Soojin looked over from her computer to see her phone vibrate and its screen light up.

The words “My Soulmate” flashed on the screen. It took Soojin a minute to realize who was calling, but when she did, she grimaced and answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“Soojin, I’m hungry,” the male voice whined out.

Soojin briefly held the phone out to verify that is was the person she believed that was calling before setting the phone back on her ear and asking, “What?”

“Remember long ago, there was time where you promised me to cook for me?”

She blinked a few times before answering, “Yeah?”

There was a long pause before she suddenly asked with her voice slightly raised in surprise, “You want me to cook for you now?”

She could hear the sheepish smile in his voice when he mumbled, “Yeah. I ran out of food, and I’m itching for a good home-cooked meal.”

Soojin glanced at the clock. “It’s four. Don’t you think you should wait a little later? For dinner?”

“Doesn’t matter. I need food, and I need it now.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. You’re lucky it’s Saturday. I’ll drop by the grocery store to buy some food. Where do you live?”

“I live at the apartment complexes a block down from the grocery store you were at.”

Soojin thought carefully of the area and responded, “Hey, that’s really close where I live.”

He laughed and simply said, “I know.” And he promptly hung up.

Soojin scowled at her phone in her hand and pushed the end button.

The apartment complexes where Myungsoo lived was extremely close to where she lived that she could walk to his place with no problem.

She contemplated on the idea to take her car but decided against it. It would be a waste of gas, and she honestly disliked driving.

She quickly stuffed her wallet into a bag and headed downstairs.

Her mom, who was watching television in the living room, noticed her daughter putting on her shoes.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

Soojin looked up. “I’m going over to a friend’s house. He wants me to cook for him. So I probably won’t be back until after dinner.”

Her mom gasped dramatically and held a hand over her heart. “What? You’re cooking for someone? The same person who refuses to cook in her own house? My goodness, I need to meet this friend of yours.”

Soojin rolled her eyes at her mom’s antics. “For reference's sake, I do cook. It’s just that you’re never satisfied with what I cook, therefore I simply don’t try anymore.”

Her mom laughed, “I know. I’m joking. Now go. My drama’s getting to the . She’s finally deciding which man to choose, and I can’t miss that.”

She waved her hand to shoo her daughter away without breaking eye contact with the television screen.

Soojin scoffed and laughed. “Bye Mom.”

“Have fun!” her mother called out.

Soojin stopped by the grocery to buy a few ingredients because she was positive that Myungsoo didn’t have any fresh produce at his apartment.

She packed the food in her shoulder bag and headed off to Myungsoo’s apartment.

It was a gloomy day, just how she liked it.

She felt at peace, but it wasn’t long before a loud sound from an alleyway from up ahead jolted her attention.

Soojin hesitated on going to investigate the noise, but curiosity got the better out of her and she ventured deeper.

But when she turned the corner to look in the alley, she immediately regretted looking.

A blonde boy was harshly punching another boy in the stomach and then throwing him onto the ground. Another boy was leaning on the wall, smirking and casually viewing the spectacle.

Soojin uttered a little noise before retreating small steps backward, her eyes still focused on the scene before her. She knew she should run, get help, or at least do something, but her body wouldn’t move. She didn’t know why, but she felt that it would be better to stay put rather than run because she felt like one of them would give chase.

And she was right when her small sound didn’t go unnoticed. The boy leaning on the wall turned to look with a dangerous look in his eyes.

Soojin’s eyes widened in recognition. She stepped a few steps backwards, her eyes still stuck on the boy.

The boy’s red hair flashed brilliantly in the light, and a grin graced his lips almost wickedly.

“I’ve seen you before,” he grinned as he stalked toward her.

Soojin stared at him, words lost in .

“Yes, you were with L. Were you not?”

Soojin walked a few more steps backwards as he walked closer to her, backing her into the wall. She looked away when she hit the wall, not wanting to look directly into his eyes.

A hand lightly grasped her chin and jerked her face to the front, forcing her to look him directly.

With his hand still grabbing her chin, the boy smiled at her. “I wasn’t wrong before. You are pretty. I don’t believe I got your name.”

“That’s because I never told you. And I don’t have the intention of telling you either,” Soojin muttered before she could stop herself.

She blanched at her sudden boldness, looking away, afraid of what the man in front of her would do.

To her surprise he let go if her face and started to laugh.

She cautiously looked up, and the man continued to chuckle.

“My goodness. Aren’t you an intriguing one?” He grinned and continued, “I don’t dislike people like you.”

Soojin’s mind raced. It was obvious that he was dangerous, but he put up such a charming air that she didn’t know how to react.

But she did know that she wanted to ask him questions. And she wanted to ask him badly.

About whom he was. About his relationship with Myungsoo. About how it all relates.

Should she ask him and finally understand? Or should remain quiet and stay safe?

She weighed her situations in her head, but in the end she knew what she wanted.

She took a deep breath and asked the first question that popped up in her mind, “Why do you call him L?”

