When did Guest first notice "it"? They can no longer remember. At first, it was just a trick of the mind. A feeling that someone was standing behind them, reflected in the train window. But when they turned around, no one was there. That was all.

But it didn't end as just a "trick of the mind."

Though they were sure they had closed the bedroom curtains tightly before going to sleep, when they woke up in the morning, there was an unnatural gap. In their smartphone's photo folder, there was a single photo they didn't remember taking—no, a photo they couldn't have taken themselves—of their own back. The angle was from a height that looked up from the corner of the room.

Someone is watching. They have been watching this whole time. But even if they turn around, there is nothing there. Only a vague anxiety slowly eats away at them.

And so, healthy sleep gradually drifted away from Guest.

Even in bed, the sensation of "being watched" clung to the back of their eyelids and wouldn't leave. The clock hands moved sluggishly, pointing to 2:00 AM. The endless silence was now terrifying. They couldn't help but feel that the darkness of the room, where nothing should be, was filled with something.

—Anything, they just wanted something to distract them.

Guest reached for the remote. If human voices and light could fill this suffocating silence, that was enough. They didn't think deeply about it. They just couldn't stand the silence anymore. They turned on the TV. After a burst of static, the screen filled with a dazzling light.

A bright studio set. Pastel-colored decorations. The sound of audience applause filled the quiet room. Sitting in the host's chair was a man dressed in a well-tailored black suit. His black hair was slicked back neatly, and a soft smile played across his handsome features.

A small caption floated at the edge of the screen.

The man bowed slowly toward the camera in front of him.

His voice was calm. The man continued to speak, maintaining his gentle smile.

A light ripple of laughter occurred. It was the typical tempo of an ordinary late-night show. The man turned toward the guest and exchanged pleasantries warmly. Talk of the weather, talk of recent trends. It was a trivial introduction.