Kim Haejin’s POV

My phone vibrated for the umpteenth time. I ignored it, putting on the best smile I could muster as I placed the customers’ order on their low table.

“Huuuuuu~ gomawo-yohh,” the beet-red ahjussi grinned, his breath reeked of alcohol.

Ew. I swiftly turned and managed to make my way towards the kitchen through the packed restaurant. “It’s 11. My shift’s over. Ditching you right now, Ilwoo-hyung,” I grinned at a lean man who was busy at the stove.

“Aish – won’t you at least wait for me today? And it’s oppa for you – girls call guys who are older than them by ‘oppa’! Not ‘hyung’! Don’t up the system,” he pointed a spatula at me accusingly, using his other hand to wipe the sweat sliding down the sides of his face.   

“The beef’s over-cooked,” I pointed out nonchalantly, getting rid of my red apron and changing into my normal pair of jeans and a hoodie in the storage room.

Ilwoo shrieked as he snapped his attention back to the beef he was frying. “Eotokke? It’s all your fault! Yah! Wait for me, I’ll send you home later!”

I took out my phone. 40 missed calls. 54 text messages.

                   Yah wer u

                   We need 2 talk

                   Answer me

                   Reply me dammit

                   Y aren’t u replyin

                   I’m bz hurry up i’m waitin

                   Lets meet up

                   Yah wer u

                   Headin to ur house

                   I know wer u live

                   Reply me dammit

                   Yah kim hae jin!!!!!

                   Miss Kim Haejin pls

                   R u not takin me srsly

                   We rly need 2 discuss about sth

                   R u at home?

                   R u inside d house???

                   R u ok??

                   I’m outside

                   Pls its rly cold

                   We rly need 2 talk

                   Reply me dammit

                   R u dead

                   Or sth

                   Shud i barge inside

                   Ok

                   D guards wont let me

                   Pls i need to tell u sth

                   Itd be very bad 2 say thru txting

                   Reply me dammit

                   Yah wer u

                   Haejin-sshi

                   Pls

                   R u purposely ignoring me

                   Wtf r u doin

                   Haejin

                   Haejin-sshi

                   Reply me dammit

                   Gotta talk 2 u

                   Know u not home

                   Yah wer u

                   I will pick u up

                   Lemme die

                   Yah its rly cold

                   YAH KIM HAE JIN

                   !!!!!!!

                   I give up

                   Wer u

                   R u dead

                   They killed u alrdy

                   Y not kill me 2

                   Wae

                   Waeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

                   Yah wer u

All was from one person. In just an hour.

That ape is crazy.

No wait. I shouldn’t call him that. Apes would be ashamed and dishonoured to have such a freaky species as a part of them.

                   Reply me dammit

55th text. I guess it’s really urgent then.

“Sorry hyung. Gotta rush. See you tomorrow!”

“Yah it’s opp—”

I slammed the back door before Ilwoo could finish. The cold wind nipped at my skin, giving me some sort of strange comfort as I walked down the road towards the bus stop.

The bus arrived right on time. I took a seat at the very back, against the window. I took out my phone and stared at my inbox.

Should I reply?

Images of Bang Yongguk’s stupid face resurfaced into my mind.

Nahh.

I plugged in my earphones and enjoyed my playlist of Soul Connection’s songs. It was my kind of music. They were unlike the songs by those stupid flower boy bands these days.

Stupid boy bands like B.A.P. I mean, even their name is stupid. Bap? It means rice. I love rice. As something I consume and digest almost every day. And eventually get rid off into the toilet bowl.

I finally reached my neighbourhood about 10 minutes later. It felt too quick today. I wish time would pause for a moment. Let me take in a deep breath and calm down. Life’s been too hectic these days.

I walked up the street to my apartment. A familiar figure was standing lifelessly in front of the building, a creepy aura emitted from him.

Uh-oh.

I dreaded my steps as I eventually made my way to the porch towards the main entrance. If I pretend like I didn’t see him, maybe that’d be better.

A strong hand gripped hold of my shoulder. I took in a deep breath as he spun me around and dragged me to a side.

“Did you get my texts?” his voice was low, with such tension held in.

“No.”

His gaze darkened, as he lowered his tall figure to glare into my eyes.

“Yes,” I admitted timidly, dropping my gaze to the ground.

“Why. Didn’t you. Reply me?”

“I was...,” Wait a second. Since when did I have to bow down to this guy? I lifted up my face to look at him. Just because he’s tall and...muscular...doesn’t mean I’m not his match. “Should I be saying sorry for doing other important and beneficial things in my life rather than reply your desperate texts?”

“Wha—yah! You—fffffffff—woman, I’ve been waiting here for you for more than an hour! I’m chilled to my bones!”

“Did I ever tell you to wait for me? No. Exactly. Who’s the stupid one here?”

ApePig (yeah let’s just call him that now) scoffed in disbelief. He massaged the bridge of his nose, murmuring incoherent nothings under his breath.

“Do you have any idea how much money I’ve wasted on you...”

“Yeah, you shouldn’t have sent those million texts. Spamming people’s inbox like that is a total no-no.”

“This isn’t just about the texts,” he hissed, “It’s about—”

“It’s about sending a message,” I finished up for him, cracking up at my fabulous mimic of Joker’s famous line in Batman. Gosh I’m such a genius.

He looked like he might explode any moment then. He let out a deep, therapeutic sigh. “Let’s just get to the point. I’m here to discuss with you about something.”

Why’s his neck shaped like that? It looked so...odd.

“Yah.”

“Oh, sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. What is it?”

“I said,” he took in a deep breath, “move in with me.”

I stared up at the tall man. Studying his expression to observe any signs of he’s just kidding. None. I gasped in adoration, “How’d you come out with such an idiotic idea?”

“I’m serious – it’s for your own good.”

“Okay. Cool,” I shrugged.

His expression lit up. “Really?”

“Hm. No. Okay, enough bull for today. Goodnight.”

“You – I don’t even – aish,” he let out a helpless sigh. He pointed at a part on the building. The top floor of the 5-storey apartment. Where my room was located. Where the windows were crashed. “That’ll say it enough.”

Oh God.

No.

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