Guarded Hearts || Yoon Jeonghan ||

CHAPTER 10

After unpacking my things, I decided to go out and see if Jeonghan was awake and if he had to go somewhere. Upon reaching the main area, I saw Jeonghan sitting with five other people—must be his friends. I recognized one of them, Seungkwan, whom I met the other night. They were engrossed in their conversation, so I decided to leave quietly to avoid drawing attention.

"Hey Jessica, right? You must be the bodyguard," I realized someone had already seen me, and I turned back to see; it was Seungkwan.

Oh god, why did he see me, and now everyone in this room is staring at me.

"Oh yes, I'm Jessica, the bodyguard," I said, feeling awkwardness dissipate, hoping I could leave now.

"Mingyu hyung told me about you. Come here, sit with us, and I'll introduce you to the others," Seungkwan said, gesturing for me to join them.

"No, you can resume your conversations, I don't want to disturb you all," I replied.

"No, you're not disturbing us,sit with us, you don't have any work now," One of the them I hadn't met before, assured me.

"Yes, Seokmin is right," Seungkwan agreed.

I joined them, sitting on the sofa and keeping my distance. Unbeknownst to me, Jeonghan sat right across from me, his gaze fixed on me intermittently.

After a while, Seungkwan introduced me to his friends: Lee Seokmin, who seemed genuinely sweet and nice.

Lee Chan and Joshua, who included me in the conversation with their warm smiles, and Jun, the quiet one with a knack for making everyone laugh.

Jeonghan, lost in thought,occasionally stared at me, his expression
unreadable.

Deciding it was my time to leave

"Jeonghan, when should we decide the meeting they want to meet us ?" Lee Chan asked.

The room tensed, Jeonghan's eyes locking onto Chan. I sensed that everyone was looking surprised by Chan's question .I seized the moment to exit.

"Hey, I'm going to Martha, does anybody need anything?" I asked, attempting to distract.

"Thanks, Jessica, but Martha already got us everything when we came," Joshua replied with a smile.

"Oh, okay then, I'm leaving," I said, making my exit.

As I stepped out, hushed whispers followed. "Lee Chan, can you check your surroundings before saying something?" Seungkwan's voice trailed behind.

My mind still lingered on the previous conversation, but Esther, Martha's assistant, interrupted my thoughts.

"Hey Jessica, welcome home. Do you need anything?" Esther asked, her warm smile a pleasant distraction.

"Oh, no, Esther. I was just bored," I replied. "Do you need any help?"

Esther chuckled. "No, why would you help me? Is Jeonghan not going anywhere today?"

"For now, I don't think so. He's busy with his friends," I said.

Esther nodded. "Oh, then you can go to the library. It's a lovely way to pass the time."

"Can I go there, I mean, am I allowed?" I asked, uncertain.

Esther waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, yeah, definitely. Everyone's allowed. Only when Jeonghan is there are we not allowed."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really?"

Esther leaned in. "Yeah"

"Then you should come with me if you're not doing anything," I suggested.

Esther laughed. "Jessica, I'd love to go with you, but my love for books isn't that strong. You should go alone."

I chuckled at her candid response. "Oh, okay. I'm going then."

With Esther's encouragement, I headed to the library, eager to escape the tension still lingering from the previous conversation.

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.
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I stepped into the grand library, its cozy atmosphere enveloping me. Shelves upon shelves of books towered above, inviting exploration. I wondered how someone like Jeonghan, could appreciate such a serene space.

Shrugging off the thought, I began scanning the shelves for something captivating. My eyes landed on a book nestled at the top,I stood on my toes, straining to reach it, but it remained elusive.

No stool in sight, I spotted a chair and climbed onto it, determined. Finally, I grasped the book and opened it, entranced by the words.

Lost in the text, I didn't notice the approaching footsteps.

Suddenly, I saw Jeonghan coming towards  What the—?"

I startled, losing balance. The chair creaked, and I fell.

Jeonghan's swift reflexes kicked in. He grasped my waist, his bare hands wrapping around me, pulling me close. I felt a jolt at the unexpected contact.

As he steadied me, our faces inches apart, I saw a flicker of concern in his eyes.

"Why the hell were you climbing?" he asked, his tone stern.

I pushed away from him, regaining my balance. "I wanted this book and couldn't reach it, so I climbed."

Jeonghan's brow furrowed. "You could've asked a worker for assistance."

I shrugged. "No need to bother someone for just a book."

Jeonghan's voice rose. "That's why you fell from the chair."

My cheeks flushed, annoyance sparking. "I'm sorry, I should go now " I said hoping to leave early as possible because of the embarssement.

As I turned to leave, Jeonghan grasped my wrist, stopping me. "No, you stay here, you'll read."

"No I should go now, and you read here, I can read this book anytime" I said removing his grip from my wrist.

"I said you can read here so you'll read here now " He said, his eyes never leaving mine.

His dominating demeanor grated on me. Why did he always have to assert control? I hate him.

"Fine," I bit out, snatching a nearby chair.

Jeonghan settled into the library's central chair, directly across from me.

I immersed myself in my book, the words transporting me to a world of wonder. My love for reading stemmed from childhood, when my father would surprise me with new books.

Glancing up, I caught Jeonghan staring at a picture in his hand. Why wasn't he reading like everyone else in the library? I wondered.

Shaking off the thought, I refocused on my book. Moments later, Jeonghan stood and left the library.

My peace was short-lived, as my phone buzzed with a message from Secretary Kim.

"Oh god, please not this time," I muttered.

Secratory Kim

Good afternoon, Jessica, Have you settled into the mansion? If so, you have your task for the day. Bring Mr. Jeonghan to Mr. Yoon's house for dinner at 8:00 pm. Mr. Yoon's business partners are arriving, and he wants to introduce Mr. Jeonghan.

My anxiety spiked. Daily tasks? How could I convince Jeonghan and he can't be fooled twice.

"Oh god, kill me already!" I exclaimed, frustration boiling over.