Min Ho’s jaw dropped, surprised at her statement. But he eventually broke into a chuckle. “You know, for an assassin, you don’t take punches all too well,” he ribbed back. “That was my first sparring match but I’m guessing I won?” He flashed her a mischievous smile.
“Please. You’re just lucky I’m already injured,” she added with a scoff. She jerked her chin back, causing some of her hair to fall over her face. She glanced down at the hair band around her wrist and thought she should have tied her hair into a ponytail. She was about to let go of the ice pack to do it, when all of a sudden, Min Ho’s hand came into view.
His fingers expertly pushed her hair away from her face and tucked them behind her ears. Shin Hye looked up at him with wide-eyes, but he was too busy staring at her forehead and brushing more strands away to notice her bewilderment. When he drew back, Shin Hye let out the breath she’d been holding. He’s at it again. Touching where he isn’t supposed to touch. Sitting too near, breathing too close.
Her relief was only temporary, since apparently, Min Ho grabbed the towel beside him before dabbing the towel on her face. Shin Hye tried to keep a straight expression, but Min Ho’s face was too close for comfort. She swallowed hard, mentally telling her thudding heart to calm down. For a moment, she was afraid he’d actually hear the commotion in her chest, or worse, read her inner thoughts.
Min Ho dropped his eyes to look down at her. He squinted suspiciously, as if scrutinizing her expression. “You don’t seem comfortable around men, either.”
“Well, I’m not a player like you,” she snapped back, her voice sounding particularly weak.
Min Ho’s gaze playfully travelled to all of her features before stopping dead straight to her eyes. Shin Hye’s body stiffened at the eye contact, wondering why the room was suddenly so painfully quiet.
“Haven’t you considered the possibility that maybe… I’m comfortable around all women except for one?” He raised a brow.
She let his statement hang in the air, and for a few seconds they just looked at each other quietly. Her heart was beating as wildly as ever so she looked down to avoid his eyes and cleared her throat, just to fill the space with a sound.
“Why? Because you’re scared she could kill you at any moment?” She asked with a dry laugh.
Min Ho frowned.“No, not kill me,” he countered. Shin Hye didn’t know why, but she was pleased by the conviction in his tone – as if he couldn’t even imagine she was capable of harming him now.
“But… I think she can break me,” he continued. Shin Hye lifted her head up to look at him and noticed his gaze has softened. “And I’m willing to let her,” he added softly. There was a vulnerability and innocence in the way he said it; almost as if he was shy.
Shin Hye opened her mouth to speak but she couldn’t form words to respond to what he just said. Min Ho kept his eyes on hers and they sat there motionless. That was until he scooted closer and on instinct, Shin Hye leaned back. At the movement, an ache shot through her and she winced in discomfort.
“Are you okay?” Min Ho’s hand immediately flew to her shoulder to steady her.
“Yeah,” she replied, looking down at her bruise. When she looked up, Min Ho was still eyeing her with concern. She bit her lip and thought of something to ease the tension. Anything.
“I think you’re the one who broke me, you jerk,” she used her leg to kick his shin, and he yelped in pain. “Oops,” she let slip when she realized she’d kicked him a little too hard.
Min Ho shot her a pained expression, still clutching his leg. “That was a foul.”
Shin Hye smiled faintly and shifted so she can sit up straighter. She felt the sting, but the pain was slowly subsiding now. Min Ho attempted to touch her at her every little movement, but Shin Hye would swat his hands away.
“Ya, you’re not done with training! Go there and practice with the punching bag instead!” She ordered, pointing to the other corner of the gym. Her heart was still trying to regain back its normal pace, so she needed to get him away from her fast.
Min Ho scoffed. “Tss. Always ruining the moment,” he grumbled under his breath as he stood up but Shin Hye heard it.
“Eo? What did you just say about your trainer?” She demanded, pretending to sound pissed off.
Min Ho flashed her a wide smile. “I said you’re the best. You should teach young kids, too. I’m sure they’ll think you’re delightful.”
