It was empty! For Pete’s sakes! THE ELEVATOR’S EMPTY! I quickly went inside and checked the ceiling. Maybe they escaped through a hole on the ceiling. But, no! There weren’t any hole at all. I checked every elevator but they were all the same.

Frustrated, I stepped out and thought for a while. I was outsmarted for the first time. Aish!

From the corner of my eye, I saw someone ran. I quickly looked that way and caught the senator with some bodyguards running away. Damn it! How did they manage to escape?

This isn’t the time to think about that.

I quickly ran after them. I saw them head to the basement where the cars are parked.

When I finally arrived, the basement was quiet. I was standing in the middle of the parking lot and scanned my eyes silently around. I know they haven’t left yet. And I don’t want to announce to them that I’m here. I took slow and silent steps to look for them. They’re still here, I know. I can smell their filthy blood.

I held the gun firm on my hands. I was ready for action. I’m going to shoot them if it’s necessary. I won’t hesitate. I won’t take Sajang-nim’s orders.

“Oh, Miss Park? Is that you?” a voice suddenly entered my ears. I recognized it to be belonging to Mister Kwon. Damn it! I slowly turned and made sure that the gun will stay behind me. I assured that he won’t see it. I won’t let him see the real me. Not just yet.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

He was about to ask another question when my reflexes caught something that sounded like someone pulling the trigger. My eyes widened.

“GET DOWN!” I ordered to Mister Kwon. The gunshots were continuous. They were aiming at me. As if on impulse, I covered Mister Kwon. Funny. I looked like I was protecting him.

I brought him towards his car with my hand on top of his head. I took a peek. My hands were gripping on the gun and they were itching to pull the trigger, which I can’t do this time since Mister Kwon might be suspicious of me.

Suddenly, I heard some wheels screeching. Damn it! They’re escaping!
I turned to Mister Kwon. “GIVE ME YOUR CAR KEYS!”

His eyes were wide, though they weren’t looking at me. He was gazing on my right. I don’t know what he’s looking at, I didn’t check.

“JUST GIVE THAT TO ME ALREADY!”

I snatched the keys from his hand and got on the car.

“I’LL RETURN THIS TOMORROW!” I shouted while driving away.

I was following their car. Damn it! They’re gaining distance. They’re too fast. Their car’s faster than Mister Kwon’s. I was becoming frustrated that I kicked on the gas and gained speed too. But it wasn’t of any use. Aish!

Becoming angrier every second, I pounded my right fist on the steering wheel. And when I did, I felt a piercing pain ran to my shoulder. There was too much pain that a string of curses escaped my mouth. I stared at my shoulder and saw blood staining my shirt.

Oh good! That’s why Mister Kwon was looking at my shoulder! I was hit by the gunshot, maybe while I was covering Mister Kwon. Damn it! Why didn’t I feel any pain a while ago?

I looked up ahead and the car disappeared from view. I was too preoccupied with my shoulder that I didn’t notice where they went.

I quickly fish my phone out of my pocket and pressed 1. For emergency, Jaejoong assigned 1 as a speed-dial for his number. At first, I thought that it was pathetic. I wouldn’t be placed in danger. But, right now, I’m silently grateful that he did that.

It didn’t take a while to ring before he received the call. “Dar-“

“Jae…” I said in a weak voice. “…meet me in front of the apartment. I-I’m wounded.”

He took a gasp but I didn’t give him a chance to say anything. I hung up and drove the other way, towards our apartment.

As agents, we were trained to do medical assistance to our fellow agents. We were even trained to take out a bullet from a fresh wound. Right now, Jaejoong is helping me tend to the wound on my shoulder. I winced in pain as he took the bullet out. I bit my lower lip to avoid shouting. But I couldn’t take it and I ended up shouting. I didn’t care anymore that it wasn’t only me and Jaejoong inside my room. Heck, even Sajang-nim was watching.

I bit my lower lip once again when Jaejoong was already stitching my wound. I wanted to cry, but no! I don’t want them to witness any more of my weaknesses.

When he finished, he settled me down on my bed.

“What happened?” Sajang-nim asked.

“Sajang-nim, let’s make her rest for a-“

“What happened?” he demanded, cutting Jaejoong off.

“I was shot,” I plainly said.

“I can see that. How did they manage to shoot you? We all know you’re not this-“

“I guess I was careless back there.”

“We all know you’re not this careless, Agent Dara. I’m sure there must have happened something but you’re choosing to shut up with it.”

“I’m not hiding anything,” I said. I don’t know why. But I don’t want Sajang-nim to find out about me running into Mister Kwon and eventually got me shot because I was protecting him.

“Very well then,” he said, in a dismissive tone. When I expected him to leave finally, he spoke again. “Why did you let them escape, then?”

I stared at him in disbelief. “What? You prefer me chasing after him than heading here before I pass out from losing too much blood?” I scoffed and mumbled under my breath. “So unbelievable.”

I heard him grind his teeth.

“Phase two has just been completed,” I said. “I’ll accomplish this mission till the end. I won’t let the senator go without fixing this scandal. Phase three will start in no time.”

Without saying anything, he turned to leave. Finally! I can sleep now.

I woke up the next day when I heard some light snores. I turned to my right and saw Jaejoong sleeping soundly beside me. Oh, so he spent the night watching me eh? I stared at him for a while, a small smile curved my lips. He’s such a good friend.

I quietly got up and headed to the kitchen to cook. After that, I got dressed. I still need to return Mister Kwon’s car.

“Dara…” Jaejoong said in a raspy voice. He was rubbing his eyes.

