“Remind me why I’ve agreed to come with you again?“

“Because you love and support me no matter what?”

A low sigh escaped the brunette woman. “Can’t argue with that.” She took a deep breath and looked around. “Let’s get this over with, shall we?”

“Oh, come on, don’t even pretend you’re not looking forward to this. I know you didn’t dress up that nicely for me or Hwasa.”

Letting out an indignant noise, Solar flicked her hair over her bare shoulder, smoothing out her elegant dress for the evening. “It’s a five-star restaurant, Wheein, I’m wearing the basic minimum. And I always dress up when we’re going out.”

“True,” her friend hummed, “but I know you long enough to know the difference between your casually hot look and your ‘come get me’ hot look. And guess what I think you’re wearing tonight.”

“Wrong,” Solar interjected pointedly, “it’s more of a ‘I know I’m hot and I know you want this but you’ll never get this’ kind of look.”

Wheein grinned. “You’re evil.”

“That’s just your point of perspective. I’m sure karma agrees with me that that greasy woman needs to be put down a notch.”

“Well, she is quite greasy…but from what I heard, she’s harmless. All flirt but no bite.”

“Did Hwasa tell you that?”

“Yes.”

“Then it doesn’t count. Hwasa thinks of herself as harmless. And they’re covering each other’s backs so well, you might think they share one mind.”

“Touché.”

Solar pulled out a tiny mirror out of her handbag, checking up on her make-up one last time. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

“Fashionably late as ever.”

--

“Hello, ladies.”

A silverhaired woman dressed in a fitting black suit stood up at their sight and bowed deeply. “Both of you looking stunning as always.”

Solar scrunched up her face. “Urgh.”

“Must be a new record, Miss Kim. Not even one minute in and you’re already rolling your eyes at me.”

There was nothing Solar despised more than that lopsided smirk on that thin face, framed by shiny silver hair. Way too shiny to be real, she thought.

“I would’ve expressed my distaste earlier, but Wheein did tell me to be nice.”

“And I’m impressed, you lasted quite long. Normally, you wouldn’t even talk to me.”

“Which reminds me, that is actually a good idea. How about we try it out?”

“Solar,” Wheein warningly said, touching her friend’s elbow so she would take a seat at the table and not make a scene. Turning to the silverhaired woman, she gave her a genuine smile as she didn’t have the same reservations about her as Solar. “Nice to meet you again, Moonbyul. Where is Hwasa?”

“In the bathroom, probably admiring herself in the mirror. I mean, I would, if I had that body,” Moonbyul replied with a twinkle in her eyes.

If Solar could roll her eyes further back, she feared they would get stuck there. Why again did she have to owe Wheein a favor?

“Did someone talk about my body?” A smoky voice spoke up and all eyes turned to the fourth dinner participant.

“Is it ever about anything else?” Moonbyul countered in amusement.

“It better not be.” Hwasa winked and gracefully sat down. “I’m so glad you guys could make it,” she said, but her warm smile was only directed at Wheein, who beamed back.

“No, thank you for inviting us. Solar and I have been wanting to try this place out, but we’ve been so busy lately and I heard it takes years to get a reservation here.”

“Well, you’re in luck then,” Hwasa chuckled. “Because thanks to a certain someone who can’t keep her grease to herself,” and she lightly slapped Moonbyul on the shoulder, “we spontaneously got a table. Really, this is the only time I ever benefitted from her incapability of not flirting with anything that is female and has a nice bone structure.”

“That’s a lie, but please continue,” Moonbyul drily commented. 

Ignoring Moonbyul, Hwasa smiled at her guests and asked, “Should I signal for the sommelier? And don’t hold back, tonight’s on Moonbyul.”

“Now hold up,” the other woman interjected, but her friend just continued in a louder voice, “She owes me this much after she ruined one of my good blouses.”

“She’s being dramatic,” Moonbyul said tonelessly, “I accidentally lied down on it because she left it on the couch.”

Hwasa’s expression twisted in disgust. “You were lying on it . With another woman.”

Both Wheein and Solar copied Hwasa’s reaction a second later.

