What just happened?

As Serena walked in, she glanced around. She notices despite being a high schooler, Mike kept his apartment surprisingly clean. She had expected a mess- clothes scattered on the floor, empty snack packets lying around, but she was completely wrong.

Behind her, Mike followed, quietly observing her. He had always seen Serena in her formal attire at school, and even though they had been neighbors for a week, he had never seen her in casual clothes until now.

Serena turned her head and looked at him, her voice soft and hesitant.

"Where can I sleep?... I can take the sofa if you like."

"No, Miss. You can sleep in my bed. I'll sleep in the living room."

"But I don't want to trouble you… this is your house, after all."

"Trouble myself? You're getting it wrong, Miss. I've slept countless times without a bed it's no problem for me. I just want you to be comfortable here."

"O-Okay… if you say so…"

"Would you like anything? Water, tea, or something else?"

"A glass of water would be fine."

Mike nodded and headed to the kitchen. Serena sat down on the sofa, her eyes still wandering around the apartment. It was much cleaner than her own. It felt strange to her, she had assumed she was more organized, yet here she was, unexpectedly admiring a student's neatness.

Just then, Mike returned, carrying a glass of water on a tray. He walked toward her and gently placed it in front of her.

"Thank you," Serena said, picking up the glass and taking a sip.

When she finished, she extended the glass back to Mike. In that moment, their fingers brushed against each other just briefly, but enough to send an unexpected jolt through both of them. It was a foreign sensation, something neither had experienced before.

A brief silence followed. Both instinctively pulled their hands away. Mike cleared his throat, took the glass and tray, and set them aside. A state a awkwardness in between them.

"Miss, go straight and then take the door on the left... That's my room."

Serena nodded and walked in the direction Mike had pointed. She pushed the door open and stepped inside, only to find herself momentarily stunned.

The room was much cleaner than she had expected. It wasn't too big, just the right size for one person, but it was well-organized almost meticulously so. His bed was neatly made, the floor spotless, and even his desk looked tidy. For a high schooler… he's more disciplined than some adults she knew.

Serena let out a quiet breath, closed the door behind her, and switched off the lights. Slowly, she slipped under the covers, feeling the warmth of the bed surround her. It was unexpectedly comfortable.

Meanwhile, outside, Mike took one last glance at the main door, ensuring it was locked. Satisfied, he walked into the living room, switched off the lights, grabbed a blanket, and lay down on the sofa.

It was already late, and exhaustion from the day's work weighed on his body. His eyelids grew heavier with each passing second, lulling him into sleep. But then...

"Wait!"

Mike's eyes shot open as a sudden realization struck him like lightning.

"Oh fuck... No, no, no!"

He had completely forgotten to hide the adult magazines his friends had given him. Normally, he never had to worry about things like that he lived alone, and aside from his friends, no one visited without informing him first.

But now, Serena was in his room. The Soulless Beauty. His strict, unreadable, intimidating history teacher. Sleeping right there. Near his desk. Where the magazines were hidden in plain sight. His body tensed.

"If she finds them… I'm dead. She'll never look at me the same way again. Or worse, what if she tells someone?!"

Mike sat up, rubbing his face in panic.

"Oh god, please… anything but that! Just keep her away from my desk!"

He squeezed his eyes shut and prayed though he had no idea if prayers worked in these situations. What else could he even do? Barging into the room now was out of the question. She was probably asleep already.

"Maybe… maybe she won't even check the desk… Right?"

His mind spiraled into overthinking, imagining every possible scenario of her stumbling upon those magazines. But somewhere in between the worrying, the exhaustion finally caught up to him, and without realizing it.

Mike drifted off to sleep.

Around 3 AM

Mike woke up, feeling thirsty. It had become a habit of his to wake up in the middle of the night for water. He got up from the sofa, walked to the kitchen, and took a few sips. As he turned to leave, ready to go back to sleep, he suddenly heard a noise.

A soft thud.

The sound had come from his room the one where Serena was sleeping.

Mike froze.

Is she awake? he wondered. What is she even doing at this hour? Or… does she always wake up this early?

Countless thoughts raced through his mind. Before he knew it, he had already reached the bedroom door.

He hesitated, unsure if he should knock or leave. He didn't want to come off as a creep spying on his teacher. But just as he turned away, another noise followed a heavier thud, like something falling.

A book…?

Mike's panic spiked. What if Serena had found his adult magazines? But then he shook his head. No, those aren't heavy enough to make that kind of sound.

