Stepping into the elevator, she didn't notice that there was another person leaning against the railing at the back.
She pressed the floor number she required, and then looked down at her feet. All day she had been going from interview to interview, trying to find a job. She had only been in the city for a short while and had had no luck in finding work. Sighing, she wiggled her feet trying to get rid of some of the pain.
"Are you ok?" A familiar male's voice spoke up behind her and she froze. Lifting her head she looked into the mirrored surface of the elevator doors, seeing a face she knew all too well; one she wouldn't have wanted to see ever again.
Turning on her heel, she shot him a glare.
Before she could answer, however, there was a strange sound and then they felt a jolt as the elevator came to a standstill.
With the lights flickering, panic started to set in - she collapsed to the floor and attempted to steady her breathing. The guy knelt down before her and held onto her shoulders.
"Jaeun, everything's going to be ok." His soothing voice calmed her a little. "I'm just going to use the emergency phone to call someone, Ok?"
In her panicked state, she momentarily forgot her hatred for him and nodded.
He waited until she calmed more and then used the phone to notify emergency services.
"We'll be out soon."
Those words he just uttered reminded her of something that happened during their school years.
It was also the first time they met.
The sun beat down on the students who were playing basketball on the outside courts. It was gym class and because it was a nice day, the teachers thought it would be good to play outside.
Afterwards, Jaeun had been instructed to put away the stuff they had used, and to organise the storage room . She wasn't aware that a guy had told the teacher he would help her and as she was putting away the stuff, she didn't notice him behind her.
She heard the door slam and she spun round.
"Why did you close it?!"
The guy, who she knew as Lee Jihoon, looked at her confused, "was I not supposed to?"
"Are you new here?" She ran to the door and pulled on the handle. "The lock on the door is broken and it can only be opened on the outside."
"Oh, my bad." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"What are we going to do?" She slid down the door and held her head in her hands.
Jihoon could see she was panicking and he sat down next to her. He tentatively placed an arm round her shoulder, in an attempt to comfort her and said, "it's going to be ok. When we don't go back, they'll come to find us."
"We'll be out soon."
"Jaeun, I'm here. There's no need to panic, alright?" He circled his thumbs on her hands and comforted her, just like he did back then.
Don't trust him.
Inside her was a constant battle and even though she wanted to push him away, she couldn't.
Like always, his presence comforted her and she hated him even more for it.
Why is it so hard to hate someone you love?