Isolation

The Next Morning

As the sun's rays filtered through Mike's window, they landed on Serena's face, stirring her from sleep. She slowly opened her eyes, stretching her body in the bed. Her white hair was a mess, and her hoodie lay crumpled in the corner of the bed.

She didn't remember anything from the night before—the way she had wandered in her sleep or how Mike had gently tucked her back into bed. Not a single thing.

"Today is Sunday... I should find a locksmith. But will I even get one today?" she murmured to herself, realizing she needed to get back into her apartment soon. Staying here any longer would only trouble Mike.

Serena got out of bed and walked toward the door, unaware that she wasn't wearing her hoodie, leaving only her sport bra covering her torso. She pushed the door open quietly, not wanting to disturb anything.

The apartment lights were already on, meaning Mike was awake. She glanced around, looking for him.

"Is he in the living room?" she wondered, stepping in. But he wasn't there.

"Maybe he's in the kitchen."

Curious, she padded toward the kitchen, her bare feet making almost no sound on the floor. As she had guessed, Mike was there, standing by the counter, busy making something. His back was turned to her, dressed in his usual casual clothes.

Serena tilted her head slightly and peered over his shoulder. To her surprise, he was cooking.

"He knows how to cook?" she thought, intrigued. She had assumed he was just like any other high schooler. But no, Mike was different.

"Wow… you're pretty good at that," she said in a low voice, almost to herself.

Mike flinched slightly and turned around, his eyes widening when he saw her standing so close. The memories of last night came rushing back to him, her sleepwalking, the way she had wandered aimlessly, lost in her unconscious state.

For a second, he debated whether he should ask her about it.

"You're awake, Miss. I-I'm surprised- I didn't even sense you standing behind me."

"Umm… was I walking that quietly?"

Serena folded her arms across her chest in a casual stance, unintentionally pushing her chest up slightly. Mike's eyes flickered downward for a brief moment before he immediately looked away, his cheeks warming.

Wait…

Something wasn't right.

"Miss… aren't you forgetting something?" he asked, hesitantly pointing toward her torso.

Serena blinked, confused, before looking down. And then-

Her face turned bright red.

Her hoodie. It was still lying on the bed.

She had walked all the way here in just her sport bra. Serena gasped, her hands shooting up to cover her chest, even though Mike had already turned his gaze elsewhere.

"D-Don't look, you—idiot!" she stammered before spinning around and rushing back to the room.

Mike let out a breath and shook his head. That was… unexpected. A few moments later, Serena returned, her hoodie firmly back in place. She hesitated at the entrance of the kitchen, her fingers clutching the hem of her hoodie as if trying to anchor herself.

"I… I just wanted to thank you again for letting me stay," she muttered. "So don't get any weird thoughts about what just happened, okay?"

Mike chuckled lightly. "You're welcome, Miss. I'm happy to help. And I swear, I have no weird thoughts about it. Promise."

"..."

"So… what are you going to do about the lock, Miss? Your apartment's door?" Mike asked, breaking the silence.

"I-I'll call a locksmith. Isn't that obvious?" Serena replied, crossing her arms.

"But today's Sunday, isn't it? It might be hard to find one on a weekend. Why don't you try calling the building manager for help? That'd be much easier."

"I don't want to trouble the building manager," she said, glancing away. "Especially when it's only been a week since I moved in."

"Yeah, I get it. You don't want to leave a bad impression."

The soulless beauty—Serena, the teacher who barely spoke to anyone—was talking to Mike. It was a rare and almost unreal moment. If the students at school saw this, they might have died from shock. A brief silence settled between them. Serena shifted on her feet, then turned toward the door.

"W-Well then… I'm going."

"Would you like to eat breakfast?" The words slipped out before Mike could stop them. The moment he realized what he had just said, panic set in. Did I really just invite my cold, intimidating teacher to eat with me?

Serena turned, giving him a sharp look. Mike stiffened. It almost felt like a death stare.

"Ahh, well, I'm not forcing you, Miss! I just- I was just asking if you were hungry!" He waved his hands, trying to backpedal.

"Okay… I'll eat."

Mike blinked. Wait, what?

He let out a quiet breath of relief as he watched Serena walk over to the dining table. He had expected a complete shutdown, but the situation had taken an unexpected turn.

Mike quickly plated the breakfast he had prepared and served it to Serena.

"You… cook really well," she muttered after taking a bite. "For a student, especially a boy, you're an excellent cook."

"Huh? I'm not that great. I just learned out of necessity since I live alone."

"Who taught you?"

"My older sister. She started teaching me when I was fifteen. Thanks to her, I can cook today."

As they ate, a notification suddenly popped up on Mike's phone. A second later, it started ringing.

"Excuse me," he said before getting up from the table and stepping into the kitchen to take the call.

Serena continued eating, but her attention was drawn to Mike's voice when he suddenly shouted-

"Wait! What the fuck are you saying?!"

Serena's fork froze mid-air.

Mike's voice dropped to a more serious tone. "Fuck… Hold on, hold on. Are you really sure?"

The person on the other end responded, "Dude, check it yourself. It's everywhere on the news, on the internet!"

The call ended.

Mike rushed out of the kitchen without a word, heading straight for the TV. Serena turned in her seat, watching as he quickly flipped to a news channel. The moment the screen lit up with the broadcast, his face paled.

Breaking News: "A deadly virus, originating from China and identified as 'Corona,' is spreading rapidly across the world. Initially considered harmless, it has now plunged the planet into chaos. The cure of this virus is still in progress. Governments worldwide are enforcing strict safety measures, and in response to the crisis, multiple countries are entering a state of complete lockdown. Our country's government have also today, just now have announced a 'LOCKDOWN' Citizens are required to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary, strict orders from the government."

Mike stood frozen, watching the words flash across the screen.

"A… lockdown?" he whispered. That means no one can go out, no one can work… and no one can leave their homes.

His stomach twisted. Then his gaze flickered toward Serena.

She was already standing near the couch, staring at the TV in shock. Her lips parted slightly, and in a voice so soft it was almost a whisper, she murmured-

"N-No way…"