Cray cray in love
[Hints of 707′s route, not too spoilery. Female mc.]
Hyun Mi stared at her friend. At her knight in foil armor.
He was still working on his multiple laptops, with his back to her, not uttering another word. She felt sad and betrayed, this wasn’t the boy she had met through the chat. Through the messages.
Through the 2AM phone calls.
He wasn’t the boy she had known but…
But he had rushed here.
He had given everything up to come here, just for her.
She would trust him.
She would trust him to keep her safe.
And she would trust him to talk to her when the crisis was over.
(But trust was not love and still her heart cried.)
Hyun Mi slipped away to the kitchen as quietly as possible.
She poured a glass of water, set it on the counter and opened her fridge. She grimaced at the half-empty state it was in, but there was enough for a couple sandwiches.
Hyun Mi grabbed a spare comforter, the prepared food and juggled everything to Seven’s side. She didn’t say anything, even though she was curious as he typed away at his keyboard.
She placed it on the floor, close enough that he’d see it, but just far enough as to not get in his way.
That done, the girl headed for her room, feeling the exhaustion creeping up on her. She had only been thinking about the softness of her bed when her eyes fall on the locked entrance door.
How did she know that Seven wouldn’t finish his job and hightail out of there while she was asleep?
She bit her lip for one long minute. And made a choice as she turned for her bedroom.
Pillow and comforter in hand, Hyun Mi headed for the door again.
She had just stepped into the entryway when Seven’s voice broke the silence like a whip.
“What are you doing?”
She froze. Looked over her shoulder and was surprised to find that Seven had snapped out of his working haze and was staring at her.
“I just want to make sure the door is locked.” Hyun Mi said quietly.
The falter in her voice made Seven’s face fall, composure breaking for a second. She frowned on reflex, trying to hide her own nervousness.
“What, can’t I do it now?”
Effectively, her words made him turn away sharply, looking thunderous. “Just be careful.”
The girl looked back at the door, as she let her fingers glide over the locks in place. She wrapped her hands around the cold metal, pressing the lock even harder even though the door was already bolted, locked and secure.
Still it made her feel better.
That done she slid down to the floor, her back pressed against the door. Bundling up in her comforter.
Now Seven wouldn’t be able to leave without her knowing.
Hyun Mi sighed and snuggled her face into her pillow.
She felt belter but…
This was going to be a long night.
“What are you doing?”
Hyun Mi slowly came back to awareness, several little kinks and pains sparking to life as she woke up. She was confused as to why everything hurt and what was Seven doing in her room when she finally recognized where she was.
She had fallen asleep sitting on the floor. Somehow it amazed her.
The tired girl raised her gritty eyes to a scowling Seven. “Good morning,” she managed to say, her voice more of a croak than anything remotely human. She frowned as she cleared her throat.
Seven bit his lip, feeling his shoulders sagging as all signs of anger left him. “Yeah. Good morning.” He said just as quietly.
“Did you finish your work?”
“Yeah,”
“Oh.” Hyun Mi said, feeling a smile wanting to creep on her face. Instead she curled up her toes under the comforter. “Are you finally free?”
Seven looked at her with those cold eyes of a stranger. It made her feel inadequate. “I’m done; I’m leaving.” When she didn’t make any move to get up, he scowled. “Let me pass.”
“Where are you going?”
“None of your business.”
“Are you coming back?” The girl insisted, not getting out of the way just yet. What would she do if he never came back? If he walked out that door and their only interaction was of him looking at her with those cold eyes.
“Why would I? Just shut up and let me pass.”
Hyun Mi shrunk in on herself. “I can’t.”
“What do you…?” Seven looked confused for a second, before his anger returned, growing bigger by the second. “I stopped the freaking bomb. I need to continue doing my work.” He breathed in, trying to still his emotions, but the quiet anger is almost worse. “Or what, do you want to get me killed?”
“No-! Seven I never-! Wait what do you mean by…?”
Seven stared at her panicked expression and a moment later he deflated unto himself. “You’re right, I can’t leave yet. I’m sorry, you’re still not safe. I have to stay and protect you,”
Hyun Mi didn’t say anything else. She was quiet for so long that Seven was forced to look at her.
He stepped back in surprise.
