Your legs are on fire and your lungs are close to giving out. You can’t stop running though, he’s close behind. Weaving in and out of crowds and cutting through alleyways you try desperately to shake him. He’s still on your trail, stuck behind a group of tourists but his eyes are locked on you. You don’t look back you just keep running, it doesn’t matter where as long as it’s away from him.

Unfortunately your body decides otherwise, stamina depleting and leaving you gasping for air. Leaning against an unmarked brick building you take haggard breaths that swirl in lazy spirals of fog in front of you. The air is painful, cold and bitter as it enters your burning lungs. Wincing you try to even out your breaths to no avail, having to continue on before he catches up again.

Running again you follow the narrow passage way between the brick buildings until you reach a broad open parking lot of apartment complexes. Glancing around you note you’ve made it back home and start the trek back to your unit. Getting into the tall building you punch the button for the elevator and fight the urge to slide onto the floor to rest. No, you’re almost there just stand a little longer.

When the elevator finally comes and opens with a ding you hurry inside and repeatedly jab your floor’s button. It doesn’t do anything to speed up the process but you do it anyway, willing it to quicken the elevator’s lifts. As the doors slide close you catch a glimpse of a horribly familiar figure entering the building. Thankfully the door close before he realizes it’s you riding up to safety. With a relieved sigh you press your back against a cool wall that’s soothing to your feverish skin underneath the layers of clothing you wear.

That was really close, he almost had you. Well, he still might have you. He’s here in the building and probably on his way to your apartment. If he’s quick up the stairs he may actually beat you to it. With that in mind you quickly press the floor below yours. The moment it opens you rush out, hearing footsteps in the stairwell as you jog past it. Reaching the end of the hall you knock on the door and worriedly stare down the hall expecting him to appear at any second.

Distracted you’re startled by the door opening, jumping and nearly falling over. You’re grabbed by the wrist and kept upright to avoid a particularly painful fall.

“Are you alright? Not exactly what I was expecting when I opened the door.” your savior and close friend, Jongup, jokes. Without replying you hurry inside and pull him in with you, not wanting to risk him hearing you in the hall. Once in the living room you release him and settle yourself on the couch silently and pull up your scarf to hide your face. There are new bruises that stain your cheeks and neck (as well as various other parts of your body) you’d rather he didn’t see. That’s why you were running from him, your ex-boyfriend. Let’s just say he wasn’t too keen on becoming your ex­-boyfriend despite having broken up with him over a month ago.

“So, what’s the occasion? Or are you just hanging out here because you got bored of your unit?” he asks plopping down beside you. Again you don’t respond, ears waiting for the footsteps to sound upstairs. Your unit is right above Jongup’s. If he’s there pounding on your door you’ll be able to hear it.

“Hey, are you alright? You’re being quieter than usual.” he mumbles concerned, prodding your arm like a child.

“Y-yeah,” you clear your throat, voice hoarse from being half strangled, “I’m fine.”

He doesn’t believe you, eyes going straight to your scarf. “Are you getting a cold or something? Seriously, you don’t sound okay.” he chides furrowing his brows. You shake your head without another word. You don’t want him to get involved in this. This is your problem, not his. He shouldn’t get worked up about this. Though, the reason you broke up with your furious ex-boyfriend in the first place was because of him. Honestly, he was an attempt to make Jongup jealous but, it escalated a little too far so you called it off. That didn’t bode well with him and now you’re being hunted down.

Still, it’s none of his concern. You can handle this on your own.

“Fine, if you say so. If you’re actually sick though I’m going to force feed you soup later.” he threatens waving his finger firmly to emphasize his seriousness. You crack a smile, suppressing a wince, and swat his hand away.

“You’re real intimidating, you know that?” you say sarcastically, regretting it when your voice falters involuntarily. Clearing it again you turn away from Jongup’s pained expression.

“I don’t care what you say, you’re not okay. I’m getting you some hot chocolate.” he says hopping up and bounding into the kitchen.

“No,” your voice decides to crack this time, great, “it’s alright.”

