After we had a last look at the plan on Umji’s sketchbook, silence dominated as we loaded the bags with audio equipment, tracking devices and whatnots. The air in the apartment was filled with everyone’s unease of the trial missions while I basked in my blissful hangover from savoring Yerin’s text the whole night.

The weight of their footsteps told me that they were both prepared and tormented, but I could not get myself to urge them to relax and remind them that it was just technically a practice. Because failing the task would mean lack of allowance for two weeks and that would be a heavy penalty for everyone. Even I was included in that punishment. Uncle JD could freeze my bank accounts according to his whim and not even Eunseo would help me even if I begged for her sympathy. She would just find it thrilling to see me starve and commute, that’s how much we love each other.

Sowon and Eunha departed the apartment at once after packing since they had to be at the location earlier than everyone else. As for me, I had to drop Umji and Yuju off at a Chinese diner adjacent the targets’ meeting place before proceeding to my post for surveillance. Since Yerin was at the university, I had to go alone carrying all the bags up the 29^th floor of a condominium building facing the target area.

The two missions were only a few minutes apart which made time the most crucial element we had to consider. There was only a small window for corrective intervention in case we needed to abort Plan A and resort to a backup strategy.

The main goal of the assignments was to intercept an important data. We had to prevent a memory chip from reaching a high-profile target without eliciting suspicion. And so, we could not steal nor destroy it. What the data contained? - We were not privy to that information. I thought Uncle JD must have gotten that plot from a TV series. But in spite of it seeming movie-like, I realized in the end that it was far from cakewalk.  

The first objective was to know who was carrying the ‘item of interest’ as Sowon called it, and the second was to attempt to wipe off the information through a virus or by inconspicuously frying the hardware. The task required high-wire computer skills, therefore Umji’s role was pivotal and not to mention, burdensome.

The role of the rest of the team was to identify the carrier and buy Umji enough time to get to the chip before the second target arrives to make an exchange. She explained that erasing the data at the scene might be time-consuming especially that we were not privileged to know the file size; so, she instead designed a virus that will expunge the data immediately once the chip makes contact with a computer or a mobile device. Plan B was to fry the chip if we lacked sufficient time. This was not the best option however, because inducing a short circuit might cause visible changes to the exterior of the memory drive and that ultimately compromises the mission.

Eunseo had leased the condo unit where Yerin and I were posted. When I arrived, I quickly set up the two tripods and mounted the Remington sniper rifles that I both loaded earlier. And after an hour of waiting and repeated inspection of the surroundings, Sowon informed me that Yerin has left the university thirty minutes ago and would be arriving any time.

But I guess ‘any time’ meant 'now' in giraffe language because before I could respond to her, Yerin has already entered my heart the condo and was by the door in her yellow sweatshirt and pleated white skirt checking the hallway before finally turning the locks. Totally unprepared to be in her presence, my heart went Six-Flags-rollercoaster-wild and my body felt all the physiologic urges it did not feel for the past hour or two.

I learned that she ran halfway to the location. But even when she was sweating profusely, once she entered the door, I could not miss that sweet scent she probably was unaware she emitted. In an instant, the room was filled with my favorite music, unicorns, daisies, lilies and rainbows. I could inhale my lovely future from across the room and it paralyzed me that I did not even acknowledge her.

She went to her purple backpack immediately after shutting the door. She quickly drew out a pair of pants and the infamous grey hoodie.

“Do you mind?” With a straight face, she asked me to look away.

But before I could turn around or close my eyes, she started changing her top. With both hands grasping the bottom hem, she nimbly lifted her sweatshirt up and exposed the most breathtaking uncharted territory that could enrapture the whole of mankind. I knew from the very moment I caught a glimpse of her divine contour that I was looking at one of the seven wonders of the world- of SinB's world.

My discovery of her treasure island of a body could not be undone. It not only created a beautiful dent in my memory, it also intensified the hormonal warfare in my brain. It caused my mouth to gape open as I continued staring at her heavenly curves that were hardly obscured by her undergarment. At that point, I started to question the sanity of the inventor of stupid undergarments, the companies that sold them, and the emergence of modern civilization altogether.

If Umji was around, she’d probably comment on an imaginary ring spinning somewhere on my chest that signified my buffering, or she could walk past me, smirk and pretend to wipe off the drool before closing my mouth.

“… Or you can watch…?”

