The apartment building was a far cry from her parents’ home but it was nonetheless welcoming enough, Jeon Soyeon thought to herself.

“Hi there, neighbor,” an unfamiliar voice said, “Do you need some help?”

She looked up from the haphazard crowd of boxes being unloaded from the truck, before locking gazes with a stranger who looked to be going into the same apartment building as she was.

She placed her hands on her hips. “Hi,” she said, lifting a particularly heavy box onto a trolley, “Well, honestly, I could, if not for the fact that accepting help from a complete stranger isn’t sketchy. Or the fact that I’d be inconveniencing a well-meaning neighbor.”

He chuckled, taking out a room key card. “Don’t worry. I definitely live here,” he said, “As a matter of fact, on the seventh floor.”

Soyeon’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, that’s my floor too.”

“Alright, so which one’s going up first?”

“Are you sure I’m not being a burden?”

He laughed. “What are neighbors for?”

That was how the tall, curly-haired stranger became not only the only person to help her move in, but was her next door neighbor too.

Soyeon didn’t want to admit it, but there was something almost serendipitous about the way he appeared in her life. Much like a guardian angel, he, too, was going through the motions of adulting, and had recently moved in a year prior to her arrival.

Unlike her, he was balancing university classes and work at the same time, to make ends meet while pursuing his bachelor’s in computer science.

As the weeks passed, they would run into each other a lot: in the neighborhood supermarket, at the lobby, in the street, at the park. He had even hosted a spontaneous housewarming party, which was mostly him bringing drinks over to her place and proceeding to make dumb jokes until they were drunk and all they could do was laugh at anything the other was saying.

And then there were the dinner nights, where she went over for dinner; he cooked a mean steak, and had an incredible sense of humor for someone who had to learn programming day after day.

Not only had he given her a tour of his bedroom, which was filled with papers strewn across his desk, and various notes pinned to a large corkboard, they had even been stuck in an elevator with a particularly anxious woman from the tenth floor, whose dog was barking incessantly the whole time.

Needless to say, their shared experience was enriching, to say the least. Weeks had passed since they first met, and while Soyeon was sure that she wasn’t looking for a lifelong companion whenever her parents ever brought up the subject of having a boyfriend, she liked to think that he was partly the reason why.

I mean, he’s tall, dark and handsome. What would he do with a Netflix-bingeing couch potato like me when he’s too busy spending late nights with his university projects?

“Morning.”

She looked up from the door, realizing that the person who just said that was looking at me. “Oh, morning, neighbor!” she said with an embarrassed laugh, “Didn’t see you there!”

He stood outside the apartment next door, hands in his pockets, just as she unlocked her door. “A little too chilly to go for a jog, though, isn’t it?”

Soyeon grinned, vapor escaping her lips as she breathed. “Nasty weather. Wasn’t expecting it.”

He nodded. “Well, you have a nice day,” he bade her, “Keep warm.”

“Sure,” she told him, “You too!”

He waved, walking towards the elevator, as she entered the house, running towards the switch to turn on the heater.

Going out in a sweater and leggings during a full-blown blizzard is definitely not an ideal situation.

Soyeon reached into her pocket, taking out her phone as her cold fingers flew over the letters.

‘You’ve got to think of a better one than that Minnie,’ she typed into her group chat. ‘Told you I won’t back down from a dare. Even if it means going for a run in sweats.’

‘Oh, I’m saving the best for last.’

She raised an eyebrow. ‘Give me your best.’

She shivered, taking off the damp sweater as she went to change into dry clothes, before throwing on a winter coat, if only to keep warm.

Her phone dinged, and she opened the text Minnie had replied with.

A little gasp fluttered out of her lips. “No,” she breathed, letting out an incredulous laugh, “Oh, Minnie, you disgusting human being.”

‘Think you still can win?’

She brought the phone to her lips. “That’s not fair!” she yelled, recording her voice, before throwing her phone on the couch.

