Vroom.

No second wasted. Dongwoo and the unknown motorcyclist made their way out of the museum parking lot and onto the main road. The neighborhood was relatively quiet until the place erupted in testosterone and carbon monoxide. The two of them drove long the traffic lines and created a loud commotion for everyone to wake up to. Though it was quiet, some taxis filled the streets to make for an exciting runaway.

Dongwoo hyperventilated. His heavy breaths fogged up the helmet, which already weighed his head down. Dongwoo suffocated not only from a lack of oxygen, but almost drowned in the anxiety that he was initially in a gunfight until he was unexpectedly saved by some deus ex machina. "What's going on right now?" Dongwoo asked, pressing a fist into the person's waist. Dongwoo deserved to know what was going on.

The man jerked the bike. "Hold on!" He said.

"What?!"

Before Dongwoo could even let his words sink in, the unknown man ran parallel to the curb and jumped his bike right onto the sidewalk. Pedestrians leaped out of the way, pressing against building walls and lightpoles to move out of the way. The sidewalks, on the other hand, were reasonably filled with strollers and drinkers out to explore the local watering holes. People's wallets, bags, hats, food flew into the air, falling right behind their bike. Not the night they had expected. 

Dongwoo waved at the people apologetically, shouting "sorry" to anyone he could.

The bike tires screeched as they made a swift bank around the corner. Dongwoo looked over his shoulder to check if anybody followed suit. Almost immediately, three motorcyclists turned corner to chase after them. They were the same three guys from before except sporting black motorcycle helmets, revving up speed to catch up to Dongwoo and his unknown savior. 

"They're behind us!" Dongwoo warned.

Dongwoo let go of the man's waist for a quick second to point behind him, but realized the idiotic decision instantly. The wind blew him back and almost knocked him right off the bike. The man noticed this and swiftly grabbed onto Dongwoo's leg to keep him balanced, saving him from any endangerment. The road was a straightaway, and Dongwoo regained his composure and lurched forward to wrap his arms back around the stranger. 

"Hold on, god damnit! Don't ever let go again!" The stranger lectured.

"Ok, I didn't know!" Dongwoo reverted back to his original position and clenched the man's waist. 

The two went onto the highway and headed north of the Yongsan District. Very few cars populated the road late at night and left them out in the open for road kill. The city lights flickered into the distance, which Dongwoo still noticed through the fogged up glass and stress. The straightaway eased them a bit, especially because it lacked the sudden turns that drove them dizzy. The chilly winds slowed them down and as they inched closer towards the city center, so did the others. Dongwoo remembered where he was, who he was with, and what was going on. Now was not the time to revere in the beauty. The three men picked up speed on their motorcycles, leaving Dongwoo and the unknown man to make their exit into Downtown. 

Their motorcycle sped up on the exiting ramp, showing no signs of halting anytime soon. The exit led to a red light for the duo. Cars polluted the through traffic even on a late night. Downtown was a whole other adventure in itself. Traffic continued, and the man saw their window of opportunity between an car and a long-spanned truck. 

Dongwoo saw it too, but was very frightened by the diea. "Wait, you're not thinking-"

"If we're gonna lose these ers, then we got no choice!" He sped up and intended on passing the red light to make their escape.

Dongwoo closed his eyes and had no intention of watching his rise or fall. "NO!!!"

The engines roared. The driver charged right between the aimed vehicles. Dongwoo let out an ugly cry right into the man's ear, both of them flinching as the truck's honking echoed in both of their ears. The sound rang their ear drums and deafened them in that quick second. Dongwoo's heart raced as fast as the motorcycle, pounding right on the driver's back. Dongwoo had never dealt with a stunt like this before. Unlike him, the driver was cool and collected throughout the whole instance, as if he had done this multiple times in his lifetime.

The two of them made a curve onto a small road and slowed down their speed. At this point, they no longer heard any other bike following them. Dongwoo looked over his shoulder, and not a single suited man was behind them.

Dongwoo held his breath until he knew deep down the two of them were safe.

The long-winded chase led the duo right into the heart of Downtown Seoul, speeding through until the unknown man drove Dongwoo right into Gwanghwamun Square.  The plaza was located in one of the governmental districts of Seoul, Jongno District. The place was famous for their vibrant water shows and fountains which surrounded the Yi Sun Sin Statue. At night, colorful lights danced with the water. This time around, the fountins were shut off as well as the lights. The place was stranded and allowed for a quick respite as they shook off their opponent. Temporarily, at least. The two parked the bike right behind the shadows of the statue. 

