“Eat.” He brought it to my face.

“N-no!”

“C'mon, it belongs in your mouth.” He crawled on top of me and nudged it forward, the bed creaking under his weight.

“W-well, yeah...but I said I don’t want it!” I tried pushing him away, but he grabbed one of my wrists and pinned it above my head.

“It’s not that bad~” he teased.

“Iick, no!”

“Just try it.”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“Just a lick?”

“NO.”

He sighed. “Fine...” then turned around and got off my bed.

I sat up and breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god! It looked disgusting, and I—

He whipped around and shoved it in my mouth.

“MMFF!!” My eyes widened at the sudden invasion.

“See, it’s not so bad~” he smiled. “And no need to thank me, cuz what are roommates for?”

He had it shoved deep into my throat, and the taste was making me gag.

I swallowed against my will, then pushed him away with all my strength.

I coughed and wiped a hand across my mouth. “BLEH! What the heck was that?!” I glared at him.

“Like I said, it’s supposed to make you feel b—”

I threw my pillow at him, but he ducked. Asshole! “For the last time, I don’t need your stupid herbal medicine!!”

He held up his hands in surrender, a drop of brown goo sliding down the spoon.  “Okay, okay. I just wanted to help you recover in time for next week’s midterm...jeez.”

“Oh yeah? Well—” I stopped. The throbbing in my head had vanished, along with the fever that had been burning all day. I wrinkled my nose; it wasn’t stuffy anymore.

He blinked, then peered at me. “Did it work?”

I nodded, eyes avoiding his. “Thanks...” My cheeks started feeling warm, but I don’t think it’s from another fever.

He grinned. “I’m glad you’re okay now. Which means...” he unbuttoned his shirt and let it slide onto the floor. “We can continue where we left off last night...♡” And he pushed me down onto the bed, silencing my protests as his mouth closed onto mine.

“This is the place, right?”

No reply.

Rolling my eyes, I unbuckled the seatbelt and got out the car. Just how drunk is this guy?!

Jerking open the backseat door, I looked down at his sorry state. The dimness of the car light forced me to squint, and I could just make out his brown hair, all tousled up, and eyes closed with a hint of pink glowing on his cheeks.

“Hell-o. We’re at your apartment now.”

This time, the reply came in the form of a quiet snore.

Sighing, I fisted his shirt and tried pulling him out, but his *** didn’t even budge.

“Come on, come on!” I yanked with all my might. A hand reached up and blindly pushed at me.

He’s trying to push ME? I pulled harder, not caring whether or not his shirt would rip.

“...nnn...” He pawed at my face. “...stop...pulling...”

I gritted my teeth. “Then get out.”

“...but...I’m so...tired...” he yawned, hand still batting at me.

This is ridiculous! Grabbing one of his flailing hands, I leaned into the car and jabbed him sharply in the chest with a finger. “Listen, I’ve had a long day at work, and if it hadn’t been for that client, I would’ve never gone to the bar with you to meet him. So if you don’t come out right now, you can bet I will— H-hey!... What are you—!”

Using his free hand, he had grabbed hold of my jacket and pulled. I tumbled into the car, headfirst, and landed sprawled across his lap.

“Let me up!” I struggled to turn around, but he kept a hand pressed firmly on my back. Damn, he’s strong. “If this is your idea of a joke—”

“You’ll do what?”

I stopped moving. “Huh?”

He chuckled, as if the answer was obvious. “You said so yourself...If I don’t come out, what will you do?”

Goddammit, is he still drunk?! Hoisting myself onto my elbows, I twisted around to face him. He was looking at me through half-lidded eyes, an amused smile playing on his lips.

I sighed. There was no point trying to reason with him in that drunken state. “Look, forget I said anything, ok? Just let me up and we can—”

“You know what I would do?”

I blinked. This asshole was completely ignoring me! Just how many drinks did he have—

Suddenly, a hand was on my ***.

“What the h—” I squirmed under his touch, trying to get away from him. However, he leaned over and let his weight pin me down.

“If I were you,” he whispered into my ear, “and the handsome coworker whom I hated to the bone just so happened to be drunk talking in my car...” His tongue slide into my ear, licking gently and sending shivers tingling down my back, “...I would advise you to take advantage of the situation.”

Wh-what?!

I tried to keep my voice steady. “L-let me up! Do you hear me? This isn’t funny!”

The hand on my *** started tracing circles. “Oh, but you’re in no position to be telling me what to do, aren’t you?” He chuckled softly.

My cheeks grew hot. How dare he! Is he doing this because I accidentally spilled coffee on him the other day? I tried again. “Listen, I’m sorry about the shirt, ok? I was in a hurry so I didn’t see you coming around the corner—”

“Shirt?” A hand wiggled its way under my jacket and sneaked between the buttons of my shirt.

