I finally stopped from running. Even though it was night and I couldn’t see much, I glanced around to check if I was still being followed.

I was tired. My eyes were wet from the cold breeze that had been hitting my face for the past minutes. I put a hand on my chest as if it would make my heart and breathing slow down.

“Tired?” I heard a male voice coming from the darkness of the stalemate. My eyes widened in horror. I turned around to run away but two more guys dressed in a suit, blocked my way. It couldn’t be now. I didn’t imagine myself dying in a situation like this.

“What do you want?” I asked afraid of what they would answer.

“I know that you have something that belongs to us,” he faked a smile and started walking in my direction. I stepped back. “You took it without our permission. So, I want it back,” he said as if he was talking with a child.

“It was my father’s, not yours,” I tried to sound as if I wasn’t afraid of him.

“Are you sure? Your father is dead and I believe that he didn’t write in his will that those diamonds would be yours. Besides, what is found isn’t stolen,” the man said, making it obvious the psychological game he was doing. And I was sure he was a pro in it.

“Well, maybe I should rekindle your memories,” and then he slapped me.

“Ah!” I let out a scream as his hand violently touched my face. I was in pain. Tears were rolling down my cheeks as they cool down the area which had been hit.

“I hope you give me those diamonds soon, or else we’ll have serious problems,” he spoke as he got closer to me. I didn’t reply. “My patience has limits Miss Seol, I won’t wait for long,” he warned.

Once again I didn’t answer. He turned to his guards and spoke “I think this girl needs a warning before we go,” as he ordered the men grabbed both of my arms and pushed me against the wall. It looked like pain didn’t want to leave my body as it was present on my back now. I tried to fight back but I was too weak.

The man stepped back and watched his guards beating my whole body. Soon I became numb everywhere. I started not to feel any hit I received in my stomach. With all the punches, I got unconscious when a calm yet seducing voice was heard.

“Yah! Let her go!” A forth guy coolly demanded.

My vision was blurry and I couldn’t see what was happening around me, although I could hear somehow.

“Go get him!” The boss commanded his “bodyguards” to get the boy who heroically had appeared to save me. The bodyguards were trying to get the boy, who fought back. The boss didn’t even give me time to run away as he grabbed me by my neck.

“We’ll meet again and by then I hope to get what I want back,” he hissed in my ears before letting me fall on the ground and disappear in the darkness of the alley.

I was laid down on the floor with no energy to get up, as I could hear the men voices and sounds in the background while they were fighting. Soon I completely lost my conscious.

------ Fast forward ----

I flinched in pain as my whole body seemed to have been run over by a car. I was awake now. I glanced around and nothing looked familiar to me. I spotted my clothes on an armchair in the corner of the room and then looked at myself. I was dressed with a large black t-shirt with a print on it and with gray shorts. I looked to the armchair once again and then it hit me that someone had changed my clothes.

I wasn’t still getting the whole situation. I got out of the room and went to explore the house.

It wasn’t luxurious or poor. It had the essential to live, but looked a bit too empty. The walls were white without any painting or photo hang in them.  And then I finally discovered the living room.  

In the couch there was a boy watching TV. He looked familiar to me. I thought that I had seen his face before but I wasn’t sure.

He noticed my presence and turned to me “Oh you woke up?” He asked as if he knew me, totally relaxed.

Words wouldn’t come out of my mouth. I was too lost in the situation to say anything. I stood there only looking at the boy as I tried to understand what was going on. Once again I looked at my clothes “Why am I dressed like this and how …” my eyes were on the boy as I questioned him.

He also looked at me but quickly broke the eye contact. With his attitude I fast assumed that he had dressed me up. I was shocked. How could someone take my clothes and see me in underwear without my permission?

“You ….. Ewwwww. Ah!” I closed my eyes at the thoughts that suddenly came to my mind. I yelled in frustration as I ran to the room I woke up at.

He got up from the couch and ran after me, but I closed the door in time. I grabbed my clothes and put them on as fast as I could. I wanted to leave that house. I wanted to run away from that ert. Just by thinking in what could have happened to me while I was unconscious, shivers went down my spine.

“Listen … it’s not what you’re thinking,” the guy yelled from outside as he supported his hand on the room’s door. As I was already dressed up, I opened the door and threw the clothes I previously had to him. I walked out of the room and went towards the living room, already ready to leave.

He instead threw the clothes to the floor and followed me “Please, let me explain!” He pleaded. However, didn’t want to listen anything at the moment.

I was about to open the door but he grabbed my wrist making me turn around and face him. “It wasn’t me!” He hopelessly looked me in the eyes. My breathing was fast and so was his.

“Oh yeah? So how did I wake up with other clothes on? Let me guess! I was insane and dressed myself? You’re disgusting!” I yelled at him, not believing in any single word he had said.

I took my arm away from his hand and opened the door. He wouldn’t give up so easily. He closed the door with his hands making me trapped between the door and his body.

“I asked a friend of mine to help me. I’m not that kind of person who saves a girl and takes her to his house and then ….” he paused. I knew what he meant by that.

“And that friend was a boy also?” I kept on accusing him and doubting his word. Who wouldn’t, after waking up in an unknown place with other clothes on and when the only person around is a boy?

“No. It was a female friend,” he removed his hands from the door as he had already explained what happened, and so, he didn’t feel the need to do anything else besides explaining.

He then gave me the freedom to leave his house, but somehow I didn’t. I stood there looking at him. Memories of what had happened hours ago surfaced and I realized that maybe he wasn’t the bad guy. He had saved my life and I was accusing him of things he hadn’t done.

“You can go now. There’s nothing stopping you from leaving,” he said as he sat on the couch, obviously mad that I hadn’t believed in him. I slowly took some steps away from the door as I thought that I could be followed again if I went outside.

I swallowed and spoke “Thank you,” I regretted having made the accusations I did.

He looked at me but didn’t speak and turned his attention to the TV again. There was silence between us.

Without taking his eyes from the TV he broke the silence “You should go change and sleep. It’s already 2 Am,” he changed the channel. I looked at him and went to the room to change again.

After getting changed I went to bed and as soon as I lay down I felt my body aching. It was probably from all the punches I got back on the alley. I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep.

I kept on turning around hoping that I could drift to dreamland, but I couldn’t sleep. My mind was occupied with many thoughts and I was also with cold. I was too stubborn to go and ask him for something warmer. Although felt a bit awkward after that incident in the living room, I gave up minutes later.

I got up from the bed and went to the living room. I glanced to the couch and there he was sleeping like an angel.

I saw a blanket above a chair which was next to the couch and went to get it. I felt sorry for him. Guilt was still all over me and I felt bad seeing him all curled up in the sofa. I sighed and put the blanket over his body.

As I was fixing the blanket my eyes made their way to his face. I noticed his beautiful yet mainly features. His lips were thick and suited him well and his dark skin made him more attractive.

Then, I turned around and turned the TV off. I got up and glanced one last time to him before returning to the room.

*He must be feeling tired from the fight. Was I too rude to him? I should thank him better tomorrow.* I thought as I entered in the room I would sleep at for the night. I laid down on the comfortable sheets and closed my eyes. Fortunately it didn’t last long until I fell asleep. Maybe I just needed to do something for him, even if it would be a small gesture to make me feel a little more relieved and to fall asleep without any turns in bed.