Author's Notes: Here's episode eight.

Episode 7

What's A Tryst?

Then, the man driving yelled. Suddenly, the vehicle crashed as the strident sound of sirens faded in. The robber was flung back to the front while Natalie tumbled down off the seat.

The door opened. Two hands lifted her and carried her out of the car. Natalie couldn't believe her eyes. There her knight was, carrying her into the blinding light of the night. Her feet were propped on solid ground. She felt two hands untie her as the other police commanders arrested the two criminals and rendered them harmless with handcuffs, pushing them against the doors the getaway car.

Indescribable thoughts and feelings overwhelmed her. Natalie felt the weight on her chest being lifted as Leon gripped her shoulders firmly yet soothingly. She felt very vulnerable, and she wanted his comfort terribly. Without thinking, she threw herself forward and hugged him. She buried her face into his chest as tears took over. Leon stiffened at first, but he eventually returned her hug. He broke off and temporarily handed Natalie over to a sergeant.

"Release him!" Leon ordered a lower ranked official as he came to the crashed car. His eyes blazed like flaming cinders and his hands blanched as they formed into tight fists. He walked towards the robber. He grabbed him by the collar and forced eye contact.

"Are you her boyfriend, huh?" the robber asked smugly. The other criminal, Robert, laughed despite their position and imminent imprisonment.

Natalie gasped at what Leon did next.

The other policemen stared in shock.

Leon gave the defenseless criminal a blatant punch. The blow tore out two front teeth as it sent the man plummeting to the ground.

Not able to use his hands, the man stood up with his upper body strength and countered with a kick. It was easily dodged by Leon. He caught the attacker's leg with both hands and kicked the man's other knee cap, making him scream in agonizing pain. One of the policemen swore he heard something snap. All of the officers were glued to the ground. Not even a single one was brave enough to stop Leon. Then, he grabbed the man by the neck again and dragged him in front of Natalie.

Natalie's words were choppy. "What are you-" She gasped, covering her mouth, and took a step back.

Leon punched the man, with more strength this time. The man fell face-first on the floor. He picked him up and punched him again.

"Stop it..."

Leon didn't listen to her. The man was lying on the pavement, groaning in pain. He pulled the man by the leg and slammed his face into the front bumper of a police car. Blood dripped down from the steel. A fraction of the policemen couldn't bear to watch anymore so they went inside their respective vehicles and waited. Some covered their eyes and shook their heads in pity.

The robber was barely breathing. Leon picked the man up and connected raging strikes with the man's almost indistinguishable face again and again and again, until blood dripped down from his own knuckles.

"Stop, please."

Leon grabbed a pipe and swung at the robber's head. Blood painted the floor.

"Stop it!" she yelled, finally catching his attention.

Leon stopped and regained his proper state of mind. Seeing another person's blood on his hands almost drove him into insanity. It was a good thing his anger prevailed over it. Disappointed with himself losing control, Leon threw the pipe and the man aside and leaned on the police vehicle, out of breath.

"Not a word to anyone," he told Natalie in deadly earnest.

A trembling nod was all Natalie could do.

Later at the police station, Natalie sat silently in a corner as the squad of policemen discussed two separate matters. After a unanimous decision, the robbers were to be confined in jail. One was going to die a day or two anyway after what Leon did to him. Leon's sentence for assaulting a handcuffed criminal was still being decided.

"The law declares that Lieutenant Chatelier's actions will cost him his position, as well as his duty being a police officer," an officer argued.

Leon and Natalie exchanged glances.

He sighed.

She bit her lip.

Natalie felt like everything was her fault. She couldn't even look at Leon straight in the eye. He was stabbed twice because of her. He was going to get fired because of her. His life was a mess because of her. She kept beating herself up with these negative thoughts.

Standing up from his seat, Leon stripped his officer uniform and slammed it on the table in front of the officers. He turned in his badge with the rest of his belongings as a lieutenant.

