"Here's your meal" you said, handing the customer a tray of Set A combo with a polite smile. "Thanks and please come again." you bowed.

The customer nodded and walked off to her seat. 

You sighed tiredly. You'd wake at 4 in the morning for a morning shift at a 24-hour convenience store, then rush to school. After school, you'd work at the ice cream store nearby your school and this was your last part time job of the day, but by the time you reach home, it'll be around 10 already.

"Aigoo~" the manager, Yunho poked your puffed cheek. "Are you tired already? Wanna go home early today?"

You ignored him coolly and entertained the next customer. He shrugged it off and stared at your constantly changing expressions for a while, admiring your beauty, then walked slowly back into his office and shut the door behind him.

"Annyeonghaseyo. Welcome to P.O.P's . May I help you?"

"Yeah." the guy said, you looked up from the counter when you heard the familiar voice. Your eyes widened. "Kim Bum?" 

You hadn't seen him for 4 days. 

Not that it bothered you of course. No way. Pft.

"Give me a cheeseburger and a soda please." He smiled and winked at you. 

You rolled your eyes and passed on the order to the rest of the workers. "Did you stalk me?" You asked, faking calmness and cashed in the last customer's payment. Your heart was beating a little faster than before but you ignored it.

"If I say I did? What would you say?"

You took the ready soda and cheeseburger and put it on a metal tray. You put it on the counter between you and him. "Here's your order." You said with a robotic voice. "Please enjoy. Kamsahamnida. Please come again."

He got his wallet out and checked the amount of money he had. Then he faked a shocked expression and gasped "omo! I forgot my vanilla shake."

"O..kay..." you said suspiciously and passed the order again.

Soon enough, the shake came and you put it on his tray. "There. Now pay." You held your hand out.

"Fries please." he ordered again.

You passed the order back and the fries came 2 minutes later. "Here." you gave it to him and held your hand out again.

"Chicken burger."

You put it on his tray. 

"Enough is enough Kim Bum." you said, sounding cold and rude, just like how you've practiced for all these years. "You're stalling the line."

He looked back at the other customers who looked upset and smiled playfully at them. The tense atmosphere suddenly toned down a little.

You turned back to you. He took some cash out of his wallet and you were ready to take it but he pulled back. "You forgot something." he pouted cutely.

Your heartbeat sped up again and you tried hard to put on a defiant look. "What?"

"You're supposed to smile when you greet the customers right? You smiled at the last one. How come I didn't get one?"

The other customers "aww-ed", "ooh-ed" and 'aah-ed".

You blushed and gave him a quick smile, then coughed a little, regaining your composure.

He gave you the money and you took it quickly, wanting to rid yourself of the awkward moment. "K-Kamsahamnida." You muttered softly.

He reached over and patted your head. "Keep the change." he winked.

~~~

Throughout the entire time you were working, you kept getting distracted by Kim Bum who was sitting not-too-far yet not-too-close to where you were standing.

And during the times when you had a short break, you find yourself thinking about him often. Like, if he was going to finish the food he ordered. Why did he have so much money? And... why was he here at the fast food restaurant for so long?

After your shift ended and you got yourself changed, you exited through the back door where Kim Bum was already waiting for you patiently."Hey."

You ignored him and walked down a road, oblivious to where you were heading, feeling like your head was in the clouds.

"Um.. ~~~~ ah?"

"Yeah?"

"Isn't your house that way?" He pointed to the opposite direction.

You followed his index finger and nodded, turning around and walking that way. You looked down at his hand and realized he was carrying a plastic bag with P.O.P's logo on it.

"What's that?" you asked.

"Oh." he scratched the side of his head shyly. "Leftovers." he briefly explained.

"Oh." you muttered.

And you were both silent for a very long time as you walked together down the streets of Seoul, watching the busy people pass by and the vehicles on the road as well as the stars and moon that beautifully designed the dark sky.

"So..." you both said at the same time.

"You stopped and cleared your throat, allowing him to go first.

He laughed at your adorable manners. "Ladies always go first, ~~~~-ah."

You wrinkled your nose and decided to let him off just this once for teasing you "So.. you HAVE been stalking me for the past 4 days huh?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Well you knew where I was working, that's one thing for sure. I wouldn't be surprised if you even knew the other places that I work at."

"You mean like 7-Eleven and Sundae-Dundae?"

You nodded and shot him a harmless glare. "See?"

He just laughed.

"And... you knew the direction of my house." you stated.

You waited a long time for him to reply but he didn't say anything to you peeked at him sideways and noticed that he was just staring straight ahead, then at the sky above before you both reached your house.

"What more do you know about me?" you asked playfully, not really expecting him to know any more.

He put his hands on the railings that separated the both of you and his chin jaw on his hands comfortably. "I know your full name." He started. "Your house." he looked up at the apartment room you had rented. "Your school. You have a best friend."

You chuckled lightly, since he was only stating the obvious. 

But then, he started saying much more.

"I know you don't have a family though. But I don't know what happened." I was hoping you'd tell me that one day he thought. "I know you do some mean things to guys." You winced slightly but you don't know why you did that. And you felt a little guilty too...

"Am I one of them?" he asked knowingly.

You kept your head down and said nothing.

He let the both of you stay that way for a while until you felt like the silence was really uncomfortable. You peeked up at him through your side bangs and noticed him looking at you with the kindest pair of eyes you've ever seen. Your heart fluttered and your cheeks heated up.

"Am I?" he asked gently.

You suddenly felt like it was impossible to lie to him so you nodded shamefully.

His smile wavered a little and you looked up at him worriedly, feeling a little like a child again. The little you who had witnessed your mum leaving you out in the cold winter snow. Your face was filled with worry . He caressed your cheek and gazed at you.

"I don't mind that." he blurted.

What? you thought He doesn't mind?

"I won't mind it if you stop now."

Oh.

You bit your lip and thought deeply about your wrecked mind. For the first time in front of a Prince Charming, you felt like letting him go really made sense. But it didn't before... so why...

"Are you going to toy with me Kim Bum?" your inner devil spoke.

"Eh?"

"Are you gonna pretend like you like me? Then at the same time have many other s you can have the time of your life with then later on, throw me away like a useless pet? Or a toy? Would you?" You asked all at once, suddenly gaining the courage to speak up for yourself.

He gave you a confused look. "What are you talking about? Of course I won't do that." He denied firmly, watching something in your eyes turn red and flamed with hurt and anger. Something in him told him that it had something to do with your family.

"Sure." you scoffed. "You all say that." you rested your hand on your hip.

"I'm not lying." he reached out and hugged you although the railings were stil in the way. "I promised you didn't I?" he said, sounding very serious. "I'll show you what love REALLY is." he pulled back slightly so he could look at you "Step by step?"

You felt like you were on the verge of tears. You don't know what was going on with you. You were happy, angry and sad all at once and you just felt like crying. God, why did you even want to cry? It wasn't like yourself at all.

But you buried your face in his chest still, and cried your heart out. Feeling that, for some reason, you could trust this man here in front of you. Not a guy, you smiled slightly. A man.

You reached out and returned the hug as his right hand made its way to the back of your head and caressed it gently and slowly.