“What can I get you?” The gruff voice of the barman asked.

She turned to him, blank for a few seconds. They’d agreed on something? Shots? “Shots.”

“What of?”

Her gaze went to her new bodyguard questioningly but he just had a small mocking smile on his face.

What was it they normally had shots of when they were out? Something strange like sweet…or was it sours? Sours sounded better. “Sours.”

“What flavour?” The barman asked and she groaned.

“Whatever you have!”

“How many?” he persisted.

She thought of how many people were sat at the table and guessed at fifteen.

“Fifteen”

The barman wrinkled his nose in disgust and walked off to do his job and YoonA felt like an idiot. No wonder she let other people do things for her, it was too much hassle if you didn’t know what you were doing.

“I hope you’re not going to get drunk, Princess YoonA. I won’t allow you to drive home in that condition.” His smooth voice said beside her and she faced him once more.

“It’s nothing to do with you if I do!”

“My job is your safety and if you didn’t know that includes you not getting hurt.”

YoonA’s head snapped up sharply. “I won’t allow you to be my bodyguard!”

He smirked. “You don’t really have a say in the matter, Princess.”

She changed tack. “What’s your name?”

“Nichkhun Horvejkul.”

“Well I’m sorry Mr. Horvejkul, but I don’t like you. I don’t agree with having bodyguards I don’t like. I‘m sure my parents will understand that.”

He opened his mouth to respond but at that moment the barman came back with a tray full of shots and picking it up, she tossed over her shoulder, “He’ll pay for it.”

Walking back to the table she placed it in the middle of everyone and they all smiled and said thanks.

She didn’t realise they’d got different coloured shots until Yuri said, “What colour YoonA? Blue? Green? Orange? Or Red?”

Red sounded the safest choice. “Red.”

“One, two, three…drink.” Everyone drank and YoonA pulled a face as the liquid burned the back of .

Throughout she could feel Nichkhun’s eyes on her but she refused to acknowledge him.

It got close to eleven and everyone started leaving until it was just Yuri and her.

“I best be going,” her friend said and hugged YoonA close before getting up, “I’ll see you about at university, okay?”

She nodded not knowing what to say; her head felt fuzzy. Her friend left and she let herself fall back against the leather seat.

“You ready to go?” Nichkhun asked.

YoonA turned to face him and felt strange, she blinked a few times to try and clear her vision. It didn’t help at all.

“Mr. Horverjkul, what’s wrong with me?” She answered his question with one of her own.

“You’re drunk.”

YoonA frowned, her forehead creasing a little. “Am I?”

She’d never been drunk in her life and wasn’t sure if she liked it. Her parents rarely allowed her to drink and when they did it was only a small glass of sherry and never more than one.

She gazed down at the glasses on the table and wondered how many she’d had, obviously more than one but it hadn’t been that many, had it?

“You mixed your drinks.” Nichkhun added and her gaze returned to him. “That’s a sure fire way of getting drunk.”

Her gaze dropped from his eyes to his mouth and she had the urge to kiss it.

“Come on Princess.” He bent to grab her arm, his mouth coming tantalisingly close to hers.

Nichkhun securely fastened his hand around her upper arm and helped her to her feet. She swayed dangerously and his hand went around her waist to keep her upright.

Now she knew she hated being drunk; she was an independent person, didn’t like needing help from others and drunk she couldn’t even hold herself upright.

He helped her through the bar and onto the street outside and she gave a goofy grin at the sight of her car.

“I love my car,” she slurred.

Nichkhun just grunted at her as he led her along the street.

And past her car.

“Hey! Not leaving car here,” she muttered and put all her weight into stopping but being in the state she was she stumbled and Nichkhun almost lifted her off her feet to get her to carry on moving.

“Yes we are.” He steered her round a corner to where a black SUV was parked and shoved her inside. She landed face first on the back seat and she let out a gasp of outrage.

“How dare you!” She gritted, pushing herself up on her hands as he climbed in the front.

He didn’t respond straight away just put his foot down on the accelerator, sending them backwards into their seats and merged with the traffic. His eyes kept glancing in the rear-view mirror every so often, watching for something.

“It was for your own good Princess. You need to trust me on that.”

Suddenly sobering, she realised his voice was full of tension. “Mr. Horvejkul, what’s up?”

He glanced in the rear-view mirror again, this time to meet her gaze. “Nothing for you to worry about.”

YoonA hated when she was excluded from things. “Nichkhun?!” She saw his body tense and realised it was the first time she’d called him by his first name since he’d introduced himself. “Please, tell me what’s happening.”

He sighed heavily, “Earlier today your parents received a phone call. It was a threat against your life. That’s why they drafted me in. I’m amongst the best in the business.”

Her brain was trying to take it all in. Someone wanted her dead?

“Someone wants me dead?” Saying the words aloud seemed to make them more real and her body was suddenly racked with shivers. Lifting her legs up onto the seat she wrapped her arms around them making herself as small as possible and rocked back and forth gently. Nichkhun’ words ran through her head over and over again and a sob escaped her tightly closed lips.

Why would someone want her dead? She didn’t have anything to do with politics and if she had her way she’d live a normal life, she didn’t want to be a royal but you don’t get a say in who your parents are.

Strong arms wrapped around her and she struggled against them thinking they were her would be killers.

“Princess, it’s me. It’s Nichkhun, you’re okay.” The soothing sound of his voice was like a balm to her shattered nerves and she collapsed against his body, her tears wetting his suit and shirt.

When her sobbing had subsided and she was calm enough once more she realised that he held her stiffly and probably didn’t even want to be holding her. YoonA hastily pulled out of his arm and moved to the opposite side of the car, keeping her eyes averted from him.

She hadn’t even realised the car had stopped until he’d pulled her into his arms.

Nichkhun cleared his throat, “We should get going, the King will wonder where we are.”

Closing her eyes, she rested her forehead against the cool window and didn’t open them until the car came to a stop. Nichkhun opened the door for her a few seconds later and offered her his hand but she ignored it and got out without help and walked up the stairs and into the main hall.

Not really up to facing anyone else she jogged up the spiral staircase, her trainers almost silent on the marble stairs. She’d rounded the corner when she heard the front door shut and she ran harder knowing he’d be coming after her to protect her here, in her own home.

Hearing his footsteps begin up the stairs she ran full sprint down the corridor to her rooms and slammed the door behind her then slid the bolt home, thankful she’d insisted on having one installed when she was younger.

YoonA moved back from the door and waited.

The ornate glass handle turned but when the door wouldn’t open, it rattled.

“Princess?! Open the door!” Nichkhun sounded equal parts concerned and angry.

“Go away!” She cried. “You don’t even like me!”

The door stopped rattling and she tensed, waiting for his next move.

Nothing happened and curiosity got the better of her. She moved closer and listened.

“YoonA?” Her name, softly spoken, was a shock. No-one but her parents called her that.

“What do you want Nichkhun?”

He sighed, “I want to protect you, if you’ll let me. I don’t…not like you, YoonA.”

YoonA unbolted the door and pulled it open. He had been sat on the floor, his back against the door but he’d turned at the sound of the lock opening and was now stood towering over her once more.

She moved back to let him enter and he walked into her private quarters.

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