Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Three months ago, Conrad had been happily living in Toronto, just having started his training at the academy. And now, here he was, with his back packed and a one-way ticket to Seoul. 

“Give me the briefing report again, Javi. I’ll read over it when I’m on the plane.”

Javier handed him the folder and smoothed down the front of Conrad’s suit, looking at him like a proud older brother would. The Spaniard had, almost a decade before, been called up for a similar mission to protect the Korean legend Yuna Kim. And now it was his protoge’s turn. 

“Javi?”

“Sorry,” Javi smiled, bambi eyes sparkling, “but I’m so proud of you. This is like letting my baby bird go and fly for the first time. You’re going to do an amazing job.” 

“And if I fuck up, all of South Korea will kill me for letting their national treasure get hurt.”

Javier patted his shoulder. “Not exactly. Well, maybe. But then you can come back to Canada with me and train the new recruits. Although Miss Kim never got hurt under my protection so… You know.”

“Yes yes, I know. My teacher is the best.” Conrad smiled tightly, rubbing his free hand on the side of his suit jacket to try and calm himself down. “Any last words?”

Javier met his eyes for a while, honey meeting deer-like. 

“Be yourself.” He patted Conrad on the shoulder. “And good luck.”

With that, he gave Conrad one more hug before the younger disappeared through airport security, disappearing from Canada ready to embark on his mission. 

Fifteen hours later, Conrad was convinced flying in a suit was a terrible decision, as his jacket wasn’t nearly as crisp as it had been in Toronto. He collected his suitcase from the baggage reclaim in Incheon airport and stepped out into the cool afternoon air of Seoul. It was early autumn, just at the start of October, and the wind wasn’t quite cold enough to bite, only to kiss. He breathed in the air for a moment before he fired off a message to his parents that he’d arrived safely. He slid his phone into his suit pocket and scanned the drivers. 

“I’m Conrad Orzel,” he stepped up to the driver in a sleek black suit that matched his own, holding the sign with his name on it. He held up his Canadian passport with his Korean visa in. “Hired by the Cha family?”

“This way Mr Orzel.” The driver took his wheeled case off him and Conrad followed him to the sleek black Genesis brand Hyundai. The driver loaded up his bag into the boot before he opened the back door for Conrad. “Can you drive?”

“I can, but in Canada. They trained me at the academy.”

The man nodded, starting to drive towards the metropolitan area. “I doubt it’s valid for here, but I imagine Madame Cha has planned for that already. She’s very smart.” He glanced at the folder Conrad still had tucked under his arm. “They’ve told you everything?”

“More or less,” Conrad nodded as he put the folder down on the empty seat next to him. “I believe I’m to look after the younger brother?”

“Mister Jun Hwan, yes,” the driver nodded, eyes focused on the road. “His older brother got married and moved out a few weeks back. Mister Cha, the younger, he’s gone through more bodyguards than most people have had hot dinners. Unfortunately he’s that combination of beautiful, talented, and stubborn.” 

Conrad nodded, drinking in the words. 

“I’m sorry, you said your name is…?”

“Mr Wilson,” the driver smiled at him through the rearview mirror, “but you can call me David. Jun, well, he’s a very sweet kid. ‘Kid’,” David laughed a bit, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, “he’s twenty now. But since he’s barely at home, with all his acting and modelling, his mother, Madame Cha, she’s concerned about his safety. So she asked me to help her find someone. And, well, I used to drive for Yuna Kim you know, that’s how I got introduced to the Cha family, so she asked for my advice and I suggested using the Toronto Protection Agency. I knew Javier, you know?”

“Well,” Conrad smiled a little, “thank you for helping me get my job.” 

David smiled back before his eyes went back to the road. “Just watch out. Jun will test all of your limits.” 

“Really?”

David chuckled. “He’s a twenty year old, almost twenty one year old, who is rich beyond rich, who’s mother owns a famous skincare business, whose father is a politician, and who is a famous actor and model. He’s got so much money, and also so much pressure in his life. Well, let’s just say there’s a reason his last bodyguard quit.” 

“Oh dear…” The folder Javier hadn’t given him hadn’t said anything like that. “Why?”

