The Last Day of Solitude

Taehyun woke up to an empty and quiet apartment, the silence a harsh reminder that it was just him, alone, with another grueling day ahead. The thought of Yeonjun's return tomorrow only added to his anxiety, a sense of dread building up in his chest like a physical weight. He knew he had to get through today, but the prospect seemed impossible. As he dragged himself out of bed, his limbs felt heavy, as if weighed down by the anchors of his own despair. He shuffled to the kitchen, his eyes scanning the room with a sense of disconnection, like he was observing his own life from outside his body. The coffee maker beeped, signaling that his coffee was ready, but even the thought of his favorite morning ritual couldn't rouse him from his stupor. Taehyun poured himself a cup, but as he raised it to his lips, his hand trembled, and the liquid splashed against the side of the cup. He let out a frustrated sigh, feeling like he was losing control, like the threads of his sanity were slowly unraveling. He set the cup down, his mind racing with dark thoughts, each one a razor-sharp whisper that cut deeper than the last. The hours ticked by at a glacial pace, each one a reminder that he was still stuck, still trapped in this prison of his own making. Taehyun wandered aimlessly around the apartment, his feet carrying him on autopilot while his mind wrestled with the demons that haunted him. He couldn't focus on anything, his thoughts fragmented and disjointed, like shattered glass that refused to be whole again. As the day wore on, the shadows in the room seemed to deepen, as if they too were alive, moving and twisting to ensnare him. Taehyun felt like he was drowning in his own darkness, unable to find a lifeline to cling to. He thought about Joon-oh's words, about the concern in his eyes, but even that seemed like a distant memory, a fleeting moment of clarity in a sea of chaos. The clock on the wall seemed to mock him, its ticking a constant reminder that time was running out, that Yeonjun would be back tomorrow, and Taehyun still had no idea how to face him. He felt like he was staring into the abyss, with no safety net to catch him if he fell. As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the room, Taehyun collapsed onto the couch, his body exhausted, his mind shattered. He closed his eyes, the darkness a welcome respite from the turmoil that ravaged his mind. But even in the silence, he knew he couldn't escape the demons that haunted him, not even for a moment. Tomorrow would come, and with it, Yeonjun's return, and Taehyun had no idea if he was ready to face whatever lay ahead.