Kang Daniel watched the girl in front of him eating her ramen carefully, and he wasn’t sure why she is still being civil with him even after all that happened the night before. “I’m sorry about your car, I never really got a chance to say it, which is budging me very much, and about making your apartment full of puddle,” Daniel finally spoke up after not being able to say a proper sentence to the latter since they got out from the headquarter. “It’s just a car, and it’s just an apartment, they are fixable and cleanable,” Jieun said, eyes still on her phone.

“Why are you still being so nice to me? I’m starting to think that you are actually a very soft person inside,” Daniel joked but the latter shot him a death glare, but strangely softened a second later – Daniel’s heart fastened when she actually looking at him with a small smile playing on her lips, he hoped his cheek didn’t change to any shades of red. “Right, I should just leave you on the streets and let you starve again to death, Daniel.” She replied with a slight grin.

“Have you figured out how to contact the two of your friends?” She shifted the topic afterwards. “I actually haven’t been able to contact Jisung hyung since a couple weeks ago, but Woojin-ie, uh, I think he went back to Busan,” Daniel replied with a frown. “Does this Woojin-ie have a family in Busan?” Jieun raised her eyebrow. “No, most of us don’t have any families left, but Woojin used to have a grandfather in Busan, but he died a couple months ago.” His frown went deeper.

“Didn’t you come from Busan too?” She asked and he muttered a low yeah as the response. “Woojin was on the same dance academy as me, that’s why we were still in contact back then before they let us go,” Daniel added. “I wanted to go back to Busan too with him, but, there are some complication,” He continued. “Was last night not the first time you being chased?” Jieun concluded with a question. “Kind of, back then they did it more moderately,” He replied with a bitter smile.

“Don’t do that kind of smile, you don’t fit all the sadness concept,” Jieun blurted out all of the sudden that even herself are shocked that she said that out loud. “I don’t?” Daniel was also taken aback by her response but he smiled nonetheless. “This one is, uh, better, it fit you better,” Jieun stuttered a bit and Daniel didn’t miss how flustered she was. “I think you should smile more too, Jieun, it fit you better, this entire badass concept looks good on you though but,” Daniel paused to grin wider. “I like it when you smile,”.

“That badass concept is a part of my job, Daniel,” Jieun snorted as the response. “I mean, do it when you are not working since I still get to see it often because we are stuck together.” Daniel shrugged nonchalantly, but inside he almost jumped when the latter actually blushed because of his statement – it was undeniably adorable, Daniel almost let out a small squeal.

He was about to go even further but the sound from her phone distracted both of them, and when Jieun shot him a slight smirk and slide her phone to his direction. The message was from no other than Kim Myungsoo, and it was only an address of a coffee shop that was written inside it. “Guess what, I think Myungsoo just got me a coffee date,” Jieun said as Daniel raised his eyebrow in pure confusion.

“With Ong Seongwoo,”.

---

“I can’t believe we are really, really meeting Seongwoo hyung, it’s really been awhile, oh wait, it’s more than just awhile, it’s been two years,” Daniel blabbered as they both walked on the sidewalk. “It’s still tomorrow, Daniel, we have to go through tonight first,” Jieun replied nonchalantly. “It’s still exciting,” He grinned widely as he let out a chuckle. “By the way, you look extra tonight, is this not a business meeting?” He muttered all of the sudden.

“Describe extra, Daniel,” Jieun voiced, lips forming a slight smirk when the latter looked troubled. “I mean you are putting extra effort? You know like your make up and stuffs, it’s different from when we ate ramen earlier? You know from before you went home and picked me up again? Uh, like you are extra pretty but don’t get me wrong, you are pretty all the time, but,” Daniel babbled quickly.

“Thank you, and this is a business meeting, I guess? Hard to tell since we will be meeting my friends,” Jieun replied in amusement and he just nodded in return. “Why? What if this is not a business meeting?” She added. “You wouldn’t bring me along if it’s not though.” He shrugged. “Well, you can always save me from a bad date, just in case,” Jieun added. “I don’t think I have that on my job desk,” He snapped. “Since I mentioned it just now, put it on your job desk nonetheless,” She countered as they finally reached the bar.

“I think you can save yourself from a bad date, Jieun,” Daniel said when they took a seat at the counter. “Not really, since I am not that smooth at talking and sugar-coating stuffs, you know that,” Jieun replied. “Yeah, but what if I got beaten up by your date?” Daniel pouted instead and made himself looked like a stray puppy. “Stop talking like you didn’t rank number one at some survival camp against a hundred other people, Niel,” Jieun hissed but Daniel gasped instead.