"Do what you want. I was allowed to join only because of special conditions anyway." Leon turned to Natalie and checked on her.

"We should think about this thoroughly. If he hadn't told us to turn off our sirens, the criminals would've noticed us and escape again, right? Those two had been on our wanted list for quite a while and they escaped from us many times already. You might think Lieutenant Leon's only a boy, but he's got the mind, body and determination for it," Captain Kim, the squad leader, declared. He earned a smile from Leon after his brief speech.

"But Captain, he almost killed-"

Leon unfocused his hearing so he couldn't hear what they were talking about. He didn't care anymore. He knelt beside Natalie and looked at her straight in the eye. "Do you have a cell phone?"

She shook her head, still laden with refracted shock. Moreover, she was scared that Leon was angry at her, blaming her. But, his eyes spoke of something else rather than anger. Concern. She was instantly distracted. She felt her left hand being firmly squeezed by his. She held on to his hand like it was her lifeline.

Leon placed a phone in Natalie's other hand. "Tell them you're at the police station. The officers will explain to them what happened."

She accepted the phone with trembling fingers. Seeing her current condition, Leon sighed again. Natalie had nearly been driven over the edge of psychological stress after two consecutive incidents. Or so he thought.

"A-Annyeong?" came Miss Song's voice from the phone's small speakers.

"I-I'm...a-at the police station."

"W-What's wrong?"

Recognizing her inability to speak clearly, Leon took the phone from her cold hands. He threw it over to Captain Kim.

"Ma'am, your daughter has been a victim of a holdup earlier thi-"

"H-Hold on, what?" Everybody could hear the mother's voice even though she was talking through the speakers of a cell phone. Captain Kim had to quickly pull away the phone from his ear to avoid becoming deaf. He lowered his voice and spoke slowly to calm Miss Song.

After a few minutes of clarifying and explaining, the call ended. Captain Kim returned the phone to the young lieutenant. Carefully placing the phone back on the table, Leon moved to Natalie and held her arm, transferring his courage to her through his touch.

"Your mother will come shortly. I have to leave."

Before he could change his direction and leave, a soft hand grabbed his. Leon immediately looked back at her. Her face was marked with idle tears. "D-Don't leave me, please."

The grip tightened.

"Please, stay." The two words were hardly audible.

"I-"

Natalie pulled him down to sit beside her. She wrapped her arms around his before he could stand again. She let her head freely drop to his shoulder as she sobbed her tears away. Leon jumped a hurdle of claustrophobia and put a hand across Natalie's shoulder. Oddly enough, she felt comfort with his arms around her. His collar was down and much to her surprise, he tucked her head under his chin. Though it was cold, Leon's warmth soothed her in ways she couldn't explain.

The clock ticked eight when Miss Song, Principal Matthew and Sir Taiga barged inside the police station. Leon saw them and distanced himself from Natalie, sighing for the third time in the process. Miss Song was the only one who was supposed to know about it. Unfortunately for him, two other people had to join.

"Natalie!" Miss Song called as she ran to her daughter and gave her a hug.

Sir Taiga and Principal Matthew were welcomed by the policemen. Handshakes and greetings were stopped when they found Leon sitting at the back of the group of officers. Leon glanced at the two teachers before looking at the floor and shaking his head in irritation. There was no way out of this mess. "This is going to become complicated."

Captain Kim approached the three adults and took the courtesy of explaining what had happened.

"We really should protect Natalie," Miss Song said after receiving the full details from the captain.

"All the more she should stay at the dormitory," replied Principal Matthew.

Miss Song gave the Principal a bewildered look. "What?"

"If she stays within the campus grounds, it'll be safer for her."

"That's because?"

"Outsiders will have no chance to make contact with her."

"I think that's going overboard. Isolation is an exaggeration."

"It's not a complete isolation. What do you suggest then?"

Sir Taiga emptied his container of attention for Leon and joined the conversation. "Get someone to take care of her." He looked at Leon once more, making everyone else look at him also. Leon slowly looked up from the ground and tilted his head sideways to them.

