The Assignment
DBU's Team F
I sigh as I stir my coffee, not really sure if I should do anything at all. Glancing to the other side of my shop, I notice Jonghyun taking glances every now and then at where I sit. Poor boy doesn't have any idea how serious this is.
"So… I thought you said you'd send someone to get your guitar," I speak up, crossing my leg over the other one as I watch the way the person sitting in front of me react.
The corners of his lips curve upwards, forming a smile that I've decided as something I don't really like to see. His cat-like eyes are staring at me amusedly, almost in a way that makes me want to send a strong punch towards him. But I try to remain calm. A leader has to deal with any situation collectively.
"I did send someone~," Bob speaks up. "I sent myself."
"That's not the point. We aren't supposed to meet each other in case you forgot," I frown.
"But Jaejin-hyung and you did. You guys even shared some fun time together," he smirks.
"Jaejin-hyung…? Hyung?" I pierce my eyes at him. "And for your information, that wasn't on purpose."
"Oh~. Right. He knows me. Personally. He just doesn't know that the guy that lives next to his apartment and his teammate, Bob, are the same person. I'm surprised that he still doesn't recognise my voice," he grins again.
Who is this guy? How can he act as if it's not a big deal that Roy lives next to him? If he knows that Roy is his neighbour, he should have moved or something. Where did he get this confidence from?
"Do you want anything to drink, Sir?" Jonghyun walks to Seunghyun, probably has noticed how uncomfortable the situation is.
"It's okay. I'm all good," Bob smiles. "And please, just call me Seunghyun."
Jonghyun leaves after he returns the smile. The smile isn't really something that you can just ignore because as much as I try not to get distracted by it, I can't help but notice how it actually brightens up the atmosphere.
"Seunghyun?" I ask.
"That's my name," Bob turns to me, leaning back against his seat.
"Why are you telling me your name? That's the second rule you broke today."
Bob's smile disappears. He reaches out for his bag, a denim backpack (that I have to admit is really stylish), taking a brown file from it. After making sure that there is no one else in the shop but us and Jonghyun, he puts the file on the wooden coffee table, pushing it towards my direction. He opens the file, and a document with Roy's face presents itself to me.
"Lee Jaejin, 27 years old. Graduated from Keio University for his undergraduate and from Tokyo University for his doctoral. Speaks English, Japanese and Korean fluently. Spent his high school and most of his university life in Tokyo. His father is a diplomat, currently residing in France, while his older sister works at the Republic of Korea's International Relation Department. His mother has passed away according to every official document you will ever encounter."
I tilt my head at the document in front of me, reading through every detail thoroughly.
"But of course she's not dead. She's our Deputy Director, or as most known as Mr. H's right hand. No one knows that they are blood related in WSO other than some of the top people, Mr. H and the two of us. Lee family knows the nature of the job that Deputy Director has, and they have agreed to pretend that she has passed away and live separately from her," Bob continues to explain.
"And how is this related to us?" I lean forward, eyes are fixed on Bob.
Bob takes a phone out from his pocket, a different phone that he had earlier on. I have never seen this kind of phone before. The design is simple, black in colour with thin silver linings, slim and it can't be any bigger than a credit card.
"She has gone missing for six months."
"Oh…" I nod. "…wait, what?! But she sent us Roy's transferring detail. That wasn't even two months ago," I blink, clearly confused.
"Mr. H has assigned someone to play her part in the mean time," Bob answers. "My real name name is Song Seunghyun, previously worked with the International Relation Department (IRD). This is an official case from the nation, that's why I need to introduce myself properly. We didn't know what the reason of this was until we found out that Deputy Director and Lee Jaejin are blood-related. We believe that she has been captured by NEVERLAND, an organisation that is behind every illegal transaction of firearms. They got her because Lee Jaejin and his team are currently working on invisible-grid nuclear defense system. This defense system is a major breakthrough and will affect their business with the North. They keep her captive to get into Lee Jaejin - that's why they transferred him to our team upon IRD's request. His sister and father are using all connection that they have to keep him safe," Bob continues.
