The strange but somehow alluring Korean man set a bowl of noodles in front of me. my mouth immediately watering just by the sight of it.

"Eat" he said motioning towards the food.

"So at an attempt to make this slightly less awkward" I say twirling some noodles around with my chopsticks "can you tell me your name?"

The man smiles lightly "Choi Hyun Ki, you?"

"For a Korean, you speak English very well" I smile lightly, voicing aloud my inner thoughts without realizing it, causing my cheeks to heat up instantly.

Hyun Ki barks a laugh "for an American you eat amazingly well with chopsticks... how did you know I was Korean?"

I can't help but to join in his laughter "my name is Mackenzie, but everyone calls me Mac, and I know you are Korean because of the foul language you used when you first saw me"

"You speak Korean?" He asks excitedly, his eyes sparkling slightly.

"My mother taught me, she was born in Korea" I said taking another large bite of noddles.

"But you don't look..." he said breaking off.

I sigh, this was not an unusual observation that people make "she's not my biological mother, she adopted me when she married my dad"

"Oh... sorry, I didn't mean to be rude" he said looking guilty.

I laugh slightly, the act feeling foreign and slightly bitter on my lips "don't worry, it actually happens a lot"

"Well it's nice to meet you Mac" Hyun Ki offers me his hand and I take it grateful to finally know the name of this random man I found in my kitchen only a couple of moments ago.

"So what brings you out here Mac?" Hyun Ki suddenly asks seeming a little too curious.

I stop eating for a second terrified to bring up the subject "I just needed to get away for a while" which basically wasn't a lie.

He nods then comes to sit beside me at the bar "and your family doesn't mind"

i glance down at my food like a child being scolded "they don't really know I'm here, I didn't tell them"

"So... you basically ran away from home?" Hyun Ki asks, his voice giving a hint of alarm.

I sigh "I'm 24, I'm allowed to make my own decisions. i came here for some quiet, that's the only reason i didn't tell them" i can only imagin what it would be like if my family knew i was here, they would make it miserable, always checking up on me, never giving me a minute to breath, and honestly i wouldn't put it past my mother to come and stay here with me.

Hyun Ki gawks at me, and breaks me out of my inner rant "you look younger that that"

A light smile brushes my lips "everyone says that..." Then something catches my attention "wait did you think I was like a spoiled little teenager that just ran away from home?"

Hyun Ki drops my gaze and looks at the floor, nodding but doesn't say anything.

I spit out a giggle "so that's why you were giving me weird looks"

Hyun Ki blushes "I thought I might have to call your parents, but I guess since you're an adult, there isn't much I can do"

I finish the last bite of noodles and spin around on my stool "not really, you're just going to have to put up with me"

Hyun Ki rolls his eyes "you don't help your case of looking young when you do that" he says motioning to my childish actions.

I grab onto the counter stopping quickly, almost making me fall off my stool "sorry...habit"

He smirks but nods "ok, well it looks like we will have to put up with each other, so we might as well set some boundaries"

I take a deep breath "that seems fair"

"Good, my room is down here on the main level, so I think it might be a good idea if you take a room upstairs so we don't have to worry about running into each other, like our own separate quarters" He takes a breath to make sure I'm still listening then continues "now, I don't eat in a lot because I'm usually not home most of the time, so you have free reign of pretty much the whole house, I just ask that you keep things clean and organized... I realize it's your place, so I can't tell you to do anything, but I like things neat"

"Are you OCD?" I ask feeling anal tendencies radiating from this man.

Hyun Ki fixes me with a pointed look "when it comes to cleanliness... very"

"Good then we will get along just fine" I say jumping off the bar stool and heading over to the entry way to grab my bags that I had dumped earlier in excitement to get to the beach.

"Upstairs?" I ask making sure.

Hyun Ki stares at me as if he were a bit confused then just nods, and I make my way up the stairs, knowing exactly which room I want.

Entering the room at the end of the hall, I drop my bags onto the ground feeling exhausted.

This room was usually my parents when we stayed here, but I felt like I deserved the biggest room for once.

A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of my mouth as I flung myself into the large and amazingly comfortable bed. "This might be a perk to this trip" whisper to myself wrapping myself up in the comforter and feeling my eyes start to droop.