“Just shut up and let me take care of you.” he calls just as a chorus of thuds sound from above. You freeze, listening to him bang on your door and call your name incessantly. He sounds positively livid. Shrinking into the couch you hope Jongup doesn’t hear him over the sounds of his rummaging in the kitchen.

“Sounds like he’s back for a visit.” you hear him mutter, less discreet than he intended to be. Pressing your lips into a tight line you disregard the comment and wait for the pounding to end. It doesn’t. Even after Jongup brings you a steaming mug of hot chocolate (with a happy face drawn in cream) the knocking only seems to be getting louder.

“Ugh, can I call security for this? I’m pretty sure this falls under the being-a-complete-stalker-and-public-nuisance category of disturbances here. Your boyfriend sure is a piece of work.” Jongup complains digging the heels of his palms into his eyes. Holding the mug carefully in your hands you stare at the happy face for a long time before setting it down.

“He’s not my boyfriend anymore.” you mutter croakily, turning your attention to the ceiling. The racket he causes continues and it’s starting to give you a headache.

“H-he’s not? Since when?” Jongup asks taken aback.

“It’s been at least a month now.” That’s when you told him it was over. He took it hard but it started with pleas of “take me back” then somehow worsened into the aggressive violence he inflicts upon you now.

“A month? Really? That’s… A lot longer than I thought…” he mumbles more to himself than you. When done with that train of thought he gives you a quizzical look then asks, “If he’s not your boyfriend then why is he always here?”

“I don’t know, maybe he’s trying to win me back or something. Listen I’m going to try and talk some sense into him before he knocks down my door.” you say pushing yourself of the couch. Keeping your back to him you leave calling grateful thanks over your shoulder. You don’t get far, Jongup grabbing your wrist to stop you. Unknowingly he presses on bruises formed the same way (though considerably tighter) on your tender joint. Jerking away you let out a small yelp that startles the two of you.

“I-I’m sorry, did I… Are you okay?” he asks softly with guilt ridden eyes.

A heavy silence follows, you refusing to admit what happened to you while he hopes he hasn’t seriously hurt you.

“I’m fine.” you finally say, sharper than intended. He holds out a hand to stop you from turning away, afraid to hurt you again.

“Can’t you just tell me what’s wrong? I want to help you. Please.” he murmurs sincerely, dropping his hand limp to his side. A part of you wants to tell him, a part of you wants him to comfort you. The part that wins over though is the part that reminds you this is your problem, not his and you can handle it yourself.

“I told you, I’m fine. I’ll get him to leave now, thanks for the hot chocolate.” you reply with finality. Before he says anything else you spin on your heel and exit his apartment. With deliberate steps you make your way down the hall and up the stairs. On flight up you find yourself hesitating at the hallway’s opening.

He’s probably going to hit you again. Who knows, he may do worse.

Swallowing your fear you step out into the hallway and head straight for your apartment. He’s still standing there banging on your door like a lunatic shouting your name. As you near the end of the hallway he notices someone else is with him and glares at you. Realizing the disturbance is you he detaches himself from your door and stalks toward you. You don’t stop walking instead keeping your strides purposeful and confident. The façade of courage falters the instant he grabs your collar.

“How dare you walk out on me? After all I did for you, you ungrateful .” he spits furiously shaking you, the smell of alcohol laced in his hating words. That’s probably why he’s so intent on getting you today. You don’t react beyond a few winces, otherwise keeping silent.

“Now you’re not talking to me? Am I not good enough for even your words now? Huh?!” he shouts throwing you against a wall. The wind gets knocked out of you, your head rattling from the force he used to pin you down. Regardless you adamantly stay silent, staring past him blankly.

“Answer me!” he yells a loud crack of his hand slapping you across the face following. Tears blur your vision and your already bruised cheek throbs painfully with sharp stings. You keep your head down, refusing to let him see your tears. It’s a useless attempt, his hand grabbing your face and roughly lifting it to look him in the eyes. His thumb presses harshly into the pulsing of your cheek, adding to the acute pain already present. Hot involuntary tears spill freely down your face that makes him smirk smugly with crookedness.

