So sorry for the delay. Recently started a new job only to find they'll be phasing it out in a few months... Craziness all around!
Thank everyone for their kind support and patience. I truly hope the next chapter will be more timely than this.
Not my best, but it's long and spicy. I might go back and edit some of it, but I thought you guys waited long enough.
Chapter 10:
Now and then Seven would catch himself slipping in and out of consciousness while a ferocious headache throbbed just behind his eyes. The fear of being dragged into an agency safe house for "corrective action" could only do so much to motivate him at times like this. He was watching a camera feed from a warehouse to watch guard rotation while the CCTV feed outside Rika's old apartment was up in the corner of his screen, to the left of him was a stack of eight background checks left to finish, and in the back of his perpetually restarting mind was the details of a whole operation that would require him to set up surveillance equipment at target's hotel. For that he would need to don a full costume matching the attending staff's apparel. The arrangements had already been made with someone inside so that a new employee wouldn't look too suspicious; he just needed to doll up a bit...
In the background he had make up tutorials going on with the latest women's trends, as he didn't leave his house enough to know what was the "in" season thing. Part of him wanted to call up Miyeon and ask for tips, but she seem like the type to follow trends. Frankly she didn't need to, she had a style all her own... The first night he'd seen her on the CCTV the girl had been draped in her oversized tabby cat hoodie, a cute plaid skirt, black tights, and an oversized shirt with a game logo graphic on it... Geek couture… His thumb tapped slower at recalling it. It was a departure from the business casual she put on for the meeting over coffee with Jaehee, if one didn't count the rather cute pair of shooting star hair barrettes. Her face was always hidden by those long bangs, except in that months old photograph.
Seven had to wonder if she was naturally shy or if something had happened to make her so timid. From her own account she'd downloaded the app wanting to avoid people talking to her, the question was "why?". Was she just naturally afraid of people noticing her? He could probably find out if he wanted, but there were more important things for now. There wasn't time… But the unanswered question and horrible scenarios in the back of his mind made him want to shelter her from the group more, but then again, the attention of all those handsome men would probably be good for her confidence. If she recovered from some of that insecurity, it was a given that Miyeon would probably smile more…
He'd counted at least six different kinds of smiles from her and the transitions between each. The brightest had been during the little dance he'd made her do to get into the apartment. Once she finally got into it, her eyes lit up with happiness. It was so different than the sad smile he'd first seen in the photo… Yet it was that smile that he understood the most, despite not knowing details…
Somewhere inside that timorous little bud lived a brilliant nebula.
As much as he wanted to see her thrive in the group, there were the inevitable concerns that brought with it. The reality was that he couldn't keep her hidden away forever. Everyone would eventually meet Miyeon, and there was no telling what would happen from there… It could be catastrophic or maybe a year from now, Seven'd probably be at her wedding to one of the other members, and probably every few years following there would be more ceremonies as the rest of the RFA as they started their own families. Anytime between now and then he could be moved to another assignment and another... Yet he'd still probably see the pictures in the messenger, assuming he'd still have access or need of it…
His life had but one constant: solitude. That was what he'd chosen... In exchange for his own happiness, safety for both himself and a normal life for the brother he'd left behind. It was a bargain between men, as well as between god and himself. After his last breath even the atoms that made up his body would probably break their bonds in a single brilliant burst. What was left would then wander the universe unbound until cosmic heat death left only the void. It would be there he could feel at home: reunited with Saeran in the nothingness, separate in life but together in oblivion.
But even then, "nothingness" was not eternal; God would make it all again as he probably had an infinite number of times before that. And there would be the collection of atoms that made him joined up again for another tragic lifetime to be a soul split amid two bodies…
Perhaps that version of him would be bound by new universal laws born from the seemingly unanswered prayers of the reality that came before… Statistically, there had to be at least one universe where he was happy and had never joined the agency. A world where he had grown up with a normal family… He'd give anything to visit that reality, if only for a minute. A whole other Saeyoung Choi, quirky and hardworking who held an honest job, who had an amazing girlfriend with whom that very night he'd share a family dinner when Saeran visited after work. One who made visits to his aging parents who adored their future daughter in-law and lovingly asked when they'd be grandparents... It was a life so many took for granted and yet it stirred within him the sin of envy. He was supposed to trust in God's plan, but he had to wonder precisely what part of that divine mandate following now. Aside from his directives from the agency and V's polite requests, there was no real direction or seeming purpose to any of it. His existence in a nut shell: tragic, pointless, empty…
The feel of his head tilting made him sit rigid and straight. He was falling asleep at the desk again…
The guard was now picking his nails and doing a little jig to loosen up his joints on the grainy feed. If this were a dream, Miyeon would be there instead saluting him valiantly with a brave face hid behind Ph.D. Pepper colored bangs and a cute little military fatigue with kitty ears poking through a beret. She'd be cheering him on… The silly girl…
A throaty sigh escaped him.
It was only 6:00 AM… The newest member was probably snuggled up in bed, hopefully sleeping soundly, trusting that "God Seven – the Defender of Justice" would find the hacker and keep her safe. Yet here he was looking up the associates of some schmuck who'd angered a cartel…
How could she have confidence in him after coming into the chat because of a failure in his protocols…? The girl had affirmed her confidence in his ability without hesitation, like a child who'd never known a harsh hand. The thing was that he wasn't a person someone like her should trust. Part of him wanted to scold her for dropping her guard so quickly, yet another part of him desperately wanted to call her to hear what her "sleepy" voice was like and to see if maybe that'd annoy her a little. Maybe the RFA's new princess was a demon when she didn't get enough sleep…? He desperately wanted to test it… To see the fire in her honey colored eyes flash brilliantly with fury as her graceful legs stomped into the hall and glared up at him. No doubt, it'd burn out quickly before sublimating into that grin that would keep him awake for a few more hours.
His fingers left the mouse long enough to feel the touchscreen of his phone before Seven rigidly moved it back into place. His guts felt warm and gooier than normal… It had to be that he'd had too many chips and too much soda… But he still felt warm… Maybe he needed to change the internal fans of his rig?
