Hongdae

(09:23pm)

Don't get involved.

Don't get involved.

Don't get involved.

"Jebal!"

Hanging my head, I groaned.

Crap, I'm getting involved.

My eyes traveled to the two men in the middle of the street. They looked around my age. I checked them out. They were dressed up, like they just came from a club, which didn't make sense because it was only nine in the evening.

The chubby one was holding the smaller guy by the neck. As in, his hand was literally wrapped around that poor guy's neck.

I swore to Papa that I wouldn't get myself in trouble. And I wouldn't. This was just a tiny bump on my Seoul trip. I'd help sort out the problem and then walk away. Boom, done.

That's it.

"Jeogiyo!" I yelled, as I walked closer to them.

Thankfully, there weren't that much people around this part of Hongdae. I'd like to say I was wandering around the place and stumbled upon these two on my way to the subway station but I'd be lying. I actually got lost.

"You guys should stop fighting in the middle of the street."

The chubby bunny – I mean, bully spoke in straight Korean. Of course, I didn't understand a word he said. Shaking my head, I smiled sheepishly at him.

"Mianhaeyo, geunde I don't understand."

"Agh!" he grunted, waving a dismissive hand. "Kkeojyeo!"

Did he just tell me to get lost?

I scoffed. "Shiro." I don't want to.

He muttered what I assumed to be a curse, before shoving the smaller guy away. He then turned his bloodshot eyes on me. That was when I noticed that his face was red, meaning he was probably drunk. Crap. That wasn't good. He was unstable.

Nonetheless, I widened the space between my feet and lowered my knees in a stance. My eyes never left him as I raised both my fists, ready for his attack.

When he did, I was a little disappointed to find out that it was easy to dodge his attacks. He was strong, I'd give him that. I could practically feel the vibration from his strikes.

But he was a slowpoke.

Getting bored, I got distracted when I heard a sob behind me. I looked over my shoulder, only to see the smaller guy running away. My jaw dropped at that.

What the heck? I saved his sorry butt and he just freaking ran away?

To make matters worse, the big guy suddenly grabbed my hair from behind and dragged me closer to him. He wasn't gentle about it, too.

Lesson learned: Always tie my hair before getting into a fight.

Another lesson learned: Never get involved in someone else's fight in the first place.

Did I mention that the bully was super strong? I faintly wondered if he was a spawn of Hulk. Dammit. I couldn't just break free from his vice grip. Should I knee him in the balls?

Just as I was about to crack his eggs, he pushed me to the ground.

Such a gentleman, this guy.

I took that opportunity and straightened my arms, before doing a cartwheel. When I was finally upright, I was prepared to give this piece of jerk a lesson. But I stopped when I realized that we weren't alone anymore.

"Y – Yi Jin Yeong."

The first thing I noticed was his silver white hair that was covered with a black backwards cap. My eyes widened at the realization that he was the same guy from Insadong last night. But unlike last night, he wasn't smiling right now.

Whoa. He looks badass.

Aaand he looks hot.

"Geumanhae," he told the bully calmly.

"Ah, wae?!" the bully bellowed. He pointed to me and spoke angrily.

Yi Jin Yeong (a name worthy of his coolness or maybe I'm just biased because I may have developed a crush on him but I just won't admit it yet) looked at me then. I just noticed he wore a simple black sweatshirt and jeans. He pulled it off so well. Swag much?

The only thing I could read from his expression was that he wasn't happy, so I went on defensive mode. I raised an eyebrow and waited for him to say something to me. But he didn't.

He turned back to the bully instead. I didn't catch what he said (well, duh). But the bully seemed like he was gonna protest, until he saw something on Yi Jin Yeong's face that made him stop.

Yi Jin Yeong tilted his head and looked at him with dead eyes.

"Ga." Go.

The bully huffed and glowered at me. I kept my face straight, staying alert in case he tries something – like pull my hair again.

Yi Jin Yeong sighed. "Garagu." I said go.

He gritted his teeth, before turning on his heel and leaving. I didn't relax until I watched him disappear to a corner. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes.

"Gwaenchanha?" Are you okay?

I nodded. "Oh, gwaenchanha." I opened my eyes and looked up at him. "Kamsahamnida."

He snorted, then spoke to me in Korean.

"Sorry," I laughed weakly. "What was that?"

He blinked, staring at me for a second. It would probably be the roundest I'd ever get to see his eyes become. He looked funny. The thought made me wanna smile.

"You don't speak Korean?" he asked in disbelief – in straight English, by the way.

"I only know some expressions," I replied, smiling sheepishly at him. He was really tall. Around 6 foot? Model material right here, everyone. "I can't really converse. Mian."

The corner of his lips turned up in a smile.

"Your accent's really good."

I grinned at that. "Kamsahamnida."

"YEOGI!" HERE!

Yi Jin Yeong muttered something under his breath, and then ordered something to me.

"Huh?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Run!" he yelled, glancing behind us.

I turned around and saw several men running toward us.

"Crap."

