his head was throbbing, the influence of alcohol swirling through his veins like poison. it felt as if his skull was too small to contain his brain.

the memory of the imperturbable calm that possessed her face remained fresh in his mind. hyerim knew him too much, and that thought terrified jeongguk.

he closed the front door behind him as quietly as possible. the cat hyerim hissed at him for waking her up. he glared at the feline, threatening to kick her out of the house.

there was food at the table awaiting him, glistening plates of steamed fish and stir-fried vegetables, a fragrant pot of soup. hyerim's head laid in the middle of it all, waiting for him to return home.

she rested her head in her arms on the wooden dining table, eyelashes twitching as she slept. she was illuminated by the soft orange glow of a standing lamp in the corner of the room.

"damn it..." jeongguk muttered, struggling to supress the feelings of appreciation that had surfaced. no, he did not need to be thankful. he did not ask to be treated so nicely. he did not ask for any of this.

he initially tried to crawl past her, but couldn't help but shoot a hesitant glance at hyerim. she wore a grey nightgown that reached slightly below her knees. most of her arms were exposed, her fair skin glowing under the light.

would she catch a cold? her lungs were weak after all. nighttime in busan was often chilly, the midnight air frosty and unforgiving. he sighed, tension building in  his muscles as he approached her.

"wake up," ordered jeongguk, shaking her shoulder forcefully. she groaned, her eyelids still closed, and waved a sagging hand at him. "welcome home, jeongguk..."

her greeting struck a cord in jeongguk's intoxicated heart. home was where there was good food and warmth.

"wake up. you'll catch a cold."

hyerim smiled stupidly, her eyes still shut as she nestled her head further into her arms. "i'll stay with you while you eat..." she mumbled, falling back into slumber.

jeongguk could not control his movements. it seemed that whenever hyerim was around, his body and mind would enter a state of trance. what was this effect that she had on him?

no, no, no...! it was alcohol. it wasn't her, but the alcohol.

he swiftly scooped her petite body into his arms, earning a squeal from her. "wha- jeongguk! put me down!" she cried, arms flailing about as she struggled against jeongguk's firm hold.

that's right, jeongguk was very strong. he had been in countless fights... he had been running for years! a silly sixteen-year-old girl was nothing to him. she was weak, right?

he said nothing as he carried her into her room and threw her on her bed. she lay, her eyes wide with surprise. her large, glossy, black eyes that held him within.

the sight of her, helpless like a doll, burned into his eyes, causing him to feel a shock of electricity coursing through his veins. he crouched down till their faces met, till hyerim could smell the devil's drink in his breath. her legs squirmed underneath him.

hyerim's worry only grew bigger as she witnessed the lost boy's seemingly tentative actions. she wondered why his face displayed such sadness.

once again, she smiled brightly, and the thick, grey clouds in his vision vanished. all he could see was her and the light in her eyes.

"geez jeongguk, why did you go out so late? i was worried," she commented, patting his head gently. he froze, eyes staring straight at hers.

"i didn't want to stay here."

"i told you, you can stay as long as you need. besides, i like cooking for others!" she assured him, grinning slightly.

jeongguk couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief. this girl was too good for him. the tightness in his chest released as he exhaled, slumping into her chest. he was unconscious.

hyerim stroked his soft, wavy hair. she swore she saw the glimmer of tears in his eyes before he passed out.