“Why-why are you crying?!” He exclaimed, panicked and alarmed and angry. “Stop crying! Ugh…”
“I’m sorry,” the girl whispered, scrunching up her face in a valiant effort to stop the tears. “I don’t… I’m… I don’t know why I’m crying… I’m just…really glad you’re not leaving me alone.”
Seven’s eyebrows knit together, his face showing his true emotions while she couldn’t see him. “Why would you want me to stay?”
“I’ve told you. Maybe the 707 of the chat isn’t real, but everything I told you…. My feelings for you… everything is real.”
“That’s a waste of your emotions.”
This manages to give her a frown, as she glared up at him. “Who are you to tell me that?”
Seven flinched, looked away. He raised a hand to mess up his hair as only sign of weakness. “Ugh, suit yourself. So annoying.”
“Yeah.” Hyun Mi sobbed, rubbing at her eyes.
Seven found it in himself to sneer. “Look at yourself. Why are you so stupid?”
The girl frowned at the floor, but when she looked back up, the smile she directed at him was challenging. “I think there’s a saying… love makes you a fool. Isn’t that fitting?”
It’s enough for Seven to look away. “Why don’t you…” he began in a quiet whisper. He clenched his fists, letting his voice rise. “Why don’t you understand that the person you love simply doesn’t exist?”
She was silent for a moment. “I don’t believe that.”
“You don’t believe what.”
“I think that deep down you really are Seven.” She challenged.
For a second there, light reflected in a peculiar way in his eyes.
Then he’s reaching out for her arm, pulling her up with a single brusque motion. “Get off the floor already. You must be cold and stiff.” He said as he dragged her away from the door. Seven didn’t look back even once, but he slowed down enough to let her regain her footing.
They entered the living room and he made her sit on the coach, while he stood in front of her. Arms crossed, shoulders tense. Jaw clenched.
Despite everything, she was taken by surprise by the vulnerable expression in honey-colored eyes, barely reigning in her knee-jerk reaction of asking what was wrong, and choosing to wait him out.
“You’re….” He began, with surprising vitriol. She couldn’t help flinching in surprise. He hesitated, swallowed and started again. His voice was small. “You’re really not giving up, are you?”
Hyun Mi looked at him, square in the eye. Her voice was firm. “No.”
“Oh.” He averted his gaze. “Okay, uh. In that case…. I guess I owe you an apology.” With those words he seemed to deflate, uncrossing his arms to run his hands through his hair, frustrated beyond measure. “Okay, look. I don’t think it has sunk in yet. I am a hacker, a secret agent. And not the cool kind. I work in a shithole, I’m more of a slave than Jaehee is. I don’t have a right to have friends, to find love… I don’t deserve to either.” He looked Back at her through pained eyes. “But you’re not giving up, are you?”
She raised her chin defiantly. “Never.” Never had. Never would.
“Ah…” Seven hummed, his voice a contrast with his pinched expression. “Your words make me weak. It makes me think that… I want to try living your way. Makes me want to try harder. Makes me wish for your love… You are a dangerous witch.”
“I’m a lot of things but is it good enough for you?”
“You crazy, crazy girl.”
“Come sit with me, Seven.” Hyun Mi whispered, silently begging him to do so. The boy was like a skittish animal, walking slowly and always keeping her motions within visual range. He hesitated but ends up sitting down on the couch, as far as possible from her. She doesn’t mind. “In the RFA chat I met someone. Someone who won my heart with his lame jokes, and absurd plans and… beautiful messages. I fell in love with him, I was able to do that because I could get to know that side of you. But I’ve glimpsed more. I know there’s a lot of you I don’t know about. And I want to know. I want to know everything. I want to love everything. Question is, will you let me?”
Seven looked small and miserable and Hyun Mi just wanted to hug him, but she refrained herself, “You might not like everything.” He said in a quiet whisper.
“I’ll be the judge of that.” She said, perhaps a little harsh. Her voice softened as she reached out a hand for him. Making sure he’s see it, she pressed it against his forearm. She could feel the muscles underneath tense and shift. Her voice was soft. “But for the record, there’s no way I won’t accept all of you.”
“You’re crazy.” Seven whispered back, wide honey eyes staring from her hand to her face.
Hyun Mi allowed all of her emotions to seep through her face as she smiled at him again.
“Hm, cray cray in love with you.”
