I don’t know how long I was under the shower, still fully clothed. Eventually, I got up and went out. I heard a sigh as I stepped out of the bathroom. I didn’t look up. I was sure my eyes were red. I don’t want anyone to see it.

 

“It’s confirmed,” the pest said. “No one can beat your stubbornness.”

 

“What are you doing here?!” I snapped instead. He didn’t answer. That’s when I looked up. I saw him with a towel on hand, wearing a blank face. I stood frozen on my spot as he neared me. He sighed again and started drying my hair with the towel.

 

“I’m not blaming you for anything. It wasn’t your fault.”

 

“It is!” I said and backed away from him but he just pulled me back.

 

“You’re going to be sick. You should change your clothes,” he said instead.

 

“I’ll do what I want!” I hissed.

 

“You’ll do what I say if you don’t want me to change your clothes myself!” he said in a controlled voice. I looked up at him, glaring.

 

“I hate you!”

 

“Just change your clothes,” he said. “You’ll catch a cold.”

 

“I hate you!” I hissed again. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

 

“Are you going to change your clothes or not?” he asked. I didn’t answer, I didn’t even move. “You’re leaving me with no choice then.”

 

I gasped as he tugged on my shirt and started pulling it up. My eyes grew wide with surprise. When I felt his hand brushed along the side of the skin on my waist, up to my ribs, I snapped. “Ya!” I burst out, slapping his hand away. “What do you think are you doing?!”

 

“Taking your clothes off, obviously,” he answered shortly. I felt myself turned red at once.

 

“I can do that myself, you ert!”

 

“Okay,” he shrugged, stepped back and turned to the bed.

 

“What are you still doing here?!”

 

“Waiting for you to change. I’ll leave once I see you’ve already changed into dry clothes,” he winked.

 

Gahh! I wanna strangle him! How can he change mood that easily? I angrily marched to the bathroom as soon as I took the new clothes from the bags on the floor. “Stupid pest!” I rumbled while changing my clothes. “Gah! I wanna strangle the life out of him!!”

 

He’s just so irritating to death! Aish! Grr! I stepped out f the bathroom angrily. What I saw made my jaw dropped to the floor. The pest was lounging on the bed, head propped on one elbow, smiling devilishly at me and looking very comfortable. VERY COMFORTABLE, that is.

 

“Ya! What the hell are you doing? Get off the bed! Aish! How am I going to sleep properly now that you’ve infected it?”

 

“Why? It’s kind of tiring to wait for you while standing, so. . .” he shrugged.

 

“I said get off!”

 

“Why?” he innocently asked.

 

“Because I said so!”

 

But he didn’t move. He just grinned at me. I grew more irritated and annoyed. “AISH!” I growled and went to the bed and started pushing and kicking him off. But he suddenly grabbed my waist and pulled me down with him, making me land on top of him. The scene on the roof suddenly flashed into my mind. Waaah! I don’t want to remember that anymore! Erase, erase, erase!

 

To distract myself, I grabbed his hair and started pulling them off. I thought he was going to fight back but he hugged me tighter. As he did, I felt myself weakened, like all the energy was drained off. Heck! How does he do that? Is he some kind of a witch? Tsk, he’s not fighting fair! He suddenly flipped over, bringing me under him. He then grabbed my arms and pinned them on either side of my head. I stared at him, eyes wide.

 

I started struggling but he was too strong for me. My struggles made me aware of our awkward position, so I stopped. I was about to shout at him again but his eyes caught me off guard again, making me forget what I’m about to say. There it goes again: the feeling that his eyes are telling me something more than what he’s showing. I gave a start as I remembered that he still owe me an explanation. “I want to know what’s going on,” I said. As soon as I said it, the playful smile disappeared. He sighed then rolled off me. He lied beside me and put one arm across his forehead, staring at the ceiling.

 

“They want something from your father, a microchip to be exact,” he started after a long while.

 

“What am I to do with that microchip?” I asked. “And why now of all times?”

 

“It was supposed to be destroyed long time ago but the others found out just recently that it wasn’t destroyed. Well, if my assumptions are correct, they believe that if they capture your father, he’d rather die than tell them where he hid the microchip.”

 

Err, okay. I’m still confused. “I don’t understand my involvement here.”

 

He sighed impatiently. “They’ll try to use you to get what they want. Once they captured you, they can blackmail your father; tell him that they’re going to kill you if he doesn’t give them what they want.”

 

“Is my father involved in an illegal group-?!?” I started, aghast.

 

“Of course not!” he snorted. “What are you thinking?”

 

“I was just asking,” I mumbled. “But why can’t he just give them the microchip?”

 

He laughed, but it sounded off to my ears. It’s not his usual playful laugh. “He can’t do that. That microchip. . . is a threat to humanity. He’d rather die than endanger innocent lives.”

 

“But what does that microchip co-?”

 

“That’s all you need to know. You don’t have to know everything. And besides, I don’t think your slow brain can take all of it,” he smirked.

 

“Why you arrogant, conceited, foul and disgusting pest! How dare you say that to me?!”

 

“The truth hurts, doesn’t it?” he laughed out loud. “What? I’m just telling the truth! And besides, knowing how you don’t know how to shut your mouth up, it’s better if you know less.”

