It felt almost like a dream, or an alternate reality, to have him sitting in the same classroom just seats away from her desk. The best part was how he didn’t even made an effort to try – to be a regular classmate, to show that he wasn’t so madly in love with her.

‘That new guy who transferred, I heard he was some Chaebol with a luxurious apartment down in the heart of Gangnam.’ One of the gossipy girls, two seats away, whispered to another, who was half way through her make-up touch up session which in Heejin’s perception, didn’t go as planned.  

‘No. I heard he inherited a great fortune from his dead parents.’ Barbie-doll rebutted with a softer voice, but the sharpness in her voice was loud enough to be heard.

‘You guys are missing the point here. He’s been staring at Heejin for a while. What’s so good about her?’ said a 3^rd sarcastic voice.

Heejin almost rolled her eyes at their little exchange. But why did she care when the person of interest didn’t exercise the least bit of discretion. His ‘passionate’ stares could totally drill through the back of her head.

‘You there Newcomer, repeat what I’ve just said.’ The teacher picked on him on purpose, Heejin unknowingly held her breath. I’m so dead, she’s gonna make fun of us, of him looking at me. Oh no.

‘The objective of colour mixing in painting is to create the largest number of options from the minimum number of colours. ‘ Luhan repeated without blinking an eye. Heejin turned right away only to meet his usual proud smirk. Of course, this is Luhan we’re talking about. Some elite mixed blood agent from the future. Multi-tasking shouldn’t even be considered a problem to almighty him.

She could feel herself returning his smirk but realized how everyone was looking at their silent exchange so she went back to burying her face behind her books. She heard him chuckled, or at least she thought she heard him because that was the most possible reaction he would give.  

But of course, she was more aware and cautious of one other strong piercing look directed at her from the corner of the class. Yes, you got that right - Eye power of Chaeri.

Heejin could feel her temples close to exploding in the process. That was the first time she ever wished class could end early, most of the time she was just too preoccupied with rushing through her FYP  – Classes ends early = lesser time for work, so she thought. There’s no way to concentrate at home. Especially not when there’s a cute irresistible male staring while she worked on her sketches. No damn way. And now, there seemed no way to concentrate in class too.

She sighed, earning a few odd looks from the other kids which she ignored.

--

To her delight, class did indeed ended early but she could feel Chaeri trudging in from the corner of the room.

‘How was class?’ instead Luhan reached her first, leaning against her table casually. Moments like this made Heejin felt like a duck amongst a group of beautiful white swans.  He doesn’t even have to try. This natural grace and balance made him almost every girl’s prince overnight.

‘Aren’t you supposed to be in Astronomy lectures?’ Heejin didn’t mean to sound bitter but she was bad at lying.

He chuckled while she packed her stuffs carefully. He wouldn’t even try to deny how much he loved seeing her sulky face, he was far more observant than anyone. Especially when it comes to her, he notices even the smallest of things. Like how she didn’t like her hair tied because she kept fiddling with the hair band, and there was a particular brand of pencils she used to sketch even if she had like a whole case of sketching materials.

It all came natural to him, ever since he realized how in love he was with her and how much her presence affected him and his decisions. But of course to date her wasn’t the main purpose and he was fully aware that the Association, without a doubt, was tracking their whereabouts and progress.

‘Ehem.’ What was to come will come eventually. And there she was, standing before them, arms crossed infront her and regarded Luhan from head to toe with her narrowed eyes.

‘I can expla-‘

Chaeri stopped her from speaking with a single finger. Heejin immediately shot Luhan a caution glance as if to say, ‘WATCH WHAT YOU SAY OR YOU’LL BE DEAD BY SUNRISE TOMORROW.’

Luhan cleared his throat and pulled himself away from the desk, holding Chaeri’s gaze with his mesmerizing eyes.

‘Nice to meet you. I’m Luhan.’

Déjà vu. Yes, that was what Heejin felt. It was awkward and thrilling at the same time how she was the only one who could remembered what happened before and this introduction definitely happened and judging from Chaeri’s wide eyes and jaws that hung so low as though dislocated, she didn’t even have to guess what would happen next.

‘And you are..?’ Chaeri regained her ‘protective-sister-yet-totally-not-intimidating’ stance to look at the male.

He smiled. The kind of modest smile that showed no teeth yet it reached his beautiful eyes forming them into dazzling semi circles. Then he pulled Heejin in, ignoring the rest of their classmates who stayed to witness or gossip about them. His grip on her shoulder was as solid as she remembered the first time.

 ‘I’m her boyfriend.’ He said unwavering followed by a series of gasps from all over the room. Suddenly she felt so small but his touch kept her from digging a hole.

Chaeri looked as if she was having quite some difficulties recovering from her shock. ‘What about Daehyun?! Since when did you suddenly find a boyfriend without telling me? OH MAI GAD HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON? DOES YOUR BROTHER KNOW ABOUT THIS?!’