“Couldn’t handle it. Couldn’t keep up with the sneaking out, the drinking, things like that he said. Also I think Junnie hated him, which doesn’t help. How can you protect someone who barricades himself in his room with stuffed animals to keep you out?” 

“He what now?” Conrad blinked at David. “He… Jun Hwan Cha, THE Jun Hwan Cha, barricaded himself in his bedroom to keep his old bodyguard out because he didn’t like him?” 

“More or less,” David chuckled. “He’s a unique one. And don’t worry, I’m his family’s driver, so I can help you when he’s in the car. You’re sitting in his seat by the way. He always likes to sit behind me.”

Conrad smiled. “Noted. I’ll sit behind the passenger seat next time.” 

David hummed, turning up the music a little. Conrad raised his eyes at the eclectic mix of VIXX, of TVXQ, Chunga, and other Korean artists that he’d barely engaged with before, along with classical music, and music from musicals such as Les Miserables. 

“Is this his playlist?”

“Yep,” David laughed. “It’s not that bad either once you get used to it, I promise.” 

“Noted,” Conrad leaned back in the seat. He really needed a coffee or something to help him stay up. He couldn’t meet his new employers in a crinkled suit, with his eyes barely staying open. “Can I ask a favour?” 

“We’re already going to go past a starbucks if that’s what you’re asking.”

David, Conrad decided, was his new favourite person. 

After getting a latte, and finally feeling a bit more normal, Conrad watched as they pulled into a gated neighbourhood. David spoke rapid fire Korean into the intercom, something that Conrad himself was still in the process of improving, and the large iron gates swung open to reveal the beautiful mansion. He sat up straighter as David pulled into the driveway, staring at the house that looked like something from a fairytale or a dream from when he was younger. The house was sleek and elegant on the outside, with plenty of windows to let in natural lighting, and a driveway that linked to rolling gardens in the front; Conrad had no doubt there were rolling gardens in the back as well. The upper level rooms had balconies that looked out over the gardens as well, giving the whole place a touch of class and elegance. 

David pulled the car to a stop in front of the main door. “You should get out here. I’ll put the car away shortly.”

Conrad nodded, still transfixed by the beauty and elegance of the house. He half stumbled out of the car and caught himself, smoothing down the front of his suit as he suddenly became very aware of how out of place he looked. His empty Starbucks cup looked so inelegant compared to the beautiful scenery around him. 

“Mr Orzel?” His head snapped up as David swapped his cup for his suitcase. Standing on the steps, in a sleek business suit with her hair in a perfect bun, was a woman with fierce, sharp eyes that seemed to bore into his soul. He swallowed as he approached, bowing to her. “Nice to meet you. I’m Harin Cha. I’m so glad you could be here.” 

“I’m glad to be here Madame,” Conrad took her outstretched hand and shook it as he followed her into the house. He toed off his shoes, slipping into the house slippers, as someone else took his bag for him. Mrs Cha led him into the house on a tour. 

“I can’t tell you how grateful we are that you’re here. I’ve been worrying so much about Junhwan’s safety since the last one quit. I hope that you settle in here. Your room is going to be on the second floor, adjacent to Junhwan’s.” She paused in the kitchen. “You must be tired. Would you like a drink? Tea, coffee, water, juice?” She opened a fridge that must have cost more than Conrad could ever imagine, and took out a bottle of water for herself. 

“Oh, no, I’m fine thank you. Da-Mister Wilson took me for coffee on the way.”

“Ah,” she smiled into her water, “David is wonderful, isn’t he? I suppose it must be the Canadian in him. Always so friendly. My Junhwan adores him. Jiho adores him as well, but he doesn’t see him as much.” She took another drink before she returned the bottle to the fridge. “So, this is our kitchen. Through here,” she led him into another room, “is the living room. You can enter the gardens from here.” 

Conrad was right about the gardens. A huge, lush lawn stretched out behind the house, with flower beds around the edges. The early autumn painted it in reds, oranges, and yellows, as the leaves just began parting with the trees to dance on the breeze. 

“We have our dining room here. We try to have dinner together as a family as much as possible. You’d be expected to attend as well.” 

