Pacing around my room, heart pounding and breath decreases. These were the feeling I am constantly having while waiting for Mochi to pick up his useless phone for minutes. After the sound of my door clicked, I immediately dialed Mochi’s digits.

 

Yet this is what I get in return. For heaven’s sake Henry Lau, when will you pick my important call? I remember the times where we used to prank each other by calling and ended up doing some embarrassing things.

 

And I could practically tell that this isn’t the perfect time to reminisce those good times. I really need his SOS and I don’t care if he’s in the middle of bath right now. I just want him to answer!

 

“Pick up please!” I said through my gritted teeth, still pacing back and forth. Being caught was never included in my plan so I should be extra careful. The ringing sound didn’t end as well as that Mochi couldn’t just answer my call.

 

I grunted frustratingly, griped my hair and resisted the temptation to throw this phone to the noticeable window just yet. 6 times, I tried. No answer. Until I ended up 24 missed calls to him. He should know that I’ll be fuming in anger by then.

 

As a backup preparation, I texted him my rants and complains about him not having a time to answer my calls at so urgent hour and about the things that just happened during my stay here in Korea: The bodyguards, the teachings and the latest incidents.

 

And to complete my mission for him to feel all the guilt in this world, I texted him about me almost dead and maybe he could be more free if he’ll never meet me again. Of course that was a threat. I know very well that he couldn’t stand those words.

 

Pressing the ‘send’ key, a half-smile stretched in my face as I am contented to what I have just done. Somehow, I relaxed a bit. Hid my phone in one of the drawers located inside the bathroom before heading to my table where Victoria left the assignments.

 

I lazily just scanned the books one by one and yawned at the boring topics: Introduction to Human Resource Management, Consumer Purchasing and Behavior, Information Systems Management, Principles in Human Relations, Internet Marketing Principles, Business Policy and Strategy, Principles of Accounting, Promotional Marketing and Economics, Employment Law and many more!

 

My vision fogged up a little, dizzy at the unbelievable topics of the year. Can I just study the major ones? I mean what was really applicable to whatever position I’ll be in it? Cause it will really take years for me to learn these.

 

Just what I expected to that evil woman, all she wanted was to torture me. Indeed, it was a very enjoyable scene for her to see. I shook my head then reluctantly started jotting down notes for the assignments.

 

I should kill time while waiting for any reply from Mochi. After this one, I’ll go and check my phone. That’s what I decided and it’s final. My focus went back to the books that were spread in my table.

 

Getting my works done was tiresome, I didn’t even notice that the sun set faintly and hours had already passed by. I felt my hands were beginning to numb from the continuous writing. So I dropped the pen and stretched.

 

Muscles from my body straighten out and then I remembered my phone. Should I verify it now? Did he reply already? Or I should wait a little more? These questions lingered until I unconsciously felt weariness and didn’t think further.

 

I snoozed off.

 

 

 

 

~Kris’s POV~

I’m at the rooftop, observing the whole view. Both hands behind me and I simply walked from time to time. I’m having this thought—since we’re kind of far from everyone—where we can practice our gun skills at the back of the house.

 

But I considered the fact of startling Amber along with Victoria while conducting their tutorials. I didn’t have any choice but to disregard that idea for awhile. Another idea came up, why can’t we just practice our teaming speed instead? To have improvement in the classification of agility and composure.

 

“Strange, ever since you got out of Amber’s room from the morning, you didn’t check on her after that.” Luhan interjected, currently typing something in his laptop. Here comes the issue maker.

 

I turned my back and looked at him, saw him flashing some cheeky grin again. I crossed my arms and said, “I’m just giving her a break. We are all aware of her behavior these past days and the way she acted for like begging me, specifically, to just leave her alone.”

 

“And so you decided to like let her miss you without having you by her side for a day?” Luhan teasingly asked, not taking his eyes off from the screen.

 

“Just because you are older than me in a few months doesn’t mean you have the position to speak like that.” I snapped.

 

“Why so stubborn now, Kris? I’m just kidding here.” The sound of his voice didn’t change to a serious one as he showed that he wasn’t affected by my words. Truthfully speaking, he was never once offended by anyone of us.

 

He preferred taking our complaints or compliments as a joke and never approved to have some gloomy atmosphere. He knows how to be serious at times too but when Xiumin makes a grand entrance, that’s where these two lost their ‘act of age’ and began doing funny things.