Feeling warmer, Soyeon was searching for her house key card when she realized it was still in the door cardslot.

“You really are one of the stupidest people in town,” she muttered, taking it out just as her neighbor appeared.

"Hi, neighbor."

“Hello there,” she said with a smile, sliding the card into her pocket.

Hands filled with grocery bags, he set them down at his feet with a tired - but still winning - smile. “Nice coat.”

“Thanks. Was the fastest thing I could put on to stay warm.”

“It looks like it’s working. You definitely look less frozen.”

“And you look like you could use an extra hand,” she replied smoothly, walking over to help take some of his plastic bags, “Let me help.”

“Oh, no, it’s not-”

“What are neighbors for?”

He paused, tilting his head. “Good one, using my own words against me.”

“Well, it’s part of my dictionary now,” she said, easily carrying four bags on each arm, leaving him with two. “I know my way to the kitchen, don’t worry.”

She walked into the house as he trailed behind, straight to the kitchen where she dumped them on the counter.

“Thanks,” he said, “I should have asked if you wanted to go to the supermarket earlier.”

“Well, my dad literally sent over a whole month’s supply of food, so I think I’m cool,” she said, leaning against the counter, “I’m old enough.”

He shrugged. “You’re an only child,” he pointed out, “It’s easy to be overprotective. And he has a reason to worry.”

She rolled her eyes. “Is it because I’m a woman?”

He scoffed. “Of course not,” he rebutted, “It’s because you ran outside as if it was summer again. Do you want to get hypothermia or something?”

I grinned. “It was a dare,” she said, “My friends and I are exchanging ten dares. She told me to run in leggings and a sweater, and I can’t lose.”

“So you’d rather die than lose?”

She folded her arms over her chest. “Isn’t the answer obvious?”

He chuckled, a sound she associated with a feeling akin to being in someone’s arms. A shiver ran down her spine as he laughed again.

“You girls are impossible,” he said, taking off the scarf from his neck, tossing it into the laundry basket. “Whiskey?”

She clapped excitedly, walking to the refrigerator to take the ice cubes while he prepared the glasses. “I thought you’d never ask.”

He shook his head as he poured the drink, passing one glass to her. “So, tell me, what other crazy things have you done so far?”

She frowned, trying to remember off the top of her head. “I went to the mall’s concierge and told them I was missing a small child,” she said, “I threw snowballs at unsuspecting kids at the playground, I sang in the supermarket-”

“Yup, I think I’m going to stop you right there,” he interjected, “I’ve heard enough.”

“Wait till you see the last one.”

He poured more whiskey into their glasses. “What’s the last one?”

“I’m definitely not letting you know,” she said, gulping it down, “She gave me something I don’t think I can do.”

He leaned against the counter beside her, and, if she were honest, it was a little too close for comfort, but she didn’t shy away. “And what’s that?” he asked, curious.

She sighed, reaching for the bottle to pour into her glass. “It’s embarrassing.”

“What could be more embarrassing than-”

“Making out with a guy," she interrupted him, taking a long swig, "Yeah, no thanks.”

The seconds that passed were deadly quiet, and she felt awkwardness creep up on her.

“First of all,” she said, “Unlike Minnie, I am not a regular at the club. She’s kissed more guys than I ever will in a lifetime, and I am a hundred percent sure, with my single , that I can’t-”

“Oh, sure you can.”

“And how would a bored computer programming student know all this?”

“I said I was bored. I never said I was boring,” he told her, “It’s easy, all you have to do is be near him, and he’ll just hook his hand around your waist and bam, it’s over.”

She looked up, rolling her eyes. “Easy for you to say.”

“Easy to do too.”

She watched his gaze drop to her lips, and her heart did a somersault.

At that moment, she was brought back to that moment when they had been stuck in the elevator. He had looked at her with an unreadable expression, and she had been confused by it because of how he had stared at her lips then.

