It was well past three before the girl fell asleep. Even if she was being discreet enough for the light of her phone not to show, the ghost admin profile he had monitoring the messenger showed activity. The profile was set to trigger him when V or Miyeon logged in. V so he could get answers… The girl, so he could make sure she didn't leak information to the rest of the group and to see if the hacker still had access to her profile. The only person on was Jumin, confirming that his fight had arrived back safely, which was one less security concern. She chatted with the executive a little, and even when the he prompted a change in security measures, she deferred to Seven's judgement without hesitation or doubt… It made him wonder if she knew that he could see everything in real time, especially when Jumin was asked how Elizabeth the III was doing. While that did lighten the mood, there were cracks in the façade. Whether it was because it was RFA members in danger or Miyeon specifically was hard to tell…
…Maybe she would be better off with the CEO to be… He had that huge tower with the shops and a full security detail that could watch her. She showed promise at getting him to be reasonable and more human. The girl would never have to worry about another thing the rest of her life aside from being a dutiful wife and good mother… She could live without want or fear.
That was more than he could ever give her; he didn't deserve being this close... It was driving him insane! The last time he'd been in the apartment, Rika's perfume lingered in the air like a warm Summer afternoon. The former party planner had been the embodiment of sophistication and lofty pursuits… His memory was full of her in church and at parties – dripping with the aroma of riesling, floral bouquets, frankincense, and lofty aspirations. It was sacred and otherworldly, like a bright but cold light.
Miyeon's scent was very different. Every lungful he drew in was either of the meal she'd cooked for him or her natural scent with subtle notes of vanilla spice and autumn rain. It was the aroma of the "home" his younger self could only imagine. Someplace warm and safe, with gentle hands to hold, mend wounds, and comfort… An unobtainable dream of a place he longed for more than heaven, if only because he knew it'd never be his. Yet it felt so close that it ached.
Every breath was a reminder of that bitter truth. Yet somehow, he managed to remain focused; shame had a lot to do with it… Honestly, it was damn good motivator… It was past five in the morning before he ran through an alpha test of the new security system. While waiting for it to fully initialize and for the rolling reset to finish, his attention fell to the serving tray with its plate of long cold food. Even hours old, it looked like a feast full of flavors he'd never experienced. The temptation to eat it was equal to his desire to throw it away…
Ten years ago, he might've cried seeing such a meal… Hell, a week ago, he might've.
A real homemade meal was something he'd never experienced.
Growing up, what he and Saeran could scavenge from the kitchen were the scraps their mother gave them from her take out or convenience foods. Salty, sweet, or spicy were the flavors, each to the extreme in order to suit his mother's drunken palate… He had no concept of umami or the outside then. Then again, he had no concept of anything beyond that squalid little apartment until that one day...
The woman had "punished" him by sending him outside on an errand for the first time. It was his "lesson" for being such a "sneaky, conniving" boy… He could still remember the burn of his rebellious little heart on top of an empty stomach, staring down that woman after she'd scolded him for untying his brother's ankle. Poor Saeran had given up on pleading with her to having returned to his spot in the kitchen, quietly crying in the floor to prevent from provoking her more. That only made him feel more defiant, staring back at her with the knowledge that one day he'd be bigger and stronger than her… He didn't remember if he'd even confessed having thought it, but the result was the same.
She practically yanked his arm out of the socket, threw him out of the door along with the money telling him to bring back medicine and water. The shock of it left him paralyzed on the tattered welcome mat while his brother's wails could be heard through the door until she snapped at him to shut up. Saeyoung tried the handle desperately to protect his brother, but it was locked and for the first time in his life, he was on the other side!
His mother was always reminding Saeran and he of what would happen if they tried to run away from her. "Daddy" was the boogeyman who lived just on the other side of the door. Rationally, he had to have been on the other side of it at some point in his life… He just couldn't remember when, and little Saeyoung had no idea where a "market" even was. The terror of where he was and confusion of what he was supposed to do paralyzed him until the resentment in his little heart felt that death was preferable to spending another minute with his mother. But he couldn't leave his brother alone… Although Saeran was quiet now, or at least too muffled to hear. The other him was probably curled up in the kitchen biting his lips so he wouldn't make a sound as she tied him back up. Without him there, she could do whatever she liked to him. She wouldn't let him back in until he had medicine and water though. For Saeran… He'd do it to be back with his brother; not for her. That defiance got him quite far, and he began to feel a little proud at how well he could read the signs around him. If the words got too hard, he could just look for things that looked similar to the bags he was used to seeing.
Although the farther he got from home and closer he got to the convenience store, the more his skin prickled with fear that he'd never see his brother again. Then the fears of what his father would do to him mingled with thoughts that perhaps their father just wanted to save them from their mother… She wasn't exactly the most honest person, that's probably where he'd gotten it from. Not like Saeran, who was honest and gentle…
As he walked, his muscles ached. Instinctively they wanted to move fast and stretch in the warm sunshine, yet it hurt. It was an active process not to overdo it, as little Saeyoung had no idea how far or even what direction he needed to go. That first trip, he had to sit several times as he got winded easily. Eventually he found a place with a sliding door, which fascinated him enough for him to go through it twice. The strange looks eventually got him to trot into the store, embarrassed.
Saeyoung'd never seen so much food and color in his life... The sensory overload of the smell of plastic, cleaning supplies, other people, and food was enough to make him feel feint. Perfumed magazines and the white noise of refrigerated machines… It was all so alien; none of it felt real. He was so much shorter than the aisles and was bothered by how they left so much hidden from his view; someone could pop out at any point. The boy spent a great deal of time there looking around, but eventually he relaxed enough to touch bags and tried to read what was on them. There were things he had no concept of but knew they were food, only because he could read some of the words.
He clearly looked out of place enough for the shop owner to ask if he needed help, which made him freeze with fear. He'd never spoken to anyone other than his mother or brother. The realization that people outside spoke the same language as him and as the people on TV was such an obvious, yet alien concept to him. He had to repeat himself a few times, as he'd been raised to speak quietly. Raising his voice to just a normal speaking tone was an effort. Looking back, he had to wonder if the shop owner thought it was foreign, with his messy red hair and how patient he was to him. Despite saying "no", the person helped him anyway. They were even nice enough had helped him learn how to count money properly. He'd been a suspicious, if only to prevent getting scolded when he got home, double and even triple counting. But he must've been smiling a mile wide from a sense of accomplishment as the person moved to give him pat on the head. His body naturally recoiled, as the only physical contact he knew from adults was being struck or jerked around… But the older man seemed undaunted, and rumpled his red hair, commenting on how he'd wanted to touch it since he came into the store. It was rare… Special…
There were nice people outside the house.
Soon he'd gotten quite good at making use of his trips out to pick up money that'd fallen along the way. The best thing was having enough left over to buy a treat he could share with Saeran. It was this scavenging that lead him to staying out near their birthday, looking for a few more coins so he could bring his brother back a snack cake as a present. He'd discovered the church when he'd ducked in during a surprise Summer storm… It was like something out of a dream. His mouth was open as he looked at all the stained glass and the strange way the ceiling arched. There were other people there, some lightning candles, others in the pews with their heads bowed.
There was no need to ask for handouts; his boney frame was testament to a life of hunger. Rika had saw to it that he was fed, along with the other needy people who'd gathered for a meal. In exchange for food, he simply had to listen about God, the blessed Virgin, and the good works of Christ. At first, Saeyoung didn't even hear as his attention was wholly on the food. It was bland compared to the prepackaged things he was used to, but it was filling. He was too afraid to be ungrateful…
Once he started to come regularly, and the hunger was being beaten back, he was more attentive. In many ways, the story wasn't that different than the fairy tale book that he and Saeran had taught themselves to read with. Mass was read in a language he didn't know but later the details would be explained to him by the sisters or Rika. There was conviction in the voices of the adults around him when they spoke of Christ's suffering on the cross which soon made him question it. Soon, he was finding any way he could to visit the chapel for more. He wanted to meet the son of God or Mary and ask for help. By simply being there though, he found salvation in the smiles of those around him little by little… Unlike his mother who always saw him as a lying, stealing beast – the people at church often praised him. They often commented on how clever, polite, and sincere he was.
Greedily he soaked up the praise and recognition of his gifts and began to understand how God had given him everything he needed to escape. When Rika had given him that first book on computers, he was eager to show how much he appreciated it and how grateful he was to God for showing him that there was a way for Saeran to be freed… He might've been born to an impossible family, but in addition to that bright hair, God had blessed him with an equally brilliant mind, one that could be applied to build a path out of Hell for his brother and himself.
V sourced work for him, which allowed him to start making modest amounts that he'd started saving up. It'd been easy to justify the things he was doing as being like Robin Hood at the time considering how crooked the people he hacked were. Sometimes it was okay to lie if the cause was good. Even Christ chased money changers from the temple. In his own mind, he was the defender of justice, whose little acts of interference bought the food he'd sneak in for his brother.
Such joy wasn't without its cost though. His bright hopes for a future of freedom met reality when he noticed that he was being followed. Until then, he had used quieter streets to avoid people seeing or talking to him much, so it was easy to recognize unfamiliar faces. Unfamiliar faces that would show back up when he started using more populated routes.
V had gotten him a hoodie to help him discreetly cover his bright red hair. There was no hope of him simply blending into a crowd if it was visible. People were always drawn to it and seemed to enjoy rumpling it, and until then he savored the uniqueness. Now, Luciel was aware of how dangerous standing out was.
It didn't matter that he was a child. As his father's illegitimate son or as a hacker – getting noticed was a quick way to death. His faith was firm though, and it wasn't death that he feared. The thought of his brother being left alone without his support was something much worse than death. Everything was for Saeran… He did his best to go through more complex routes and with no particular schedule. Yet they grew ever bolder, and even though they were too smart to approach him at the Church or to attempt anything as brazen as attacking his mother's house directly, there were only so much he could do. Inevitably, one day the odds would be against him.
The injustice of it put him into despair. It didn't matter if he had no intention of telling anyone; by continuing to live, Saeran and he were threats to his father's career. He'd seen the faces of the legitimate children his father had at news conferences. His half siblings looked well fed, cared for, and attended good schools. They didn't have bright red hair and could live normal lives. As much as he ought to have hated them, Rika helped him understand that they likely didn't know what sort of person their father truly was. He prayed for intervention instead.
