Dead End

Pain is something she can endure.

Pain is something she can face.

Pain is nothing to her.

Pain is nothing.

Every strike to the stomach is like a stab to the heart; however, she is use to it. Her teacher’s punishment. Jina is the one who taught her how to kill. She is simply the one can control Jessica and her fear. When Jessica is at the age of seven, Jina almost killed Jessica for saving the kitten.

From that day on Jessica learned not to help any animal, because the kitten was killed after that.

“Move.” Jina push the man away and stare down at Jessica, who had curl up into a ball. “What have I taught you! You are a machine. A killing machine. Who allowed to have emotion?” Jina pulled on Jessica’s shirt collar and lifted her up the ground. A heavy slap through Jessica’s left face.

“.” Jessica gave her a dead look. Jina’s blank expression gets her even angrier. Jessica wanted to kill her so bad, but she knows her limit.

Plus, Jina had another killer with her.

“Krystal, you take care the rest.” Jina drop Jessica and walked out the alley. Krystal pulled out a gun and pointed the mouth at Jessica.

“You are useless now.” Krystal said and press the hammer with thumb. Jessica suddenly lean back. She supported her weight with her elbow. A kick, the gun hit the ground and spin away from them.With the other leg Jessica lock Krystal’s arm and pull her down to a kneel.

Then Jessica pushed herself up. All the man around them jump towards Jessica. She kicked them on the stomach hard and they felt. Krystal is kneeling on the floor and a shock expression clearly printed on her face.

“Jessica, you will never win.” Krystal’s eyebrow furrow together. Krystal is Jessica’s training mate. She is brought in for Jessica to be trained. She is suppose to be the next assassin machine for the Underground, but she only remember how to compete with Jessica.

Jessica limp up the wall and extended her hand to support her weight with the wall. Climbing is like walking to her. Suddenly, she felt the tear on her bullet wound. She clenched her jaw and bite her teeth together. Krystal landed a strong kick on her spine. Jessica hit the wall and hit the ground like dead meat.

Krystal pick up her gun and move towards Jessica again. Before she aimed her gun at her prey again, a man jump behind her and stab a needle on her arm. Numbness flow through her arm and took over her vision.

The man loop his hand under Jessica. Jessica saw a well defined jaw line, but she fainted from the pain before she can see it.

Just like any fantasy stories, she woke up in a luxurious bedroom. She wearing an oversized white T-shirt. There are bandaid on her face and arm. Jessica sit herself up and a heavy pain sent from her wound.

“You are up.” Heechul walked in the room and shut the door behind him.

Jessica gave him a look and examine the place she is in. “Why am I here?”

Heechul lifted up one side of his lips and lean against the wall. “You almost got killed by whoever that girl is...”

Jessica’s brow furrowed and recalled her memories, “Why did you help me?” She looked up with those furious eyes.

“That is a nice way to say thank you.” He mumbled in low voice. Then he continued, “I was following you.”

Jessica exhale and roll her eyes to the right. She place her hand on her forehead. Something is wrong with her this week. Since the day she started this mission, everything is not under her control. “Where is this place.” Jessica push the blanket off and hang her long leg on the edge of the bed.

“My house.” Heechul answered.

“What is with you? Shouldn’t you hate the person who is going to kill you?” Jessica shoot him a look.

“No.” Heechul smiled. “There are something more fun than hating.” His smile turn into a smirk.

“I thought I was creepy.” Jessica stood up slowly from the bed.

Heechul walked a little closer to Jessica. “Your wound is not heal yet. If you keep moving around, it will start bleed...”

“Heechul!” A woman’s voice echo into the room. “Heechul. It’s mom. Oh my god. I heard you comeback.”

The door knob turns.

Heechul looked at Jessica and pulled her inside the little storage room behind them. Jessica want to flip him over for touching her so suddenly, but she can’t command her body. Both of them packed into a small narrow space.

By that time, Jessica can no longer stand. She lean against the small door. Heechul use his right hand and supported her head. Jessica looked at him with those tiring eyes. He pull her head away from the small door.

Jessica had no choice but to lean against Heechul’s chest. In the quiet little room, she listened to her prey’s heartbeat. So steadily, it beats in a comforting rhythm. Jessica closed her eyes.

