I have come to the conclusion that if I have the time to write, the inspiration to write, I better write. To hell with spacing out my updates neatly.

“Well now,” Jinki stood before his two operatives. His eyes took in the sight before him and Jinki said equivalently, “Aren’t you guys a sorry-looking pair?”

Jonghyun and Taemin sat primly in their chairs, legs closed and hands folded on their legs. Their heads were downcast and their eyes solemn as they waited, with their backs ramrod straight, for the dressing down they knew was coming their way.

Jonghyun could feel an itch in his nose, but he resisted the urge to scratch it. Moving now was akin to drawing the beast’s attention to you, and despite the fact that he and Taemin were in a strategic alliance, it did not mean he was about to do something self-sacrificial. Truth to be told, this entire mess was largely Taemin’s fault anyway. Jonghyun was simply an innocent bystander who got dragged into the mess.

“Nothing to say to me now?” Jinki frowned, “Who was the chatty one who couldn’t shut his mouth earlier?”

Taemin’s eyes flitted up for a moment before he immediately returned to staring at his hands. He said in a small voice, “I am sorry.”

“Sorry? Whatever for?” Jinki furrowed his brows and pretended to be genuinely confused, “You seemed to be having the time of your life earlier.”

“I am really sorry, Jinki-hyung,” Taemin repeated, eyes fixed on his nails.

“Don’t be. You shouldn’t let me get in the way of your fun, Taemin,” Jinki put a hand on Taemin’s shoulder in a show of empathy, “You know what a stooge I may be at times, what with my priority being to complete the mission with as few complications as possible.”

Jonghyun winced as the words hit home. He could feel Taemin stiffening up beside him too.

Jinki paused as he pretended to go over his words. “Which, if I recall, happen to be our operative from HQ,” Jinki’s eyes took on a hard edge, “Am I right, Taemin? Jonghyun?”

Taemin nodded his head slowly while Jonghyun murmured a soft ‘yes’.

“But with the antics that you two were up to recently, you would almost have me believe that your operative is to jeopardise the mission in whichever way possible,” Jinki squatted down till he was eye-level with them. He paused yet again and Jonghyun could count the acne scars on Jinki’s face.

Just when Jonghyun was agonizing over Jinki’s inclination towards melodrama, Jinki continued in a curious voice, void of malice and threat, but simply filled with pure wonderment, “Are you guys spies?”

Jonghyun resisted the strong urge to roll his eyes, but unfortunately for Taemin, he had less self-control than Jonghyun.

Taemin snorted before he could stop himself and Jinki’s eyes immediately snapped over to him. It was as if that was the bait the beast was waiting for, and Jinki’s calm demeanour fell away, replaced with cold, hard anger. “What’s so funny?”

Taemin paled. “Nothing,” he managed to say.

“Don’t play coy,” Jinki growled, “I heard you snort, Taemin. And I will like to hear what’s so funny with the words I just said.”

Taemin remained silent.

“Lee Taemin.”

“It’s just that… we can’t possibly be spies,” Taemin shifted uncomfortably in his seats, “You know how stringent HQ gets when recruiting.”

“Well, if you aren’t spies,” something in Jinki’s eyes shifted and Jonghyun knew that Jinki finally got the opening he was looking for. Jonghyun sent a silent prayer on Taemin’s behalf, before he resolved to stay silent no matter what. Jinki continued, “Then how are you going to explain your behaviour for the past few weeks?”

Taemin swallowed drily and there it was, the million dollar question. Jonghyun was just glad that it wasn’t him who got it. Because frankly speaking, there was no good way they could sugarcoat their behaviour the past few weeks, and the three of them all knew it.

“I am sorry,” Taemin said after a moment’s pause, “Jonghyun is really sorry too.”

And Jonghyun felt a sudden flare of anger toward his supposed comrade-in-arm. Because did Taemin just redirected the beast’s attention to him, even when Jonghyun was nice enough to pray for the brat’s safety.

“It seems like the cat caught Taemin’s tongue today,” Jinki turned to Jongyun as if he had just remembered his presence, “How about you, Jonghyun? Do you have any satisfactory explanation for me?”

“Erm…” Jonghyun began and Jinki’s eyes narrowed. Upon seeing Jinki’s reaction, Jonghyun thought better and decided to end things off simply, “Sorry, hyung.”

“I don’t want apologies. I want explanations,” Jinki replied in thinly-veiled anger, “I just called a Code Red today and HQ will want an explanation. And I want something that will look better other than the reason that my support team is made of ing idiots!”

Jonghyun shrunk from the heat in Jinki’s voice and he could see Taemin doing the same. Seldom had they seen Jinki so mad, but it looked like today was one of the rare days when Jinki was well and thoroughly pissed off.

Jinki’s aversion to paperwork was legendary. Jonghyun felt like strangling Taemin.