With robotic movements and sore joints, the hacker ventured to the fridge to get a fresh, cold Ph.D. Pepper, holding it to his brow as he leaned against the black stainless steel. For a moment, Seven stood still, very aware of the pull of the Earth's gravity holding him to a planet that he didn't want to be on. He'd much rather be inside metal, weightless with the coldness of space around him… Yet here he was, burning up from the inside with a strange feeling.
Between the rotation of the galaxy, the solar system, and the planet, one would think there'd be more of a breeze… There was only the relief of cold aluminum.
"Thank you, Doctor…"
What sort of doctorate did Ph.D Pepper have anyway?
He popped open the tab and slurped lazily, hoping that washing down the discomfort in his belly with more carbonated syrup would weigh it down. Letting his elbow rest on the counter top, he allowed his hand to slip just under the elastic of his lazy pants. The nerves were too exhausted to even register a tickle, yet they had the ability to itch… Had anyone ever tickled him? He'd read that schizophrenics could tickle themselves… He could tickle his own feet, but not his belly or sides.
Inspired, he lowered the can to his bare ribs, eliciting yelp and spilling a little of the precious nectar over his hands and counter. Rather than clean up, he nursed and lapped the warming soda from his hand and rubbed the rest in before grabbing two fresh bags of chips. Seven threw one bag across the keyboard while he gnawed the one he'd been carrying in his teeth until he worked an opening just big enough to fill his nostrils with the scent of greasy, honey soaked and salted potato.
His arteries practically crawled in protest as he upturned the bag into his mouth.
He didn't have time to clean – work work work hacking slave~!
Sitting back down at his "throne", he used some glasses wipes that he'd tucked away to try to clean his hands to avoid making the keyboard sticky before throwing the moist towelette somewhere in the general direction of the trashcan. It wasn't aerodynamic – he didn't favor it making the distance.
"Mayday – mayday!" the napkin would cry before likely crashing next to his dirty jeans.
Stretching his arms behind his head, Seven finished crunching away on his mouthful of chips and yawned extravagantly before noticing his ankle… At some point he'd have to shave his legs. So distracting was this revelation that he couldn't help but lift his leg and pull the loose fitting flannel up to reveal his pale, slender calve. Women had it rough being expected to keep so much surface area smooth. A perpetual war being fought between the fairer sex and nature… Though it wasn't the hair follicles fault, they were just doing their job… His leg itched now… Maybe the cells knew that he appreciated them and were signaling that they understood that the coming visit from a razor didn't reflect his opinion of their craftsmanship.
The hacker tried to focus again yet his mind was kilometers away. Yet it was distance that was quickly being crossed as his fingers lead him into the less savory parts of his own admin profile…
Checking over Miyeon's interactions and messages since her joining confirmed that they'd spoken the most, with Zen a close second…. That didn't count her game time with Yoosung… Of course… If one were playing a numbers game, he was ahead, but the reality was that they'd only spoken so much because it was related to his duties to the RFA… He couldn't allow himself to misunderstand that.
Seven repeated that to himself as he set about calling "Alice" to give the recall code and the intel he'd obtained. At some point, he'd need to contact 0ph3l14 (pronounced Ophelia) on field recon, but that would be an hour or two from now. With such literary names, he had to wonder if the Agency had sent the others to liberal arts universities somewhere… Unlike many others, he'd actually heard Alice's voice, but 0ph3l14 wasn't too different than himself in that they were an enigma. The agent wasn't even sure if that liaison was male or female. Much like him they were a faceless, nameless cog in the agency. It wasn't like there'd ever be an office party he'd be invited to, or would want to attend for that matter, where the two of them could meet and say "Hi!" The Honey Buddah chips and Ph.D Pepper wanted to say hello too, albeit their increasingly lively dance in his belly made him feel even more nauseated. He really needed to eat something else, but that meant leaving the security of his house and would cost money… He had plenty of money and nice things to show for it. His "babies" for example… The want to get into his newest acquisition and take in a drive hit him, but he didn't trust himself to keep awake with the gentle purr of the engine so close…
Well beyond "damn" tired…
When Seven next pulled himself from the screen, it was already after 8:00 AM and there was sunshine in the palm of his limp hand. Miyeon'd left a message to everyone stating her plans for the day. If the chat bubble was to be believed, she planned to start making the necessary arrangements on location so the process of inviting guests could start. After fifteen minutes of secretly listening to her calls, it was clear that she meant business. For the next hour, he continued to listen feeling his body go weightless a few times as he nodded off. At first, her voice was nervous, but now and then he could swear he heard his turn of phrase or Jaehee's mannerisms. Was she mimicking them? It was so cute…
The temptation rose to mess with her, but his push to finish agency work so that he could start the hunt for the hacker fresh became his goal marker. He owed the girl that much.
The hacker's throat tightened reflexively as his sleep deprived mind thought she was talking to him a time or two. Maybe she was just a voice inside his head now too…? Or maybe the frequency of her voice shorted something in his nervous system…?
"You can do it, Seven~!" she'd chirrup before pouting, "You should lay down…"
"I know… I promised. After this… Okay?"
His earphones glided aside as someone wonderful ran her fingers through his mess of fiery hair. How did she get in? It couldn't good for her to see him like this… His house was such a mess, but it felt nice. Someone was holding him… Such a sweet scent and beneath his cheek such soft brea_...
THUNK!
He nearly fell out of his chair! The rush of that brought him back into focus with the last bit of steam he had.
Vanderwood would be by in just an hour to go over the operation the next day… Yet all he wanted was to reach out to the newest RFA member before he laid down. When Miyeon took a break, Seven joined a chat with her for just to wake himself up a little. He was so sick of looking at text, but the feedback of a living system was so gratifying. As expected, the girl was happy to see him and cheerfully played along with whatever craziness his sleep deprived mind could come up with. She was like sunshine on a desolate Martian surface, powering the 707 Rover to its target.
The chat was the only place he acted out to get attention, even then it usually got him scoffed at or ignored. Yet Miyeon gave the impression that when one was with her, the entirety of her being was focused on them. Not only did the girl perceive the things unsaid, but her intuition always seemed to lead her to the right words to say… Even if those words were egging him on.