“You called me with my nickname,” He said in disbelief. “Are you considering me as your best friend now?” He added and Jieun rolled her eyes. “Daniel, just because I am tired of calling you with your long- name doesn’t mean that we are on that stage just yet.” She let out a sigh. “Really? My name isn’t that long by the way, like it’s a normal name with a normal length,” He argued. “Why don’t you use your real name instead?” Jieun snapped.

“This is my real name,” He replied nonchalantly. “Oh, so Kang Euigeon is your stage name now?” She commented – Daniel gasped again at first but immediately snorted – he shouldn’t even be surprised. “That’s the name my parents gave me, but I changed it legally to Kang Daniel when I entered the camp,” He explained afterward. “So no one could track your life before the camp, and no one will know that it’s you after the camp? Goodness, I also gave up when I tried to search for your dancing achievements,” She replied instead.

“More less, and I don’t even want to know how you finally manage to find it,” Daniel huffed before he stood up from the seat and excused himself to the bathroom for a minute. “He’s pretty cute to be seen hanging around you.” A voice distracted Jieun from sipping her drink and she knows exactly who he is. “I think we both know that looks can be deceiving, Minseok oppa.” Jieun let out a sigh when she turned her head and found the man who was staring happily at her.

“And you know it the best,” Jieun added, reminding the fact that the person in front of her is a highly trained criminal who looked like a five years old child. “Is he your new bodyguard that Baekhyun has been talking about while I was in Taipei?” Minseok chuckled. “Does he look like anything else?” She replied. “A big puppy, and a companion, since he was leaning this close to you,” Minseok said as he leaned just a couple inches closer to the latter, in which Jieun made a distance between them again almost immediately by pulling away her body to the back.

“And you didn’t do that to him.” Minseok chuckled, again. “How’s boss doing?” Minseok added while receiving his drink from the barista. “He’s fine, still rich, still powerful, still a jerk, still extremely dangerous, and still doesn’t know that you are back here, does he?” She raised her eyebrow. “Nah, even Suho doesn’t know, I mean, me leaving in the middle of a job doesn’t sound too bright, eh?” Minseok grinned. “Then why did you and why do you want to meet me?” Jieun raised her eyebrow.

“Because Jieun, it’s very important for you to know that someone is after you, and that is coming from Taipei,” Minseok replied, his mischievous grin went away in just a split second. “Someone is always targeting me, oppa,” Jieun deadpanned. “But you know their mobs never meddle with Kwon Jiyong’s business that way, they always try to stay on his good side, especially with Seungri going back and forth making sure they are tamed,” Minseok added then.

“Why? What have you done, you little punk –,”. Just before Minseok was about to reached Jieun’ head just to playfully pat it, a hand swat away Minseok’s hand.

Daniel was standing right next to Minseok, glaring at the man intensely – Jieun almost grinned. “That’s a nice hit,” Minseok praised with a wide eye. “Yah, Kwon Jieun, Baekhyun told me that your new bodyguard can’t do ,” He added. “Is that a lucky hit?” Minseok asked again as he grabbed Daniel’s arm, which made the latter a little taken aback. “Uh, I guess, uh, who are you?” Daniel questioned confusedly.

“Kim Minseok, or Xiumin, if you prefer Chinese name.” Minsok smiled as he offered Daniel his hand. “You must be Daniel, I’ve heard things about you,” The older added again. “It is nice meeting you,” Daniel stuttered because of the shock. “Aw, he’s flustered, look how cute,” Minseok cooed as Daniel took the seat beside him. “Don’t make fun of him, can we please go back to our topic before?” Jieun sighed.

“Aw, you are cute too,” Minseok chuckled as he ruffled Jieun’s hair slightly which caused the latter to frown. “Okay, but seriously, what did you do? Precisely around last week.” Minseok raised his eyebrow. “The usual, I swear, and I even got Daniel last week who constantly report everything I do to Jiyong, by the way, don’t tell him this one,” Jieun said as she shifted her annoyed glare to Daniel, who nodded right away.

“Ha, you could do that, and he followed your order instead, and by the way Daniel, please don’t listen to her but don’t tell Jiyong this one meeting nonetheless,” Minseok snapped as he turned his head to face Daniel at the end too, which Daniel nodded again in response. “I swear, Minseok oppa, I didn’t do anything out of my league, which is by the way, very small space indeed thanks to my brother,” Jieun retorted. “Do you any chance –.” Minseok paused – she knows that he was thinking whether to tell her or not.

