"Me . . .?" I squeaked. My heart beating fast. Oh, please let this be a dream. I prayed silently in my head. I'll wake up in my bed in two seconds. "Please, let me go," I pleaded.

"I don't think so," he laughed. He started pulling me along, towards an alleyway ahead. Oh God, is this really happening to me, I thought.

"Please, let me go," I whispered again. He turned around suddenly and stared at me with malicous eyes.

"I swear to God, if you don't shut up, it'll get a lot worse," he said, producing a small knife from his coat pocket.

"No," I whimpered, scared for my life.

"Joyce!" I was about to turn my head when I remembered the knife. I swore I heard someone call my name. The man grabbed one of my wrists, satisfied that I was too afraid to try and run away. There was an alley way a little way ahead, I was sure that was my attackers destination.

"JOYCE!" I definetley I heard my name being called. The man was too intoxicated to notice anything though.

"JOYCE!" they cried again. This time I recognised the voice. 

"Daehyun?" I whispered disbelieving. What would he be doing here? I was still too scared to turn around.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up, unsure if it was Daehyun or not. The figure was wearing a hood on his head, and a mask. 

"Yah, you want to let go of my girlfriend?" they asked icily. It was Daehyun. That was definetley his voice.

The man chuckled. "Ani, I don't think so."

"Fine," Daehyun said. He pushed me slightly out of the way, "Mianhae, Joyce," he apologised. Suddenly Daehyun's fist came out of no where and he punched my attacker. The man let go of my wrist and clutched his face.

"Ahhh" he cried out in pain. Daehyun grabbed my wrist, and started towing me away from the man.

"C'mon Joyce, we gotta go. Walk faster." he urged. But I couldn't. My legs were turned to jelly.

"W-w-wa" I tried to speak but I was too dased.

"It's alright. It's me Daehyun. Don't worry. He can't hurt you. C'mon, we gotta get you away." he tried to comfort me.

At the word 'hurt' I snapped to my senses. "Wait, Daehyun he's got a knife." I screeched. Daehyun turned to look at me, his eyes as wide as saucers. He turned around and not at a minute too soon. He caught the mans arm that was holding and the knife, with his left hand and used his right to punch his face repeatedly. Finally, he let go of his arm and the man fell to the floor, and Daehyun started kicking him in the stomach.

I was shocked. I had never even guessed that Daehyun had this side to him. "Stop," I screamed, and tried to grab his arm to stop him. Daehyun looked at me, and must've saw the fear in my eyes, because he stopped.

"Mianhae, Joyce" he apologised. "I just saw him grabbing you, and threatening you, and who knows what he was going to . . ." he trailed off horrified, and I shuddered at the thought of what would've happened if Daehyun hadn't been there to save me. He noticed and took off his jacket and put it one me.

"Gamsahabnida, Oppa," I thanked him. "But won't you get cold?"

"Ani, I'm okay, I don't really feel the weather," he replied easily. "C'mon, we better get out of here, beofre he wakes up," he nodded towards the unconscious figure of the man. He grabbed my hand, and started walking away.

"Oppa, why are you wearing a mask?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"Wae? Does it bother you?" he asked, taking it off, "It's so that no one will recognise me." he explained simply. He looked at me shrewdly, "Are you O.K, though? Did he touch you?"

"I'm fine, Daehyun-ssi, thanks to you", I smiled up at him. "Oh, Oppa, your lip is bleeding," I noticed. "If you come back with me to my house, I'll fix it for you, my hereo." 

"Um . . " he replied, unsure.

"C'mon Oppa, it's because of me you're hurt." I took charge, pulling him away. 

                                                                                                     *               *              *

"It's just up there," I told him. I was panting slightly. The walk took twice as long as I thought it did. I need to get my Micra fixed!

"You and all your family live up there?" he asked skeptically.

"Ani, it's just me. My Appa lives in England with my older brother."

"Oh. . . What about your Omma?" he enquired.

"I . . .I  . . . um . . . I - She died last year," I smiled bravely up at him. Tears threatened to spring to my eyes. Daehyun saw the expression on my face and became horrified.

"I'm so sorry, Joyce." he murmered, embarassed, I think.

"It's O.K, Oppa, it was a while ago. C'mon, I'll get you all fixed up." I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him up the stairs.

"There. . . all-- done" I announced, proud of my handy work. "Here, I held up my mirror, and Daehyun admired my handy work. "I didn't notice you had a black eye. I'm sorry. It's all my fault that you got hurt," I apologised. I felt wretched. He had gotten hurt saving me.

"Mwol? Nonsense. I'm glad I saved you," he said, still checking his face.

"You've never talked so much to me before," I commented, as I cleared up the first aid equipment. 

"Haha," he chuckled nervously. "I don't talk much to people I don't know. But I figure we know each other pretty well now, don't you?" he asked beaming. 

Wow, I thought, Daehyun has a really nice smile. I wonder why I've never noticed before. . . Wait . . . Do I . . . Maybe I . . . Do I like Daehyun? No . . . I couldn't possibly. Maybe it's just because he saved me? Yeah, that must be it. I convinced myself.

"Well, I'm glad we know each other better now," I smiled. "And I hope I continue gettingto know you better," I said. "Wait no, I'm just after releasing how that sounds. I meant, erm, I mearn errrrghhh . . . . . " I fumbled and stuttered over my words, while Daehyun raised one perfect eyebrow.

"You wouldn't like to get to know me better?" he asked feigning that he was hurt.

"Erm . . . no, that's not what I meant I -I -I . . ."

"Relax, Joyce. I know what you meant."

"Yah! That was mean!" I gave out, but he started laughing at me, and I couldn't maintain my angry expression for long. Before long I was in stitches too.

"Oppa, do you want some ramyun? Seeing how you rescued me and all?" I asked him.

"Sure, I'd love some. I'm starving!"

As I was making the ramyun, Daehyun stood behind me, watching me, chanting "Food, food, food, food, food" like a football anthem.

"Yah, if you're gonna be so noisy, I'll --" I spun around and found myself face to face with Daehyun. He has hunched over slightly, and his face was inches from mine. I couldn't pull my eyes away from his. We couldn't to stare at each other for a while until . . .

"You'll what?" he asked me. He was so close, I could smell his cologne. Hmm, it smelled nice.

"I'll, um . ." I couldn't put any sense into my thought pattern. Finally he pulled away, breaking the eye contact.

"I think the ramyun's done," he  smirked. I blushed red and went back to cooking.

We were both collapsed on my futon. "Aish I'm stuffed, I couldn't eat another bite" I said.

"Jinjja? I could still eat more," Daehyun replied.

"Mwol? You ate most of mine!" I complained "How much do you eat? Yet you're still so skinny," I shook my head. He laughed beside me. "What were you doing out so late, that you saw me anyways?" I asked him, yawning.

"Oh . . .um, I was --" but I never heard the reason, beacuse, my eye lids fell shut, and I was carried off into the land of sleep.

I felt something press against my forehead and some one say "Sleep well, Joyce".

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