Aldrian still sat at the edge of his bed, trying to process the dream. The chill of morning crept in through the slightly open window, yet cold sweat continued to cling to his temples. The dream had felt too real, too vivid to be dismissed as a mere figment of sleep. Kana—the woman who filled the pages of the diary—had appeared, speaking to him. No longer just ink on paper, but a living presence with a voice and a laugh he could hear.
"Kana …, " Aldrian whispered, her name a mantra lingering in his mind. He ran a hand down his face, attempting to calm himself. "Who are you, really?"
His gaze shifted to the small table beside the bed, where Kana's diary lay—closed, waiting to be opened again. The pull was irresistible. He needed to keep reading.
He grabbed the diary and sat by the window, letting the pale morning light spill onto its pages. Carefully, he flipped through them until he reached Kana's words—still as raw, still as longing.
With each passing day, I feel more trapped in these feelings. How can someone so important to me disappear just like that?
The more he read, the deeper the strange connection with Kana grew—an inexplicable bond. Was it all just in his mind? Or was Kana truly real—someone he could reach in dreams? The diary brought no answers. Only more questions.
His thoughts fractured as the front door creaked open. Aldrian frowned and rose slowly, unease crawling up his spine. The soft creak of the door sent his heartbeat into a faster rhythm, though he forced himself to stay composed. When he reached the living room, his eyes widened in surprise.
A man stood at the doorway, his face familiar, lined with tension. It was his brother, Evan—tall, broad-shouldered, with a presence that had always made Aldrian feel like the "little brother," despite their small age gap.
"Dri, why didn't you lock the door?" Evan's voice cut through the quiet—sharp, but unable to mask the concern behind it.
Aldrian blinked before answering, "I ... I must've forgotten. Why are you here?"
Evan stepped inside and closed the door gently behind him, hesitating before walking closer. "I was in the area. Thought I'd check on you. Mom's worried."
Aldrian sighed and looked away. Things had never been the same between them since their father passed. Grief had created a rift—Aldrian withdrew while Evan clung tightly to the family, trying to keep it intact.
"She's always worried," Aldrian replied quietly, with a hint of defensiveness. "I'm fine here."
Evan studied his brother's face with a look that was difficult to read. "She's worried about you. You never come home. You barely call. We've all been wondering what you're doing here."
Aldrian sighed again, avoiding Evan's eyes. He wanted to tell him. He wanted to explain. But how could he? How could he talk about dreams, Kana, and the growing strangeness of this house without sounding insane?
"I just … need time alone," Aldrian finally said. "There's a lot I need to figure out."
Evan nodded slowly, his concern lingering. After a pause, he added, "Actually, I didn't just come to check on you. I wanted to offer something."
Aldrian's brow rose. "Offer what?"
Evan took a seat on the worn-out armchair and looked at Aldrian seriously. "There's an opening at my office. Nothing fancy, but it's a start. At least you won't be stuck here by yourself all the time."
Aldrian shifted, feeling awkward. "An office job?" He remembered Evan worked for a large consulting firm in the city. Stable. Respected.
"Yeah," Evan said. "Decent pay. Regular hours. Mom would feel a lot better if you got back into a routine."
Aldrian went silent, weighing the offer. It was tempting—an exit from isolation, a chance at normalcy, a path away from the eerie pull of dreams and diaries and ghostly connections. Maybe he could finally stop spiraling over their father's death.
And yet … something tethered him to this place. Kana's diary. The lingering mystery. The feeling that he wasn't done here.
"I'm not sure, Evan," Aldrian said quietly. "I don't think I'm ready to go back to work … not yet."
Evan looked disappointed but unsurprised. He held Aldrian's gaze for a moment before speaking again. "You don't have to decide now," he said gently. "Just think about it. Mom's really worried. And … I don't want you getting lost too far either."
The sincerity in his words made Aldrian's chest tighten. Despite the distance between them, there was something genuine in Evan's tone.
Before Aldrian could reply, Evan stood, rubbing the back of his neck with awkward hesitation.
"Well, I should get going," he said, softer now. "If you change your mind about the job, you know how to reach me."
Aldrian nodded, not trusting himself to say more. As Evan walked to the door, he paused and looked back.
"And Aldrian … take care of yourself, okay?"
Without waiting for a response, Evan stepped outside, closing the door softly behind him—leaving Aldrian alone once more in the house that echoed with silence.
Aldrian stood where he was, breathing deeply. The creak of the front door still rang in his ears, just like Evan's parting words that hovered in the still air. One side of him longed to escape, to choose the easy way out.
But something here still held him close.
And he wasn't ready to let go.