Constellations

by Cervella

Mei was sure this was not what her boss had in mind when he send her on vacation. Somehow, an innocent adventure to get ice cream ended with her breaking into an apartment. Not to mention, she had been roped into planning a fundraiser by the dead owner's friends and a charming hacker was slowly turning her world upside-down.

21. The Road to Hell

AN: Happy (early) Valentines Day!

Ookamihime Ichimaru: I'm glad you're enjoying the story and thank you for taking the time to comment! Also, I'm glad you enjoy my MC and I totally get imagining what-ifs. (I agree with the grudge against V as well haha)

Shiskiels: Thanks! I'll definitely keep going :D

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Chapter Twenty

The Road to Hell

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There was a sea of darkness hidden behind the kitchen island in the early hours of the morning. Guilt and stress—a match made in hell—had kept her from a restful sleep. It was in the quiet moments when your mind begins to turn on you and only the cold tiles she was currently stranded upon had managed to slow her racing thoughts.

Sometimes, Mei wondered how her life would've turned out if she had chosen to remain a doctor at SKY University Hospital, instead of accepting Chief Park's offer to join SIDA. She had never meant to become a detective, nor had she ever thought she was particularly good at it.

Everything the grad student had wanted back then was to fatten her bank account in order to provide for her little sister.

However, Kyu had insisted and Mei had given in eventually.

It wasn't like she regretted her choice, but it bothered her that she was unable to remember the reason she had agreed to it in the first place. After all, she would've earned as much money—or more—if she had stuck to her original career path. Of course, she'd have never met the RFA members, but at this point, Mei wasn't sure whether that would've been so bad.

They would've been better off without her, wouldn't they?

If she hadn't invited herself into their lives only to betray their trust later, they wouldn't be upset and worried now. Even Seven might've been happier back when he was oblivious to V's betrayal and his brother's criminal lifestyle. Some say ignorance is bliss and maybe it was. In hindsight, her selfish pursuit of the truth had done more harm than good since it had inevitably hurt her friends.

It was a price she had been willing to pay.

No matter how much Seven reassured her or justified her actions, nobody had forced her to investigate the RFA. She had chosen her job over her friends while being fully aware of the consequences, so even if he was kind enough to forgive her, she hadn't forgiven herself yet.

Unfortunately, Mei couldn't turn back time. She could only move forward and take responsibility by bringing Mint Eye to justice.

Bzzt. Bzzzt. Bzzzzt.

"Are you going to keep messing with me?" Seven asked, mildly irritated, once she took the call. "How do you manage to hide in such a small apartment?"

"Huh?" Mei exclaimed in mock surprise. "I thought genius hackers can track phones?"

"It's not that accurate since you're connected to the apartment's wifi," he admitted and the frustration in his voice brought a small smile to her face. "Stop and come over here. We've got to pack up. If you keep hiding, I'm really gonna get you and when I get you, I'm going to mess with you for as long as I want. Are you ready for that?"

Mei gasped, aware of the suggestive undertones hidden behind his playful words. The darkness behind the kitchen island faded to the back of her mind as she was overwhelmed by excitement, curious what he had in store for her, and her heart pounded in her chest when she bravely took the challenge. "Well, you'll have to find me first."

Catching the waver in her voice, Seven laughed on the other end of the line and she heard him open a door in the not-so-distant distance. "You know I can get kind of sadistic when I tease people. Come here while I'm still nice~"

"Seven!" Mei protested loudly, heat rising to her cheeks. When his footsteps grew closer, she realized her mistake and quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. Damn it, he had baited her and she had totally fallen into his trap.

"You're so cute when you yell my name," he teased. "I'm suddenly very motivated to find you."

"I thought y-you were serious about packing," she stammered, "do you really have time to play hide and seek?"

"I'm good at multitasking, Miss Detective." Seven boasted, but quickly resumed his search. "Alright, your voice isn't echoing, so you're not in the bathroom … Hey, do I get a present if I win? I should've made a bet where I get something if I win."

"You get one wish," Mei agreed, hesitant, keeping her voice as low as possible. "Only one though."

"Yahoo. I hit the jackpot," he cheered. "This must be what it feels like to roll a 777 on a one-armed bandit."

"A wish isn't even close to being on the same level," she protested, "it's totally limited to what I can do and I can't do much. On the other hand, winning the lottery gives you lots of money to fulfill your dreams."

"That's true, but most of my dreams have to do with you." Seven said softly, almost shy, making her feel warm. "Besides, I already have all the money I need to make my dreams about expensive sports cars, the latest tech equipment and a storage room filled with boxes of Honey Buddha chips a reality. Lucky me, right?"

When the kitchen door suddenly swung open, her heart threatened to leap out of her chest and onto the cold tiles in front of her. She held her breath with the phone pressed tightly to her ear, trying with all her might to impersonate the kitchen island she was hiding behind. He had her cornered now. It was only a matter of time until he found her, but her competitive side was enjoying their game of cat and mouse too much to give up.

As predicted, his head popped up around the corner only seconds later, followed by the rest of his tall and handsome figure. Mischievous golden eyes peaked at her from behind a familiar pair of striped glasses and his cross necklace dangled between them as he leaned over her.

"Found you~" Seven cheered, looking awfully pleased with himself. However, instead of gloating, he ended the call, pocketed his phone and slid down on the kitchen floor next to her. Mei crossed her arms with a pout and was about to ignore him, when he suddenly patted his leg and opened his arms. "I'm cashing in my wish. Now come over here."

It took her a hot minute to understand what he wanted.

Mei had always been a sore loser, but she would never break a promise, so she slowly crawled onto his lap. Almost immediately, his arms wrapped around her and she let her head fall against his warm chest, feeling the tension melt off her spine. She had expected him to be annoying and rub his win in her face, but he remained unexpectedly quiet, resting his chin on top of her head.

"Is this okay?" Seven asked, sounding unwilling to break the comfortable silence.

"More than okay," Mei hummed absentmindedly, fighting against the drowsiness that was beginning to take over. The weights that pulled on her eyelids were an unwelcome reminder of her sleepless night and if they didn't have to leave soon, she'd love to take a nap in his arms. Now that she thought about it, he must've noticed how exhausted she was, otherwise he wouldn't have turned finding her into a game and insisted on leaving instead.

How sly.

Even trading his wish for a hug and making her sit on his lap must've been part of his strategy to cheer her up. Mei couldn't help the smile that pulled at her lips. It was sweet and at the same time so very like him to hide his true intentions behind fun and games. She snuggled closer and buried her head in his neck, silently thanking the world that he existed.

"You meanie," Mei mumbled fondly, "Why do you always know?"

"I'm a secret agent and a hacker." Seven shrugged. "And most importantly, I'm your boyfriend. I'd suck at all of the above if I couldn't tell how you really feel … Hey, are you even listening to me?"

His soothing voice combined with the familiar smell almost lulled her to sleep. Mei was about to get comfortable, however, Seven suddenly decided that this was the perfect opportunity to tickle her. His fingers dug lightly into her sides while she defiantly bit her lower lip to contain her amusement, trying her best to wiggle out of his embrace.

Of course, she failed miserably and ended up holding her stomach as she dissolved into laughter.

"S-Seven … stop it," she said between giggles, "... I mean it … hahah … p-please …!"

Seven obeyed and the cheeky grin on his lips softened, but he didn't let go.

"I love it when you laugh," he said suddenly. "If we can laugh together in this situation, it feels like we can get through anything."

"Anything ..." Mei trailed off, unsure. She wondered whether anything included the RFA or whether it had limits after all.

"Anything." Seven repeated with confidence and shot her a knowing look. "You can't hide from them forever."

The detective was brooding over his words while he took her phone out of her pocket, swiftly unlocked it—of course he figured out her passcode—and opened the settings menu. He shoved the bright screen right under her nose, waiting patiently for her to take the last step by herself and switch off airplane mode. Her finger hovered over the button for a moment until she finally gave in and pressed it.

It was a little overwhelming to see the abundance of missed calls as well as the worried text messages that had flooded her inbox. However, it was exactly what she needed to pull herself together and confront everyone.

[MC has entered the chatroom.]

MC: I … I'm sorry.

MC: for making you worry and for everything else, too.

MC: I said I'd answer all of your questions, but I didn't even give you the chance to ask.

Jumin Han: It's a relief to see you've calmed down.

Jumin Han: (─‿─)

Jaehee Kang: Are you going to face us properly now?

MC: Yes, I'm ready.

MC: Although, I want to let you know that if you don't trust me anymore and want me to resign as the party coordinator ...

MC: I'll accept it!

ZEN: Resign?! ( •᷄⌓•᷅ )

Yoosung : (ﾟ□ﾟ*川

Jumin Han: ...

Jaehee Kang: (눈_눈)

Jaehee Kang: You're doing it again!

MC: What?

Jaehee Kang: Not listening and making assumptions about how we feel.

MC:（´ヘ｀；）

Jaehee Kang: Of course, we were angry at you and felt betrayed, but having a fight doesn't automatically mean the end of a friendship. It's like you don't even trust us with your feelings.

Jaehee Kang: There is no way we would want you to resign.

Jumin Han: While this is a decision that should usually be made by majority vote, I believe Miss Kang speaks for all of us right now.

Jumin Han: Also, weren't you the one who told me that the people who really care won't leave only because you may have a fight?

MC: You're right. Thank you!

MC: I'm just disappointed in myself because I haven't been a really great friend to you. My job and finding out the truth about Mint Eye always came first.

MC: I've been thinking that it might've been better for everyone if I had never joined the RFA, you know?

ZEN: No, don't say it like that I'm gonna cry (T⌓T)

Jaehee Kang: You saved Zen's life, helped us protect his career and always listened to my complaints!

Jumin Han: You returned Elizabeth the 3rd to me. I'll always be grateful.

ZEN: Don't make it sound like you'll never see her again!

Yoosung : It's really annoying how you and Seven always tease me, but it's been the most fun I've had since Rika's death.

Yoosung : I mean it (⋟﹏⋞)

ZEN: Also, don't forget how you cheered me up at the hospital (つ´∀｀)つ

ZEN: And even if you hadn't done all those things for us, we'd still be happy to be your friends, Mei.

