Chapter 28: Knight in shining armour

As promised, Lay sent you straight to the cafe. He sticks around for a little while since there weren't many customers yet.

"Do you want a drink?" You asked.

"Erm," Lay examined the menu, "Iced Americano please."

You went straight to the kitchen and asked your co-worker to prepare Lay's drink. While Lay drank his coffee on the table near the counter, you were busy taking orders and cleaning the table. Soon, customers start pouring in and the cafe was filled with customers.

"Yuri!" Mrs Ahn clutched onto your hand, "Is your friend still here?"

You nodded your head and pointed to the dimple boy who was receiving attention from the female customers.

"Great!" Mrs Ahn clapped her hands, "Can you get him to fill in for tonight? We're shorthanded. I'll pay him after his shift ends."

You told her to wait for a moment while you ask him about it. As you walked towards Lay, you received stares from the female customers but still you remained unfazed.

"Zhang Yi Xing!" You hit his shoulders playfully.

Lay jumped from his seat and he kicked your converse, "Don't do that again. I nearly died."

"Such a weakling," You joked, "Anyway, Mrs Ahn asked if you could help us out for the night. She'll pay you once we're done for the night."

"It won't hurt trying," he replied, "I'm even getting paid so no harm working for a few hours right?"

You threw an apron at him and asked him to wear it. Once he was done you gave him a trainee badge and asked him to pin it in his apron.

"Ouch!" Lay shouted, "Help me!"

"You're 18 for goodness sake! How did you manage to put on your school badge?" You took the badge and put it on for him, earning envious looks from the female customers.

Lay laughed awkwardly at your question, "Minseok does it for me after he irons our clothes."

"Pampered boy!" You pushed him lightly, "Get to work."

Lay did as he was told. He spent the entire night serving the customers, cleaning the tables and mopping the floor. He even became the unofficial photographer for Mrs Ahn and the tourists who stopped by the cafe.

"Do come again!" Lay greeted the last customer as he put up the close sign, "That was tiring!"

You rolled your eyes and went to take your bag at the locker room. When you came back out, Lay was already gone, "Where'd he go?"

"He went out after I gave him his pay," Says Mrs Ahn.

"What an awesome best friend he is," you said sarcastically, "I'm going home too then. See you tomorrow Mrs Ahn!"

You bowed and left the cafe, not forgetting to close the glass door behind you. It was already 10PM by the time you left the cafe. You were walking down a dark alley when you felt someone following you from behind.

"I should've walked the school route," You hastened your steps and didn't dare to turn around. From where you were, you could see the bus stop and you had the urge to run for it but were too tired to do so. Instead you walked faster than before.

Out of a sudden, a hand grabbed your wrist and pulled you back, "Where are you going pretty girl?"

You tried to pry his hands off but the man was too strong for you. The drunken man tightened his grip on you and pulled you towards him again.

"Let go of me!" You shouted in English and the man laughed at you.

"Stupid foreigner! Do you think they would help you?" He slurred, "Nobody here can understand English."

"Help me!" You started shouting in all the languages you know.

The man suddenly places his hands on your mouth and placed his index finger on his lips, "Shh! You're so noisy!"

You didn't keep quiet and continued screaming with your mouth closed.

"Ya! Didn't I ask you to shut up?"

You bite the man's hands and quickly made a run for it the moment he was down. The man however caught up fast and pinned you against the wall, "Stupid girl! I would've let you go if you didn't bite me. Now you'll have to pay for it!"

"Help!" You shouted in between your cries, "Help! Luhan! Luhan!"

The only person you could think of at that moment was Luhan. You prayed for a miracle that Luhan would somehow appear out of nowhere to save you. 

--

Luhan dropped by the cafe a few minutes after you left. When Mrs Ahn told him that you already left, Luhan quickly went out to search for you.

He had already texted Lay to head home first since he would be picking you up and somehow he regretted his decision. Luhan searched high and low for you but to no avail. You were nowhere to be found and he was starting to get worried.

Luhan called Kris who was still at your apartment and he said that you were still not home yet. Luhan grew anxious and he searched frantically for you.

He was walking towards the school when he passed by a dark alley. Luhan was about to walk away when he heard a girl's cries, "Help!"

He stopped walking to confirm if he really wasn't hearing things. It was quiet for a few seconds before he heard it again.

Luhan grew nervous the moment he heard that voice, "Help! Luhan! Luhan!" NO!

He ran as fast as his legs could and to his horror, the girl he likes, no love, was pinned against the wall by a drunken man. Luhan was boiling with anger and he didn't think twice before charging towards the guy who was probably twice his size, "Get your filthy hands off her!"

"What the," before the man could finish his sentence, Luhan had already punched his face. The man got up and eyed Luhan who was protecting you, "Why you little twerp!"

The drunkard walked towards Luhan and punched him in the face. Luhan dropped on the floor but his hands made its way around your body. He was too busy protecting you and he couldn't avoid the man's punches.

"What's going on here?!" It was the police, "Stop right there!"

Two of the police officers chased after the man while the other stayed behind to watch over the both of you.

Luhan hugged you tightly and he didn't dare to let you go, "I'm sorry. I should've come earlier. I'm so sorry Yuri ah."

"Luhan," You cried in his arms.

Luhan tightened his embrace around you and kissed your head, "Shh...It’s okay. You're safe now."

After giving your statements to the police officers, the both of you walked home together. Seeing how you were having problems walking, Luhan stopped walking and bend down, "Get on. I'll carry you home."

You rejected him since you knew his back is probably bruised after getting punched.

"Do you want me to carry you bridal style or do you want a piggy back instead?" Luhan asked.

You had no choice but to get on his back.

Luhan hissed in pain when you get on and you insisted on getting off, "Stop being so stubborn. At least allow me to do this for you."

You stopped fidgeting and allowed him to carry you home.

At the traffic light, you turned Luhan's head around and you examined his bruise face, "Why did you fight with that man when you can't even fight?"

"Because he was hurting you," he replied as he looked straight into your eyes, "I couldn't bear seeing you in that position."

You noticed that he was being sincere and you couldn't take your eyes off of his. Since you didn't break the eye contact, Luhan brought his face closer to you as he eyed your lips.

You closed your eyes and seconds later you felt his soft lips on yours. Luhan didn't pull away until you responded to his kiss, "I like you Lee Yuri."