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Chapter 51 

                As we walk into the building, we come face to face with Hyuna. She stops dead and stares at us, her eyes wide open in shock. "Naeun??" She notices at once that something's wrong. At the same time, i can hardly look my best. She glances briefly at Taemin, before putting a hand on my shoulder. "Is everything all right?? what happens?" 

"I..." I don't have the energy to answer. I'm too out of breath. 

"Do you know each other?" Taemin suddenly asked Hyuna.

"Of course! She's my friend!" 

"Can i leave her with you a minute?" Taemin steps aside a moment to dial a number. As he puts his phone to his ear, he keeps an eye on us. "Sir... Miss Son is downstairs, a car just tried to run over her. Yes... Okay. Yes. No. Fine." 

An icy chill runs down my spine as his words reach my ears. 

"What does he mean a car just tried to run you over ?" Hyuna is completely panicked. She's staring at me, checking me from head to toe ad spin me around to see if i was hurt somewhere. 

Before i have time to explain, Taemin comes back up to us and speaks to my friend. "She's still in shock, would you be so kind as to bring her something hot a tea or coffee?"

"Yes, of course!" Hyuna leaves quickly. The sound of her heels echoing in the silent hall. The cleaning ladies have to stop what they were doing and i suddenly feel the center of attention.

"Come on ladies, get back to work. There's nothing to see." Taemin sense my discomfort. The ladies nod their heads, a little embarrassed, and get back to work. "Come over here and sit down." Taemin helps me to a seat and i drop into it. 

"Taemin, Thank you.." He merely looks at me a knowing look on his face. 

Suddenly i see HIM. Instantly my body relaxes and a powerful emotion comes over me. As if the only one who could calm my inner torment was here at last. "Naeun!!" 

"Jongin!" I get up and throw myself into his arms. Never mind the spectators all around us. To tell the truth, it doesn't matter anymore to him or to me. I bury my face against him and wrap my arms around him, holding him tightly up against me. He hugs me with the same intensity. 

"Calm down... Calm down, baby... I'm here now... All is well..." 

As i stand up, i back away from him a little and i look over to Taemin. "Taemin... save my life..." 

The latter stands beside us, impassive. Jongin looks at him, for a moment. I can't seem to analyze the nature of this silent exchange between the two men. There's tension in the air. Hyuna comes back holding a small tray carrying cups of steaming tea. She freezes when Jongin looks towards her. 

"Uh...I... Here are the hot drinks..." If the situation wasn't so dramatic. I would have burst out laughing at my friend's reaction. I see that Jongin also have an effect on her. It's wonder whether he ever happens not to destabilize a woman. 

"Thank you, miss."

this time she goes bright red. Jongin motions for me to sit back down and kneels down to my level. He gently my hand. "Are you going to be okay ?"

"Yes, i think.."

"I'll take you home, okay?"

Hyuna moves slowly towards us. She raises her pointer finger up like a good student would in a classroom. "I...I can bring her back."

Jongin looks at her again. His eyes are both kind and determined. "It's very kind of you miss, but you can go home. I'll take care of Miss Son."

Taemin invites Hyuna to move away and leaves us alone with Jongin. 

"Good God Naeun... I'm Sorry..."

"It's not your fault, Jongin."

"Of course it is! It's my fault if you're in danger." 

"Jongin, we mustn't doubt Taemin... If he hadn't been there..."

His eyes darken for a moment and they soften again. "Let's not talk about that for now. I'll take you home and get you warm."

"I don't want to... I don't want to go to your... you know... I'd rather we go to mine." 

"Of course, baby.." Jongin gently puts his jacket over my wet shoulders and calls the elevators to take us to the building's basement.  

                                               ***

I look at myself in the mirror. My mascara has smeared, my hair is a mess and my eyes are puffy. We drove to my house in silence. i was huddled into the passenger seat of the Aston Martin. I looked out of the window as we drove through the streets, pensive. What a night!

As we reach my house, i grab  a towel and wrap my hair in it. I take off my soaking wet clothes and my underwear. As i cross the living room to get some dry clothes, Jongin is sat on the sofa looking at something on his phone. 

Feels someone been staring at him, he looks up at me. "Do you want me to run you a hot bath?"

