“This is literally the last rent house I can find.” I drop my bags to the floor. “Please.”

     “Well, Miss, as I said, this flat is also the last one I have.”

     “Can’t you lower the price? As you can see, there’s only one of me here. I don’t have any friend to share this flat with.”

     The landlord chews his energy bar in a bored manner and stares at me. “Take it or leave it Miss, school starts in two days.”

     Being a broke college student in a foreign country doesn’t frustrate me—it’s being ALONE in a foreign country that frustrates me at the moment. I study the furthest out of my high school friends, and I regret my decision to be a ‘challenger to your own soul’. I need a room near my school, but this one is a flat, twice the price of a standard studio apartment, and I don’t have anybody to share this with.

     “Can you let me stay for like two days until I find a roommate? Please?” my despair disgusts myself.

     “There’s no guarantee that you’re going to find one, so I’ll have to say no.”

     I regret mentioning that I’m all alone in this town. I look down to my luggage and just keep standing there at the receptionist table.

     “Do you have a spare room?” someone with a deep voice talks behind me. Soon the owner of the voice stands beside me in front of the landlord. Hey, he’s an Asian too. He’s skinny, tall, and his hair is slightly brown. I would have thought he was an old man, judging from his voice alone.

     “I only have a flat left, with two bedrooms.” the landlord answers, then turns to me. “Hey, Miss, you can be roommates with him.”

     “But I can’t be roommates with a—“ I look at the man, and he’s looking at me as well, blankly.

     “I can’t find any places left. I’m going to have whatever I can.” the guy says. “I don’t mind to share.”

     “Sharing a flat with guys is super common here, Miss. You just got a chance, take it or leave it.” the landlord repeats.

     Well, sharing with a guy is definitely not common for me. Dammit culture. The guy fixes the guitar bag he’s carrying, and drops his luggage. “Do you want to share the flat with me? Let’s make this quick for both of us, I know we both need a place to live.”

     I think hard, and give up. I can’t afford to look for another place, and exhale. “Okay, I’ll try to move out after a month, we’ll talk about the details later.”

     The landlord gives us forms to fill, and once we’re finished, I glance at his paper

     Chanyeol Park.

     “What, you’re a Korean too?” I exclaim in Korean. He stops writing and looks at me.

     “And you? You’re also Korean?” he asks.

     I want to answer with no , Sherlock, I asked you in Korean and you just answered me in Korean too but I just nod.

     “No wonder you seem pretty tight with this living together thing.” he says, and I can tell he scoffed. Wow, I don’t like him already.

     “Oh look at you cuties, did you come from the same country?” the landlord finishes his last bite of energy bar and looks at our forms. “Let’s go to your honeymoon flat.”

     I drag my belongings to the second floor following the landlord and that Chanyeol guy. After a brief explanation of the flat, the landlord leaves us alone.

     “I’ll give you a privilege to choose your bedroom.” Chanyeol says.

     “Why are you talking like you own this flat?” I screech, and take my bags to the bedroom on the right side of this flat. I lightly slam the door, and start unpacking, but then there’s a knock on the door.

     “When you’re done, get out for awhile so we can talk about some rules.”

     Rules? I open the door and approach him in the kitchen. “Okay, let’s talk about it now so we can finish faster.”

     Chanyeol sits in front of the pantry, and offers me the seat in front of him. I shake my head slowly.

     “Oh please, just sit, will you? Why are you so tense? Let me get this straight—I won’t do anything to you. Stop thinking about this living together thing to be something wicked. What, are you afraid your mommy will disown you? Is living together an unusual thing in our own country?”

     With his voice, I feel like I’m being scolded by an old man. I sit in front of him, and stay silent.

     “Thank you. Let’s discuss. You were the one who said we would talk about this anyway.” he starts. “We’ll split the rent exactly in half, and we’re not going to meddle in each other’s business. We’ll have our own keys, and we’re going to take care of our own meals.”

     “Reasonable.” I comment.

     “We’re adults, so we should know the additional boundaries. As fellow Koreans, let’s cooperate. I’m Park Chanyeol.” he stretches his hand.

     I realize I haven’t introduced myself to him. “I’m Kim Kia.” we shake hands, find out that we’re the same age, and decide to drop the formalities. He’s an engineering major in our university. We move on to our respective rooms, and I continue my pending unpacking. As the night falls, I hear Chanyeol strumming his guitar softly.

-

     The next morning, a Sunday, I get out from my room and Chanyeol also opens his door at the same time. He’s wearing training pants and white sleeveless shirt, and his top just emphasizes how milky white his skin is. I look away and head to the bathroom, but he’s heading the same way.

