*SHK’s POV*

I sit, sipping my glass of martini while listening to my friends talk about Ah In’s upcoming trip to Norway. He had been planning it for weeks and finally, now that he has a free schedule, he has a chance to travel.

“Are you seriously going to Norway just to see the Northern Lights, dude?” Jong Suk asks, placing down his drink on top on the table while waiting for Ah In to reply.

“Yup, and to check out the museums, of course. I heard they’re quite interesting,” Ah In answers while leaning back against his chair. The other Lee brother beside him is busy talking to Chang Wook, who has his arm around Min Young’s chair while Hyo Joo is texting someone on her phone.

It’s a Saturday night and wanting to catch up with one another, especially after my disappearance, my friends decided to go out. Thankfully, with a lot of convincing and promises of just having a drink or two and not getting out of my security team’s sight, my dad agreed to let me go. He also had another condition and that is to go to a bar, which is owned by a friend of his so that he can be sure that it’s safe.

It’s been more than a week since I got back and security has been tight (well, tighter) ever since then. Aside from having bodyguards with me almost 24/7, rounds have been arranged to be done every night before I fall asleep. Guards have been assigned with a specific room to check every night while others roam around the grounds to make sure that everything’s alright.

For my room, it’s either Wolf/Agent Jin Goo, Snoopy or Joong Ki. Speaking of Joong Ki, there’s something strange with him. Ever since we got back, he suddenly turned cold. He reverted back to his old professional and always serious self and even resumed to calling me Miss. I wonder why.

I tried to reach out to him, to treat him just like how I did when we were back in the province in the hopes that maybe he was just having a bad day or so, but no, he still gives me the cold shoulder. Did I do something wrong? Did I do something that upset him?

I thought we were okay. I thought we even became friends after all those days spent in granny’s house, but it turns out I was wrong. From being warm and friendly, he’s back to being old and aloof again, addressing me formally and only talking to me when necessary. He wouldn’t even make eye contact with me. What is wrong with him?

“Hello, earth to Hye Kyo. Did you even hear what I just said?” Min Young waves her drink at me.

“W-what?” I ask, blinking a few times, trying to focus on my best friend.

“Aigoo, drunk already?” Joon Gi asks beside me. “But you only had one drink. Let me grab you another,” she offers but I shake my head.

“No, I’m okay with this. Sorry, I was just a bit distracted,” I say apologetically, but he wouldn’t budge.

“I insist. And besides, I spot a cute girl at the bar, I need an excuse to go there,” he says and Min Young and I shake our head at him as he winks at us and makes his way to the bar. Typical Joon Gi behavior.

“Are you okay? Is something bothering you?” Min Young asks me the moment we’re alone, making me wonder where the others went.

“Yes, and no. I just have something on my mind,” I reassure her. “Anyway, where did the others go?”

“Chang Wook and Ah In are out checking out Chang Wook’s new car while Hyo Joo and the others are enjoying themselves,” she says, pointing towards the dance floor where we can see Hyo Joo and Ji Won dancing to the beat with Jong Suk in between them. “What’s wrong, Hye Kyo?”

“Nothing. I’m okay. I’m just tired that’s all.”

“No, don’t give me that excuse. I know you. You’ve been out of it the whole night. I know something’s wrong,” she says and I sigh. Aigoo, my best friend never gives up. “You know you can tell me, right? I’m your best friend and…”

“Alright, fine! Fine! I’ll tell you,” I say, putting my drink down after taking a sip and she leans in, curious. “It’s Joong Ki.”

“It’s what?”

“Joong Ki, you know,” I say, my eyes pointing towards the direction of him and Harry Potter standing guard while the others are scattered around the club, always on the lookout for danger.

“Joong Ki? Song Joong Ki? As in Agent Song, your bodyguard?” she asks, looking so obvious as she stares at their direction and I hiss at her.

“Stop acting so obvious!” I scold her and she finally follows, looking down as if taking her drink.

“Okay, fine. Now, shoot. What about him?” she asks, turning her attention back to me.

“Well, he’s kind of acting weird.”

“What do you mean, weird?”

“He’s acting cold and serious,” I tell her but she gives me a look which seems to imply that she doesn’t get it.

“He’s always, serious. He’s on duty, remember?”

“I know. But it’s not that. I mean, I really thought we were okay now. He’d been acting friendly, playful, even back when we were at their place. He even tried to calm me down when we were riding the car back to the Blue House. And now, he’s ignoring me. It’s like he’s avoiding me any way he could and wouldn’t talk to me unless completely necessary. He’s even calling me ‘Miss’ again!” I complain, thinking back to the moment we arrived and my friends bombarded me. I was planning on going back to thank him but Ah In and Min Young dragged me away before I could even protest. I could only look back at him and smile, hoping that he’d understand how grateful I was of the kindness he and his ‘family’ showed me for a couple of days.

That night, Min Ji handed me the clothes I wore at the province and I placed them carefully inside my closet, while looking back on everything that we did in the past few days, specifically that night when we danced under the rain, without music on, and with just the light of the moon to witness our childlike behavior. The memory was so precious that I even found myself humming and dancing to the song which very much reminded me of that night while I tried to make breakfast for him (with an emphasis on the ‘tried’ as I’m not a very good cook. I didn’t even know that you had to thaw the hotdogs first before frying them, causing me to hide under the towel and doing ninja moves while cooking them so as to shield myself from the boiling oil). Luckily, I was able to dodge the question when Joong Ki asked why there was a towel on one of the chairs later on.

I went to bed and slept with a smile the night only to wake up and notice at breakfast that he was ignoring me.

“Okay, chill, girlfriend. In case you forgot, he always calls you formally.”

“He didn’t when we were at his granny’s place.”

“That’s when you were away and hiding your identity. It’s different now, you’re back home and not only that, you’re back to being the first daughter,” she says and I scowl. “Don’t you think he’s just trying to act professionally? I mean technically, you’re still his boss, so he should address you formally. It would seem wrong if he calls you by your first name,” he adds and I contemplate.

“Okay, you have a point. But is it necessary for him to act all cold? For him to act as if he can’t stand me or something like that?” I ask while she takes a sip then puts down her drink.

“That I don’t know, dearie. Maybe he’s just like that? Maybe he’s just… mean?” she asks, unsure.

“No, he’s not. I don’t think he’s