Lightly dozing off, Himchan heard a voice outside his door.

     “Hmm, this must be the right place,” a female voice whispered.

Squinting his eyes, he moved closer to the door, listening for any sign of who it could be. He pressed his ear up to the door and was barely breathing when a loud knock caused him to jump back.

Regaining his composure, he slowly opened the door revealing a doe eyed Max.

     “Oh Himchan! I guess this is the right place,” she said smiling while scratching the back of her head. Himchan shook his head, causing his black hair to flit around his face. He’s gorgeous, she thought to herself, forgetting why she had come in the first place.

     “Did you come for something?” He asked, words laced with venom unintentionally.

Looking down at the floorboards, Max held out the black studded jacket making Himchan instantly regret the tone of his voice. Reaching out to grab the jacket, he brushed his lean fingers with hers Max yanking her hand back in the process. He felt his heart twinge as she pulled away, jumping at the slight contact.

     “W-well I saw that you had left your jacket at the office and I didn’t know if you needed it or not,” she stuttered, still staring at the floorboards. His arms moved towards her, Himchan not even realizing what his body was doing until his thin arms were wrapped around her. Both of their bodies froze, Max breathing in the scent that was only his, Himchan feeling her heartbeat pound out of her chest. He leaned his head down, his lips lightly brushing her ear as he talked.

     “Thank you so much,” he whispered before pushing her shoulders away slowly. Max stared up at him, eyes wider than before, her heart still racing.

     “Wh-, uhm, I t-think I should go,” Max stuttered before turning to leave.

Himchan sighed, relieved that she was already down the stairs. He couldn’t bear to see her anymore, his brain sending messages all over his body to avoid her. If he knew anything about relationships, it was that they always failed and he always got hurt. Closing the door, he went to sit back on the couch, remembering the last relationship he had.

     “So when do I get to meet your parents?” The girl questioned while giggling.

An 18 year old Himchan looked away from the girl’s dark face; skin tanned from one too many trips to the salon. How could he tell her he was alone? His mother had died a few months before and he refused to remember his father.

     “Well, I don’t know how to tell you this but, I don't have any parents,” He sighed lightly before looked back at the girl’s face.

She looked confused for a second before bursting out laughing. Himchan didn’t understand why she thought he was joking, but she was certain that he was “completely the funniest thing ever.” He shook his head, the same mash of black hair flitting wistfully.

     “I don’t know what you think is so funny,” he said, starting to get frustrated because she wasn’t listening. Not like she ever listened in the first place, but he liked to believe she did. He loved her, in his mind anyway, she was the most gorgeous girl he’d ever seen and she’d said that she loved him too.

He could still remember the day that she told him, he swore his heart was going to explode, but it all turned out to be a lie. The next day they were at school and she wasn't waiting beside his locker like she usually did. It wasn't until he saw her with her other friends that he knew what was happening.

     "Look, there he is! That freak with no parents," she said, words seemingly mocking everything he felt in his heart.

     "Oh my God, how can he be in high school with no parents? What a weirdo, I bet they ran away from him because he's so crazy," Another girl said laughing with the rest of the group.

Himchan's heart shredded in two as he practically ran to first period, everyone staring at him, The Boy With No Parents. That was the day he swore that he would never trust or love another girl.

The rest of senior year was a living hell for Himchan, he never got a moments peace from the teasing and bullying. He was beat up all the time and left bleeding in the halls or the bathroom, but he wouldn't fight back. He was certain it was his fault for being so stupid and trusting his first love.

Love, he had decided, was just a figment of everyone's imagination.

Letting his head fall on the arm of the couch, Himchan felt his chest begin to heave at the painful memories. He jumped up and refused to let the emotions out. I will not let that hurt me anymore, he thought firmly to himself.

He sighed and strolled into the kitchen, raiding the fridge for something he knew wouldn't be there. Grabbing a microwavable meal out of the the freezer, he threw it in the microwave and pushed the buttons calmly. She probably thinks I'm gonna her or something, he thought while staring at the platter turning in the small appliance.

Little did he know there was a therapist in the parking lot, trying to calm her nerves.

Oh my God, Max thought gripping the steering wheel tightly. She couldn't even begin to comprehend what just happened. All she knew was that her crazy attractive patient had just hugged her for bringing him his jacket...That's not too weird right? She thought slowly cranking her Fiat and putting it in drive.

Turning on Block B's Nillili Mambo, she tried to push the thoughts of Himchan out of her mind. She began to breathe deeply, shaking her head every once in a while to rid herself of thoughts of Himchan.

Finally arriving back at her apartment she walked into her bedroom, not even thinking about taking a shower or changing into her pajamas. Letting herself fall into the comforters on her bed, she decided to let her mind wander just a little. What if hadn't just been a hug? Remember that dream, I want it to come true, She thought before jolting up in her bed. What had she just thought? He was her patient, it's against the law to have a relationship with one, and she's not even sure if she wants that.

She began to meditate on the floor, chanting "I don't feel anything for him" until she almost brought herself to believe it. She had a  week to forget about everything, and she would. She was putting her foot down and refusing to let herself be drawn in by this man.

 Suddenly her phone began to ring and she rushed to pick it up, wondering who could be calling her so late. She groaned out loud before answering.

     "Yes Jongup," she said, trying not to sound so harsh.

     "Hey Max!! I was just wondering if you were free tomorrow night, I was gonna go to the movies with Junhong, but he bailed on me at the last second so I thought I would call you," he rambled quickly before pausing.

Max shook her head, knowing what would happen if she accepted, but she needed to distract herself from "Work" as he would now be referred to.

     "Yeah, I'll go with you Guppie," she replied, smiling a bit.

     "Really? That's awesome! I'll pick you up at 5:30 okay? And maybe we can go out for dinner before the movie," he said, smile prominently evident in his voice.

After a quick goodbye, Max hung up the phone. What had she just got herself into?