Emmanuel gave the security team an hour to warm up and prepare for the test. The gym that they were using was a well-furnished and large gym shared by all staff within the company. It was so vast that it took up half of the floor. Most of the users of the gym were shocked when the team requested to clear a quarter of the mats so that they could have that test.
The prince took the time to observe his surroundings, instead of preparing himself for the fight. He was watching how people behave with one another, deducing their hierarchy. He noted several men he needed to strike up a conversation in order to be better at his job.
"Do you need exercise clothes?" offered Ah Cheng, scrutinising his outfit. His clothes were far too tight for him to move properly. What would Cheng Long, the Hollywood Star, comment if he had seen the prince dressed this impeccable while attempting to carry out some stunts.
"I appreciate the kind gesture, Boss. I will be fine," answered the prince cheekily, folding his arms across his chest. He paid little heed to the attention he had received for his perfectly sculpted body.
"Mr Universe, are you trying to make my life difficult by picking a fight with the entire team on your first day?" grumbled Ah Cheng, rubbing her temples gently.
"I'm sorry, Boss. It has to be done—"
"What would I say to Hien if you're injured?" retorted the manager fiercely, snapping her head to glare at him.
Emmanuel chuckled warmly, rubbing the back of his neck. "If they could injure me, then you won't need me to improve the team. I can help by sticking close to Hien," explained Emmanuel patiently, his eyes twinkling playfully.
She sighed aloud. "Draconic."
Emmanuel shrugged absently. "I have heard that many times, so this won't be the first." Emmanuel and Hien had a discussion about his high-handed ways. His tone was very light-hearted, not taking that comment personally.
"And you take it as a compliment?" admonished Ah Cheng, raising a brow.
He shook his head. "When you have to handle hardened man older than you frequently. You'll learn what works," replied he evasively.
Soon, the entire team entered the area, while he faced them squarely.
"When you're down, you stay down," reminded Emmanuel. "Let's not get tetchy over this." He extended to take Ah Zheng's hand, his gaze softened. "Don't worry about me, give me your best shot. I want to see the dynamic of the team."
Ah Zheng nodded, understanding that this was also a test of his leadership. Unlike his subordinates, he was growing to like his arrogance.
Their fight quickly attracted a large following since it looked like the security team meant serious business.
"Duration, Manny?"
Emmanuel shook his head. "Till the last man standing," smiled the arrogant prince, raring to go. His eyes gleamed with anticipation as he dropped into a partial couch.
"Watch yourself," reminded Ah Zheng. He cued someone to give them the signal to start as he withdrew to the back to observe the fight. As usual, Ah Feng was the vanguard , ready to beat the young foreigner into pulp.
When the bell rang, Ah Feng launched himself at Emmanuel at full speed, determined to bring him down.
Easily, the calm prince sidestepped his attack and threw him on the ground roughly, using the smaller and brash man's inertia. In a single move, he had disabled the hot head, the latter growling and slamming his fist on the ground when he realised that he was out of the game.
"No, flank him from both sides," instructed Ah Zheng, seeing how nimble and powerful his opponent truly was. He had a distinct advantage when it came to reach and weight.
"Work as a team. If I were an aggressor, do you think I will wait for you to make a move?" goaded Emmanuel, spreading his arms wide-open. "Take me as an attacker." He crooked a finger at them, challengingly. Instantly, they tensed, upset at his provocation. Emmanuel did not give them too much time for their anger to simmer, bolting towards one of the members at the edge. The member was not even prepare to hold his ground as Emmanuel tackled him on the ground, disabling him.
That was another member down.
Emmanuel pushed himself off the ground, not even breaking a sweat as he eyed the rest of the team warily. They were on the offensive, with one of their senior member as the vanguard. He assaulted Emmanuel, exchanging blows, trying to reposition the latter. He yelled, triumphant when his teammates flanked the prince from his blind spots.
It seemed as if Emmanuel was already ready for them, stepping into the personal space of the vanguard to disable his upper torso while using him as a human shield against the other attacks of his teammates.
No matter how the two members exchanged blows, they simply could not touch him. He had sidestepped most of them as if predicting where these blows would fall.
The dance among the four men concluded once again with the victory of Emmanuel
That made five members.
Too tired with this one-side beating, Emmanuel assaulted the brains of the operation, Ah Zheng. The leader proved his mettle, parring his attacks easily and creating a distance between them. The leader moved his fists around, studying his opponent with calculating gleam.
Emmanuel went for a high, roundhouse kick which was parried away by the leader of the team who raised his arms up to his ear to slide under the kick and jabbed at his stomach. Before his fist could make contact, the younger man backed away swiftly, his lips curled in an excited smile. He countered by sidestepping so that he was assaulting from behind the leader, hooking his arms around his upper torso in a firm grip.
Ah Zheng displayed his flexibility by going for a high kick as he lowered himself to break free from his hold. It was a risky move since the older man was off-balanced and of course, Emmanuel made use of that. He twisted into position and grabbed that leg, pulling it all the way down to upset his balance. The leader fell flat on the ground, concluding the battle.
The other members taken aback by the swift way that Emmanuel took out all their strong member, were easy targets for Emmanuel. They had tried to launch the last united offensive but they were picked apart by Emmanuel who was finally breaking a sweat, grinning wildly.
Soon, the entire security team was on the ground, with Emmanuel standing alone. He had only taken about fifteen minutes to tame the team. A tense silence greeted the prince as he scanned around the gym absently. Embarrassed, he ran to the side of the gym.
Ah Cheng was at the edges of the gym, gaping at him. She could barely believe her eyes that Manny was such a capable and powerful fighter. She scrutinised his appearance and noticed that he had barely broken a sweat.