There were too many questions at once and Heejin looked stunned for a moment until the girl before her miraculously cured her own cardiac arrest to glare at Luhan again.

‘How did you meet her? Did you follow her? Are you a stalker?!’

Luhan couldn’t help but chuckled again before whispering in Heejin’s ear. ‘Don’t you find this oddly familiar?’

‘Hey HEY you you no ear biting allowed when I am speaking. Now, answer my question.’

‘Yes mam. We met at a café and I asked her for her number.’ He replied with a smile, too bright. Heejin took a glance up at him and rolled her eyes. He’s enjoying it, definitely.

‘Okay fine. How old are you?’

’23.’

‘So you’re officially a student here right?’ Miss interrogator raised an eyebrow eying him suspiciously.

‘Yes.’ He answered without a flicker of doubt in his eyes that could suggest lying. Man he’s good.

‘Do you have a job?’ She asked again. This time giving Chaeri a look of doubt.

‘Yes.’ That caught her attention again.

‘What is it?’

‘I’m an… agent.’ Damn, this man was a monster. He whispered the last word on purpose with those fatherly-like pursed lips.

Chaeri made a wide ‘O’ with and shot Heejin another look mouthing the words ‘WHERE DID YOU FIND HIM? AN AGENT?!’ soundlessly exaggerating the whole ordeal. Heejin only managed an awkward smile with a ‘well..yeah y’know’ kind of shrug. Can someone just explain to me why this woman right here is so single minded? Like how can she reply exactly the same things?!

‘So… where do you live?’ Chaeri asked, this time a smile too bright. Heejin was dying to find a place to hide now but Mr amused was pretty much enjoying the moment. He couldn’t wait to answer all of them.

‘Private property.’

Chaeri gasped dramatically. ‘And your parents?’

‘My parents they are not agents, and they’ve passed away a long time ago. I am living off the huge amount of inheritance they left me with.’

Heejin stared in disbelief at the male while he smirked victoriously.

‘Do I qualify?’ He asked the girl whose eyes widened with dazzles and envy. Heejin laughed and struck an elbow in his ribs.

‘OF COURSE. I APPROVE!’ She exclaimed with the same wide over dramatic smile but it didn’t last long this time.

‘What about Daehyun?’

‘He already knew.’ Luhan answered indifferently. Chaeri could only stare at him in obvious horror in the whole of her expression. ‘You did whut?!’

‘Yeah. I’m sorry towards him but who isn’t a fool when it comes to love? How can I ever give her up?’ He said and held Heejin’s gaze lovingly, though to Heejin it was a whole lot too melodramatic and he was obviously enjoying this impromptu romance comedy skit with that same smirk still hanging on the edge of his lips.

‘Alright, alright love birds. You’ll be home for dinner right?’

‘Are we?’ He stopped her reply with another suggestive counter question.

‘Fine fine fine do whatever you want now love birds. I’m outta here.’ And there she went, disappearing around the corner of the door. Luhan finally loosening his hold on Heejin.

‘How do I fare?’

‘What? As a comedian? Wow you have no idea how touching it was. I was soooooo close to tears.’ She laughed and punched him lightly in the chest again. He chuckled. He liked her sarcasm and she liked how he looked just like a child then.

However, you know when they said good things never last? There was some obvious truth in it and indeed Yongguk was at the door, catching his breath a whole look of seriousness written all over his face.

No words were exchanged and they all understood the graveness of the matter. Grabbing Heejin's hand, Luhan began to run after the other panting male. They raced out of the gates, just when they were turning around the corner into an empty street, 3 identically dressed men in blacks with the same identical hair cuts, materialized from thin air right before their eyes, blocking their paths forming a human barricade.

Luhan had seen this before. This materialization looked almost identical to Kai’s teleportation. He raised his hand at a rubbish bin nearby but realised that his powers couldn't be utilized at this Space and Time. Instinctively, he pulled Heejin behind himself in an attempt to shield her from any incoming attacks but he miscalculated. Right then another 3 men appeared out of nowhere behind them and grabbed Heejin by both arms in the opposite direction.

‘HEEJIN!’ he cried. 

A series of things happened at the same time in the next second. Luhan jerked back as Heejin slipped from his grip. He was distracted, for just that short second, giving one of the men a chance to sneak up close enough and there was a short sharp electrifying pain at the back of his neck. Luhan’s knees went weak at once and his vision slowly fading to grey. At some point he saw Yongguk too, went limp in their arms helplessly and then everything when black.

The only thought that got him hanging onto his conscious for as long as he could was Heejin’s desperate air piercing cries that were fading away into a distance, into the back of his consciousness.

He’d felt the same fear once again. It was the fear of being in a foreign place before, but now it was a different kind of fear. It was the fear of losing the most important person in your life, the fear that you’ll never see her again; the greatest mixture of fear and regret that the one you love, might not survive.