"No, it's okay, I'll just put something dry on."

He nods at me briefly before delving back into his work. Once in front of my closet, i mechanically put on a pair of thin, lace and a kind of loose tee shirt. I unfold the towel and gently dry my hair whilst heading back to the living room. If someone had told me the great Kim Jongin would one day be sitting here in my modest apartment, I would never have believed it! Yes, it's true. The world's iest golden boy is here. In my house.

He puts his phone down on the table and be kind me over to him, opening his arms wide. I put the towel down on a kitchen stool and walk towards him. While I settle on his lap, my arms around his neck, he looks at me sideways. Jongin gently my thigh and looks me straight in the eye. Good God, in those moments there are only him. I could lose myself in this hypnotic dark brown land. "My team of hackers is moving forward, and there'll soon be some new developments, I have to take stock of the situation with them tomorrow afternoon."

"Okay..." I stare at the fabric of my sofa. For some reason, this news leaves me indifferent. I think I'm too upset to take in any new information. As if Jongin was reading my thoughts, he gently shakes his knees. I frown.

"Hey, trust me. Everything will be alright. I'll never let them hurt you again, okay?"

I sigh heavily starting into space. He shouldn't promise me things he failed to fulfill once. Jongin lays a kiss on my cheek. "Are you hungry?"

"No..."

"But you have to eat, naeun..." I snuggle deeper into him. I don't want to leave his arms. This moment of intimacy. I need some calm after the storm and before the next... And seems like he senses it. "Okay..." I lay my head in the hollow of his neck and I relax up against his. He's still wearing his suit. I didn't even ask if he wanted to get comfortable.

"Do you really think Taemin has something to do with all this?" I feel his broad chest lifting up and down slowly. "I don't know Naeun... I also have a hard time believing it... But... I learned to be wary."

The prospect that Taemin is involved in any way whatsoever hurts me. I wonder why. Maybe because deep inside my heart, I still trusted Taemin. "Why would he saved me tonight?"

Jongin puts his forehead against mine. "There's a difference between making bad choices and hurting you directly. Maybe he hasn't measured the extent of his actions, or maybe he totally innocent." I gently run my forehead against his neck to bury myself deeper in its hollow. I feel the regular rhythm of the blood pulsing through his veins. 

"How long has he been working for you?"

"For years, he was one of the few people I trusted." How sad... It must be exhausting to be in Jongin place, never being able to trust anyone. "You know, I've seen how he looks at you."

My body tenses. Taemin's advances come to mind. Who knows how Jongin would react if he knew everything! "How he looks at me?"

"Yes, you've been in his good books, and from the beginning, he's been worried about you, I sometimes wonder if he's still my bodyguard or yours... I'm not an idiot, I've seen the effect you have on men."

This time I can't help but burst out laughing. "The effect I have on men? Ring in, be serious!"
He pinches me at the waist. "Ouch!!"

"What did I tell you?" His paternalistic tone surprises me and at the same time touches me.

"What? Why are you pinching me?"

"You must not put yourself down, Naeun. There are so many men who'd like to have you for themselves. You just don realize it and never open your eyes. I'm a lucky guy."

"I'm not putting myself down. You're the one who's putting me on a pedestal."

"Mmh... Of course... They must be why all the guys who come across you behave like knights in shining armor. But... Do know this ma'am, that the only knight who has the right to take you on his white horse, and wherever he pleases, is me."

I nudge him in the side to get my own back on his chauvinistic remark. His laughter fills the room at the same time as my heart. "Anyway, you start put whilst I fix us something to eat, no matter how comfortable my arms, you have to eat, baby..." Jongin gets up in spite of my disapproving pout, and beads with his usual grace towards my kitchen.

This is my field but Jongin has the right to enter. He takes off his jacket, undoes his tie, and pulls up his sleeves. I never tire of watching him.

                                        ***

We're lying in bed. Jongin has taken his shirt off and I'm snuggled up against him, my head resting in the hollow of his shoulder. He gently caresses my shoulder and I sigh with pleasure, my legs against his, half twisted in the sheets. I let my fingers run along the small folds of his abdominals. Everything is quiet, there isn't a single noise. Just the slow, steady rhythm of our breathing. "Tomorrow, I want you to rest."

