Nayoung opened her eyes and the only color her eyes could process was white.

There was a flash of light and a shadow hung over her before disappearing suddenly. She blinked a few times; her eyes felt dry and felt even drier. She then raised her hand, trying to ask for water to whoever was near her as her eyes finally adjusted to the light.

Words wouldn’t come out of , only grunts.

She coughed, trying to force her voice out, but it was a bad idea. Her whole throat started itching uncontrollably after her breath rasped it.

“You are finally awake I see…”- Came a voice, belonging to a girl who was now giving her back to Nayoung, immersed in something else – “That’s good… you must be feeling really thirty”

Eunchae turned around, handing Nayoung a glass of water which the girl received delightedly with her trembling hands. She tried to sit straight to drink but there seemed to be no strength left on her body. Eunchae noticed Nayoung’s struggles and moved to aid her, taking the bed’s pillow, fluffing it and putting it behind Nayoung’s back for support before helping the girl lean on it.

“Take it easy, you don’t seem to be in a very good condition…”- Eunchae warned Nayoung, watching her as she sluggishly took the glass to before taking a sip – “Not that surprising, especially after what happened last night… you were out for like eighteen hours.”

Nayoung involuntarily choked on the water but more importantly the memories of what happened the night before came rushing back to her brain. She saw it all in a flash, how Heehyun broke into the mansion, how the assassins arrived, how she fought against Yeonjung…

And how Chungha died in front of her very eyes.

Pain assaulted her head, forcing Nayoung to clutch it in pain as the glass she was holding fell onto her legs, spilling its contents all over the blanket that covered her. She heard Eunchae’s gasp and the sound of rushed footsteps, but she couldn’t even open her eyes product of the overwhelming pain.

A hand shook her shoulders moments later as the pain she was feeling slowly and agonizingly subsided and she was free to open her eyes again. Eunchae handed her a white pill before taking the glass, which was almost empty, out of Nayoung’s lap; giving it to her so she could swallow the medicine.

“It should make you feel better after a few minutes”- The doctor said without looking at her as she took the wet covers – “I’m going to get new ones, don’t move, I’ll be right back.”

It was only when Eunchae removed the sheets that Nayoung felt the cold air enveloping her bare legs. Her arms and chest were wrapped in bandages and she was covered by nothing else but her underwear. She shivered as she looked around the infirmary, seeing a change of clothes, which she presumed were for her, lying on another bed.

Now a little bit more awake, she tried to move her legs a little. The limbs responded to her brain commands but, like her arms, they felt weak so she doubted she could properly walk.

Still, Nayoung being herself, decided that she ought to give it a try. She managed to sit at the edge of the bed after a few minutes of silent curses and failed efforts. She shivered once more as her feet came into contact with the cold, marble floor.

Using her hands, which seemed to be starting to regain their strength, Nayoung pushed upwards from the bed get up. She maintained the position for a few moments before she started tumbling as her knees wobbled under her weight so she had no other option but to sit back down.

“I thought I told you not to move!”- A door opened and Eunchae came in the room again, followed by Eunjin and Dani.

“I’m almost and it’s freezing in here, what did you want me to do?”- Nayoung remarked, speaking for the first time since she had woken up.

There was no answer and that caused Nayoung to look towards the door, only to find two out of the three girls looking at her embarrassedly as her faces seemed to tinge with red. Nayoung followed their line of sight towards her legs.

Eunjin just raised her right hand nonchalantly, greeting Nayoung.

She wouldn’t exactly blame them for looking, after all, she had trained years to tone her legs that way and she really took pride in that. The only problem was that the whole situation was making her self-conscious too.

“C-Can you just give me those clothes so I can change?”- She stuttered a bit, hastily pointing at the change of clothes.

“S-sure”- Eunchae rushed past her, leaving the dry sheets she as carrying before taking the clothes and practically throwing them in Nayoung’s face. – “I’ll go inform Chaeyeon that you are awake.”

Nayoung just nodded, proceeding to change herself and taking extreme care of the bandages.

“How are you feeling?”- Eunjin asked after a few seconds of silence once Nayoung had finished.

“Honestly? Like .”- She deadpanned, yet she was not exaggerating in the slightest. – “I can barely move my limbs and my head is killing me.”

“Damn”- Was the only thing the girl could mutter - “Eunchae told me you were awake so I wanted to say greet you and thank you for last night… you really saved our asses.”

“Not everyone though…”- Nayoung couldn’t help but say it, making Eunjin’s light smile turn into a faint sad frown.

“I’m sorry about that…”- She answered almost inaudibly - “I buried her in the forest, near the lake, there is a wooden cross that marks the spot. Thought you’d be fine with that.”

“And the other one?”

“The assassin took the body back with her once the helicopter arrived”- Eunjin’s voice filled with distaste as she started talking about the girl with the parrot mask, the one Chungha had called Minkyung - “Didn’t say anything when she left along with her friends…”

“I hope that means we won’t have to deal with her from now on…”

“Beats me…” – Eunjin, evidently not wanting to keep talking about Minkyung, quickly changed the topic - “I also brought Dani with me… she wants to tell you something.”

