“Ji….hyo ah…” Jong Kook forced his voice out. He can’t even stare directly into Ji-hyo’s eyes.

“……What are you doing here, oppa?....” she asked, sleepily.

“….I….I was answering a call from a friend…He…He needed my advice…..”

Ji-hyo let out her sigh.

“Can’t you just do it in the room? Why do you have to leave me alone? Do you know how shocked I was not to find you there?” Ji-hyo nagged at Jong Kook.

Jong Kook kept his phone in his pocket and walked towards Ji-hyo. He slowly pulled her into his embrace.

“………..I’m sorry……….I don’t want to disturb your sleep….That’s why I went out…..Sorry…..” Jong Kook tried to sweet talk.

“……..I thought you left, oppa…..I thought you really left…..”

“I won’t leave you, Ji-hyo ah….Promise….”

“Just…..don’t do this again, oppa…..Please….” Ji-hyo said with her face on Jong Kook’s chest.

“Okay….okay….I won’t do it again….Let’s just go back to sleep okay?”

“Hmm…”

Once they were on the bed, Jong Kook braved himself to tell Ji-hyo about something.

“Ji-hyo ah, since you’ll be off schedule for three days,….is it possible for you to stay with your family…while I take on leave?”

Ji-hyo looked up to Jong Kook.

“You wanna take a leave?” she asked.

“Erm….If you don’t mind, I would like to take few days off. You see….my friend is kind of need me….So I was thinking to go and meet him as soon as possible….It’ll probably just take a day or two….I’ll be back by the time you start working again,” Jong Kook convinced Ji-hyo.

“Kure…Just do what you need to do, and come back fast, oppa….”

“Of course! I will try to settle it as soon as possible.”

“Hmm….Then tomorrow you can send me to my family. Okay?”

“Sure! Now let’s continue to sleep okay? Good night!” Jong Kook said and left a peck on Ji-hyo’s forehead.

“Night!” Ji-hyo replied and quickly close her eyes.

Jong Kook was relieved although deep inside he was burden with mountains of guilty. He’s not the man who loved to lie what else to cheat. But things happened out of control and there’s no way he could turn back the time. He didn’t even know Ji-hyo can make him fall deeply in love that he’s even willing to cheat on his girlfriend. What’s done had been done. He needs to settle everything quietly. Maybe one day, when the time is right, he will tell everything to Ji-hyo.

The next morning, after shower and changed clothes, Ji-hyo packed her things to bring to her family’s house while Jong Kook waited at the living room.

All of sudden Jong Kook received a text message from Chang Joo.

“Ughhh! What else this old man want this early morning? God! I don’t have the mood to fight, hyung ah,” Jong Kook grunted alone before reading the text.

Chang Joo     : I know you are at Ji-hyo’s house. Come and meet me at the security office. Do not bring or tell her about this meeting.

“Huh? That’s weird. Why does it have to be a secret from Ji-hyo? Ohh…Did he find another stalker? Damn!” Jong Kook continues mumbled alone in frown. “Err Ji-hyo ah! I’m going to buy the newspaper okay? Just wait here until I come back. Okay?” Jong Kook informed Ji-hyo.

“Ohh…N-neh!.....Don’t take so long, oppa….I’m almost done here…”

“Okay! Don’t wander outside this building before I arrive okay?”

“Arasso!”

And so he left, going downstairs.

He went to the security and followed the guy to the office at the basement. He was brought to a room secluded from the main area and the moment he entered, Chang Joo was sitting with his serious face.

“Leave us alone,” he told all the securities.

“Hyung, what is it? Did you find another crazy fan? Is there another stalker?” Jong Kook asked, clueless.

Chang Joo did not answer but stood up from his seat and walked towards Jong Kook. And suddenly, a punch landed on Jong Kook’s face making him falls to the floor. His mouth was bleeding a bit.

“Yah hyung! What’s wrong with you?” Jong Kook bloated.

“What’s wrong with me? Have I not told you that I will be watching every step you take towards Ji-hyo?”

