Four years later, June 16, 2016.

Boom, bam, pow! Various sounds filled the large room. Many men and women at XEL were either exercising, practicing with guns, knives, or sparring with other agents and trainees. In one of the sparring rooms, Hyojin was fighting with Hyorin. Four years ago, Hyorin surprised Hyojin when she arrived to XEL enough to make Hyojin not speak to the girl for a week, but nevertheless, the best friends made up and forgot about everything.

For the last four years, Hyorin and her friend, Soyu, who was two years older than the two, has been training and helping Hyojin how to fight and protect herself, but more importantly, how to kill. To think the bubbly Hyorin was a cold-blooded killer, but sooner or later, Hyojin surpassed both Soyu and Hyorin. Hyojin became a greater assassin in just four years, number one to be exact. “Hyorin, have you gotten weaker or what? You can’t even land a punch on me now.” As Hyojin landed a heavy kick on Hyorin.

“Ya! Don’t get cocky just because you’re the number one assassin and number one model at XEL! Just remember who taught you all of these moves!” This time, Hyorin took revenge by quickly flipping Hyojin over into an arm bar but that position didn’t last because Hyojin suddenly turned the tables as she flipped over Hyorin and the positions where changed. Hyojin took her knife and brought it millimeters away from Hyorin’s neck. “I win.” Hyojin smiled.

“Thirty minutes and twelve seconds. That was quicker than yesterday’s spar. Aren’t you getting a little rusty, Hyorin?”

“Oh shut up, Soyu.” Hyorin snapped at the girl.

“Dammit. If I knew that you would come the best in XEL I wouldn’t have taught you anything.” Hyorin said while she was eying the knife. “Get off of me and get that knife away from me. I’ll beat you next time.”

Hyojin got off of Hyorin and put her knife away in its respected cover. Soyu laughed at the defeated Hyorin and went up to the two girls with towels. “Here. Get cleaned up in the shower room. I’m starving already.”

“Okay, unnie.” Replied Hyojin. Soyu and Hyojin first met the next day Hyojin arrived at XEL. Soyu and Hyojin didn’t get along with each other at first. Actually, the two looked like they were going to kill each other. After three month of training, Hyojin excelled in martial arts and challenged Soyu to spar with her and surprisingly, Hyojin won. Soon after, Soyu and Hyojin became close. Soyu even got a matching ring, unlike Hyorin’s gold ring and Hyojin’s silver ring, hers was rose gold. To think the two girls became close after clashing their fists.

Once the two girls were done they went to the shower room and got something to eat at the cafeteria. “You know, it’s your 20th birthday today. Wanna celebrate?” Hyorin asked. Soyu gave Hyorin a hard nudge on her stomach and glared at her. “Ow! What was that for, Soyu?!” Hyojin froze at the moment she heard Hyorin. She knew that it was her birthday today. Of course she would forget her own birthday but considering it was the day that her family died…murdered, to be precise, she would rather train than celebrate. That’s how it’s been for the last four years.

“No, I’m fine. I’m gonna go to shoot a few rounds at the gun range before I sleep.” Hyojin quickly finished her ramen and said, “I’m going now. See you later at the dorms.”

Soyu and Hyorin watched her friend disappear in the hallway with a dark expression. She was the same Hyojin she always knew and loved but if the two friends weren’t with her, Hyojin was the biggest of XEL. No lie. After receiving mission after mission, she became a more dangerous and a more cold-hearted killer than Hyorin and Soyu combined. The only thing that can be seen in Hyojin’s eyes was a killing intent. She isn’t the number one assassin in XEL for no reason. Not that Hyorin can blame her; Hyojin’s family was killed on her birthday, so her sole source of strength is finding the people who murdered the killers, so the one and only way for her to keep her mind occupied