 

I was about to fight back but something was bothering me. I looked at him, hesitating, but decided to go on. “Why are you helping me? And why do you have a gun? And how can you drive like a maniac? And how can you aim precisely?”

 

The amusement and humor in his face disappeared for the second time. He suddenly turned serious. Again, I felt the walls suddenly sprung up between us. “I think Seohyun needs help in the kitchen,” he mumbled and was about to get up but I stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

 

“Jiyong,” I said, feeling myself blushed at saying his name in front of him. “Why won’t you tell me?”

 

“And why do you want to know?”

 

“I’m curious.”

 

He shook his head.

 

“I think I deserve an explanation! And I think I have the right to know the person I’m trusting my life with,” I said. “You owe me that.”

 

“If you really trust me, you don’t have to know.”

 

“I want to know,” I insisted.

 

He didn’t answer.

 

“I’ll go ask Seohyun then,” I threatened. “I’m sure she’ll enjoy telling me all about you.”

 

“You really are stubborn, huh?”

 

“Yes I am,” I answered.

 

“Why are you curious? I thought you said you hate everything about me?”

 

I opened my mouth then closed it again. True, why do I want to know who he is? I quickly came into defense. “Of course I hate you but I think it’s only fair if I know who you really are, aside from being a houseboy, my personal driver and a scholar since you know so much about me, too. And-oh!”

 

I looked at him, eyes squinting. He can’t be. . . he can’t be some sort of my bodyguard, right? I mean, he’s not really that tall. He’s not even that build up, though he got some light muscles on the right places. I’ve seen in the movies how bodyguards should look like. But, Dad said I should trust him. And I must give credit to the pest; he’s acting like some sort of protector with the way he’s saving me from those guys. Still, I can’t imagine him like that. It’s just too impossible.

 

But he got a gun, he knows how to use it, can aim perfectly, actually. He can DRIVE, too. “Are you. . . are you an FBI agent or something?” I finally asked.

 

“No,” he chuckled; amusement was back on his face.

 

“Then why do you own a gun?”

 

He shrugged. “Just thought it’d come handy.”

 

I shook my head. “How come you can shoot your target precisely? And the way you drive. . .”

 

He sighed heavily, patience wearing out. “I need to help Seohyun prepare for dinner.”

 

~o~

 

For the next days, I just silently watch everytime the girl changes the pest’s dressing. He’s really a fast healer. But he said it’s because Seohyun was very good in stitching jobs. I rolled my eyes at this. By the time the week is almost at end, he was totally healed. I’m still thinking of how I should ask the girl about the pest, but I can’t get her alone. She’s always with the pest. Though, I must say, he probably forbidden the girl to tell me anything but I still want to try. I think I know how to get it out from her, I’ve been into some cat fights before. I know where to hit her. I just need to get her alone.

 

I raised one brow as I saw Seohyun wearing a VERY short shorts and a body-hugging top. I can’t understand why she’s so up to calling herself FAIRLEGS, when clearly, my legs are prettier than her, only I’ve got a mark.

 

“Where is she going?” I asked the pest.

 

“Jogging. She likes keeping her shape up,” he answered nonchalantly.

 

“At this time?” I asked but he just shrugged. A wave of unease came over me. I looked down at my body. I adore my body, even worship it but lately, I’ve been eating more than I should and I’m usually just locked up in my room, lying in bed the whole day, no exercise. Oh well, I don’t really need to exercise and tire myself. I’m satisfied with my body already. But I need to talk to her. This might be my chance. I cleared my throat awkwardly. “I’ll go jogging, too.”

 

“Okay, I’ll come with-”

 

“No!” I burst out. “Just. . . just tell me where the girl-err Seohyun is heading.”

 

He looked at me suspiciously.

 

“Oh, never mind!” I growled. “I’ll just find her myself.”

 

It didn’t take me long to find her since she was keeping a slow-paced jog while I was sprinting.

 

“Ya!” I called but she didn’t stop. I ran faster and grabbed her arm. I guess she was surprised because she twirled so fast, one hand automatically encircling my neck and she slammed me down on the ground. It was then that I realized she had her headset on. I choked, feeling my airway constrict.

 

She must have realized this too because she suddenly let me go. I quickly stood up, patting my bottom off soil. She removed hear earpiece and glared at me. “What do you want?” she asked.

 

“I just want to ask you something,” I said, stalling. When she didn’t answer, I quickly continued. “Do you know why Jiyong is protecting me? I mean, like you said, I’ve been pretty mean to him, so. . .” I trailed. Oh yes, she’s going to bite that.

 

I secretly smiled at her expression. I’m a girl, I just know how to handle someone like her. I knew if I asked her a direct question, she’s not going to answer me. She doesn’t like the fact that the pest has something to do with me.

 

“Don’t flatter yourself too much. He’s not doing that just because he wants to. He’s being paid for it.”

 

“What do you mean?” I asked.

 

“It’s his job to keep you safe and your father’s paying a high price for that.”

 

I knew it! So, my assumptions were correct. HE is a bodyguard. So, he’s doing all of these troubles because he’s being paid for it, huh? Gah! Why am I disappointed?