Your POV

“There it is,” you huffed in relief as you finally spotted the restaurant the security company had directed you to, tucked into a side street just off the line 6 seok gye station.  You hurried toward it, dodging the surprisingly heavy foot traffic as you approached the entrance.  People swirled in and out of the tiny shops lining the side street in colorful batches like shoals of fish darting and flashing about as they picked up gifts or sat for a quick coffee or bought snacks from food carts. 

It was reassuring, the feeling that the ever-shifting tides of a Seoul workday crowd could hide you.  Your estimation of the security company’s savvy ticked up a notch.  It was smart to hold the initial meeting here; a causal, slightly out-of-the-way place where two “friends” could get together.

It took a moment for your eyes to adjust to the dimness of the café.  Bigger than it first appeared from the storefront, in held a variety of booths set into little nooks along the walls, and the floor space was occupied by tables with mismatched chairs of all shapes and colors.  A man sitting in a back booth held up a hand and you wove your way to him, tossing your purse onto the bench as you slid in across the table. 

There was a momentary pause and you both studied each other, although you suspected his poker face was much better than your own.  His face, sculpted and actually quite handsome, was very still, and had a neutral, open look.  One that gave off the feeling of ‘I will politely listen to anything you want to say’.  You weren’t quite sure how to categorize him.  There was almost a sense of serenity? absolute calm?  Maybe it was a kind of quiet confidence?

Yeah, right.  I bet his mind is like a freaking machine, constantly weighing and judging everyone around him.  To be fair, though, you kind of need that ability in his line of work.

But then, his head tilted slightly to the side.  He leaned forward, crossing his arms on the tabletop.

“And you are….”

Oh God Oh God Oh God.  THIS ISN’T DANIEL?!!!!!???  What do I do?  Oh God

“Are you alright, Ms…..?

You paled and flushed and paled and flushed in a rapid cycle of embarrassment.  Then you took a deep breath and did what you always did in mortifying situations.  You put on a bright smile, laughed, and bluffed.   The classic “I meant to do that” defense.

You stuck out a hand, “I’m Miss James!  Nice to meet you!”

The stranger cocked an eyebrow, but smiled in return and shook your hand.  Instead of releasing it, he shifted his grip and placed a feather-light kiss on the back.

“Nice to meet you, Miss James.”   You blushed again, and tugged at your captive hand. 

“I’m so sorry to intrude upon your lunch.  Really it was my mistake- I was supposed to meet someone, and just assumed it was you, Mianhe, I’ll get going-,” you blurted out in a rush.

He still hadn’t let go of your hand.  You began to feel uneasy as it became obvious that you wouldn’t be able to get your hand back without causing a major scene.

This guy is creepy.  Handsome, okay-sure.  But creeping me out now.  Ottokae?  How do I get out of this without screaming????

“Miss James?”  It suddenly dawned on you that he asked the question in unaccented English.  “Please don’t move.”

It took you a second to register what he said, as he delivered the command in the same pleasant tone.

“Excuse me,” you asked, “don’t move?  What is that supposed to mean?”   By now you were hovering at the borderline of fear and major irritation. 

He merely set your joined hands on the table and signaled for a waitress.   “Thank you for meeting with me today,” he continued, “If you’re wondering about the English, well, it’s a precaution.  Should anyone accidentally overhear, it’s likely they won’t fully understand what we’re talking about.”

His voice was pleasant, a smooth tenor.  It didn’t seem as if he were struggling to speak English at all.

“Don’t be alarmed.  Based on my brief, it is likely you’re being watched.  In that case, anyone looking will be seeing you act like a happy girl on a date, rather than a business meeting, understand?”

You just looked at him, eyes wide and speechless as the proverbial light bulb went on in your mind.

It IS him!  Jerk, making me think I screwed up.  This guy is already annoying me.

A waitress strolled up and he ordered quickly for both of you, smiling in such a way that the poor girl flushed and promised to hurry the order.

You’d been internally fuming, but slowly it registered that this guy may just be cleverer than you thought.  He’d set up the whole situation so that he got the reaction he needed from you- blushes, awkwardness, flirting and all.

As his eyes met yours once more, you nodded in understanding.  He winked in agreement, a cheeky grin spreading across his face.  Guess he figured out that you had finally figured it out.

“You haven’t eaten, I hope,” he inquired.

“No, I haven’t, thank you.”  Your nerves settled now that you knew you were in the right place. 

“I don’t have much time, so I’d like to get started.  My staff expects me back in roughly two hours.”

You tugged again at your hand, and this time he let it go, but made sure that you were forced to your skin against his for as long as possible.  At your questioning look, he sat back with one arm thrown casually up to rest along the top of the booth behind him.    

The pose was definitely y, and you couldn’t help but notice the way it pulled his clothes tight across his chest, showing off defined muscles.  He caught you looking, but you refused to be embarrassed about this.  You shrugged at his cocked eyebrow (they were certainly getting a workout, those poor brows) as if to say “Hey, I enjoy a good looking man as much as the next girl.”

“I’m intrigued, Ms James,” he said, “I’m not precisely sure what I was expecting, but it’s not the girl sitting across from me.”

“Oh, really.  Well, what you see is what you get with me,” you retorted, resting your elbows on the table with your hands clasped beneath your chin.  Your expression was one of patent innocence, batting eyelashes and slightly pursed mouth.

“Oh really.”  He agreed, sweeping his gaze across your form.  “Really, indeed.  You are much prettier than I imagined a designer would be.  Perhaps I thought I would be getting someone dressed all in black, with a strange haircut who calls everyone and everything either ‘Dahling’ or ‘Fabulous’.”