Touched by their kindness, Mei felt her eyes grow misty and quickly tried to blink the oncoming tears away. However, one managed to escape, only to be brushed away by gentle finger tips. "You are crying."

"I'm not crying." Mei denied stubbornly, but leaned into his hand regardless. "My eyes are sweating because it's too warm in here."

"Sweat? From your eyes?" Seven raised an eyebrow. "Can you remind me which branch of science you studied at university?"

"Medicine."

"Maybe you should review human biology, anatomy and physiology again. Anyways, I'm sure that the me in a different timeline where you never joined the RFA is super duper unlucky." Seven said next to her ear in a childish tone. "As unlucky as someone who was born on Friday the 13th, who broke every mirror in their house or who's path got crossed by every black cat in the neighborhood. Just thinking about the level of misfortune in that parallel universe is scary."

"Oh, come on. Don't pretend like you wouldn't love it if that last scenario happened." Mei smiled and elbowed him playfully, attempting to hide how much his words meant to her. "Although … if that makes you fortunate, does that make the cats unlucky?"

"Maybe." Seven shrugged. "It's a good thing we'll never know."

Mei didn't have the time to decipher the meaning behind his words because messages started flooding the chatroom at lightning speed again.

Yoosung : I don't even care if the others think you did something wrong.

Yoosung : You were right about not trusting V and if I were in your shoes, I'd have done the same.

Jumin Han: Let's not go there today, Yoosung.

ZEN: What I think everyone is trying to say is that ...

ZEN: Even if those were your intentions, the fact that you feel guilty and always think of us first proves that you are a good friend.

Yoosung : Yeah! Please, stay! ⊂(・﹏・⊂)

Jumin Han: I think if we can all agree to be honest with each other from now on, we can avoid drama like this in the future.

Jumin Han: This goes for Luciel as well. I know he is reading this.

MC: Everyone …

MC: (T⌓T)

MC: I don't know what to say, but I'm sorry and thank you.

Jaehee Kang: Ah, this was unexpectedly refreshing. I'm glad I got everything off my chest and that we sorted this out.

MC: I will work hard to make it up to you.

Yoosung : Now please stop being so hard on yourself or I will start feeling bad (_ _|||)

ZEN: We need to stick together! We're all fighting on the same side after all!╭( ･ㅂ･)و

Jumin Han: Is that a quote from your new movie?

ZEN: No?! How dare you think everything I say is scripted!?

Jumin Han: (๑ᵕ⌓ᵕ̤)

Jumin Han: Your sister was worried, Mei.

ZEN: Don't insult me and then ignore me afterwards!

Jumin Han: Moreover, I told her that you will be accompanying Luciel to Mint Eye. I'm still not on board with it either since you would be safer here, but I respect your decision.

ZEN: (╯ಠ‿ಠ)╯︵┻━┻

MC: ┬─┬ノ(ˆ⌣ˆノ)

MC: How is she?

Jumin Han: She is safe and doing well at university from what I can tell.

Jumin Han: However, when you didn't respond to her messages she got a little upset. As an only child I lack knowledge when it comes to sibling relations, but is it normal to curse them when you're worried?

MC: Ahh, that's normal. Thanks for taking care of her. I really owe you one.

Jumin Han: No need. It's been pleasant to have company for dinner every day.

Jaehee Kang: She brought me coffee during my break yesterday. Hana is a kind person (◡‿◡✿)

Jumin Han: Elizabeth also appreciates having playmates (ฅ'ω'ฅ)

MC: Cuddle Loki & Siri for me. I miss them!

ZEN: Achooo. I still can't believe the beasts at your place have multiplied (_ _|||)

ZEN: Don't worry, Mei. If he does anything weird, I'll rescue your sister from his evil clutches, even if that means going through cat hell.

Jaehee Kang: Please think more about your position, Zen. You've barely gotten out of your first scandal, so being seen in public with a girl much younger than youself might be bad for your image.

ZEN: Yeah, yeah. I know.

ZEN: Thanks for worrying about me, Jaehee (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

Yoosung : I don't think our Mr. Corporate is even capable of doing anything like that.

ZEN: You're still so innocent, Yoosung.

Yoosung : I'm a lot more concerned about Seven being left alone with Mei (¬_¬)

ZEN: How could I forget?! (ﾟ□ﾟ*川

MC: Not even going there. I'm gonna talk to Hana ;;´ ▽ ` )ﾉ

MC: bye bye

[MC has left the chatroom.]

Mei heard Seven grumble behind her—something about hacking Yoosung's LOLOL account and making sure to take his number one spot on the server—when she closed the messenger. It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off her chest and replaced with a warm sense of belonging. She couldn't change the past, so perhaps there was no point in worrying about it. Moreover, it had been wrong of her to jump to conclusions without taking everyone's true feelings into account.

If they didn't regret meeting her, then maybe she could accept their forgiveness and move on.

True to her words, Mei opened the private chat with her sister. Meanwhile, Seven started playing with her hair, probably in an attempt to give them privacy, while she steeled herself for another uncomfortable conversation. Aside from the few missed calls at random times of the day and empty voicemails, Hana had left several uncharacteristically long text messages.

Hana: My art history prof wants me to write a twelve-page essay about Van Gogh. That's around 7k words and the average termpaper length is 2-4k.

Hana: What the hell does he want me to write about in twelve pages?!

Hana: Called the student assistant and found out that the paper is almost as long as my bachelor thesis is supposed to be! Can you believe it? There is no way that's allowed for a regular module.

Hana: I'm calling BS.

Hana: Hey, I'm still waiting for your message telling me to hand in my own ear instead of the essay as an artsy tribute to Van Gogh. Please respond soon, so I can ask what's wrong with you.

Hana: Update.

Hana: So I didn't have the guts to go through with the ear idea—surprising I know—but Jumin helped me convince the prof to lower the word requirement.

Hana: Thank God.

Hana: He almost pissed himself when the Jumin Han walzed into his room in the middle of office hours. Your friend can be really scary lol

Hana: No reaction?! Are you even my sister?! (≖͞_≖̥)

Hana: ?!

The most recent message was her name in all caps, followed by at least a hundred question marks. Seven snorted and she felt his chest shake with silent laughter, betraying the fact that he hadn't resisted the temptation and read their chat over her shoulder. Mei only rolled her eyes at Hana's one-sided conversation, but despite how annoying her younger sister could be, she really missed her.

Mei: What am I? Your diary? (￣▽￣)ノ

Mei: If you had spent as much time writing your essay as you spent ranting, you wouldn't have needed to ask Jumin for help.

Hana: Ha, ha.

Hana: Dear diary, you're not funny (¬_¬)

Hana: Also, this is bigger than me. It's about bringing justice to our flawed education system and fairness to all art students.

Mei: Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night _(┐「ε:)_

Mei: How did it go?

Hana: Good. I submitted it yesterday evening.

Mei: How disappointing.

Hana: Why?! I literally finished that paper before the deadline with 20 minutes to spare!

Mei: You didn't hand in an ear (；△；)

Hana: Do you want me to get expelled? No sane person would actually do that (눈_눈) What is wrong with you?

Mei: You could have made one out of papier-mâché like a true art student.

Hana: Why are you like this?

Hana: I'm losing valuable brain cells talking to you and I need them for my aesthetics exam tomorrow, so don't call me unless you're on the brink of death (-_-)

Mei: Just for that comment I hope you'll fail (-_-)

Hana: Don't jinx me.

Hana: ...

Hana: When can we go home?

Home.

The innocent question stared back at her from the bright screen that suddenly burned her eyes and made her nauseous. Mei had as much trouble answering it as she did answering why she had decided to become a detective. In the past, everything used to be so clear to her.

It had all been for Hana, right?

However, if it really was, then why did it seem like she was burdening her sister more than she was protecting her? Doubt crept up on her and twisted her stomach into tiny knots. After all, Hana would've never been forced to hide away for her own safety if Mei had decided to become a full-fledged doctor. Sure, her sister was a tough cookie, but even she had her limits.

Seven tightened his arms around her as though he felt her inner turmoil and Mei attempted to calm down, enjoying the silent comfort his touch provided. Right. She had to give Hana an honest answer. It was the least she could do.

Mei: Hopefully soon.

Hana: And when is 'soon'?

Mei: As soon as we close this case.

Hana: Okay.

Mei: It's just … we're dealing with a dangerous group of serial kidnappers and I don't want you to get involved.

Hana: It's really okay. I don't mind staying with Jumin. He likes cats, the food is good and the bathroom I have is bigger than ours at home. Jaehee is super sweet and it's nice to have someone I can gush over Zen with.

Hana: The only uncomfortable part is having the bodyguards follow me to university because people keep staring at me like I'm some kind of celebrity.

Mei: I swear I'll make it up to you once this is over ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ

Hana: Don't worry about me and concentrate on your job, okay? I may be your little sister, but I'm not as small as I used to be.

Hana: You can rely on me too!

Mei: Heh, to me you will always be that smol cinnamon roll, who chased after me to get huggies (ˆ⌣ˆԅ)

Hana: URG THAT HAPPENED ONCE!

Mei: The cute little angel who watered our artificial rubber tree everyday.

Hana: FOUR MONTHS!

Hana: You sat by and watched me water a plastic plant for four months! I'll never forgive you!

Mei: Hahahahah I love you

Hana: Miss me with that sister love bullshit.

Hana: I really gotta go study now … and by that I mean marathon all of Zen's movies during the day, so I can panic tomorrow morning because I haven't studied enough.

Mei: Sounds like fun. Good luck ヾ(≧∇≦)ゞ

Hana: I said don't jinx me (〜￣△￣)〜

Once she closed the conversation and slipped her phone back into her pocket, Mei sighed in relief and leaned her head against Seven, who had remained quiet during their exchange, apart from the occasional chuckle. She peered up at him and took notice of his conflicted expression. There was a small crease between his brows and his lips were pressed together in a thin line.

