((Lilah: Disclaimer! I'm giving MC the name MacKenzie in this story since the term MC can then serve as a nickname sort of thing.

Unknown: Wow, MacKenzie is TOTALLY a Korean name.

Lilah: Shut up, Saeran! I didn't ask you. Besides, what do you truly know about MC anyways? She could have one Korean parent and one parent from another country where a name like MacKenzie is common! How do ya like them apples?

Unknown:...This isn't even worth arguing about.

Unknown has left the chatroom

Lilah: Heh, no one tells me how to write my stories. ))

As a soft groan escaped her lips, Amy's eyes fluttered open and she glanced around the room.

"What is this place? Where am I? Wait, that's right; this is Zen's room."

As the events of the previous night resurfaced in her mind, the weight of the world settled on Amy's shoulders, pushing her back down into the bed as she leaned on the headboard for support. Raising her hand to brush her fingers against the bruises on her face, Amy flinched as a sharp, tingling pain shot through her swollen cheek. Tears involuntarily started slipping down her face as she hugged her knees to her chest and curled up into a shivering ball.

"I've lost everything. I lost my hard work, my sister, my home. What am I going to do?!?!"

As she sobbed and hugged her arms tighter around herself, she failed to notice the click of the doorknob or the steady thumping of feet entering the room. It was only when she was enveloped in a pair of strong, comforting arms that she realized she was no longer alone.

"Shh, it's okay, Amy. Everything's going to be alright." Zen cooed, rubbing soothing circles on her back and giving her gentle squeeze.

"Zen, my entire life has fallen apart. What do I do? I don't have any money or clothes or shelter. I have nowhere else to turn." Amy whimpered, gripping onto the actor's shirt. "I just want this all to be a bad dream."

Zen's heart wrenched painfully as he stared down at his friend's trembling form. "Well, what about your mom? Can't you go to her?"

"She lives over 6000 miles away, Zen. If running to her was an option, I would've done it a long time ago."

"I see. Well, you can stay here as long as you need. I don't mind."

Amy wiped her eyes and looked up at him with a grateful smile. "Zen, thank you. You've been so kind to me even though we met less than a week ago. I don't know how to repay you."

"The only payment I need is seeing you happy and smiling." Zen cooed as he tucked a loose strand of snowy hair behind Amy's ear. Immediately, Amy started blushing profusely, but the dim light in the room prevented Zen from noticing. He did, however, see the massive bruises glaring up at him from her cheek. Frowning, he gently touched one in and immediately pulled away when a painful hiss escaped Amy's lips.

"You stay here. I'm going to go get you some ice, breakfast, and painkillers." he said as he rose to his feet and hurried from the room.

Sighing, Amy allowed her body to relax and slid back underneath the comforter on the bed. Glancing at the tv mounted on the wall directly across from her, she grabbed the remote off of Zen's bedside table and turned the it on. Some simple yet satisfying comedy or the chipper prattling of a chef on the cooking channel was sure to distract her from her troubles. However, what popped up on the screen made her blood run cold instead.

"Continuing our story from yesterday, we have new information on celebrity Zen's romantic rendezvous that occurred a few days ago." the reporter babbled with an excited, red-lipped smile. "The woman Zen was with has been identified as Amethyst Grace Hall, daughter of wealthy businessman Chul Hall. Since the incident, however, she has gone off the radar. Mr. Hall has refused to answer any questions regarding the matter. In other news, eyewitness accounts tell us the duo were also spotted interacting at a party set up by a local charity the day before-"

The tv suddenly clicked off, catching Amy offguard. Glancing beside her she saw Zen holding the tv remote with one hand and balancing a tray on the other, his lips curved into a deep scowl that was not becoming on him at all.

"Amy, I'm so sorry. If I had been more careful, this wouldn't have happened." he said, a hint of guilt in his voice.

"You're not to blame, Zen. Celebrity or not, you should be able to go out to eat with a friend and not have to worry about it making headlines the next day. Those nosy, no-good reporters are to blame; they'll do anything for a story, even ruin lives." Amy grumbled. However, as the smell of food reached her nose, she quickly forgot her bitterness as her nagging hunger took control. "Mm, what is that heavenly smell?"

Zen chuckled and set the tray down in front of her. "Just some toast and fresh fruit. I was going to give you some milk as well but I'm all out. I hope you don't mind."

"Thank you, Zen. I couldn't have asked for more." Amy smiled as she sank her teeth into the warm, buttery flesh of the toast and hungrily gobbled it down along with the fresh fruit.

