herself , "Okay. Time to stop pretending."

Sakura slowed the car to a stop by the side of the road. She exhaled, and tries to ease the situation, and reached for the rearview mirror. Adjusting it, she caught her own reflection—eyes a little tired, lips slightly pursed.

She rummaged through her bag for a tube of lipstick, uncapping it with a soft click. As she applied it with careful strokes, she tried to appear composed, as if everything was fine. But the words slipped out before she could stop them.

In a half-muttering , almost to herself, “I know he’s perfect. I know. He’s an architect, earns well, respects me… but—sometimes he makes me feel awkward. Like… in serious situations, he just… switches.”

Her fingers tightened on the lipstick tube as she stared into the mirror, her voice low, almost like she was explaining it to herself more than anyone else.

She paused for a while, her voice sharpened, “It’s like… he gets this rush of noradrenaline; and instead of staying calm, he acts weird. Like in situations where you’re supposed to hold your ground… he’s more of a runaway type than a fight type.”

Her breath caught as the memory flickered—vivid, frustrating.
“...Hah."

"I don't even want to think about those moments!"

The soft clink of the wine bottle against the glass filled the quiet kitchen. Sakura’s mother poured herself a generous amount, the deep red liquid swirling as it settled. She sat down by her personal computer.

She took a slow sip, enjoying the taste of the wine, her gaze shifted to her phone lying on the table, screen dark, she reached for it.

A few seconds later, she dialed. The ringtone buzzed softly in her ear, almost drowned out by the quiet clink as she gently swirled her glass

Sakura's Mother with a calm, a touch of warmth in her voice as the call connected.

“Kaito… it’s me.”
She paused, her fingers tracing the rim of the glass and took another sip.
“Are you free to talk for a bit? I just… I felt like checking in.”

There was a pause as she listened to Kaito’s voice on the other end. “Hello? You never used to call me at times like this. Is everything okay?”

She sighed, swirling the wine in her glass, her voice low and tired,"Okay? No, Kaito… it’s not okay. That girl… Sakura… she’s driving me crazy."

She took another sip, her frustration spilling out like the wine in her glass.
“She’s talking about… about ending things. With you. After everything.”

Her voice cracked slightly, she set the glass down a little too hard.

Kaito smirks, his voice in a well mannered, "It's just a weekly episode between us so, just dont think about it, i can manage."

Sakura's Mother, quieter now, almost in a low voice, “I don’t know what’s gotten into her… Maybe she just doesn’t know what she wants. But you… you’re good for her, Kaito.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper, almost as if confessing a secret. and hang up the call.

She took another sip, leaning back into her chair.

<-----!----->

And on the other side, Kaito sat alone in his own cabin. The call had just ended.

He stared at the phone for a few seconds, Then, slowly, he unlocked it and tapped on Sakura's name (Saku-Chan with an Adorable googly eyed cat)

The screen lit up—Calling: Saku-Chan—and the dial tone began to ring, tone buzzed softly in his ear,
Once…
Twice…
Three times…
The dial tone continued but she didn't pick up.

He hold the phone tightly before he set it down on the desk with a sign. The sun rays spilled in through the tall glass windows behind him, casting long shades across the room. 

He leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the ceiling for a moment as if searching for solution for the situations that occurred. Then, with a sigh, he stood up, walked towards window, and looked out at the city below and the sunny-day that cast the huge shades in his room, so he closed down the window while holding the remote in his hands.

A knock suddenly echoed on the glass door. One of his colleagues peeked in hesitantly.

“Mr. Kaito, the final draft is ready for review.”

He nodded, his tone calm but distant. “Leave it on the desk. I’ll take care of it.”

As the door clicked shut again, he remained standing there—motionless. His fingers brushed the edge of his suit pocket.

He let out a quiet sigh and walked toward his desk. Without thinking much, he pulled open one of the drawers, and picked up a half-used strip of medication. He tore one pill from the blister pack and popped it into his mouth.

Again a knock echoed on the glass door. One of his fellow colleagues peeked-in; "Hey, Kaito! would you like some coffee?" in a tone of high pitch.

Kaito stares at him, and in the meanwhile, “Hey! C’mon, there’s a new machine upstairs,” the colleague added, stepping fully into the room this time. His voice was deeper and trying to make shore Kaito would join him.

Kaito offered a small nod and replied to him in a low voice, "Hmm.. Well ok?" in a confusing manner.

The man chuckled, clapping Kaito lightly on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit. You’ve been locked in here all day, man. A walk might do you good.”

He straightened his blazer, pocketed his phone, and followed the man out of the room, still silent but grateful for the distraction.

As they stepped into the hallway, it's obvious the same atmosphere with a soft buzz of office chatter. 

They passed by a few coworkers, exchanged nods, and made their way toward the stairs connected to the huge cafeteria upstairs.

They arrived at the cafeteria, it's a spacious lounge with high ceilings and glass walls, contemporary style furniture, potted flowers, as well as the lofting fragrance of freshly brewed coffee. A few employees were already gathered around the new coffee machine, pressing buttons and discussing the deadlines and their plans for the weekend.

They grabbed their coffee, shared a few light laughs about their bosses ~ mostly forgettable small talk.

