[C h a p t e r 4 5]

Amber’s car slowly pulled up a small distance away from  Luhan mansion, carefully observing the car Krystal was in driving through the gate. She remained staring at the gates as they slowly closed for several minutes, contemplating the information she had gathered today. After watching Krystal visit her Noona at the ice-cream parlour, Amber had followed the woman to a set of flats in a rundown part of Seoul. From the set of notes Kris had given her earlier, Amber realised that Krystal was visiting her mother. There she remained for half an hour, before descending the stairs and entering her car to return to the  mansion.

It had not been easy for Amber to persuade Lee Soo Man to allow her a day off from her work as his secretary in order to follow Krystal around. He reluctantly agreed in the end, on the condition that she remained in the car throughout the entire trip or else within sight of the driver. Of course, Amber had agreed to the terms, although slightly annoyed at them. She had other reasons for requesting permission to follow Krystal.

Glancing at the driver through the rear view mirror, her eyes connected with the man. Amber saw a faint tremor pass through him and couldn’t hide the sarcastic smile that spread across her face. Even those who didn’t know she was an assassin felt fear at her gaze.

“Drive off but don’t head back to the Lee Soo Man mansion yet,” she ordered.

The driver swallowed nervously before replying, “But my orders were-”

Amber’s eyes narrowed and he immediately quietened. “I don’t care what you were ordered – continue driving around.”

With a curt nod, the driver drove off and Amber turned to stare out her window. Her mind was in two halves: one wanted to find a way to go and see Henry, while the other was afraid of going to see him, worried that it would alert Lee Soo Man to their relationship. But she hadn’t seen him for several weeks now and she was beginning to find this separation unbearable. A small amused smile cracked across her face as this thought entered her mind. For ten long years she had managed to hide herself from Henry, to trick herself that she was strong enough to try and forget him. But as soon as he had returned to her life, still as madly in love with her as he had been back then… She couldn’t deny how she felt about him. Although she had hidden herself from him, it did not mean he was hidden from her.

= Flashback =

“What are we doing here?” asked Kris in a confused tone, parking the car some distance from the police academy. Being so near such a place set the man on edge and he didn’t like it one bit.

Amber ignored his question, continuing to gaze out the window at the school’s gate, her eyes darting from face to face, searching. Kris tried to follow her gaze but could not make out what she was looking for.

“Amber, we have to get going. Lee Soo Man will be wondering where we’ve gone after your university entrance exams,” said Kris in an annoyed tone. He was beginning to get an idea of why she had told him to park here and no sooner than was the thought in his mind was it confirmed.

A faint smile touched Amber’s lips as she spotted Henry amidst a crowd of other police students, laughing animatedly at a joke one of them had made. A Boy looking his own age hovered to his right, moving to hit the one who had told the joke, of which he had obviously been the subject. Amber’s eyes never left Henry’s face however, taking in the sight of his smiling eyes.

‘At least… he is now living his dream… happily…’ she thought to herself quietly.

As soon as Henry and his group of friends disappeared into the crowd waiting at the bus stop, Kris started the car engine. With a quick glance over at Henry and then at Amber, he let out a sigh before pulling the car out. “Come on, we’d better get going.”

= End Flashback =

Amber recognised the landmarks which indicated she was near Henry’s office and she straightened slightly in her seat. She had to make her mind up now: stop or continue driving? Closing her eyes, she tried to calm her racing heart, but when she opened them again, her heart pounded even faster when she saw Henry step out of the station as they drove past.

“Stop! I have something I need to do!” she shouted at the driver.

Caught unaware, the driver immediately did as he was told, halting in the middle of the road. The car behind them skidded to a halt behind, their horn blaring loudly in panic. Amber glared at her driver through the mirror and he immediately bowed his head in apology before moving over to the edge of the road. All this time Henry had been watching the scene with interest, wondering if he would have to intervene as he saw the driver of the car behind emerge angrily.

Amber’s driver hurriedly stepped out of the car, heading over to clear the matter with the other man. The man was furious at having nearly hit Amber’s car and didn’t seem like he would be letting the matter go easily anytime soon. Amber, seeing Henry deciding to go over and have a look, stepped out of the car and went over to the quarrelling man. She hid the smile that wanted to spread across her face as she saw his surprised look.

Approaching the angry man, Amber bowed at him in apology. “Forgive me, Sir, for my driver’s incompetence. It was partly my fault as well for making him stop so suddenly.”

The man still looked a little upset but there was nothing he could really do seeing as nothing was damaged and Amber had apologised to him. With one last annoyed look, he said, “Fine, I’ll let the matter rest here but you’d better not let your driver drive like that again, Miss.” He then stormed off back to his car, promptly driving off. Amber then turned back to her driver, heaving a tired sigh when she saw the pale look on his face.

“Sorry for getting you yelled at,” she said, earning a surprised look from her driver. “You won’t get fired if you promise to keep something secret.”

The surprised look on her driver’s face soon turned into an eager grin. “Whatever, Miss. I just got this job not too long ago and I don’t want to lose it.”

Amber continued to gaze into his eyes, studying him. When he did not turn away, she smiled. “Do not tell anyone about this little stop. There is something I want to do and it must remain secret. If not…” She continued to stare into his eyes, her own narrowing dangerously. “If not, your job will not be the only thing you lose.”

Her driver swallowed nervously at the obvious threat she had delivered. As she turned to walk off, he began to follow her. Amber came to a stop when she realised this. “I also have to do this alone,” she said, her patience now beginning to thin.

