chapter four | the fourth mistake

          Changmin’s second mistake was when he asked Yoona out the next weekend. He wasn’t certain about his feelings, but what he felt for her was enough to go the extra mile. Where Min Ah was fire: dangerous, fiery, and bound to burn out, Yoona was the air in his lungs: natural, and something he can do forever.

 With Min Ah, everything had been a series of ifs; if they move in together, if they get married, if they would break up soon. Nothing about what they had was certain. He couldn’t even be sure if she’d be there tomorrow.

With Yoona, everything began with when; when they’ll meet again, when Yoona’s classes will end, when they go to the mall, when they hang out soon. It’s more relaxed that way, and fear never crippled him anytime he’s with her.

But after his decision to go after Im Yoona, Min Ah and the nightmares lessened. Maybe she’d been right. Happiness could chase them away. She could chase them away.

          I’m parked outside of your house, he typed and pressed send.

          After half a minute, he received her reply. Be down in two minutes, just wait.

          Changmin locked his phone and made sure everything was in place. A bouquet of hand-picked wildflowers lie waiting on the passenger’s seat, filling the entire car with its aroma. In long sleeves and trousers, Shim Changmin looked something close to a gentleman. He stared at the rearview mirror and winked at himself.

          From his peripheral vision, he saw the door opened to reveal Yoona in a dazzling white halter top and a baby blue skater skirt that clung at just the right places. Thankfully, she ditched the laptop for her cellphone. She was such a whiz and seeing her, Changmin forgot to breathe for a second.

          “Are you always like this?” She inquired when he stepped out of the car to help her in, the bouquet of flowers filled her vision. “I have hands you know, I can open the door quite well.”

          “Yes, but this is the first time I’m doing this out of free will, not because it’s my job.” He answered when he was strapped in his seat, and Yoona was comfortable.

          “I’ve been meaning to ask you, were you a gigolo in your previous life?”

          He nearly slammed the brakes in surprise. Changmin smirked and winked at her. “I might have been. I’m flattered that you think I’m that charming.”

          His eyes swept over the side mirror before turning right towards the restaurant where he made a reservation when his third mistake dawned on him: he had been too slack, too carefree, too careless.

          They found him.

          A gray BMW was two cars behind them. It had been the exact car he saw tailing them after they left the premises of Yoona’s house. Changmin’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. His jaw clenched. Inching his foot on the gas pedal, he made a sharp turn left. Changmin knew too much for it to be incidental. He did the same stuff before. This was just protocol.

They were cruising at a normal pace, but observing Changmin, Yoona knew he wanted to be somewhere else right now.

          Yoona pursed her lips, noticing the abrupt change in Changmin’s mood.

          “Yoona, do you trust me?” He wasn’t looking at her.

          She could only nod.

          “If I told you to do something, would you do it without any complaints? Any questions?”

          She nodded again. Her heart was beating so loudly she could feel her pulse against her ears, blocking out the world beyond them. Skyscrapers and alleyways zoomed past them.

          “Good, let’s go to the mall.”

          Having no clear idea of what went over Changmin, she decided to go with the flow when they entered the shopping mall. Poker-faced models suspended on large, glossy pictures, blasts of cold artificial air, happy families, and starry-eyed lovers greeted them when they stepped inside. Something warm and soft, something like Changmin’s hand wrapped itself around hers. It was only when he squeezed her hand that Yoona realized how rattled she really was.  

          Like a reliever, the bundle of nerves that electrocuted her insides calmed down at Changmin’s touch. She pressed his hand in return.

          That little exchange of pulses and skin chased all of her hidden fears away.

          “Why don’t we stop by the cinema, how does that sound?” Changmin inquired, unfazed at what he saw and of what was looming ahead. Trying to forget the fact that whatever he started with Yoona could end sooner than he expected, Changmin held her even tighter as he towed her past walking strangers.  

          “Go buy tickets to the movie that’s showing right now, and wait for me by the entrance. I’m just going to the restroom, I’ll be back soon.” the only reason he has the courage to command Yoona was fear: not for his life (he’s already learned to stop being afraid to die), but for hers. 

          He left her standing with the money and a blank expression on her face as he headed to the nearest restroom, scrutinizing mirrors and glasses—anything reflective that would reveal the identity of who was behind them. Not too long ago, he had been the one doing the chasing, not the one being chased. 

          Who could it be?

          Jaejoong would be too precious to risk, Changmin could sense that his old comrade couldn’t be the one assigned to tedious activities such as this. Jaejoong always had something better to do with his time: smuggling weapons abroad, threatening organizations, being a planted spy on a booming company. A little chase like this wouldn’t quench Jaejoong’s thirst for the dangerous and deadly, even if it meant seeing his closest friend again.  

          It must be someone useless enough to be sent as bait for Shim Changmin, someone that would be alright for