Emmanuel merely rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly which was a startling contrast to the imperious man she glimpsed moment ago. "Did I overdo it?" asked Emmanuel hesitant, wondering if he had accidently squashed their morale. He was chastising himself inwardly for not going easy on them, forgetting that they were not battle-harden men like his subordinates.
He scratched the side of his nose. "They'll be fine after a while. You could call for medical assistance if you want to—"
The manager gave him a lengthy and arched look.
The young man shifted his weight between his feet, feeling small. He was so nervous that he started adjusting his cuff uneasily. "I guess I'll be responsible for Hien's security for today, Boss," offered Emmanuel hesitantly, hoping that it was a suitable reparation for disabling a team while they were on duty.
"Good. What a good suggestion." Ah Cheng patted his back finally, smiling at him. "She'll be in the studio today. I doubted she will get into any trouble but you need to watch over her. Oh ya, make sure that Hien does not bully her juniors, otherwise their manager will talk to me again. I'll clear up this mess you have created." She sighed, shaking her head lightly.
Emmanuel recognised that Ah Cheng was letting him off easily and he inclined his head at once. He was delighted to leave the gym for the studio to perform his duties, something that he knew he could do well. He did not notice the soft smile that appeared on the stern manager's face when he left.
The duty of baby-sitting Hien was quite amusing when Emmanuel realised that the singer did like to bully her juniors, abusing her authority to tease them. A quick reminder that her manager would hear about it was sufficient to tame Hien at once. She revert to her professional self as she completed the recording, the last schedule of the day. On the journey home, Emmanuel and Hien caught up with each other.
Emmanuel liked the first sight of the building when the security screen their car before permitting them to drop off at the lobby. He took note of the obscured exits that Hien could use to leave the building should they have paparazzi camping outside. He was happy that he did not need to work too much on security of her home.
Emmanuel had his first glance of the apartment that he was living for the foreseeable future from the lift lobby. Hien's bachelorette pad was nondescript for such a high-profile member of a prominent band like Asteroid. He stood in the middle and and studied the lobby, noting that the singer was one of the two occupants on that level. He walked around, taking note of the buildings around them absently.
Hien removed her sunglasses from her face and stowed it into her pocket as she observed him at work. He was carrying a small duffel bag of everything he had owned, circling the perimeter. Now that Emmanuel was here outside of her apartment, the truth that they would be staying together and spending a lot of time dawned upon her. Her stomach writhed at the thought of a man that she had effectively barely known staying with her.
Emmanuel returned to her after he completed his observations.
Hien pressed her palm on the pad above the gate and a number pad appeared.
"Hienie, if you're uncomfortable with the idea of having me here, I could stay elsewhere," spoke the prince, noticing her nerves.
She keyed in the code to access her apartment. "I gave you my word, An," returned Hien, looking intently into his eyes. "You won't do anything that I'll regret, will you?"
He shook his head at once. "Of course not when you have kindly offered to house me," smiled the prince. "I just reminding you that you have a choice if you're uncomfortable with the idea. You could tell me any time and I will find somewhere else to stay, no questions asked," promised the prince.
The singer continued to hold his gaze and smiled when she realised that he was serious. "I will remember that, An. There is one more individual you need to gain the approval of before you can stay here." She keyed the passcode to her main door.
Emmanuel could hear the frantic pitter-patter of little feet behind the door.
When she opened the door finally, a medium-sized pooch padded towards them gleefully, his tail wagging excitedly. His fur coat was a shade of tan, and he had pointy ears like a German shepherd. His body was muscular and fit, a sign of good upkeep. The small bell he wore around his muscular neck tinkled cheerfully. Hien lowered herself to wrap her arms around the excited dog. Immediately, the dog lay on its back, exposing its belly for his owner to rub him. The singer smiled brightly, speaking to him in a soft baby voice as she showered him with affections.
Emmanuel removed his shoes, catching the attention of the excited dog. He flipped himself and climbed on his feet nimbly when he caught sight of the prince standing by the door. Immediately, his ears became erected as he eyed the guest suspiciously.
She beckoned Emmanuel to come closer so that he could interact with her son. "Bon doesn't bite."
The prince nodded, stowing his shoes into the built-in shoe cabinet. He approached Bon slowly, giving the pet some time to adjust to his presence. He extended his fist carefully towards him to show that he was of no threat and waited for Bon to respond to him. The stray stood between his owner and the guest loyally, eyeing Emmanuel's offered hand.
He smiled, his blue eyes sparkling. He liked the instincts of this dog.
"An, you need to give him some time to warm up. Bon was a stray I adopted when he was a young dog." She remained still, watching the interaction between her new bodyguard and her pet closely. Emmanuel seemed to be familiar with dog, respecting the dog's space.
It seemed like an eternity later when Bon finally relaxed and approached Emmanuel, nudging his fist. The prince grinned boyishly as he scratched the back of his ears, praising him. "Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?" Bon became excited and started to lick his face, much to the surprise of Hien.
"Huh, you're also good with dogs," commented the singer idly, glad. "An, come closer to me." Emmanuel obeyed her immediately and sat next to her. Hien extended her hand towards Bon. "Bon, shake hand." The stray eyed his owner's hand thoughtfully. It took him a while to sit down and lift his paw, putting it in his owner's hand.
The dog became excited when Hien pulled him close to her to shower him with kisses and rubs, the sweet tinkling of bell accompanying her praise.
The prince smiled faintly when he realised that he was allowed to see this private side of the introvert Hien. The showbiz's famous icy queen was a ray of sunshine while she reconnected with her pet, showering him with affections freely.