“I think she is gone. It will be a mess if my mom see you...” Heechul examines Jessica’s peaceful face.

He stood there stiffly. Eyes on laying on the beautiful creature and unable to look away. She is like a drug. Heechul bring up his hand to Jessica’s face. With his forefinger, he smooth the piece of hair out of her face. Her pale face make her look weak and helpless. Her eyes open slowly and looked up at him.

Heechul clenched his teeth and looked away with a heavy sigh. Jessica pull away from him and open his closet door. She step out the narrow space and drag herself to near by chair. Heechul followed.

She hit the handle of the chair. “If it wasn’t for you, I don’t have to keep doing this.” Jessica mumbled.

Heechul looked at Jessica’s reflection on the wide window. “Thank you.”  Jessica turn to Heechul surprise by those two words.

“Live here for a month, Jessica.” Heechul offered.

“No. I will be dead soon. Knowing too much in this world can’t keep you alive.” Jessica pinch her nose bridge.

“You have no choice.” Heechul added. “You are afraid of death. You are afraid of betrayal.”

She became quiet. There is a long pause in the conversation.

Then her lips moved, “Where do I sleep?”

Can you trust each other?

“Yoona. Listen!” Siwon try to stop her sister from entering the conference room.

“No!” Yoona argues back, “I didn’t do anything wrong by keeping him. It’s just part of the investigation. Plus, Heechul got back home safely!”

“After he disappeared for more than a week...” Her brother corrects. The door to the conference room suddenly open and a young lady ask for Yoona.

Yoona exhale heavily. She knew her position is in danger now. Putting the hostage in danger is the worst decision make by a leader. Yoona step into the room and reach the stage. She salute respectfully and still keep her head high up. She is one stubborn girl.

Many military officers and government officers were sitting in front of her. Every eyes judging her movement.

She saw her dad stood up from a chair with a paper clinging on his hand. Those disappointed eyes stared at the paper for a while, then he started to announce.

“Im Yoona. As the experienced commander for the military, I announce you to be striped from your position, the high commander of the police department. One month reflection period before you can come back to the investigation.” Her father, Jongwoon, look up from the paper. Yoona avoided the disappointment in his eyes.

“What is the explanation for taking my position?” Yoona asked boldly.

“Explanation! You put Kihong’s son in great danger and shot the killer without arresting it.” A old man’s loud voice echo in the quiet room. “What more do you need! You didn’t even trust your own team and left your officer out.”

Yoona held her eyes back. She shut and accept her mistakes.

Then her father spoked, “You put your personal issue into this investigation and mistake the innocence ones.” Yoona turn to her father and saw the disapprove in his eyes. Her heart sank. The person she respect the most is disappointed in her.

She lower her head and accept their decisions.

“Yoona come out. We need a talk.” Her father called her out. “Please excuse us.” He bow to all the other people in the room. Yoona followed his father.

His father is a high official. He is in Yoona’s commander the position years ago. There are rumors that her father quit because the death of his newborn and wife. Yoona and Siwon have no idea about their father’s past.

“Yoona. I want you to give up on this mission to investigate the Underground.” Her father pick up her hand.

“Dad!” Yoona panic by her father’s lack of support. “I will find them. I will know who kill my family. I can’t let anything like that happen to other families.”

“Look! Yoona. I am at fault for your mother and little sister’s death.” Tears slowly fill up his eyes. “Please just stay away from them. This is not worth it. The Underground is our biggest enemy. If I see their leader again, I will chop them into piece. However, I choose to avoid doing that. I want to live in peacefulness instead of hating.”

Yoona paused and examined her father’s expression. “I will do it myself. I will move out. Before I finish my mission, I have no relationship with this family.”

“Yoona!” Her father scream as she turn and speed away in the long hallway.

She hated the Underground leader.

Yoona step out into the night and pull out her cell phone.

“Yo!”

She turn and there he is. Hands folded across and eyes locked on her.

“I need your help.”

“What?” Yoona raised the question. This guy would come to her for help is like a miracle. After all their families were enemies.

“Im Yoona. I, Lee Donghae, needs your help.”

But she love his son.

“Why me?” Yoona hides all her express with a blank face.

“I met my dead end. I have no choice.”

When meeting a dead end,  you can’t turn back.

There is always another way out.