Thread of fate
Jenny had always dreamed of visiting Korea, ever since she became a fan of K-pop and K-dramas. She was a popular travel vlogger, and she had saved up enough money to spend a month in Seoul, exploring the city and its culture. She was excited to share her experiences with her subscribers, and hoped to make some new friends along the way.
On her first day, she decided to visit the Gyeongbokgung Palace, one of the most famous historical landmarks in Korea. She was amazed by the beauty and grandeur of the place, and took out her camera to film a video. She walked around the palace grounds, admiring the architecture and the gardens, and occasionally stopping to talk to some locals or other tourists.
She was so engrossed in her filming that she didn't notice a man in a black suit and sunglasses following her from a distance. He was Lee, a secret agent working for the National Intelligence Service. He had been assigned to protect Jenny, who was unknowingly involved in a dangerous conspiracy. Someone had hacked into her YouTube account and planted a secret code in one of her videos, which contained vital information about a terrorist plot. Lee had to find out who was behind this, and keep Jenny safe from harm.
He watched her every move, ready to intervene if anything suspicious happened. He was impressed by her cheerful and friendly personality, and how she seemed to enjoy every moment of her trip. He felt a strange attraction to her, but he quickly dismissed it as a distraction. He had a job to do, and he couldn't afford to let his emotions get in the way.
He followed her as she left the palace and headed to a nearby cafe. He sat at a table across from her, pretending to read a newspaper. He listened to her talking to her camera, introducing herself and explaining what she had seen so far. She smiled and waved at the camera, and then turned it off. She looked around the cafe, and her eyes met his. She smiled again, and he felt his heart skip a beat.
He quickly looked away, hoping she didn't notice his reaction. He cursed himself for being so unprofessional. He had to focus on his mission, not on some random girl. He decided to leave the cafe and wait for her outside. He paid for his coffee and got up, but before he could reach the door, he heard her voice.
"Excuse me, sir. Do you mind if I ask you something?"
He turned around and saw her standing next to him, holding her camera. She had a curious and friendly expression on her face.
He felt a surge of panic, but he tried to act calm. He put on a fake smile and said, "Sure, what is it?"
She pointed at her camera and said, "I'm a travel vlogger, and I'm making a video about Korea. I was wondering if you could say a few words for my viewers. You know, like what you do here, what you like about Korea, things like that."
He hesitated, not sure what to say. He couldn't tell her the truth, but he also couldn't refuse her request. He decided to make up a story, hoping she wouldn't ask too many questions.
He nodded and said, "Okay, sure. Why not?"
She smiled and said, "Great, thank you so much. What's your name, by the way?"
He thought for a second, and said, "Lee. Lee Min-ho."
She said, "Nice to meet you, Lee. I'm Jenny. Where are you from?"
He said, "I'm from Seoul. I work as a... a... a lawyer."
She said, "Wow, that's impressive. How do you like your job?"
He said, "It's... it's fine. I mean, it's hard, but it's rewarding. I get to help people, you know."
She said, "That's awesome. I admire people who do good things for others. So, what do you like about Korea?"
He said, "Well, I like the culture, the food, the people, the scenery. There's so much to see and do here. It's a beautiful country."
She said, "I agree. I love it here. It's my first time visiting, and I'm having so much fun. What's your favorite place to visit in Korea?"
He said, "Hmm, that's a tough question. There are so many places I like. But I guess I would say... Jeju Island. It's a paradise. Have you been there?"
She said, "No, not yet. But I've heard great things about it. Maybe I'll go there next week. Do you have any recommendations for me?"
He said, "Well, you should definitely see the Hallasan Mountain, the highest mountain in Korea. It's amazing. And the Manjanggul Cave, the longest lava tube in the world. It's very cool. And the Seongsan Ilchulbong, the sunrise peak. It's a volcanic crater that rises from the sea. It's breathtaking."
She said, "Wow, that sounds incredible. I can't wait to see them. Thank you for the tips, Lee. You're very helpful."
He said, "No problem, Jenny. I'm glad to help. Is there anything else you want to ask me?"
She said, "Well, I have one more question. It's a bit personal, but I hope you don't mind. Are you single?"
He was caught off guard by her question. He didn't know how to answer. He felt a mix of emotions, ranging from surprise to confusion to curiosity to attraction. He looked into her eyes, and saw a hint of flirtation. He wondered what she was thinking, and what she wanted from him.
He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID, and saw that it was his boss. He knew he had to answer, but he also didn't want to end the conversation with Jenny. He was torn between his duty and his desire.
He said, "I'm sorry, Jenny. I have to take this. It's important."
She said, "Oh, okay. No problem. Go ahead."
He said, "Thank you for understanding. I'll be right back."
He walked away from her, and answered the phone. He said, "Hello, sir. What's the situation?"
His boss said, "We have a problem, Lee. We've traced the source of the hack. It's coming from a hotel in Gangnam. We need you to go there and find out who's behind it. And be careful, they might be armed and dangerous."
Lee said, "Understood, sir. I'm on my way."
He hung up the phone, and looked back at Jenny. She was still waiting for him, holding her camera. She smiled and waved at him. He felt a pang of regret, and wondered if he would ever see her again.
He decided to take a chance, and walked back to her. He said, "Jenny, I'm sorry, but I have to go. Something urgent came up. Can I have your number? Maybe we can talk later."
She said, "Sure, Lee. Here, let me write it down for you."
She took a pen and a paper from her bag, and wrote down her number. She handed it to him, and said, "Call me anytime, okay?"
He said, "Okay, I will. Thank you, Jenny. It was nice meeting you."
She said, "You too, Lee. Take care."
He said, "You too. Bye."
He took the paper, and put it in his pocket. He turned around, and walked away. He hailed a taxi, and told the driver to take him to the hotel in Gangnam. He hoped he would be able to stop the terrorists, and save the day.
He also hoped he would be able to call Jenny, and see her again.
He didn't know it yet, but his life was about to change forever.