She in a deep breath. “Do it, then,” she whispered.

He stared at her, raising an eyebrow. “Are you okay with this?”

She tried not to shudder listening to the rasp of his voice.

“I mean,” she continued, “What’s the worst that could happen?”

He gulped the rest of his whiskey, before slamming it down on the counter. “ it.”

The sudden swearing sent her reeling. “I’m sorry, did you just say-”

It happened so quickly.

His arm curled around her, and she could feel the warmth of his body through their coats as he pulled her towards him, the rest of her words lost against his whiskey-tainted lips.

Soyeon’s heart almost jumped out of her chest, feeling the rush of adrenaline as she melted into the kiss, yielding to the sensation of their bodies pressed together. She felt his fingers grazing her jaw, tilting her head back, sparking off tremors that erupted everywhere.

She couldn’t breathe; there were too many things overwhelming her senses, too many sensations inside of her that she had never felt before, and while this was absolutely not how she had expected this evening to go, it suddenly seemed to be all she could cling to.

It felt like hours when he eventually pulled away from her.

He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve wanted to do this for the longest time.”

A stupid high-pitched giggle escaped her lips. “I find that pretty hard to believe.”

“You wouldn’t know. I don’t think you realize how charming you are.”

“Took the words right out of my mouth,” she said, leaning back.

“What did you say?”

I said, you took the words right out of my-”

His head dipped towards hers again, and she laughed against his lips. “You didn’t have to take it literally!”

“I’m pretty sure this is too fancy for me.”

“Nonsense, red and gold is a perfect combination,” she said, hanging their clothes side by side, “Perfect for your first meeting with my parents.”

His arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and she felt her neck tickle as he peppered little kisses there. “Whatever you say,” he murmured against her skin, “I hope they don’t eat me alive.”

“They won’t,” she began, “I might have to warn you about my dad. He’s overprotective as hell.”

“Who wouldn’t be?” he said, letting her go only to lift her into his arms, spinning her round and round.

She held onto him, throwing her head back and laughing, before they collapsed on her bed in a fit of giggles.

She looked down at him fondly, playing with his hair. “I love your hair, it’s so fluffy and-”

“I love you,” he suddenly said.

“I love me too,” she responded cheekily, as he pouted.

“You don’t have to say it back, but I want to let you know how I felt,” he told her, as she laid down beside him, intertwining their fingers together, “Even if one day we’re no longer together, I want you to know that at this point, I love you like I'll love you for a whole lifetime.”

“Hush, don’t say such sad things,” she said, curling up against him. He made her feel safe and sound, despite the fact that sometimes he was like a little puppy asking for affection.

Before she shut her eyes, her words were a slurry whisper.

“I love you too.”

“Jeon Soyeon! Aigoo, this girl.”

She felt someone shaking her arm, and tendrils of her dream held onto the edges of consciousness as she blinked up at her mother’s face, illuminated by the bright light of the morning.

“Eomma?” she asked, hoarse.

“You’ll be late, get up!” came the loud response, “Your father’s bought breakfast, wake up and get ready, and he’ll send you to school before he goes to work.”

“I- there’s school?”

Her mother paused at the doorway. “Wow, Soyeon. Did you live in an alternate reality where you were no longer in school?” she remarked, shaking her head, “I swear, sometimes, I don’t understand you.”

She left the room, leaving Soyeon confused - and frankly, heartbroken.

Scratching her head, she looked around, seeing her familiar bedroom walls. A longing ached in her heart, and she tried desperately to remember the man she had so loved in her dreams, a man whose name she couldn’t remember getting, whose face she had no recollection of.

She fell back against the pillows, hugging it to her chest, wondering how it was possible that she could love someone her mind had conjured so much that she now felt empty without it.

Shutting her eyes, she felt his searing kisses, the cute smiles, the endless memories which had all been a figment of her imagination.

It had all felt so real.