God already knew what he needed, yet the answer he gave through V wasn't what the boy wanted…
The Agency…
V had connections through his father. Luciel refused at first, and even felt a little hurt that such a thing could even be suggested. Even if the opportunity came with the promise of a real education, travel abroad, and the opportunity to make what his young mind perceived as a fortune, but the cost was too high. He'd have to leave his twin behind. Over the next few days, he thought about it a lot and pondered other ways to simply grab his brother and run. He had a skill set, but no market without V providing the connections. If he tried to go alone to find honest work, the problem would be his age, lack of documentation, and lack of experience. Even if he pretended to be someone older and more experienced online, it wasn't like he could actively advertise his services. Working at a shop or waiting tables wasn't an option either – too visible. Moving away to get an education so he could find legitimate work in the field he was so gifted in wasn't an option. He learned to read English, although speaking it was taking time, and he was getting proficient with translating mandarin, but it was taking too long! He didn't have the proper credentials in anything, nor the skill or connections to fake them just yet. Good universities required documentation and LOTS of money. Getting those things took time… Time wasn't something he had. The Agency, however, could cover all of that.
But they couldn't help his brother.
But then again… neither could he… Not really.
Despite the food he would smuggle in and the trips outside, Saeran was as pale and slender as a snow-covered willow branch. His stamina was almost nonexistent after a lifetime of being tied up or worse. He couldn't run, and even on the short trips to the convenience store, he got winded… He always had to be mindful of their father's men catching them both out or how long they were out, so his brother could rest and enjoy the view of the sky. Unlike him, Saeran was still so pure and innocent in so many ways… Outside, he actually smiled and looked peaceful, as he admired the fluffy clouds between timid licks of his half of the popsicle. He always ate them slowly to fully savor the flavor and being outside. Yet all Saeyoung could think of was plans of escape while being how aware of how easily over powered they could be.
The night before he chose, his twin peered back at him from across the pillow, with a worried little frown. Without words, they'd always "felt" what the other did. Despite his attempts to keep his brother ignorant for his own good, he was certain Saeran knew… Although thinking back, it must've been just him feeling his brother's anxiety... His eyes were wide in hollow cheeks as his thin hand rested next to his brothers, quietly looking for reassurance. Unlike when they were little and would cuddle up, there was usually a little space between them now despite their growing bodies leaving less room. Saeyoung was taller than his brother now, with limbs that were ever growing stronger. Even their faces were a little different now…
Something had to change.
Who was going to be with his brother when he woke up from a bad dream if not him?
…V and Rika promised to save his twin from the nightmare that was being awake living under that woman though.
They promised…
How long would it take for them to go to him though? Where would he stay? Maybe the Agency would take him too? But… Wouldn't that mean Saeran would have to do bad things too?
His young mind ran over these questions to the point that he eventually moved to the floor so as not to wake his brother with his tossing and turning. For hours Saeyoung lay, sprawled out agonizing over it till the starry sky became dark and then grey with early dawn. The intensity of the way he was followed the next day convinced him that this was the only way… It was only after talking with V and getting assurance that Saeran would be cared for that he agreed.
Things moved rather quickly after. It was a tense wait for transport to arrive… He felt like a traitor and felt true shame for the first time. Rika had eyed him with such concern but did her best to reassure him that they'd take care of his brother. He quietly made the deal with God then… He follow this path, no matter how miserable, as long as his brother was happy. His only regret then had been not seeing Saeran before that black car came for him to say goodbye. The less his brother knew though, the safer he'd be… That's how it'd always been.
Everything had started with that first step outside the prison of his mother's home to get food and medicine…
Being an agent opened his culinary horizons. But being overseas simply changed the variety of take out available to him. Vanderwood took care of most of it while he was in college, as he dedicated himself to study and work… There wasn't time for him to go out. His entire life became regimented down to the last minute without chancing any errors. As oppressive as it was, it was still much better than where he'd grown up.
The Agency gave him a degree of freedom, and or the most part, the conditions were outlined, unlike a drunken woman's mood swings. Once he graduated, he had more work but less class, and more free time… Most of it he spent watching television in other languages to keep the information fresh. Cooking shows were common background noise as he would tinker with programs or his model kits. He tried recreating what he saw with mixed results. Even following a recipe wasn't a guarantee as they often left little touches out… Much like hacking, cooking good food required patience and skill.
The cold plate of food in front of him was evidence of a life that was so vastly different than his own. It spoke to a normal home with plenty to eat. The skills needed to make it were testament to a life with a mother who didn't lock her child up in a kitchen, but instead would sit beside her and taught her how to prepare foods. This food would go on to feed her grandchildren and her when she was old… A loving home. Unlike him, she was a member of a family, meant to continue on living a happy normal life. There were people who would miss her if something happened… Miyeon's delicate little hands made everything look so simple because they were experienced in being in that world…
She and Saeran both deserved better. He wouldn't fail either of them again by being so weak as to long for them… He pushed the plate further aside.
Taking a seat at Rika's old desk to help alleviate some of the stress in his back, Luciel ran through the protocols and ran tests. Everything seemed to be running fine. The sun was starting to come up, and his eyes felt like the lids were sandpaper… It didn't help that he really needed to relieve himself and could smell his congealed sweat with a vengeance now. He turned on the cat bot and set it on sentry duty before grabbing fresh clothes and retreating into the restroom.
He wasn't normally shy about such things, but something about knowing Miyeon was within 30 feet of him in about any position he was within the apartment made anything related to the bathroom nerve wrecking. It didn't help that he nearly dozed off while on the toilet. Turning on the fan and shower to provide white noise helped some, but didn't do much to alleviate his self-consciousness. By the time Luciel stepped into the shower, he realized he had forgotten his own toiletries. That left him using hers. There were so many different bottles and a few rubber duckies… Normally, that might've made him grin, but it was easy to twist it into why he needed to keep someone so childlike away. Such playful little toys were a stark contrast to her shampoos and soap which spoke to someone who valued natural products and researched her options rather than just buying whatever was on sale. He ended up using a basic "revitalizing" body wash with caffeine, as it was the scent that reminded him of Miyeon the least… It was a futile effort. His baser instincts as a man were very much awake. That was exactly what he didn't need right now…
Luciel turned the shower to cold to stop himself from thinking impure thoughts and to wake himself up… He had to bite his lip to keep from making noise, but the little jolt was enough though to encourage him to leave the shower. Only after pulling on his pants did he dare exit the bathroom to retrieve his toothbrush, the towel draped over his shoulders for modesty's sake. He did a quick look to make sure she was still asleep before toeing over to his bags. The scent of the girl was seemingly more intense now; it warmed his blood with its sweetness. Hurrying back to the bathroom, Saeyoung wasted no time killing his sense of smell with a good dose of mouthwash and toothpaste.
A glance in the mirror while he rinsed the foam from his mouth revealed a grim looking sight indeed. There was no hiding the lack of sleep now. He rinsed and retreated to check on the security system, pulling a loose shirt on before returning the towel to his head. Typing with one hand, he lazily dried his hair with the other… Systems were online and functional. Catbot reported no unusual activity. It was after 7:00 AM, and Miyeon was still well asleep…
Rather than eat the cold food, Luciel threw the leftovers away and took a look in the fridge. She really did have for him… It felt wrong to take one, but eventually he reasoned it was probably better to go for a soda than make coffee. The sound and smell of brewing it would only wake her sooner, and that meant he'd have to deal with her. Gingerly he took one of the cans and held it to his cheek, then neck to allow the cold to help rouse him. Luciel took care to open it slowly so as not to make any loud "pops" that might disturb the girl's sleep.
The lingering flavor of mint dulled the first sip, but soon the familiar cherry almond flavor made itself known. It was the one comfort he would allow himself… From there Seven began the search for a repairman to fix the window while taking slow drinks from the carbonated drink. A few places it was too early to call, but after asking around he finally found one that had the equipment and could make it out that day. It'd be a few hours though... After that was done, he could maybe take a brief rest while he ran a last series of checks and did the next change of the algorithm. Seven hoped it would be enough to keep Saeran at bay while he reviewed the intel on Mint Eye.
Despite his best attempts to resist, he couldn't help but glance at her on the way back to his corner. The blankets rose and fell slowly, relieving some of his concerns. Whatever drug his brother had given her seemed to be mostly metabolized and out of her system now. Unlike before where she'd lay on her back stiff as a board for hours. She now lay curled up on her side, her little hands which were outstretched. It was so cute. It didn't help that his eyes naturally traveled up to study her face. Her pink lips were parted just a little, allowing him to fully appreciate the fullness of them and the richness of the color. The temptation to do so many things stirred within him, although all he really wanted was to lay beside her. There was plenty of room if he cuddled up or rested with his back to her…
Settling back into his corner, he continued to work steadily until the dull gray light began to take on a gold tone as the sun rose. It was just a little before seven in the morning when he heard the sounds of Miyeon stirring to wake. This prompted him to pull his headphones on. That didn't mean he was unaware of her though. He could feel the air move in the apartment with her motions. Her padding to the closet, taking a shower, coming back in, and then to the kitchen…
He found himself glancing aside, telling himself it was to check the results of a particularly deep data mine, but Miyeon's reflection was just on the edge of the screen. She was wearing a camel colored turtleneck and a high waisted, pleated a line skirt, chocolate in color with a print of some kind in pink and white along the edges which came up to just above her knee. The Summer heat hadn't really started to build thanks to the airflow created by the broken window, but it wasn't that cold. Was it? His eyes lingered a little too long on the shape of her legs under their dark tights before the shame returned his focus to the task at hand.
The gentle curves of her petite frame were soon pushed aside with embarrassment as his stomach growled… Delicious aromas occasionally made it past the broken window. Something sweet… Something savory… All of it made his belly lurch. There wasn't enough left in the can to fully quiet the rumble.
It wasn't long after that he felt the coolness around him dissipate as Miyeon came up behind him. At first his body began to tighten to make himself as small and distant as possible, until finally he looked over his shoulder to glare at her. The hacker was met with her smile and bright eyes as she sat a tray practically dripping with warm and sweet aromas.
"Good morning, Luciel," her voice greeted him so cheerfully…
That took the venom out of whatever he planned to spit at her. It didn't help that she was so adorable this early… Her hair was beautiful, her smooth skin, and the brightness in her eyes… He had to look away.
"…What?"
"I know you're busy. So, everything is here if you want to just grab bites as you work."
"Yeah… Sure. Thanks…" She wasn't leaving. "What?"
"I've been curious… Is your hair really that color?"
He sighed with annoyance. "What are you talking about?"
