“Does everyone remember what they’re supposed to do?” Chen asked, a tinge of nervousness seeping through his voice as he looked around the living room nervously.

Tao rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”

“Remember to play your tables slowly in small amounts and work your way up. Don’t make it obvious as to what you’re doing. These are experts we’re playing with. They know if someone’s counting.”

 “Got it,” Kai said, adjusting the cuff links on his tuxedo.

“Alternate between slot machines and tables, and do not forget my instructions as to which slot machines to go to on particular time frames, understand?” Chen continued, leaning against the back of the couch. His knees felt like giving in under him.

Suho clasped the boy’s shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Chen. We got this.”

 “Yeah, Chen, you need to calm down,” Baekhyun said, standing in front of the mirror as he fixed his bowtie. “You’re making us even more nervous than we already are.”

“How do you even know all this stuff? Are you a gambler?” Kyungsoo asked, slipping on his coat.

Chen glared at Kyungsoo who merely shrugged innocently. “I just want all this to be perfect. We can’t afford to make mistakes since this will definitely lead us to the answers we need and my god, why am I sweating so much?” he rambled, wiping his damp palms against his slacks.

Just then, Hyerin stepped out of the bathroom, hair styled in big luscious curls and clad in a long black Swarovski dress. She walked barefoot, holding her Loboutins in her hands.

The boys whistled, teasing the girl, while she scowled at their rowdiness.

Hyerin rolled her eyes good-naturedly and sat down on the couch to slip on her heels. “Stop acting like a bunch of teenage boys.”

“But we are teenage boys!” Sehun shouted playfully.

“Well that’s not who you are right now! Today, you’re a bunch of young casanovas looking for a little thrill at a fancy casino, not a group of monkeys,” she snapped back, sticking her tongue out at Sehun.

“Whatever, just don’t mess this up, understand?” Chen reminded before turning to look pointedly at Hyerin. “And you. You know what to do, right?”

Hyerin stood up and walked over to the mirror next to Lay to adjust her earrings. “Yeah, I got it. I'm no expert at the art of seducing," she rolled her eyes, "But hey, if I managed to get you guys to believe me to join M-LX then this should be pretty easy, right?” she chuckled, fluffing her hair as she looked up, catching Kyungsoo’s eyes on her.

She raised a brow and smiled. “Yes?”

Kyungsoo’s frown remained as he turned to Kris. “Are you sure she’ll be able to do this?” he whispered.

Kris distractedly nodded, slipping on his Rolex. “I’m sure she’ll do fine,” he sighed. “The girl is tough. She’ll be able to pull it off.” He patted Kyungsoo’s back before walking towards the elevator.

“So is everyone ready?” Kris asked. “We have to get there early if we want to get this over with.”

Everyone did their final touch-ups before gathering their things and heading to the elevator.

“Remember, always be on th-”

“We get it already!” Chanyeol rolled his eyes, making Hyerin chuckle beside him.

“I’m just making sure,” Chen retorted in his defense.

“Okay guys, listen up. It’s a pretty short drive to Sokong-dong, but we can’t afford to waste any time so go to your respective vehicles immediately and always update on your whereabouts via your earpieces,” Suho reminded as the metal doors closed. “Kai, you go on ahead with your teleportation once we get to the parking lot. No one use their motorcycles. Ride with the others who have their cars including you, Hyerin. You’re going with us. Understood?” he asked, while the others nodded.

“Good,” Suho said, eyes glinting with determination. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

---

The Westin Chosun was bustling with activity as expensive vehicles drove in front of the hotel building, rich aristocrats and businessmen stepping out into the chilly night in their designer fur coats while valets took their million-dollar cars. It was already late at night, but the place was just starting to get lively.

Instead of going to the hotel itself, the agents drove to the casino, a multi-tiered Chinese Pagoda structure painted in red and black. Fancy string lights and dragon-printed silk decorated the exterior of the casino, and red and gold lanterns hung from the tips of the subsidiary wooden roofs to give the place an oriental ambiance. The place felt exotic yet sophisticated at the same time.

A silver Lamborghini Reventon parked right in front of the busy entrance of the casino, catching many guests’ attention. One, because the production of this type of car was exclusively low and two, because the owners of the vehicle were as good-looking as the people expected them to be.

