3^rd August 2020

“Don’t move. Scream and I will not hesitate to kill you.” A low, deep voice whispered into her ears as she was pressed against the doors, a sharp object poking her waist.

Aleyah gulped as the autumn wind that just blew passed made her shiver, her teeth clattering in addition to the fear that was enveloping her. Possibilities of what would happen after this ran through the lady’s mind and she concluded that obeying the man was the wisest thing to do right now. So she just stood there allowing him to pin her against the door with what she assumed as a knife poking at her waist.

“Why are you so obedient?” The man let her go slowly, lifting himself from her as he swing his car keys around his long fingers. The lady spun around immediately and was greeted by a familiar figure.

Black baseball cap, grey V neck tee, black skinny jeans, dark blue baseball jacket and a pair of high cut boots was what the blonde guy was wearing. “Sehun-ah…”

The way she called his name sounded like she was relieved to see him, happy that it was him who was standing before her. That was what Sehun felt when he heard her calling his name out loud. He never liked his name ever since Exo debuted but that moment when his name rolled out of her tongue, he couldn’t stop smiling. His name never sounded so pleasant to his ears before.

“If you are ever caught in such circumstances, please shout for help. Don’t freeze there like you did just now. Heard me?” The guy’s eyebrow furrowed unknowingly as he spoke. Shuddering at the thought of what would happen to her if she gave in to the aggressor in such a situation just now, his tone of voice turned serious.

“I remember that in dramas they would always kick the bad guy’s groin or whatever. So I thought I should wait for the perfect opportunity later before running away.” Aleyah answered seriously as she stared at Sehun who just shook his head disapprovingly at her. “Are you kidding me?”

“That’s in drama, you pabo-ah.” The guy knocked her head with his knuckles lightly, his brows were still tightly knitted together. “Please don’t use any of the ideas you learn from those drama you’ve watched. Use the old-fashion method. Run.”

“Yes sir!” The lady saluted the serious man playfully. “But you did scare the hell out of me just now.

Sehun’s lips twitched a little upwards when he saw the lady put her right hand over heart. His little prank must have given her quite a shock but he was glad that it was him whom this silly girl tried her drama-method-of-escaping-from-a-bad-guy on.

“Allow me to buy you supper to compensate your emotional shock miss?” The 6-foot tall guy opened his car door gracefully. “After you.”

“So where to?” He asked the lady beside him as he put on his seatbelt. “Hmmmm, just drive. We’ll see.”

“As you please ma’am,” replied the driver of the black audi before the engine jumped to life.

******

“Halmonim, can I have 2 bottles of Soju, 2 bowls of Kimchi ramyeon and 1 side dish!” Sehun look at Aleyah who was wearing a dark blue ankle-long skirt and a light orange button down top where she tied the bottom of her shirt into a ribbon so it ended right at her slender waist. To finish off the sporty look, she matched the bottom with a pair of black sneakers and a matching short brown knitted vest. She was indeed fashionable in her own unique way. He likes to call her the Bohemian girl, it was his secret nickname for her. For she’s always in long skirts and into knitted wear. No doubt that she pulls off the look very well too.

Ever since he got to know her at the annual reception dinner where the both of them met at the poolside after escaping the hypocritical event, Sehun couldn’t describe how much he likes this lady he have met.

Like now. The place she chose to have supper with him was at a roadside stall. Given his popularity, if he were to ask any female being for a meal together, be it whether he was interested in them or not, they would definitely choose a high-end restaurant that serves the finest quality of wine or steak. If it wasn’t a high-end restaurant it would definitely be somewhere decent with proper doors but this lady has manage to prove him wrong once again.

“I will help you bring it over.” Aleyah offered to help the old lady to bring the food over to the 3 working adults that were sitting a few tables away from them. She has a thing for old people. It hurts her to watch old people work at such an age so she’s willing to do anything to lessen the old lady’s workload even though they don’t know one another. She considers as a good deed done.

After serving the food to the few men who were drinking, she went back to the table with Sehun sitting opposite her. “It’s always nice to eat hot soupy ramyeon in such a cold weather.” She sniffed the aroma that was coming from the delicious food, “Don’t you think so?”

“Yeah. It’s the best way to end a night. Ramyeon and Soju.” The guy smiled back before tugging into his ramyeon but there was something that’s disturbing him. The group of men were glaring at them since a while ago and now they are approaching.

“Hey miss.” One of the 3 men who reeked of alcohol called Aleyah. His hand touched her shoulders as he spoke.

“I don’t think I know you sir.” The elegant lady didn’t lose her composure, instead she turned to look at him as she took his dirty hand off her.

“Feisty much. I like feisty woman.” His actions were more daring now. Tilting Aleyah’s head up, his fingers her cheeks. The guy opposite who was watching this throughout couldn’t contain himself any longer. Sehun knows the last thing Aleyah ever wanted was to create a scene so he let her handled it by herself earlier but his blood started to boil when the drunkard’s hands landed on her. He slammed his chopsticks on the table before he yanked the dirty hands off her. “Don’t you dare touch her,” he snarled. The gaze in his eyes was cold, probably even colder than the autumn’s chilly wind.

“Hey boy, you sit down. Grow some balls before talking to us okay?” His other friends mocked at Sehun because he seemed younger in this outfit even though he was in fact two years older than Aleyah.

“Your boyfriend is too young to satisfy your needs. Let Oppa satisfy you tonight uh?” Indeed that the most disgusting words would come out from the most shameless man ever. That’s what Aleyah thought when she heard it. She wasn’t someone who fancy violence and the last thing she ever wanted was Sehun to appear on the headline news tomorrow for being involved in some fight because of her. Seeing that he was about to initiate a fight with his tightly clenched fist, her hands reached out to him as she shook her head. He understood what Aleyah was trying to tell him, his identity needed to remain unknown by these men or they will create a bigger scene. However his fists remained in the same position as before.

“How do you know he didn’t satisfy me enough?” Aleyah walked around the table towards Sehun and she slipped her hand into his. Forcing his fist to open up, she slipped her delicate hand inside and intertwined with his. It was the only way to stop him from getting into an unnecessary fight. And she knew she did the right thing when she felt him gripping her hands like she would disappear the moment he let go.

 “My boyfriend is young and strong. Whenever I need it, he gives it to me. The thing about young guys, they are so aggressive that they make you unable to feel your legs the next day. They have the stamina to last through the night unlike old man like you. Do you even have the ability to handle me through the night like him?” The lady cringed at her own words. She never had any dirty conversation with anyone before, she doesn’t even have experience in that field but she knows that the best way to hurt a man’s ego is by doubting their ability in bed.

“Right baby?” Sehun looked down at his supposedly ‘girlfriend’ and he was met with the most beautiful pair of eyes ever. As cliché as it sounds, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from them, he even forgot that they were in an argument. He just nodded his head slowly a few seconds later, their gaze still locked.

“Tch.” The men scoffed before walking out of the tent, leaving the couple behind. The lady sighed in relief immediately and the blonde guy regained his composure before realizing how weak he has been. Throughout the confrontation, he did nothing as a man to protect her. Instead he let her say those ual stuff that was shameful for a lady. Although he felt bad towards her, he felt so weak that he felt disgusted by his own actions. Weak that he wasn’t able to protect her. Weak that he gave in to his image he has to maintain to put her through such circumstances. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault in any way.” The lady didn’t understand what his apology was for. She thought he was guilty that he didn’t respond fast enough when she asked him, ‘right baby?’

“You were very brave.” Sehun praised her as they walked towards his car. Both of them no longer had any appetite after the disturbance so they left the tent.

But I will be braver from now on.