It was strange… But in a way he understood. In some ways, the girl wasn't so different than himself, except she was entirely different. He was a brilliant flash that was meant to burn out quickly; she was a steady, nurturing glow.
His handler arrived around 9:00 AM where they briefly went over the completed work and the operation for the next day. Only then was he allowed to rest, rather Vanderwood specifically ordered it. The bags under his eyes were dark enough to be mistaken as bruises which prompted a round of questioning. Though he joked about being accosted by men in fur suits, his handler gave him the usual "tired of this crap" scowl and reached for his tazer. This made Seven retreat back into his bedroom after showing the agent out and putting the house on lockdown. Finally, he could fulfill his promise to Miyeon from the night before…
As he flopped onto the luxurious fabric, sleep overtook him but left just as abruptly. His alarm went off at 16:00 PM to start the round of rolling algorithm resets that kept everything secure…
A brief glance at the security footage of the apartment showed that the girl had left Rika's apartment a little earlier, which on its own wasn't worrying yet Seven felt anxious. When she was there, he knew she was safe. Without a live feed of wherever Miyeon'd gone to, something could happen to her and he'd never know. Yet if Seven called and asked, it could potentially cause her unnecessary concern… It was a balancing act to maintain the illusion of "safety" for people who were unaware of how very tenuous the situation really was. For a flash, the hacker thought to triangulate her position using her phone, but opted against it. Pinging her location could potentially use up battery she'd need to call for help… Miyeon probably had just left to get supplies and would be back before he could even make the effort. That meant he'd have to wait… Yet why did he feel so concerned? Was it just because she was planning the party he was looking forward to? That had to be it…
He got in a brief bit of exercise to stretch the tension from his muscles before retreating to the bathroom. There he used his phone to bring up the CCTV feed. Seven sat it on the sink beside the shower while he cleaned up and set about the unpleasant task of shaving his legs for the operation the next day. There were a few knicks and cuts along the way as his attention was divided, but after a bit of lotion everything seemed to be in order… Like cream: smooth and pale… The lack of a hair barrier made his legs very sensitive as he slipped a fresh pair of lazy flannel sleep pants on. It was a very sensuous feeling that he worked very hard to distract himself from focusing on lest it lead him to more sinful things that he frankly didn't have time to indulge.
Pulling a simple tank top on, Seven kept the phone close and set about the task of waxing his eye brows. Even with the numbing agent, it hurt like hell. The worst was having to tweeze away the little hairs that remained. His eyes were watering from the sharp consecutive stings that came with every pluck. Now and then he'd stop to check the symmetry. While Seven could go with a thinner line, he opted to stay within his natural range this time… There were always brow pencils to darken or thicken it up so he was less recognizable; contouring worked magic.
Women, and appearance conscience men, like Zen, had it rough…
Truthfully he had no issue with dressing up minus the flourishes. Clothes were just that, fabric. He could probably wear a maxi dress around the house and feel no shame about it. There was something undeniably liberating about wearing a dress, but it was more fun to be someone else when the opportunity presented itself. He rather liked getting "into character"; it was like acting for audience who didn't know they were watching a performance… Afterall, if they found out he wasn't who he said he was, his audience wouldn't like the routine and would likely take defensive measures. Fortunately, he'd never run into that, but Seven'd come close a few times. It was certainly more fun than being himself on a standard field op…
Retreating back to his desk, a familiar outline came into view which made the hacker quicken his step.
His fingers were already moving to unlock the door through keystrokes; Miyeon's arms were full of bags. It was surprisingly how strong a little thing like her probably had to be to carry so much. The question was then, why did she have all of that? If only he could help her with the door in person, he could sate his questions about what was inside…
Her head tilted up towards the camera as the lock clicked, a lovely smile of appreciation. It was hard not to reciprocate. Miyeon knew he was there… He sat, ankle crossed over his knee and watched the feed a bit more with a goofy smile as a sense of satisfaction came over him. What she lacked in grace, the girl more than made up for in efficiency.
A moment later, the newest member re-emerged with a note pad and began scribbling furiously before holding up her work.
"Making cookies for everyone!"
Judging from the drawing, they were likely coffee and cocoa flavored ones. He wanted to call, but instead sent her a private message, which to his surprise she quickly picked up. Talking would mean they'd spend less time together... As Miyeon dug around in her pocket after freeing a hand, her smile broadened. Did she always smile like that when he messaged her? He hoped so.
"ZOMGCOOKIES!"
"OMNOMNOMONOM!"
The joy was fleeting though as he caught himself… If she was making them for everyone, that implied that she would be meeting the others sooner than the party. He wanted to pry on who precisely it was, maybe even he felt a little jealous. Not that he had any right to… It wasn't as though he'd see her except at the party and potentially future ones if she continued her responsibilities as organizer. An old familiar weight settled over his chest robbing him from the brief feeling of zero-gravity her smile had brought him to.
He sent a picture of a chain with, ";;iwantcookies2butcan'tmeetu4them". It was best to be playful about his situation; she didn't know – she could never know… Even Jaehee felt chained to her job right? The way her lips fell into a frown made it feel as though he had given away his secrets… Seeing her troubled made him feel anxious and desperate, like he felt as a child… Proud, stoic little Saeyoung who wanted only to shelter her as he would Saeran from all the unhappy things possible… It was a horrible helplessness.
"I'll make some b4 the party! Just 4 u! K?"
To match her reassuring grin, there was a smiling cat face drawn next to the message. Nothing would keep her down for long…
"LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL K!"
Rather enthusiastically the girl pumped her fist and did a happy little bounce before scribbling out the last note, "I'll show them 2 you when they're done!"
As long as she was happy and bright, he could be content.
"Make meowie cookies! Nyaou! =*w*="
A mischievous little smirk crossed her face at reading that before Miyeon gave a wave goodbye and disappeared. There was no telling how long it'd be before she re-emerged… Although a brief look of a few general recipes seemed to infer he had about an hour and a half at least before she'd have anything successfully baked to show off. Seven adjusted his schedule accordingly, moving as much of the necessary equipment as he could into the car he'd be taking the following day before returning to his desk with his tools. While waiting, he tested out the cameras and audio devices that'd be put in place. The hacker even took out a small camera drone in the event of a moving mark to run some calibrations.
