CHAPTER 2

 

“Rough afternoon?” Mina asked when she saw Wendy holding a cup of coffee going towards Irene’s office

“You mean, rough week.” Wendy said as she stopped walking to answer Mina “She’s so desperate to fire me.”

“Ms. Bae do hate people following her around so that’s to be expected and I got to hand it to you, you’re the first ever body guard she had that lasted a week.” Mina said chuckling lightly

“Probably why she’d been asking me to do petty stuff here inside the office like getting her a cup of coffee for the second time today within the span of two hours, hoping I’ll be late or get her coffee wrong so she can fire me.” Wendy said as she whispered cheekily “She’s a bully.”

Mina laughs “No, she’s not.”

“Really?” Wendy asked in sarcasm “Because she’ll be out in an hour and for all I know it’s her plan to send me to get a goddamn coffee that she won’t even drink in the first place just so I won’t get here in time to drive her home so she could fire me, mercilessly.”

 “She’s just in the mood for coffee.” Mina said

“I strongly disagree on that.” Wendy said “I better go before its gets too cold for her taste.”

 

 

“Here we go…” Wendy muttered as she disheveled her tie and knock on Irene’s office, for an unknown and evilly reason, Wendy notices the way Irene grins the first time she sent Wendy to get a cup of coffee in a café nearby on 6:30 of the evening and came back sweating, disheveled tie and hair to make it back at 7PM since it’s the time Irene will be out from her office.

 

She was still catching her breath while holding the coffee on her when Irene stepped out of her office ready to go home. Wendy can never forget the way Irene smirks as soon as she saw Wendy’s state. Irene is playing her.

 

That’s when Wendy fully realizes that Irene was a complete evil.

 

Wendy’s supposed to feel angry at Irene’s antics but for some reason she finds it amusing. Irene Bae a woman of her own collected and composed every second of her life stooping down on playing her dirty just to fire her.

 

Dedicating her whole life for a duty her family has been upholding for centuries and then got freed from it was both relief and scary for her. Scary because she never really thinks a future without her duty, her duty is her future and relief because she could now make her own future now.

 

“I now release you from the pact that your family made with ours centuries ago. You’re free now, Son Seungwan.”

 

That was three years ago.

 

Wendy had never thought that she’ll find herself in this situation after she released her from her duty. She’s still ashamed that she’s here doing this because it was ingrained to her ever since she was born that her life belongs to her alone, and that her existence was solely for the purpose of serving her and only her.

 

And now she’s here, accepting a task of protecting someone else because of debt. Disgraceful.

 

Though she felt ashamed of dedicating her life to someone not her, she admits doing this again is making her feel alive again. Three years of not knowing where to go and what to do for a freedom given to her that she never thought she’d ever have left her clueless, like she was left alone in the middle of the dessert without anything but herself so doing this again feels like founding an oasis on the desert, and that oasis is in the form of Bae Joohyun.

 

So, as a thank you for being the reason of finding that oasis, Wendy decided to ride Irene’s play. She would purposely dishevel her tie so Irene could grin at her state all she wants and in Wendy’s mind, it’s her way of paying her back for being her oasis.

 

She knocks on the door.

 

There was no answer. That wasn’t knew to Wendy, for a week that she’d been with Irene she that she has a tendency to forget everything around her and just focus on whatever written on the paper in front of her or on her laptop.

 

Wendy knocks again. There was still no answer. She’s about to knock again when she heard Mina.

“I think she hasn’t come back yet.” Mina said walking towards her “She went to Mr. Lee’s office right after she told you to get a coffee. Ms. Bae said that he is a pain in the so she will surely need that coffee.”

“Are you sure? Because it’s either she’s still in his office or I’m just waiting for her call to fire me.” Wendy said

“Like what you’ve said, she’s desperate to fire you. I’m sure she’ll fire you as soon as it ticks 6:01 if she has the chance.”

“Agreed.”

“What happen with your tie?” Mina asked looking at her disheveled tie

“Well, I’m going for that damsel in distress look and Ms. Bae might find it in herself to pity me and give me a break.”

 

Mina chuckles “May I?” pertaining to her tie and Wendy nodded in agreement “And how is that mission going so far?” Mina asked fixing Wendy’s tie. 

“Miserably failing.” Wendy replied “Maybe I should put a hole in my shirt next time or put fake blood on my mouth, indicating that I have to go to war just to get her a coffee, what do you think?”

Mina chuckles “There’s no harm in trying. There, better.” She said after fixing her tie.

“Thank you.” Wendy said

 

 

 

Irene was on her way back to her office and calls it a day after another annoying talk with Ms. Lee. Irene finds him really annoying but he’s good at his job so Irene can’t really fire him. 

 

She was in front of the elevator when she received a call from an unknown number.

“Hello.”

“Irene…”

Irene sighed when she recognized the voice “What do you want Suho?”

“Let’s talk.”

“We have nothing to talk about.”

“Just please, hear me out. I know I ed up, just please hear me out.” Suho pleads “Hear me out this one time and I won’t bother you anymore.”

“Suho…”

“I will also talk to my mother to stop meddling with us.” He said and he knew that Irene cannot say no to that.

Irene sighed “Just this one time, Suho.”

 

 

 

Wendy looked at her watch, 6:40PM. It’s been an hour since Irene went to Mr. Lee’s office and for a short time since she starts working here she observes how Irene doesn’t want to spend any second of her life talking to that man so her not coming back after an hour is worrying Wendy for one reason alone.

 

One. Irene finally managed to sneak on her and that she could be in danger right now.