He sat next to her quietly, watching their sweet interactions. Finally, Hien remembered him. "It's your turn, An."
The new bodyguard nodded, extending his hand towards Bon as he issued the command confidently. Bon simply glanced at his hand and sniffed at it several times. Deciding that he was not interesting, he circled and lay on his side, pressed against the legs of Hien.
The singer threw her head backwards and guffawed when Emmanuel's face fell at the failure. She squealed in laughter, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh, that look on your face, An."
Emmanuel glanced at her, unimpressed. "I'm glad that you think it's funny, Hienie."
"Let me help," offered the singer, after clearing her throat. She took his hand into hers, absently noting that his hand was far larger and warm and adjusted the height of his hand. Bon was back on his feet, looking at his owner and the guest curiously. "You can issue the command now."
Emmanuel commanded Bon and waited with bated breath, wondering if he would success at this attempt. Bon sniffed at his hand once again, hesitating. Finally, he sat down and extended his paw to shake Emmanuel's hand cautiously. The prince grinned from ear to ear, the corners of his eyes crinkled when he finally succeeded. "You smart boy!" He started to scratch the back of Bon's ears as the dog grew thrilled at all the praises and affection he was receiving.
The singer was surprised at how young Emmanuel looked when he was so happy, playing with Bon. Her heart skipped a beat at the way his ocean-blue eyes twinkled. She realised that this was the first time that she had seen the prince smile from the heart.
"Uh…I guess you have earn the right to share the apartment with me, tenant. You have a way with dogs," commented Hien, picking herself up. She could not hide the admiration in her doe-eyes. "C'mon, tenant, let me show you around."
Emmanuel rose to his feet and followed the owner of the apartment. Bon escorted them eagerly.
The entrance led to a small kitchenette of polished black granite and a high counter with white walls. Spotlights were used to enhance that sense of sophistication in the area. The laundry area was located next to the refrigerator, beyond a glass door. The small kitchenette was sparse, a sign that she rarely used it. "I don't know about your culinary skills, but I rarely cook," shrugged the singer, gesturing around the kitchenette.
"I know that," added Emmanuel wryly. "I saw what you did to Dee when you were invited as guests for a cooking show years ago." Curious, he opened the fridge and found it mostly empty. There were some fruits, a canister of cold water and treats for Bon. "Among the three of us, Ellie is more talented in the kitchen. When we had to live with one another, she would usually run the kitchen," elaborated Hien as she open the drawers, showing him where all the cutleries and dishes were. "Occasionally, my parents will fill up my fridge. They are worried that I'll starve due to a disaster," confessed the singer, laughing awkwardly. Gods, she sounded like a teenager still dependent on her parents.
"Parents will always be parents," commented Emmanuel nonchalantly, trying to ease her discomfort. "You can't stop them from worrying." He paid attention to the areas that she had introduced, including a hidden dishwasher. That surprised him since it wasn't a feature of Asian households who believed that it was cleaner to wash dishes by hand. "What about your meals?"
"I eat out," explained Hien, folding her arms. "There is a lot of good food around this neighbourhood, Zhonghua. We are quite close to Shida Night market. I'll usually visit that night market or dine in at Yongkang Street." Her eyes lighted up at the thought of food. "I'll show you around later, An." She pressed her hands together excitedly.
"When you're free, you mean?" corrected Emmanuel, mildly amused by the sudden spike of thrill. He had no idea that she was such a foodie.
Hien shook her head vehemently. "There is always time for good food," asserted the singer sagely. "It's part of our culture here."
The new bodyguard chuckled fondly. "Fine, Hienie. Off to the next location." She led him to the minimalist black divider that separated the hallway from the large living area. The monochromatic scheme continued, featuring a range of silvers. A large L-shaped sofa set took centre stage facing a 50-inch screen. Bon had made himself comfortable in a small mat next to the black low coffee table. He noticed that she owned a gramophone with a column of dark-coloured rosewood dedicated to her vinyl records.
He walked to the shelf and drew a record carefully. He became wide-eyed. "Beatles? How did you lay your hands on this?" It was the famous 1969 'The Abbey Street' record with the Beatles crossing the street. He held it carefully, admiring its mint condition. He whistled, admiring the record. If his eyes did not deceive him, then this copy was worth nearly a grand.
"eBay. It was tough to bid it," explained the singer, leaning in to look at the record he had extracted. She nodded approvingly at his choice.
Emmanuel nodded. "I know that. My copy was nearly half a million dollars," admitted the prince sheepishly.
"At the mansion?" Regret surged through her at the missed opportunity of stumbling into such treasures. It hurt to think that she could have seen them.
He shook his head. "I rarely stay in that residence even though it is my official address." He rubbed his smooth chin. "I have an apartment in Buckingham Palace just like any high-ranking members of the British royalty. He studied the bonsai she had placed on an end table in the living room. Hien had surrounded her with plants to create a safe and peaceful space to relax. He saw a peek of her dining room beyond the living room. A large table stood centrepiece under industrial spotlights.
Bon made his way into a large basket, dropping into his bed as he observed them.
"Susie and Ellie would usually come over for a meal if our schedule permits," explained Hien, tucking an errant lock of hair behind her elfish ear absently. "They will bring their dogs along as playdates to Bon."
Hearing his name, Bon stuck his tongue out and looked affectionately at his owner.
"Who's a smart boy?" cooed Hien, bending down to rub his head tenderly.
The new bodyguard walked to the windows and nodded in approval when he did not notice any units from the other buildings facing them. This apartment was very private. "Does Ah Cheng prepare breakfast for you daily?" enquired Emmanuel, running his hand through the surface of the table idly, noting that the apartment was quite well-kept.
