Chapter 21    Flashback   Hakyeon POV   "Are you feeling okay already? Like can you walk?" Yoona-noona or should I say noona asked while standing up from her seat. "I guess I could." She extends her arm for me to take. I stared at her hand for a few seconds. She chuckled and I felt my nape burn. "Hurry, silly. Grandpa's waiting for us downstairs." I took her  hand and slowly stood up from bed.    "You have a grandpa?" She scoffed and rolled her eyes and I felt stupid for mirroring her. Once we stepped out of the room, my eye widened in disbelief. I swallowed a lump at the sight infront of me. I then felt a squeeze on my hand. "Let's go?" I could only nod, still dazed about the beauty infront of me. It could be her or the palace like 'house' or it could be both.    "I thought you said a house not a freaking mall." I said while obeserving the place. I took extra caution in my steps as we're heading down the marble staircase so I unconsciously held her hand tighter. Good thing she didn't mind. "Stop over reacting and watch your steps." I followed what was told. I just noticed there are house maids, robots, and gaurds are everywhere. Especially the gaurds. They're everywhere I look.    "Don't worry. They're just for safety." I gave a slight nod. I'm starting to wonder what kind of people lives here. They could be terrorists or criminals or even worse a- "Hey you look tense. Are sure you're okay? We could go back to your bed." I gave an awkward chuckle. "Y-Yeah I'm fine." She eyed me for a moment then continues to walk. I mentally smacked myself for the childish thought I just had. There's no way she'll be a part of a terrorist or a group of criminals. She doesn't look like the type to even hurt a fly.    "So where's your grandpa?" I tried not to show the tremble in my voice. The terrorsist or criminal thought left my mind, I still can't find peace in my heart for some reason. "He's probably at the garden training." Training? Well there goes my sanity. I felt another light squeeze on my hand. I just realized that we came to a stop. Infront of me was a big garden and big was an understatement.    I saw a man about the age of 60, sitting on the ground. It's got to be him. "What's he doing?" Sitting and doing absolutely nothing can't be training right? "He's meditating. Now wait here okay? I'll tell him you're awake." I nod my yes but for some reason she's not leaving her spot. She cleared and I looked at her. I followed her line of sight and she chuckled. "I'll be back don't worry." Startled, I slowly let her hand go. "Cute." She said before making her way to her grandfather. Two gaurds bowed once she stepped out of the shade into the garden.    I watched as she bent down to her grandfather to tell something. She nods and stands straight again. She turns to me and calls me over with her cute hand gesture. I slowly walked my way towards them. I feel nervous all of the sudden. The man slowly stood up and I tripped on absolutely nothing. I saw her holding back a laughter while putting a small fist to her lips. I managed to pull my self together before he turned to me. I swear there's a hint of a smile showing on his face. I immediately bowed and made sure it reaches 90 degrees or more.    "T-Thank you for saving my life. Thank you for treating me and I'm sorry for wasting your-" I lift my head up when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I'm met with a warm smile with a caring look on his face. "Polite child. Come, Hakyeon. Let's have breakfast." I muttered an okay before he walked passed me. I stayed rooted in my place when I felt a hand gently push my back. It was her. "I didn't know you were this polite." I rubbed my nape in embarrassment. "Noona~" Was all I could say. The teasing tone and the smirk she had on her face makes me want the ground to open up and eat me whole.    I'm sorry for wasting your time? Really Hakyeon? That could've been so rude. Good thing I was cut off or I would have to deal with a bad first impression.    End of POV   ___   5 years later   Mr. Im adtopted Hakyeon after knowing that he's homeless, an orphan, and basically lives in the streets. Hakyeon learned that Mr. Im was actually Korea's retired national military chief and was trained personally by him. Hakyeon grew to be a very serious man. People are afraid of him because he's such a perfectionist. Hakyeon was actually really smart that even Mr. Im is impressed.    There was a time when Korea was agaisnt this international terrosist group and the president asked for the retired chief for assistance. The higher-ups held a meeting at the Im's manssion. Mr. Im always brings Yoona and Hakyeon with him because he wants them to get used to things like this, 'I want you to be prepared and know what you're up against in the future.' Said Mr. Im once.    