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"What happened to my room?" Chanri asked the moment she shot up from her bed. Walls totally damaged, things thrown everywhere, fire continuously heating up the area, smoke overwhelming her surroundings. She tried to look outside the window and everything she saw was something she never expected to witness. Lifeless bodies lying on the cold streets of Seoul, dysfunctional cars on the road as if the entire street is a huge parking lot, smokes and flames from every building she sees, broken glasses from every establishments, massive noise from all the electric devices everywhere. What happened to the entire city? She anxiously asked to herself, fear swallowing her up. She immediately grabbed her phone and tried to call her parents but unfortunately sent her to the voicemail. "No, no no! Mom! Dad! Pick up the phone!" She tried to reach their lines but failed to do so. Next one she called was Rina but the results were the same as her parents. She desperately tried to contact everyone and only one person had answered her call, 

"Jongin! Are you there?" She tried to compose herself.

"Yes. Where are you now? I'll find you," he answered while catching his breath.

"I'm locked up in my room. It seems that something huge is blocking the door. Maybe a huge chunk of boulder," she packed up everything she need in case of emergency inside her backpack.

"Is there any opening where you can go down?"

"Yes. A very big opening actually. My wall is entirely knocked down"

"That's great. Now, do something for you to get out of that. Jump!"

"What's great with that?! And how the hell can I get out if I'm four floors above the ground?!"

"Think of something! I need to go there as soon as possible! I'll go there. Don't get yourself killed, understand?"

"Yes I will! Don't die either" and she slid her phone on her pocket and started thinking of ways to get out. 

Think Chanri, think. What tools can I use in case of emergency... Aha! That blanket!

She took out all the blankets in her closet and tied everything together and onto a hard beam near the wall. "Now, I think I can go down." She carefully rappelled her way down to the building and found Jongin waiting for her just a floor away.

"Jump, Chanri!" He shouted and motioned to catch her the moment she let go of the blanket. They both toppled down on the ground, groaning in pain.

"Aww. Jongin are you alright?" She checked upon him.

"I'm good. Now, we have to get out of here" he quickly stood up and grabbed Chanri's hand for them to leave the premise.

"Wait, can you tell me what's happening here? The moment I wake up, everything turned dystopia"

"I don't know either. I don't know who we're running away from and I don't know what's going to happen next but I do know that we must stay alive. Is it okay for you?"

"Definitely," Chanri opened one of the abandoned cars in the street, an Audi R8 to be exact and drove their way out of the district.

"Woah. I've never had any cars like this in my whole life. This is awesome," Kai commented and managed to put up a smile despite of the horrible mess they are in.

"What do we do next?" 

"Drive far, far away from here, I guess. I don't see any other survivors out there to help us though."

"This can't be happening," Chanri suddenly broke up in tears. 

Kai pulled her close to him and consoled her. "Be strong. We can deal with it. We can do this. Together."

Chanri looked so surprised as she look into his warm, loving eyes. Her nerves have calmed down for a while, not until a humongous claw grabbed Jongin violently out of the car. "AHHHHHH-" She fell down on the floor. On the floor of her flat which is perfectly fine without any signs of knocked down walls nor thick smoke. "It was just a dream. Too much sci fi movies..." she mumbled while trying to stand but was too weak to pull her body up. Ugh! My entire body is aching! I can't stand up! Oh God, my headache's going to kill me. She managed to grip onto her bed and lied back on her bed. I think I caught a flu. She took the thermometer from the sidetable and checked her temperature. 39 degrees celsius, okay I really do have a flu. And I am alone. What a great timing. She tried to stand up and look for some medicines on the medicine kit. Too bad they ran out of medicines for fever or flu. "Too... Cold" she gritted her teeth and went back to her bed. She scanned her phonebook for someone who can help her get some medicines and foods. I can't call mom cuz she's currently on a business trip and I can't call Rina since she's with her mom doing something important. Neither can I call my classmates for help... No wait. Jongin and Baekhyun... What if I call them? Of course you cannot call them! They are guys and I don't want to bother them.

