Ren’s POV

I sit against the tree and glance at Su Min.

“You look really tired.” I say. I carefully reach out to touch the delicate dark areas underneath her eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Um….yeah, I-I’m fine….” she doesn’t look me in the eyes.

I know something is up. She looks exhausted these days. Every time I’m with her I feel like she’s really paranoid, scared even. I just don’t know of what.

She yawns and rubs her eyes. She’s so tired but that doesn’t keep her from scanning the trees around us with cautious eyes.  She’s been doing this a lot.

“How much sleep did you get last night?” I ask worried.

She doesn’t respond.

“Su Min?”

“Huh? Sorry I was zoning out…” she sways a little, her lids fluttering every now and then.

I sigh and pull her into my lap. My chin rests on top of her head and my arms circle around her. My heart beats wildly but I ignore it.

“Take a nap. I’ll wake you up when it’s time to go in.”

“No, I can’t….” she tries to get up but my arms tighten. She needs to get rest and we both know it.

“Why? You’ve been acting strange lately….what’s going on?” I look down at her, hoping that she’ll tell me something this time. Every time I ask she changes the topic.

She stares back, her eyes unfocused. She sighs in defeat.

“Fine…I’ll sleep.”

My heart sinks, she’s still unwilling to tell me. At least she agreed to rest a bit though. She snuggles into my chest but I can still feel her body tense.

I kiss the top of her strawberry scented head. “I’ll keep you safe, don’t worry.”

She blushes a bit and nods.

“Thanks” I hear her whisper.

Slowly, I feel her begin to relax. Within a minute her breathing became slow and deep, the warm gusts tickle my arm. She’s asleep. I chuckle and her soft dark hair. I wonder what’s been bothering her lately…. I really hope she’ll tell me soon.

I’m about to fall asleep myself when I hear Su Min whispering.

“Hmm? Did you say something?”

I look down. She’s still asleep but her pink lips are moving ever so slightly. Hushed words, too soft to understand, escape . She’s sleep talking.

I smile and try to fall asleep again but then her words gradually become clearer and louder. I can feel her body tensing up again. Her head gives tiny jerks and her brows furrow in fear. She starts shaking.

“Su Min, are yo-“

“Get….away….from me…away….” She whispers. Her eyes are still shut but her arms attempt to push me away.  She’s having a nightmare. “Away….Aron…away….”

“Su Min, wake up, it’s me.” I try to gently shake her but she’s still in her dreamland. I wonder who Aron is but lose my train of thought when I see a tear form from the corner of her eye.

“Mom….dad….you….took them away….Aron…” More tears drip from her trembling chin.

My eyes widen. What was going on? She was scaring me. Was this Aron person what was making her so scared all this time? What did she mean by he took her parents away? My gentle shaking becomes more insistent.

“Su Min, come on wake up. You’re scaring me….” I kiss the top of her head and rock back and shake her arms but she’s a heavy sleeper. Whimpers escape . They soon are replaced with soft cries.

“Why…..you….want…me?” she asks. “Aron….leave….me…alone…”

 My chest tightens in fear and my head felt dizzy. Who was this Aron?

With a final cry she wakes up shaking. She doesn’t see me at first and scans the area around us with wild dilated pupils. Her breathing comes out in hard uneven pants.

“Where is he?” She asks terrified, apparently to herself. Her hands grip onto my sleeves tightly.

“Su Min?” She looks at me and sighs in relief.  

I pull her into my arms and rock back and forth. “Shhhh it’s okay now, I’m here….don’t be scared.”

She allows me to pull her in but her tears keep falling.

“Ren…”

“Who’s Aron?” I ask gently.

She shakes her head indicating that she didn’t want to talk about it.

I don’t say anything. All I can think about are her words…. Who was Aron and what did he do to her?

I realized that I don’t actually know anything about Su Min…. the thought makes me flinch. I don’t know anything about her life prior to coming here. I don’t even know about her family.  I don’t know anything. How am I supposed to help her if I don’t know anything?

I look down. She’s still shaking, eyes teary and red. The sight makes my heart throb. I hold her closer and start her back.

“It’s okay now…” I coo

The bell rings. As much as I’d like to, I can’t question her about any of this right now. We walk into class.

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Aron’s POV

As usual I hide on the east wall of the school. The school bell rings. My ears are beginning to become accustomed to the piercing shrill, it no longer affects me. I watch the students pour out. I see Su Min…..

My heart gallops with joy and I sigh. She just gets more and more beautiful each day….

I want to approach her…but she’s with one of her friends…. I don’t want anyone but Su Min to know that I’m here. It would only cause trouble. Besides, Su Min would never tell anyone about me. I smirk knowingly. Besides, telling them about me requires telling them about her tarnished history, and she would never want that, now would she?

A boy approaches her. He’s a pretty thing, with light hair and large long lashed eyes. At first I think nothing of it, but then he kisses her on the cheek; a simple but nonetheless intimate gesture. I am enraged. Could it be that that boy is “Ren”?

I grind my teeth and glare.

How dare he take away my angel?

I watch him leave her side and start walking in the direction perpendicular to hers. I wait for all the students to leave before following him.

I keep a 200 ft distance between us. Enough room for me to follow his steps while looking like a typical pedestrian. Within ten minutes we arrive to a bookstore. I casually walk in and see him at the cashier.

I laugh. The boy works at a bookstore! It could never compare to the countless businesses that I own. He’s hardly competition. I have a plan cooking already…..I just need someone inside the school to assist me.

As if the lord had answered my prayers, I heard a familiar voice.

“Oh hey Ren, I didn’t know you worked here.” The tender voice was unmistakably that girl. The one who fancied my rival.

“Hey Yoon Ji.”

I smiled. This is perfect.

I waited outside the store for her to finish her purchase. It only took a few minutes.

“Yoon Ji, correct?”

She gives me a startled look. “Y-yes…do I know you? You look familiar….”

I smile. “You might.”

She gasps. “Wait! I’ve seen you on TV before! You’re the-“

“Shhh….not in public, dear.”

She quickly puts a hand over and giggles. “Sorry.”

I smile and walk closer.

“No, it’s alright.”

She stares at me with glistening eyes, star struck, just like every other girl I’ve ever come across.

“Say….there’s something I need help with….would you care to assist me?”

Her eyes widen and she nods ecstatically. “Anything for you.”

My smile widens. I pull out my card and hand it to her.

“Wonderful.”