Hien shook her head. "No, but I usually have fruits and a glass of coffee—"
"We'll have breakfast together then," decided Emmanuel briskly, framing it as a command.
"Gee, you sound like my mother. I think you'll get famously along with her," sighed the singer. "All I ask is no rice in the morning."
"Rice?"
Hien glanced at him inquisitively at his question. Her eyes widened at once as she clapped her hands together. "Right. I forgot that you're a foreigner. There are Taiwanese in certain region who have rice for breakfast."
The prince nodded. "Just like some of the countries I have visited. I don't have rice for breakfast. We can work with that." He nodded to himself.
"An, I will return to my family home for the weekend after my schedule has ended on Friday. Are you accompanying me?" She wasn't too sure if he needed to accompany her as her new bodyguard.
Emmanuel rubbed his chin contemplatively. "It's in Hsinchu, isn't it? I understand that it is a small neighbourhood and security isn't an issue. If your family doesn't mind my intrusion, it will be ideal for me to accompany you."
Hien rested her arms on the back of the chair, worrying her bottom lip. "I think my parents would like to know about us."
Silence stretched in the living room.
Hien's eyes widened when she recalled her words. "No, I mean about you," squeaked the singer, flustered. No, that did not sound correct either. She smacked her forehead, averting her gaze. "I mean our living arrangement. They would want to know of that."
"Naturally."
The singer lifted her face at his single-word answer, sensing that he was playing along with her. Her brows furrowed when she realised that Emmanuel was trying to suppress his laughter, pressing his hand on his mouth hard. He threw his hands into the air in surrender, trying to placate her when she gave him a dirty look. He schooled his expression into a neutral one and changed the subject. "Uh, where should I sleep?"
Hien gave him another dirty look before leading him to the room adjacent to the master bedroom. The room continued the theme of black and tanned wood, creating a relaxing atmosphere. There was a simple built-in closet along the wall. A single-size bed was in the centre of the room, bracketed by bedside tables.
"Nice. Will I have this room to myself?"
Hien dipped her head. "Yes, most of the time, it is my home office." She gestured absently to the guitar, the keyboard and the desktop on the office table. "Use whatever you want. I think I kept most of my instruments inside the wardrobe."
"That's fine. I don't need so much space. I don't have a lot of clothes—"
"Something we can correct that when you get your first pay check," interjected Hien. She swept her long hair into a ponytail and tied it up. "Are you certain that you don't want to open an account?" asked the singer coyly, leaning on the door.
He shrugged. "Are you going to starve me?"
She laughed brightly. "No, however, I won't give you an allowance for good alcohol. I see the way you drink—"
"Hey!" pouted Emmanuel, folding his arms before his chest. "I am not an alcoholic. I have not touched a drop since that night. Anyway, that was a fluke. I rarely drink so much in a night," grumbled the new bodyguard, pouting. He was racking his brains for a way to persuade his new employer to permit him to drink.
Hien merely arched at brow at him at length despite finding his sight of him unusually adorable.
"C'mon Hienie, that's just cruel," complained the prince tetchily. The frown faded from his face as he opted for a winning smile. He approached her cheerfully and nudged her, hoping that she would relent. "Hienie, I have self-control. Plenty of it. I will drink in moderation. Besides, it has been six long months."
"Nine glasses a night isn't a sign of self-control," countered the singer, pretending to be stern. She folded her arms to complete that image. She was barely able to suppress her laughter at the sight of him humbling himself just to have an allowance for alcohol. "Since you have opted for board and food as your remuneration, you'll have to accept it as part of your contract."
"And someone calls me heavy-handed," groused Emmanuel in a staged whisper. He placed his bag on the bed and unpacked his meagre belonging, scowling.
Noting that his back was facing her, she broke into a smirk. She cleared her voice, pretending to be unimpressed. "Get ready soon. We are going out for supper. You can't say that you have lived in Taipei until you hit the night markets."
"Yes, Ms Hien," answered Emmanuel robotically.
"My bandmates will be joining us later. An, you'll enjoy it," promised Hien.
"Of course, I'll be ready, Ms Hien," sighed the prince, getting settled in.
She closed the door of the guestroom, amused by his melodramatic ways. She headed to her bedroom at the end of the corridor. She entered her bedroom and found her clothes strewn around the floor. Would An clean after himself? She wondered as she threw her dirty clothes into the hamper at the side of the room. Shrugging that thought, she dropped a message to her bandmates before grabbing a quick shower in her bathroom.
Whistling the tune that she had been practising the whole day, Hien selected another T-shirt and a pair of jeans for the outing. She picked out a face mask to protect her identity and considered herself ready for the outing. Emmanuel was already waiting for her in the living room, dressed casually in a pair of well-tailored jeans and a white cotton V-neck shirt.
"Ah, great that you figure out how to use the common bathroom," quipped Hien sheepishly when she realised that her new tenant had showered. His short hair was moist and tousled. He shaved again to look clean-shaved.
"It's OK, Hien. I guess that you don't have guests here too often," answered the new bodyguard, running his hand through his moist hand absently. He stood up, facing the singer when she joined him. They studied each other openly.
"An, you look very good," observed Hien offhandedly, reviewing his casual outfit. Her eyes slowly raked downwards, taking in every detail of his new outfit. She liked the way that the cotton shirt clung on his broad and heavy shoulder and revealed hints of his defined pectorals. The pair of jeans merely emphasised on his long and toned legs and trimmed waist.
Hien fanned herself, feeling unusually warm.
An looked too good for his young age.
