It was as if nothing else could be heard over the countless noises in the office. People moved around like bees working their way in a hive.

Heels clicking, papers shuffling, people chatting over telephones... Everything was so familiar. Yet, it suffocated Hayden. He really wanted to get out of there and breathe some fresh air. But with his boss' office just a few metres away, there was nothing he could do about it.

Hayden let out a loud groan as he laid his head back, staring at the ceiling fan above his head that had leaves going in cirlcles like the thoughts in his mind. Working on a computer all day long was indeed tiresome.

"What's the matter, Hayloft?" Hayden jolted when a sharp elbow nudged the side of his arm. He knew who that was. "Don't call me that, Lana" he hissed, rubbing his arm.

Lana was a colleague of his. Sort of a best friend. She knew exactly how to get on Hayden's nerves at the most inaccurate times. She had an advantage that Hayden wouldn't skin her alive, so she dared to do anything that he disliked, not having a care in the world.

"Aw, someone's annoyed" Lana chuckled and pulled her chair closer to Hayden's, gazing into what Hayden was working on his computer.

Lana immediately burst into laughter when she read halfway through the report he was writing.

"What's so funny?" Hayden asked, slightly annoyed by the way Lana wheezed.

"Haa. Dear Mr. Hayloft. You are mixing up this report with last week's! Look!" Hayden glared at his computer screen wide eyed when he realized why he was getting a feeling that something wasn't right about his report. He let out yet another groan and ran a hand down his face.

"I gotta turn this in this evening!" He whined. "Jack is going to sue me" he mumbled out in a desperate tone as he thought about how his boss was going to yell at him later. It was better to willingly walk down to hell than to hear what weird words his boss, Jack Lore, would shower at him for the slightest mistake he made. He had even made him question his very existence once.

Yeah, the best boss anyone could ever ask for.

Lana couldn't help the chuckle from escaping her lips. "Hey, why don't you go home and sleep for a while?"

Hayden grunted.

Lana's expression turned into a serious one. "Tell me, Hayden. How long has it been since you last slept?" She asked, shaking the guy by his shoulder, earning a grunt of disapproval.

Hayden sighed as he gave it a thought. "Two days" he mumbled.

Lana rolled her eyes. "Go. Home"

"Come on, Lana. You know I can't just go home. This report is supposed to be darn long. And it is for the next day's newspaper. How am I supposed to turn this in the mean time if I go home and sleep?!"

"Stop acting like a workaholic, Hay-boy" Hayden frowned at the nickname. "We both know how much of a lazy couch potato you are"

"Can you please just stop calling me weird nicknames?"

"Out of the question. But, hey, it's fun" Lana winked and it was Hayden's turn to roll his eyes.

"Well. I can make an excuse to Jack for you. I'll bail you out if he still decides to yell at you anyway" Lana suggested.

"No, Lana. I--"

"We can go to the next anime con if you just go home right now" Lana said and Hayden blinked in surprise.

"For real?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, for real" she nodded.

"Fine then. Don't you dare go back on your promise, Lana. You better make a great excuse to Jack" Hayden grabbed his long-coat and made his way to the exit of The Rivervale Tribune.

Lana found herself smiling at the fast retreating back of Hayden.

How easy it is to get someone to do something when they are obsessed over something...

Hayden lazily walked up the stairs of his apartment and dragged his feet to his doorstep.

He looked at the room opposite and heaved a sigh. He had heard that the formerly empty place was being occupied by someone. It's been quite sometime since the news reached his ears. He wondered what kimd of a guy his neighbour would be.

He had thought about meeting the guy sooner, but he never had the time to do so. He was too busy.

It has been two days. And his neighbour hadn't bothered to show up at his doorstep either.

It was as if the both of them were just fine with how things were right now.

Hayden unlocked his door and got inside his flat, kicking the door shut once he was inside.

He hung his coat on the coat hanger. He untucked his shirt and loosened his tie, letting his throat breathe a little easier. He stepped outside his shoes as he walked into his bedroom and without a second thought, he crashed into his bed, hoping to get a good day's sleep.

***

Hayden's eye twitched in his sleep. He could hear faint noises disturbing his sleep. He irritatingly opened his eyes and found the room as dark as an abyss.

How lomg did his "nap" last?!

Hayden sat up with a groan and rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes. He checked his bedside clock. 20:30, it read.

With much effort, Hayden pushed himself up to his feet after taking his socks off and walked into the bathroom.

As he washed his face and got rid of all of his weariness off of him, Hayden's sharp ear picked upon some faint noises-- the same voices that he assumed to have had disturbed his sweet slumber.

What was that?!

He shouldn't have bothered, but him being a concerned citizen and all, had to check in.

Hayden changed his clothes and walked around his flat, trying to find the exact source of the sounds. In no time, he found it to be coming from outside his door. After a few moments of hesitation, Hayden walked out of his place and realised it was sounds of someone coughing that came from the flat opposite of his.

How long has it been?

Hayden couldn't help but wonder if his neighbour was in some sort of danger. Without a second thought, he went over to the other side and knocked at the door.

"Jesus!" He heard the voice from the other side of the door speak in between a few coughs. He rang his neighbour's door bell as he wondered if he really was okay.

In a few moments, the door clicked open and when it did, Hayden was overcome with a wave of emotions-- Surprise, awe, amusement... --all at once.

A rather good looking guy stood infront of him, leaning onto the door. He was in a very miserable form.

The guy was still trying to hold in a fit of coughs. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand and held on to the door knob with the other. His seemingly flawless face and pajama clothes were covered in a shade of slight grey.

It was explained by the enormous amount of smoke that filled the insides of the room.

"Y-you okay, sir?" Hayden stuttered out, his eyebrows drawn together into a confused knot.

"Oh, yes... Um, actually, no" The guy spoke into his hand with a slight giggle as he waved his hand infront of his face to avoid the smoke.

Hayden watched him for a slight moment in utter confusion. "Uh... Would you like me to help you with.. Uh.. The situation?"

The guy scratched the back of his head and turned his head around to look inside his flat. He scrunged at the mess he'd caused and turned back to Hayden. He shrugged at him, who was still watching him.

Hayden heaved a sigh and the guy stepped aside for him to get inside.

It took them quite the effort, but after a few minutes of trying, the duo finally managed to settle the smoke that filled the place.

It was more accurate to say that Haydem did most of the work. Because the one who caused all the trouble, his neighbour, seemed to be a little less sober and did little to nothing that was actually of any help.

"Thank you for your help, gentleman" the guy said as he dramatically bowed before Hayden.

If you asked Hayden,  he would say he thought the other guy looked a little drunk at the moment. He wasn't acting sober at all... Giggling at literally everything and for no apparent reason. That too, in the presence of a total stranger.

"Er... You're welcome. Can I ask what happened?" Hayden asked, eyeing the fried out pieces of food in the kitchen he had noticed while clearing the smoke.

"Oh, that. I was hungry and was trying to cook. The rest is history" he chuckled to himself. "No one told me it is wrong to pour water into boiling oil" he pushed his lower lip out slightly.

"Uh-huh" Hayden pursed his lips. "Well, guess I'll leave now. Please don't try to set anything on fire" he said sarcastically and walked to the front door.

When he glanced into the house after stepping out, he saw the guy waving at him in a lazy manner. "Good night, stranger" he said from his spot in a soft voice, just low enough for Hayden's ears to pick up.

Hayden felt a slight smile tug at his lips as he closed the door and walked into his flat.