I wanted to spend some time thinking of the strange man that I'm apparently roommates with now, but in the end my exhaustion won out and I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

~~~

I awoke to light peeking through the small cracks in between the shutters that covered the doors leading to a small balcony. I remember my dad always having his morning coffee out there when I was younger.

Judging by how low dimmed the light was shinning through the blinds, it was some time in the evening, which meant I had slept through most of the day.

Sitting up, my body felt painfully stiff, so I stretched it out for a second. I probably could have slept for a couple more hours, if not into the next morning, but my need for food overpowered any tired feeling left in my body.
I got out of bed and stretched my back out, continuing to walk forward, when I bumped into something and tripped landing hard on my hands and knees.
I started to rub them, cursing at myself when I recognized what I had bumped into, my suitcase was now laying on the floor and my purse-which was on top of it- now lay on the ground with all of its contains strewn all over.
I sighed at my clumsiness and began cleaning up the mess, until my hand paused over a small object resting on the floor.
My heart pounded, and my chest tightened painfully. the object on the ground, sparkled as a beam from the shutters caught it... it sparkled just as much as it did the day Andrew gave it to me.
Finally picking up my engagement ring off the floor and holding it between my thump and forefinger, a silent sob broke my lips and I closed my eyes letting the painful memory overtake my thoughts.

~~~

i sat at my favorite cafe waiting for Andrew to arrive, with my favorite book in my hand. I had read the book a hundred times but i was just as captivated by it's every word as i was the first time i had read it.

"why do you love that book so much?" Andrew asked shaking his head at me, startling me slightly and pulling my attention from the words on the page "i mean, you could at least get a new one, that copy is so tattered"

i couldn't stop my eyes from rolling "it gives it character, and i don't know, the story just speaks to me"

"but the guy kills himself in the end because his girlfriend left him for his best friend, i mean honestly if you ever did that, i would say 'good riddance' because clearly you weren't worth keeping" Andrew ranted as he bit into a bite of blueberry muffin.

"would you really not care if i left you?" i asked teasing.

Andrew smirked suddenly "what a guy like me back on the market? i would do just fine baby" he said trying his best to be smooth.

I barked a laugh "oh yeah, because they were just flocking to you before"

Andrew stuck his tongue out at me but smiled "but in all seriousness, i'm not sure how i would react if you ever left, I never really thought about it" he tightened his jaw quickly "its just to painful to think about life without you"

i felt a blush spread across my cheeks "so what did you want to talk to me about?" i asked changing the subject to something less serious.

"oh... actually" Andrew leaned back in his chair "where are you at in your book?"

my eyebrow shot up "um, almost to my favorite chapter... why?"

Andrew smiled and took another bite of muffin, looking away from me "no reason, i'll let you finish"

I sighed wondering what was going through his head but focused my attention back on my book. when i turned the page, a gasp of shock leaving my lips. just under the chapter title "dreaming of forever" there was a hole cut out in my book about the size of a small jewelry box, and that is exactly what sat in the middle of the hole, a small black jewelry box.

