Haejin, Siyoung, and Jaeyeon sped their cars, almost flying to Apgujeong. They split up to save time, but stay connected through the earpiece. They scanned the streets, through the crowd, to the people on the sidewalk. The weather was nice, which explained why the streets were especially crowded.

Haejin was scanning through a line of stores when she spotted a familiar figure with a black hoodie on, walking into a café. She slowed down and squinted. Once she saw his gesture when opening the door, Haejin immediately pulled over. She almost jumped out her car and sprinted towards the café. In a split second, she noticed three teenagers in there were watching him with suspicion.

“!” she hissed. She halted in front of the entrance to steady her breathing. Only two seconds after, already with a fake smile plastered on her face she entered.

She walked straight to the spot on the corner, where Jaejoong was seated. Half of his face was covered by his scarf under the hoodie cap, while the sunglasses hid his eyes. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed those teenagers shifted their attention to her as she came closer.

“Brandon?” she deliberately made her voice louder, emphasizing on the name. Jaejoong looked up and was startled to see a familiar lady approaching his table. He took off his sunglasses.

“Oh my god, Brandon! You’re back!” she squealed in her perfect English. She made quick steps toward him, spreading her arms out. Jaejoong was completely at a loss, but he still responded anyway. He stood up, hesitantly opening his arms for her. She jumped and hugged him ever so tightly. His excellent body reflex came in handy when he firmly caught her weight despite the abrupt action.

“I missed you so much!” she said almost with a teary-eyes. As she’d already planned, she buried her face on his shoulder. “Three teenagers behind you are watching. Follow my lead. If you can’t reply in English, just nod,” she instructed—back in Korean again—in a low whisper that only he could hear.

Jaejoong instantly got his eyes wide open. She pulled away and that big smile was already there again on her face. An acknowledged actor himself, he played along nicely.

“Why didn’t you call me? I could’ve picked you up at the airport,” she said in sing-song tone flaunting the British accent she grew up speaking. “Anyways, let’s go to my house. Mum is excited to see you,” she grabbed his arm.

He nodded, knowing it was the sign to leave. They walked out with their arms linked, pretending as if they were happily catching up each other. Nearing the door, she heard one of the teenagers talked to her friends, “I really thought it was Jaejoong oppa. I guess I just miss him too much, I start seeing things.”

Haejin was relieved, knowing her plan worked. She needed to tell her team first, they must have been listening to the sudden drama play earlier. “I have the guest with me. Now heading to the base,” she informed. Once they got out from the café, Jaejoong was just about to heave in relief when he suddenly froze at what he saw.

He saw Haejin, glaring at him. Before he could react, she already dragged him to her car. She ordered him to get inside the car with her finger while she went to the driver’s side. Haejin swiftly pressed a button on her watch, disconnecting her communication line with her team. She slammed the door when she got in to the car.

“Are you out of your mind?!” Haejin exploded. Jaejoong literally jumped on his seat. He looked at her in a total shock.

“How could you just leave like that without telling us? Didn’t it occur to you that you have been missing from their eyes for two whole weeks! No news, no pictures, no tweets, nothing! They are in a state of craving right now, as in they would hire an intelligent agent if they could to get even a low-quality picture. What the hell were you thinking?!” she fumed as the heat started burning inside her.

Jaejoong, on the other hand, had gotten rid of his shock. Instead, it was replaced all at once by astonishment. What he witnessed made the rudeness of a 23 year-old girl yelling at him didn’t matter at all. He witnessed emotions on her face, even though it was because she was pissed. Strangely enjoying her scolding, he sat in silence, listening to her.

“And as if it isn’t any danger enough, you just had to go to your neighborhood, where the paparazzi and the stalkers are practically camping out. And you don’t bring your phone. Are you asking for a death wish? We can’t protect you without a planned operation!” she lashed out.

This time, Jaejoong couldn’t hold his smile. And it made her dumbfounded. “Why are you smiling?” she toned down.

“Because I’m happy,” he answered with a crooked smile on his lips.

Haejin gawked, suddenly in loss of words. “Do tell,” was all she could come up with.

“You glared at me. And you yelled on my face.” Contradictive to his reply, his eyes gleamed.

She sighed in desperate confusion, “Jae, what on earth—“

“And you called me Jae," he cut her off. Her eyes widened in surprise, as it just escaped without thinking. Chuckling at her reaction, he reached out his hands and cupped her face, making her flinch at the sudden touch. He gently caressed her cheek that already turned pearly white as always.

“Even this pale face got to flush. This is the reaction I’ve been wanting to see. I don’t care even if you throw tantrums at me, as long as you show me your emotions. And I saw them today, so I’m happy,” he said in full honesty.

She didn’t say anything. Already knowing at least that much about her, he had already expected her respond and he didn’t mind it.

“So, I’m sincerely sorry for being careless. I’ll accept any punishment from you, and I promise I won’t ever do it again. Okay?” he lightly pinched her cheek.

Haejin was still silent, thinking. She slightly tilted her head. “Okay. Only it doesn’t need to be ‘ever’, though. Just until the next two weeks will do,” she shrugged.

Jaejoong felt a giant hammer smacked his head. He almost forgot that one. Still, he forced a smile as he nodded. Haejin smiled back, already returning to her usual self. She started the engine and headed back to The Safe House. They didn’t speak a word along the way, but only until Jaejoong noticed something.

“Who is Brandon?” he asked while replaying the scene in his head when she called him that name.

“It was my dog. He died last year,” she replied innocently.

“YAH!”

…

“Hyung!” Yoochun and Junsu literally jumped off their seats and threw themselves at their hyung. Jaejoong laughed at their action, even when he heard a tiny sob.

“Aigoo, our dolphin is crying? Hyung is sorry, okay?” he playfully patted Junsu’s , earning a smack from the latter.

“Jaejoong-ssi, please do let us know the next time you want to go out. We will arrange an operation to protect you without having to interfere in what you’re doing,” Chief said rather firmly, yet obviously worried.

“I will, Chief. I apologize for the troubling everyone,” Jaejoong bowed as he felt guilty. Chief motioned him to stand and fatherly patted his shoulder.

“You almost got us a heart attack, Jaejoong-ssi,” Siyoung joked once they were out of the Chief’s office.

“I’m really sorry,” Jaejoong smiled apologetically. “I won’t do it again.”

Suddenly something popped up in his mind and he grinned upon the idea. “Though I’d love to get yelled at again,” he looked at Haejin with mischievous eyes, making the latter quietly palmed her face.

All of them turned to Haejin. Siyoung and Jaeyeon looked at their youngest, before turning back to Jaejoong with their eyes dilated.

“She yelled at you?” Jaeyeon questioned in same bewilderment as Siyoung was in. Jaejoong only grinned as a reply, earning gawks from them.

“Hell hath no fury like Park Haejin,” he dramatically said in historical tone.

“Shut up already,” Haejin snapped. And she regretted it right on the next second, as now she had four flabbergasted faces in front of her, two of them jaw-dropped.

“Did she just snap at him?” Jaeyeon squeaked. “It took us half a year to see her first pout!”

“This is amazing. Park Haejin actually opens up to a human being she has only known for two weeks,” Siyoung remarked in astonishment.

Haejin massaged her temple. Great, she mentally snorted.

Thank you for reading and commenting :D Hope you enjoy it, let me know what you think ^^