Shin Hye rolled her eyes at him but she couldn’t help but feel a flutter in her stomach. He watched him put on his gloves again and face the bag. Shin Hye shut her eyelids and breathed in and out deeply. When she fluttered her eyes open, he watched Min Ho from where she sat. She should be taking note of his movements, but her mind was preoccupied.
“I think she can break me… And I’m willing to let her.”
The words replayed in her mind and she felt a knot in her chest.
“I think she can break me… And I’m willing to let her.”
Min Ho was getting close. Too close. It scared the shit out of her. She didn’t think she’d be afraid anything anymore. Not her enemies, not even the prospect of death. To a degree, she was just waiting for someone to kill her and end her pathetic existence. She was a heartless criminal. An empty shell without a soul. There was nothing she was afraid of because there was nothing that could hurt her anymore.
But ever since Lee Min Ho walked into her world, she felt things again. And the worst of those things was fear. She hated that feeling most of all.
Because that meant there was something that could hurt her now. Him.
From someone who wasn’t afraid of anything, now, she’s scared she might not be able to protect him. She’s scared of him losing more than he already has. She’s scared he won’t be able to get back to his old life.
And yet… she’s also scared that when he does go back to his old life, he’ll forget about her. She’s scared that this useless, foolish, arrogant prince would mean too much to her that when he decides to walk out of her world and back into his, he’ll leave a dark, gaping hole where his warm eyes used to be.
“I think she can break me… And I’m willing to let her.”
You can break me, too, Shin Hye thought.
“But I can’t let you,” she whispered.
Min Ho stopped the punches and looked her way. He wiped his forehead with his arm, his chest heaving up and down. “Did you say something?”
Shin Hye shook her head in response. Min Ho gave her a curious look but turned to the punching bag again to resume what he was doing.
She bit the insides of her cheek, feeling oddly depressed. Like someone just punched her in the gut, but it was worse than physical pain. The more she convinced herself not to feel anything, the more she felt a squeeze in her chest.
She waited for Min Ho to turn his back to her, and when he did, she stood up from the bench, ignoring the pain in her torso. She quietly left the gym, hoping Min Ho doesn't hear her leave.
She was already halfway down the stairs when she felt someone hold her back. She glanced up and saw a sweaty Min Ho looking down at her with a quizzical expression.
“Ya, where are you go—“
He stopped when he caught sight of her face.
Shin Hye blinked and felt something trickle down her cheeks. She gasped. When she lifted her hand to touch her face, she realized they were tears. What the.
“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” Min Ho descended one more step so his face was levelled with hers. He wiped her cheeks with his fingers.
Shin Hye bit her lower lip, feeling her heart constricting at his touch. “I… I don’t know,” she mumbled back. She was having a hard time breathing now, as if the air was knocked out of her lungs. She felt another tear fall down and she let out a curse. Min Ho inched nearer and cupped her face close to his. His eyes were full of confusion and worry as he looked at her.
Shin Hye didn’t know what she was thinking, but she found herself leaning her cheek against his palm. It was warm, and somehow, it both soothed and intensified the ache.
“Does it hurt that much?” He asked softly.
She closed her eyes and nodded, although she knew Min Ho was probably asking about the bruise.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, leaning his forehead on hers. “I’m so sorry,” he said again as one of his hands fell to the back of her waist. Shin Hye trembled at the sensation of his fingers on her skin. They stayed like that for a while, as Shin Hye struggled to steady her breathing. Min Ho just held her close –while conflicting emotions coursed through her. But there was no denying which one was stronger.
The tears finally stopped, but she was still out of breath. When she opened her eyes, Min Ho looked genuinely upset with himself. He clenched his jaw and gently caressed her cheek. “How do I make the pain go away?” He asked, his voice cracking as if he was also hurt.
There was a lump in her throat when she locked eyes with the man in front of him. And in that instant, she felt the whole world collapsing in on her. It was a mere few inches, but it felt like she ran a mile to get there – to that moment when she finally gave up.
She drew out a soft sigh, releasing so much more than a labored breath, and kissed Lee Min Ho to make the pain go away.
10/31/14/ 2:55 AM. 8264