“That woman was you, Hwasa,” Moonbyul deadpanned. “You passed out on my couch after getting halfway undressed because you were too drunk.”

“Ah, right, mixed that up with another memory,” Hwasa slowly said, unfazed. “Why were you in your underwear then?”

“Because it was hot, you had me locked in a death grip and hugging you is like hugging a heater.”

“Oh, right. By the way, sorry about dumping ice on your face that morning ‘cause I dreamt that you had your hand on my s.”

“No, that was real.” Moonbyul shrugged. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t too sober either.”

Hwasa raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re lucky it’s you or I would have already killed you.”

“I know. But I have a feeling that you would have felt more insulted if I didn’t want to touch them.”

Hwasa smacked her lips. “True.”

Wheein and Solar shared a look, unsure what to make of the relationship between the two sitting opposite of them. It was weirdly intimate as well as antagonistic.

“So,” Solar tentatively began, “what are you two exactly?”

Hwasa and Moonbyul stared at her in confusion, then at each other.

“I think I would define myself as human first and foremost?” Moonbyul playfully offered.

“Smartass,” Solar huffed.

“Solar doesn’t mean anything by it,” Wheein quickly interrupted. “She is just admiring how close you two are.”

“Oh, don’t get us wrong,” Hwasa immediately replied, gesturing between herself and Moonbyul, “we might have seen and done things beyond a conventional friendship, but I’d rather shoot myself than date her.”

“Wow, I love it when you compliment me, babe,” Moonbyul sarcastically said.

“Shut it, babe,” Hwasa waved her off and flashed a charming smile at Wheein. “Besides, I do like to believe that I have a better taste in women.”

“Oh, really?” Wheein smiled sweetly, slightly leaning in. “Do tell me about your preferences.”

“I’m going to be straightforward about this,” Hwasa said, ignoring Moonbyul who cheekily quipped, “The only time she’s straight about anything.”

“I appreciate a witty woman,” Hwasa lowly said, one corner of turning up into a playful smirk. “Funny, sensitive, kind…with cute dimples and a nice smile.”

“I can’t listen to this,” Moonbyul muttered and scooped back with her chair, getting up. “I’m going to check out the – whatever. Be back in…however long it takes.”

Hwasa and Wheein didn’t even notice her leaving, too lost in their own world that also didn’t include Solar, who innerly debated about whether she was going to stay and cringe at the lovefest in front of her or follow Moonbyul and cringe at her. Her decision was made when she saw a sly hand sneaking up Wheein’s thighs.

Standing up from the table, Solar fixed her dress and looked around for Moonbyul. She caught sight of silver hair vanishing through a door that led to the balcony of the restaurant. It was an outside lounge area for smoking or just catching some fresh air. And Solar could need that now.

Solar stepped onto the balcony to find Moonbyul leaning on the railing, staring off into the distance with unfocused eyes. She looked peaceful. It was almost a pretty sight.

“Can’t stay away from me, can you?”

And then she had to open and ruin it.

“Actually, I figured if I was going to kill you, I might as well take this chance now.”

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to get in line,” Moonbyul answered in an amused tone, turning her head back to look at Solar. “Would be unfair to the others who have wanted me dead for longer than you.”

“Well, if you were less greasy, then maybe you wouldn’t even have that problem,” Solar said with an eyeroll, thinking that Moonbyul was exaggerating again.

“I don’t think that’s the issue,” Moonbyul whispered, eyes briefly roaming over Solar’s figure before staring straight ahead into nothingness again. “By the way, I wasn’t being greasy back then. You do look gorgeous.”

It was the heartfelt tone that made Solar pause in her instinctive reaction to reject the compliment. It sounded too sincere for her to deny it. “Thank you,” she quietly said instead. She stepped forward to lean on the railing next to Moonbyul.

“You know,” Solar lowly began, “I would take your compliments more seriously if you didn’t dish them out every sentence.”

Moonbyul furrowed her brows as she looked at her. “Why? Do you think the compliments mean less when given out more often?”

“Not necessarily…but it does feel like you’re overdoing it at some point. Like you’re trying too hard to compliment something that isn’t actually worth that much complimenting.”

