ESCAPE►

"C-C-Chanyeol?!" My jaw dropped open in disbelief. He, without considering my strange actions, immediately stepped in the house. 

While looking around, he murmured, "This is my first time in your house. And its much better than what I expected."

Realizing the whole situation, the-stranger-living-with-me-but-Chanyeol-suddenly-came situation, I snapped back into the world.

"A-Ah. You just c-came?"

"Yeah? It was you who opened the door right?"

"O-Oh. Yeah."

Finally guessing the strangeness in me, he waved his long fingers across my face, "Are you okay? Did I really surprise you?"

"Sort of." I gave a quick reply.

Chanyeol on the other hand went straight to the living room and caught the chessboard's messed up sight. "You're playing chess alone?" he asked. I hurriedly went to him, distracting his thoughts.

"Y-yeah. Its kinda..... fun so-- why not?" I flashed a grin.

Crap. What mess did I bumped into.

He nodded, simply agreeing to my white lie. But his nuisance did not end there when he proceeded to the kitchen.

"2 dish plates? I thought you're by yourself?"

I anxiously followed him again. "It's uhhhh... I bought too much food. Keke. So I transferred it to another plate. So y-yeah, there are 2 plates."

"Really?" There was absolutely no trace of doubt on his voice- of which I was happy about. "You sure eat too much nowadays huh." He added with a faint giggle. 

"Can I see your room?"

Sh*t. This is what I've been dodging all this time. The guy is sleeping there! What will happen if Chanyeol knows that I'm living with a GUY stranger? No... No... No.

"W-why would you want to see my room?" I stuttered.

"Just curious. Can't I?"

I was at a loss of words to say until he finally stepped towards my room.

"No." This caused him to stop with his pace. He looked at me, beguiled.

"Its d-dirty. And I haven't got the chance to clean it up yet."

"Oh." I thought that I completely tricked him out until he spoke, "Why are there male shirts hanged on your cabinet?"

This time, I fully had a nervous breakdown. 

I noticed that the door was slightly open therefore giving Chanyeol a bit of hole to peek in.

"T-that's...."

"That's?" he replied, fierce this time.

"Uhhh---" I just can't find the right words to say. For the next seconds, he noticed a pair of slippers next to the room.

"Don't tell me....." He held the door's knob and twisted it open. I was able to do nothing but to just stand and watch what will happen next-- even if it meant ruining my whole, damn life.

The door stood wide open, with lights but with amazingly-- an empty bed, neat and clean. I too, was shocked that the guy seemingly disappeared.

Chanyeol went in and looked around, full with suspicion in his eyes. Everything seemed silent, not until an object fell and caused a faint noise.

My heart skipped a beat.

Damn it. I guess this is the end of me.

Chanyeol, with firm will, drove near my closet- from where we both heard the noise. He held the handle and was about to pull it open when--

"Chanyeol what are you doing?" I staged an angry voice, and it made him pause in his place. "Why did you just barge in and start messing things on your own? This is my house right?" 

He turned around and looked at me. "I'm just checking--"

"What? Do you think I'd just let anyone come and live with me?" I acted but it was all the opposite.

"N-no..." He muttered, feeling guilty.

"The shirts.... I bought them for you." But no, it was really the shirts that the 'guy' used for the past week. "And the slippers, they're my dad's. I just coincidentally took them out today." But yeah, agan- it was the stranger's. "Now, are you still not satisfied?"

Chanyeol still remained speechless and in doubt.

"And in fact I was shocked when I saw you because I was thinking if maybe... M-maybe we could eat together tomorrow."

Successfully, his attention shifted to what I said. "E-eat? Sure!" And now he was back to his normal self again- with eyes as round as ever, and with a smile stretching until it reached its ears.

-Stranger's POV-

"See you tomorrow Jiyeon," I listened as the man named Chanyeol bid his goodbyes. Slowly, I got out of the cabinet, from where I stuffed myself up just minutes ago. I took a slight peek at them and recognized the man at once.

Oh? He was Him,.... The man..... in the picture....

I took out a 2x2 size photo from my pocket and compared the guy beside Jiyeon in the picture to the Chanyeol I'm seeing.

There's no difference. They're exactly alike.

Without knowing, I felt my forehead gradually creasing-- as if something opposed my mind. Then, all the force within my body fell on my palms, and I found myself crumpling the picture. I threw it on the floor and stepped out of the room.

Jiyeon was still by the door, making sure that she successfully sent off Chanyeol.

Shocked by my appearance, she said, "Y-You're awake--"

With a stiff face, a silent atmosphere, and just cold wind penetrating through the space between us, I grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the house- into the night.

"H-hey! What are you doing?!"

I continued walking.

"Let me g-go!"

My strides are getting faster.

"I said let me go!!"

I did not mind her whines and continued.

"Get your hands off of me!"

Just when she finished her sentence, I dropped and let go of her hand. She looked at me, I looked at her- we were looking at each other under the shade of the dark night.