My dead mind was defibrillated by her voice but I was still staring. FCK. I had to think of a sensible excuse for shamelessly watching her undress. But as expected, my mind just wouldn’t let me.

“I-I ahh...” The sound that came out was hoarse and nervous.

“Are you sick?”

I wasn’t sick. But if I was, it was probably just a case of a pathologic crush on her, and day after day it became chronic, incurable, deep-seated and widespread.

“N-No.” It was a one-syllable word but my voice still managed to crack.

“Then what? Nervous?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Of what?”

“Your t-treasure chest.”

“My what??”

. “I mean the trial test!”

“Stop stuttering and turn around.” This time she waited for me to face the wall before pulling down her skirt.

* * *

“Hmm... Did you take care?” While looking through the scope, I felt the need to start a conversation; so, I covered my mic and that was the best I could come up with. I definitely needed tutorial on proper openers so I can stop blurting out my discomfort-generating thoughts.

“You saw my body. Couldn’t you tell if I got hurt?”

“But I just saw the top.” I don’t know why I said that. I don’t know why I said anything at all!

“Oh, pardon me.”

I knew I just had to shut up and concentrate on the mission. I thanked God that there was suddenly white noise coming from our earpieces before we heard Sowon’s voice.

SW: “Is that Yerin?”

YR: “I’m here.”

SW: “Who saw what??”

YR: “Ah. Nothing. What's our status?”

SW: “Eunha is ready to enter the hotel lobby. Umji and Yuju, you can start walking toward the hotel entrance. In exactly ten minutes, the mission starts.”

UJ: “Copy.”

YR: “Copy.”

YJ: “Got you.”

SW: “SinB-yah?”

SB: “Huh? Yeah!”

I might have spoken too loudly that I caused a brain-piercing feedback.

UJ: “Take it easy. I can hear your heartbeats from across the highway.”

SW: “Change of plans! Eunha is already in. I repeat, Eunha is inside the lobby.”

We all didn’t know why she went in before the specified time. Eunha had a mic but not an earpiece to prevent accidental disclosure of her identity. Her only cue was the time set. Her primary task was to approach all potential targets pretending to be waiting for her afternoon rendezvous until she was able to identify the chip-carrier. On her body was a specialized device that sets an alarm if a nearby chip was detected. Sowon monitored the alarm system and so Eunha would not know if she has singled out the target until Yuju arrives to create distraction. However, her phone would vibrate immediately if the device did not sense a chip so she could go to another individual without wasting time.

Eunha approached a middle-aged man and started to chat. “Hi… I’m Soo Young. Have you been waiting?” Immediately, her phone vibrated. “Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you were Nam Joon.”

She walked up to a younger man by the couch. “Hi, I’m Joo Hyun. Are you the person I was going to meet?” The guy shook his head and attempted to continue the conversation. Who wouldn't if Eunha's collarbone was showing?! But he was awkwardly cut off. “Oh, you’re not Seok Jin.” Another vibration sent her off to continue the pursuit.

SB: “Is she seriously going to use Red Velvet and BTS names?”

SW: “It was BlackPink and Exo the other times, so, yeah.”

“Hi, I’m Seulgi. Have you been waiting? I apologize if you’ve been here for a while.” She held her phone tighter, but she felt nothing. From hundreds of feet away through a sniper scope, I could tell Eunha’s expression changed from curious to flirtatious. Her dipping neckline top and miniskirt were a giveaway but when she started playing with her hair, it meant the game was on.

YR: “We’ve got the target. I repeat, Eunha is with the target.”

SW: “Umji, Yuju, you’re up!”

YR: “Target seems guarding his left chest pocket.”

SW: “Positive. Software alarm indicates left chest pocket. I repeat, left chest pocket.”

SW: “SinB-yah, search for target two.”

SB: “Copy.”

I immediately changed the focus of my surveillance and aimed at all likely targets approaching the area.

“Oh, I thought you were the guy I was meeting. That’s sad though ‘coz you’re cute. I just hope my blind date will be as good-looking as you… I’m really sorry, I think I’ll just have to-” Eunha looked behind the guy. “-OH MY GOD! Behind-”

And Yuju has intentionally fallen onto the guy after staging a tripping accident from her untied rubber shoes. I didn't see the act but from what they told me, she was good at it, like stumbling was her second nature.

“Oh my god, Gina!” Umji yelled from the back and pretended to race the guy to catch Yuju.

YR: “She got the chip."

SB: “That quick?? I haven’t found target 2!”