"It is, right?"
Maybe if he answered, she'd leave him alone. "…Yes."
There was a thoughtful hum from her. "Lucky color!"
He didn't even dignify it with a response, rather Seven forced as intense of a look of concentration as he could on the screen.
"I don't believe in luck though," she noted, organizing the things on the tray so they'd be easier within his reach. "Something tells me you don't either, which is why you always work so hard. You make miracles happen, like you did for Zen… That's why I'm going to do whatever I can to support you – no matter how much you resist… So… You can drop the bad guy act and just focus on what you need to, okay?"
"You don't need to do anything but leave me alone and let me - ."
"Rawr rawr – grr grr – I know," she chuckled. "Oh, Luciel, about the gla-."
"I already called the repairman. He should be here around 9."
"God Seven is reliable as always," Miyeon praised in a playful tone. "I've got some arrangements to make for guests, but I'll try to be quiet so you can focus. Thank you again for everything."
Finally she stepped away, although his skin still prickled from feeling her so close. Whatever semblance of reason he'd tried to scrape together and pile up was washing away, leaving him raw and exposed… She didn't mean any harm; he knew that. But every time she spoke or did anything near him it was like rubbing lemon and sugar into a wound. Breakfast was just the latest offense.
It didn't matter when it was; he had no intention of eating it… A glance over at the breakfast she'd made him only deepened his sense of self-loathing. On the plate were three cat face shaped pancakes, each with cute little faces, fresh strawberries, whipped cream and a cup of homemade strawberry syrup on the side, along with a colorful sliced rolled omelet, and pan-fried pork belly. This wasn't just a meal, it was a carefully crafted feast… He simultaneously wanted to kiss and scold her for it…
This was the sort of treatment guys dreamed of getting from a girlfriend, being wasted on him. She wasn't even eating the same thing; Miyeon's breakfast was leftovers from dinner. His jaw ached from clenching… Why didn't she get it? Why was she wasting this effort on him? Maybe she really had forgotten what his brother had done to her… He really needed to make it clear to her how dangerous the situation was, when the time was available.
It was a little after nine. he had managed to fully trace the invitation back to an actual physical address, rather than the spoofed IPs that his brother had tried to mask it with. He even managed to figure out the pattern at which his brother had changed everything. The victory was a small one, but was progress towards the right direction. He set his timer for the next projected opening in the security, before taking off his headphones and checking over the messenger.
Everyone was curious about what was happening at the apartment… Jumin had been calling him constantly from the time he woke for his routine looking for updates. He didn't have time to bother… Zen was probably the most concerned, albeit for reasons extending beyond the party planner's personal safety. While he was worried about the bomb and reacted about as passionately as expected, his concerns were now more geared towards the girl's purity. The Seven the actor knew was frivolous and funny, but not exactly one who showed any real interest in sex outside of its comedic potential. Yet a very different acting Seven was alone in the apartment with her. The actor could only perceive of one way the situation would play out, which spoke a lot to his own desires.
It was so selfish of Zen to be concerned about something so damn petty… Telling her to dress warm to avoid tempting him. As if how she dressed had anything to do with something like that! It annoyed him but not out of jealousy. Luciel didn't have any claim to the girl or had any intention of making one. But in his mind, she'd been taken advantage of enough. Unlike the handsome actor, he knew his place. He would protect her, especially from himself… Unlike Hyun… The hacker remembered very well how confused and upset she sounded on the phone when the actor had tried to kiss her. Only hours before he'd saw how pitiful she'd looked in his brother's arms, meekly trying to push him away. The last thing on her mind, or his, was pursuing a casual sexual encounter with anyone…
The doorbell rang, nearly thirty minutes later than expected, the hacker got a real good look at her for the first time. Miyeon really was short, standing easily 20 cm less than him. The top of her head came up just a little below his nose. She practically hid behind him like a shy child, while making small talk with about how cold it was the sliding glass door being broken. He was tempted to say something to her about being so close until Luciel noticed the dark marks along her collar… A realization hit him then… The sweater, skirt, tights, and how she wore her hair down were all an attempt to hide the injuries his brother had dealt to her. Lowering his head, he held any objections to her proximity. If the repair man saw those bruises, he really would think he was abusing her…
He left her side only to help bring the glass door up from the bottom floor and to help hold it while it was secured. It wasn't the bulletproof, high impact glass they had gotten before, but it would have to do for now.
"I've never seen anything like that before. How'd you manage to break that?" the repair man asked.
"Got angry with an online game and threw something like an idiot," Seven answered with an embarrassed little shrug while taking out his wallet and a few large bills which he handed over. "Just keep the extra."
"Wow… You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Do you need a receipt?"
"No, we're good. Thanks."
"No problem. Just don't throw things anymore, alright?" the older man noted. He was grumbling to himself about "kids these days" as Seven closed the door behind him.
As he finished locking the door and turned around, the hacker noticed Miyeon at the new glass sliding door. Her fingers lightly rested against the glass, while her other hand rested at her neck.
"…Bulletproof glass…" she pondered aloud. "Rika must've really been worried to have had that installed… I wonder how he did it. He's your twin though, right? … Suppose it's not surprising he figured out a way."
"… I really wish you wouldn't bring him up… My head feels like it'd explode if I think about him right now."
"Sorry," Miyeon answered softly, while continuing to trace along her neck.
That reminded him quickly that he wasn't the only person suffering. This was the same girl who was teary after an attempt at a kiss… During the attack though, she was unsteady but fierce… Now she was so serene… It didn't make sense. "You're so strange… How can you stay so calm?" Their eyes met… "You remember what happened right? Or are you so chatty because you don't? Aren't you scared that you're in an apartment with a bomb?"
Her head tilted as it used to when they'd talk to on the CCTV, before the pink of her lips narrowed softly into a smile. "There's no point in being afraid… I mean, if it goes off, we'll both be crispy critters before we even know what's happened, right…?" There was a nervous titter to her chuckle that grew into something with resolve. "Thing is, Luciel, you're here; I know you won't let anything happen."
There was some grim practicality to her words, along with her faith in him… It was undeserved. It was his fault she was here to begin with.
"It's good that you have a sense of humor, but you still should be mindful of how dangerous of a situation you're in because of me… The bomb… The person who attacked you… It's my fault you're in this situation. Aren't you angry with me?"
The girl shook her head.
It didn't make sense. He was too tired to fully restrain the emotions that'd been welling up.
"…I'm so angry with myself for failing and letting this happen… You were hurt because of me… Why aren't you mad at me?"
Miyeon gazed back at him with such warmth… He hated himself even more knowing he didn't deserve it. "You've always got so much on you. It's natural for you to take responsibility for everything isn't it? But this isn't your fault. If it weren't for you, Luciel, things could've been much worse. But you saved me. And you've been working so hard to keep everyone safe, even though I know you're at your limit… You would never intentionally put anyone you cared about in danger."
"What I intend isn't important… What matters are the results. Those bruises and cuts. The bomb… All of it is because of me. And the longer I'm here, the greater the chance that something worse will happen to you." The frustration was nearly boiling over. "I wish none of this had happened! Installing that stupid bomb to appease Rika or talking V into letting you stay. I shouldn't be so surprised that you're not taking this seriously though. Anyone naive enough to follow instructions from a stranger after downloading a weird app…" he stopped himself before he said anything too hateful. "I need to get back to fixing this mess… So just stay still and safe, and don't bother me."
There wasn't a trace of hurt on the young woman's countenance though. She listened with a thoughtful expression… That somehow only made him angrier, but he wasn't sure why. He pulled on his headphones, and plopped back down in front of the computer.
"You wish you'd never met me…" Miyeon noted quietly, touching her neck again. "…That's why you're avoiding me?"
His eyes stung at her saying such a thing. She deserved so much better than what he had done, what he was, and what he could ever hope to be. If she thought that, it was honestly for the best. Just like it was best if he pretended to have not heard it.
"…Request to satellite… code G2X0…coordinates 16.29562… 500 to 1, possible satellites… Germany… France…"
For several moments, the girl was frozen to her spot near the window watching the hunched over red head for any sign that an apology might be forthcoming. Rationally she knew that it wasn't personal, but another part of her was still reeling. There was no one for her to turn to, yet as so often happened in her life, others were looking to her. Jumin wanted to know why Seven wasn't answering. Everyone else was confused and hurt over why her predecessor and V had even allowed such a dangerous thing to be installed in the apartment to begin with. Miyeon could understand the logic behind it, although she didn't agree with it. On his own, Seven could've likely come up with something more effective and much less likely to harm innocents. Then again, she was just a common girl. It wasn't like she understood much of anything… Not really.
All Miyeon could do was reassure everyone, even talking to Yoosung on the phone as he seemed to be taking the inference that Rika could even ask for such a thing particularly hard. She felt his hurt and confusion only increasing the cracks Luciel's continued behavior was having on her resolve. It was so tempting to go into the linen closet and sulk like when she was child. Yet she busied herself with starting the preparations for lunch… Another meal he likely wouldn't eat, but she had to keep trying…
It was all she could do…
Multitasking kept her busy and prevented her from dwelling too much on her own troubles. If she kept moving, she was fine. Waiting for the dough to rise allowed her periods to check up with guests and confirm the catering. She wore smile and kept up the mood with her most cheerful voice, although once the call ended she found herself even more vexed. The plan was to use the remaining pork belly to make kimchi and pork buns, but there was one thing missing. To get the lovely golden color on top, Miyeon needed an egg wash… Problem was, the carton she'd purchased was only meant for her. There was one left.
While she could change options, and go with steamed buns instead, the allure of being anywhere but trapped in an apartment with someone who didn't want her there was hard to fight. Maybe it would've been better if she had let his brother steal her away. He was the one that lead her to the RFA in the first place. For all she knew, Saeran knew something she didn't.
Miyeon mulled over asking the hacker for permission to leave the apartment, but she already knew he wouldn't pay attention to her unless she called on her phone. He'd probably scold her for that too. Although he was so absorbed in what he was doing, it wasn't like he'd really notice she was gone… She could totally leave, tell the police, and be done with the whole mess. Her fingers idly traced the tender spot around her neck.
Quietly the girl picked up her shoes and after a last glance slipped out the door, closing it so softly that the only sound was the pounding of her heart for fear of getting caught. No one was waiting outside for her, but it would probably be just minutes before Seven realized she was gone. Once the number pad lit up to show it was sealed, she quickly trotted towards the elevator. Miyeon mashed the button to close the doors, holding her breath until finally they sealed. Hurriedly she pulled on her shoes and the second she was on the ground floor; the girl beat a hasty exit from the apartment building. Her eyes darted around for any sign of the white-haired man or anyone that might look from an "Agency" of any sort.
