CHAPTER 17 - -

I was halfway home and the eyes following me hadn't disappeared.

On the plus side, I was in a more populated area now so the chance of them attacking me had lowered significantly. However, I still protectively held a hand over my womb. I wasn't going to let anything happen to my little one.

But the person following me...

Why?

Was it someone that'd found out about me and Nichkhun?

My eyes widened at this prospect.

Could it...

The stalker fan?

My heart began to beat faster as I considered this possibility. Nichkhun had said that he hadn't seen her for some time and so, she couldn't possibly know where his private apartment is. After all, she would've shown herself by now. Besides, he went to the dorm first every night and from there, he managed to sneak to the apartment through a back door and alleyway. He was certain he'd never been followed.

It really could just be that the person was going in the same direction as me.

I couldn't be so suspicious of people all the time.

Nichkhun's fans didn't even know that I existed.

I sighed out deeply as I shook my head. In all honesty it was probably just my imagination. No one would waste their time following me. For all they knew, if they had seen me, I was just Nichkhun's friend.

Or wait.

Nichkhun and I had held hands in public together...

But it'd been so late at night that really, would anyone have been around? Would anyone have suspected something back then?

Stop it Victoria.

You're worrying yourself over nothing.

Besides, I was almost home. Just two more blocks.

However, this part included walking through a quieter alley and usually, I was fine doing so. But tonight... with this uneasy feeling... I wasn't so sure. But I couldn't take another way because then I was almost 110% sure I'd get lost.

Nothing had happened yet and thus, nothing would.

Really, I needed to stop being paranoid - I thought to myself as I walked into the alley. For some reason, it seemed darker than usual... and more... ominous. I shook my head to free myself from these thoughts. Really, it was just my imagination. I'd taken this alley many times before and it'd never been a problem.

Really, enough of this paranoia.

And, I was almost at the end of the alley anyway.

"Wait! Miss!"

I froze.

Slowly, ever so slowly, I turned around and saw a boy running towards me. My eyes widened as he approached and my mind told me to run, but my legs wouldn't listen as I remained rooted. The boy was almost only five metres away now and I'd already wrapped my arms around my middle in case he should impact me.

But fortunately, he skidded to a stop about a metre before he reached me.

Immediately he placed his palms on his knees as he heaved. My eyes widened further - he must've been running for quite some time... Could he really have been the eyes that'd been following me all this time?

"Can I help you?" I asked timidly, my entire frame tense.

"Ahh... yeah..." he huffed out as he straightened himself. He was tall, a few centimetres above me and he wore a school uniform. I felt myself relax slightly at this. For some reason, I deemed schoolboys to be less dangerous. It was a silly thought really, but anything to reassure me. Even in the darkness I could see the youth on his face. He was only around 16, 17 at most. But why on earth was this boy following me?

"I didn't mean to pry, but you were with those four girls at the restaurant right?" he asked and gained a gleam to his eyes.

I nodded and frowned, "Yes..."

He then began rummaging in his backpack and I panicked.

Was he looking for a weapon? Why on earth had I decided to wear heels tonight instead of running sneakers?

"Then, could you please give Sulli-shi this?"

I was almost too scared to look what he was holding in his hands.

It was a letter.

"I'm one of her classmates... she hasn't been to class for quite some time so I can only assume that her debut is soon. I really wanted to give this to her beforehand, but I could never gather the courage. Then tonight... I was intimidated by all the people in the restaurant and you just look so nice so I thought... I thought..."

I smiled earnestly as I took the letter from his hands. It was even in a pink envelope with a heart drawn in each corner.

The boy was avoiding my gaze and I giggled at his nervousness. I felt myself relaxing as all signs of a threat disappeared.

"I'll make sure she gets it," I told him cheerfully as I tucked the letter into my handbag.

"Really?" he asked in amazement as he blinked rapidly at me, "You really will?"

I smiled.

He beamed.

"Thank you so much!" he exclaimed while bowing a full 90 degrees. My smile widened at his gratitude. It wasn't often that you met such respectful youths these days. It was something I tried to drill into my young ones, Tao, Kris, Lay and Luhan back at the pre-school.

"Ya, Minchul!"

A loud voice boomed throughout the alley. Both the boy and I jumped at the volume and we quickly turned in the voice's direction. A figure was approaching us, rather rapidly and I could swear that I saw smoke rising from them. I blinked as the figure came closer.

It was a girl.

"Ehhh, Sora...?" the boy in front of me, who I assumed to be Minchul, murmured.

Soon enough the girl was in view.

She was a short girl, but had very defined, sharp features. She was rather pretty actually, but the cold aura she possessed took away from it and I shivered. She wore a uniform similar to Minchul's, so I took it that they came from the same school.

"Don't you know that you shouldn't just go running off like that?" she scolded him while hitting the poor boy over the head. My eyes widened at his flinch and I felt like reprimanding her myself, but my Korean, while it had improved, wouldn't have much effect.

"I'm sorry Sora..." he offered weakly while cradling his head, "But I needed to give this lady the letter and she was getting out of sight so I was worried that I would lose sight of her..."

Sora sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently.

"I'm very sorry if my brother here disturbed you," Sora finally spoke to me and lost some of the fierceness in her voice.

I shook my head, "It really isn't a problem..." I trailed awkwardly, "It really wasn't a bother at all."

