"Master."

"Stop."

"But master-"

"I'm not a kid anymore Mingyu, I know what I am doing." Jihoon stubbornly put his books inside his bag. It was Jihoon's first day in college. He had always thought that the word 'college' was synonymous to the word 'freedom'.

"But master, Mr.President will skin us alive if we'll allow you to do what you want." Mingyu was literally pacing back and forth in front of his master.

"He will not skin you alive if he doesn't know, right? Then don't tell him." Jihoon stated matter-of-factly.

"Jihoon." Mingyu stared at Jihoon.

This caught Jihoon off guard, he lifted an eyebrow towards Mingyu.

How dare him call me without any formalities? Not because I allowed him to do that to me last night it meant that he could have a say in my life, Jihoon thought.

"Jihoon? Where are the formalities? I'm afraid you're crossing some lines here Mingyu." Jihoon turned to his back and got his bags full of clothes, personal items and school related things.

"I-I'm sorry master. I'm just worried about you." Mingyu bowed, apologizing for his rudeness.

"You're just a mere personal guard and I'm the president's son. The young master."

Jihoon stated though it tasted bitter in his mouth. He doesn't like bringing up this status issue especially with Mingyu but there were times that he had to.

For the other people to know where they should place themselves. For Jihoon to be reminded where he should place himself. Far from the people he love.

Mingyu was still bowing and didn't care if he had to be like that for the entire day or the entire week. All he wanted was for Jihoon to accept his apology.

Jihoon sat across Mingyu and watched him.

"Stop bowing and helped me with my baggages." Jihoon stood up after watching Mingyu bowed for almost half an hour. He's not that evil to let Mingyu bow for an hour or the whole day or the entire week though Jihoon was tempted.

He's his Mingyu afterall.

"I'm excited to live in a dormitory." Jihoon wore his backpack, walking towards the door of his hotel room. Mingyu was trailling behind him with a lot of baggages on hand.

That was an understatement.

Mingyu felt like Jihoon had brought his entire wardrobe with him.

Mingyu's phone rang as they were about to step inside the elevator.

"Yes Mr.President." Mingyu nodded his head, eyeing Jihoon who was trying to listen in their conversation.

"We're on our way." Mingyu said and ended the call. Jihoon looked at him and cursed under his breath.

"Mr. President wants to see you master."

Mingyu didn't wait for Jihoon's answer nor reaction as he ushered him inside the elevator. Mingyu pressed the button going to the penthouse of the hotel where South Korea's President was secretly staying. Jihoon crossed his arms against his chest.

"Another Pep talk from the President himself." Jihoon muttered. A tiny and quick smile graced Mingyu's handsome face because of Jihoon's remark.

Mingyu knew that Jihoon hates talking to his father and called their conversations 'pep talk' because according to Jihoon it was not his father who was talking to him but a very practiced politician giving some speech.

The elevator dinged and the door opened. Jihoon took a deep breath and stepped outside the elevator.

Jihoon was welcomed by the citrusy smell of the penthouse. A smell that was very close to Jihoon's heart. Back when he was a child, his mother used to keep their house smelling like that, and that made Jihoon realize how he misses his mother. How he misses their life before all of this happened.

"My son!" Jihoon was woken in reality when a pair of big arms enveloped him in a tight hug.

"Dad." Jihoon slightly pushed his father away. The older Lee removed his arms as Jihoon walked towards the sofa in the middle of the room.

"What? Can't I get a hug from my favorite son?" President Lee laughed, walking behind his son.

Jihoon sat wordlessly, observing the big room.

The room was simple but huge given that it was the penthouse. The wall was painted white and light blue giving it a more relaxing vibe. There was a huge table across the room with the flag of South Korea on the left side and the Seal of the President on the right side. There were many papers cluttered above the table. Not to mention the men wearing tuxedos who were scattered around the room.

"What do you want?" Jihoon halfheartedly asked. He could feel Mingyu's stare boring at him.

"I heard that you want to stay on a dormitory." The president sat from across Jihoon, he folded his legs and wore his 'on-business' face.

Jihoon nodded as his eyes travelled from one tuxedo man to another. There were a total of eight tuxedo men, some were familiar faces while some were new. With him and Mingyu present, there were 11 people inside the room and it kind of felt suffocating for Jihoon.

"You know I won't allow that."

Jihoon snorted. The president folded his arms across his chest.

"Are you rebelling Jihoon? First, you said you wanted to enroll in a state university though I clearly disapproved for safety reasons and now you wanted to stay in a dormitory? Seriously Jihoon?" The president said coldly, staring at his son who was intensely staring back.

Jihoon had grown to look more like his mother, the president's deceased wife. Although Jihoon looked more like his mother, Jihoon's attitude was more like his father's, stubborn and never gives a damn about what the other says. The older Lee doesn't know if he should be happy about that or what.

Jihoon leaned against the sofa's backrest, folding his arms across his chest, mirroring his father. Jihoon tilted his head as if asking, 'what now?'

"You will not listen to me, will you?" the president unfolded his arms, resting his elbows against his table and clasped his hands together.

Jihoon just stared at his father indefiantly.

Jihoon now noticed the two tuxedo men standing on each side of his father. Two new faces he hadn't seen until now.

Jihoon heard his father sigh.

"Alright. You won." The president massaged his temples. He never won against Jihoon, never.

Jihoon stood, feeling triumphant. He turned to his back and caught Mingyu staring at him, Jihoon smirked and mouthed, 'I won.'

"Wait. Woozi." The president smiled. If he couldn't win against Jihoon then he will just .

Jihoon turned around, his brows knitted. The president laughed and motioned him to go.

"Good luck Woozi." The president cooed. Jihoon's hands turned into fists. His father really knew how to irritate him fully. He hated that nickname. Woozi.

Mingyu led him towards the elevator.

"Woozi? Who's that?" Mingyu whispered to Jihoon, Jihoon just rolled his eyes. They stepped inside the elevator and Mingyu pressed the button going to the basement.

Jihoon caught sight of one of the new tuxedo men staring straightly at him, the one standing on his father's right side. Jihoon once again felt like suffocated.

The two of them stared at each other as the elevator door slowly closes.