Kris stepped out of the driver’s seat, followed by Suho from the other side. A few ladies swooned over the two young men, until Hyerin stepped out in all her womanly glory. The on-lookers let out groans of dejection, knowing the charming duo wouldn’t even spare them a glance with a young lady looking like that.

Kris tossed the keys to the valet before taking Hyerin’s arm in his. Suho did so as well, linking both her hands with the two. 

Two butlers bowed and opened the heavy ancient doors as they climbed up the short flight of stairs. They, too, bowed slightly before entering the premises.

The casino was truly extravagant; the vast structure housed a number of tables and slot machines, all the while decorated with fancy accentuated furniture and expensive sculptures. The thick velvet curtains drooped gorgeously over the tall windows, while the yellow lighting gave an aura of mystery to the place. Ladies and gentlemen were dressed perfectly for the venue, and they couldn’t thank Agent M’s stylist enough for giving them the appropriate attire for the event.

The trio was the first to arrive at the casino, and although they would gladly take open spots in the gambling tables while there weren’t much people yet, Chen gave them specific instructions not to start without them. With that said, they decided to stop by the bar first to get a drink.

“A dry martini,” Kris said to the bartender as he casually rested his elbow on the counter.

Hyerin raised a brow. “Really now?”

“Make that two,” Suho added, smiling.

“Anything for the lady?” the bartender asked.

“Just water please,” Hyerin scoffed, folding her arms. “Are you guys seriously ordering alcohol? You’re not even allowed to drink yet.”

“Well that’s not what it says in our ID's,” Kris retorted as they showed their cards to the bartender.

“Fake ID's, you mean.”

“Are you ready for tonight?” Suho asked, sitting on a metal stool.

“Of course, I am. Since when was I never ready?” She grinned, declining the seat Kris was offering her. “It won’t be long ‘till I get Yukihara wrapped around my fingers.”

“I’m sure you’ll do fine,” he said, taking the martini once it arrived. “With you looking as pretty as you are right now, I’m sure you’ll catch his attention.”

Hyerin smiled, feeling a little bashful. “Thanks.”

“I see him.”

Suho and Hyerin turned to Kris. “See who?” he asked.

“Yukihara. He’s already starting on that poker table.” Kris nodded towards the gang leader’s direction before sipping his drink.

Yukihara was sitting in one of the tables, dressed in an all-white tuxedo with two girls on either side of him. He was ordering a drink from a waitress before starting the first game with a couple of other players.

“Seems like he’s going to be on a gambling spree.” Hyerin chuckled humorlessly. “He looks confident.”

“Either way, he’ll be ours by midnight,” Kris coldly remarked, nodding courtly at a couple of women giving him suggestive winks.

Soon enough, the others finally arrived in their fancy cars, catching more and more attention to themselves as they took it all in with dashing acknowledgements. They came in different time intervals, and once everyone was complete, Chen sent orders through his earpiece. In no time, they were all already getting into action.

Meanwhile, Tao stood behind a Roulette table, waiting for a spot to open. The casino filled up quickly and it got harder to get a slot for the high-limit plays.

As he drank his Corona—he wasn’t a fancy alcohol drinker—his eyes passed the room to see how the others were doing so far; Baekhyun, like Lay and Xiumin, was attentive and quiet with his game as how a normal person would be. Luhan made small talk with a few of his competitors, Sehun used the power of his innocence on older women, while Chen and Kris were alike as they completely focused on the play, seeming like they have done it a million times before.

Hyerin used her charm as she gambled, looking like a 1920’s Hollywood starlet in her black evening gown and red-tainted lips, uttering a few witty remarks that sent her male competitors to their knees. Kai practically had the same strategy, skillfully betting and folding like a pro and giving playful smirks at the dealer girl as he sipped on his vodka martini. Kyungsoo was the opposite, as he gave off an aura of arrogance that intimidated the players. He would constantly smile cockily whenever he pulled in the chips, setting the others off with his confident demeanor.

The rest of the agents were waiting for an open slot like Tao, either ordering drinks from the bar or resorting to slot machines.