“Do something, anything, to – ah, let me start with this instead, have you ever heard the name of Lai Guanlin?” Minseok spoke up at the end, eyes never leaving Jieun when he said the name. “No,” Jieun replied sternly – and thank goodness Minseok believed her right away. And thanks the universe too that Minseok was only looking at her when he asked the question because she might never heard of that name but she won’t miss how Daniel fidgeted on his seat, eyes immediately turned to her direction, when Minseok called out the stranger’s name.

---

“You know, I’ve been thinking from last night that maybe I should educate you more about the member in our mafia house, just in case,” Jieun spoke up when they were heading to the coffee shop the next day. “Minseok oppa is the part of Exo, for your information, And he is very dangerous, Daniel, even though he looks like he could do a sleepover with you and play board games while eating tons of jellies all night,” She stated and Daniel broke into a laughter.

“What kind of description is that?” He cracked. “You are not good at this.” Daniel grinned. “Why are you always doing this to me? I am your boss too, but you literally only insult me and fear the other, Daniel, that is not right,” Jieun exclaimed. “I thought we are friends,” He insisted with a slight frown. “When did we get into that part, I honestly do not remember,” Jieun replied nonchalantly. “You are not stopping me, I guess, I thought it was okay to talk comfortably with you, I mean, I can only do that to you,” Daniel confessed and Jieun fell into silence – why did she let him is also still a mystery to her.

She was pretty much saved from the obligation to answer Daniel when she pulled over to park. “We are here,” She announced and Daniel grinned widely in instant. “Hey,” She called out the latter who was practically skipping at the sidewalk. “Don’t be too happy, I mean, we tend to get disappointed a lot when we expected too much,” She said. “Don’t worry, I know that, but I also know that Seongwoo hyung won’t disappoint me,” Daniel assured.

Finding Ong Seongwoo in the middle of coffee shop was pretty easy – in all honesty, Jieun would be lying if she said that the man isn’t attractive at all – and to think the face like his was once trained to be used for felony instead of entertainment purpose, was pretty shocking. “Seongwoo hyung.” Daniel let out a shout that made Jieun silently thanking the universe that the coffee shop wasn’t that crowded.

The said-Ong Seongwoo finally glanced back at their direction and gave the mirroring smile that Daniel have and Jieun thought she was in the middle of some romantic reunion, and when both of them suddenly hugged – Jieun thought Daniel would cry – she faked a cough. “Ah, hyung, this is Kwon Jieun, she’s the one that find you, more less,” Daniel introduced her with his infamous smile. “Oh, Ong Seongwoo, pleasure to meet you,” Seongwoo said as he offered her his hand.

“You must be the member of the Black League,” Seongwoo added when the three of them settled down at the table. “Oh, hyung knows already?” Daniel’s eyes lit up in happiness. “The person who contacted me actually made it very clear that I am entering the dangerous zone.” Seongwoo broke into a laugh. “I know what you want,” Seongwoo added at he looked at Jieun afterward. “A good cup of coffee, of course, I should’ve buy it earlier for both of you –,”.

“Save the problem, please, I’m leaving anyway, I have things to do and you two can catch up or something,” Jieun cut in. “I need some time alone too, Daniel, are you not tired following me everywhere for the past week, seriously?” Jieun snapped immediately when Daniel was about to protest. “You can talk with us, Jieun-ah,” He tried to negotiate. “Yeah, and third wheeling your reunion, nope, I’m not doing that, I’ll be back, you two can talk,” Jieun retorted.

And the girl eventually left after fighting some more of Daniel’s complaints. “It’s been very long, hyung,” Daniel finally spoke up, smile never leaving his face - he was calmer than any of the time since he got kicked out, he miss the sense of familiarity. “It is, Niel-ah, how’s the league treating you?” Seongwoo replied. “Good, and they will to you too,” Daniel stated and got the older fell into a silence.

“Do they know?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow skeptically. “Honestly hyung, they know what they need to know.” Daniel shrugged. “Kwon Jiyong wanted us eleven, hyung, I bet my life to that,” Daniel added as he lowered down his voice. “We could’ve find each other if we wanted to, so why wait until Kwon Jiyong wants to unite us like this?” Seongwoo replied, even with a lower tone and a cynical look. “Because maybe he could save us,” Daniel exclaimed.

“Because maybe, hyung, we don’t need to get thrown on the streets again like we are some kind of garbage,” Daniel continued. “Don’t we all learnt it in a hard way that nobody can save us, Daniel? He could’ve done that when he was still one of the sponsors,” Seongwoo objected. “I know,” Daniel snorted. “Is it a crime to think that maybe we don’t need to go through all those s they were telling us to do if Kwon Jiyong is the one who gather all of us to actually, rescue us?” Daniel stated.