His phone began to ring with an old hymnal… It was V.
Awkwardly Seven perched the phone on his shoulder while setting his work aside to pull up the visuals for the network so he could keep a live view of any connections made during the call.
"Hey."
"So she's clean?"
"Yeah, there wasn't…" his voice ebbed at what seemed like an abnormality. They were being tapped by someone… ", anything wrong with that tabby cat… Our mutual friends have kept me neck deep in work though, so I haven't had much time to check on the stray she showed up with… She's a really good kitty though… She plays well with the others."
"…Understood…"
"…Have you picked up that roll cake yet?"
There was never an easy way to ask if someone had gotten a package without giving away that one had been sent… In this case, "Roll Cake" was a care package Seven had sent, with a few extra features. Specifically, it would let V know when there was someone else listening in on their calls.
"No. But I'll be waiting in line… We'll talk more later."
"Take care."
"You too. Bye."
Setting the phone back aside, the hacker quietly continued his work on the drone with one hand, while the other brought up the logs for the night Miyeon had joined them. He would work on it since the agency would probably be giving him less busy work due to the mission the next day… At least Vanderwood could be good for something other than tidying up. As much as a hardass as the agent was, he wasn't the worst handler Seven'd had; he wouldn't have the RFA were it not for the leniency given to him. What mattered was results and as long as he produced them – there wouldn't be a problem…
That left his mind free to wonder exactly what V had been up to.
Rika's suicide was a hard time for everyone. During that time Seven'd pop on once every other day while being moved between assignments only to find relative silence and V' s calls dwindled from once every few days to maybe once every few weeks. When his old friend did call, the concern was always security... Not with the usual requests either… While this raised flags, it wasn't entirely out of the ordinary.
It was V's contacts with the agency that had got him the position to begin with, so Luciel guessed that V had potentially thrown himself back into the life of a recon field agent… The photographer wouldn't kill himself, but Luciel didn't put it past him to do something dangerous so someone else could be responsible. It wasn't something he could ask or easily hack into agency databases to confirm though. All he could do was obey, afterall, he owed his friend his life…
Although Luciel knew loss and longing better than some men twice his age, there was nothing a boy like him could've said comfort a grown man who'd lost the love of his life. At least Saeran was still out there somewhere… Rika was gone, although there was no body, which likely left all sorts of unresolved issues for his friend. In a way that made him jealous, if he disappeared one day, there would be no one to mourn him… It was probably better that way.
As he closed the drone back up and gave it a quick test, his phone rang again.
She was calling him… The gloomy thoughts ebbed; maybe it wouldn't hurt to tease her a little. Clearing his throat a little, he picked up the phone and did his best to summon his inner CEO…
"Good evening… Elizabeth the III was just fed… Tell me, have you eaten dinner yet? My nutritionist says that three balanced meals a day are crucial to one's mental, physical, and spiritual health… Perhaps I should have Assistant Kang arrange for you to meet with my chef… Commoner food cannot be good for your constitution."
"Jumin…?" her voice was hesitant.
"Your trial period for Jumin Han's voice has expired. If you wish to proceed, a charge of one bag of Honey Buddha chips per moment will be occurred upon your account for every ten seconds. Do you accept those charges?"
"No! Bring on 707~!"
He wanted to jump out of his chair!
"Ta dah~! Here is 707 in all his glory! Did you miss me?"
"With every arrow so far," she quipped. "…It's a shame I can't see you too."
"– So are you ready for the chef to judge your cookies?"
There was a nervous chuckle. "Are you Chef RamG now?"
"! #$ right I am~! So get your ! #$ out that door!"
He'd hit the keys on his phone to hide the curse words he wasn't saying…
"Yes, sir!"
Her enthusiasm…
He wanted to bottle it up...
Something giddy stirred in him as he set the drone aside to pull the windowed CCTV camera up to full view. She was dressed down to a pair of shorts and an oversized sweatshirt with her hair up in a messy bun. There was the little wave whose energy could be felt through the photons of light capturing the image. He could feel the electricity tingling and reverberating through him, stirring his atoms out of their stillness.
Miyeon carefully selected out a cookie. He had to zoom in a little, but there were undeniably little ears on an oval shaped face. She'd done some detail work, but the camera didn't do it any justice.
Were the kitty ones exclusive to him? Maybe she'd made them for Jumin? His mind raced over the variables, the ordered subroutines of his personality were stumbling over themselves.
"See?"
"Ah… Hmm… Hmm…"
"No?"
"Closer… I can't see the details."
"…You won't lock me out and make me dance to get back in again will you?" she asked, edging out with her foot still in the door.
A chuckle escaped him, before he playfully and ominously asked, "Don't you trust me?"
"…I do, but I also know you probably wouldn't pass up another chance for me to put on a private show for you."
"You make it sound so R-Rated!"
"…The dance DID come from an "ero game" with cat girls," she mumbled looking very coy suddenly. "Does God Seven like cat girls? Are you a god of debauchery?"
His ears burned.
"E-e-everyone likes cat girls! You know, I even dreamed I was a cat – meow!"
"…When you slept earlier?"
"Yah – meow."
"Was it a good dream?" she asked adjusting the container holding the cookies.
A nervous groan escaped him… It was probably okay to share it; Miyeon knew nothing about him… To her, it'd be just a cute little story.
"Mommy cat didn't give me food, so brother kitty and I escaped. We passed through walls, over rivers, scaled mountains, and made it across oceans – meow. Then we ended up on a pirate ship! Then I woke up and my hands were curled up just like paws - meow."
There was a thoughtful expression on her face as she listened. Anyone else would've given him "the look"… He wanted to tell her everything, but there was nothing good that could come from it.
Like a star, she could only see the bright face of him…
But as a secret agent, he was an orbiting satellite- always skirting the point between gravity pulling him closer and pulling away on an ever decreasing fuel supply… Until one day, he would be flung out of orbit to the depths of the unknown with only memories of this moment. Luciel wanted to savor every morsel of it so he could recall her properly…
"You were probably a really cute tiger striped ginger cat…," Miyeon noted ponderously. "Did you get to wear a pirate hat?"