Conrad nodded, following her from room to room as he took in everything. The huge library, her study, the room with the piano and the fireplace, before they came back to the main hall with the marble staircase. 

“Up to the second floor?” Conrad nodded, following her as he took in everything. The whole upper level looked into the main hall from a balcony. She showed him the various bedrooms before she paused in front of one.

“This one is Junhwan’s room. He’s on his way back from a photoshoot, so I won’t go in without his permission. I’ll ask him to show you once he’s back. And this one,” she stepped to the next door along and opened it, “this is your room. I hope it’s comfortable for you. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Conrad had to stop his jaw dropping. His room was huge, with an en suite bathroom, a separate area for studying, a balcony that looked over the gardens he’d admired downstairs, and a king sized bed. There was a door on the wall separating his room from Junhwan’s, and he looked at Madame Cha for confirmation.

“That’s to be used if he needs. There’s an alarm in his room next to his bed. If he presses it, you’ll wake up and you’ll be able to get to him first. Does that make sense?”

“Yes Madame,” Conrad bowed to her again out of respect. “Thank you so much.”

“No,” she returned the bow, “thank you for giving me and my family peace of mind again. Now, a few ground rules. Minimal alcohol when you’re on the job. You get one day off a week unless Junhwan has an event that day. Then we’ll pay you extra. No smoking or vaping in our house. What you do outside the house is your choice. And we expect you to be presentable at all times. Don’t worry about food or any expenses. You’ll get a wage into your account, but we’ll cover expenses for you. And we’ll get you Korean lessons and driving lessons here to get you up to speed as soon as possible. Clear?”

“Clear, Madame.”

“Good,” she nodded, like she’d just closed a billion won business exchange. Her head snapped to the other side of the house as she heard the front door opening. “Ah, he’s home. Time to meet Junhwan.” 

Chapter Text

Conrad had never really been religious before. He’d been to the church services a few times for weddings and christenings, but he’d never really believed. 

Until he saw a real life angel. 

Junhwan Cha was like no one he’d ever seen before. Sure, he’d seen his picture in the file that Javier had given him back in Toronto, but the file didn’t capture any of his essence. It didn’t show how his cheeks held onto a tiny bit of baby fat still, but had a strong jawline. It didn’t show how his deep brown eyes sparkled with delight, as sparkly as the crystal chandelier in the Cha family’s entry hall. It didn’t show the elegant way he carried himself, with his shoulders pulled back and his head held high. And it didn’t capture how fluffy his hair was in real life - the photo Javier had given him was a modelling photo, not a real one. The Junhwan standing before him was real, very real. 

“Junhwan,” his mother descended the stairs with shocking speed for someone in slippers on marble. “I’m so glad you’re home. How was the photoshoot?”

“It was good,” Junhwan took off his long coat and hung it up on the coat rack. “How was the business meeting today?”

“Very fortuitous,” she nodded and smoothed non-existent dust off his shoulders. As Conrad reached the bottom of the stairs, his eyes lingered on how pink Jun’s lips looked, with their plump and elegant shape like a pretty rosebud blooming in the garden of beauty. “Junhwan, I’d like you to meet Mr Park’s replacement. This is Conrad Orzel, your new bodyguard.”

“Eomma, I–”

“You’re having a new bodyguard, whether you like it or not,” she said with finality. “I hope you do not cause him trouble like you have the previous ones.” 

Junhwan lightly huffed a lock of hair out of his face as he scanned Conrad up and down. He opened his mouth, then closed it. 

“Where is Thor?”

“On the piano. Take Conrad with you.” 

Jun nodded, and held out a hand to Conrad. “Nice to meet you Mr Orzel. I’m Junhwan.”

“Nice to meet you properly Mr Cha. Anything I should know?” 

Jun looked him up and down again before he gave a naughty smile. “I don’t behave.”

Yeah. Conrad could understand that. 

He followed the younger into the music room (or that’s what he was going to call it. He’d need a map for this place or he’d get lost) and took proper notice of the grey cat asleep on the piano. Junhwan smiled and scooped it up in his arms, holding it with the delicacy of a baby. 

“Hello Thor,” he whispered between his ears on the top of his head. “I missed you. I know, you missed me too, didn’t you? They don’t spoil you properly, do they? Poor you. I’ll make sure you get premium cat food tonight.” 

