Waking up so early was hard and deeply unfamiliar.

Normally, I woke when the sun had already been up for a while, maybe closer to noon. I took a shower, grabbed something to eat, and headed toward the bar. Even on those days when I’d been obsessively trying to show up early, hoping to see him, I hadn't woken up that early.

But today was different. Today I even caught the sunrise.

The night before, Kazuo had asked me for a favor. He’d pressed a neatly wrapped package into my hands, muttering something about important documents, and told me to deliver it to one of his friends.

It was impossible to say no to him.

So here I was outside in the morning, walking streets I rarely walked. For the first time in a long while, I wasn’t behind the bar or hiding in my apartment. I was just another figure moving among the crowd.

The city looked completely different this early, especially considering that I was in a neighborhood I didn’t recognize at all.

Back home, things were chipped away and always on the verge of falling apart. That applied not only to the buildings, but to the people too.

Here, everything was different: tall, beautiful buildings with glassy windows, smooth roads, neatly trimmed lawns, and identical trees. There wasn't a single messy spot anywhere. Nothing that hinted at imperfection in this part of the city. The people passing by were the same. Clean, well-put-together, dressed in neatly pressed clothes.

It was as though I’d stepped into another world, one so different from ours that it was obvious I didn’t belong there.

I couldn’t shake the strange, unpleasant feeling crawling under my skin, because all that beauty and perfection made me feel small, insignificant, even dirty.

Instinctively, I tugged my hood lower over my head and adjusted the disposable mask on my face.

Someone like me would be better off staying hidden. Better not to stand out.

The streets widened into an open square where a fountain sparkled in the light. I hesitated there, pulled my phone from my pocket, and opened the map.

The glowing arrow blinked stubbornly in a direction I couldn't identify. I frowned and turned around, trying to figure out where to go next.

My heart began to beat a little faster.

For someone who grew up darting through alleys and backstreets, getting lost shouldn’t have rattled me. But this wasn’t my territory.

I shifted the package in my hands, swallowed, and forced myself to walk forward. The crowd thickened around me. Someone brushed my shoulder; another nearly clipped me with their briefcase.

I stopped, trying to find the street sign, when suddenly—

“Watch it,” a deep voice growled.

I’d bumped into a wall. At least, I thought it was a wall until I realized it was a huge, broad guy dressed in a black suit. His hand clamped down on my shoulder with scary weight.

“I—sorry,” I stammered, words tumbling out in a rush. “I wasn’t—wasn’t watching...”

The guy gave me a displeased look, scanning me from head to toe, and I was sure he could tell right away that I didn’t belong here.

My heart sped up even more, my breathing turning shallow and fast. It felt like I was only seconds away from choking on my own breath.

And the people around us, they had noticed it too. They had to. Something was wrong, and they couldn't help but notice it.

What if someone called the police?

A cold shiver ran up the back of my neck.

I didn’t want the police.

I opened my mouth, trying to say something, anything-

Right then, a familiar voice broke the tension.

“Relax,” A hand landed on the guy’s shoulder, drawing his attention away from me.

Behind him, I saw Ed.

I was so stunned that I couldn’t get a single word out and just stood there with my mouth open.

Maybe later, when I went home, replaying this shocking and terrifying moment in my head, I’d be grateful for his appearance. But now my head was completely blank.

Ed looked perfect, as always. Absolutely flawless.

As for me, I was stuck in this humiliating situation… again.

Yeah. I really had the best luck.

“He’s fine,” Ed continued, giving the guy a brief, polite smile. “A mistake. Nothing more.”

The guy’s gaze lingered on me a second longer, as though assessing whether I posed any risk. Then he released me but didn’t leave completely, only stepped back a few paces, positioning himself near a black car at the curb. Even from that distance, his eyes stayed fixed on me.

He was definitely a guard. And definitely his.

Relief washed over me, and all the muscles that had been tense finally loosened.

“Thanks,” I mumbled.

Ed’s eyes flicked to me. “You seem a little far from your usual neighborhood, Luka.”

“I…” I tightened my hold on the package. “Kazuo asked me to deliver something. But I may have… taken a wrong turn.”

“Hmm...” Ed’s gaze lowered to the bag at my side, then back to my face. “Where are you headed?”

I awkwardly showed him the map on my phone. “Here. Some business center called “Green Hollow.”

Ed glanced once at the display, then back at me. “I know the place. Come, I’ll take you there.”

I blinked. “You don’t have to—”

“I insist,” he interrupted, leaving no room for refusal. And truth be told, I didn’t want to refuse.

He turned to the huge guy in the suit and said something to him. The guy looked like he tried to argue, at least judging by the expression on his face. He clearly wasn’t happy with whatever Ed had told him.

Then Ed turned back to me. “Well, shall we go?” He said, and without waiting for my answer, confidently headed toward the nearest intersection.

I hurried after him, glancing back at the guy, half expecting him to follow us anyway. But no. He stayed by the car.