Yoona and Hakyeon sat at the back while the officials and the retired chief are having their meeting regarding about the terrorists. They're all paying attention to the new chief that is presenting a plan of solution for the terror attacks. They recieved an information from an anonymus source about the enemy's base and the chief is showing his plan of attack when Hakyeon boldly interrupts.    "Your plan is stupid."    All heads turned to him except for Mr. Im who's still facing the current chief. Yoona put a hand over Hakyeon's and gave it a firm squeeze.   "Excuse me, do you even know-"    "Let him speak." The vice president of Korea who's there on the president's behalf cuts off the chief and nods at Hakyeon telling him to continue. The chief lets out a huff and clenched his teeth and his hands turned into fists. Yoona lets go of Hakyeon's hand.    "Your plan is very expensive and uncertain, your basis is just a guess. You do know you'll lose more men this way, right?" Mr. Im secretly smirks at this. "As I was saying, the information we received is not a guess-" "An information that you've receieved from an unreliable scource. I think I found it weird that you're the only one who knows this 'reliable source', don't you think?" Hakyeon mocks him with a smile.    "Mr. Zhou, I believe I have never met this source of yours. Who is it?" The vice president asked the flustered chief. "U-Uhm, T-The source requested to remain anonymous and there's a program about witness protection-" "Don't talk to me about the law because I'm sure as hell I know it better than you and I know that you know that the witness protection program does not apply on me and the president. Now, who is this witness of yours?" The vice president firmly asked - commanded this time.    The chief remains silent with knuckles on the long table.    "I say he's a traitor." Hakyeon accused. "Hakyeon, what are you talking about?!" Yoona whispered loudly. All heads turned to Hakyeon. Mr. Im remained still. "How dare you accuse me, boy?! Do you know what you're talking about?! I can put you to jail for that you punk!" The chief outraged. The vice president slams the table and stands up from his seat. "Enough!" He glared at the chief who could only obey.    "Boy," The vice called to Hakyeon. "what you're saying now is a great offense and is enough to put you into jail. What ground are you standing?" Hakyeon's confident expression still mocks the chief. "Why don't you ask him yourself." The chief was enraged once more. "If it wasn't for your grandfather, I would have shot you myself!" The chief spats without hints of hesitation. Hakyeon crossed his arms and challenged, "Oh yeah? If you're so confident, it wouldn't be much of a problem for you to undergo the lie detectors, right?" The chief was caught off gaurd and the room fell silent. The vice turned to the sweating chief.    "Mr. Zhou-"    "I'm innocent!"    The chief cried out. Hakyeon laughed silently. "You're being obvious right now." The mocking never left Hakyeon's voice. The chief was about to talk - shout - again when Mr. Im spoke for the first time during the meeting. "Mr. Zhou, if you're innocent there's nothing to worry about. We can't force you to do it but your credibility as a chief and our trust in you is on the line. What do you say we settle this right now?"    The chief started trembling at Mr. Im's suggestion. Tears started flowing down his face and he fell on his knees. "Forgive me. Please spare my family the hate and punishment I know I'll be getting. Please protect my wife and my kids from them. I know they'll be after them. I promise I'll tell you everything just protect them." The chief begged.    Later, they found out that the information given was just a trap. An ambush is waiting for the troops once they reach the area given in the false information. Mr. Zhou revealed the terrorsists future plans and Korea is already prepared for everything. After months of war against the terrorist group, the government managed to win with the help of Hakyeon after being personally asked by the president himself after knowing what he did back at the fatefull meeting.    Everyone relied and trusted Hakyeon until the day he left.    Hakyeon POV    A knock on the door. "Come in." The door opened and revealed Yoona. "Can we talk?" She sounds serious. "Sure." I closed the door for her and she sat down at my bed. I went back to my previous task which was packing.  "You're leaving?" She asked. "Yeah, I'm gonna check out something in the US. I'm staying for a few months though." I then heard a sigh from her. "I know what you're up to, Hakyeon." I stopped what I'm doing and looked at her.    "What are you talking about?" She stands up and walks closer to me until we're face to face. "You hacking grandpa's bank account, meeting with billionares secretly, stealing weapons from the military, and now you're leaving for america? What are you really doing, Hakyeon?" I furrowed my brows in confusion.