NOCTEM

At 10 a.m., near Lumina City University, the 7-Eleven Convenience Store was just beginning its daily bustle.

"Good day, 7-Eleven," a brusque voice demanded over the phone. "I need two boxes of Durex condoms and a couple of tissue packs. And hurry up, deliver to room 302 at the Hilton Hotels!"

Evan Smith shook his head in resignation as he hung up the phone. The audacity of the youth these days—cavorting in broad daylight and not even having the foresight to prepare.

Evan promptly gathered the items and set off for the Hilton Hotels, just two streets away.

Upon reaching room 302, he knocked and the door swiftly opened to reveal a man adorned in a robe, sporting slippers and gold-rimmed glasses, and a conspicuous set of buck teeth.

The man opened the door grumbling, "Damn, half an hour for a pack of condoms. You nearly ruined my big moment, you blasted delivery guy!"

Acclimated to all manner of customer complaints from a month of part-time work at the convenience store, Evan replied with a forced smile, "My apologies, sir! I'll ensure faster delivery next time."

"Quite impressive, sir, asking for two boxes of condoms. Preparing for a marathon battle into the morning, are we?" Evan knew well that flattery about one's virility was a small price to pay to avoid complaints and wage deductions.

"Hmph! At least you're eloquent. Now scram!" Anthony, basking in the undeserved praise, arrogantly reached for his wallet to pay Evan.

As Evan was secretly relieved to have averted another customer dissatisfaction, his gaze inadvertently swept past the man and into the room.

A figure emerged from the bathroom, strikingly familiar, yet his mind instantly dismissed the ludicrous thought.

"Darling, have the condoms arrived? These delivery services are getting sloppier by the minute—it's been half an hour!"

Frozen, Evan recognized that voice. The familiar silhouette, now clad in a bathrobe, was none other than his girlfriend, Alyssa Ramos!

"Alyssa?" he uttered in disbelief, his mind still reeling.

Alyssa, mid-stroke through her hair, turned and her eyes met Evan's. Her heart skipped as she instinctively stepped back, her thoughts buzzing into chaos.

Anthony, about to hand over the payment, ceased moving, realizing his girlfriend knew the delivery boy.

Alyssa's panicked look said it all to Evan.

"Bastard, you dare touch my girl..." Rage surged within him, and he was about to charge at the man.

"Stop!" Alyssa positioned herself in front of Evan. After a brief panic, she regained composure. There was no point in hiding now that Evan had caught them; it was time to lay the cards on the table.

"Fuck, you little shit, you dare insult me?" However, Anthony, now aware of the situation, stepped around Alyssa and aimed a kick at Evan's abdomen.

"Damn it, ruining my mood, you worthless cur!" As he rained down blows on the fallen Evan, who was curled up on the floor, clutching his head, immobilized by the pain in his belly.

"Stop it!" Anthony had been beating Evan for a full five minutes before Alyssa finally spoke up to halt the assault.

Alyssa Ramos's voice pierced the air as she shouted at Evan, "Evan, let's break up!"

"Break up?" Evan was stunned, his eyes widening in disbelief even as he lay curled on the floor. "Alyssa, we've been together for over a year, and now you're telling me you want to break up?"

"Yes, break up!"

Alyssa's gaze was unflinching as she faced Evan. "Surprised? Our dinners always at street stalls, the cheapest makeup you buy for me, and look at you—in clothes not worth more than twenty dollars. Every time I walk beside you, people snicker at me. Did you know that?"

"I don't want this life. With my prospects, I should never have settled for a poor nobody like you. I was too naive in my freshman year to fall for a pauper like you!" Alyssa's words were laced with bitter resentment.

Wrapping her arm around the man beside her, she addressed Evan with a provocative sneer, "This is my boyfriend—Anthony Taylor! Starting now, I, Alyssa Ramos, have nothing to do with you. Stay away from me in the future!"

"So you're Alyssa's pathetic ex-boyfriend!" Anthony Taylor looked at Evan with a taunting smile, taking the plastic bag from Evan's hand and shaking the box of Durex inside. He chuckled and said to Evan, "Delivering Durex to your ex-girlfriend's man, that's something else, brother. You've got quite the magnanimity, haha!"

"Aren't you leaving yet?" Alyssa spat at Evan in anger.

"Why should he? He wants to watch you get screwed by me. Let's give him a live show right in front of his eyes," Anthony sneered coldly at Evan.

Watching the coupling before him, Evan's heart sank. Slowly, he turned and walked away from the room, step by step.

"Brother, you're not taking the money? Hey, that's generous of you. A girlfriend and free condoms thrown in!" Anthony watched Evan's desolate retreat with a sense of satisfaction and closed the door.

As he stepped outside, rain began to fall from the night sky.

The cold rain soaked Evan Smith completely, but it also cleared his mind. Alyssa was after money, after all. He should be glad to lose such a materialistic woman. Why should he be sad?

"Ring ring..."

The urgent ringtone from his phone pocket snapped him back to reality. It was his boss from the 7-Eleven Convenience Store.

"Hello! Boss!" Evan, not wanting to delay, answered the call hastily.

"Damn it, Evan, you had the audacity to hit a customer and got us a complaint all the way to the headquarters. I got a scolding because of you. You're fired!"

The dial tone signaled the end of the call.

Fired? He had hit a customer? When he had been the one taking the blows? Why was the world so unjust?

Before Evan could wallow further, his phone rang again.

Seeing it was his landlady's number, he could guess what she would say.

"Evan, it's almost the end of the month. Pay up the full rent, or get out."