"What are you doing?!" she yelled.

I remained silent, guilty.

"WHAT? What are you looking at?" she added.

"Look around." I shortly replied, afraid that I might say the wrong words. 

Despite of being confused, she did what I told her. Her eyeballs carefully roamed around the place, and I felt like I've won.

"People are busy. Booths there, sidewalk stores here. Several foodtrips, arcade games, and bargain stores scattered around the area. No wonder that underneath the dark night, flashes and twinkling lights still make this place bright and wonderful. As I continued, Jiyeon was severly immersed on the magnificence of the surroundings.

"We're in a night market Jiyeon."

"I've never been in a night market like this,"

"And now you are." I faded a smile.

"Woaaaahh," she said, pointing and running towards an arcade stall. I anxiously followed.

"They have this stall here?" She continued walking, peeking into each booth. "Daebak! It really is a nightmarket!"

By that time, I did not speak a word; instead just followed her like a puppy.

Then, "Ya----"

"Hmm?" I replied in shock.

"Here." She shyly said and handed me skewers.

"T-thanks." A grin formed across my face. I quietly ate, she as well.

"Omo, you came here the other night right?" The auntie vendor looked at me.

I threw the barbecue stick away and wiped my lips then answered, "A-aaah, y-yeah."

"You came here?" asked Jiyeon.

"Y-yeah. I accidentally passed by......."

"Aigoo. I recommend a good booth here for the two of you." The vendor exclaimed.

"Jinjja? Where?" Jiyeon was interested;I was not.

"You simply go straight this way and at the end, you'll find it." I caught the auntie wink at Jiyeon and grinned.

What could this booth be?

Before I could even react, Jiyeon was already half a meter away from me, running. I had no other choice.

We were walking alone through the place. The night was getting deeper and deeper that the lights sometimes could not counterattack it.

"Yaaa~ walk faster!" Jiyeon grumbled.

At last, we reached the end of the market and found a small worn-out booth. "What is this?" Jiyeon said in a disappointed tone. She looked around for a minute but there was no one there. She eventually got tired of waiting and decided to get back.

"Aigoooo! Welcome my last customers!" An energetic voice came from a middle-aged man. He was from inside of the booth and that, quite shocked us.

"Ahjussi~" Jiyeon muttered, "that was creepy." and giggled.

"Come in come in!" 

We went in.

"Sit down, sit down." 

We sat down on the unlit, small, creepy stall. "Umm, what are we doing?" Jiyeon asked.

"Close your eyes," the man replied.

We DID follow him, even though we felt like not. 

*click*

"Now, open."

With curiosity, I opened my eyes and found out that there was not a thing special in the room.

"What....." a hopeless sigh came from Jiyeon. The man grinned, looking at us.

"Before you leave, please allow me to have 15 minutes of your time." 

Jiyeon looked at me, not sure of what to do.

"Hahahaha! Really? Is that even possible? Heol that was totally funny ahjussi!" Jiyeon curled in laughter; my eyes were overflowing with happy tears also! 

15 minutes has passed and yes, it was not a special booth at all. We just spent the time talking and laughing and cussing, sometimes cracking jokes to each other. I never noticed that I became extremely immersed to the 'funny' conversation too.

"Alright, I promised you 15 minutes only so I think its time....." 

Jiyeon and I stood up and went out.

"Hey boy, can you spare a second?" The man pleaded.

"Yes?"

"You might think that this is just an ordinary and worn-out room but I've got something for you." He approached the back of the room, which was perfectly covered with a black cloth. He introduced me to a computer monitor and turned the printer on. "This room is filled with hidden cameras."

"R-really?" I muttered.

"I wanted your 15 minutes memorable so here," he took out the printed pictures and slid them into an envelope. "While we were talking, I noticed that you had something hidden somewhere in your heart. You and that girl are not a couple right?"

"Y-Ye-aah."

"Keep those pictures in the envelope. Its best if you could open those in the time when that 'something' in your heart will be out."

"What do y-"

"YAAAAAAAA! Hurry up! Its dark and cold here!" Jiyeon yelled from the outside.

"Y-Yeah. I understand. I'm leaving, thanks." I bid my farewell to the man and went out hurriedly.

"What took you so long?" Jiyeon asked, obviously annoyed.

"Ahh, n-nothing. J-Just-- The man wanted to express his thanks to us."

"Is that so?" Didn't he give you something? You know, such as tokens that almost all booths give?"

I held the envelope tightly in my back. "N-Nothing, he didn't give anything."

"Alright. Let's head home."

Memories. I can't wait to stare at those stolen memories again and again. I kept this thought in my mind as we walked through the road.

OMG. WHY DID IT TOOK SO LONG FOR ME TO COME BACK HERE? I MISSED ALL OF MY READERSSSSSS~ BEEN SO MUCH BUSSSYY IN SCHOOL :( BUT DONT WORRY, I HAVE TONS OF DRAFTS THAT ARE WAITING TO BE TYPED!!!! :DD