Chapter 6

Sehun

Most teams prepped for the last series of tests by cramming, studying binder after binder of renowned criminals, brushing up on foreign languages and poisonous plants.

Some of the test would be written – a mélange of facts all members of the MI-5 should know.

Then, there were always the basic fitness tests.

Next, there was a simulation of a situation, some sort of adrenaline-rush of a mission, with fires, explosions, maybe some hand-to-hand combat.

If both members of the team completed the exercises up to there with high enough scores in a certain timely manner they became fully-accredited members of the MI-5.

Then came the fun part.

There are hundreds of legends about the MI-5, tales of initiation rituals and stunts.

None was more well-known or terrifying than “The Course.” The Course changed every year. The rumor was that it only got more difficult. A challenging, painful, and in four separate cases, deadly, obstacle course, all members of the MI-5 were required to participate in it. The handler

from a control room with a map and a headset, the field agent from the course.

Blindfolded.

Suffice it to say that on the night before the test, the MI-5 flats were all but silent, the absence of noise only broken by the sounds of frantically flipping paper and the whistling of tea kettles.

Then, on the second floor, there was a loud crash, followed by giggling and a beeping microwave.

“Get off me, Seulgi. The popcorn’s ready!”

Because on the night before the most challenging day of their lives, Sehun and Seulgi were watching animated children’s films.

“Here’s the thing, Oh,” Seulgi said, flicking a piece of popcorn into her own mouth and wiping her hands on the ragged hems of Sehun’s flannel pajama pants. “If we’re going to watch Disney movies, I’m going to expect you to sing along.”

“As if I would consider doing anything else, Special Agent Kang.” Sehun stretched out on the couch, making Seulgi squawk in indignation as his feet pushed her to the far side.

“Technically,” Seulgi said, scrambling to settle herself in the dip between Sehun’s calves. “We aren’t special agents until we pass the test tomorrow, darling,” She tapped Sehun’s cheek mockingly taken aback when Sehun closed his eyes and nuzzled into it. “Oh, so we’re those kind of friends now?”

Sehun smiled dopily, cheeks flushing red under Seulgi’s hand. “Seul, you are practically sitting on my lap and we’re watching Disney movies together. I’m pretty sure we’re every kind of friend.”

Seulgi smiled one of her real smile, all slightly-pointed teeth and crinkled up eyes. Sehun could feel already-manic grin exploding across his face,

“In that case…” Seulgi trailed off, shrugging her petite shoulders and crawling on top of Sehun until the top of her head tucked neatly under Sehun’s chin, tangling their legs together in the process. “This okay?” She stole the piece of popcorn that had been on its way into Sehun’s mouth until Seulgi had brushed against parts of Sehun that were slightly more interested that was kosher between friends.

Sehun just smiled, nosing into Seulgi’s hair until Seulgi buried her grin in his chest. “Fine with me,” she said lightly, wrapping an arm around him and watching the laptop screen as the opening credits of Snow White started playing.

“Let’s just not sleep tonight,” Sehun said as the seven dwarves marched across the screen.

“Why not?” Seulgi asked, scratching a comforting hand across her scalp.

“I get nightmares before tests, and I don’t want to psych myself out.”

Seulgi tilted her head, considering. “Sehun?”

Sehun looked pointedly at Seulgi’s shoulder, avoiding eye contact. “Yeah?”

“I can stay up with you if you want. But regardless, we both know exactly how tomorrow’s going to work, don’t we?”

Sehun looked at her through his eyelashes. “How?”

“Well,” Seulgi said thoughtfully, running her fingertips across the shell of Sehun’s ear before looping a strand of hair around her finger and tugging gently, “we’ll walk in tomorrow and ace anything they can think to throw at us. Probably in the most obnoxious possible way.”

Sehun snickered. “Since when have we allowed impossibility to limit our level of obnoxiousness?”

“There’s my Sehunnie,” Seulgi said, nuzzling her nose contentedly against Sehun’s neck. “We’re going to be fine. Because nothing they make us do will ever make us anything but Seulgi and Sehun. And from what I hear, Seulgi and Sehun are practically incapable of anything but success.”

Sehun murmured in agreement, Seulgi’s warmth and the gentle fingers threaded through her hair making her drowsy. Seulgi couldn’t help but make him laugh one more time before she dropped off, though. “Plus, with your handsomeness and my , how could we be anything less than extraordinary?”

Sehun’s snicker rumbled in his chest, against Seulgi’s ear, and Sehun swore for a second that he saw a shiver run up her spine. He followed it with the palm of his hand, smoothing down the smaller girl’s back and pressed a sleepy kiss to her messy hair. “With a partner like you, I w