*Clack
The door shut behind Vial as he stepped out of his apartment, freshly showered and dressed. He walked down the hallway—nothing special about the building, just your typical apartment complex. Reaching the elevator, he pressed the button for the ground floor.
Ding
As the elevator doors slid open, he was greeted by the sight of a woman who radiated a mature, older-sister aura. She had long black hair, wore clear Windsor glasses, and was dressed in a formal work outfit. The moment he stepped in, he noticed her staring at him—as if it were the first time she had ever seen a man.
As the elevator descended, her gaze never wavered. Vial fidgeted slightly, growing increasingly uncomfortable.
"Excuse me, lady, but is there something wrong?" he finally asked.
"Huh!?... Uh… Oh, uhm—" she stuttered, clearly startled. Her face turned red as she struggled to find words.
Ding
The elevator reached the ground floor, and without another word, she bolted out. "I-I'm sorry!~"
Vial let out a sigh. "What a weird way to start the day."
He stepped out and headed for the building's exit. That's when he noticed something off—everyone he saw was female. Every single person. Even stranger, they were all looking at him with curious or surprised expressions.
"I know I'm handsome, but c'mon... please stop staring at me..." he mumbled. "...Shit. Do I look weird?"
Worried about his appearance, he rushed back inside, searching for the men's restroom.
"There—restroom," he muttered, hurrying in.
He went straight to the mirror.
"I definitely don't look weird..." he examined his face. "Nothing's wrong with my face either."
As he adjusted his hair, he paused, recalling what he'd read the night before — "Male victims... brutal attack..."
He glanced at the mirror again, suddenly less sure of himself.
"No way. There were witnesses everywhere. That stuff probably doesn't happen in broad daylight…" he muttered, trying to calm himself.
Still, the stares from earlier flashed through his mind. He took a deep breath and shook his head. "Get a grip. It's just a weird dream anyway."
This time, as he walked back outside, he ignored the stares. The city, while lively, felt strangely uncrowded. He walked through the streets, casually observing the urban surroundings.
"Where is this city anyway? I don't think I've ever been here before..."
He turned a corner while lost in thought—
Bump!
"Ah—!"
Vial collided with a woman. He stumbled and instinctively reached out, grabbing onto something to keep from falling. They both hit the ground.
Quickly regaining his balance, Vial reached out a hand to help her up. To his surprise, she stood up first—panicked.
She was blonde, with bright blue eyes, wearing elegant casual clothes that gave her a refined, graceful air. Her figure was modest yet attractive, with a gentle curve and a C-cup chest that complemented her poised appearance. Despite the accidental fall, she looked more like someone who had just walked out of a boutique photoshoot than someone who had hit the ground.
"A-Are you okay?! I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going!"
"Ah, no, it was my fault. I wasn't paying attention."
She didn't calm down. Instead, she fussed over him—holding his hands, checking his palms, brushing off his clothes.
Her expression was like a sad puppy about to cry.
"Haha, you're really weird. I'm fine, really," Vial chuckled, amused by her panic.
"I'm more worried about you, lady. My body isn't that fragile."
She looked at him, still unconvinced. He gave her a reassuring smile.
"I'm Vial. What's your name?"
"Haah... I thought I was a goner right there. I'm Maki—Xia Maki."
"Well, nice to meet you, Maki. Anyway, you don't have to worry. As you can see, I'm perfectly fine."
"Thank you... As an apology, do you want to grab a coffee with me? My treat," she said with a bright, cheerful smile.
"Sure. After you," Vial replied, figuring it wouldn't hurt to have some company in this strange new dream world.
They walked side by side, though Maki kept stealing glances at Vial, her cheeks still faintly pink. Vial pretended not to notice, his hands tucked in his pockets as he scanned the street ahead.
"So… is there a specific café you had in mind?" he asked casually.
"There's one just around the corner. It's quiet and cozy—perfect for, um, talking," she replied, her voice soft but enthusiastic.
Soon, they arrived at a small café tucked between two larger buildings. A wooden sign above the entrance read "Bean & Bloom." The place had large windows and warm lighting that spilled out onto the pavement, inviting and serene.
Ding
The bell above the door rang as they stepped inside.
A few customers were scattered throughout, all women. As soon as Vial entered, every head turned.
Again.
The same odd expressions. Surprise. Curiosity. Some disbelief. One girl even dropped her spoon.
Vial forced a polite smile and followed Maki to an empty booth near the window.
The waitress—also female, of course—came by almost immediately, eyes glued to Vial as she handed over the menus.
"U-Uh, what can I get you both?" she asked, blinking rapidly.
Maki glanced at the menu. "I'll have a caramel latte, please."
Vial skimmed through his options. "Black coffee. No sugar."
The waitress nodded quickly, her eyes still flickering to Vial. "Right away!"
As she hurried off, Vial leaned back in his seat, raising an eyebrow. "That... doesn't get any less weird."
Maki gave a nervous laugh, stirring the straw in her water glass. "I, uh, figured that might happen. You really stand out."
"You don't say," Vial replied dryly, then glanced out the window. "Are there really no other guys around? Not even one?"
Maki hesitated.
"That's… something you might want to sit down and think carefully about. This city isn't what you're used to."
Before he could press further, the waitress returned with their drinks, placing them down with trembling hands. She gave a quick bow to Vial before scampering off.
Vial took a sip of his coffee, his expression unreadable.
"So, Maki," he said, setting the cup down, "how long have you lived here?"
She blinked, startled by the question. "Me? Uh… my whole life, actually."
"And in that whole time… have you ever seen another man around?"
Maki bit her lip. "Not in person."
That made Vial pause.
He looked down at his coffee, then back at her.
"You're telling me I'm the only guy here? In the entire city?"
"I don't know about entire city," she said quickly, "but… probably, yeah."
Vial leaned back in his seat, letting out a quiet, humorless laugh. "Well, I guess that explains the staring."
Maki looked at him for a moment, then softly asked, "Vial… where exactly are you from?"
He met her gaze, calm as ever. "That's the million-dollar question, isn't it?"