“I understand what you mean but at the same time I don’t.” Moonbyul now leaned against the railing sideways so she could face Solar with her body. “You didn’t know this about me, but I don’t like lying. Not that I’m not good at it, but I prefer not to. I’ve hidden enough of who I am for most of my life, so I’m not going to deny myself the small pleasure of stating things as they are.”

Moonbyul took a careful step closer to Solar and when the other didn’t move back, she slightly leaned forward and whispered, “So if I’m complimenting you in every sentence…then it’s because I can’t think about anything else but how beautiful you are. And if you’re wondering if you’re actually worth that much complimenting…then yes, you are.”

Feeling her breath getting stuck in her lungs and her ears burning, Solar turned her face away to hide her glowing cheeks. “Wow, you’re…you’re really good.” She cleared . “I bet that really gets you all the phone numbers.”

Moonbyul stared at Solar’s profile for a little bit longer before she stepped back and leaned with her elbows on the railing again, leaving an arm-length’s distance between them. “I don’t care about that,” she finally answered with disinterest.

Snorting in disbelief, Solar side-eyed Moonbyul. “Oh, really?”

“Yes.” Moonbyul supported her chin on her fist. “What’s the point if your number is not one of them?”

“Oh my god,” Solar let out a half-laugh, half distressed squeal. “I can’t believe I almost fell for that. You’re so greasy that I feel like taking a shower right now. And don’t you dare say anything about wanting to join.” She shakily inhaled and smoothed out her dress. “I’m heading back.”

“Yeah, about that,” Moonbyul muttered, suddenly tensing up as if she had seen something disturbing. “Maybe you should wait out here. Hwasa and Wheein might be all over each other right now.”

“No, I know Wheein. She might not look like it, but she definitely has more self-control than that,” Solar said, attempting to walk back into the restaurant but a firm grip on her wrist stopped her. “What the –“

“Please,” Moonbyul gravely said, looking into her eyes without blinking. “Do you trust me?”

Solar blinked. “No, not at all. Now let me go!”

“I can’t do that.”

“What the hell are you talking about-“ Solar’s words ended in a terrified scream when she heard gunshots exploding inside the restaurant, followed by a cacophony of panicked screams. 

“We have to go,” Moonbyul muttered, pulling at Solar’s wrist, but she looked back, shouting, “Wheein! She’s still in there…”

“No, she’ll be fine, Hwasa’s with her.”

“Wheein! We have to get her,” Solar desperately shouted, attempting to run back. She abruptly froze when a masked man stepped out onto the balcony and pointed an assault rifle at her. Before could even open for a scream, a bullet struck the masked man’s head from behind and he fell over with a heavy thud. Stepping over his body, Hwasa appeared, holding a gun in one hand and firmly grasping Wheein’s hand with the other.

“Told you she’ll be fine,” Moonbyul said as Solar and Wheein almost cried in relief at the sight of each other. “Now listen to me, you two will follow me no matter what and Hwasa will secure our backs. Just stick close to me and nothing will happen, my car is parked nearby. Now let’s go!”

She hopped over the balcony railing and assisted Solar and Wheein in climbing over it, thankful for the fact that the restaurant was on the ground floor. The group of four kept tightly together as they sprinted towards the parking lot and Moonbyul had already her arm out, opening her car with her key.

“Quick, get in.”

Hwasa and Moonbyul made sure that the other two were getting the car first before they took up the front seats.

“Oh god, are we going to die?” Solar breathlessly panted, tightly gripping onto her seat belt as it was the only thing keeping her grounded right now.

“No one’s going to die,” Moonbyul calmly said as she forcefully stepped onto the gas pedal. The car sped out of the parking lot within seconds.

“Well, someone’s going to die, but it’s not going to be one of us,” Hwasa said angrily as she opened the glove’s department and took out another gun. “Out of all the days they had to bother us, it had to be today.”

“Okay, is no one going to talk about how Hwasa shot a man in the head?” Wheein squeaked, holding her head in panic. “Guys, if this is a prank, then I’m never talking to you again. Hwasa, even though I like you, I don’t think I can date someone who pulls crazy stunts like this.”

