The Stubborn Stalker

He yawned and sat on his bed. With messy hair and sleepy eyes, he looked at the clock showing 13:30. He stretched his body and yawned again. It was about 7:00 a.m. when he arrived home. He was exhausted, so he simply changed his clothes and slept.

As he gently got out of bed, he touched his painful knee, paused, and then stood up. Despite the fact that he was just 30 years old, his physical condition made him appear to be at least 40.

He slowly limped to the restroom. After defecating and washing his mouth, he returned to the room and slowly picked up his bed from the floor. Then he entered his modest kitchen to prepare something to eat. On the way, he turned on the television. As he was making the noodles, the television began playing a music video.

It wasn't a bad song, but as usual, he doesn't like the current generation's music. He turned his head for a moment to look at the singers, but then he was amazed. He turned down the stove's flame and returned to the living room. The music video was created by the Stary Boys, a five-member band.

With a little thought, he recognized that one of them was the same blue-haired young man he had seen the night before, but with golden hair in the music video Bronze Star. He took a brief look at the young boys' synchronized dancing and Bong-soo's booming voice. He looked amazing and unique in front of the camera, with full makeup.

Smelling his meal, he returned to the kitchen, switched off the burner, and placed his small pot on the table. As he stirred the noodles with chopsticks to chill them down, he remembered what happened the night before. In fact, he didn't intend to walk to the roof, but he was feeling heavy and needed some fresh air. He didn't even consider dealing with a boy attempting suicide. He picked up some noodles with his chopsticks, blew them, and popped them into his mouth.

He was fortunate that he grasped the boy's hand on the ledge and brought him up in time; otherwise, he would have been accused of the suicide of such a well-known figure. He didn't care about the reason for the suicide or the boy's troubles because he had his own problems. But he blamed himself for the boy's second suicide.

With a sigh, he added some soy sauce to the pot and resumed eating. He was also quite lucky the second time. If the boy had succeeded in committing suicide, the police would undoubtedly have investigated and discovered his fingerprints on the door. Furthermore, the cameras in the corridors had definitely captured his admission and escape from the house; thus, given the proximity of his exit to the time of his death, he may be regarded as a murderer.

He stopped eating for a while. These thoughts were quite disturbing. He took a deep breath and thanked the heavens for sparing the boy from death. He resumed eating, although the image of the boy sitting under the shower kept repeating in his mind. He finished his meal and washed the dishes with bitterness.

He returned to the living room, took off his pants, sat on the floor, and stretched his painful leg. He took out a cube-shaped container from a small closet near himself. He opened the lid of the container, took some of the white cream inside, applied it to his painful knee, and started massaging it.

Touching it made the pain worse, but he endured the pain by gritting his teeth, knowing that if he didn't apply the cream, the pain would be even worse, especially now that the weather was getting colder day by day.

After a few minutes, he stopped massaging. He closed the lid of the container and returned it to the small closet. As he stretched out his leg to absorb the cream well, he leaned against the wall of the room and closed his eyes. After several minutes, in the background of his mind, there was a sound from the television. He opened his eyes and noticed the news, but when he saw the headline, he clenched his teeth and changed the channel.

He carefully stood up, put on his pants, and remarked quietly, "It's always the same: a drunk driver and an unlucky person." He checked the clock; he still had time. He decided to go to the store and get a few supplies for his home. He had a security job at a factory tonight, so it was best if he cooked delicious meals and brought them along. Ignoring the television, which was playing another Stary Boys song, he turned it off, changed his clothes, and left the house.

***

Bong-soo has spent the last five days intensively training and filming. He used to go to the studio early in the morning and return home after midnight. The Stary Boys group is gearing up for a month-long tour of China, Thailand, and Australia, so everyone is working hard to prepare.

He sometimes believed that a lot of pressure caused his melancholy and desire to commit suicide, but he understood that this was not the case. He enjoyed singing, dancing, and music; in fact, the rigorous program made him less inclined to consider suicide.

He cursed under his breath as he stood sleepily in the tower lobby with a cup of coffee, frustrated by the car's delay. He looked at his watch. The minibus service was typically waiting for him in front of the tower door at 7, but it was 7:40 now, and there was still no sign of it.

He took out his phone to call the driver, but suddenly remembered something. Mr. Choey, the group manager, decided yesterday that all group members would have the sixth day off to rest. Bong-soo had gotten up early as usual, forgetting that it was a rest day.