Conrad took a proper look at Thor. The British Shorthair blinked his big, amber eyes open, and locked them onto Conrad’s honey-coloured ones. Amber, honey, and chocolate. What an odd mix the three of them were. 

“So you’re the fresh meat,” Jun said, not turning to face Conrad. “Well, welcome to Seoul. I suppose English will be easiest for now?”

“Until my Korean is up to where it should be, yes please. If you don’t mind.”

“It’s not a problem,” Jun shrugged. “Eomma and I both speak fluent English. And Korean of course. And Japanese and Mandarin. Do you speak any languages Mr Orzel?”

“Um… English.”

“Yeah I figured that one.” Jun chuckled to himself. Conrad swallowed and kept going. 

“English, French, and Polish fluently. And then I’m working on Korean, and I speak preliminary Spanish.”

“Spanish, huh?” Jun turned around and tilted his head. “Ah, yes, Yuna’s old bodyguard taught you, right? Javier or something?”

“Javier, yes.” Conrad nodded. “You know Madame Kim?”

“She’s my Godmother,” Jun set Thor down carefully on the floor, and the cat darted out into the hallway. “Was that not in your little file on me? I know you have one. They always come with the file.”

“You’re not a research project.” Conrad blurted out before he could stop himself. Jun raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Thanks? No, I mean, those files never include actually important things. They’re always like, name and age and address. Never like, which seat I like in the car–”

“David told me that.”

“–And which scents I hate in cologne. Or which snacks you should always have on hand. Or, you know, the fact I have a cat. Do you know one of them, Mr Jung, he was allergic to cats and tried to get me to get rid of Thor? He lasted less than a week.” 

“I’m not allergic to cats.”

“Great,” Jun rolled his eyes, “you’ve passed the first test. Also, you have to know, if I’m being attacked and you don’t save me and Thor, I will not forgive you.”

“Cats are pretty smart though, right? Like, my job is to protect you, not him.”

“It’s not up for discussion. Save both of us or else.”

Conrad gulped. “Noted.”

“Are you tired?” Jun’s voice finally softened. “You know, the flight must have been hard on you. You should rest until dinner.”

“Oh, don’t worry about me,” he followed Jun up the stairs. The younger paused by the door to his room. 

“Rest, Mr Orzel. This might be the only time you get it around me.”

Conrad gulped. 

Conrad took a brief nap before dinner, awoken by one of the staff members who’d been sent by Jun to wake him up. He dressed as quickly as he could and splashed some cool water on his face to try and wake himself up. He got lost twice in the house as he tried to find the dining room, eventually reaching the correct room. 

The smells danced in the air like a symphony, with the succulent meat complimenting the spices and vegetable dishes. Salivating, he slotted into his seat next to Junhwan as he’d been instructed to by Madame Cha. She gave him a nod across the table, and she looked to where her husband sat by her side, silently telling him to get a move on. 

“Nice to meet you Mr Cha. I’m Conrad Orzel.”

“The new bodyguard, hm?” Jun’s father seemed much less concerned than his mother did. “Nice to meet you. Please, tuck in. Junhwan, how was your day?” 

“The shoot was good,” Jun picked up the bottle of soju and carefully poured some for his parents, sticking to water for himself. “It’s almost ready for next season’s collection. They’re going to review the photos tonight and let me know if they want me to do anything else tomorrow. I’ve already informed Da-Mister WIlson.”

“And you’ll take him with you?” 

Conrad cringed internally. Jun nodded, slowly and thoughtfully chewing on rice. Thor wound around his feet, purring lightly as he rubbed up against Jun’s house slippers. 

“Good. I still don’t understand why you need a bodyguard. It’s not like you’re in politics or business like me or your mother.”

“Because he has crazy saesengs who have tried to break into our house before?” his mother interrupted, pouring herself a glass of water before she offered the jug to Conrad. He took it, bowing his head, as he silently topped up his and Jun’s glasses. “It’s better to be safe than sorry, no?”

“It shows us as weak,” his father grumbled, adjusting his chopsticks to grab a piece of pork belly. “We can’t even look after our own child?”

