Listen to Be Mine (remix) by Infinite : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXRLH1QUQzo

I stared at him. “How come?”

Sungyeol looked back at me and with a nonchalant look, said, “How come what? How come I’m carrying your bags all of a sudden? Getting your coffee for you? Helping you around with petty things instead of doing my respective job as a bodyguard?”

I beamed and nodded. “Yup.”

Sungyeol then bit his lips, trying not to laugh and the glow on my face vanished. “Have you forgotten about the cast on your arm? Or are you just fantasizing that I like you?”

“YAH!”

I hate Lee Sungyeol. Okay, hate is a strong word. Let’s just say he’s NOT on the list of people I would want on an island with me. Even if a plane crashes and throws me on a piece of land off the maps and I’m alone, I’d rather have my diva of a friend Sungjong then Sungyeol next to me. Granted, I don’t like Sungjong that much either. But both of us have been tolerating each other for so long, his presence has become a habit. Sungyeol on the other hand…

Maybe it’s because he’s a challenge. The last bodyguard I had, Woohyun… He was too sweet. I mean, TOOO sweet. It gave me the creeps how greasy he could get at times, even though I was the one who was telling him to stick next to me so I could make my ex-boyfriend jealous. Eventually the ex-boyfriend got a bloody face, something which was a huge no-no in the contract Woohyun had signed. Protecting me didn’t involve sending harmless teenagers to the hospital.

Before that was Jang Dongwoo. He was nice, jogging around and attending to all my errands. But he was too efficient. I ran into trouble once and instead of being beside me (which is where he was supposed to be), he was busy standing in a Starbucks cue to get me my afternoon chai latte. Well, I did tell him to get me my latte NO MATTER WHAT. Oops.

Then there was Lee Howon. That one lasted longer than the others but he scared the hell out of everyone. Apart from a bodyguard, my father aka the Chancellor of the city council wanted someone I could talk to and hang out with. Lee Howon was not the hang out type of guy. More like the hangman. Woohyun might have sent a guy to the hospital but with Howon around, there was no guarantee if the object of his wrath would even survive until the ambulance arrived.

And now there’s Lee Sungyeol. One look at his face and I knew this was going to be one interesting ride. He looked easy, naïve, foolish.

Which he wasn’t.

He wasn’t easy, he was a genius. He wasn’t naiive, he just knew who to narrow his eyes at and who to pout at . He wasn’t foolish, he was a street-smart prankster who could make me feel like I’m winning until I embarrass myself.

The fact that he was so perfect increased my ire towards him. My parents loved him for knowing when to be playful and when to be responsible. They liked the way he preferred dressing up in plain clothes, saying he could merge with my peer group without intimidating them. After Howon, who would be scared of this kid, right?

Wrong.

Lee Sungyeol was evil. Unfortunately, no one sees that behind a gummy smile. No one but me.

                                                            ********************************

I didn’t get why she disliked me so much. I was trying my best to protect her, giving my all to a job I actually enjoyed. Her parents too found me fitting my position better than the others.

Then what was it that was bothering Tara?

My cheeky smile retracted and I quietly watched as she walked ahead of me, her head hanging low, her cast making her look even more pathetic. I frowned at the plaster, blaming the small accident on myself. I was assigned to protect her by all means. It was a responsibility that I had taken upon myself. How could I lose out to a stupid fracture?

I had heard about Tara’s tantrums and had braced myself for an onslaught of slave work. But one look at Tara and I knew the tantrums weren’t her. This girl was different from my other clients. She was spoilt for choice but she was down-to-earth. She was short-tempered but considerate and forgiving. She was competitive like a bull but too kind at heart to hurt anyone. Which was why I acted the way I did. I refused to give into her demands, constantly reminding her that I was her bodyguard, hoping that one day I could get past her defenses.

“What’s the difference anyway?” she spat out, when I refused to carry her friends’ shopping bags. They were strong enough to walk on five-inch heels, a little bit more work would be good for their ‘baby fat’.

“What’s the difference?” I repeated her question. “Between a bodyguard and a slave? Are you even asking that question with all your senses intact?”

Before Tara could curse at me, I took a step forward and for the first time, showed my true side. The side that I had hidden to get close to her.

“A slave,” I murmured, hoping that my sincerity could reach her, “follows it’s mistress around no matter what. It blindly walks behind it’s owner, even if she is walking into a lion’s den.

“I’m your bodyguard Tara. I PROTECT you no matter what. Without waiting for a heartbeat of a second, I would stand in front of a bullet for you because that’s my job. I don’t follow you, I don’t lead you, I SHIELD you. Understand?”

Not that things had changed after that. Tara’s resolve to get me out of my position had decreased but the vibes between us were as cold as ice.

And cold relations during Christmas time was something I could not tolerate.

                                                            ******************************

“Sorry Sungjong… I have plans already.”

“With who? That friend of yours? What’s his name… Lee Sungyeol. Geez, what do you see in him?”

I pursed my lips and closed my eyes to swallow my anger. Sungjong was lying down on the futon in my room, flipping through two magazines at the same time – one about fast cars, another about the latest fashion trends. This guy was as twisted as they came.

“Look Sungjong, things have changed okay? I’m kinda tired of all these parties and…”

Wrong words. Sungjong gasped and threw the magazines on the floor, marching towards me and lightly slapping my face.

