Bodyguard

Chapter 13: The Hunter and the Hunted

Charles had always known that the shadows of his past would eventually stretch long enough to touch his present. He had spent years evading the darkness he had once willingly walked in, leaving behind a world where loyalty was bought with fear and silence was paid for in blood. His decision to betray his former employer, a ruthless crime lord known only as "The Phantom," had been the most dangerous move of his life—a move that he knew would one day come back to haunt him.

And now, that day had come.

It had been a night like any other. The roar of the crowd had echoed in Charles's ears as he stood in the wings, watching Jin captivate the audience with his voice, his presence. The concert had gone off without a hitch, the energy of the evening palpable even after the final note had faded. But it was in the quiet after the storm, in the stillness of the dressing room, that the darkness slipped in.

Charles's phone vibrated against the table, a simple, almost mundane sound. He picked it up absentmindedly, expecting a routine message from the security team or perhaps a late-night text from Jin. But when he unlocked the screen, the words staring back at him sent a cold chill down his spine.

You can't hide forever, Charles.

He felt the blood drain from his face as he read the message again, each word slicing through the fragile peace he had built. He knew exactly who it was from—The Phantom, the man he had betrayed, the man who had made a life out of hunting down those who crossed him. Charles had once been his most trusted enforcer, his right hand in a world where trust was a luxury no one could afford. And now, he was the hunted.

For a long moment, Charles could only stare at the screen, his heart pounding in his chest, the sound of his own pulse loud in his ears. The room seemed to close in around him, the air thick with the weight of the message. Fear, sharp and primal, washed over him, threatening to pull him under. But in the next instant, he shoved it aside, his instincts as a protector kicking in.

He couldn't afford to be paralyzed by fear. Not when Jin's life was at stake.

That night, sleep was a distant memory. Charles sat by the window of their hotel suite, the city stretching out before him in a sea of twinkling lights and distant sirens. His thoughts were a whirlwind, dragging him back to the life he had tried so hard to forget. The deals made in back alleys, the whispered threats, the violence that had once been second nature to him—it all came rushing back, like ghosts come to collect their due.

But more than anything, Charles thought of Jin. Jin, who had brought light into his world of shadows. Jin, whose smile could chase away the darkest thoughts, whose touch had become his anchor. The thought of Jin being dragged into the nightmare of his past was unbearable, a possibility he couldn't allow.

"I have to protect him," Charles whispered to himself, his voice barely more than a breath against the silence of the night. The decision had already been made in his heart, even before his mind had fully caught up. There was only one way to ensure Jin's safety: he had to confront his past, to face The Phantom head-on. He had to leave, to draw the danger away from the man he loved more than anything.

But the thought of leaving Jin, of walking away from the only person who had ever made him feel truly alive, was a pain so deep it felt like it might tear him apart. He could still feel the warmth of Jin's skin, could still hear his laughter like a melody playing softly in the background. The idea of losing that, of never feeling Jin's arms around him again, was almost too much to bear.

Charles stood, his legs heavy as if weighed down by the gravity of what he was about to do. He walked to the bedroom where Jin was sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the storm brewing just outside the door. Charles leaned against the doorway, his heart clenching at the sight of Jin's peaceful face, his chest rising and falling with each gentle breath. For a moment, Charles just stood there, drinking in the sight, committing every detail to memory—the way Jin's hair fell across his forehead, the soft curve of his lips, the way his hand rested on the pillow beside him as if reaching out even in sleep.

Slowly, Charles approached the bed and knelt beside it, his heart heavy with the weight of what he had to do. He reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against Jin's cheek. Jin stirred slightly at the touch, his eyes fluttering open to find Charles gazing down at him.

"Charles?" Jin's voice was thick with sleep, his eyes blinking to clear the fog of dreams. "What's wrong? Why are you up so late?"

Charles forced a smile, though it felt like it might crack his face in two. "Nothing, love," he lied, his voice soft and steady. "I just... I couldn't sleep. Wanted to see you."

Jin's eyes searched Charles's face, the concern in them deepening. "You look like you've seen a ghost," he murmured, reaching out to take Charles's hand. "What's going on?"

Charles swallowed hard, the words he had to say sticking in his throat. How could he tell Jin that he was leaving? That he had to walk away to keep him safe? How could he tear their world apart with just a few sentences?

"I... I have to go now," Charles finally said, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I need to... take care of something. Something from my past."

Jin's grip on his hand tightened, his eyes widening in alarm. "Go now? What do you mean? Where are you going? Can't that wait tomorrow. "

"No, love," Charles said, the words coming out sharper than he intended. He softened his tone, his thumb brushing gently over Jin's knuckles. "This is something I have to do now."

"But—" Jin began, his voice trembling with emotion, but Charles cut him off, pulling Jin's hand to his lips and pressing a tender kiss to it.

"Please," Charles whispered, his voice breaking. "Please understand... I'm doing this for you. To protect you."

Tears welled up in Jin's eyes, spilling over as he shook his head. "I don't want you to go," he said, his voice thick with the tears he was trying to hold back. "I don't care about the danger—I just want you here, with me."

Charles felt his heart shatter at the sight of Jin's tears, at the sound of his voice breaking under the weight of their impending separation. He wanted nothing more than to stay, to hold Jin close and never let go. But he knew that staying would only put Jin in more danger, would only make them both targets.

"I'll come back," Charles promised, his voice firm despite the tears stinging his own eyes. "I swear, love. I'll come back to you, no matter what."

Jin sobbed quietly, his hands clutching at Charles as if he could hold him there by sheer force of will. "You better," he choked out, his voice trembling. "You better come back to me, Charles. I... I can't lose you."

Charles leaned in, capturing Jin's lips in a kiss that was full of all the love, all the sorrow, all the unspoken words between them. It was a kiss that felt like both a goodbye and a promise, a sealing of their hearts even as they were being torn apart.

When they finally pulled away, Charles stood, his hand lingering on Jin's cheek for a moment longer. "I love you," he whispered, his voice raw and full of the emotion he could no longer hold back. "Always."

Jin nodded, tears streaming down his face as he watched Charles turn and walk away, his silhouette fading into the shadows of the hallway. The sound of the door closing behind him was like a knife to Jin's heart, a final note in a symphony of sorrow that left him feeling hollow and alone.

Charles stepped out into the cool night air, the city stretching out before him like a maze of possibilities, each one more dangerous than the last. But his mind was clear, his purpose set. He would face The Phantom, would confront the demons of his past, and he would do it all for Jin—for the love they shared, for the future he hoped they could still have.

As he walked down the empty streets, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the silence, Charles knew that he was no longer running from his past. He was hunting it down, determined to end the threat once and for all. And no matter what it took, no matter what sacrifices he had to make, he would return to Jin.

Because in the end, Jin was worth it all.