Chapter 3

Knock, knock, knock.

Waiting for his door to open, I stood there wondering why I was doing this for him. I had made a glass of warm milk for him to drink before bed, but what's the purpose? Would he think I'm silly? Where did I even get the idea anyway?

The door swung open, interrupting my thoughts. I gaped at what now stood in front of me and felt the glass slowly slip from my fingers. Hyun Joong caught it mid-air before it could hit the floor or even spill, but I was too stunned to notice his inhuman reflexes.

A half- Kim Hyun Joong stood in front of me. Wearing only a pair of pajama pants, his toned abdomen and muscular chest made me realize how gorgeous he was. How can someone be so... attractive?

"Ha Neul." His low voice didn't do much to wake me from my trance.

"Huh?" I slurred dreamily.

He didn't seem to notice that I was oggling over him. "What are you doing?"

"I... Er..."

Hyun Joong set the glass down and took a step towards me. Startled, I retreated one step in return. But he didn't stop. He kept advancing towards me until I was cornered against the wall. He bent down and looked at me with curious eyes.

"Were you...?" he trailed off, leaving me believing he knew what was on my mind.

"Don't tease me!" I shouted heatedly, angry that he figured it out. I pushed past him and ran into my room, shutting the door with a bang.

Once in my room, embarrassment swept over me. Why was I going head over heals just now?

A moment later there was a knock at my door. "What do you want?!" I shouted.

Silence. Then finally, "Thanks." 

--

An hour had went by. Hyun Joong, dressed in dark clothes and well equipped with things he would need that night, stopped in front of Ha Neul's door before going out. He knew he wouldn't be there when she woke up in the morning, and it left a strange feeling inside him. But he pushed it to the back of his mind. He couldn't afford to think of her too much right now. He had a job to do.

Reaching his destination, Hyun Joong parked his car and quickly covered the last mile on foot. The last thing he needed was to attract attention with his shiny ride.

Easily slipping past the guards, he climbed through an open window, he went up the stairs of the large mansion to the designated bedroom. He entered silently and pulled out his gun and silencer. Connecting them, he now raised the weapon to the covers of the unsuspecting victim. But something kept him from pulling the trigger. It was too quiet.

How could someone sleeping be so quiet? Even Ha Neul who didn't snore still breathed loud enough for him to hear from the other side of the door.

That was his mistake. The minute she came into his thoughts, he lost all concentration and cocked his gun. One echoing click caused the room to come to life. A large knife from under the covers zeroed in on him, but his instant reflexes saved him from severe danger; it only caught his upper arm, making him drop his gun. At least five other men in dark clothing appeared from the shadows of the room and came after him with similar knives. He dodged left and right, avoiding all the blades.

Bursting from the room, Hyun Joong flew down the steps and ran through the house, holding onto his bleeding arm. Going down a promising hallway, he suddenly felt a slash on his back, and the warm gush of blood soaked through his shirt. He spun around, grabbed the man's arm and twisted it, taking the knife from his hands. Several others had caught up to him in the dim hallway, so the only logical thing he could do was hold the man hostage. 

With the knife to the man's throat, Hyun Joong backed towards the door at the end of the hallway. He was almost free when a knife came out of nowhere and stabbed clean through his hand that was holding the knife. Like he'd been taught, Hyun Joong didn't scream, he didn't cry. He just endured the pain. He knew from experience that it would be gone in only a few minutes. 

Instead, he took the chance, slit the man's throat, and dashed through the door. Fortunately, it led outside and he bolted the mile back to his car. The men chasing him didn't last more than a fourth of the mile. They weren't trained like he was.

Once inside his car, he quickly started the engine and sped through the night. The blood running from him didn't bother him as much as what was going through his head at the moment.

"Where do you go everyday?"  Ha Neul's voice flashed through his mind, her innocent face filled his vision. If she knew what he did for a living, if she saw him like this, she would hate him, despise him. That's why he couldn't tell her and could only come up with ways to distract her.

Just when his heart was about to sink even further, Hyun Joong noticed an antique jewelry shop. He parked in front and went up to the display window. He put his hand up to the glass, examining the shining diamond necklace. He could easily break the glass and take it, but he decided against it. He might be a killer, but he wasn't a thief. Instead, he came up with a different idea. He would give her something of his own.