Sitting in his office and staring out the window up in the light blue sky, Nichkhun thinks of Taeyeon and the words she said to him.

            “I—…. I don’t love you. I don’t see you more than just a close friend of my cousin’s husband. You are not the man I want to be with, and I will never fall for you…so please stop…. stop. It only put me in a hard position. I don’t want to enter your world. And I don’t want you in my world either.”

            “I don’t believe you.” He whispered inside his head. “You cry. If you mean every word you said to me, you wouldn’t turn your back and cry…. I know you’re lying… I know you’re hiding the truth from me…”

            Nichkhun let out a disturbing sign.

            A couple knocks on the door before it open. “Can I come in?” Taecyeon asked.

            Nichkhun turns the chair around, “Come in.” He said.

            Taecyeon noticed the strange facial expression on Nichkhun’s face. He walks up to the desk and takes a seat opposite direction of Nichkhun. “Something bothering you?” He asked.

            Nichkhun answered with a deep breath.

            “Don’t tell me you got a call or a message from them?” Taecyeon asked again.

            Nichkhun shakes his head.

            “Then let me guess again. Family problem?”

            Nichkhun shakes his head no again.

            “It must have something to do with Taeyeon.”

            Nichkhun did not respond but only looks at the desk.

            “I’m right.” Said Taecyeon proudly. “Lovers always quarrel.”

            “I just don’t understand her. She is trying hard. She doesn’t want me in her world.” Said Nichkhun. He sighed. “By the way, why are you here?”

            “Am I not welcome here?” Taecyeon asked.

            “You are but you hardly come to visit me.” Said Nichkhun.

            “I’m here to check on you.”

            “I’m good. I have not received any message or call from them if that’s what you want to know.”

            Taecyeon lightly nodded his head. “Glad you can still read my mind.” He said. “I also came here to give you some update news as well.” He slides a file across the table to him. “We’ve been monitoring every shipyard dock for the past days. Apparently, there was an unregistered boat arrive at a dock about 15 minutes away from Incheon dock. My colleague went through the cameras but only sees the men back.”

            Nichkhun opens the file and looks through the pictures. One picture after another, he stops at the fifth picture and carefully examine the picture. The man in the picture face reflects through the glass object behind another man. “Seung-hyun.” He whispered.

            “What you say? You recognized one of them?” Taecyeon asked.

            Nichkhun slides the picture to him, “Take a closer look at the face through the glass object.” He said.

            Taecyeon picks up the picture, carefully he examines the face through the glass object. He eyes wide in surprise. “He’s finally here.” He said. Taecyeon put the picture and looks at Nichkhun. “Nichkhun, I will send my people to protect you.” He said.

            “No, don’t.” Said Nichkhun. “If you do that, he won’t be able to come close to me. It will only take a longer time to arrest him.”     

            “But…”

            “I’ll be fine on my own.” Said Nichkhun.

            “But I still have to send my people to keep an eye out for you.”

            “They can’t be within 800 yards. They need to stay out of sight and hidden. At least act like a normal citizen.”

            Taecyeon nod. “Yes, sir.” He said. “You know you should have just my department. It is a waste of your talent being an entrepreneur.”

            “I like what I do. Being an inspector takes too much of my time away from my love ones.” Said Nichkhun.

            “You and Siwon, seriously.” Taecyeon sighed.

            “Did you inform him yet?”

            “I have sent him an email. I will give him a call later. It should be morning in France by then.”

            “That’s right.” Nichkhun nod, agreeing with him.

* * * * *

            “Goodbye Taeyeon.” Said Sara loudly waving her hand in the air.

            “Bye Taeyeon.” A few female employees said loudly.

            “Bye-bye.” Taeyeon replied with smiles.

            Taeyeon walks the opposite direction from the employees. She looks up in the dark sky. Lots of stars and a full moon tonight. She looks at the bouquet in her arms and smiles warmly. The flowers are still vivid and lively in her eyes. There still sense flowing up her nose. Nichkhun crosses her mind. She looks around the place, hoping to see him somewhere nearby, exactly 25 yards away from her. She paused when she sees him just up the street, standing by the coffee shop.

