Spoiler Alert - This oneshot contains spoilers for the MysMe game, so if you haven't played the game, especially 707's route, do not read this. If you do, then you read this at your own risk. If you continue to read and/or skip this warning, I will not be held to blame if you feel aspects of the game are spoiled for you. THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Okay, so I wanted to go for a more gentle story for the oneshot. Don't expect it to be like the other oneshots I have written. In fact, some of you might not even call it a true yandere. Call it what you want, but I am counting this as a "light yandere" story and calling it good. The oneshot itself is around 9500 words, so I hope you will like it, whether you call it yandere yourself or not. Let me know if you enjoy the story!

Looking down at the screen of my phone again, I pushed the numbers into the panel next to the door, taking a shaky breath as I heard the lock release. Placing my trembling hand on the handle, I slowly opened the door and peeked inside, calling out in hopes someone would answer even though nobody had responded to ringing the doorbell. I just wanted to give them the message from the stranger who had directed me thus far so I could leave and get back to looking for a new job. Entering the room after the disappointing lack of response, I began looking for a pen and paper to leave a note on for this 'Unknown' person.

Wait, what did he mean by that last message? What was happening now? What the heck? Who were all these people talking now? What?!

--------

What a mess that had chatroom been! And now here I was, stuck in some strange place I had never been before with a responsibility I hadn't even signed up for! How was I supposed to manage a party? Hopefully, someone will help explain what I was supposed to do, because I had no clue how to handle a party like this.

A small party for birthdays or a private wedding, sure! But something like a fundraiser? What kind of guests did they even want showing up? How many did they expect? Where should I tell them to go or who to contact for such information? I felt like I was lost at sea waiting for someone to show up and rescue me from this crazy situation!

I jumped when I heard my phone give a soft chime, picking it up to see a message coming in from someone I had only just met today in what was supposed to be a simple game. I should have known better than to download something from a strange site. That's what I get for doing something without thinking about it first.

Letting out a small sigh, I had to admit that as much as I hated the idea of being obligated to a bunch of strangers, this was still better than the alternative. I wonder what they would all think if they knew I'd only downloaded their messenger app to have something to distract me from everything going on in my life recently...

Hearing another chime from my phone, I saw the notification from the app on my screen as soon as I looked down. Well, I guess I had better see what was going on before heading to bed to try and get some sleep.

Why did these things always seem to happen in the middle of the night?

--------

What a crazy night that had been. I'd barely gotten any sleep, all the crazy messages and chat rooms pinging my phone so often I could still feel my eyes burning as I glanced down at the screen.

I have to admit, they all seemed like interesting people so far, from the young college student Yoosung all the way to the almost cold attitude of Jumin Han.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, helping out this bunch, and it wasn't like I really had anything that needed to be done. No work I would miss since I'd lost my job the other day, no family waiting at home for me to come back since I was living on my own, not even a pet that I needed to feed. I'd already texted my dad about the job situation and he said he'd help keep the bills paid until I had a new job. Between him and what I already had in savings, I was set for at least another couple of months if things didn't turn around by then.

After all of this was over, maybe I could even try asking if any of these people knew of a place that was hiring. I mean, the worst that could happen was them saying no, right?

--------

Looking down at my new background screen, I had to agree with Seven. Jumin's cat was adorable!

Even if I thought that some of the stuff Seven said he did was just a bit overboard, I could understand why he wanted to play with the fancy looking feline. Her fur almost begged to be petted, her paws caught and played with gently until she finally grew tired of it and her tail almost had me itching to see if it was even half as soft as it looked.

--------

Laughing to myself, I played along with Seven's little game in the chatroom, almost spitting out my drink when he admitted so easily to hacking into my info. Was he really that good?! I wonder if he could- Oh! What was this? Was that really a picture of Rika? She's really pretty!

Wait! What? That was him?! Oh... Wow.. Seven looks pretty good in- No! No no no! I was not going to start comparing myself to someone I hadn't even met in person, no matter how good he looked in a dress!

Ah well, it was still kinda fun to see him dressed up like that and he's said some interesting things. Smiling down at the screen, I began typing.

'Thank you for telling me all these things.'

--------

Ugh, I was going to become sleep deprived at this rate. But getting to join in on Seven's jokes like that was totally worth it.

Haha, the 606 joke in the middle of the night was good. Who would have thought studying all the "useless information" that caught my eye, such as binary numbers, would actually come in handy?

But afterward, I'd actually gotten a lead on a couple of groups to invite to the party. Ahh, I couldn't wait to find out more about this cat protection group Jumin had mentioned! How wonderful to be able to help the homeless cats like that! I wonder what kind of people they were...

I just hoped the allergy people could figure something out for Zen. There had to be something that would help, right?

--------

I was actually in the middle of making my own lunch when I entered the new chatroom that opened up. The picture that Yoosung shared almost broke my heart and I couldn't help but comment how poor the side dishes looked. It was enough to make me feel guilty about the stir-fry sizzling away in the pan as I gave it a stir, trying to avoid burning it as I kept an eye on the chatroom.

