If we choose to, we can live in a world of comforting illusion. We can allow ourselves to be deceived by false realities...Or we can use them to hide our real intentions.

I put the cup of hot cocoa I’ve made on my nightstand table before settling over the bed on my stomach. It took me nearly an hour to wander back downstairs for the cup after meeting Daniel.

To be honest, he scared me.

He obviously didn’t trust me with Jae and that kind of hurt. It was offending, really. I didn’t see myself as a risk to Jae and most people acted as though Jae was the demon tempting an angel whenever he was with me. They looked at me with worried eyes. I hadn’t been the receiving end of that – until I met Daniel.

And now that I felt what Jae was feeling, I didn’t like it one bit. I would definitely make a stronger stand against those who meant to bicker at Jae in regards to our relationship the next time the need arose. Because…I actually got what it felt like to be criticized unfairly.

On a sigh, I closed my text book and wiggled off my bed. I needed a shower because after unpacking all day, I felt dirty. I wandered to the bathroom grabbing my stuff. I stripped and stepped beneath the hot stream, sighing deeply as I closed my eyes. I took my time washing as I keep thinking about Jae.

I was living with a man I had only met not so long ago. And I had to admit there were feelings living in the corners of my heart for him. They were growing though I wasn’t sure yet what they were growing into. It was a mystery that I feared the most. Feelings are dangerous. To feel something for another when they could probably felt different for you was even more so.

I didn’t want to fall for Jae as Bom believed I would. I wanted our friendship to continue and I most definitely didn’t want to ruin our relationship now. Jae needed a friend. I needed one too. He didn’t need another woman wanting to change him, but our friendship was so confusing at times. When he held me, it was easy to just close my eyes and think more of him than just friendly thoughts. When he trailed his lips over my skin, it was hard to ignore the beating of my heart.

I didn’t know how to separate the romantic thoughts from those of our odd friendship. Jae needed affection; that much was obvious. He touched me and caressed me in a way a friend shouldn’t, but that was the basis of our friendship. I had accepted it from the beginning and I couldn’t push his affection away now. He wouldn’t understand that. I would have to find a way to categorize my feelings appropriately for the well-being of our friendship.

When I finished my shower, I stepped out of the bathroom. The warmth of my shower had somehow soothed my body and the hot cocoa had done a decent job of soothing my mind. I was dog-tired and I needed sleep but I wasn’t sure I would be able to sleep with Jae constantly running in my mind. I wouldn’t be able to sleep until he came home. And my inability to sleep without him here had nothing to do with the stupid movie he made me watch. I just wanted to know he was okay.

After I’m done with my cup of hot cocoa, I went out of the room towards the kitchen. I didn’t want to leave dirty dishes. I flicked on the kitchen light and walked across the space to the sink. I was in the sink when I heard the front door open. My heart beat violently in my chest as I waited.

Was it Daniel or Jae?

Jae rounded the corner and stopped short at the sight of me. His eyes were guarded and his hair was a mess. His jaw ticked and I knew he was clenching his teeth.

“You’re back,” I breathed out.

“Yeah,” he said as he nodded, taking another step toward me. His movements were really slow, almost cautious. “Why are you still awake, Dara?”

“Um, I had a drink and I was just bringing it down to wash it,” I replied.

“Your hair’s wet,” he stated, stepping out from the shadow and into the kitchen light. My heart stopped. There was a cut on his lower lip off to the right side. He looked rugged. My eyes scanned the rest of him and I saw that his skin was raw. They were red and I didn’t know if it was his blood or someone else’s.

“What happened to you?” I gasped. I instantly put down the cup and reached toward him. I lifted my hand to touch his face. He flinched away from me and I dropped my hand immediately. “Jae, what happened?”

“It’s nothing, Angel.”

“It’s not nothing,” I said as I shook my head. “Did…did you get into a fight?”

He chuckled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s not what you’re thinking.”

“What am I thinking exactly, Jae?”

“That I probably beat the out of someone,” he smirked.

I folded my arms. “Or that someone beat the crap out of you.”

He faked a wounded expression. “Angel, please tell me you have more faith in me than that?”

