Guarding HeeJin was mostly uneventful these past few weeks. HyunJin imagined how movies portray being a bodyguard would lead an action-packed life, well, wrong. It’s not like explosions, and assassins will come after anyone that has a bodyguard, and it’s not like HyunJin was protecting the prime minister or anything. She’s mainly befriending a daughter because of her overprotective father, right? Either way, she didn’t mind protecting HeeJin at all. If anything, she looked forward to it each day. HyunJin followed her around campus when she had to attend classes and essential meetings to familiarize herself with the company. But her favorite was when it was just the two alone in HeeJin’s room as she studied and worked. That was because HeeJin didn’t want HyunJin to act as her bodyguard, they talked and laughed as if they were friends hanging out in her room. HyunJin always worried if it was ok to be this lax, though, so she ever tried to remain alert. 

HyunJin has grown accustomed to being by HeeJin’s side, and she thinks HeeJin feels the same way or at least hopes she does. It didn’t take long for HeeJin to become comfortable around her bodyguard. Not long after her secret with Jiwooo was exposed, she already considered her a friend. 

Ever since the press release of her becoming CEO in a few years, she had worked harder than before, if that was even possible. Balancing her current studies in school and taking on a few responsibilities for the company, she was wholly absorbed in it. HyunJin was a bit worried about her. She thinks that HeeJin was putting too much pressure on herself, on top of the stress that was already there, to begin with. 

HyunJin softly called out. “HeeJin...HeeJin”

HeeJin let out a soft sigh. “Hmm?” 

HyunJin grew a bit worried. She has been at it all day and evening, taking no breaks and sometimes forgetting to eat meals. She would constantly push herself to work and study late nights, sometimes HeeJin would even ask HyunJin to stay the night in the guest room to keep her company it’s happened fairly often, HyunJin also keeps some of her clothes in the guest room closet just in case. She could only imagine how her friends would if they knew she spends the night with her crush so often.

“I think it’s time to call it a night, HeeJin.”

“No, I need to analyze this data to prepare a presentation for the next meeting.” HeeJin furrowed her brow as she continued to work.

HyunJin could only let out a sigh. “Ok, but right after, you need to rest.”

HeeJin only gave a slight nod as she focused on the work before her.

It was cute watching her work, HyunJin thought. She spent a lot of time with HeeJin, and she couldn’t help but stare at her unbelievable beauty. She has practically remembered her facial features and habits perfectly. The way her desk lamp causes her face to glow in her darkroom, it’s like how the moon shines at night. Her jawline was defined and prominent against the contrasting light from her lamp. How her round glasses perfectly rest on the bridge of her cute nose. She always lets out an adorable sound, almost like a squeak, as she yawns and stretches, relieving her tension and tiredness from her body. Her favorite is when she slightly furrowed her eyebrows and scrunches her nose when she doesn’t understand something. When she is in deep thought, she always purses her lips and softly prods her supple lips with her pen. Her mole was perfectly placed by her left eye and just a faint speckle of a mole in the middle of her right cheek as if God himself decided where they were set so that every feature of HeeJin could be perfect. HyunJin could stare at HeeJin for hours as her new unknown feelings also grew.

~ ~ ~

HeeJin woke up from the sun peeking through her window, blinds as the rays gently warmed her body. She didn’t even remember going to bed, like most nights, this past couple of weeks. She reluctantly got out of her bed and sluggishly prepared for her day. 

As HeeJin finally was ready for her day, she opened the door and smiled, her bodyguard already standing by her door waiting for her.

“Good morning, HeeJIn.” The bodyguard smiled brightly by the sight of her friend.

“Good morning to you, HyunJin,” HeeJin responded vibrantly. She quickly walked over to the kitchen to prepare her much needed coffee.

“Oh HyunJin, can you please get my phone in my room. I think it’s on my bedside table.”

The bodyguard swiftly went into HeeJin’s room and spotted her bedside table immediately, but didn’t see her phone. She scanned the rest of the room, and the neatly made bed had no trace of her phone, her cluttered desk only had scattered papers and books. She decided to check inside the drawer of the bedside table. Her hand was a bit hesitant to open the drawer, thinking it would invade HeeJin’s privacy a bit, but she quickly brushed the thought away.

Immediately, she found an old tattered photo on top of a small, faded pink journal, which looked like a dairy. HyunJin couldn't resist her curiosity and gently took the picture from its resting place. The photo had faded a bit and even yellowed some. The edges were worn and frayed, and there was a  small tear down the middle of it. She could tell that the photo has been held and looked at a lot, there were flattened out wrinkles and a few drops of water stains on it. HyunJin leaned in closer to the photo to see more details of the family that was in it. 

There was an adorable little girl in the middle, her hair was neatly braided, and her smile was filled with innocence and glee. HyunJin smiled and recognized the young HeeJin in the photo. The woman on the left must have been the mother, she was gorgeous, resembling HeeJin, you can tell where HeeJin got her beauty from. Her eyes shifted over the right, and she was puzzled. The man didn’t look like Jaden, who was he? Maybe an Uncle?-

All of a sudden, the photo vanished right in front of her. HyunJin promptly looked up and was startled to see HeeJin, who snatched the photo from her hands. She was so focused on observing the picture she didn’t feel HeeJin’s presence, but what startled her was HeeJin’s glare. She never saw HeeJin like this, not even when she accidentally knocked her down when they first met. Her glare was harsh and piercing, and they were almost threatening. Her eyes were slightly glossed over, almost as if she was trying to hold back some tears.

HeeJin could only sneer at her bodyguard. “I didn’t tell you to snoop around.” She quickly slid the photo in her back pocket and stormed out of her room before HyunJin could even mutter a word.

HyunJin felt small, almost a bit scared of HeeJin, but more afraid that she may have ruined their budding friendship. She closed her eyes and just imagined kicking and scolding herself. She shouldn