The bassline from the bar's speakers pulsed through the floor like a second heartbeat, steady and warm beneath a haze of laughter, perfume, and cheap neon lights. Glasses clinked, ice shifted and the mingled scents of lemon, smoke and spilled beer created an atmosphere that felt alive.
Arthur sat in a corner booth with a small circle of his five friends — Evans,Miles, Benji,Sarah and Claire. The table was clustered with the remnants of a good night; half empty bottles, glowing phone screens and paper coasters softened by condensation.
".....and the manager actually told him to apologize to the printer, " Miles said, choking on his drink mid sentence.
Arthur nearly spat out his beer." You mean...like literally?"
"Swear to God," Miles replied between laughs." Hands together. 'Sorry printer, I will never jam you again. '"
The group erupted into laughter. Evan slapped the table. Sarah leaned into Claire, shaking with giggles. Even the nearby bartender cracked a grin while pouring another round.
Arthur leaned back in his seat, wearing a lazy grin typical of someone who rarely laughed loudly but meant it when he did. For once,he didn't think about work or rent o4 deadlines; he thought about nothing at all.
"Your turn Arthur," Benji said as he tilted his glass towards him." Most embarrassing office story. Go."
Arthur scratched his jaw thoughtfully." I live a peaceful life," he said with a smirk." The most exciting thing I've done this year is order a different coffee flavor."
"Tragic." Sarah said with a deadpan expression.
Miles leaned closer." Come on! There has to be something — a little scandal?
A secret crush at work maybe? An enemy? A hidden?"
Arthur shook his head with a smile."No cat. No scandal, just spreadsheets."
Claire groaned dramatically." Boring! We need to correct you! Someone get him another shot!"
"Absolutely not," Arthur protested but Evan was already waving his hand to the bartender.
Within moments,six glasses filled with amber liquids arrived like sunlight caught in glass. Miles raised his glass high." To the death of boredom."
"To the death of boredom," they echoed back.
Arthur clinked glasses reluctantly before taking a careful sip and promptly coughed.
Laughter erupted once more.
The bar lights swayed lazily above them in strings of gold and violet as the music shifted to something slower,warm bass notes paired with soft drums and a voicd like velvet over smoke. A few couples drifted towards the dance floor,moving in rhythm that felt more like a conversation than a dance.
Sarah watched them wishfully and sighed. "People who can dance like that that don't have student loans."
Benji snorted in agreement. "Or spines."
"Or dignity," Miles chimed in playfully.
Arthur smiled quietly as he watched his friends,talk over one another. He cherished moments like this; even if the world outside fell apart,they would still argue about who was worse at karaoke. The thought brought him a strange sense of calm.
Just then a new group entered the bar,three women in sleek dresses, their hair glistening under the bar lights. They scanned the room for seats but found none and then they spotted Arthur's table. One of them, an auburn haired woman with a confident demeanor, approached the table.
"Mind if we share?" She asked, her voice smooth like the music playing in the background.
Evan jumped before anyone else could response." Absolutely not! We were just complaining about how empty this booth feels."
Arthur rolled his eyes." He means yes.. sure sit down."
The three women giggled softly and slid into the booth. They started introducing themselves and called the bartender to place their orders and conversations flowed lightly as strangers tested their chemistry.
"So, Arthur," the auburn haired woman who us called Lena, leaned slightly closer. "You look too serious for a Friday night. What do you do?"
"Accounting," Arthur replied.
"Exciting," she said with a playful tone.
He chuckled softly." Only when the numbers fight back."
"You know, you have that 'brooding protagonist' energy," she teased.
Miles nearly spat out his drink in laughter."Brooding protagonist? Him? He apologizes to elevators when they close too fast."
Lena raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Really ".
Arthur lifted his hands defensively. "Once! It was just polite. "
The table erupted into laughter again, and for a moment,the whole bar felt smaller,just warm,light, shared breaths, clinking glasses, and the quiet hum of something human and fleeting.
Time blurred as hours slipped by filled with laughter and stories. Someone ordered fries at midnight; another tried to balance a coaster on Benji's head. When the bartender called last round, everything outside faded away.
Evan stretched dramatically. "All right, my people! Real life awaits: bills, responsibilities… hangovers."
Claire groaned in response. "Don't remind me!"
Arthur stood up and stretched his back. "I'll grab a cab."
Lena smiled at him warmly. "Same place next weekend?"
He paused to think for a moment before replying, "Maybe...it depends on whether I survive the week."
"Try not to die peacefully," she joked half-seriously.
He grinned back at her and said. "I'll do my best."
Outside, the air was cool and damp; the city lights glittered under streetlamps while laughter from his friends echoed down the block as they parted ways. Arthur stood at the curb for a moment with his hands in his pockets, breathing in the night air.
A taxi rolled up with headlights cutting through the mist.
"Where to?" asked the driver.
Arthur gave his address and slid into the back seat of the taxi. The vinyl squeaked beneath him, and faint music hummed from the radio,an old pop song that brought back memories.