Eunjin softly pushed Dani forwards, encouraging her to talk.

“I… I…”- The young girl stuttered at first, before spitting out the words all at once without stopping - “IWantedToApologizeForPuttingYouInDangerLastNight…”

“What?”- Nayoung asked, dumbfounded, having understood nothing.

“Do I have to say it again…?”- Dani looked back towards Eunjin, who just answered back with a stern look - “Fine… I wanted to apologize, you know, for running out last night and risking your life… I just thought that maybe the just wanted me… that they’d leave the rest alone if I gave myself up…”

“It’s okay… everything turned out okay, there is no need to worry.”

Well… not everything, but she wouldn’t make the young girl torture herself even more than she already had. Nayoung wanted to ask Eunjin about their escape but she didn’t get the chance as the door to the infirmary opened one more time.

“Nayoung, Eunjin, Chaeyeon wants to see you two as soon as possible, she said it’s urgent.”- Eunchae said before looking directly at Nayoung - “Can you walk?”

“I don’t think so…”- Nayoung looked at her legs before she tried to move them once more, they still didn’t seem to be capable of standing.

“There is a wheelchair near Jen…”- Eunchae held back her words just in time and Nayoung saw Eunjin visibly flinch at the name - “Near the last bed from the left row, can you carry her towards it Eunjin?”

“Sure”- Eunjin nodded, moving towards Nayoung and grabbing her before the latter even had time to protest. She moved towards the wheelchair before gently depositing Nayoung on it, giving her a pat in the back after she finished.

“I’ll take her to Chaeyeon”- Eunjin declared, pushing the wheelchair from behind so that Nayoung didn’t have to use her hands.

Nayoung wondered what could Chaeyeon possibly need that was so urgent. It wasn’t to share good news, that was for sure.

Eunjin pushed the wheelchair until they reached the main room in the basement. Nayoung could hear words coming from behind the submarine-like door that led to Chaeyeon’s room, the one where she had locked the blonde assassin last night. She wondered where that girl was exactly.

It seemed Eunjin noticed the curiosity on Nayoung’s face, since she quickly explained what was going on:

“Heehyun is inside… Chae wants her to leave the house”- She said, stopping the wheelchair right in front of the door – “But of course, she refused”

“Should we go in?”

“I mean… I don’t think it’d be a good idea… but if you want to”

Eunjin reached towards the valve, spinning the crank before lightly pushing the door opened, revealing Chaeyeon and Heehyun, one sitting while the other one was standing.

The room seem to have been cleaned from all the scrap metal that was left from the destroyed machines, it looked tidy but it felt empty. There were also no signs of the assassin. Nayoung eyes landed on Heehyun who, despite the freezing cold of winter, was almost ; sporting only a pair of trousers and elastic bandages that that covered her whole chest, leaving only her shoulders and her stomach exposed. Judging by the bandages and the way her breaths were short and controlled, Nayoung could only assume that her ribs were bruised, or even worse, broken.

Neither of them seemed to notice the door opening, except for maybe Chaeyeon, but if she did then she didn’t show it, because she kept talking.

“We’ll pay for the treatment, but you need to go to the hospital”

“I won’t unless you promise me I’m going to be able to return here once I’m discharged”- Heehyun talked back, impassive.

“I can’t… I’m sorry Heehyun, but I don’t want you here anymore…”- Chaeyeon stopped, taking a breather before continuing, as if preparing what she was about to say - “Not after what you did to Eunice”

“I told you there was no other way! She threatened me!”- Heehyun retorted, getting closer to Chaeyeon

“We’ve known each other since we were teens, why didn’t you just tell me what you were going through?”- With a sigh, Chaeyeon spoke – “I could have helped you… this didn’t have to end the way it did…”

“You wouldn’t have understood…”- By now, Heehyun was right in front of the blind girl.

“I would have…”

“No you wouldn’t!”- Heehyun bellowed, silencing Chaeyeon. She kneeled down, pressing her forehead against Chaeyeon’s knees, her voice weakened after that, showing both regret and sadness - “Please tell me you wouldn’t… I won’t be able to live with myself if you don’t…”

“I would have…”- Chaeyeon’s answer was absolute.

This prompted Heehyun to stand up. The redhead just turned towards the door, making eye contact with both Nayoung and Eunjin in the process before she walked through them without saying a word.

Yet she stopped before going out, musing under her breath.

“This won’t be the last time you see me… be sure of that Chaeyeon”

And she left, stomping her way upstairs.

“Eunjin, follow her and drive her to the hospital… She can’t drive in her current condition, be sure to grab the bag I left in the kitchen… it has the money and things Heehyun will need from now on”- Chaeyeon said, clearly concerned for the wellbeing of her friend, before she added – “Leave Nayoung where she is, I’ll take care of her from here.”

“Sure”- Eunjin answered quickly, turning around and rushing upstairs before Heehyun had time to leave on her own.

Nayoung looked at Eunjin’s figure disappear for a few seconds before suddenly feeling the wheelchair moving. Chaeyeon was already behind her, pushing her towards one of the corridors.

