Never had I thought it possible to miss someone so desperately. The confines of the four white walls of the lab were literally driving me insane, and even Jeff's usual silence was starting to frustrate me terribly. Heck, we were both agitated with each other by this point. Despite the sleep study continuing rather flawlessly, post-experiment work proved to be a bigger drag and we had taken an oath to minimalize any contact with the outside world until the completion of a certain quota. This meant no night or day, no regular eating or sleeping. Most painfully, that also meant no Ji Yong. 

"Jeff! You inputted the variables the wrong way around, you idiot." I slide the papers in front of him on the desk. Great, another hour lost. Jeff picks them up and slowly holds it up high, squinting at the numbers as if it would somehow grant him more clarification.

"Hm. They do look a little bit weird," he calmly notes. Really? That's it? If I could throw something at him right now, I would. "Erika let's just call it a day," he finally decides, "You've clearly been emotionally unstable these past few days, and I'm... unstable in general. Nothing's going to get done at this rate. Look at my eyes, they're not even open anymore. They honestly haven't been for the last six hours." Despite my obvious PMS-ing, I knew that he was right. 

"Fine," I say, giving up. I grab my car keys. "I'll drop you off at the nearest bus station. Let's leave before I change my mind." Without a second thought we gather up our personal belongings and leave the prison cell. 

Once Jeff is on his bus, I check my texts to see if Ji Yong had responded. There was one message from him and about twenty from Jess. She was in denial over her relationship with Grey, afraid of committing but finding herself running to him every second she's awake. Then there's us. Ji Yong and I, sure about our feelings, but we never have the time to just be with each other. Words on an LED screen can only do so much to ease the longing. Over the course of the past few days, the name Edan had spread like wildfire online as Cole's debut single was recently released. People were starting to put two and two together. He tells me about his growing requests, the progress of Cole's full album and meeting all of these famous people half of whose names I recognize, the others coming up empty. Truthfully, a dark and tiny corner of my heart was starting to feel scared. Of what, I had no idea. Honestly, I didn't want to know because what we have here, our own little world was more than enough. I throw the phone into the backseat and make my way home. The sun glows a perfect ember of orange as it starts to set behind the metropolitan buildings and a couple of rays blind my eyes as they reflect off the tinted windows. I reach out to grab my sunglasses, loving the feel of natural warmth on my body. I swear that stupid lab made my skin paler.

Within a few minutes, I was lying down on the couch, body curled up and turned towards the television as I put on a box DVD set of one of the many makjang dramas that make-up our prided Korean television network. Shrilly screams, zoomed in angry faces and tear streaked cheeks were the perfect concoction for sleeping; and soon it had worked. No sooner had I started dreaming about being the long lost first love of a rich guy that I get spurred awake from the desperate bell ringing on my door. It soon came with an equally frantic door banging and a shout of my name.

“Lee Ri Ah! Open the door!” There was only one person in the entire the world that called me that. Without notice, my eyes start to water and I basically sprint to the door, open it and crash into his arms.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Concern was in his voice, and that only made me squeeze him even tighter. I feel his chest vibrate as he chuckles a little and starts lovingly my hair. “I know, I miss you too,” he finally says. He didn’t even know the half of it. The spikes on his leather jacket were digging into my arms, but that was the least of my worries. He was here, on my door step, and that was all that mattered.

“But, why are you here?” I ask as soon as I was comfortable enough to let him go.

“You! Why don’t you answer my texts and pick up my calls? I thought we agreed to always keep in contact, Ri Ah. You haven’t replied for hours! Do you have any idea how worried I was?” Oh crap. I realized I had left my phone in the backseat of the car. But if that meant Ji Yong would magically show up at my house then I was prepared to do it again and take all the consequences that came along with it. Carefully I take his hand and lace my fingers through his.

“It was in my car, and I fell asleep,” I slowly explain,“I’m sorry. I really missed you, you know? Please don’t be mad.” Using my other I hand, I his cheek. His hair had gotten longer, I suddenly notice. The old bald cut has now turned into longer spikes although his sides were kept short. This was getting ridiculous, has it been that long since I last saw him?

“Idiot.” He sighs.“You should have told me then. I thought you needed space to get your work in order so I thought leaving you alone was the best thing to do.”

“Leaving me alone is a stupid idea. Albeit my stupid idea, but a stupid idea all the same,” I say, “But I also know you’ve been really busy, so I dealt with it. I understand Ji Yong.” He leans forwards, cups my face, and lands a soft kiss on my forehead, trailing it down to my eyebrows, my eyelids, my cheeks and the corner of my mouth before finally landing on my lips. The butterflies in my stomach came alive with his soft touch, until I feel his tongue graze my bottom lip and it became increasingly intense. Ah. This is why I’ve been frustrated all this time, I realize. As I feel him start to pull away, I slightly bite on his bottom lip, shake my head and lean in further. No way was I going to be satisfied so quickly. I feel him smile against the kiss, wrap his arms around me and round two begins.

“This isn’t going to work,” he decides when we finally decide to stop, a little out of breath, “I need, this.” He points to the both of us.“I need you to be more selfish with me Ri Ah-ya. Call me whenever, come to see me, do what you like. I want to be with you. Don’t even think about my work, that’s my problem.” He searches around a little in his pockets and takes out two keys. One had the label ‘house’ the other ‘studio’. Both he gives to me.

“Are you serious?”

“I couldn’t be more serious. Come tomorrow when you’re done, doesn’t matter how late.” He smiles, tousles my hair a little and starts to walk towards his car. He’s leaving? Is he kidding me? After all the making out we just did?

“You’re not coming in!?” I suddenly blurt out. Oh dear god, how embarrassing.

“If I come in, I have no idea when I’m going to come out again. We both have work tomorrow, remember?” He gives me a small wink and gets into his car. Damn him and his smart mouth, why does he always have to have the last word in everything?

AN: Again, thanks to all the readers and subscribers, you guys make writing even more rewarding. Don't forgot to complete the poll, Tae yang and his beau will be appearing in about two chapters. I'm sorry I won't be writing anything in the next ten days because I'm in the middle of my exams, but I'll try and upload asap. Drop a comment if you have any story suggestions or otherwise! =)