With shaky hands, she began to dial Zen's number while briskly putting distance between herself and the apartment. The memory of flight and moving quickly, securely holding onto him on his motorcycle was all she could think of. He could pick her up and take her somewhere – anywhere but where she was. Seven could be in the apartment by himself so she wouldn't bother him anymore… Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of white hair, which made her nearly drop the device.
It wasn't Saeran… Just some guy and his friends talking about a concert.
A sigh escaped her as she ducked into the convenience store, debating on whether or not to hit send… There was no way of knowing if he could even make it to her before Seven figured out where she was. He wouldn't likely do anything to cause a scene, but at the same time, he was desperate… The scenarios played out in her head.
Zen would probably punch the hacker if he knew everything that'd happened and how he'd been acting since he arrived. Not to mention the damage it could do to the rest of the group if she dropped the act. Those people were the only real friends Seven seemed to have… This person in front of her wasn't the real him, she knew that much. Whether she had ever known the "real him" was doubtful… Whoever he was, it was clear that his brother was his true focus. Regardless of how Luciel felt about her, it was clear he cared deeply for his brother and was sincerely shocked to see him in that state…
Something had clearly happened between the two of them, something so painful that Saeran hated his own twin… Or maybe whatever he'd gotten involved in had convinced him that he ought to hate him for some reason. Glancing over Luciel's shoulder let her get glimpses of what he was working on. Mint Eye was a cult of some kind. The question was how did his brother get involved with such a group?
The story he'd told her about the kitten dream ran through her mind along with noting about how different his and Yoosung's life was. The truth was there in puzzle pieces although putting them together in order was hard when she didn't even know where the corner pieces were. Had he run from the cult to join the Agency? If so he wouldn't need to investigate them. No, Saeran would have had to join on his own after the two of them parted. Had Seven pushed his brother away when he joined the Agency like he was doing to her now? If so, it made total sense to her why how he'd come to feel so much malice…
When Jun-Seo had taken his own life… She remembered all too well the overwhelming emotions that it brought to her. The sense of betrayal and anger for leaving her behind, the guilt for always relying upon him, helplessness for not being able to save him, and the despair of being on her own in that miserable home. She'd given anything to have her brother back…
Saeran likely felt the same.
Maybe that's why her phone was able to download the app.
…No… No one knew about Jun-Seo…
It was like he'd never existed...
Her father had hired a PR firm to hide the information so it wouldn't impact her chances of getting into a good university, along doctoring the months she spent "sick" until he transferred her to another school. In many ways, she just sort of floated through life in a way that appeased her father until he died. She didn't dislike college, but she wasn't exactly excited about her future either. When her father died, the current pushing her towards it just stopped. Unlike Jaehee… She didn't become successful or strong after that… That was why she didn't belong in the RFA.
It wasn't like anyone would miss her if the bomb went off either. She'd just cause more trouble trying to run away and hurt the business connections Jumin had via the RFA parties. No one else needed to suffer for her. She had nothing to look forward to, really… Not like Seven. He and his brother needed each other more now than ever, if only for the sake of reconciliation so they could both move on. Maybe Saeran could join the RFA, and the beautiful, exceptional people of the group could keep doing good things.
She could just go back to her empty house and wait to die, just like before. Even if she liked anyone else in the group, it'd just make things complicated… It was best if she just dropped off the face of the earth and let Luciel have his life back. Everyone'd be better that way.
Quietly she put her phone away.
A glance around confirmed that there were still no Honey Buddha Chips, which meant that there was just the one bag she'd managed to snag a few days ago. After grabbing eggs, she grabbed snacks for herself: stocking up on high calorie snacks, sweet iced coffee, and ice cream. If she was going to die, she at least wanted to enjoy her last hours with something yummy.
Throwing all care to the wind, the girl began the trek back to the apartment with a chocolate Samanco bungeobbang in one hand and her bags in the other. Whatever happened, she resolved to have no regrets one way or the other… If the girl could at least get the brothers to reconcile and finish her obligation to the RFA regarding the party, that'd be enough. After that, it didn't really matter…
By the time she'd reached the front of the apartment complex, her phone was vibrating. The girl sat her bag down while waiting for the elevator, pulling the ice cream filled goldfish cake from her mouth. There wasn't time for a greeting…
"Where are you?"
"I'm at the elevator, it's taking a little while to come up."
"It was so quiet I thought you were taking a nap… I had to check the security camera to see that you'd left. That was… 17… 17 minutes ago. I didn't even realize you were gone for that long. What if something had happened to you?"
Back to caring… He was such a horrible liar. If Luciel spent half the energy being wasted on pretending to hate her on finding his brother, the situation would've been resolved already…
"You looked really focused… And you don't want me to bother you…"
"If you were that frustrated, you could've just taken off my headphones and made me listen," he asserted firmly, before a sense of self-awareness seemed to kick in. They both knew he would've snapped at her and told her not to bother with it. "Are you mad that I was ignoring you?"
She didn't have the courage to be honest… If Miyeon spoke her mind now, she'd probably draw a crowd. It was a rhetorical question anyway… He was already chiding her about not being more mindful of how dangerous the situation was or how likely it was that someone could've been waiting to grab her.
Thing was… Miyeon lived her entire life with that sort of anxiety. Being female carried with it the constant fear of being noticed or wanted by someone… At any point someone might see an opening or like what they saw and take her and do god only knew what to her… What was a rare threat to Luciel was just a trip to the market to her… Any creep on the street could do whatever the Agency or his brother would do to her. Having him explain to her what she already knew and feared any time she left her house was more than a little annoying. It came from a place of concern, but damn he could be a condescending jerk…
"…I should've put a GPS device in your clothes…" There was some rummaging. "Ah… I have some here. When you get back give me your coat so I can attach it."
She was too over it to even disagree. The elevator door opened, rather than get in, she stood. To her surprise, he wasn't in it. Slowly the door closed, and the girl stood all too happy to wait a little longer before going in.
"Why on earth did you even leave?"
"I thought that maybe you weren't eating the Honey Buddha Chips I got before because they were too old or something. So I thought I could try to find you a fresh bag… But they didn't have any. Plus we needed some more eggs."
"You don't have to take care of me," his voice was almost repentant. "I told you to leave me alone to work. Why didn't you listen?"
Miyeon bit her lip to keep from answering while stepping into the elevator…
Wasn't it obvious?
There wasn't anything else she could do to help her situation or anyone else really. The temptation to get back off turned to defeat as the door closed and the climb to the 14th story began.
"Hurry back inside. If you're hungry… There're sandwiches in the fridge."
The girl nearly dropped the phone and her increasingly melty ice cream filled fish shaped cake.
"Sandwiches?"
"I made it, so I can't vouch for the taste but… It'll fill you up. Don't get the wrong idea, I didn't make them for you. I just made extra when I was making something for myself. There's tuna, ham, and egg… I didn't have a lot of time to really mess with them, so they look sloppy but it's the best I could do in 7 minutes. There's also grape, orange, and grapefruit juice, so you can just pick whatever you want. I… I uhh… Really… REALLY just wanted those kinds."
Liar…
It hurt a little to know he didn't want her food, there was some relief in the fact that he at least seemed to have eaten something. The flustered little stammer in his voice was the familiar one of her friend when they'd been flirting just days before… This was probably his attempt at a peace offering for being such a jerk earlier, rather than directly apologizing to her.
"Oh… I think I hear the elevator. You're on it, right?"
"Yeah. I got my hands a little full though."
"I'll meet you there," he affirmed. "I can't focus until I see you… Please hurry."
She turned the phone off and tucked it into her pocket as the 14th floor approached. It wasn't like Miyeon had that much control over how fast it moved, although she could stop it… Part of her was sorely tempted to do just that, although she wasn't feeling quite that sadistic. If the Agency really was looking for him, he really shouldn't leave the apartment himself. She blended in much easier than him.
As the door slid open, the red headed hacker was waiting for her an anxious little frown on his face. Her cat used to have the same look on his face when she'd leave for school. She scarcely got a "hi" out before he was reaching down to take the bags from her. It was hard to miss the worried little look he gave seeing the indentation they'd made into her flesh. They seemed practically weightless to him as he hoisted them up and watched to make sure she exited safely.
"Thank you."
The hacker didn't reply but kept close by her side until they reached the door. It was hard to tell if she felt protected or oppressed. He was slightly taller and stronger than the man who'd attacked her the night before. While she wasn't quite afraid of him, Miyeon was also very aware of the situation. If it came to a struggle between the two of them, the odds were against her… He seemed aware of this too, as his gaze was on anything but her to perhaps lessen the tension, with a coy little frown.
While his current behavior had turned her off, he was cute. Unlike Zen who was embarrassingly attractive, Luciel had a few handsome features on an otherwise common face that was probably more expressive than he wanted. Although she'd seen pictures of it, this was probably the first time she'd gotten a real good look… The pictures he'd sent were always from a distance or with exaggerated features. The rest of the time he'd done his best to hide in the corner or only glance at her from the side or with his head lowered. Right now, she could see the darkness around his eyes from lack of sleep making the gold in them even brighter. It was strange, but he looked simultaneously older and younger at the same time.
"I'm sorry for worrying you."
"…Next time if you're feeling frustrated, just… ask first and I'll take you."
She was still surprised by how deep his voice was when he spoke normally.
"It was better to go alone… You stand out more," the girl observed aloud, walking past him.
The hacker followed shortly behind her, dropping the bag off in the kitchen, before disappearing for a moment. She continued to put the snacks away until he returned a moment later. Her body froze as he pulled her collar away from her neck, working something into the seam of her sweater.
"Luci-!"
"It's a GPS," he answered calmly.
She yanked the fabric away and took a few steps back. He looked genuinely surprised before annoyance furrowed his weary brow. The stalemate ended almost as soon as it had started, Luciel was already reaching back out and taking a step forward. Fear froze her of memories of the night before ran through her head. He'd been avoiding her the whole time, but now he seemed angry and… It was like when his brother…
"I don't have time to play around like this, hold still."
She was practically backed into the corner of the kitchen, with nowhere to run to. Her back was digging into the counter already, and the warmth of his hands was so close to her neck. He was too close! Something horrible was going to happen to her again! A whimper escaped her before finally a sharp cry escaped her and her hands pressed hard against him to try to push him away.
