I walked quickly through the school hallways to my next class, avoiding people so that I wouldn't run into or get pushed or shoved by them.

Everyone was taller than me. There were a few exceptions to others who were also my height. Otherwise everyone was just so tall. They were like the buildings and skyscrapers of New York City compared to me.

I was short for my age, I guess. Most of my friends teased me and called me a little girl in middle school who was attending high school. Of course I didn't mind since they were my friends and we were all close enough to tease each other about anything. 

There were only certain people I hung out with and talked to. Otherwise I wasn't very social with anyone.

We were all close friends, these four girls and four guys whom I only talked to. 

Sooyoung and Kristina were the ones I was closest to within the group. On the guys' side, I could say I'm closer to Ren and to Miko.

But every guy in the group; Ren, Miko, Axel, and Robert were guys that I used to like before. We met, got closer, and now we were all just friends.

I mean, I didn't like them all at the same time... It went like this: I met Ren, he met Miko, who met Axel, who met Robert and then we all became friends. My feelings started from Ren to Miko to Axel to Robert and now back to Miko.

That's right; I still had small feelings for Miko which were slowly drifting away as I felt that he just acts like my older brother. 

I was already friends with Sooyoung and Kristina for more than a few years. We met two new friends, Abby and Tracy, and the eight of us just hung out altogether most of the time.

Overall, we were all close friends.

Even though I've liked so many guys, never in my life have I really experienced what love feels like; the feelings that make the human heart flutter or the cheeks become red with blush were just the basics of [wanting] to experience love.  

I've only gotten to the basics. I didn't tell the guy that I liked him, else it might ruin the friendship.

I don't really see myself as attractive or gorgeously beautiful like other girls, since I liked to dress tomboyishly most of the time and have my hair short with front side flipped bangs. I had no appeal for long hair; it annoys me in my opinion.

I've never been in a relationship, or even wanted to experience one seeing how many couples break up these days and make girls whine and cry over over it. Isn't it just a distraction to school?

I eyed a couple by the wall all up on each other making out as I turned the corner of the hallway and sighed in annoyance.

I attend school in America. I was born here under a Korean name, Han Lae Na. People call me Raina for the English version of my Korean name.

I'm in my third year of high school. My grades are high, and I'm glad that I don't have anything such as love distracting me. As much as I wanted to find someone to love me the way I see boys in a relationship show affection towards their girl,  I chose not to get involved with trying to. 

I will like someone or simply just have a crush, but I won't date or form a deep relationship with them. (Well, sometimes I want to.......) I wanted to focus on education for now. 

I sighed in relief when I entered my classroom from the crowded hallway of many students who just stood around doing whatever before class started. 

The bell rang and everyone found their assigned seats, preparing for class.

"So today," the teacher started. "You will be able to work on your Internal Assessment..."

This was how it was like every day in school: So much homework, crowded hallways, couples showing public affection everywhere, little social time with my friends...

And no experience of love, other than just having crushes.

Wouldn't it just be mind-blowingly awesome if one perfect guy just appeared out of nowhere, and made my life complete?



The next day was a weekend and I was working on finishing all of homework before cleaning up my room and then helping out my family with other chores around the house.

My parents, Kim Nori and Han Ji Woo, both worked in the same hospital and put a lot of time and effort into earning a lot to pay our bills and debts whatsoever as well as buying food and snacks for us.

My mom, Kim Nori, worked as a nurse in the hospital. I got my Korean blood from her. She can be really clingy and annoying sometimes, especially when she still treats me like a baby. I keep telling her that I can take care of myself, but she still insists on making me lunch for school or giving me goodbye kisses before I leave. 

Why can't she do that to my older brother instead...

My dad, Han Ji Woo, or Joe for his English name, worked as an engineer in the hospital. He's full Filipino, meaning that there was Filipino blood in me as well. He and my mom grew up in South Korea together as close childhood friends. My dad was raised by a Korean family which explains why he's full Filipino and has a Korean name which his children including me have inherited as our surname.

He's a cool dad, sometimes, when he's not lecturing me. I guess he can just be an overprotective father sometimes. At least he wasn't as clingy as my mom was...

In summarization, I was half Korean and half Filipino. 

I sat on my bed, engaging myself deeply into completing my homework in peace and silence until my older brother walks in to ruin it.

"Heyo, Shorty~" he sighs and carelessly leans against my door, staring at me while I'm trying to do my homework.

Han Je Jin, or Jimmy, is my older brother. He's two years older than me and likes to make fun of my height as well, just like my other close friends at school. He's in his first year of college. 

It's not my fault that I inherited my short mother's height while he got my dad's tall height. He could be a model, almost, with his pretty and handsome looks and soft looking hair. Not to mention his perfect smooth looking skin. 

"What do you want?" I asked him without looking up from my work.

Jimmy scoffed. "Do your homework later. Come on, do you want to go to the mall or not?"

I looked up at him. "Why don't you do your homework first?"

"I finished already." he said. "Come on, my friends are waiting."

"Ugh, alright I'm coming." I sighed and finished up the last sentence of the paper I was working on and then shut the book closed. I jumped off my bed and followed Jimmy down the hallway of our two story house.

"Have you heard?" he asked me.

