“Please, just leave me alone.” I shouted back to the stranger, fear evident in my shaking voice as I continued to run. I paused as I reached the top of a set of concrete stairs and looked back at the approaching figure. He was gaining distance and I didn’t dwell on the moment before I started down the hill of stairs. In fear as I tried to escape, I lost my footing and I just remember pain as I tumbled down the concrete stairs and painfully landed on the on my elbow at the bottom. The vast amount of pain and shock I was in affected my consciousness which caused me to panic as my vision kept going black. I couldn’t pass out, I had to get away! I willed myself and suddenly the figure came into view. I clambered to my feet and turned to run, but hit the broad chest of a person. I glanced up at the second figure; relief and anger washed over me when I noticed the face of Yongguk in front of my eyes. He moved me to one side before he punched the approaching stranger. The stranger was taken aback by the sudden action and retreated away, back into the shadows.

I turned to face Yongguk as I clutched my arm in pain. He went to talk but stopped when I raised my hand and it collided with his cheek. His face whipped to the side and stayed there for a moment, surprised by what I had done. I felt a mix of emotions at that moment, but anger was the most prominent one.

“Where were you?!” I spoke with a raised voice and he finally returned his gaze to my direction. “You said you’d be here!” I continued and he just looked down with a guilty expression on his face.

“JiEun, I’m sorry.” He apologized and I slapped him once more. “JiEun-” He started once more but I interrupted again.

“You think ‘sorry’ will fix it?” I questioned, furious that he thought everything was ok