Tao tore his eyes away from the others and focused on the table he was waiting on. They were quite desperate to succeed in this mission, as this would play a big role in their case overall. It was either them or Yukihara; they wouldn’t want other clueless people to get the pot when they’re not just in for the fifty million, but way more than that.

Tao’s ears perked up when he heard his name being called, indicating that it was his turn. With a sigh and a large gulp from his beer, he walked over to the table in all-smiles, ready to pull in chips.

---

It was a little over midnight when a few of them took a break from following Chen’s orders of what to do. So far they have been doing well – switching constantly from table to table and slot machines in the time frames that were explained to them. They were no professionals, but with the strategy they had been taught, they were doing just fine.

“Seems like smarty pants is on a roll.” Xiumin nodded over to Chen who was in the same poker table as Yukihara.

“Looks pretty intense,” Kyungsoo commented as he sipped on some water.

Luhan smirked. “I see you’re supplying yourself a healthy dose of H2O there, D.O.”

“I don’t think it would be a good idea to drink alcohol when something bad could happen at any minute,” Kyungsoo scoffed. “Besides, I’m not a drinker. That stuff is bad for you.”

“So how are you and Hyerin doing so far?” Xiumin questioned, sharing eye contact with Luhan before adding, “Any progress yet?”

He raised a brow. “The hell do you mean by that?” 

“C’mon, D.O, we know you and Hyerin have something going on,” Luhan chuckled. “What with all the one-on-one boxing lessons and cute bento boxes.”

Kyungsoo set down his glass on the counter, giving the two mischievous lads a glare. “Are you going to start with that nonsense again?”

“Oh, please. Quit denying it. You like her!” Xiumin said. “You’re in denial. You just don’t want to believe it!”

“Yeah, because the great Do Kyungsoo can’t like anyone because it’s dumb.” Luhan rolled his eyes.

“What are you guys even talking about? This is completely absurd! Stop involving me in a ridiculous love story with her because that’s never going to happen, alright?” he huffed, taking his cup as his eyes passed the room. “Besides, she’s into Baekhyun, you know. If there’s anyone you should be messing with right now, it’s him.”

“Oh, but I don’t think he’s the only one,” Xiumin said.

“Huh?”

“Look.” He pointed to the other side of the room.

The three boys looked over to a table where Kai and Hyerin sat, talking animatedly with each other with his trademark smirk and her thousand-watt smile. In some moments, he would hold her hand or touch her hair, sometimes cracking a joke or two.

Kyungsoo’s eyes flickered slightly seeing the girl laugh heartily, making him reflect on his own interactions with her. Compared to when she was with Kai or Baekhyun, Hyerin never laughed or smiled like that around him. It was either they were throwing insults at each other or something even worse.

But what did he care anyway? It wasn’t like it mattered to him what kind of relationship they had. That’s just how they were and how they always will be.

“She’s oblivious.” Luhan shook his head. “I just know it.”

“Of course she will be. Kai’s been like that ever since they met, I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t know about his feelings for her,” Xiumin added.

“Well, that’s not our business. Kai’s fee-”

Loud applause from the table to their left halted Kyungsoo from going forth with what he was about to say. The clapping was from Chen’s table, and all the players were already standing up to leave as they shook hands with each other or gave courteous nods.

The game was over.

“Who won?” Xiumin asked curiously, craning his neck to see.

“Yukihara did,” Chen answered through his earpiece. He walked towards the bar to get a drink. “He won it. He won the pot.”

The other three sighed dejectedly, but knew that they had back-up plans.

“What do we do now?”

“Old Fashioned,” Chen mumbled to the bartender. “Nothing. We just have to sit back, relax, and watch our wild card take action.”

“Wild card?” Kyungsoo almost forgot their Plan B. His head snapped towards Yukihara who was walking towards the casino cashier to redeem his money, while Hyerin got up and sauntered over the bar, sitting two chairs away from Chen.

“He’s got his boys with him,” Hyerin whispered, glancing briefly at Chen who was looking straight at the worker that was making his drink.

“New ones too,” Luhan said.

“It’s expected since we’ve killed more than half of his thugs,” Kyungsoo added cockily.

“He’s taking the money in cash.” Xiumin whistled, leaning back on his seat. “He’s sending it up to his hotel room.”