"No," I automatically respond in a joking way. "I don't wanna hear about some new girl you saw and want to ask out,"

Jim smacked me softly in the head. "Not that, idiot. I have my eyes set on one girl already, but anyway that's not what I'm saying."

"Then what?" I asked.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer with a smirk on his face. "There's this weird rumor going around about some weird ghost that people have claimed to be seeing."

I sighed in annoyance and looked up at him. He knew that I did not like horror movies or anything scary like ghosts or demons and monsters. "Shut up,"

He scoffed. "I'm serious this time. My friends are saying that they've seen this random guy pop out of nowhere in front of people and then disappear into thin air again."

"He's probably just some magic man that uses those powdery smoke stuff to disappear..." I guessed.

"No," Jim said. "You can really see him disappear into air,"

I laughed. "Alright, Jimmy. Whatever,"

 

People have been seeing a weird random ghost around, huh? It's probably not true... Not many of us can even see ghosts or spirits. That's impossible.

My older brother took me away from doing my important homework to hang out at the mall with his friends.

"Then why did I have to go?" I asked.

"So that my parents won't think I'm off to do something stupid other than hanging out with my friends." Jim said.

"They only think that of me," I told him. "You're old enough to be independent, so you shouldn't have to worry about them..."

"I know~" he smiled and ruffled my hair out of place. "I just wanted to bring my little sister~~"

I laughed. "Do I have to stay with you for the whole time, though? I don't know your friends..."

"Do you want to go off somewhere by yourself then?" Jim asked.

I shrugged. "Can... I get some money?"

He rolled his eyes but smiled. 

 

 

 

UPDATE#2

 

I pranced and skipped by myself across the mall a little too gleefully as I browsed through many clothing or toy stores that had something that I wanted and could spend fifty bucks on.

People stared but I didn't mind. They would probably think I'm just a childish short little girl roaming around the mall by herself with fifty bucks in her pocket.

When I walked into a store of accessories with genres of metal, rock, screamo, scene, or dubstep, which were some styes of music that I liked, I looked through the clothing and accessories section.

I was looking at this dark blue hoodie of Domo when someone all of a sudden walked up to me.

"I have that hoodie," his familiar voice chuckled. "If you get it, we could be twins."

"Miko!!" I gasped, my heart bursting with excitement. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "Just looking around, and I saw you."

I nodded. "Ah, I see."

Although I still had small feelings for Miko, I was slowly realizing back and forth that I only see Miko as a brother, other than Jimmy, to look up to. 

"Should we get some coffee?" I asked him as we walked as friends around the mall and browsed some stores.

"I don't like coffee..." Miko laughed a little. "But I'll get you something,"

"Huh?" I looked up at him in confusion as to why he would do that for me. "Oh, you don't have to,"

"I insist," he smiled gently and stared back at me. 

I looked away quickly and couldn't help but blush.

Even though there are times when I feel like I just look up to him as my older brother...there are other times when he stubbornly just turns on my deeper feelings for him again.




After a few more hours of hanging out with Miko and using half of the fifty bucks that Jimmy gave me, I got a text from him to meet him out in the parking lot soon.

"I'll walk you," Miko said.

I nodded. "Thanks,"

We headed out of the mall into the parking lot to find my brother. The freezing cold night air hit our faces and sent breezes through our clothes.

"Oh my gosh, it's cold..." I gasped and caused a small cloud of breath in front of my mouth as I spoke through the cold, hugging myself to get warm. 

"I know," Miko agreed, and then it was silent between us afterwards. I looked around the parking lot for any sight of my brother.

I tried to stuff my hands in my pocket but accidentally brushed them against Miko's who was also trying to stuff his hands in his pockets. 

He laughed softly, sounding a little shaky due to the cold, and intertwined his fingers into mine.

My heart was beating quickly. I blushed and hesitated to respond, still shivering. "Uhh..."

"Raina, ---"

Just when I thought that he was going to say something important and his hand would clasp around mine, it didn't. He stopped walking.

I looked at him in confusion. "Miko? What's wrong?"

He didn't move.

I poked him to wake him up, but he still wouldn't move.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" I asked, getting a little freaked out after no movement from him for more than a few minutes. 

I took my hand out of his and waved over his face. "Helloooo?? Do you think this is a joke?"

It was as if everything just stopped. Everything around me was still and just...frozen.

"It's not that cold out, Miko!" I tried to laugh and take it as if he were kidding, "You can't freeze to death!"

There was suddenly movement nearby which made me flinch. 

There was a ball of black air that just popped out of nowhere not far from us. I stared at it in confusion as to what the heck it was.

"Miko, did you see that?" I asked my frozen friend next to me, not realizing that he wasn't going to move or respond anytime soon. I sighed and looked back at the movement that caught my attention.

Out of the black air, a figure appeared. They stood where they were and looked around.

My eyes widened in horror. The heck? Did that person................just pop out of thin air?

"We should get out of here..." I whispered to Miko.

The figure and I made eye contact, and they started to walk towards us.

"Miko!" I whispered to my friend raspily and tried to shake him, even tried pushing him to move. 

He still wouldn't move! He's like a statue!

I looked back at the figure and started panicking as he got closer and closer. That person just popped out of thin air!

Then I remembered the ghost that my brother told me about.

"There's this weird rumor going around about some weird ghost that people have claimed to be seeing."

