When my old friends asked me out to karaoke reunion that one night, I couldn't resist. I wanted more than anything to be modest but I felt the need to brag about my growing talents especially to those guys who said I would never be good enough. When it was my turn to sing I heard some giggles but I showed them. I could hear some gasps and the occasional cheers when I hit a high note. I had given them a jaw dropping performance. 

 

There was one guy though who kept looking at me funny. And it made me uncomfortable to even notice that. I noticed the girls in my class swooning over him and whispering to each other about God knows what. When the next song was playing he came and slipped next to me. 

 

"You're really something aren't you?"

 

"Thanks. I look forward to your performance." I told him back being as cordial as I could among these old 'friends' of mine. 

 

He said his name was Jiwon and that he was a rapper in some upcoming group. I wasn't really paying attention. I just wanted to be alone. He wasn't someone from school but probably a friend of a friend in my grade back in middle school. If he was anything like them he'd be rotten. I just wanted to escape but home was a half an hour walk from here and I really didn't want to walk tonight. He talked to me trying to get to know me I suppose but I only ever replied with one-word answers. Somewhere along the way he realised I didn't want to talk and shut up for a few moments before he just started again. 

 

When it was his turn he chose a rap. I scoffed. I wasn't sure where his rap skills would lie. I was pleasantly surprised to find his rap flow and his voice quite deep compared to his speaking voice. He watched me trying to gauge a reaction. He was good I had to admit. 

 

"You're not so bad yourself," I told him as he took his seat next to me. I might be an but I knew when to be honest. 

 

The night dragged on and I just sat there drinking can after can of soda. It was on the house because one of my classmate’s family owned the place. Might as well make the most of it right? I was 3 cans in when it struck me. I really needed to pee. I grabbed my bag and slipped out unnoticed by my peers except for maybe Jiwon who seemed to be watching my every move. 

 

 

 

[…]

 

 

 

"Unnie, where are you?"

 

"Who is this?" She groaned from the other side, "Where is Jisoo? It's getting late."

 

"You were supposed to pick me up," I whined. The other line went quiet. Ugh, why was she such a deep sleeper. It was practically impossible to wake her up from her sleep. I was surprised she even picked up just now. I guess the odds were against me. I'd have to make this trek back home tonight. 

 

Thankfully I wasn't intoxicated or anything like a few of my classmates were. It was the age limit mostly but I wouldn't have drunk any alcohol anyway. I took it one step at time, regretting coming here in the first place. The only thing I had done was miss out on my beauty sleep. I trudged along the sidewalk alert to all the possible scenarios that could play out as I made my half an hour walk back home. The streets were eerily silent. Only the chirping of crickets and my feet as they crunched the autumn leaves. It blended into the background and allowed for the sound of a car engine approaching me be heard from a mile away. I looked straight ahead ready to run if they stopped. My greatest nightmare came true. The car slowed down behind me before slowly parking next to me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I ran. It was probably the adrenalin that got me this far but when it actually settled in what I just did I couldn't stop inhaling and exhaling at an unnatural speed. In the distance I could see the car making its way towards me again. 

 

"Stop following me." I screamed to the person in the car. I couldn't tell if they could hear me but it didn't really matter because I was dead either way. 

 

"You run really fast," the person in the car commented. The voice was somewhat familiar, like a person who I had just spoken to recently. 

 

"You again?" I stared down at the familiar face that I had met at the reunion. I bent down to look at the driver’s side. My mouth opened slightly. The person on the other side was none other than my favourite oppa.

 

"Hi oppa!" I waved cheerfully.

 

Without thinking I had already boarded his car. Minhyun oppa was my sister’s best friend’s brother whom I had met on various occasions and we bonded in our mutual dislikes for partying, something that both our sisters loved to death. 

 

"Hey, I never said you could get on." 

 

"You wouldn't want me to get kidnapped would you? A little girl like me."

 

"You're still the same, so dramatic."

 

"At least I don't hang out with friends."

 

Minhyun turned around to me for the first time. He chuckled lightly glancing over to our company whose face was beginning to lose its cool. 

 

"Excuse you, I am not an A-S-S-H-O-L-E." He spelt the last words out for me to emphasise his point but it only made me laugh. 

 

"Never said I was talking about you," I told him back jokingly but slapping him on his shoulder quite violently. 

 

"Just ignore her, she's annoying like that." Minhyun assured him. 

 

He turned around to me again shaking his head at my behaviour. 

 

"Do you know who he is?"

 

"Jiwon. That's what he told me."

 

"How can you guys never have met before?" He questioned turning back onto the road.  

 

We didn't have reason to meet did we? Last time I checked I had no relationship whatsoever with the stranger of a boy.

 

"Never mind. You'll find out soon enough. Okay bye kids."

 

"Bye," we both said simultaneously whilst opening the door. 

 

That's when I noticed that he had said bye to the both of us. I looked over and saw Jiwon looking at me suspiciously. 

 

"You're such a creep, stop following me." I told him as I sped of in my direction. 

 

It wasn't long before he had matched my pace with his long strides and walked ahead of me. He turned into my street as I followed him. It turns out we lived in the same apartment block but I had never noticed him in the three years I had lived here.

 

It's just I never really noticed the strangers around me. We would greet each other each morning but that was as far as our relationship went. I had probably met him before but hadn't looked up, being too busy trying to keep my eyes open and all when I got home in the early mornings.