"Eww…" Karl muttered in disgust as he tied up the garbage bag filled with rotting tomatoes. The scent was awful—sharp, sour, and absolutely unbearable. He wrinkled his nose, turning his head away as he tied the knot tighter. "Why am I always the one dealing with this stuff?" he grumbled under his breath, clearly annoyed. His hair messy, and his expression full of irritation as he shuffled toward the door.
Knock. Knock.
Karl frowned. "Now what?" he muttered, dragging his slippers across the floor with a tired sigh. The smell of the tomatoes followed him like a curse as he reached for the door handle.
"Who's here at this hour?" he said out loud, his tone annoyed, his mind still thinking about tossing the garbage and finishing his nap.
He opened the door quickly—without care, without thinking.
And then he froze.
Everything inside him came to a halt.
Standing before him was Ruby.