“Well, what are you guys waiting for? Say something!” Jinki shouted when it became apparent that his two operatives weren’t about to reply him, “Don’t you guys love talking back to me? Now that I finally allowed you to speak, speak!”

Jonghyun and Taemin remained adamantly mute.

“ you! After creating such a huge mess, you are just going to remain silent and push the clean-up to me?” Jinki grabbed both Jonghyun and Taemin’s shoulders, pulling the two of them to him. He spat, “I ing hate you.”

Jonghyun blinked and Taemin flinched. Alright, those words hurt. Jonghyun never thought that Jinki would be that harsh, but it seemed as if Jinki was out to upturn all stereotypes about him today.

“Sorry,” Jonghyun managed even as Jinki glared at him, red-faced.

Jinki continued shooting him blazing looks before he finally took in shuddering breaths, closing his eyes. His grip tightened and Jonghyun could feel Jinki’s fingers digging into him. Any harder, and bruises would be left behind.

Nonetheless, Jonghyun did not protest and silently took in the pain. The fact that Jinki was taking in deep breaths was a good sign, because it meant that he was trying to calm himself down. Jonghyun only hoped that Taemin would do the same and not do anything that could rouse Jinki yet again.

It seemed like Taemin successfully received the message this time round.

“Apologies—apologies are not going to cut it,” Jinki slowly opened his eyes, “I need a legitimate reason from both of you. An explanation to excuse your blatant disregard for the mission’s integrity.”

When Taemin and Jonghyun did not respond, Jinki continued in a voice, devoid of emotions, “I need it, or I may be forced to request for another support team.”

Jonghyun did not react visibly. He could not react visibly, because that was a curve ball Jinki had just thrown at him and Jonghyun was not at all prepared to handle it. In his past 2 years of working with Jinki, never once had Jinki threatened to ask for replacements. Jonghyun might have acted insubordinate at times, he might have pushed the limits at other occasions, but Jinki had always tolerated his actions, giving him a talking to before wandering off with a long-suffering sigh.

But now, Jinki actually said that he was going to fire Jonghyun and Taemin (not really fire, per se, because they would still be in the Agency, but rather, fired from the mission), and Jonghyun found himself unable to response.

Taemin, however, had no such inability. He blanched for a second before he snapped, “It’s not entirely our fault, Jinki-hyung! I mean a large part is our fault, but you are at blame too, hyung! You—“

“What?” the word was hissed, and anger returned to Jinki’s eyes.

Taemin stopped for a moment before he shook his head. “I am not going to be intimidated by you this time round. If you are going to get rid of me, I might as well say all that I have to say. And I am going to say this,” Taemin adopted a determined look, “You are at fault too, Jinki-hyung.”

When Jinki did not respond immediately, Taemin took it as an invitation to elaborate further. “You could have stopped us, but you didn’t. In fact, it is your responsibility to keep your subordinates in line, but you failed to do so,” Taemin spoke defiantly, “So I don’t see how you are making this to be all our fault, when you have a role to play in this mess too.”

In the ensuing silence, Jonghyun gaped at Taemin. He took the opportunity to look at the pretty-faced boy with slim limbs and an even slimmer body again. Jonghyun had always thought that Taemin was an insufferable brat with not a brain in him, but it appeared as if Jonghyun would be forced to reevaluate his opinion on Taemin today. Because given the outburst, there was more to Taemin than a pretty face and a bratty attitude, and Jonghyun might have just found himself to be in slight admiration at the boy’s irreverent attitude towards authority.

“Code Red is now my fault?” Jinki glared.

“Code Red is our fault. Just like how it’s not entirely your fault, it’s not entirely my fault either. All of us have a part to play in this fiasco and it’s not right of you, Jinki-hyung, to just absolve yourself of all blame by pinning it all onto us.”

“You were the one who came up with the troublesome alter-ego, you were the one who did everything you could to bait Minho,” Jinki was pacing the room now, “Hell, you were even the one who kept me waiting at our live drop, starting off this entire series of unfortunate events!”

“But you were the one who didn’t go through the alter-ego with me, hyung. You were the one who did not effectively take control of the situation even though you were the senior espionage agent there,” Taemin rebutted, while conveniently ignoring the last part of Jinki’s words. He ended off calmly, convincingly, in a voice that spoke of genuine sincerity and utter truth, “You can’t say you are free of blame, hyung.”

Jinki had already stopped by then and he was staring into Taemin’s eyes as Taemin spoke. He did not speak immediately after Taemin had finished, his face an unreadable mask. Jonghyun began perspiring cold sweat and he was regretting his previous admiration towards Taemin when Jinki laughed all of a sudden.

Jinki laughed. And it was a full blown laughter, with Jinki’s head held back and his eyes disappearing into crescents. The rich sound of the joyous noise filled the room and Jonghyun could feel his jaw falling apart in surprise because what the hell.

“My fault. He says it’s my fault,” Jinki said in between laughter before the humour disappeared suddenly like mist at the break of dawn. Jinki said sharply, “Alright, it’s my fault. But what will you have me do in the wake of this mess?”