“He’s coming towards the bar,” Luhan reminded.

“Black Russian,” Yukihara told the bartender. The latter nodded, giving Chen his Old Fashioned before working on Yukihara’s drink.

“And for you?” The bartender turned to Hyerin who was sitting quietly beside the unsuspecting fifty-year-old.

“None at the moment, unless the kind gentleman decides to buy me a drink,” she said smoothly, giving Yukihara a sultry look before turning away.

The gang leader’s mouth quirked upward as he shifted in his seat to face the girl. “Well with a beauty like yours, what kind of man would decline?”

Her red lips curved into a smile.

“Give the stunning lady a drink,” he announced to the bartender.

“A cosmopolitan,” she said. Whatever the hell that is. She smiled at Yukihara before folding her arms on top of the counter and crossing her legs. “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem. Now, if you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing alone in here? I would think you’d have a date.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. A woman all dolled up in her silk dress and expensive jewelry should be accompanied by an equally extravagant man.”

“Someone like you?”

He grinned. “I would like to think so.”

Hyerin returned the smile before casually placing her chin on top of her knuckles, looking at Yukihara as if he were the most interesting man in the world. She could sense Chen eavesdropping, but not so obvious that he looked suspicious.

“So what do you plan on doing with your fifty mill, Mr. Yukihara? From the likes of you I would guess you’d spend it on interesting things,” she said, side-eyeing her drink once it was placed in front of her.

“You know my name.”

“Of course I do. You’re a regular here, aren’t you? Everybody knows your name,” she chuckled. “I must say I expected you to win, and I suspect that you thought so, too.”

“You are correct in that, sweetheart.” He smiled devilishly before sipping his drink and giving her a onceover. “Whatever I want, I get.”

---

Hyerin smiled from satisfaction as she pushed Yukihara face down on the bed, his hands cuffed behind him and eyes barely open from the black eye the girl gave him.

“Serves you right, you ing ,” she hissed beside his ear, dropping the demure act completely as he struggled under her firm hold.

Surprisingly, deceiving Yukihara wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be. After their playful conversation back at the bar, he gave her a key to his hotel room, telling her to meet him there a little after 2 AM. She gladly did what she was told as it was exactly what she planned on doing anyway, silently killing off his security on the way there.

The only difficult part was getting him in a vulnerable state. A lot of inappropriate touching and suggestive whispering happened, and she did not like it one bit. She didn’t let him kiss her or do anything explicit to her at all, but the way he touched her made her feel extremely violated already.

It was not long before Hyerin caught Yukihara off-guard, finally getting the chance to beat the living daylights out of him after checking if he had any weapons on him. Aside from a pistol and a Swiss knife, he had nothing on him at all.

“Who are you working for?” Yukihara demanded, his blood covered teeth gritting from anger.

Hyerin rolled her eyes, not bothering to answer.

With her knees still placed firmly on the gang leaders back, she grabbed her earpiece from the bedside table and turned it on. She figured she didn’t want to let the others hear how he got the fifty-year-old whipped like so.

“I’m done with Yukihara. Get your assess here immediately,” she ordered, slamming the gang leader’s forehead on the table to silence his loud wails. Not even a few seconds passed before the hotel room burst open, revealing Sehun, Lay, and Kyungsoo.

“Hyerin, are you oka–oh my god.” Sehun, along with the other two, had their jaws drop to the floor.

Kai rushed inside. “Why? Did something ha–Jesus Christ,” he muttered under his breath, eyes widening.

“What?” Hyerin frowned. “Is there something wrong?”

“God, I just cannot with this,” Kyungsoo hissed, turning around with a hand over his mouth, face completely flustered.

“What did I do!?” she demanded.

Lay cleared his throat as he looked to the side awkwardly. “Hyerin, I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but you’re in your underwear.”

“I’m in my-” She abruptly looked down on her body and saw that Lay was right; she was in her underwear.

It wasn’t like she was completely exposed. It just so happened that the silk robe she got from Yukihara’s bathroom slipped down from her shoulders and was tied loosely around her waist, leaving her body exposed.

“What?" she questioned. "Never seen a woman before?"

“Can you just…?” Sehun did hand motions as if covering himself up. “Like…?”