I remembered his words about this ghost.

".... this random guy people have been seeing who just randomly pops out of nowhere..."

"... Randomly pops out of nowhere..."??? It's true?! Is there such a ghost?? No way!

 

 

 

I'll be updating this chapter piece by piece since it's so long and I don't want to update a very long chapter in one update... So I guess I'll break it down. (: There will be one picture of the applicant's ulzzang...or something else ;D........ at the end of each update per chapter. I'll do the same for the rest of the chapters with the applicants. Everyone's one shot is gonna be so long... D; ^^

 

 

UPDATE#3

 

The figure walked closer and closer to the point where I could make out his appearance; a tall slim boy not too old or too young... He looked to be about my age. 

But he looked so real... Is he really a ghost?

He walked even closer to me, seeming to take his time because he was taking very small, almost dramatic steps.

That is NOT a ghost. He obviously had real human flesh and his style was our modern style. If he was a ghost, he'd look older and have an old fashion style...

It was dark and I couldn't exactly make out his face or full appearance. 

He had something glowing on his hand, a ring probably since a bright light shone from the fingers of his hands. 

The boy had dark clothes on and his hair flew back out of his face in the wind and revealed an almost cute looking face in the dark which I couldn't see well enough. 

He stopped a few feet in front of me and just stared. His ring became brighter and brighter the more he got closer. I stared back at him curiously when I know that I should be running away.

I glanced at Miko next to me and tried elbowing him silently to see if he would move, but he still didn't. 

What the heck is going on? Why won't he move?

My heart dropped and I was sweating in fear, forgetting about the cold winter air that was freezing me to death not too long ago.

I looked around us and I realized that there were also other people who weren't moving either. Cars on the streets looked like they just parked in the middle of the road. The stoplights didn't change color from red to green or green to yellow to red.

Did..........time stop or something? I wondered. No, that couldn't be.

The guy tried to reach his hand out towards me, the one with the glowing ring, which looked like it was going to explode fireworks as his hand got even closer. 

His expression became surprised and his mouth dropped almost in amazement. Then he reached towards my face. 

I gasped and stepped back in surprise and fright, turning quickly to run as fast as I could. 

His figure suddenly appeared out of a ball of thin black air before me again, and I ran into him. 

What the... My heart dropped again and I could feel it beating rapidly inside of me. He was behind me a moment ago!! Is he really a ghost?

I looked up at him and could see him clearly now. He was a tall Korean boy who looked to be around 17 or 18, maybe even 19. I couldn't tell. He had adorable-looking baby eyes and big lips for an Asian.

He was....cute.

"Who are you?" I decided to speak, my voice high and shivering from the cold and from confusion and fright. 

I stood where I was, right smack against his body which was truly human flesh. There was no way that he was a ghost. 

He didn't answer but continued to look down at me, his expression still dumbfounded as if he discovered something new. His ring kept glowing every time I was near him. I stepped away and it dimmed just a little. He pulled me back and it glowed brightly again.

"What do you want?" I pulled away from his grasp and furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "Who are you? Why is everything not moving?"

"Kai." he said, and I heard his voice for the first time.

"What?" I asked. Oh, his voice is deep...

"My name is Kai." 

"Oh...." I nodded slowly and carelessly. "You didn't answer my questions, Kai..."

He sighed and looked off elsewhere with a smirk on his face. 

"You don't need to know." he stepped forward and bent down towards my face, pecking his lips on my forehead.

 

 

.......................................WHAT...

"See you around, little girl~" he chuckled and waved to me before disappearing into air again right before my eyes.

 

UPDATE#4

 

Pretty soon everything started to move again. I heard a car honking next to me, and I realized that I was standing in the middle of the road in front of the mall. I apologized and walked towards the side, continuing my dumbfounded confusion there.

 

Meet Han Je Jin~ (Jimmy) Lae Na's brother ^^;; hehe (ulzzang Yu Ha Min)

 

 

UPDATE#5

 

After the weekend was over, I didn't think that I was going to see that guy again....and again...and again. 

One morning on the way to the bus stop for school, I felt someone watching nearby. I felt a little creeped out but I ignored it until the bus came. 

Sometimes at night, I think I'm seeing some dark shadow in my room right before I go to sleep. I could be crazy, though, but that familiar glowing bright ring around the person's index and ring fingers on their hands wasn't hard to miss.

It's everytime I'm alone when I feel that someone is watching or is very close by me. Does that happen to anyone else who are always alone? 

There were times when I'm at the library or in my house studying while my parents and brother are gone, when I felt that someone else was in the house as well.

I knew, because I kept seeing him from the corner of my eye. I knew it was that same guy. At first I was afraid and [VERY VERY] creeped out by his presence, but now I know that he's probably always going to be that creepy person who appears and disappears out of nowhere around me for a while. 

He just doesn't know that I know that I can see him hiding.

Why does he keep following me, though....

I'll catch him off guard when I feel like it.




I sat by myself at one of the tables in the school cafeteria and waited patiently for the lunch period to be over.

I don't eat anything during school hours; I eat when I get home. 

My other friends didn't have this lunch period since they had different lunch schedules from me.

I sighed and looked around the cafeteria at others who were talking about random things which I thought were pretty stupid. 

Then again, I'm just sitting here listening to them talk about things that are none of my business.

