After a long and heart-wrenching dream, Shin awoke to find the world still cloaked in darkness, long before the break of dawn. His voice, still groggy and disoriented, echoed his thoughts, "Gee, it's way too early... the sun isn't even up yet."
He fumbled for his phone, hoping against hope that maybe, just maybe, it was time to rise, but the dim glow of the screen dashed his expectations. "3:00 am" – "it's way too early to start the day... sigh."
Struggling to overcome his conflicting emotions, he tiptoed outside to shake off the remnants of his sleep, whispering, "Mom's still sleeping; better not make any sounds to wake her up."
"I'll head outside first for some fresh air and wake up properly."
Rubbing his eyes groggily as he stepped outside, Shin was caught off guard by what he saw in the distance. There was a young girl, around the same age as him, running frantically with all her energy, appearing tired and disheveled as if fleeing from something or someone. The sight jolted him awake, shock coursing through his veins, as he stumbled forward, his heart racing with deep worry and fear for her safety.
"What's with these days? Well, I hope she's okay," Shin mumbled, his heart still pounding in his chest.
As he drew closer, he could see the fear in the girl's eyes, her breaths labored and desperate, he called out to her, "Hey, are you alright? Let me help you!"
Shin locked eyes with the girl, he noticed her strength beginning to diminish. With a compassionate tone in his voice, he finally caught up to her and reassured, "You're safe now. Take deep breaths and try to catch your breath."
The girl, her consciousness fading, managed to speak between breaths, "They were after me... I... I had to run."
Shin, without hesitation, scooped her up gently in his arms, cradling her as he hurried towards his house, which was just a few blocks away. Her frail body felt light, but her breathing was shallow and irregular, causing him deep concern.
He made it to his house, but the girl was already sound asleep. Shin gently laid her on his bed. As he stood, he couldn't help but be captivated by her beauty, but he quickly shook off such thoughts, reminding himself of the urgency of the situation.
"What's her situation? Is she a runaway? No, no, no, she doesn't look like that... I wonder what's happening to her," Shin whispered to himself, walking in circles in his narrow room.
"I think I should text Ken," he decided finally, carefully reaching for his phone across the girl's body. "Shin, be careful," he reminded himself, not wanting to disturb her rest.
As he reached for the phone, the girl stirred slightly, and he couldn't help but blush, realizing how close he was to her. "Is she really this pretty... ugh, Shin, focus!" he scolded himself.
He grabbed his phone and started typing, "Hey Ken, don't go to school tomorrow, come to my house, I have something to discuss with you. Come here ASAP! smile emoji" and sent the message.
After sending it, he decided to wash the dishes and cook breakfast for his mother before she went to work. Searching in their refrigerator, he smirked, thinking, "What about a good sandwich?" Gathering all the ingredients – bacon, egg, some loaf, and mayonnaise – he immersed himself in cooking, the aroma of the bacon filling the air.
The delicious smell awakened his mother, who walked into the kitchen with a smile. "Shin, you're so good at cooking, huh?" she praised.
Shin replied with a warm smile, "This is your favorite breakfast, Mom... are... are you going to work now?"
"Yes, the boss needs me to be early this week," she explained.
As he prepared breakfast for her, Shin's voice quivered slightly, "Mom, don't push yourself too much, okay?"
His mother greeted him with a warm smile and started to eat, "Don't worry about me, Shin. I'm doing pretty well... By the way, is there something bothering you?"
Shin looked at his right, scratching his head nervously, "No, no, there's... there's nothing bothering me," his voice trembled slightly.
His mother's gaze fixed on him, suspicion evident in her eyes. "Are you sure? You look a little sweaty for a time like this."
In his mind, Shin imagined his mother scolding him for bringing home a girl, assuming things that weren't true. Afraid of being misunderstood, he kept the girls he brought home a secret.
"Not really, Mom. Just a bad dream, that's all," he replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "By the way, thanks for asking."
As Shin's mom continued to gaze at him with intense concern and suspicion, she decided not to press the matter further, sensing that Shin wasn't ready to share everything just yet. "Thanks, Shin, for the delicious breakfast you made," she expressed her gratitude, gathering her belongings and preparing to leave for work in a hurry. "I'll head out first, Shin."
"Okay, Mom, take care," Shin said with a smile, attempting to reassure her.
His mother nodded, smiling back, and appreciating his thoughtfulness. "Goodbye, son. Enjoy your day, and remember, don't allow someone you don't know to enter our house, okay? I love you, Shin."
"I love you too, Mom," Shin replied, though a sardonic chuckle escaped his lips as he recalled the situation of having a girl in his room. "Sure, Mom, duly noted," he replied, trying to mask the nervousness in his voice.
With his mother gone, Shin let out a sigh of relief and busied himself by preparing a couple more sandwiches in case the girl woke up hungry. His mind remained preoccupied with thoughts of the mysterious girl and the unexpected events that had unfolded that morning as he swiftly cleaned the house.
As he cleaned, he glanced at the clock, "6:00 am, Ken should be here any time soon."
Shin's excitement surged as he eagerly anticipated talking to Ken. He couldn't believe that what he experienced wasn't a dream.
"Hehehe! Ken, it wasn't a dream," he mumbled with excitement.
As Shin pondered how Ken would react, a knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. "Hey Shin, are you awake?" Ken's voice could be heard from the other side of the door.
Shin's face lit up with a broad smile, his eyes beaming with excitement as he greeted Ken, "Finally, you're here!"
His playful tone continued as he asked, "What took you so long, Ken?" The smile on his face was so big that it almost reached his ears.
Ken looked amused by Shin's excitement and teased, "What's with that excitement, huh?"
He quickly explained, "Well, I ordered some breakfast before coming here, so my bad if I took a little longer."
Ken distributed the food "here's for you shin and this mine limited edition ramen".
Ken handed out the food, offering a sandwich to Shin and playfully declaring, "Here's yours, Shin, and this one's mine – a limited edition ramen!"
Just as the two friends were settling in with their meal and Shin preparing to share everything that had happened, an abrupt and forceful knock on the door shattered the peaceful atmosphere. Both Shin and Ken exchanged puzzled glances and turned their attention to the door, their curiosity piqued by the unexpected interruption.
"Did you invite someone else, Shin?" Ken's voice carried a hint of suspicion, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
Shin, feeling equally perplexed, replied, "For your information, I didn't invite anyone else."
"Go ahead, check it then, Shin," Ken urged, his suspicion growing more apparent.
Standing up, Shin made his way to the door, but an overwhelming sense of unease and nervousness washed over him as he approached the unknown presence on the other side.