I could feel the hard muscles of his forearm pushing against my collarbone, holding me back. His breath was hot against my ear. I swallowed the lump in my throat and chewed on my lip, trembling beneath his touch. My lips parted as I started to speak, but his voice, husky and low, interrupted me sharply. "Shh. Don't talk." I felt my face grow hot with embarrassment as his breath whisked across my cheekbone, smelling faintly of cigarette smoke. The rough brick scraped against my back and I could feel the ridges catching on my clothing, his arm pressing me harder against the wall. I watched the nape of his neck as he turned his head away, looking to see if Choi Jooyoung's thug had left. His shoulders were tense and I sensed his unease. His breath hitched as the sounds of hurried footsteps, clumsy and heavy, approached. My heart sped up and I started to sweat, fearing we'd be caught. I flinched and squeezed my eyes shut as I said a silent prayer in my head. Suddenly, I felt the man's arm leave my chest and I could sense his body heat looming over me. His hands held onto my shoulders firmly, his fingers digging into my skin. He covered my body with his, and his musty cologne wafted into my nostrils as I gasped in surprise. I kept my eyes closed, terrified of what I might see if I were to open them. We stood still like this for a moment longer as the footsteps faded and the last remnants of the sound pattered softly into silence. His grip released and I let out a suffocated breath I didn't even know I had been holding in.

"He's gone. Where do you live? I'll take you back. You shouldn't be out here by yourself right now."

I let my eyelids flick open and my gaze grazed across his chest and up to his eyes, still alert and looking off toward the alley's exit.

"We should leave now. If we stand around any longer he'll be back before you know it."