Chapter 19

Her eyes looked around for a moment, finding herself surrounded by cars left and right.

"Where are we?" She spoke with a confused tone as if she wasn't fully awake.

"The company's underground building," he answered her without looking back.

"Hmm, what time is it?" She put her head on the window again.

"15h35."

"HAAAAAAAA," she whined while cutely kicking the seat in front of her a few times. "I want to sleep mooore!"

"Let me take you home then," he said as he sat properly.

"No, no I still have work to do," she put her hand on his shoulder unconsciously to stop him.

He looked at her hand.

Noticing his gaze she hurriedly took it back.

He slowly turned around to meet her eyes. "I will take you home, you need to rest today."

"I," as she was about to turn him down again she was taken aback by his soft and warm eyes. She could only nod to his words and lay back as he looked away.

She could still feel her shoulder and her heart weighing on her. She took a deep breath and sighed, slowly closing her eyes.

"Miss," he said.

"Hmm?" She opened her eyes, "Yes?"

"Your neck."

"Yeah I know, but what can I do?" She laid back again on the window.

Ari suddenly froze in place as he turned around, threw his hand behind her head adjusting the headrest.

Her eyes nervously looked at his opened shirt once again while noticing that even his hand smelled nice.

"Try this now," he said after going back to his place.

"It's, good, thank you," she murmured in her corner.

He continued as he started the car, "We will change the car into a more comfortable one."

Ari looked at him confused, "I would rather use the money for the company."

"I will get it myself."

Ari's eyebrows twitched. "How?"

"S rank," he said as the car left the parking lot.

"Oh, yes." Ari still didn't seem to wrap her head around him being an S rank.

The rest of the ride was quiet until she suddenly sighed while looking through the window.

"Kale," she said.

"Yes?"

"You joined the recruitment notice from uncle Han's?"

"You could say that."

"And I could say that there is no way uncle could afford sending me an S rank, when he himself only possesses one of them even while being the only heir to his family."

He didn't answer.

"You joined me on your own record," she continued. "Why?"

He didn't answer.

"You won't say?" She turned her head to look at him.

He didn't answer.

Ari looked away, her fingers fidgeted while she held her bag. "You are here, to protect me, right?"

"Yes."

She went silent for a few seconds, "You know I can't fully trust you, right?"

"I am not asking you to," he answered.

"You still choose to follow me even when I will always be doubting your intentions?"

"Yes," he said again.

She took a deep breath, "Okay then."

Kale turned off the car as they reached their houses.

He didn't get out and quietly stared ahead making Ari confused.

"Why are you not pushing me away?" He suddenly asked.

"I don't know. Up until now, you would rather stay silent than lie to me. And if I am being serious, if you wanted to hurt me you had many opportunities to do so, and that's if I held any kind of value. I, don't," she scoffed at herself. "I am just, the youngest daughter of the cast-off third son and a woman he didn't even love. I see nothing, of which you can rob me. My small degree means nothing compared to you, an S rank who can have immense riches and fame by only announcing himself to the world."

Her eyes teared up a bit. "If I were to ask honestly, it would be like this," she raised her head and looked at him through the rearview mirror.

"Why are you wasting your time following me around?"

"Is that, all what you think you have?" He suddenly asked her.

Ari watched him play with the rings on his fingers as he asked her. She started overthinking and a bad feeling surged from her heart.

"Is it, my body?"

As soon as these words left her mouth, she suddenly realized something and sighed.

"No, I am sorry. Even the man who wanted to rape me knew he would get bored of me after a while. With your stature, the number of pretty women you can have can't be counted. You wouldn't waste your time for only this." Her eyes were watery and a tear fell from her eye.

At that moment Ari truly thought she was nothing.

She raised her head and looked over, "Yeah, that's all I have, unless you are a psychotic man who enjoys killing people under certain conditions."

"That, I am," he said as he got out of the car.

Ari froze. "Hmm?"

He walked over to her side while Ari was still nervously trying to assess the situation.

He opened the door and squatted down next to her and met her eyes.

She trembled as she avoided his gaze.

"I do enjoy killing people the way I like because it is satisfying."

"O-oh, oh-okay..."

"But," he paused.

Ari slowly raised her eyes to look at his figure but was still afraid to see his face.

"That was part of my job, or what I had to do to protect my family."

Family? She asked herself. While she wondered she suddenly met his eyes.

His calm gray eyes...

"So I won't kill you."

She nodded slowly.

"Now," he raised his hand, making her flinch a bit.

He paused, showing her he meant no harm, and slowly moved his hand to her face.

She was still cautious until he held her cheek.

She sniffled with her small runny nose as his thumb cleaned her face.

He took his hand away.

"You have an S rank bodyguard who is faithfully following you. He is only the first of many."

She looked at him quietly for a moment.

"Yes, I am only one of the many people you will have under you as you keep achieving your dreams."

"You know?" She asked.

"You think I can't tell when you stuff yourself on papers? You're clearly aiming to achieve something, desperately trying to make the company stand out. Hmm?"

"Why are you following me while I have achieved nothing?" She still asked again.

"You still won't let that go?"

She shook her head like a little girl.

"Then how about this. If you get, strong and rich enough, make yourself the strongest family in this country. I will tell you a bit about who I am."

Ari's eyes widened. "Th-the, the strongest in the country?"

"Whether it is you or your father. But no one else. The leader of this country."

Ari stood quiet, unable to respond.

"If you take over the Soo's, I will let you on a little secret first."

"The Soo's..." Ari's expression slowly changed from nervous to serious, thinking about matters seriously. "So I assume you will stay as my bodyguard until then?"

He took a deep breath and stood up, gently holding his hand out for her. "Yes, miss."

She took his hand and got out of the car. "That still doesn't mean I trust you. But you better wait until then, and don't you forget our deal," she said in a cold tone as she walked in front.

"I won't," he murmured with a smile.

That seriousness was already stuck in her face when he asked her what should look like the impossible. She still, seriously thought about it. The strongest family in this country.

This wasn't because she was naive. No, she was thinking rationally.

Not giving him an immediate answer and only asking him to wait. Still checking if he, as a pawn will still be in the play.

She looked at the board and asked him to wait after much thought.

She only spoke after perfectly calculating everything.

Her hand held the door handle tightly. "You just wait. I will make it so that one day you will be proud of serving me," she said, opening the door and entering her house.

For others, it may seem like she was speaking big. But for Kale achieving such things was merely the beginning for her.

Oh... Kale stood there, thinking to himself.

Ari...

Even if you wanted this whole planet I would gladly offer it to you...

But you better hurry...

I don't think I can control my urges...

For that man who dared hurt you...

BA-DUMP!

The black tattoo was pulsating as if it was alive, screaming and hissing as Kale's eyes and earring glowed purple.