 

"Wow! The stage looks fantastic. I can't believe the whole class did this overnight," their professor highly praised the class but it seemed that everyone was so shocked as well.

"Actually, this was all done by Chanri," Baekhyun admitted.

"What?! No one helped her?!," the class remained silent. They knew that they have done something wrong. 

"Have you seen Chanri? I haven't seen her this morning yet," Baekhyun asked to everyone and they said that they haven't seen her yet as well. He took out his phone and called Chanri. "Hello, Chanri?"

"Help me" she said and hung up.

"What'd she say?" The professor asked while taking a peek at Baekhyun's phone.

"Ma'am, I have to do something," Baekhyun said and quickly left the university.

 

Ha. I also forgot to eat something before I went to sleep last night so that's why I still feel so hungry despite being sick. Can someone please help me? I need to get well the fastest way ever. I wanna watch Jongin dance. Please? I'll put extra effort in taking care of my body after this. This wouldn't happen if I haven't worked my off last night.

Someone pressed the intercom of Chanri's unit and she struggled to get to the door and opened it without checking on the monitor who is in her doorstep. "What is it?" She asked without removing the chain in her door.

"Chanri-a! What happened to you?" Baekhyun appeared in front of her. 

"What? I thought the one who called me was Seulbi?" She seemed confused. Ah I didn't even looked at the caller's name. Stupid.

"Well, can I come in?"

"Uhhm... Yeah" she hesitated a bit before she made up her mind.

"Don't worry, I don't have any erted thoughts about you HAHAHA!" Baekhyun laughed as he entered the unit just to soften the mood.

"Hey, I didn't say anything like that!" She protested. 

"Your face says it all though" he continued to . He held out his hand and touched her forehead, "Waah, last night you weren't this hot. Did you drink any meds? You were complaining about your head while going home"

"For your information, I am always hot. I was born hot," she also tried to joke and turned out effective.

"I didn't know you are so conceited"

Baekhyun went straight to her kitchen and pulled out a pyrex container and poured the Juk* into it. "Don't stare at me. Just go back to your bed and rest," he said while preparing for her food and medications. He served her food on the sidetable and sat on the stool beside it. "Here, sit down and eat this soup. I just brought it on my way here since I guessed that you're sick and my guess was right."

"Uggh. Too bad, I can't taste anything. My sense of taste is affected. Aish! How can I enjoy good food with this?" Chanri stated, disappointed.

"You seem to like eating more than anything," Baekhyun assumed.

"Hell, yeah! Of course! That is woman's best friend! Good food! Ask other girls out there and you'll hear that they love eating as much as I do," she proudly stated. Hmm, there's a faint taste... Could it be from... "Is this from 'Mother's Best'?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You're awesome! That is one of my favorite restaurants out there! They serve hearty meals as if straight from home. Waah I suddenly missed my mom," she swallowed a spoonful of the soup and put emotions into it.

"Waah, daebak. You like eating that much? How come you're not getting fat?"

"I told you I am hot."

"And for your information, here in our country, a lot of women are so conscious about what they eat so what you're saying about all girls do love to eat doesn't apply to everyone," he protested.

"What the? Okay maybe you're right but you know those girls have missed half of their lives because of being that conscious about food and body."

"Lucky for someone like you who doesn't get fat."

"Uhmm... Have you seen Jongin today?"

"He's preparing for their performance later. Wanna give him a call?"

"No! I just asked. I wanna see him dancing, maybe that'll cure my illness" she admitted. . What did I just say?!

"Okay, that was one heck of a cheesy thing to say," Baekhyun obviously cannot contain his laughter after what Chanri have said.

"Hey! That's insulting! Stop laughing or I'll send you out right now," she threatened and Baekhyun tried to compose himself. "Anyways, can you help me later? I really want to see Jongin perform."

"Yeah sure. I'll take a video and send it after."

"No! What I meant is I wanna go to school later. Can you help me?"

"What?! You need to rest for today! You can't just go out! What if your condition gets worse? I'll just call him to come here."

"Please Baekhyun. Help me. Please? I'll rest after I drink this medicine then on one oclock we go to school and after I see Jongin dancing, I'll go home? Please Baekhyunnie?," Chanri unexpectedly shown her aegyo to Baekhyun. Swallow your pride for now, .