Before I could do anything, Yi Jin Yeong grabbed my hand and pulled me with him. Together, we took off running. We didn't stop until he slipped us inside a narrow alley. He dragged me till my back was against the wall, and he was right in front of me. He placed his arms on each side of my face, covering me. I looked down, not knowing where else to settle my eyes on.

He was so close. I could practically hear his every heartbeat. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. His cologne mixed with his sweat filled my nostrils. He smelled good – manly.

I've been protected my whole life. At some point when I was little, I had a bodyguard who followed me around. Papa was strict when it came to my safety. But then I grew up and learned how to defend myself so that I wouldn't need a bodyguard anymore.

But this feeling . . . I felt safe somehow, being with this silver white haired boy. He made me feel protected. Something was weird, though. It felt personal. It felt . . . intimate.

Wait, what's this? Why is my heart beating so fast?

Oh, my God. I'm so cheesy.

"They're gone," Yi Jin Yeong announced, catching his breath.

Opening my eyes, I looked up. To my surprise, his head was lowered. I froze, and I think my heart skipped a beat. Holy cow. Our faces were only inches apart. If I went on tiptoes, our lips would meet. But of course, I wouldn't do that. I wasn't a perv – in public, at least.

When I got over the shock, I couldn't help but stare. I was amazed. His face was smooth, but his features were sharp. His lips were somewhat thick, it contrasted well with his slitted eyes. This close, I just realized that his eyes were brown.

Wow.

I opened my mouth to say something but no words came out. I was speechless.

"Jin Yeong," he whispered. "Yi Jin Yeong."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, and replied, "Yuki. Takeshi Yuki."

"Japanese?"

"Half."

"Ah." He nodded, staring at me for a couple of moments. His intense gaze should make me feel uncomfortable, but I found it comforting. Yup, I've officially gone crazy.

"Have you tried tteokbokki?"

"Oh?" Why do I suddenly feel shy around him? "Mm, no."

He smiled, and stepped back. "I know a good place. Ttarawa." Follow me.

When he walked away, I followed after him. Sure, he was a complete stranger. But I was never really known for being cautious. Besides, he saved me earlier – twice. That was a good enough excuse for me to trust him.

And no, I'm not justifying myself just because I have a crush on him. Pft. What kind of girl do you think I am? I'm only making a new friend. Sorta.

"How are you so good in speaking English?" I asked him, out of curiosity.

We walked into the busy streets of Hongdae. There were so many food stalls, I wanted to cry for my food enthusiast heart. There were a lot of street performers around. We could just stop for a minute and watch a group of people dance while a couple more were singing in the background.

Hongdae would probably be my 2nd favorite place in Seoul so far, next to Insadong. While Insadong was more of traditional cafes and restaurants, Hongdae was modern and hip. There were tons of cafes around here, too. But young people crowded this place because of its artistic vibes.

It was as if all indie performers gathered here to just do what they loved.

"I lived in California for five years," answered Jin Yeong. "I was the stereotypical Asian nerd."

I studied him. "You don't look like it."

He chuckled. "Now I don't."

I really couldn't imagine him being a nerd. But I'd just take that as another thing I discovered about him; He was smart. And cool. And handsome. And swoon-worthy.

Get it together, Yuki!

"Here," he said, nodding to the street cart in front of us.

What's this? "Igo mwoya?" I asked him out loud.

He smiled in amusement. "Tteokbokki."

Ohh. So that's tteokbokki.

"Spicy?"

"Ani." No.

I looked at the rice cakes swimming in red sauce. He was shitting me. It looked as if it came from the lava lake in the deepest part of hell.

"It looks spicy," I muttered.

"Try it."

I reluctantly did, and I choked. I was right! He was shitting me! I could only imagine the super ugly face I made when I realized how spicy it was. I actually almost punched him. No joke.

"It's spicy!" I told him in an accusatory tone.

He laughed. "Mian." Sorry.

I shot him a glare, but ordered one full stick anyways. I wasn't that fond of spicy food. Then again, I thought, I was in South Korea. Might as well try everything.

I think Jin Yeong finds it amusing because he won't stop smiling like he shares an inside joke with himself. Honestly, I don't mind it. In fact, I hope he doesn't stop smiling. His face lights up whenever he does, especially his eyes.

It's contagious.

When I realized I was checking him out again, I quickly looked away. I seriously needed a prep talk with myself. I was acting like I was deprived of hot boys. Geez.

Trying to distract myself, I turned my attention to the sea of people around me. Wow. So many Koreans (thank you, captain obvious). All of them wore oversized clothes. It was actually rare to see someone wearing a fitted shirt. Maybe it was a trend. It looked classy, though.

"I can't believe I'm in Seoul," I mumbled.

"First time?" asked Jin Yeong.

"Mm." I nodded. "You know, I met up with a friend earlier and we went to Bukchon Hanok Village. Then, we had an early dinner around Namdaemun."

Bukchon Hanok Village was a place where traditional houses were at. There was a long uphill street with just old homes. Tourists had to be quiet because people actually still lived there. I could imagine myself traveling back in time. It was awesome.

Then, I bought some souvenirs from Namdaemun Market. I heard it was way cheaper compared to the stuff in Myeongdong.

