Haneul’s eyes fluttered open and the sight she was greeted to only brought bewilderment. She sat up in a start, realizing that she was once more in her bedroom – her comforter placed over her body like she had carefully gone to bed the night before.

She glanced around her bedroom with no particular thoughts filling her mind. 

Trying to remember what happened last night took a few seconds and no matter how hard she tried to make sense of things, she was absolutely sure that she was in Mino’s apartment and then…that happened.

Mindlessly, Haneul slowly slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom. Was everything just a dream? But, it all felt so real – the fear and the pain all felt so tangible. Haneul tilted her head to the side to take a look in the mirror at the spot where she had felt Mino’s lips. She skimmed her fingers gently over her smooth skin – no marks, no wound to explain the pain she felt from yesterday.

Reaching for her toothbrush, the dull throb that ran across her knuckles stole her attention this time. Gradually, the memories came back. This was the hand that she tried to fight Mino off with. 

There was no way she imagined that up. The more she became convinced that last night truly happened, the more apparent the trepidation within her became. Finishing up her morning routine, she stepped out into her living room to be met with light raps on the door. 

Her steps hesitated as her body naturally tensed. When the knocks continued, she walked closer and peered in through the peephole. Seeing the person standing there made her heart jump and not in a good way. She slowly backed away from the barrier.

“Haneul?” Mino called out. “Are you okay?”

No word could leave . Her body was frozen stiff and her lips refused to work. 

“You fainted last night, I just wanted to check up on you.” His voice continued and Haneul perked up at his words. 

She fainted? 

Gathering herself, she answered. “…Mino, I’m fine.” 

Hearing her response, he breathed out as if in relief. “Okay, good. It seemed like it was my cooking that made you feel sick. If you need anything, please let me know.” Not waiting for her to respond, Mino walked away from her door and went back to his own apartment. 

In just a mere few seconds, her feelings suddenly turn into confusion. In a blink of an eye the image of such a terrifying Mino was replaced by the bright image that she had started to know him by. 

She continues staring at her door, wondering who exactly he is. 

***

Lying there on her couch, Haneul took a look at her right hand once more. This soreness and the memory of how she got it – there’s no way her mind could have made it up. 

But what precisely happened last night?

The Mino from last night and the Mino she became acquainted with is so different that all the memories she was starting to remember felt so illusory. She sat up and stared at her front door, she wouldn’t let doubt get to her. 

The sudden knocking on her door caused her stomach to lurch forward. Haneul didn’t move a muscle as her thoughts raced to figure out what she should do.

“Miss Haneul?”

The unexpected voice called out through the wooden barrier and the fear that was slowly consuming her had begun dissipating. Hearing that voice was enough to tell her he wasn’t who she thought he was. Getting up from the couch and walking over to the door, she opened it up.

It was the landlord.

“Hello, Mr. Yang.” 

The older man smiled back before showing her a few sheets of paper. “I’m glad you’re home. There are a few forms that you had forgotten to fill out.” He kindly hands them over to her.

“I’m sorry. I’ll get them done as soon as possible –“ Haneul didn’t get a chance to finish her words when the door opposite of her creaked open.

“Good afternoon, Mino.” Mr. Yang brightly offered a greeting.

With the same kind expression she had witnessed the few times she had seen him, Mino smiled back. “Good afternoon, Mr. Yang.” His eyes flickered up and met Haneul’s. The sudden action was enough to shake her calm exterior and she turned back to the older man. 

“I’ll finish them and return them to you later, Mr. Yang.” All Haneul wanted to do was shut the door and return back to her security. 

Mr. Yang simply nodded his head in agreement. “Sure. Thank you.” The moment Mr. Yang started walking away was the moment she immediately moved to close her door. But in a split of a second, Mino easily closed the distance between the two. With a single hand, he prevented her from shutting it. 

Startling Haneul, her eyes subtly widened. “Is there something, Mino?” She tried her best to keep her tone calm and stable.

“Are you really feeling fine?” He asked once more.

Trying hard to make him believe it, Haneul stiffly smiled. “I’m perfectly fine.” Placing both hands on the door, she considered just forcibly pushing it close. 

“…Do you remember what happened last night?”

“Not at all.” Haneul nervously chuckled. “I just remember having dinner and then I was in my bed.” She lied. “Did you bring me back to my place?” 

The ends of his lips gently quirked. “I did.” 

Though it seemed like it was just ordinary exchanges, the tension was nearly suffocating for Haneul. “Thank you for last night, Mino.” She adds before attempting to stop their current interaction. “I’m feeling a bit tired so I’m going to go rest.”

Hoping he would remove his hand from her door, Haneul found herself thwarted. Instead, Mino’s expression became distorted while his kind smile from earlier was nowhere to be found.

“Haneul, you’re not good at lying.”

Haneul was forced to step back when Mino smoothly pushed himself into her apartment. She eyed her door behind him but her thoughts of escape were ruined when Mino gently closed and proceeded to lock the door.

“Mino –“

The man