The next day, I awake with a nauseous feeling in my stomach. Probably because I skipped a meal last evening. I don't want to think about other reasons that might surface. With a contented yawn, I arise, looking around my room through my half-opened eyes, and of course I can't spot anything out of ordinary. Since my stomach is growling longingly and I don't have anything better to do in till evening anyway, I decide to first fight my appetite. Without even changing, I slowly stumble into the kitchen, open the fridge, smile in anticipation- to find it empty. Not half empty or half full, but completely empty. That is if you exclude the kimchi stew from approximately five days ago. I frown and throw it in the trash right away. Back when I lived with my parents, a full fridge and three meals a day had been natural, but now it resembled an everyday struggle. I'm not a very organized person, I must admit, however it has never been visible to such a degree. Am I going crazy now? I sigh and close the fridge in disappointment, knowing that I have to eat right now, or I'll die later on. I need my portion of food or else I won't be able to work at my best in the evening. Because I don't know better, I put on a black leggings and a slightly too big, grey hoodie and prepare to go to the convenience store around the corner. Money, keys, cell phone...I check my mental list of things I need before going out, then my gaze gets caught by the black and white picture on my desk. Mental note: put it away so I don't have to look at it anymore. I'm still debating where to put or rather whether to put it at the wall at all when I open the door to step outside as-

"OH MY ING GOD-" The rest of the sentence gets stuck in my throat. With my eyes widened, I stare at the one opposing me, who's none other than the guy from my picture. Or, to be more realistic, the guy from yesterday. "What are-what are you doing here?!" I don't remember telling him where I live, I didn't even tell him my name. So how did he find me? And more importantly, why? And how come he's like that, calmly standing there as if this was the most natural thing ever, with his expression not changing one bit even after my amazing scream? "Answer please." I demand, trying to stay polite though it's pretty hard considering he might be some crazy stalker ready to kidnap me.

"That's exactly what I'm up to." His stare is piercing me again, so intense that I avert my eyes out of caution. His words impact hit me shortly after.

"Wha- how did you?" While I'm already making up the craziest stories on my mind, he simply tilts his head lazily and keeps watching me.

"You had a weird look on your face, so I just went with the flow."

"That- it doesn't answer my first question. What are you doing in front of my apartment?" Finally he takes his gaze of me, and I can take deeper breaths. Not that I let him notice my inner insecurities. I'm pretty good at keeping a facade up, though maybe not quite as good as he seems to be.

"I need you to come with me," he declares, and I can't help but laugh hysterically.

"Listen, I don't even know you. We've had a brief conversation yesterday, but that was all."

"If I told you that I've been observing you for a long time now, keeping my feelings for you hidden, just to realize that I can't live on that way and need to make you mine before some other random guy does - would you follow me then?" he asks, serious face on, and my grin dies. Right now, he can't possibly be serious. This can't be. Those words don't ring a bell at all.

"Do you thinking stupid enough to believe that?" I say confidently, hoping that my voice doesn't waver as much as my inside does. He clicks his tongue as if he was impressed by my reaction and says:

"Thought so." Then, he suddenly bows to me, and tells me, with his head lowered: "I'm Daehyun. You're Eunji." His eyes light up for a second, almost cheekily. "Now, we know each other, so it's ok if you follow me." My mouth already opens to throw some kind of comeback at him, but he's just destroyed all of my arguments with a few sentences. I know, not a reason to follow a now not complete stranger, but I find myself caught under his spell. No, wait. There's no such thing. I won't be tricked again.

"Now I know your name, not you as a person." I say as a matter of fact, wondering whether I'm completely stupid to turn down such a stunning guy. As long as I don't look at his ridiculously good-looking face, I should be okay. "So if you excuse me now, I'm in a bit of a hurry." In the exact moment I try to shove myself past him, my stomach reminds me of what I was about to do, as if it was angry at me for taking my time and was now taking revenge. How embarrassing. I pretend nothing happened and don't let my embarrassment show, but the stranger -Daehyun- doesn't give up yet. Damn.