"Leon will do it," Sir Taiga declared.

Leon's eyes narrowed. "What?"

All the people, including Natalie, raised their heads and questioned the teacher with wide eyes.

"Make sure you're there wherever and whenever."

Leon glared at Sir Taiga with prideful onyxes. "Who do you think you are to order me around?"

"The school owner's brother and your teacher. Do it or you're expelled from the special class."

Principal Matthew, not expecting such a statement, glanced at Sir Taiga, so fast that he cracked his neck. "You're the school owner's-"

Sir Taiga disregarded the Principal's question with a short glare.

Leon had an answer up his sleeve. "You can't do that. Your brother chose me to-"

"I told him to include you in the five."

The teachers gaped in unstable perplexity at Sir Taiga.

"And why?" Leon asked with cocked eyebrows.

"That's none of your business. It's either you do as I say or you're out."

"Tch." Excluding his pride, Leon wanted to be in the special class for a reason. He was determined not to fail that very reason. Defeated, he settled his gaze back to the floor. "Fine."

"Here's your key. Escort her back to the dormitory," Principal Matthew commanded, giving Room 1003's card to Leon. The male student scratched the back of his head. He stood up and gestured Natalie to stand up.

"Can't you see that she can't walk? Carry her!" Sir Taiga growled, effectively making Leon follow his orders.

Leon dropped one knee and faced his back at Natalie. "Get on." She weakly put her hands around his neck. In one fluid motion, Leon stood up and grabbed her legs from behind for support, carrying her in a piggyback ride. Miss Song stared in stupor as the two left the station.

"Was that a good idea?" she asked.

"It will help shape that boy's personality. I assure you, you will see development in his character, both as a person and as a student, soon enough." Sir Taiga's answer was confident, upheld by his own experience.

Later, Leon was heaving a sleepy, tired and frazzled Natalie on his back as he made his way to South Concord Academy on foot. It was freezing cold without his thick school coat but Natalie shared her body heat with him and so did he with her. He dismissed sulking, thinking that Natalie was feeling much worse than he was. He pulled her hand across his neck for a better grip. He didn't want her to slip off his back and fall to the ground. Natalie was resting her chin on Leon's shoulder as she was being carried around. Her head lolled to his from time to time and strands of her long hair tickled his neck. Her perfume intoxicated him and his thoughts, not allowing him to think of anything and anyone else.

He glanced at his left and quickly met her face. "Tired?" He never realized how perfect her face was until now.

"Mmm," she replied in a soft, heavy-breathed whisper, her voice drained of energy. Her eyes were already closed. Her breathing was steady, and her heartbeat was constant. That, Leon could tell from feeling the rise and fall of her chest against his back.

"Do you think I'm a burden to you?" Her random question caught him off guard.

"A burden?" Leon weighed the word in his mind. "I don't think so."

"Really?" She jiggled on his back excitedly and her arms tightened around his neck.

"Y-Khch-Y-Yes," he choked out as he clutched her forearm.

Natalie giggled and relaxed her arms. Leon breathed in sweet air. "Don't speak. Just rest."

"Getting into trouble isn't so bad after all."

"Hmm?" Again, he looked to his side to glance at her face.

"I even get a piggyback ride from you."

He smirked. She then yawned right into his ear. He fidgeted and she chuckled.

"Sorry."

He nodded a reply. "We're almost there." Leon adjusted Natalie on his back and quickened his pace. The night was not safe for them.

"Can you walk just a little bit slower?" Natalie's arms slowly tightened around his neck.

"Why?"

"I...can't sleep."

"Alright."

Leon made his strides smaller. Natalie relaxed her muscles and laid the side of her head on his shoulder. She grinned to herself all the way back to their school. And of course, she didn't sleep.

