Zen: Hello?

The chatroom was empty but Zen prayed that someone might see the message. Fingers crossed it was anything but the trust fund kid.

Jumin: Zen.

Zen sighed in frustration. With a huff, she blew her silver bangs out of her face.

Zen: Not you. Is anyone else there?

She sat still for a few moments, heart pulsing in her chest. It was cramped in here. How much longer could she avoid the man waiting outside?

Jumin: Assistant Kang is on assignment. I am simply checking my phone during a mid-afternoon break. Yoosung is in class. We haven't heard from V in weeks. Luciel will be around soon, I imagine.

Gah, maybe he was the only one available. If Jaehee was there, she'd help her, right? Jaehee loves her like a sister.

Zen: Can you get Jaehee please?

Jumin: No. As I have said, she is on assignment. I've asked her to do research on airplanes for cats. She is touring an airplane factory.

Goddamn it! A bead of sweat slithered down Zen's back. She couldn't wait any longer.

Zen: I need help.

Writing the words was like admitting defeat to your greatest enemy. Sending the message was almost a physical pain. She was disgusted that she needed him. Him!

Zen stared at the dot, dot, dot that appeared when he was typing. He would probably laugh in her face, per usual.

A voice outside the room she was hiding in sent her heart thumping even faster. She smacked her hand over her mouth to keep her breathing as quiet as possible.

Jumin: What do you need help with?

Zen: I'm trapped. Come get me please?

Jumin: How silly of you, Zen. What do you mean, trapped?

Zen: There's this fan who's been following me for a few weeks. My security has told him to leave me alone multiple times. But today he found me after I was leaving the gym and I'm alone and I ran and now I'm hiding in a closet in this storage building. He's been screaming for like thirty minutes and I don't know what to do.

Her fingers were shaking. The fan was getting closer, she could hear him whimpering her name as he went up and down the hallway. He begged her to come out so they could live happily ever after.

A shiver went down her spine.

Jumin: A stalker? Where are you?

She sent the GPS location on her phone to the chatroom.

Zen: I feel like such an idiot but I really am scared, Jumin. This guy is being really weird. I haven't been able to get hold of anybody else.

For a few achingly slow minutes, the chatroom was silent. Despair started to fill her heart. Maybe Jumin decided she wasn't worth the help? How typical of him.

Zen: Jumin? I can't call the emergency service. Are you there?

Another few moments crawled by. Maybe she shouldn't have been such a bitch to him all this time. They really didn't get along, but they were friends, right? The RFA meant they were family, right?

Jumin: I'm on my way. I'll be there in five minutes.

She sighed in relief. Thank goodness. She could wait five more minutes.

Jumin: Stay in that spot.

She gulped.

Zen: Ok. Thanks.

Whew. He was on his way. Every second that passed was closer to the moment that she could get away from this creep. Just a few more minutes. Time ticked by.

Wait, the creep? She hadn't heard his call for a bit. Where did he go? Maybe he left?

"Zennnnn, my lovely Zennnnn," the creep's voice was directly outside the closet door. She could almost feel his breath through the crack. "Are you ready for your Prince Charming?"

Zen's heart went cold. The closet door flew open. The man stood right there, sweat beading on his balding forehead. His clothes were unkempt. The faint aroma of his body odor teased at her nose. His eyes were crazed and his hands reached out to her.

Her fingers started flying across the keyboard.

Zen: Jumn.! Hes here! Hel

Jumin pulled the car into the storage building's parking lot. Driver Kim was out of the office, but he couldn't wait. The thought of someone stalking Zen was too concerning. Thankfully, he hadn't wrecked the car. He only grazed a few curbs here and there.

His phone vibrated and he looked at it as he was stepping out.

Zen: Jumn.! Hes here! Hel

Jumin's head snapped up. Shit! He took off inside the building. But Zen didn't tell him where her closet was!

A cry echoed down the hallway to the left. Without hesitating, he ran down the hall way. His fingers reached for the gun he slipped into his jacket pocket and clamped around the cold metal.