“Hyung, just straight to the point. Is there anything wrong I did towards Ji-hyo? As far as I’m concern, she never complained anything or said she didn’t like my behavior. So please, just tell me what’s got into you,” Jong Kook tried to calm a bit, didn’t want to cause more drama between them.

Chang Joo grip Jong Kook’s collar and pulled him until he was facing a cctv monitor.

“Look at this! Look who’s inside the video!” Chang Joo exploded.

Jong Kook’s eyes got bigger when the video showed the scene where he pretended to kiss Ji-hyo outside her house few days ago. Of course from the video, it looked like he was forcing Ji-hyo to the wall and tried to kiss her when in real they were just teasing each other calmly.

“Hyung, I can explain!”

“Explain? Are you gonna say that this video lied?”

“But it’s not like what you think. Nothing happen! And I’m not trying to do anything bad to her!” Jong Kook tried to defend himself.

“Is that all you can defend yourself? I know it from the first time we met that you must have your own agenda being close with Ji-hyo, Jong Kook ah.”

“No! That’s not true! I happened to be by Ji-hyo’s side coincidently. I never plan anything towards Ji-hyo.”

“Save your excuses, Jong Kook ah. It doesn’t work with me.”

“But what you saw is probably not what you think, hyung! A picture worth thousands of meanings.”

“But this is a video. And a video never lie coz this wasn’t even edited, Jong Kook ah.”

“Hyung, I swear nothing happen. You can ask Ji-hyo yourself. In fact, if I really have bad intention towards her, I could have done it from the first time I saw her. Even Ji-hyo’s father knows what kind of a man I am.”  

“Huh! Still wanna use Ji-hyo’s father on your side this time? Fine! Let’s wait and see. Let’s wait and see if this time Mr Song will be on your side,” Chang Joo said confidently.

“What do you mean? Did you tell him about this? Hyung, this is really unfair. You could just mislead the whole story if you told him thru the phone. Why are you trying so hard to destroy my reputation, hyung? What have I ever done to you? All I did was my work and protects Ji-hyo. Why are you so butthurt about that?”

“Hello, everyone!” Mr Song suddenly appeared at the door which makes Jong Kook shocked.

Chang Joo’s face looked satisfied seeing Ji-hyo’s father. He really wanna get rid of Jong Kook as soon as possible. He had the instinct that Ji-hyo actually like Jong Kook and that’s not good for him because Ji-hyo’s popularity is important for him and it’s obvious that the Korean and International fans wants her with Gary. So if Ji-hyo starts to have scandal with Jong Kook or other guy, that could trouble everything he has been working for.

“Hello, sir,” Jong Kook greeted and bowed lightly to Mr Song.

“Hello. Now Chang Joo, better make it worth my trip here,” Mr Song said to Chang Joo in a serious tone.

Mr Song took a seat while Jong Kook was standing with Chang Joo.

“Sir, I’m sorry that I have to drag you coming all the way here at such short notice. But I believe, you need to see this and maybe rethink a bit about the person whom you hired as Ji-hyo’s personal bodyguard here. I know you believe Jong Kook is a good guy and I agree with you that it’s unfair to judge him without knowing him personally. But, it doesn’t mean that we should trust him 100% right? We still need to be careful with him.”

“Your point, Chang Joo? Cut it short,” Mr Song requested.

“Sure….Watch this, sir,” Chang Joo said, starting to play the video from cctv.

Jong Kook still watch the video again and kept looking at Mr Song’s expression as well as Chang Joo. After the video ended, Mr Song still didn’t move his eyes from the cctv.

“Sir, I’m sorry you had to see this. I don’t know what you think about Jong Kook now but from my professional opinion as Ji-hyo’s guardian for a long time, I don’t think it is safe to let Jong Kook be near Ji-hyo anymore,” Chang Joo tried to persuade Mr Song.

“Erm….Mr Song, can I have few minutes to explain?” Jong Kook requested after being quiet for a while.

“Huh! What is there to explain Jong Kook ah? You have been caught red-handed. How would you defend yourself now? You were caught in a video. It’s clearly you and your act is so obvious. What else do you wanna explain?” Chang Joo fired up.