            Nichkhun smiles softly and waves his hand lightly in the air. “Hi.” He mouths the word.

            Taeyeon did not say anything nor greet him, but only feels her heart beating nervously fast. She stands still where she is. He did not try to get closer to her either. Taeyeon turns around and walks down the street. Nichkhun follows her for the next fifteen minutes.

            Taeyeon turns her head once a while, glancing at him. He still follows her, making sure she gets home safely. She lightly and playfully bites her bottom lip.

            “Why is he following me? Why didn’t he come close and talk to me? Why does he act like nothing? Those words I said to him last night. Does he not take it seriously? Or did he forget? Wait why am I thinking so much for him?” Taeyeon thought quietly in her head. “Should I call or text him? Do I have his number?.... wait his business card.”

            Taeyeon holds the bouquet in one arm and use her other free hand to reach for her cellphone and his business card in the small that sit in the small pocket of her purse. She holds his business card with her left hand anddialsl his number into her phone with the right hand.

            Nichkhun feel his phone vibrating against his chest. He pull out his phone from the inner pocket of his jacket and unlock the screen.

            Taeyeon’s message: “Why are following me?”

            Nichkhun looks at with a smile after reading the message before he reply back to her message. “I want to make sure you get home safely. –Nichkhun”

            Taeyeon’s message: “How did you know I didn’t drive today?”

            Nichkhun happily seen another message from her. Before he reply back to her message, he save her numbers into his phone then reply.

            Nichkhun’s message: “How did you know my number?”

            Taeyeon’s message: “From your business card that I accident found in your jacket the other night.”

            Nichkhun’s message: “Ah, I see. You keep my number?”

            Taeyeon continues to playfully bite her bottom lip as she sent him another text. “You haven’t answered my question. How did you know?”

            Nichkhun’s message: “I saw you walk out of your workplace. You pass the bus stop. I figure you wanted to walk home. A beautiful woman should not walk home alone at night. Do you like the flowers?”

            Taeyeon looks at the bouquet and warmly smiles.

            Taeyeon’s message: “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

            She finally arrives at her apartment. Taeyeon stops five feet away from the entrance, turn around, and looks at Nichkhun. He was still standing 25 yards away from her. Nichkhun lifts his right hand up and wave goodbye to her lightly with a warm smile. Taeyeon did not smile or speak. She turns around and enters the building up to the elevator. Nichkhun walks up to the full-length glass window. He watches her enter the elevator. She gets in. He turns around with his back lean against the window. Taeyeon steps out of the elevator and hide behind a wall. She presses on his number.  Nichkhun’s phone rings. He quickly and happily answers the call.

            “Hello?”

            “Why are you still in front of the building? It’s cold. You should go home?

            Nichkhun smiles but did not turn around. “How do you know I’m still here? You can see me? Spying on me?”

            “I should ask you that. You follow me home.” Said Taeyeon.

            “I’m not a stalker. I just wanted to make sure you get home safe. I tried to keep my distance like you ask.”

            Taeyeon recalls the words she said to him last night.  Nichkhun sits on the ground with his back still leaning against the window.

            “Aren’t you tired?”

            “I’m not tired. I just want to be as close as I can to you. Go to sleep. You don’t have to worry about me.”

            “Who said I’m worried about you.” Said Taeyeon. “I just don’t want to cause the security guard trouble. I don’t want to hear news about you getting arrest for sitting in front of the building in the morning.”

            Nichkhun chuckles lightly. “You do care about me.” He said.

            Taeyeon did not know what to say to him and stares at him from the wall.

            “Taeyeon?”

            “About last night…”

            “I remember.” Said Nichkhun, in a slightly sad tone. “I remember every word you say to me.”

            “Then why…”

            “Because I want to enter your world. I want to be a part of your life but I won’t force you.” Said Nichkhun, in a calm and soft tone. “I will continue to prove myself to you…I will continue to show you my love.” He pauses as he looks at the semi-starry night. “Can I tell you a story?”