"Then it's okay if you get to know me as we grab a bite to eat." Unsure of what to do, I turn around, and suddenly he's way too close. I glance at him- huge mistake. "Come on, don't play hard to get." He says straight faced, and out of his mouth it doesn't even sound like - I don't know anymore.

"...alright. But -" The way he looks down at me through half opened charcoal eyes makes me shut up.

* * * * * *

In contrary to the way he behaved before and used his questionable, magical charms (?) to get me to follow him downtown, he is now being... I'd say quiet, but totally different -or rather indifferent- would definitely be a better fit. Saying that he ignores me would be an exaggeration, but it's something close to that, and I start feeling more and more - unneeded? Slowly chewing my rice, I eye him, and that's okay since he's looking somewhere else, his eyes almost hidden by his dark bangs. Basically all he does ever since we entered the restaurant. Daehyun keeps observing what happens outside instead of observing me. To a point I can't take it anymore, just because it's so senseless. Why drag me out then?

"Hey, can you finally tell me what the big deal is? I'm growing tired of being treated like air you know." He doesn't budge. I'm not normally someone who's a fan of huge conversations or countless words, but this is strange. Anyone would find it strange. Anyone would demand answers. "Why did you bring me here if all you're going to do is stare out of the window?" His stoic expression wavers, he looks exhausted for a moment, like someone who tried too hard to study a subject he's never been good at. After what feels like an eternity of silence from his side, he explains:

"I've basically reached all I wanted, and that's getting you out of there." I can't believe it. And my expression must've told him exactly that, even though he only throws me occasional glances from the corners of his eyes. "I'm not being serious." He turns towards me, finally, and admits: "In reality, I'm just really shy, and you're making me so nervous I don't know what to say." he didn't need to put that much sarcasm in his voice, I'm not dumb. Though I'd say there are enough girls who would actually have believed that, only because he was the one to say it.

"Right, and I'm just so naive, I'm going to blindly believe you." He shrugs as if to say: 'I don't need you to believe me.' And that's it for the conversation. I've expected more, somehow. I finish my food and shoot up from my seat, about to approach the counter. There's no point in staying longer. Even without looking back I know I'm being watched, so I deliberately ignore the urge to catch a last glimpse of him, since that'd be a defeat on my side. A second before I exit the restaurant, unable for my eyes to see, Daehyun glances at his watch and decides to let me go.

It's strange if I think about it. I awoke with a bad feeling in my stomach and I've been forced to go out with a stranger, so why am I even surprised that when I exit the bus in my street, several emergency cars, ambulances and firefighters, pass by- heading into the direction of my apartment complex? From then on I stumble forwards as if I am dreaming, since all this can't be but a dream. It's too unrealistic. Too many coincidences at once. Standing in front of my home, everything I've already figured proves true. My home is no longer. Maybe some of my neighbors are no longer.

"Miss, do you live here?" I barely realize that the words are meant for me. "I'm so sorry to tell you that there's been an unfortunate incident. The whole place burned down to ashes. We couldn't save anything." I keep staring at the black ruins in shock. My first thought is about where I am supposed to live now, and I regret not having my parents here. On the other hand, because they're abroad, they've been safe from this accident. Only now I notice that I can't say that about others.

"How...are my neighbors?" I mumble, my lips feel numb. I feel cold. Dried out. The policeman looks sympathetic.

"Luckily, most of them were out when the fire broke out. Four people weren't as lucky." Maybe I should've cried, or broken down, or at least acted desperate, yet I was able to keep my calm. I have to think forward. No matter how heartless this might sound. Because this is too plain weird.

...and it's gonna get even more weird.

I know I said I wouldn't update for now but oh well. Here's an update anyway C:

If it seems like things proceed to fast- it's intendend, since this isn't planned to be that long. Without much of an introduction, let the strangeness begin~

I hope I can convey that kind of creepy feeling in the later chapters. Please leave some feedback >.< Writing this confuses even myself, that's why many things probably won't make much sense yet (and maybe never will xD)

Enjoy anyway~