"I woke up before I found out, meow. But I could wear one to the party… I have a lot of costumes because of my work."
He tapped himself on the head - stupid! STUPID!
"You were serious about that secret agent stuff?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Maybe, sort of…" his voice was shaky. "So did you eat dinner yet? I saw you got groceries!"
"Not yet, but I will here in a bit… I was going to take some to Jaehee tomorrow too before I meet up with Yoosung to check out one of the venues…" There was a fret to her brow. "I probably should've asked you before going or making plans, I'll send you the details if it'll help."
"A homemade meal from Meowie-on? I'm a little jealous! But it's okay - security threat isn't that high right now, you're not a prisoner unless you want to be," he noted. "But you would look really cute in stripes! Like a little tiger ~!Raaaawr~! Ou! Should I get you chain to wear around your ankle too? Or better yet! Maybe a bell collar since you're so small?"
"A collar would be nice," she chuckled before her expression softened into one he hadn't seen before… It made him want to melt. "… I like knowing that there's someone waiting for me… If something happens, someone will miss me and come looking for me…"
All he could hear was the sound of his heart racing.
"I can't let anything bad happen to you. That'd make everyone sad and Yoosung would cry – and he like… gets ugly "booger sad" when he cries. It makes me laugh, but it's so ugly!"
"It's not pretty when anyone cries…" she noted softly, setting the box down to rest her arms. "But I'll probably be leaving around lunch time tomorrow though to drop Jaehee off some lunch. After that though, I'm supposed to meet with Yoosung to check out the venue. I'll send you the location too if you wanted to check on it too for security purposes. If all of us go together…"
"…I have work, so I can't, but… It would be nice to know where you are. But you'll have the forever number 2 player in LOLOL with you, so I know you'll be safe."
"Forever number 2…?" Miyeon's eyes widened with surprise… So adorable. "You're number one aren't you!?"
"Maybe."
"I'm surprised you haven't been banned yet!"
"Oh I have been, but you think something like that stops me?" he answered cheekily. "I have a father's heart, you know? Yoosungyi's been working so hard, when he finally gets that #1 spot, he'll feel so accomplished! Then he'll know the meaning of hard work! And then he can start working on stuff in real life so he can get a girlfriend!"
She did a little zip motion in front of her mouth.
"You'll keep my secret for me?!"
She crossed her heart and pointed to her chest.
His face was burning. "Dangerous putting me so close to something so vital you know… I have easy access to your heart. Can you feel it? Thump – thump… Getting closer?"
If only he could screen cap her face in that moment… Her eyes wide and the darkening of her cheeks. It was like driving a car fast on a curvy road, it was every sort of illogical, dangerous, and wrong, but it felt amazing.
"So like… Would you be in a tiny submarine and be inside me…?"
Inside her…? He had to swallow – hard… For just an instant, something indecent and impossible yet wonderful occurred to him. Very adult thoughts he didn't have often…
"I-I'd much rather go to space…"
"Me too!"
"Really?!"
"When I was really little, I wanted to pilot a giant robot and be like one of those pilots in the cartoons. Fighting aliens and saving the day. Guess I'm a bit short for that, huh?"
"Small body means better handling of G-forces! You'd probably be a great pilot! But… There are all sorts of real monsters here – that's why we have the benefit party! I can't have you one this time, but next party I'll have you a full robot suit to host it in!"
"…That'd be amazing! You know, maybe one year we can hold the party on a space station?"
"I know right! Ah! That'd be so awesome!"
"Since you're already God Seven - defender of justice, what does that make me?"
"Meowie-on Prime, Defender of Hope in her mecha powered by dreams!"
She giggled, shaking him up.
"For now though I'd just be happy with like one of those little robot companions that they have in those shows… Something that could keep me safe, so I wouldn't be afraid of my own shadow and so you can keep an eye on me."
"You feel scared?"
"I'm a girl… I'm always a little scared," she admitted. "…I'm odd…"
"You're not odd… You're just in a weird situation! But would you really trust me having a camera that can follow you anywhere? I could blackmail you or turn you into a gravure idol like I did Zen," he asked teasingly to try to cheer her up.
"I already sort of trust you with my life, right? You would've already done something weird to me if you meant to."
…He was wanting to do all sorts of "weird" things with her the more they spoke… Sinful things… Innocent things … All of them in zero gravity…
"Right," he answered, feeling his voice waver.
Luciel the spy was desperately trying to reign himself back in, but 707 was having too much fun... Even during his time in the States in college, he'd kept to himself aside from his classmates. Invariably the IT courses were primarily male, which made it easy to avoid situations like this. When he'd come back, there had been a few people who had gotten fond of him, but rather dutifully he'd report it and get moved to save everyone involved heartache and risk… Everyone except the RFA…
"…Seven… I'm not causing you any trouble am I?"
His eyes had been cast aside with shame but lifted back to the screen to Miyeon's concerned pout. There was something wholly familiar and painful that made him reflexively tense. "Nah! You make things more fun!"
"Speaking of gravures and Zen… You wouldn't have any more pictures of yourself, would you?"
"…M-me? You really want to see me that badly?" She nodded, even with the delay in the feed it was quick. "Wouldn't you rather see him? He's more attractive! Besides my profile pic…"
"Is really small… I want to see my friend who opened the door for me. The one who can see the lamb in the box."
You can never see that person, Luciel reminded himself as the loneliness set back in.
"I don't think the camera picks up ghosts," Seven answered aloud. "But… I can maybe send you a picture if you really want…"
"I do! Why would I ask you if I didn't want to?" Miyeon answered firmly like a defiant child, her eyes full of determination… Battling against invisible boundaries she had no way of knowing were there to begin with. In a way, she reminded him like Yoosung… Sweet, stubborn, guiltless, and naïve… Quietly he prayed to God to let him be strong enough to protect her from the evils in the world.