“Wheein, I’m so sorry,” Hwasa said with remorse, “but this is not a prank. I never wanted you to find out about our job like this.”

“And what exactly is that?” Solar’s shaky voice asked, on the verge of screaming.

“Well, there’s no real job description, you know, it’s nothing official like your jobs as a doctor or an artist…”

“Oh my god, just say it!” Wheein and Solar screamed at the same time.

“We do…stuff,” Hwasa slowly provided. “Mostly stuff that most other people probably wouldn’t do. Because it’s tough. And dangerous. And difficult.”

“And mostly illegal,” Moonbyul concluded, her fingers drumming on the steering wheel. “It sometimes involves guns. Okay, it involves guns a lot of the times. But not always.”

“Because we use other weapons too,” Hwasa lamely finished. “I now realize that we didn’t make a good case for ourselves.”

“Let us out,” Solar pressed between gritted teeth. “Wheein and I have nothing to do with this.”

“Yeah, no, about that,” Moonbyul furrowed her brows, looking at Solar through the rearview mirror. “If we leave you alone now, you would die. Like, instantly.”

“Oh god.”

“Yeah...They already saw you with us, so…better not leave our side for now.”

“I didn’t think I could hate you more than I already did…But I do,” Solar growled. “I hate you so much. So, so much.”

“Fair enough,” Moonbyul replied, tight-lipped. “Wheein, are you okay?”

“I can’t think yet, I’m still trying not to die from a heart attack,” Wheein panted, shutting her eyes. “When I wished for an exciting romance, this was not what I had in mind.”

“It could be worse,” Hwasa quipped, checking on the ammunition in her guns.

“How can this-“

“Please don’t say it-“

“-get any worse?” Solar shouted over Moonbyul’s voice.

Not a second later, tires were screeching and they all were thrown forward when a car crashed into them from behind. Moonbyul managed to quickly regain control of her car and accelerated to escape. “Anytime someone says something like this, it’s bound to get worse.”

Loud gunshots echoed around them and the rear window started cracking as bullets rained down on them. 

“Oh god, are they shooting at us?” Wheein yelled, ducking down in fear.

“No, it’s just hailing ice horizontally,” Moonbyul drily said as she made a sharp turn, causing her passengers to be thrown to the side. “Don’t worry, our car’s bulletproof.”

“But I’m not!” Solar screamed in panic, looking behind her. The rear window had caught all of the bullets so far but its cracks were spread out like a spider web, not able to hold another salve of bullets.

“Just keep your pretty head down and nothing will happen,” Moonbyul ordered with a calm gaze in the rearview mirror.

“Now is really not the time to be greasy!” Solar shouted but did as instructed anyway, screaming when it started raining bullets again.

“Hwasa, do something about them,” Moonbyul grunted, “My car just got a fresh paint job.”

“My nails too but you don’t hear me complaining,” Hwasa muttered. Rolling down her window, she stuck out one hand with a gun and aimed at their pursuers, pulling the trigger once the driver was close enough. Unfortunately for him, his car windows weren’t bulletproof and nothing hindered Hwasa’s bullet from entering his forehead.

More screeching tires and a loud crash followed.

Solar and Wheein watched with wide eyes as Hwasa carefully aimed again, only pulling the trigger once before another loud crash signaled the downfall of another enemy car.

“That’s her specialty,” Moonbyul felt the need to explain. “She never misses with a gun. I mean, neither do I, but I have to let her have this one thing.”

“Shut up or I’ll test my skills on you,” Hwasa muttered as she eliminated another driver.

“I’m literally sitting right beside you, even Wheein or Solar could kill me with a gun right now.”

“Tempting,” Solar growled. “Do you have another gun?”

“Slow down there, tiger,” Moonbyul glanced at Solar through the rearview mirror. “It’s still too early in our relationship to let you touch my gun.”

“Oh, I will kill you so hard,” Solar hissed.

“Looking forward to it,” Moonbyul winked.

