Finally the concert came to an end. Ren and Mizuki returned to backstage once the light went off. She could hear the fans screaming, still. Encore, if she catches it right. Ren was happy. She felt proud and glad at the same time. Ren took a glimpse over her shoulder to see if Mizuki still behind her and much to her surprise, He already fixed his gaze on her and had that look on his face, as if seeing her smile was as rare as seeing a diamond rolled over on the street.

She shrugged and kept walking. She was too content to show her usual expression.

They arrived and before Ren could knock, the door flung open and there was Yonghwa greeted them with extended arm, reaching for Ren and hugged her. She chuckled amused and hugged him back. “That was incredible!” declared her and raised two thumbs behind Yonghwa’s back towards Jungshin and Minhyuk.

Released from Yonghwa embrace, she walked over to Jonghyun who was busy polishing his guitar.

“How was it?” asked him without turning his head.

“The best of all.” She replied.

“Did you get a good look?” asked him again now tuning the guitar.

“I could practically see your sweat dropped.”

Jonghyun ‘s lips formed a smile. He placed the guitar back on its case and stood up, facing her with hands inside his pocket. He dropped his chin and looked into her eyes. “And a good look of me?” he raised an eyebrow.

She giggled. “Noone can beat your solo guitar. Perfect.” She raised a thumb and the ice prince melted as he laughed to his heart content. “I knew it!” Jonghyun raised a fist into thin air. And they heard Yonghwa protested,”Hey! I’m hurt here! I can do solo too!”

—————

Yonghwa was in a very good mood and offered a treat. Ren would say yes right away but her eyes fell on Mizuki. “I’ll skip for today. You can treat me next time.” She said, back to her usual self. Everyone knew the reason and didn’t pursue it any further; instead, it seemed normal enough for them if Ren acted that way.

“Be careful on your way, noona. It’s late.” Jungshin put an arm over her shoulder and squeezed it.

“We don’t want to lose our pretty and dear noona, Arachi? (got it?)” Minhyuk added with eye-smile.

“Yah… how old do you think I am… Tch… these kiddo.” she snickered but a small smile couldn’t leave her face. Not today. “Araa..~(I got it) I’ll be careful.”

“I’ll go with you.” Jonghyun butted in. “Besides,” He glared at Mizuki. “I lost my appetite.” And they left. So did Jungshin and Minhyuk. They said they were too tired to go for a drink so they would head home first.

Yonghwa chuckled and put an arm over Mizuki’s shoulder. “Don’t take him too seriously.” He gave a light pat on his back. “Now, you made your promise to come, and I’ll keep mine as well.” He brought him to a café near the concert place. The café was just a simple with its minimalist layout and furniture. The room divided into two, non-smoking and smoking area, separated by a glass wall.

Yonghwa picked a table by the window. “This is our favorite place. We usually hang out here and spent the night, drinking, chatting, and composing too, apart from work, of course.” The waitress came and brought a menu. Both Yonghwa and Mizuki made their order. Yonghwa waited until she left and continued.

“You must be wondered why Ren is acting like this, wondered of who we are, what are we to her, what is she involved to, how did we know each other.” Yonghwa started. “It was the start of 2004, back then the jaw dropping financial crisis had just begun to unfold. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just money the crisis swallowed, but also the harmony in our family. What I meant family here is the place where we raised at. The owner couldn’t afford to pay high taxes.” Stated Yonghwa.

He stopped when the waitress came and brought their drink. “Jonghyun, Jungshin, Minhyuk and I, we have known each other at the orphanage. Everyone has their own story, when Jonghyun was 6, his parent had always been abusive to him. I can still recall the day where he came with his backpack, bruised all over his body and face, said he was going to live there.” He paused and took a sip.

“As for Jungshin, he didn’t remember who his parent was. All he knows that he was already there since he was born. And Minhyuk’s parent had passed away due to car accident. And for myself, I’m unwanted child. The woman who is so called my mom worked at a bar. And she must have forgotten to put on protection that day.” Yonghwa allowed himself a laugh but averted his gaze out of the window.

“We were forced to live on our own. Sleeping on the park bench, digging over trash can one after another for foods. Hiding below the bridge in rainy days. If you’re lucky enough, some poor man on the street would share their meals and blanket.” He fell silent, recalling their hard time, but soon a smile crossed his face. “The four of us have same passion towards music. It was a testing time for us, yet music never fails to bring us hope.”

