Creator || Lee Jaehyun

ten

"You have to get her out of your house, now," Sangyeon was saying from over the phone. 

"What?" Hyunjae asked, looking at the closed door of his bedroom, as though he had expected to see through the door and see her. "What are you saying? And I thought you said your investigation may take a while... it's been just a few hours." 

"Get her out of there," Sangyeon repeated. "None of us can find her on any records. We hacked into the school directory and she doesn't exist. We have no clue who she is. She could be a fugitive, or-"

"Or she could be in trouble!" Hyunjae said desperately. "You don't understand, the way she acts... Something's wrong." 

"You can say that again." 

"I don't mean that she's dangerous," Hyunjae sighed. "I mean that something's troubling her. We need to help her!" 

"No," Sangyeon said sternly. "We do not need to help anyone. Maybe she's in trouble because she's running from the law or something. I tell you, that girl is trouble, and you better get rid of her before it's too late." 

Hyunjae thought about all of Yerin's actions. The way she comforted him and was there for him. But also the way she blamed herself for his sorrows. The way she'd been horrified to see him. The way she looked confused and guilty. And most of all, the way she seemed to know him, even when he didn't know her. 

Or at least he thought he didn't know her. 

Her name felt familiar. 

He felt as though he should know who she was, but he couldn't place it. 

"Are you sure there are no records on her?" He asked Sangyeon, though he already knew what the answer would be. Sangyeon was thorough with his research, and Hyunjae trusted him completely. 

Well, almost. 

For some reason, he simply could not believe that Yerin was a bad person. Yes, there were things about herself that she wouldn't share. Yes, she didn't seem like she had it all together. But she still seemed like a good person. 

"Hyunjae, I'm sure," Sangyeon said. "Please-" 

"I can't," Hyunjae whispered. "I can't kick her out. I just can't. Trust me this once," he insisted, and then he hung up. Hung up before he could get a response, before he could doubt his decision. 

And then he walked out of his room, finding Yerin waiting for him on the couch. Her expression was a turmoil of emotions that only got worse when she locked eyes with him. 

"I have to confess to you," she whispered, standing up and going to meet him in the middle of the living room.

"Me too," he whispered back, meeting her and holding her hands. "I'm sorry." 

She looked at him curiously, her eyes urging him to continue. 

"When you arrived earlier... I didn't know what to make of you. So I took a picture of your identification and sent it to my friend Sangyeon. He's-" 

"A detective," she interrupted softly. "I know. Don't be sorry for that. I would have done the same." 

"How'd you know he was a detective?" Hyunjae asked, suddenly wanting to let go of her hands. But she was holding onto him tightly, and he didn't want to seem rude. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, so he didn't do anything. "How do you know a lot of things? How do you know me?" 

"Oh Hyunjae," she said softly, taking a step closer to him. He suddenly felt nervous as she placed a hand on his cheek and looked at him the way a mother may look at their child. "I know these things because I created them. Because I created you."