The man seemed as if he was about to protest but then thought better of it as his eyes met hers. Bowing, he retreated to the car where he settled to nervously waiting for her to return. Amber, satisfied that he wasn’t going to follow her anymore, continued to walk off, glancing at Henry as she strolled past him, her hand slightly brushing his as she passed. Henry, who had been watching and heard everything she said, followed her at a distance with those same mixed feelings he’d been having since he found out about her true identity. He was once again reminded of who she was now and it somewhat hurt to see her have to act like this.

Amber led Henry down the street, searching for an appropriate place in which they could gain a private moment together away from prying eyes. She spotted an empty alleyway a few blocks from where her car was parked and headed down it. Leaning against the wall, she waited as Henry finally followed her in.

She stood up properly and they stared at one another, the tension between them electrifying the air. A small smile then spread its way across Amber’s face. “I finally get to see you again,” she said quietly.

Henry took several steps towards her, quickly closing the gap between them with his long strides. He came to hold her shoulders, gently her face. As she closed her eyes at his touch, he couldn’t stand it anymore and brought her in for a tight hug.

“I miss you so much, Josephine…” he whispered, his arms tightening around her slightly.

Amber smiled even more at his whisper. “And I miss you so much too, Xian Hua.”

He slowly pulled away from her after a few minutes, taking in her pretty face which gazed up into his with a warm look in her eyes. A sad smile spread across his face as he proceeded to caress her face once more. “How come you’re able to see me today?”

At his question, the smile on Amber’s face disappeared and she broke away from his grip on her. She turned away, crossing her arms over her front as guilt gnawed at her conscience. Henry understood her silence and came to embrace her from behind.

“It’s because of Dawn, isn’t it?” he said, a sinking feeling in his heart. “It’s because of these conflicts between the gangs that you have to kill again, isn’t it?”

Amber closed her eyes painfully, his words sending a thousand needles into her heart. After some time, she answered, “Dawn is who I have become and will always have to be, until the day I or the Syndicate dies.”

Henry’s arms around her tightened as he heard her speak of death, the thought of losing her for a second time becoming unbearable. “I will never let you die, Josephine. I cannot bear to lose you for the second time, for if I do… I will die with-”

Amber spun around in Henry’s arms, placing a finger to his lips to silence him. “Please don’t say things like that, Xian Hua… I… can’t bear the thought of losing you either…”

He lifted his hand up to her elbow, slowly sliding its way up her forearm towards the hand she had placed over his lips. She felt him kiss the tips of her fingers as he pulled them away from his face, small shivers running through her body. “Then promise me you’ll never speak of dying again,” he said in a soft voice, staring deep into her eyes.

Amber swallowed nervously, feeling her heart pound incredibly fast. “I promise…” As soon as those words left , Henry leaned forwards and covered her lips with his, kissing her passionately. She responded back in kind with all the desire and need she felt for him, and that he felt for her, her hands slowly running over his broad chest before snaking their way through his hair. Henry backed her against the wall, kissing her tenderly as his hands made their way inside her shirt, feeling her flat stomach before trying to make their way higher. But there was still some small spark of reason still left within his passion drunk mind to bring him back to reality, to the fact that they were in an alleyway and now was not the time to take things further. He began to slow his kisses down, trying his best to dowse the flame she had ignited in him.

They finally broke their kiss off and he leaned his head forward, his forehead resting on Amber’s as they both tried to calm their ragged breaths. Henry was the first to open his eyes and a smile touched his lips when he saw Amber still trying to recover from their heated embrace under him. He kissed her lips lightly, realising that his hands were still up her shirt, softly rubbing her sides.

“You have no idea how much I want you right now, Josephine…” he whispered huskily, planting another light kiss on her lips. “But we can’t do this here…”

Amber finally opened her eyes, inhaling deeply as she enjoyed the feel of his hands on her bare skin. “I know… and I should leave soon…” She leaned forward to kiss his lips lightly, her hands yearning to reach under his shirt too.

“Then one more kiss…” said Henry before he kissed her fully, savouring the taste of her lips on his. Amber did the same, wondering when the next chance she could see him would be.

After some time, Henry finally pulled away from Amber and she readjusted her appearance so that she was back to normal. A mischievous grin spread across Henry’s face as he watched her. Amber noticed the look and frowned slightly with a smile.

“What?” she snapped at him.

Henry shook his head naughtily. “Nothing. Just thinking that you looked so y with your clothes messy.”

Amber narrowed her eyes at him but was still unable to stop herself from smiling. She took a step towards him and he reflexively took a step out of the way, as if anticipating her hitting him. She frowned at him, rolling her eyes as she stepped towards him once more, catching hold of him. “Stop running away; your hair is all messy.”

Henry seemed surprised that Amber was now helping him to neaten his hair and he was touched. He smiled at her lovingly and when she had finished, he pulled her in for another hug. “I wonder when we’ll be able to see each other everyday, having you help make my hair for me as we wake up from the same bed,” he smiled dreamily to himself.

Amber smiled at his daydream but she felt a twinge of pain as she realised how impossible that dream will be. She was even already planing another murder and that would only send them further apart. Sighing, she then said, “I have to go now. I’ve been away from Lee Soo Man too long.”

Reluctantly, Henry released Amber, but not before planting another kiss on her forehead. “Remember Josephine, I will help you be free of the Syndicate one day,” he said, his eyes full of determination.

All Amber could do was smile sadly in return. “Then I will wait for that day, Xian Hua.”

‘But I fear it will never come'

tbc.

Haha, how do you guys like that chapter? posting 3 chapter straight up hehe & I found another way for the two to have another sweet moment together,  i guess Everything is soon coming to an end... but not that soon :P

Next Chapter: What will happen to Krystal?