"Tch. Okay! Drink your medicine, sleep afterwards and we'll go there at two, call?" Baekhyun as expected gave in. I can't say no to aegyos. They are too adorable... Well except for Jongin's. Eww.

"Huwaaah! It worked! My aegyo worked! Okay! Lemme put the alarm... Set it to ‪one o'clock‬. Okay! Goodnight Baekhyun!" She quickly drank the meds and went to sleep.

"Lemme sleep also for a while, is that okay?" Baekhyun transferred to the sofa near Chanri's bed and lied comfortably. 

"Don't do anything stupid while I'm sleeping or I will kill you in an instant."

"Don't worry, I have no interest in you." This girl really is insane about my dear friend Jongin. I can't believe someone is so obssessed with my friend. Ha! If only this girl know how stupid Jongin can get... She'll die laughing at him. Well, at least he got one loyal girl beside him. How I wish I can have someone like that.

"And hey would you like to look outside sometime,
I'm just with my friends online and there's things we'd like to change..." Chanri's phone began to ring the moment the time hits ‪one o'clock‬. Must. Go. Up. Must. Watch. Kai. She forced herself to get up and changed into nice clothes while Baekhyun is sleeping soundly. Apply a bit of skincare products and we're good to go. She went out of her walk-in closet and woke Baekhyun up with a gentle nudge on his arm. "Hey, Baekhyun wake up." He slept way too comfortable. Look at him drooling hahaha! 

Baekhyun groaned and opened his eyes slowly, only to find Chanri's figure slightly leaning over him, her face parallel to his and her medium-length hair touching his cheeks. "WOAH!" He suddenly threw himself backwards in shock. "What are you trying to do?"

"I am trying to wake you up for the nth time and glad you're finally awake," she crossed her arms. "And don't think fully of yourself. I don't have any interest in you too. And also, you better wipe that drool off your face before we leave."

He quickly got rid off the saliva resting on his chin and cleared his throat. "I'll just wash my face and we'll go." Chanri sat back on her bed and waited for him to finish cleaning up. And here I thought she was someone else, Baekhyun thought and quickly washed his face.

They silently walked along each other on the way to the university. Chanri was seriously thinking over things or topics they can both discuss in order to lessen the eerie silence. On the other hand, Baekhyun was too affixated on his phone. He's too busy with his phone though, she thought as she was following him. "You seem too busy with your phone. Who are you texting to?" She asked.

"Nothing. I was just looking at some stuffs on the net," he responded. "Anyways, are you really fine going to school with a fever?"

"My fever went down, thanks to your help," she formally stated and bowed to him. 

"Hey! Why suddenly go back to being formal? Act normal!"

"Oh, you want the sarcastic me? Don't worry I'll put it on for you everytime we talk HAHAHA!"

"That's the Chanri I know!" He happily said but his tummy unfortunately butted in. Oh. How can I totally forgot.

"Is that you? Oh that's right! You didn't eat anything for lunch," she worriedly remarked. She then dragged him along with her.

"Wait! I'm pretty sure this isn't the way to school. The show is going to start soon," he tried to slow her down.

"Lemme treat you today as a thank you in return. And the show will start at 2:30" she said and went to a streetfoods stand. "Sorry I'm a bit broke these days, " she tried to explain why they're here and not on a resto.

"Nay! Don't be like that! The foods here are also tasty as those fastfoods. Ahjumma can I have two tteukbokki please," he told and reached out for his orders. He gave the other order to Chanri who seemed not to care. 

"I'd be lonely if I eat these tasty foods all alone," he said with his puppy eyes. 

"O-okay. Only a few cuz I am not really in the mood for eating. Y'know, I still can't taste anything," she reminded.

"That's a bit of a downer."

The two both eat their food silently while on the other hand, the vendor looked closely to Baekhyun and she remembered something. "Oh Mister! You are one of my patrons from before! You looked more like a grown-up now," she remarked and smiled at him.

