Shotgun K

I sat on the bench, my elbows propped on my knees and my head bowed down towards the ground. After almost a whole thirty minutes of talking non-stop, I felt like a semi-empty shell. It felt rather nice, with that heavy weight slightly lifted off of my chest.
“…Woah,”

I glanced over at Sun Hi, who was sitting right next to me on the bench. Her face was blank but her eyes were wide in transparent shock.
“Yea…woah.” I echoed flatly.
“This isn’t a joke right?” she asked. “I mean, I don’t think you would joke about something like this, but I wanna be sure…”
I turned and gave her an exasperated look.
“That would be a sick, tasteless joke, don’t you think?” I said.
Sun Hi nodded, chewing on the inside of her cheek and sighed.
“Yea, I know.” she muttered. “So this whole week…with you being restless and tired, looking troubled…”
I nodded.
“It was all because of that whole… thing.” I said.
“So let me get this straight,” she went on. “That murder story that has been the big thing all week, she was murdered by your stalker…who you just learned about since your agency didn’t tell you about the letters you have been getting for a few months now.”
“Yea, that’s right.” I said. “You can’t make stuff like this up.”
“But…but, that’s all crazy! All of this happening in less than a week…and you got dumped by your girlfriend.” she said.
I winced at her blunt words.
“Oh yea, thanks for reminding me,” I said sarcastically.
She ignored me, completely lost in rapid train of thoughts.
“But how did they know it was your stalker? Honestly, I don’t see the connection between the murder and the stalker, outside of the fact that the girl was on her way home from your promotional event.” she went on.
I stiffened a bit, refusing to think back on the memory.
“The stalker sent a package with proof after the murder…” I said. I didn’t go into the details.
“Proof?” Sun Hi echoed curiously, though she sounded spooked. “What kind of proof?”

I curled my hand into a tight fist and felt my nails digging into my palm.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I murmured.

Sun Hi was quiet but I could feel her eyes on me, watching me carefully.
“So…what are you doing about all this right now?” she asked. “I mean, what is the next step? There’s a huge chance that you could get attacked, right?”
I grimaced but nodded.
“Yea, that’s what the police are saying and worried about.” I said. “We just don’t know what this person may do next.”
“Then you should be worried about being safe first!” Sun Hi demanded. “What are you doing coming to work like it’s Thursday!”
“It is Thursday,” I said exasperatedly. “And the police thought that if I just go into hiding or change something that might aggravate the killer into killing again.”
“Still, shouldn’t something be done to protect you?” Sun Hi continued to press. “I mean, this building is very secure and I imagine your agency is as well. But what if you get attacked in between jobs or something?”
I shook my head.
“It’s not like we’re just sitting around waiting for something to happen.” I said. “My agency president has made some…arrangements.”
Sun Hi scowled, looking both mystified and annoyed.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she demanded. “What arrangements?”
I squirmed a bit, and I contemplated not telling her. But she probably will get it out of me.
“…He’s hired me a bodyguard.” I told her reluctantly.
Sun Hi blinked at me and frowned.
“A bodyguard?” she echoed. She then squinted at me, giving me a prying look. “By that look on your face, you don’t like this bodyguard.”

I glanced once her way before turning away, hating that she was trying to read me. When I didn’t say anything to confirm or deny what she just said, she went on.

“So? Did you meet him? What’s he like?” she hounded me. “Is he like those you see in dramas that are like ten feet tall, big and broad and scary…wait, are you scared of your own bodyguard or something?”
“K is not scary and no, I’m not scared of her!” I demanded. I realized moments later that I sounded far too defensive…and that I made a slip.
Sun Hi gaped at me, her expression priceless.
“Mwuh?” she said. “I was joking about the big, broad and scary thing…but I could’ve sworn you said---”
I groaned inwardly and looked away, suddenly aggravated with myself. What have I done?
“Oh my god, your bodyguard is a---” she started to yelp out.
I wheeled around, ready to jump on her.
“Shhhhh! Don’t talk about it so loud! What if someone hears you?” I hissed at her.
Sun Hi’s eyes widened, looking shocked.
“So you have a female bodyguard?” she hissed back. “You do! You said ‘her’!”
I couldn’t help but to scowl at her and her excitement.
“What is so exciting about that? Yea, that’s right, my bodyguard is a girl. Happy?” I demanded.
“And have you met her? You met her, didn’t you?” she continued to press. It seemed like she had completely forgotten about the first half of the conversation. “When did you meet her? What’s she like? Is she like a huge mammoth?”
Sun Hi stopped talking, and I could tell by the look on her face that she was thinking about something. But then she suddenly burst out laughing.
“Mwuh?” I demanded, alarmed. “What’s wrong with you?”
The girl continued to laugh uncontrollably, doubling over on the bench.
“I just pictured this huge sumo-wrestler girl carrying you like a princess booming ‘It’s okay, I will protect you~! in this mighty voice.” she managed to choke out. “Oh…oh! My stomach! Wow, that is beastly! Your bodyguard sure must be scary!”
I twitched a bit, and I felt my face burn.
“Yah! What’s wrong with you? I didn’t say anything about being carried like a princess…”
That set off the young costume coordinator into another peel of laughter.
“It’s not funny!” I demanded. “Go ahead and laugh, but I’m telling you this isn’t funny! You have no idea what K is like!”
“What…what is Miss Bodyguard like then?” Sun Hi choked out, wiping away a tear that leaked out from the corner of her eye.
I was talking before I even realized.
“K…she is a murderous maniac! She’s insane! Pure evil!” I spat out. “When she came to my apartment with her partner last night, she was armed ready to start a war! She had all these guns and knives and bombs strapped to her body! And she always has this look on her face, like she wants to kill me. She is cocky and out of control; she talks back! She doesn’t listen to what I’m saying! And she even hits too! Look!”