“Oh look, I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you cry. Well, too late now. I don’t care.” he drawls narrowing his eyes in a poisonous glare.

“Well, I do.” a voice down the hall, Jongup, calls with an unnerving calm.

Incredulously your ex-boyfriend releases you, leaving you to slide to the floor with unsteady legs, and stomps angrily toward your friend. With shaking hands you wipe away the tracks of salt on your cheeks and try to tell Jongup to leave. Your voice is caught in your throat, half of your face numbing and making speech difficult anyway.

“Who the hell are you? My replacement?” he mocks with venom dripping from his words.

“No, I’m a better man than you’ve ever been to her.” Jongup replies unaffected by his jeering.

“Better man? Really? As if this dirty could-”It’s at that moment you see a side of Jongup you didn’t know he had. With a quick swing of his arm he punches your ex-boyfriend square in the jaw, sending him straight to the floor. A loud thump and groan fills the bleak silence that follows. Sweet and shy Jongup just punched your ex-boyfriend nearly unconscious.

“She’s not a dirty , you useless waste of life.” he hisses with more venom you’re the other could manage. When he tries to get up Jongup retaliates with a powerful kick to the ribs. You swear you hear something snap. Maybe something did, he doesn’t try to get back up after that, weakly into the ground in pain.

Turning away from the crumpled heap of your ex-boyfriend you try to stand. Managing to get half way up you’re lifted the rest of the way up by Jongup offering you a hand and carefully pulling you up. Now standing upright, albeit heavily depending on the wall, you try to murmur thanks but your voice fails you again. An aggrieved sigh leaves his lips and he buries his face in his hands earlier anger dissipating into nothing.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner, I-I wasn’t sure if I should come after you… This wouldn’t have happened to you if I did. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I just-this is my fault. It’s because I didn’t come earlier that you’re hurt. I’m so, so sorry. I-” he stops his apology only for a moment when you pull his hands down, “Listen I can’t tell you just how sorry-”

You don’t let him finish. On a whim you throw your arms around his neck and pull him down to meet your lips with his. It’s quick and fleeting but it leaves a dark flush of color across your cheeks. Your heart’s beating faster than when you were running through the city. The pain in your cheek doesn’t even bother you anymore. You blink several times in a daze before dropping your arms with a new shade of red spilling across your cheeks.

“I-I’m sorry if you didn’t-I mean I just…” you trail your wavering voice off unsure what you even meant to say. Is there anything you can say after that? You’re pretty sure this is a one sided thing so that was probably uncomfortable for him. The baffled look he gives you is hard to look at, the bewildered gaze assuring your theory of an unrequited emotion. Looks like it’s your turn to apologize for an unintentional mistake you made.

“Jongup, can we just pretend I didn’t-”

He catches your words with his lips your failing words brought to a sudden end. Unlike before the kiss lasts, the very feeling of his supple lips against yours enough to make your heart burst. It’s gentle with a saccharine taste that makes you dizzy. The moment is abruptly stopped when he accidentally presses against one of the various bruises speckling your skin. With a small shout of surprise the two of you jerk apart. Realizing what he did Jongup immediately begins apologizing, genuinely upset he’d hurt you, accident or not.

“It’s alright, I’m fine, really.” you add firmly seeing his distraught expression. He lets himself loosen with your assurance, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“I’ll be more careful,” his eyes flit to the groaning form of your ex-boyfriend then back to you, “and I’ll make sure no one ever hurts you again. I promise.”

You wrap your arms around his middle, ignoring the dull aches of old injuries. “Thank you.” you mumble into his shirt.

Cautiously doing the same he holds you close, gently running a hand through your hair.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll start by calling the police to pick him up.” he replies decidedly. You nod then pull away just enough to see his face.

“By the way, can I have the rest of my hot chocolate?”

He chuckles. “Come on, it’s waiting for you down stairs.”