“Guys!” she exclaimed. “Can you stop with your blabbering and help me here? I would be able to cover myself a little bit better if you take this dirty old man away! There’s no time left!”

“Y-You’re right,” Kai distractedly said, pushing Sehun forward. “Let’s go get him.”

With that said, Kai and Sehun took Yukihara away from Hyerin, putting a bag over his head in the process. Lay and Kyungsoo took the briefcases of money, while Hyerin wrapped herself up with the robe properly. She hastily picked up her dress and shoes from the floor before rushing towards the balcony where the others left.

Hyerin passed the bed and the dresser, fully prepared to escape when something in the bed caught her eye.

A golden chip was stuck in between the disheveled sheets, the moonlight casting it a shiny glow. She picked it up and observed it closely, a strange symbol embossed on its surface. It looked like a medallion of some sort, but if one should think simply it looked like a casino chip.

Rushed footsteps can be heard outside the hotel room, followed shortly by a series of loud knocks. Without further ado, Hyerin tucked the golden chip inside her bra—there was nowhere else to put it, really—before running to the balcony and slipping her bare legs over the railing.

Her wavy hair swayed with the breeze as she gave the room one last look. She had a glimpse of the door opening before climbing down the railing and disappearing into the night.

---

“You know, I’m still wondering why we never use Tao’s power to just stop time,” Sehun sighed. “Our jobs would be way easier!”

Tao slapped the younger’s head. “Are you dumb? It’ll drain my power and the life out of me right away. And besides,” he grinned, “there’s no fun in that.”

“Guys, can you please shut up?” Baekhyun glared. “We’re kind of in the middle of an interrogation here.”

"Right."

“Sorry.”

“I’m saying this again, Yukihara,” Kris said in a warning tone. “If you don’t answer our questions, you’re going to get hurt. Understand?”

A few of the agents were currently inside M-LX’s interrogation room with Yukihara seated on a chair, hands still cuffed behind his back and face practically unrecognizable from all the beating he got from the past hour.

Some of them disagreed to using violence to get answers out of him but it simply had to be done.

“I'm asking this again. Who’s your employer?” Kris asked. “What does he want and why does he have so many connections?”

Yukihara did nothing but stare at the ground.

“What about Lucy? Durus? Blue? Why are your men serving them? What do you have to do with them?”

Nothing.

Kris sighed deeply, rubbing his hands over his tired face. They’ve been doing this for an hour now, yet they haven’t gotten an answer yet.

Kris nodded at Tao as a signal. Without further ado, he sent a punch to Yukihara’s face. The man groaned, lurching forward and coughing blood.

“What about Hyerin? What do you want from her?” Kris demanded. “How is she involved? What did you need her fingerprints for? And that night at the Kim family’s party, why did your men try to assassinate the mayor?” he asked, but it was no use as Yukihara refused to speak.

Kris gritted his teeth, pulling the man by his graying hair to make him look up at him. “Look. I need you to tell me who your employer is. I need you to tell me what they want.”

“I don’t know,” Yukihara wheezed.

“You don’t know?”

“I’unno–ah!” He screamed as Tao punched him across the face again. Baekhyun and Sehun cringed at the sight.

“Are you asking for a death wish!? Talk!” Kris exclaimed.

“I don’t know.”

“Tell me,” he hissed. “Tell me or else, I’ll kill you with my bare hands right now.”

A long pause followed.

Yukihara grinned weakly. “That girl…she…” he trailed off, his half-lidded eyes starting to close, “she’s in big trouble.” He started to erupt in noiseless laughter, and it sounded like he was struggling to breathe.

“Hyerin, you mean?” Kris asked. “Why?”

“Big…trouble…” he repeated, pointing to his chest where his heart was before slipping out of consciousness.

Kris on a tooth before folding his arms. “I got nothing.” He shook his head as the lights inside the room . The heavy metal door opened, revealing Chanyeol and Xiumin to take away Yukihara.

Suho walked inside and patted Kris’ back. “It’s alright. We’ll get some answers tomorrow,” he said, leading the taller one out the door.

Through the one-sided mirror, Hyerin watched Yukihara get taken away. She bit her nails anxiously, her mind filled with thoughts about the case.