What? Jaehee gets paid pretty well, huh? I have to admit, I'm a little envious. I wonder if Jumin is hiring... Ugh, stop it! You have other things to focus on right now! You can ask later! Giving myself a shake, I focused back on the conversation some as I turned off the stove, moving the pan to a cool burner before scooping the food into a bowl.

'So Seven works for RFA and as a hacker too.'

I have to admit, that kind of job suited him if he was as good as he seemed. I took a small bite of the fried rice before carefully choosing what to say next. I didn't want to cause any bad feelings, after all.

'Perhaps they are being careful to make sure everyone is safe?'

I am sure Seven wouldn't do anything that could hurt his friends. He seemed way too nice to put his friends at risk. Taking part in the rest of the conversation, I was excited to see yet another person mentioned we could invite to the party, quickly asking for them to have the man contact me.

--------

Responding to the latest emails I had received from those we had contacted about the party so far, I shut the door behind me and began putting away the groceries I had bought while I was out. I was about to start charging my phone back up when an alert flashed on the screen, telling me a new chatroom had opened up.

Glancing at the power level, I saw I still had 12% of my battery left and shrugged, plugging the cord in and checking out the new chatroom. Better safe than sorry, with how fast this app seemed to drain my battery at times.

Ah! It was Seven! I had a feeling this chat would be fun! It was only a few minutes later that I was proven right. Blushing as I stared at the picture, I could only hope he never found out how loudly I squealed out the words I ended up typing to him in the chatroom.

'Wow so cute! Seven's cute!'

--------

I had just gotten out of the shower when I heard the now familiar chime from my phone. Wrapping the towel around me, I hurried over to the stand and grabbed the device, logging in quickly so I could check out the new chatroom. Seeing that Seven and Jumin were already there, I pressed the button to join them, happily interacting with the people who had already made my life so interesting in such a short time.

Who knew three days could pass by so quickly?

Eh? What was that supposed to be in Jumin's picture? It was so blurry! Hmm, time to lighten things up with some playful teasing! Huh? A steak? Well, I guess if you squint a little it could be a steak, but how had he managed to take such a blurry shot with his phone? Didn't he know how to get it to focus? Maybe he should ask V to show him how to take a better picture since you never know when you might need a photo record of something.

What? Why is he suddenly mentioning my favorite cooking show? Does he mean?! What?! We get to invite The Chef Lamsey to the party?! Oh gosh, I wonder if I can get him to sign something for me!

Ohh! Looks like Seven wants to play around again! Hmm, I guess some friendly teasing wouldn't hurt. And if he actually does get upset, I will call him and apologize personally.

'There's also the Law of Melt and Chew'

Oh gosh, he's actually asking about it! I laughed a bit as the conversation continued, although, by the end, I knew I would be calling Jumin before too much time passed. I couldn't ignore the twinge of guilt at how he must feel, even if it was just a joke.

--------

'You're not going to microwave the chips, are you?'

I couldn't deny the curiosity I had as to what Honey Buddha Chips tasted like, but the idea of Seven microwaving them to have a "warm meal" was concerning. I worried about his health and just wanted him to eat something better for him. Maybe if I got the chance, I could try cooking him something?

The thought had me blushing, a small smile on my face. I wonder if he liked fried rice, since that was my "safe" meal and I hardly ever burned it anymore. Although, sometimes the rice was a bit crunchy...

--------

V seemed polite but... distant in a way? I hope it was just because of how unexpected this whole situation was. Everyone seemed to really like him, even looking up to him? Well, except for Yoosung, but that was somewhat understandable with the loss of his cousin.

Jumin seemed pleased to get to talk to V again, not surprising after learning that they were childhood friends. It had me somewhat envious of how much they must know about each other, knowing that they likely talked just as freely offline as they did online. How lucky they are.

I wonder if any of them would feel disappointed if they realized the playful me from online, the me who spoke so easily to them all, was very different from the me who was offline and so very shy...

--------

I can't believe that Seven doesn't have any childhood friends either! He seems like the kind of person who would have lots of friends! Of course, people say the same thing about me when I am online, not understanding that the offline me is so very different from that. Maybe Seven is the same way?

I wonder if Seven would like to become friends outside of the RFA? Oh, who am I kidding! He already has the rest of the group. Why would he want to be friends with someone who couldn't even properly talk to someone without a computer or phone screen between them?

Sighing softly, I put a smile on my face and joked with him about nagging him, the smile slowly becoming real as the conversation went on. By the end, I was saddened to see him leave so he could get back to work.

'T_T Don't go T_T'

--------

Well, I wouldn't have guessed Seven to be a LOLOL player... I guess it makes sense for him to be the top player, though. I mean, he seems to be pretty good with computers and I am sure that would translate well into figuring out game mechanics, too. Ah, that's right, Yoosung plays LOLOL, too!

'If Yoosung's #2, then he must be pretty good!'