     “Sorry, you can go fir—“

     “No, it’s okay, I can wait.” Chanyeol waves his hand a little, letting me go first. He turns back to go to the kitchen instead. Inside the bathroom, I’m starting to see my upcoming days in this flat, drowning in awkwardness. I should try to look for other possible places.

     After I finished showering, I rush back to my room, and Chanyeol is heard occupying the bathroom now. I should get busy today—what should I do? Grocery shopping? Sightseeing? Oh, I should probably look for part-time jobs. I get dressed and get out of my room, and find Chanyeol casually dressed. Maybe he’s staying home.

     “I’m going outside.” I say as I wear my shoes.

     “Yeah.” he answers shortly, coldly. I almost regret saying it.

     I spend the day going around the small town, memorizing buses, looking for cheap stores, and trying to find part-time jobs but I haven’t found any. Unknowingly the sky turns dark already, and it gets really cold outside. I instantly regret wearing this thin cardigan only. There’s no bus from the last place I visit today, so I need to walk to the rent house. I can already feel my eyes getting red and teary from the strong wind, and when I arrive to the lobby, I feel dizzy looking at the lamp there.

     “Alone? Not going with your roommate?” the landlord is reading a newspaper behind his desk. I mumble a good night to him, and go to the second floor.

     Chanyeol is doing something with his laptop in the living room, wearing black rimmed glasses. He turns on the heater, and I feel a bit more comfortable once I get inside the flat, but my head feels like it’s spinning. I go straight to the bathroom, and Chanyeol looks at me curiously. I look at my own reflection in the mirror and damn I’m so pale. I can’t get sick before my first day of classes.

     I come out from the bathroom, and Chanyeol notices me. “Are you okay?”

     I just nod, and look for my bedroom keys. Before I can find it in my purse, my knees drop to the floor, and my breaths are short. I can feel Chanyeol moving, and soon he’s standing beside me.

     “Hey, are you okay? What happened? Kim Kia? Kim Kia!”

     I didn’t remember anything after he shouts my name.

-

     I open my eyes, and the clock right in front of my bed says 1 AM sharp. I try hard to remember how I ended on this bed, but my head is still feeling painful. I get a shock when I see a head near my knee, then I realize it’s Park Chanyeol, my roommate. He’s sleeping, sitting on the floor, supported by the side of my bed, and his head is leaning on a part of my mattress. How can he sleep like that?

     I want to talk to him, but I feel too sick to do anything. Soon I fall asleep again.

     I wake up at 6 AM, and Chanyeol is not in my bedroom anymore. I feel so much better already, and come out from my room.

     Chanyeol is making something in the kitchen. “Getting sick on the night before first day of school… You gotta be grateful I was here.”

     I get a bit annoyed by his words but I’m in no place to debate. “Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it.”

     “I didn’t think sharing a flat with a girl would be this bothersome. Here, eat this.” he gives me a plate of seaweed rice balls. “Don’t make your first day laughable by passing out in school, you already gave one man enough trouble.”

     I already sit in my chair, just about to touch the rice balls, but I pull back my hand and stand up after he says his second sentence. “Once again, thank you for your help.” I hold in my anger. I shower as fast as possible, get dressed, and dash out of the flat even before it reaches 7 AM.

     “You’re skipping breakfast, such a wise decision.” Chanyeol says from the kitchen, as I wear my shoes. I lock the door from the outside out of resentment, and once I’m outside, I’m clueless on where to go. I end up in a 24-hour coffee shop, ordering an overpriced breakfast set that costs me a whole day’s meal.

     I peacefully survived my first Psychology 101 class, and found other Korean students. They invite me to a Koreans-only dinner tonight. I wonder if Chanyeol would be there too.

     Lunch time. The large cafeteria is flocked by students from various majors, and I try to avoid large queues by going straight to the fruit counter. I’m not that hungry anyway. A familiar figure is seen in front of me, and he’s filling his plate with fruits. Before I could run away, he spots me.

     “Only fruits? A brave choice for someone who skipped breakfast.” Park Chanyeol continues taking his food.

     “Shut up.” I say, taking a plate and go across him, taking fruits for myself.

     “I haven’t taken my spare keys from the landlord, and I almost arrived late to class because my roommate locked me up, and I had to wait for someone to pass in front of the flat to ask for help because I didn’t have the landlord’s number.”

     “Interesting beginning of the day, isn’t it?” I say flatly.

     “We promised to cooperate.”

