Damyang… Not just a place full of bamboo beauty, but also the witness of my painful memories, A place which saw me running for my life through its green fields. The reason why this place was my first choice to open Moonlight Resort, the biggest project of Moon empire was because this place had seen me run out of slavery and stepping into the world of my own freedom. The glimpse of that day still send me chills down spine, where did I get this courage from? How did I reach out to Junho? May be the extreme desire to free myself was the only fuel that made me end up doing all those miserable things. Moonlight was entirely handed over to Junho, that's only way I could ever pay him for the kindness And today I brought Rose here…does she holds that much importance in my life to bring her at the place closest to my heart? Right now, it feels like all of my past witnesses have gathered together in one space. But Rose has forgotten those memories, will she ever remember me? That gloomy winter evening 8 years back?
"Junho, did you inform Maya regarding today's plan?" I said while stepping out of the pool.
Junho wrapped a towel around my fair, muscular torso that dripped with water. I looked up towards south part of the resort, Rose's room windows were still closed with black curtains. I took off the towel and began wiping out my wet long hair while sitting down on the wooden cane chair. Junho handed me a glass of grape juice and my cell phone.
"Yes sir, she'll reach here by 12 in the noon. I've given her background information about Rose Lee and also told her to be a little gentle with her."
"Gentle?? How could she train her gently? And seeing Rosé's attitude, it might be hard for Maya to even keep her calm down" I smirked while sipping my grape juice.
" Junho-ssi , please tell Maya to be as strict as possible. This kid needs some discipline to get involved in my project… And if Maya can't, then I'll tame her down, she must follow her boss's orders further on. What time is it right now?"
"9 AM" Junho replied
"It's her first day here, so I'll excuse for today. Beginning tomorrow morning I want her ready by 7 AM sharp."
"So…..Should I wake…" Junho tried speaking as I stood up from the chair and pulled up my black velvet bathing robe.
"You should go and receive Maya at the subway." I said while my eyes were on Rose's window.
Junho knowingly smiled, bowed down to me and walked out of swimming pool park.
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I opened the door with spare card for Rose's room, went inside but… the living room was messed up with bits of paper thrown everywhere. I picked up few pieces but there were just some pen scribblings on them. Looked inside the bedroom, the door was left wide open. I couldn't find Rose on the bed and my mind was alarmed with danger warning. But her bag was placed on the dressing table, also her white sneakers were lying on the floor. What in the actual fuck did even happened last night? I was about to call Junho, but suddenly my eyes noticed tip of red blanket peeking through the window gallery. I went near the window, slided the glass door, stepped inside the gallery and a cold hand touched my feet. Rose was lying down in the gallery with red blanket wrapped around her, she scared the hell out of me. I picked her up in my arms and quickly placed her over bed.
"Rose!!! Rose wake up!!" I yelled out at her while rubbing her hands to bring back warmth in her body.
Her closed eyes started shaking and opened slowly, She got up and leaned back on pillow.
"So noisy….Am I dead or what for you to scream this loudly??" She said while rubbing her eyes with her delicate thin fingers.
"You were sleeping in the window gallery??? Are you for real?" As the days were passing by Rose seemed more and more unreal to me. Is she even in her right senses? I wondered.
"I mean….actually, I couldn't sleep on this soft bed….Uhmm…Maybe because my body is used to sleep on cold , rough sauna floor." Her eyes were staring at me, her face seemed blank but her eyes were hiding millions of dark secrets.
"Rose, why are you living like this? Since when are you staying at Sauna? Speak up Rose, my mind is about to go crazy just with these thoughts!! What did you go through that you had no choice but to choose that horrible job? Where are your parents? Why are you alone???" I had an emotional breakdown in front of her.
"You were thinking about me? And what do you know about my parents?? No, wait….We've met only three-four times till now…So why do you need to think about me, my life?" She came closer to me and stared right into my eyes.
"You're just a little kid Yuri….Lee Yuri…I've experienced this ugly world more than you…" I realized myself flowing through emotions and before Rose start interrogating me, I brought myself back to senses.
