There was a slight chill in the air and the sky was black considering it was almost midnight. Everyone was already inside their safe homes already sleeping, safely tucked in their beds. All was quiet besides the click clack tapping noise of Hyemi's heels as she walked on the abandoned sidewalk. 

"This is the last time I'm working late shift for unnie," she grumbled.

She shivered and rubbed her bare arms with her hands. The weather was below 60 degrees and she was only in her waitress uniform which was a strapless cream colored dress with a white frilly apron over it, exposing her upper shoulders, neck area and her long slim legs. She had to get home fast before she'd get sick. Only problem was is that her home was a whole 45 minutes away from where she was.

Continuing her journey home, she took in her surroundings. The city neighborhood wasn't that bad but the street lighting was horrible. They flickered on and off and casted a dim glow. One by one they all eventually burned out just to Hyemi's luck. Now she only had the little star light that the few stars in the sky provided her to get home. 

"If I take this shortcut, I could make it home in half the time," she whispered and peered down a dark alleyway that looked seemingly empty.

Cautiously she turned her direction and walked into the alleyway. She squeaked and jumped back as an unknown animal scurried across her path. The walls beside her seem to get smaller and smaller the farther she walked. More unknown things seemed to pop up at her and she frequently dashed into another pathway each time.

Eventually, she lost her way and everywhere she looked was the same how it was 5 minutes ago. She wondered if she was walking in circles. She walked down another narrow pathway and a little up ahead she could make out two males. As she passed them, she held her breath and kept a straight face. 

She continued walking when she had the strange feeling that someone was following her. She took out her mini makeup mirror and pretended to use it to check her face when in actuality she was looking at the reflection from behind her. She was right. Someone is following her. Matter of fact two people were. It was the two males that she had just passed by earlier.

Her pace quickened up into a brisk jog and she sensed the two behind her also speed up their pace. Her heart racing she broke out into a full run with the men behind her chasing right after her. One of them grabbed hold of her arm and pushed her against a wall.

"Hello babeh~. Dun you look fiiiiine~ tonight?" the man's voice was slurred and his breath reeked of alcohol.

"Please let me g-go," Hyemi pleaded and tried to run but the man's grip on her arm was too strong.

"She sure is a beauty," the other man replied and flipped her uniform dress up exposing a bit of her underwear.

"Hajima!" she yelled and tugged the end of her outfit down.

"Dun beee like that, babe~. Weeee gonna haf fun tonight," the drunk man slurred and pulled her close to him.

"When I'm dead!" she glared and kicked his 'little buddy' and ran.

"Gah!" He yelled and bent over clutching his area. "Don't just stand here! Get her!"

Hyemi ran as fast as she could down the pathways but her heels that she was wearing didn't help. She numerously ran in different directions to try to lose them but they seemed to follow and find her every time. Suddenly, she ran into a dead end.

"Kekekeke~ No where to run anymore," the more sober man replied.

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!" she screamed but it was only in vain.

"No one can hear you now," the drunken man spoke with an evil Cheshire grin.

Slowly, they backed Hyemi into the dead end wall behind her. Then, they both lunged at her and she clamped her eyes shut. Oddly, she didn't feel any hands grab onto her. Instead, she opened her eyes to see flashes of pink beat up her attackers. Soon enough, the two men stood up wincing in pain and ran away in fear.

"Kamsahamnida!" Hyemi thanked cheerily and gasped when she saw her rescuer's face.

He looked to be an innocent young boy of only 16 years of age. Only 2 years younger than her so she decided to drop the honorifics and talk informally. His straightened hair was a pretty carnation pink and was slightly tousled from the fight. Even though he took on two men who was twice his size, there was not one scratch on him. He looked up at her with a charming smile and his eyes big which made her swoon a bit. 

"Noona, gwenchanayo? You're not hurt are you?" he asked worriedly.

She shook her head. "Ani, I'm fine. Gomowo for saving me."

"It was nothing. I couldn't let them hurt someone as pretty as you, noona," He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Hyemi blushed and chuckled at the boy in front of her. In her eyes, he was simply adorable. He seemed more innocent than most teenage boys nowadays yet he had this strong and badboy aura  around him. Exactly her type.

'Omo, I sound like a pedo noona,' she mentally scolded herself and pinched her wrist.