I wonder if there is some kind of job Yoosung could get that involves games... Maybe that kind of job would make him happy. It would be nice if everyone here could be happier.

--------

I would never have expected to be sending an invite to a cat, no matter how much I liked them, but I just couldn't say no to Seven. He just seemed too excited about having this 'Longcat' come to the party and I really don't see how it could hurt to play along, although I had no clue how the feline would actually go about communicating.

It was actually a shock to get the first email and I have to admit that the response I sent was mostly just guesswork. I could only wait and see what kind of response came next.

At least the other potential guests were easy enough to understand, even if some of them seemed a bit on the... eccentric side, to be polite. At least they didn't meow at me, even if it was just in text form.

Even if it was pretty cute.

--------

After talking to Zen earlier, getting to talk to Seven again almost felt like a treat. It was a chance to try and find out a little bit more about him, to learn something new to add to the picture that was slowly forming in my mind. Which aspects of 707 were the real him and what was the mask he created for his friends? We all put on a mask, online or off, and I couldn't help but want to learn what aspects were the mask and what was hiding behind it.

Really? He really cut his own hair? That must be hard to do. Just imagining the struggle he must have with his hair had me making an offer I wouldn't have imagined making before this. Although, I did try to hide the nervousness I felt in making it. Not that I hadn't done so before, having helped my dad trim his hair from time to time to save money.

'Should I cut your hair? lol I want to.'

As soon as I hit send, I could almost feel hair running between my fingers. I wonder if his hair was soft or coarse, was it silky or was it tough? Ahh, why am I thinking about it? I doubt he would actually let me cut his hair since I was still practically a stranger to him. I mean, he'd only seen my face on a screen so far, right? He had no reason to say yes.

Eh? There were hackers after him? Not that I can't understand them wanting to find out about another hacker, but they should leave him alone! Oh! So that's what he wants to do! Well, I'd be happy to help confuse them a little more for him! Let's play!

'Sounds fun lolol'

--------

Well, we'd finally gotten a date for the party last night, but was it really going to be okay to have it so soon? I mean, I was sure that with everyone's help, it could be pulled off, but was it fair to ask so much from people who were already so busy with their own lives? Yoosung had school and everyone else had important jobs they should be focusing on. Would they really have time to do so much more than they were already? There had to be more I could do to pull my own weight...

It didn't help that strange things were happening with the messenger app, even Yoosung having hopped on shortly after midnight to tell me that he'd also gotten a strange message showing up. I'd promised to tell Seven as soon as I could, falling back asleep shortly afterward.

Of course, it wasn't much later before I was awoken by the chime of my phone, the chatroom opening up as someone else entered the app. Hoping it was Seven, I jumped online and saw Jaehee already in the room. Well, maybe she knew something about the messenger acting up.

Oh, yeah... She wouldn't be happy with the extra work from Jumin, especially since it was about cats. Seven better be- Well, speak of the...

'Seven!! Run for your life!!'

It took a while to get to the important stuff, having some fun joking around first, but it did eventually turn to the subject of the strange messages and alarms we had each been experiencing. The results were surprising, not the simple glitch I had been expecting, or rather hoping, to hear about. Who would have thought a hacker would be hacked like this?

'Do you think... the person has something to do with "Unknown"?'

--------

I'd thought I was just being paranoid, feeling like I was being watched so much that after a while, I was glancing up at the camera every couple seconds. I swear, at one point it felt like I was looking someone in the eye, my face growing warm at the mere thought of it.

It was only during one of the chat-rooms that I realized it hadn't been my imagination, blushing as I typed out my response to Seven's words.

'I knew it! I felt as if you were looking at me every 2.35 seconds!!!'

Oh gosh! We had 'met eyes' at one point! It wasn't my imagination! The warmth of my blushing suddenly grew so hot, I felt like I could melt a glacier. Why did he have to say that?! Did he even know how he was making me feel?

When he showed the image of the robot dog he made, I just about melted at how cute it was, even if the fire it breathed out did have me a little bit concerned. It wasn't long before I was trying to boost his mood as best I could, messaging him to let him know how much it meant to me that he was willing to go so far just for me.

'It does help! If only it didn't spit fire, I would have wanted one!'

It was true, too. Heck, even with the fire, a part of me wanted to have that cute robodog beside me to remind me that someone cared about me enough to make such a thing. I wish I had an easier time getting my feelings across to people, falling a bit short of the mark, even online. My mask of courage could only go so far before the real me's shyness interfered.

--------

It was strange how it seemed that the more I came to like Seven, the more he wanted to deny whether he had any feelings for me in return. Not that it did anything to make my feelings go away.

My father had always been one to say, "We don't choose who we come to love. If it was so easy to pick who your heart beat faster for, then life would not be so complicated and relationships not nearly so messy. It is that unknown that makes our hearts soar so high when we find someone who returns our feelings."

