Ji-hyo did not realize how long she had been sleeping. She feels like she had just fallen asleep. But when she checked her clock, it seems like she’s already been sleeping for few hours since last night. She closed her eyes trying to continue for a short nap for another five or ten minutes but quickly opened her eyes when she heard some noise from outside her bedroom. At first she thought that she might be wrong or imagining things. But when the sound never stops, slowly she tiptoed to the door, trying to listen carefully.

“Omo! Omo! Did someone just break into my house?” she talked silently to herself. But then she remembered that her family has the house key. Could it be them?

Instead of calling them for assurance, Ji-hyo braved herself to see if what she heard was right. But before that, she already grabbed an umbrella to get ready in case someone did break into her house.

Slowly she walked to the kitchen where the sound came from and was shocked to see a male figure in her kitchen. The man’s back was facing her so he couldn’t see her. Ji-hyo gets panic at first but since she’s been known as quite brave and strong among female celebrities, she decided to face the man by herself. Not really face him. More to hitting him from behind.

She lifted her umbrella and swung it to hit the man. But Jong Kook suddenly turned around and grabbed her umbrella making them both shocked to see each other.

“Yah!!” they both shouted at each other.

“Yah!! What are you doing in my house?......And how did you enter my house? Were you stalking me all this while? So I was right. You did have hidden intention when you help me that night!”

“Have you finished?” Jong Kook mocked.

“No! I’m gonna call the police to drag you out.”

“How about call your father instead?’

“Mwuh?”

“Yah Ji-hyo ah! What’s with the noise?” Mr Song suddenly appeared from the hallway.

Ji-hyo was surprised again. “Ap…..appaaa!! What are you doing here this early?”

“Waiting for you of course! I know it’s not right to wake you up all of sudden so I decided to wait until you wake up yourself.”

“Then what is he doing here?” she asked.

“First of all, I think it’s better you go and shower first. You looked like a zombie with your mask like that.”

Ji-hyo quickly touched her face, only to realize that she had slept with the mud facial mask which had cracked when she screamed earlier.

“Ughhh!! Appaaaaa….why are you doing this to me?” Ji-hyo whined.

“Ahahaha! Doing what? Just go and wash yourself. We don’t have all day to be here right?” Mr Song asked.

“Yeah….but….aishhhh….This is so annoying……” Ji-hyo complained while walking out of the kitchen. But before she was gone, she turned around to Jong Kook. “You!! You better leave before I come out. Understand?”

Jong Kook did not give any feedback to Ji-hyo.

“Song Ji-hyo-ssi, go now,” Mr Song instructed.

“Uggghhh!! Appa……” she whined again and continue to her bedroom.

Mr Song tapped Jong Kook’s arm telling him that everything’s gonna be okay.

After shower and getting dress, Ji-hyo joined her father and Jong Kook at the dining table for breakfast.

“Oh, Ji-hyo ah! Come! Come! Look what this man prepared….hehehe….He’s really good ah?” Mr Song praised Jong Kook making him smiled shyly.

Ji-hyo make her disgusted look and took a seat in front of Jong Kook while her father sat at the main seat.

“Ughhhh!! What is this, appa?” she asked.

“These are healthy food made by Jong Kook. You know, he really takes care of health so much. Right Jong Kook?”

“Ahh…please don’t say that, sir. I just did what I know. Song Ji-hyo-ssi, please….Have a try…”

Ji-hyo rolled her eyes and picked one of the dishes.

“Uhhh….it’s tasteless….” she complained.

“It’s less salt, less sugar, less cream…But you can take the fruits to counter back. The fruits are sweet,” Jong Kook explained.

“Heh? Boring!!”

“Ji-hyo ah, Jong Kook is just trying to make you eat healthy food. You can still take whatever you like during lunch and dinner.”

“Appa, in that case, I might as well just skip my breakfast and eat lunch. Huh!” Ji-hyo retorted but still ate whatever is in front of her. “So….what is he doing here, appa?”

“Oh….I’m hiring him….as your bodyguard…”

Ji-hyo choked on her food. “Mwuh? Him?”

“Yes! Him!”

“But appa, I don’t need a bodyguard. I already have Chang Joo oppa and Gary oppa to accompany me everywhere.”

“Oh really? In that case, I would like to have a talk with Gary and your manager.”

“For what?”

“If they are gonna be your bodyguard, then they will need to make sure that they are willing to be by your side the whole time.”

“But that’s impossible, appa. Gary oppa still has his career as a singer. He can’t be with me the whole time.”

“That’s what I’m saying. Even your manager can’t be with you the whole time.”

“But the company provided a driver who will be my bodyguard when Chang Joo oppa and Gary oppa weren’t around.”

“Ji-hyo ah, your popularity these days wasn’t a joke you know? Every time when you stepped out, there will be someone approaching you.”

“But there wasn’t anyone when I’m with Kim Jong Kook-ssi yesterday.”

“Which is why, he is the right man to be with you, Ji-hyo ah. He knew your situation, he knew how to handle you outside, and he knew what to do so that you won’t get caught in the news.”

“Appaaaaa…..that’s just a coincident that nobody saw us or approach me….”

“Ji-hyo ah, I’m telling you. Your safety is not a joke. You know I do have secret enemies who are willing to do anything to bring me down.”

“Then ask him to protect the others. Umma and Ji-eun needs protection more than me.”

“They already have their own bodyguard.”