“You’ll want to hear this…”- The blind girl just said, filling Nayoung with interest.

---------------------------------------------------------

“So you won’t be coming back?”- Sohye asked softly, crossing her fingers as she did.

“I don’t think so… I think I’m going to stay here…”- Mina’s voice came muffled from the other end of the line - “But you still have my number! We can get in contact easily!”

Sohye just exhaled in disappointment, she expected Mina to come back to headquarters with her. She didn’t know what made the girl stay there with the other group, besides the fact that Minkyung probably scared the wits out of her and she didn’t want to see the older girl anymore.

Come to think of it, Minkyung hadn’t even asked her about the little tussle they shared back at the mansion. She didn’t even object when Sohye, who had come back to the mansion close to an hour before they left to find safety, entered the chopper. Maybe her instructor was too busy carrying the unconscious Yebin and Yewon with her to notice her presence, or maybe she didn’t exactly care if she in or not.

“Say hi to Kyla and Yewon for me, alright?”- Mina spoke again, breaking Sohye’s train of thought briefly – “Don’t be lonely! You’ll have Doyeon and Yoojung with you, and you can visit me any time you want… I’m sure the people here won’t oppose to that… I think… maybe… hopefully…”

Sohye didn’t think it’d be that easy, not when her instructor had killed one of them in cold blood.

“Easier said than done…”- Sohye complained almost inaudibly, prompting Mina to hum questioningly- “I’ll be going to sleep now, good night”

“Sleep well!”- And the line went mute.

Sohye deposited her phone in her nightstand, taking a good look around the room before going for the light. The whole place looked almost empty without Mina’s stuff – since Sohye didn’t have that much personal belongings anyways – and there seemed to be a ghost of loneliness lurking around, making her really uncomfortable.

She shook her head to erase the depressing image from her mind before turning off the lamp on her nightstand. She closed her eyes and covered herself entirely to fight back the cold, maybe she should have the heat before going to sleep.

At least fifteen minutes went by as she tossed and turned unable to fall asleep and, to her dismay, muffled voices started to fill the halls outside. There two voice exactly, one of them sounded angry, but Sohye couldn’t exactly decipher what they were saying.

Quickly growing tired of it, she decided to go out and check on whoever was out there. She got up, walking towards the coat rack and picking up a jacket to partially cover the shark onesie she used as a pajama. She tip-toed towards the door, opening it softly.

“Hello?”- She muttered as used her hand to protect her eyes from the hall’s light.

“Oh, hello Sohye! How are you doing?”- She met with a smile as blinding as the 100 watts’ lightbulb as Yewon greeted her.

“I- I was just about to go to sleep…”- Sohye answered back, hoping that she’d get the hint and lower her voice.

“Oh, I’m sorry we disturbed you…”- Yewon seemed to get it, however… - “But she can’t keep shut”

A grumpy-looking Yebin was leaning on a wall, looking at the watch on her wrist every couple of seconds.

“I swear to god when I get my hands on that I’m soooooo going to kick her ”- The tone in her voice was enough to make Sohye flinch.

“Jesus, calm down, it’s not a big deal”- Yewon tried, once again, to appease Yebin although it didn’t seem to have any effect. - “I don’t feel like sleeping, do you want to play monopoly or something?”

“Do I even look like I want to play that ?”- Yebin glared daggers at her counterpart before turning her back on them and stomping away. - “I’m going to wait until Minkyung comes back… I’m out”

With Yebin finally gone, the hall was imbued in a peaceful atmosphere once again. Yet there was something weird with the way Yewon kept looking at Sohye…

“Do YOU want to play monopoly?”

The girl in the shark onesie took a step back, faking a smile as she excused herself before she rushed inside her room, closing the door behind her and leaving the master assassin whining in the hall.

---------------------------------------------------------

“I think I can walk properly now…”- Nayoung spoke, making Chaeyeon stop the wheelchair.

She felt her legs somewhat stronger now, after being awake for close to twenty minutes. She took a tentative step, putting both feet down before standing up. She felt her knees wobbling but she managed to remain standing.

“Do you want me to take the wheelchair back to the infirmary?”- She asked Chaeyeon once she stretched her legs a bit, but the girl refused.

“She’ll pick it up later, we have something more important to do, follow me”

They walked until they reached a metal door that led to one of the rooms, Chaeyeon was about to open it when Nayoung stopped her, noticing Mina coming out of one of the rooms that was further back in the hall.

“Could you wait for a second?”- She said, and Chaeyeon didn’t seem to mind – “I want to speak to the girl I brought here last night…”

“Go ahead, but don’t loiter too much.”- She agreed and Nayoung took off towards Mina.

Even with her legs – who were still feeling a little bit weak – catching up to Mina was no problem, since the girl seemed to be walking slowly, absorbed in her own thoughts.

“Where is that other girl?”- Nayoung asked once she was behind her – “The one that was with you”

Mina yelped, surprised by Nayoung sudden appearance.

“You scared me… you mean Sohye right? She went back with the rest of the assassins…”

“So she was with them, huh?”- It was certainly a weird revelation, Nayoung didn’t expect the girl to be with the assassins as she