As the man walked home from work, he felt a sense of unease. He turned around, but saw nothing except empty streets. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his finger.

"Ow, damn it!" he muttered as he examined the tiny paper cut.

But before he could take another step, a powerful force seized hold of him, dragging him towards an unknown fate. He found himself in a long, dark alleyway, where the only sounds were the distant hum of traffic and the rustle of garbage bags in the wind.

"Who's there?" he called out, his heart racing.

No one answered, but he heard the soft rustling of a woman's clothing. He turned around, and there she was: a beautiful woman with piercing blue eyes and long blonde hair.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, his voice trembling with fear.

The woman didn't answer, but continued to stare at him hungrily. He felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Can I help you with something?" he asked, trying to sound brave.

The woman took a step closer, and he could see the hunger in her eyes.

"Stay back," he warned, taking a step back.

But the woman kept coming closer, and he realized with horror that he was facing something far beyond his comprehension, a being of darkness and terror that hungered for his blood.

"Please, leave me alone," he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper.

The woman just kept staring at him, her eyes aglow with an insatiable hunger. The man felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead as he realized that he was in grave danger.

As the man stumbled out of the dark alleyway, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. It had all been a bad dream, a figment of his overactive imagination. He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart.

But before he could collect his thoughts, his phone buzzed with a text message. It was from his best friend, a Japanese man named Takashi.

"Hey Shun, I noticed that the report you were supposed to file is late. Is there any way you can stop by the office later today? I know it's your day off, but you'll only be in the office for an hour max."

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Shun let out a deep sigh. He had completely forgotten about the report, and now he would have to go back to the office on his day off. He didn't feel up to it, but he knew he had no choice.

With a sense of annoyance, he got ready for work. Shun was a software engineer at a large tech company, and he took his job very seriously. He replied to Takashi's message, "Yeah, I'll be there. Just haven't been feeling good lately."

As he made his way to the office, Shun couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He felt like he was being watched, like there was someone following him. But every time he turned around, he saw nothing but the bustling crowds of the city.

“When I arrived at the office, I quickly filed the report and couldn't help but curse under my breath as I typed on the keyboard. Why did I have to come in to work on my off day? The sound of the keys clacking seemed to echo my annoyance.

As I worked, I noticed my coworker, Yuki, across the room. I couldn't help but be infatuated with her. Her silky black hair cascaded down her back, and her eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky. She had an air of mystery that I found irresistible.

Yuki noticed me and approached, her heels clicking on the polished floor. "Shun, what are you doing here on your day off?" she asked, tilting her head with a curious smile.

"I had a last-minute report to file," I replied with a sigh. "But I'm almost done."

Just then, Yuki's phone rang, cutting our conversation short. The ringtone, a cheerful jingle, contrasted sharply with the somber atmosphere of the office.

She glanced at her screen and typed a quick response.

— — —

"Where are you?" her bodyguard's message read.

"Just grabbing a quick snack from the office," Yuki replied with her usual grace.

Her bodyguard responded, "We have fresh food from the hospital ready for you."

Yuki's fingers danced on the screen as she crafted a chilling response: "I'd rather eat something with a heartbeat."

— — —

I checked the time on my phone and realized it had already been well over an hour since I arrived at the office. I got up saying goodbye to Yuki as I made my way out of the office.

Nightfall was quickly approaching. As I walked home, I found myself passing through an alleyway that seemed eerily familiar – as if I had seen it in my dream. The unsettling feeling persisted, but I tried to shake it off, thinking it might just be my imagination.

As I walked further into the alley, I heard a sound coming from a trash can. I turned around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. That's when it hit me – this was exactly the same scene from my dream. My heart raced, and I tried to get home as quickly as possible, but the sound of footsteps following me made my steps falter.

Pressed against a wall and curling into a fetal position, I screamed, "What do you want?"

Yuki's voice answered, chuckling, "I just wanted to give you your wallet. You left it at the office."

Relieved, I apologized for my outburst. Yuki asked if I was okay, and I nodded, saying, "I must've been imagining things." I said my goodbyes and started to leave, but Yuki didn't go. Instead, she continued to follow me in the alley.

Suddenly, she struck me hard on my upper back, right between my shoulder blades, causing me to lose my breath. Gasping for air, I managed to ask, "Why...are you doing this?" The blow had hit me in a spot where the air flows, making it difficult to breathe properly.

In a bone-chilling tone, Yuki replied, "Because your aroma smells really sweet." Slowly, her fangs and claws emerged.

"What are you?" I barely managed to ask before she sank her teeth into my neck, sucking my blood with a terrifying hunger. I could feel my life force draining away as I slipped into unconsciousness.

Yuki was about to finish me off when her phone buzzed with a text from her mother, demanding she come home immediately. Pouting like a teenager, she looked at my limp body and said, "Well, it was fun while it lasted," before vanishing into thin air.

Although unconscious, I could still feel the cold embrace of death at my doorstep. My thoughts raced: I didn't want to die. My life was so mundane, and I desperately wished for a change.

To my surprise, I opened my eyes and found myself back at home. Confused, I slowly sat up, noticing a text message on my phone. It was from my coworker Takashi:

"Hey Shun, I noticed you didn't go home, so I checked your location and found you passed out in the alley. You really need to stop drinking on the job, man. My wife wanted me home, so I couldn't stay to make sure you were okay. You know how scary she can be when she's mad. Take care!"

I quickly replied, trying to explain what had happened, but then sighed, wondering if what I had experienced was even real. I sent another message to Takashi, asking, "Did you see Yuki when you took me home?"

Now, I anxiously awaited his response, unsure of what to believe.