Max leaves the ball early that night. He makes his way to Yunho's Lamborghini and slides in. The keys are already in the ignition and he starts the car, though he barely pays attention to what he's doing. His thoughts are distracted by the fact that his whole operation has been thrown into doubt.

It doesn't matter to him now if Gyuri really saw him or not. All he knows is that the sooner he gets this job done, the better. In fact, he's decided the best plan of action is to start tomorrow. It's not favourable, and he'd rather spend some more time observing, but he just doesn't have the time anymore. And if he really had been caught, then maybe he could try to finish the job before he has the chance to over think it.

He sighs in frustration, loosening his tie as he drives. There's something about Park Gyuri that sets him on edge, but he can't begin to explain why. During his thieving career, he had met many  beautiful, wealthy women, each more selfish and ignorant than the last. He had started this job thinking it would be the same. But would it?

Max shakes his head. I can't start to question myself like this. I can't look weak to anyone, even myself.

In the thieving industry, one of the most important things is to keep up your appearance. Max has never had any trouble with this until now; he's something of a legend amongst the CS recruits, being the very first thief to be recruited at CS.

 At 13, he was recruited by T.O.P himself, under strange circumstances that only he and T.O.P know. When he's not working, hardly anyone knows where he is. He's always been the mysterious one, the one who doesn't join the other thieves at their gatherings and only talks to a select few. Even then, Nana, Yunho, Micky, Xiah and Hero don't know anything about his past. And on top of it all, no one knows his real name. Then again, when you're a thief, you don't have a name. You steal someone else's.

Max stops at a red light. On the streets, outside the tinted windows, he knows there are people gawking at the car, but he ignores it and stares down at the chain around his wrist, obscured partially by his wrist cuff.

He reaches for it, but he can't bring himself to move his hand the last few inches and stops short of touching it. Tears no longer come to his eyes when he fails yet again to confront the one item he has kept from his past, but he swears he feels his heart growing a little more hollow. One day, he thinks. One day, I'll forget.

The traffic light turns green, but Max doesn't move. The car behind him honks impatiently, snapping him back into focus. You can't wait a few seconds? Max thinks, annoyed, but he doesn't bother honking back. Gripping the steering wheel firmly, he zooms off.

The streets are dark at this time and the roads are sparkling like a black river that stars have drowned in. It's rained recently, but Max hasn't been out enough to notice. He turns the engine off after he parks in the side street Yunho specified, leaving the keys in the glove box.

With his hands in his pockets and his suit jacket slung over one shoulder, he walks away.

***

The next morning, Max rises early. He booked a hotel room near Gyuri's townhouse the previous night, but he isn't used to it yet, and when he awakes, he forgets where he is for a moment.

After he remembers that he's in a hotel room, he gets to his feet immedi