She looked at me in shock with widened eyes, she couldn't believe her ears. She moved away from me in unbelief, but as she went away I couldn't resist myself anymore and pulled her closer to me again while holding her hands tightly. Her cheeks blushed red with my strong grip, I placed both of my hands on her face.
"You're so cold Yuri, let me warm you a little…" I whispered in her ears. Her body shivered as if the whispers went straight down in her heart.
My face went more closer to her face…we were so close that even our warm breathe had no space to let out itself. She placed her hands on my neck…Her delicate fingers tickled me on my wet body….She closed her eyes and I moved my lips towards hers….As soon as we were about to lock them up, the room telecom started ringing loudly awakening us into real world. Rose pushed me down the bed as she got startled with that ridiculous phone ring!! I rolled down on the cold floor in my bath robe.
Rose got out of the bed and received the call, while I was busy processing what did just happen with us?
"Yeah, I'll get ready by 12 PM. Who am I meeting with?... Maya Yoon?...She'll train me?... For what? What am I getting trained for? Hello!! Mr. Kim??? Hello?? Hey Junho!!" She kept firing questions on Junho.
"Hey, Daniel!! What are you training me for? Can y'all please let me know exactly what job I am gonna do here?" She shouted and ran towards me, but while running her feet slipped over the wet floor and she ended up falling into my arms.
As she was about to push me away, I grabbed her tightly into my arms and patted gently on her long black hair.
"Rose…calm down, you're going to be trained to calm yourself down, for you to be able to control your emotions, My future mission needs your courage, confidence , recklessness but still you have many new things to learn. Maya, is a good person, A good teacher…She's the epitome of femininity , just learn as much as you can learn from her."
"And what about my exams? I've got my next paper in two days. Don't even think about trapping me here like you did in Daegu!!" She pushed me away and said loudly.
"Ahhh…your exams….It's okay, you can go to Seoul and then come back again…Maya will join you."
"Why? Aren't you gonna drive me??!!"
"Am I your personal driver? Why would I drive you back and forth every two days?"
"Okay , then send Junho with me." She said while brushing her teeth.
"Junho is my personal assistant!! Maya will join you"
"NO !! If you cannot send Junho then you have to come with me. You are my guardian for next one month!!"
I kept on sitting on the bed as she was talking continuously, Such a chatter box she was….
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12:00 PM
Junho entered the basketball court and Maya walked behind him. She was my next most trusted person after Kim Junho. Yoon Maya , a professional psychologist but an underground advisor working with me during my crucial decision making period. Her knack of reading people's minds played the biggest role in expanding my Bar and Resort chain within mere 5 years. She never appeared on display with me and Junho, but kept working and supporting me as an undercover agent hidden in the mask of Psychologist. Her clinic in Incheon was our secret base for underworld deals. Her gracefulness, patience and thought processing were the strongest features which I wanted Rose to learn.
"Good afternoon Mr. Daniel, long time no see my boy!!" Maya laughed while greeting me.
"How could I see you when you're so busy with your lunatic patients, Dr. Maya!!" I said sarcastically.
"Hya! Don't speak with that smirk on your face!! You look like some sad joker….Uhhh so scary!!" She said while acting cold and shivery.
"Oh, by the way….Rose lee…right? Rose, she's about to leave this job within a month…But are you sure that this project will get over by the end of this month?" She sat down on the ground.
"Wait…Did both of you really think I would let her go after a month?? Junho-ssi , Maya-ssi…. Don't you know who I am?? Wahhh" I opened up the tin of beer and chugged down a big sip.
"Maya…Daniel is going to sign an exclusive contract with Rose." Junho said while sitting down beside her.
Maya looked at me with anger, " Daniel , she's just 19!!! These contracts and everything is beyond her understanding. And most importantly your contracts are the WORST!!! What are you planning for her?? Don't forget she hasn't become an adult yet, be careful with your actions."
"Thanks for the advice Doctor, but I've planned some really interesting things with Rose. Don't worry, It's gonna be fun…For me at least…" I smiled at Maya while acting cute and she kicked me on the leg.
Yes, this is going to be a roller coaster ride for us…Me and Rose…She might be the best partner I'm going to work with. But before that, I need to look back into her past….Something extremely terrible incident she had gone through…