“Jinki-hyung, what I mean is that it’s our fault; not just entirely your fault—“

“Stop pretending to be diplomatic for a second, and put the genius that you keep harping to me about to work,” Jinki cut Taemin off swiftly, “Choi Minho thinks you are enrolled in a college near my apartment, but support agents are not supposed to have a permanent identity in the mission. How are we going to salvage this situation?”

“Erm.”

“I am giving you a minute to think of a solution.”

“We can stage my alter-ego’s death?”

“Too costly to be worth our while. We will have to request help from HQ.”

“Erm…”

“Taemin can pretend to be a really average student and tone down his affection? And maybe Choi will forget him after a while?” Jonghyun offered hesitantly when Taemin seemed to be caught in a quandary. They are still an alliance, somewhat.

Jinki looked over at Jonghyun. “Speaking only now?” and Jongyhun pretended the words did not hurt him, because Jinki moved on easily enough, as if he didn’t expect a response from him anyway, “But that wouldn’t work because Choi Minho will expect to see Taemin in my apartment and he can’t always be out with his friends.”

“Erm…” Taemin was stuck.

“You need to be anything but average,” Jinki finally said when he felt that his support team had suffered enough.

“I need to be not average?” Taemin repeated, confusion evident.

“You need to be a misfit in school. You need to be so full of anger and hate and madness. You need to pick a fight with the students and have the teachers grasping at straws on what to do with you, Taemin,” Jinki elaborated, “You need to be bullied so much so that Onew, your brother, would have no choice but to transfer you to another school in another country. Maybe not UK, but Hong Kong or Singapore, a country where they speak Chinese so that Taemin, the China boy, can fit in better.”

Taemin blinked before he broke out into a bright, brilliant smile, “Hong Kong and Singapore are also countries where Choi’s syndicate has no control over! You’re so smart, Jinki-hyung! I have always known I can trust you when it comes to missions.”

Jonghyun nodded, eager to jump on to the bandwagon that had its only aim being to flatter Jinki, “That’s a great idea, Jinki-hyung! Should I get started on creating the documents for Taemin’s admittance into a college near your apartment?”

“You mean you haven’t started?” the question was immediate and it needled Jonghyun.

“Sorry, hyung,” Jonghyun wore repentance and guilt like a second skin.

“Don’t think I have forgiven the two of you,” Jinki said, arms crossed, “I may not be asking HQ for replacements, but I am still going to mete our punishment for your past indiscretions. Neither of you will be getting off lightly.”

“I am sorry, Jinki-hyung,” and the smile was off Taemin’s face, replaced by saddened eyes that rivalled Jonghyun’s.

Damn Taemin and his way with manipulating people’s emotions, Jonghyun thought to himself.

“But… you know about how I am supposed to be a misfit and all,” Taemin’s voice continued on slyly.

Jinki arched an eyebrow, an unspoken gesture asking Taemin to elaborate.

“Can I be gay, hyung?”

This chapter nearly went to the dogs LOL. Like, I was typing away happily, making Jinki all sarcastic and mean and all riled-up (more so than above) before I realised: oh yeah, this is my dumb espionage mission series. I am not supposed to make things serious, before I stopped myself and hurriedly re-wrote the ending haha. 

This nearly became the ending:

“You are a good one with words, Taemin,” Jinki finally managed after a good minute of laughing. He ran his hand through his hair, mussing it up in the progress but not caring, “The look in your eyes will convince even a poor pig who is on the guillotine that you are here to save him, even when you hold the butcher knife in one hand, and the reaper’s scythe in the other. You are one hell of a liar, Lee Taemin.”

“But—“

“Don’t try defending yourself, don’t try denying you are a liar now,” Jinki cut Taemin off sharply, the humour disappearing like mist in the air, “You will have me believe that I am to blame for a large part of this mess, but we all know better than that, Taemin. You are an irresponsible child and you are a wild agent. You will have your fun when and as you want it, regardless of other people. Unless I follow you about 24/7, I would never be able to make you behave like the agent you are supposed to be, and you can’t have me believe otherwise.”

“Hyung—“

“But this a talent that you have, and it can be a godsend in missions. You have always told me you were a genius in your schoolwork, that you scored within the top 10 of your school, and I always can’t believe it because that genius doesn’t show in your programming, doesn’t show in your planning, doesn’t show anywhere in your work. But now I believe you, because you are a genius, a genius at observing and manipulating people’s emotions, and this is a raw talent that we badly need in the agency.”

“Lee Taemin, I will not send you back to the Agency with a black letter, I will not send you back with an immediate recommendation that you are to be fired, and fired with all ties cut. Because it is best you work for us than other people. But I don’ think the Agency is equipped to handle people of your type yet, what with Heechul away for work and Jessica off on personal issues. I will be your personal minder and till the day you have your actions under control, you will be under me.”