My jaw drops. I can handle weird science terms that Peach throws at me better than this political situation that Bob just explain to me. Frowning in confusion, I take my coffee from the table to take a sip from it. Maybe caffeine will help me digest the situation.
"Your assignment, Choi Jonghun-ssi, is to keep Lee Jaejin under your surveillance at all time, especially when DBU assigns any case to us. Now this is pretty much why I keep on eavesdropping your conversation with him. And this is your phone. You can't make a call with this, but Mr. H and I will occasionally contact this phone. It's highly secured and untraceable," Bob hands me the phone and another brown file from his bag. "Also... this is a direct order from the President."
I almost choke on my coffee.
Is this for real?!
---
If I have to be honest, I thought Bob was out of his mind when he told me that I just got a direct order from the President. Why would the president choose me to watch over Roy? I understand that someone like Roy won't be able to protect himself well. He doesn't run fast, his gun was so outdated and thank God Skull gave him a new one. He can't really aim well under pressure. Definitely the type that will need a bodyguard.
"You okay?"
I quickly snap back to reality, suddenly realising where I am right now. Blast of music that the DJ is playing around with quickly fills my hearing, just as quick as how Hongki's cigarette starts to bother me. Years of friendship and I still cannot stand it when he smokes. Not that I don't smoke, but I try not to do it excessively. I don't want to get out of breath way too quickly when I'm on a mission.
"Sorry. Was I spacing out?" I grab my whiskey, taking a sip from it.
"Yeah. You didn't comment at any of my stories and that is just so not cool, Jonghun," Hongki complains.
I have known Hongki since I was just a rebellious punk, making my parents worried all the time. Hongki wasn't much better either, but he got dragged back to the right path faster than I did. We went to the same high school, started a small band with another dude called Wonbin. It was the greatest decision ever because without it, both of us might end up being mafias or something.
"How's work?" asks Hongki.
"Good. Business is good. There's a manufacturing factory that is interested in getting their stocks into my shop. Gotta be busy pretty soon, I guess," I answer simply.
Whenever my family or Hongki asks me anything about work, I will answer them quite honestly. Of course some details might actually come from my job with the DBU, but I will somehow encrypt it into a business language. Like this manufacturing thingy that I'm telling Hongki about; it's pretty much about Bob coming to me with this new assignment.
But there is a twist in this.
Hongki knows exactly what I'm talking about. Simply because of the fact that he also goes by the name Skull.
We didn't know that we both worked for WSO until we became part of the same team. I had always thought that he worked for an event organiser firm while he always believed that the shop that I owned was really my calling. I was so shocked when I heard his voice from my earpiece. I have been friends with him for years that it was just impossible for me not to recognise the raspy but high-pitch voice of his.
Of course we ended up promising each other to act normal. Still meet up and hang out with each other and whatnot. He'll talk about his eventful job and I'll talk about my shop. And very little conversation between us is to be made when we're online with the others. Over the time, we just understand the encoded stories that we tell each other. Even when we're talking about our "jobs", we both know that it is the mission from DBU that we're talking about.
"Manufacturing factory?" he frowns, never heard me using this code before.
"Yeah. A big one. Specifically wanting my shop to sell its products. Only my shop."
Hongki pauses, seemingly thinking really hard. "How big?"
I take another sip from my drink, leaning forward as I take a deep breath. "The biggest."
It doesn't take Hongki long before he understands. The biggest means the President. And the President will never give an assignment to WSO, especially DBU, unless it's extremely important. The Republic and WSO have a treaty that gives authority to WSO to deal with any scientific anomaly in South Korea. In return, WSO will assist the country with its firearms and defense system.
"Wow… it's gonna be tough," Hongki comments.
"Yeah. There are a lot of things to take care of before the first shipping that it feels as if it is classified or something. They have this inexperience guy, just got transferred to the team, and apparently I have to deal with him face to face. It makes me feel like a baby sitter, to be honest," I shrug, dropping more hints on the nature of my assignment.
Hongki orders another drink for himself and for me. I know that by now, Hongki already understands what I'm trying to tell him. He's such a bright guy that I'll be surprised if he doesn't get the message right away. We've been doing this since we got into the same team, and among all people, Hongki will understand what I'm saying almost right away.
