3 weeks later 

"So, I heard a rumor about my little brother," I said, shifting the phone between my shoulder and my ear, trying to grab something on the top shelf. 

"And who told you this? And your little brother? Please, fam." I laughed at Yugyeom and looked at the second item on my list. God, Mino's mom is such an annoying lady. Who buys this many things at one grocery store? It's literally 4 pages long. Why am I becoming so mundane for her? 

-The role you play may be blending in, not fighting. Even if you cannot show you are a North Korean, you must think like one. -Officer BANG 

"A little birdy told me you went on a date with that girl I was yelling at you about finally. How long has it been since you've been obsessed from afar? Three months?" He groaned over the phone and I went into the next aisle, micromanaging the list to make it go faster. 

"Noona, shut up!"

"Is she nice? She's not a, what do you call that? A-"

"? No, she's not, she's actually a nerd. She's like one of the top students and she's helping me with math instead of you. How do you feel about that?" I let out a sound of fake disappointment.

"I feel so hurt, Yugie. How will I ever have to deal with not hearing your voice whining ever five seconds about partial differentiation?"

"Hey! Honestly, how does your real brother deal with you?" I stopped walking and looked down at the list, guilt filling me again. How is he with not having me? How is he doing without me to help him? I'm taking Yugyeom for granted, using his as a way to feel like I am doing something for someone. How could I do that when my real little brother was really struggling with calculus back home? 

"I don't know." My tone seemed to travel to him and he quieted down. 

"Everything all right, Noona?" I took a gulp of air before continuing to walk. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. This grocery list is just piling a bit over my head. I haven't celebrated Seollal with a big family in a few years. Mino's mom wants to make 30 heads, and I was volunteered to help since she only has three days before Seollal."

"Want me to help? I'm in the area right now." I shook my head and put three tubs of gochujang into the cart. 

"No, I'm good. Don't you have to drive home for the holiday?" He laughed.

"It's an hour away by car, but since I've considered walking there this year, you're right. I should start now." I rolled my eyes and huffed. 

"Not everyone is good at directions like you." 

"You're right. My sixth sense is a compass. Have fun shopping, Noona. Be good to your future mother-in-law!" I rolled my eyes again. If only he knew. 

"I'm hanging up." I disconnected the call at his loud laughing and put in into my pocket. A store worker walked by me and I stopped them. 

"Excuse me, where can I find the...malt barely?" 

"It's over in the rice section at the end of the store. I recommend the haeoreum kind." I nodded and turned my cart to go to the back of the store. Tring to get past the 23rd aisle, someone rammed their cart into mine. I turned to the left to say sorry, but a piece of paper was dropped into my cart and that person quickly retreated. I looked down the aisle, but there were no people down it. Picking up the note, I opened it slowly. 

Agent, 

360-21 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

-DPRK 

___________________________________________________

I cut the cars engine, looking up at the building surrounded but other, more decorated ones. It must've been a warehouse. My hand went to the gun concealed under my shirt, making sure the safety was off, and it was ready to fire if this was a trap. Looking around, there were no other cars parked near the building, but I was only on one side. Quickly, I opened the door and stepped out onto the snow-covered concrete. There was only one door leading in. 

I opened it and looked at the dark interior. I could feel people here, but they weren't showing themselves yet. There were probably a handful of people, most of them assumingly privates. 

"Present, Arms." I clicked my heels together, straightening my legs and putting my arm up in salute. 

"Master espionage, Corporal, Ri MeeYeon." 

"At ease." I put my arm down and stood straight up. An older man was the first one to come out of the shadows. I instantly recognized him. Officer Yong. 

"Agent Ri. It has been a long time hasn't it."

"Permission to speak." 

"Granted." He turned away from me. 

"Do I have any orders as of now?" He laughed and turned back around, looking down at me. 

"You're very forward, but I have to say no. You have no new orders. Stay where you are."

"But sir, I-"

"I said you have no new orders!" I straightened up again and bowed. 

"I am sorry." 

"In fact, you will have no new orders. Your time is almost up, and the country thinks you will not be able to finish this mission." My mouth went dry. 

"Sir, I have Tuan wrapped around my finger. I can kill him within moments. I-"

"I, I, I. Do you not care for your country? The government thinks your loyalties are shifting. We are all aware your future husband has defected, and we think you will as well."

"Officer Yong, I assure you I have all honor for our great country and the Great Leader. I can fin-"

"Do you not hear what I am saying, girl?! Right now you are disobeying us! You have shown us you are not strong enough for the Southern land! You are weak!" 

"I must finish this mission! Junhong is-"

"Your brother. Seemingly the only reason you do anything for our country. Not to be a revolutionary, but to be free. You all can come out now." Soldiers in brown uniforms surrounded me, guns at ease, but ready to fire. Were they really going to kill me? 

"The Great Leader has sent someone else and we believe that this will motivate you to become a soldier loyal to the country...In a way." He swatted his hand in the air and the nozzle of a two guns was at my head and my back. A hand felt me up and down, taking out my gun and knife and throwing it far across the room.

