章 20: The Measure Of Courage

"What took you so long? I thought you already got lost or something," Emie complained from where she was sat at, which was the elevated platform at the center of the viewing deck.

Yves chuckled apologetically and handed her a buttered corn on a stick. "Sorry, Ma'am. I got occupied by a very large dog following me around."

Not far from their spot, a young man with a black face mask bristled and threw him a glare, but Yves only shrugged it off.

"Oh, you mean those huge dogs that looked like teddy bears?" Emie asked, the irritation in her eyes disappearing. "I really want to take pictures with them, but I'm a little scared. What breed are they? Do you know?"

"Saint Bernard," Yves answered. "They are a very friendly dogs though, so you don't need to be scared. Just don't pat their head, as it might irritate them. I almost got bitten by one. His name is Glenn."

Coincidentally, there was a young man named Glenn, who kept glaring at him while leaned against the cliff's concrete railings. The murderous intent thrown at him proved to be useless, however, as Yves only kept smiling while eating a buttered sweetcorn.

'Hatred tastes better when it's covered with butter.'

Yves chewed and savored the sweet taste of the corn kernels while looking at the panoramic view of the mountain ranges. Even through the thin layer of fog, he knew where to spot the abandoned gold and copper mines sites.

"Aren't you wondering why I have to hire a bodyguard?" Emie asked, breaking the silence between them.

"I am," Yves said. "But it's none of my business if you don't want to disclose. It would be helpful though, if it's something that would pose a threat to both of us. Nothing was scarier than an unseen enemy."

Emie nodded as she nibbled on her food. Then she rummaged through her bag to find her phone, and handed it over to him, showing an older photo of her with a guy. "That's my ex. He used to be my cameraman. He was my social media manager too until we broke up."

"Is he still bothering you?"

"He wants me to take him back." Emie shook her head, batting her eyelids rapidly as tears gathered in them. She gave him a pained smile. "I don't want him back. I don't want him back in my life, but he keeps threatening me. He said if I don't get back with him, he'll ruin my channel."

So, she had a psycho ex-boyfriend on the loose. Great. Now he had a valid reason to break someone's bones to the point of no recovery.

Yves pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her. "Don't worry. For as long as I'm your close protection agent, he can never harm you."

"He's a huge guy, though. Like, he looks like a bodybuilding champion. He can snap your neck with just one hand."

"Scary."

"Right?"

Yves shared a laugh with Emie. As their laughter died down, his expression turned serious. "That's not a problem for me. Besides, my job is to keep you away from danger, not to face the danger itself."

"But what if we are put in a situation where you have no choice but to fight back?" Emie asked.

"I've taken on guys twice my body mass in the past. Dealing with a muscle-head won't make any difference. Remember, only dust can blind someone's eyes."

"For someone who looked like a geek, you sure are brave to make statements like that."

Yves shrugged as he looked back at the scenic view in front of them, his light brown hair ruffling to the gust of wind blowing from the mountain. "Courage is not measured by the mass of muscles you carry, anyway. It's through our ability to stand up even we are scared."

"That's deep," Emie said, her fear already dissipating. "I guess I have nothing to worry about. I travel a lot, so he can't possibly know where I am until I uploaded a video to my channel."

"You can't be so sure. If the problem is just one person, I think it's best to report it to the police. Hiring a bodyguard is fine, but it's only a band-aid solution if your end goal is to keep him away from you."

Emie fell in a thoughtful silence, then she asked, "So, should I just report to the police and stop availing your protection services?"

"I can be your close protection agent until he gets thrown into jail." Yves felt inclined to tell her no because he also needed money. Through an uncertain smile, he added, "But it's up to you, really. No hard feelings."

"Hmm... I'll think about it," Emie said as she finished the last kernels of her buttered sweetcorn. She stood up. "I want to rest. You'll accompany me to my hotel, right?"

Yves pushed himself up with a nod. "Let's go. Let's just take a taxi or jeep on our way back."

They left the viewing deck of Mines View Park and climbed back to the main road, but not after taking pictures with the Saint Bernard dog. Yves hailed a taxi for them, and they were dropped off in a boutique hotel near the heart of Baguio. It looked nothing fancy, but he knew it was one of the famous accommodation in the area.

"Yves, thank you for keeping me company today," Emie said, smiling. "I know I doubted you at first, but you really keep me feel safe today. Thanks!"

"It's okay, Ma'am. I'm just doing my job." Yves handed her a calling card. "This is my business number via Rigma Agency. If in case you needed my services again, you can contact me anytime."

"Okay. Thanks again." Emie accepted it and went inside.

Yves waited until she disappeared through the hotel's door before he turned to the young man standing not too far from him. He sent him a dark look. "Just how long are you going to follow me around?"