"Jumin!" Zen's voice tore through the empty air. It sent his heart flying.

"Zen!" He yelled back, whipping the gun out of the jacket. "I'm coming!"

"I'm in here! He's—" a grunt cut off her words.

Jumin's blood started to boil. His hand clamped around the gun so hard his fingers hurt.

Door on the left, two doors on the right, door at the end of the hallway. Sounds of struggle were coming out of the second door on the right; he sprinted for it.

As soon as he broke the threshold, he took in the scene. A man was standing over Zen. He was positioned in between her legs. Jumin could see that her leggings were ripped up the side. She was struggling, but he was much bigger and heavier. The man had one hand on her shoulder and another knotted in her beautiful silver hair. Beautiful hair? Jumin had never thought she was beautiful before.

The hesitation was momentary as he pondered why he thought that, and in that split second, the man smacked Zen across her face. She gasped, eyes tightly closed pain. Her shirt was ripped and pushed up her stomach.

Jumin aimed the gun in front of him, both hands holding it steady.

"Let her go," he commanded, using his Director voice.

The man turned and Jumin caught the murderous glint that flashed off his eyes.

"She's mine, I've waited so long for her." The mans voice was soft and tender, but his visage was deranged.

"Remove your hands from her. The emergency personnel will be here shortly and will take you into custody." Jumin glanced at Zen. She lay silent, face towards the ground. Tears fell down her cheeks.

The man slowly let go of her and turned to stand up. "I won't let you have her. You don't deserve her like I do."

"This is your first warning. I have a firearm and I am prepared to use it in defense of myself and my friend. After the third warning, I will fire." Jumin took a deep breath. Everything else faded away, replaced with focus. His fingers lightened up on the gun, ready to pull the trigger.

The stalker took a shaky step forward, away from Zen.

"This is the second warning. Please move away from Zen and lay face down on the ground. If you proceed any closer, I will fire."

The man started to take another step forward, but hesitated. He turned back to look at Zen when she groaned on the floor. She started to sit up, her ripped shirt leaving her shoulder and the top of her breast exposed. He reached back to grab at her again.

"This is your third warning. Do not touch her again. Zen, don't move until I can assess your injuries."

The stalker turned back around to face Jumin. Suddenly, he rushed, ready to tackle him to the ground.

Jumin didn't hestiate. The gunshot fired and the bullet grazed the man's thigh. Not a serious injury, but enough to drop him. He fell with throaty yell, grasping at his leg.

Emergency signals started to ring through the building. Oh good, the police finally came.

"Please stay seated until you can be assessed by emergency personnel."

The man's cries were almost deafening in the small room. He clearly was on some sort of drug.

A police officer yelled down the hallway.

"Down here, sir. I have shot the offender in the leg as personal defense. The victim on the ground needs medical assistance." Jumin's voice was level, but on the inside he was raging. If the police hadn't have come, he probably would have killed the man. He lowered the pistol and dropped it on the ground. "I have dropped my weapon. Please take control of the situation."

Everything else happened so fast.

The police officers filtered into the room and took the stalker into custody. Paramedics got Zen sitting up and started to bandage her wounds. Her clothes were ripped, but thankfully she just had minor scratches and bruises, maybe a black eye.

Outside, one officer interviewed Jumin and another tried to interview Zen. She was clearly shaken. She stared out of the back of the ambulance, quiet. The officer's questions went unanswered.

Jumin walked over and interrupted the one sided conversation.

"Officer, perhaps I may take Zen home and we will go to the station tomorrow to give her statement." It wasn't a question. Director voice was on again.

The officer hesitated, biting at her pen.

"My name is Jumin Han, Director of C&R International. You have my word." He bowed politely and the officer flushed.

He mumbled an okay, and turned away to write more in his notebook.

"Zen, come with me," Jumin grabbed her hand and guided her to the car once the paramedics agreed to release her. She was listless, clutching tightly at the jacket Jumin lent her. Her silver hair seemed pale and disheveled. The life normally found in her happy face was missing.