She could feel a blush rising to her cheeks at the thought. She felt like a cougar. An was still a child when she had debuted as an idol years ago. The singer sighed, brushing her hair away from her face. She realised that attractive men did not need suits to look good. She studied him for a while longer, realising that he could not hide that captivating air of elegance.
The lengthy silence between them prompted the bodyguard to lift a thick brow. He waited patiently, observing the rapid change of emotions in her eyes: admiration, wonderment and resignation. Inwardly, he was amused by her honesty.
The singer had finally surfaced from her thoughts.
Realising that she was spending a far too long time looking at him, the beautiful singer cleared her voice, brushing her hair absently. "I-I-I didn't expect you to look equally good without a suit," admitted her finally. Her cheeks pinked as she examined the grains of the dark tanned wood.
Emmanuel chuckled warmly. "Thank you," offered Emmanuel generously, hoping not to mortify her. "And you look equally good in causal," smiled the prince. "How do you maintain this apartment despite your schedule?" He gestured around absently.
The singer dropped into the couch unceremoniously. "I engage a cleaner once a month." She scratched her head. "I don't quite know. Boss handles these things."
"Including maintenance of the apartment?" clarified Emmanuel.
She nodded slightly. "I won't clean after you, An—"
"There's no need to. I am a self-sufficient man," asserted the prince, puffing his chest out arrogantly as he preened dramatically.
Hien threw her head backwards and burst out into laughter, much to the chagrin of her new tenant. She started to have stitches from guffawing too hard. Looking at Emmanuel's vex expression, she laughed even harder, gasping for breath. She grabbed her stomach as she rolled from side to side.
The mortification on his face morphed into a hint of mirth at her outburst. Gold flicks pirouetted in the middle of his irises as he gazed at her with utmost gentleness. Hien was so disarming with her honesty that he found it comfortable and refreshing to spend time with her.
The new bodyguard was unimpressed, sitting next to her. "How dare you doubt me, Hienie I'll have you know that I'm a military man who climbed from the rank of a recruit, so I can look after myself."
She raised a hand, asking for a time-out. Hien finally sat up, tidying herself by flipping her hair backwards. "From the rank of recruit? Why?"
He inclined his head. "Recruit. I am not from the champagne division." He noticed that she did not seem to understand him. "An army battalion reserved for VIP. I earn my rank and medals." He puffed his chest out. "I'm arrogant that way," added Emmanuel, tossing his head haughtily.
She tilted her head slightly, watching him. "You're a prince."
"My family don't practise favouritism. I'm already born into priviledge. Father believes in working hard for your own successes."
She stared at him, bemused. "You're the only heir."
"It's a…" Emmanuel raked his hair, trying to search for words. The prince found it tough to explain the customs and the sensibilities of the aristocratic world. "Prince thing. The public perceives that male royal members enlist in the army for the uniform and the medals and they are not wrong. Who wouldn't want a comfortable pay and look good in a dashing and smart uniform." Emmanuel shrugged again sardonically.
To witness such a self-effacing aspect of himself was interesting. She smiled brightly, nudging him. "And you don't like being so pretentious?"
Emmanuel snorted, clasping his hands together. "Pretentious is part of our showmanship," elaborated him sagely. "A performance to maintain that idea of a Prince Charming alive in a world in which we grow increasingly obsolete." He paused, lost in thought for a moment. "It's a duty."
She frowned uncomprehendingly. "Why not remove this aristocratic system altogether?" She tucked her legs under her, getting comfortable.
Emmanuel turned to regard her with a smirk. "Good for tourism. You won't believe the number of jobs generated due to the presence of a royal family. I'm also a tourism icon. News and photographs of me sell for a lot of money." He picked a lint off his jeans. "Royal families around the world possess a lot of political and economic clout but in varying degrees."
Hien was fascinated. "Do you have political clout?"
Emmanuel shrugged. "My family does. My family has a tradition of alternating the Heir's political sphere since we're quite lean. My duty is to develop international political clout while my father, the King manages the Kingdom. It keeps us relevant." He flashed a disarming smile, her heart fluttering. "Unlike my Mother's family. They are more of a figurehead."
"What about the other princes like Prince Harry?"
He arched a brow. "Funny that you'd mention him. I'm not surprised I guess since the British Royal family is famous." He scratched his smooth chin thoughtfully. "Will, Harry and I are brothers, probably cousins twice removed that sort of thing. We're close. We spent our childhood together. Wills and I joined the army in the same year. Harry enlisted much later. These pair of brothers are more interested in charities and benefits."
"Will is the nickname for Prince William?"
He nodded at once.
"I am sure the brothers would have given you a nickname," added Hien, smiling faintly. "What was it?"
The corners of his eyes crinkled when he grinned. It was simply enchanting. "I was given the nickname, Pan, after a panther. I don't mind if you think that I was named after a common and useful cooking vessel."
"A frying pan?" Hien laughed. "You can't be serious!" She hit his shoulder companionably. "But it is awfully Asian to give a demeaning nickname."
The prince shrugged again. "Whatever that floats your boat, Hienie."
She sat upright and studied his physique. The prince was dangerous and sleek, which probably inspired his brothers to give him such a nickname. "It doesn't sound like you were truly born to privilege. You were enlisted when you were ten right?" The singer was starting to see the struggles of the royal family, a symbol of a passing age, trying to remain relevant in the modern world.
His unfathomable gaze settled on her at length. The corners of his lips lifted into a gentle smile. "It's not too bad, Hienie."
The singer had to take stock of him once again. If Emmanuel was not so vulnerable, sharing so much about himself, she would not be able to look past his attractive looks at him. He was also trying to equal the score by revealing so much about himself, in exchange of her invitation to stay at her home in Taipei.
