It was already past midnight. I wouldn't have noticed if my AirPods did not shut down. It is frightening sometimes how I can focus on my work for hours and hours. For normal people, after being assaulted in broad daylight, the best reaction is to take a rest or visit the hospital for stress debriefing. I don't do that- that is not my kind of thing. I believe I have been in so many stressful moments that somehow I feel that I eat stress for breakfast. I asked google to open the lights; for some reason, I felt hungry when I could see everything. I rushed to my fridge with a smile, a smile that instantaneously lost when I saw that nothing was there. "I am hungry," I said while rubbing my belly, just as kids do when they ask their parents for food, I wish I also have that kind of memory. "Chicken!" I glowed, so pleased with the idea that if someone had seen me, they would have thought that I was a scientist who just made a wonderful discovery or a mathematician who was able to solve a long-lost equation. I went back and forth, trying to remember where I placed my phone. It is a weird scene when we cannot remember where we put our things. I looked under the couch, under the pillows, and inside the microwave, all in vain! I finally gave up and decided to order my meal thru the website on my computer. Just then remembered that the initial reason why I opened my computer was to email James! Something that, even after several hours, I failed to do so- all thanks to the pop-up notification that seized my attention and hypnotized me back to the world of words. The following couple of minutes was dreadful, as I wondered if there was a battle of Troy inside my stomach. I almost thought that I heard guns and cannons and got a little concerned that someone might listen to how loud my tummy rumbles right now. "Delivery" I heard the most beautiful voice for today! I greeted the delivery man in exhilaration. I think he wonders if I am even sane. I smiled from ear to ear while paying for my food and grabbed the box as if someone was trying to get it from me. After a hearty meal, just as I was making a cup of coffee, I noticed the clock and realized that my car was not yet there. I should send an email to James when between typing my email and checking the funny memes I saw on Facebook, I realized that I should video call Kyle to see if he was okay. The memory of what happened today is still very surreal for me. I think I felt an overflowing mix of emotions this day that I wonder if there would still be left to feel tomorrow. It would have been normal to be frighted of Michael these times, after what he did to me, but what fills my mind now is not the incident with him but the incident with my best friend. I really do not know what happened, what made Kyle snap out like that, and the curiosity is killing me right now! I decided to video call Kyle first and then email James a little later; for some reason, I feel that James will just show up and deliver my car and things to me- I mean, he really looks like a good boy from the neighborhood. I video called Kyle on Facebook, he did not answer the first time, so I dialed again. I was a little concerned because this guy might be busy, and I might have been disturbing him, but I can't wait anymore. I need to clear the air between us and ask what is happening with him. "Hey! What took you so long to answer?" Kyle answered, shouting something that was not clear to me. It was a usual drunken blabber. I can hear the sound of cars nearby and some people talking; I think they were passers-by because I could not hear them after some time. I deduced that he might be on an open place, perhaps a park – very unlikely. The next voice I hear is something I wasn't expecting. It was James. He told me that Kyle has been drinking with him- Another very unlikely thing to happen. With a mind full of questions and a little disappointed because I will not be able to fulfill my mission tonight, the main reason for my call, I just asked James a favor of bringing Kyle to my home. Kyle is not used to sleeping here; he will always go back home or have a night duty in the hospital, come to think of it, I do not know where this guy leaves- so much for having ten years of friendship. James agreed to drive Kyle, but it is clear in his tone that it is not a pleasing thing for him. I just shrugged the idea and decided to cook something for him- after all, he did so much for me today, and I could not properly thank him. By cooking, I mean ramen and coffee; that is all I got here anyway, haha! I heard the sound of my car after just around thirty minutes, just in time for my ramen to be cooked. I prepared a cup for the coffee along with the bowl of ramen on the counter. Greeted this man who has been doing me a lot of favor today with a smile and tried to assist him in carrying my drank best friend on the couch. "Please put him here," I smiled at James while guiding him on putting Kyle on the couch. James just nod, he tries to force a smile, but it is really clear that this current event will not be listed as one of the happiest moments of his life. I unintentionally chuckled, and he looked at me in confusion. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...." "Are you laughing at me right now?" "No, hahaha, do you wanna' eat ramyeon (라면 먹을래?)?" James looked at me with a confused look. I just realized that the phrase do you wanna' eat ramyeon (라면 먹을래?) has a different connotation in our culture, it is connected to asking for sex, and I totally forgot about it. OMG, it is too late to redeem me from this embarrassment! "Don't look at me like that! I mean, I just want to thank you for today, and ramen is the only thing I have in my house...." I explained in a nervous tone; my face turned red, hands wanding all over the place, trying my best not to look at James- what a mess! His response is just a smile, nod his head as a sign that he understands me, and signed that he will go out for a while. I saw him walked back to the car and turned it off, getting the things I forgot earlier today and bringing them back to the house. It is a cold chilling night, I am very sure of that, but for some reason, when I was looking at James as he walked towards me, giving me my things, his face was beaming with light, as if he brings his own sun tonight. I took my things, put them on the couch, and showed him to the counter. The ramyeon is a little cold. I was about to pour him a coffee from the coffee maker when I realized I should ask him first if he drinks coffee. It took him three seconds to nod his head that made me realized that he is not much of a coffee drinker. I decided to ask him if he would like a water bottle, and to it, he said yes instantly. I smiled because I saved myself from another humiliating moment. "Thank you," I said to him while handing him the water bottle. He looked at me with confused eyes and said, "That is odd. I am supposed to say that," I sat down on the chair adjacent to his, smelling his expensive perfume, "No, I am really thankful, you have been my savior today, not once but many times," I said with a smile. James was stunned for a second. He cleared his throat and said in almost a whisper while looking at me straight to the eyes. "Well, nothing is free. Can I take my payment now?" I looked at him in confusion. I am not sure if he is joking or I should hand him my wallet. I mean, he is still fairly a stranger to me. I was about to ask him what he meant when he suddenly stood from his seat, leaned to me, and kissed me on the forehead. I am still lost in the moment when he hastily bid me goodbye. He clumsily walked towards the door, tripped on the plan on the side of the couch, and I think I also heard him hit his head on the gate, all while I was still covering my forehead with my hands and trying to comprehend what just happened. My tummy is filled with butterflies, my heart racing as if I just finished a marathon race, and my face is red as if I am as drunk as Kyle when he arrived at my house tonight. I would have stayed in the position for a longer time if not for the loud noise that grabbed my attention, it was Kyle, and he fell out of the couch where James placed him- the best part is he is not shaken by the fall and is now snoring! I did my best to put him back on the place where he fell, locked the door, and gave him a thick comforter. I whispered goodnight, went into my room, and snug in, trying my best to not think of anything that happened today- especially tonight.