City lights zipped by in ribbons of gold and silver. Skyscrapers blurred into streaks, their reflections dancing on the window glass as Arthur leaned his head against the seat, captivated by the movement outside.
The rhythmic sound of tires on the wet road was almost hypnotic.
He let out a loud yawned.
The driver glanced at him through the mirror. "Long day?"
Arthur shook his head slowly. "Not really. Just… a little bit tired."
He wasn't lying; this fatigue felt strange, heavy and creeping, as if gravity had tripled its pull on him. His fingers tingled faintly, prompting him to flex them with a frown.
Outside, the streets began to thin; neon signs faded into dark apartment buildings. Rain started to drizzle, light but steady, each drop tracing a path down the window that caught passing light like tiny falling stars.
Arthur blinked as his vision began to blurred . His heartbeat slowed, not painfully, but deeply, each thud echoing somewhere far away. The warmth from the bar still clung to him, yet beneath it grew a hollow chill.
He yawned again, feeling a dull ache in his jaw. "Strange," he murmured. "Didn't do much today."
The driver chuckled softly. "Weekend burnout?"
"Maybe."
Arthur's gaze drifted back to the cityscape, the pale outlines of bridges and cranes silhouetted against a glimmering river beneath sodium lamps. Everything looked softer now, almost dreamlike; even the hum of the engine seemed distant.
He fought to keep his eyes open, but they felt weighted down with exhaustion. It was as if he were both sinking into the seat and floating above it at once.
"Hey, you okay back there?" asked the driver.
Arthur managed a weak smile. "Yeah. Just tired."
"Almost there, boss. Hang on."
Arthur nodded but let his eyes close for what felt like just a moment too long.
When he opened them again, the taxi had come to a stop.
"Sir? We're here," said the driver's voice nearby.
Arthur blinked rapidly as reality swam back into focus, the familiar gray building outside against the drizzle made everything feel real again. He rubbed his eyes and fished for his wallet before handing over cash.
"Keep the change," he murmured absently.
"You sure you're good?"
"Yeah, just need some sleep."
Stepping out into cool air, Arthur noticed how pavement glistened under streetlights while another yawn escaped him,a sound swallowed by soft rain.
Inside the building, the lobby was dimly lit with a warm yellow glow. The security guard at the desk offered a lazy nod of greeting, which Arthur acknowledged with a brief wave as he shuffled toward the elevator.
As the mirrored doors slid shut, they reflected a man who appeared more weary than inebriated.
His hair was damp, his collar unbuttoned, and shadows lingered under his eyes. Leaning against the wall, he listened to the soft hum of the elevator ascending.
"Strange," he murmured to himself. "Didn't do anything today."
The numbers above the door blinked,5…6…7. He tried to focus on them, but they blurred at the edges.
"Just need some rest," he whispered to his reflection. "Tomorrow...gym, groceries, laundry. Maybe call...."
A yawn interrupted his thoughts. The elevator chimed and the door opened.
Stepping into the corridor, Arthur noticed how the patterned carpet muffled his footsteps.
The air carried a faint scent of detergent mixed with rain. Somewhere nearby, muted laughter and applause drifted from behind a closed door.
Fumbling with his keys, he missed the slot twice before chuckling softly to himself. "Get it together, man."
Finally, the lock clicked open.
Inside his apartment, darkness enveloped him alongside the low hum of the refrigerator.
He dropped his keys onto the counter, kicked off his shoes, and rubbed his temple as if trying to shake off fatigue. The air felt thick around him,maybe it was just exhaustion playing tricks on his senses.
"Just sleep," he muttered under his breath. "Tomorrow will be fine."
He made his way toward the couch with one arm still in his jacket; suddenly losing grip on his phone sent it tumbling onto the rug. The room seemed to tilt slightly as he blinked hard and grasped for balance on the armrest.
This weariness wasn't normal,it felt all consuming, like an undertow dragging everything down with it.
For a moment, he considered calling someone for help but even lifting that phone felt absurdly out of reach right now. The couch looked invitingly soft,much closer than bed,and that was enough reason for him.
He collapsed onto it with a sharp exhale as if shedding weight from his limbs into its cushions. One breath stretched too long; another followed slowly and heavily as raindrops tapped against the window turned into whispers beyond glass.
His thoughts began to drift,faces of friends laughing beneath bar lights and memories tinged with beer and salt on glass rims filled his mind. A warmth bloomed behind closed eyes before fading into weightless darkness.
"Too… tired," he mumbled softly.
The ceiling blurred before dissolving into shadow.
His last conscious thought held an odd sense of peace: I'll wake up early tomorrow.
Then, everything faded away,sound, light, even breath. The world transformed into a soft black silk that wrapped around him.
In that stillness, caught between one heartbeat and the next, the city continued to breathe, blissfully unaware that a man named Arthur had just drifted off to sleep for the final time on Earth.