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It's been a long week for Seunghee and Jeonghan, they are just about to move on from the Nayeon issue. And categorically, it's a fresh start for both of them.

But amidst it all, it's the other way around for Seungcheol. Everyday, he waits for Nayeon to come around. He doesn't want further conflict to arise, he just wants to see her. For his own reasons, for his own state of mind. He even gets a hold of her schedule with a help from a friend in the registrar's office. He's actually desperate. He wants to know how she's doing after all that happened. He can't just stay still not doing anything. He has to do something for her, whatever that is.

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But Nayeon doesn't attend her other classes too. It's a shame, he has no idea where to find her or where her home address is. He doesn't even have her phone number or email address either. It's almost a hopeless case when he finally finds someone who actually knows where she usually goes to.

He meets the person just outside the campus premises and eagerly talks to him.

"Do you really see Nayeon often? I just really need to talk to her right now."

"I often see her at the bar near the station. She's a regular there so I guess you could find her there sometime," the person tells him.

"Thanks a lot man! You're of great help. I'll get back to you once I get a hold of her!" Seungcheol bids as he starts running towards the place.

"No prob! Good luck!" the person waves him goodbye.

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And that person is right. Seungcheol finds Nayeon at that bar. She's drinking. Alone and lonely. With her hair in a mess, and her face looking so depressed and miserable. He wants to go over her and comfort her but he settles down with just watching from afar for now. He'll give her the time she needs. The time she needs for herself.

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But apparently, for five consecutive days, Nayeon does the same thing over and over again. She enters the bar at 6PM, drinks for a couple of hours and finally, leaving at around 10PM. It's pathetic. It's getting difficult for Seungcheol to watch her like this. She has to get a grip. It doesn't suit her, this worthless path is somewhere she shouldn't be wandering about. She has to pull herself together.

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On the sixth day, Seungcheol finally decides to approach her. All this time, Nayeon has never really even seen him. He's always at the other side of the street or the corner of the dark alley peeking at her.

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He waits for her around the time she comes to the bar. He waits for her near the entrance, nonchalantly standing there. And there she appears, she doesn't seem to notice him, so he calls on to her instead.

"Nayeon!" Seungcheol says.

She finally lays her eyes on him, with a blunt look, as if seeing someone unwanted. She pauses but goes on, disregarding him. She's apathetic, but she looks dazzling in his eyes. It's been a while he last saw her face. He's mesmerized just by looking at her. Even in a mess, she's still his goddess. But he fronts and doesn't let it show.

"I'm checking on you," he speaks casually.

"And why do you have to check on me?" she snaps at him.

She sounds tipsy. She hasn't really sobered up from the successive alcohol intake.

"You've been absent for weeks. You might drop out if you continue skipping."

"I'm not going back to the campus."

This time her bitter expression shows and he completely comprehends why.

"I know about what happened."

Nayeon snaps at him more the moment he brings it up.

"So what?! What do you care? You have no say in my affair. Who even are you? I don't even know you so don't you even dare meddling!"

She walks away from him going inside the bar but he tries to stop her by blocking her way.

"What are you doing? Get out of my way!" her voice is a pitch higher now, grimacing at him.

"You can't go inside. You've been drinking way too much."

She smirks at him, "So you've been stalking me. Get out of here before I call the police! And back off!"

She pushes him out of the way and madly enters the bar.

"Nayeon!"

He can't even stop her. But it's okay, he has another plan in mind.

Seungcheol follows Nayeon inside the bar. She doesn't really look around so she has no idea he walked in after her. He watches her all night as she drowns herself in alcohol again. She told him to stay away and he did just that. But seeing her waste away every night, he's worried about her. And this time, from the looks of it, she might not be able to carry herself home alone. Unconsciously, maybe she knows there's someone looking out for her. That's why she drinks to her limit tonight.

After two hours on nonstop drinking, Nayeon is already slumping over the counter, unable to support her own weight. That is the time, Seungcheol really needs to go over her whether she likes it or not.

"Hey," he greets her.

With almost closed eyes, she recognized him and snaps at him yet again.

"What are you doing here? I told you back off! Didn't you understand what I said? Are you deaf?" she tells him these with a tipsy tone, almost falling off her seat.

Seungcheol catches her that instant and puts her right back in her place carefully, supporting her body by holding her waistline.

"Careful, you're too drunk Nayeon," he utters while holding her.

She brushes his hands off of her with a snarl, "Get your hands off me! I don't need you. I don't need anyone else but him. Don't you get it? I don't need you to be here. I can handle myself. I don't need your sympathy or help. Or anything at all! So go away! I need to be alone."

In between those words, her voice cracks. Her tears start falling down her cheeks as her pain surges through. She hugs herself in her sorrow. And she clearly doesn't know what she shall do next.

Seungcheol can't help but feel for her. She's broken. She needs someone to mend her back whole again. And without a doubt, he's willing to do that for her. He's willing to sacrifice for her, even if she pushes him away over and over again, he'll do whatever he can to pull her back together.

"Unfortunately, I'll be hanging around you till you sober up," he tells her.

"Why are you so irritating? I don't-"

"You need to be with someone right now. And I can be with you."

Despite her anger, as he looks dearly into her eyes, she gets caught for a moment. Then she averts her teary eyes from him.