Sitting down beside her, Zen grabbed the ice pack off of the tray and placed it on Amy's cheek. The woman immediately let out a shrill squeal and scrambled away.

"What's wrong?" Zen asked, confused.

"That's cold!" she whined in reply.

"It'll help the swelling in your cheek go down though."

Zen tried to return the ice pack to Amy's cheek but she continued to back away, her lips pressed together in a defiant pout. However, she eventually backed up a little too far and ran out of mattress. With a gasp, she started to fall but a pair of strong arms grabbed her and pulled her against something hard.

"Careful! You don't need anymore injuries. Now hold still." Zen scolded her gently. Grabbing the comforter on the bed, he draped it over Amy's shoulders before returning the ice pack to her face.

Despite the cold, Amy's face turned as red as cherry tomato as Zen held her firmly against his toned pecs and abs. "Too close! Too close! Too close!"

Thankfully, the heavenly sound of a knock on the front door signaled Amy's release from her awkward, though not entirely unenjoyable, bonds. However, Zen raised a suspicious eyebrow when he heard the noise. He wasn't expecting anyone at this hour.

"Amy, stay here. I'll be right back." he said sternly as he stiffly got up and left the room, shutting the door behind him. Frowning, Amy got up and shuffled over to the door, pressing her ear against the cool wood, but the conversation occurring was too muffled for her to understand. Glancing at the doorknob, Amy's defiant, I-do-what-I-want side kicked in and she hastily grabbed it. Opening the door a crack, she peeked out and saw two people standing in Zen's living room, but she was too far away to recognize them. Tiptoeing on cat-like feet down the hall, she peered around the corner and gasped in disbelief when she saw Zen's visitor's face, alerting the duo to her presence.

"MC?! MacKenzie, is that really you?!" she said.

"Amy?! OH MY GOSH, AMY!!!" MC exclaimed as she ran to embrace her long lost highschool companion.

Meanwhile, Zen looked completely confused as he stared at the two. "You know each other?"

"We went to school together. Amy, what are you doing here?! I saw the news but I thought it was just a scam! Are you and Zen really a thing?"

When Amy shook her head, Zen felt a sharp pain stab at his heart, but he said nothing and hid his hurt behind an emotionless mask.

"Well, what are you doing here then? And why are you wearing one of Zen's shirts?" MC asked, her head tilted slightly like a confused puppy.

Immediately, the dark clouds that had overcame Amy earlier returned, dulling the sparkle in her eyes as her shoulders drooped. MC noticed her drastic change in attitude and frowned.

"Amy, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I...I ran away. I didn't even grab anything; I just ran. I couldn't stand to be near that monster who claims to be my father for one second longer!" Amy shouted as tears started to pour down her cheeks. As her thoughts drifted to her sister, she let out another choked sob. "But now Emma's alone with him and has no one else to protect her! MC, what have I done? Is wanting to be treated like a human being truly so wrong?! Am I being selfish?! I don't know what to think anymore!"

MC was surprised by her friend's outburst but quickly pulled her into a hug, guiding the girl's head into her shoulder and letting her cry. "Shh, it's not wrong, Amy. You have the same rights as everyone else. It's your father who is being selfish here, not you." Grabbing a Kleenex from the box Zen had in hand, she forced Amy to look up at her and wiped the girl's eyes. "Zen's text makes much more sense now though."

Amy's brows furrowed in confusion as she blinked away the rest of her tears. "What?"

"Zen sent me a text last night asking if I had any clothes I could lend him. I was somewhat concerned and wondered if he was drunk or something but now I know why he was asking for them. I hope they'll fit." MC stated as she grabbed a large bag off of the couch and handed it to her friend.

Amy glanced back and forth between MC and the clothes and her lips curved into a grateful smile.

"Thank you." she said softly, wrapping MC in a hug.

"Don't mention it. I was surprised when I saw your motorcycle was still parked outside, Zen; shouldn't you be at work?"

"I called in sick today. I wasn't comfortable leaving Amy by herself. Besides, I figured we should go out and purchase her some things since she's living as a strong, independent lady now." Zen stated with a shrug of his shoulders.

"You don't have to do that, Zen! You shouldn't skip work because of me!" Amy protested.

"She's right, Zen. I'm actually on a holiday today so I can take her to go get what she needs." MC agreed.

"Thank you for offering, MC, but I've already made up my mind. Besides, we both know who has the bigger wallet." Zen winked.

