8 Chapter 8
Seoul, Korea
NuStarr Talent Management Headquarters
Secretary Po offered a reassuring smile. “There has to be at least one potential bodyguard that’ll work, right?” she asked. “You’ve interviewed over a dozen with more waiting.”
Dae-Ho laughed. “Oh you would think, huh? Last night we were followed home by one of the interviewees that we turned down. That wasn’t creepy in the least,” he said, making a face. “It took an hour to get home because Dad couldn’t shake the guy! If it wasn’t for the driver that ran a red light and smashed into him, we’d most likely still be circling Seoul! At this rate, we’ll need an entire military trained team that has no idea who in the hell Myo Mi-Sun even is to take the job!”
Jae coughed to keep from laughing because his son was spot on, and that red light running driver was Lucien Yasuhiro doing what the Driver is supposed to do; secure the route.
Last night was scary, and it was at that moment the severity of the situation hit Chairman Hu; he saw firsthand how one interaction can cause terrifying repercussions.
Sure, his son shouldn’t have been so dismissive towards a former military man that had seen three deployments and worked as a translator with the UN in warzones, and been less rude to him. But the man shouldn’t have tried to follow them home.
The legal team had to get involved and issue a no contact order against the man.
Secretary Po shook her head; the young man was speaking crazy now. “What’s wrong, Dear?” she asked, turning to Rain since she had been strangely quiet.
“Do you really have to ask, Secretary Po?” Rain rhetorically asked. “This is overwhelming me more so than attempting to do my own stunts! Too many people have come in and out of this office and have given the same robotic answers to the same questions. We haven’t met with anyone that I would feel safe with or would trust with my cousin’s safety… And apparently my cousin is trying to get whacked by the bodyguard rejects.”
Dae-Ho chuckled. “Were you watching American mafia movies?” he asked.
She made a face. “No, but thanks for showing a bit of maturity.”
He winked at her.
“You have to give them a chance,” Secretary Po said. “It’s a big role in your life that they have to fit into. You are a movie star, Dear! That’s major, and it takes a strong person to be able to do that. Just have patience. The right bodyguard will come around.”
“Uncle said a couple of interviews, but we’ve interviewed over twenty in just four days!” Rain reminded her. “Cousin wants a hot bodyguard that smells good, doesn’t talk, and will bust out with action hero moves like you see in action flicks.”
Secretary Po nodded her understanding; the young woman was getting horribly overwhelmed and it was only a matter of time before she lost her nerve and ran. “What do you want, Dear?” she asked.
“To be safe,” Rain said as if it were obvious. “If he looks like a male model and doesn’t smell like pickled cabbage that’s only a bonus, but not a requirement. But even then, I can’t do it. I’m sorry, Uncle. It isn’t right to try to force someone, being paid to or not, to subject themselves to my insane schedule! It almost killed you!” She paused and struggled to regain her composure, but it was of little use.
The rule was you never spoke of Jae’s heart attack, or the second that quickly followed the first. He was in the Intensive Care Unit for a week before he regained consciousness.
When he didn’t follow doctor’s orders about getting bedrest, he ended up right back there two weeks after he was released the first time.
The stress of providing for two young children on his own, the long days on set and at photoshoots with his niece followed by long nights working as a part time night clerk left no time for sleep and his body finally succumbed to exhaustion.
Rain blamed herself, of course, and Dae-Ho blamed her as well, for once, but in the end they he knew it wasn’t anyone’s fault but Jae’s.
“Sorry, Uncle,” Rain said with a bow.
Jae nodded that it was okay. “My heart is well, and the only threat to it is breaking if anything happens to you, Rain. I love you. You are everything my baby sister didn’t get to be, and it has been an honor to watch you become the young woman you are today.”
Rain wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.
“They’ll be paid regardless of your schedule,” Dae-Ho reminded her, running interference.
The last thing he wanted to think or talk about was his father nearly dying and the aunt he barely remembers.
“Hell, I’m not paid enough for putting up with your schedule but you don’t hear me complaining about it,” he added.
“You whine about it all the time,” she hiccupped.
“Yeah, but it’s to point that out when I’m trying to be reassuring,” Dae-Ho scoffed.
When Myo Mi-Sun wasn’t being sued, or burned out of her home, and was actually working, her schedule was insane. She barely slept, only ate because Dae-ho would shove bites of whatever he packed them for the day in her mouth when she wasn’t paying attention. It wasn’t healthy, and in good conscience she couldn’t force someone to do that as well simply because of her.
How many times had she fallen asleep with her eyes opened? Nearly injured herself or someone else because she was too tired to realized she was dangerous simply walking? How many slip of the tongue or misconstrues statements had she made to the media or someone that turned it around and used it against her because she was too tired to realize it?
It wasn’t healthy for her, and it surely wouldn’t be healthy for anyone else.
“That’s settled then,” Rain said at length, wiping the back of her eyes with her hand again. “There’s no need to interview anyone else.”
“Why is that?” Dae-Ho asked, dread flooding him.
Nothing good ever followed that tone and look.
Rain forced a smile, ignoring the tears flooding her eyes. “Because Myo Mi-Sun is retiring,” she announced.