Dongwoo could not believe what he had just suffered through. His knees almost collapsed as he climbed off the bike. Dongwoo stripped the helmet off of his head and finally took a thorough look at the unmasked stranger. Even in the darkness, Dongwoo could catch the glimmer in his eyes from the moonlight. The man brushed off any dirt or dead bugs on his suit and fixed his tie like he had all the time in the world, seemingly forgetting that they had been chased for the past half an hour. Who is this guy, and what does he know? The first thing Dongwoo could do was throw the motorcycle helmet right into his chest, pushing him up against the statue and pressing his neck against him.

Tactics to subdue an enemy.

"You have five seconds to tell me what's going on. I almost died, and I know you know what's going on," Dongwoo threatened, pressing against the man's neck harder.

Dongwoo knew what he was doing.

As did the stranger.

With the snap of a finger, the guy twisted Dongwoo's arms into a comfortable lock and pushed Dongwoo into Yi Sun Sin's foot. Dongwoo's lips pressed against the cold, rusty metal and shivered. Dongwoo showed signs of resistance, but could not leave his grasp.

"Tell me who you are if you want to live," the man whispered into Dongwoo's ear, sending chills down the security guard's spine. It was clear who stood in charge.

There was nothing Dongwoo could do to move, his wrestling move cutting all circulation into his arms. Obedience was all Dongwoo could abide to. "My name is Jang Dongwoo, and I am a security guard at the National Musem of Korea. I will tell you everything I know."

The man cleared his throat for his introduction. "My name is Lee Howon, and I'm a part of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency."

"The KCIA?" Dongwoo's eyes widened, his senses awakened by the title. He was under the constraints of a KCIA officer, which stressed Dongwoo out even more. "Are you serious!"

"Yes." Howon used his cheek to push Dongwoo closer into the statue, a sign for him to shut up and let him talk. "The reason you are here is because you are in the middle of one of the biggest assassination attempts this world has ever seen."

"Excuse me, what?" Dongwoo arched his back to escape, but Howon trapped him and held onto him tighter. "An assassination attempt? At the museum?!"

"The organization in question is the Purple Lotus, a terrorist organization linking 30 countries together, Korea being one of them. Our records show that two weeks ago, the National Museum of Korea's shipment of Egyptian artifacts was compromised by the British branch of the Purple Lotus." Howon cleared his throat one more and lowered his voice. "The organization hid important information inside the artifacts for retrieval."

Dongwoo nodded his head in understanding. The whole situation was a trip that Dongwoo did not sign up for. 

"Do you understand me?" Howon ensured Dongwoo followed the story.

"Yes."

"The three men chasing you are part of the Purple Lotus, and they intended to steal one of the artifacts of the Egyptian exhibit to retrieve the hidden information. There seemed to be a miscommunication on where the the artifact was located. The KCIA tried to intercept the information, but even we were unsure of where to find everything."

"You mean this?" Dongwoo shrugged Howon's bind and reached into his back pocket. Between his fingers was the USB Dongwoo found inside the mummy. 

Howon snatched the USB out of his hands. Double take to Dongwoo's face. This guy, he has it. He has the information. "Where did you get this?!" Howon exasperated. 

"I found this inside our exhibit's mummy tomb," Dongwoo explained, closing his eyes and preparing for Howon's next move.

At this point, Howon let Dongwoo free and spun him around. Dongwoo cooperated with everything asked, which was all Howon could ask for. The coast was clear for the two to talk civilly. "Dongwoo, did you watch the video?"

Dongwoo nodded his head. "Yes."

"What was on the video?"

"The video had a lot of clips going in and out, nothing lasting more than a split second. It was really short." Dongwoo spilled anything he knew. "I went into work after taking the shift for my best friend. During the shift, two of my coworkers who worked the security room went missing."

"They're safe."

"Everything was weird... wait, they're safe?!" 

"The two of them were found tranquilized and put to sleep. Their conditions are fine, and will wake up in maybe..." Howon looked at his wristwatch. "...two more hours. The KCIA is taking care of them safely and making sure they return home. The will be given something so they forget everything that just happened."

Dongwoo almost teared up with joy. Jung Hwan and Sun Woo's disappearance worried Dongwoo, and he turned emotional over their safety. A huge weight lifted off his shoulders. "I'm glad they're ok."

"You will be ok as well," Howon nodded, staring at the USB. "Anything else important?"

Dongwoo wiped some moisture under his eye, taking another deep breath. "When I set the alarm after some of the exhibits were destroyed, the police never arrived. I had a fire fight with the Purple Lotus before you picked me up."

"These Purple Lotus are not to be reckoned with." Howon shook his head, understanding the extremity of their intelligence. "They probably rewired the alarm settings so that its signal never reaches the police."

Dongwoo raised his hand to his mouth. "Wow."

"I am going to watch the video later and relay more information to you after."

"Ok," Dongwoo nodded.