"Let me know if you need to outsource anything. I have some contacts in transportation services," he mumbles.
"I will," I smile, knowing that I can always count on him when I need help.
"And background check," he adds. "It won't be a piece of cake, but it feels slightly suspicious that a big manufacturing company want to distribute their products only at your shop."
Sighing, I massage my own temple. Hongki does have a point. I have been wondering the entire time myself. Why me? Why did they transfer Roy to my team? I understand why Bob is involved in this. He worked with IRD before but how did the Lee family know that he's with the DBU now? They agreed to pretend that Deputy Director has passed away but Bob said nothing about their agreement on Roy. My parents know nothing about my job, Hongki's parents know nothing about his. Why would his family know about his job?
"Oh yeah. That would help. Thanks, bro."
---
This whole 'baby sitting' is apparently harder than I thought it would be. This is my sixth day following Roy around and there's nothing much that can entertain me. Roy, or Lee Jaejin, apparently doesn't go out much. He'll go out to get food, restock his beer supply or do his laundry at the nearest public laundromat.
For a job, Roy works as a freelancer columnist, specialised in economics - surprisingly. At least once a day, he will go to a coffee shop near by to write his article. He doesn't interact with people much, other than Bob when they pass each other on the hallway, or that blonde guy that sometimes come over to the coffee shop to see him.
I've learned that this blonde guy's name is Kim Kibum, a boutique owner, located not far from where the coffee shop is. They most likely are good friends, judging from the laughter that they share and the amount of bickers that they seem to throw at each other. More than friends is another possibility too. One time, when Roy had his coffee shop time at night, the blonde went back with him to his apartment. I smell something fishy. But then again, Hongki and I shared a bed before. So they might just be really good friends.
Early this morning, Roy left home early. A beautiful sunny Saturday morning. Right after our morning brief on a case (nothing major recently), he left to take a package that Skull has delivered for him. Skull didn't say anything during the briefing about what kind of package he was delivering. Bob called me right away after that though, he said that it was a progress report on the invisible-grid that his previous team has secretly worked on.
Wearing everything black to let me blend in with everyone else around, I follow Roy to the train station - doing my best to keep some distance with him. Roy isn't a big guy, just average size with average face. I have to be extra careful not to miss him in crowd. With eyes, it is hard to notice that brand new gun at the back of his jeans, but I've been doing this for years so it's fairly easy for me to catch a glimpse of it.
Come to think of it… so he has his gun with him, but why?
I walk to the furthest corner of the train, far enough from Roy and close enough to keep my eyes on him. He doesn't seem relaxed at all, fidgeting uncomfortably if I must say. Eyes keep on checking his surrounding while he constantly tries to stay in crowd.
This document that he's taking, I assume, must be extremely important. Since Bob told me that the order came from the President, I can't help but feel that this is something that I shouldn't be involved with. And now that I've seen how Roy is acting, I'm positive that I'm in a rather serious matter.
Roy gets off after four stations, walking to a nearest coffee shop. Keeping his hat low, he orders a cup of Americano - a choice that is not really surprising at all. The past six days have given me enough information on his favourite food and beverage. Roy never eats at home. He eats out most of the time, or buys take out. With the exception of breakfast of course. Sometimes he'll take cereal, or sometimes he only has a cup of coffee.
A couple of blocks of walking and half empty coffee paper cup later, Roy turns into an alley. He takes some sort of shortcut before arriving at a small convenient store. I wait outside. It is too risky to follow him inside as the chances of me getting caught are pretty high at this point, especially in such a small place.
At the first glance, Roy looks like a normal guy in a convenient store that just needs to restock his fridge stock. A couple of instant noodles, snacks, sugar and bubble gum. The only thing that is out the ordinary is the fact that the cashier does not only give him his change, but also an A4-size dark blue envelope. Is that the document?
Roy walks out from the convenient store, not laying his eyes on the envelope. But a newbie will always be a newbie. I notice how his eyes can't stay still, keep on observing his surrounding as he walks back towards the station's direction. His posture is stiff, and he sometimes unnecessarily taps his feet against the hard surface of the road.
