Back at home, Baekhyun and I were greeted by my uncle and his secretary, Min Daejung, who was quite annoyed at our late arrival. He was in his 50s and had been working for my uncle for many years. They got along well, but unfortunately, I had never been fond of his stuck-up attitude, so I had to hold in a groan when I saw him. He pointedly looked at his wristwatch before scowling at me.

“Young lady, are you not aware of how rude it is to keep people waiting?” he complained before I had the chance to open my mouth for a greeting. “It appears you need another lesson in manners.”

“Good evening, Mr. Min. I apologize for being late. Something unexpected happened on the way home, and that’s why I couldn’t make it in time,” I said politely even though I wanted to run into my bedroom and stay there for the rest of the night. Min wanted to discuss an upcoming event with me because I was expected to attend it with my uncle, but due to the current threat looming over me, I wasn’t thrilled about it.

“You should be sorry,” Min grumbled.

My uncle laughed, not noticing how annoyed I was. “Well, I’ll leave you to discuss the details then. Zero-Four, you will accompany them,” he ordered, voice sharpening like a knife. Baekhyun stayed quiet and followed Min and me into the dining room where we took our seats. He sat in the chair next to me, leaning back with disinterest painted all over his face. It would have been amusing and I would have smiled a little more, had I not felt Min’s harsh stare on me the entire time.

“Ms. Park, I don’t know why you’re smiling. This is a serious matter,” he said, his condescending stare moving to Baekhyun. “And you, have you never heard of table manners? Sit up straight, you good-for-nothing fool.”

“I’m not taking orders from you,” Baekhyun snapped at him, his smoldering glare burning a hole through Min’s head.

“You should keep your dog on a leash, Ms. Park,” the secretary countered venomously. Clenching my hands into fists under the table, I willed myself to maintain a calm façade despite my anger.

“Mr. Min, my bodyguard is doing a great job, and the last thing you should call him is a fool or a dog. It’s disrespectful, and I will not tolerate your behavior. If you want to discuss the upcoming event with me, you have to change your attitude,” I reprimanded him. To my amusement, his eyes widened since he had never heard me speak to him like this before. Malicious glee flickered through Baekhyun’s eyes as he watched the secretary lose his composure, following our exchange with interest. His initial boredom was gone.

“Y-You…” he stuttered, gaping at me. “How dare you speak to me like this?”

“How dare you speak to Baekhyun like this?” I countered and raised an eyebrow.

“But he is just a…”

“Mr. Min!” I yelled. He flinched back. “We are here to talk about the upcoming event. Let’s not get carried away.”

Min sighed dramatically, furrowing his brow. “You truly have no manners. Terrible,” he muttered before he raised his voice so I could hear him properly. “The event is hosted by one of Mr. Park’s trusted business partners. Many other successful businessmen in the pharma industry are invited as well, and since their families are expected to attend, you must accompany Mr. Park. It will take place at a hotel near Seoul and requires you to be present from Saturday to Sunday.”

“You’re aware of how risky that is, aren’t you? She will be exposed to unnecessary danger,” Baekhyun cut in, leaning forward and putting his arm on the table.

Min regarded him with disapproval. “Of course! That’s why you will accompany her. Ms. Park, you are expected to have dinner with the guests. Please remember your behavior must be impeccable since your uncle’s image depends on it. He has to attend a meeting on Sunday where you don’t need to be present, but during dinner in the evening, you have to accompany him again.”

It sounded boring, like a nightmare, but I had no choice. There was no way around it if I didn’t want to let my uncle stand in the rain and I owed him too much to do that.

“It starts on Saturday?” I asked and he nodded in confirmation.

“Yes, at seven o’clock in the evening. You will take the car together with Mr. Park and Mr. Li. Remember to dress formally, and if you have any questions before the event, contact me.”

Glad we were finally done, I nodded at him. “Thank you, Mr. Min. Goodnight,” I said and got up.

“Goodnight, Ms. Park,” he retorted scornfully. I gritted my teeth and left the room with Baekhyun.

On Thursday, my lectures started in the morning, requiring me to be on campus at 9 AM. I still had enough time left to get a coffee at my favorite coffee shop, so I made a detour with Baekhyun.

“Do you want anything, too?” I asked him as we stood outside in the warm sunlight. It was spring and the weather gradually improved. I liked being outside at this time of year and enjoyed the walk from the parking lot to the campus.

Baekhyun cocked his head, skimming over the menu hanging at the door, but he ended up shrugging. “Can you recommend anything?”

“Sure! I’ll get something for you, but it’ll be a surprise,” I smiled. My mood today was far better than usual, most likely due to the pleasant weather. The sun felt nice on my skin, and the breeze playing with my long hair was warm.

Baekhyun and I entered the coffee shop, and I placed my order at the counter—a chai latte for myself and an iced coffee for Baekhyun. When we left the shop, he took a sip, his lips twitching in approval.

“Do you like it?” I asked, and he nodded, eliciting a cheerful smile from me.

We strolled through the same park where we had been ambushed by the group of men yesterday, but during the daytime, it looked different, and they were long gone. Some students sat on the grass, reading books, or chatting with friends as they waited for their classes to start. The atmosphere was inviting and comfortable, a stark contrast to last night. Baekhyun stayed close to me, and people who didn’t know about our circumstances might have mistaken us for a couple. The mere idea of being in a relationship with my handsome bodyguard made my cheeks flush, and I inwardly scolded myself for imagining it. My conversation with Jennie had given me weird ideas… Unfortunately, Baekhyun didn’t spend time with me because he liked me; it was his job that required him to be at my side.

My good mood dimmed when I saw Miyeon and Kihyun coming our way. “Great,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

“Hello Hyorin,” Miyeon said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “Nice to see you.”

“Likewise,” I answered sarcastically, taking a sip of my chai latte.

“You