"Come out now. MeeYon is eager to see who you are now." The sound of boots clunking echoed through the empty warehouse, and I turned to look in the direction the sound was coming from. Who did they send? Yongguk? No, he's too good for low missions like this. Maybe Jongup. He's quiet enough. Maybe even Daeh...

My heart was loud in my chest as the familiar face stepped out of the shadows, emotionless. He clicked his feet together and turned to face me, right next to Officer Yong. He was tall, and his facial structure was sharp. They let his hair grow out and is was swept over his eyes, the military uniform fitting on his frame perfectly, but still looking too big to me. It was the scariest thing I had ever witnessed in my life. It felt like time had stopped as he stared at me with dead eyes. That was not him, it couldn't be. He had spirit in his eyes, and they were colorful. Now they were dull and filled with pain...all because of me. 

"Present, Arms." My heart beat had traveled it's way to my ears and my eyes were the widest they would ever be. 

"Expert espionage, Corporal, Ri Junhong." 

"At ease." He put his arm down and I stared at him, trying to find what he was hiding. Was he screaming inside for me like I was doing to him? 

"Junhong will take over for you, forever. Junhong, arm yourself." Junhong took out a handgun from his side and cocked it. His face still showed no sign of emotion. What happened to him?

"What did you do to my brother?" Officer Yong smiled and I took one step forward but stopped when Junhong did the unthinkable. He turned into a shooting angle and aimed the gun at my heart. 

"Defector Ri MeeYon, do not take any steps forward." His voice was strong and unwavering. His voice wasn't his.

Defector?

"What did you do to him?!" I yelled, my anger getting the best of me. 

"It's the newest type of training. Blind loyalty to the state is a Fascist principle, but it is also one of ours. Junhong is commanded to believe you are an enemy of the state and will not hesitate to shoot you down."

"Junhong?" He did not react to me calling his name, just stared me down the with the sights of his gun. 

"He does not consider you his sister anymore. Therefore, you do not have a brother anymore. We anticipated for you to go against us and defect away after you learned that your brother had not even stepped foot into the University. You are just to stupid to know war tactics."

"This isn't war, this is insanity!"

"And what better way to make an example than this irony right here? Everyone, listen up! You do not hesitate to kill an enemy of the state like Agent Ri here did with Yoo Youngjae. You may all leave." The chill of the metal went away from my body as the ten other soldiers marched out leaving Yong, Junhong, and I in the room. 

"Your whole life, you took all bullets for your brother, but now, he's the one who is firing them at you. What a beautiful picture?" He let out a horrible laugh and I looked at Junhong. 

"Junhong, don't do this!" This made Yong's laugh louder. 

"You think he will really listen to you? He is ours now. Yongguk made  sure he was trained the best he could be." Anger hit me.

"You let that bastard train my brother?!"

"We made sure he didn't do anything to Junhong like he did to you." I clenched my fists together and looked straight into Junhong's eyes, trying to get one message across before I died. 

"Junhong, Noona tried to save you. I tried so hard. It's not your fault Junhong. It's not your fault that Noona's going to die. It's their fault. Remember that. Junhong, No-" I gun shot went off as I took one step forward and I froze, falling down to my knees. 

"You stupid boy! How dare you go against the plan! I will-" A loud ringing cut of Officer Yong's voice as he hit Junhong over the head with his own gun. 

"D-d-don't hit my..." He came over and looked me up and down, before smiling and kicking am to the ground. 

"N-noona?" Yong swiftly turned to Junhong who was looking at me on the ground and shot him in the leg.

"No!" I yelled watching Junhong fall in pain. I reached out trying to get to him, but Yong stepped on my hand, cracking it. I let out a yelp and recoiled. 

"Someone get him out of here and put him back into the detainment room!" Soldiers rushed in, picking up Junhong. I tried to get a look at his eyes to see if the emotion had returned, but they shoved his head into a bag. Yong walked out behind him and the metal door that the soldiers had rushed in slammed. 

"Junhong!" I yelled, but it only came out as a whisper. I needed to get up and get out of here, but I couldn't walk. I looked down to my torso to see the damage. By the entry wound, it was a .40 caliber and I was losing blood fast. There was no way I was ging to give up without a fight. I needed to save my brother. 

I tried to sit up, but the pain engulfed to the whole right side of my body and blood began coming out faster. I ripped my coat arm off the right side and stuffed it into my wound. There was no way I could sit up in this kind of pain, but I couldn't go anywhere and I was too far from any hospital to go by myself. I needed medical attention right now, but I was completely limited and losing blood too fast. A vibration went through the left side of my body and my eyes widened instinctively. I shifted onto my right side, pain engulfing me again and I let out a silent yell as I took the bloody phone out of my pocket. 

From Mino's Mother: Did you find all of the food? You should be back by now. 

She wasn't going to be any help. I opened my phone and scrolled through the contacts, my eyes landing on Yoo Youngjae. There was no way I could call him. I didn't have Tuan's number, but I did have his offices. If I just left a message there, hopefully, they would get it in time. I needed someone smart. My finger scrolled up and down between the two for a second before clicking on the latter. The phone line connected and I prayed that his ditzy person would answer. 

