“You’re so quiet for a birthday celebrant,” he noted. The day passed on nothing but silence except now. I thought he was already sleeping but I guess I’m wrong. He had his back on me while I was staring blankly at the ceiling, lying flat on my back.

 

“Just thinking,” I said. I heard and felt a movement beside me. I knew he was facing me.

 

“Of what in particular?” he asked.

 

“Stuff.”

 

He allowed a snort. “That’s quite deep especially from you.”

 

I didn’t answer at once and he didn’t press me on. He was giving me time. He was giving me a choice. He’s letting me decide if I want to share it with him or not. I was silently grateful for this. I don’t know why, but I can seem to understand him more when he’s not being a pest.

 

“I’m twenty years old. Most girls of my age celebrate their birthdays in a grand way. Drinks, boys, friends, parties, clubs. But here I am, in a motel, hiding and trying to stay alive instead of partying and making out and. . . making love to someone. But you know what’s more depressing? All of those don’t matter to me anymore. I could only think of Mr. Shim, Mr. Nah. . . of your grandparents. . . of your parents. . . of Kevin. . . . of Seohyun. . . . of Dad. . . of Wooyoung oppa. . . myself, my life.” I took an unsteady breath, “And of you.”

 

I heard him sigh. “I knew this would come but not this early,” he muttered to himself.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

He rolled over and faced the ceiling, too, one arm across his forehead. There was a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips but it didn’t reach his eyes. There’s some sort of worry creasing the corners of his eyes. I sighed as I realized he won’t answer me. “Did you just say you were thinking of Kevin?” he suddenly asked, voice tight.

 

“Yes, I did,” I grimaced.

 

“Huh! Lucky bastard.”

 

“Jealous?” I asked.

 

“No. I’m just saying he’s lucky that finally a GIRL is worrying about him. It never happened before. And besides, I told you, you’re not my type.”

 

“Yeah, I heard that like a MILLION times already. You know what I think?”

 

“No. We’re not on the same level of intellect so I doubt it,” he smirked. Aish! He’s being a pest again! He’s ruining my moment.

 

“I think you’re gay,” I said. “That’s why you’re not attracted to any GIRL. It’s the only explanation to you declaring I’m not your type. I’m EVERYBODY’s ideal girl, even non-human species think so. I’m not your type because you have a DIFFERENT preference.”

 

“You did not just call me gay,” he said.

 

“I just did.”

 

“If that’s the case, what do you call yourself then? A gay kisser?”

 

I did not let that get into me. “So, you’re a gay!”

 

He rolled his eyes. “You should sleep. You’re being insane already.”

 

I pouted. Looks like I’m not gonna get my birthday wish. Huh! I thought provoking him would push him to do what I had in mind. I turned to the other side quite noisily. I don’t want to see his face! Hmph!

 

My fists were balled quite tightly. I think it’s past midnight already but I still can’t sleep. . . . . again. Okay, so this physical awareness is quite stressful. My back is all tingly from the fact that he’s just there, lying. My fists balled because they were itching to touch him, at least caress his face.

 

I think last night’s suffering was too much for me already because an idea quite embarrassing came to my mind. I closed my eyes and rolled to his side. I carelessly threw my arm and leg across his body. A secret smile formed my lips. Ha! I’m a genius! Hehe. Sooner or later, I don’t have to pretend that I’m sleeping anymore because I’m sure I’ll fall asleep.

 

I tensed a little as I felt his hand lifting my head. Is he going to push me away? Aigoo! How am I going to sleep properly now? But I firmly shut my eyes, pretending to be asleep. But I was quite surprised when he put an arm under my head and started my hair. I relaxed. But wait, he’s still awake? Or is he just dreaming again. That doesn’t matter, really. As long as I get to sleep.

 

~o~

 

I looked around the room with a small pout on my face.

 

“Don’t tell me you’re going to miss this place?” he asked. I glared at him, choosing not to answer. For the whole week we stayed in this motel, I fought hard against the physical awareness I’m feeling and always pick up a fight with him. That’s during the day, though. At night, I usually pretend to be fast asleep and hug him, hihihi. It’s the only way I can sleep without having nightmares, so even if it’s embarrassing, I still stick with it.

 

And now, we’re moving out to another place. He said we can’t stay in a place for too long, we can’t risk familiarity. “Are we going to take a cab?” I asked.

 

“Yes,” he answered.

 

“Don’t you think it’s a bit risky?” I asked.

 

“Everything’s a risk,” he answered.

 

The usual cover-ups were done. The journey to the new place was quiet. I wonder where we could be staying this time. Well, I guess I have to wait and find out.

 

One and a half hour. It took us one and a half hour to reach the new location. Jeez. “Finally!” I blurted out. The pest ignored me as he paid for the driver the due amount. He gathered our things and head on. I looked up ahead and saw a line of buildings of apartments. “Don’t you think this place is too populated?” I voiced out, worried.

 

“Look at the bright side. We won’t be easily remembered.”

 

“Yeah, that’s a very brilliant idea,” I snorted, letting the sarcasm poisoned my words. Like NO one would remember him. He’s quite easy to remember with all the iness and cuteness rolled into one.

 

Aish! Here I go again. I think I’m turning in for the worst. What happened to my taste? Obviously, it vanished into thin air in just a blink. I’m done. He totally infected me already. I guess that’s what I get from hanging out too much with him. Jeez.

 

~o~

 

“I’ll just go check some things.”

 

“I’m not your mother. You don’t have to ask permission,” I rolled my eyes at him.

 

“I’m not asking permission, just saying.”

 

“If you say so,” I shrugged, trying to be nonchalant as he is.