It is a shame that mom hadn't stuck things out with dad. He was an amazing guy and deserved to be happy. Of course, that just meant I was the one always encouraging him to give dating a try again, setting him up with some of the nicer women I came to know over the years. Hmm, I wonder if I would come to know someone through the party who would be good enough for the man who had given up so much to raise me? And still did whatever he could to help me out when things didn't work out as planned.

Ahh, I shouldn't let my mind wander so much! I had emails to go through!

--------

He was letting everything get to him so much, acting like he had to do everything for everyone but himself. Why did he take all the pressure onto himself like that? Why not share some of the burdens he had with those he called his friends? Did he think nobody would help him? Or was it that he didn't think anyone else could help him?

Maybe he could take a bit of time to relax and let some of the stress go. With any luck, someday maybe he would let me help him some so that he didn't have all the weight on his shoulders alone.

'Just let everything go... Be yourself.'

Please, Seven, you don't need to hide so much of yourself from everyone. You don't need to hide who you really are from me. I'm here for you, no matter what happens. My heart won't let me do otherwise.

'If it gets too tough, just think of me and feel better!'

--------

Biting my finger nervously, I looked down at the image of the email Jaehee had shared. It might just be some kind of hoax, but the timing and wording had me a bit creeped out, even if I didn't want everyone else worrying too much until we knew more. The whole thing was just too strange for me to feel relaxed about it.

I'd barely been able to sleep since she'd posted it in the chatroom, hoping that Seven would sign on soon so I could talk to him about it. And just find out if he was okay himself. He'd been acting so strange lately and I had begun wondering if I had said or done something to actually upset him.

--------

It was such a relief when Seven finally signed on later that morning, seeming almost back to how he was before. Even if it was still clear to see that he was not fully recovered, I refused to steal away what bit of himself he seemed to have found to pull himself back up with. So, instead of worrying and making others worry in turn, I played along with his act and just tried to enjoy the idea that somewhere out there, he might actually be putting a smile on his face.

It wasn't long until he posted a new picture of himself, taken by his maid. I could feel my face heating up as I stared at it for a moment before reality came back and I realized he was waiting for me to respond.

'Ooh!! Seven you look so handsome!'

In time, the talk moved to the subject of the emails that various members had received, although me and Seven seemed to have not gotten one. I wasn't sure if I should be relieved at this point or if I should worry more. And now Seven was trying to load even more work onto his plate. Wasn't he already overworking himself?

'But... Seven, don't you have enough work already?'

I was very happy that he had gotten some of his cheerful self back, but I was still somewhat saddened by his refusal to come meet me, even just to check things out and make sure the place really was as secure as he thought. But at least I had gotten another potential guest for the party before the chatroom was closed.

--------

After talking to Yoosung about how his day was going, him enthused at having bodyguards with him while I was more worried about how much time he spent on games each day, he mentioned how he wondered who Jumin was calling. All I could think of was perhaps a group that dealt with gaming addiction and said as much. Shortly after that, I got another hit for a guest, Yoosung saying he would contact them and get then in touch with me.

I hope he will at least get past his gaming enough that he can focus on his grades. It would be nice to see him go places in life since he proved himself capable enough of succeeding that he got into Sky University. He must have had a dream when he got in and I could only hope that he would reach for that dream again soon, before it was too late to take advantage of the opportunities he had at that school.

I was about to set my phone down and go make lunch when it started ringing, almost dropping it in shock. When I saw who was calling me, I couldn't believe my eyes, swiping my screen to accept the call and waiting anxiously to hear his voice once more.

Oh Seven, why won't you just say it clearly if I have any chance with you? This dancing about with how we feel is making me dizzy.

--------

Well, who would have expected Jumin to call Yoosung's mom like that? Poor boy, but maybe this would be good for him. I could only hope that having her there would help him to realize the important things in life and to stabilize his daily routine. Maybe he would see how much he was loosing to that game. Not that I think he should have to give it up completely, but it should be a side hobby, not the focus of his daily life.

Oh, I do hope he will see how much she loves him, that she worries for him enough to want to come that far to take care of him. One's family is the greatest treasure they can have if there is love between them, and it is so obvious how much she loves him.

It was simply a side bonus that I got another guest to talk to out of it all. I wonder if he would be as strange as some of the guests I had been speaking to lately. Well, I could only wait and see.

--------

The days seemed to be passing faster and faster as each one went by, even as more stuff seemed to be happening every day. I felt like I was talking to guests more than the people within the group itself, sending and receiving multiple emails between each meal, but at least it kept me busy when there was nobody in the chat-rooms to talk to.

Every so often, someone would hop in and as soon as I heard the chime, I would rush to my phone to join them. It seemed like, for once in my life, there were people I was actually eager to get in contact with rather than simply doing so because it was part of my job. This 'job' I had with the RFA had quickly become a focus in my life, although I made sure to keep in contact with my dad when I had a chance, letting him know that I was safe and working on a temporary volunteer job that might lead to a real one that paid.

At least, that continued to be my hope, although it was no longer a driving force for doing a good job. Instead, I simply wanted to do something that might make Seven and his friends as happy as they used to be, back when these parties were held as a regular part of their lives. I wanted them all to smile with warmth in their hearts and for that, I had to do the best job I could.