It made Jumin sad. His grip tightened on the wheel.

"Zen."

His voice made her look up. Now he was standing outside her car door, offering his hand. She grabbed it.

"We're here." He pulled her out of the car, steading her when her knees almost gave out. His arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Where are we?" Her voice was so little. They stepped into an elevator. Jumin pressed the button for the top floor.

"My apartment."

Normally, she'd start making fun of him for being a pervert, but she said nothing.

The elevator doors opened and he ushered her out, towards the hallway on the right. He swiped a key and pressed his finger to the biometric scanner before the door popped open.

Zen was amazed at the simple beauty of Jumin's home. She thought it would be more, maybe, rich and lavish? And it was, but it was modern and refined. Tasteful, surprisingly. Even the air smelled cleaner. Walking through the living room, she stared agape at the aquarium that was built into the wall.

"Please sit," he sat her down on the couch and crouched in front of her. His dark eyes were kind. "Rest. I'll be right back."

She took a deep breath as he walked into what she guessed was the kitchen. A fridge door opened. She was right.

As he fiddled around, she remembered the events of earlier. A small tear formed at the corner of her eyes before she remembered what Jumin looked like when he busted in the room. He came to save her. He stood proud and unafraid in front of that crazy person.

He was… handsome? Was that the word?

A blush exploded on her cheeks.

No. No, no, no, no no no. Jumin Han was not handsome. He was arrogant, haughty, and… just… well he was just the worst!

Zen leaned down and buried her hands in her face. This was all just too much.

"Zen," her named rolled of his tongue. "Are you okay?"

She looked up to see him standing before her, a bottle of wine in his hands. His bangs swept in front of his eyes, but it didn't hide the fact that he were concerned. His mouth was in a tight line.

"I'm… fine." She didn't know what else to say.

He sat down next to her with a heavy sigh. They sat in silence for a few moments. She pulled the jacket tighter, pretending that the tighter it was, the more it could keep in all the emotions threatening to burst out.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there earlier." Zen had never heard Jumin sound so defeated before. Not the proud trust fund kid, not the confidence king. Not the cat weirdo.

"Thank you for coming at all," she whispered. Flashes of what might have happened if he didn't flickered before her eyes.

"Of course I came." His voice had a tinge of outrage to it, but just sounded mostly confused. "Did you think I wouldn't come to the aid of another RFA member?"

"Don't patronize me." Her voice was shaking. "I know you hate me. We bother the shit out of each other." She wanted it to sound like a bang, but it sounded more like a whimper.

He sat quietly for a moment. A part of her worried if she had offended him.

"I don't hate you. You simply annoy me sometimes." He spoke very matter-of-factly. "And I can't stand your dislike for cats."

Speaking of which, "where's Elizabeth the 3rd?" Zen looked around in her own confusion. Somehow she hadn't started sneezing yet.

"I put her away earlier. I know how she disturbs your allergies." He folded his arms over his chest. "Although I am a little perturbed that I wasn't able to greet her properly. You'll have to make up for that."

A strangled laugh fought its way through her bruised chest. Zen almost snorted. After everything that happened, he only wanted her to make up for the fact that he couldn't greet his cat?

"What?" he glanced at her, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Did Jumin Han just crack a joke to make me feel better?" She grimaced as her residual giggles still wracked through her ribs. It did make her feel better.

"Perhaps," he laughed on his own. "But I don't hate you. In fact, I find you to be quite fun when we argue. It consumes all my attention."

Jumin never realized how sweet her laugh sounded. It lifted his spirits and he felt less guilty about not arriving to her aid earlier.

But his happiness was short lived. Her giggles turned into sobs.

"Zen." He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his chest. His heart ached for her pain, for her fear. She leaned against it as the sobs she was holding in all night finally escaped.

He rubbed at her back, trying to calm her.

"He was so close," she cried. "Just a few more moments and he would have…"

She shuddered with fear and he simply held her more tightly.

"It's okay," he soothed. "I was there. We stopped him. He didn't get farther than that. You're going to be okay."