Mei poked his cheek to get his attention. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking." Seven assured her with a shake of his head and smiled when she raised an eyebrow. He took a moment to organize his thoughts before elaborating, "Watching you talk openly with everyone reminded me how grateful I am. As secret agent I had to hide who I am when I met them, but they were kind and trusted me. Thinking that they would have to forget me one day without even knowing my real name actually really got to me … although I never showed it."

He released a shaky laugh that pulled at her heart strings.

"While I was happy to talk to everyone as the bright and quirky 707, I always knew that persona was temporary. And Luciel, the secret agent, wasn't permanent either. It's strange, but from now on I want everyone to see the real me … especially you, Mei." Seven paused and his eyes were burning with childlike curiosity when they finally met hers. "I've always wondered … why do you never call me Luciel?"

"Huh?"

"You always call me Seven," he explained, "but you haven't called me Luciel. Not even once. Why?"

Honestly, the detective had never consciously thought about it. She had known from the start that both names were fake, however, when Jaehee, V and Jumin had called him by his baptismal name, it had always sounded wrong to her ears. She wondered whether Yoosung and Zen, who also preferred his hacker pseudonym, felt the same way.

"I'm not good with religion," Mei began slowly, "but it's what Lucifer was called before he fell from heaven, right? A fallen angel … it sounds so lonely. Why did you choose it?"

"I've suffered through so much darkness since I was born, so picked that name to remind myself that I shouldn't become dark myself. I was always afraid that I would turn out like mother and father." Seven grimaced at the memories that were no doubt rising like the living-dead from where he had buried them, but when she placed a comforting hand over his heart, his face softened. "Would you like to know my real name?"

Mei could only nod, stunned that he was willing to answer the one question she had always been dying to ask.

"My real name is Saeyoung Choi," he said slowly, painfully, as though he expected the world to end by mentioning it aloud. The way he avoided her gaze and balled his hands into fists betrayed how nervous he really was, but after she heard him take a deep breath to compose himself, the anxiety seemed to fade a little. "Once this is over, I'm going to go back to living as Saeyoung. Do you think that's possible?"

"Of course," Mei replied supportively, "You said so earlier, remember? As long as we can laugh together, anything is possible."

"Then can you do me a favour?"

Mei didn't need to think twice. "Sure."

"Please call me Saeyoung from now on," he said and her head snapped up in surprise, silently demanding an explanation. "My name … when I think of Seven I think of the fun me—the one that's away from the sad reality. It's the happiest version of me, but its also fake. When I remember Luciel I remember the hope V gave me—the hope that I can leave my past behind and everyone will be happy—but that was false hope. And Saeyoung reminds me of the hardest times, but those were the only truthful moments I had. Mei … when I'm with you, I want to live as the real me. That's why I want you to call me by my real name from now on."

"Okay." Mei sat up straight with a solemn expression and held out her right hand for him to shake. "It's nice to meet you, Saeyoung."

Without warning, Saeyoung smiled at her and she suddenly realized how much he had been holding back. It was different than his usual smiles, which ranged from teasing smirks to the occasional mirthless half smile to confident yet kind grins. Instead, his perfect lips had turned upwards into a small and timid, yet genuine smile that made her heart pound loudly in her chest.

Mei barely registered his warm hand shaking hers. She only wished he would always smile like that.

Saeyoung must've noticed her wide-eyed stare because his lips pulled into something more familiar as she felt him use their conveniently linked hands to tug her closer. She was hyper-aware of the fact that she ended up straddling his lap and wasn't sure whether she was breathless or speechless or both, but when their eyes locked she knew nothing in the universe mattered more than closing the distance between them.

Arms tightened around her waist as she slipped her own around his neck and buried her hands in his hair.

Blue eyes fluttered close when their lips brushed softly against each other as though it was the most natural thing in the world. It was slower—agonizingly slow—and even more innocent than their first kiss. Warmth spread from her chest to the tips of her fingers and down to her lower belly, leaving her lightheaded. She felt like she was drowning and flying above the clouds at the same time. Her heart skipped a beat every time he pushed closer, pouring his feelings into every little touch they shared, and she couldn't help the muffled whimper that escaped her.

Mei felt him grin triumphantly against her lips, but she was too dazed from the happiness and too eager to continue to be embarrassed.

However, Saeyoung broke away, albeit reluctant, and rested his forehead against hers to catch his breath. When she opened her eyes in protest, she was greeted by an apologetic look, though he had trouble hiding the desire swimming in his darkened eyes that left her wanting more.

"Don't look at me like that. One of us has to be the responsible one and I'm only a guy," he confessed, clearly frustrated, raising one hand to cup her cheek. "I know how to hold back, but even my self-control has its limits. You're kinda defenseless ... and if we keep going like this ...u-um ... how do I say this?"

"Only one more, Saeyoung." Mei argued, well aware of her childish behavior. Wonder and mirth danced across his features, making her pout in response. "What's so funny?"

"It's just … to think I shook in fear every time I heart someone call me by this name." Saeyoung laughed to himself. "And here I am, wanting to hear you say it over and over and over again ... and never stop. It looks like my heart has been yours for a long time now."

"Good." Mei crossed her arms below her chest with a huff, which only made him laugh harder, while she pointedly ignored the heat rising to her cheeks. "Well, I guess you're right. We really should get going."

Unresolved tension hung in the air between them while they awkwardly smoothed out their wrinkled clothes.

Even though they both agreed that it was for the best, separating from the another was still a lot to ask after everything they've been through. However, they weren't a normal couple, which is why staying in their peaceful bubble had never been an option.

Mei considered every moment they shared together a blessing.

Saeyoung excused himself from the kitchen to prepare for the trip and started by attempting to solve the tangled up cable mystery his electronics had left behind. Meanwhile, Mei whipped up a small breakfast before storing the remainder of their food supplies in two small cooling containers. Luckily, she had already packed all of her personal belongings the evening before, so she managed to squeeze one of them into her backpack and handed the other to her busy boyfriend.

After adding it to his bag, Saeyoung returned to his laptop with that quiet intensity she admired. He was completely absorbed in his work, muttering coding language beneath his breath, and sometimes she swore the computer was very close to becoming a permanent extension of his body.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm scouting the route to my car for potential danger through traffic cameras," Saeyoung explained, golden eyes glued to the screen. "Everything looks clear and my baby is in walking distance, but it's better to be prepared. Next I'm going to set a timer that will loop the video feeds once we pass. All we have to do is keep a consistent pace while we walk and it will look like we never even left the apartment."

Mei blinked, slowly realizing that her boyfriend might be as dangerous as he had always insisted. Everything he just mentioned required hacking into government servers and he wasn't only abusing then for information, but messing around with them as though it was child's play. She honestly wouldn't want to be the person working against him. "Um … how long will that take?"

"What? No comments about breaking the law? Tut, tut, Miss Detective, if you aren't careful people will think you're joining the dark side and start lumping you in with the criminals." Saeyoung beamed at her and shut his laptop. "Oh and I'm already done. We're almost good to go."

She ignored his taunt. "Almost?"

"Well, we can't go like this." He gestured vaguely towards their current outfits, shrugging off his favorite hoodie with a wistful sigh. "Vanderwood knows my style and he's seen you through the CCTV before. I don't think we have to wear full-on disguises, but it's a good idea to stay under their radar and avoid exposing too many trademark features. My hair, for example, is a dead give-away. If there are agents stationed outside, it'd be great if they didn't recognize us at first glance."

Saeyoung pulled out a black sports cap from his bag to hide his red curly hair, though a few stubborn strands still stuck out from beneath it. While he carefully exchanged his glasses for a pair of prescription aviator shades and slipped his arms through a dark blue jacket, Mei wondered what she could do to alter her appearance.

"Is this okay?" The detective asked after taming her long hair in a high ponytail. "I usually wear it down, but this exposes my face more."

"Perfect," Saeyoung said and gently pushed a pair of fake glasses on her nose. "I don't think you have to change your clothes, but you can't wear your signature leather jacket today."

"It's the only one I brought though." Mei crossed her arms. "What else am I supposed to wear?"

As if he had anticipated her complaints, Saeyoung turned around again and swiftly grabbed one of his spare jackets from the bag. It was black and at least three sizes too big, making her feel as though she was drowning in the fabric, but it was comfy and smelled like him, which meant she was never going to give it back. She rolled up the sleeves twice and twirled around to show off her new look.

"How do I look?"

"C-cute." Saeyoung concluded after a moment, a light pink dusting his cheeks while he hurried to change the topic. "We s-should really get going though or the timer will run out before we can even take a step outside."

Content with his reaction, Mei waited at the door and watched as he shouldered his duffle bag and her backpack. She would've carried it herself, but there were some things she knew he simply would never budge on and while it may be unexpected, chivalry was one of them. She doubted anything she could've said would have swayed his stance.

As soon as the door fell shut behind them, she was stuck with the inexplicable feeling that she wouldn't be back at the apartment for a long time.

It was strange to leave it behind.

Once they exited the building together, Saeyoung threw an arm across her shoulder and shifted their position, so that they weren't facing the security cameras directly. Moreover, she suspected he was using his body as a shield to block her from their view completely and while she wanted to argue, he already had enough on his plate without her complaints.

Instead, the detective adjusted her fake glasses and observed him.

As though he didn't even feel the weight of their luggage, Saeyoung easily made full use of his long legs by taking purposeful strides. He walked as though he was processing every little detail that was happening around them—he likely was—and made an effort to match her pace while guiding them into a inconspicuous walking speed—not too quick to turn heads and not too slow to risk extended public exposure.

Maybe he was worrying too much because their cover worked liked a charm.

It was kind of funny, but they definitely looked like a regular couple going for a stroll in the sunlight to any random passerby. Saeyoung must've come to the same conclusion because the sly smile hiding at the corner of his lips betrayed how much he was actually enjoying this. It was endearing to see him practically glow from such a simple, domestic moment and she found herself wishing to make them a regularity.

However, when they stood in the middle of a beautiful garden that resembled a Bob Ross painting—one car ride, five hours, two long highways, one conversation with the concerned RFA, one hack job and an infiltration later—Mei realized her dream of domestic bliss with Saeyoung would have to wait a while longer.

