C H A P T E R 5;

I knew his eyes were always watching me. They followed every little movement and gestures of mine, never taking their focus off me, not even for a second.

I just didn’t know if his gaze were like a wolf protective of its den…or an eagle eyeing at its prey. His ambiguous intentions suffocate me. Because I do not wish for the reason to be latter.

“My lady,” He spoke from the shadows, a usual spot he would hide himself away from the enemies’ sight in order to protect me. “You should not venture too far.”

I turned around with a fake frown on my face. “You dared to order me around?”

“This humble servant dares not, my lady.”

The frown on my face falls upon his words, but it did go according to my plan somewhat. “Then come with me.”

I reached my hands out to the shadows with a smile. “I want to show you a beautiful place….”

“What are you doing Seo-Yun!” Min exclaimed as I stumbled over a chair in my attempted walk to the door.

“Hi.” I clenched my teeth and managed to force a smile despite the throbbing pain where my foot had hit the chair legs. “To take a stroll.” I answered.

“In this condition?” He slipped his hands around my shoulders to guide me. My heart thumped at his closeness and warmth radiating from his body heat. I could even catch a whiff of his faintly sweet cologne.

But I cleared my thoughts and shook his hands off stubbornly. “But the weather outside seems great! I’ll be bored to death in this hospital room!”

He placed his hands on my wrists and just when I was about to shook them off again, he pulled me up to a stand. “Let’s go. I’ll guide you.”

I looked up at the blurred face before me with a grateful smile. “Okay.”

The summer heat was sweltering to say the least. All too soon, I found myself, tired and perspiring. The path took a bigger strain to walk as usual and my gripe on Min’s arms tightened.

As if fate wished to play a cruel fate on me, I tripped over a rock and cried out in pain.

“Are you okay?” Min’s hands asked in concern as I hopped around, trying to hop away the pain.

“I’m fine…!” I stopped short my sentence and bit my lips when my left leg touched the ground.

“You twisted your leg.”

I made no reply to his statement, not wanting to give him a reason to pull me back to that loathing bed again.

As if he could read my mind, he merely gave a defeated sigh and pulled me up by the waist. “Shall we sit under some tree shade instead?”

In mere moments, I found myself under the cooling shade of a tree, with a bottle of cold coke in my hands.

“This is life!” I grinned, taking another sip of the sweet drink. “I can still smell the outdoor fresh air too!”

Min chucked at my words. “You’re quite easy to please.”

“I am?” I commented, set her drink down and rest against the tree trunk. “But I’m still so uncertain. What if…I never regain my sight again? Become a useless blind person? I don’t want tha-“

Before I could finish my sentence, I felt a sharp knock on my head. “Hey! Why are you bullying me now?”

“It’s punishment! You’re not to think this way! You will be fine and see again! I’ll be here to make sure you get well soon!”His determined voice rang strongly in my ears, as if to chase away the uncertainties in my heart.

“I hope to get well soon too.” I smiled slightly and looked at him. “That way, I can see your face properly, and remember you well as a friend. I really want to see you soon…..”  I reached out and touched his face. “Thank you…for pulling me out of the darkness.”

Taemin looked at Seo-Yun in slight alarm when she collapsed into his arms gently.  Realizing she was sleeping, he let out a breath of relief and leaned his back against the tree trunk.

 The walk must have been tiring for her, he guessed, feeling a slight pang of guilt as he gazed at her peaceful expression.

How will she react, if she finds out that the reason for her temporal blindness was all because of him? The image of her face, contorted into hatred and disgust at him….he bit his lips at the thought and sighed, wondering why he felt so bothered about all these.

Why was he so concerned over this girl he had barely know for less than a week?

Wasn’t paying her hospital fees and giving her monetary compensation more than enough?

Why bother visit her continuously when he barely had any breathing time from his busy schedules?

Those were the same questions his hyungs had thrown at him.

 He gave a silent chuckle as he set Seo-Yun carefully on his lap.

Why indeed….

His eyes trailed down to the sleeping girl, who now had a smile creeping across her petite face. An unexplainable force pulled his heart as he watched her, compelling him to protect this person right before him.

He sighed and pressed his arm against his slightly sweaty forehead.