“Get out of this place before she comes!” the voice pleaded desperately.

“No way! Are you insane? What are you trying to do?” then, a tenor voice replied defiantly.

“Shut up!” the person held its’ voice, preventing from shouting. “Then do you want to let her know?”

Silence befalls on the voices before a voice spoke after much hesitation.

“Do what you want, even to the extent of sending her off to Peterpan.” the stomping of its’ boots’ heels started to fade.

Soon after I realized with horror, that I was there, listening to the conversation between - after all this time - a man and a woman. My claustrophobic senses washed over me as I saw myself in a wooden cubical room with a small bright light bulb hung from the top.

Not just that, the unseen face of the woman holding a knife while slowly creeping up to the door, cut of my breathing system.

My eyes shot open, almost bulging out from its’ sockets as I sat up with a start. Shoulders heaving from exhaustion making warm rasps of breaths. I felt a tensed muscle above a soft fabric and noticed how my knuckles turned paler after every heave.

Thinking that blinking was a way to let the pull inside my brain stopped, I continued while tilting my head northwards. When it had subsided, I laid on my bed once again.

I wake to knocking.

“I have your breakfast. Can I come in?” It was a man’s voice, aussie’s accent perhaps.

“Can you leave it there?” I ask, almost mumbling.

“You have to take your medications after this. So I suggest you eat first.”

I sat up. Medications? Right, the migraine was chasing the sane out of me.

“Wait up. I have to get dressed.”

I slipped on my dry cardigan and pull the mattress away from the door so I could open it.

I took a step back. The man behind the door could be an idol back in my country. Startling dark hazel eyes just like his hair that was swiped neatly to the side.

He set the tray on the mattress and pat his space in front of him. “Come ‘ere, Eve.”

“You know me?” I asked.

“Yes, I do. You’re my brother’s friend.” He gave a warm smile. “And, I’m Hongbin.”

I took his hand which he was holding out. Then, he tugged it so that I could sit in front of him on the mattress.

“Your porridge. Warm water. And, your pills.” He listed everything down. “Rome said to stay here ‘till you finish your porridge and take your medications.”

Wait up, what am I? Right, a teenager. I gave him an eyebrow.

“You see, I’m capable of taking care of these myself. So please, don’t mind me,” Let me stress the kindness in my sentence.

“Are you trying to chase me out?” He crossed his arms and sulked. “I don’t have anything to do. I’m bored.”

I blinked. “Okay.”

I was not trying to be mean but I was not used to having a grown up man being all cutesy in front of me. Plus, his way of talking was –how do I put this- childlike.

“Where’s everyone?” I tried to hear noises from the outside.

“No one is in the house except you, me and the housekeeper.” He points like a five-year-old wanting a candy. Told you his gestures were -well- extraordinary.

Wow. A housekeeper. Ah, that explains the meal. He would not have made it all by himself.

I took the last spoonful of the tasteless porridge and gulped down my medications afterwards. Hongbin was scrutinizing every inch of my movements and it felt bothersome.

“Eve is such a good girl!” he pat my shoulders.

I would not deny it but I felt like ages since someone had complimented me and I felt good.

“Thank you, Hongbin. For the porridge, for the pills—“ “You can thank the housekeeper later when you’re better,” Honesty is the best policy.

“But still, thank you for bringing it up for me and waking me up,” I smiled sheepishly.

He nodded gleefully. “Do you want to wash up? You can rest afterwards.”

He handed a towel and a set of fresh clothes from his wardrobe and offered a hand. For not rejecting his hand, I got pushed into the bathroom.

“Don’t go out until you’re fresh and clean!”

How nice.