“Then what is his qualification? Are you an ex-policeman or what?” Ji-hyo asked Jong Kook.

“Erm….I never work in that field. But….I did have some martial arts experience….”

“Huh? That’s all? Appa, you can simply trust this man to take care of me just because he knows martial arts? I also have experience in martial arts, appa.”

“Yaaa….Like when you were ten years old….And that’s even incomplete coz you didn’t want to continue it…” Mr Song added.

“Appaaaa….You don’t have to give that details….”

“Hahaha! Okay! Actually, Jong Kook here is jobless. So, I think it’s just right to hire him to protect you, Ji-hyo ah. Besides, I know sometimes your manager didn’t tell me everything about your updates. So I need someone that I could trust.”

“And you trust someone you just met at the lawn of the house?”

“Come on, Ji-hyo ah. Think about it. If he is a bad guy, he wouldn’t wait to destroy you. You won’t even get home safely that day.”

“Well maybe he’s been stalking me all this while. And he just knew how to act in front of us. But when the time is right, maybe he will attack me, appa. Who knows if he is a serial killer.”

“Song Ji-hyo-ssi, I think you really watched a lot of movies,” Jong Kook voiced out.

“Well, I’ve been in this industry for so long. I’ve met a lot of people, including someone like you.”

“Someone like me? So you mean, you’ve been stalking me, Song Ji-hyo-ssi?” Jong Kook teased Ji-hyo knowing that it will make her angry.

“Mwuh? Ughhhh!!!” she shouted.

“Hahahahaha! See? I know he’s the right man for you, Ji-hyo ah. I don’t think you’d rather get stuck with Gary 24/7 right?”

“What do you mean, appa?”

“Gary is just by coincident connected to you. If not because of the fake relationship that the nation loves, I don’t think you’d have the appetite to even look at him.”

“Appa…..that’s not nice you know? Gary is not…..that bad…”

“Of course! I’m not saying he’s a bad guy. But I know he’s not your choice either.”

“Appa, what are you talking about?”

“Never mind. We’ll talk about that one day. For today, I present to you, your bodyguard. Song Ji-hyo-ssi, meet Kim Jong Kook-ssi.”

Jong Kook offered his hand to shake hand with Ji-hyo. Ji-hyo slowly reached it and quickly let it go.

“Fine! It’s good now that I have extra assistant. He can help me to bring all my stuffs when I need to go anywhere.”

“Ji-hyo ah, remember. He is your bodyguard, not your slave. His job is basically just to protect you.”

“But appa, if I bring heavy things, that could hurt me. So, if his job is to protect me, then he needs to help me carry it right?”

“But…”

“It’s okay, Mr Song. I understand her meanings. I will help whenever is applicable,” Jong Kook said.

“Okay! But don’t you dare bully him, Ji-hyo ah? Remember, he is your bodyguard. And I pay him, not you. So he will only follow my instructions, not yours.”

“Huh? How is that fair? What if you ask him to kill me?” Ji-hyo asked surprising question.

Mr Song and Jong Kook stared at Ji-hyo, frowning. Mr Song suddenly holds Ji-hyo’s hand and pinched it hard. Jong Kook was surprised at first but smiled later seeing the father-daughter close relationship.

“Argghhhh!! Appaaa!!!”

“Go and check your brain, Ji-hyo ah. How can you have that kind of question in your mind hah?”

“Ouchhhh!!” Ji-hyo rubbed her hand. “I was just….joking….” she claimed, pouted.

“Well don’t joke about something like that next time.”

“Arasso!”

“Anyway, I’ve got to go now. So, Kim Jong Kook-ssi, welcome to our family and to your new job.”

“Ahh, thank you, sir. I’m so thankful for your opportunity. I will try to serve the best I can and I hope I won’t disappoint you,” Jong Kook said to Ji-hyo’s father.

“Yes! I’m counting on you. Keep me updated, okay?”

“Sure, sir!”

“Errr appa!! Are you just gonna leave him here with me? He could do anything to me, appa!”

“Song Ji-hyo-ssi, didn’t you say that I was gay yesterday?” Jong Kook talked.

“Oh….Oh ya! So you were?” Ji-hyo asked again.

“Jong Kook ah, you are gay?” Mr Song asked too.

“Ahahaha! I will explain to you later, sir.”

“Oh…Okay then! Ji-hyo ah, be good. Don’t bully him! You don’t know what kind of man you will mess with,” Mr Song threatened.

“Appa, what should I tell Chang Joo oppa about him?”

“I will contact your manager now. Don’t worry about them. Okay kids! Have fun!” Mr Song said and left the house.

“Have fun? With someone like this? Huh! Appa must be drunk today,” Ji-hyo mumbled alone but Jong Kook can hear her.

“So….Song Ji-hyo-ssi, I would gladly hope that you would tell me about your schedule today. So that I can make a research about the area and surrounding.”

“My manager will come here and you can get that from him later.”

“Wokay! If you said so…..” Jong Kook replied and start looking at his mobile phone.

“So, since now we didn’t have anything to do, I think you still have time to go back and change,” Ji-hyo told Jong Kook.

“Me? Go back and change? For what? Are we attending a function now?”

Ji-hyo looked straight at Jong Kook.

“Have you not seen the bodyguards in Korea? Didn’t you see the way they dress? Do you really think your clothes now are suitable as a bodyguard?”

“What’s wrong with my clothes? This is w