“Hey, Moongrease, focus on your driving, will you? Still one more car chasing us and I can’t get a good angle on them.”

“Got it.” She suddenly yanked the steering wheel around and pulled the handbrake, getting the car to turn a complete 180 degrees before she slammed her foot on the gas pedal again, accelerating directly towards the enemy car.

“Oh god, we’re going to die, we’re going to die!” Solar cried out, grabbing Wheein’s hand.

The distance between the two cars got increasingly smaller and while Moonbyul sported a calm expression, they had gotten close enough to the other car to see the other driver staring at them in shock. His passengers were still shooting at them, but the bulletproof windows let nothing through.

“Hwasa, now!”

“Left or right eye?”

“You know I don’t give a , just shoot him before we actually crash!”

“And you know how I can never decide! It’s making me mad!”

“Well, then just ing shoot the left eye, it looks swollen anyway,” Moonbyul shouted because they were just few meters apart from colliding.

“Fine, but you didn’t have to be such a about it,” Hwasa muttered before finally pulling the trigger.

The dead driver slumped to the side and pulled the steering wheel with him, making the car swerve past them and crash against a lamp post.

“All clear?” Moonbyul asked.

“All clear,” Hwasa confirmed. She turned her head to the backseat passengers, smiling as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. “You okay?”

Two pale faces stared back at her. “Do we ing look okay?”

“Well, a bit shaken, but still pretty.”

“I can’t believe this,” Solar breathed out in a trembling voice. “Wheein, you set us up on a double date with murderers!”

“I swear I didn’t know, they seemed so normal!” Wheein almost sobbed, but she was too angry to cry. “Hwasa told me she’s working for an environmental organization!”

“How can you be this naïve!” Solar threw her hands up in the air. “No one who works for a good cause can afford such expensive handbags and dresses!”

“I just thought she had a lot saved up!”

“In my defense,” Hwasa interjected, “we are doing a lot to help the environment become a better place because we’re taking out the trash. Well, mostly people, but still trash.”

“And still illegal,” Wheein muttered into her hands.

“Yeah, but so are kinder eggs in America, so I don’t really think that counts for anything.”

“Did you just compare a chocolate snack with murder?”

Hwasa shrugged. “Both goes well with a glass of champagne.”

“I think I’m going to throw up,” Wheein croaked out.

“Please, not in this car, the leather…” Moonbyul cringed.

“Then let us out, right now!” Solar demanded. “We’re not being chased anymore, right? So you can let us go and never see us again.”

“At least let me drive you home,” Moonbyul tried to bargain, but Solar was tearing at the door handle.

“No, I just want to leave and forget that this has ever happened. Once I’m out of this car, I don’t want to ever see you again. If I so much see a strand of your stupidly shiny hair, I’m calling the police.”

“What she said,” Wheein pointed to Solar as she looked at Hwasa. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t think I’d have to explicitly mention that I’m not willing to date killers. And now I’m pretty sure you never were interested in my paintings.”

“I was! No, Wheein, please,” Hwasa pleaded, jutting out her bottom lip for a pout. “I’m sorry I lied, but how could I not? You reacted exactly as I feared you would, so I had to pretend I was normal. Please let me prove to you that I’m not the ed up killer you think I am.”

“She’s really a good person,” Moonbyul added with a nod. “Aside from the shooting people in the eyes thing, but really, she’s actually super soft. Not just on the inside, but also on the outside and trust me, I would know because I got a hand full of those – urgh.” She wheezed in pain after Hwasa had punched her in the throat. “Still…driving…”

“Just take us home,” Wheein finally relented. “But we’re still not going to meet you again. We don’t want to get mixed up in your business.”

“Whatever that is,” Solar added. Her eyes widened. “Oh god, you’re not going to kill us for knowing too much, right?”

“Relax,” Moonbyul muttered. “You don’t know enough to incriminate us.”

“Not enough? We just witnessed Hwasa singlehandedly shooting at least four people!”

“Allegedly shooting four people. Can you prove that it was her?”