"Are you sure about this, Zen? Won't you get in trouble with your director if you're seen out on the street, completely healthy? I don't want to cause problems for you." Amy frowned.

"I'm certain; don't worry about it." Zen replied with a smile. "Now, I ran out to get you some basic hygiene products this morning and placed them in the bathroom, so you go freshen up and get ready. We have a long day ahead of us."

"Zen...thank you."

As soon as Amy disappeared into the bathroom, MC turned to Zen, her happy expression replaced by a serious one.

"Well now I know why Saeyoung was working so late again. Is it really a good idea to take her out in public, Zen? Her father could still be looking for her."

"I can't keep her locked in here either, MC, otherwise I'm no better than he was. Besides, Amy is legally an adult so her father forcing her to return home could cause some nasty legal issues I don't think he wants to deal with." Zen stated.

"Well, shouldn't you at least put a disguise on again?"

"No. The media already knows about us so trying to hide would be pointless. In fact, me wearing a disguise might start scandal rumors and make things worse."

"But you not wearing a disguise will make her a target for her father or anyone who has a grudge against you. It isn't exactly hard to find your address either."

"All the more reason for her to always be with me! Now that I think about it, if she is constantly in the media's eye, her enemies' movements will be limited. It's perfect."

"So basically you made Saeyoung stay up an extra hour covering Amy's tracks for nothing?"

"Heheh, sorry?"

A weary sigh escaped MC's lips. "I really don't like this idea, Zen. I've got a bad feeling about it."

Hearing the click of the bathroom door's lock following by hurried footsteps, Zen leaned in and hurriedly whispered, "Look, we can continue discussing this later. For now, I need to focus on making sure Amy has a good time and forgets about her troubles for awhile."

"Okay."

Standing back to his full height, Zen turned towards the door as Amy walked into the room. He immediately smiled at her drank in the sight of her in the humble white t-shirt, black vest, ripped jeans, and purple Converses, and judging by the smile on Amy's face, she liked the outfit as much as he did.

When she noticed Zen staring, Amy's cheeks flushed red and she seemed to shrink in on herself a little.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Please stop; it's creepy." She said as she squirmed uncomfortable.

Now it was Zen's turn to blush.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you! I just thought you looked more like....yourself in that outfit. You really look nice. I mean, it's not that you didn't look good in the other outfits I've seen you wear, but I just think this outfit reflects your laidback personality more." he babbled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

MC bit her tongue to keep from laughing as she watched the suave, composed Zen stumble over his words like a nervous schoolboy. She tried to reach for her phone to take a video to show Seven later, but one glare from those scarlet eyes caused her to freeze in her tracks.

"MC, since you have the day off, why don't you come shopping with us? It would be a good chance for you and I to get caught up." Amy suggested.

"I actually have a few errands to run so I can't. Oh Zen, I meant to tell you that the others saw your and Saeyoung's conversation from last night and are all dying to meet your new 'friend.' "

Zen groaned and grumbled a few incoherent sentences as Amy's face scrunched in confusion.

"Others? Who is she talking about, Zen?"

"The other members of the RFA. I contacted one of them last night to help me cover your tracks so your father couldn't find you."

"You did that for me?"

"Of course. I can't believe I forgot the others could see the messages too though. Ugh, I'm not going to hear the end of this."

Suddenly, both MC's and Zen's phones chirped loudly, causing both of them to take them out.

"Speak of the devils themselves..." MC chuckled.

Zen's lips pursed into a pout as he read the name of the newest chat. " 'Zemy or Amen?' Really?! MC, something is seriously wrong with your fiancé."

"I know but I wouldn't have him any other way."

"Zemy? Amen? Are your friends trying to decide on a ship name for us? But we aren't even a couple." Amy said as she peered over Zen's shoulder down at his phone.

Groaning, Zen slipped his phone into his pants' pocket and grabbed his jacket, a faint, rosy tint dusting his flawless cheekbones. "I'm not dealing with them right now. I have better things to do than argue with them. Let's go, Amy."

"Are you sure you can't come, MC?" Amy pleaded one last time, causing MC to smile.

"I'm sorry, Amy. Maybe another day. You two have fun!" she stated.

After grabbing his wallet, Zen grabbed the door for the two ladies and held out his arm for Amy. "I was thinking we could walk to the mall today since it's not that far away and the weather is nice. Does that sound good?"

Amy broke into a grin and nodded, looping her arm with Zen's and allowing him to lead her out the door. However, she froze when several microphones were shoved in her face and the thunderous screeching of a dozen reporters assaulted her eardrums.

