You sighed exhaustedly as you made your way through the crowd. It wasn't an unordinary thing to be held up by the crowds that swarrmed around the MBC building, but the fact that you normally had to pass by the building on your to and from your internship and the grocery store made it an inconvenience. Screaming fangirls jostled you as you desperately tried to keep a hold of your purse that was almost being swept along by the crowd. Finally you made it to the edge of the crowd and breathed a sigh of relief as you were freed from the press of people's bodies. Before you could take another step, however, your phone began to ring. You fished it out of your bag and checked the caller ID. "Hi mom," you called. "It's not normal for you to be up this late." Your family still lived in the States and the early evening in Korea meant it was the middle of the night back home.

"No," your mom answered in a flat voice. 

"Is there something wrong?" you asked. Your mom was usually a lot more talkative than that. 

"Can you go somewhere quietter? I can barely hear you over all the background noise." Your mother's tone of voice made you turn down the alley next the MBC building without a second thought. The alley was small and much quietter. 

You leaned against the building. "Better?" you asked.

"Yeah," your mom said quietly. "I'm sorry if you're out in public but I can't wait to tell you this..." Her voice faded and your heart clenched in anticipation and fear. What was she going to say? Something bad you assumed. You heard her take a deep breath on the other end of the phone and let it out slowly. "Clary ended her life today."

Your hand began to shake uncontrollably and you could feel a lump rise in your throat making it hard for you to breathe. Clary. Images of her rose in your mind. The first day you two met in first grade. The first time you had slept over at her house when you had a terrible nose bleed. The years the two of you spent together in elementary school, seeing each other every day. Playing in her backyard in middle school. Writing funny stories together in each other's notebooks in English class. Doodling in math class. Accidentally spilling water all over her bedroom floor. Long study nights at each others' houses for finals in high school. Calling each other when you both got accepted into university. Crying together at graduation. Saying goodbye and soon losing contact during university. Hearing about her taking a semester off for "health reasons." You calling her when you knew she was in town but her phone going straight to voicemail. You going to her house but her mom said she wasn't home when you could see the light on in her room upstairs. You eventually giving up. 

"Are you still there?" your mom called through the phone. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah I'm here," you replied numbly. "I have to go. I'll call you later when I've had time to think about it." You hung up quickly and gripped your phone tightly in your hands. You felt your weak knees give out and you slid down the wall into a crouching position so you could hide your face in your arms propped on your knees. For some reason, the tears wouldn't come. The pain in your chest throbbed with every beat of your heart but you could not bring yourself to cry. It felt like your heart was being sqeezed and like your throat was closing on itself. You took a deep breath and lifted your head out of your arms. You jumped as a door opened farther down the alley, but you couldn't bring yourself to move. Whoever it was, you would probably never see again and you didn't care if they saw you crouched in the alley like some homeless person. 

You could feel them approaching. You heard their footsteps tentatively approaching and you hoped they wouldn't talk to you. Unconsciously you took a sideways glance at them. One sidelong glance. Time seemed to slow as the person came into focus. Baggy pants, a large hoodie, and high top sneakers. A chiselled jawline, smooth, creamy skin, small eyes, strong eyebrows, and a fop of messy hair half hidden under his hood. His small eyes searched yours and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

You stood up hastily and straightened your pencil skirt. You shifted your bag strap on your shoulder and tuurned to walk away. 

"Could you help me?" the man called after you. 

You turned slowly to look at him. "Excuse me?" you asked quietly in disbelief and confusion. He wanted you to help him?

"I need your help," he said and gestured for you to come closer. Against all your common sense you drew closer to him. "I need you to cover me," he said hastily.

"Cover you??" you asked incredulously. He was taller than you by a good few inches and he wanted you to cover him somehow. "How??"

"Just walk on the side that faces the crowd," he explained. "Your body will cover enough of me for us to get away."

With the pain of the loss of your friend still fresh in your mind something told you to help him. Doing good for others heals the pain in your own heart. You sighed. "Alright," you agreed. "I'll just follow your lead." 

The man broke out into a wide smile that threatened to make his eyes diappear all together. "Okay, let's do it." He grabbed your had and pulled you towards the entrance of the alley. 

Before the two of you reached the end of the alley you glanced up at his face again. He looked so familiar. Is that why you decided to help him? "Who are you?" you asked half to yourself. 

He looked down at you and a smiled tugged at the edges of his mouth. "My name is Bobby," he stated before pulling up his hood and pulling you out ot the alley. As he swung you around the corner at a brisk walk suddenly realization hit in your mind like a lightning strike. 

Bobby.

Bobby Kim.

iKon's Bobby.