Then a man bumps into him.
I step back, rushing to a safe spot to observe. The content of the plastic bag that he was holding scatters all over the road. The man quickly says sorry, helping Roy with his so called groceries. Their hands reach out to the envelope in the same time, causing Roy to quickly pull it to his side.
…but the effort fails as the man does just the same.
They both stare at each other, seemingly realising what this means. The man is bigger than Roy, probably around my size. It doesn’t take a genius to notice the change in Roy’s facial expression. It goes from tense into fear. Tsk, newbie.
“Jaejin!!” I walk over to where they are, straight to Roy.
Roy’s eyes widen up, jaw dropping - clearly wasn't expecting me at all.
"I--… what are you doing here?!" he asks back. The two men stand up, staring at me confusedly. The stranger unconsciously lets go of the document, allowing Roy to pull it to his side.
"I forgot to tell you to get the article draft from the convenient store before you left just now. I did mention it to you the other day, but I wasn't sure if you'd get it for me. My phone's battery died for me, so I thought I'd take the day off today and take it myself," I explain.
"Huh?!"
"But it seems that you really did get it for me," I grin.
I step forward and take the envelope from Roy's hand. I open the envelope and have a quick look at it. "Yup. This is the draft. Now all I have to do is to proof-read it before I give it to my editor. Thanks, dude! You're the best roommate ever!"
"R-roommate?! What are you talking abou--"
"Let's go home then! I already take the day off, or maybe we should go somewhere?" I quickly declare, cutting his sentence almost right away.
From the corner of my eyes, I can see how the dude is piercing his eyes at us - watching us leaving him alone on the empty street.
Roy doesn't say a single thing at all. Every now and then, he will look back just to check whether the guy from earlier is following us or not - which he isn't. I walk us through the crowd and guide him back to his own apartment building. There is nothing much that I can do now but to keep him close. Who knows who will come to him and get this document away from him.
"How long will it take you to memorise everything on that document?" I ask, almost whispering.
"W-what document?!" Roy stutters. "And where are we going?"
"Really now, Roy?" I frown. "Are you gonna act stupid now? We're going back to your place. Yes, I know where you live. So just answer me."
He hesitates for a bit, looking down to his shoes. "…depends on the content. If it's complicated and has a lot of newly developed formulas, at least 15 hours," he answers.
"15 hours?"
"At least."
I stop walking, turning my head to him. If this thing is really as serious as what Bob told me, I really need to take some desperate measure. Even if it means breaking the rules.
"I guess I have to camp out at your place for at least 15 hours then. You need to memorise the document and we need to destroy it."
---
Being inside Roy's apartment and having watched him reading the document with his pair of glasses make me realise that Roy really is a scientist. That fancy hair cut of his hides his true nature really well. Who would have known that the guy that I met that night in that bar, the very same guy that I thought was pretty good looking, was actually a nerd?
"How did you find out?" Roy speaks up suddenly, eyes not leaving the paper in his hands to where I stand.
Leaning my bum against the wall by the window that I have been using to check on the situation outside, I shrug. "Your neighbour."
"My neighbour?" he looks up to me. "Seunghyunnie?"
I nod. "…I usually call him Bob though."
As if he has gotten sick of being shocked, Roy's expression doesn't change. He doesn't even twitch. "By Bob… you mean… our Bob?"
"Yeah. Our Bob."
Roy goes back to his document again, not really reading it and more on spacing out. "That explains why Bob's voice sounds awfully familiar. They have the same kind of aura as well. The annoying behaviour, I mean," he mumbles. "It's not even 'they', it's just 'he'."
"Are you close with this Seunghyunnie?"
"Considering how I don't have that many friends, we get along pretty well I guess. They moved me here when they found out about my mum and I. Now that I know he's actually Bob, it kind of makes sense. They need someone to watch over me," he answers. "And did they send you too?"
Nodding, I walk over to the refrigerator to find something to drink or munch on. This will take forever. Might as well make myself comfortable here.
"Have a problem with that?"
"Not really. I know that you're good. Read your CV, past cases and well, I've worked with you side by side."
