LOST ON YOU

8;Axel

What was happening? Did he know? Did he know that what he was doing was trapping me? Did he understand that sleeping in my arms like that meant I would always want him there?I opened my eyes slowly and looked at him, only to find him in the same position. He wasn’t sleeping, he was looking at me.

I don’t know how long we had been like that.I lifted my hand and traced his face gently, feeling how smooth his skin was.

“Are you feeling better?” I asked. I checked his hands again to see if the red blotches were still there. They were gone, and he looked fine.

“Is it still itchy?” I asked. He shook his head. Relief washed over me, though I was still worried. I reached for my phone from the bedside table and checked the time.

Ten a.m. I blinked, thinking I had read it wrong. We hadn’t even had dinner… and now it was already morning. I looked at him again. How long had he been awake? He must be hungry.

“How long have you been up?” I asked.

“Almost an hour…”

I just hoped he hadn’t been staring at me that whole time.

“You should have woken me up. I could’ve made you something… I know you’re hungry,” I said. He didn’t respond.

“Freshen up. I’ll make breakfast… no, actually I’ll just order something. I might end up making something bitter again,” I added as I got off the bed.

Before leaving, I told him to feel free to use anything. Everything was easy to find. I even prepared the jacuzzi for him, just in case. Once I got downstairs, I ordered breakfast. A heavy one. And KFC chicken. I didn’t know what he liked, so I ordered a variety. While waiting, I started cleaning.The house wasn’t dirty at all, but I felt the need to do something , anything.

I wiped the surfaces, adjusted the seats, opened the windows for fresh air, mopped lightly, and sprayed some air freshener. Everything looked perfect. A few minutes later, the gatebell rang. This time, I was sure it was the delivery guy, even without checking the CCTV. No need for a weapon. I went out, collected the food, wearing a mask so the delivery person wouldn’t recognize me. I didn’t want people knowing I lived here.

Fans could easily start gathering around, and I didn’t want that. I was unpacking the food in the kitchen when I heard it. Soft piano music. The melody was beautiful, but sad. I listened closely.

I knew that song. I like Machine Gun Kelly, his music always hits deep. As a K-pop idol, I’ve learned to appreciate different genres, especially English songs, even if we’re not always fluent. I followed the sound. It was him. Sitting at the piano. Playing.

“That’s a sad song, you know,” I said softly. “It has a deep meaning… but it’s beautiful.”

He looked at me. I sat beside him, watching his fingers glide over the keys.

“Can you sing?” I asked quietly. He started the melody again.

“Home…”

He barely got the word out before I froze. His voice echoed in my mind. Did he even realize how beautiful it was? It was… breathtaking.

“A place where I can go, to take this off my shoulders… someone take me home…”

My chest tightened.

“I found no cure for the loneliness… I found no cure for the sickness… nothing here feels like home… crowded streets, but I’m all alone…”

He stopped. I didn’t even realize when I started crying. Why did it feel so real? Why did it sound like he meant every word? Before I could say anything, the melody shifted. A brighter one. Lighter.

“Do you always play that song?” I asked, wiping my tears. He didn’t answer. Instead, he stood up and walked toward the dining area. I followed him. He looked… different in my clothes. Cute.Too cute. He stopped when he saw the table. It was filled with food. Different dishes. I had ordered too much. I wanted to figure out what he liked. But he barely ate. Just a sausage. And a little fried rice.

“Your house looks really nice,” he said, walking around the living room. “Everything is simple… but it looks expensive.” I watched him as he looked at the paintings and pictures.

“I know this sounds strange, but… you’ve never told me your name,” I said, fidgeting with my fingers. Was that even the right way to ask?

“Maybe we should write it down so you don’t forget,” he replied, looking at me. Why did he still look so good even when he was serious?

“Hey, my memory isn’t that bad… and I don’t think I’d forget your name if you told me,” I defended myself lightly. He nodded.

“Aren’t you too kind?” he asked suddenly. “Letting a stranger into your house… just like that. What if I’m dangerous? What if I’m a serial killer?”

“With that face?” I said without thinking. “No one would believe that.” He looked at me for a second… then looked away.

“Not every devil has horns,” he said quietly. “Aren’t you afraid… that letting someone in might make it hard to let them go?” I understood exactly what he meant. I was about to respond. When his phone rang. He took it out. His expression changed immediately. The same look as before. He answered. Silence. As always. A few seconds later, he hung up.

“Time to go… thank you for everything. Where are my shoes?” he asked.

I looked away.

“I… threw them away,” I admitted, scratching my head.

“They were soaked.”

“Okay… I’ll just wear these,” he said, glancing at the house slippers. Wait. He was leaving? Without telling me his name?

“Wait… your name?” I said quickly, handing him my phone. He took it. Typed something. Then gave it back. Axel. That name… He had told me before.How did I forget? Before I could say anything, he was already walking out. Why does he always leave like that? I rushed after him.

He was already at the gate. At least he couldn’t open it without my fingerprint. I unlocked it.

“Bye "

“Don’t call or text me,” he said coldly. “I might not answer.” He didn’t even look at me. That… hurt.More than I expected. Why did it hurt so much?I stood there, frozen, as a black car pulled up.He got in.Didn’t even look back.My chest felt heavy.I closed the gate slowly.Then I went back inside and ordered four soju beers.I couldn’t stop thinking about what he said.It made me drink even more.I was so upset that I ignored everyone the entire day.Even when the company called, I didn’t answer.My bandmates texted me…I left them on read. Why would he give me his number then tell me not to communicate?