---

수상한메신저

---

Footsteps echoed through the empty corridor, the sound bouncing off the cold marble while they hurried towards their destination in the otherwise quiet building. Saeyoung had stressed over planning the safest infiltration route while they were having a brief strategy meeting in his car, but not seeing a single soul on their way to the information room put him on edge.

It was a little too good to be true.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched as another black security camera turned its blinking red eyes dangerously close to the corner they were currently hiding behind. He pulled Mei closer to his chest and made sure they stayed out of its range—the angle preventing them from being spotted—but his heart pounded in his ears regardless.

What if he had made a mistake?

Saeyoung couldn't afford to dwell on the thought because the longer he hesitated, the more dangerous the situation would become. He had to trust that his hacking skills had truly eliminated the building's security system and concentrate on navigating them through the labyrinth of hallways, which should've been easy since he had memorized the entire floor plan.

However, Mint Eye's main base of operations was a lot larger than the blueprints had led him to believe.

It might only have three floors in total—a basement, the ground level and the first floor—but they stretched across a large property that was surrounded by a thick forest. It was almost sinister how the labyrinth of trees separated the building from the rest of civilization and he suspected it had been intentional. If he had to give an estimation, the mansion was probably about as large as a medium-sized public school while the outdoor area could be measured in football fields.

Mint Eye had even started growing their own crops like tomatoes and various grains, if the sattelite pictures could be trusted.

After rounding another corner successfully, they finally stood in front of the information room, or at least, he assumed it was since most of the data transfers could be traced back to this exact location. Ideally, they would steal as much information from their servers as possible and be gone from enemy territory before anybody would even notice their presence. If everything went according to plan, they would be nothing more than ghosts to this secret organization.

Nevertheless, they couldn't move forward without causing some poltergeist activity, so he opened the door while covering his hand with the sleeve of his jacket, careful not to leave fingerprints.

Darkness lurked at the far corners of the sparse room, hiding behind the arrangement of computer monitors that threw an eerie cyan glow across every surface. Rows of complicated code were being processed at lightning speed while an intricate cooling system kept the room temperature at a chilly fifteen degrees, leaving no doubt in his mind that this was Saeran's base of operations.

It wasn't easy, but Saeyoung had abandoned the plan to search for and convince Saeran to come along with them because if there was one lesson their latest encounter had taught him, it was that his brother would rather see him dead than follow him. He'd have to postpone the rescue mission until they knew more about Mint Eye. However, he had armed himself with the floppy disc and Rika's letter in case they stumbled across him by accident.

"Can you watch out for footsteps while I hack the lock system?" Saeyoung released her hand and closed the door behind them. "I don't think anyone knows we're here yet, but we have to be on our guard."

"Okay." She nodded, positioning herself between him and the only exit.

When he connected his laptop to the computer, it immediately began analyzing the code. Circumventing the walls Saeran had built took longer than expected, but as always he succeeded in the end. Golden eyes scanned the data his laptop presented him with, which confirmed his suspicions. "I knew it. The server they used is here and this computer was used to hack into my algorithm."

"Look at the keyboard." Mei caught his attention and he followed her gaze to the center of the control panel. "The coating on the keys is almost completely worn off. Someone must've been typing for a really long time in here."

Saeyoung swallowed in silent horror. "God. Where in the world did Saeran learn how to hack? Why did he have to learn this?"

"I know it's hard," she began, "but before we think about answering these questions, we should transfer the materials."

"Oh, right. I'm sorry." He pulled up the toggle command he had prepared and plugged it in the most important part of the data, waiting until it would demand a password to access the protected files. "The most important information is usually the most recent one, so I'll sort by latest and start sending it."

Impatiently, Saeyoung watched as the bar on his screen began filling up.

"Are you transferring the information already? Wow, you're fast." Mei praised after a quick glance at his screen, before training her blue eyes back on the door. "Haneul could learn a thing or two from you."

"It's what I do all the time, but I'm not proud of it." Saeyoung shrugged, wondering whether he should be concerned about this guy she never mentioned before. "You have to watch the transfer process and make sure it's fast, so you can use 100% of the power and get it done before the central system gets overheated."

"You don't have to worry about that. I attached a nice cooler."

Saeyoung froze when he heard the familiar voice and slowly turned around.

Saeran was smiling, but his mint-coloured eyes were telling a totally different story. He was leaning against the door frame without a care in the world, as though he hadn't just discovered his twin brother and a detective snooping around in his room. His nonchalance unsettled him.

"How?!" Mei gasped, sounding as shocked as he was. "Are you some kind of ninja? I didn't even hear you coming and I was watching the door."

"Maybe, I am ... or maybe you're just terrible at being on lookout duty." Saeran replied, unimpressed. "I would say it's nice to see you again, but it might be better if we didn't start this reunion with a lie."

"Um … good idea." Mei said, unsure, and took a few cautious steps backwards. "Sorry about breaking into your room?"

Saeyoung waited until she was by his side, before addressing his brother. "Saeran, I—"

"Well, I'm not really mad about that." Saeran interrupted with a smug grin. "I've seen traces of an anonymous hacker invading our system and knew it was you. I also knew that you would come here first if you ever came to investigate Magenta. However, I had no idea you hacked into the satellite to see the exterior. You totally found our blind spot and came here before the next RFA party. I admit, you're pretty good."

The compliment was empty, completely void of any emotion, and the halfhearted clapping that accompanied it only served to mock him.

While the detective beside him studied the door, probably calculating their current chances of escape, Saeyoung used the opportunity to study his twin brother. In stark comparison to the pictures Rika had sent him, Saeran had grown up to be a tall young adult who had lost all traces of his childlike innocence. He was a little bit paler and a lot skinnier than he remembered, and the dark circles beneath his hollow, unfamiliar eyes betrayed an unhealthy lifestyle that unknowingly mirrored his own.

"What are you even trying to accomplish? Think you can find someone else to blame for your mistakes if you only look hard enough?" Saeran continued when his monologue was met with silence. "What? Cat got your tongue? And here I always thought you were the more sociable out of the two of us."

"I don't know what to say." Saeyoung admitted while keeping his emotions in check, so he wouldn't overwhelm his brother. "We really need to talk, Saeran."

"Talk? Stop treating me like an idiot. I'm sick of not doing anything and falling for your lies." Saeran sneered and flexed his jaw, teeth grinding against each other as he lost the fake smile. "Honestly, I already stopped caring about what you had to say years ago, but knock yourself out."

Saeyoung was many things—hacker extraordinaire, brother, boyfriend, RFA member, secret agent—but he drew the line at scapegoat. It would be a lie to say that the words didn't sting, but he balled his hands into fists and calmly soldiered on. "If you're talking about our childhood, then there must be a misunderstanding."

"Heh? A misunderstanding? Is that how you're going to justify it? You've got quite the ego to think I still care about you." Saeran raised a challenging eyebrow and let out an mirthless chuckle. "You used your own brother to escape that hellish house. I guess you don't want to admit that."

"No, I didn't use you. I tried to help you," Saeyoung protested, growing more agitated. "You'd understand if you listened to my side of the story."

"Help me? Well, whatever helps you sleep at night, brother." Saeran spat out the term of endearment in distaste before turning his attention towards Mei, who was watching their argument unfold from the sidelines. "Did he tell you that he'd protect you and make you happy? You should be careful too. As someone who's been there before … don't trust him on that. He'll only abandon you one day."

"I'm sure there is a misunderstanding." Mei said confidently, making his heart swell with gratitude. In the past couple of days, he hadn't given her much reason to put faith in him, yet she still supported him. "If you listen to each other's stories, then maybe you'll find the truth."

As though her words had flipped a switch, Saeran's face hardened in disappointment as he regarded her with pity in his eyes. "Wow … that woman is totally brainwashed."

It felt like he had been punched in the face with words.

"No, she isn't." Saeyoung said sharply as he felt his patience slipping. "And no, I didn't tell you lies when we were little. I meant everything. I meant when I said I'd protect you, that I'd get us out of there together … I never became a secret agent and changed my name to abandon you and live a good life on my own. I believed we had to separate and change our identities to escape our father's eyes."

"You want me to believe that?" Saeran laughed bitterly. "Who even thought of that insane idea?"

"V did." Saeyoung answered quickly, growing hopeful now that he was asking questions. "And V and Rika promised that they will take good care of you once I left. It was so hard to leave you, but I trusted them."

"And last time he saw you," Mei added, "that's when he realized that V didn't keep his promise."

"You story is fairly convincing. I think a lot of people would fall for that." Saeran complimented, yet his voice was drenched in venom. "However, I have another believable story. Once upon a time, there was a man who lived in a hellish home. He saw his weak brother and got the courage to escape one day."

Saeyoung shook his head. "I didn't make it up."

He had to understand that he wasn't just feeding him empty platitudes and fairy tales, but it didn't look like he was reaching him at all. Saeran wasn't listening to a word he said and while he could offer explanations for his actions in the past, they died instantly in his throat at the cold glare his brother leveled at him.

It was the guilt that began creeping into his heart that paralyzed him.

"Oh. I can use my weak brother as bait and comfortably escape that monster of a mother," Saeran imitated his voice, "I feel like I'm living a better life when I see my weak brother, but one day I'll leave this place, team up with V to create the RFA, have parties, chat online, have fun and fall in love. Saeran is only a burden. Yeah, I will feel much better if I disappear without a word."

Saeyoung shouldn't be shocked. He really shouldn't, but this time his brothers behavior and thought processes were just too alien to him. It was as though there was a stranger standing in front of him, a completely foreign person, and that realization frightened him immensely.

"That's not true," he protested. "How could you think that? I left without a word because I thought mom would find out if I told you beforehand. I wanted to protect you."

"Oh? You know the road to hell is paved with good intentions, right?" Saeran seethed. "Once you find out how miserable I was with that women after you left, you won't be able to say that."

It was the guilt that had sunken into his chest, which prevented him from defending himself. He had promised to protect his brother and failed. It didn't matter if he had trusted the wrong people or if he had good intentions, the outcome was the same. Saeran had every right to be angry at his idiot older brother. As though she felt his conviction waver, Mei took his hand and squeezed it gently, giving him back some of his confidence, yet his tongue was still tied.

