Ding
The elevator door slid open—and there he was.
She blinked, unsure if her eyes were playing tricks on her. A man. A real one. Standing just a few steps away from her.
Her name was Celeste Arden, a 24-year-old accountant who thought her morning routine would go as usual—coffee, deadlines, and silence. But this… this was anything but usual.
Her heart skipped. Not because of attraction (at least, she told herself that), but because this was impossible. Men didn't just appear. Not in this city. Not anymore.
Yet there he was—tall, freshly showered, dressed casually but striking. His eyes briefly met hers, and she realized with horror that she'd been staring.
She panicked. Look away. Say something. Act normal. But she froze, as if her entire being had been unplugged from reality.
She wasn't the type to get flustered. Numbers made sense—people didn't. But ever since the male decline, seeing a man in real life was like seeing a ghost. Unreal. Dangerous. Yet… fascinating.
And now she was acting like an idiot.
When the elevator stopped and she bolted, she didn't even look back. What if she made a fool of herself? What if he thought she was weird?
"Ugh… get a grip, Celeste," she muttered, adjusting her glasses as she walked through the lobby, trying to steady her racing heart.
[Later that morning]
The café they entered was small but cozy, tucked between a pharmacy and a bookstore. Warm lights glowed from antique hanging lamps, casting soft shadows over wooden tables and brick walls. A faint hum of lo-fi music filled the space, blending with the quiet chatter of patrons—mostly women.
They found a table near the window. Maki placed her purse on the seat beside her and offered a sheepish smile.
"I really didn't expect my morning to go like this," she said, brushing her blonde hair behind her ear.
Vial chuckled as he settled into the seat across from her. "Yeah, same here. Pretty surreal."
They both drank what they had ordered, Maki had a caramel macchiato while Vial had black coffee
As the waitress walked away, Maki leaned forward slightly, her blue eyes flickering with curiosity. "So… where are you from? I mean, if it's okay to ask."
Vial looked out the window for a second, thinking. "To be honest, I'm not really sure. Things feel… off. Like I'm dreaming, but everything's too detailed to be fake."
Maki tilted her head. "A dream?"
"Yeah," he said, giving a small, awkward smile. "I woke up in an apartment I didn't recognize, in a city that's all women. And everyone's acting like I'm a ghost."
"Well…" Maki looked down at her hands, fidgeting. "That's not entirely wrong. You are kind of like a ghost."
He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Before she could answer, their drinks arrived. Maki thanked the waitress, then lowered her voice.
"Men are… rare here. Extremely rare. You're the first one I've ever seen in real life."
Vial blinked. "Wait, what?"
Maki sipped her macchiato, as if stalling. "There's a lot I don't know either, but if you really don't remember anything, then… I guess we're both confused."
Vial leaned back, stunned. "Rare, huh…?"
Maki gave him a gentle look. "But I'm glad I met you."
He looked at her, surprised.
"You seem nice. And I don't know what brought you here, but… maybe it's a sign."
He laughed softly. "A sign of what?"
She smiled, eyes sparkling. "That the world might be changing again."
After a lighthearted and easy conversation, the two stepped out of the café, greeted by the mellow warmth of the setting sun. They wandered aimlessly through the streets, chatting and laughing about trivial things—food preferences, city quirks, and the oddness of vending machines that sold socks.
It was simple. Relaxing. Almost normal.
But in the back of Vial's mind, a lingering unease tugged at him.
'This place… it feels too real. Too grounded to be a dream, but too strange to be familiar. What even is this world?'
He didn't notice he had drifted into silence until Maki's voice reached him.
"Vial… uhm… Vial!"
"Huh? Oh—sorry."
She tilted her head, concerned. "Something on your mind?"
He hesitated for a moment, then offered a small smile. "It's nothing. Just… getting late. I should probably head back now."
He turned, already taking a few steps away.
"W–wait!" she called out, taking a step forward. "Can I… at least have your contact info?"
Her voice held a hopeful tremble.
Vial paused, pulling out the phone he'd woken up with. It wasn't truly his—no contacts, no data, no trace of the life he knew. Just a shell.
"I don't know if this world uses PingMe or not," he said with a faint smile, checking the screen. "But I can give you my number, if that's fine."
"Of course, I don't mind," she replied quickly—then caught herself, laughing nervously. "I mean, yeah… that's totally fine."
She looked down as he recited the number, typing it in with trembling fingers. Her face warmed with color, a shy smile curling at her lips as she tried to hide it behind her phone.
"Well then," Vial said, slipping his phone back into his pocket, "see you tomorrow."
"Y-yeah," she nodded, watching him go.
Or maybe he wouldn't. Maybe he'd finally wake up.
As Vial disappeared into the distance, Maki stood in place, unmoving. Her phone was pressed against her face, both hands clutched around it. Her cheeks were flushed, glowing in the dim light.
"He gave me his number…" she whispered to herself, unable to stop the small, giddy laugh that escaped her lips.