Howon stared at Dongwoo intently. "I know this is a lot of stuff to comprehend, some of it might not even make sense. The Purple Lotus is an organization that must be handled cautiously, and we may monitor you for the next couple of weeks to ensure you are being protected. The safety of you and our country is at stake. Your cooperation is necessary for us to protect not only yourself, but to save our world leaders."

Dongwoo took a deep breath and wiped his nose from the cold. Howon's loaded statement was a lot of Dongwoo to take in. Buzz words distracted him.

Protect. Cooperation. Country. Save.

For the first time in two years, Dongwoo felt important. Dongwoo felt like people really needed him. The thought hypnotized him. 

"Are you ok, Dongwoo?" Howon asked, trying to break Dongwoo's gaze.

Suddenly, Dongwoo and Howon heard motorcycles coming into the distance. The Purple Lotus was back and somehow figured out their location

"We need to go." Howon shoved the helmet into Dongwoo's stomach to alert his attention. Dongwoo woke up from his thoughts and looked left-and-right, putting the helmet back on and climbing back onto the motorcycle. They were coming close, but still not in their peripheral. Dongwoo grabbed onto Howon's waist, and Howon started his bike. Unfortunately for a bike, there was no real way of acting inconspicuously. Once the engine started, it could be heard from far away. Howon had no choice but to floor it. "Hold on, Dongwoo!"

"What!"

Before Dongwoo knew it, Howon let the gas go and zoomed right out of Gwanghwamun Square. Their bike passed right by the three Purple Lotus members, who made a U-turn to follow them. 

Howon drove faster than he did before, and Dongwoo held onto his life more than ever. The chase intensified tenfold and now that Dongwoo and Howon found time to talk, the purpose glorified. Downtown Seoul was surprisingly busy, making the cat and mouse game difficult for everybody.

"Why can't you call people for back-up?! The KCIA or police?!" Dongwoo yelled through the helmet, hooking his fingers together to stay aput.

Howon shook his head as he sharply to another street of the business district. Tall skyscrapers everywhere hovered over the duo and lit up their path. The area was bright and kept Dongwoo and Howon in clear view. "We have yet to figure out the people involved. This stays under wraps until we figure out the network involved, because if the Purple Lotus know we are onto them they might change assassination plans. There is a chance that some people from our government may be working with the Purple Lotus."

The Purple Lotus drove on their tail, not once showing signs of fatigue. Each side was determined.

"They just never give up, do they." Howon reverted to a new plan and drove onto a barren outdoor shopping pathway. "I know what we're gonna do now," he declared.

"You know where to hide?" Dongwoo yelled.

"We're not gonna hide." Passing by the shopping area, the duo went back onto the street and along the Han River. "We're gonna jump the bridge ahead!"

"Alright."

Wait...

"I'M SORRY, DID YOU SAY WE'RE JUMPING A BRIDGE?!" Dongwoo shrieked.

"Hold on!" Howon sped up on the straightaway, his target the Han River Bridge. The Purple Lotus continued chasing, but lost ground as Howon drove faster. 

"You can't do this! We're gonna jump off a bridge?! I can't swim that well!" Dongwoo headbutted Howon's back. "ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!"

The bridge was right in reach, and Dongwoo saw exactly what Howon was aiming for: driving the bridge railing and jumping off. 

The Han River Bridge lip up the night, painting the city skyline with orange and was a staple for night drivers. Dongwoo shook the helmet off his head.  Claustrophobia consumed him, and the agony of dying before he could talk to his mother or help save the world suffocated him more than the helmet itself. His helmet flew right off his head and landed on the ground, the glass shattering right behind him. "You can't do this, Howon. You can't!"

Howon did not listen to a single word he said, driving the bike straight to the railing.

"STOP THIS, HOWON!"

The bridge was completely empty. Not a single person in sight would be able to see them jump off, which was exactly what Howon was aiming for. "Trust me, Dongwoo!"

"No!" Dongwoo screamed. "NO!"

Howon drove the bike straight onto the railing, jumping off and sending himself and Dongwoo right into the air.

-<()>-

"VIXX,
neoreul wiihan hero,
V-I-X-X.
Bimil-seureon naye him boyeojul-ke 
like a star.

VIXX, 
a hero for you, 
V-I-X-X.
I’ll show you my secret power 
like a star."

"NO!!!!!"

Dongwoo twisted on his futon, falling right off the couch and swiping his phone right off the coffee table. Dongwoo's waist hit the corner of the coffee table, bouncing to the edge of the futon until his inevitable place on the ground floor.

Dongwoo's face pressed against the dirty floor, particles getting in his mouth and his nose. Dongwoo scanned the room.

Everything was the same.