“We are looking after him,” his mother snapped back. “We’re protecting him, as any parent should.”

Jun’s father responded with a half hearted shrug, and turned his attention back to his food. Conrad took another piece of the pork belly, enjoying the different flavour combinations. 

“Try the kimchi,” Jun offered him the plate. “My grandmother made it. It’s really delicious.” 

“I suppose you’re not used to food like this, are you Mr Orzel?” Jun’s mother raised an eyebrow at him across the table. “I suppose we should offer you some more western food. If there’s anything you’d like, you should just tell our chef. He’ll make it for you.” 

“Oh, no, I don’t want to impose,” Conrad said quickly. “As long as I can use a knife and fork rather than chopsticks, I’ll be absolutely fine.”

Jun smiled into his water glass. 

“Of course,” his mother smiled, helping to relax Conrad a little. “We’ll get you used to chopsticks soon though. When– If you go back to Canada, you’ll be proficient and you can train others.” 

Conrad smiled a little to himself, heart aching. He’d got a text back from his parents, wishing him the best of luck, but, being around another family, he couldn’t help but yearn for them. For his mother’s tea when he was sick, for his father’s strong laugh, and for Amelia’s teasing tone when she stole his stuff even though he’d told her to stay out of his room at least a million times. He looked at Jun, at his father, and his mother, and his heart ached for his room in Toronto. A king sized bed and lavish luxury couldn’t fill the hole created by flying away from all he knew and loved. 

“They should come and visit sometime,” Madame Cha said, almost as if she could read Conrad’s thoughts. “We have plenty of room. They can stay with us. It would be lovely.”

“Maybe sometime,” Conrad agreed, more to his rice than to her. Jun tilted his head at him, trying to solve him like an equation, as he played with the food on his plate. The rest of dinner finished without much fanfare, and soon Jun retired to his room. 

“You don’t have to watch me,” Jun stood in his room, the door just ajar enough for him to talk to Conrad through. “I’m going to go to bed soon. You should sleep properly, you know. You’re tired.”

“Your mother said you’d show me your room when you got home. She didn’t want to let herself in without your permission.”

“I can show you tomorrow.”

“What if there’s a threat tonight?” Conrad countered. “Seriously. I’m fine, I promise. Why don’t you want me to have a look?”

“I just don’t! It’s my room. Is that so bad?”

“Are you going to barricade yourself in with stuffed animals again?”

He could practically feel Jun’s embarrassment through the door. The younger went very quiet for a while, before the door opened. 

“Fine.” 

Conrad stepped in, closing the door behind him as he took it all in. It was beautifully tidy, with the closet holding his Gucci and Chanel closed to blend into the wall. His bed was made from wood, and was decorated with a homemade looking blanket inspired by Van Gogh’s Starry Night. He had a vanity on one side of the room, a bookshelf crammed full of novels on another, and a huge balcony accessible through a sliding door. It overlooked the gardens, just like Conrad’s did, and Jun hadn’t yet drawn the blackout curtains. The sun was setting, casting the golden hour honey across the trees decorated with ruby and topaz leaves. The dreaded stuffed animals sat on a shelf, with many different animals represented, and several still had tags on with fan notes. 

“Your room is lovely,” Conrad said finally. “I think it’s so… sweet. And very comfortable. And– what’s that scratching?” 

Jun wrinkled his nose. “There’s no scratching.”

“Yes, there is,” Conrad frowned as he followed his ears. “It’s coming from, is this in your bathroom? Has a rat climbed up the pipes or–”

Jun tried to grab his hand before he could open the door but he was too late. Conrad fell silent as he opened the door to Jun’s en suite and found a raccoon sitting on the floor. He stared at it, and it stared back at him. 

“Jun… What is this?”

“This,” Jun said finally, “is my other pet. Fonzy. But you can’t tell my parents, or they’ll make me get rid of him. They didn’t want to let me get Thor, and cats are a normal pet. Imagine how mad they’d be if they found out!”

Conrad sighed. “Jun, they’re my employers–”

“Please.” Jun scooped up the raccoon. “Please keep this secret?”

Conrad nodded. “Alright. I will. I won’t tell.”