Stay Alive | MYG ✅

Chapter One

I never meant to end up in Korea, but the universe has a funny way of refusing to mind its business, especially when fate has been whispering in its ear...

"Have a great night, Ji-Hu!" I call out to my co-worker as our manager locks up the restaurant for the night. It was a crazy dinner rush, but somehow we made it through until close, just like we always do.

"See you tomorrow, Hayley!" he smiles before heading toward the train station.

Luckily my apartment is only a few blocks away, and I head in the direction of the 7-11 in my neighborhood. It doesn't seem to matter that I work at one of the most prestigious restaurants in the city; after two years of working there, the food no longer appeals to my tastebuds. At this time of night, I just have enough energy to grab a packet of my favorite ramyeon and head home.

A bell rings when I push the convenience store door open, and the clerk nods at me. I've lived in Korea for two years, and to say I'm a regular at this store almost sounds like an understatement at this point. I'm pretty sure I've frequented it enough to put one of the owner's kids through university at this point.

I nod politely, and then my feet take me right to the object of my desire. Lost in my thoughts about work, I don't even notice anyone else until I reach down for the last packet of my favorite ramen but end up resting my hand on someone else's hand!

"Oh! I'm sorry I was lost in my thoughts!" I say excitedly, jetting my hand back up.

A man dressed in dark jeans and a black jacket is standing there, and when I dare to look up into his face for a moment, I find two dark soulful eyes staring back at me. His hair is tucked under a black beanie, and he has a facemask on hiding most of his features, but his eyes look so familiar as if we've met before.

How do I know this man?

He gently tries to hand me the packet, but I look away nervously. I'm great with people at the restaurant; it's like I put on my own mask to hide my anxiety when I go to work, as if acting in a movie. I love helping everyone, managing the front of the house making sure that our high-end clientele is seated quickly since reservations are hard to book due to our popularity. Being mindful that all our servers are organized, taking care of our customer's needs, but when I'm out here in the wild...on my own? It's a whole new ball game; my anxiety is real, and being one-on-one with Mr. Gorgeous Eyes over here makes me tremble with a nervous energy I can barely control.

"No, you take it..." he mumbles quietly.

I step backward awkwardly, "Oh, no, no, no, umm. You know, I uh come here all the time. You take it, and I can come back tomorrow for another one," I insist as I push it back toward him.

"It's okay," he begins again, his voice low as if he is trying to keep anybody else from hearing him.

"I insist," I stutter and push my hand out, refusing the kind gesture. I catch a glimpse of his eyes again, but I'm too nervous to concentrate on them and glance away quickly, afraid I might drown in those beautiful brown tones if I look too long.

In the brief moment I look into his eyes, I see him squint, amusement reflecting in his irises, his shoulders shaking as if he is about to laugh. He gives me a polite bow before walking away. As I watch his form disappear, I note the quiet confidence in his stride that only makes the air of familiarity ring again.

I lean back against the shelf for a moment fanning myself, there was something about this mystery man that made my hormones go into overdrive, and I need to calm down, which is never easy for me. Standing there quivering, I'm relieved when the bell on the door rings out. Finally, the air fills my lungs again as I deduce my mystery man has vacated the premises.