“Kris,” Lay said exasperatedly,  “What did you do?”

“I don’t know,” Kris replied innocently, though he had a smug grin on his face, “I guess he just couldn’t handle the job.”

This was the second bodyguard Kris had forced to quit this month, though the number overall was in the double digits. Lay, his manager, couldn’t believe what his singer would go through to get rid of them. From pranks, to  threats, to a smothering attitude, everything he tried so far had worked. Lay didn’t know what to do; he was new to the business, and dropping someone so popular would be unheard of.

“I guess I just won’t have a bodyguard.” Kris shrugged, looking pleased. He knew there was no one left; he’d seen the files for the people Lay had considered. This had been the last one.

“Jesus, Kris!” Lay stared him down, “You can’t just walk the streets, or go through the airport, or travel on your own!”

Kris scoffed.

“I will find someone,” Lay said sternly.

“No, you,” Kris giggled over the phone. He was lying on the sofa of his penthouse apartment overlooking the city. Everything was white, luxurious, expensive, and exactly to his taste. He swirled a glass of wine in his hand as they chatted.

The girl on the other end flirted back; Kris started to say something, but was interrupted when his doorbell rang. “I’ll call you back, okay, baby?”

“Okay,” she said, “you hang up first-“

Click.

He dropped the phone on the table and made for the door, where he answered the intercom. “Who is it?”

“It’s Lay, let me in.”

Kris’ head fell back and he groaned, but he unlocked the door and let it swing open. “What do you want?” he said rudely. Lay swatted him over the head with a magazine.

“Watch your mouth,” he replied dryly, “I have someone for you to meet.” He waved his arm, beckoning someone that Kris couldn’t see from the door. The person slithered into view and Kris glared. “This is Tao, I’ve hired him as your new bodyguard.”

Kris raised an eyebrow and looked him over. He was puny; in fact, he was slightly gangly and no bigger than Kris himself. Besides his dark, piercing eyes and solemn face, there wasn’t much intimidating about him. Kris huffed and tossed his head to the side, “Look at him, Lay, he couldn’t even take down a fangirl.”

Lay locked eyes with Tao and titled his head in Kris’ direction.

In one swift move, Tao kicked Kris’ leg out from under him and took him to the floor, pinning his arms behind him. Kris struggled, but Tao’s knee dug deeper into his back. “What- where did you find this freak?”

“Irrelevant,” Lay said, “He’s all yours now,” he laughed, “and I’d like to see you try to run this one off.”

Tao let his arms go and stood. He offered him a hand up, but Kris smacked it away and groaned. He stood and brushed himself off. He looked Tao over again; he didn’t seem bothered. The man only stared ahead, with his hands linked behind his back.

Kris didn’t like this.