“It’s kind of is, Daniel,” Seongwoo snapped. “But it’s not entirely wrong, I mean, I am scared too, we aere all chased, Minhyun hyung found me last night and –.” “Hyung, how many of us you have met?” Daniel held his breath at the mention of his other hyung. “You and Minhyun hyung, Niel, and he was, alone.” Seongwoo emphasized. “He left though, but he gave me his contact, just in case,” The older added.

“Can we at least try? Something, I don’t know, the only thing that keep me sane is actually following Kwon Jieun these past few days, I’m a bodyguard, by the way,” Daniel said nonchalantly. “I mean, this is very risky, Niel,” Seongwoo smiled bitterly.

“Yeah, but either ways, we have a chance to live, right?” Daniel deadpanned which made Seongwoo a bit taken aback, before his lips curled up into a slight smirk. “You know, sometimes we wonder why on earth that you ranked the first on that stupid camp with all those bubbly smiles,”.

“And moment like this, I know why,” Seongwoo let out a slight chuckle. “Hyung, please, you know I’m actually very disappointed that we talk about this kind of stuffs, I mean, it’s literally our first meeting since we got separated and you are talking about deep things, what the hell?” Daniel ranted. “I can’t help it, okay? We are being chased to the dead,” Seongwoo huffed.

“By the way, I want to recall you saying that Kwon Jieun is keeping me sane? What was that? Daniel, do you like her already?” Seongwoo suddenly smirked. “What I mean is having activity is keeping me sane,” Daniel huffed. “I mean, I don’t blame you, she’s really attractive, like me.” Seongwoo grinned. “Hyung, can we please not talk about her?” Daniel frowned.

“Why? Because the red shades on your cheek will go to deeper color?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow in amusement. “Hyung,” Daniel groaned as the response. “By the way, I want her out of this problem, it’s just between us, them and Kwon Jiyong,” Daniel added with a stern expression afterward. “Because you like her?” Seongwoo wriggled his eyebrow playfully.

“Hyung, in all honesty, you should stop saying that,” Daniel groaned, again. “Why should I stop saying the fact?” Seongwoo smirked, in which got ignored by the latter who was busy sipping the older’ coffee. “Hey, Daniel, I think I’m going to give it a try, at least until all eleven of us got together and come into a conclusion about this,” Seongwoo said. “Well, that’s my plan from the start.” Daniel nodded. “How did you meet Kwon Jiyong by the way?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow.

“The universe,” Daniel replied as he pointed up to the ceiling and Seongwoo shot him an unimpressed look. “I’m not even kidding, I didn’t plan meeting him at all,” Daniel retorted. “About Kwon Jieun again, though,” Seongwoo said out of the blue. “You know that if at the end we did something to Kwon Jiyong, it will affect the whole league, right? Like she will be involved whether you like it or not, they are relatives, I suppose? Since they share the same surname,” He continued – Daniel hummed in understanding.

“I’ll figure it out later, okay? We just have to do something right now,” Daniel replied at the end. “You do really like her, don’t you?” Seongwoo’s gaze softened and smiled. “I don’t know, it’s pretty hard to tell when we were currently in this kind of situation, but maybe because she doesn’t treat me as bad as what people expect her to be, I guess, it just feels weird and different.” Daniel shook his head slightly.

“That’s okay, we’ll figure something, and we have to, because we are science, right?” Seongwoo assured the younger male as they both broke into a small chuckle. “By the way, I think they have tracked Guanlin to Taipei, hyung, I just hope they won’t find Woojin in Busan for sake, we should’ve been more careful when we relocated people,” Daniel said. “Yeah, but it’s better to separate and act like we don’t know rather than gather in one place,” Seongwoo added.

“This is so dumb, after two years living in well, kind of peace, can they just leave us alone?” Daniel groaned in frustration. “After investing so much money and pride to us? Nah, Niel, they wouldn’t leave us alone until we probably die,” Seongwoo scoffed. “Are we like, in the right side in this war though?” Seongwoo let out a bitter scoff afterwards.

“Honestly, hyung, I’m just trying to stay at the side that would keep all of us alive,”.

(A/N) Hello! And dun, dun, dun! I dropped a lot of confusing hints in this chapter, I know .. but stay with me and I'll promise I will explain everything, okay? Ah, and maybe you are asking:

Is Daniel the good guy or the bad guy?

I'm just going to say that not every bad people is as bad as they seem and not every good people is as good as they seem ;)

And I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has subscribe and left a very kind words and also for giving this story a chance! I really appreciate all of it and I will continue writing this story dilligently <3 please keep supporting me in the future too!

yours truly, karoines.