Chapter 5 - I Don't Know About Silky

Sharpening my awareness, I enter the entrance hall. As of now, I can’t spot any human figures. For now, it seems that a direct encounter right from the start is not in the cards.

However, there are unfamiliar shoes, women’s shoes to be specific, which basically confirms that the intruder is indeed the stalker in question.

“Hmm…”

My apartment is of the type with a hallway. This means that if the person isn’t in the hallway, their possible hiding places are narrowed down to four main locations: the toilet, the washroom, the bathroom at the back, and the living space. Therefore, I need to eliminate these possibilities with caution.

While the strategy is to completely ignore them, it’s still good to have a general idea of where they could be hiding. It’s a form of risk management.

And then, of course, the thought of the shower room at this point crossed my mind. Those might also be a way out if the stalker is hiding in the living space. This information is a subtle hint for them to leave.

As I move to the toilet and open the door, I find that it’s empty. Since there’s no hiding place in the toilet, I can rule this out completely.

Next, I head to the washroom and the bathroom. They are both empty as well. Given that the bathroom door is the type where you can see a silhouette, it’s confirmed that the stalker’s hiding spot is in the living space.

“Too bad.”

Though in my imagination, a thrilling encounter was anticipated, ultimately, the situation progresses quite peacefully. It’s a bit of a letdown.

Well, in a confined space, the stalker’s reaction during an encounter isn’t much more than an aside. Whether it happens or not doesn’t really matter.

Moving on, I make my way to the bathroom while letting the shower water run, taking my time to wash my feet. In the process, I notice that the closet door is slightly ajar. However, I decide to ignore it.

After the quick shower, I return to the hallway and open the door to the living space. What I see is the familiar layout of my home.

Nevertheless, the room seems neater overall. Things that were left out before heading to school have been tidied up. It seems the stalker, true to form, has turned my place into their version of “Silky.”

I scan the room. At first glance, there’s no sign of a person. The previously considered options around the bed area also seem unlikely.

So, it’s probably the closet. The closet is divided into two sections, with the bottom part holding clothes and the upper part reserved for jackets. The upper section is an appealing hiding spot, and looking at it, I can tell the closet door is slightly open. Perhaps intentionally as a peephole.

I change into my casual clothes and, amidst this, notice that the previously closed closet door is slightly ajar again. I ignore it once more.

No matter how intense the gaze might be, I won’t react. Ignoring is my strategy. Moreover, the realisation that the stalker is “unknown” is a major development.

If I’m not involved, even if we were to meet in non-stalking circumstances, I won’t need to consider how to handle it. This is indeed good news.

I return to my computer, set up my drawing tablet, and start my hobby of drawing. I also position my phone next to the drawing tablet to keep an eye on the closet while checking references.

The rest depends on the stalker’s actions. I proceed as usual, drawing and ignoring.

Suddenly, after about two hours, the stalker timidly leaves my room.