The one thing that always worried me was the thought of how Seven was doing, his cheerfulness fading as he seemed to sink into a depression. When I finally had the chance, Jumin in the chat at that moment somehow boosting up my courage, I tried my best to let Seven know that I was there for him, as well as everyone else in the RFA. Even if it did feel like a clumsy attempt.

'I think you have too much work, Seven. Is there any way we can help you?'

At least it seemed to help him a little bit, although I became worried again by the end of the conversation. Just what was up with that maid of his, that he seemed to have to keep watch for her presence?

'Huh? You can't be here if she's with you?'

Why? Why did she suddenly feel like she was some kind of a threat to him?

--------

He was coming here. Seven was coming here! I couldn't tell if my heart was racing at the idea of him being here soon or from worry about what danger he might be in. Or how much danger I might be in for him to feel the need to finally show up here.

Oh! I should make him some real food, since he might not have eaten anything decent in a while!

With that thought, I hurried over to the kitchen, thinking of what I could make that would keep for a time, since I didn't know how long it might take him to get here. After all, I had no clue where he lived in relation to Rika's apartment. It could be several minutes or even hours before he showed up.

--------

Well, I had managed to avoid burning the fried rice, but the omelet was a total fail. I'd been lucky it didn't set off any alarms before I managed to pull it off the stove top, regretting that I had tried to make it fancy instead of keeping it simple like usual. All I could do was hope that with more practice, I would be able to get it right someday, but for now it would have to wait. I'd used up the last of my eggs between the fried rice and the ruined omelet.

Throughout the remainder of the day, while waiting for Seven to show up, I hopped in and out of chat-rooms, sent off new emails responding to the guests I was trying to get to come to the party, and did my best to treat the day as I would any other. Sometimes, someone would ask questions I was unable to answer, but I did my best at trying to tell them what I could without sharing what I felt was private, whether the person was a member of the RFA or simply a guest.

When Jumin and Yoosung talked about the special security system, my answer was a simple question, but it seemed to settle things somewhat.

'Wouldn't it probably be a system that protects the apartment?'

It was the idea of someone hacking into it that had me worried, knowing that there was someone as good as Seven out there potentially trying to steal the information kept here. I could only hope that Seven got here safely before something else happened.

--------

It had been terrifying, being held hostage by the guy who had once been simply labeled Unknown in a messenger app before being known as a hacker on top of that. Today, he'd become an all too real threat, but at the same time, a very shocking and sad person to learn about. To think that Seven had a connection to the hacker that even he had not realized until now, it nearly broke my heart.

Looking over to where Seven worked so hard at fixing the security system, I could only tell myself over and over that I had to remain strong for him, to be there for him even when he refused to let me stay close by. I had to find a way to bring a smile to his lips. Just a smile, that was all I asked for. One honest smile so I could know he was okay again.

Please, if anyone is listening, help me bring a smile to his face again. It's been so long...

--------

I hadn't really expected him to be in a chatroom but this might be a chance to talk to him, since he wouldn't really respond to my shyly asked questions in person, although that might be due to not hearing me. I'd never hated my shyness when not online as much as I did right now, wanting nothing more than to be able to speak clearly to the young man I had come to feel so strongly for before ever really meeting him face to face.

Could one really feel so much love for someone without ever laying eyes upon them? Maybe a strange form of 'love at first chat'? Ahh, but I needed to focus right now! It wasn't like he would stay in the chatroom forever! Focus, (y/n)!

'Isn't it fun being here when we're in the same apartment?'

Oh, how strange he must think I am, acting so happy and playful in the chatroom, but a shy, sometimes stuttering mess in person. Not that I looked messy, not really, but my personality was so different offline than it was online. I felt and acted so much more free, so much more like how I wanted to be when I was in the chatroom.

Ahh! Zen logged in! Maybe Seven would be more open with him, since he wasn't trying to avoid Zen like he was me. Just thinking those words made my heart twinge a little, like a small crack had appeared where it was being chipped away. Doing my best to ignore it, I pushed my way forward, responding to Zen's question about my well-being.

'I'm fine, thanks to Seven.'

Soon, the talk turned to who we thought was behind the system hack, as well as everything else that had been going on. I didn't want to say anything specific, so I kept the answer as vague as I could in hopes it would appease Zen's curiosity somewhat without making Seven have to face thoughts and feelings he might not be ready for yet.

'I think it was one person who did everything...'

The questions continued for a bit before it looped around to something that was once again easy to answer. Questions like this would always be easy to answer.

'I trust Seven ^^ He'll protect me.'

It was fine until Zen seemed to realize a very simple fact and began acting similar to how I would imagine either a protective sibling or jealous boyfriend would, my chuckling a bit at the first idea and sighing at the second one, hoping that I hadn't said or done something that had him feeling like I had led him on somehow. As nice as Zen was, Seven was the only guy my heart longed for, the one who had caught my eyes even before I got the chance to see him in person. It felt like I was meant to be with him.