"Saeran?" Mei asked tentatively in his stead. "What happened?"

"What happened, huh?" Saeran echoed in a bitter tone before he sent another hateful glare in his direction. "At first I looked for you … the sun came up and morning came in that hell, but you weren't there. I looked and looked. I worried that you might be dead, that our father got to you ... I cried for days. No matter how many times that woman strangled me, hit me and threatened me for being noisy, I cried for days missing you. Did he leave because he was sick of me? Was he mad at me? He'll come back, right? Of course, he will. He is my brother … my brother … brother …!"

It hurt to hear his side of the story. It hurt to see him in pain. It hurt so much he could hardly breathe, yet he was relieved that under all the layers of trauma, glimpses of his little brother were still there.

"If I knew you were having a hard time," Saeyoung began hoarsely after swallowing the lump in his throat, "I would've never left."

"I don't care what you would've done. You never saved me. You pushed me into a deep dark hole of despair," he snapped back. "If I hadn't met my savior, I would've lead a miserable life with that woman and starved to death with shackles on my ankles."

Memories of their childhood were awakened by his words and the atmosphere in the dark room grew even colder than before. Saeran gripped onto his leather jacket with white-knuckled hands, as though he was seeing the same images in his mind, turquoise eyes clouded with sorrow and anger. He felt his own eyes starting to burn and bit his lower lip to keep the tears at bay. It had always been dark, dark, so very dark in their childhood home.

"Savior?" Mei repeated softly, breaking through the darkness. "You've mentioned them before. Are they the leader of Mint Eye?"

Saeran didn't respond. He obviously had already told them more than he had originally planned, if he had even planned on talking to them at all. Saeyoung gripped her hand a little tighter, holding onto it like a lifeline while he asked the question that burned on his tongue. "What the hell happened after I left?"

"You want to know, so you can use me more." Saeran concluded stonily. "I'm not that weak little boy you used to know. You don't know how I felt as I tracked you for years and you'll never understand what I went through."

"I'm sorry. I believed that V and Rika saved you, but I was also a fool believe that." Saeyoung said, praying with every fiber of his being that his apology would get through to his brother, even if he wouldn't forgive him. "I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you till the end."

"Nothing will change if you apologize now," he yelled and his voice grew shrill, "You're a liar … a traitor!"

"Everything I'm saying is the truth. I tried to find out how you were doing even after I became a secret agent. I wasn't allowed to, but I knew that I'd never feel okay without knowing that you're happy." Saeyoung continued calmly. "When I turned twenty, Rika gave me a floppy disc without letting the agency know. Inside were pictures of you and a letter from her."

"None of that ever happened." Saeran denied, firm in believing his twisted version of reality. "You're making that up."

"No, I can prove it to you."

Determination energized his movements when he rushed towards the computer and pulled the old floppy disc from the pocket of his pants. Mei waited patiently by his side as he slid it into the reader of the main unit and opened the folder to show his brother the pictures. It was the only evidence he had to prove his story. Colourful images filled the monitor and the contrast between them and reality was almost ironic.

"W-why? Why do you have those?" Saeran stuttered in shock before shaking his head violently. "You're a hacker. You probably stole those pictures and put them on that disc. You're only trying to hurt me again."

"No, you have to believe me." Saeyoung pleaded, unfolding the letter and holding it up. "Rika told me about how you were doing."

"I know that you're good at forging believable fake information, so you probably wrote that letter and faked her handwriting."

"No, Rika gave this to me herself."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Saeran yelled and gripped at his hair as though he was trying to rip it out. "It's all a lie! You made this up!"

Saeyoung watched in concern as his brother took heavy breaths, eyes blown wide and panicked like a wild animal that had been cornered. He must've realized, somewhere deep down, that something wasn't adding up, right? It must be the reason he was reacting so strongly, so defensively, to seeing the pictures. Slowly and cautiously, he started approaching his shaking brother with one hand stretched out in front of him.

"Don't come near me!" Saeran shouted, making him freeze. "If you come near me or tell anymore lies, I'm going to kill you."

"Saeran—"

His heart grew cold when he was met with the pure, unbridled rage in those unfamiliar mint-coloured eyes. Saeran threw his arms up, the pointed studs on his wristband glinted dangerously in the dim light, and spit flew when he hissed, "Don't say that name!"

Saeyoung could only watch helplessly as his brother bolted out of the room without another glance back, door slamming shut behind him. He had been close, so close to finally reuniting with him. Emptiness settled in his chest and he suddenly found it hard to breathe. He had never been claustrophobic, but it felt as though the walls of the room were closing in on him.

"I think the door is locked," Mei said and he had almost forgotten she was there.

"W-what?" Saeyoung stammered as he tried to keep his shaking hands under control. "No. Damn it … We have to open it fast. I can't let him go. I won't leave him like I did seven years ago."

True to his words, he sank to the floor next to his laptop and prepared to hack into the mechanism that locked the automatic door. However, the strings of code on his monitor were blurred and difficult to read, and made him grow dizzy. He realized, somewhat belated, that he was hyperventilating, which sent a fresh wave of dread through him because panicking was like poison in situations like this.

It was only a matter of time until they were discovered. He had to hurry.

Light footsteps approached him and before he could blink, Mei was kneeling right next to him and cupped his face with her warm hands. "Saeyoung, look at me."

He obeyed and turned his head, only to be greeted by deep blue eyes, that reminded him of the cloudless sky on a sunny day. They were filled with concern, understanding and affection, observing him from behind the windows of fake glasses. He took a shuddering breath as he felt the tension melt off his spine and matched her breathing pattern until he felt like himself again. It was a little ridiculous, but what calmed him down most was the sight of her in his black hoodie. It was oversized, made her look adorable and served as a visual reminder of their relationship.

"You are not alone," Mei whispered as she leaned her forehead against his. "I'm right here and we will get through this together, okay?"

Saeyoung nodded, comforted by the feeling of her warm skin against his. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said with a small smile and got back to business. "How long will it take to open the door?"

"One or two minutes," he replied and slowly turned back to his laptop, already missing her hands when they fell from his face. "It automatically locks from the outside, so it doesn't open from the inside."

The locking mechanism was comparable to those in special security prison cells, where the inmates had no chance to open the door unless one of the guards unlocked it from the outside. He stopped himself from imagining the motives behind having such a one-sided system installed. He didn't want to think about Mint Eye locking his brother into this room, not letting him out until he finished hacking for them. Stupid cult. How did Saeran even end up here?

It was completely silent, except for the sound his fingers made when they tapped on the keyboard.

Luckily, the information transfer had been completed and since his brother had already discovered them, they could run away and chase after him without minding the security cameras once he unlocked the door. It would be much faster than the infiltration. While he was cracking the algorithm, Mei leaned against his side and he enjoyed the warm weight as she updated the RFA on their situation through the messenger.

Saeyoung really wasn't sure what he'd have done without her.

It took him another minute to erase the traces he had left in their system before he snapped his laptop shut, tucked it under his arm and took her hand. They walked to the door and he peaked through a small opening to make sure the coast was clear. Unfortunately, he didn't have the slightest clue in which direction his brother went and it was too dangerous to search the building, so he'd have to give up on the search until he had a better plan.

Safety first.

Aside from the floppy disc and the letter, he had also brought his pocketknife and the gun, but neither was incredibly useful against large groups of people and he'd prefer not to use the firearm at all. When Mei had caught him slipping it into the inner pocket of his jacket, she had reluctantly agreed to let him take it along as a last resort, but neither of them liked the idea.

It was only insurance in case of an emergency situation.

Saeyoung held tightly onto her when they sprinted through the corridors as if their life depended on it. Once they finally reached the front entrance, they were embraced by a draft of humid summer air and greeted by the noise of tires screeching against asphalt. Gravel crunched beneath their shoes and he was momentarily blinded by the bright daylight, but he didn't stop running until they reached his car.

"We couldn't catch up to Saeran," Mei said, catching her breath before shooting a glance over her shoulder, "but it looks like we weren't followed."

"Saeran hasn't told anyone that we've gone in," Saeyoung guessed. "He's either shocked about what I've told him or changed his feelings about me."

It might be pessimistic, but he highly doubted it was the latter.

"Someone must've driven off quickly," she replied, nodding to the tire marks in the gravel. "Do you think it was Saeran?"

"Maybe," he said as he opened the passenger door for her, "but we don't have enough evidence to make going after it worth the risk. He could still be in the building. We should go somewhere safe first and analyze the data we extracted from their server."

Mei nodded, allowing him to guide her to her seat, and he handed her his laptop for safekeeping. He was grateful and touched that she was thinking about his brother, but he was even more grateful when she was inside the safety of his bulletproof car. He didn't waste any time as he hurried to the other side and swung himself the driver seat, however, when he was about to turn the key in the ignition, the familiar figure of a man with shades stumbled towards them.

"Luciel?" V knocked against his window with both of his fists, desperately trying to see through the tinted glass. "Mei? You two are in here, right?"

Saeyoung took a moment to observe the man he had trusted and looked up to as a father figure all those years. V continued calling his name with that noble mouth, which had promised him so many things when he was a child. He had always believed that the man was one of the kindest people on the planet and could do no wrong, but now the sight of V made him sick to his stomach.

However, he wanted answers more than he wanted to run him over with his convertible, which is the reason he pressed the button to lower the window.

"Luciel," V said with a relieved smile. "Thank God it's you."

Saeyoung glared at him, fingers digging into the steering wheel. "Why are you here?"

V was breathing heavily and his hair was unusually unkempt as though he had run a marathon. He was paler and a lot thinner than the last time he saw him. Stress induced by the loss of his fiance and overexertion during his excessive hiking trips were likely to blame. V looked like a shadow of himself, however, he couldn't spot any clues that would explain his presence at Mint Eye headquarters.

"I … I had something to take care of," V hedged and the way he guiltily averted his turquoise eyes made his blood boil. If that man got any vaguer, he might snap and actually run him over.

"Oh, of course." Saeyoung muttered when the puzzle pieces clicked together. "You knew about this place, right? I'm not even surprised. You're with them, aren't you?"