He stopped fiddling with trying to get the GPS into the seam but didn't move.
Miyeon pushed again this time with her whole body, feeling the muscles of his breast soften as a confused noise caught in his throat.
"Roach! ...I… saw a roach!" she yelped, desperate to do anything to get him away from her. It was the only thing her mind could think of as for some reason the fact that he was so worried about things being bugged ran through her head.
The plan backfired as he quickly pulled her away from the counter top, putting himself closer to the potential vermin.
"Where!?"
Her cheek was practically buried in his shoulder now, although this was a very different feeling than before… Reflexively her fingers now dug into him. There was none of Saeran's leather… Only Seven's natural scent mixed with petrichor.
"Where!?" he asked again urgently.
Shakily she pointed towards the general direction of the counter, just to get him to loosen his hold. Holding her close with a hand on her shoulder, the hacker used his body to guide her out of the kitchen.
"I'll take care of it," Luciel vowed, coaxing her onto the sofa. "Just… Wait here, okay?" There were bumps and rattles as he dug in the cleaning closet, for the bug spray before disappearing into the kitchen. "How the hell did it come in? Must've been from when the door was broken… Don't worry! I've got this! So just… wait a bit more, okay?"
Several moments passed as she could hear him opening and closing every single cabinet. While he searched for the non-existent bug, Miyeon desperately tried to pull herself together. Her body was still quivering. It didn't make sense. She knew that Luciel wasn't his brother, but everything else in her felt differently. Her muscle memory perceived him as the man who attacked her. She KNEW better, but at the same time he'd been so harsh to her… It was bad enough she didn't have any control over the situation, but now her own body wouldn't listen to her. Frustrated tears only worsened the more she tried to hold them back and steady the shaking of her knees. The best she could do was to tense everything, which only made her torso quake.
"Whew… Alright, everything's good! Huh?"
Crap! Get it together, Get It Together, GET IT TOGETHER! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? STOP SHAKING! Please stop! He'll see! Stop being so weak! – she pleaded with herself as a sniffle escaped.
The girl lowered her head to try to hide it, but he'd already noticed. Her body was as small as it could get and felt as though if she tightened anymore something might shatter. The coolness on her cheeks worsened as he got closer.
"…Y…You're crying? Why are you crying?!"
The aloof hacker had apparently run away, leaving an awkward school boy with no idea of how to handle a girl, let alone an upset one. Her embarrassment only made it worse as a hiccupping sob escaped her. It was soon followed with the feelings of helplessness from before. Desperation came into his voice as he stammered things to try to help.
"I… Uh.. Ah… Um… Here!"
He sat a box of tissues near her then disappeared back into the kitchen before setting the sandwiches he'd made "not for her" on the table along with a glass of juice. It reminded her of how Yeon-tan used to bring her his favorite toys when she'd feel sad. Thinking of him as a fluffy little Pomeranian with glasses made her half chuckle, which he mistook for another sob.
"Gah! I sprayed everything so the roach is gone, I promise! I'll check the whole rest of the house too, okay? So you can stop crying!"
This… This was her friend… Seven was here with her… Already he was about to run rings around the apartment if she asked, if only to get her to quiet down. He wouldn't be able to focus if she kept this up… Stupid, she was so stupid!
"I…I'm * hic * o *hic* kay," she sniffed. "I'm * hic * sorry *hic* for both- *hic* bothering you… I'm sorry… I'm sorry."
"…You're not bothering me… Is there anything I can get you? God… Please don't cry," he soothed with increasing desperation. "Here, drink this juice…"
She tilted her head back and swallowed forcefully against the jolts the hiccups gave to her system. It hurt but after a few more, they stopped, which seemed to relax him some.
"Better?"
She nodded before feeling him gently tap the box of tissues against her hand. If he had been Zen, he probably would've just wiped them away or kissed her cheeks and said something romantic. It was better this way. Having him too close would only upset her again. At the same time, part of her desperately wanted to be held and to just sob like a child… She wanted her brother… She wanted to go home.
There was a creak that startled her enough to look up. Luciel had pushed the plate aside and was sitting on the coffee table in front of her with such a piteous expression. It looked like he was about to start crying and looked every as helpless as she felt. Not him too…
Quietly she reached a hand out.
His golden eyes widened before he looked aside quickly, a little flustered. "Are you asking me to hold your hand?"
Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, she nodded.
Clearing his throat, he mechanically reached out and lifted her fingers into his own. The coarseness of the pads of his fingers was soon followed with the softness of his palm. There was no pressure… Perhaps he was afraid of hurting her more than she already had been…. At the same time, there was almost a look of wonder upon him.
"Your hands are so small…" Shaking his head and clearing his throat, the hacker tried to put back up some semblance of his act from before. "I… I'm not doing anything weird; I… Ahm… just trying to comfort you."
Miyeon gave his hand a little squeeze, which he returned, going as far as to hold her hand between both of his own.
"…Thought you liked bugs… Guess roaches really scare you, huh?"
There was nothing in his tone to suggest sarcasm. His countenance and the intensity of his gaze upon her was entirely sincere. Was he really that clueless? Or was he giving her an out to try to save face? It didn't matter, not really… With a sniffle, she let out a chuckle and rubbed her eyes with her free hand.
"Y…Yeah..."
Gently he gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze while his thumb caressed the back of her hand. Just as soon as she realized it, he caught himself and eased. She felt a little more composed, if only to keep from upsetting him any further. Although soon it was clear that he was deep in thought. Not letting go of her hand, Luciel stood, letting his fingers intertwine with hers. He picked up the plate and gave a nod towards the computer desk.
"You umm…" The question must've been written on her face, as he soon stammered to answer them… "You can sit near me for a little until you feel better, okay? Just don't look at me or the screen…"
The girl followed his lead quietly, hand in hand. She stayed just a little behind him as he sat the sandwiches on the edge of Rika's desk and cleared up a little space next to him on the floor. Luciel sat down first, keeping their hands joined. He glanced up, quietly inquiring whether it was suitable, which she answered by finally sitting. Her back was to his, and their hands were loosely connected. It felt surreal…
Her body was unnaturally stiff at first. A sigh escaped him as he moved the mouse over to the side of his free hand, and he began to work again. The strangeness of it gradually quelled her emotions. Soon her focus shifted to the way his pulse seemed to race and how very hot his hand felt now. The pads of his thumb, pointer finger, and part of his palm were coarse, likely from handling tools. His other fingers and the rest of his hand, however, were smooth, although a little dry. Like in the pictures, each digit was long and graceful like a surgeon's hand but the sinew spoke to their use. The nails weren't well manicured, but clean and cut close. They were very different than Yoosung's soft hands or Zen's. In another era, Seven might've been a skilled Artisan of some sort…
Her imagination got caught up imagining a whole other life. The two of them in old traditional garb riding on the back of a cart… Having adventures like in some old drama… Until an alarm went off on his phone.
"Sorry…I… need my hand back now…"
The girl complied, watching him readjust the timer on his phone and pull up another menu. Before he noticed, she looked away and took out her phone. Working in the shelter, she'd often been the person to share a kennel with a scared animal to help show that they weren't a threat. Now, Miyeon wasn't sure who was more afraid of who… Then again in those situations, she was just as frightening to the animals she'd rehabilitated as they could be to her. They both needed to learn to trust the other.
As he worked, the party planner followed up with Jaehee regarding the final preparations. After a few more replies to a guest with a late RSVP, she checked the chatroom. It was just the two of them. The girl couldn't help but glance back at the hacker. From the way his lead was lowered and his arm moved, it was clear that he was checking his phone… He was probably checking the messages for any sign of the RFA's leader.
"V still hasn't been on. I guess he still hasn't called you either?" the girl asked.
A dismissive huff was his only response until he slid the phone aside and returned his focus to the screen.
"Of course, when I have something to say to everyone, they're not on… It's so…" Luciel sighed. "Everybody is so hurt and confused... But you've been trying to cheer everyone up so they don't get more woried. I'm so – so sorry… I should've apologized to you sooner for getting defensive and raising my voice. I'm not mad at you; I just… Miyeon, I'm so very sorry."
"It's really fine… You have so much on your shoulders right now. Honestly, it's amazing you can even function. I can't even handle seeing a bug."
He shook his head, despite her attempt to lighten the mood.
"Bug… Yeah… Seriously… Why are you so nice…?" There was almost exasperation in his tone. "I don't get how anyone can be so accepting of being in a situation like this… You're really not like anyone I've ever met."
"I'm pretty sure I'm the first person to be in this situation with you," she observed. "Although, I'm curious… why Rika was so adamant on having a bomb…? Is the guest information really worth potentially harming so many innocent people?"
"It wasn't ever supposed to be used; it was more of a deterrent. "
"People don't pick up weapons they don't plan to use."
He didn't answer at first, rather his attention was on the computer screen before a few taps changed the black box full of numbers and symbols to a similar looking window that had been colored a deep maroon.
"You wouldn't know since you joined recently, but Rika wasn't the type of person to ever want to cause harm to another."
"I get that… I mean, the entire RFA was made because she wanted to help others."
"Right… I swear, she only wanted it for protection; Rika had NO intention of hurting anyone. At the time, she was so worried… I only did it after V gave his permission." A tapping sounded from his mouse as he eased back some, popping his back. She could feel how tense the muscles of his lower back were, despite the attempt to loosen them.
The girl hugged her legs. "Still… It's hard to believe that anyone in their right state of mind would see a bomb as a suitable security measure for protecting charity party guest information. There are so many other ways of securing information like that. Please don't take this the wrong way, but knowing that Rika chose to take her own life… Paints the portrait of someone who might have had some serious mental health concerns who probably shouldn't be in a position to have access to such a thing."
"What do you mean by that…?" his tone was sharp and the heat coming from his body seemed to spike.
"There is no doubt in my mind that Rika sincerely believed she was in danger. But when people are dealing with depression or anxiety, their world view isn't exactly based on reality. They can get fixated and irrational. I'm sure you probably did your best to talk her out of it… But something tells me Rika wasn't the sort of person who'd have accepted anything other than what she asked for… Even then, V had to have known before that, and asking for a bomb should've been a big red flag! But I'm the last person who should judge someone else for missing signs…"
"You're not wrong…" There was a rapid barrage of keystrokes. "For the record, despite what Yoosung says… You're nothing like Rika."
"Thanks…?"