The food came and they started to dig in. “We knew we couldn’t lean on others, and we also knew we have to earn money for living. Therefore, we started to perform anywhere we can. We used everything we found on the street. Though the payment wasn’t big, but it was enough.” He gulped down and took another sip. Yonghwa twirled the glass softly. “And that was the first time we met Ren.”

“You know, being a performer, would consider as illegal if they don’t have permit, even on the street like Japan.” He wiped his mouth with napkin. “So I can say we were always been chased by you guys, the police.” Yonghwa threw a stern gaze at Mizuki. “We hate police to the core, no offense. We once get caught and got beaten by two sergeants. We could have died if Ren didn’t show up and…”

He somehow shivered. “Cut their arm.”

- - -

Although he couldn’t help the icy shiver that ran up his spine, Mizuki managed to keep a blank face as he listened to Yonghwa. He picked up his teacup and sipped slowly, taking his time to form a fitting reply. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said quietly. “Time does not make it easier to talk about a past that is painful, it seems.” 

He’d had a feeling that Ren was not an ordinary girl—hell, anyone would know that if they so much threw a glance her way—but this was more than he’d expected. He’d also heard about the incident Yonghwa mentioned, and he remembered that the story caused a tremor among his colleagues. They talked about it for months, mostly in disbelief over what actually happened. 

Oh, Mizuki knew that not all police officers upheld the law and practiced it as they should. Most did, but some others wouldn’t think twice to abuse their power the moment an opportunity presented itself. However, whether it was for self-defence or otherwise, some action must have been taken against Ren. There was no way nobody did anything if she’d really cut off the officers’ arms. 

But no one did. At least, not as far as he knew.

But why?

Mizuki couldn’t help but to be torn between a sense of loyalty to his fellow sergeants and an intense curiosity to understand Harada Ren better. He was a police officer, an elite bodyguard, and he was supposed to know best how to react in most circumstances, but he found that this was one he couldn’t understand. 

Harada Ren was dangerous—that she was mysterious and extremely difficult, refusing to open up to him no matter what he did, made it even more so. There were so many things unknown in this assignment. Why was he hired to protect her? Until when? From what?

Who is she?

It was one of those rare times when Mizuki realised he really didn’t know anything about his client at all. By nature he was a lot more observant than most people, a lot more instinctive, but Ren was throwing him off. 

He didn’t even know if she was a good person or an evil person or someone caught in between. She had protected Yonghwa and the others, but she had gone to an extreme that was unnecessary for that. He could hardly believe that the officers who got their arms cut off were deserving of such a treatment, and it almost seemed like… 

It almost seemed like there were other reasons why she did it. 

Revenge, maybe? Some kind of history that even Yonghwa didn’t know about? He couldn’t believe that she’d simply acted out of anger at the injustice. Instead, her action must have been prompted by a different kind of hatred. Something more acrid, something more potent. 

It was unfathomable how she could decide to do something like that just to protect a group of men she didn’t know at the time, just as how it was unfathomable why the police didn’t capture her after what she did to the sergeants. 

And then… and then there was the smile she had sported after the concert. Ren was genuinely happy for the band, and it was then that she’d seemed most… normal. She was not bitter a hundred percent of the time, he knew. She was probably really only bitter to him, especially to him since he was a police sergeant. 

Realising he’d let the silence go on for too long, Mizuki set his teacup down on the table and raised his head to meet Yonghwa’s eyes. The singer was quiet, waiting for his reaction although he didn’t say anything else. 

“Your friends are very… protective of her,” Mizuki began carefully. “You are very protective of her.” 

It was a statement, not a question, and it was one he didn’t need any response to. Yonghwa seemed to sense this, too, as the only reaction he’d given was a tiny smile on his lips as he waited for Mizuki to continue. 

The bodyguard was quiet for a few more seconds, wondering how best to get the answers he needed out of Yonghwa. At least the singer seemed cooperative and friendly, unlike all of the others—Ren herself included—and at least with him, Mizuki could hold a civil conversation. 

“You care about her,” he said at last. “None of you want her to be hurt, and so do I. We’re on the same side, here.” He paused, letting his word sink in. “I’m hired to protect her, and I plan on carrying my job all through the end. However, to do that… I need to know from what I’m protecting her. From who. I need to know why. I need to know who she is. Who you are.” He paused once more, and his face softened slightly. “I need you to tell me everything you know, Yonghwa.”