It explained why the man was standing beside his car without camera and hiking gear, and nothing but his cardigan on him. It explained why he didn't want him to look into the drawers. It explained why he didn't tell him about Saeran.

"I know that you won't believe anything I say." V sighed and shook his head. "You won't be able to accept it even if I tell you why I'm here, so it doesn't matter."

Saeyoung really hated it when V talked to him using that high and mighty voice. He always sounded as though he had to explain that the sky was blue and that without his kind explanation he'd think it was purple. V may be older than him, but he wasn't a child anymore and between the two of them, he was the one who spoke seventeen languages and graduated from an Ivy League university in one and a half years.

"Well, I'm willing to listen." Mei said suddenly, leaning over him to look at V. "What are you doing here?"

He appreciated her subtle strategy of calling V out by testing his words, seeing whether it was an excuse or whether he would actually tell someone willing to listen, but he suspected the man would only dish out more lies given the chance.

"Don't talk to him," Saeyoung warned and gently pushed her back in her seat. "He might be dangerous."

"You don't have to put up your guards against me," V protested, placing his hands on the open window. "I would never hurt you."

Saeyoung didn't even hesitate to press the button that closed it, but stopped once V withdrew his hands as though he had touched lava. Good. He wanted him nowhere near them.

"You want me to believe that?" Saeyoung threatened. "Who the hell are you? How did you know what was in that drawer? Rika was the only one who could go in that apartment. You are the worst kind of fraud to lie with such an innocent face."

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you right now." V apologized with a pained look. "I'm so sorry ..."

"You are not going to say anything about Saeran?" Saeyoung asked, voice rising dangerously. "You are not going to tell me what the hell you did to him? He didn't even listen to me … Why the hell does he think I'm a liar? Did you brainwash my brother?"

Instead of listening to meaningless apologies, he wanted to hear the excuses the man would come up with. Although, anything V said at this point would probably make him want to punch the photographer in the face. He wondered if V had always been this person. Maybe he had even pretended that he was attacked by Rika, the person he loved, and turned blind, so that nobody would suspect he had a hand in her death.

"I'm sorry. There is nothing else I can say," V admitted slowly. "About Saeran … I know how much you love him, so I didn't want you to know the truth."

His confession hit him harder than it should, he had seen the betrayal coming from miles away after all.

Saeyoung had a really hard time controlling his temper and silently counted the number π in his head to keep himself calm. 3.1415926535 … Betrayal never comes from enemies. He didn't know how to put his disappointment into words and didn't have the patience for it either. Fortunately, he didn't have to since the detective next to him wasn't exactly happy with his explanation either.

"If you knew," Mei began and the steel in her gaze was unwavering, "then that should've been all the more reason to tell him. You are deluding yourself if you think you were protecting him by not telling him the truth. It wasn't your call to make. If someone you love was in danger, you'd want to know so you can help, right?"

V grimaced as her words sunk in, cutting deeper than anything he had thrown at him. "I … I'm sorry."

It was getting tiring to watch him wallow in self-pity. Saeyoung wished V would finally put away the disguise of the kind photographer and show his true colors.

"I'll never forgive you," he told him. "You're the reason Saeran is like that. You're the reason I became a secret agent and you're the reason we had to separate. I hate you."

"You won't believe me now," V said with urgency, "but I have something important to tell you, Saeyoung."

"Don't say my name!" Saeyoung shouted, shaking with anger. "You don't get to say it."

"I think I saw Saeran earlier," he continued, ignoring his outburst. "I can't see very well, so I wasn't really sure … but since you are here, Saeran must've been the one being dragged away."

A million different but equally terrifying scenarios ran through his mind and made his blood run cold. Saeran was a member of Mint Eye, so the only other group he knew that could've kidnapped him was his agency. It was likely that they confused him for his brother, especially since he had a tendency to disguise himself when in the field.

Fear came crushing down on him like a tidal wave as he realized that one of his worst nightmares had come true.

Saeyoung narrowed his eyes. "I won't forgive you if you're lying."

"I couldn't see it properly, so I don't know who took him." V tripped over his words as he desperately tried to win back a sliver of trust. "I could see their car though because it was a really noticeable bright yellow convertible."

"No, way." Saeyoung slammed his fist against the steering wheel. "I thought those tire marks looked familiar. It was one of my cars."

There were few people who were bold enough to drive around in a yellow car, but there were even fewer who could afford the luxury of a rare convertible. His beloved Porsche Carrera GT, finished in Fayence Yellow, cost around 577,840,000₩ and was ranked number eight on top sports cars of all time. Vanderwood was the only one who could've snatched his prized possession from the underground garage.

Of course, his superior had gone the extra mile to get under his skin and picked the most expensive car to chase him down.

"It's kind of a stupid question since you don't seem the type," Mei began carefully, "but have you ever lent anyone your car?"

"No, but there is only one other person who has access to them." Saeyoung muttered. "Vanderwood must've taken my car and when he saw Saeran, he must've mistaken him as me."

She tilted her head to the side in thought, ponytail swinging to the left as it obeyed gravity. "I guess Vanderwood isn't your maid then."

"He's a secret agent in charge of keeping watch over me," he explained and watched her blue eyes widen in realization, "I'm sure he received orders to take me out since I ran off without completing my job."

"If Saeran is in the hands of your agency," Mei said concerned, "then we better leave and come up with a strategy to get him back as soon as possible. Even if they find out that he isn't you, they'll likely used him as a hostage, right?"

Saeyoung nodded and fought an internal battle against the dread that was threatening to overwhelm him. As much as he wanted to chase after Vanderwood and rescue his brother, he had to stay rational, so he wouldn't fall into their trap. Mistakes like that would cost him the lives of the two most precious people in the universe.

"I'd like to help since I'm also responsible for this," V said suddenly, "but I'm sure you won't trust me."

It looked like V had found his brittle backbone and picked it up from the gravel path while they had been talking. It was a shame he'd have to stomp all over it and break it again. All of this was his fault and he would never let him forget it, not even for a second.

"Oh, you're right." Saeyoung used the opportunity to grab the man by the collar of his shirt and forcefully janked him down to the window. V stumbled forward in surprise and nearly fell to his knees when he lowered his voice, "If Rika knew the real you, I get why she messed up your eyes like that. If your eyes really do hurt, just become blind. I don't want anyone else to be fooled by those sincere looking eyes."

Saeyoung shoved him away before he could respond and closed the window. After he turned the key in the ignition, his baby came alive with a comforting purr. He revved the engine and performed a skillful u-turn that barely missed the stunned photographer, but only because he had the mind to leap out of the way in time. V was coughing his lungs out when he literally and metaphorically left him standing in a cloud of dust.

Teal domes grew smaller and smaller in the distance, yet he didn't waste a glance the rear view mirror when he pushed down harder on the gas pedal.

---

수상한메신저

---

Rain was drumming against the windshield in a steady rhythm that was only broken by the occasional mechanical wave of the windscreen wipers. It was getting darker outside, but it was difficult to tell the time with the thick blanket of gray clouds covering the previously sunny skies, yet she kept her eyes glued to the scenery, hoping for answers it couldn't provide.

He hadn't said a word the entire ride.

Mei didn't even know where they were going and she was too afraid to break the silence to ask. It reminded her of the first time they had been alone in his car together, although back then she didn't have the emotional baggage of him giving her the cold shoulder and memories of him rejecting her adding to the insecurity that weighted her down. She had forgiven him for his actions, understood the reasons behind them, but she hadn't forgotten and it would take a while to get over it.

She stole another glance at him, but the stony expression hadn't changed.

Saeyoung had obviously perfected the ability to wipe his face of emotion in the blink of an eye. It was an important skill in his dangerous profession, where slipping up and giving away too much information by accident could become a life-threatening disadvantage. However, Mei had recently begun to notice that his talented hands often contained the emotions he tried so hard to lock away. One of them had an iron grip on the steering wheel, long fingers pressing against the leather as if letting go meant certain death, while the other one rested on the gear shift stick, his thumb tapping a nervous beat against the material.

It looked as though he was trying to numb himself to the pain and her heart ached at the sight.

He was running on autopilot ever since his brother had run from the room and it had only gotten worse once he had discovered that the agency took him. Mei knew what it meant to shoulder the responsibility of being the older sibling and was familiar with the feeling of desperately wanting to protect the younger one. She had been in similar situations with Hana, and although her sister wasn't nearly as complicated as Saeran, there were times when she had really struggled.

Mei was sure she lost twenty years of her lifespan that one time Hana got admitted to the hospital for pneumonia.

She couldn't imagine ever separating from her sister and discovering years later that she had been brainwashed by a cult and suffering by herself all this time. Saeyoung didn't even get the chance to clear up their misunderstanding before his agency kidnapped Saeran, adding another weight to the mountain of guilt he carried on his back, and one of his closest friends made it official that he had stabbed him in the back.

It was too much for one person to bear alone.

However, she didn't know how to comfort him since he usually preferred to withdraw into his shell in situations like this, so she remained silent and gave him space, hating her own helplessness. As time passed by and the darkness swallowed the scenery, she heard him mutter curses in different languages beneath his breath sometimes, but when she looked up his lips were always pulled into a straight line.

Exhaustion was written all over his features, evident in the dark shadows beneath his golden eyes and the way he hung his shoulders.

She was about to throw in the towel when the screen of his phone lit up with a new notification from the messenger. V had apparently opened a chatroom and the title suggested that he was resigning from the RFA, however, it was the lock screen that actually caught her attention. Saeyoung had chosen the picture he had taken of her when she was stuck in the oak tree and while she was surprised that he kept it, the memory warmed her heart.

It gave her the courage to lay her hand over his.

He didn't react at first, but then his shoulders sagged with a relieved sigh as though he had been waiting for her to do that. Without taking his gaze off the road, he let go of the gear shift, turned his palm upwards and firmly intertwined their fingers. It was comforting. She loved holding his hand.

"Seven … um," she began carefully, "Aren't you getting tired of driving? I think we— "

"Why are you calling me Seven?"

"I … I thought," Mei stammered, "You said earlier ..."