Turning his camera on, he tried to get a pose before feeling very self-conscious. His hair was a mess, as usual… He glanced around his desk and picked up his unopened bag of Honey Buddha chips. There was also a deep red shirt that he pulled on to hide his shoulders to look a bit more modest. Maybe it was better if he sent her a bad picture? If Miyeon didn't like what she saw, he could talk with her without her liking him... But he wanted her to like him… Taking a deep breath, he did his best "duck lips" while holding up a bag of chips and hit the button.
No…
Instead, he sent an old picture of him. It was a full body shot of him edited into an ominous looking room with multiple doors. Seven knew she wanted to see his face clearly. As she pulled the phone away to check the message, he sent her the one he just took as well before he could second guess himself again. He could always delete the conversation later…
It was agony waiting to see her reaction. The first one drew a thoughtful nibble at the lip, but the other made her smile softly.
"…It's probably really risky for you to do stuff like this… Isn't it? I'm a little honored you trust me too… Thank you, Luciel."
"You'll see me at the party so it's not like it's a huge thing… But it's probably a good thing… If something happens and I have to come by before then or if I have to come get you – you'll recognize me."
"I thought so too…"
He had to wonder why her mind even operated like that… What happened to her before she joined the group? She mentioned a brother before, but he hadn't found any record of one. Maybe he was looking at the wrong person.
Miyeon looked down at her belly with a little embarrassment.
"I probably need to get back in to start working on dinner and Jaehee's lunch… If you're free later, maybe we can play something other than LOLOL? I've been meaning to play Overlook if you want to join me. I generally go Noctis."
"That sounds so fun! I usually run Soleander – we'd be so perfectly teamed! Ugh… But right now, I should really get back to work. My babies need gas – and gas takes money – and money comes from work."
He had something to look up…
"You must really like cars."
"I like how they work – all those parts coming together! And since I can't own a cat – the engine sort of reminds me of a cat purring. So it's like – two birds with one stone!"
"God Seven – defender of justice and mastery of economy~!"
"Exactly! Right!? Heh – think I should write a book to make more money?"
"Heck yeah, diversify those assets!"
"You so get me!" Seven piped before he could catch himself. "Just message me when you leave and when you get back tomorrow, I have to step out for a little for work."
"Understood. Be careful, okay?"
"I'm like the best at my job – so you don't need to worry about me!"
"It's them who should be worried!"
"Oh yeah! Justice is coming for them! Ciao~!"
"Ciao– meow~!"
The girl gave her usual little wave before returning into the apartment, yet he kept watching for a little before getting to business. After the last of the preparations were completed for the tech for the following day's mission, he set about making sure his disguise would be acceptable. There were no tears and plenty of places for him to hide his gear.
Only once that was done did he set about looking up Miyeon's relatives. Surprisingly, there were very few. Though he didn't want to pry, he found records of her parents' divorce. There was almost nothing to be found about her ever having had a brother. That raised a few red flags. His thumb tapped his mouse loudly as he leaned closer to the screen and kept looking.
The time rolled around when the agency usually gave him his duties for the evening. As expected Alice contacted him back about the prior op, but otherwise he was assured to have relative silence from the agency to focus on the operation later that day… Tomorrow would be hell though. Part of him wanted Vanderwood to storm in and taze him to remind him of what he was supposed to be doing… There weren't the usual requests tonight, just the mission to set up the wire taps and cameras and the bigger project that it tied into. He couldn't finish that job without the intel he'd get, but even then, it was going to be a damn ugly mess…
His attention was elsewhere…
Maybe it was because he was having to keep an eye on Miyeon for the RFA's and her own safety that made her feel so familiar so soon… The more he knew, the more he wanted to know. Not because it was productive, not because he suspected her, but because he was curious… She was on his frequency, no matter which version of him she was talking to.
It was a problem…
But even then, the issue wasn't her… He needed to keep control of himself, for everyone's sake.
It was after midnight before his phone jingled with a link from Miyeon. He checked the message before he could help himself.
"I found planet 707! There's an exo-planet called Kepler-707B orbiting the star Kepler-707!"
With it, she'd linked an article covering how it was a "Super Earth" like planet within the habitable zone of its star. There were even instructions on how to find it's general position near the constellation Cygnus…
"8) Just need a rocket! Wonder if it really has Ph.D. Pepper oceans like you thought?"
Any other time Seven might've followed up on it, but right now, it only made him feel angry with himself for reasons he didn't even fully appreciate.
He had to find the hacker…
To this end, he committed himself fully for the next few hours.
There were suspicious things that looked promising, but it was hardly enough to go on… It was sickeningly frustrating. Usually these things were so easy for him, but for some reason this particular instance was challenging. A challenge was one thing, but this was becoming personal… It was aggressive and strange. The messenger had been made with his own personal programming flourishes – it wasn't something that could've been easily accessed without someone having "cased" it for some time. That spoke to a targeted attack but who would want to hack in? Furthermore, why hack in just to lure a new member who wouldn't even be acting as an inside agent?
It was just before sunrise before he resigned himself to continuing the search for later. Catching a quick nap so he wouldn't have bags under his eyes, Seven woke to perform the usual round of security checks and updates while getting ready. Before he could even start putting his make up in, he had to put in contacts. There were a few colored ones he had to help change his appearance, but today he stuck with the clear. Next came the make up…
Fortunately, his skin was decent despite his lifestyle, so it didn't take much to get it looking dewy. Being a shut in had that advantage at least… The lack of sun gave him a fair canvas to work with, so most eye shadows had a nice pop. He had the money to splurge to get the long staying stuff, but it had taken him some playing around to figure out how it all fit together. Men who complained about how long it took for women to get ready clearly had never tried to put on eye shadow or fake lashes. There was an artistry in using such dainty little tools to the right look. Much like repairing an engine, there was a degree of technique involved. He'd practiced on paper for hours before getting the hang of it.