 

“Nice try, wild cat,” he laughed. Aish! Why isn’t he pissed? I thought he’d be pissed because everytime he does that to me, I really freaked out.

 

I heard the door closed.

 

“Stupid pest!” I muttered under my breath. I stopped as I saw the pest’s phone poking out of the pants’ pocket he’d worn yesterday. I bit my lower lip, looking at it longingly. I sighed and looked away. My eyes landed on the balcony. The pest had forbidden me to hang out here, much less step into it. But I haven’t had much sun lately, so I think it wouldn’t hurt to enjoy the fresh morning air. He wouldn’t know anyways.

 

I walked to it and smiled as I felt the sun on my face. I leaned on forward, and just looked up ahead. It feels good to feel the sun, the wind. Even the sight of trash in the alleyway was not so bad. I guess I’ve been indoors too long already.

 

How I missed our garden, the pool, the trees, the flowers. I wonder where Mr. Kwon and Dad are hiding. Are they always on the move, too? I guess Dad’s a bit luckier than me. At least Mr. Kwon isn’t necessary conceited and irritating and annoying. I tried picturing myself with Mr. Kwon and then I realized I’d be bored to death.

 

Huh! The Kwons have very unusual and very different personalities. I wonder what the elders would be like. Will they be as silent as Mr. Kwon? As firm as Mrs. Kwon? As adorable as Grandpa? As fierce as Grandma? Or as irritating as the pest?

 

A frown creased my forehead. The pest got a LOT of personalities, I think. The annoying and irritating one- the prankster. The nonchalant one and the “robot boy” though I refused to believe he’s not capable of showing emotions, I still can’t help but feel. . . scared. There’s just something that scares me about the pest being a robot, unemotional person. I don’t know why. But of course, I haven’t really FULLY seen that side of him yet, so it’s still a fiction to me.

 

I heard a knock. That’s odd. The pest doesn’t really knock because he always brings the key with him. Oh well, I guess he forgot about it just like how he forgot his phone. Huh! I am so gonna mock him for this! I put a gloating expression on my face as I opened the door. “Well, what-?” I cut short.

 

“Well, hi there, little missy!” he grinned. My eyes widen, my heart thumped painfully against my chest. I hastily stepped back and made an attempt to close the door but I was too late already. I backed away as he kicked the door open. I turned around to run from the guy, but he stopped me.

 

“First, hide and seek. And now chasing? Now, now. Let’s stop playing games, little one. You don’t really want me to pull the trigger, do you?”

 

I felt my hands trembled as I felt the gun on my right temple. Oh, God. I don’t want to die yet. “You’re not going to kill me,” I gasped. “You need me.”

 

“True,” he answered. “But I CAN hurt you.”

 

To prove his point, he gave me a blow in the stomach. I doubled over, gasping in pain. Oh God! My eyes started to sting from the pain. I bit my lower lip hard, not wanting to scream in pain. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of it. I groaned as I felt him pull my hair to straighten me up. He dragged me by the hair to a chair back up in the corner. “Where is he?” he asked.

 

“Where’s who?” I asked back bravely.

 

“Don’t play games with me, little one. Where is he?”

 

“Can’t you see I’m alone, you stupid jerk!”

 

I was backhanded so roughly, it felt like my head was ripped of my neck. I wasn’t able to control the sob to come out, then. It felt like the skin in my face broke apart from the intensity of the slap. My head started swirling from the pain, making me close my eyes.

 

“Boys!” he called. I opened my eyes and looked up. I saw less or more than a dozen guys went in. “Tie her,” he ordered.

 

Two guys automatically stepped in front. When they stepped back, my hand and feet were bound and a cloth was tied around my mouth. And then, the door opened then closed. I froze. Oh, God, Jiyong! The footsteps slowed, it became lighter and careful. He sensed it! He sensed something wrong! I hope he would just run, call some back up or something.

 

He stepped into view, a gun on hand, pointed at the leader. Oh, of course he’ll come! “Why am I not surprised to see you here?” the pest smirked at the leader.

 

“Kwon Jiyong, you surprise me with that smirk,” the leader answered.

 

“Let her go,” the pest’s said.

 

“You know I wouldn’t.” the leader said.

 

“And you know I’m going to fight you, Sang Won.”

 

I made sounds, shaking my head at him but I was ignored.

 

“I know,” Sang Won smugly said, then nodded. The next thing I knew, the guys attacked the pest. I jumped in my seat, fear holding me a prisoner. The pest easily maneuvered all the blows. I now realized that even though he’s not that well-built to be a bodyguard, he’s well-built for speed. But then, one man can’t stand and hope to survive against a dozen. Eventually, someone manage to clip his shoulder. He staggered a little to the side. The others took advantage of it and closed in on him. I closed my eyes, unable to watch all of it already. I started crying and prayed silently.

 

Please, let him live, let him live, let him live.

 

Grunts, moans, scratches and thuds. That’s all I heard.

 

“Did you really think a dozen men or so can stop me?”

 

I opened my eyes and saw the pest standing amidst the bodies crumpled in pain on the floor. I looked at him closely and saw faint bruises and cuts started to form at the corner of his lips, his left eyes, his cheeks and his arms.

 

“Of course I didn’t. But that was just a distraction. You should have known better,” Sang Won said.

 

There was a click. I saw Jiyong’s hand winced a little; his hand flew to the side of his neck and pulled out something that resembles a needle. His eyes widen, and then he dropped to the floor, unconscious.

 

“You’re lucky the boss doesn’t want you dead,” Sang Won spat to the unconscious pest. I started struggling and made incoherent sounds. Sang Won sighed, and then I felt a prick at the side of my neck. His face went in and out, and then it turned around menacingly. It made me dizzy that I let myself surrender to the darkness pulling me in.