Kate

                I was arguing with myself of whether or not I should give the coat back to Andrew. I’ve been lying in my bed for hours and couldn’t get myself to sleep. My mind tells me that I should go up to him and give his coat back but I don’t have enough courage to do so. When I finally made up my mind, I rose up from bed and decided to knock on his door.

                I took a few deep breaths as I approached his door. What if he’s already asleep? He’s just gonna burst out again if I disturb him. Maybe I should just give it back tomorrow. I turned around and was about to go back in my room, when suddenly I heard the door creaked open. No way!

                I didn’t dare to look behind. Then, I heard him say, “What are you doing?”

                Slowly, I turned around to face him. “I… I was just about to… go downstairs. Bye,” I said, as I turned my back again.

                “The stairs is this way,” he said.

                Oh right! What a sad excuse! I turned around again and walked past him. Suddenly, he said, “Wait! What’s that?”

                I stopped walking. What is it now?

                Then, I felt him coming towards my direction. I swallowed hard. He’s now standing next to me. I realized that he was really tall. And his face is just like a work of art - something that is remarkable and different… and worth looking at.               

He noticed the coat I was holding. “Is that my coat?” he asked.

Crap! I forgot that I was supposed to return it to him. “Oh, uhm… I was about to give it back to you,” I said, handing him the coat. “Komawayo (Thanks).”

                “Hmm,” he said, lifting his head.

                I quickly proceeded downstairs. I don’t know why I’m starting to pant right now. He was not that bad, unlike the first time I saw him. Maybe he was just in a bad mood or just really tired from work before. Anyways, at least I’ve already given it back to him. I felt at ease now.

                After drinking a glass of water, I still couldn’t feel like sleeping. I decided to go out of the house. Maybe I won’t get lost if I just walk around the neighborhood. That way I would familiarize myself around here so I won’t need to bother them from driving or picking me up every time.

                I stepped out of the front door and out the gate. That’s when I felt that it was really cold that I could freeze to death in here. But I had no time to go back now. Besides, they might find out that I got out if I go back so I decided to just endure it for a while.

It’s good that their house is located in the city so there are still a few people walking around the streets. The lights from the buildings made the city more beautiful at night. I walked for a good ten minutes before I reached a park. I decided to sit on one of the stone benches. People passing by started to look at me. But I ignored their looks.

Suddenly, a man walking with thick clothes and eyeglasses caught my attention from afar. When he was coming nearer, I slowly recognized his face – the face of the guy who humiliated me in the hallway. I turned my back to hide my face. He suddenly spoke in Korean which was too vague for me to even understand.

“I’m sorry… I’m just a tourist here,” I said, still not facing him.

“Oh, you speak English. Sorry. I just wanna ask the direction to Namsan Tower,” he said.

Namsan? I heard that place before. My mom used to tell me that she likes going there because it’s pretty there especially at night. But I never got the chance to go there yet so I don’t have any clue where. “I don’t know sir,” I said.

“Yah! Can’t you just face me?” he said in an irritable tone. Why can’t he be nice even for just five minutes?

I couldn’t stand it anymore so I stood up and faced him. His eyes widened at the sight of my face. He must’ve recognized me. “Sunbae (Senior), why are you asking for directions when you’re actually living here?” I said to him.

He quickly grabbed me and placed a hand over my mouth. “Sshh… Don’t talk,” he said.

“Mmm…” I struggled to speak. “Let go of me,” I said, as I tried to free myself from his grip.

When he did, I frowned at him. “What is wrong with you? Are you crazy?”

“Just lower your voice a bit. Do you mind?” he said, trying to hide his face from the passing people.

“Why are you hiding?” I asked curiously.

“Just… keep quiet,” he ordered me.

“I don’t take orders from people I don’t know.”

“You… don’t know me?” he asked, as if he’s shocked.

I shook my head.

Marcus

When she said that she didn’t know me, I was really taken aback. I thought everyone in school knows me. In fact, all of Korea knows me but her. I started to realize that this was even better than what I thought. “Why? Are you someone I’m supposed to know?” I heard her ask.

“A… aniyo (No),” I said.

She sighed and walked away. She just walked away. What kind of person was that?

“Y-yah!” I called out to her. She didn’t look back. I decided to follow her trail since I got no other place to go and I didn’t know how to get to my destination.

When I reached her, she stopped and stared at me. “Are you following me?” she asked.

I nodded playfully. Aish! She’s like Aiden – too much asking for the obvious.

“If you don’t stop following me, I’ll report you,” she threatened me.