Hien broke the drawn-out companionable silence. She reached to squeeze his thigh. "An, thank you for sharing with me. I appreciate it."
He only inclined his head, too choked with emotions to speak.
The front door swung open suddenly. "Hiennnie! Did you forget the time again?" Susie and Ellen entered the apartment, walking towards them.
"Told you we should have met here instead," added Ellen absently. "You know how Hienie is, sometimes." The vocalists, dressed casually for an night outing, entered the living room.
Identical looks of shock appeared on their faces at the sight of Emmanuel sitting next to their close friend, Hien.
Ellen recovered first. "You?" She pointed at him and started laughing hard, clutching her stomach. She took a while to recompose herself. How are you, El? How did you find your way here?"
Emmanuel rose to his feet to greet them, rubbing his nape. "I'm good, Ellen. I just ended my service and decided to pop by to meet Hien." From the corner of his eye, he could see Susie grabbing the arm of Hien, waiting for an explanation.
"Sus, you're slow," decided Ellen, amused. "El is the new bodyguard that Ah Cheng had employed. The strange friend that caused an uproar in the gym this afternoon."
The prince averted his gaze sheepishly.
"Wait, what strange friend?" Hien asked, confused. Her band mates looked at her meaningfully. "Ah, I see. Ah Cheng must have introduced him as Manny.
"And Yi Manan," added Ellen.
Hien glanced at Emmanuel, surprised. That would normalise her address of 'An' for him. She was surprised that he would go so far as to construct a new identity around her nickname.
"That's also me," admitted Emmanuel, rubbing his neck. "I'm on a break. I don't want others to know of my presence hence my incognito identity.
"Were you not on a mission?" Susie asked, remembering that he had rushed off for an important mission after their meeting.
"Yes, the mission ended yesterday. I received a message from my butler and here I am." He stowed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Shall we? I heard that we're heading to the night market?"
"Really? His highness is going to visit a night market?" Ellen teased him, nudging him on the arm.
"What prince?" laughed Emmanuel. "Have you confused me with someone else, Ellen? I'm just Yi Manan or Manny if you prefer. I heard that you have never truly been to Taiwan until you visit the nigh markets." He winked at Hien.
"That's really true, Manny," agreed Ellen, cheering up. "Let's go." She grabbed him by his elbow and dragged him towards the entrance. "Let's go. I'm famished. It has been a while since we visited a night market together." He nodded, interested.
Hien rolled his eyes. "That's the interest I was waiting for the whole night," groused the singer, holding the hand of Susie as they followed them out. Among them, Ellen had a way to bond with others quickly. An and Ellen had already shown signs of getting along well when they had first met in the club.
They travelled to Shida Night market by foot. The night market was named after the university it was close to. The night market was quite a far walk from the apartment but no one complained since it was so breezy. All the streets around the University were bustling with high energy and people. He could feel the heat from the cooking of dishes right in front of their patrons.
Despite the large crowd, Asteriod opted for face masks to hide their identity. In a large swirling crowd like this, it was highly unlikely that someone would pay too much attention to them. Families, couples and individuals swirled and eddied along the brightly lighted stalls offering games, food and things to purchase. The women were like wolves, locked on a hunt.
Slowly, quad worked through the crowds until they hit an emptier street. As they waited for the signal to cross the road, they chatted about their agendas in visiting this market.
"It's so far from your apartment, how will you know?" questioned Ellen, surprised by the in-depth knowledge Hien had of this area. "Did you often find Susie when she was having her classes here?"
Hien tucked her arm in Susie's. "Sometimes, but I have been shuttling between here and Xinfeng since I was seventeen. I love the tea here." She pointed to a stall excitedly, across the street.
"We know," reassured Susie, patting Hien on her arm comfortingly. The introvert singer was a burst of energy as she introduced the more unique drinks of the stall after ordering her favourite. Hien picked up the tab as a way to welcome him.
Emmanuel accepted her hospitality graciously, trying the drink that she recommended eagerly. His eyes widened and he stared at his drink in surprise.
"It's good, isn't it?" Hien smiled.
He nodded excitedly, sipping the drink as they strolled around the night market. Hien was glad that he was so receptive to sampling new dishes and she dragged him to another stall a couple streets down.There, a queue snaked along the entire length of the street as they waited patiently for their food.
He glanced at the wok curiously. "What's this?"
"Pancake," quipped Hien. She turned to her band mates who was equally excited. "One each?" She joined the long queue. She seemed to be bubbling with energy, exploring the streets like tourists.
"Sure. I like it. We should just queue together. I didn't expect a crowd on a weekday night," reasoned Ellen, scanning the crowd. More people joined the queue behind them. No one seemed to be interested in looking away from their cell phones. "When we are free, we should take him to Tamshui. At least, there are stalls in which we could play."
The new bodyguard was interested at once. "Is it easy to find a parking lot there? Maybe, we should take public transport instead." He had no had the opportunity to try the public transport within the capital.
Susie giggled at the mention of using public transport to Tamshui. "Do you remember that time when we had to rush from Tamshui back to the Main station?"
Ellen nodded excitedly. "Yes, yes, yes! We had to rush to a concert but we were stuck in a traffic jam. In our make-up and our costumes, we got out of our ride and took the Metro to the Main station for our performance instead. And we were there on time. Our staff finally joined us when the performance concluded."
He wowed at them, surprised at their professionalism. "Did the passengers on the Metro mob you?"
Asteriod shook their heads at once. "Our fans are nice. Some of the passengers recognised us. They allowed us to alight quickly and rush to our performance. We just went up the stage and started performing."
