Taking the stairs up to the 12th level of my apartment building with a heavy grocery bag in each hand didn’t seem like the best of ideas; so I made a beeline straight for the lift.

I used my elbow to press the button and took a deep breath as I waited for the doors to open.

Ding.

The automatic metal plates moved aside and I hurried on my feet to enter.

Before I stepped in, a blurry figure swiftly passed by me, shocking me to my senses.

The two bags I carried were now on the floor, with the insides scattered all over the place. I immediately bent down to pick up my groceries.

When I lifted my head to find out who the culprit was (and maybe plan to chew them out), I saw a tall man with white hair and black attire. He stuck his hands inside his pockets, not even bothering to help me gather my stuff.

He eyed a plastic full of apples that had rolled off next to his feet with boredom.

“Aren’t you going to hurry up?”

Giving the rude stranger a light scoff, I hastily dumped everything my hands had collected back into the bags.

I stared at the apples near him before giving him a glance.

“Can you pass me those please?” I asked him as I pointed to the object, “It’s right beside you.”

He rolled his eyes, “I know it’s beside me. I’m not blind- and so are you. I’m sure you can pick it up yourself in that case.”

Appalled, I frowned at him.

Didn’t his parents ever teach him manners? Who had put a stick up his bum anyways?

Grumbling in my mind, I bent down again to get the darned apples.

The elevator doors started closing, and I stuck my hand inside to separate them for me to dash in.

Panting, I pushed the button for the 12th floor before resting my bags on the floor next to me. That was when I realized that the man hadn’t pushed any buttons for his destination.

“Are you also going to the 12th floor, sir?” I questioned him as politely as possible.

“Sure. Whatever.”

Not a talker, huh? Figures.

He gave me a sudden sharp look, “Would you stop that?”

I tilted my head, puzzled, “Stop what?”

“Thinking.”

Huh?

He ran a hand through his white hair and sighed, “You know what, forget it.”

Ignoring the weird man, I went ahead and pressed the button for the 12th floor. He did nothing but stare at me as I did.

The lift jolted to a start and I felt it incline upwards.

The silence was overbearing- and it wasn’t any better when I could hear the man’s breathing next to my ears. Granted, it was a small elevator. It wasn’t his fault.

As we were passing the 6th and moving onto the 7th floor, the lift stopped suddenly.

I didn’t have time to dwell on the situation because the lights turned off- coating both of us in darkness.

Did a blackout occur?

Panic crept up my spine and I tried my best  to keep calm by breathing in deeply.

I turned towards the man earlier, putting my hands in front of me out of paranoia. I was a girl- trapped inside a dark elevator with a stranger- a man. And there is no way out.

Thinking of the possible dangers, I felt tears pricking the corners of my eyes.

“Don’t worry.” The man’s voice came through, “I won’t hurt you. Heck- I can’t even touch you.”

I stared at the darkness before me, making out an outline of a tall, slender figure. Some small light shone on his hair, making it seem like it was glowing.

As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I could make out his fair skin tone, his sharp jaw line and his eyes. They were surprisingly  grey colored, and I wondered if he was using contact lenses.

“We’ll be stuck here until the electricity works again. So might as well introduce ourselves- right?” He asked monotonously.

I nodded, not even sure if he could see the gesture.

“Right. Just call me Sehun.” He said.

I frowned, “You know, usually people would give their full names during introductions.”

“Your turn,” Sehun ignored my words.

I rolled my eyes, “I’m Na Heeyeon.”

He grunted, ending the small talk we had.

I took a closer look at Sehun. If I didn’t know better I would’ve thought he was shining. It was crazy how I could see him so clearly in the dark.

His eyes were closed, long lashes brushing the tops of his cheekbones. His thin lips were pressed shut as his chest rose up and down in steady breathing.

When he wasn’t being such a rude jerk, he actually looked like an angel.

Just then, he scoffed, “You have no idea.”

Confused, I squinted my eyes at him. “Who are you talking to?”

“No one.”

I sighed before leaning back on the metal walls of the lift. This man is impossible.

“Do you live by yourself?” Sehun asked.

The question unsettled me, “Why do you want to know?”

He shrugged, “With that much food you’re carrying home- I would’ve expected you to nurse 10 adopted children or something.”

I pursed my lips, “Very funny.”

He laughed. It sounded light and cheery- like bells ringing in a wonderful spring day.

“So.. Do you have 10 adopted orphans living with you?” Sehun asked- snapping me awake from my thoughts.

I chuckled, “No. I live by myself- don’t look at me like that! I was buying food to last a whole month, okay?”

Sehun turned away with a poker face, “Whatever you say.”

I had the urge to strangle him right then.

“So you don’t live with your family?”

I looked at him, catching his gaze, “I don’t have a family.”

He scoffed, “Everyone has a family.”

“Well I used to, “ I sighed, “But my m