“W-wait—! What are you—”

“You mean...this shirt here?” His hand glided up my chest until it found what it was looking for...and pinched.

“A-ahh...!—”

“Mmm, you’re very sensitive. I like that in a guy.” He nuzzled against my neck, breathing deeply, and squeezed again.

“Nngg...s-stop! You’re drunk— a-aahh...!”

Sweaty hair clung to my face. My chest heaved up and down as I gulped for air.

I looked around the bedroom, taking in the familiar blue curtains hanging by the window. The thin fabric was already letting in the first light of morning. I rubbed my face. Goddamn...that was a weird dream.

“Were you dreaming about me again?” A voice spoke. Although quiet and harmless, it was the sly tone in his voice that made me whip around.

He was lying on his side, his usual sleeping position, facing towards me. One eye was open, watching me lazily with a smirk.

My cheeks burned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Aww, don’t be like that~ You can tell me anything, my pet.”

I huffed at him, then rolled over and pulled the blanket over my head, pretending to be asleep.

He chuckled softly, then leaned over and pulled back the blanket, and whispered, “Come on, let’s get ready for work,” and gently placed a kiss on my head.

“Don't forget, we have an important meeting with that client today.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

I had just stepped out of the shower when the unmistakable sound of glass shattering broke my thoughts.

Wh...what was that?

Slipping on my clothes, I tiptoed out the bathroom. The sensible thing would’ve been to go hide in my room and phone the cops, but something made me venture into the living room to investigate the sound.

The first thing I saw was a pile of glass shards on the floor. A gust of cool evening air rushed into my apartment, chilling me and making me shiver from the water droplets drying on my chest. And that’s when I saw the hole in the balcony door.

My jaw dropped. What the hell?!

I should’ve ran for my phone the moment I saw the mosaic of glass, but my hesitation caused me precious seconds, and before I knew it, something slammed into me and I fell. Hands grabbed my arms and pinned them behind my back.

“H-hey! Let go!”

I twisted and turned, trying to free my arms, but whoever was straddling on top held me in a crushing grip. And there was something else... A bulge, large and soft, pressing against the small of my back. My cheeks started burning. What the hell? Who is this guy!?

With a battle cry, I summoned all my strength and broke free of his grasp, twisting around to land a kick in his stomach that sent him backwards onto the floor. Scrambling to my feet, I raced down the hall towards my room, heart beating wildly in my chest.

I should've known I wouldn't make it in time. I had almost reached the door when something hard came down on my head. My eyes rolled back and my legs immediately crumpled.

I fell to the floor, eyes closed, and moved no more.

.

.

.

.

.

The pain in my head woke me up.

Fluttering open my eyes, I realized I was sitting on the floor, head against a wall. Not much time had passed; the last ray of evening sun was streaming in through the window opposite me, and from where I sat, I could just make out, in the distance, the tip of Taipei 101.

“Ow...”

Pain shot through the back of my head. I wanted to reach up and give it a rub, but found that I couldn’t move my arms.

Huh...?

Tied with rope, my wrists were bound tightly behind me. I tried to jerk free, but that only made my skin rub raw. Panic started rising in my chest. Goddammit, why is this happening?

“Good, you’re awake.”

A figure stood up from where he had been sitting, cross-legged, on the couch. Dark blue eyes stared down at me. Jerking my head towards the ropes, I said, “Is this really necessary?”

His face remained expressionless. “Only because you can’t be trusted.”

“Oh, I can’t be trusted?” My eyebrows raised.

He crossed his arms, face blank, as if waiting for me to make the first move.

If that’s the way he wants to play...fine. “Who the hell are you? What do you want?”

A look of surprise flashed in his eyes, as if he had been expecting me to know the reason for him being here, but they quickly narrowed. “You know the answer, so drop the act and answer me truthfully. Where is the antivirus for Darkweb X?”

“Darkw—?” I gaped stupidly. “I don’t know! I’ve never even heard of it!”

“Don’t play dumb. You may have fooled the rest of the world into thinking it was the work of terrorists, but I know it was you who used it to bring down Google and Facebook.”

“WHAT?!”

“We can do this the hard way, or the easy way. Your choice.”

I swallowed, an attempt to force down the lump in my throat, but it refused to budge. “Please, there must be some mistake—”

He sighed, annoyed. “I guess you chose the hard way.” He reached behind his waist. “You've been a very bad boy. And bad boys...need to be punished.” When his hand reappeared, it held a gun.

A chill ran through me. It was my first time seeing a gun in real life, and I couldn’t take my eyes off.

“After I’m finished with you, I’ll search this place for the antivirus. So you see, whether or not you tell the truth matters all the same to me.” He took out a single bullet and began humming as he loaded the gun, setting it up for its purpose.