"You know… When V and I first talked about whether you should be allowed to stay at the apartment or not, I was so excited by the prospect of having another party and bringing the RFA back together that I didn't take the breach of security seriously. Like an idiot. But it this wasn't something that happened out of the blue. Looking back, he must've been watching us for a while. I was so sure that I made the perfect defense system that I got lazy. Or maybe it was because everyone was using the messenger less and less after Rika's death. I sort of lost motivation. I don't think if Rika were still with us that this would've happened. Not that it matters… It doesn't matter how or why; my guard should've never been lowered."
"You'll only torture yourself if you keep going over "what if" scenarios… You know better now, right? And what's important is that you're doing your best to fix it."
"Thank you for seeing it that way, but it doesn't change the fact that none of this would've happened if I hadn't been such an idiot. I was supposed to be able to predict things like this and head them off before they become a threat. That's why V had me in charge of security."
"You're only one person, Luciel."
"V trusted me; I was sure that I was all the RFA needed," his tone was strained. "…I'm so angry at myself for not being good enough… You're right about one thing though, I am doing my best to fix it. I just can't trust that my best is going to be enough anymore. But this is all I can do… I can't undo what happened to you… So please just accept me doing what I can now to fix this as an apology."
"Please stop blaming yourself..."
"When this is over, I'm going to disarm the bomb after discussing it with V… And if for some reason you decide to stay in the RFA, he and I will discuss relocating you. I won't take shortcuts, ever again… And I'll never forget that my systems aren't perfect. Especially since the hacker I'm up against is just as good… If not better than I am."
"Will you go after him – to Magenta – Mint Eye place, aren't you?"
The hacker had stopped typing and was idly twirling the knot at the end of the drawstring of his hoodie. "…Don't look over my shoulder…"
"I'm not…" she soothed, letting her cheek rest against the back of his shoulder as she shifted to sit more towards one side. "Are you?"
"The security system is stable for now. Once I finish recon, I plan on heading there… Without talking to V, I'm not sure that anyone needs to know what is going on. Honestly, I wish you didn't know as much as you do."
"Will I need to come with you?"
"That depends. I've really considered taking you to Jumin. He has a private army that could keep watch on you, but that doesn't mean that it's risk free. I still don't know how much the hacker will target you. And hired help can always be paid or intimidated to look the other way. "
Luciel was still referring to the person as "the hacker". It was probably easier than to accept that the person in question was someone so very important to him.
"I'm not worried about me, Seven… I'm worried about you."
"That's not something you need to worry about… Unlike the bomb in the apartment."
"You just told me the security system was stable," Miyeon reminded him. "So are you still looking up information before heading there? Or are you just waiting to get the OK from V?"
"… Everyone in the RFA probably thinks that I get permission from him to do everything… And that I just take orders… But… To be honest…" his voice darkened, "He's forfeit his right to have a say when it comes to your immediate protection… Right now the only thing I need to ask him, is something personal..."
"About Saeran…?" The red head fell silent again. Folding her legs back in front of her, Miyeon sat back up a little. "I might be thinking too far ahead, but… Let's say you leave me with Jumin when you go to confront your brother… There's still the Agency to worry about, right? Are you going to just take him and run?"
"Stop worrying about things that don't concern you." his voice was a low growl.
"…Your maid already knows what I look like."
"They won't bother you if I disappear."
"It's not like you can really stop something from happening to me if you 'disappear off the face of the Earth'. You'll eventually run out of places to go, and despite saying you don't care about me… If you checked on me, they could probably track that." He was tense but silent. "I know you feel responsible, Luciel, and want make things right, but... Keeping me ignorant isn't going to protect me, and hiding things and running isn't going to solve the problem. That's sort of how it got this bad to begin with right? We have Jumin – we could expose those people or pay them off… If you'd just tell me what we're up aga- "
"STOP!" Miyeon froze, startled by the sudden raise in his voice and the way his arms flew up to hold his head. "Just… Stop talking about useless things! I'm tired of you sitting here whining next to me - wasting my time… asking stupid questions – talking about my hair and my glasses…! Taking about stuff you don't even understand… Just… Go away! Go!"
He wheeled around and slung his arm so fast that she reflexively flinched in anticipation of getting slapped, but no… He was just pointing to show that he wanted her as far from him as she could go without leaving the apartment.
"Go – Over - There – NOW!" he growled.
"…I'm sorry…" the girl murmured, pushing herself back, but it clearly wasn't fast enough.
He glared at her until her back was against the end of the bed. Only then did he turn back around, shoulders hunched over.
"Christ…"
Rather than snap at her, he pulled his headphones back on and began to softly utter numbers and colors to himself while his knuckles bleached from the sheer amount of force with which he held the mouse. The apartment fell silent aside from the occasional click or tap from him. Despite the bright afternoon sun streaming in, there was no warmth with the oppressive atmosphere…
Miyeon had often thought of herself as a blackhole who sucked the joy out of things and only served to weigh others down with her, but Luciel …. She'd already slipped past his event horizon. The two of them were slowly ripping the other apart… The situation was unstable and eventually one of them would really go off flying off somewhere unless there was some sort of epicenter. Finding any sort of balance seemed impossible though.
She didn't understand his way of thinking. It was irrational and trying to help it only made things worse. Maybe it really was her who was wrong? The girl was back to being just an unwanted burden. An interloper who'd stupidly complicated things thinking that her feeble attempts at support could help hold him together.
Miyeon made her way back to Rika's closet before simply closing the door and locking herself in. Turning off the light, she pushed the bagged dresses and luxurious shoes aside to make a place for herself in the corner on some old blankets. There, she took a spot, hugging her knees and just waiting for it all to be over…
For all practical purposes, Miyeon was dead… Unthinking, unseeing, unfeeling, and still… It was no different than a little over a week ago. Again, she was just waiting for the end to come, hating herself for being so weak and not fighting back, hating herself for being the sort of coward who just waited for death to come rather than get it over with… The guilt and shame for even thinking of doing something that would've caused her brother and father so much pain if they were still alive. Desperately longing to be with them again…
She wanted to go home…
But that wasn't the house her father had left her…
Home stopped existing the second her father was pronounced brain dead, although it'd been dying a long painful death long before that… Those long afternoons after school when she and Jun-Seo would spend time together, sometimes with their father when he had time off, were the closest thing to "home"… It wasn't that she hated her mother or her hated her. She was just an accessory that had long since become unfashionable, not like Jun-Seo…
Right now, she could get up, leave the apartment, get help, but then what? She'd probably just go back to how things were before. Even if the RFA continued, it was inevitable that Miyeon would fail at something and disappoint them… It was just a matter of time; it was possible that Rika felt the same… The only difference is that Luciel listened to her… Then again, he probably looked up to her as much as he seemed to have V. The former RFA party coordinator wouldn't be in closet feeling sorry for herself. Rika would've had the courage to do something, even if it was something that hurt so many others.
Just like Jun…
Not like Miyeon…
…He even said she was nothing like Rika…
Did that mean that she really was a coward? Was that to say that no one cared? Everyone had mentioned time and time again how the group had pretty much died without her. Yoosung had been so terribly hurt by the loss that even years later he was stuck. Jaehee didn't seem to show too much, but she was likely too dignified to. Zen likely ached to see the man who saved him mourning a lost love. And Jumin. V was his best friend, when Rika died, she basically took him with her. Seven lost a father figure and the rest of his family. There was a vacuum that had been eating away at the group for so long.
Trying to fill that gap with someone like Miyeon was doomed to fail, despite her foolish optimism at the onset. Rika mattered – she didn't… Even if she did, the girl would never do anything that would cause someone else to suffer no matter how much pain she was in herself. Whether it was helping animals or smiling those empty smiles for her father… It didn't matter what she felt, as long as those around here were happy.
Right now, she had no one…
Miyeon was expendable…
That realization lead to her remembering how attachments could choke as easily as support. Along her neck, wrists, and feet were wounds to show that it didn't matter how much she hid. There was really no "safe" place for her as long as she did nothing but cower and wait to be saved. By that logic, it was an inevitability…
Luciel had confessed to disappearing when things got too heated or people got too close. It made sense that his instinct was to grab his brother and run. Maybe he'd done the same thing to his brother as he was doing to her now, telling himself it was for his own good. It was a decent way to stay alive, but foolish when one had resources…
Saeran wasn't going to be satisfied with simply talking to his brother and walking away. The resentment of being abandoned by someone so close was one she knew too well. She'd felt it herself along with so many other hurtful things. In many ways, she sympathized with Luciel's brother more than him. For all she knew he had very good reasons for his actions. Although he had been radicalized to the point where reasoning with him wasn't likely to happen… He wasn't the first aimless young man to be hardened into a militant under some sort of banner promising a new world. It wouldn't be as simple as just buying someone with an ideology off.
There had to be a bigger plan.
That starving kitten had conviction, a home, and an owner…
Organizations of any kind needed a charismatic leader. That leader wanted the RFA… Tension eased from her body as something smooth, cold, and unyielding filled the cracks. The members were the first priority and the guests were secondary to Mint Eye's leader… Those were things too valuable to just give up on easily: Jumin's resources with Jaehee to direct it, Zen's ability to give a public face, and Yoosung's ability to organize.
Luciel had even noted that his brother had probably been working on breaching his defenses for awhile. There'd been a previous attack that he suspected had been his brother too. Had this person put them against each other or done something to drive them apart specifically for that purpose?
That spoke to a meticulous nature with no lack of motivation. As long as the RFA existed, the members were valuable, and the guests had some influence: there would be no end to it. Whoever lead that cult would just send someone else.
It was possible that Rika knew that and chose the ultimate escape. Or perhaps had she been coerced, which made sense if she really was mentally unstable. There was also V being gone all the time… None of this was a coincidence… Although she didn't want to jump to conclusions, the threads were dangling. The irritable red head in the apartment may have grasped a few of them, but his own circumstances were clouding his judgement. He was more focused on punishing himself than those who were really in the wrong… Was that because his twin knew how to put him off base? Was she chosen because they shared a type? So much for the "Defender of Justice"…
Seven couldn't fight a war on so many fronts singlehandedly… Even if he were something like a wizard with spells that could wipe out armies, it would just take one well shot arrow. The attack on the apartment and seeing him at his limit right now made her certain of that. His pride was going to lead to serious consequences to everyone unless he could be made to see reason. Neither she or he had the luxury of wallowing in self-pity.
There was no malice in the decision that followed…
As she stood and exited the closet, her body felt so much lighter.
