People often ask me, "HyeRan, what's your prized possession?"

And often, I give them a blank stare, without a word, before turning away. I had an answer, of course, but the answer was mine only, because if others knew, this object wouldn't be personal anymore.

That answer, would be his slingshot.

His slingshot, that marked the day I ever fell in love.

-

His back was turned to me. And it was moving further away from me. 

I smiled, because he told me to.

I didn't chase after him, I didn't call for him, I smiled.

Gently, I hugged the wooden toy close to me. Is this what a girl feels like when she falls in love? If this romance was a dream, it would be one I would never want to wake up from.

-

"HyeRan, nice kicks!" My father complimented as my legs moved and attacked the wooden stand. I huffed softly with my every kick, every jab moving to the beat of my pounding and exhilarating heart.

"And okay!" I stopped at once, my leg throbbing lightly from the training. Master threw me a towel and pointed to the showers. I gave him a respectful bow. He sighed at this but gave me a warm smile.

"HyeRan, it's good to be neutral but you do realise I'm your father right, not your opponent. It's fine to relax around me."

I glugged the water from the bottle in my hands, with a quick swipe, I wiped off the bead of sweat dripped from my forehead.

"I know, Dad. But you never know when danger will arise, we've been living our every moment on thin glass, after all."

-

Dad is the president's bodyguard, and I'm his daughter. And because of that, our every action needs to be careful and guarded because even the tinest mistake could mean the ends of our life. The President isn't a very great guy, he claims that his politics would save the nation, but the sad truth is, that all his campaigns are corrupted. But yet all the citizens worship him to the end of Earth, saying that he is the best of the best, and that his words meant the best for them.

The world is a scary place, I learnt. From young,  I've always been taught that. To find the faults in everything, to not trust anybody, no matter how persuasive they are, and that love is superficial. In this world, the only person you can believe in, is yourself.

-

"HyeRan ah~" The lady in her fifties pulled me in her tight embrace. I made a face to my father standing stiffly at the other side of the room, all dressed up in his suit and shades. He shrugged but didn't make a move to help my whatsoever. Of course, how could he stop the President's wife, afterall, he was working for her.

"You look so pretty, you're going to high school, right?" She pulled back and looked at my appearance proudly. 

"Yes." I replied, my voice clipped with no emotion.

"HyeRan ah, smile, I'm not the First Lady now, I'm your godmother, okay?"

Apparently, her role of being my godmother was decided the first time she laid her eyes on me. 

-

(Flashback)

"HyeRan, this is Dad's workplace, remember to keep your guard up and never say anything unless needed, okay?"

"Yes, Father."

He opened the large wooden doors leading to the office of the Assemblyman.

"Sir, I'm here."

"Ah. Mr Ji, come in, and this is your daughter, HyeRan, right?"

I looked up to the towering figure, he gave me a grin, his pearly white teeth was all that I saw when he peered down at me. I couldn't see his eyes from my height but I knew that I didn't like him. He gave me a bad feeling, like he was someone I wasn't supposed to be around with. 

"Yes, Sir."

He gestured for the two of us to take a seat on his plush leather seats. With a small voice, I muttered, "Dad, he doesn't feel friendly." He didn't say anything but with his eyes, he replied.

Stay quiet.

"Assemblyman? Your wife is here." Immediately, Dad stood up, pulling my small frame along with his, as the wooden doors opened once again. A lady with a red dress entered, her commanding aura filled the entire room. She walked past my father and I, not sparing us a glance, before getting into a heated conversation with the the man. My father pulled us back down on the chairs, waiting for them to finish speaking.

The lady turned away from the President but this time, she paused to look at me.

"Who is this little girl, Mr Ji? I've never seen her before, is she your daughter?"

My father looked down, and replied, "Yes, Mrs."

With her heels clacking behind her, she stopped in front of me. 

"What's your name, child?'

"HyeRan, Mrs."

I replied with the same tone my father had spoken to her.

"HyeRan... I like you."

-

I gave her smile, my composure completely relaxing. I glanced at my father, and he nodded approvingly. Without a word, I gave my godmother a small smile. She returned with a grin and pinched my cheeks lovingly.

"Now, that's better! That's right, HyeRan ah, I have a present for you."

She snapped her fingers and her bodyguards, including my father, brought in a couple of shopping bags. I could tell the contents were expensive because of the commanding brand logos that decorated of the front of them.

"Here, for you. Good luck on your first day of High School!"

-