She was so distracted that she jumped when someone touched her shoulder.

Kyungsoo spun her around. “Are you alright?”

“Sorry.” She chuckled weakly before shaking her head. “I was just,” she shrugged, taking off her chandelier earrings and placing them on the table, “distracted.”

Kyungsoo nodded, dropping his arm. “You feeling okay?” he asked, looking at her cautiously.

“Yeah,” she said in a light tone. “Just tired from tonight. It’s already four in the morning so…” she trailed off, tossing the golden chip she got earlier at the table.

Kyungsoo eyed the coin-like object. “What’s that?”

“I found it in Yukihara’s hotel room. I figured it might be important.”

“Huh.” He the object before tossing it in the air. “It looks like a chip for another casino. I’ll bring it to Chen and ask what it is to make sure.”

“Great.” Hyerin smiled forcefully, folding her arms against her chest as she tiredly leaned back on the table. “Thanks.”

Kyungsoo nodded before turning on his heels, ready to leave when a bugging feeling rose in his chest.

He didn’t want their conversation to end just like that. He wanted to talk to her about sensible things and not just banter like ten-year-old children. They’ve been doing that a lot and although it was harmless, he wanted to get to talk to her freely like how Baekhyun and Kai do.

In one swift abrupt turn, he walked back towards Hyerin. “Hey, are you sure you’re alright?”

Hyerin looked up from fumbling her thumbs together. “Uh, yeah. Why’d you ask?”

“Let me take you home,” he offered almost too quickly.

She looked startled. “What?"

“Let me take you home,” he repeated, rubbing the back of his head. “I mean, it’ll be faster…and safer than your motorcycle. Kind of.”

Hyerin gave him a teasing look. “Wow, this is a first,” she chuckled. “Well, since this is pretty rare I might just take up that offer.”

His cheeks reddened. “And plus you really need rest anyway. You know, for your date with Baekhyun tomorrow.” He shrugged.

“Right.” She brightened. “Let’s go home then, shall we?”

And so Kyungsoo took her home, engaging in their usual banter during the whole car ride. When they finally arrived at Hyerin’s home, she asked him if he wanted to come inside and have tea to which he declined but after much persuasion, he gave in anyway.

“So you’re telling me,” she started as they sat in the kitchen at 4 AM, “that you used to join singing competitions as a kid?”

Kyungsoo nodded. “Yeah, I did. I won most of them, too,” he said, taking a sip of his green tea.

“Oh my god. I need to hear you sing. Like right now.” she said, excitedly pounding the kitchen counter with her fists.

“Hell no! I’d rather die,” he scoffed.

“C’mon! Just one chorus and you’re done!”

“No.”

“C’mon, just do it!”

“Be quiet!” he hissed. “Your dad might hear us and wake up! I don’t want my to get beat up once he sees me in here!”

Hyerin’s laughter slowly died down, resorting to just smiling down at her mug while rubbing her cold arms. “It’s alright,” she said quietly, giving him a small grin. “He’s practically never here anyway, so…”

“Oh,” he awkwardly muttered. “Well, where is he?”

She shrugged. “I don't know. I heard he’s been extremely busy with the company lately. Not sure what he’s been up to, though.”

Kyungsoo nodded without a word, seeing as she seemed quite solemn about the topic.

“How’s your family?” she asked him.

He straightened up in his seat. “They’re good. My parents are in Daegu though, along with my older sister. I’m staying with my grandmother here in Seoul,” he said. “Well, not anymore, I guess.”

“Must be hard to leave her by herself.”

“It is. That’s why I constantly check up on her to see if she’s alright,” he cleared his throat, “she’s already in her eighties.”

Hyerin hummed in understanding as she looked down on her toes. It wasn’t too awkward between them but it wasn’t comfortable either. They were actually engaging in a normal conversation, which was a rare thing when it came to the both of them. It was hard to find something to talk about unless they were shooting insults at each other.

“You ever get lonely in here?” he asked quietly.

Hyerin smiled mysteriously, tracing the tiled counter with a finger. “More tea?”

“Sure.”

Hyerin took his mug, accidentally brushing her fingers with his. They were both startled at the unexpected contact, making Kyungsoo let go of the mug. It dropped to the floor and broke into pieces.

