Hello, Mr Li: The Christmas Trip

"Like him? No!" Joreen denied it immediately. She hadn't even thought about Han Yu that way before. 

The waiter returned with her new cup of coffee so she went to sit down and grabbed the cup with both hands to feel the warmth. 

He continued to look at her with a piercing gaze that made her feel uncomfortable so she cleared her throat and asked, 

"You... are spending the night here?" She asked and shifted uncomfortably. The only thing she didn't like about Li Hoy was her inability to read him, especially whenever he started looking at her like that without saying a word. Guessing what he was thinking was always impossible. 

"You are leaving with me first thing in the morning. So you should get a good sleep tonight." He finally answered. 

Joreen's eyes twitched which didn't escape him. She was leaving with him? Not with the cast and crew members?

"Let me hear it." He said, letting his body rest on the chair. 

"What?" She asked with a startled look. 

"Whatever you are trying to hide from me. I want to hear it." 

She bit her lower. And just as he expected, she touched the back of her neck and threw her face to the side as she contemplated telling him or not. He was going to find out anyway, so she decided to just tell him. 

"So..." She started, turning to meet his gaze again. 

"The girls and I planned to have a little fun tonight before leaving tomorrow." She blurted out. 

"A little fun?" He asked. She could tell by his tone that he wasn't pleased with the idea. 

Joreen nodded. "But I promise you, I'll be out in the morning. I won't drink or do anything inappropriate."

"And where are you having this 'fun'?" 

When he sounded like this, she knew he had switched to the 'guardian role' and she didn't like it. But it's not like she could lie to him. She was bad at telling so he would know she was lying, and it was never difficult for him to know where she was or what she was up to. 

"A.... c.l.u.b." She stammered and avoided looking at him. 

"No." Came his abrupt answer making her shoot her head up to look at him. 

"No?" She asked with wide eyes. 

"No." He repeated. 

"Why?" She asked in a tone that could be termed 'rebellious' which had him raising a brow. 

"No clubbing, Luo Joreen."

"But I'm already an adult!" 

"You're still 17." He reminded her. 

"Just a few weeks before I turn 18. Does it matter? I just want to have a little fun before returning home. I've never been to a club before!" She said, almost going ballistic. 

It wasn't unusual quarrelling with him. As much as she liked him, they usually spent most of the time quarrelling or rather, she was the one doing the nagging whenever he stopped her from doing something she wanted to do just like right now. 

"You aren't an adult yet. It's still a no." He said before standing up, "You should return to the beach." 

She refused to stand up. He could clearly see she was angry so he dropped some cash on the table and began to walk out because he knew she would join him eventually. He knew her well enough and how she behaved. Maybe throwing tantrums like this worked when she was younger, she was older now and he had to teach her that it wasn't everytime he would agree to her demands. 

Immediately he stepped outside, she hurried to his side and held his hand with both of hers.

"Why are you doing this to me? Why can't I go?" She asked, looking up at his tall figure with a pleading gaze.

"How many reasons do you want?" He asked, looking down at her with the same straight face. 

"As much as you can give me. I've been excited about joining the girls tonight." She complained. 

"Clubs aren't good places."

"But you go to clubs!" 

"It's different." He corrected, almost snapping at her. "Firstly, you are underaged and need to be at least 18 to get into one."

"You are a public figure and could easily be identified by some people or by the paparazzi."

"You could get drunk and act recklessly or worse,"

He looked at her up and down before adding, "...drugged."

"And you shouldn't trust anyone in the industry. Like you said before, some people fake their affection for you. They may want to use the opportunity to harm you by inviting you to hang out with them."

"You are in a foreign country where you know next to nothing. You could be in danger and not know how to protect yourself, who to call, or where to run to. Should I go on?" He paused to ask. He had said more words to her this evening than he had said to anyone in a month. 

Resignation was clearly evident in Joreen's face and she pouted sadly before dropping his hand sadly. 

He had a point. In fact, a lot of points. But she couldn't help but think that they were all still treating her like she was a little child. She was already taking adult roles in movies for goodness sake!  But unfortunately, movies weren't real life. She was still seventeen. 

She looked up at him again and noticed he was looking at her with a little pity, 

A sigh escaped her lips. 'I don't want your pity! I want to go clubbing' She screamed in her head and raised her chin in a stubborn manner, "Once I turn 18 in a few weeks, I'll start doing everything I want to do without anyone's permission—" She eyed him, "Including yours." 

He folded his hands across his chest and nodded. "Normally, that should happen..." He answered, making her almost smile until he continued, "But it won't happen." He smirked at her and began to walk ahead, leaving her fuming with anger.

"Do you think you are my father!" She yelled at his back before stomping her feet on the ground angrily.