"What's up, my bro?"

I looked up at Miko who walked up to my table and sat down in front of me. He's the only one of my close friends who had my lunch period.

"Hey," I smiled. 

"Why are you here alone?" he asked. 

I shrugged. "I always am," 

These are one of the times when I look up to him as a brother; when we're able to talk comfortably as friends.

He started talking about how our grades were and that he really wanted to keep his up. I agreed and said that I did, too, my eyes wandering around the cafeteria at the same time.

In the corner of the cafeteria closer to where I was sitting and nobody went to, I saw a figure silently pop out of nowhere. I felt his eyes looking towards my area.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, knowing it was him again.

"And then my AP Chemistry grade went down because of that stupid test--- what?" Miko was still talking about his class grades when he noticed my annoyed expression. "Am I annoying you?"

"Oh, no! No! Not at all," I laughed nervously. "It's just that, in the corner over there..."

He looked towards the corner where that guy was before. By the time he did, he disappeared. 

"There's no one there..." Miko said.

"Never mind..." I sighed and frowned in confusion at the corner where he just was. 

"What the heck was that?" one of the girls asked from the table near us. "Was that a ghost in the corner just now?"

"I didn't see anything," another girl said.

"He just appeared out of thin air!" the first girl said. "I saw!" 

"I think you're one of those special people who can see ghosts then!" another one commented. 

I mentally facepalmed myself and tried my best to ignore their stupidity. 

He's not a ghost... Why doesn't time stop anymore whenever he appears in front of people?

Maybe that's why time stopped that one night; to appear before me for some reason.

But why ME?]

Why DID time stop?

"Hey, Raina..." Miko spoke, probably changing the subject after hearing those girls say that they saw some 'ghost.' "You haven't been seeing any weird people around lately, have you?"

..... Oh. He's not changing the subject.

"I have." I responded honestly. "What about you?" 

"Just once..."he said. "When I saw you going into the classroom."

I blinked. He was watching me go into the classroom? Not Kai, Miko I mean.

"I wasn't stalking," Miko laughed nervously and defended himself. "The hallways were just empty and it was just you and me... And that one person..."

I sighed and shook my head. "I wasn't kidding about the 'ghost' I saw in the parking lot at the mall..."

"Ah, right, that night..." Miko nodded and looked off elsewhere. 

I sighed. Is he really still bothered that I accidentally left him when he wanted to hold my hand....?

"He's not a ghost, though..." I continued to avoid awkward silence. "He's human , but for some reason he can teleport to different places."

"Who are they?" he asked, actually really believing me that there is such thing as 'teleportation.' "Is it just one guy or more than one?"

"Just one," I said, then brought my voice down. "To be honest- don't tell anyone- he's been following me around lately; just appearing out of nowhere." 

"Why?" Miko furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "So wait, that was him you saw just now? Again?"

I nodded.

"What the hell is he doing?" he frowned and mumbled under his breath. "You should call the police."

I shrugged. "I don't mind. He's not doing anything to hurt me. Plus, I don't think they would even believe me when I say 'Oh some guy keeps appearing out of a cloud of black air following me around'...."

"What?" Miko frowned again, sounding a little angry at me for being sarcastically mindless. "You don't know what he could be planning. What if he's a murderer or something?" 

"Well, I'm still alive aren't I?" I sighed carelessly and rested my chin on the palm of my hand on the table. "I'm not dead."

"....yet." he added and shook his head in shame at my carelessness. "Be careful, okay?"

"I know," I said.

 

 

 

UPDATE#6

 

After the school bus dropped me off in front of my neighborhood, I made my way down the sidewalk towards my house.

I received a text and opened my phone to look at it.

"Be careful."

I smiled at Miko's text, flattered that he really cared about me.

When I felt someone's presence behind me I turned my head quickly.

"Just show yourself." I spoke out loud. "If you have something to say, say it instead of following me around all the time..."

There was no response and I couldn't help but feel stupid and embarrassed. People probably think I'm crazy talking to myself like this. 

I groaned under my breath and turned back around to continue my way home, only to run into someone.

"I'm not following you," he laughed. "I'm just..."

"... Stalking?" I jumped in surprise and let out a small yelp, rolling my eyes when I realized that it was him. "Nice to see you again, Kai."

"Oh, you remember my name." he smirked and crossed his arms. I could see his ring glowing very brightly again. 

"Why does your ring keep glowing like that?" I asked. 

"Because of you," Kai said.

"Huh?" I stared at him in confusion. 

"My ring glows because I found you," he explained. 

"What do I have to do with your ring?" I asked, "Is that why you follow me around all the time?"

He chuckled. "I knew you could see me. Why haven't you tried talking to me?"

"Because," I made a face at him as if to think he was stupid, "You always disappear before I try to. Either that or I'm already falling asleep at night."

Kai laughed again. "You even see me in your bedroom? Come on; I'm not that creepy,"

"Yes you are." I rolled my eyes and slipped past him to continue my way home. "I'll be on my way home now so you can disappear and come back later, I guess..."

That ring of his is the only reason he's following me? But why? Why do I have to be the reason his ring glows? What is that ring anyway?

Kai appeared out of a cloud of black thin air in front of me, stopping me in my path.

"What now?" I asked.

"I'll walk you home," he smiled.