I smirked at the thought. “To whom?”

“To… to…” she paused, thinking of what to say. “To the authority.”

“Yah! You still owe me for ruining my film earlier so stop threatening me,” I told her. I couldn’t let her report me ‘cause I’d surely be in trouble if the elders found out I was here.

“Why can’t you just go somewhere else and not bother a stranger?” she said.

                Jincha! Haven’t I told her that I don’t know the way to Namsan? “Didn’t you hear me earlier? I already told you I don’t know how to get there.”

                “Are you fooling me? You’re Korean yet you don’t know your own place?” she asked annoyingly.

                Was she insulting me? “Y-yah! Can’t you just help me?”

                “Uh in case you hadn’t known, I’m not from here so even if I want to help you, which is unlikely, I can’t do anything about it,” she said.

                Of course I knew that she was not Korean. I just wanted someone to show me where to go. Although this wasn’t the first time that I went out of the palace all by myself, I was still getting confused with all the directions without my driver or Aiden around. The last time I went out was back in high school where I convinced Aiden to help me sneak out of the palace just to watch a concert. And well, the result was not that good. It got all over the news which was why they practically locked me up inside the walls of the palace since then.

 “Let’s just take a cab and go to Namsan,” I told her.

Kate

                My eyes widened when I heard him say that. Why would he want to go there with me? I didn’t even know him besides the fact that we’re in the same university. He’s a total stranger to me. “What made you think that I’d like to go with you?” I asked him.

                “Because… everyone likes me,” he suddenly said.

                “You serious?” I asked him. Where did he get such amazing confidence to say that to my face? Okay, so maybe he is good-looking that’s why a lot of girls are probably chasing after him, but that’s about it. Personality-wise, he’s the worst.

                I started to walk again and ignored him for the past ten minutes. But he still kept on following me. “Y-yah, do you have money?” he asked. So now he’s asking for money? What kind of mind does he have?

                “If you don’t have money, just walk back to your house,” I suggested, then continued walking again.

                “I don’t know the way.”

                “What??” I asked in disbelief. How could he not know the way to his house? He is seriously kidding me.

                He paused, looking at a man near the convenience store. “Ask that man the way to Namsan.”

                “Are you ordering me AGAIN?” I asked.

                “Mmm-hmm,” he said, nodding.

                “No way!”

                “Yah, come on,” he said, grabbing my hand. “After this, you’re paid for what you did to my film.”

                I sighed. I marched my way to the man standing outside a convenient store. “Uh, ahjussi, do you know the way to Namsan?”

                “Namsan?” he asked back.

                “Ne (Yes),” I said.

                He pointed towards North. “Just go straight there.”

                “Is it near?”

                “Near? Yeah, near,” he said.

                I nodded. “Kamsahamnida (Thank you) ahjussi.”

                I walked back to Mr. Arrogant Stranger who was now sitting on a bench. He stood up when he saw me approaching. “What did he say?” he asked.

                “He said just go straight North and you’ll find it.”

                “Jincha?”

                “Mmm,” I said nodding.

                “Komawo,” he said, leaving me behind.

                I just stood there not knowing where to go next. I still couldn’t sleep so I figured why not just go to Namsan with that guy. I ran forward to catch up with him. When he saw me, he frowned. “Yah, why are you still here?”

                “What? Can’t I go to Namsan too?” I asked.

                He smirked. “Aish! You told me earlier you didn’t want to go and now you’re coming with me?”

                “Can’t you just walk and pretend that you don’t know me?”

                He laughed. “But you’re the one who’s walking so close to me.” He distanced himself from me. “We don’t know each other. Arasso?”

                “Whatever,” I said, walking forward.

Marcus

                After how many minutes of walking, we finally reached Namsan tower. I headed towards Ms. Clumsy Girl and asked her to buy a ticket for me. She frowned again. “Why can’t you just do things by yourself?” she asked.

                “Sshh,” I silenced her.  How would I tell her to stop talking so loud? People would recognize me soon enough and I didn’t want to get into trouble again. “Just do it,” I said, pushing her.

                I watched as she bought two tickets for the cable car. After that, she handed me my ticket. “I don’t understand why you’re acting this weird. I think you need to seek some medical help,” she said.

                “Aish, just walk,” I said, pushing her again. We gave our tickets to the staff and proceeded inside the cable car.

                There were about five other people riding with us inside the cable car. She positioned herself at one corner. I stood a few inches away from her. Suddenly, I heard her say, “Wow. It’s so pretty up here.”