"Miss Hall! Is it true that you and Zen are dating?!"

"Miss Hall, how long have you and Zen been together?!"

"Miss Hall, is there something going on between you and your father?!"

"Miss Hall!"

"Miss Hall!"

Amy's body went stiff with terror as the reporters continued to bombard her with questions, her expression similar to that of a deer as it stared at the headlights of an approaching car seconds before it is struck.

"Hey! Leave her alone! What the heck is wrong with you people?!" MC exclaimed as she stepped in front of Amy and tried to shield her with her body.

The reporters' chattering decrescendoed to a murmur as they all looked at one another.

"Two women? Zen is hanging out with two women?"

"Zen's a player?"

"Miss, are you Zen's girlfriend as well?!"

"No, I am not! Neither of us are so leave Amy alone!" MC snapped.

More murmuring rose from the crowd of reporters. MC bit her lip and prepared to snap at them again but stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Please MC, allow me." Zen stated as he stepped forward, his arm still locked with Amy's. Putting on a broad smile, he addressed the group of news piranhas in the same calm, clear voice he used onstage. "I would like to put the circling rumors to rest. I am not in a relationship with anyone at the moment and these women with me are just good friends of mine."

"But what about the footage from the restaurant?" one reporter piped up.

"That footage was taken out of context. Amethyst and I were merely enjoying a meal as friends."

"Then why did you bring her home with you last night?! Eyewitness accounts told us that they saw you ushering Miss Hall into your home early this morning!"

The mumbling of the crowd grew louder but Zen held his ground. Glancing down at Amy, his eyes silently asked her how much he was allowed to share with the media because while he was an actor he knew lies had a way of coming back to bite you, especially in the business he did. After a few moments of deep thought, Amy stood on her toes and whispered something in Zen's ear.

"Are you sure?" he asked her softly.

"Yes, I'm sure. We might as well tell them now so they don't get suspicious of you and start more rumors. We don't want your reputation getting damaged, do we?" Amy stated. Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, she turned to the reporters, who looked at her with eager expectantly.

"It is true that I came here early this with Zen early this morning but you have misinterpreted the situation. I recently left home due to a disagreement between my father, Chul Hall, the head of Hall Enterprise, and I. Given that this disagreement left me without a place to stay or my father's money to fall back on, Zen was kind enough to let me stay with him for the night, that is all. Now stop spreading these rumors about Zen and I being a couple and make sure you gets the facts first next time instead of broadcasting theories nationwide."

The reporters were stunned silent. As they stared at her, Amy turned to MC and Zen, who looked equally shocked.

"MC, could you give us a ride to the mall? The air seems to have gotten colder so I don't feel like walking anymore."

"O-Of course. Get it." MC stuttered, leading Zen and Amy to the driveway. The three remained unusually silent as they got into the car and MC started the engine. Frowning, Amy glanced back and forth between Zen and MC, her brows pinching together worriedly. Had she gone too far?

Suddenly, she heard giggling followed by full blown laughter and turned to see Zen laughing so hard tears were spilling down his cheeks.

"Amy, you're amazing! I can't believe you literally just told off the paparazzi! That was epic!"

Amy's shoulders relaxed when she heard MC chuckle too.

"That's Amy for ya: gutsy and full of surprises." she winked in the rearview mirror.

"Eyes on the road, MC." Amy scolded her teasingly. "Besides, one of us had to do it, and I wasn't letting Zen or you ruin your or the RFA's reputation so that left mine."

"You're quite a character, Amy." Zen chuckled.

"Is that a good thing?" Amy asked, raising an eyebrow.

Another laugh escaped Zen's throat. "Most definitely. Hopefully no one else will bother us today after that little outburst."

However, as he said that, Zen glanced out the window at a car he had noticed following them at a distance. It had been parked across the street at his house as well, and he could just barely make out three or four men dressed in identical black suits all seated inside. Instinctively, he grabbed Amy's hand and squeezed it, puzzling her.

"Zen, is something wrong?"

Turning back to his friend, Zen forced a carefree smile. "No, not at all. Hey, why don't we make a list of what we need to buy so we don't forget anything?"

"Oh, good idea. Can you write it down on your phone since I don't have one?"

"Of course, and the first item on our list will be a cell phone for you." Zen cooed as he whisked out his phone and opened it. However, he glanced up at MC through the rearview mirror, and when their eyes locked, he could tell she had noticed the car following them as well. Tearing his eyes away from hers, Zen hastily started typing while MC pressed a little harder on the gas peddle.