I said one last thing to Zen before logging off and checking on Seven.

'Haha, nothing will happen, so don't worry and go.'

It looks like I wasn't the only one wondering about the other person in the apartment. At least the questions he asked were easy to answer, assuring him that I was fine. That I wanted him to be comfortable and feel at home while he stayed here, however long that would end up being.

I felt safer with him here than simply watching the CCTV system as he had been before, assured in my mind that he was able to keep me safe in case someone came to try and break in again, whether it would be Unknown or another person.

My biggest concern, however, was Seven's safety during this time frame. Wouldn't his boss be upset with him for abandoning his work? How long would they keep chasing after him and if they caught him, what would they do to him? I felt shivers creep up and down my spine as I thought about what might happen to this man I had come to cherish so much and how he seemed willing to throw everything away just to try and keep me safe. How much had he already thrown aside for me that I didn't know about?

I asked him about the agency and about his brother, so lost to him and seemingly filled with hate for him, the reason for that emotion towards Seven completely unknown to me and apparently unknown to him as well. Not that he was willing to say that much about it, but I could see the confusion in his eyes when he thought about his brother.

It was the way he was acting towards me, however, that continued to slowly chip away at my heart, the small crack slowly growing bigger. It didn't help that it somehow felt as if we had already been through this all so many times before.

" Are you really going to be like this to me?"

I wish he would just let me in again, so I could heal that broken heart of his. The silence of the apartment when I was alone once more in the bedroom was almost deafening.

--------

I had a hard time sleeping that night, spending most of my time worrying about Seven and the rest jumping into chat-rooms whenever I heard that familiar chime from my phone. I'd almost missed some of them since I had turned down the volume in hopes of Seven getting some sleep, although I had a feeling that it was a lost cause. Every so often, I could hear him muttering to himself in the other room, the walls in here thin enough for his voice to carry through and the reason I had thought to lower the phone's volume in the early hours of the morning.

It seemed me and Seven were not the only ones to miss sleep, since I had gotten a fair amount of emails during the night, sending out responses as fast as they came. At least a few of the guests had made their final decision to come to the party, something that put a small smile on my face that I had succeeded thus far in getting that many to agree.

I could only hope that it continued like this and I could help make the party a success in this manner. However, I knew that the majority of the work would still be on the other members of the RFA, their efforts being the deciding factor in how successful the party would be.

Of course, I knew most of the real work would be done by Jaehee, the real power behind the actual planning and implementation of the event itself. She really was an inspiring person, even if she didn't realize it herself.

--------

I hope Yoosung realizes how lucky he is to make kimchi with his mom. an experience people like myself would never get to enjoy. Dad and I wouldn't even be able to get the chance, neither of us knowing the first thing about making something like that. Maybe I could get Yoosung to save me a jar so I could experience the flavor of homemade kimchi made with love.

'Save a batch for me ^^'

I wonder if he realizes I'm serious and not teasing him? I really want to taste homemade kimchi someday! Ah, they are curious about what I'm going to do. They really are considerate to think about me so often.

'I'm just going to read so that I don't bother Seven.'

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Seven thought I was in danger because of him? Surely he understood that I would have been in more danger if he hadn't shown up when he did! Why wouldn't he listen to me? Why did he keep blocking me out? Didn't he understand how much my heart was breaking when he pushed me away?

"If it weren't for you, I would have been kidnapped then. But thanks to you, I'm fine."

I watched in dismay as he seemed to brush my words aside, all too quickly turning away and securing his headset snugly against his ears as he went back to staring at his computer.

"Seven, why the headphones? Are you avoiding me?"

Once more, I felt my heart breaking at his actions, turning to head back to my room as I ignored the tears that had begun running down my cheeks. It wasn't like he would see them, his back turned to me even as I closed the door behind me. I never noticed the solitary tear that hit the keyboard, his fingers stilled for a moment before returning to his work.

--------

It was a few hours later that I found a distraction from the thoughts that constantly swirled through my mind. Yoosung had appeared in the chatroom, and even though the conversation danced around sensitive subjects for each of us, it still allowed me to think about something other than just the tension between me and Seven.

'I never thought Rika would be someone to request a bomb....'

I sympathized with the pain I knew he must feel at the idea his beloved cousin had done such a thing, wondering just what was in those files that she felt the need for such a dangerous system to be installed. And wondering how much it pained Seven to install it, knowing that someone could be hurt or killed if it went off.

'I don't know about that... But Seven will let us know what we need to know'

I had to have faith in Seven, to believe that he wouldn't hide anything from us that he didn't have to. I wanted to believe in him. I needed to believe in Seven. And for him to believe in me.

'Cheer up, Yoosung. You won't get lucky with a sad face.'

How twisted was it that I told him to cheer up, while I was here pretending to be happy myself? There had to be some way to bring out moods back up! There must be something I could do!

--------

It was some time later that I found Seven signed into the messenger, jumping in before he could leave again. When he questioned my appearance, I responded as truthfully as I could.

