“Is everything running smoothly?” D asked.

“Yes. Everything was running according to the plan. The faster he started to do it, the sooner he will fall into the trap.” C replied with confident.

D smiled. “Good. We have been planning this for so long and this is the best time to get what we want. And most importantly, you have to gain Park Min Sik’s trust.”

C chuckled. “He is an old fox. He won’t trust anyone except himself. Even his own daughter, he just treated it like chips for his deal.”

“Don’t fall in love with her. She will eventually fail our plan. This is a mission that we have to be success no matter what. Don’t let your personal feeling destroy the whole thing.” D warned C.

D walked towards C and patted C’s shoulder. “We will start taking action very soon.”

C turned to D. “I don’t care how you want to do it, I just want you to make sure she will be out from all this. She is innocent. She shouldn’t be drag into this mess.”

“No worries. She wasn’t in our target list. She is just a stepping stone. Our main target is her father.” D assured C.

C sighed deeply. “How I wish she is just a stepping stone as you said.” C turned to D. “But she is not.” C said sadly.

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Park Shin Hye pressed the button on the talking clock and it was 11pm now. It has been more than an hour already since the last time she talked to Min Ho on the phone. He said he will leave her a voicemail when he is back but nothing came.

She took her phone as she bit her lip, having a war inside whether to call him or not. Today was his off day and although he was the one who keep calling her for the whole day but she just feel not right to disturb him when he was having a drink with friends outside. She doesn’t want to sound like a pathetic obsessive girlfriend. She wasn’t even sure is she considered as his girlfriend or not. They did make their feelings clear for each other but she just think everything happened so fast and it scares her. There will be a lot more problems that they will have to face if they really being together.

Park Yoo Chun, the man that love her since they were kids, kept telling her that he love her, worried about her and will protect her. He kept reminding her to stay away from Min Ho. She doesn’t even dare to think what will be his reaction when he knows about what happened between her and Min Ho. She doesn’t want to hurt him but she knows she already does. Choi Seung Hyun, the man that doesn’t love her and just treat her as a toy that he wanted to possessed and she know the engagement between them will eventually happen. Due to his greedy desire, he won’t let her go easily. Her father, the man that don’t care and don’t love her, imprison her in pain and guilt, using her as a deal for his company business. She couldn’t imagine what he will do to Min Ho if he find out about their relationship.

Shin Hye let out a long sigh as her grip on her phone tightened. Thinking about all those possibilities was only making her to think about Min Ho even more. Her face blushed whenever she thinks about him, just like a teenager girl who can’t get her crush out of her mind. Just then, something naughty crossed her mind as she smiled shyly. She quickly got up of her bed and walked towards her closet.

After 10 minutes, Shin Hye was now already changed to a simple shirt and jeans with a trench coat covering her body, standing in front of the security room. She took a deep breath before she brought her hand up to the door and knocked on it softly.

Kang Ha Neul’s body immediately tensed up when he saw Shin Hye standing outside the security room. He scanned her from top to toe, curious with her outfit. “Park Shin Hye-sshi. Are you going out? Do you need something from us?” He asked carefully.

Shin Hye smiled awkwardly at him. “D-Do you know where is Lee Min Ho-sshi staying?” She stuttered, her face was burning.

“Yes, I know.” He looked at her and gulped. “W-Why?”

“Erm…” Shin Hye tried to find the right word to ask him for a favour. “Can you help me?”

“Of course. What do you need, Park Shin Hye-sshi?” Ha Neul asked. He will try to fulfil whatever she want him to do because Min Ho already asked him to take good care of her when he is not around. He can’t disappoint his superior.

Shin Hye bit her lip. “Can you bring me to his house?” She asked nervously.

“What? Now?” Ha Neul asked in shock. “But Park Shin Hye-sshi. It’s very late now and Min Ho hyung will not be happy if I bring you out at this hour. It’s very dangerous.” He said.

“You don’t need to worry. You are just following my instruction. I’ll make sure Min Ho-sshi wouldn’t scold you on this. I just need to see him for a while. Just a while.” She said expectantly. “Please.” She begged softly when she didn’t get a reply from him.