“Chang Joo, let him explain,” Mr Song stated.

“But sir….”

“Everyone deserves to defend themselves. And I need to hear both sides of stories,” Mr Song added more. “Jong Kook, explain!”

“Erm…yes….Thank you, Mr Song. Well, I know it look inappropriate what happened between me and Ji-hyo in the video. But what happen was, Ji-hyo had been provoking me with that ‘gay status’ and I tried to make her stop. So I acted like I was going to attack her until she totally kept quiet and didn’t move anymore. That’s what really happened. I swear to you that I did not do anything towards her. And you see it yourself that she’s not even pushing me. Knowing Ji-hyo, do you really think she will stand quiet like that if someone try to do something bad to her? I don’t think so.”

“Because she is scared of you. Look at your body. Who wouldn’t be scared if being blocked by someone like you?” Chang Joo interfered.

Jong Kook closed his eyes to calm himself from punching Chang Joo.

“Chang Joo, leave us alone. I want to speak privately with Jong Kook.”

“But Mr Song…”

“If you don’t wanna lose your job, please leave us alone,” Mr Song requested again.

Chang Joo left with unsatisfied expression.

When it’s just the two of them, Mr Song walked closer to Jong Kook and checked on his injured face.

“Did Chang Joo did this?”

Jong Kook didn’t answer accept just smile.

“He’s just doing his job, sir.”

“But he has no right to hit you. I believe he didn’t even give you a chance to say anything.”

Jong Kook did not respond. Mr Song sighed out loud before sitting back on the chair provided.

“Aihh…Jong Kook, Jong Kook….How can you let something like this happen and captured in the video? This is bad……really, really bad…..”

At that point Jong Kook knew there’s a possibility that he will lost his job looking at the upset expressions from Ji-hyo’s father.

“…..Sir….I’m sorry it happened….But I swear I never have any bad intention towards Ji-hyo from earlier until today. Even so, I will accept whatever decision you make of my job without further question…..”

Once again Mr Song let out a loud sigh. He crossed his arms on his chest while staring down to the floor.

“You put me in a very difficult position, Jong Kook ah. I have a really high hope towards you in protecting Ji-hyo. And I never doubted your intention towards Ji-hyo. But, with all this……I mean….I could just believe your explanation….but still, this is unacceptable. The fact that it was captured in a video had risked Ji-hyo’s career and reputation. I put my trust on you but it seems that you had slightly misled my trust……..I have no choice….but to fire you, Jong Kook ah……” Mr Song said with a heavy heart.

Jong Kook felt guilty enough for troubling Mr Song to come all the way and he knew Mr Song was upset with him even if just a bit. So he didn’t want to make Mr Song feels more uncomfortable. Jong Kook accepted the decision with a smile.

“Thank you very much for all your kindness all this time, Mr Song. I’m sorry that I’ve frustrated you and I’m sorry for breaking my promise.”

“I’m sorry, Jong Kook ah. This is not an easy decision for me…..”

“No! No! Please don’t feel guilty, sir. You did what you think was best for your beloved daughter. I’m thankful that you’ve given me this experience and to know your family closely. I will never feel bad towards you. It’s obvious that I made a mistake and I need to pay for my action. So, don’t worry about it.”

“Thank you, Jong Kook ah. I hope you don’t have any grudge towards me or Ji-hyo or even Chang Joo….”

“No, sir! Please don’t worry. I also want us both to depart without any bad feelings towards each other. I really look up at you and I don’t want you to feel guilty at all. Please…We are good, okay?”

“…….Okay……If you said so…..”

“Just one thing…Ji-hyo will be expecting me at her house now but….I don’t think I can face her anymore….I hope, you can tell her about my dismissal from the job…..I don’t have the guts to tell her…You know she is unpredictable…So I don’t want to imagine how she would react with all this…”

“…..Okay…..I will go and see her…..But….I want you to know…that I don’t hate you, Jong Kook ah….”

“Ahaha…Yeah I know, sir…Don’t worry….I know you at l