"Thank you very much then," Sora replied with a half smile, "He sometimes doesn't think very rationally..."

"It's ok, I know a man very similar to that..." and immediately I thought of Nichkhun. He wasn't really rational. After all, he'd come to China and dragged me onto a plan to Korea with him. He hadn't even considered what'd happen if someone had seen him or what it'd do to his career.

"And to me, they're the best kind," I said enthusiastically with a smile in Minchul's way. The boy's eyes widened and he nodded in appreciation.

"Well, it's time for us to get going," Sora quickly spoke as she grabbed Minchul's arm, "Yoona has been waiting for us at the top of the alley." At the mention of a new person I looked behind Sora. There, at the other end of the alley was another figure.

I tensed upon seeing it.

For some reason, unease filled me.

"Please enjoy the rest of your evening Miss," Minchul greeted as he and Sora began walking towards the figure.

"Ah, you too..." I muttered and slowly began to back away. It was probably only because I couldn't see the girl very well that I was apprehensive.

Nichkhun had spoken to me about his stalker after all and he said that she'd been a girl in her early twenties. She couldn't possibly be a schoolgirl.

I shook my head as I exited the alley, looking back once only to see if Minchul and Sora had left yet. They were just out of my view when I looked and I sighed.

Tonight certainly had been eventful.

- - - - -

"Why don't you answer your phone?"

Nichkhun's half worried, half angry tone hadn't been what I'd been expecting to hear.

I blinked at him in confusion as I closed the front door.

"My phone? I didn't hear it ring..." I trailed as I began to dig in my handbag for the mobile device. I found it, but it was right at the bottom of my bag. Frowning, I turned it on and my eyes widened.

I had fifteen missed calls from Nichkhun.

My cheeks reddened as I shot my head up to face him.

Concern was written all over his face, creasing his brow and staining his eyes. I bit my bottom lip.

"I'm really sorry," I mumbled, "It was at the bottom of my bag-

I was interrupted as I was crushed into his chest.

I squeaked at the forceful action, but soon relaxed in his protective grip. One hand went to the small of my back while the other to my nape. I breathed in deeply as I encircled my arms around his torso. I could feel the tension easing from his body at my action and this pleased me. I felt horrible for worrying him the way I had.

"You said that you'd probably be home by the time I got back... and practice even ended late so when you weren't here when I arrived, I got so worried..." he whispered as his lips brushed my forehead. "I really thought that something bad had happened when you didn't answer your phone."

I completely understood his concern. I'd worry too if he said he'd be home at a certain time and didn't answer his phone when he wasn't. I gripped him tighter and nestled my face into his toned torso. Quite frankly, this was one place I never ever wanted to leave.

"I really was just about to call all of 2PM and make them look for you."

I smiled briefly at this thought.

"I really am sorry," I spoke softly as he began combing my hair with his fingers, "I didn't realize that I was out that late with the girls. Then on the way home I got stopped."

Nichkhun pushed me away from him as he looked down on me with a fierce expression, "Stopped by who?"

I waved my hand, "High school siblings. The boy stopped me because he'd seen me eating with the girls and asked me to give a letter to Sulli. They're classmates, but she hasn't been to class in awhile so he hasn't been able to give it to her himself. Also, he was too shy to come up to all of us in the restaurant."

Nichkhun's gaze softened slightly, "But still..."

"It's ok," I reassured him, "His sister appeared and scolded him. She was actually just worried. But she took him away so never fear."

I decided not to tell Nichkhun about the eyes that followed me though. There was no reason to work him up for no reason.

The handsome Thai man sighed in relief before he leaned down and pecked me sweetly. I couldn't stop the blush that spread over my cheeks at such a simple action.

"Well, I have news to tell you," he said as he grasped my hand and began leading me to one of the sofas. I eagerly followed and soon flopped onto the plush seat. Nichkhun soon followed and pulled me into his chest once again. I'd never cease to be amazed at his need for skinship.  

I wasn't going to complain though.

"Well, 2PM is having a comeback in a month."

I felt my body brightening at this. While Nichkhun was my soon-to-be-husband, I was a fan of 2PM for their music too.

"Then we'll promote for about three months and then Boss has given me permission to take off and be with you until you give birth," he grinned.

Right now, nothing could make me happier.

Absolutely nothing.

"Really?" I asked as I felt tears welling.

He nodded and hugged me once again, "Yeah. He'll even let us go back to China so we can be with your mom and mine."

Actually, something could make me happier.

"And I was thinking we could get married in four months too. Because then it'll be just after you begin showing your pregnancy, so you'll still fit into a dress perfectly."

And it got even happier.

I was utterly speechless.

Really.

There was nothing I could say to this that would express my happiness right now except for-

"I love you."

The smile on his face was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen.

"And I love you too."

- - - - 

I really hoped that you all liked this chapter <3 I really enjoyed writing it because in all honestly, my love for just writing in general has come back:3 It's pretty amazing actually. It no longer feels like a chore to update and I hope you can see this in my writing, or at least 'feel' it ^^ So, what did you all think? ^^

Thank you so, so, so much for all the wonderful comments too. Really, I love how you all interact with the story with the, "THAT STALKER BETTER NOT HURT VIC!" It really makes me feel like this is engrossing and that's my greatest wish as an author.

I'll update soon ^^