Ha Neul hesitated but looking at Shin Hye who kept begging him, he just couldn’t say no. He slowly nodded his head. “Okay. But you have to promise me you will only stay for a while.”

Shin Hye smiled widely as she nodded vigorously. “Just a while, I promise.”

“Promise what?”

Both of them were startled when they heard Han Ki Ae’s voice behind. Shin Hye turned to the voice and sighed silently.

Han Ki Ae narrowed her gaze at Shin Hye. “What are you doing wearing like this at this hour? You are going anywhere?”

Shin Hye grip on her trench coat nervously as she let out an awkward smile. “Erm… yes. I need to go out for a while. I… I need to go to Seoul and meet a friend there.” She lied.

“Friend? At this hour?” She asked, unconvinced. “What friend? I didn’t know you have friend and why can’t you wait until tomorrow? It’s so late now and it’s very dangerous to out at this hour. Lee Min Ho-sshi is not here today and not that I don’t trust other bodyguards but I feel better if Lee Min Ho-sshi is going with you. Can you wait until he is back on Monday?”

Shin Hye faced down and tried to think for some other excuse. But she knew no matter what she said her teacher wouldn’t buy it. She took a deep breath and decided to tell her the truth. She lifted her head up, facing her. “I’m actually going out to see him.”

“See him? Lee Min Ho-sshi?” Han Ki Ae asked with her eyes widened.

“Y-Yes. I have something urgent to talk to him. I just need to go out for a while.” Shin Hye said.

“What is so urgent that you need to go now? Did you call him? Maybe you should call him and ask him to come back instead. I’m sure he would be worried if you go to find him now.” Han Ki Ae tried to convince her.

Shin Hye sighed. “Today is his off day and I don’t want him to come back all the way here.” She took a step forward and raised her hand to reach Han Ki Ae. “I’ve never asked for your help or beg you before. Please help me this time. I really need to see him. I promise I will be very careful and I’ll listen to what the guards said and followed them closely. It will only be a while. I promise you I’ll be back by 2am.”

Han Ki Ae held her hand as she sighed in defeated. She turned to Ha Neul and looked at him sternly. “Make sure you stay close to her and don’t let her fall down. Check all the surrounding and make sure everything is clear before letting her out of the car.”

Ha Nuel nodded his head. “Yes, Han seonsaeng.”

She turned back to Shin Hye and sighed again. “Remember to take the white cane with you and make sure you answer your phone. Just go for a while and come back by 2am. Give me a call if anything happens.” She said as she pulled Shin Hye’s coat closer together.

Shin Hye smiled and nodded. “I will take care and I will come back very fast. Thank you very much.”

Han Ki Ae caressed her hand before she turned to Ha Neul again. “Bring two more guards with you and check the car thoroughly. Keep your phone on.”

“Yes.” Ha Neul replied politely.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Min Ho clenched his jaw and pursed his lips tightly together when Woo Bin dabbed his wound with the sterile alcohol pad and cleaned the area around it with the sterile water. Woo Bin dipped the tweezers in the alcohol and used his lighter to sterilize it to prevent infection. He gripped the tweezers tightly in his hand as he lowered it down to his open bullet wound.

“I’m going to take the bullet out now. It will be hurt. Are you sure you can stand the pain?” Woo Bin asked him again.

Min Ho let out a frustration sighed as he nodded his head annoyingly. His face was as white as paper and was covered with sweat. “Just cut the crap and do it now.”

Woo Bin inhaled deeply before his eyes focused intently on his wound. Min Ho groaned in pain when the tweezers entered his flesh and search for the bullet. He attempted to lift his shoulder due to the pain but Woo Bin steadily held him down with his free arm. When it clutched around a hard object, Woo Bin slowly pulled the tweezers back out. He held the bloody tweezers, clutching a silver bullet and threw it in the tray.

He took a clean cloth and dabbed lightly at the wound. After he confirmed the bleeding has stopped, he finished off with the sterile gauze pad and layered that with a roll of bandage, wrapping around his left arm.