She looked up at him through her gleaming eyelashes. Her striking red eyes were only made more vibrant by the color on her cheeks. Again, the word beautiful floated through his mind.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you so much." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a tight hug.

Jumin was startled at first. He could see how her hair flowed down her back in a white cascade. It was a shock against his dark leather couch. His arms gingerly, hesitantly, pulled her in closer.

She could smell his cologne and feel the soft brush of his hair against her cheeks. Quickly, she became aware of the way she was pressing her breasts against him. His hands felt big and warm against her back.

They held that way for a minute, two minutes, before Zen pulled back.

She met his gray eyes, unsure of what to say.

His hand reached up and cupped her cheek. His thump wiped away a tear.

"Don't be afraid," he murmured. "I assure you, that man will be locked away for a very long time."

She leaned into his hand and nodded. The tears threatened to spill out again and her lip wobbled.

Jumin was amazed at her expressions. No wonder she was a model and successful actor. No wonder people flocked to her, happy for even a single glance at her beauty.

She was breathtaking even now. Even as she sat on his couch with torn clothes and a black eye quickly developing.

Would it really be so strange if he just leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips? What would she do? And what the hell was he even thinking? She'd smack him before he got close.

Zen could see Jumin was debating something behind his eyes. They flicked back and forth from her lips, to her eyes, to her cheeks, all over her face. Had he always been so strong? Was he always this caring?

The answer was, of course, hell no. He was a jerk. But something had changed in them both earlier, and they both knew it.

"Jumin." Her voice was a breath.

He leaned forward, just a little bit. Was it appropriate to kiss her after she had just been attacked? Was he taking advantage? Why was he so concerned about this in the first place?

She edged closer to him. Would he think she was crazy if she kissed him right now? Didn't she hate him?

"You," he gulped, "are so… beautiful." His deep voice reverberated between them.

She closed her eyes. He moved forward.

Their lips met for a tender kiss. Zen clutched at the fabric of Jumin's shirt. He enveloped her in his arms, hands moving down from her cheeks to her neck.

He tilted her neck back and deepened their kiss. Their lips moved faster against each other, no longer afraid.

She gasped when he opened her mouth and slid his tongue inside. It wasn't anything more than a tease, a testing of the waters, but it left her breathless.

She pushed against him, almost coming to sit in his lap, trying to get as close as possible. Her lips were soft; Jumin had never imagined they would be. But the taste was sweet and her touch was more intoxicating than the wine he had planned to open for them both.

Now he wondered how the rest of her tasted.

He grabbed her and pulled her fully into his lap, grasping her ass and feeling every inch of her thighs. Her legs straddled him on each side. She pushed him back against the couch, grinding on top of him, arms exploring the expanse of his chest. She could already feel his excitement. He started planting kisses on her neck, moving from beneath her earlobe down to the hollow of her collarbone. Her fingers teased on his buttons, questioning, waiting to see if she had the guts to take the shirt completely off.

She started un-doing the buttons, but his hands reached up and stopped her. She pulled away, meeting his eyes with a questioning look.

"I can't take advantage of you, Zen" he said. "It's been too much for you, tonight. For us both." But his gray eyes explained how pained he was to stop. But as always, his cool head prevailed.

Zen nodded, disappointed, but he was right. She wouldn't have regretted it if more had happened between, but it was not the right time.

"Zen." The way he spoke her name sent shivers straight to the pit of her stomach. "Will you still stay the night? I won't take advantage of you, I give you my word."

Zen swallowed. "I'll stay."

A smile bloomed on his serious face. Her heart constricted at the sight. He pulled her into a hug. "I don't want to take my eyes off of you."

She returned his hug for a moment before she pulled back to give him another sweet, slow kiss.

"I don't know what your feelings are, and I frankly don't want to talk about it now. But just so you know, that was fantastic." She disentangled herself from his lap and stood up. "Are we going to open that bottle of wine or not?"

Jumin thought he had Zen figured out, but she continued to surprise him.