I shrugged my coat up to cover my neck better as I paced down the sidewalk. It was lightly drizzling and pitch black outside. Luckily the storm had let up before I was forced outside, but unfortunately, the thunderstorm was powerful enough to knock out the cellphone towers and the power. So I was left by myself, in the darkness, with only the dim light of my useless phone to find my way to a place to stay for the night.

I had no idea how far away I was from where I used to live. The apartment was on 87^th street, and I couldn’t even see the names of the streets as I looked up towards the dripping sky. I sighed and saw my breath puff out in front of me as I put my head down and looked at my soaking wet Converse. It’s not like I could even go back there. I had no place to call home anymore since she kicked me out…

~flashback~

“I’m sorry sir, but we’re going to have to be closing pretty soon. You might want to start preparing to leave,” the waitress looked to me with semi-apologetic eyes and a quick smile before stalking back to the back of the diner, probably getting ready to get her stuff and drive home.

I huffed and looked into my cup of coffee as the sky crackled with lightning and obnoxious thunder. I’d picked a bad day to confess to my friend. The worst part is that I wasn’t really as in love with her as I thought I was, and she knew how insincere I was when I let her know.

Hyemi was always really understanding whenever I had something to tell her. I was the same way with her, too. We love each other; that’s for certain, but apparently she didn’t want me as her boyfriend.

I thought I could convince myself to love the living hell out of Hyemi, so I tried to let my male hormones take over and see if I could. She obviously wasn’t too thrilled by this action. I noticed a tear fall into my coffee as I thought back on earlier this morning. It was now around 12 midnight, so I had been separated from my best friend for hours and was already clueless and lost; more so than before.

Wanna know why I was trying to convince myself to fall in love with Hyemi? Because I was trying to convince myself I wasn’t something I feared greatly of being.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a homophobe, I have no problem with gay couples at all, I think it’s wonderful that they found their own way to happiness. It’s just that I didn’t want to be one of them myself. I know, I’m a hypocritical , right?

I saw two more tears ripple my black drink as I thought even further back on how I figured it out. It was stupid, really. You see, I was really into this Japanese drama series, Takumi-kun. I know it’s kinda old, like five years I think? But I was shuffling through Hyemi’s things and I found her complete DVD set. I spent hours on our living room sofa in the dark crying, cheering, and shoving cake frosting in my mouth. I watched each movie at least three times, and I became obsessed.

It got to the point where I started seeing Takumi and Gii in my dreams, y’know, doing their thing, and I’d start waking up with a hard on. I was baffled to say the least, but when I figured out I couldn’t stop myself from liking the idea, I decided to force myself to by showing myself I really didn’t.

I know now that forcing myself into things to try to stop them is useless and dumb. Too bad I couldn’t tell past me that.

“Hakyeon, you know how you are with alcohol. Remember your limit, okay?” Hyemi tried to warn me as I headed out to a club. Soon enough I was in a drunken haze. I out and woke up next to some guy I’m certain I hooked up with. I was pissed at myself as I stumbled out of his house before he’d even woken up.

When Hyemi saw my wrinkled clothes and mussed hair she knew what had happened, she just didn’t know I’d slept with a guy and not a girl.

~flashback end~

“Dammit, Hakyeon,” I audibly cursed me for realizing myself.

I started with the tears again but then I figured it was useless to cry. The sky was taking care of that for me as the rain became heavier. I let out a laugh but it was a bitter one. I threw my arms up into the air and spun around. Luckily no one was out here due the darkness. No cars were even on the street, and all the shops were closed. Houses were dark due to the power outage, so here I was: totally and stupidly fearless as I twirled around under the clouded, rainy sky.

I collapsed onto the ground and laughed loudly and manically at how pathetic I am. I can’t figure out how to deal with myself, so what the do I have to lose by doing this?

As if I wasn’t already slowly but surely going insane, I heard footsteps coming up behind me. Yeah right, like there’d be someone other than my dumb out here in these conditions. I had hardly realized I’d started crying again until I felt a hand touch my slumped shoulder. Great, I’m not totally gone yet.

I looked up through all the water disturbing my vision. I didn’t even know what it belonged to at this point and frankly I gave zero s. There was a guy wearing a cap hovering above me. I couldn’t see his face clearly, but I guess I can tell he’s concerned.

“Hey, uh,” he removed his hand and crouched down to be eye level with my still sobbing face, “what’s wrong with you?” I didn’t say anything. I just tried my best to shut up and kept my head down. I felt the stranger slap my cheek. It didn’t hurt, but it was enough to bring him back to my attention. “Yah, answer me. Why aren’t you home?”

