Business Over Family
Say 'I love you' It's Simple!
After the trip to the supermarket, Lay shivered remembering the dead tone Heejoon had said to him. “….sometimes it’s better to let your guard down.” The statement whirled in his head for a long time and he couldn’t shake it off when he slipped on a chair, attending another of Kris’s unexpected meetings.
Being the leader, Kris’s face was constantly in a grim and firm state. He sat on the main chain behind the black desk. His hands were clasped together, and that silent yet menacing look he cast amongst the gang was quite fearful. He remained quiet, and from the corner of his eye, he saw Heejoon standing in the corner, her attention lost to the outside world through the window of his office.
“Is it another task?” Tao asked.
Kris nodded, “Yes.”
“Who and when shall this occur?” Luhan asked. Heejoon shuddered at the curt response Luhan projected.
His expression was stiff and his hands squeezed tightly on the arm rest.
“Her name is Zhang Fei.”
Shocked looks echoed on each of their faces, except for Kris who looked paler than the rest. “Boss wants her dead by 10 tonight.” Kris informed, his voice becoming strained with each passing word.
Heejoon noticed the tense and rigid responses the members gave Kris.
“Isn’t she your Aunty?” Tao asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Heejoon’s eyes widened, and she looked at Kris who still looked pale and stiff sitting in his seat. His skin over his knuckles went taut and coloured white, while he released a ragged breath. “Yes, she is.” He answered. Although his friends may be oblivious, Heejoon could sense the dread in his tone. Not only was his tone unsettled, his lips pursed tightly together and his eyes flashed with another emotion Heejoon couldn’t identity.
“Get ready by then, and we’ll set out an hour before.” Kris concluded.
The members cast worried looks in Kris’s direction but he ignored them with a mask of indifference, and began to sign a couple of papers stacked to his left. Heejoon remained behind, “Do you really want to this?” She asked softly.
She watched how Kris stiffened, and then he lifted his chin, his eyes hard and penetrating. “It is what it is.” He replied in a clipped tone.
Heejoon gave a sigh, and secretly applauded herself for not flinching under his scrutiny. “No, that’s not what I mean. It doesn’t matter about what your boss says because I know you don’t want to go after your Aunty.”
Kris’s grip on his ballpoint pen tightened, “I suggest you leave.”
Heejoon stood up and cast one final look at Kris before she exited. She didn’t want to cause a dispute between him.
Once she left, Kris heaved out the breath he was holding. He eased onto his chair lazily and tilted his head back, closing his eyes. The truth was, Heejoon was right. He didn’t want to go after blood relatives. They were his family, and he was supposed to protect them, not kill them but he was helpless to the boss’s orders. Whatever the man demanded, he was to oblige without further inquiries.
Zhang Fei was his mother’s older sister, and knowing that he was going to kill the woman made something uncomfortable churn within his abdomen. He didn’t want cause trouble, especially trouble that concerned his family but it was not entirely his fault. There was most definitely a reason to why Zhang Fei was to be assassinated.
Pulling out a drawer from beneath his desk, Kris fished out the translucent ring with the initial H.P on it. He held it carefully before his light, amazed by how the light sparkled against it. It felt warm in his palm, and he enclosed his fingers around the jewellery, feeling a sense of comfort from it like usual.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Heejoon could still picture Kris’s rigid expression as she left his office and immediately crashed into her bed. She huddled close to her peach coloured pillows and tucked one under her chin. *I must stop him.* She mused.
She didn’t know how she was going to accomplish it, but she will. She would have to because if this woman died, she was sure something in Kris would snap and she didn’t want that to happen. She knew Kris was already fragile, and to have to kill a relative, it was equivalent to killing bits of his humanity.
She rolled on her back and stared at the ceiling for a while, thinking of a way to intercept the assignation tonight. *Maybe I could brainwash them-*
“Heejoon?” A voice called.
Heejoon sat up and averted her attention to the door where Chen’s head poked in. He conjured a sheepish smile when their eyes connected. “May I come in ?” He asked politely.
Heejoon furrowed her brows but nonetheless nodded. Chen slipped through the gap of the door, and closed it behind him quietly. He then took a seat at the edge of Heejoon’s bed, making the bed dip with a squeak.
Heejoon blinked, and waited for Chen to speak. The last time they spoke was probably a week ago when they had a minor argument. Since then, they both indirectly avoided each other until now.
Chen’s head snapped her way, and his eyes were sad, “I want to say that I’m sorry.” He sighed deeply, running his hands through his thick locks of hair, “I shouldn’t have said those mean things to you. I want us to friends like we were and hang out again.”
“I was the one who started it.” Heejoon admitted. “So I should be sorry, and Chen, I truly am sorry.” She crawled over to the edge of the bed and sat beside him. “At that time, I found it hard to accept that you and the others kill for a living. Even now, I still find it hard to accept it. It’s all too much for me, so I just exploded and verbally attacked you. I’m sorry.”
“You must think of us as disgusting.” Chen bitterly laughed. His eyes were b with melancholy.
Heejoon frowned and touched his cheek. He twitched under her touch, and she turned his head gently to face her. She summoned a small smile on her lips and his jaw, “Listen Chen. We both know that assassinating is a terrible act.”
Chen nodded glumly, “I know.”
“However, we’re friends right? Despite the baggage?” Heejoon tilted her head.
Chen’s breath caught in his throat. Just staring at her, made everything within him buzz with something airy and light. When the outside light showered over her, he could easily imagine a soft glow of a halo hovering over her head. When he managed to breathe again, he smiled in return, and clasped his fingers around her fingers that brushed against his jaw, “New beginnings?”
“Definitely.” Heejoon’s smile broadened, and it was safe to say that Chen could die a happy man.
“Do you wanna go annoy Tao?” Chen proposed, a sparkle of mischief dancing in his almond eyes.
Heejoon giggled, and nodded enthusiastically. Her thoughts of Kris became a faint concern as she trailed after Chen and barged into Tao’s room where he was belting notes to an unfamiliar song. He immediately turned around when he heard his door slam open. Instantly he dropped his microphone, and gaped at a smirking Chen and amused Heejoon.
“Guys….it’s not what it looks like.” Tao tried to be inconspicuous when trying to switch of the karaoke device.
“Awww, our little Tao wants to be a singer.”
“I’ll give you bastards 3 bloody seconds to scram.” Tao threatened, his face taut and businesslike, though there was amusement hidden in his eyes.
“Awww, the little baby is making adorable threats.” Chen teased.
“3.” Tao whispered and lunged for the two.
“You forgot to count 1 and 2!” Chen shouted, leaping over a table and almost crashing into the wall.
Tao fumed, “Yeah, and you forgot to shut that big mouth of yours when you entered this room.”
Heejoon laughed as Tao chased after Chen, but when that failed, Tao averted his attention to her, “Come here Heejoon.” He beckoned sweetly with a wave of his fingers.
Heejoon’s eyes widened and she scrambled hastily out the door, only hearing a heavy thumps of Tao’s steps as he chased eagerly after her.
Comments