"Why are you out here anyway?" the mysterious pinkette asked.

"Oh! I got lost while trying to get home. Can you help me? Jebal?" she pleaded.

"Yeh! I'll lead you the way," he chirped

He grabbed her hand and started running/walking at a fast pace. Hyemi blushed again and laughed as she tried to keep up with him. Fortunately, the pinkette successfully managed to get out of the alleyway maze and out into the open again. 

"I can go home on my own from here," Hyemi smiled at him but he shook his head.

"I'll walk you home. It's dangerous for a girl to walk home all alone at night like this," the 16 year old insisted.

"But-," she tried to protest.

"You don't want what happened a moment ago to happen again, do you?" he added, raising an eyebrow at her.

Hyemi hesitated and shook her head. The boy in front of her grinned and asked where she lived. Although she was a bit cautious, he didn't seem to be of any danger to her so she gave him the right directions to her house. During the walk, she sneezed and shivered from the cold. Next thing you know, she felt a warm jacket being placed over her shoulders and she looked up (even though he was younger, he was taller than her by a couple of inches) at the boy who she had not knew the name of yet. 

"You're gonna catch a cold going out like this," he smiled.

She smiled back in thanks and soon they reached the entrance of her large apartment building. Hyemi turned to him with a soft smile.

"Gomowo again for today. I don't even want to think of what could have happened if you haven't showed up," she confessed.

"Your welcome. Can I ask for your name, noona?" he asked.

"It's Park Hyemi," she told him lightly.

"Hyemi noona...I like the sound of that," he grinned.

"Here's your jacket," she said and began slipping off his jacket off her shoulders.

"Keep it. You can keep it so you'll remember your warrior savior!" he exclaimed.

"My warrior savior?" she blinked.

"Yeh, Hyemi noona! That's me," he replied and puffed up his chest beating it with one fist.

She laughed and nodded. "Arasso. You can be my warrior savior from here on out."

He did a mini cheer which only made her laugh even more. She hadn't laughed like this in a long while and she was surprised of herself of how natural she was acting in front of him. The two than exchanged numbers and promised to keep in contact with each other.

"I'll leave so you can get some beauty sleep. Annyeonghi jumuseyo, Hyemi noona~," he wished farewell and turned to walk home.

"Wait!" she called out.

He turned around a bit startled. "Waeyo?"

"You didn't tell me your name," she chuckled.

"Choi Jun Hong. You can call me by my nickname though, noona. It's Zelo," he introduced and bowed politely, earning Hyemi to giggle at his politeness and him to blush the same color as his hair.

"Arasso. Good night," she smiled.

He began walking away but then started walking backwards so he can continue waving his hands goodbye at her. Since he wasn't watching where he was going, his back bumped into a streetlight and he rubbed his head whining a bit. She stiffled a giggle and watched him leave, waving goodbye to him until he was completely out of sight.

2 weeks later ~

Hyemi sighed and flipped open her cell phone for the nth time in the past 2 weeks. As silly as she felt, she missed seeing a certain pinkette. Ever since that night when Zelo saved her in that alleyway, he hadn't contacted her. She would have contacted him first instead but she was far too nervous and afraid.

"Yah! Hyemi! You have a customer who specifically asked for you at Table 5!" one of her co-workers informed her.

"Me?" she blinked and pointed to herself.

"Neh. My, you are so lucky! You didn't tell me you were seeing someone so cute and handsome," her friend teased.

"Mwo? What are you talking about?" Hyemi asked confused but her friend just handed her a menu.

"Just go see for yourself. Table 5!" she informed again and walked away giggling like a little girl.

"Unnie is acting weird today," Hyemi said out loud.

"I heard that, Park Hyemi!" her co-worker yelled from the back of the kitchen.

She giggled and proceeded to the customer that requested her. She exited the kitchen, passed the cashiers, and into the cozy and busy cafe that she happily worked at. The smell of coffee, sweets, and pastries filled the air along with the chattering and laughter of happy customers. She walked over to Table 5 which was a two seat table at the front of the cafe near the window.

"Annyeonghasaeyo! Welcome to Saranghae Cafe!" she greeted with a smile and her eyes closed. 

"Annyeonghasaeyo to you too, Hyemi noona~," a familiar voice sung.

And there in front of her was her warrior savior.