I let out a shaky laugh. I was still pissed at myself, and I’m assuming he could hear it judging from how he reacted. “Why? What’s it to you?” I smirked and sat on my hugging my knees to my chest and setting my chin on top so I could look at him.

He didn’t have any response. Not a verbal one anyway. He looked at me with a bored expression and then stood up wordlessly. Both of us were soaked, but he was the only one with a proper rain coat on. I would definitely be sick in the morning. Plus I was exhausted from my insanity tantrum or whatever the hell that was.

I could barely process what was happening when I felt him heave me up and over his shoulder as if I was a weightless as a ragdoll.

“Ack! What are you doing?!” he started walking to a car I hadn’t seen before. I assumed it was his. I was seeing the dark world from my awkward upside-down perspective.

“Since you’re not giving me a proper answer, I’m just going to assume you have nowhere to go. Am I right?”

I let my body hang and flop around as I kept bouncing against his back. Of course I didn’t say anything. I didn’t even have a car, and the apartment was Hyemi’s! Guess what? She was the one working to support both of us, too. Hooray for Hakyeon, the freeloading loser!

“Thought so,” that was the last thing he said before I felt him let go with one arm to reach into his pocket for his keys. I thought I was going to fall headfirst onto the concrete.

“Hey!” I exclaimed as I wrapped my arms around his waist, still upside-down and backwards.

“Relax, I got you,” with this I felt the arm that was previously around my legs position itself over my . I was stunned. I think both of us are out of our minds.

I started slapping at him with as much power as I could muster in my state. “Yah, watch your naughty hands, you !” He just chuckled before opening the passenger door and dropping me into the seat.

I pouted when he put the seatbelt on me. He closed the door and then got in on the driver side.

“So you’re kidnapping me officially then?”

“Yep,” he said without taking his eyes off the road. I sighed and placed my head on the rest behind it, beyond too tired to care. I guess he’s not gonna kill me.

“Fine,” and with that I started drifting off to sleep right in that car.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

I woke up when I felt myself being lifted and a car door being closed. I groaned as I was flipped upside-down again.

“Yah, can’t you carry me like a person, you loaf?” I was too tired to even care that that was probably the worst insult I’ve ever uttered.  My eyes never opened, but I could tell he was smiling right now because he laughed.

“I could, but this is fun~” he teased as my position didn’t change. I could tell when we were inside his house because the rain stopped, there was light behind my shut eyelids, and the roomed smelled like an apple-cinnamon air freshener.

“I can walk, y’know!” I sleepily whined. I really didn’t want to, but when he set me down on the floor I guess I had no choice.

I cracked open an eye and just sat there, sort of mad that he just did that. I groaned again before letting out a yawn and rubbing my eyes. I let my hands flop down to my thighs and simply stayed put, looking up at him like a lost and slightly pissed-off child.

The stranger placed a hand on his hip and gestured to me with the other one. “Well?”

I figured I had no more dignity to lose. After all, he found me crying my eyes out in the middle of a sidewalk. I closed my eyes again, pouted, and reached my arms up towards him, indicating I wanted to be picked up again.

“Ha! That’s cute and all, but you still have to walk,” Darn, my aegyo usually kills… ah well. The floor was pretty comfy anyway. I moaned and flopped backwards, getting prepared to sleep right in that spot for the night. I didn’t even twitch when I heard him scoff and walk away.

Minutes later, I was still in that very place due to my inflamed ego and immense pride. I was half- asleep when I heard my stranger-friend huff. “Ahh, really?” I smirked inwardly when he lifted me again, this time in his arms like a person and not like a sack of potatoes. By the time he’d taken to travel up the stairs and into a bedroom I was pretty much asleep. I was only fully there when I was plopped onto a bed and heard the door close.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

I woke up in the bed my stranger-friend had dropped me in. I’m assuming it was a guest room as it was barely furnished and lacked any sign of character.

I sat up and stretched. I felt my sinuses clogged and my throat raw. Not at all am I surprised that I caught a cold. I was surprised however when I had to lift bed covers off of myself. If I recall correctly, the guy had just dropped me here. I guess he returned later to tuck me in…

Well that would make sense as I was no longer in my soaked coat and skinny jeans. I was wearing a large tee shirt and a pair of boxer shorts I’m certain are not mine. Okay, now it’s getting a little personal…

I stood up and felt around on my body. Nothing hurt so I wasn’t bruised. I gave my a little extra squeeze and was relieved when I could walk fine. Great, so he’s trustworthy.

