Chapter 3

Mina could not help but praise her instinct for making her follow and observe the guy.

As the bus moved slowly, she kept looking at them until they disappeared in her sight.

'The world is sure small.' Mina uttered.

Her tutor's face suddenly flashed in her mind. His eyes. How he looked at her, it wasn't intimate but was still enchanting. His face. His seriousness was appealing. Her tutor was mysteriously handsome.

'Stop beating so fast.' Her heart raced just by thinking about her tutor.

Mina's thoughts on him kept wandering.

'How old is he? Where does he live? Does he have a girlfriend?' She found herself smiling.

She shook her head.

As much as possible, she didn't want to keep thinking about her tutor. But everything about him had been running through her mind since last night. Whenever she got stray in her thoughts on him, questions piled up.

If Mina was just close with her grandfather, she could ask him right away. But they were not. Even though they lived in the same house, Mina always felt a great distance between them.

It was actually suffocating but she had no choice. Her parents had already left them. Even her brother, who used to tell her he wouldn't do the same, but still he did.

Mina felt alone, not only in the house but wherever she went. No friends. No family whom she could depend on especially when she's emotionally down.

------------

A white car pulled over. A man, who looked like a bodyguard, rushed out to get the door. Two more big men showed up from the car. They were obviously bodyguards. 

A man in a formal suit got out of the car. He's Mr. Lin, the owner of XenL Pharmaceuticals. He calmly headed to Vien Restaurant before them. The bodyguards followed him. The car dashed off.

"Finally, Mr. Lin's here." He was Pil, the guy whom Kian met at the bus stop. 

They were at the rooftop cafe on YJ Building across Vien Restaurant. 

Kian rose up from sitting.

They exchanged high fives.

Kian rushed down. Pil's eyes focused on the restaurant. 

Kian was already standing by the traffic lights, waiting for the pedestrian green light signal.

Pil suddenly got nervous. Mr. Lin wasn't easy to handle. It was really hard to get near him. His bodyguards were smartly alert.

Cars stopped. Kian crossed the road. He walked straight to Vien Restaurant.

"You're late on your first day." The man in uniform whispered as Kian entered the separate door for employees.

But Kian didn't apologize. He gave him a serious stare instead. 

The employee got flustered. "Didn't our manager tell you when you got interviewed that you should change in uniform here. We are not allowed to wear working uniforms outside. We are serving in a restaurant. We must be hygienically--"

"Are you on break?" Kian stared at him more fiercely.

He shook his head, Kian's fierce stare suddenly sent fear to his body. 

"Then continue working." He moved his head to signal him to go outside. 

The other employees were shocked as well. When Kian looked at them, they all acted busy.

"Aren't you too blunt for a new comer? You should know your place." The man said. He didn't want to let Kian win against him.

Kian didn't respond anymore.

A warning glare. He then stepped past him.

Everyone in the working station was left speechless. The man got a lot angrier.

-----------

Vien was an expensive restaurant. A reservation must be booked before someone could dine in here.

Kian was taking orders near Mr. Lin's table.

An old man was eating with him. His bodyguards were alertly standing by his sides.

The man, whom Kian just clashed with, showed up with another luxuriously looking dish. He served it at Mr. Lin's table.

The man still looked infuriated. He cussed at Kian silently as he walked past him.

Kian finished taking orders and turned his back. He suddenly fixed the collar of his uniform.

The door opened.

"Sir, I am sorry but you can't just dine in here without a reservation." A female staff said.

Everyone in the restaurant turned their heads to the door. 

A guy in a high school uniform, with eye glasses and curly hair was standing.

"Do you have a hang over soup?" He sounded drunk.

The restaurant manager came rushing. "Sir, you can't make a scene here. Please leave now before we report you to the police."

Mr. Lin's bodyguards were on full alert.

"Hey, waiter!" The guy shouted at Kian.

Kian didn't mind him and approached another table for their orders. 