'I came here because I wanted to talk to you in the messenger. How is work going?'

I felt my stomach tighten as I waited for his response, the feeling never fading as our conversation continued to go back and forth between us. I could almost feel the tension between us grow and fade with each text sent into the chat room.

'I'm fine. I'm sure it's harder for you since everything's on your shoulders.'

A partial lie, told in hopes he would relax some and share some of the burden he held. After all, I was sure that things were harder for him than for me. As we continued to talk, it only became more and more apparent how guilty he felt over everything happening, the weight of things so much more than one person should ever be made to bare alone.

'This isn't your fault. No one knew this was going to happen.'

I was thankful that he was finally starting to open up to me, to at least talk about some of the things he was feeling. I couldn't do much to help him, not being a hacker like he was, but at least I could listen to the things that troubled him and be here for him. Please, continue to let me be here for you, for as long as we are both alive. If I could be here for you even beyond that, I would do so. Happily.

He was going to leave, to find this strange place that his brother was at? But what if he got hurt? What if something happened to him and he didn't return? I couldn't let him go there alone! Even if there wasn't much I could do to help, I couldn't let him go there by himself. I would rather risk my own life than chance him losing his if things went wrong.

'Will you take me there?'

Please, don't refuse me. Don't say no. Don't leave me behind, not again. Huh? Where did that thought come from?

Oh, thank god! Thank god, he's letting me stay beside him! I was practically sobbing in relief that he'd agreed to take me. I felt like everything I had been worrying about left me all at once, leaving me mentally and physically exhausted, but somehow unable to erase the smile on my face. By the time he asked that once dangerous question, I was able to answer honestly for the first time in a while.

'I'm really fine, Seven.'

Finally, I felt like things would be okay between us. If only I could convince him that nobody blamed him for what happened.

'I'm sure RFA isn't disappointed with you. Everyone is just worried.'

Too bad things were never as easy as we wished they were.

--------

I looked into the fridge, noticing the fried rice was still in there, untouched from the day before. How could he keep going like this, eating nothing but junk food? He'd even put back the plate of food I'd made for him earlier today. It didn't look like he had taken a single bite of it before covering it and shoving it into the fridge.

"Seven~ Are you really okay not eating anything?"

I tried not to think it was because I had made it, that he didn't want anything to do with me again and was avoiding me like before. I didn't want to fall back into the trap that kind of thinking led to. When he seemed to ignore me, I began wandering around the room, trying to avoid thinking it was anything more than him just being busy.

Soon, I found myself looking at a book he had brought with him, flipping the pages until I found the small hard disk hidden between two pages. Wondering what was on such an old style of computer disk, most being replaced with CDs or even DVDs, I picked it up and turned towards the computer.

His sudden appearance and reaction was not something I had expected, cringing away from the anger I saw on his face and heard in his voice. I hadn't meant to anger him, after all. I just wanted...

"I just want to get close to you... Is that wrong?"

--------

I tried to pretend that things were okay, that the return to being ignored didn't hurt. The pain when I told Jaehee that Seven was hard at work, leaving out that he was ignoring me once more, stole my breath from me for a time. I didn't acknowledge the tears I felt running down my cheeks when I told her to be positive, that Jumin simply was showing his trust in her. I ignored the feeling of emptiness that had me wanting to avoid contacting yet another possible guest, telling her instead to have the new recommendation get in touch with me.

No matter how I felt, I still had a job to do and I was not one to give up so easily. Be it on the RFA party or on Seven, no matter how many times or how painfully be pushed me away from him. After all, I loved him and I was sure that somewhere in his heart, he loved me too.

--------

Poor Yoosung, saying goodbye to someone can be hard. Especially since he only just realized how much he'd missed her and that she had missed him. I could only hope that he would call her more often and think of her when things are tough for him. She believes in him and he needs to remember that!

I'd spent the next couple hours after talking to him thinking about my own family, how lonely my father must be without anyone there to keep him company. I promised myself at that moment that I would spend more time visiting him than the simply weekly calls and monthly visits. I wanted to see his smiling face far more often than that. He'd given up so much for me, a few extra visits each month would do no harm to me and would likely make me happier in life.

Huh? Someone had signed into the messenger this late? I wonder if it was Zen coming back from practice late, or Jaehee signing in after working late hours again. What? V was on?!

'V! What's going on!? Why are you coming so late?'

--------

I worried about Seven, V having shown so much distrust of him, even though he had tried to cover his mistake. How hurt Seven must feel after that. Wanting to check how he was handling V's behavior, I left my bedroom to find Seven sitting at the computer desk, a small robotic cat talking to him as he frowned.

"That robot... you made it then."

He looked up at the sound of my voice before looking away again, avoiding any chance of meeting my gaze. I quickly noticed that the cat's continued talk was annoying to him and asked it to stay quiet for now, not wanting anything to push Seven further away than he already was from me.