     “I can’t cooperate with a foul-mouthed guy.” I look at him in the eyes.

     The sides of Chanyeol’s mouth moved, but he just breathed “Girls.”

     I leave him at the fruit counter and join my friends, and he also joins a table full of guys once he finishes. I glance at his direction out of curiosity, and apparently he’s looking at me too. I get flustered, and continue eating.

     I go to the dinner and it helps me forgetting the unpleasant moments happened today and I belatedly realize that Chanyeol is nowhere to be found. Good. I ask a fellow freshman about possible available rooms around school, and she promises me to keep in touch.

     “Hey, where’s Park Chanyeol?” a senior across me asks a freshman, I think I saw him near Chanyeol this afternoon in the cafeteria.

     “He can’t come, sunbae. He said he was going to visit his aunt—or probably he’s living with his aunt, I don’t know.” the freshman answers.

     He’s sure as hell not living with his aunt, I think to myself. Why doesn’t he live with his aunt? That would make my life easier without his nagging. Oh wait… My life would be harder because I might be homeless right now because I don’t have someone to share the flat. Or die of hunger because I need to pay for that flat with my all my money. Ugh, how dilemmatic.

     The dinner ends and we part ways. I go with a group who shares the same direction home but because I live the furthest, I’m all alone when I still have two blocks left to walk. The streets are getting empty already, and I shudder when the cold night wind breezes.

     I just have two turns left when I spot a group of noisy men in dark jackets walking to my opposite direction, and I purposely cross the street to avoid their path. I think they spotted me because they started speaking slowly and then I can feel them cross the street too, approaching me. .

     They start forming a barricade around me, and once I try to break it, I’m pushed back in. One aggressive movement will make them react, so I just listen to them teasing me, and I flinch when a few of them pull on my clothes and bag. I keep being silent.

     But I’m afraid.

     I’m so afraid…

     “Sorry guys, nobody touches my girl.” a deep voice is heard in front of me, covered by the men barricade. The men move apart and reveal the person, Park Chanyeol. He pulls me to his side.

     “Are you hurt somewhere?” he asks in Korean, putting emphasis in every word so the men could hear him. The men cheered mockingly, yelled “Asians.” once and they leave.

     Chanyeol holds my shoulders and guides me to walk. We arrive home and Chanyeol has set me free before the landlord can see us. In front of our door, when Chanyeol is unlocking it, I have prepared myself to hear and bear whatever he will say. I can already predict what he would say… Great, you’re being such a burden again. A girl coming home late at night alone, how appropriate. Being roommates with you is so troublesome.

     “Good night.” Chanyeol hangs his coat behind the door once we’re inside, and he goes straight to his room. I stand still on the entrance, and stare at his bedroom door. Wow. That was unexpected.

     The next morning, I peek through my bedroom door, making sure Chanyeol hasn’t woken up. I’m cooking in the kitchen, and in the process, Chanyeol gets out from his room, glances to me, and proceeds to sit in the living room and turns on the TV.

     I finish my cooking, and carefully come to the living room, carrying a plate and putting it in front of Chanyeol. I serve him three rice balls, with mi, an, and hae formed at the top of each of it with seaweed.

     I see him changing his sight from the TV to the rice balls, staying silent for awhile, then he holds his laughter.

     “Cheesy.” he comments, and picks a rice ball with ‘mi’ on it and eats it in one go.

     “I put meat inside.” I say, and he nods in approval.

     “Did you use my seaweed?” he says with full mouth. I glare at him.

     “Do you think I don’t have my own seaweed? My mom packed me plenty.”

     He swallows the food and silently laughs.

     “I’m sorry for acting rude yesterday morning. Thank you for yesterday night.”

     “Me too.” he keeps looking at the TV. “I’m sorry for what I said to you.”

     I sit beside him, and stare at the TV as well. “Where were you last night, at the dinner?”

     “I had to go somewhere.” he says, picking up another rice ball.

     Silence ensues. I try to find a topic, and Chanyeol already finishes the last rice ball.

     “Can I suggest a new rule?” I say, and move my sitting position to face him.

     “What is it?”

     “No rude words. Whether it was obscenity, or words that hurt feelings.”

     Chanyeol sneers. “I didn’t say any, if you meant this rule was made because of me. I just said that you could be potentially a burden to—“

     “We’re going to have a fine over this.” I cut his words.

     “What? How much will it be?”

     “Not money. The offender will do whatever the other party requests.”

     Chanyeol exhales loudly, and puts his feet on the table in front of him. “Okay.”