 

Wendy immediately pulled out her phone. She put a tracker on Irene’s phone on her second day after what Irene pulled on her first day, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

 

“.” Wendy muttered when she saw Irene’s location or more like her phone’s location, she’s three blocks away from here.

 

Wendy looked at her phone again and checked Irene’s location, it hasn’t moved ever since Wendy had left the office. It was a coffee shop, Wendy wondered if Irene just wanted to get a coffee and that she was just over reacting. She was few meters away from the coffee shop when she saw Irene’s familiar figure standing outside, she parked the car on the side of the road and looked at Irene.

 

Irene was back facing her and she’s talking to someone but Wendy cannot see the other persons face because Irene was blocking her view.

 

Though Irene’s was back facing her, Wendy could see the confidence oozing on her just by standing there and that made her breathe in relief.

 

It’s probably a serious matter and Wendy didn’t want to disturbed Irene so she decided to just wait for her. After a few seconds, Wendy looked around and that’s when she saw someone on the other side of the road, holding what seem like a camera and was definitely pointed at Irene.

 

Wendy hastily took off her seat belt and hastily stepped out of the car and runs to cross the road. A tire screech and loud honk echoed on the street. The sound must’ve got the attention of the suspicious man and looked back and saw Wendy running towards him. He quickly runs away and went to the alley on where he is standing.

 

“!” Wendy hissed running after him like she wasn’t just in a near death accident earlier when she runs mindlessly towards the man and then turn to where the man had disappeared. “Hey!” she screamed when she saw his figure running.

 

Thank God that even when Wendy had freed from her duty, a habit of taking care of her body has never forgotten. She fastens her face after a few seconds, she’s only now few feet behind him and Wendy was about to reach him, he threw her camera to Wendy causing her to falter and lost her momentum. She quickly gains her composure back but before she could reach him, the alley ended and she lost him in the crowd.

 

“!” Wendy cursed panting as she looked around. The urge to find him even in crowds because he is a solid lead on who’s blackmailing Mr. Bae is there but her top priority is Irene’s safety so she retreats and went back to the alley. Pick up the now broken camera and took the memory card and then threw it after.

 

When she reached the other side of the alley, she looked ahead and Irene was still there standing from where she’s standing minutes ago.

 

“Irene please give me another chance.” Suho begs

“I gave you your chance and you blew it.” Irene said stoically

“I was drunk, I didn’t know what was happening, I don’t know what happen or how I ended up kissing her.” Suho explained desperately for Irene to forgive him “Please.”

“We are done and that’s—“

“For my mother’s sake.”

 

Anger surged in Irene’s eyes. Irene had lost her mother ten years ago and Suho’s mother has been nothing but good to Irene during those times so when Suho asked her or more like ambushed her into asking her to be his girlfriend eight ago months in front of everyone, in front of her mother who was smiling happily, Irene could not bring herself to say no to him. 

 

“I talked to your mother and she fully understands why I ended things with you.” Irene said, but it didn’t stop the older woman to asked Irene to give her son a second chance.

 

“I know, I just… I don’t want to continue disappointing her.”

 

“You should’ve thought of that before you cheated on me.” Irene said, truth was she was in a big relief when she caught him on the act at least she finally had a reason to stop the dreadful play and pretend on being a relationship with Suho. “We both know that we don’t feel anything to each other so why can’t you just be honest to your mother.”

 

“And disappoint her?” Suho scoffs “You know I can’t do that. Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to swallow my breakfast because she wouldn’t stop talking about you and how she badly wanted you as a daughter-in-law?”

 

That’s not Irene’s problem anymore. She sighed in annoyance “We’re done Suho and I’ll hold on to what you said earlier. Don’t bother me anymore.” She said and turns to left but Suho grabbed her by the wrist before she could take another step.

 

“Let go.” Irene said firmly

“I don’t th—“ Suho could not finished what he’s going to say when a hand comes from nowhere, forcefully taking his hand off of Irene.

 

“She said, let go.” Wendy said as she positioned herself in front of Irene like she’s shielding her from him. Irene was taken aback for a moment there and could not say anything and just stared at Wendy.

 

“What the ! Who the are you!?” Suho said angrily “Do you have any idea who I am?!

“I don’t give a who you are.” Wendy said without hesitation

“Who the is this clown Irene?” Suho asked gritting his teeth

Irene finally got her senses back answered “Don’t bother me anymore.”

“Irene, I—“

“I swear to God, if you say another word, I will break your jaw you won’t be able to say anything for weeks.” Wendy threatens, making Suho agape.

 

Suho snorts and laughs in disbelief “We’re not done.” He said, gaze piercing at Wendy “We’re not done.” He repeats as he bumps his shoulder to Wendy’s as he walk pass.

 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Irene asked when Suho was out of their sight

“I should be the one asking you that, what the do you think you’re doing?” Wendy asked with edge

Irene frown “What?” she asked looking at her in displeasure “What did you say again?” glaring at her.

“Why did you left without me? Wendy said not backing down. If that was a gun pointing at Irene earlier she’d be dead “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is?”

 

Irene scoffs in irritation and make a dry laugh “Wow, you’re so dedicated in your job, aren’t you? My father is not here so you don’t have to do that. On second thought, you can forget all about it, you’re fired.” She said as she turns to left without waiting for Wendy’s reply.

 

Wendy followed her and blocked Irene’s way.

 

“Get out of my way.” Irene said glaring. “You are fired.”

 

“Let’s get things straight.” Wendy stared back at her “You can’t fire me.  You’re not my boss, you’re my assignment.”