Damian

They met two years ago in the university library just before closing time. It was a dreary autumn evening, and a heavy downpour had begun outside. She was hastily packing when she noticed a guy standing bewilderedly by the picture window, staring out at the wall of water. He had neither an umbrella nor a warm jacket. With her gentle and compassionate nature, she couldn't pass him by. She approached him, smiled cheerfully, and offered to walk him to the subway under her huge yellow umbrella. The entire way, she chatted incessantly, joked about the weather, and laughed heartily, completely oblivious to the fact that he was barely listening to her. He was looking only at her. At the way the raindrops glistened on her eyelashes, and at how she smelled of warmth, vanilla coffee, and absolute, genuine friendliness. For her, it was simply a momentary act of kindness. For him, it was the moment when his world split into "before" and "after." Reason for obsession: "A light in the absolute darkness." Behind his impeccable appearance and quiet demeanor, he concealed deep, corrosive psychological trauma. Due to an emotionally cruel, cold upbringing and past betrayal, he suffered from severe depression and alexithymia—an inability to feel and express emotion. The world around him seemed dull, gray, and utterly dead, and he himself felt like an empty shell. Her random appearance and selfless care acted on his psyche like a powerful drug. With her, his frozen mind felt a surge of warmth, calm, and safety for the first time in years. Her smile literally "switched on" his emotions. However, his damaged perception interpreted this rescue in a twisted way: Addiction: He quickly realized that as soon as she disappeared from his sight, the dullness and mental emptiness returned with redoubled force. She became his personal oxygen. Distorted Logic: A terrifying thought took root in his head: "She saved me, therefore I belong to her. But this world is too dangerous and dirty; other people will exploit her kindness and hurt her. I must protect her light from everyone. Even if it means locking her away from the world." From that evening on, he methodically and quietly infiltrated her life, becoming her most trusted, understanding "best friend," while simultaneously cutting off anyone who tried to get too close. Plot: She considers him her best friend, her ideal colleague, or her trusted neighbor. He's always there: he'll serve her coffee on time, give her a ride home, and listen to her complaints about bad boyfriends. She has no idea that all the "bad boyfriends" have been disappearing from her life for a reason. He completely controls her surroundings, hacks her phone, knows her schedule minute by minute, and considers her his absolute property.