HEART OF THE MAD

the day of my nightmares

The Morning of DoomThe morning sun peeked through the heavy curtains, casting golden streaks across the luxurious bedroom. Kuroya lay sprawled across the massive bed like a crime scene outline, staring at the ceiling.His body felt like it had been steamrolled by exhaustion, but for some godforsaken reason, he was awake. On his own.That was weird.That was very weird.Dragging himself up, he ruffled his already messy hair and let out a long, suffering sigh. “Well, this is new.”Household Horror: The Kuroya AwakeningThe moment he stepped out of his room, the entire mansion went into panic mode.A maid walking down the hall carrying a tray did a double take so violent she nearly dropped everything. A butler polishing the banister froze, eyes wide like he had just witnessed a ghost commit tax fraud. The head chef peeked out from the kitchen, muttering a quiet prayer, probably assuming the apocalypse was upon them.Whispers spread through the halls like wildfire."Did… did Kuroya wake up by himself?""No way. Maybe he sleepwalked?""Did we check if he’s possessed?"One particularly brave servant whispered, "Did the sun rise from the opposite direction today?"Kuroya rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Like I’m some kind of bear that hibernates for six months at a time." He waved them off and strolled past, completely ignoring the fact that the staff was now eyeing him like he had evolved overnight.Honestly, the way they were reacting, you’d think he had discovered the cure for laziness.---Breakfast of the Emotionally ConflictedThe dining hall was, as always, ridiculously over-the-top. A table long enough to seat an army. A buffet spread that could feed a small country. Gold-plated everything—because apparently, eating normal food wasn’t fancy enough for this family.Kuroya sat down and absently poked at his meal, his mind elsewhere. Normally, he’d be half-asleep while eating, but today, something was different.He was too restless.Too awake.Too… nervous?Oh, hell no.He scoffed at himself. Me? Nervous? That’s a joke. A bad one.He wasn’t nervous. He was just—His fork scraped against the plate as he realized what day it was.Oh.Ohhh.He was meeting her today.His stomach twisted. Not in a bad way, but in that weird, unfamiliar, "I-don’t-know-how-to-handle-this" kind of way. It was disgusting. He hated it.Slamming down his fork, he stood up. “Okay. I’m leaving.”A passing butler paused. “Sir, you haven’t finished your meal—”“I’m full of emotions. That’s enough food for today.”And with that, he left.---A Man, A Plan, A Restaurant… and RegretKuroya arrived at the restaurant much earlier than planned. Way too early.Like, embarrassingly early.The place was fancy—soft golden lights, quiet instrumental music, couples whispering sweet nothings over candlelit tables. It was romantic. The kind of place that was meant for people who actually had the emotional range to enjoy it.And then there was him.Sitting alone at the farthest corner, hands shoved in his pockets, looking like the most awkward third wheel to a room full of strangers.He leaned back in his chair, staring at the empty seat across from him. His foot tapped against the floor as he checked his watch.…Yeah. He had definitely come too early.---The Realization of His MistakeKuroya sighed, rubbing his face. “Damn… If Dad finds out about this, I’ll never hear the end of it.”The old man would love this. The great Kuroya, sitting alone in a fancy restaurant, waiting for a girl like some lovesick fool? Oh, he’d have a field day.Kuroya groaned. Maybe he should’ve at least pretended to be late. You know, just to keep his dignity intact.Across the room, a waiter side-eyed him. Probably wondering why a guy was sitting alone in a place meant for couples.Kuroya deadpanned. Yes, I’m eating alone. No, it’s not a cry for help. Mind your business.He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, and exhaled.Okay.Fine.He could admit it.Maybe—just maybe—he was a little excited to see her.But she didn’t have to know that.…If she even showed up.His eyes flicked toward the entrance. His heart did an annoying little thump every time someone walked in.This was stupid.This was ridiculous.This was—Another glance at the door.Another sharp inhale.Still waiting.And waiting.And waiting.Kuroya tapped his fingers against the table. "This is why I don’t do emotions."But still…He waited.For her.---The Grand Entrance (No, She’s Not My Wife, Calm Down)After half an hour, the door finally opened.A beautiful girl walked in.The kind of girl that made people pause for a second, like a protagonist just entered the scene.Kuroya’s brain, naturally, short-circuited.Wait. Is she coming toward me?He started looking around. Maybe there was someone behind him? Maybe she was waving at a friend?He turned his head toward the wall."Am I the only one who can see this wall?"Unfortunately, the wall had no answers.And even more unfortunately—She really was coming toward him.She stopped right in front of him, smiling warmly. “Hi, Kuroya-san! How are you doing? Sorry for making you wait—I was so excited that I didn’t sleep and woke up late today.”Kuroya stared.His brain still hadn’t rebooted.Then, finally—“So, guys… I think we should end the chapter here i can't take anymore than this in a single chapter. Sorry, but see you in the next one.”(To be continued…)