She finally understood what her brother had last uttered to her… "Something only I can do".
Miyeon was going to pluck out the "Mint Eye"…
Above all other things, she hated those who preyed upon the weak. She could mend the wounds of the rescued animals, but that didn't see those who abused or neglected them answer for their wrongs. Whoever ran this cult was doing the same to people, robbing families of loved ones, and now targeting a group of kind people to weaponize them. They were relying upon a false God to give them easy answers and false purpose…
She could understand why such a thing was so attractive. Till now, her momentum was borrowed. She'd never really tried or cared to achieve anything on her own, not really. Her life had been one of service of sorts, making others happy and subsisting with a smile to make them comfortable and reduce suffering. Penance for failing her brother and a way to escape the loneliness of the empty family home. When it came her father that meant making good grades, learning to cook, and making friends so he wouldn't worry. Without him or Jun-Seo, she had no purpose… It's not like her classmates and even best friend had made any real attempt to keep her around. They came to her when they needed someone to listen, taking pieces of her, and disappearing when the next lover or distraction came. That was, until they needed her to glue them back together.
For so long she'd been so happy to even be on the outer edges of the lives of others that she'd accepted that much. As much as Seven talked about having to leave when people got curious about him; he had the RFA and a brother. Miyeon had her father's corpse and only memories of her brother, whose body they never found… How Seven felt about her or how she felt about him didn't matter. The RFA loved him as much as he loved them. That was something worth protecting.
One useless girl so one hacker could continue protecting his "family" … It was a bargain.
Her father's gear from his time as a detective was still at her house. They were the guns he'd taught her to use after all, and after a quick bit of maintenance they'd be serviceable. That meant, the girl just needed to see what intel the hacker had gathered and head out before him. It probably wouldn't be that hard, even with him on guard. From the moment, she first joined the chat, he'd underestimated her. Granted, Miyeon had probably done that herself. Luciel may have come to save her, but it was her that had beaten his brother off him despite being half drugged. And now he was too busy battling with himself to really be a threat to her. All he was all bark. A snarling dog in the corner, baring his teeth and shaking.
The faintest outline of a plan was coming to mind, although another part of her was very aware of how insane it was. Then again what about this situation was rational? For now, Miyeon just had to pretend like nothing had changed, but things were so very different… She needed information… It would be easy enough to gather by pretending to tidy up, and if he so much as made a move to go to "Mint Eye" without her, it would be as simple as knocking him out and making use of the zip ties in the storage drawer. Worst case scenario, the girl could probably pull his unconscious body into the bathroom and secure him, give Jumin the location, and be gone before anyone could stop her… If she got caught or jailed for murder, that was fine… Something told her the RFA would disavow knowledge of her, and Jumin would pay to cover the whole affair up…
That didn't mean that she wasn't going to give up on negotiations though. There was strength in numbers, and Luciel was still the most capable to handle the situation. She just needed to change the approach… He was going to keep up his martyr act and was only going to get more irritable, if there hadn't already been irreparable damage done to him… He still hadn't slept from what she could tell, and the only potential food had been the sandwiches he supposedly made for himself around midday.
The boy (considering his childlike behavior) needed to eat and sleep, even if that meant she would have to go to extreme measures… This person he was pretending to be was an act that was draining his energy. She just had to overload his systems and get him to address the problems head on. From there, they could maybe start getting something done about the real problem.
A dull orange of approaching dusk lit the apartment, Seven was still in the corner although he seemed to be tinkering with the robot cat. Unlike before when he wouldn't even glance at her, she only noticed a guilty lowering of the head. The plate of sandwiches he'd "totally not made for her" were still on the edge of Rika's desk. They were untouched and probably beyond stale.
Good…
Taking out the chicken that had been purchased on sale earlier in the week and the unopened bag of Honey Buddha Chips, the girl set about making something familiar but new… Overall, it would be noisy and tempting… A distraction.
The chips were the first. They were crushed with the back of a pan, making quite a bit of clatter, before she ran them through the processor to get a nice consistency. Mixing those with some panko breading, Miyeon then set about preparing the flour, the egg, and the rest.
What followed was much less pleasant.
His annoyed glares ebbed into something akin to horror as there was a loud snap as she broke the thigh of the bird before repeating the motion where the drumstick connected. Using a large knife, she then severed the leg, before chopping the drumstick away from the thigh. This was repeated on the other side. Cutting off the wings was equally noisy, although it was much louder as the girl made sure to use enough force to chop through the tips of the wings. The ribs cracked as she tore the spine away finishing the work her knife had started. Once the spine was ripped away, Miyeon chopped the two sides of the breast in half. The breastbone gave a satisfying crunch that seemed to drain the last of the color from his face.
That nervousness didn't seem to leave even as she progressed to less gruesome tasks, although the rest of dinner preparation wasn't nearly as loud. By the end, she had a feast of Honey Buddha Fried Chicken (with a honey drizzle), rice, and a few banchan that were laid out at the table. As she sat the last plate down, she dialed his number. The pop song that he had as her ringtone had now been changed, but barely got out a bar or two before he ripped off his headphones and picked up. Their eyes locked as his agitation returned.
"…I wasn't going to answer. What is it?"
"Dinner's ready."
His brow furrowed into a deep V shape as he shook his head.
"I thought you could have dinner… take a nap… Or is Zen right and you'd rather have me?"
His face was about as red as his hair now. The line went dead as he put the phone back down and his headphones back on. She dialed again; as expected he answered it, but this time he actually face palmed at his own reaction.
Miyeon nibbled on a piece of the chicken, making sure the crispiness made it through the phone… Although the two of them were pretty much engaged in a staring contest. Him with a frown and her with a light-hearted smile.
"Why do you like wasting my time so much?" He grumbled until the gold of his eyes widened at the sight of her portioning things out onto an empty plate, "And what are you doing?"
"Making another plate for you since you're busy."
"I'm not hungry!"
"I can hear your stomach from here." He looked uncomfortable. It was stretch, but his reaction spoke to its validity.
"You're so weird and playful all the time! Why are you doing this? Calling me when I'm right in the room with you. Didn't I make it clear I want nothing to do with you?"
"You did, but that doesn't mean I don't care about you."
"That drug must have really confused you… The person you like is the 707 in the chatroom – not me," he scoffed.
"For someone who is supposedly a genius, Luciel, you certainly say some really stupid things."
He hung up and turned his attention back to the screen. She chuckled seeing him puffed up. Slowly she edged closer and reached over to set the plate next to his mouse hand. His back was stiff as a board as she realized her breast was pressed against his shoulder and some of her hair was starting to flow over him. Was being close to her really that much of a problem for her?
There were a few cans that had built up over the day, showing he'd at least been drinking soda. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she reached over to get them.
"Don't…"
"It's okay, just tidying up," Miyeon soothed. There was nothing on the screen that made much sense to her. But that didn't mean there weren't other things around…
A sigh of relief heaved his shoulders as she edged back, the empty cans making a hollow clatter as she sat them on the tray before moving the plate of stale sandwiches onto it. Her eyes scanned over Rika's desk and the work area behind it. There was something new there, where he'd pushed her crafting supplies to the side… A suspiciously plain brown book. Why did he have that? Maybe there were notes on what he'd found so far?
For a moment, she idled, making sure he was engrossed in work again. He was softly speaking to himself again and forcing his attention on anything but her. That left an opening.
Pretending to put things away, the girl discreetly lifted the book. The plain outer covering was false. Within was a children's book whose smooth pages opened quite readily to an old diskette that had been sandwiched between the pages. The artwork was light and the words within simple for younger readers. Neither thing were things she'd seen since early in her school life. If anyone had the hardware to even read such an old thing, it would've been the hacker… Maybe it had information from back then too? Before Miyeon could even consider how to go about finding out, the book slammed shut and was yanked from her hand.
"What are you doing!" the hacker barked, flush against her back in the narrow space between the tables.
The girl braced herself for it as he slammed the book down on the table.
"Are you just lighthearted or dumb? I told you to not to get curious about the stuff I brought with me! Why won't you listen?! I am trying to keep you alive! What about that do you not understand?!"
She wasn't even afraid anymore, but she did step back. This time though, Miyeon made sure to keep her gaze on him… He wouldn't hurt her.
"Luciel… You're tired, plea-."
"You're right. I'm tired of people like you pretending like everything is going to be fine. People like you don't get it. You can't possibly understand the things I've done or why…"
"I don't need to know any of that to know you're my friend, and that you need help."
"Let me make this clear – we're not friends. I don't care about you – other than you're safe and alive."
"Stop lying… If not to me, then at least yourself."
For a moment, he was silent until his long fingers pushed his glasses back up on his nose.
"The truth is… The ending has been set from us from the start. I let my guard down… And you're hurt because of it. The sooner you understand that we can never be anything, the easier this will be for both of us."
The girl's fists balled up as a bitter little chuckle escaped her. "Easier… What's easy about watching someone important to me hurt themselves, telling me that it's for my sake… Enough people have been hurt because of me."
Luciel's guilty eyes drifted along the floor to the window. "Miyeon…I'm not the kind person you think I am. You've only known who I've pretended to be in the messenger… I don't know what else I can do to make you realize that. When it comes down to it… I'm really very selfish person, which is why God is punishing me like this…"
"God? Don't blame god for your decisions. You're the one choosing to act this way."
The hacker pulled up Rika's computer chair and sat down. Wearily he rubbed his eyes under the lenses.
"You don't understand…"
"You keep saying that, but I know the 707 in the chatroom is as much a part of you as the stubborn jerk sitting in front of me right now. You're a human being, Luciel. No one is expecting you to be perfect but you."
"When other people make mistakes it doesn't kill people…"
"How many times do you think Yoosung has blamed himself for not doing enough for Rika?" Miyeon asked softly. "Or Zen?"
"That's… different."
"It's not".
The girl barely finished before the eyes on the robot cat lit up and it stood. Luciel was already whipping out his phone and pulling up the messenger.
"V is on – meow~! V is on~!" it's cheerful voice called out musically as it toddled across the carpet to the hacker's feet.
The hacker was so absorbed in the phone, that he didn't even bother to turn it off. The girl scooped the artificial feline up and held it in her arms, while taking out her own phone. It was… deceptively heavy despite it's small size.
"Meowy detects stress! Petting cats lowers blood pressure and Meowy loves pats! Please give pats~!" the cat sang.
Miyeon gently patted the machine's head while pulling up the app. It ebbed to a soft recording of a purring noise, although she was more interested in what words were being sent with the red head's rapid fire texts. Her eyes darted across the messenger to try to catch up.
