On the next morning, YeonHee woke up with a start. The first thing that came through her half-awake mind was to check the curtains of her bedroom. She was confident that this time everything was closed before she went to bed last night. To know that someone might have been in the room again is the least of things that she needs right now. She really can’t afford to have to go and find another place to stay. It has cost her enough share of trouble to disobey her father’s wishes and there simply won’t be another place as ideal as this one for her to stay at.

She also didn’t want to burden Changmin to have to keep up with her rebellious wants.

It was weird for a person to have a huge fuss over a dead curtain, but she has her own reasons. Similar things have happened in her past and she had taken them too lightly before. Ignoring the simplest difference in her life had brought her an inch closer to death once. She wasn’t going to make the same mistake again.

Her worries totally disappeared at the sight of the untouched curtains. She let out a thankful sigh and lay back in bed with her eyes closed and her lips curved up into a smile. She must’ve been too tired the night before that she was doing things under her sub-conscious mind. She couldn’t even remember her own actions.

YeonHee tried to fall asleep again. She was tired after her day-out yesterday. It has been a while since she was able to enjoy herself like a normal person. But even as exhausted as her muscles were, her thoughts were actively roaming around yesterday’s events without her wanting to. She was mentally wide awake.

Letting out another sigh, she rolled over her bed to get closer to her bed-side table. She picked up her watch to check on the time. It was still early. She had nothing planned for today, she might as well stay in bed all day, which happens to be yet another event she hasn’t done in the longest time.

With a wide smile on her face, she laid herself flat on the mattress and closed her eyes.

And out of nowhere, the handsome face of a smiling Shim Changmin appeared in her mind.

Her eyes immediately shot wide open. She shook her head a few times and closed her eyes again. Yet the image wouldn’t go away. She blinked and rubbed her eyes furiously. But as soon as she closed her eyes again, he was still there, as persistent as ever. She cursed.

“What the hell are you doing, Shim Changmin?” she mumbled angrily to herself and sat up straight, frustrated.

This shouldn’t be happening to her. It was true that she had a really good time with him yesterday. But that is not a good enough reason for her to start seeing images of him everywhere she goes! And besides, she couldn’t be sure that she’ll be allowed such freedom again after yesterday. Once this tiny detail leaks to her father, or if something really really bad is bound to happen because of this, she could practically kiss her life goodbye.

YeonHee pushed herself out of bed unwillingly and made her way towards the kitchen to make something to eat. She scanned through the contents of her fridge and contemplated whether she should have a heavy or just a light breakfast. While scratching the back of her neck, her other hand stretched out to grab the carton of milk. She didn’t even get to decide on a conclusion when her feet automatically dragged her away to one of the cupboards, obviously searching for the pair that would go well with it. YeonHee ended up eating a bowl for cereal.

While brushing her spoon over the floating grains, her mind started to wonder over countless issues; most of them being related to that bodyguard, no doubt. Was 10 years really that long? Was it really enough to make her forget about a very close friendship over that period? Or was he just trying to trick her by claiming such things so that he could use her to his benefits when the time is right? If that’s the case, couldn’t her father have noticed it? Her father wouldn’t have assessed someone as carelessly if he was to be the sole bodyguard protecting her, the treasure that her father has been keeping safe from any harm for the past 20 years, right?

The motion of her spoon stopped as her mind was focussed on fitting the pieces of the puzzle. She tried to remember herself being ten years younger. She tried to recall her childhood surroundings. But all that came back to her was a faint picture of herself going to school and back. There was some scenes in classrooms as well, but that’s about all the she managed to get a grip of. She bit her lower lip and started to poke her spoon randomly into the bowl, imagining that it was her helpless brain which wouldn’t cooperate with her.

She sighed and finished what was left on the bowl before cleaning everything up.

***

“And make sure that she never goes out of the house unaccompanied,” the man said through the phone.

“I understand that perfectly, sir. You don’t have to repeat those to me every single day. Her safety is my utmost priority. If she gets hurt, I’ll bear all the consequences. I get that, sir.”

“Good. If things g