"I didn't want him to use my name," Saeyoung clarified as his gentle eyes found hers, "but I meant it when I said that I like you calling me by my real name. And it's fine. I like driving too."

"O-okay." Mei squeezed his hand, fighting the warmth that was rising to her cheeks. "Well, I think we should stop for today and find a safe place to rest, Saeyoung."

He nodded reluctantly and gave her the first smile in hours. Honestly, she had expected him to put up more of a fight, but he must've been more tired than he let on.

It didn't even take half an hour until they were stranded in the lobby of an exceptionally below-average hotel at the side of the road. Saeyoung checked them in at the reception under a false name and as a married couple—which shouldn't have made her stomach flip but it did—and paid in cash, so the agency couldn't track them. He kept apologizing for not finding them a nicer place to stay for the night, while he carried their luggage up the creaking stairs, but she waved his concerns away.

Honestly, Mei couldn't care less about the quality of their hotel if it meant they were safe and had a place to sleep.

Once they entered the room, she was surprised by how inviting and clean it actually was. It smelled like laundry detergent and jasmine flowers, and the sound of rain falling outside was adding to the soothing atmosphere. The double bed in the center was freshly made with soft-looking white cotton sheets and she couldn't wait to sink into it as her own body was starting to protest from fatigue.

Well, she hadn't slept properly in the last twenty-eight hours.

After locking the door, Saeyoung unloaded their bags next to a table in the corner and plugged the equipment that needed charging into the electrical outlets on the wall. She got the strange feeling of déjà-vu when he set up his provisional workstation, so she convinced him to eat dinner with her first—which consisted of leftover sandwiches, vegetables and fruit they brought along—before he worked himself to the bone on an empty stomach again.

Mei left him to his own devices afterwards, knowing the familiar routine likely kept him distracted, and took a quick shower in the small bathroom next door.

It felt heavenly to let her hair fall back down, take off the fake glasses and stand under the hot water that managed to loosen the tense knots in her muscles. She allowed herself a moment to push the darker events to the back of her mind and appreciated the good that came with them. They had gotten the data, they had learned more about Saeran, they had confirmed that V was involved and they had escaped to a safe location without injuries.

It wasn't all bad.

When she stepped out of the bathroom in a fresh set of clothes, Saeyoung was slaving away on his laptop again, likely working on ways to track down Vanderwood by hacking the servers of his agency. He was chewing on his lower lip as he concentrated on the task, but she could tell that he was still digesting everything that happened today, albeit with a much more negative perspective. She wanted to help him, but didn't know how.

Suddenly, she was struck by inspiration and carefully sneaked to his side.

Mei leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek, lingering for a moment before she drew back again. He made a surprised sound and nearly fell out of his chair. She couldn't help the giggle that escaped when he turned to her with a red face and wide eyes. She loved how adorable he looked when he got flustered. It made her want to shower him with even more hugs and kisses.

"Wh-wha …?" Saeyoung stammered, holding his cheek. "W-what was that for?"

Mei shrugged coyly. "I felt like it and I wanted to cheer you up."

"Thanks," he said shyly, "I … uh … Can I have another one?"

"Sure." Mei smiled, happy that her strategy worked, and completely missed the playful gleam in his golden eyes. "You can have as many as you want."

When she rested her hand on his shoulder and leaned forward to peck his cheek again, he quickly turned his head and caught her lips with his. She squeaked against his mouth in surprise, but one hand had found its way to the back of her neck and prevented escape. It didn't take long until she melted against his warm lips that were moving gently against hers. She tightened her hold on the soft fabric of his shirt, barely keeping herself steady, but the kiss ended before her knees could really give out on her.

It was her turn to be flustered and his annoyingly smug grin told her just how much he enjoyed it. "Now we're even."

Of course, he always had to have the last word, but she couldn't really be cross with him when he looked at her with as though she was the brightest star in the universe.

"You should rest," she said instead. "Why don't you come to bed?"

Saeyoung blushed again. "H-how can I sleep in the bed with you?"

"Well, you change your clothes, get under the covers and close your eyes." Mei raised an amused eyebrow. "We've slept on the couch together before, so what's wrong with doing it on the bed?"

It was only when the words left her lips that she realized how they sounded.

"I … I'm not saying something is wrong, but if I put thi-this laptop on the bed, the air won't flow and then the CPU will get overheated." Saeyoung tripped over his words. "Yeah, uh, anyways … if you really want me to join you, I'll do it later after this is done processing."

"O-okay," Mei stuttered with burning cheeks. "I'll … um … let the others know that we're safe."

"You do that," Saeyoung replied with a teasing smile once he realized he wasn't the only one who was embarrassed. "I have to work, but I'm starting to feel rather sleepy."

Stifling a fake yawn behind his hand, he made a show of stretching his arms above his head and shot her a knowing look when her eyes kept lingering on his muscles. She huffed and turned to make herself comfortable on the bed, ignoring the way his quiet laughter made her heart sing. Instead she crawled under the covers and pulled up a cushion to rest against the headboard, before opening the messenger on her phone.

Yoosung : OMG MEI! (((･Α･川)))

Yoosung : You and Seven are safe, right?

MC: Yeah, we got away from that place and are in a safe location.

Yoosung: I'm so glad to hear that (ノ﹏ヽ)

MC: (✿◠‿◠)

Yoosung : Did you read what V said earlier?

Yoosung : I expected a long explanation, but he left the worst words possible, pretended as if he's taking on all the burden and ran off like an irresponsible jerk.

Yoosung : Where did all of that come from?

MC: We ran into him at Mint Eye by accident. I think that might be his reason behind quitting.

Yoosung : What the hell?!

Yoosung : (╬ಠ_ಠ)

[ZEN has entered the chatroom.]

ZEN: You must be safe if you're using the messenger. I'm so glad ꒰･◡･๑꒱

ZEN: I can't believe V is leaving the RFA and that he is involved with Mint Eye.

Yoosung : I don't ever want to see him again. I hope he never comes back here.

[Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom.]

Jaehee Kang: I couldn't not come here after reading the last conversation.

Jaehee Kang: V completely disappointed my hopes（´ヘ｀；）

ZEN: He should've told us everything face to face.

MC: I really wonder what kind of secret is so important that he'd abandon everything to keep it.

[Jumin Han has entered the chatroom.]

MC: Jumin …

Jaehee Kang: Mr. Han!

Jumin Han: I'm sure there is a logical explanation for his behavior.

Jumin Han: He is not the kind of person who would lie without a good reason. It might be a little hasty of us to judge him so quickly.

Yoosung : I'm sorry?!

Yoosung : Did our backs hurt his knife or something?!

Jumin Han: Even if I can't understand his actions, I just don't want to believe that he is a bad person.

Jumin Han: Not him.

Yoosung : Weren't you the one who said V was behaving abnormal and suggested searching for him?

Jaehee Kang: Calm down, Yoosung.

[Jumin Han has left the chatroom.]

Yoosung : It's hard to stay calm when someone is defending that guy after everything he's done.

Jaehee Kang: V left and Mr. Han has suddenly been entrusted with the position as RFA's leader. I think he is overwhelmed.

MC: I don't think Jumin is okay. Can someone give him a call?

ZEN: I will call him after our conversation.

ZEN: He was super close with V, so I'm sure he's shocked. I mean … they were childhood friends.

ZEN: I thought I could trust him forever, too (_ _|||)

ZEN: V saved my life when I was in a severe motorcycle accident and always supported my career, even when it got really tough.

MC: (ﾟ□ﾟ*川

MC: I'm so glad he was there to save your life but

MC: you can be grateful towards him and still disagree with his current behavior.

ZEN: Thanks (ノ﹏ヽ)

Yoosung : How long do you think V has been lying to us?

MC: A long time.

Yoosung : I wonder what else he lied about (눈_눈)

Yoosung : He never properly told us about Rika's death!

Jaehee Kang: Speculation won't make this situation better.

Jaehee Kang: Mei. You're really okay, right?

MC: Yeah, I'm just worried about Seven. He seems really hurt.

MC: (╥_╥)

ZEN: I'm sure your presence alone is already a comfort to that guy.

ZEN: (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

Mei startled when a weight suddenly settled on the bed next to her. While she had been talking to the others, Saeyoung had finished working, switched off the lights and stripped down to his black tank top and boxers. Strong arms wrapped around her as he pulled her closer without hesitation and he continued typing on his phone while he nestled his head on her shoulder.

How could he be so casual about this?

She sighed and tried her best not to think about how good his solid chest and warm body felt against her. Damn. He smelled nice too.

[707 has entered the chatroom.]

707: He's right.

707: I'm really relieved that you didn't get hurt and that you are safely by my side.

ZEN: See? I told you so (¬◡¬)

MC: (⺣へ⺣)

707: You are with me when I'm bright and fun, and you stick by my side when it gets hard and miserable.

707: I've never had anyone like that in my life.

ZEN: I'm glad you're being honest.

Yoosung : I wish I had someone like that.

Yoosung : You're so lucky, Seven （；へ：）

ZEN: You better treasure her properly from now on or I can't guarantee your safety.

Jaehee Kang: I practice judo every day, Luciel, please keep that in mind.

707: (￣^￣)ゞ

707: If I could, I would travel back in time and punch my past self for hurting her feelings.

707: I'm sorry.

707: I'm so sorry for how I've treated you, Mei. I had tricked myself into thinking you'd be better off without me, so I pushed you away.

707: You mean so much to me that I can't even describe it. I hope you can forgive me.

MC: I already have

707: Thank you. I'm going to do my best to deserve your forgiveness!

707: Oh.

707: Here is proof that we are okay in case anyone needed it~

707: Ahem

Mei was glad for the change of topic, even if it wouldn't last. She hadn't been aware that she had wanted an apology from him, but she was incredibly relieved that his cold behavior didn't remain unaddressed. It was exactly what she needed to move forward and she was pleased that he was taking the first step this time.

What proof was he talking about though?

She was still reading his messages when he sat up and tugged her even closer, making her heart pound loudly in her chest. Heat rose to her cheeks once she saw their reflection in the front camera of his phone. Saeyoung leaned his head against hers, grinning like an idiot when he snapped their first picture together and sent it to the chatroom.