"I can walk by myself." I said. 

"I insist~" a teasing smirk formed on his face to go with his playful puppy eyes.

I stared at him for a few minutes, his personality almost reminded me of Miko, and finally gave in. 

"You act like a child..." I mumbled under my breath. "And my friend..."

"Who? Your boyfriend?" he smiled and nudged me softly. 

I made a face at how close he was and stepped away. "He's not my boyfriend."

He laughed solidly and it was quiet. 

"Does that mean you're single?" I heard him mumble under his breath.

"What?" I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and grimaced, hoping he would not repeat what he just said and change the subject. He did not just ask that.

"Nothing." he chuckled. "Don't you have so many questions that you want to ask?" Kai questioned as we walked slowly down the sidewalk towards my house at the end of the street.

"Maybe," I shrugged. "Do you even know my name?" 

"Of course," he said. "Lae Na, right? Han Lae Na?"

"That's my Korean name." I said. "I'm Raina in America," 

"Same difference," Kai shrugged and smirked again.

That smirk...has he killed someone with it before? Because that is an irresistible expression that could kill.] 

If looks could kill, I think I'd be dead by now.

This boy was really cute... 

But sometimes I just want to smack him in the face for following me all the freaking time.

Then again, how the hell did he know my name?

"How did you know?" I asked.

Kai shrugged. "I didn't follow you just to observe your every move,"

"You..." I paused. "Found information on me? You did research?"

He laughed a little and shrugged again.

"You really are creepy, you know," 

"I have my reasons." he said.

"Would you mind explaining?" I asked.

"When we get to your house," Kai smiled. 

"My brother won't let you in." I said.

"I know," he smirked, once again killing me inside silently. "I'll meet you in your room," 

We arrived in front of my doorstep where I stopped to face him. 

"You are really, really creepy, Kai." I said again. "Sometimes I want to smack you."

He pinched one of my cheeks and threw another killer smirk before disappearing into a cloud of black air. 

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. I'n not a little kid! "He better explain everything later."

"Raina?" Jimmy opened the door of our house. "Why are you just standing there?"

"I was just coming in," I said. 

"Weren't you with someone just now?" he asked.

"He left." I spoke quickly and slipped past him to get into the house.

"It's a 'he'?" Jimmy chuckled. "Raina, have you finally gotten a boyfriend?"

I laughed a little before making my way upstairs to my room. "No... No way," I murmured under my breath.

In my room, I made sure the windows were locked tightly and my closets were closed. 

I sighed. Why am I doing this? He's just going to pop in out of thin air.

Was I really expecting him, a guy who just popped out of nowhere into my life, in my own room?

I mean, he's been in here many times already anyway so what's making me so nervous?.....

The fact that I'll actually be awake when he comes.

 

 

 

 

UPDATE#7

I sat on my bed with my backpack and looked over my agenda for homework that I still needed to do. 

"Aye, shortstock," Jimmy knocked my door and stepped in. "When do you want to eat?"

"Later," I said. "After I get some stuff done,"

"Alright then," he nodded and left my room, shutting the door behind him.

"He's your older brother, right?" Kai appeared in front of the door and walked up to me on the bed.

I shut my agenda book quickly and stood up. "Don't come anywhere near the bed."

He laughed. "Why?"

"Because it's mine."

"I think it would be more comfortable---"

"Then you sit on the floor." I said. "I'll sit on my own bed,"

"You're so mean," Kai pouted and sat crisscrossing his legs on the floor. "Are all little girls like this? How old are you? Eleven?" he smirked. 

I clenched my teeth and fists furiously, unaware that I was turning red. He doesn't even know me. He has no right to tease me like that.

He laughed again. "I'm just kidding, Raina."

"I'm 16, and I'm supposed to be asking you the questions." I rolled my eyes and fixed my position on the bed so that I sat up straight with my legs crossed like a professional business manager person. 

"First of all, why are you here?" I asked the first question.

"Where?" he asked.

"In my life." I said.

"I said I have my reasons." Kai looked away with a serious expression on his face.

Oh... He wasn't kidding when he said that. He was serious.

"Can you just..." I paused. "Please explain? Just a little?"

He sighed and remained silent without looking at me. "If I tell you," he spoke, "You won't think of me as a normal person..."

"I've already established that you're a magical boy who can teleport." I said. 

"There's more to it..." Kai looked up at me from the floor, the only time I felt tall. 

He had cute adorable baby eyes when he looked up, but everything about him changed when he said, "I'm not from your planet,"

 

 

 

 

UPDATE#8

It was silent in the room. Kai and I stared at each other with intense expressions. 

Mine, however, was a very puzzled expression. 

"... What?" I finally spoke. 

"I'm not normal..." he said. "I come from another planet called EXO Planet."

"You're..." I paused. "An alien?" 

Kai laughed. "I'm human, I just have these powers because I come from another planet. It's almost like earth, but we have supernatural powers."

I nodded slowly, trying to understand.

"So..." I spoke, trying to think of another question. "Why did everything stop...before?"

"Ah, the first time we met," he nodded and fixed his position on the floor. "One of my brothers stopped time," 

I raised an eyebrow. "You have brothers?"

He nodded.

"There's more of you?" 

He nodded again. "They have powers like I do."

That explains why time stopped before... I thought to myself. 

