Is Theo the stalker ?

Koa woke up with a jolt, heart racing.

His bed was warm. The morning sun slipped through the curtains.

No blood. No package. No letter. No heart.

Just his messy apartment and the soft hum of the city outside.

Was it all just a nightmare…?

He shook it off, got dressed in his fantasy-themed uniform, and made his way to work—still feeling like something was off.

The restaurant buzzed with chatter and clinking silverware. Koa moved clumsily between tables, apologizing as he nearly dropped a glass.

 “Koa,” a smooth voice called.

He turned. Theo, the restaurant manager, stood at the counter with a soft smile.

“You okay, little flower? You’ve been jumpy all morning.”

Koa forced a smile. “Just didn’t sleep well.”

Theo leaned in slightly, his voice gentle but low.

 “Bad dreams? Want me to walk you home tonight?”

Koa shook his head. “I’ll be fine.”

Theo chuckled, brushing imaginary lint off Koa’s shoulder.

 “Suit yourself. But be careful out there. This city’s full of creeps…”

As Koa walked away, he didn’t see Theo’s eyes follow him.

But the readers did.

Theo's smile lingered… a second too long.

Koa had just returned from delivering an order when he saw Theo leaning against the counter, casually flipping through a notebook. As soon as Koa walked in, Theo's eyes lit up, and he gave him a warm, inviting smile.

 "Ah, Koa, did you get the gift I sent you last night?"

Koa froze, the smile slipping from his face.

Gift?

 "What... gift?" Koa asked, his voice a little too quiet, a small shiver running down his spine.

Theo’s smile widened, but there was something off about it.

"I left it on your doorstep last night. It was just some flowers, but I thought you’d like them. They’re your favorite, right? Pink roses?"

Koa blinked, confused.

He didn’t remember receiving any flowers.

 "I—uh, I didn’t see any flowers..." Koa trailed off, his eyes darting around the room as if looking for some sort of answer.

Theo’s smile didn’t falter, but there was a strange glint in his eyes.

 "Are you sure? It was a bouquet. Maybe you were too tired to notice." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, folded note. "I added a little something for you, just to make you feel special."

Theo handed Koa the note, and as Koa hesitated, Theo added, almost too casually:

 "I can always make sure to leave it again, if you need me to."

The note was simple, but the handwriting was smooth, precise.

“You looked beautiful last night. I hope this reminds you of how perfect you are.”

Koa’s breath caught in his throat. Last night?

He hadn't seen anyone. Hadn’t even stepped outside.

The words on the note felt wrong—too personal.

Something in his gut twisted. Theo, usually so kind, now felt like a stranger.

He forced a smile, but Theo was already walking away, leaving Koa with the note.

Koa took a deep breath, shaking off the strange feeling, and made his way over to take his order.

“Hello, welcome! My name’s Koa. What can I get for you today?”

The man didn’t smile, but his gaze locked onto Koa with an intensity that made the air between them feel thick. His voice was low, smooth, and almost unsettling.

“I’ll have the special,” he said, his tone calm but with a strange edge.

Koa nodded. “Of course, the special it is.”

The man didn’t break eye contact as he spoke again.

“I’ll also need to know when my order’s ready.”

There was a pause. Koa shifted awkwardly under the weight of his gaze, then asked,

“Of course! Just so I can call you when it’s ready, may I have your name?”

The man’s eyes flickered briefly, as if he were deliberating on whether to answer. Then, his lips curled into a faint, almost predatory smile, and he leaned back slightly in his chair.

“You may call me… Noi.”

Koa froze for a second. The name felt oddly familiar, yet he couldn’t place it. He quickly recovered and gave a polite nod.

“Alright, Noi. Your order will be ready soon!”

Koa walked away, but he could still feel Noi’s eyes on him. There was something unsettling about the way he looked at him, as if he knew far more than he should.

To be continued

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