The man looked at her in curious surprise and then grinned. “You are interesting! Not many would have the nerve to question me in this sort of situation.”

He tapped his chin understating who she was alluding to. “Ah, I’ll answer your question, but don’t you think I deserve an answer of my own?”

“Wha-what do you want to know?” she stuttered.

“Why the answer to my previous question! What is your name?” he brightly asked.

“Cho Soojin,” she muttered with caution.

“Soojin! It’s nice to meet you. I can see why L is so enamored by you. And the answer to your question…”

“N, what do you want me to do with this guy?” someone interrupted.

Both Soojin and the red-haired boy turned to look at the speaker.

The boy stepped out of the dark alley into the light dragging the other male by his collar.

He released his grip on the collar and the beaten boy slumped down, half conscious.

N shrugged lazily, “Just toss him on a bench somewhere. He’ll live. And he’ll remember never to do what he did again.”

The boy on the ground visibly flinched as he heard those words, but otherwise did nothing.

He looked worse for the wear, but as far as Soojin could see, he didn’t look like he was getting beaten up just a moment ago.

In fact, he looked practically normal, if it wasn’t for the fact that he was leaning with a hand against the wall breathing heavily.

“Curious on what we did? On why he looks so fine regardless of what happened before? Or maybe what he did to deserve such a consequence?” a voice whispered in her ear.

Soojin flinched and tore her gaze from the boy to N who was standing directly behind her. “N-not really,” she mumbled.

He smirked, “On the contrary, I believe you are. I’ll give you a hint on why he doesn’t look like anything happened to him. People always remain ignorant of things you can’t see.”

Soojin furrowed her eyebrows in concentration, trying to understand N’s words.

And then it clicked. She rapidly turned to look at the boy again. If she tried hard enough, she could see bruises from where he clothes lifted up.

They had hurt him where nobody could see. He was probably bruised where his clothes covered him. Where nobody but him would see. It was almost terrifying to think that they would so much effort into this.

Soojin began to regret not getting help earlier. Maybe then she might have prevented this.

“Will… is he alright?” she muttered softly.

N started to laugh, “He’ll be fine. And don’t think about getting help for him either. He’ll never admit that he got all those from us. They never do.”

“Why?” she asked quietly.

He looked at her curiously. “Why what? Why he won’t get help? Why we would do this?”

He started to laugh which made Soojin turn to stare at him with alarm. “I can’t give you all the answers. That would be cheating!”

He leaned closer and moved his hand closer to her face.

Soojin flinched as she saw his hand moving closer. She peeked to see him retract his hand slowly and pout, “I’m not going to hurt you. I have no reason to.”

But he started to grin cunningly, “But then again, I don’t blame you.”

He reached out again to pick up a few strands of Soojin’s hair and kissed it while staring at her.

“So don’t get involved,” he whispered darkly.

And all Soojin could do was stare back in shock.

He let go and stepped back. And then he simply grinned happily, any source of menacing aura completely gone.

Soojin began to feel her legs start to give out. But before she could fall, a pair of hands helped her stay steady.

She turned to look at who helped her and looked up in surprise.

“Thank you,” she muttered, unable to understand why he was doing this.

The blonde-haired boy looked at her monotonously and nodded.

“What did you do with the traitor, K?” N asked smiling, rocking on the balls of his feet and with his hands in his pockets.

K let go of Soojin softly and jabbed his thumb behind him. “I left him on the nearby bench.”

N simply nodded back and smiled at Soojin.

“Well, we must be on our way. So many things to do.” He bowed gentlemanly and grinned dangerously, “Remember what I said before. I hate to see a pretty thing like you get hurt.”

He waved and started to walk away with K following behind him.

“Wait!” shouted Soojin.

N stopped and turned to look at her. “Yes?” he drawled.

“You never answered my question.”

He tilted his head in confusion, “And what would that be?”

“Why you call him L.”

He perked up in recognition, “Ah, yes! I never did answer that, did I?”

He clicked his tongue softly in thought, “To put it simply, it was our nickname for him when he used to hang around with us. Using our real names is never that beneficial for us in these sorts of situations.”

He looked at her expectantly, “Does that answer your question?”

Truthfully, that just made Soojin all the more curious, but she simply nodded her head.

“Good! If we do see each other again, I hope it won’t be on opposite ends. And maybe I’ll answer some more of your burning questions.”

He nodded and then walked away.

K turned to look at Soojin and stared at her. He blinked and said softly, “Tell L that it would be best not to do anything drastic. For his own good.” He nodded, and he too, walked away.

Soojin watched them in confused shock, not knowing what to do first.

She turned around and caught sight of the beaten boy on the nearby bench.

She bit her lip and rushed towards him.

Even though she wanted to run to Myungsoo and demand some answers, right now all she thought about was helping the stranded boy.

A/N: I was going to add the part where she talks to the beaten boy and maybe? get some answers. But it became too long, so I decided to cut it until next time.

Are you guys enjoying the story? I hope you are.

So thanks for reading and hope to see you again next time.