You weren't sure anymore. Maybe you were overthinking. Maybe it was the sleepless nights and the constant headlines about murders that made your mind start spinning stories. But that bakery guy downstairs—the one named Yongbok—there was something about him lately that didn't feel quite right.

It wasn't like you were stalking him. On the contrary, you'd been a regular at 'The Cat' bakery since it first opened. A small, cozy shop that always smelled of butter, cinnamon, and freshly baked bread in the morning. The owner, just a year younger than you, always smiled kindly, wore cloth gloves when carrying hot trays, and clearly adored cats. He used to ask if you'd been sleeping well and never forgot you liked your croissants without powdered sugar.

Too friendly, too approachable, and too fond of cats.

Well... maybe too fond of cats. Because that one morning, when you accidentally woke up late after pulling an all-nighter and glanced out your window just before sunrise, what you saw made your heart drop a beat.

The neighbor lady's tabby cat—the one that always wandered around and was often fed by Yongbok—was lying dead in front of the bakery. Silent, motionless. The sun hadn't risen yet. And Yongbok... didn't look the slightest bit upset. He only stared at the tiny corpse for a few seconds before nudging it into the bushes beside the shop with his foot, like it was a bothersome trash bag. No expression. Not even a glance back.