Baekhyun tried to recall having met the vendor before and he suddenly remembered, "Woah! You're the vendor from our district before! So that's why this tteukbokki tastes awfully familiar. How did you end up here?"

"We have to move to another place cuz the area from before is now occupied."

"So, you're still with your girlfriend all of these years. What a strong keeper you both are," her follow-up question was unexpected that made the two uncomfortable. 

"I am totally not dating this guy right here. I have a boyfriend and this guy is just an acquaintance." She answered nonchalantly.

"That girl you are talking about didn't become my girlfriend. She doesn't really like me at all hahaha! And this girl here is just my classmate. And Chanri, you're cheating with your boyfriend for Jongin?! " he was in shock from Chanri's revelation. "I can't believe this crap!"

"What the hell are you talking about? My boyfriend is Jongin. Are you stupid? How can I date another guy aside from Jongin?! I told you I am loyal and my love for him is-"

"...One-sided." He interrupted Chanri's explanation and did a major of all the major face palm. He wasn't sure if the girl he's with is mentally-capable or not. "Tell me Ahjumma, how can I date someone as crazy as this girl? Saying she got a boyfriend without her so-called boyfriend knowing that they're dating. Or maybe it was because you're still not feeling well?"

"Hahaha! I remember when I was a young woman like you. I kept on chasing after my crush too, just like you. Thanks to that, we got married and had kids," she happily shared her story to the two.

"Waah! I definitely want that kind of story too! Isn't it sweet?! Thank you for motivating me Ahjumma!" Chanri's grin went wider, which creeped Baekhyun out. "Ahjumma, you shouldn't have shared that story to her. Now she looks like a total idiot," Baekhyun shooked his head for the nth time.

They soon billed out and left the stall with a full and satisfied stomach, not to mention the extra pumped up Chanri. In no time, they reached the venue of the school event and looked for a good spot. "Okay, after you see him perform, you go straight home and rest, arasseo?" Baekhyun reminded and Chanri just nodded, obviously completely unaware of what Baekhyun said.

"Oh look! They're going to perform! Waaah! Jongin looks stunning with that traditional clothes," she giggled and took out her phone to shoot Jongin. To Baekhyun, she looks like a fangirl with a heart-shaped eyes which are beating like hell. Is she a fansite master of some idol? She looks like one just by taking those awesome shots just by using her phone.

Jongin and the rest started to grace the stage with their flawless dance routines that left the audience in awe. Such stage presence and charisma can pass as an idol from any of the big entertainment agencies there. So this is the reason why he was called dancing machine. Another reason how not to unlove this precious being.

 

"Jongin's performance is done so you must go home," Baekhyun reminded and attended to his almost-swollen arm. This is why I don't attend this sort of event with a hyperactive girl. Take note of this or you'll end up like me.

"I am so sorry about your arm," she smiled apologetically and pulled out from the crowd. Woah! Just seeing this number of attendees makes me feel dizzy... Or I am just really plain dizzy right now.

"I am so sorry I have something to do now. Just sit right here and wait. It won't take long," Baekhyun asked.

"Take your time Baekhyunnie," she answered, still not getting over what happened to Baekhyun's arm. Just when Baekhyun went out of her sight, her headache started to attack again, making her subconsciously rest her head to the bench. No, no please stop! Just when she tried to open her eyes she hears someone calling her repetitively.

"Chanri-ah! Chanri-ah! Park Chanri! Hey what happened to you?"

"Baek... Hyun. My head hurts again. I can't..."

"Let me bring you to the clinic, then."

"No, no. Just give me a minute. I'll just rest my head and go home. Besides, I drank the medicine before leaving so all I need now is rest."

"Here lie down first," he offered his lap which Chanri accepted. "This is Jongin by the way."
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*Juk is a predominantly Korean porridge made of grains such as cooked rice, beans, sesame, and azuki beans. It is known to have nutritional benefits, and is considered to be beneficial to digestion because of its soft texture. It is a staple "get well" dish; a dish to eat when one is sick or recovering from bad health. Juk is also considered an ideal food for babies,and is sold commercially by many juk chain stores in South Korea. From: Wikipedia