There was admiration in his eyes at their professionalism. Hien also exhibit the same commitment to work. "OK, shall we do that the next time? I mean I have never taken the Metro."
Ellen's eyes widened dramatically. "What? The Metro is our pride and the most convenient forms of transportation in Taipei. What do you mean that you haven't used it? How about travelling from the airport to the city?"
"By car. Besides, I've just arrived. I have only visited your company."
"OK, that needs to be corrected soon. We will have another outing. We'll park at Main Station, then take it to Tamshui. It will be in remembrance of that day."
"Yeah, but we need to find a day in which we are all available," quipped Hien finally, being the pragmatic one out of the three. " Aren't you busy being a judge on a show? Besides, it's not as if we can take public transport. I don't have my Youyou card."
"What kind of a Taiwanese are you?" mock-scolded Ellen.
"The rich kind," retorted Hien arrogantly, righting herself dramatically.
"Just because you release more…"
Susie immediately covered Ellen's mouth with both hands, glancing around. They were revealing far too much about themselves in public. They were relieved when other people were more focused on their mobiles.
"Don't cause a ruckus here. You're attracting too much attention," scolded Susie, shaking her head.
"It's fine," waved Emmanuel off. "The more ruckus you cause, the more unlikely others would think that you're worth noticing." He smiled insolently at them. "I'll be a good tourist and buy the cards then if we're serious about this plan."
Hien blew a raspberry at him cheekily, causing him to throw his head back to laugh. After a long wait, they got their pancakes. It was delicious as he savoured the piping hot pancakes. They strolled along the stalls, looking around interestedly. Asteriod dragged him to a few of their favourite stores where they sold interesting trinkets. They started their shopping spree since it had been a while since they could go out together.
Emmanuel did update his meagre wardrobe with several outfit selected by the members of Asteriod. The dress shirts that they had selected were flamboyant and loud. They had urged him to change into the most tame dress shirt, a brightly-coloured orang dress shirt. The new bodyguard gamely adhered to their request and changed into it.
The bright side of that decision was Asteriod could spot him easily in the crowd. The continued to feast on street food, buying anything that interest them. Emmanuel offered his service of holding their rubbish and their food when they bought too many servings.
Soon, he noted a nondescript man following them clandestinely at least two streets before. The outfit of that nondescript man helped him to blend in with the crowd easily. He wore a baseball cap that hid most of his face and carried a DSLF around his neck, looking like a typical tourist. However, his well-honed instincts picked up on him because that man had tried to hide whenever Emmanuel searched the crowd.
His brows contracted slightly. This idiot was trying to ruin this outing. Asteriod, absorbed with having fun, did not pick up his annoyance. The corners of his lips curled into a devious smile. He knew how to ruin the night of this stalker too. The quick glean of light alerted him that the stalker, a paparazzi, lifted his camera for a shot of the band. Emmanuel deliberately walked into his frame, blocking his view of the band.
He repeated this several times successfully until he noted that the paparazzi was clearly frustrated. No matter how he tried to take a photograph of Asteroid discreetly, the tall foreigner would shield them. Finally, Emmanuel decided to conclude this game, redirecting the interest of Asteroid to shopping at a busy but private store while he went after the stalker.
Emmanuel was swallowed up by the crowd as he honed in on his target. It did not take him too long to draw close to his target. The paparazzi was a middle-aged Chinese man. His eyes darted around, searching for a hint of his lost prey, and gave up. Annoyed, he took out a cigarette and lighted it up.
A long inhale from the cigarette seemed to settle the irritated paparazzi down. He made a call. "Fuck, I've lost the three girls. They disappeared into the crowd suddenly. I thought I could get a shot of the girls with their new squeeze. It would have made a good headline." The other person must have asked him about his pictures. "No, I haven't got any good ones," sighed him. "Just bad luck." Soon, he hung up his call.
Immediately, Emmanuel leapt into action, sleek like a panther. He stood before the man and blocked his way. His towering size intimidated the Taiwanese reporter.
"Good evening, I'm a security detail for Studio M, do you have your media pass?" questioned Emmanuel emotionlessly, showing his newly-minted pass.
The eyes of the paparazzi went wide when he realised that he was caught by security. He eyes darted around, looking for an escape, however, he put up a brave front. "This is a public area. I have the right to be here." He clutched the DSLR close to his chest.
His eyes flashed with terror when the bulky and powerful bodyguard closed the gap between them silently. He felt like an insect specimen, pinned by his intense gaze. When did Studio M assigned such a capable security detail to the band?
"So do these girls. May I have that camera, please," concluded Emmanuel firmly, extending one of his hand towards the paparazzi.
Knowing that he had lost, the photographer lunged forward, trying to press the butt of the burning cigarette on his arm, an attack Emmanuel sidestepped despite the short distance. He tried to run past Emmanuel but he was stopped.
Desperate, the paparazzi started to attack him, hoping that he could flee with the photographs. Once again, Emmanuel dodged the attacks, waiting for him to exhaust himself before taking the camera from him.
Emmanuel was conscious that he was playing a dangerous game, a rabbit cornered could also bite. His attacks became more haphazard and savage and the bodyguard knew that he was nearing his limit. He had presence of mind to contemplate over this situation while dodging the blows. Even if he had erase the photographs on the camera, the photographer would be let off with a warning. He needed to do something to get immoral photographers like him off their backs in a country so democratic. He continued to toy with the photograph, fanning his desperation. The prince did not have to wait long. The photographer grabbed the large green trash bin near a tree and swung it sideways into the calm bodyguard.
