☕︎ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒇𝒕

11 - ᴄʟᴏꜱɪɴɢ ꜱʜɪꜰᴛ

- ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 9ᴛʜ, ꜱᴀᴛᴜʀᴅᴀʏ

*ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴠɪᴇᴡ*

today, i am going to be the only closer at perk & pour. i don't like the sound of that all. in fact, i tried once again to get a hold of funahashi senpai but every time i tried to contact him, i was sent straight to voicemail. "son of a bitch!" i threw my phone onto the ground out of sheer anger, but i should be lucky that it didn't crack in the process.

on the bright side of things, since senpai made me leave my shift early yesterday, i was able to get my car into a shop and have it looked at. they were able to fix it, thank god, but i didn't like the bill that came with it. now walking out of my apartment building, i am more on edge than ever—i made sure to carefully search my surroundings. i couldn't see my stalker anywhere.

could it be that he had already given up on me? no, no...i shouldn't get too optimistic now, not until i know that for certain. maybe he just wants me to think that and when i let my guard down, he'll force his way back into my life like some parasite.

nevertheless, i hurried to my car, the chilly wind nipping at my cheeks. the snow underfoot crunched with every step. as i slipped into the driver's seat, i cranked up the heater, seeking refuge from the winter cold. i really hope that the amount of snow japan gets lessens later this month, but i'm probably asking for too much. still...i couldn't help but sigh in relief as warm air enveloped me.

sitting there in the parking lot, i watched the snowflakes gently fall, forming a serene blanket. the hum of the heater and the rhythmic beat of my heart seemed to synchronize, creating a peaceful moment amid a frosty morning. i eyed my mirror to double-check that no one was hiding in the backseat, i had already done that when i first entered the car, but i just wanted to make sure since it would not only help calm my nerves but help pass time.

i closed my eyes, letting the warmth seep into my bones. minutes passed, and i savored the cocoon of comfort because i knew that it was going to suck to have to get out of my vehicle to go inside perk & pour, even though i know i won't be outside a lot tonight other than maybe taking out trash. finally, i pulled out of the parking spot and navigated the snowy streets, making my way to perk & pour.

luckily, it looked like it was going to be a bit slow, so finding a parking space was easy. when i pulled into one, i turned off the ignition, bracing myself. but just before i left my car, i stopped myself as i instinctively asked myself, "wait, did i leave my phone at home?"

the mere question left me in complete disarray, i spent the next few minutes frantically searching everywhere that i could've placed it, but when my device turned up, i groaned. i can't go back now because my shift starts in a few minutes. maybe i can go back home to get it on my break...? sighing, i got out of my car and hurried inside.

"funahashi senpai, are you here?" i called out to my superior, which i could do since there were no customers in sight, but i received no response. that's weird, maybe he's in the back? i looked everywhere imaginable—he wasn't in the bathroom, he wasn't in the back looking at the cctv footage, and i still couldn't open the door to the storage room because the handle must have been jammed (surprised funahashi senpai hadn't called any repairmen to fix that yet), i even peeked my in the back of the building, since that's where he usually parks, but his vehicle wasn't there. that's weird. did he leave early?

no, that's hard to believe: senpai is more strict when it comes to the rules, he wouldn't leave early if he knew that he needed to give me instructions before my shift today, especially since it's my first closing shift.