Alive

Chapter One

    The way the air felt as I ran through it, the way the trees almost formed in a way there was a path for me. Everything felt a if it was meant to be this way. I was homeless, kicked out by my parents on my 18th birthday with nothing but a few dollars worth of savings. Not enough to get a place to stay nothing. 

     So I resorted to stealing. Food. The one thing I couldn't live without. 

     'Keep running, don't slow down' I told myself as my feet felt like they couldn't do much more. They felt weak and tired, yet I knew if I stoped they would catch me. They would put me in a place I didn't belong. 

    "There she is!" A male yelled from behind me, the same one who had been chasing me for a few miles as I just kept running. 

    Gripping tighter on the bag of chips I kept running, taking a left and then a right with no one in sight. Coming to a halt I looked around seeing nothingness but trees around me, knowing I was lost. 

    "Well I guess I'm staying out here for tonight" I spoke to myself trying to calm my nerves. 

    Finding a spot against a tree I slowly sat down and opened the bag of chips setting them next to me before plopping one into my mouth, letting the taste of salt envelop my tongue. The taste enough to make my mouth water for more, one after another I ate until the bag was completely empty. 

    Looking into the bag I couldn't help but wish I stole more, or just a bigger bag; not that I wanted to ever have to resort to that but what options did I have in the moment. Feeling the growling in my stomach I closed my eyes, even though it was less than before it still was enough to bother me. 

     The same thing kept replaying over and over in my mind, the faces that my parents made when I told them I didn't get into the collage in America, the one they wanted me to go to. Had been pressing on me since I was a little girl. My thoughts interrupted when I could hear a voice coming from in front of me. 

     "What are you doing out so late" The male spoke.

    Opening my eyes and looking up slightly, I was met with a pair of cold dark eyes. Almost as if they were gleaming into my soul. Nice kept mid-length hair as well as a dark black hoodie, followed by loose fitting black jeans. Over all he looked like a thug, someone who would take my money, thats if I had anything so I figured I had nothing to loose. 

     "I lost my way." I spoke softly, not wanting to revile so many details.

     He was quiet for a moment, glaring down at me before he finally spoke again. His voice deep and mysterious-like. "Do you have a place to sleep tonight?" He asked bluntly, with no concept of personal information. 

    Not daring to look him in the eyes, I couldn't help but feel my heart race for a moment. Afraid that this was one of the moments from a movie where the girl gets kidnapped and killed, yet at the same time. What did I have to loose?

    Looking back towards the male once again, I could almost see something shift in his eyes as I nodded my head in response. 

    "You can stay with me until you're back on your feet. I have to much room in my apartment anyways." His tone catching me off guard, he didn't sound like he was mocking me in anyway. He sounded genuine.

    Standing up for a moment I couldn't help but admire him as the moonlight shined off of his skin, reviling how truly attractive he was. "Why would you let a random, homeless, stranger into your home. For all you know I could be pretending and kill you in your sleep." I stated as I crossed my arms.

     Seeing him take a step away, it almost looked like he was debating on leaving before; in one fell swoop I could see his jacket come off before feeling a warmth on my shoulders. 

   The scent of whisky and smoke, a scent I never knew I needed in my life. Taking a moment to envelope in the warmth radiating from the jacket I couldn't help but feel a rush of color come to my cheeks. 

    "Because, you are like a lost treasure that was waiting for me to find it. Or so thats what I believe." His voice finding a new tone as well as a new soft spot within my heart. "Now you can come with me or let some other random stranger find you, I don't think they will have as good intents as I do though."

      Holding my breath for a moment I could see his body moving father away as his back was facing me, growing further away. 

    "Wait!" I yelled out without thinking, before seeing him halt as his eyes met mine once again. "I'll come, but I won't stay long enough to be a burden." I spoke quickly and could see a half smile come from his lips.

    "Hurry up, it will be a longer walk if we wait" He replied and continued to walk. 

      He seamed to know his way through the forest as we arrived back on the street where I started within about a half hour, I still didn't know how I had managed to become so lost. Or how he found me with ease. Unless he was also wondering mindlessly, trying to get something out of his mind. 

    "I never asked. What is your name?" I spoke softly as our steps fell into line with one another's.

    Once again silence fell between the two of us, leaving me to listen to other peoples conversations as we passed by. 

    "Lim Jaebeom" he spoke coldly, not bothering me even a slight glance. "What's your's?" He asked after letting a few more moments of silence pass between us. 

     "Lee Iseul." I spoke back, not daring to take even the slightest peak at what his expression was. 

     The conversation, which I hoped would have lasted longer; went quiet once again. Yet this time it felt as if it was a conferrable silence. After a few more minutes passed I could see him stop in his tracks, looking towards him I could see he was looking at a building in front of us. 

   Looking up the building was wide as well as tall, it must had gone up at least twenty stories for it felt like it never ended as my eyes glazed by. The countless big windows and the grey colored concrete. Everything about it felt expensive and yet he didn't seam to look the part.

    "You live here?" I asked trying not to sound too judgmental based off of his looks. For all I knew he could be a millionaire, or yet he could be homeless just like me and trying to show off. 

    "I do" he spoke as he walked towards the front door opening it with ease as the two of us walked past the two guards that were standing in the inside of the building. Walking towards the elevator we entered before falling into a silence once again. 

     I could tell his social skills were questionable, for he didn't seam to want to keep a conversation for long or maybe he wasn't used to have to trying so hard with people. Maybe he wasn't the one who normally did the talking? 

    After a five minute ride on the elevator we got off and headed straight, to a single door with no others within the hall. As he opened the door with a key I couldn't help but feel nervous for the changes to my life that would be coming, hoping I made the right decision about following him as I hoped. 

    Following the male I could see a short hallway the seamed to enter into a larger room, as I entered I could see a piano next to some of the big windows and to the left a kitchen. Although it wasn't as big as I assumed it was, it was still much larger than anything I had seen before. The cabinets all black as the counters were white marble, with an island in the middle with a few stools that stood, waiting to be sat on. 

     "You hungry?" He asked as he saw me eyeing the kitchen. 

     Feeling how empty my stomach was from the unfuffiling chips I had eaten earlier, I quickly nodded my head. "Yes, I haven't eaten much today." I spoke as I saw him make his way towards the fridge. 

    "Have a seat, I'll make something quick that will fill you up" He spoke, opening the fridge and pulling out some ingredients the main one being a pack of noodles. "I hope ramen is to your liking" He added before continuing to grab the rest of the things he needed. 

    As he cooked, I couldn't help but watch. Seeing how gracefully he moved through the kitchen as if he had done it a thousand times over and over again. His every move calculated to a point.