Finishing the last sip, they exchanged a nod and began making their way back toward the stairs. But suddenly, Kaito’s gaze shifted towards the hospital, just beyond the tinted cafeteria windows, opposite to their company building.

On the hospital’s upper floor, there was an open terrace ~more like a small rooftop garden. A patch of green broke through the sterile gray of the concrete, dotted with benches and a walking path, barely visible from where he stood.

At first, nothing seemed out of place. But then… Kaito’s eyes narrowed.

There were people—patients, from the looks of it—moving across the terrace. But something was off.

They weren’t strolling or chatting, like one would expect in a hospital garden. They were… moving quickly. Jerky. Huddled. Almost colliding into each other.

At least five or six of them, maybe more, were rushing toward the same spot—shoulders slamming, arms outstretched as if being pulled by instinct rather than intention. It wasn’t violent, not exactly. But it wasn’t natural either.

Kaito squinted, but the distance and the glare from the window blurred the scene. From where he stood, the figures looked like shadows thrown into fast-forward—too many bodies, too close together, converging.

He leaned in slightly, trying to focus ~~

And then—

「Bzzt. Bzzt.」

His phone vibrated in his pocket, snapping him back to reality. He blinked, tore his gaze from the terrace, and pulled the phone out.

Sakura.

For a second, he just stared at her name flashing on the screen, surprised. After all the silence... now?

He quickly answered. “Hello? Sakura?”

Her voice came fast, low, almost urgent. “Kaito. Come downstairs. To the parking lot—basement level. Now.” And Hung-up the call straight after stating the words.

Kaito lowered the phone slowly, staring at the dark screen for a second—still processing her voice, her tone.

His thumb hovered over the screen before he tapped it once, lighting it up again.

4:55 PM.
Almost the end of the workday

「Ding」
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, revealing the dimly lit basement parking lot. Concrete pillars, humming fluorescent lights, and the faint echo of distant engines created a cold, cavernous atmosphere.

Kaito stepped out, scanning the lot.

“...Sakura?” he called out softly, his voice bouncing faintly off the walls.

Nothing.

He walked a few steps forward, eyes shifting left and right through rows of parked cars.

And then—

「VROOOM!」

A car suddenly peeled out from behind a pillar and rushed straight toward him.

Kaito’s eyes widened in shock. “What the—?!”

He stumbled back in panic, slipping and landing hard on the ground with a thud as the car screeched to a dramatic stop just feet away from him.

For a split second, there was only silence.

Then the window rolled down.

Sakura's laughter burst out, bright and unrestrained. Her head leaned out the driver’s side, hair slightly tousled from the wind, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “You should’ve seen your face!” she cackled, completely amused by her little prank.

Still on the ground, Kaito exhaled sharply—half-annoyed, half-relieved. He shook his head and let out a breathy chuckle. “You’re insane.”

He got to his feet, brushing dust from his sleeves, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips.

Sakura grinned, reaching for the door handle. “C’mon, I’ll open the door—”

The driver-side door swung open casually.

But suddenly—

「CRRRK-THUNK! 」

The car jerked forward and smacked straight into Kaito’s shins.

“Ah—shit!” he yelped, stumbling backward again as the car nudged him, then rolled to a stop.

Sakura froze, eyes wide in horror.

“OH MY GOD—I forgot the handbrake!!” she shrieked, scrambling back into the driver’s seat to stop the car.

Kaito groaned from the ground, lying flat with his arms sprawled. “Are you trying to kill me today or what?”

She peeked out the window with a sheepish grin. “Oops…”

He sighed and let his head hit the pavement gently. “This should have ignored your call.”

Sakura leaned out, holding back a giggle. “But you showed up anyway.”

Kaito shook his head and smiled faintly. “Yeah… I always do.”

“Come in. We’re heading somewhere,” Sakura said in a rough voice, almost taunting—like she was daring him to question it.

Kaito paused for a second, hand hovering at the door handle.

A quiet thought slipped into his mind: “Is she… really planning to break up with me?”

He couldn’t tell. Her tone, her sudden call, that reckless prank—nothing made sense. But her eyes didn’t look angry. Just unreadable.

Kaito opened the door and slid into the seat.

Without a word, Sakura shifted gears and pulled out, turning away from the usual parking exit.

Kaito glanced at her. “You’re not going the normal way?”

Sakura’s eyes stayed ahead. “The main gate’s blocked. Some construction crew left barricades all over—said they’ll clear it by tomorrow. So, I’m taking the back exit.”

Kaito raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t even know that still existed.”

Neither of them spoke after that. The back route was rarely used—dustier, dimmer, with cracked cement and fewer lights. As they moved further along the narrow lane, the flickering overhead lamps cast long, warped shadows across the car’s windshield.

Then, it happened.

A figure stepped out. Too fast. Too sudden.

「THUD!」

The impact pushed them both forward in their seats. Sakura slammed the brakes, and the tires screeched, dragging the car slightly to the side.

Kaito’s eyes widened. “Sakura—!”

“I didn’t see him! I—” Her voice cracked as her hands gripped the steering tighter, knuckles white.

The headlights illuminated the scene ahead: a man lay on the ground, twisted awkwardly, motionless.

"To be continued......."