Angrily, he cursed his own stupidity and headed for the elevator. At the same time, he noticed someone coming out of the elevator slowly and with a little limp. Even though he was still a little sleepy and nervous, he immediately recognized the guard. He smiled and approached the man.

The guard didn't react when he saw him; he just nodded politely and was about to continue on his way when Bong-soo blocked his way and said, "Hey, wait. You didn't recognize me?" The man looked at him indifferently and then said softly, "What can I do for you, Mr. Bok?"

Stunned by this cold encounter, the boy paused, then said, "No problem; I just wanted to thank you." The man gave a small smile and said, "Thank you, Mr. Book. Have a nice day." Then he started moving again. However, Bong-soo strode over to him, grabbed his arm, and said, "Wait! Can I at least buy you a coffee?"

Dae-hyun looked around and quietly muttered, "Thank you, Mr. Bok. But there is no necessity." Bong-soo, feeling anxious, frowned and asked, "What's your problem?! People are lining up to snap pictures with me and say a few words! But you act cold!"

The man gave a sad smile, and as he pulled his arm out of his hand, he said, "I'm sorry; I don't act like everyone else, Mr. Bok." Then he lowered his voice and added, "You better go home. It's obvious from your eyes that you need some sleep. By the way, there are reporters among the people in the lobby; I don't want you to get into trouble." Then he smiled again and said loudly, "Thank you very much for your kindness, Mr. Bok. I hope you have a good day."

Then he gave a half bow and limped towards the guards' room. Bong-soo was astonished by his statements. He slowly peered around the lobby, avoiding attracting attention, and observed several people's interested stares. He clinched his teeth. At first, he intended to take the elevator back to his house, but then a thought hit him, and he walked to the public restroom in the lobby.

***

As he was changing his clothes, a voice said, "Hey Hyun, what did Phoenix want from you?" He turned his head and saw Soo-Hwan looking at him curiously. He shrugged and said, "I don't know; he just wanted to thank us for our efforts as guards of this tower."

The young man said wistfully, "You're so lucky. I wish he would talk to me too." Dae-hyun said with a smile while closing the door of his closet, "Who knows, maybe he'll talk to you next time." The young man laughed hopefully, and he said, "You're right. I have to remember to have paper and a pen. My girlfriend is one of his fans. I can get an autograph for her."

Dae-hyun said as he walked towards the door, "Yeah, it's possible. You should resume your shift for the time being; perhaps he will return to the lobby and you will be able to see him. See you later," then he left the dressing room. As he limped toward the tower's departure door, he smiled at the young girl behind the reception desk and said, "Goodbye, Ji-Soo." The girl bowed her head respectfully and replied, "Goodbye, Mr. Cha. Have a nice day."

When he exited the tower, he stared at the partially cloudy, autumnal sky. The weather wasn't too cold, so he decided to walk gently to the Blue Bottle Cafe and then return home after a coffee and some food. He strolled gently, inhaling the fresh air of the early morning.

He was around 200 meters from the tower when he sensed someone following him. But this issue was meaningless to him. Nobody could have followed him to steal in this part of Seoul at this time of day. Aside from that, why should anyone go after him? He abruptly paused. Could it be a reporter?

He frowned at this thought; he didn't want to disturb the relative peace of his life. He ignored the pain in his knee and tried to move faster. After a hundred meters, he suddenly turned into an alley and hid himself behind a wall. After a few seconds, a man with a cap, sunglasses, and a black mask entered the alley.

Dae-hyun, who was waiting for him, leaped forward, grabbed the man's jacket collar, smashed him hard against the alley wall, and said violently, "What do you want from my life, you bastard?!” You damned made me less miserable?" Behind the mask, a hoarse and terrified voice whispered, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

The suspicious man carefully raised his hands, removed the mask and glasses from his face, and murmured, "I'm sorry." Dae-Hyun, surprised to see his face, cautiously loosened his collar and exclaimed, "Mr. Book?! What are you doing here?"

Bong-soo straightened his clothes, put his sunglasses back on, and said, "I just wanted to treat you to a coffee. That's why I made myself look like this, so no one would recognize me." Dae-hyun took a step away from him, and he said with a sigh, "It was good camouflage, but I might have hit you by mistake." Then he added with a gesture, "You'd better put your mask on again."

