Neon Lights

NINETEEN

"Clara May Marina Bella Grace Antonia"

His apartment was everything like him, open, bright, weirdly elegant, and, for a bachelor,pretty impressive. Liam Kim was a lot more likable than I'd thought of before. If I ever did have a love list, he'd tick all the boxes. I was lodged against his kitchen counter, open concept so he was in my line of vision , eyes glued to my ID.

"My mom was really into the Soap Operas"

He nodded in agreement, I poured myself a cup of coffee. It'd been three hours of study now, and three hours were a painful amount of hours to be assaulted by clauses. He'd said he'll help me catch up and took that seriously. I couldn't be more grateful if I tried, my life was a basement and he was easily the little ray of sunshine that found its way in, crack by crack.

It was, late, almost two in the morning,I was cramped and exhausted and dizzy, and in no way going back home. I'd drive back in the morning, we still had hours left to go in the coursework. So much had happened in three weeks, so much.

"It sounds like a saint. Mother Clara May Marina Bella Grace Antonia"

"You know what, that fits. When I die make a saint out of me"

"Will do. When we get married I'll take your name. Liam Kim- wait what's your surname?"

"Allen"

"I'm not taking that"

I chuckled. "Promises were made, Liam Kim Allen. Traditional men keep their promises do they not?"

He narrowed his eyes, an action I matched with a raised brow.

"Or, you could be Mrs Kim. Think about it"

I didn't. "Whatever you say, Mr Allen. Whatever you say. Wait, your surname is Kim? What's your name? "

He tsked, eyes glinting in mischief. "You had your tongue in my throat, yet you don't know my name? Mrs Kim, I'm not just meat you can use"

"You're the bank too. And weirdly aromatic coffee. What's your name?"

"Kim Liam Seun"

Oh.

"The surname is Kim"

He nod.

Alexander Moon Ga.

Ga Alexander Moon

Moon Ga Alexander?

"Wait, then why do you go by Liam Kim, not Liam Seun?"

He shrugged. "Mordernization? Why. Don't you like it , Mrs Kim"

"Then wouldn't I be Mrs Seun?"

"Hot. Uh, no, you'd take the Kim. We take the ancestral name"

Oh. I nod, walked back to him, his coffee in hand.

"Whatever you say, Allen. How much do we have to go on?"

The sympathetic smirk he sent me told me all I needed to know.

"Think carefully next time you want to get hospitalized.  Really, really carefully"

"You won't catch me getting hospitalized mid semester, that's for sure. Lesson learned"

He made a fighting sign and I followed, a gulp of coffee and my reading glasses back on, it was time to get back into reading mode. He handed me back my ID, I stored it into my purse and fired up the laptop.

"You work really hard for someone dying. What's it for, if you die anyway?"

"Diligence. Distraction. The fallacy of normalcy. You could also die tomorrow,  what's it for"

"You know what, valid. Very valid"

"Mhm. Get back into it, teacher guy"

"I mean, I'd love to be into- ow. Okay, okay. You're so violent."

He met my eyes, a silent smile between us. So easy.  This was so easy, with him. He did, got into that mode, that focused mode thing he did,  glasses and that tanned skin- and I buried myself into the notes. I really would have to take all things into consideration the next time I got myself hospitalized, this catching up thing wasn't something I could see myself do for the longterm, but I had to.

The third break came somewhere past three thirty in the morning, my phone ringing being the catalyst we needed to rest. He fell onto his back, Kim, clearly exhausted, and I checked my screen.

Alexander Moon Ga .

Wasn't it too late? Was he okay? Was there something I hadn't done? Was he safe?

"Clara"

"Hm. Hey, everything okay?"

He made a sound, and I listened carefully.

"What floor are you on?"

Uh. What?

"Huh?"

"I'm freezing, Clara. Its cold in the parking lot"

"What"

What. The. Particular. Fuck.

Liam Kim sat up, eyes quizzing. I checked his location.

No shit.

No fucking shit.

"Kim? Can I have your keycard?"

He sent me a curious look.

"Whats wrong?"

"He's here. I need to go see him. I think study period is over, for today. I need to-"

"Your boy?"

I nod, pushing my books into my backpack, heart in my chest. Alexander Moon Ga, of all the places to be.  Shit. Shit. Shit.

"Let him in. It's a two bedroom, you'll take the couch"

I laughed, pocketing the keycard, smiling.

"Bring my books with you tomorrow,  okay , ill-"

My phone rang, again. Alex. Shit.

"I'm on my-"

"What floor?"

"Im-"

"Ninth-" Kim smiled at me, unapologetic.

The fuck.

I was going to dispute it, I was, but he hung up.

Exactly what was this. Alexander Moon Ga,  despite being in fucking public like that, in this building, I.

Shit.

"It's alright Noona. I'm not jealous like that."

"You don't get it"

"I can. I will. It's alright. I'm curious,  about him"

"No questions. Don't ask any questions
questions. Now or after"

He nod. Keycard between fingers, I walked to the door, headed for the elevators.

This, when that doorbell buzzed, this was the start of it.

Do not forget.

This is not a love story.