There was so much sadness and angst in his gaze that it was impossible to read how many things were going on. He replied calmly, "It's still early to wake up... Get back to sleep..."

I asked, "Why don't you sleep? Are you okay?..."

I raised my hand toward his face, but he grasped it in the middle and said, "I'm alright, just not sleepy..." He covered my eyes with his other hand. "Sleep more... I'll wake you up..."...

+"Haru!..."

-"Hush~" I felt a kiss on the back of my hand, which made my heart skip a beat. I got flustered and quiet.

It felt indeed strange. Did I overreact last night?!

Maybe I hurt his feelings... 

Why would Haru stare at me like that while I'm asleep?

Why would he kiss my hand?

He didn't even let me ask...

  ~

As our day started, we acted like nothing had happened, and also we didn't talk much either...

I was worried and upset at the same time.

When our busy work hours were done... Haru gave me a ride to my home, and before I got off, he said," I'm going on a business trip tomorrow morning for a few days."

+"Shouldn't I company you?..."

-"No need, I'm travelling with Lee Sora... you should stay in the office..."

+"Okay... then see you next week..."

I was about to leave, but Haru grasped my arm and pulled me towards himself. 

Then, he held my head in his other hand and bit my neck hard... 

As I panicked, I put my hand on it and said, "hey~~~... what are you doing?... this is going to leave a bruise!!!..."

-"This is my insurance as your master that you won't cheat on me... now leave..." 

I was pissed off and said, "What am I?... Your pet?... Why don't you put a collar on me then?..."

He chuckled and replied, "Not a bad idea!..."

I said, "Woah!... You're so shameless!..." and got out of the car... 

I headed home afterwards, lying down on my bed and staring at the ceiling...

I started to question my whole existence...

Have I always been a pushover?!... 

Why do I let him do whatever he wants?

Is it because I feel I owe him since he helped me a lot?... Or do I really like him?

He's becoming more possessive as time passes... 

He won't let me go home or be alone...

He gets mad whenever it's about Taemin...

He's even touching me more than before... 

Shouldn't these things be for lovers?...

Is this a normal behaviour toward your friend?...

But I can't even claim us as friends!...

If it was normal, there hadn't been rumours about me being his lover or sex-partner... 

The fact that I can't define our relationship makes me bewildered... 

 ~

5 days passed. I was at home, watching a movie with my parents, when our doorbell rang... 

As I opened the door, I saw Haru standing there with a gift paper bag and a bouquet of red roses... 

He hugged me and said, "Have you been well?... I missed you..."

I took a step back and said, "When did you come back?... what are these?..."

- "A few hours ago, these were for you~~"

He was grinning from ear to ear... 

And handed them to me, and then he went to greet my parents...

+"Eh?!... heyy~..."

Honestly, I was surprised... I didn't expect him to bring something for me. Moreover, I've never received flowers, not even on my graduation days... 

It's been a long time since I felt happy about receiving something... 

While Haru was busy chatting with them, I put the flowers in the water... 

And then I opened the gift box inside the bag... 

It was a silver 3 interlocking circles necklace... 

-"Come here, I will put it on for you..."

I handed it over and sat down... 

+"Thanks... It's pretty..."... 

-"it's nothing... done~... turn over, let me see..."

As I turned back, he said, "It looks good on you just as I thought..."... He stared at me playfully with a devilish smile. 

I suddenly realized that I had forgotten what I had told him before his trip. I groaned, "You, jerk!... You got this because of what I said, right?!..." 

"Myung!... Talk politely to your friend!..." My dad warned me.

I held back my anger and just glared at him silently while he was laughing and acting innocent in front of my mom and dad.

Then he whispered, "You should thank your master while wagging your tail, not cursing him." 

I pinched his leg secretly and mumbled, "Shut up before I kill you..." 

-"Ouch!!!" He pinched my flank... 

+"Ah!..." I attacked him by poking my fingers into his stomach, and he fought back. 

This time, my mom stopped us, "Stop fighting like Tom & Jerry!... Have some tea and cookies..."

~

My dad asked Haru to eat dinner with us, and he accepted it... 

After dinner, I told him to stay the night here if he wanted, which made him happy...

We went to my room, and I brought a mattress with a blanket to lay it on the floor. However, he said, " Let's sleep on the bed together..."... 

+"My bed is too small for both of us... It'd be uncomfortable...

I'll sleep on the floor... you take the bed..."

-"I wanna hug you while sleeping..."

+"wanna lend you my Teddy?..." 

-"you heartless jerk..."

+"haha... Sorry, but if I don't sleep well, I'll get a headache..."

He lay down on the bed and said, " Give me a back massage... my muscles are sore..."... 

I sat on his back and started to rub his 

Shoulders and backs... 

+"Haru, can I ask you a question?..."

-"Go on..."

+"What's exactly your relationship with Lee Sora?"

-"hm?!... It's just business..."

+"Isn't she your sponsor or something like that?"

-"Nah... She has a crush on me, but that's all... I just used that to my own benefit..."

+"Did you two have... sex... then?..."

-"What!... Definitely No!!... hey!!... It's true, I'm jerk, but not to the extent you describe. I won't do it with someone who's married..."

+"Really?... Interesting... So why does she help you?..."

-"She's not a naive woman... She knows I'm a capable businessman... and she receives such a high profit from investing in..." 

+"Ahhh~~~..."

So it was like this... 

-"Why are you suddenly curious about this?..."

+"just because... then, have you thought about marrying Heejin? She looks like a good girl... "

-"Huh?! She's a good girl, but nope... I don't wanna marry someone..."

+"Why not?... are you still~... stuck... in the past?..."

-"I just enjoy the way I'm living right now... Also..."

+"Also what?..."

-"I prefer to live with you..."

My body froze at that moment.

He rolled back and got up... which made me stumble. I was about to fall when he grasped my waist. The position turned into an awkward one...

I was sitting on his lap and holding his shoulders to hold my balance... He looked at my eyes and said, "Would you like to move into my apartment?..." 

+"No!...", I answered nervously... 

- "Why?!... "

+"Your place is too small for both of us... So it will bother you..."

-"I can get a bigger place... also we're together there almost every day..."

+"But I have so many things that won't fit there... haha~... then whenever you buy a Penthouse with more than 300m² ... I'll live with you... but of course, I won't do the cleaning there... so you should hire some servants too... My standards are high... "

This should be enough to make him disappointed in me and forget the idea of living together... also, your mom will get super mad if she hears this...

-"Okay, just wait a few months... But you can't take your words back then... 

You should promise me that you'll come... in addition, you will not be allowed to hang out with your other friends... 

You'll be completely mine..."

His eyes were clearly determined, and that was how I realized I was playing with fire... 

+"Woah!... you're scaring me... let's sleep... "

I tried to get out of his hands...

But he didn't let me go... 

- "Promise me..."

+"Ha?!...Fine! I promise... now let me go~~... "

Finally, he released me...

And I lay down on the floor and closed my eyes nervously... 

I couldn't stop thinking about what he said just now. 

My heart was behaving strangely again.

The thing I learned from that night was that you shouldn't never talk carelessly...

Cause it'll return to you one day...