Min Ho exhaled sharply when Woo Bin clipped the bandage and laid his arm by his side.

Woo Bin patted softly on his uninjured arm as he let out a sigh of relief. “Luckily the bullet wasn’t too deep. You rest for a while. I’ll go to clean the stuff.” He said as he took the tray full of blood and made his way to the bathroom.

Min Ho gaze followed behind him and once he was sure Woo Bin went into the bathroom, he stretched his right arm to reach for his phone. He quickly strolled down to find the name he wanted to call but when he found it, his finger just froze in place and looked at the name without pressing the call button. His inner voice was battling inside whether to call or not to call. He wanted to hear her voice so much but he was worried that she could hear something wrong in his voice. Since she couldn’t see, her ears and nose were abnormally sensitive.

He then put his phone at the side when he heard the bathroom door opened. He closed his eyes with his uninjured arm covered his forehead.

Woo Bin walked to the kitchen and came back with a glass of water. His eyes glanced at the phone beside him. “Take the anti-infection tablet before you sleep.” He helped Min Ho to sit up and passed the medicine to him.

“Thinking to call or not to call your girlfriend?” Woo Bin asked.

Min Ho put the tablet into his mouth and took a big gulp of the water before he looked at him. “Do you have the ability to read mind? How come you always know what I’m thinking and what I want to do? You are creepy.” He joked.

Woo Bin chuckled. “You are just too easy to read.” His smile slowly faded as he looked at his friend seriously. “How do you know it was Choi Seung Hyun and not Park Min Sik?” Woo Bin asked as he took the glass from him and placed it on the bed side table.

Min Ho looked away from him. “He was angry because of the charity ball. And it’s impossible for Park Min Sik to find out about me and Shin Hye because we sort of just started our relationship yesterday.”

Woo Bin sighed deeply. “No matter who did it, I’m sure it has something to do with Park Shin Hye. You will only danger yourself if you continue to be with her. You just started your relationship with her yesterday and you already got shot today. What you think will happen tomorrow? They might burn down your apartment.”

Min Ho chuckled weakly. “You are just exaggerated the whole thing.”

“If I didn’t pull you away just now, I think your girlfriend is now crying, looking at your dead body. The killer was targeting at your heart. I don’t think Choi Seung Hyun will kill you just because he was jealous that you danced with Park Shin Hye.” Woo Bin was unconvinced with his best friend theory.

“Should we tell Park Min Sik about this?” Woo Bin asked.

Min Ho widened his eyes. “Tell him what?”

“Tell him you were shot and Choi Seung Hyun might be…”

“No.” Min Ho cut him off before he sighed. “What’s the point of telling him? It will only make him suspect about me and Shin Hye. Even if he knows Choi Seung Hyun wanted to kill me, do you think he will help me? You can see how he treated his own daughter.”

“Then how?” Woo Bin asked with frustration. “Should we call the police then? You were a police last time. I’m sure they can do something to stop him or protect you.”

Min Ho laughed softly. “I’m a bodyguard myself. Have you ever hear about a bodyguard needed someone to protect him back? Don’t worry about me. It’s just a gunshot and this wasn’t my first time. Even the bomb in the car few months ago couldn’t kill me. Do you think a bullet can take my life? I’ll be alright, chingu-yah.” He assured his best friend with a smile.

“I can’t let you to continue with this job in danger. I was the one who recommended you this job. I have the responsibility to make sure you are alright.” He massaged his temple, annoyed with himself. “It was my fault to recommend you this job. I should know that you have no control in woman.”

“It has nothing to do with Shin Hye. Even without her, my life has always been .” Min Ho patted his arm as he smiled. “It has nothing to do with you either. You have been taking care of me since I was brought to the orphanage home 17 years ago. Without you, I don’t know how I could survive my life there.” He said as those memories slowly floated in his mind.

Woo Bin grinned. “When you just came in, you always keep yourself alone and Sister Maria thought you have depression after your parents passed away.”

“And you were