I was dumbfounded as I saw the senator’s lifeless body lying in the middle of his room. But what caught my eye was the dagger in the middle of his forehead. Blood were still gushing down.

“Search the place,” I ordered Jaejoong.

I called the other agents too. The others started swarming around the dead body while the others were already on the dark room we just discovered. They reported that there were drugs in there.

But right now, I had other things in mind.

My eyes darted towards the curtain flying along with the breeze blowing from outside. I walked towards it and stepped into the balcony. As my eyes caught something, my feet stepped on the railing and prepared myself to jump down.

When I jumped down, I heard Jaejoong’s voice calling for me, but I was already landing. I caught the guy on his back and fell towards him. We rolled over the ground and I steadied myself as I crouched just a few feet away from him. I lifted my head towards the guy and his head was covered with black. And by covered, I meant, REALLY covered. I wondered how he was able to breathe in there. He looked like a ninja on his outfit.

I immediately lunged towards him as I tried my best to uncover him but he was too strong for me. Giving up, I lifted him by his shoulder to face me properly and I punched his face. I have to weaken him first to uncover his profile. He staggered backwards and my eyes looked for something I could use as a weapon. I searched myself for my gun but there was nothing. I found a stick on the ground and used it to hit him but he was able to catch it midway. He gripped on it and broke it. I pulled the other half as he had the other. Now, we looked like we were sword fighting. He was pretty good at this.

He was backing up as I was taking advantage on this fight. I think he sensed this so he kicked me on the gut.

The next thing I knew, I was sinking down into the deep waters.

I mounted from the water and looked for the guy. He was already nowhere to be found. As I was on my feet already, I stared at the pool I’ve fallen into. I didn’t even notice it being there a while ago.

Without any more distracting thoughts, I lunged towards the only exit and looked for the ninja guy.

The moment I stepped on the dark street, I knew I was too late. It was already empty. I tried to search for the ninja guy on the nearby streets; however there was no ninja guy anymore.

“What’s up?” I asked everyone the moment I went back to the house. Everyone turned their heads to me.

“Dara, why are you wet?” Jaejoong asked.

“What happened here?” I asked.

“We don’t know how the murderer did it. There were agents all over the place,” Agent Seunghyun said.

“I was sure there was no one out there,” Agent Youngbae said.

I felt something warm wrapping my body. I looked behind me and saw Jaejoong fixing the jacket he just wrapped around me.

I looked straight again as I thought about the situation.

“Did you check the CCTVs?” I asked.

“We did,” Agent Seungri said. “It was hacked and frozen at a particular time. Maybe it was before the murder happened, or way before that because the room was empty.”

I nodded. “He must have been staying here even while we’re not here yet.”

There was silence.

“Search the place for clues.”

The Noh Seunghwan murder ended up being all over the news for the past few days. I was too frustrated that I always turn the television off the moment it comes up. Once, while we were eating our lunch in the teacher’s lounge with the television on, another news came up. Jiyong was surprised when I suddenly stood up of my chair and knocked my food down the floor.

Right now, I was lounging in Jiyong’s apartment. I didn’t want to see my co-agents. Their faces remind me of our failure, of MY failure. And they perfectly know how much I hated failures. That’s why before, when I’m gone after a failed mission, they will not bother looking for me. They know.

Before, I used to just lock myself up in my room at my apartment unit. Not even Jaejoong was allowed inside. I just wanted to be alone to reflect on what happened and be sure not to do the same mistakes. Before, I’m alone because I don’t have anyone to turn to who isn’t actually connected to NIS. But right now, I’m happy I have Jiyong.

I was eating a sandwich that Jiyong made while I was watching a gag show alone, because Jiyong was still in the shower. I was laughing my off with the gag show when they suddenly cut it. Another news about the murder came up.

I felt fury all over that I was able to throw the sandwich to the television, causing a stain on the screen and on the carpeted floor. Angry, I folded my arms across my chest and looked anywhere but the television screen.

“Oh,” Jiyong’s voice entered my ears. “What happened to the TV?”

He eyed me carefully as he waited for an answer.

“I… well… the…” I stammered as I was thinking of an alibi. “The remote won’t function properly!”

“So… you threw the sandwich on the television?” he said while picking up the mess I made.

I exhaled sharply and looked away.

He went on to throw the sandwich and then clean the screen of the television after.

I stood up not wanting to see him cleaning up all the mess I do since I stayed here. He has been taking care of me for the past three days.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Sleep,” I said as I walked towards his bedroom.

“Don’t you think you’re staying here too long already?” he asked, making me turn towards him.

“You don’t want me to stay here anymore? Am I such a burden?” I asked, cocking my head to the side and placing my hands on my waists.

He walked towards me and pulled me to his chest. “I’m not saying that.”

I pulled away and raised my eyebrow, urging him to continue.

“Well, you have been here for three days already without going out. Don’t you think you need fresh air?”

“When you’re at school, I open the window to breathe in fresh air, I guess I’m alright.”

“And…” he continued. “Don’t you think your father isn’t worrying about you? You didn’t even give him a call since you came here.”

“My phone’s dead,” I said, remembering how it got soaked when the ninja guy pushed me into the pool.

“Oh right,” he said. “But even so, I think he misses you.”

I chuckled once, imagining Sajang-nim pacing back and forth in his office, worried about me, and missing me. Hah! Such an impossible scene!

“Fine, I’m going home tomorrow,” I said turning my back on him.

“And besides, I’m running out of shirts to lend you,” he continued. “Oh, and did I mention that you look good on oversized shirts?”

I smiled and stopped on the doorway. I turned to him and strike a pose.

He chuckled.

“Then I must wear things like this every day,” I said.

“No!” he said instantly.

My face dropped. “Why?”

“I don’t want other guys to feast on your legs,” he said, eyeing my exposed legs.

I laughed. “You’re so…” I laughed again. “Whatever… I’m going to sleep now. I still need to catch some sleep.”

I dropped myself on the bed and closed my eyes.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?” I asked.

I felt the other side of my bed sink indicating that he already lied down.

“I am,” he said.

To , I placed my leg on top of him like he’s some kind of a hotdog pillow.

“Dara… I’m still a guy,” he said.

I cuddled close to him and sniffed his manly scent. “So?” I asked.

“’That thing’ might get impatient down there,” he said.

I laughed and opened my eyes. I laughed louder seeing sweat dripping down his forehead.

“We just did ‘that’ last night,” I said and closed my eyes again. “Let’s just sleep tonight.”

I wrapped my arm on his body and cuddled closer.

“Good night baby girl,” he whispered and kissed my temple.

“Good night…” I whispered back. “…baby boy.”

“I…” he started but cut himself off.

Shrugging it off, I started to go into slumber.

I arrived at the Headquarters to see Sajang-nim like what Jiyong advised me to do. But I came here to ask for a new phone.

“Sajang-nim…” I started when I opened the door. I immediately saw Jaejoong with his eyes on me.

“Agent Dara…” Sajang-nim acknowledged.

“Did I disturb something important?” I asked.

“You have been gone for three days and Jaejoong told me you weren’t in your apartment unit,” Sajang-nim said. “Where were you? Were you at your boyfriend’s?”

“See, I came here to ask for a new phone and a new communication device since they all became useless when that scumbag threw me into the pool. I didn’t come here to be asked about my whereabouts for the past three days.”

Sajang-nim stared at me furiously. I’m starting to think that I have been hard on him for the past days. But I don’t care. I’m still mad at him.

He threw a phone towards me which I easily caught midair.

I turned my back on them.

“Wait…” Jaejoong said. “I’m coming with you.”

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poster credits to ephrael