I took a few more steps to the window and drew apart the curtains. It was dark, but the streetlamps were on again, so it’s good to know that the power’s back on. I looked a little closer and the ground outside appeared to be totally dry. Wow, how long have I slept?

I puttered out the door and down the hall following the low noise of a television on. There was also a soft light coming from downstairs, so I assumed the guy was down there. Sure enough, I found him lounging lazily on the sofa watching some commercial that appeared to be for a brand of body moisturizer. There was an empty bowl on the coffee table and a spoon flung carelessly to the side of it. I just noticed that I’m hungry.

I sniffled trying to stop my runny nose. He heard me and turned his head around immediately to see me standing awkwardly at the bottom of the stairs. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t look away.

“Hey…” I started, still sort of waking up.

“Hey,” he responded nonchalantly.

“What day is it?” I tilted my head to one side in curiosity and he chuckled a bit before standing up and walking over to where I am.

“Friday; you slept through the whole night and day, so… good evening,” he offered a small smile. I was about to return it when I sneezed and covered my nose with my arm. My stranger-friend’s eyes widened a bit in realization before he produced a tissue from a small pack in his pocket. I reached up with the hand that wasn’t covering my nose and took it. As I removed my arm from my face a string of snot stretched from my nose to it as I quickly wiped it away with the tissue. I cringed a little.

“Eww…” I said. The guy didn’t seem grossed out at all which was shocking, he just looked concerned again. He handed me another tissue which I used to blow my nose. I whined in discomfort and leaned against the handrail.

He didn’t say anything for a moment he just furrowed his eyebrows and brought a hand to my forehead. “Seems you’ve got the flu…” I whined again at the news. He removed the hand and walked away into the kitchen. I wordlessly followed.

He spoke without turning around. He scooped some stuff from a pot into a bowl, “I figured you might have gotten sick, so I made some soup,” He turned around and saw my eyebrows arch. “Don’t worry, it’s not poisonous,” he chuckled, “I just had some myself,” he nodded sideways towards the empty bowl I’d noted earlier.

“Cool” was all I said as I took the bowl. Instinctively, I headed into the living room with it where the commercial break was ending and some show I’d never seen came on. I made myself comfy on the sofa and started on the soup. Mr. Man walked back over, too, shortly after and sat down as well.

“Mmm, this is yummy,” I complemented him. He looked at me and smiled.

“Good, glad you like it,” his attention was directed back to the TV. I had pulled my legs up onto the couch and sat cross-legged and finished the meal. Soon, we’d both become immersed in the show and he decided to speak up as the credits rolled.

“Ha, I love that show, don’t you? I watch it all the time when it’s on,” I didn’t look at him, instead deciding to become one with the couch and trying to mold myself into its cushiness.

“It’s pretty cool. I’ve never seen it before today,” he gasped dramatically.

“Well, you’re lack of proper entertainment shall be cured soon enough!” I looked over and he had puffed his chest out and placed his hands on his hips. I poked him because he looked funny.

“What are you, a super hero?” He laughed and I did, too before the flu caught up to me again making my throat hurt. I groaned and let my head flop onto the back of the sofa.

“What’s wrong?” there’s that concerned tone of his again.

I paused in-between my words to emphasize my misery,” I. Feel. Like. .”

He hummed in understanding, “Yeah, being sick ,” when I gave no response he talked again, “If you’re still tired, you can head back up to bed. I don’t have work tomorrow since it’s a weekend, so we won’t have to wake up early.”

Ahhh, I have to admit. Sleep sounds lovely right about now, “Hmm… okay,” my eyes had closed again and this sofa was simply irresistible. He chuckled but didn’t say anything. I cracked one eye open when I felt his weight being removed from the couch. He took both bowls and walked towards the kitchen, probably to place them in the sink.

I’d not moved from my claimed place on the couch when I heard the television set being flicked off by the remote. I felt the guy poking my cheek.

“C’mon, I’m not gonna let you sleep here, wake up!” I grumbled and turned my head away from his annoying finger. He just chose the other cheek to irritate me some more with it. “You’ll feel a lot better in the morning~ you don’t want back pains—”

“Okay, I’m going,” I cut him off, slapped his hand away, and dragged myself upwards and to the staircase. I hadn’t really opened my eyes the whole time, so I felt myself stumble. The guy caught me with a hand on my back before getting me up the rest of the stairs.

Soon I found myself back in the bed and immediately snuggled into the covers. I heard my stranger-friend close the door gently after switching the light off, “Night~”

A/N: Hooray! First chappie is up! Let me know what you guys think~