As he looked at the young man with different thoughts, he said, "By the way, I told you I don't need anything. You don't owe me anything; you better go home. If fans or reporters see you here, they will gather around you like bees." Bong-soo, wearing a mask and glasses again, said in a sad tone, "I tried so hard to come here without attracting attention, so can't we even have a cup of coffee?"

The man sighed, paused, and said, "Okay, but you have to sit in the cafe with a mask and hat so you don't get in trouble. Is that okay?" The boy said with a happy voice, "OK," and then proudly added, "Did you think this is the first time I'm going out? I often went out in more dressed-up clothes so that no one would know me and I could have peace of mind."

Dae-hyun gave a forced smile and said, "I'm going to the Blue Bottle Cafe; come with me if you like," and then walked off without waiting for the boy's answer. Bong-soo quickly made his way over to him and said as he walked by the man, "You don't need to talk to me so formally, Uncle; I'm younger than you. Feel free with me."

The man said without looking at him and as he walked slowly, "As you wish. Besides, I'm not old enough to be your uncle." The boy laughed and said, "Don't be upset. So what should I call you?" Dae-Hyun sighed and said, "You know my name and surname, so feel free to call me with them."

Bong-soo thought about the man's words for a bit, then asked, "How about Dayun? It's easy to say, even better than the full name." Dae-hyun didn't care how he was addressed. Anyway, after today, he probably wouldn't meet this boy again, so he indifferently said, "As you wish."

Meanwhile, they reached the street, and without another word, they crossed the street and entered the cafe. Dae-hyun went to a table in a secluded corner of the cafe, and the young boy followed him. He took off his jacket and put it on the arm of the chair, then he asked the boy, "What do you want?"

Bong-soo frowned and said as he took off his mask, "You are going to be my guest; I would have ordered it myself." The man sighed and said, "Of course I would be happy to accept your offer. But if you are famous enough, you might be recognized when ordering. So please just sit down, don't take off your sunglasses and hat, and say, what do you want to eat?"

The boy sat on the chair with a frown and said with a pause, "A latte with a lemon cookie." The man nodded and went to the counter. As the man walks away, Bong-soo sighs, placing his hands on the table and leaning his head against it. The decision to follow the man suddenly occurred to him, and after changing his appearance in the bathroom, he followed him.

He rubbed his tired eyes. Maybe it would be better to go back home and sleep. Why did he really come after this man? Was it really for thanks and appreciation? He sighed and said under his breath, "Lack of sleep makes you do stupid things."

After a few minutes, Dae-hyun returned to the table with a tray in her hand. He put the tray on the table and sat facing the boy. As he placed his companion's order in front of him, Bong-soo glanced at his order and asked, "What did you get for yourself?"

- A cup of espresso with tropical cake.

Bong-soo asked childishly, "Can I try some? It looks delicious." The man looked at him for a moment, then gently removed a piece of the cake with a fork and placed it on the boy's plate. Bong-soo eagerly ate the cake, then, with the same childlike expression, he tore off a piece of his cookie and put it on Dae-hyun's plate.

When he saw the man's amazement, he remarked, "You gave me some of your cake, so you have to try one of my cookies; that's only fair." Then he started drinking his latte. Dae-hyun couldn't understand the boy's abnormal conduct, so he shrugged, took out his phone, and began drinking his coffee while reading the news of the day.

After a few minutes, Bong-soo, feeling ignored, asked casually, "How long have you been guarding the tower?" "About two years," Dae-hyun answered, looking at his phone without looking at him.

The boy remained dissatisfied. This dude didn't even look at him. In the past 5 years, it has been impossible for him to talk to anyone without instilling passion in them. To avoid becoming silent again, he remarked, "It's weird; I haven't seen you before. I've been living there for over two years."

- It's natural. I have not seen you, either. That tower contains 100 residential units, around 20 guards, and a large crew who operate in various shifts.

He did not raise his head, even for a moment, during the entire response. Bong-soo said with annoyance, "Is there any important news written there?" Dae-hyun noticed his sorrowful tone and sighed before turning off the phone screen, placing it on the table, and saying, "It's nothing special; I just got used to watching the news during breakfast because I don't have time the rest of the time."

Bong-soo raised his eyebrows and asked, "You mean you're so busy? Are you always on the night shift?" The man took the last sip of his coffee and replied, "Mostly yes."

- So what about the rest of the day?

- I mostly sleep in the mornings, the rest of the day I spend on my personal affairs.