"Any other questions?" Kai asked. "Your brother might come back upstairs soon,"

"Wait," I quickly thought of another question, "Why does your ring glow because of me?"

He froze and didn't speak, almost hesitating. "Uh..." 

I blinked. "What?" 

Kai blinked as well and looked away from me, standing up from the floor. "You don't need to know that part yet," 

"What??" I dropped my mouth. "Hey! You need to explain! Is it bad?"

"You'll know sooner or later," he winked, snapping his fingers and disappeared into his black cloud of air.

He snaps his fingers to disappear. I noticed. 

I slammed the bed with my hands and stomped my floor.

"What the--?" Jimmy opened the door of my room and looked in. "Raina, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I said through gritted teeth. 

That boy really knows how to frustrate someone!!

"Dinner is ready," Jim said. 

I sighed deeply and looked at him. "I'll be down in a second." 

Jimmy nodded hesitantly and shut the door. 

I ruffled my short black hair out of place and stood up from my bed to head towards the door.

Seriously, what does that glowing ring mean? I thought. Am I going to die? Is he going to kill me or something?

As I reached out for the doorknob, he appeared out of a cloud of black air again and brought me close to him into a hug.

"OH MY--!" I jumped and tried to push away from Kai's arms around me. "What do you want now?! Stop scaring me like that!"

Kai laughed and bent down to my face to peck a kiss on my cheek.

"My glowing ring," he said, stepping to the side away from me with a smile, "Is my beating heart,"

I stared at him wide-eyed with shock, wiping the cheek he kissed. "What's that supposed to mean? Don't you dare try to run away and disappear." 

He held up his fingers in a gesture about to snap for his black cloud of air to disappear into, but put them down when I said that. 

"I'll be back," he said with a gentle smile. "You'll know when you realize it," 

"Kai---!" I reached out for him before he disappeared into thin air. 

I groaned loudly and slammed my door open to stomp downstairs and stuff dinner into my mouth.

I don't get it! Why does his ring glow because of me??

"My glowing ring is my beating heart..."

Wait.. He's an alien, so does he not have a human heart? But instead a ring?

Then what do I have to with it??

I sat down at the dining table where only my brother was since my parents were still at work. 

Does that mean... He likes me? Because his ring glows around me?

I shut my eyes and sighed, stabbing a broccoli on my plate and chewing it off as if I were a mad dinosaur. That's probably not it. How could he like me?

Jimmy stared at me wide eyed with confusion. "Raina..... A-a-are you okay?...."

 

 

UPDATE#9

I was expecting Kai to appear more often after everything, or most of, what he has told me about his secret life. 

But he's only rarely appeared at night in my room just before my eyes close into a deep sleep where I don't even get a chance to talk to him.

Other than that, I didn't see him around as much, which...almost saddened me deeply...for some reason.

Many days went by, and for one full week I didn't see Kai at all. 

I was beginning to wonder whether he was even allowed to tell me those things about his powers or coming from another planet, and that he probably got in trouble for it so he couldn't see me for a while.

I sighed. I was also beginning to doubt whether I really met him or not. He was, like, almost the perfect guy...............

I miss him.

I missed Kai. That creepy boy who always stalked me, popping out of his cloud of black thin air.

Mentally facepalming myself, I sighed again and took out some of my homework to distract me from thoughts about him.

This is why I can't have relationships or have deep feelings for people like this... I thought. Such a distraction...

There was still Miko, too... But I haven't seen him for a while. Ever since he told me to be careful, I probably wasn't very...careful enough and he noticed. He's seen Kai more often....and just stopped talking to me.

Maybe he's getting sick of me...

A few days later it was our Christmas break. I completed half of my homework before our break started, so that I would find other things to do.

"I would find some time for my little sister," Jimmy pouted, "But I have a full essay due right after break and I need to do a lot of research for it..."

I tried to call my other friends. Tracy and Kristina were busy with their part time jobs, and the guys all had girlfriends. Even Ren; he finally found the relationship he's always wanted. Sooyoung wanted to spend time with her family.

I texted Miko to see if he wanted to hang out. 

Surprisingly, he did. And he said that he had awesome news to tell me. That's good, because I had so much to tell him ever since we talked.

I met up with him in front of the coffee shop. Ironically, he didn't like coffee....but he bought my favorite Caramel Frappe for me. 

"What's up?" I smiled, sipping the cold caramel creamy goodness in the cold winter air. We sat at a table outside to absorb the fresh freezing winter air which we both loved the smell of.

"Guess what," Miko smiled excitedly and pulled out his phone.

"I already asked what was up," I laughed. "What is it? I don't want to guess."

He grinned excitedly and remained silent for a while.

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm so curious, seeing that you're this happy,"

"I got a girlfriend," Miko said. 

 

 

UPDATE#10

I blinked with a blank expression on my face. There was a weird feeling inside that made my chest hurt. ".... You..."

"Isn't this awesome?" Miko unlocked his phone and scrolled through his photos. "She's really cute, too,"

I looked at the pictures of Miko's new girlfriend on his phone. She was indeed very cute and pretty.

My chest was making more and my eyes were getting heavy. Why did I feel like this?...

"She reminded me of you," he laughed a little and patted my shoulder. "You're both short,"

I tried to laugh. "That's awesome, Miko. Congratulations," 

"Thanks," he smiled. "What about you? What's up?"

