Bodyguard | Kim Namjoon ✓

11.

"What happened to your face?" Namjoon asked in a low but dangerous voice once they were in the shop the next morning. Soomin let her hair shield her left side of face. "Joon, will you please take the deliveries today and I'm really sorry to ask you this but you'll have to stay at the front the whole."

Yeah bitch! As if he's going to let you ignore him. Her inner voice said. She didn't have a choice. What would she tell him? That her husband gave her the black eye and the busted lip? That he raped her after he beat the shit out of her? Nah, not happening.

"Don't ignore me, Soomin. Tell me." He grabbed her elbow but she jerked away violently. The panic in her eyes made him gulp guiltily. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" He asked again, this time softer.

She just smiled, though it hurt him even to see her smile. "I'm alright Namjoon. I just slipped in the bathroom last night, okay? Now, get to work." She started towards her office to avoid him but his words stopped her in the doorway.

"You don't have to lie to me, Soomin. If you think I feel pity for you then yes, I do but more than that I'm angry. At Soongho for hurting you like this and at myself for not being able to protect you when I promised to protect you."

Tears flowed freely listening to him and they only intensified when she felt him pressing against her back, his arms circling around her waist to give her a light hug, comforting.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there, Soomin. I broke my promise." She turned around to look at him. She was shocked to see moisture gathering in his eyes. "Don't blame yourself. It's nothing new to me and besides I'm still breathing."

He shook his head, having none of it. He'd always blame himself. It was impossible not to. He wanted nothing more than to kill Soongho. How could he inflict pain on a woman and demand she love him? It was the most degrading thing in the world.

She cupped his face making him look at her as she wiped his face clear of tears he didn't know had escaped. "Hey! It's alright, I told you. You know it wasn't as bad as you think it was. I fought back this time you know. I fought back thinking about you, thinking how you would have fought for me. I was thinking about you and it gave me strength. You made me feel stronger than I ever did in my whole life. So, stop blaming yourself and get your lazy ass going. We have deadlines too."

He let go of her chuckling, surprised. He believed her words and went to work but he'd never forget how she looked today and he'd ensure that she never went through what she was going through right now. He'd give his life if he had to just to make her life better.

The extra security or more like Soomin's jailors arrived later that day. They were buff and mean looking. They kept a sharp eye on her not that she was going to do much.

Soomin and Namjoon had to lay low for almost a month. Though it was going to be hard it was necessary to build up Soongho's trust. They didn't want unnecessary attention from him when the right time came.

The gaurds started to dwindle or slack in their work in almost a week. It wasn't long before they left them alone.

Turned out Namjoon was a sweet talker and could befriend even a stone if he wanted to. He had his doubts that Soongho suspected his feelings for Soomin.

He couldn't avoid it anymore. He knew Soomin only looked at him as a friend but he had lost control over his feelings the day she told him to dream or maybe even before that.

He just didn't have courage to tell her, not when she teased him everytime someone flirted with him or gave him a phone number. He didn't want to ruin their friendship but he did hope that one day when everything was over, she'd open her heart to him.

****

Soongho checked his phone one afternoon like he always did to ensure Soomin was at the diner for lunch. His eyes narrowed as the tracker told him she was at home, in her room. That couldn't be right. Namjoon would have informed him if they had returned.

He made his way to her room but he found no trace of her. Something caught his eye as he walked to the dressing table and picked up the golden ring. Her wedding ring. His hand tightened around the ring but he wasn't angry this time. He understood exactly what Soomin was doing but it wasn't going to work. She was in his territory and she wouldn't win.

**

"Come on, Joon, that waitress isn't so bad. You should give her chance." Soomin teased Namjoon as they made their way towards the shop. The waitress in the diner had been hitting on him since he started going there.

Her heart beat faster as she purposely teased him but it was the only way she could keep her feelings at bay. It was hard as it is because Namjoon never hid his feelings when they were alone but she did. She was afraid to say the least but the ink on this man and the gun he carried kept reminding her what he was.

"You give her a chance, I'm not going to do that. She gives me the creeps." Namjoon shuddered, being as extra as possible with the movement. It had Soomin cracking up. Her laugh died though as soon as they entered the shop and saw Soongho sitting on a chair in the doorway.

Her eyes widened as she stopped abruptly. She knew he was here and she had been expecting to see his anger but instead he was smiling. She hadn't expected him to smile for forgetting the ring.

She gave a surprised laugh. "Yeobu! What are you doing here? And why didn't say you were going to come? I could have ordered take out." He stood up, smiling, eye to eye. He silently picked up her left hand and slid in the golden ring. "It's quite alright, my love. I didn't want to impose and besides it's nice to see you laugh once in a while. I was wondering though if I could be made privy as to what had you laughing so hard."

She smiled tightly. "Oh, I was just teasing Namjoon about how he should find a girl for once and blow off some heat. He needs it, don't you think so?" He caressed her face with that saccharine smile still on. "Of course, he should but right now he's on duty. I'm sure he sees girls off duty, don't you Namjoon?" They both turned to look at Namjoon and her heart broke just a little as her bodyguard nodded. "I do but I'd rather not discuss it with you two."

Soongho was pleased, she could tell but she still had a bad feeling that this wasn't the end of it. "I'll talk to you about your forgetfulness when you come back home. Hmm?" She nodded her smile gone but she had expected it. Now she only had to go through with it.