“Sleep more. You were watching me last night, right? You still need rest.”

Unexpectedly, he chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” I asked him.

“Sit here first,” he said, motioning to the space beside him.

He started undressing me.

“YA! What are you doing?!” I demanded.

He chuckled again. “I’m not thinking of dirty thoughts, you know? I’m going to replace the bandage on your wound.”

“I can undress myself.”

However, I didn’t LITERALLY undress myself. I pulled one side of my shirt down and showed him the bandaged wound. He clicked his tongue.

“What?!” I demanded.

“Scared?” he asked, chuckling.

We turned silent as he started cleaning my wound. I would wince once in a while from the sting. Thinking that he was too hard on me, he started cleaning it gently.

“I can’t believe you’re still saying that I need rest when in fact, YOU obviously need more rest than me,” he said, breaking the silence.

“I need to return someone’s car,” I said.

“Someone’s car?” he asked.

Oops. I slipped.

“Um, I came home driving someone else’s car,” I said matter-of-factly.

Thankfully, he didn’t ask for more details.

When he finished, I fixed my shirt and stood up.

“You still need to rest, Dara,” he said.

“I’m alright,” I said, grabbing my bag and slinging on my shoulder. When it hit the wound, I grunted.

“You still look pale,” he said.

I stared at the mirror. “Must be the makeup.”

Without waiting for him to say more, I slammed door close behind me. Remembering something, I opened the door again and piped my head in. He stayed still on his spot.

“Oh, breakfast’s ready!” I called and slammed the door again before he will be able protest.

“Miss Park!” Mister Kwon greeted the moment I settled my things on my table.

I didn’t turn to him. I sat on my chair. I was planning to ignore him when he reached his hand out and put something on my table. I just stared at the rose resting lifelessly on my desk. I stared sideways to him but he was pretending to be fumbling with his things. I waited for him to look back and when he did, I tore my gaze and stared back at the rose. I roughly grabbed it and threw it into the trash can.

When I thought he’ll leave me alone, his hand reached out again, but this time, he wasn’t putting anything on my desk. He placed his hand on my forehead. I was too taken aback that I didn’t react at once. When I finally recovered, I slapped his hand away.

“You look pale,” he said as if I didn’t just slap his hand. “But you don’t have a fever,” he turned thoughtful with his finger tapping on his chin and looking up the ceiling. And as if he just remembered, he turned back to me again. “Your shoulder!”

“Mind your own business!” I hissed.

He turned silent and I smiled secretly.

“You got shot on your shoulder because you protected me,” he said, breaking the silence.

I searched something from my pocket and when I found it, I gave them to him. “Thanks for the car. It’s on the parking lot. No scratches. No-“

“Are you alright?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes and turned back what I was doing.

For the whole day, he didn’t stop asking me about my shoulder. Every time we ran into each other on the hallway, he would either ask me how I’m feeling or he would check my temperature. Every time he does all of those things, I would just drive him off or slap his hand away.

During lunch, because I was too busy with my lesson plan, I didn’t eat. Surprisingly, Mister Kwon stayed with me, choosing not to eat just like me.

The television on the faculty room was and the other teachers were eating while watching the news. I tore my eyes off from what I was doing and turned my attention to the news.

“Last night, though it was Senator Lee Kyung Wan’s birthday, he had a rough time celebrating this special day. Let’s hear it from him,” the newscaster was saying.

“While I was on my private apartment just lounging around my room alone after a long day with my family, I heard someone opened the door. I was too scared that I didn’t react right away. She - yes, you heard that right, she was a she – so, she came up to me with a gun on her hand and aimed it at my head. I couldn’t recognize her because she had a mask on and her face was covered with her messy long hair,” the senator explained, obviously lying. I also noticed that he had bruises all over his face. So, he made it look like I beat him up.

“Did she beat you up?”

“Of course. What do you think are these wounds? You think i beat up myself?!”

“I’m sorry, Mister Senator. So, what are your actions on this?” a newscaster asked.

“I am going to find this person and file a case.”

“How about your bodyguards? Especially the one who was talked about since a few days ago when she saved you from being stabbed?”

“My bodyguards were on duty that night, but I don’t know. Maybe she killed most of them, because they just disappeared. The woman bodyguard was lost too. Maybe she was one of those who were killed. I really don’t know.”

I scoffed. Huh! He thought I was killed? Wow. He never suspected me. Thank you!

“Could you describe the woman who trespassed your apartment?”

“She had long hair. That’s what I caught. I didn’t catch more details. I was too shocked that time.”

“Have you checked the surveillance tapes?”

“I asked someone to check it up for me and he said that the apartment building that time didn’t have any conflicts.”

“Isn’t that a bit weird?”

“It is. I don’t know how it happened but I’m sure-“

The television was turned off. Damn it! The principal is such a party-pooper. I was almost celebrating my success that night.

“All of you, stop wasting your time! Go to work!”

When the principal left, I went back to my work.

“It’s weird,” Mister Kwon mumbled beside me.

I stared at him.

“The apartment building isn’t that chaotic before. I have been living there since I started working,” he said, still thoughtful. “There were no burglars or assassins or anything of that sort. I’m sure of it. The security is safe too.”

I went back to my work. He’s mumbling nonsense things.

“Why were you there anyways?” he asked, making me stop from writing.

“I was looking for someone.”

“Is that someone the one you were chasing for last night when you borrowed my car?”

Damn it! He finds me suspicious already.

I angrily pounded my fist on my desk.

“Mind your own business!”

--------

poster credits to tomatoe