"Tuan's office. The secretary isn't in, but I can help." I let out a silent cheer as a deep, foreign voice picked up. Jackson. He was the third best choice. 

"Wang Jackson. Do you know the story of Mu Lian?" He was quiet on the phone before making a noise of 'yes.' 

"His mother had done nothing in her life to deserve to be saved, but Mu Lian saw her in pain and near death and went to Buddha for help. And what did Buddha do?"

"He told Mu Lian to gather various fruits to give to his mother, and saved her from hunger and death."

"Then can Wang Jackson try to be Mu Lian for an undeserving human in trouble."

"Who is this? Why do you need help?" I took a breath as all of this talking was wearing me out. 

"Jackson, can you save an undeserving North Korean?" I held down the coat's arm, but the blood was soaking through it fast.

"HyeIn?! Mark! HyeIn, where are you? Mark!" 

"A warehouse in Hongdae. I don't know the exact address, but Tuan should have my car memorized and it's parked off a main...it's parked off the main street."

"What happened? Kim HyeIn, why are you calling us?"

"Tell Youngjae something for me, even if I die."

"Whoa, whoa. You won't die. Mark! Where the hell are you?! You'll actually care about this! I know you're in here!" 

"Tell Youngjae that I'm defecting and that he has to keep his promise, even if I die. Get..get J-Junhong. Thanks, Jackson." 

"Wait! Don't hang up! Mark, Hye-In's in trouble and she called us! I don't know but she has to be in real trouble if she's calling us!Wait, wait you're defecting?!" The phone sounded like it was being torn away from his hand and a new, recognizable voice was on the line. 

"Kim Hye-In, you're ing lucky I like giving second chances today."

"Thank you, Tuan."

"Give us ten minutes. Can you not die in that time span?" His voice was urgent but showed less emotion than Jackson.

".40 caliber, just like you shot me, just on the other side. A little bit more inside the body. It either hit my kidney, liver, lung, or muscle. It definitely broke a rib so I don't think it's lower than the liver. I also have a broken left hand."

"You survive over three years and this is where you get shot. Ten minutes, Jackson's going to stay on the line with you." It sounded like he dropped the phone and Jackson picked it up. 

"Look. What's going to happen when you say you defect is that likely Mark will take you to NIS after you get out of the hospital and you'll have a trail. If there's no hard evidence, you'll be granted asylum. If there's solid evidence against you, you get a minimum of nine months a max death or life imprisonment. There's also another option, but we'll go over that when you get better with Youngjae. You won't be able to leave the hospital and you'll have a guard 24/7. If people want to visit you, they have to be approved by us or the NIS. Once you enter those hospital doors from the ambulance, you're telling the world that you were North Korean. You, until it is proven, are not a spy or even an officer. You are a citizen of a country in which the people of South Korea are willing to help. You may upset some people with your lie, but that's the way it is. We'll try to make an alibi and if you want, we can have Youngjae in it with backup evidence. Does that sound good?"

"Sure." It was quiet and I surprised myself at how far gone I was. Tuan better hurry his up or I'm dying on the phone with Jackson.

"Also, your trial will likely be a few months from now and you will be monitored daily. We're going through the same thing with Youngjae. Since you are a defector, you are on our side now. We also have no evidence of you ever saying you were a North Korean spy, so you will probably get by. We'll try to get living arrangements set up, but they need to be private then. Visitors will be limited and monitored. You also have to be ready for media questions and the police reports of this incident. I'll file your report so it's the easiest it can be on you. Are you able to respond to me?"

"Bare...Barely. This...the floor is v-v-very comfortable right now." He sighed and I looked down at my clothes that were now almost completely soaked with blood. I was fading fast, but I needed to stay awake. Think of Junhong. 

"You can't fall asleep. Do you have any important belongings at that guy's house?"

"No. I can replace clothing and....and I have t-things in the...the back of my c-car." I let out a cough and put my hand up to my mouth. Blood. It did hit my lung, or the blood was spreading on the inside. 

"I'm coughing b-blood, Jack." 

"Mark better hurry the up."

"I agree."

"Who do you want to be able to be in your room right as you wake up?" 

"I..I don't know. No one who doesn't know that...t-that I'm from N-North..." Black spots danced in my vision and my eyes felt like they were being drawn down by sandbags. Have I not slept well in the past few weeks? 

"Hye-In! You have to talk to me!"

"I...can't. I w-want t-t-to slee.." 

"Hye-In, if you fall asleep I swear I will kill your a-" The door burst open and the buzzing in my ears got louder again. All I could see was the red and blue flashing lights and figures walk in. 

"Night, Jackson. Tuan's here." I let the phone drop out of my hands and sleep take over me. 

"Kim, wake the fu-" I groaned as I felt like I was being lifted up and finally closed my eyes shut. The sleep was too much. Too much.

I'll finally get some well-deserved rest.