I took in another shocked breath and looked up to find Andrew on one knee in front of me "i realize that you might be mad for me damaging your favorite book, but i am willing to make it up to you for the rest of my life, starting with today... what do you say Mac... will you let me make it up to you for the rest of our lives? will you marry me?"

~~~

I crawled over to the bed and retreated under the covers, suddenly losing my appetite. tears flowed freely down my cheeks and I wrapped the blanket tighter around me, forgetting the world... letting the misery take me under. this was a new type of pain i was feeling, this pain wasn't from anger or being broken, this pain had abruptly hit me and i knew just what it was... i missed him, i missed my life with Andrew. all of the wonderful memories we had made together now tortured me, but what tortured me more was the fact that i wanted all of that back.

"how could you do this to me?" my whisper echoed through the dark pocket i had made in the comforter.

the one person i was suppose to trust, the one person who had become the center of my world, was the one person who has now made my world a living hell, and what is more screwed up is that i find myself missing that person... and possibly wanting that person back.

pulling the blanket closer around me trying to gain even the slightest bit of comfort, i let one more sob push its way from my lips, before once again falling back into a dreamless sleep.

...

This time when i awoke, it wasn't just muscle stiffness that pained my body, but a whole other type of pain gripped me tightly.

I sighed hearing a light pounding, recognizing that that must have been what woke me up.

I pulled the covers over my head and realized that it was pitch black in my room. I sighed stretching my arm over my head, and heard another knock.

jumping off the bed as slow as the rapid knocking would let me i made my way over to the door where the knocking was coming from and flung the door open, light flooding the room.

I blinked in surprise a few times letting my eyes adjust, almost feeling the need to hiss at the light and realized that i was staring at a very worried looking Hyun Ki.

Hyun Ki sighed almost in relief but then frowned deeply when he caught sight of me, he stared for a few seconds opening his mouth slightly a couple of times to say something, but stayed silent. his mouth then set into a deep scowl "come on, i know you haven't eaten since i made dinner the other night" he grabbed my wrist and pulled me out into the illuminated hallway which was burning my retinas further, this time i actually made an audible hiss making hyun ki turn slightly and raise his eyebrows but kept walking.

I didn't have the strength to fight him, so i just let Hyun Ki drag me down to the kitchen and set me at the bar in the kitchen. "i don't have time to cook a full meal, so you get a sandwich" he said pulling food out of the fridge.

I still didn't say anything, i just watched him move about the kitchen with an angel like grace that made me jealous as hell. seriously where did this man come form, like come on... he looks like a god, his dance moves would put Kai from Exo to shame, and his grace is nothing short of angelic... like seriously, i might hate him.

Hyun Ki started making the sandwich when he suddenly looked up at me catching my gaze through his eyelashes. his eyes were a starteling deep brown, that seemed to travel deep into you when you met them, they even seemed to sparkle the longer i looked into them.

my breath caught in my throat and i had to look away because i was blushing a deep red. 'what the hell just happened?' i questioned but didn't have time to think of an answer because he began to talk.

"seriously though, i know you said you were going to spend most of your time in your room but i figured you meant you would come out to eat, and bath every once in a while... you know things humans need to do regularly" Hyun Ki said almost sounding angry.

I sighed heavily sliding off the bar stool, and shuffling over to the wall opposite my bedroom. i quickly found the switch and clicked , a large entertainment center started slowly folding out of the wall. Finding one of my favorite CD's i put it on play, feeling myself relax a little at the sound of Frank Sinatra controlling the room. Not bothering to look at Hyun Ki i moved away from one wall to the glass one, where i stared out at the dark black water crashing against the beach, slightly illuminated by the moon.

I thought i was fine, but finding that ring made me realize just how deep this went, just how much pain was playing under the surface, waiting for me to find it. A strong copper taste flooded my mouth and i realized that i was biting my lip to the point of making it bleed. i lowered my head, and for the millionth time questioned how Andrew could do this to me, he knew my past, he knew how i was with trust.. i guess i was wrong for thinking he was one one person who wouldn't break it, or me.

A plate was pushed in my face suddenly interrupting my thoughts and i stared down at it in surprise "please" Hyun Ki said, almost pleading with me.

I sighed again and took one of the halves taking a large bite making Hyun Ki sigh in relief and visibly relax. My thoughts swarmed to him again as i wondered why he randomly cared so much, but quickly found myself more interested in eating... I had to hand it to the man, he knew how to make a sandwich.

Hyun Ki scratched his head nervously "listen, i have to go into work, will you be fine here... i mean is there anyone i can call maybe"

My eyes shot to his, realizing the meaning in his words "seriously? do you think I'm going to kill myself or something?"

His eyes widened and he let out a nervous laugh "no, no. i just...you just don't seem like you should be left alone... i mean..." another sigh left his lips "ok... i'll just be in town, and my number is on the fridge if you need anything" he fixed me with an intense look "seriously anything"

"why bother?" i asked catching him of guard. "i mean, honestly you don't even know me, why care about my well being?"

Hyun Ki opened his mouth to answer but shut it once one didn't come, then he shrugged "your family owns this place, if you die on my watch, i lose this amazing set up i have here"

"you're lying, but i wont push it... i'll be fine, go to work" i said stuffing the last bite of the first half into my mouth.

"the other half" he said pushing the plate at me, a sternness in his eyes, making him look older and oddly attractive. 'what the actual hell?'

fixing him with a 'really?' look, i lifted an eyebrow wondering what this guys problem was.

"eat it or I'm not leaving" he said stubbornly.

I clenched my jaw but picked up the sandwich half in defeat, and he leaned slightly forward waiting for me to take a bite.

When i did a huge triumphant grin spread across his face, and i couldn't help but shake my head at the annoying man, honestly if i wanted to be taken care of by an overbearing Korean i would have stayed home with my mother.