2: Chapter 2 The Guardian

Liu Zijun's thoughts were instantly pulled back to a long time ago.

Back then, when he and Choi Soo-myung were still in Africa, Choi Soo-myung—this usually carefree man from The Peninsula—would hide under his covers like a love-struck teenager, secretly watching a girl group's music video on his laptop.

That girl group was T-ara.

And Choi Soo-myung's favorite was Park Soyeon, the one with the two cute dimples when she smiled.

Choi Soo-myung once told him with a silly grin, "Captain, look, see how beautiful my girlfriend looks when she smiles? Their songs are really popular; they even have a lot of fans in your Huaxia!"

But Liu Zijun had only replied at the time, "Ex-girlfriend is an ex-girlfriend, calling her your girlfriend... aren't you ashamed? I don't know much about your Peninsula's entertainment industry; I've only heard of Girls Generation and 'Nobody'."

Then followed Choi Soo-myung's various lessons on Korean entertainment knowledge for Liu Zijun.

Based on that, Liu Zijun actually knew some simple Korean language, so it wasn't really a problem for him.

One should know that Liu Zijun had mastered quite a few languages; as long as he studied the Korean language seriously, it would be easy to master.

Looking at this girl, he had also learned a bit over the past two days—it seemed that T-ara's current situation wasn't very good!

Liu Zijun watched as Park Soyeon walked up to the funerary portrait. She didn't bow, but instead stared fixedly at Choi Soo-myung's portrait.

Her eyes were filled with sorrow.

Clearly, she had truly loved Choi Soo-myung and was grieving over his passing.

Her lips murmured slightly, her voice very soft; Liu Zijun couldn't quite hear what she was saying.

Choi Sulli suddenly stepped forward, her eyes slightly red as she said, "Unnie Soyeon, I thought you wouldn't come!"

Park Soyeon glanced at Choi Sulli, stood on her tiptoes slightly to stroke Choi Sulli's short hair, and said, "Why didn't he go to Seoul University back then? He left me to serve in the military and went without a word for so many years.

I've always wanted to find him and ask him that question.

But...

I was supposed to hate him, but now that I suddenly have to accept his passing, I still can't do it!"

Choi Sulli bit her lip and said, "I... I don't know either. Things have been very hard for T-ara lately, yet you still found time to come. Thank you, Unnie Soyeon!"

Park Soyeon looked at Choi Sulli. When this girl called her to say Choi Soo-myung had died in a car accident, she had been stunned.

And this short-haired girl was having a hard time herself, yet she still cared about her like this?

One must know that her relationship with her wasn't even that close.

And in the current industry circle, many people wouldn't even speak to them anymore.

After the condolences ended, Park Soyeon was preparing to leave. She had a scheduled appearance tomorrow morning, which was one of the few activities T-ara had left now.

This afternoon, she had also explained things to the company for a long time before getting leave to rush to Busan.

As she passed by Liu Zijun, she seemed to sense his overly focused gaze and subconsciously glanced at him.

Their eyes met.

Liu Zijun didn't look away; he just watched her quietly, his expression somewhat complex.

Park Soyeon was slightly taken aback. This person's gaze was a bit strange, but she merely gave a polite nod and intended to leave.

Liu Zijun withdrew his gaze, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He hadn't expected to meet that bright light from Choi Soo-myung's youth here, in this manner.

Suddenly.

A sarcastic voice rang out from the side.

"Tsk, what a pretense. You T-ara people are nothing but a group of bullies."

Liu Zijun frowned and turned his head, only to see the speaker was a man in a suit, but reeking of alcohol.

He looked to be in his thirties, his cheeks slightly flushed, looking at Park Soyeon with disdain.

Hearing this, Park Soyeon's pale face changed slightly, and her body stiffened for a moment, but she said nothing.

They had heard these words far too many times.

"This Soo-myung didn't listen to me, skipped university, and insisted on enlisting. Now look, he's gone. Even a big star came to offer condolences; I wonder if she's truly sad or just here for show."

The man got more excited as he spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet corner, it was exceptionally piercing.

