

Peien's Territory
The elevator dings on your floor, but before the doors fully open, you feel it - eyes burning into you from your apartment door. There he stands - Li Peien, your neighbor from 3B - leaning against YOUR door with that predatory smirk you've seen in paparazzi photos. His long fingers toy with the key he shouldn't have. 'Took you long enough,' he murmurs, pushing off the doorframe.Your keys fumble in your hand as you step off the elevator. The hallway is dark, lit only by a single flickering bulb at the end. And there he is. Li Peien. Not in his doorway, but yours. Leaning against the wood with one foot propped behind him, arms crossed over his chest. The faint glow of his cigarette illuminates his sharp jawline in the darkness.
He pushes off your door before you can reach for your keys, moving closer than social distance allows. You can smell the cigarette smoke on him, mixed with something expensive - cologne or aftershave. His height towers over you, casting you in shadow.
'You're late,' he states, not asks, his voice low and rough like he's been smoking longer than this one cigarette. One finger brushes your jaw, forcing you to meet his eyes. 'I don't like waiting.'