"No, I'd rather come to work... I need to take my mind off things." He kisses my forehead, continuously me.

"We'll see about that in the morning."

I lift myself up onto my elbows to look down on him. My hair falls over my shoulders. "Sir, when I say no, it means no."

He stares at me, twisting a strand of hair around his fingerers. Difficult to stand up to him when he's like that. "I forgot you were stubborn as a mule."

"Especially because I have a very bossy boss."

"Admit that you like it."

"I wouldn't say that, but if that's what you want to think..." I look at him, teasingly. Suddenly he props himself up on his elbow in turn and tilts me on my back. I look at him, laughing. Having Jongin on top of me doesn't bother me in the least.

"What could I do to wipe that insolent little air from your beautiful face, Miss son?" He puts on a grumpy expression that makes me laugh. "Well, that's better." He showers me with kisses on my neck and I squirm when he slips the tips of his fingers under my buttocks.

"Stop it, you're tickling me! I'm very ticklish!"

"Oh sorry... I wouldn't dream of it." I look at him dreamily. "Don't look at me like that, you know it gives me ideas."

"Ideas... Always ideas. Take a little action, Mister!"

"You shouldn't talk like that, young lady so vulnerable, at my mercy."

"Really?"

"I could think you want me to tickles you even more!" This time he leaps over me and slides his fingers under my knees and against my neck. I wriggle all over the place and laugh out loud.

"Jongin stop it!! Stop it!"

"You don't usually say that." He raises his brows with his mischievous smirks.

"I'd rather a kiss." I try to pout like an adorable young girl not at all manipulative. Suddenly he stops his gentle torture and stares at me, his eyes shining.

"If I stop it, tomorrow you'll rest?"

"I can't believe it, you're blackmailing me?"

"No, I'm negotiating."

"It's not a negotiation, you're taking advantage of your position, that's all."

"Who said I never took advantage of my position in negotiation?"

"I knew you were ruthless."

"With women, you must always show who's boss..."

"Who's boss? Ha Ha ha, that's a good one!" My eyes narrow and I glare at him. I'm not sure I'm very impressive because he's laughing in my face.

"Do tell me when you're trying to intimidate me?" I nudge him in the abdominals incidentally taking note of how firm they are. "You can also tell me when it's supposed to hurt. I didn't feel a thing."

"You're... unbearable, Mr. Kim !!"

                                                ***

              Last night, Jongin and I continued teasing each other, without . this is the first time we could keep our hands not to touch each other, i even amaze to myself.  I think we both needed some lightheartedness. i don't know when i went to sleep. I just know that i felt safe enough to fall asleep in his arms. My sleep was disrupted by several nightmares... Each one was more realistic than the last.  

Some guys kidnapped me, they asked for a ransom. But in the end, Jongin told them they could do whatever they wanted with me., that it didn't matter to him. His sister disdainful face then appeared and she bore me the fatal blow. So, this morning i feel bad. I feel like reality has just struck me in the teeth. Jongin's lies, his bachelor pad, his sister's nasty little game, the shooting on the rooftop and the car that wanted to crash into me last night. 

Everything went so quickly, i followed my heart, i forgave Jongin. I hung on despite all these events but now everything seems so confused. My mind was usually cautious. Is it really sensible to continue with him? is it not only slowly destroying me? Worst still, am i not risking my life for a man i hardly know? these questions have been haunting me ever since  i woke up. 

Jongin's taking a shower, i can hear he's just turned the water off. I must snap out of it quickly and calm down.  Not let myself be overwhelmed by anxiety. I know how much it can distort the reality around me. 

When the object of all my troubles suddenly appears in the doorway, bare-chested, a towel loosely tied around his hips, my heart jumps. This idyllic image immediately short-circuits my brain. 

Dammit, this guy is a Greek. Drops of water are dripping from the tips of his hair pearling down onto his perfectly sculptured pecs. I let my eyes drift over his skin with a kind of fascination. Dawn gives the waterdrops an almost bewitching amber reflection. I refrain from gawping. The rays of sunlight give his eyes an intense depth and captivating glimmer. I've found something better than meditation to soothe my mind. 'Watching Kim Jongin half- walk into my room!'