I kicked my leg back into the man strangling me. His knee buckled and he loosened his grip. I was able to turn myself around and punch him in the face.

 

The man stumbled backwards, but quickly regained his footing and then went to throw a punch. I grabbed his fist and turned his arm around and twisted. The man cried out in pain. I then threw him to the ground.

 

I took a quick look at his face, but I didn't recognize him. I reached into the couch cushion and pulled out a gun. I shot the man twice in the legs. Once in his thigh and once in the kneecap. I didn't hit any bodily organs because I would need him alive.

 

"Oh my god!!" I heard Gayoon shout. 

 

"Holy ." The man shouted. He was yelling profanities as he writhed in pain.

 

I kicked him in the head to knock him out. I then picked up his bloody body and slung it over my shoulder. He was heavy.

 

"Gayoon we need to go." I said.

 

She didn't respond. Her breathing was ragged and she looked at me frightened. I grabbed her hand and half-dragged her to follow me. I threw the man into my car's backseat and set Gayoon down in the passenger. I had to buckle her in.

 

I then sped off away from the house. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw a car speeding up to follow me. .

 

I started to weave through traffic to lose the car.

 

"WHAT THE ARE YOU DOING!" Gayoon shouted. 

 

"We're being followed. I need to lose them." I said calmly. I've handled this before.

 

"Who is following us? Who was that man? What happened?!" 

 

Seems Gayoon found her voice again. She was freaking out shouting out 'what, why's and how's'. 

 

"I know you're scared and confused, but I can't talk now I'll explain later." I said.

 

I made a sharp turn and Gayoon knocked into the side of the car. I muttered a sorry. 

 

I drove the car through an alley, made a couple more turns and cut off other vehicles and finally lost the other car. 

 

"Take me back." She said.

 

"I can't. At least not yet." 

 

I made a sharp U-turn and headed back in the direction of my destination. 

 

"Give me your phone." I said. I reached out my hand for her to give it to me. 

 

"Why?" She asked. 

 

"They could be tracking it." I replied.

 

She gave me her phone. I noticed she was trying to avoid skin-to-skin contact with my hand. Damnit I didn't want this to happen. 

 

I then threw her phone out the window. She let out a protest and a whine. I reached into my pocket for my phone and dialed Junhyung's number.

 

"Hey man help settle an argument for me. How would you rather die? Getting your limbs cut off, and slowly bleeding out or-"

 

"I don't have time for this! Listen, I'm on my way to the apartment. I need you to meet me outside and then take my car to the Boss's estate." I said while cutting him off.

 

"Yeah, uh sure. Are you in trouble?" Junhyung asked.

 

"Yes. No. I don't know. " I replied.

 

"Uhh okay. Well get over here quickly." Junhyung replied. We said goodbye and then hung up.

 

"Who was that? Where the are you taking me!" Gayoon said.

 

"I said I'll explain later okay? Just know I'm trying to protect you." I replied.

 

When we got to the apartment Junhyung was waiting outside. I pulled up next to him and got out. My windows were tinted so he didn't see Gayoon or the bloody man in my back seat.

 

"What the hell happened?" He asked. I followed his line of vision to my bloody shirt. Oops. Forgot I was carrying him.

 

"I was attacked when on my mission. I have the intruder unconscious in my backseat. Get him to the Boss and tell him Doojoon sent you."

 

I opened the passenger door for Gayoon to get out, but she refused till she knew where we were. I really didn't have time for this so I picked her up bridal style. She was yelling at me, but I ignored her. It was for her own good. Junhyung just looked at me confused. I told him I'd explain when he got back.

 

When I got in the apartment Dongwoon and Hyunseung were waiting for me. They were shocked at my appearance and the woman in my arms. I set Gayoon down on the couch and told her to wait. She was quiet again when she saw the two other men in the room. 

 

"What the ? Who the is she?" Dongwoon asked. We were across the room and speaking low enough for Gayoon not to hear. 

 

"And why are you covered in blood. We haven't seen you in weeks and now you show up like this." Hyunseung added.

 

"I know..." I paused thinking about my Boss's orders. I wasn't suppose to tell anyone about my job, but I owed them an explanation after this. I probably could have brought Gayoon to a motel (My bloody, disheveled appearance wouldn't pass in a hotel), but I wasn't thinking straight and my apartment was the first place I thought of. 

 

"She is the Boss's daughter." I continued.

 

"Wait what?!" Dongwoon shouted. I shushed him and reminded him she was sitting in the room. 

 

"The Yakuza were targeting his family and the Boss sent me to protect her. I was attacked when I was with her and I didn't know what to do so I came here. I wasn't allowed to tell you."

 

"I'm having a hard time processing that the Boss has a 20-something-year old daughter we never knew about it." Hyunseung said.

 

"I know I was shocked and it's a long story, but I need to call him. Watch her." I ordered.

 

I went into the kitchen and dialed the Boss.

 

"Shouldn't you be asleep Doojoon? I don't want you to be tired on the job." The Boss said when he picked up. Judging by his words and tone, Junhyung hasn't arrived yet.

 

"Yeah well I ran into a problem tonight."

 

"What kind of problem?" He replied. He seemed much more alert.

 

"I was with Gayoon tonight and I was attacked by a Yakuza in my house. I knocked him out and Junhyung is on his way to bring him to you. The problem is Gayoon saw the whole thing. I ended up bringing her to my place."

 

"You brought her to your apartment! Doojoon what did I tell you!" He freaked.

 

"I was being followed and was under pressure and didn't think straight. I would have to explain myself anyway, she saw me whip out a gun and shoot the guy. She was freaking out. What the hell do I tell her?" I asked.

 

While the Boss was contemplating what to say, I looked in the living room to see Dongwoon and Hyunseung leaning on the wall next to Gayoon. Dongwoon went to approach her, but she seemed to snap at him. I heard Dongwoon say the words 'help' 'crazy' and ''. 

 

"Tell Gayoon whatever you need to tell her in order for her to calm down. Just don't tell her who I am. Lie if you have to. Stretch the truth if it's easier. There is no easy answer...Is she hurt?" The Boss asked concerned.

 

"She is fine. Scared and confused, but fine. The man went after me, not her. It was weird. I figured they would come for Gayoon in her home, not mine." I replied.

 

"Hmm. That's not good. They were either watching Gayoon and knew she was in your home, or they were coming for you. They might know who you really are." The Boss said.

 

The Boss's words instantly angered me because I've been feeling like a failure for weeks, and now they could have been watching me this whole time. I haven't detected anyone and they could've always known my true identity. 

 

"Junhyung just walked in. I should go take care of this mess. Good luck." The Boss said before hanging up.

 

I went back in the living room and looked at Gayoon. She wouldn't meet my eyes. I felt guilty, upset, angry, and scared all at the same time. Gayoon didn't look like the confident girl who would normally slap my arm when I did something stupid or out of line. She looked like the fragile girl I saw on that balcony at Jay's. I hated that I was the cause of this. 

 

I felt so guilty that I was hurting her. I knew I would end up causing her pain. When we kissed, in that moment I thought everything was perfect, only for it to be ruined minutes later. When she told me she had feelings for me, I didn't want to be Yoon Doojoon. I didn't want to live a life of crime. I yearned to be the man that she would want. 

 

Gayoon deserved to know who I really was, even if it wasn't what she'd want to hear. She might hate me. She might hit me, kick me, punch me, and scream in my face, but I deserved it. 

 

I leaned in front of Gayoon and said, "I would like to talk to you. I told you I would explain everything later. Well, it's now later." 

 

Gayoon just nodded and followed me upstairs to my room.