SW: “Yeah, she’s that fast.”

YR: “Umji has it now.”

SW: “SinB-yah, anything yet?”

SB: “I think I got him. Black polo. East. Heading to lobby door.”

YR: “She's transferring the virus.”

SB: “Target 2. Positive. I repeat, target two, about 25 feet from lobby.”

YR: "She's done."

SB: “20 feet... I can see you guys from my scope now, he’s coming near."

SW: “Umji, Yuju, clear out!”

“I’m okay. I’m really sorry, oh my god, I ruined your shirt.” Yuju retracted from the stranger’s embrace and stood up. “Urgh… I think I might have twisted my ankle.” I saw Umji immediately ran to her side to assist her in her pretentious sprain-induced limp.

“Are you sure, you’re okay miss? I know there’s a small clinic near the reception.”

“Where?” Yuju asked acting confused and pained.

“Come on, let me just help you.” Eunha interrupted before turning to the guy. “I’m sorry, it was nice meeting you…” She waited for a name.

“Oh, it’s Jimin. Nice meeting you too. I hope she’s okay.” It was obvious through the audio that all the members wanted to laugh to the coincidence but they successfully held it in.

“Jimin, cute name.” Then she looked at the floor acting to have accidentally noticed the thumb drive. “Is that yours? Or theirs?”

“Oh, it’s mine. Thank you.”

“Okay, nice meeting you again.” Eunha bowed causing her shirt to fall forward that made the stranger inhale deeply to the seducing view. After causing a brief shock to the guy, she sprinted to catch up with Umji and Yuju who continued to walk and limp to the hotel’s concierge.

SW: “Clear area. SinB-yah, any updates?”

.

.

.

SW: “Are you seeing target?”

.

.

.

SW: “SinB…??”

YR: “I have visual of target 2.”

SW: “SinB-yah, what’s your status??”

YR: “SinB-yah, hey! Sowon-eonnie, she’s with me.”

SW: “Is everything okay?”

YR. “I’ll take over.

SW: “Fine.”

YR: “Target 2 making contact… Initiating exchange… Nothing unusual.”

UJ: “Area cleared. Heading back to the apartment.”

SW: “Copy.”

YR: “Exchange done. Target 2 heading out… Black car forty feet east… Cleared out. I repeat, all cleared out.”

SW: “It’s a wrap at area 1.”

UJ: “Signal monitoring is on. I’ll just wait for the data to be erased.”

SW: “Meet you at the house.”

“SinB-yah?” Yerin held my arm after she took out both our earpieces.

“Yerin-eonnie, take the car and the equipment. I need to get some air.”

“We can stay here for a while if you want.”

“I’ll be okay, eonnie.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing, eonnie, I just suddenly felt that what we did was dangerous.”

“It looked dangerous but that was just practice.”

“It felt so…”

“… Real? That’s alright. Come on, let’s go home.”

“Eonnie.” I stopped her from pulling me up from where I knelt. One look at her and she knew that nothing could change my mind. On a normal day, I would have melted to the pleasure of Yerin's touch, but it was that time I had to evade the chance of being alone with her.

She knelt in front of me worriedly before she pulled my hood up to cover my head. “You better come home in one piece.”

If only my heart could jump out of me and leave me to follow Yerin, it might have done it instantly, but I had to go to the café and I had to go alone. Initially, I thought Uncle JD concocted the mission from watching too much American movies because the task was classic of a cinematic plot. But my thoughts changed the very moment I had a clear view of the car from which the second target came out.

After Yerin left, my mind was racing and I had to talk to Eunseo. I knew that the missions we just finished were everything but trial; they were real and there was a reason why Uncle JD did not mention anything.

As soon as I got out of the building, I called the café.

“Hello?”

“Eunseo.”

“Hmmm…?” I could tell from her tone that she knew exactly why I was calling.

“WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME??” I wanted to cry out the anger.

“It would have changed everything if I did.”

“YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME STILL!” I felt blood rush to my head.

“We can talk in person, where are you?”

“I ALMOST PULLED THE TRIGGER!”

“SinB-yah, calm down, where are you?”

“TELL ME! WHY WAS MY FATHER THERE??”

A/N: I apologize for the late update. I am still dazed from the KCON. It was heartbreaking to not see Yerin there but the girls were beyond fantastic. Some of the photos I took at the concert can be found @EyeForSR. I will do everything in my power to update faster. Thank you always.