The bin caught him under his jaw and his bottom lip bleed profusely. Emmanuel slide under his fraying arms and disarmed the anxious photographer at once. The trash bin fell on the ground noisily, attracting the attention of many on the street. They gathered, circling around them like an informal ring.
Emmanuel kneed him and shoved him to the ground so that he lay on the tarmac, winded. He picked up his DSLR, mobile and wallet. Flipping open his wallet, he found his media pass and identification card. He took these out, before dumping his wallet unceremoniously on the ground.
His eyes narrowed at the name of the media company, recognising the name. His quick research in the afternoon revealed their unscrupulous dealings and the trouble they had given the girls. The company was erroneous to believe that they could continue to prey on the girls without consequences.
That predatory gleam lit in his eyes.
He touched his jaw, observing that it was swollen from that blow. Although it was not a serious injury, it looked horrible due to the bleeding. Using the camera, he took photographs of the wound. "You should do something productive with the camera," muttered Emmanuel under his breath.
Many passers-by tried to help him by attending to his wounds. Some kind souls gave him ice and helped him to inform the police. Soon, the police arrived to take down their statements. Emmanuel had used the attacker's mobile to inform Boss of the breach of trust and the criminal charges.
Ah Cheng was displeased when she learnt that he was hurt. However, she scented an opportunity to get the company for good, she called the lawyers to press charges on that company. Now, they had evidence of their crimes, it was easier to convict them.
After he had settled this issue, Emmanuel returned to the shop to look for the girls. He was not surprised to see Ellen at the entrance, pacing back and forth.
"Did you hear…W-what happened to your face?" Quickly, she lowered her volume, her eyes darting into the shop anxiously. "I'll be back. Wait for me!" She knew that her bandmates would have heard her.
Without waiting for a response, Ellen dragged him by his elbow to the closest 7, exhibiting a surprising strength for an individual with a petite and thin frame. She frog-marched him to a seat inside, ignoring the open stares from the other patrons lingering in the store.
"Be gentle," grumbled Emmanuel under his breath, frowning when Ellen scrubbed the blood off his lips with a lot of strength.
"Do it yourself then." Ellen handed him a gauze to clean the blood from his face. She pressed the ice pack against his swollen jaw. "You look like a damn punk, I hope the other look worse than you."
"He was arrested though," explained Emmanuel calmly. "I got him where I wanted him to be." He smirked, triumphant that he outwitted the paparazzi.
"Yea, sure sure," bristled Ellen, unimpressed. She pressed the ice pack against his jaw hard and he winced. "What the hell happen, Little Punk?"
Emmanuel was unimpressed with his new title. "I was doing my job." He recalled the incident with the paparazzi. When he finally mentioned the company that photographer belonged to, she was shocked.
"Damn, do you even know what you have done? That company is famous for slipping off the noose. They have a strong team of lawyers. I don't think they are going to pay for your medical bills!"
"I don't care about the bills." Emmanuel shrugged nonchalantly. "With the evidence and the police report, it's going to be difficult. Besides, I selected a place with CCTV. It was done for maximum effect." He grinned ferociously. The thrill that he had won lifted his spirit. "Besides, if your lawyers can't do the job, I know of lawyers that could." His grumble reminded her of a rich and spoilt brat.
"Brat," sighed Ellen. His bravado irked her. "We'll approach Ah Tiong first. I would love to be a fly on the wall when you explain your actions to Hienie later."
His shoulder slumped at once. "I...I was doing my job," justified the bodyguard feebly. He could imagine how upset Hien would become if she saw his wounds.
"Bull. I know that you could get out of it unharmed." Ellen pointed out, sullen.
Emmanuel rubbed the back of his head coyly. "I just didn't want that lowlife to take the joy out of your outing. It's not fair to any of you." His final statement came out in a whine.
Ellen sighed, grateful that the prince genuinely cared for them. She had to set him straight. " Never at the expense of yourself. If you give any of us a choice, we will want you to be safe."
He sighed morosely, realising his mistake. "I'm sorry." He bowed his head.
Ellen was taken aback by his heartfelt apology, incompatible with his image of an apathetic and icy prince. She considered his reason. While she disliked his decision of putting himself at risk to get rid of the problem permanently, she had to accept that his justification was valid. None of their security detail would have done something like that because they did not expect them to be so exacting on themselves to succeed. Her shoulders relaxed as she sighed. "I…I don't know what else to say," admitted the short-hair singer rubbing the back of her head violently. "I really don't like that you were injured but… thanks. Thanks. I understand that if this is handled well, then you'd have solved one of the problems plaguing us." She patted him on the arm.
Suddenly, her cell phone rang.
"It's Hien. They probably realised we were missing." She answered her call with a chirpy and ebullient voice. "No, we didn't run off for a date. No, I didn't consult him on fashion," frowned Ellen, glaring at Emmanuel while the younger man smiled. "We'll be there in a minute. Yes, yes, yes, we had to check if the paparazzi were after us. Yes, it will be a while. Did you buy something nice for yourself?"
Emmanuel was impressed with her acting skills and her nerves of steel. She handled this situation well and acted that everything was in control. Ellen teased the singer for a while before hanging up.
He flashed a thumbs-up at her, impressed. "You should consider acting."
"Are you trying to imply that I need to diversify my portfolio because singing will get me nowhere?" glared the short-haired singer. "I can't believe Hienie thought that I had dragged you off for a date!" She snarled to herself as she began to clean up.
Emmanuel shrugged indifferently, giving her a wide berth. He kept a distance from her, trying not to antagonise her.
"El, let's go back before they start to worry. I can't handle both at the same time when they are worrying. You won't believe what a worrywart they are."