His exaggerated languid voice impression as he said “Dahling” was truly funny,and you burst into surprised laughter. 

A bodyguard with humor.  How wonderful.  And utterly shatters the drama’s hunky but stick-in-the-mud stereotype…

“And even prettier when you laugh,” he mused.

You smiled at his flattery, but brushed it off.   “Kamsahmnida,” you gave a bow, “You’re no slouch yourself.  But tell me, how are your looks going to help me protect myself and my work?”

His playful aura remained, but the look in his eyes was serious and cold as he mirrored your pose at the table.  Even in this, he was still maintaining the cover for the benefit of possible watchers.

“My looks?  Why, no one would believe that you would be dating an ugly man.”

“D…d…dating?”  Your surprise was genuine.  “Waeyo?”  He mirrored your pose at the table.  Even in this, he was still maintaining the cover for the benefit of possible watchers.

Your thoughts spun and tumbled like laundry.  The busy sounds of the cafe faded.

I can’t date HIM, I already have a boyfriend!  Stupid, you should have seen this coming, how else were you going to explain a pretty guy hanging around you all the time.  Yeah, but he could be like a family member or something right?   Right!

“Why dating,” eagerness in your voice, “why can’t you just a cousin visiting from somewhere?”  

He was already shaking his head.  “Not good enough cover, especially since your parents were so well known.  Your mother had no contact with her family after she married, and your father had no siblings.  One good friend of the family at the wrong time, and everything is blown.”

“Damn, you’re right.”  You sighed.  “Isn’t there any other way?”

“Not one as good as this,” he replied, a bit of sympathy creeping into his gaze.  “I assume you’re hesitating because someone already has your heart?  And that someone may be hurt?”

You bit your lip, but nodded.

In the pause, the waitress, her blouse ed far enough to see the top edge of her bra and her skirt a noticeable three inches shorter arrived with the food order.  Even as you scrambled for alternate plans, you noted that Daniel (even though he still hadn’t introduced himself) ignored the girl and her oh so obvious charms, keeping his focus on you.   A point in his favor, you decided; it’s good that he’s not easily distracted.

He left you to think as he dug into the grilled chicken.

This is going to hurt Jinki.  I don’t know if I can do that.  I CANNOT hurt him, its just….unthinkable.  I love him, and he loves me, and we’re finally together after so freaking long, and I DO NOT want to ruin that.  But if I don’t do this, then it could all be ruined anyway.  He could be hurt by the lunatic threatening me, especially if he finds out I'm in love with an idol.  So, by doing this, Jinki might actually be safer. 

Your mind flew from one extreme to the other.  It was agonizing.  You picked up a fork and stabbed an unassuming carrot over and over, staring at your plate as if it might spontaneously begin spouting the answers of the universe.  After ten minutes of frustration and four more mutilated carrots you gave up the battle. 

You mentally pulled up your big girl .  This wasn’t all about you.  It was about love.  And Jinki came first, always.  If breaking his heart, if breaking yours, was what it took to make sure this crazy psycho was caught-   If feeling like a thousand thousand needles were stabbing you every second of every day because you had to “betray” the one man you loved more than anything in the world was what it took to protect him, then you’d do it.

Especially since you’d gotten the latest ominous letter from Secret Admirer.   You found it tucked in your desk this morning after you got to work.  The same anonymous paper, the same faded typeset words, the same deranged mind toying with you. 

HELLO PRECIOUS.

I LEAVE YOU NOTES AND YOU NEVER RESPOND.  FEELING SCARED?  DO I NOT GIVE YOU ALL THE ATTENTION YOU NEED?   OR MAYBE YOU’RE GETTING ENOUGH FROM SOMEONE ELSE?  I WOULD HATE TO SEE YOU YOURSELF OUT EVEN MORE, BABY.  THOSE FRIGHTENED EYES BELONG TO ME. 

PERHAPS I’LL HAVE TO WEED OUT THE COMPETITION

AND DON’T RUN AWAY- I NEVER LIKED A RUNNER.

A SCREAMER, YES, BUT NEVER A RUNNER

YOU WOULDN’T LIKE IT IF I HAD TO HURT SOMEONE ELSE TO BRING YOU BACK BEGGING

STAY AND PLAY WITH ME

XOXO,   YOUR SECRET ADMIRER

How did he know?  How could he possibly know you were with someone?  was he just guessing?   Or could he tell just by watching that you were in love? Whoever it was, they didn’t seem to know it was Onew, but what if they found out?  What if? What if?

Those thoughts drove you. 

And broke you. 

You felt the tear that slid down your cheek.  And you felt the warm thumb that rubbed the tear away.  You opened watery eyes.

His expression was distant, at complete odds with his gesture.

“Miss James.  It’s either yes or no, right now.  Are you strong enough for this?”

You died a little bit, giving the only answer you could.     

“Yes.”

And a pair of angry eyes watched the couple in the back booth; saw the smiles, saw the laughter, saw the touches...

A/N: Well, friends, it's been a while since I updated.  So, I made this one a long one.  My apologies.  I've been reading a lot of your stories, and commenting a lot, and trying to wrangle the last chapters of this story into shape.  For a bit it was going well, but then I had a brainstorm and changed part of the plot, which meant I had to go back and rewrite a bunch.  Plus, there was all this job drama, and- you know how it goes.  Oh, well, I think you'll like where this is headed if I can pull it off.  Hope you like it! 

A/N: Pretty please comment!  Every time I don't get responses,  I'm not sure if you guys are totally hating this, or think its getting boring.  I won't break if you don't like a chapter, but I'd like to know that so I can improve!