It'd been much easier to pass as a girl when he was younger, before his face and body had matured. A little too well at times… With time, it had gotten a little more challenging due to his broadening shoulders and Adam's apple. But with a bit of contouring, he was able to soften the lines of his face and draw attention away from the lump in his throat. Today's disguise had a high collar too, which would be tremendously helpful. The poofy sleeves of the uniform were also a blessing. There would be no need to change his posture for long periods…
The underwear was suitably feminine just in case, which admittedly wasn't the most comfortable to arrange… Then a bit of baby powder to the legs so he could pull on the panty hose on without ripping them… He failed the first attempt and had to go for a second before strapping on a pair of black shiny Mary Janes. For a touch of realism, he even put on an anklet. Next came the one-piece dress which took some work tying the bow in the back, but he managed well enough. Tucking his natural hair under a bit of nylon, he picked out a wig and carefully applied and pinned it to make sure there would be no unwanted slippages…
Its style reminded him a little of Miyeon's, with long bangs… Although unlike her lovely Ph. brown, the wig was nearly a wine red. With care he styled it straight and to where it'd naturally fall towards his shoulders to help hide his more masculine features. Real maids might put it back, but he felt for a younger maid down might make more sense. She felt like the sort of girl who was keeping her eye out for a rich husband… After a quick change of the lipstick, he felt pretty – pretty confident even.
Grabbing the last of his things, he checked the chat and bantered a bit to give the illusion of everything being normal.
As much as he wanted to take his favorite, prudence spoke to sticking to his "normal" car which blended in much more easily… Even then, he took it only as far as needed to find a train station which he rode while wearing a light coat to hide his maid uniform. To anyone unaware of what was below the stylish little rain coat, he was just another young woman. There were glances at his legs and at his modest chest. While some men definitely preferred larger ones, he found it best blend in with something within the normal range… Not that he wouldn't have appreciated the storage space, but it would've come with more issues – such as more attention.
Once off the train, his focus became maintaining the image. Women had a very different walk and manner of speaking than men. That meant watching the length of his steps; in general, ladies had a shorter stride… The most challenging was going to be his voice. Aside from the different mannerisms and seemingly unique patterns of female speech – his distinctly male voice could give him away. When he was younger, it was much easier. As his voice had deepened, however, it was something that took some preparation. He'd done some singing in the car and a few vocal exercises while getting ready, but even then it took a tightening of his throat and practice down to even the way he held his tongue to get it to come out right. Even for a genius like him, it was a bit of a stretch… It was kinesthetic – not exactly his strength…
After checking in with his liaison, they met the manager and got access to the upper floors to clean up after the prior guests before the target would arrive that evening. It was a flurry of activity drilling holes, laying wires, setting wireless things in place discretely as possible, puttying things up to hide the work, and then cleaning the actual room. Penthouse was done… That left elevators, halls, the event hall, and dining room. The whole while he had to keep an eye over his shoulder just in case his liaison sold him out.
They had just finished setting up the equipment in the event hall and were on the way to the auxillary target's room when he heard a familiar laugh. It was enough to put a falter in his step…
It couldn't be…
His contact eased her pace as he glanced back, pretending to be dusting off his shoulder.
Standing in the lobby with someone from the hotel management was Yoosung and Miyeon… His friend was practically glowing. There was a smile a mile wide on the boy's face between glances to the short girl beside him… They looked almost like a cute, happy couple… The college student was just a few inches shorter than himself, but even next to him she was petite. So cute…
Her bangs were long as always, but she'd made some attempt to pull them back with hairclips to look more professional. Rather than her lazy wear, she sported a comfy looking peach sweater belted to accentuate her figure and chocolate colored skirt.
He wanted to go over, to say hi… To see if either of them would recognize him…
Instead, his pace quickened as he followed his look out to the next point. They ended up taking an elevator up three floors, only to have a walkway overlooking the lobby. All the while, his eyes kept searching the crowd for Yoosung's blonde head with the knowledge that Miyeon would likely be right beside him.
The two of them seemed to be getting along; Yoosung was holding himself with confidence. Miyeon was smiling and laughing… He ought to be happy – it was what he was working towards… The both of them together so that they could both be a couple. I mean it was sort of like a date for them, right? Yet seeing it only made him feel terribly empty and desperate. He wanted to be with them…
He wanted to be with her…
As he worked, Seven could feel his hair standing up on his arms just thinking about how close she could be even a floor below him. It was imperative he get this job over and done with… This wasn't something fun – it was a risk to the whole operation. But there was more…
He'd seen agents hurt on missions, but this… This was something he didn't want to witness in person. It would be bittersweet enough hearing about it from Yoosung later on. What if they got along REALLY well and they kissed? He'd be wearing a costume then too, smiling and cheering his friend on.
God forgive him for his envy. Heaven knew he had the best of intentions… He pleaded for the good lord to give him strength to endure it.
Suddenly there was a stinging in his eye that made him stop work with the drill. The contact seemed to catch a bit of debris from where he'd been drilling into the paneling… It itched.
"You okay?"
"Yeah… Think I just got something in my eye," he murmured. "… I'll be right back…"
His contact nodded, picking up where he'd left off while he retreated to the restroom. There were a woman and her daughter in there along with an older woman when he first entered. Fortunately, he was able to retreat to a stall where he removed the contact to check for any damage. The air beneath the stall door flowed as they moved, finished their business, and left leaving the bathroom surprisingly still while he removed the contact from his eye. The door squeaked open again as someone else entered. After a moment to make sure it wasn't a threat, he retreated to the sink, washed the contact off under the guise of washing his hands and slipped it back in.
His make-up looked mostly okay, but his eyes were red and irritated… It looked like he'd been crying. Dampening some towels with cool water, he very gingerly patted the area to avoid messing up the blending. As the stall door opened, he recognized the silhouette, although Miyeon seemed to be looking at her phone…
He couldn't just run out. Instead he hung his head, utterly panicking for how to react. If was just the two of them, maybe it would be okay – but if anyone saw them together… No he had to keep incognito. What the hell was she even doing on this level – the event hall was… Of course, the conference room was on the third floor… They were probably seeing if it would work as an operations room for the technical aspects of the charity party.
As she began washing her hands, the scent of her perfume made his heart flutter. It was sweet and light… Maybe something vanilla with a splash of something cherry. He sniffled uncomfortably, noticing her head tilt. A shuddering breath escaped him… He was being too conspicuous…
"Are you okay…?" she asked softly.