     Wow, he agrees faster than I expected. I happily stand up and smile. “Good. I have more rice balls in the kitchen, go have some.”

     Chanyeol nods slowly, his eyes never leave the TV. Let’s see if this guy can watch his words now.

     Magic happens the next days, as Chanyeol actually behaves with his words. We also spend some time together in the flat, not just a half-hearted greeting or glances but we actually share food, watch TV together, and help each other with small things.

     Saturday night, we find ourselves not going anywhere, eyes glued to the TV.

     “Aren’t you going somewhere?” I ask Chanyeol. He’s wearing his white sleeveless top again, and I unintentionally ogle his arms.

     “No.”

     “You’re single?”

     “Even if I am not, what will my girlfriend say if she finds out my roommate is a girl?” Chanyeol laughs.

     “So what do you usually do at Saturday nights in Korea? Do you go to clubs?”

     “I don’t really like clubs.”

     “Surprising.” I remark. “Your face looks like you often go to the clubs. You know, the face who attracts many girls at once. An experienced player.”

     Chanyeol reaches for the remote, and turns off the TV. He turns to me and tilts his head.

     “Do you remember the rule you suggested a few days ago?” Chanyeol asks. I remember clearly, and I freeze.

     “Wait, what I just said was a joke—hell, it could even be a compliment!”

     “But that hurts my feelings.” Chanyeol squints his eyes, and his face turns serious. Oh man.

     I give up. “Okay. Okay. What do you want me to do?”

     Chanyeol leans close to me, and I lean back in surprise.

     “Wait—what are you doing?”

     “Stay still.” Chanyeol whispers. He keeps getting closer to me, and I can’t move any further on this sofa. I close my eyes in fear, and my shriek was covered by his lips which were smothering mine. His kiss was long, suffocating, yet I couldn’t run away from it. He pulls away, and I run out of breath. My heartbeats get faster, and in front of me Chanyeol is panting too, as he stares at me.

     “Nobody ever kissed me like that before.” I slowly speak.

     Both of us stand up, without breaking our sight to each other. Chanyeol’s sharp stare crept through my entire body, it’s like he could stop my movements with that stare. He attacks me with his deep voice. “Do you want me to do it again?”

     Before I could say anything, he grabs my wrists and pins me against the wall, and kisses me again like no tomorrow. His entire body is pushing mine, not allowing me to escape. But now my lips and tongue are active participants, and this makes the kiss last even longer. I break the kiss, as I seriously can’t catch a breath right now. The blood inside my body feels like blazing. Chanyeol is basically in the same condition as me, and awhile after, he slowly chuckled.

     “We wasted a week being boring roommates.” he brings my body aside together with his bit by bit, and apparently he dragged us to my bedroom’s door. He opens it with my back against the door, and uses my lack of balance to easily push me to the bed. He’s now on top of me, his arms forming a jail that imprisons me. Looking at him now makes my heart feels like jumping out from my body. And those lips… Now I want to kiss those lips.

     “Do I have to apologize for saying you’re a player?” my words are short, unstable, because of my shallow breaths. Chanyeol grins.

     “You said I was an experienced player.” Chanyeol says, caressing my hair. “You said I got experience, so I’ll give you some.”

     He starts kissing my neck, and I have one hand pulling his sleeveless shirt and one hand running through his hair. I finally can touch his bare arms. His hands start exploring every inches of my body, mischievously slipping inside my clothes. Fire burns inside my body, and I’m drowning in kisses, touches, and pleasure.

-

     I wake up on Chanyeol’s bare chest, in his bed. I try to remember how we ended up in his bedroom when we clearly started in my bedroom, but then I remember myself asking him how it was unfair for him to come inside my bedroom twice when I have never seen his room. I giggle remembering that moment, and the flame inside my body burns again remembering the rest of what we did.

     We go out to grab something to eat in the afternoon, and the landlord whistles when we see us going downstairs.

     “It’s been a week, and this is the first time I see you guys going together.”

     Chanyeol puts his arm around my waist and we both just smile to the landlord. As we sit in front of each other in a café, Chanyeol plays with my fingers as he speaks.

     “You ever spoke about moving out after a month, when we first agreed to be roommates.”

     “I don’t feel a need to, when I have a great roommate.” I say, biting my bagel.

     “A great roommate, right.” Chanyeol smirks. “We shouldn’t have lived in that flat anyway, what’s the use of two bedrooms when starting now we only need one?”

     I blush, and mutter “.”

     Chanyeol laughs, and he fills the gaps between my fingers with his own fingers.

-

Please also check out the sequel for this story, Emergency Break! :)