"You went shopping at Namdaemun Market, didn't you?" guessed Jin Yeong.

"Yeah," I laughed. "I wanna go everywhere, especially Han River."

He smiled crookedly. "Do you know that people go to Han River to die?"

I looked down sadly and avoided his eyes.

"That's why I'm going there."

When he didn't reply, I raised my head. He stared at me with his expression shocked, his eyes full of pity. I couldn't keep a straight face, and I burst out laughing.

"Kidding!" I confessed.

He rolled his eyes. "Aish."

"Do people really go there to die?" I asked, when I stopped laughing.

"Oh," he confirmed, nodding. "People jump off the bridge to end their lives."

"I still wanna go there," I pouted. "Well, any other places you wanna recommend?"

He thought about it. "Gyeongbokgung, the biggest of the five grand palaces. You should also go to Namsan Tower, if you wanna see the whole of Seoul."

"Wait, I'll list it," I said, getting my phone out and opening the Notes app. "I wonder if I could get there using the subway. I heard cabs are expensive here."

"You can only get to the Namsan Tower if you ride the bus," he informed me. "I'm sure your friend will help you out."

I shook my head. "He lives in Incheon. Today is his only free day." I paused typing on my phone and looked up at him. "What's the name of that palace again?"

"Gyeongbokgung."

"Gyeong...bok...gung..."

"I could take you."

"What?" I asked distractedly, my eyes never leaving my phone.

"I'll take you to Gyeongbokgung," he repeated.

Hold on, he'll what?

Slowly, I raised my head and met his eyes. I only stared at him. His expression was nonchalant while he waited for my reply. Both of his hands were inside his jean pockets. He looked so laid-back.

"Waeyo?" Why?

His eyebrows raised. "Neo . . . shiro?" You . . . don't want to?

"Ani," I said quickly, shaking my head. "Joh-a." I like it.

When I realized what I said, I squeezed my eyes shut and bit my lip.

"I mean," I started slowly, "you saved me earlier so it's safe to say that you're not a bad guy. Plus, you're a Korean – I won't get swindled if I'm with you." There, very reasonable.

He stepped closer, tilting his head. "How can you be sure that I'm not a bad guy? You only met me thirty minutes ago."

Refusing to back down, I raised my chin up.

"If you were a bad guy, you wouldn't pay for my tteokbokki."

He frowned. "I didn't –"

"Kamsahamnida!" I sang, before stepping away quickly.

"Ya!" Hey!

I laughed as I walked faster, but not so fast that he wouldn't be able to catch up. It wasn't even a minute later when I felt him grab my arm and turn me around to face him.

He didn't look mad. In fact, he looked entertained. He was clearly trying not to smile, but I caught the corner of his lips twitch. Ha, busted.

"Neo." You.

I raised an eyebrow. "Mwo?" What?

He didn't speak, only looking into my eyes as if he was trying to figure me out. Then, he let out a small laugh and shook his head.

"Gaja." Let's go.

"Eodie?" Where?

"Han River," he answered, smiling at me. "I'll teach you how to eat proper ramyeon."

Oh, my God. He was taking me to Han River?! Han River, where important scenes in Kdramas took place? Could I just fangirl for a minute here?!

But wait . . .

"You're not gonna kill me then dump my body in the river, are you?"

Smart, Yuki. You already told him you trusted him, only to question him again. Besides, what murderer would ever admit to the crime they were about to do?

Jin Yeong smirked. "You don't trust your ability to defend yourself?"

I didn't reply to that. Mostly because I was caught off guard by how cute he was, smirking like that with his badass silver white hair and all.

God forgive me for all the fantasies I'm having right now.

"You coming?" he asked me.

Live in the moment, Yuki.

So I smiled at Jin Yeong, and nodded.

"My bike is parked around the corner."

My jaw dropped. "You own a motorbike?"

He simply nodded.

I really shouldn't be surprised.

He handed the red helmet to me when we got in front of his black sports bike – Yamaha with 600 cc, by the looks of it. My older brother was into this stuff, so I knew a bit about them.

I easily climbed on the back, while he put on his black helmet.

Well, this is awkward. Where do I put my hands? On his shoulders?

My hands were just kinda hanging midair because I wasn't sure where to put them. I felt like a personal space invader. Although, Jin Yeong was the one who started it back when we were hiding in the alley. My heartbeat accelerated with just the thought of our faces being that close again.

Ugh. I think I'm having a major crush on someone.

I could hear Severus Snape's voice at the back of my mind saying, "Obviously."

I heard Jin Yeong chuckle in front of me, before reaching back to grab my hands and place them around his waist to settle on his tummy. He felt so soft and muscly at the same time. I thought I might as well make the most of it, so I leaned forward and closed the gap between us.

For a second I thought he didn't like it because I felt his body tense, but then he relaxed and adjusted my hands to tighten my hold on him.

I couldn't help but smile.

_____________

Who do you imagine as Yi Jin Yeong?

I casted Kim Tae Hyung as Yi Jin Yeong, though. Hehe.

But really, whoever is your Korean crush right now, let that be your Jin Yeong. ;)