"Just a fight with the boyfriend," he answered using the guise of having been crying to mask the deepness of his voice.
"That's awful… Can I get you anything?"
He shook his head and sniffled dramatically.
Very gently Miyeon patted his back, sending a chill through him. How long had it been since anyone had touched him in a way that wasn't meant to cause harm? His muscles tightened reflexively from fear, but desperately he wanted more… She mistook this for a sob too, which only drew a rub between the shoulders as she reached into her bag.
"Maybe do something nice for yourself and give him some time…? If you mean that much to each other, you'll work it out… So just hang in there okay?" the girl assured, setting a little package of disposable tissues on the counter next to him. There was that concern on her face, but a kind, reassuring smile… The one Rika and V would give him… She wore it better. On Miyeon, it seemed more sincere.
Hiding his face as though he were wiping tears he thanked her, starting the sink back up to help sell the act. Once she left he found himself holding one of the tissues to his face… Her scent was all over it. Everything about her was pure and sweet.
After freshening himself up, he arranged to start setting up the equipment on the roof while his contact finished the remaining three floors. As he took a spot on the elevator, his imagination grew very clear… Until that point, it had only been flashes and slight feelings: this time, with the view of the city through the glass, the baser part of him knew exactly what it wanted.
Seven wanted to find the petite girl and lure her away from her companion. To see how long it'd take before her eyes lit up with recognition. They'd retreat to the elevator and as the door closed, the impetuous little thing would be in his arms. The sweetness of her scent would fill his lungs, her breasts pressed to his own, and her lips caressing his own with increasing vigor. It wouldn't be just a mere peck. No, he wanted to taste her fully, for his lipstick to stain her his color… He wanted all of her to be red, blushing, and breathless…
The peach sweater would be pushed up around her elbows and over her head as he pinned her hands to the cool glass, behind her the sunset would make her glow gold and scarlet.
How her delicate neck would reverberate with little mewls as he nibbled at the soft skin leaving a smear of color until there was no costume… Her pale, little hands pulling his wig free so that there was no mistaking who the stranger in her arms was. Seeing him, Miyeon would wrap her arms around his shoulders as he hoisted her up against the glass. She'd want to belong only to him... Even now his mind was working on how her voice would sound conveying as much. The stray strands of his wig brushing against his ears wasn't helping; it could easily be her breath as she clung to him while they joined. How very soft her thighs would feel as her delicate legs wrapped around his waist… The city below could look up and see their skirts swaying as he thru_
Get your shit together! he ordered himself, but it was too late.
Very clearly he could imagine her tied up with his pantyhose while he explored her feminine frame… Or even having Miyeon tying him down while before what she wanted of him was thrilling. It was strange, wonderful, and absolutely the worst to even consider such things to begin with…
It wasn't that he'd never had such thoughts but having them about someone he knew and so vividly was very different… This was dangerous, especially now!
The more he tried to suppress the thought, the more debauched it got. It was almost as if 707 and Luciel were separate entities within him… 707 argued not with logic, but by spamming the other part of him with lewd thoughts as if sheer quantity made an argument for why it should be considered. Luciel was fighting hard to keep him alive. The boy in him was curious about such things, but at the same time, wanted to play more innocent games with her… Somewhere deeper still, another part of him wanted all of those things, but also something else: to hold her after they were both satisfied, to walk out hand in hand, and to find a quiet spot to look up at the stars and talk about life, the universe, everything.
There had been a time when it was nothing for him to turn such things off, but it was impossible in the moment. Some relief came as the elevator stopped and a service stairwell as necessary to reach the top. He bit his tongue, using the pain to help him focus as he set up the last of the equipment. When his contact emerged, he used a jail broken back up phone to finish the installation and tested the surveillance of each of the 8 points, 1 to 4 camera and microphones each, before both were satisfied. That just left watching and waiting for their mark to make it. The contact would get first watch; he would get second…
Security seemed to take an interest in him on the way out, but he got out without much fuss. After checking with his liaison, it was safe to start the train ride back to his car. Even then, it wasn't a straight path. He took a series of trains going another direction before using the routes to circle back aground to where he'd left his vehicle. The drive back was silent…
Parking in the garage of his fortified house, for several minutes he did nothing but sit in his car, his head against the steering wheel… What the hell was wrong with him? What if the agency knew Miyeon had talked to him in the restroom?
He needed to remember his place…
Retreating inside, he first stopped in the bathroom to tidy up. As his golden eyes focused on the mirror, an observation soured his mood further. Studying the lines of his face only worsened it... With the make up having ran a little thanks to the incident with the contact, traces of a familiar and unpleasant face were so much more visible now. The bone structure was his mother's… The fine details belonged to a man he'd never met, but whose countenance he'd seen on television. He hastened to wipe the make-up away, scrubbing so hard his face started to sting.
There must've been sometime before he was born when his mother had been a normal, pretty girl… That was, after all, why the man who had sired him had likely slept with her… But that wasn't the "mother" he knew. He knew the yells that would go from coherent to slurring, the sting of being struck and burned, Saeran's cries, hunger, and the foul odor of vomit, urine, cigarettes, and beer mixing with the taste of blood and his own sick… Even now he remembered her bar schedule and when she'd be out… When she expected him to go to the store and when he had to be back… The smell the church…
Looking back up in the mirror, there was no soap deep cleansing enough to wash that away.
It didn't matter how far he ran, what his name became, or who he left behind… That woman would always be there inside him… Because she was so engrained into him, he'd always feel strange and dangerous.
The RFA was the closest he'd ever had to family, and even they had to be kept safe from her even though she had passed years ago. According to a coroner's report it had been suicide, but Seven knew better. It was probably a case where his father finally caught up to her, but as long as Saeran was safe, he didn't care…
V and Rika had promised him…
In turn, he'd promised to take care of the RFA…
Miyeon was in the RFA…
If he protected the RFA and found the hacker, she'd be safe.
He just had to focus and step back… It used to be so easy.
The best thing he could do was to keep her at a distance…
But he didn't want to… Not without a fight…
Staring back at him in the mirror now was someone Seven didn't recognize…