Liam Wang almost spit hot coffee out of his mouth when he heard the words of Lucas Yang, his personal manager. The sentence that had just been uttered hit him like a slap in the morning.
"Bodyguard?" Liam squinted, his voice low but stressed. His gaze pierced Lucas, like a biting cold wind in winter.
"I already have Lei Gege and Hao Gege to ensure my safety." He leaned his body lazily against the back of the sofa, like a bored lion in his den.
Lucas let out a long breath, almost a sigh of despair. His gaze shifted to Lily, the personal assistant, who was poring over her laptop without a care in the world for their conversation. She merely shrugged, her hands busy adjusting the superstar's busy schedule.
"It's not enough," Lucas insists, this time in a deeper tone, as if trying to reach Liam's stubborn common sense. "I don't want an incident like your last concert to happen again. It's not just about your comfort, Liam, it's also about safety." Lucas crossed his legs, lit a cigarette, and exhaled the smoke slowly, as if to signify how serious this matter was.
Liam rolled his eyes, trying to shake off the frustration. Deep down, though, he knew Lucas was right. Lately, he often felt uncomfortable in public spaces. There was a faint shadow of someone stalking him-stalking, approaching, and even daring to break into his hotel room, stealing personal belongings. However, the thought of adding bodyguards was even more agonising than the threat itself.
"Lukas Ge," Liam let out a long breath, his voice now sounding softer. But it still sounded cynical. "I'm attending a Fashion Show in Milan, not a world war. I'm not being targeted by terrorists. So, I don't think there's any need for more bodyguards."
Lucas snorted, slightly annoyed. "Oscar already ordered it. He doesn't want any loopholes in your security," he replied curtly as he tapped the ash of his cigarette on the glittering glass ashtray, as if to end the argument.
Liam leaned his body deeper, exhaling heavily like a prince who felt his burden was too great. "Oh my! What's Oscar so over the top for? I'm not the head of state."
"Consider it the privilege of a top superstar of Horizon Talent Agency," Lucas retorted coldly.
"Privilege? If it's a privilege, I'd rather not have to make small talk in the media," Liam snapped, his voice sharp, like a sword touching its sheath.
Lily finally lifted her face from her laptop, joining the debate. "Liam," she said softly, but her tone was firm like the wind carrying a message in the morning. "Many would like to be in your shoes right now. Oscar is giving you attention that not everyone gets. Use it wisely."
Liam raised his eyebrows, his mouth curving slightly in a lazy grin. "It's only natural that I get all that. I barely even have time for myself," he muttered in a bored tone, as if his success was just part of a sickening routine.
Lucas and Lily could only stare at each other and sigh together. Liam, the handsome and talented star, was like a diamond. Unfortunately, his cold and haughty demeanour often got them into trouble.
"Okay." Lily finally spoke up again. "One additional bodyguard will accompany you in Milan, and it has already been decided."
Liam snorted softly, his sharp hawk-like eyes no longer sparkling with resistance. "Fine. But, I don't want foreigners. I'm not comfortable with them."
Lucas smiled slightly, full of confidence. "Take it easy. I've asked a well-connected friend. This guy is a professional, on par with international agents. You'll meet him in Milan."
Liam's eyes narrowed, both suspicious and curious. "Aiyo, Lucas Ge! Don't tell me your friend is mafia, Triad or Yakuza?" he taunted, followed by a small laugh that echoed in the room.
Lucas giggled, while Lily was already rubbing her temples, trying to stay sane in the face of this drama.
"Let's just say that. So, what kind of bodyguard do you want? Name it," Luke challenged him in a calm tone, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips, as if to test how far Liam's request would go.
"I want Asian. Because really, those foreigners intimidate me with their height over me and flat expressions like laundry boards," Liam said in a half-serious, half-joking tone, while leaning his body against the back of the soft sofa.
Lukas and Lily looked at each other before bursting into laughter. Luke almost dropped his cigarette. "If bodyguards are laundry boards," Luke said between laughs, "then you're an expressionless ice sculpture."
Liam just glared with no intention of arguing. The nickname 'Blue Ice Prince' pinned on him by the media and the fans was indeed hard to let go of, even though it sometimes made him chuckle.
"Alright!" Lukas wiped the corners of his eyes, which were slightly wet from laughter. "You'll meet him in Milan. He's currently finishing up a job there."
"Milan?" Liam raised one eyebrow, his expression half confused. "I thought he was from Beijing or Shanghai."
"He's originally from China, but has moved around a lot following work. Their world is not much different from ours-often hectic, unpredictable, and full of intrigue," Lukas replies, his voice calmer now. He stubbed out his cigarette in the glass ashtray in a slow motion, as if to give Liam pause to digest his answer.
Liam tilted his head slightly, thinking. "Is there anything else I need to know? Besides what you've already explained?" he asked finally, in an almost bored tone.
Lukas stood up, smoothing out the folds of his jacket that had been carelessly draped over the back of the sofa. "Nothing. It's all arranged. He'll look after you without looking like a bodyguard. That's what you asked for, right?" A small smile appeared on his face, albeit faint.
Liam nodded slowly. "Alright. But I don't want him to stand out. It's enough that Lei Ge and Hao Ge seem like a walking fortress. I don't want to look like someone who is frightened by public pressure."
"You always have extra conditions," Lukas muttered as he stepped to the door. "Anyway, get ready for the Milan Week Fashion Show next week. I don't want you to be late."
After a brief goodbye to Liam and Lily, Luke stepped out of the private room, leaving a silent atmosphere that was soon filled by the tapping sound of Lily's keyboard.
After Lucas left, Liam looked back at the large glass window in his room. The city of Beijing spread out before him, filled with crowds moving like ants in spring.
However, to Liam, it all felt like nothing more than a blurry painting without meaning. In every season, his heart remained cold, empty, and hollow. Like the blue ice prince, he gazed at the world from a distance, never really touching it.