“So…you attacked someone?” I asked.

My heart felt as though is it was in my throat. I wanted to scream at him for his stupidity. Fighting was cruel and senseless. There was no reason for it.

“I didn’t attack anyone,” he said as he sighed, his eyes wounded. “I was just ting around with friends. The guys were fooling around and things went a little too far.”

I felt my eyes bug out of my head and I knew I looked ridiculous.

“If I ever have kids, I don’t want boys. Seriously,” I said as I shook my head. “You’re all doing that macho stupid things.”

Jae laughed. “Don’t fool yourself, Angel.” His eyes turned serious. “You know you love me.”

I glared at him as I fought the urge to slap him. I had a feeling he’d had a few beers too.

“Go take a shower, Jae. You stink,” I said.

With those words, I walked away. My heart felt heavy as I walked to my bedroom and shut the door behind me. I half expected him to follow me there, but he didn’t. Thankfully. I didn’t know what to say to him, but I was disappointed. I could only hope he was telling me the truth about his goofing off with friends. If he’d gotten into a fight – I don’t know what I would do. I prayed this wasn’t Jae showing off his true colors – because I was already in too deep to turn away from him.

I heard the shower in his bedroom turn on and I listened until he turned it off. I was a bit angry with him and I was conflicted because part of me felt as though I had no right to be angry at him.

I heard Jae open his bedroom door and I had a feeling he was standing outside mine. I wondered if he would just walk in.

A knock sounded after that.

“Angel…can I come in?”

I didn’t answer and so he pushed open the door, walking into the darkness of my room. The door shut behind him and I snuggled deeper beneath the comforter of my bed.

“Please don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not a mad.” I sigh. “I’m disappointed at you.”

“That’s even worse,” he replied.

“I know.”

“Is it because you think I fought?”

I shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know. I just don’t like seeing you like that. You looked bad a while ago.”

“I promise I’ll never come home like that ever again,” he said. His tone was sincere and I felt the foot of the bed sink with his weight.

My heart tore through my chest as I felt the bed shift as he moved across its length closer to me.

“Come watch a movie with me, please. Neither of us work tomorrow,” he whispered.

“I’m tired, Jae.”

“Then come and sleep on the couch and I’ll watch a movie,” he begged. “I just want you near me.”

“I’ve already watched one movie with you, Jae,” I muttered. “I think I’ve learned my lesson.”

He chuckled softly.

“We won’t watch a scary movie,” he promised. He put his hand on my hip and through the material of the blanket I felt the heat of his hand.

I murmured, “What are you going to watch?”

“Whatever you pick,” he said.

“Do you have any girly movies?” I asked.

“I don’t think so,” he replied. “But you do.”

“What about Initial D?” I asked, poking my face out from beneath the comforter.

“That’s an old one. You like that movie?” he asked back. He sounded awed and I laughed.

“Well I like Jay Chou and Edison Chen is hot in it,” I trailed off, letting the words I’d said speak for themselves.

He sighed with a grunt. “I’m sure you do. Pick something else.”

“I already picked a movie. Take it or leave it, Jae.”

“Why did you have to mention you think they’re hot?” he asked. “Now all I’m going to think about while watching it is how hot you think they are.”

I giggled. “You’ll get over it.”

“You couldn’t have said, ‘I like the cars.’” He shook his head.

I laughed harder. He was obviously forgiven now.

“Well, I like those too,” I said.

“You’re such a girl,” he teased.

“I know,” I replied, beamingly. I was proud of it. “Come on.”

“Bring your blanket, Angel,” he commanded. “We’ll probably end up sleeping out there.”

“Sounds good to me,” I said.

It was probably a better idea than sleeping here in my bedroom with Jae. Last night was wonderful but it really should never happen again. We’d been too close.

“I’ll grab my pillows,” he said as he jogged out of my bedroom.

I met him in the hall with a goofy boyish grin on his handsome face. If only he knew how affected I was by him. He wouldn’t even joke about the characters on the TV screen.

I followed Jae into the entertainment room and watched as he crouched down in front of his massive TV screen to p