ACATALEPSY I BTS AU

CHAPTER 0 - Fleeting moment

 **Friday, 8 PM at the Bus Stop** 

The evening was settling in as you sat on the cold bench, your headphones filling your ears with the familiar comfort of your favorite songs, the same beloved tracks you've heard over thousand times (because why risk new music). You glanced at your phone, checking the time and enduring the timeless ritual of waiting for that late bus. It's so crazy how much of life is spent waiting.

Just then, something caught your eye. A man, staggering a few meters away, stood frozen at the crossing. His unsteady movements and the way he mumbled under his breath made it clear....he'd had far too much to drink. ... He moved like one of those Five Nights at Freddy's animatronics.

"He's definitely had one too many," you thought, eyeing him warily. 

Your attention shifted as the bus rounded the corner, a small wave of relief washing over you. 

"Finally" you mutter as you pull your bus card out of your pocket.

You stood up, ready to board but something was wrong. A prickling unease crawled up your spine. You glanced back at the man and without warning he stumbled toward the road.

 "Fuck." 

Your feet moved before your brain could catch up. In a rush of adrenaline, you darted towards him, grabbing his arm just in time. 

 "IT'S RED! Be more careful!" you shouted, your voice sharper than you'd intended. For a brief second, his glazed eyes met yours utterly confused. His glazed eyes met yours for a fleeting moment, looking utterly baffled like you'd just cursed in Ancient Greek. His face was an unreadable cocktail of confusion and deep sadness that you, in your thoroughly worn-out state, didn't have the energy to decode. Was he crying? you wondered, though even your curiosity was half-asleep. Then the bus jolted back into your mind like an overdue bill and you quickly let go, heart still thudding as you dashed toward it, waving for it to wait. The driver, thankfully, held the door open for a moment longer. 

Behind you, the man...dressed in a suit that seemed out of place for his current state, stood there still as a statue. The light turned green, but he didn't move, lost in some distant haze. As the bus rumbled away you found yourself staring out the window, replaying the strange encounter over and over in your mind. Something about it just didn't sit right, lingering with you all the way back to your flat.... like an unresolved plot twist.