Jaehee Kang: I'm so glad you two are safe! And you look really cute together.

MC: We look like cute couple (*ﾉ∀`*)

707: We thought the same thing!

707: (｡ ‿ ｡)

Yoosung : I'm sooo jealous!

ZEN: I still can't believe Seven got a girlfriend before me;;

707: Hey, rude!

707: You may be more handsome than me but

707: my unique charms are irresistible

707: _(┐「ε:)_

MC: Can confirm (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

707: Thanks, babe (･◡･๑)

ZEN: I can't believe I'm saying this, but as annoying as talking to the combination of you weirdos can be sometimes, I'm really glad to see you've worked things out.

Yoosung : I'm happy for you guys, but I want a girlfriend too.

ZEN: Well, you're leaving your dorm more often now, so your odds at meeting girls have already increased.

MC: You'll find someone. Don't give up!

Yoosung : Your sister is really cute, right? What kind of guys does she like?

MC: ...

MC: Back off quickly, Yoosung (≖‿≖)

Yoosung : I'm sorry (ﾟ□ﾟ*川

707: lol

MC: My sister is the cutest girl on the planet, but I would never help guys date her even if she was into men.

Yoosung : Oh.

ZEN: OH!

Yoosung : So if I act more feminine she might like me?

ZEN: That's not how it works;;

MC: Don't change yourself for your significant other, instead find someone who loves you for who you are and makes you want to improve yourself!

Yoosung : It's so hard though!

Jaehee Kang: If you're done being desperate and bothering Mei, could we come back to the original topic?

Yoosung : Sorry (ಥ﹏ಥ)

707: Right.

707: I didn't come to make you jealous, but to update everyone on our situation and to tell you that I blocked V from the messenger.

707: I can't let him read our conversations.

Jaehee Kang: It's hard to accept that we have to resort to such drastic measures, but it's for the best.

While Saeyoung summarized the most important developments and pieces of information they had discovered, Mei shifted to the right and rested her head against his chest. He didn't seem to mind, humming contently to himself, and she enjoyed the safety of his arms around her.

ZEN: I can't believe your agency took your brother hostage.

Yoosung : It doesn't sound like you'll come back home anytime soon.

MC: No, I don't think we can leave until we rescue Saeran.

MC: His situation gets worse the longer her stays with Vanderwood and he didn't look ... well.

707: I'm glad you're thinking the same way!

707: It's a shame that we'll miss the second party, but we'll definitely find out the truth behind everything!

Jaehee Kang: Are you sure it's a good idea for you to go by yourselves?

Jaehee Kang: We wouldn't mind helping and I'm sure Mr. Han would be relieved if you accepted his support.

Yoosung : We may not be related by blood

Jaehee Kang: Thank God!

Yoosung : but you can think of us as your second family. We don't want you to get hurt.

ZEN: Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help.

707: Thank you, but I don't want to put any more people in danger.

707: I will consider it once we have my brother.

ZEN: Why can't we just call the police for help?

MC: Honestly, I would love to give Inspector Kim a call and send the police force after Mint Eye and the agency.

ZEN: But?

MC: We don't have enough incriminating information on either of them to warrant a raid on that scale.

MC: Also, we don't know which particular illegal activities Saeran was involved in. If our aim is to protect him, we shouldn't let him get arrested with everyone else.

Jaehee Kang: That makes sense. It's good to have the trustworthy members of the police as backup regardless.

707: Our current itinerary looks something like this ...

707: Step One: Save Saeran.

707: Step Two: Quit the agency and make sure they don't follow.

707: Step Three: Take down Mint Eye with the help of C&R, SIDA and the police.

707: We'll keep you updated in case anything happens, but I think that we should rest and take some time to calm down.

Yoosung : Yeah, it's getting pretty late.

Yoosung : Hey, Zen. Can I hang out at your place tonight?

Yoosung : I don't want to be alone with my thoughts;;

ZEN: Of course! See you later!

MC: Good night, everyone *ヾ(-∀・*)*

ZEN: Sweet dreams~

ZEN: I'll call Jumin and tell him everything we talked about. I'm not sure if he'll read the messenger;;

Jaehee Kang: Stay safe!

707: Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite~

[MC has left the chatroom.]

[707 has left the chatroom.]

Saeyoung gently tugged her phone out of her hand and placed it on the bedside table together with his glasses. When he returned to their original position, Mei closed her eyes and snuggled closer to his chest. It was easier to hide her nervousness when he couldn't read her face. She still wasn't used to the physical affection he had been starting to shower her with, more and more, ever since he admitted his true feelings.

It was as though he had been holding back the entire time and was testing the waters now.

Honestly, she didn't mind his touch in the least, she just hadn't expected him to invade her personal space as often and with so much enthusiasm. Saeyoung was a private person and had always reminded her of a stray cat with his tendency to keep people at a safe distance, remaining cautious of his surroundings at all times. Therefore, the detective had assumed he wasn't the physically affectionate type, but apparently he loved cuddling with her.

She couldn't be happier that her deductions were wrong for once.

Restless thoughts swirled around in her head, but she managed to quiet them as she listened to the steady rise and fall of his breaths. It was warm under the blanket with their shared body heat and she was beginning to feel drowsy. However, she couldn't fall asleep without making sure he was really okay. It worried her that he hadn't directly addressed anything that happened today and while she didn't want to pry, she didn't want him hiding his real emotions from her either.

It was the darkness that made her brave enough to interrupt the peace.

"Saeyoung?"

"Mhm?" He hummed and his chest vibrated with the pleasant sound.

"I … I know that you're angry," she began slowly, "but it's okay to be sad too."

"Sad? Why would I be sad?" Saeyoung asked, yet he sounded troubled. "What are you talking about?"

"It doesn't really matter how it happened or that you hate him now," Mei clarified. "You've lost an important friend today."

She heard him release a shaky breath as he rested his chin on the crown of her head. "I knew this was going to happen ever since he dodged my questions in the chatroom and we read the documents in the drawer. I thought I had prepared myself, but when I saw him standing there with that innocent look on his face … I …"

"It still hurts," she finished and felt him nod. "I know you will disagree, but it's really not your fault that you trusted him. You were young and doing everything in your power to protect your brother."

Saeyoung didn't say anything, but his arms tightened around her. Slowly, she reached for the back of his head and began running her fingers through his hair in soothing motions. She loved how soft it felt beneath her fingertips and he sighed in content, enjoying the attention.

"Thank you so much for staying calm earlier today. It's because you're so positive that I can keep calm as well," he admitted after a while. "I used to be the positive one when I was little and with Saeran, but I forgot all about I when I became an agent. Thank you for letting me remember what I had forgotten."

She was honestly surprised that he was opening up to her and willing to share personal details. Silently, she promised she would never make him regret trusting her.

"You're welcome," she whispered with a small smile. "Thank you for making sure everyone is safe and for always protecting me. I'm glad that you didn't go by yourself and that we are doing this together."

He hummed in response and she felt him press a kiss to the crown of her head.

"I don't feel alone for the first time in my life," he said in wonder, as though he couldn't quite believe it, and her chest hurt at the idea. "I live in a huge house by myself and I have several cars, but I never truly owned anything. I couldn't own anything as a secret agent, so I tried to fill up that emptiness with material things. Even while talking about getting a new car, I knew I'd have to get rid of it someday, but ..."

"But?" Mei asked when he trailed off with an amused chuckle.

"I'm greedy now," Saeyoung confessed in a serious tone. "For the first time in my life there is something I desperately want."

"What is it?"

When he didn't answer and her curiosity grew, she looked up from his chest. She was greeted by tousled hair and golden eyes that observed her with an intensity she wasn't used to. It was then that she realized he wasn't wearing his glasses, which added an unexpected level of intimacy to the moment. He was dangerously handsome like this.

As if he heard her thoughts, Saeyoung smiled in a way that made her melt and finally gave his answer in a low murmur.

"You."

Her face was warm as she tried to remember how to breathe.

"You're blushing again. So cute," he cooed with a sly smile that sent pleasant shivers down her spine. "I love how honest you are. I meant what I said though. Even if you feel embarrassed, I won't take it back."

"Go to sleep already," Mei complained weakly, burying her face back into his chest. "It's late."

"What? I don't get a good night kiss?" Saeyoung whined, though she could clearly hear the mischief. "We've only been official for one day, twenty-two hours and seventeen minutes, and you are already being mean to me."

She told herself that the only two reasons she leaned up to press her lips against his were because he wouldn't shut up and because he knew the exact time of when they got together. However, she knew it was a lie when she felt his talented fingers draw circles across her back, exploring the new area and leaving a trail of warmth in their wake. His lips moved softly against hers, growing more demanding and passionate as time passed by.

Her heart skipped a beat when she felt his tongue brush against her lower lip, silently asking for permission.

Saeyoung didn't hesitate to deepen the kiss when she parted her mouth and buried her hands in his hair. She was starting to feel hot and lightheaded, and every time their tongues met it was as though an electric current spread through her entire body, making her skin tingle with anticipation. When she heard his low and muffled groan, she remembered her original intention through the daze and slowly pulled away.

"Another one ..." he murmurs in protest, longing, chasing after her, "... only one more."

Complying, she gave him a short yet loving kiss, but pulled back and pressed a finger to his lips before he could properly return it. He looked like a kicked puppy, the gold of his eyes still burning in the dark, and it took all of her willpower not to give in.

"It looks like our roles have reversed," she said with a breathless laugh, "now I have to be the responsible one. What do you have to say in your defense?"

"You are way too cute," Saeyoung said in a playful warning tone. "If you keep this up, I'm never going to let you go."

"I can live with that."

When she closed her eyes and drifted off into dreamland in his arms, Mei thought she remembered the reason she chose to become a detective. It hadn't been purely for money, or to provide for her sister, since she could've just stayed a doctor if those had been her only goals. No, it was also because she had always looked up to those amazing people who fearlessly uncovered the truth and brought people to justice for their wrong doings.

She had secretly hoped that maybe if she was a little more like them, she could protect the people she loved too.

---

To Be Continued ...