                I watched as she amused herself with the city lights down below. I myself was amused by it. This was the first time I’ve ridden this thing. Aiden was the one who told me that I should try riding this. But I never got the chance to do so until now. When I glanced at her once more, she was looking at me. “What?” I asked.

                “Komawo (Thanks),” she said, smiling.

                Why was she thanking me all of a sudden? “Wae-yo (Why)?” I asked again.

                “For pushing me to come here,” she said. “I never would’ve experienced riding this.” She looked down again after saying that.

                Finally, we reached the other end of the station. I noticed her being quiet as soon as we reached the ground floor of the building. She was rubbing her hands trying to warm herself. That’s when I realized that she wasn’t wearing any coat during this whole time. How did she endure walking out there in the cold earlier? I walked near her. “You don’t have any coat?” I asked.

                She shook her head. Her whole body was shaking now. “I-I’m going home now,” she said still shaking.

                I looked at the lady inside the booth who was now closing its window. “They’re closing now,” I said trying not to panic.

                “H-how am I going to go home?” she asked.

                I searched for my pocket. Omo! I forgot my phone in the car. Aish! Jincha(Really)! Why did I forget it just now? I looked at her again and her eyes were starting to drop. “Do you have your phone?” I asked her.

                She searched for her pocket and handed me her phone. I dialed Aiden’s number. “Yoboseyo (Hello)?” he answered. “Who is this?”

                “Yah! Aiden-ah, can you drive me home?” I said.

                “Marcus-ssi, is that you? Where are you at this hour? You’re not in trouble again, are you?”

                “Aish! Can’t you just come here? If you don’t, I’ll surely get in trouble.”

                “I don’t know where to find you,” he said.

                “I don’t know where we are. Just track this number, will you?” I ordered him.

                “Arasso (Alright),” he paused. “Wait, did you just say ‘we’? So you’re with someone?”

                “Aish! You’re making me impatient. Just come here and I’ll explain everything,” I said and hang up.

                I turned to face her but then she was gone. Where could she possibly go? I looked around me but all I could see was the utility personnel locking the door of the building. Suddenly, someone shouted, “Ahjussi, ahjussi!”

                I turned my back and saw a middle-aged woman looking at me. “Ahjussi, your chingu (friend) is here,” she said, pointing to a corner near a lamp post.

                “What?” I said, running towards her.

                When I reached her, I saw the girl curled up on the ground with no consciousness. I hurriedly helped the woman carry her. “Give your coat to her. She’s having chills,” she instructed me. I took off my coat and wrapped it around her.

                After that, I thanked the woman and she left us sitting on the bench. What should I do now? Aish! What’s taking Aiden so long? I looked at her and she was shaking so hard. I touched her forehead and it was really hot. “H-how… are you feeling?” I asked her.

                She didn’t respond. Her eyes remained close but I could hear her breathing. Suddenly, her phone started to ring. It’s Aiden. “Aiden-ah, where are you?” I asked.

                “I’m here at the station but it’s closed. Where are you?” he asked.

                I stood up and looked at the station not far away from us. Then, I saw Aiden standing near his car. “Aiden-ah!” I called out to him.

                When he saw me, I waved at him. He quickly stepped inside his car and drove towards our direction. When he reached us, he helped me carry the girl inside the car. “Who is she?” Aiden asked, as he started the engine.

                “I don’t know.”

                “What?” he burst out. He turned around to look at her face. “I feel like I’ve seen her before.”

                “Ne,” I said. “She’s the girl who ruined my film.”

                “Aha! I knew it. Then, why are you helping her?” he asked again.

                “Because…” I paused, thinking of what to say. “She helped me.”

                “Help you with what?” he asked again.

                “Aish! You’ve got too many questions,” I said.

                “Wait, where are we taking her?”

                I stopped. I realized I didn’t know her address. I didn’t even know her name. “I don’t know Aiden.”

                “Well, she can’t stay at our house. You know my parents,” he said. “Oh, how about we take her to Jessica?”

                “Ani-yo. You said so yourself you don’t trust her,” I said.

                He sighed. “Then, what’s your plan?”

∞∞∞

A/N: Just a little cliff-hanger for the readers :) I hope people will start reading this already ‘cause the reads are really low. LOL But of course, I can’t do anything about it because there are a lot of stories out there. Anyways, I hope that you like this chapter (to YOU who is reading this right now). Haha

Thanks for reading this crappy author’s notes! :)

Stay tuned for the next chapters.

-theLEXical-