I squirmed against the ropes. This jerk! He’s gonna kill me over a misunderstanding? Perspiration started beading on my forehead. I struggled, desperate, to free myself.

.....And that’s when I recognized it.

That melody.

I blinked. No...it couldn’t be...

But it was. There was absolutely no mistaking the distinct rhythm and flow of the song. I recognized it—instantly—because I’ve heard it before.

Because I’ve heard it play in my head all my life.

Because it was assigned to me since birth.

And the only other person who’s supposed to know it is my—

Hold on—! Why is HE humming it?!

The gun cocked.

“No— w-wait—”

He raised his arm—

“Please, stop!”

“Goodbye.” And he aimed the gun at my head—

I cried, “HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT SONG!!?”

He froze. Trigger squeezed halfway. And then, slowly, his eyes widened and he lowered his arm. Tucking the gun back, he crossed the room and knelt in front of me. Strands of black hair fell across his eyes, obstructing their intense gaze, but I was intimidated all the same. Being so close to him...I suddenly forgot how to breathe.

“You know the song too?” he asked, except the question came out as a growl and I became all too aware that, although the topic changed, the interrogation continued.

“Um, yeah, I...”

“Sing.”

I blinked. “What?”

“Sing it. The chorus.”

“You want me to...to...sing the—”

A finger lifted my chin, forcing me to look up. “You heard me the first time.”

“A-alright, alright!” Taking a deep breath, I sang the words, out loud, for the first time ever.

     “Baby, you’re all that I want,

     When you’re lying here in my arms,

     I’m finding it hard to believe,

     We’re in heaven.”

I stopped, and wondered if that was proof enough. His finger let go of me. I searched his face. Something softened in those eyes, making him appear less threatening, and I wondered if this was how he usually looked, when he wasn’t breaking and entering or interrogating people.

And then those eyes closed, and he opened his mouth.

     “And love is all that I need,

     And I found it there in your heart,

     It isn’t too hard to see,

     We’re in heaven.”

His eyes opened.

Silence hung between us, loud and awkward.

I stared. And stared...

...and stared...

Oh why, why, WHY? After seventeen years of waiting, THIS was my soulmate?! This rude, moody, arrogant (and irritably attractive...) lawbreaker?! I shook my head. “No, th-there has to be some mistake! How can you be the one? You tried to kill me! You must’ve overheard the song from somewhere and—”

“Are you accusing me?” His eyes flashed.

“N...no...”

“You know the rules. The song is never wrong.” Curiously, his scowl spread into a smirk.

I looked away, uncomfortable with the way he was glancing at me, as if I was some kind of rare animal he had just triumphantly captured.

But he was right about the song; it was never wrong.

I sighed. Ever since I could remember, I’ve daydreamed about meeting my soulmate and the two of us hitting it off right away.

And yet, who would’ve thought we’d meet like this.

My hands were starting to feel numb. “Do you think you could untie me now? I think I’ve proven to not be a threat.” I glared at him. The least he could do is apologize!

He studied me for a moment. “You know, you’re actually quite cute.” His head cocked. “That is, when you’re tied up and not kicking anyone.”

I can’t believe this guy!! I opened my mouth, prepared to shout every imaginable swear word at him, but he continued.

“Alright, I’ll untie you.” His smirk widened ever so slyly. “But only if you give me a kiss.”

...WHAT?!

My entire face started burning. “I-I...you...I mean—”

But his hand was already on my cheek, caressing, stroking lightly. He slid back and came to a rest at the nape of my neck, pulling me forward while at the same time leaning in, closing the distance between us, slowly...slowly...until, finally, we touched, and I was surprised to find that his lips were soft and warm, the complete opposite of his attitude towards me. A burst of electricity ran through my body, tingling me all the way to the tips of my toes. He was very gentle, and moved slowly so as to savour every taste, every feel, every moment. I didn’t want to admit it, but our lips meshed perfectly together, as if they had been specifically created to interlock only with one another, and no other pair.

Feeling embarrassed, I squeezed my eyes shut, not daring to look at him, as if closing off the windows to my soul could somehow stop him from reading my mind. He suddenly tilted up my chin and pressed his lips down hard, deepening the kiss and shortening my breath. A hand slid under the front of my shirt and began feeling its way around.

I gasped, eyes fluttering open. I wanted to push him away, but with the ropes tightly binding my wrists, I could only squirm under his touch. His hand stroked and lingered, tickling me with light touches. I wanted to get away.

And yet...a part of me, a tiny flame, buried within my chest, wanted the hand to continue. Wait...what the hell am I thinking? My heartbeat quickened. I tried to wiggle away, but that only excited the hand to continue its groping. Suddenly, his lips left mine and began leaving small kisses on my jawline, slowly...tenderly...trailing down onto my neck.

“Mmm...your skin...it’s so soft... And is that a hint of strawberry soap I smell?” Something moist and warm licked my throat.