“Yah Tara… You’re fine right? No fever? Let me call my doctor—“

“I’m FINE.” I slapped Sungjong’s hand away, losing my patience. “How many times do I have to tell you? I’m NOT going for SungGyu sunbae’s party.”

Sungjong pouted and stood up. “He likes you, you know?”

I know. “So?”

Sungjong scoffed. “So?? The vice-president’s son likes you and you’re saying so? Daebak! Araso! I’m leaving, Merry Christmas. Make sure to kiss that Sungyeol friend under the mistletoe tonight!”

Sungjong opened the door and was alarmed. My eyes widened as I saw Sungyeol standing outside, giving one of his blank but deadly glares to my so-called friend.

No one knew Sungyeol was my bodyguard. He had, as my parents said, ‘merged’ into my peer group so easily, no one would think a juvenile guy (at least the character he portrayed) would be having guns somewhere in his jacket pockets.

Sungjong sniffed and with his effeminate wave, pushed past Sungyeol. The latter stared at the space that Sungjong had just vacated, then in a low murmur, said, “Want me to—”

“Are you crazy??” I got up and caught hold of Sungyeol’s arm before he could ruin our façade. “He doesn’t know you’re my bodyguard.”

“But he knows we’re friends!”

I stayed stunned in silence as Sungyeol panted, trembling at his outburst and seething intolerance. He pinched the bridge of his nose then grabbed my muffler and coat.

“Come on,” he said, grabbing my wrist.

“Wait,” I mumbled. “Yah Lee Sungyeol…”

“Just.” Sungyeol turned around, the fury in his eyes replaced by plead. “Follow. Okay?”

I blinked at him and he nodded, as we both walked out of the mansion and into the streets of Kangnam.

                                                            ************************

“What’s this place called?”

“Hongdae.”

“I’ve never been here.”

I finished off the dukbokki and revelled at the taste. This was MUCH better than any americano. Sungyeol saw the expression on my face and smiled as I fixed my gaze on the path.

“So what was that all about?”

I knew what Sungyeol was asking about and I knew he knew. No point in playing mind games.

“Lately…” I sighed. “I’ve been getting sick of my world. I mean, even a fish underwater gets to explore different reefs and bays, then why can’t I? It’s suffocating and honestly, all I wish to have is a link to the real world.”

Sungyeol blinked. “Your world is real Tara.”

I sighed again, this time in agitation. “No it’s not. Even the oxygen we breathe is artificial, forget about all the airs and expressions I have to force on myself for ‘reputation’. I know it’s important to bear with it but ultimately… I’m scared of an explosion, a breakdown. I’m not the type to be scared of the future but this time, I really am. I wish I could say the future isn’t here so I don’t know what it will bring but everything is set out of me. The inevitability of my future is scary. It will happen the way it’s planned and I don’t… I don’t like it.”

This was the longest I had spoken to my new bodyguard and upon realizing this slip-up, I cleared my throat and focused on my drink. My eyes flitted to a cute bookstore and I pretended to marvel at a book.

“It’s in English.”

I grimaced as Sungyeol caught me and my heels to walk ahead, only to be pulled back.

“Wha--?”

Suddenly I was facing Sungyeol, our faces close to each other. I thanked myself for covering my lower jaw with the scarf but gasped when Sungyeol removed it, nodding at me to look at him. I shifted my gaze from his neck to his eyes and waited.

“I’m Sungyeol and you’re Tara.”

“I already know that..”

Sungyeol hushed me and I obeyed. “Just. Listen.” He took hold of my arms and bent down so I didn’t have to strain my neck.

“You’re better than a whole lot of girls out there, even better because someone from a family like yours should be like them. Phony, whiny, plastic… I come from a modest background and trust me when I say this—you’re more genuine than the girls of my neighbourhood. You don’t pretend to be innocent and yet you’re strong enough to not be influenced by erse people. You’re outgoing, yet you have this loneliness that honestly, I’m tired of trying to understand.”

“Wait, what are you--?”

“It’s Christmas Tara. Let’s just take this night to forget about our worlds and be two people who are fond of each other. You know what’s in your mind so don’t look away. I stopped lying to myself long ago.”

That’s what it was.

It wasn’t hate. It wasn’t dislike. It was the unfamiliarity of having someone see through me. And more than just that, having someone who enjoyed understanding me…

Jesus Christ, I had fallen for Lee Sungyeol.

I blushed at this realization and saw my reflection in Sungyeol’s smiling eyes. He removed the glove of his right hand and wrapped his bare hand around mine.

“There’s a fair going on at the park,” he said, suddenly a different light surrounding him. I couldn’t help but feel like there was a halo on his head as he gave me his stupid grin and said, “I’m really not that handsome, stop gawking at me.”

I punched him in his arm only to have him tighten his grip on my hand.

“Guess who trained with special forces for four years?”

I narrowed my eyes. “I thought we were just Sungyeol and Tara.”

Sungyeol smiled. “Still. No matter where we are, you’re my responsibility.”

I grinned, my eyes catching a glimpse of something above our heads. “You’ll love Sungjong after this.”

Sungyeol furrowed his eyebrows. “Wha--?”

I pecked him on the lips and ran away, knowing fully well that his long legs would catch up to me in two strides. Finally, there was someone who would find me and bring me back home, no matter how crazy I went, no matter what fearless steps I took. And I knew this was true, for right after this thought a pair of warm arms embraced me in a back hug.