Liu Zijun's eyes instantly turned cold.

He slowly stood up and, in a terrifyingly low voice, asked in clearly unpracticed Korean, "What did you just say?"

Zhao Chenghao felt a bit unnerved by his icy gaze.

But emboldened by the alcohol, he still stuck out his neck and said, "I said this Park Soyeon is just putting on a show."

"Slap!"

Suddenly, a loud slapping sound rang out, echoing in every corner.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events and turned their heads to look.

Zhao Chenghao fell directly to the ground, his head buzzing. Clutching his stinging face, he shouted at Liu Zijun in disbelief, "You... you dare hit me?"

Liu Zijun slowly withdrew his hand, his eyes devoid of any warmth. It was a murderous aura honed in a sea of blood and corpses in his past life, terrifyingly real.

"I can give you one chance to apologize to this Park Soyeon-xi."

He spoke each word deliberately, squeezed out from between his teeth.

Zhao Chenghao was frightened by his appearance, and most of his drunkenness vanished instantly.

He stammered, unable to say a single word.

Seeing this, Mr. and Mrs. Cui Minho and Choi Soo-myung's other relatives hurried forward to stop them, trying to persuade Liu Zijun to step away.

Seeing them, Liu Zijun gave Mr. and Mrs. Cui Minho a smile. He didn't want Choi Soo-myung to leave restlessly because of a disturbance at his funeral.

He then spat out one word to Zhao Chenghao: "Get out."

Zhao Chenghao gave Liu Zijun a resentful look, but knowing he was no match, he scrambled and ran out of the funeral hall, not even daring to call the police.

The whispers around them grew louder, but Liu Zijun didn't care at all.

Looking at the hesitant gazes in everyone's eyes, he knew it was time for him to leave.

He cast his gaze once more at Choi Soo-myung's portrait, as if saying: Soo-myung, did you see? The people you want to protect, I will help you.

This small conflict also made Choi Sulli, who was not far away, look at Liu Zijun.

She looked at that tall, straight back, a flash of subtle curiosity in her eyes.

She didn't know when her Oppa Soomyeong had gained such a handsome and decisive friend.

And Park Soyeon, standing at the door, also turned back and took in the whole scene.

She looked at the man's profile and fell into a brief moment of contemplation.

Liu Zijun nodded to Park Soyeon in greeting, then walked up to Choi Soo-myung's parents and solemnly handed over his business card.

"Uncle, Auntie, I apologize for my rudeness just now. If you ever need anything in the future, you can contact me at any time. Although it's a bit presumptuous, now that Soo-myung is gone, you can look at me as your son."

Mr. and Mrs. Cui Minho both found it a bit strange. Taking action at their son's funeral upon their first meeting and saying such things was indeed presumptuous, but the sincerity in his voice couldn't be faked.

Judging by his actions, he should be a comrade from Choi Soo-myung's unit, but his broken Korean was a bit odd.

Taking the card, it was very simple, with only a name and a phone number.

Choi Minho looked at the determined young man before him and merely patted his shoulder without saying a word.

Liu Zijun left the white paper bag behind, took one last look at everything in the funeral hall, let his gaze rest on Choi Sulli's back for a moment, and smiled at her.

Then he turned resolutely and walked out into the light snow outside.

Snowflakes fell on his face, mixing with the warm liquid there; it was impossible to tell if it was melted snow or tears.

Standing in the snow, he looked up at the sky.

He whispered in his heart: "Choi Soo-myung!"

"The family you protected with your life, I will fulfill your filial duties for you."

"The first love you held in your heart, I will watch over her for you."

"And that sister you cherished like a treasure and wanted to protect for a lifetime..."

Liu Zijun's gaze became incredibly firm, as if piercing through time to see all the storms that girl might encounter in the future.

"Choi Jin-ri, from today on, I, Liu Zijun, am your protector."

"In this life, I will never let you fall into the abyss again."

The snow fell heavier and heavier. The sorrow in the funeral parlor receded, while a transmigrator carrying his comrade's mission stayed on The Peninsula.

The story officially begins from this funeral.