98 I won't let anyone hurt you again

a certain secretary is trying to turn heaven and hell into one to find the heaven-defying female bodyguard. he has called numerous bodyguard services and no one matches all the expectations. 

how can he find anyone who can sniff out poisons?

the secretary won't give up. this job is important to him. he doesn't want to face the pain of job hunting again while his girlfriend is pregnant. he will do anything to stay here. find authorized novels in webnovel，faster updates, better experience，please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

he calls his friend from college who is good at finding solutions. that friend calls another friend who calls another friend. after a few hours, the secretary receives the call of the first friend.

[actually, there's someone like that.]

"she meets the complete criteria?" he can't believe what he's hearing. there's someone who could sniff out poisons. 

[she charges a lot.]

"that's my boss' problem. can you give me her contact?"

imamura is sure that kiyohira is filthy rich to pay for the bodyguard.

[i have texted it.]

he is relieved. "if i get a permanent position, i will treat you to a five-star restaurant."

[tsk! take your pregnant girlfriend there. i just want beer from the bar where we used to hang out.]

smirking, the secretary reads the text. he calls the heaven-defying bodyguard. he should have asked for the fastest car.

***

i force myself to look at the picture again.

umezaki rie, this is just a photograph. it already happened. a photograph cannot hurt you. people like chisa can. the memories prick your wounds open while suffocating you every day. don't let it heal. if the pain is gone, you will forget. you must not forget. hashimoto chisa must payback. you will not give her mercy when she comes to you begging. 

"rie!" 

i stop walking after hearing kiyohira's voice. 

"don't go out alone." he grasps my shoulders. "i am hungry. what do you want to eat?"

he has seen this photograph too. he has seen you when your mind broke down. it is not a secret. you can still accept if it's ren or your father because they are like your family. can you accept that this man has seen you like that? 

no, i don't like how he has seen those sides of me. 

"you can decide it in the restaurant." 

i let him drag me to the car. i don't know how many times we have done this already. it is starting to feel normal. it's easier to give in than resist. 

wasn't it same with chisa? easier to give in than fighting back?

am i going to fight these thoughts every day? 

"are you mad at me?" he asks me while not meeting my gaze. "these photos were taken by someone from your school. i found out about it a little while back."

why send her to prison when she can come back? i have seen what kind of club she is running. even if she's ruined publically, her playmates will be waiting for her to come back.

"did you hear what my grandmother said about you?" i hear him say in a low voice. "i am sorry." 

i lean toward the window. my mind is going dull. i am too tired to get bothered with the kamiyama family. 

"trust me, i will take care of that woman. i won't let anyone hurt you again."

the car stops in front of a restaurant building. he opens the door for me. he holds my hand as we walk into the restaurant. today, i am tired of fighting this man. 

***

kiyohira is disturbed by the fact that she hasn't spoken a word or fought with him. as much as he knows her, she is likely to throw that glass that she's drinking from right on his face. he's ready to face repercussions, but nothing is coming. 

he narrows his eyes when she makes the food order for both of them. she seems so normal that it appears abnormal to him. she doesn't utter a word to him.

when the food arrives, she starts eating without waiting for him to start. she doesn't look at him once. 

after 5 minutes, realization strikes.

not again!

it's the silent treatment.

it's the worst. when she fights back, he can tell what's going inside her head. now, he can't even make a guess. when she's like this, he is more afraid. what will he do if he can't hear her voice? his ears are dying already.

"rie, re games are going to launch a new game. i want you to play it first."

no reply.

"do you want to go to those..." he tries to recall the word. he heard about it recently. "t city expo! yes, it will be held next month. re games is also participating. i heard that the biggest one is going to be held in f country in december."

she would be interested in them, right?

zero reaction.

"my wife." kiyohira smiles at her. his beautiful smile can melt any woman's heart. he knows that effect of his. his wife is attracted to his body. everything is fair in love and war. "didn't you want to play in the world championship? re games have a team ready to go there. you should take a step toward that dream. also, take the company as a gift. tell the developers about the games that you want to play. it will be their honor."

rie finishes the food silently, not even throwing a glance in his direction. 

*ting* 

rie stops eating and checks the phone. kiyohira notices that it's not her phone. 

"fuck!" kiyohira freezes when he hears her cursing. however, those curses are not for him. she is still looking at the phone's screen. "fuck! fuck! fuck!"

the people in the restaurant stare at the woman who is cursing without any inhibition. 

[stop before you are swallowed alive, merciless_b]

all the data on the phone has been deleted.