Knockout

Prologue

As the bustling streets of Seoul hummed with life, you navigated your way home through the colorful chaos of the city's nightlife.

The neon lights painted streaks of brilliance across the streets, blinding your eyes with their brightness.

You had just left the convenience store with a bag of snacks cradled in your arms. The air was filled with the aroma of traditional korean food, seeing couples left and right, strolling hand in hand, sharing bites of the various street foods being displayed from the vendors or sipping from steaming cups of soju.

You quickened your pace, eager to reach the comfort of your apartment nestled in the less hectic side of Seoul.

As you turned a corner onto a quieter street, the booming noise of techno music being heard from nearby clubs began to fade. The glow of streetlights casted long shadows, creating a homely feeling as if being greeted by the dimming lights along the street.

Your arms start to ache with the weight of the bag of snacks you've been carrying, as you slowly reach your apartment.

From afar, a shadow looms on the steps outside your apartment building. By the outline of the shadow, you can clearly tell it belongs to a person. They're sitting down, head laid back, resting on the door, as if they've fallen asleep.

The soft glow of the streetlights barely illuminate of what seems to be a man's features, catching the slight rise and fall of his chest with each breath, a quiet rhythm which is what made me believe he was fast asleep.

The low, almost imperceptible sound of his breathing added to the atmosphere of weary solitude, along with the sound of your heavy steps being tired of walking so far away from your apartment.

You halt in your steps, slowly coming to a realization of who the man was.

Finally reaching your door, your eyes meet with the man's big brown ones, decorated with eye bags caused by a lack of sleep. The streetlights cast a soft glow on the man's face, revealing details that caught your attention, an ugly cut on his right brow and a scratch just above his cheekbone. Both wounds appeared fresh, their edges still raw and slightly red against his pale skin.

"Back so quick?" you let out lowly.

"Yeah. Why you don't want me?" he retorted immediately, slowly raising to his feet.

You inhaled deeply, shifting your gaze to the cut on his eyebrow.

"You're bleeding kook." slowly raising your hand to wipe the blood dripping down from his eyebrow.

His gaze dropped down to your throat as you gulped, lingering on the purple bruise he gave you a week ago, that was just now fading away.

"Can I come up?"

You hesitate for a moment, but deep down, you know you can never say no to him. With a nod, you open the door, letting him follow you inside.