Out of the blue, he ran towards Kian aiming to forcefully bump into him. But Kian was quick enough to avoid him, making the guy crash on the floor.

Everyone was shocked. The manager didn't know what to do. The bodyguards surrounded Mr. Lin closer. 

"Call the police now." The manager ordered the female staff by the door.

"No need." Kian spoke.

-----------

Those who had been witnessing the scene were curiously surprised and looked at Kian.

Kian put the note and pen in his pocket. He bent down and grabbed the guy's collar. "I know your school. You want to get kicked out?"

Kian stared at him fearlessly. While grabbing him by the collar, he made the guy stand up. He then dragged him outside the restaurant.

When Kian returned, eyes were on him. They all looked impressed, even Mr. Lin's bodyguards.

The manager thanked him. She could not hide her relief. "Our boss needs to know about this. You will get rewarded for sure."

Kian didn't show interest, but he spoke. "I'm quitting now."

The manager got surprised. The customers could not help but get nosy including Mr. Lin.

Kian took off his black vest and handed it to her. "I'm short tempered. This job doesn't suit me."

He turned his back.

The manager followed him, looking confused.

"But--"

Kian looked back again and gave her some paper bills. "For this uniform. I don't have extra clothes with me."

Female customers and staff could not take their eyes off him. Kian looked more handsome in his cold and charismatic appeal. 

The door opened and he got outside.

He looked at his watch. As the hand ticked, he counted silently. 

One, two, three, four, five.

The door opened again.

'Okay' He smirked.

One of Mr. Lin's bodyguards stood beside him, extending his hand holding a calling card. 

"My boss asked me to give this to you. You might be interested to work for him." 

Kian ignored him and made his steps. The bodyguard followed him. 

"I'm not interested, sir."

The bodyguard faced him. "In case you change your mind."

Kian looked at him. "Where is your boss?"

-----------

Kian was back inside the restaurant. He was sitting across Mr. Lin.

"I like your attitude."

Kian didn't show any reaction. 

Mr. Lin took out a new calling card from his wallet. He then gave it to Kian. 

Mr. Lin spoke again. "Now that I handed that myself as your condition, do you still doubt my bodyguard?" 

"It's easy to fake calling cards." He responded.

Mr. Lin seemed to like Kian more. "Call me soon."

Kian rose up from sitting and excused himself.

He opened the door.

He made big steps to the mini-park next to the restaurant. He sat on the bench. 

He looked at the calling card. He had been carefully holding it on the bottom right tip.

He put his left hand in the pocket and took out his phone. He immediately scanned the calling card.

SUCCESS. The screen displayed. 

He put his phone back and took out a small zip plastic bag. He cautiously placed the calling card inside.

Kian stood up.

While walking, he put his collar close to his mouth and spoke. "Where are you?"

A black car stopped. Kian got inside.

The driver, who was wearing a high school uniform, removed his wavy wig.

"That was fun." Shaking his head, Pil smirked. 

------------

Mina was properly arranging the books she just used in the shelf. She had gone to the library after her class. 

When she finished, she got her bag and walked downstairs. 

She scanned her ID. The door opened.

"Oh! It's raining!" Her face flashed great excitement.

She stood under the roofed balcony at the entrance to the library.

Mina smilingly extended her hand to catch some raindrops. She felt good.

'Spring rain.' She said.

It was the first rain in the spring season. She suddenly remembered his brother's story about it. 

She shook her head when she realized she just smiled thinking about that story and her brother.

'I should hate him.' Mina convinced herself.

The rain seemed to be pouring more. She had to leave now. Ms. Kim had reminded her this morning to get home early because her grandfather would arrive home before 7.

She didn't have an umbrella. Covering her head with her two hands, she left the library and ran.

She hastened her steps as fast as she could to reach the exit gate. But she abruptly stopped when she felt someone put a jacket over her head.

Her heart raced in an instant when she saw who was standing so close to her.

"Teacher?"