I stared at the cold frappe in my hands and felt that I couldn't have anything anymore. 

"Nothing much has happened," I sighed and murmured under my breath. 

I couldn't help but feel...that I was too late to win his feelings.

I thought we had something... But then again we probably only see each other as best friends. Like siblings, almost.

Miko frowned at my silence and put away his phone. "What else did you wanna do?" 

I looked up at him. "You still want to do something?"

"Yes!" he laughed, "I didn't call you out here just to selfishly announce that I have a girlfriend,"

I smiled awkwardly and laughed softly. "Yeah, I guess..." 

There was a small alarm from his pocket and he took his phone back out. "Uhh.. Actually........ She just-----"

I sighed and tried to smile. "Go ahead, I'm alright."

Miko frowned sadly. "I'm sorry....."

He left me alone at the table with my caramel frappe as he went his way down the road to meet up with his new girlfriend.

Seriously... I stared blankly at my frappe sitting by itself on the table. Why do I even feel like this? I didn't even have feelings that deep for Miko...

Our relationship was merely a sibling relationship- brother and sister.

Still, I couldn't help but feel... Alone. 

For the first time, I felt alone. As many times as I've been alone in school- antisocial, who only talks to certain people- or independent in my own house, I couldn't help it. 

I felt so alone and lost... 

I felt myself frowning and small drops of tears were falling from my eyes. I wished that the freezing air would stop them where they were so that I won't have to cry.

I wiped my tears but they kept coming. 

Why....

I shut my eyes and wished that everything would just go away.

I wish I could just die here, right now.

I felt so worthless....I meant nothing to anyone.

There was a sudden cold rush of air and I opened my eyes to see flakes of white flowing down from the dark evening sky. The bright lights of the coffee shop made this winter night so beautiful.

I gazed up into the sky past the falling snow and let it melt on my face. I let the snow melt in with my years and freeze it in its place. 

I caught sight of a couple nearby across the road who also looked up at the beautiful sky of falling snow. They embraced so lovingly with much affection...

I sighed and felt the tears coming again. Why are people's lives just so perfect?

"If you keep crying, your tears will freeze, and you'll get frostbite or something," he sat down in front of me and took a sip of my caramel frappe. 

I wiped my tears away quickly and avoided eye contact with him.

Kai smiled softly and held out my caramel frappe in front of me. I shook my head and looked away from him, sniffing constantly from crying earlier. 

I'm going to get myself sick for crying so much out in the cold... I cursed under my breath and blew into my bare hands to keep myself warm. 

Kai sighed. "Sometimes, there are things that you should just let go in life." 

I frowned deeply again and felt myself starting to cry again.

Really, MUST I have to be such a crybaby?!

I wanted to yell and cry out, to release the pain of everything in my life... The stress, the lessons I've learned, the past events of my life that has affected me........love, the thing that everyone can experience but me. 

I took both of my hands, covering my face fully and stood up from the table. I ran in some random direction while crying silently into the palms of my frozen hands. 

I just want to disappear from life...

I felt myself run into his arms, and he pulled me closer. I sobbed into his chest and cried, I cried and let everything out. 

Kai petted through my hair and held me close. 

I calmed myself down with a few drops of tears still leaking out. He lifted my chin up and bent down to bring his lips in close contact to mine.

"Kai..." I whispered through chokes of tears. "Why did you have to be the perfect guy to appear in my life?"



 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE#11

 

That night, Kai took me home. He even walked me up to my room.

"Jim might see you," I warned him.

"Shouldn't he be doing his essay?" Kai shrugged and smirked.

I made a face. "You've been stalking my brother, too?"

He laughed. "I only heard him when he said he didn't have time for his sister," 

I laughed as well and sat on the bed of my room. "Where have you been for so long?" 

"You mean all your life?" Kai teased, knowing my true feelings for him. "Aren't I the most perfect guy to ever appear in your life?"

"I meant for the past few weeks," I rolled my eyes. "Geez, don't flatter yourself." 

Kai chuckled and sat next to me on my bed where I allowed him to. "I'm always here, just watching." 

"I can see that before I fall asleep at night," I pursed my lips and nodded at him. "But you haven't talked to me. Was it because of the personal stuff you said?"

"Mmm," he tilted his head and had a thoughtful look on his face. "I was allowed to tell you all of that, I just didn't want you to ask about my ring over and over again,"

"Oh!" I gasped, suddenly remembering. "Why am I the only one who moves when time stops? Why does your ring glow because of me?" 

Kai laughed. "Exactly my point," 

I sighed and shut myself up. "Alright, alright I'm sorry."

"My brothers and I," Kai started to explain about his ring, "We have a mission to each find our lovers somewhere on earth,"

I nodded as I listened to his words. 

"I found you," he smiled. I couldn't help but blush a little and laugh nervously. "My mission is complete," 

"So... That's why your ring glows?" I asked.

"Each of us has a ring which glows whenever we are close to our lover," Kai continued, "As for our powers; whenever time stops, everyone else but those of EXO planet and our lovers do not freeze with time,"

"That's why I was able to move that one night when time just froze," I gasped and realized. 

"Because you're my lover," Kai smiled and nodded. "It's easier to find our lovers when Tao stops time,"

"Tao?" I asked. "Is that his name? Your brother?"