I got up from the bench and lifted my shirt to reveal my circular bruise on my abs.

“Woah! What the hell are you doing in front of a lady?!” Sun Hi yelled out, putting her hands up in front of her defensively before her face and turning away. But then she turned and stared at my abs anyway. “Hey! You’re supposed to have a shower scene today! How do you suggest we cover that up, huh?”
“It’s not my fault; that crazy girl K punched me in the stomach and then she threw me on the ground!” I grouched. “She threatened me too, saying that her ‘playing nice’ was a courtesy and she had no issue punching me back.”
“What, did you punch her or something? Is that why she hit you?” Sun Hi asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No,” I shot out, shoving my shirt back down. But then I relaxed, trying to not sound so defensive. “We…we had an argument.”
“An argument? What are you, a married couple?” she snorted.
“Like I said, she doesn’t listen,” I said, ignoring her last comment. “She is sticking her nose in my business where it doesn’t belong when it’s not even her job to do that in the first place. I don’t need her to add to the already long list of things I have going on right now.”

Sun Hi now had a thoughtful look on her face, the humor and laughter completely gone. After a short moment, she spoke.
“I think you guys need to talk more.” she said.
“We do talk. The last time we talked was this morning, and it ended with me being on the floor trying to get air back into my lungs,” I muttered.
But Sun Hi shook her head.
“I meant talk openly without holding anything against each other.” she said. “Without animosity, without attacks. Honestly, when did you guys meet? It couldn’t have been that long ago, since the murder happened about a week ago.”
I frowned, considering what she was saying.
“She came to my apartment yesterday with her partner.” I said.
“And you guys are already at each other’s throats?” she demanded. “Talk about a bad start.”
“Hey, she started it.” I said.
“It doesn’t matter who started what, Jae-Sung. All that matters is that you get this situation to work.” she said. “Look, I joke and laugh like I just did but I’m kind of worried about you on this one. I mean, a girl was killed and you’re being viciously stalked without you even realizing it.”
I breathed in, sobering up a bit.
“Yea, I know.” I said.
Sun Hi winced and scratched the back of her head awkwardly.
“I know I’m a new friend, but I do want to know that you’re safe.” she said. “And if that means having this evil, crazy murderous monster of a bodyguard protecting you, I think it’s what needs to happen.”
I stared evenly back at Sun Hi, who was giving me a rare sincere look. I sighed, feeling a bit defeated.
“Yea, I guess so.” I murmured. “But really, I have no idea how to have this conversation with her. It’s impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible, especially if you haven’t tried it once.” she reasoned.
“I know, but I don’t know if I even want to have a conversation with her right now.” I said. “I sound childish, I know, but she hit and threw me on the ground for crying out loud.”
“Then why don’t you try talking to her partner?” Sun Hi said. “You said she has a partner, right?”
I shrugged, not particularly fond of the idea.
“Partner, boss, boyfriend…who knows what he is.” I muttered. “I have a feeling he’s going to be on K’s side.”
“If you’re being mature and the better adult there, your thoughts and feelings should get across.” Sun Hi said. “If he works closely with this girl, he must know her pretty well. Maybe he can even help you smooth things out a bit.”
I wasn’t a fan of the idea. The guy, Jun I think his name was, kind of felt cold. Would he really listen to what I have to say?
“I guess I can at least talk to the guy.” I agreed reluctantly. “Maybe he will tell me why she’s so crazy.”
Sun Hi raised an eyebrow at me, looking slightly amused.
“You make her out to be such an awful person…” she noted.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes.
“I don’t make her out to be anything. She is awful.” I said. “I have four more days to decide if I want her to work for me or not. After this thing passes, I want to ask for a proper replacement.”
Sun Hi frowned, but let out a carefree shrug.
“If you think that is best.” she said. “But I still think you should talk with her.”

She sat on the bench for a little bit, looking very thoughtful.
“I hope all of this is resolved soon.” she said. Then she let out a sigh and got to her feet.
“Alright, well, we have a lot of work to do. Let’s figure out how to cover up that bruise of yours.” she said. She started off to the doors but then stopped.
“Hey, Jae-Sung?” she said looking back at me.
“Hmm?” I replied.
“I’m glad you talked to me; that’s a lot for someone to deal with. I won’t tell anyone anything.” she promised.

Surprisingly, I found her words to be truthful that I could believe it.
“Thanks,” I said. “That actually means a lot.”