Chapter 16: I’ll Protect You   “Where is she?” The man seated on the huge chair asked.   “We f–failed to get her, Sir.” The poor subordinate stuttered.   With a slam on the table, he stood up furiously. “What do you mean by you failed? Why can’t you all do such a simple task of capturing a mere human?!”   “T–there were others with her, Sir. And Kim TaeYeon has s–something to tell you.”   “What is it?” He went to his desk and pulled out the drawer where a revolver was placed nicely. He took it out and spun it around his hand.   The man saw it and he gulped nervously. “She said that y–you’ll never get w–what you want.”   He clenched his fist before holding onto the gun properly. A click was heard when he pressed down the hammer of the gun. “You know what happens when you fail a mission?”   “Y–yes...” The man’s voice cracked.   In one swift movement, he had already gone to the back of his subordinate. He brought up the revolver and shot the back of his neck without any word.   The man fell onto the ground after and blue blood was gushing out his wound.   “Bring him out and set his body on fire,” he took out a cigar from his pocket, lit it and placed it in between his lips.   “Yes, Sir.”   He exhaled and smoke could be seen coming out from his nose and mouth. “Kim TaeYeon... You’ll fall under me one day.”   He took out the cigar from his mouth harshly and threw it carelessly onto the blue trail on the ground. Flame immediately appeared and the room was heated up.   ---   They immediately left the place after the whole fight and decided to just go back to the palace. As much as they loved the fun they were having, they couldn’t afford the dangers to be attacked again.   While everyone was having thoughts on who attacked them earlier, a certain person had her mind elsewhere.   Why did she run away earlier on? Did she know that someone was there? Tiffany asked herself as she continued walking towards the main door of the palace.   But that can’t be. If she knew, then she would have stayed with me instead of running away. So, what is–   While asking herself those questions, Tiffany did not notice that the person in front of her had stopped walking, causing her to bump into the person’s back.      “Oh, sorry!” The person turned around and Tiffany blushed when she realised who she had bumped into. “Are you okay?”   “I should be asking you that.”   “W–what?” Tiffany stared back at TaeYeon who was looking into her eyes. She felt uncomfortable – because Taeyeon’s stare was as though she was searching something inside her eyes – so she looked away. “What are you saying?”   “You were distracted the whole ride back. And till now, you still are. What’s wrong?” TaeYeon’s tone softened. “Are you traumatised by the incident?”   Tiffany was surprised at how worried TaeYeon sounded, but she did nothing to show how she felt. Instead, she tried to look back and forced a smile onto her face, “I'm fine. Really.” She then walked on, without looking back.     ---   Tiffany went into her room and immediately locked herself in. She leant her back against the door while questions were still running through her mind. As much as she would like her answers, she was also afraid of them at the same time. She was afraid that the answers would hurt her – although she doesn’t exactly know the reason why.   What if... she ran away because she was afraid?   But she was the one who took the initiative and then ran off the next moment...   She lightly banged her head against the wooden surface and closed her eyes. Kim TaeYeon, you’re killing my mind!   She stood still for a minute before opening her eyes. I should thank her for helping me earlier, right? Come to think of it, I really didn’t thank her yet...   But that would be awkward. A sigh escaped from her lips.   Still... she got hurt because of me. Tiffany bit her lips as the memories of how TaeYeon got hurt started to flash through her mind.   I should... just go. Yes, just go.   She finally nodded her head to herself before opening the door. She poked her head outside first and once she checked that the coast was clear, she then stepped out of her room and tiptoed to the room that was next to hers.     She noticed that the door to Taeyeon’s room wasn’t fully close and there was a gap big enough for her to look in.   She slowly leant forward and looked inside. She then saw TaeYeon sitting on her bed with Se