707- E
707- V
707 - Why didn't you answer any of my calls?
V- Sorry, I was out of reach…
V- I couldn't read all the messages because the service here isn't that good, but I spoke to Jumin.
707 – Where the hell are you?
V- I've been taking pictures in the mountains.
707- When your eyes like that?
Was something wrong with V's eyes? A glance up gave no answers as the hacker was focused on his screen. The girl felt tremendous pressure to avoid interjecting into the conversation too much but it was clear by the way he was starting to tap his foot that the pressure was building. She needed to keep things on track.
V- Let's talk about that later.
Miyeon – Jumin told you about what happened…?
V- Yes. That's actually why I'm on.
V- I'm so sorry… I don't even know how to apologize to you for what you've been through. Never did I imagine that anyone would breach it… But I'm glad Luciel was able to make it to the apartment.
707- Why did you call Jumin first?
707- What about me?
Was he jealous? No… It couldn't be anything as petty as that.
V- I did try to call you. But you remember the phone you gave me? The light was coming on when I tried to call you.
707- For real?
V- I'm here now because I couldn't reach you that way.
707- There are so many things I need to ask you.
V- Jumin told me that you recovered the special security system.
707- I did. I'll send you those details later.
707- I think we need to move Miyeon to another location.
V- I see…
V- Alright.
V- The party is in three days. So, it may be best to move her after that.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" the hacker exclaimed in a hushed tone.
V- Please stay with her and protect her until then.
Miyeon could see Luciel shaking his head vehemently before simply running his hand through his hair with an exasperated sigh. Biting his lip he seemed to reread the message.
"Seven…?"
707- Since there may be other parties after us. That may be safest for now since the security system has been recovered.
V- That was my thought. If you've repaired the security system, and it's been calm there so far – then that should continue to work until the party. We can discuss changing things more readily since I'll be back after the party.
V- Although… I do have a personal favor to ask.
The hacker's frown and posture made it very clear he wasn't open to granting any.
707- What?
V- You recall that all the information stored in the apartment is classified.
707- Yes. That's why I installed the bomb when asked.
V- Yes…
V- This is a bit embarrassing, but… There are some personal letters that Rika had stored in her nightstand. I'd appreciate it if you didn't look at them.
"…Wait… Why would we even do that?" Miyeon asked, typing a message out herself.
Gold eyes met her own before glaring down at the screen.
Miyeon- That's never been a concern.
Miyeon- We would never be that disrespectful…
Miyeon- Not after you've been kind enough to let me stay here.
V- You're right. I'm sorry.
707- Why do you think I'd look at Rika's personal things without your permission?
V- I don't! I was just stating it out of caution.
V- It's just that there are a lot of private and personal things there that hurt me.
V- You can understand how I feel, right?
707- What in the world are you talking about?
V- Luciel
V- I know that you've had so much pressure on you
V- With me being mia, things must've been so very hard
V- I apologize if it seems like I don't trust you
V- It's just that there are so many painful memories and personal things in those letters.
707- That's the part I don't get.
707- Why do you think I'd rummage through Rika's personal things LET ALONE share them with the rest of the RFA?
707- Why are you suddenly suspicious of me?
V- I wasn't
V- I'm just asking so that you're aware.
707- I don't want to doubt you, but you're doubting me… And acting strange.
V- I'm not doubting you.
707- V, you do realize that those letters aren't what's important right now.
707- There's something MUCH more pressing than letters.
707- An innocent girl, who is relying on us for protection.
707- Are those letters more important to you than her life?
V- You're right.
V- You're completely right.
V- I'm just flustered because no one else has been in that apartment since Rika passed…
V- I made a mistake.
707- That's a hell of a mistake to make!
V- I know.
707-Miyeon agreed to join because she wanted to help people.
707- Now she's hurt!
V- What…?
707- Shouldn't her life be your top priority?!
V- I'm sorry.
V- I understand.
707- No…
707- No, I don't think you do…
707- Should I send you pictures?
707- Not that you could see them with your eyes that way.
V- Luciel…
707- I've been waiting so long to talk to you, worrying about you and everyone else…
707- And you get on and you're concerned about fucking DOCUMENTS!?
V- It's a misunderstanding. I made a mistake…
V- That's not it.
V- Luciel, please listen to me.
V- You know that the RFA's safety is my top priority. With everything that we've been through, I know that you understand that.
707- I believed that until a couple of days ago…
V- I guess I should head back as soon as possible so we can discuss this.
V- I feel that you're angry with me.
V- Whatever the misunderstanding… I promise you that I'll take care of everything.
V- We can discuss everything at the party.
707- No… I'm not fine with that.
707- I have to ask you something now.
V- We'll discuss everything face to face at the party.
707- Is Saeran included in that "everything"?
V- What?
707- Answer the question.
V- Why are you suddenly bringing up that name?
707- Don't pretend like you don't know…
V-Luciel
V- I don't know what you're thinking.
V- But I assure you it's wrong.
707- Do you know where Saeran is right now or what he's doing?
V- We agreed not to speak about that.
V- Please don't be like this here.
V- You know everyone can read this.
V- When I get back, we'll talk about this.
707- Tell me here and now.
707- V, please…
707- Tell me something so I can trust you again.
Miyeon – V, he has his reasons for asking…
V- Does Miyeon know about him?
707- Is that what's important right now?!
V- Luciel…
707- I saw Saeran with my own eyes!
V- That's… Not possible.
707- I saw him…
707- Explain to me
707- Explain why he was like that
V- You're mistaken…
Miyeon- No, V. He's not…
707- why did he look like that
707- the filthy work that I do
707- tell me V
707- why is that boy
The girl was startled as the increasingly rapid breathing of the hacker turned into a choked sob.
"Luciel…"
He was in his own world, clutching the phone with the glare of it illuminating the lenses of his glasses and a thread of tears that were starting to brim over.
707- why is that boy doing that dirty work!?
707- When you were supposed to protect him!?
707- YOU PROMISED ME
707- Please tell me what happened.
707- Explain to me.
707- Say something?
707- Say anything so I can trust you again
707- So I can have my brother back
707- I'm begging you
707- Please V
V- Luciel
V- I don't have good service right now
V- I
V has left the chatroom.
"No…No…No…NO!" the hacker uttered with increasing pain before a ragged breath escaped him. The hacker let his phone drop unable to stop his shaking hands from his hands curling into fists.
The robot cats head let out a soft whirring as it turned towards Luciel.
"Meowy senses depression, meow! Cheer protocol activated~!"
It began to play a little of the song he'd set as her ring tone…
"…Shut up…" he ordered darkly.
"Meowy can't turn off until depression is-~!"
"Meowy… Shh… Turn off for a little, okay?"
Craning to look back up at her, the machine purred.
"That's a voice I absolutely have to obey, meow!"
As its eyes darkened, she sat it aside along with her phone, deciding how best to comfort her friend. Instinctively the girl wanted to hold him, but considering how things were going, it was unlikely he'd let her get that close. Instead she picked his phone up from the floor and set it aside alongside her own before retreating to the kitchen to make a fresh pot of coffee so he could have a little time to himself. From the other room she could hear the occasional sniffle or grunt from him as he tried to compose himself. When she returned to him, with a fresh cup of coffee, he'd propped himself up on Rika's desk.
After setting warm cup of coffee away from him enough to where he wouldn't accidentally knock it over, along with a bowl of sugar, and a little cream, Miyeon took a spot on the edge of the table. She was close enough to touch him if needed but left plenty of room for him to move if he needed space. It was a few moments before the red head even bothered to look. Although even once Luciel noticed, he didn't seem to care. The conversation with V had completely stripped him of any remaining willpower.
He took off his glasses and sat them aside, before wiping his eyes and nose on his sleeve. His jawline grew taut and set with resignation.
"I don't think you should be in the RFA anymore… Once this is done. I'm removing you from the app… And everyone else… I'm going to delete the app and destroy the server… You'll all be safe from V and me then."
"…Luciel… You're not a threat… And the RFA doesn't need to be disbanded because of this. There has to be some sort of explanation."
His throat tightened but nothing came out.
"…Talk to me here…"
The gold in his eyes narrowed as he glared at her wearily.
"What's talking going to do? Even if I told you a little, you wouldn't understand," he scoffed. "You don't know… You don't know how many of V's secrets the RFA is entrenched in…" A sigh escaped him as he leaned forward, letting his elbows rest on his knees while his lips rested to his hands. "…It wasn't supposed to be like this… God I was such an idiot… All this time I never even questioned him, I just believed like a fucking idiot… I'm so tired of this… I wish I could shut down instead of that cat."
Miyeon couldn't help but reach out to stroke his hair, only to feel him push her hand away.
"Don't…" he warned.
"Sorry..." The girl then looked over at the drawer. "…You control the security to the apartment right? So… Maybe we really should check to see what's in there…"
A brittle, sardonic little laugh escaped him.
"What if there really is something about Saeran in there? If you open the drawer I could…"
"You're not doing anything…"
"Luciel, please…"
"I'll open the drawer eventually! Just… Not tonight. I can't take anymore..."
"The party is in a few days, we-"
"Don't you think I know that?!" he snapped.
"…I know you do…"
"Then why bring it up? Honestly the party is the LAST thing on my mind right now."
Miyeon took a deep breath to steady herself. "There are more important things, like your brother. I get that."
"Do you? Because for someone who "gets it" you ask a LOT of stupid questions."
"You're right… I do." He looked a little gob smacked that she'd concede that point. "It's just all a little coincidental, don't you think? V being gone so much, Rika committing suicide… I don't know about what happened with your brother but…"
The hacker shook his head before standing up.
"Luciel?"
He pulled his hoodie on and tucked his phone into the pocket.
"Luciel…?"
"Done."
Miyeon watched as he began to walk towards the door, not quite sure how to take the statement before seeing him pull one of his boots on.
"…Where are you going?"
"Out."
The girl stood, taking steps to close the distance.
"Are you really going to just run away?"
He gave a good twist and stomp of the ankle to get his foot into the second shoe.
"...I'll come back after you're asleep. I can't handle this right now. Robot cat!"
"Meowy Active!"
"Robot cat, RFA messenger conceal protocol B006. And security protocol 7XY88M31Z.4A."
"Roger Roger!"
"Luciel…"
A gust of stale air rushed in from the hall as he opened the door and slammed it shut, not even bothering to look back.