The sun was just setting when she saw him as she exited from the café she frequented. She knew she had seen him before. She had. She had also taken a restraining order against him two years ago. She was afraid. She could hear her heart thudding loudly, so loudly it seemed like it would pop right out of her chest if she didn’t clutch on to it tightly. Her hands were numb and she knew she was shaking. Her hands shook slightly as she pulled out her phone and dialed the first number she saw.

“Oppa, I’m so scared.” Her voice trembles.

There were protocols in place for situations like these. Yet, she couldn’t help but to call him before she dialed any of the emergency numbers they were made to memorise.

His soothing voice calms her as tears rolled down her face. It wasn’t the first time she had been stalked and it wouldn’t be the last. This was however the first time she had disregarded the protocols and called her person instead. Two years ago, the first person she had called was her manager, not him.

 They have known each other for five years, been cast mates for four, and each other’s person for two. Time changes everything.

She huddles under the blanket. Too much caffeine along with the adrenaline rush had her shaking wildly. She wraps her arms around herself.

The elevator chiming alerted her to the presence of another being and for a moment, she froze, thinking that her stalker had managed to find his way up. She picked up her phone, already pressing number one on speed dial for him before she saw his text informing her that he was on his way up. She had forgotten that she had given him an access card a few weeks back.

She flew out of the door to meet him as he stepped out of her elevator holding on to take out containers and warm broth. Dropping the bags, he pulled her into a tight hug. She buried her face in the nook of his arms as he her back murmuring words of comfort. They stayed like that for what seemed like forever before the chime of her elevator startled them.

He tried to pull away, afraid that they might be caught in what seems like a compromising position- she had managed to wedge herself in a corner between him and a wall and he had his chin above her head. Their arms were entwined in what seemed to be a lovers’ embrace and he had braced his legs against hers. She wouldn’t let go though, keeping her face hidden behind his sweatshirt and arms around his waist, holding him as if he was a life buoy. Her life buoy.

Her manager appears, only raising an eyebrow in acknowledgement of the situation. He is used to their displays of affection after all this time. He hadn’t even been that surprised to receive the SOS call from Jong Kook instead of Ji Hyo. Even though their relationship was ambiguous at best, everyone knew they were each other’s person. He would settle the business end of things and allow Jong Kook to comfort his person.

When she had calmed down sufficiently, she pulled away from his embrace. Even with her make up smudged, eyes swollen and hair tangled a