Sadly, as the talk continued between us, I felt like he was pushing me further and further away from him. It didn't matter that he thought he put me in danger, it didn't matter anymore. In the eight short days since I had met the mysterious young man, I had fallen in love with him. It felt like such an amazing thing, to fall for someone you had only just met, similar to the tales of love at first sight that always seemed to happen in fairy tales.

I'd never expected it to happen in real life, but here I was, in love with Seven. Here I was, being pushed further and further away from him by his own words and actions.

"Seven, I know that you're worried about me...! So don't avoid me, please?"

I went to bed finally, cold and alone in ways that the empty loneliness of the bed only seemed to make even more noticeable to me.

--------

After a few hours of restless sleep, I woke up to the chime of the messenger, checking to see that although I had missed a chance to chat with Yoosung and Jaehee, I was in time to catch Seven before he left the chatroom. After an emotion-filled chat in the messenger, I had finally been able to grab a few hours of uninterrupted sleep, be it the messenger chiming or the thoughts swirling about my head usually waking me but both seeming to go quiet for once. I could only hope that things would be so peaceful come daylight.

--------

Although it had started out a rather decent day, it didn't last as long as I had hoped, the conversation with Seven and Yoosung ending all too soon with my heart sinking further than ever. I felt like I was on some kind of rollercoaster ride, my heart rising and sinking, twisting and spinning about every time Seven said or did anything. One moment I would have hope and the next he would dash it all to the ground with just one simple phrase.

I wasn't sure how much longer I could last, but I still rose to my feet and left the tiny bit of sanctuary that the bedroom provided me when I heard the cat robot he made start talking. When it was followed by a crash soon after, I rushed out the door, worried something had happened.

My heart sank a bit when I saw the broken robotic feline on the floor, it's once glowing eyes now dim and empty of the false life they once had. Sadness filling me, I barely managed to mumble out the words I wasn't sure I wanted the answer to.

"I think it's broken... Can I fix it?"

I felt my heart break a little more with every word he spoke, just wishing that somehow he would be able to understand how I felt but he never seemed to show any change. I was barely able to keep my tears at bay when I couldn't hold the words back any longer.

"I just want to be with you, because I like you!"

Soon, it seemed like the truth was just rolling off my tongue, my normal shyness and self-doubt not even showing itself in the rush of emotions I felt bombarded by. With every word I spoke during that conversation, I felt like a weight was being lifted from my chest.

"I like the Seven that's in front of my eyes. Regardless of how complicated your life is, I want to know."

Each phrase I spoke seemed to hold more emotion than the last.

" There is no reason. I just like you. That's how I feel...!"

I felt like a dam that had been close to bursting, finally being able to release the pent-up waters and save myself from falling apart.

"I'm okay with that... I don't regret my feelings towards you."

Those words felt more honest than any I had ever spoken, causing me to freeze for a moment as I looked into his golden eyes, watching as tears began to fall from them. I wasn't expecting to see him step forward, pulling me against his chest as he began mumbling words that didn't make sense to me.

"Why, why do you keep choosing me when I'm the one who did this to you? Why don't you hate me for what I did to you? What I'm still doing to you? How can you keep going through this each time this 'world' resets and not come to despise what I did to save you?" The words flowing so quickly from his lips sounded like the rambling of someone stuck in a dream.

At least, they did until he froze the program I was kept within and everything clicked into place as memories locked away came rushing back to me. Ah, now I knew what he meant. Yes, it all made sense now, remembering the accident when the car had spun out of control during the chase.

I could still remember the terror I had felt when the seatbelt tore apart, the feeling of the broken window cutting across my skin when we hit the tree and I went flying. My heart still broke when I remembered the broken look in his eyes as he looked down on me. I remembered how cold everything became as I slipped into what I thought would be a permanent sleep.

I can still recall how shocked I was to wake up inside a virtual world, only to find out that years had passed, my body in a coma while my mind was "plugged in" and trapped here. Here being a world that seemed to always run on repeat, playing the same loop over and over again as I kept making the same choices I had before from the first day I had met the man I had fallen so in love with.

I couldn't hate him for the choices he made, choosing to interact in this strange way with me. It was better than being completely alone inside my mind, trapped with nothing but my memories, but I do wish he would allow the "game" to continue.

It hurt to see him keep breaking down before we ever got past our tenth day together, ending up resetting everything back to day one after listening to me speak to him for a while. As if he wondered and needed to hear that I still loved him. And indeed I did.

"It doesn't matter how many times you start everything over again, Saeyoung. I will always love you and no matter what happens, I'll keep falling for you. It will always be you and only you."

And deep inside, I knew it was the truth, even if I also wished he would let me go. But I knew he would never let that happen... because letting me go would mean allowing me to die and he would never let me go beyond his reach like that. It would kill what reason he had to keep going if he had to watch me die in the real world. And I loved him too much to hurt him like that.

So it was that the game kept looping and I kept falling in love with him, over and over again.

--------

Looking down at my phone, I made sure I had the numbers correct in my mind before entering them into the keypad, taking in a shaky breath as I heard the lock release.