"Just do what you want. I don't care."

In her subconscious, she really wants someone to comfort her right now or she might really break. On the other hand, Seungcheol displays a satisfied smile. At least she's letting him stay. At least she's not shoving him away anymore. That's enough for him.

"Where's your home? I'll take you after you're done here."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Yes you are, because you can't go home alone like that."

"I can."

They keep arguing and she keeps lashing out at his comments. They continue conversing like that for a while. But after a few minutes, Nayeon is down and out, already sleeping at his side. Seungcheol decides he really has to take her home. Come what may when she wakes up, he'll take her.

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Seungcheol doesn't have anywhere else to take her but his home. He rents a condo unit and lives alone. He carries her in bridal style and puts her in his bed. She's too drunk but she keeps murmuring things he'd rather not hear. Cuz it's all about him. It's all about Jeonghan and it makes him sick. He tucks her in his bed and is ready to leave the room when she grips the hem of his shirt softly.

"Don't leave me please... Jeonghan..." she mutters.

Even if it scars him fatally, he moves back beside her and caresses her hair in her intoxicated state. "Alright, I'll just stay here."

He intends to say only till she's fallen asleep somehow.

She smiles unconsciously and just suddenly, bolts up and reaches for his face. "I love you... I love you Jeonghan..."

He loves the touch of her hand but hates what comes out of her mouth. It's bittersweet. Seems like she's still wandering in dreamland up to this point. He stares at her lovely face and it takes almost all his self-restraint not to jump on her. But he doesn't want to risk it. He doesn't want her to hate him more.

But upon mentally depriving himself of it, suddenly, she kisses him. His whole body freezes. Just when he's barely holding up, this happens. And what's worse is she doesn't stop. She keeps holding onto him as she kisses him and keeps murmuring the other man's name. This time he finally loses it. He holds her in his arms, kisses her back and he doesn't intend to hold back anymore. He'll eat all the hate she'll throw at him. But he won't let her go. Not tonight, not ever.

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When Nayeon opens her eyes, she wakes up looking at a different ceiling, a different bed, a different set of sheets and pillows, and an unfamiliar view. She touches her forehead due to the splitting headache inside her head, because of overdrinking the night before. And when she fully comes to her senses, she finally feels a pair of arm around her stomach. She gets startled and when she looks at the person beside her, she screams. It's Choi Seungcheol.

"KYAAAAHHHH!!!!"

The more she yells the moment she sits on the bed, cuz she's actually naked. She grabs the blanket to cover herself.

"YAAAHH!!!"

It brings Seungcheol to his wits and bolts up the bed in sitting position, exposing his well-built body. He's actually stripped too.

"What is it?" he murmurs, still half-awake, brushing his eyes off the sleepiness.

It dawns to her. She finally recalls the scenes at the bar, but she can't remember anything about being where they're at right now. How she got there, how she ended up like this. How she got the sore feeling at the nether part of her body. She feels deceived. He took advantage of her. But it's all done, she shouldn't have trusted this man beside her after all. It was her worst mistake.

She can feel her tears falling, as she hits him lifelessly saying, "What did you do to me? Why did you do this?!"

Seungcheol displays a very sympathetic expression and tells her, "Yah, we had sex last night."

"I didn't want this!" she shouted.

"You did. I didn't even force you. Can you feel anything else sore on your body or even bruises? There's none right? Except that part."

Yes, the only sore part is where she most definitely doesn't want to.

"Cuz I was asleep! You... you took advantage of me..."

"I did, I admit. But you were the one who kept clinging onto me... as you kept calling out his name the whole time."

It makes her freeze for an instant. And he's displaying this very compassionate expression as he stares at her. She can't utter a word. She avoids gazing at him. She feels embarrassed. Maybe in the back of her mind, in her unconscious, she knows she really did it.

"Do you know how that felt for me? Making love to the person I love only to hear another man's name while doing it. It was more of a torture than pleasure."

"But still, you messed me up."

"I did and I'm taking full responsibility for it," he pauses and says, "Cuz I love you."

It makes her whole body tremble. Those words, coming from a different man who just owned her, makes her feel feeble. There is someone who loves her after all. After all this time, after chasing the guy who can't love her back, there he is, trying to save her from the depths of despair and desolation. She can't fathom why her tears are falling now. It is because she's devastated? Or is it because she's thankful? She doesn't know anymore.

And just like that, she continues to cry beside him for hours. With him silently awaiting her to stop.

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Nayeon drops out and resolves to work part-time at her favorite bar before she enrolls the next semester. She has no face to show Seunghee and Jeonghan after everything she's done. This is her punishment to herself. And after that night with Seungcheol, she personally makes him her private bodyguard. She will ask him to walk her home after closing hours, fetch things for her any time of the day and just simply put him to work anytime she wants it. It's his punishment for having her for a night and she intends to make it as long as she wants it. It's all of benefit for Seungcheol though. He won't want it any other way. As long as he stays beside her, no matter what she asks of him, he will go out of his way to do it for her. He has never been this sure in his life. She's the girl he will live for, and the girl he will die for. And he will be the only one who protects her in this lifetime, even if he can't protect her from himself...

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To be continued...

(16.07.07)