“...a..ahhh...” I couldn’t stop myself. The sound was embarrassingly lewd to my ears, but his tongue took me by surprise.

“Mmm, who would’ve thought you could make such a sound?” I felt him smirk against my skin. “Now I’m tempted to taste more of you.” He placed a hand on the wall to steady himself; the other remained on my chest.

Th-this asshole!! My chest tightened and I became dizzy at the thought of him continuing his lingering touches. “Don’t you dare...” But he went ahead anyway, nuzzling my neck, ignoring my plea...and before I could protest, begun sucking my skin. Slowly at first, then faster, more desperate.

“...n..no...aahh...”

His mouth seemed to have a mind of its own as it dominated every inch of my neck. I couldn’t help but toss back my head, which only exposed more of my skin to him. He continued—hungrily, greedily...possessing me...marking me.....

...beep—!

.....beep—!

.....BEEP—!!

He broke us apart and pushed me aside with such incredible speed that I hadn’t had time to register what was happening. I slumped against the wall, still panting from the kiss, and watched through half-closed eyes as he stood up and whipped out a phone from his coat pocket, brows furrowing as he tried to figure out why it had started beeping. Outside, the sudden squeal of car tires could be heard down the street.

“Shit...shit!”

He rushed to the window and looked down, eyes scanning for something. Judging from the stream of cursing under his breath, I sensed that something was wrong. He started tapping furiously on his phone.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve made a mistake,” he said without looking up. “The antivirus isn’t here.”

“Ha! See, I told you—”

“It was next door all along.”

I blinked. “Wh...what do you mean?”

He held up the phone. On the screen, I saw a red circle pulsing on some sort of map. A location signal.

And it was moving at high speed.

He returned the phone to his pocket. “All this time, I thought you were the culprit behind Darkweb X.” He nodded towards the window. “Turns out, your neighbour was much more intelligent.”

“Why you—!”

“But now, he’s managed to get away.”

He knelt down, once more, so we were at eye level. This time, however, he took out a knife from behind his waist. Jeezus, how many weapons does this guy carry?!

He pointed the tip at my face. My breathing started coming out faster, “N-no...please, you already know it wasn’t me who did it—”

He scowled. “Would you just shut up?” The blade glimmered as he brought it down, cutting through the ropes. He yanked me to my feet, the knife tucked away.

Something warm was in my hand, and I realized he hadn’t let go yet.

“Oh...” I looked down at where we joined, and blushed. “Um, do you mind...?” But I never got an answer. Because before I knew it, he threw open the door and we were bolting down the hall, his hand still holding tightly onto mine as he dragged me in tow.

“W-wait! Where are we going?”

We burst into the fire escape and began skidding down the stairs.

“Stop...wait...! Where are you taking me—”

“We’re going after him,” he replied without looking back.

“Wha... We?” I didn’t understand.

By then, we had reached the ground floor. He pushed open the fire escape door and led us into the empty lobby. Crossing the carpeted floor, we had just reached the front entrance when he suddenly turned around.

The soft glow from a nearby floor lamp illuminated his face, and I realized I hadn’t noticed before, but now, looking into his dark eyes, I saw that they were actually adorned with small flecks of gold. My eyes drifted down until I reached his mouth, and I looked away, cheeks reddening at the memory of those lips on mine. My very first kiss...and with my soulmate, too.

He cupped my chin, turning me gently so that I couldn’t help but look into his face. It must’ve been a trick of the light, surely it must, for the cold look I had grown so accustomed to seeing was nowhere to be found. Instead, that soft expression from before had returned. He held my hand up to his chest—where, underneath all the layers, I felt the faint beating of his heart.

“Trust me on this. Please?” He looked at me, beseechingly, almost.

Caught off guard by his change in attitude, I could only nod, not trusting myself to speak, not while a thousand different thoughts were rushing through my head.

He beamed, pleased with my answer, then brought my hand up to his lips, and kissed it. By then, I had already lost count the number of times my cheeks flushed because of him.

Turning back to the door, he pushed it open and led us into the night. By now, Taipei 101 was already lit up, all one hundred and one floors shining like tiny stars in the sky. Hand in hand, we broke into a run once more, this time heading towards a motorbike parked near the road. I couldn’t help but smirk and roll my eyes; the bike was the same shade of blue as his eyes. He swung his legs over the leather seat, and beckoned for me to do the same.

I took a deep breathe, then, slowly let it out.

I know I must be crazy, crazy enough to place my trust in someone who I haven’t even known for a day; someone who was rude, and moody, and irritatingly arrogant... Someone who, against all odds, was somehow destined to stay by my side.

But I’ve already decided.

As he started up the engine, I took my seat behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my head against his back, comforted by his warmth. The motorbike revved once...twice...then carried us off into the moonlit night.