Bong-soo nodded and asked as he chewed on a piece of his cookie, "Married? Do you have kids?" But when he saw the doubt in the guard's eyes, he immediately added, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry into your personal life." Dae-hyun sighed and said, "It doesn't matter. And the answer to your question is no. I don't have children; I'm not married either." The boy smiled a little and said, "May I know how old you are?"

- 30

The boy said in surprise, "Are you kidding me?!" Dae-Hyun sighed, and as he stood up, he replied, "I have no reason to lie." He ran a hand over his beard and short sideburns and said, "These, combined with fatigue, make me look older than my age." He slipped on his jacket and added, "I have to go."

The boy immediately got up and said, "I'm sorry for asking private questions, and thank you again for not letting me commit suicide." The man sighed and said, "You better put on your mask and go home. Goodbye." Then he turned his back on her and limped out of the cafe.

Bong-soo let out a frustrated breath, put on his mask, and walked over to the cafe counter. This man did not care about him, but at least he was able to thank him; that was enough. "How much is our bill?" he said to the girl behind the counter. The girl looked at the monitor in front of her and replied, "You don't need to pay anything, sir. Your companion has already paid."

Bong-soo blinks for a moment, then hurries out of the cafe. He looked around, and a hundred meters away, he saw the man slowly and limping away. He ran up to him, grabbed his arm, and said as he gasped, "Hey! Wait!"

Surprised, Dae-hyun pulled his arm out of his hand and said, "What again? Why are you following me like suspicious stalkers?" The boy took a breath and said with a frown, "Why did you pay the cafe bill?!" The man raised his eyebrows and replied, "You ran after me for something like that? You're really crazy. Goodbye" and started walking again.

Bong-soo took off his mask to breathe better, took a few long steps over to him, grabbed his arm again, and said, “Wait a minute! Why are you always ignoring me?! I was supposed to pay the bill. To thank you!"

Dae-Hyun took a deep breath and asked, "Could you kindly release my arm and put on your mask? I'm sure you don't want people misinterpreting you and spreading your photo while clutching another man's arm on the internet." Bong-soo looked around silently, noticing the talk of some passersby. He swiftly released the man's hand, put on his mask, and sadly stated, "It's all your fault."

Dae-hyun shrugged and replied, "I did nothing. Anyway, you thanked me, so you don't need to trouble yourself any longer. Go home and enjoy your life." He was about to continue on his way when the boy stopped him and exclaimed, "For God's sake! Can you wait a moment and not walk?!"

- No

- What?!

- I said no, I can't stand still and not walk.

"Why? Are you kidding me?" Bong-soo asked in confusion. The man sighed and said, "Because of my knee, I can't stand still for a long time; I have to walk so it doesn't hurt." The boy remembered his limp and asked, "What's wrong with your knee?"

Dae-hyun paused for a moment, then replied as he slowly began to walk, “I had a car accident.” Bong-soo slowly began to walk beside the man, saying, “It must have been a heavy accident that hasn't healed yet.” The man looked at him from the corner of his eye and said, "May I ask why you are still here and walking next to me?"

Bong-soo, who remembered again, took a deep breath and said, "The cafe was not acceptable; you should let me repay your favor." The man sighed and said, "How much do I have to say that it is not necessary? Is it by force?" The boy nodded in agreement and said, "Yeah, it's by force. Do you know the N.Grill restaurant?"

Dae-hyun paused for a moment before answering, "Yes, in Namsan Mountain Park. Why?" The boy smiled and continued, "So I have free time tomorrow night; I want to invite you to dinner. There is a luxury restaurant there, so I can be comfortable without hiding my appearance."

Dae-hyun stopped for a moment and said, "It's an expensive restaurant. You don't have to treat me. I don't want anything from you." The boy stopped too and said, "I told you, it's forced. So don't forget, we have a date tomorrow night at 9 o'clock at N.Gill restaurant." Then he walked in the opposite direction of the man and said, "Don't forget, or I won't leave you alone," and walked away with long steps.

Dae-hyun watched him walk away for a moment. He didn't even have a chance to disagree more. He does not understand this boy's childish behavior and stubbornness. He sighed and muttered as he continued on his way, "Idols are really weird." Then he thought about his work schedule; he remembered that he didn't have a shift that night, so he added under his breath. "Well, a good dinner won't hurt," and he went on his way.