Before he could think further, another thump echoed from inside the room. This time, it sounded like someone had walked straight into the wall. A chill ran down Mike's spine.

BUT, Something felt off...

His hesitation faded, replaced by growing concern. With trembling hands, he reached for the doorknob and slowly pushed the door open.

Inside, what he saw shocked him.

Serena was standing there, facing the wall, her posture rigid. She wasn't wearing her hoodie anymore, leaving only her sports bra and shorts visible. Her long white hair cascaded down her back, swaying slightly as she moved.

Mike's eyes darted around the room, now realizing the source of the sounds the bookshelf. Several books lay scattered across the floor, likely knocked over by her movements. Her slow, uneven footsteps had made the floor creak.

But what was she doing?

Before he could say anything, Serena suddenly bumped into the wall again, as if she hadn't even noticed it was there.

Mike's breath hitched. His mind raced "Is this really my teacher? Or… is this something else?" His heart pounded against his ribs, fear creeping into his chest. But no matter how unsettling the sight was, he couldn't just leave her like this.

Steeling his nerves, he took a cautious step forward.

"Miss Serena?" he called out. No response.

He swallowed and tried again, louder this time.

"Miss Serena!"

Still, nothing. A cold dread washed over him.

Slowly, he reached out, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. The moment his fingers touched her, she stiffened but instead of turning to face him, her arms wrapped around herself as if she were cold.

Mike frowned. The room wasn't cold at all if anything, it was warm. So why was she shivering?

Then, as he slowly turned her, Mike's gaze fell to her face, he realized something else.

Her eyes… were closed!

Her lips parted slightly, murmuring something too faint for him to hear. Her fingers trembled against her arms, her legs barely holding steady.

She wasn't awake!

Mike's stomach twisted as the realization hit him. Serena was sleepwalking.

The cold and unapproachable woman everyone at school called The Soulless Beauty the same teacher who never let anyone get close was now standing before him, fragile and unaware, lost in a world of her own.

And suddenly, everything clicked.

The strange noises Mike had been hearing at night ever since she moved in. The muffled footsteps. The occasional soft bangs against the walls. It had all been her.

"Does that mean she's unconscious?" Mike murmured to himself. Serena remained still, her legs trembling slightly. She looked like a completely different person from her usual self vulnerable, delicate, almost surreal. And yet, even in this state, she was breathtaking, like an angel lost in a dream.

For a moment, Mike stood frozen, staring at her, his mind blank to the outside world. It was as if, in that silent room, they were the only two people left on earth.

Shaking his head, he snapped out of his daze. "What am I even thinking?" He didn't know what to do wake her up or just let her be? Hesitant, he reached out and gently placed his hand on her shoulder again. She didn't react. Then, to his surprise, she took a small step forward. And another. Her movements were slow and uncertain, like a child learning to walk.

"Should I… wake her up?" Mike whispered to himself.

Before he could decide, Serena took another step this time closing the small distance between them. Her head lightly bumped against his chest.

She was murmuring something in her sleep, her voice so faint he couldn't make out the words. Then, suddenly, the trembling in her body stopped. Mike felt her weight shift, her body relaxing slightly under his touch, as if unconsciously drawn to the warmth of his presence. His left hand, which had been resting on her shoulder, instinctively moved to her back, steadying her.

And then her murmuring ceased entirely.

Her body grew heavy against him, her head resting against his shoulder, her breath soft and steady.

"Wait… what's going on here?"

Mike stiffened. She wasn't just leaning on him her sleepwalking had completely stopped. She had fallen back into deep sleep, right in his arms. For a moment, he just stood there, holding her. The situation was beyond anything he had ever expected.

Carefully, he adjusted his hold and guided her back to the bed. Making sure she was tucked in properly, he took a step back and looked at her one last time. In sleep, Serena looked almost… peaceful. A stark contrast to the cold and distant woman he knew at school.

Shaking off the lingering thoughts, he turned around, pulled the door handle, and gently shut the door behind him.

Outside, he let out a long breath and made his way back to the sofa. Sitting down, he ran a hand through his hair, his mind buzzing with a thousand unanswered questions.

"What the hell just happened? Does Miss Serena always sleepwalk? And why… why did it feel like she was searching for something?"

Mike sighed, staring up at the ceiling. His heart was still racing, but he wasn't sure if it was from shock or something else entirely.