 

“Change of subject, I want us to practice sooner. The more we just guard and stand still, the less strategies we will come up in the nearest future. I suggest, we should at least enhance our training.” I said.

 

Luhan finally glanced up before giving me a ‘thumbs up’. I nodded. Cold wind silently howls along the branches of the trees as it reached us in the rooftop. The clouds even made way for the crescent moon to display its light.

 

No twinkling stars can be seen in the skyline, a wonderful night for ongoing thoughts. And then I recalled something that had happen hours ago. Something about Lay seems odd. Like the way he fidgets or avoid and just walk away.

 

“Did…” I started hesitantly, that made Luhan raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to proceed and I did, “About Lay actually.”

 

“What about him?”

 

“Did he tell you something? Because he looks like bothered for some reason.”

 

“I don’t know. He didn’t share anything this time. Why?”

 

“Nothing. He seems distanced.”

 

“Well maybe for you but I always felt the same, you know, comfortable atmosphere with him this day.”

 

I shrugged casually and let Luhan continued what he was doing at that time. Maybe thinking too much isn’t really that healthy. I should divert my focus on how to come up with the training. That would be much better.

 

Instead of thinking that way, I saw myself walking and stop when I am already in the front door of Amber’s room. I don’t even know why I just let my feet dragged itself there. Did Luhan cast a spell on my feet? If he did, I will never have a second thought for making him the number one to be eliminated in this world from my list.

 

Apparently, the first thing I did was to knock. What expectations do I have at that time? I don’t know, maybe an annoyed ‘What?’ or ‘I’m busy’ or ‘Go away, I don’t need anyone.’ Either way, I think it’s already in my nature to check upon my client.

 

I knocked again. No response. My brows furrowed and I purposely knocked louder. Yet I was greeted by silence. So I spoke, “Young Mistress, Do you need anything?” I tried to be polite but sometimes I wonder why I can’t hold much longer when it comes to her.

 

My first theory to that question of mine was because of her beyond bratty attitude to the point that I even lose my patience and just show her how I’m so oppose to the things she insisted, which were exactly out of the desirable ones.

 

I am so aware of the sudden changes of myself, where I could just treat her like the supposedly mannerism of treating your client then shifted to some furious bastard bodyguard that will scare his client. Yes, I am fully aware of it.

 

But what can I do? If we’ll keep on following her persistent wanna-escape ideas, then I don’t have the privilege to be called a Leader. That’s no near a good role model. I’m not saying that my tactics were good as well but I can at least prolong the security of my client.

 

Hearing not a single protest, I opened the door and found her sleeping at her desk. I walked and went beside her. The expression in her face was no other than tired and my eyes just scanned everything that was scattered in her table.

 

So she’s beginning to learn now? Accepting her fate of becoming the next successor? That’s a relief I must say, at least she’s kind of convince by now.

 

I grabbed a blanket nearby and gently placing it to Amber’s back, covering her precisely and she stirred in her sleep. Funny thing, why do I always witness Amber’s sleeping figure? Innocently taking her slumber and clueless to the cruelty of the world.

 

Shaking those thoughts away, I left her room after. Later, I was standing in the kitchen; watching Lay arranging the utensils. I know that he could sense my presence but chose to ignore it. I could just stare at his back.

 

Lay started to move bit by bit, picking the equipment one by one and placed it to the filing small cabinet above him, as if planning to spend the whole night in the kitchen. And that’s exactly a wrong move he did there.

 

“Spit it out.” I blurted. He didn’t flinch at my usual tone, obviously used to it already. But he didn’t stop arranging additionally either. I waited.

 

He was about to pick the next items—which were the dangerous kinds of knives—before replying, “What’s there to spit?”

 

I glanced between the hanging left hand of Lay and the untouched knives then said, “If you still want that callused fingers of yours then better spit it out.” I demanded nonchalantly. My voice didn’t mean any harm but neither did any good.

 

I heard him sighed and then lowered his hand. He glanced over his shoulder, showing only the right side of his face but his eyes were on the floor. Seems like he’s still considering whether to tell me or not.

 

“I’m just thinking if we could better give a little privacy to Amber.” There, he cracked the shell. I always knew whether he’s bothered by something.

 

“And what do you exactly mean by that?” I asked, not changing any tone of my voice, while