"Oh?" Now this really got my attention. "When and why exactly did you read my past cases?"
Roy pauses, seemingly cursing at himself for accidentally saying something that he might not want me to know. "After that time-leak case we had."
"Trying to learn how to do stuff on the field from my reports?"
"I was just curious," Roy answers.
"Just curious? Work-wise? Or personally curious?"
Rolling his eyes, Roy takes off his glasses then massages the bridge of his nose. "Can we not do this now? This document contains at least two months of research and it will take a lot longer than 15 hours if you keep on interrupting me."
"Fine. Suits yourself," I answer unamusedly.
I close the refrigerator, pretty much disappointed with the content of it. Or the lack of it, to be honest. The apartment is small, a studio flat for one that is a lot smaller than mine. For a well-paid scientist, this might be a little bit too humble. But considering the nature of the situation, I'm not surprised that they put him here. Might be safer that way.
The furniture is minimum. A TV is strategically placed in the middle of the open space, with dust covering the top of it. His bed is at the furthest corner of the studio room, by the window where I previously stood. I assume he watches his TV from his bed because there is no couch in this place.
Roy obviously never expects a guest that will eat with him at home (probably other than that Kim Kibum guy). No dining table or chair and an empty bowl is put on an empty space on that big study desk he's sitting on right now - implying that Roy eats his meal while being on the computer.
"Do you have any coffee? If this really is going to take 15 hours. I might need something to keep me alert."
"On the kitchen shelves," Roy answers. "And while you're at it, make some for me too."
I go to the said shelves, is not entirely happy with him ordering me around, but I'll let it slide for now.
"Coffee beans?" I question when I find a jar of coffee beans on one of the racks.
"The brewer is on the counter. Next to the microwave," says Roy.
"In this extra simple apartment you have a coffee brewer? You have an expensive taste there, young man," I chuckle.
"I don't compromise my coffee. I didn't get to choose where I live anymore, or what kind of job I should be doing. I can't even tell my good friend why I moved here, or what kind of job I really do. Can't even tell him how this new work is actually stressing me out. I'm just glad that this place happens to be close to where he works. So for the very least I want my coffee to be the way I like it," he answers honestly. "And if you had been working in a lab for almost 20 hours a day for the past few years, you wouldn't want to compromise your coffee either."
I honestly never thought of it that way. At least for me, I really chose to take the offer to work with DBU. Maybe Roy did have the choice, and maybe working in an amazing lab was his dream. But I only thought that he was transferred to our team because he did something extremely wrong, or because they saw potential in him in being a field agent. I never really thought that maybe he just had no choice but to do this.
"Sorry…" I apologize.
Roy sighes. "It's fine. I'm just… there is so much to digest. The new job. Then I have to secretly work in this project as well. My neighbour is my teammate. And my team leader is currently watching over me in person."
"It's for your safety."
"I know. But I thought the moment I entered WSO, changed my name officially, I would no longer need anyone to become my personal bodyguard. Living in a diplomatic family isn't all that fun, y'know," he sighes again.
"You changed your name? So your name is not Lee Jaejin?" I ask, making the coffee in the same time.
"…it is my name. WSO will also write my real name on every document. But my name is Wang Sabaek on my ID card. Everyone knows me as that," he answers. "Other than you and Seunghyun. Even my friend, Kibum, thinks that my name is Sabaek."
"Why me and Seunghyun then?"
"Well, for Seunghyun, the very first time we met was when he knocked on my door, telling me that I dropped my high school certificate on the hallway. It has my real name and my face on it. Must have happened when I was moving. He could read it even when it's in Japanese. Couldn't tell him that it didn't belong to me, so I introduced myself as Jaejin."
"What about me then?" I ask again. "I was just a stranger from the bar."
Roy stays silent for awhile. I walk over to his desk, placing the coffee that I just made right next to his hand. I'm not sure if he drinks it with sugar at all, so I just put an individual package of sugar cube next to it.
"You fascinated me," he mumbles. "Still are."
---
My job was hectic for the entire month, but it's been improving now. I hope I can update once a week or every two weeks. Wish me luck!!
And I hope you like the new development :D
Comments