You were careful. You were always careful.

You’ve done this for the last two years, but now you’re finally caught.

Well, you haven’t done anything wrong. You’ve just been avoiding him.

Kim Junmyeon

Sigh

Where do you start describing Kim Junmyeon?

The ever hardworking Kim Junmyeon who is always the first and last person at your workplace. The Kim Junmyeon who has a perfect attendance. The diligent, nice, always awesome at what he does and not to mention, handsome Junmyeon. Who is always the life of the party in the office and is friends with everyone.

Everyone except you.

You.

You who avoid people. Avoid company dinners and get-togethers. You who can’t seem to fit with your colleagues because they love drinking and going out almost every night, you only want to curl and cuddle up in bed with your cat, sipping your hot cocoa while reading a good book.

You don’t hate people, no. Not at all. You just hate shallow socializing.

You avoid people so much that Kim Junmyeon doesn’t even know that not only are you, coworkers, you’re also neighbors.

You live on the 5th floor, he lives in 7th.

You were careful. Always, ALWAYS careful. Making sure he’s not around whenever you need to go out.

But now you’re caught, red-handed at that!

Literally red-handed. A red envelope in your hand as you exit the mailroom. You open the door and he’s right there in front of you. Eyes as wide as yours. He said your name in complete surprise, wondering what you were doing in the apartment building he doesn’t know you both share.

“W—What are you… What are you doing here?”

He asks, eyes shrinking back to normal size.

Your heart raced all of a sudden.

“I—I was just getting my m—mail?”

“You live here too? For how long?”

“For 3 years now.”

You answered honestly.

Since that fateful day, you can’t seem to fend him off anymore. Even if you left the office a few minutes earlier than him, he’ll always be back in the apartment building the same time or catching up with you.

You don’t seem to notice the smile Junmyeon throws your way whenever he sees you. You never notice them even before. You dodge his gaze, especially now that he knows.

“Oooh, I heard you’re neighbors with Junmyeon Hyung, huh.”

Sehun, the resident man-child in the office, suddenly teases when the two of you were left alone in the pantry. You were just going to get a glass of water, not be attacked this way. You should’ve opted for a water jug on your cubicle table!

“I—Yeah, it seems like we are. I just—f-found out too that we live in th—”

Your sentence was cut short when Junmyeon and Mina came in.

Ugh, Mina.

Mina who is always so touchy and grabby to the handsome men in your team. She’s extra insatiable for Junmyeon and for some reason, that pisses you off the most.

She’s the hot girl every single one with dangling between their legs fantasizes about, even Sehun used to.

“You must be Junmyeon Hyung’s stalker.”

Sehun teases some more, fully aware that the subject of your prompt conversation is in the vicinity and can hear him clearly.

You smiled. A very awkward one. The kind of smile that makes you seem guilty even though you know you did nothing wrong. The kind of smile that made Mina gave you a look of disgust.

“I’m just kidding, loosen up.”

Sehun calls out as you walk away from the three of them, back to the comforts of your cubicle in the far corner. No one dares to go there because it was the coldest part of the office. Surely they won’t bother you anymore.

When the clock strikes 6 PM, you immediately saves and closes the file you were working on. Tonight you will beat Junmyeon. He will not see and ride with you on the elevator tonight. You wouldn’t have to do small talks with him, not with the awkward scene with Sehun and Mina a while ago.

The elevator in your flat is taking extra long tonight. it, you’re taking the stairs. It’s only 5 floors up, you can do it.

You’d rather tire yourself than ever see Junmyeon. He doesn’t have to judge you tonight. You wouldn’t let that happen!

Dammit, why can’t you just live in peace? Why do you have to have a stupid office crush on someone you know who will never see you like how most men see Mina? You’re positive that all men are the same. They have the same taste in women and you’re not on the menu.

As you set foot on the last step of the stairs on your floor, you let out a frustrated but satisfied groan and a celebratory stretch.

“Wow, I didn’t know you take the stairs too.”

!

You tried hanging on to the handles, but your left foot craned on the other side of the bars. It was too late.

You closed your eyes as you brace yourself to nose dive and tumble your way down to your untimely death.

But strong arms suddenly caught you by your waist.

“Are you okay?”

His soft and angelic voice is right by your ear, his breath fanning lightly on the skin of your neck like a gentle breeze blowing on a beautiful autumn’s day.

His nose scrunches up as you sob slightly when you tried stepping on your left foot.

“I—I think I sprained my foot.”

“Come on I’ll help you. What’s your door number?”

Junmyeon slowly lowers you on your couch, dropping your bag from his shoulder beside you. Your cat immediately jumps up on your lap, covering you protectively from the unknown stranger. You nuzzle your nose on its fur and let it down on the floor as if to tell your cat that the stranger is harmless. It stares at Junmyeon for a few seconds before walking out to do its business somewhere else, its tail swaying left and right as it walks away to the direction of the food bowl.

“Where’s your first aid kit?”

He asks as he looks around your cozy apartment.

“There’s one over there, inside the first case.”

You responded while pointing at a cabinet drawer where you have empty vases decorated on top.

With the first aid kit on hand, Junmyeon gets down on one knee in front of you. Setting the small bag down beside your foot, he opens it up to look for a sprain balm.

“You don’t have to do this, Junmyeon-ssi.”

“It’s fine.”

He simply returns with a genuine smile on his face.

“Are you avoiding me?”

He asks after a few minutes of not talking.

“No!”

Your reply was rushed, implying that you’re actually lying and that, yes, you are avoiding him.

“Have I said something wrong to you?”

“What—”

“Have I done something wrong that left a bad taste in your mouth?”

His eyes were twinkling as he looks upon you questioningly.

“No—no. You’re a good person, Junmyeon-ssi.”

“You’re not serious, right? I know I joke all the time but—”

“I promise on my life, on my cat’s life, on the puppy next door’s life. That’s how serious I am.”

Finishing his initial treatment on your now throbbing foot, Junmyeon sat beside you with his pretty boy smile.

“Well, then can I ask you out on a date?“

His eyes twinkled yet again.

“After your foot healed.”

He added.

“After my foot healed.”

You assure with a pleasant beam and he fist bumps the air with a silent ‘Yes!’