“!” he cursed, quickly getting off his chair and picking up the remnants of the mug. “, I’m sorry.”

Hyerin rolled her eyes, chuckling silently as she took a roll of paper towel to clean up the mess. “Seriously? Are you always this clumsy?”

Kyungsoo glared at her. “I said I was sorry!”

She laughed, crouching beside Kyungoo and wiping away the spilled tea. “It’s just so funny how we’re so awkward and not used to talking like this. See what happened? You dropped the mug.”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t you think pointing out the fact that things are awkward between us would just make it even more awkward? God, don’t you know not to mention stuff like that?”

“Why? Is it an unspoken rule?”

“No! It’s just–” He sighed. “Never mind.”

Hyerin shook her head good-naturedly, taking the broken pieces of the mug from Kyungsoo and throwing it away in the trashcan. As she was doing this, a sharp piece cut her palm, leaving a long bloody cut.

She grimaced at the stinging pain before taking a towel to clean up the bloody mess. She was just in the midst of tending to her fresh cut when Kyungsoo spoke.

“You haven’t answered my question.”

Hyerin balled her fingers around the cloth, not sparing him a glance. “What? Being lonely? It’s not a big deal.” She shrugged, leaning forward on the sink with her back turned against him. “Once you get used to it, it’s nothing you can’t handle anymore.”

“It’s not something to get used to, you know,” he scoffed lightly. “Don’t you talk to your dad at all? Why don’t you call him?”

“Unless I want to talk to his voicemail everyday, I’d rather not call him,” she retorted sharply. “Besides, I can take care of myself.”

 “Says the one who doesn’t even know how to tend to a wound.”

Hyerin could feel Kyungsoo behind her, as she could hear his voice just beside her ear. She craned her neck to look up at him and saw that he was staring down at her hand.

“You have to wash it first, idiot,” he said quietly, taking the towel away from her. He the faucet, setting it into the right temperature, before gently taking her wounded hand and placing it under the water.

Hyerin was getting distracted. She felt his chest pressing subtly against her back and his right arm placed on the counter just beside her hips while the left held her wrist firmly.

She could feel her heart pounding violently against her chest.

“Don’t you want company?” he asked, looking nowhere else but the running water. “You could just ask Chanyeol or Sehun or whoever to be with you while you’re dad’s not here.”

“It’ll just be a bother,” she muttered, before chuckling. “And how many times do I have to tell you? I don’t need it, you dork.”

“I’m not asking if you need it, I’m asking if you want it,” he corrected, turning off the faucet. “Do you want someone to stay with you?”

Her smile faltered as she looked down on the sink, fumbling with her fingers. All this time she had been fending for herself that the thought of anyone being there for her to keep her company or protect her or worry about her seemed strange. She was supposed to be used to this, seeing that there were twelve people who were doing exactly that, but somehow, she still didn’t know when or how to say that yes, she did want to be taken care of sometimes.

Kyungsoo turned her around, his hard gaze smoldering with her uncertain ones. “I’m asking again,” he said. “Do you want someone to stay with you?”

“It’s not something so easily requested.”

“It’s not something complicated either.”

“Nobody has time for selfish demands like that," she tiredly said, attempting to walk away when Kyungsoo held her arm to keep her in place.

“I’m asking a yes or no question. Do you want someone to stay with you?”

“Like I said-”

“Do you want me to stay with you?”

Hyerin was rendered speechless as she stared wide-eyed at Kyungsoo, who in return was just looking at her as if what he said was the most normal thing in the world.

Such a simple question, yet she found herself having difficulties with answering it. She was never aware of the fact that she was lonely, not even once, until Kyungsoo pointed it out. Had she been lonely all this time? If she was, would it be alright to voice out her want for another soul to accompany her? Why was it so hard admitting it?

But then she looks at him and he seems to know the answer before she could even say it.

"I-” she stammered, “...just for tonight.”

She hated appearing vulnerable, but sometimes there was no avoiding it. Here she was asking a boy to stay, something so uncharacteristic of her to do, but she wasn’t a superhuman. Sometimes, she felt defeated, too.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“It’s okay,” he said quietly. “It’s inevitable.”