“She was literally holding the gun-“

“There’s not going to be a gun by the time the police finds us. There’s not going to be an us to find.” Moonbyul’s gaze was almost scorching when her eyes met Solar’s. “If you’re smart, you’re not going to do anything to stir up flames you can’t put out.”

“But we’re basically making ourselves liable to prosecution by witnessing a crime and not reporting it-“

“There was no crime. Just some tragic car accidents.” Moonbyul slowed the car down, coming to a stop before a red light. “It’s what the news will say tomorrow. So don’t worry about it.”

“Stop here! We can take the metro home from here,” Wheein squeaked, not waiting for a reply before she pushed the car door open and jumped out with shaky legs.

“Wait-“ Hwasa called after her, getting out of the car as well.

“Wheein, wait for me,” Solar fell out of the car as she hastily followed her friend. When she straightened herself, she shuddered after taking in the sight of the battered car with bullet holes all over. Her wobbly knees almost gave in again.

“Wheein!” Hwasa desperately shouted, surprised when Wheein’s hurried steps slowed down, showing hesitation in her steps. “Please, I know this isn’t what you imagined- “

“You don’t say,” Wheein mockingly said, turning around in an angry whirl. “Just…leave. I don’t want to see you again.” She grabbed Solar by the wrist and together, they hurriedly walked towards the next metro station.

Dejected, Hwasa got into the car again.

“You really like her, don’t you?” Moonbyul softly said, resting her left wrist on the steering wheel.

Hwasa didn’t reply, just leaned her head back against the headrest.

“You know,” Moonbyul the engine and shifted gears, “all things considered, this wasn’t the worst date you ever had.”

Hwasa raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “How could anything top this?”

“Well, remember that time you had to get mixed up with the daughter of a mob boss? We had to dodge actual RPGs.”

“That was you.”

“Ah, right, that explains why I was there too. Then why did he fire the RPG at you too?”

“Because I got mixed up with his second trophy wife.”

Moonbyul whistled. “Good old times.”

“But I don’t want them back. I really thought I had a chance with her,” Hwasa said with a sigh. She turned to look at her friend. “And I don’t think I was the only one tonight who had hoped for more. Something you want to tell me?”

“Nope.”

“All those unnecessarily greasy lines, the dumb bickering…it’s not like you to intentionally mess up your own game. It’s like you got off on Solar constantly rejecting you. I mean, she’s a smart girl for doing that, but I feel like you were almost asking for it.”

“Like they said, they don’t want to get mixed up with our business so I try not to make things confusing. It’s better if she hates me.” Moonbyul shrugged.

“Bull,” Hwasa snorted. “You like her and you don’t know what to do.”

“And you do?”

Hwasa paused. “Okay, you got me there.” She sighed. “It’s just that, she’s too good for me. I know we usually play off what we do, but she’s right…we can’t just expect them to adjust and accept us as we are. I mean, we are murderers in a sense…”

“So is the Tabaco industry. Or the weapon industry. Hell, even the fast food industry has probably killed more people than we ever get to kill. So don’t beat yourself up about it.”

“I know, I know…but as long as we’re doing this, we’ll never get to date people outside our field…you know, people with normal jobs that doesn’t involve death or violence.”

“That would be nice,” Moonbyul agreed. “Getting real tired of receiving genuine death threats every time I break up.”

“Yeah. Kind of makes breaking up harder than it is when you know you’re going to be nationally hunted for at least a month.”

“So what now?” Moonbyul glanced at Hwasa. “Give up on Wheein? From what I’ve seen so far, she is a real treasure. She would be perfect for you.”

“Did you not hear a single thing she said? She doesn’t want to see me again. Typical of you to only stare at a woman’s lips.”

“No, I’ve heard her loud and clear. She’s got a really high voice if she wants to.” Moonbyul stuck a little finger in her ear and scratched it. “I just didn’t think you would give up that easily.”

“It’s called respecting her boundaries.”

“Hm, she did say she didn’t want to see you again.” Moonbyul’s mouth widened with a smirk. “But I don’t think I’ve heard anything about not wanting to meet you again.”

Hwasa looked at her with a growing smile.

“You sly bastard.”

Moonbyul grinned back. “Don’t you know it.”