A day later, Francesco received Marcella's message. 

"Hi, I'm Marcella. Thank you so much for helping me yesterday."

"No worries, I've been spied on before so I know the common spots for spies to miss. I could offer some advice for you, if you don't mind."

And so, they started texting about strategies to avoid the spies. 

Occasionally, Francesco would talk to her about other things. About school, their favorite subject, their friends. Both of them intentionally avoided starting the topic about their family or their background, to keep their secrets. 

A few days passed and Francesco's strategy seemed to work for the spies. Marcella could still feel like she's being followed, but only when she's eating lunch on the field of Winterville school. 

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One day, during break, Francesco came up to her and told her about his new idea on avoiding the spies. After discussing about the plan, Francesco glanced and her and asked carefully. 

"Marcella, is it okay if I ask you a question?"

She nodded.

"May I ask if you know who sent these spies and why are they following you?" 

She hesitated. 

He added quickly. "It's fine if you don't want others to know. I'll keep the secret if you tell, and if you don't, I can still help you. I'm just curious after all."

She remained silent. It is about my real self... should I tell him? But... he has been helping me for a while and he seems like a good person... he deserves to know.

She smiled and lifted her head up to him. "No, you've been helping me for a while and you deserve to know... and... I trust you."

She glanced around the classroom to ensure that no one was there. 

"Those spies are from my father, he wants me to go back to Korea for an arranged marriage. I left home just so he could stop it, but I guess not..."

He looked at her side profile intently. She was brave enough to leave home and fight for her freedom... Like me, she chose her own path instead of following her family's. 

He smiled. "You're beautiful." 

She lifted her eyebrows and blushed. "What... I... Thank you.. but why are you saying that?"

He smiled broadly. "I mean.. you look pretty but the fact that you had the courage to live your own life makes you beautiful."

————————

Naeun still blushed deeply from Francesco's words after school. His statement repeated over and over again in her mind and she couldn't help to stop thinking about him. 

————————

After that incident, Francesco has been helping her avoiding the spies for weeks. The spies seems to discover the fact that someone is helping herself to escape. 

She was having her art session, and the same girl as last month went up to her. Naeun stepped back, lifting her arms up in front of her chest and guarding herself. Her eyes shot up, sending blades to the spy. 

“Every single time, when we try to follow you, you vanish, then appears back in the classroom again… I wonder why is that?”

“That's because you guys are invading my privacy.”

“Uh no, don't blame it on us. We're only doing it for the money. I am wondering…. how can you avoid us every single time with such accuracy.”

Naeun swallowed her saliva and acted calm. “Maybe cause’ I'm smart.”

“No no, you couldn't do it yourself.”

She prays silently that the spy wouldn't go on.

But the spy continued. 

“Someone is helping you.”

Faking her smirk, Naeun deliberately judged on her sentence. “Who would, have such courage to act against Korea’s second largest company?” 

“But does he know that you're the daughter of the Son company?”

“Who?”

“Francesco.” She waited for Naeun’s reaction. 

Naeun acted surprised. “Francesco? What about him?”

“Stop pretending. I know he was helping you all the time.”

“What? So you don't think, me, as in the eldest daughter of Son’s group, my abilities in escaping the claws of your comrades?”

Naeun added on, to pressurise the spy. “I guess my father is monitoring this conversation right? If you doubt his daughter’s abilities, what will happen to your job and your mission?”

The girl gulped. “This girl really knows how to get a grip on others…”

She forced a smile. “I'm just stating the fact that you and Francesco might have some kind of relationship. What if your father thinks that as well? Do you think your father will treat Francesco nicely? I guess not.”

“Well don't you worry about that. I am fine on my own and I can run away to the ends of the earth just to escape from you spies.”

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The luxurious bathroom laid golden tiles on the plain floor. As the tap swu