The evening had settled into a gentle stillness. the soft hum of the television filled the living room. The lights were dimmed, leaving only a warm glow that painted the room in soft amber tones.

  As sheichi sat on couch, his arm resting comfortably around Haruka, who had dozed off with her head against his chest.

  Her breathing was slow and steady, her face relaxed in sleep. The faint rise and fall of her chest felt so fragile, so delicate-he could feel the warmth of her life pressed gently against him.

  His mother sat nearby, occasionally glancing at them with a tender smile as she flipped through a magazine. His father sat in the old armchair, absently watching the movie, his eyes heavy with content fatigue.

  For the first time in months, Sheichi felt completely at ease. He gently brushed a strand of hair from Haruka's face, tucking it behind her ear. She shifted slightly in her sleep, mumbling something incoherent before curling closer to him. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

  His mother's voice broke the quiet. "She's missed you," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Sheichi glanced at her, he felt guilt. "I know," he admitted, lowering his gaze. "I should've come home sooner."

  His mother gave a soft, knowing smile, but said nothing more. She simply turned another page in her magazine and let the silence stretch between them-peaceful and unspoken.

  His father let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples. "Finally decided to stop being a stranger, huh?" he muttered, though there was no bite in his tone-only quiet affection.

  Sheichi smirked faintly. "Yeah, I figured you were all getting too used to life without me."

  His father grunted, but there was a glimmer of warmth in his tired eyes.

  For the first time in months, Sheichi felt whole again. Surrounded by his family, the constant hum of city life, work stress, and his own lingering doubts seemed so distant. This was home. This was everything that mattered.

  But the illusion of peace was already beginning to fracture.

  ---

  It started with the faint sound of sirens wailing in the distance.

  At first, it was easy to ignore. The city was never short on incidents. A car accident, a small fire, some drunken fight-nothing out of the ordinary. His father gave a passing glance toward the window but quickly dismissed it, pouring himself another small cup.

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  But then came the distant echoes of shouting-a cacophony of panicked voices rising and falling, faintly distorted by the walls of their home. It was still far away, but noticeable.

  Sheichi's ears perked slightly, but he quickly pushed the noise aside. This moment-his sister sleeping soundly against him, his family together-was too precious to be disturbed by whatever commotion was happening beyond their door.

  Minutes passed. The sirens grew louder. Closer.

  Sheichi glanced at his phone.

  "No service."

  He frowned slightly but assumed it was a spotty connection. Nothing unusual.

  But then the lights flickered. Once. Twice. The television crackled with static for a brief moment before returning to normal.

  His father scowled lightly, muttering something about the city's unreliable grid.

  His mother stirred slightly in her sleep, but Sheichi gently stroked Haruka's hair, trying to ignore the nagging chill that was creeping out of him.

  ---

  Then came the banging.

  A frantic, bone-jarring pounding against a nearby door-someone from the street. The rapid, desperate hammering echoed through the neighborhood, followed by the faint, distorted voice of a man screaming for help.

  It was quickly cut off.

  Sheichi's head snapped toward the window.

  His father stood, eyes narrowing slightly, walking over to the curtains and parting them just enough to peek outside. The lines on his face tightened.

  "Sheichi," he called softly, but there was an unusual edge to his voice. "Come here."

  Carefully, Sheichi shifted Haruka off his lap and stood, moving toward the window.

  His father's hand was trembling slightly as he pointed out toward the street.

  There, under the dim glow of the streetlamp, was a man staggering barefoot across the pavement. His limbs jerked with unnatural spasms, his neck twisted at an impossible angle. His skin was pallid, and dark veins spread across his face like gnarled branches.

  Another figure stumbled into view-a woman. She was clawing at her throat, choking violently, blood bubbling at the corners of her lips.

  Her eyes were wide, panicked, filled with terror. Then, without warning, her spine bent backward with a sickening crack. Her entire body convulsed violently before she collapsed to the ground, twitching.

  The man beside her turned-his jaw unhinged grotesquely as he let out a gurgling, primal screech. His eyes, once human, were now hollow pits of hunger.

  Sheichi's breath caught in his throat.

  "What... the..." he muttered.

  From the other end of the street, more figures emerged. Neighbors he vaguely recognized, now staggering toward one another.

  Some fell to their knees, their bodies writhing as the virus devoured them from the inside. Skin turned grayish, veins blackened, and eyes dulled to an empty, ravenous void.

  One woman clawed at her face, leaving deep gouges in her own cheeks. A man threw himself against a window, his fists breaking into raw, bloody stumps as he tried to smash through the glass with mindless desperation.

  The Hollowing had begun.

  ---

  "Get away from the window," his father ordered sharply, closing the curtains with a trembling hand. His face was pale, beads of sweat forming at his temples.

  "Take your sister and go to the kitchen."

  Sheichi rushed back to the couch, his heart pounding in his chest. He scooped Haruka into his arms, careful not to wake her just yet. She let out a small whimper but remained asleep, still lost in her dreams-blissfully unaware of the nightmare unfolding outside.

  His mother stirred at the commotion, blinking drowsily.

  "What's going on?" she asked softly, her voice still thick with sleep.

  Before Sheichi could answer, the front door shook violently.

  A guttural snarl pierced through the wooden frame, followed by frantic, frenzied scratching.

  A blood-soaked hand slapped against the windowpane, smearing blood streaks across the glass.

  "Dad!" Sheichi yell.

  His father moved quickly, barricading the door with a heavy wooden shelf.

  "Get back!".

  The doorframe splintered slightly as the weight of several Hollowed bodies slammed against it.

  Haruka stirred in Sheichi's arms, whimpering faintly. She rubbed her eyes and looked up at him with confusion.

  "Onii-chan... what's happening?" she mumbled sleepily.

  Sheichi's throat tightened. He forced a reassuring smile.

  "Shhh, it's okay," he whispered, brushing her hair gently. "Just go back to sleep, okay? I'm here."

  Her eyes drooped once more, and she buried her face against his chest, unaware of the blood-soaked hands clawing at the door just a few feet away.

  Then the window shattered.