He nodded. "Yeah," and he stood up, pecking a kiss on my forehead. "I'll be back.... Maybe,"

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "'Maybe'? Why?"

He quickly snapped his fingers to disappear into his black cloud of air. 

At the same time the door of my room opened, and Jim stepped in with a disappointed look on his face.

"I told you," he said, "Not to talk to that ghost, Raina."
 

 

 

 

UPDATE#12

 

"Jim!" I widened my eyes in horror, astonished that he just heard everything that Kai and I were talking about.

How I was his lover. How he came from another planet and had a mission to complete on earth. How time froze and I could move but nobody else could. 

"I told you to be careful," Jim sighed and turned to shut my door. "Sorry, Raina, but you cannot see him ever again. Got it?"

"He's not what you think he is!" I ran up to him before he shut the door to try to explain everything.

"I know," he said. "He's some weird teleporter who keeps following you around. Miko told me,"

"Well, Miko is wrong and I haven't even spoken to him in a while so he doesn't know what's been going on with me," I said. "Jim, just let Kai be! He's not just some weird teleporter, okay??"

"How could I let it be when he's literally been stalking you for the past couple of weeks and even claims to be from another planet saying that you're his lover?!?" he yelled. "Lover?! Lovers are people who get together in a bed and--!!!!"

"I KNOW," I stopped him in the middle of his words before he said anything else. "I know already,"

"Then how could he call you his lover?! Why?!?!" Jim raised his voice louder at me in a tone that he's never used before. "Kai? Is that his name?!" 

I shrunk back in fright and confusion.  "Not that kind of lover...,It's all true, Jimmy... You don't understand..."

"I understand clearly that he isn't even supposed to be in your life in the first place," he said. 

"He has his reasons!" I stomped on the floor, angered by my older brother's ignorance. "Maybe he was supposed to be in my life! Maybe he's supposed to be the one for me! Jim, I love him, too!" 

I gasped softly at my outburst and sudden confession for Kai.

"Then I disapprove!" Jim yelled and towered over me. "I won't allow any of this; he just appeared out of nowhere apparently from another planet and tells you you're his lover!! And you return his love?!"

I flinched at his voice again and whispered. "I told you it's true... His ring... His supernatural power... Yes, I do."

My older brother sighed and stepped into my room. "Whoever and wherever you are," he spoke aloud into my room as if he knew someone was hiding in there, "You are forbidden to step into this room or to even see Raina ever again."

"Jimmy!" I stomped again and literally screamed. 

"You," Jim turned to me. "Do not ever speak to him again. That's final,"

With that, he stomped out of my room and shut my door. 

"Why are you so overprotective of me, Jim?!?" I yelled loudly and fell to the floor on my knees.

"Don't even think about doing anything secretive in your room!"Jim yelled back. "I can hear everything,"

"WHAT secret things would I even be doing in here?!?!" I screamed and punched the floor beneath me. "This isn't fair, Jim! You can't keep me away from him forever like some kind of a princess! This is so stupid!!"

"You're being immature, Raina!!" the last thing Jim yelled back at me made me scream and punch the floor again.

I looked up at my window through tears in my eyes at Kai who stood outside next to it, frowning sadly before disappearing into thin air.

I really thought that Kai was the one...

But even my own brother doesn't approve of him...

Does this normally happen with overprotective siblings?

Kai.........

I cried out and sobbed into my knees in my position on the floor. 

The last time I knew I would be seeing him. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE#13

 

 

 

 

UPDATE#14

 

The guy sighed and tossed the pocketknife towards one of his friends. "What a pity. I didn't want to hurt such a small girl, but you had to kick me like that,"

I winced in pain and looked at the liquid red stained in my right hand. I widened my eyes in horror at it. 

I looked up at the guy who came closer to me and shifted back quickly. 

"Don't come any closer," I gasped quickly for air and the pain in my arm. 

He laughed. "I thought you were a tough girl. You seem afraid now,"

"Because you stabbed her, dumbas-," one of the guys laughed, tossing the pocketknife in his hand.

The guy shrugged and stood from the ground to tower over me. "I would've gone for your leg since that's what you kicked me with, but the arm is good, too."

"I kicked you for self defense." I said, looking up at him.

"I was only trying to help with the bags," he smirked and kicked me softly. "Oh, well."

"No, you didn't." I knew he had other intentions. I groaned softly in pain again and tried to stand, but he kept me on the ground.

"Don't stand," he said. "I'm not done with you,"

"What do you want?!" I asked.

"I'll get what I want later," the guy said, moving closer to me so that his legs were right smack against me and I was face to face inbetween them. "Or right now is good, since we're in the position,"

I grimaced in disgust and rolled to the side quickly away from the group, still grasping my shoulder, but the other guys kicked me back in place. 

The one with the pocketknife aimed towards me again and I screamed.

Why?!?! Really, WHY the knife?!?!

Before the knife was able to strike me again, the guys were thrown back by a cloud of black air.

He appeared and stood firmly in front of me. 

"Kai!!" I gasped, my heart bursted with joy and tears were built into my eyes from fright. I held onto my shoulder and stood up from the ground behind him. 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE#15

 

 

 

 

UPDATE#16

 

 

 

 

 

FINAL