            Taeyeon hesitates for a short moment. “Yes.”

            “It is a story of a boy that lost his father to his old friend. A man he once trusts betrayed him. He was just a teenager getting ready to learn about the world. He looks up to his father a lot. A man that does everything he can to feed, protect, and love his family… but all fall apart one night. He father was gone. That boy will never get to see his father again. Upon hearing the news, his grandma falls illness and treated in the hospital. His mother falling into depression. His sibling working to maintain food on the table. His world became dark and cold… but he did not surrender. That little boy tried to stay strong in front of his family. He does everything he can to help his mother out of depression. He does everything he can to make his grandma happy. He does everything he can to keep his sibling together and strong. So, he stays strong in for them…” Tears circles around his eyes a he looks at the dark sky. “Every time he little visit his father grave, he cried. He misses him dearly. He wanted to see him again… but he can’t.”

            Taeyeon shed tears listening to his life-experience story. She could help but walks up to the window and place her hand at his head.

            “So every day, he patiently waits for his mother to smiles again. He waited for his grandma to smiles again. He waited and work to keep the family together, even though, he was mentally and physically tired, but he did not give up….” Nichkhun couldn’t continue. He ends the calls and let the tears fall as he rests his head on the window. “Appa….”

            Taeyeon was saddened. She stays by his side and cries with him. Only the thick full-length window separating them apart, but she still feels the pain he’s feeling.

* * * * *

            Nichkhun has been sitting in front of Taeyeon’s apartment for two hours, staring blankly at the concreted ground. Taeyeon sits and leans her back against the thick glass window.  She turns her head to the left and sees him looking up at the sky. She sees him getting up from the ground. Taeyeon immediately hurries to the wall by the elevator and hide from him. Nichkhun turns around. The lobby was empty.

           Nichkhun places his right hand on the window. “Goodnight.” He whispered. He turns around and walks away from the building. She watches him till she could not see him anymore. Taeyeon takes the elevator up to her floor and enters her apartment. She locks the door then walks to the couch in the living. She rests on the couch and remembers the story he holds her tonight. Taeyeon could only sigh as she looks at the rug.

            Nichkhun walks back to his car that parked by the coffee shop. He enters his car, press on the START button, and put his seatbelt. He steps on the gas pedal and hit the road. Nichkhun drives his way to the hospital—turning left then right. He came to a stop at the red traffic light. A motorcycle stops the opposite direction, looking at him. The man grabs on the brake clutch on the left while pulling the right steer downward. The motorcycle release smokes as the sound echoes at the 4-ways intersection. Nichkhun keeps looking at the man but the helmet was dark. It was hard to see the man face. The man side the glass eye protected window up. Nichkhun’s eyes jolt wide open as he looks at the man.

            “Seunghyun.” Nichkhun whispered, grabbing onto the steering tightly.

            Seunghyun takes out of his phone and dial Nichkhun’s number.

            Nichkhun answered the mysterious block number call. “Hello?”

            “It has been a long time. How have you been Nichkhun? We finally get to meet face to face.” Seunghyung asked in a sharp and deep tone. “The time I was in prison can be considered as a relaxing getaway. By the way, I hope the explosion did not scare you, mom, and relative.”

            “What do you want?”

            “What I want?....” Said Seunghyun with a smirk. “Let me think… to finish what was unfinished before you send me to prison. I want you to face the most miserable things in the world….watching the people you love to leave one by one.”

            “You!” Nichkhun’s right hand grab a hold of the stick shift.

            Seunghyun pull the motor handle downward and speed away. “I won’t play with you tonight, but tomorrow…. Will be a different day.” He said before he ends the calls.

            Nichkhun steps on the gas pedal, pursuing him at a high speed but lost him in the small valley. Nichkhun hurries out the car and pursue on feet but stop when he lost sight of Seunghyun. He hands roll into a fiery fist as he stares at the empty place.

To be continued………………