They soon arrived at the dormitory. Panting, Leon pressed the button on the elevator and went in when it opened. Natalie wasn't heavy but the distance he had covered made him to exert all that he had left. He dashed to the room with the numbers '1004' written beside it and swiped the card. He carefully placed Natalie down on her bed, tucked her in and covered her with a blanket. She simply stared at him with half-opened eyes as he sat down beside her and looked out the large window adjacent to her bed. The moon was beautiful, like a pale crescent of soap surrounded by glimmering bubbles of stars.

Leon fixed his eyes on her. "Close your eyes and sleep."

She gave him a smile. "Kamsahamnida."

"Bo?" he asked. "For what?"

"For everything." Natalie peered at him under the pink sheets. They shared a brief silence as they smiled at each other. She broke the silence with a soft yawn. "Aren't you going to sleep?"

"Don't worry about that."

Ten or so minutes later, Natalie finally fell asleep. Silently walking up to the side of her bed, Leon allowed himself one last look at Natalie before he would return to his room. She was intimately attractive. She was like a doll - possessing both beauty and the innate ability to act cute at the same time. He found himself smirking when she tossed and turned to his side, her lips twisting and turning. Now that he had a complete view of her face, she didn't happen to look well.

Leon lightly placed a hand on her forehead.

"A fever."

He quickly withdrew it as if he had touched burning coal. He looked at the small clock ticking on the bedside table to check the time.

"11:16 PM."

Leon considered calling a teacher for help, but waking them up would make him appear rude and helpless. He decided to deal with the matter himself. Taking out a clean handkerchief from his pocket, he went to the bathroom and rinsed it with cold water. Promptly, he came back to her and placed the wet folded cloth on Natalie's forehead. She shifted and turned from time to time, forcing him to always keep an eye on her and to adjust the handkerchief on her forehead. Every five minutes, he would take the handkerchief to the bathroom, wash it, soak it with enough water and walk back to Natalie to place it on her forehead.

After endless repetitions, Natalie's fever went down. Leon glanced at the clock. More than five hours had passed; it was already 4:31 AM. He knelt on the floor, exhausted beyond measure. His fingers brushed strands of hair away from her eyes. Contented, Leon rested his head on the bed and sank into suspended consciousness.

Two hours after, Natalie woke up to a bright morning with renewed energy. She slowly opened her eyes as she stretched her neck and back in a perfect arch. She smiled, letting her mouth open slightly to reveal her pearly white lower teeth. She saw Leon soundly asleep on the side of her bed. Her cheeks and lips turned upwards in a pleased, amused way. She grabbed her pillow and lied down, observing Leon face to face.

Before she could even realize it, she caught herself leaning closer to his peaceful form. Her heartbeat grew faster and faster, though she couldn't understand why. The gap between their faces became even smaller. She swallowed nervously when she realized what she was doing.

"Get a hold of yourself, girl. It's just a way to thank him."

Without regrets, she closed her eyes and closed the space between their faces. She did it slowly, pushing her head front bit by bit, fighting against the tugging on her senses of his proximity. She took a deep breath and moved forward one last time to give him a small peck on the cheek.

"What are you doing?"

Natalie quickly opened her eyes and met Leon's gaze. They were nose to nose, eye to eye. Natalie's jaw dropped into a shocked expression and she instantly blushed. Leon tried his best not to smirk at seeing the embarrassed female in front of him for her sake.

Natalie, offended, puffed her cheeks out angrily and threw a pillow at his face. She stomped into the bathroom and locked herself inside, slamming the door behind her as hard as she could.

"Jerk!" Leon heard her yell. Smirking, he got up on his feet and fixed the bed.

Author's Notes: I won't type a long note anymore, promise. This story's purpose is to promote Seoul and everyone, everything inside it. Music, culture, architecture, art, etc. I apologize to the Korean people out there if the molesters and crime-doers had gone overboard and somehow offended you, if they have. My apologies. Eh. Just keep reading anyway. Wait, I'm not forcing you to read. I'm only encouraging you to. :)