✰ PROLOGUE ✰

“Three o’clock.” Someone whispered through her ear device. She turned right and shot the distinct black figure that was approaching her. The target bled. He’s dead. The game is over. “Hakyung-ssi, the director is waiting for you in your office.” The same voice declared in a normal voice tone over the earpiece.

“Game over.” She reiterated loudly as she unloaded her gun. “I’ll see everyone back in the office. Conference at fourteen hundred hours.”

Hakyung slammed herself shut inside her Audi RS5 coupe . She start the machine, revved the engine, the music player, and bolted away at 130 kilometers per hour to meet the director. In fifteen minutes of recklessly driving through a highway in Seoul, she arrived at her destination. She immediately parked at her designated area, got off, lock the entirety of her precious vehicle and began walking to her office.

Her buddy, who had been itching to meet her since the director decided to loiter at their office, sighed at the sight of her as if his hero arrive at the most crucial time of the fight. He ran towards her, giving her a light whack at the head. “The director is waiting for you in your office. Seriously, Hakyung, what took you so long?”

She scoffed as she ties her long raven black hair in a high ponytail. “He should’ve set an appointment if he wanted me to come on time.” Hakyung opened her palm in her deputy’s direction and the latter placed a gun on it. She placed it in her belt pocket and continued walking the stretch to her office. As soon as she opened the door, the director that had been anticipating her arrival stood from Hakyung’s seat and greeted her with a hug. She refused to return it as always.

“I’ve got job for you.”

“You should have just faxed it over, sir.” Hakyung smirked.

“The means of this mission doesn’t follow the normal pattern so I had to come down here myself..” The director eyed the officers present inside the office silently commanding them to go out. Hakyung held on to her partner’s sleeve. She wanted him to stay. They were partners after all. “Is he your lover?” The deputy asked as he saw how Hakyung reacted.

“More than that.” She briefly responded, with that the director cleared his throat, knowing well that he should drop the topic and proceed to the main point of his sudden influx.

The director sighed. “I do not approve of this. I mean, not for you. But the higher ups want you in this. They want you back, and this is your chance to tell everyone that you’re still you. So, just take it, OK, Hakyung-ah?”

Hakyung her head. “Is it so hard for you generals to meet me like this?” She paused to eye her director intently. “Nothing will change.”

“Why don’t you try reading through the files first?” He looked at the manila envelope lying on Hakyung’s desk. “Call me after you do that. You decide then.”