The futon was as usual with the same coverings. His dufflebag had his uniform neatly packed and zipped up, his basketball shorts right on top for him to wear. Looking onwards, his kitchen counter lay a measly filled fruit basket with only one peach. The fridge had not changed, either. All his bills stuck to the door with magnets.

"What..." Dongwoo scratched his head and glanced at his phone. 8:00, and his shift started at 10:00. Nothing was out of the ordinary, and it puzzled Dongwoo to no end. A tied knot pained the back of his neck, hurting no matter what direction he turned his head. Rubbing it in circles seemed to do the trick, alleviating the ache and allowing him to move freely. Dongwoo had no explanation for anything that happened. Of the Purple Lotus breaking into the museum, of his coworkers missing from action, of the police never coming to save him, of the guy on the motorcycle coming to save his life, and finally of his fateful jump off a bridge.

Where is Howon? Where is Jung Hwan and Sun Woo? Why am I in my apartment?!

The adventure he yearned for, the call to protect, the feeling of being wanted for help.

There was no visible proof that any of this occurred. 

"What a crazy dream."

-<()>-

Dongwoo sat by the lockers and took one bite into his scrumptious peach. His peach never tasted so delicious before. It was at its ripened perfection and set to a perfect blend of crisp and soft. Dongwoo had never enjoyed it in his entire life. Maybe it was the perfect season. Maybe it was the perfect harvest. Maybe it was the idea that Dongwoo's life flashed right before him. 

Even though it was a crazy nightmare, Dongwoo had never appreciated his life more than ever.

"Don't make out with it now," Sunggyu chimed, taking a seat right next to Dongwoo with his own lunchbox. Sunggyu unpacked his meal and took out a homemade pork and daikon sandwich. He took a bite of it and started speaking with a full mouth. "That must be one great peach."

"Definitely one of the best peaches I've ever eaten," Dongwoo nodded, washing it down with a sip of iced tea. 

"Give me a bite of that," Sunggyu leaned in, resting his chin on Dongwoo's shoulder.

"Get away from my peach," Dongwoo shrugged Sunggyu off and elbowed him away. He took another bite from his peach and juggled it in his hand.

Dongwoo definitely woke up in a thoughtful mood, questioning reality and dream. After packing his food to leave, he retraced any remnants of his previous night. The last thing he remembered was jumping off the Han River Bridge, and all of a sudden he woke up in his own apartment. Dongwoo searched through his place and found his uniform thrown on top of his duffle bag, not a single drop of water on it. Dongwoo questioned if he even went to work at all, if he had woken up from a strange nightmare.

"How are you holding up? Sunggyu asked, placing his sandwich on his lap. "I heard from a couple of the guys that you looked a little sad coming into work yesterday."

So I did go to work yesterday? All of this confused him. "Don't worry about it, man. Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but I'm ok," Dongwoo assured.

"That's good. I know I don't show it all the time, but I don't like seeing you sad. No one likes seeing you sad." Sunggyu patted on Dongwoo's back and chuckled. "When you are sad, a puppy dies. So you have to stay happy."

Dongwoo shook Sunggyu off, laughing right at him and fake threw the peach right into his face. "Shut up," Dongwoo blushed. His worries faded away, and Dongwoo was driven to be the best friend, son, and worker he could be. Today was another day. The dream shook him up, but not his motivation. 

"Eating lunch, I see boys." Sunggyu and Dongwoo looked up to see Jung Hwan heading for his locker and retrieved his belongings. He stuffed his hat into his backpack and slowly zipped up to leave. His shift was over, and he strapped his backpack on to leave. 

"Jung Hwan!" Dongwoo jumped off the bench and right towards Jung Hwan, dropping the peach on the floor and wrapping his arms right around his friend. His bear embrace was enough to all the breath out of a person. Dongwoo pressed his forehead against Jung Hwan's armpit and almost cried, taking one whiff to breathe in his presence. "You're here. You're really here! And you smell like Jung Hwan."

"Alright lovebirds, break it up." Sunggyu threw his sandwich to the side and separated the two, holding them apart and laughing. "Jung Hwan is leaving for the day, but he'll be back tomorrow."

But you don't understand, Dongwoo. I thought Jung Hwan was kidnapped last night. Same with Sun Woo! "Where's Sun Woo?"

"He doesn't work today," Jung Hwan answered. "I called him this morning before if he wanted to work out after shift, but he's not coming in. He's at home watching TV."

He called him? Sun Woo is ok as well. Jung Hwan is fine... The whole dream messed with Dongwoo's psyche. He remembered everything from last night vividly, every moment before and during his motorcycle ride. He wanted to convince himself that everything occurred, but with what proof? Jung Hwan and Sun Woo were safe and sound without a single cry for help from either of them. "What time did you guys go home last night?"

"The same time you did, buddy. Aish, someone needs to get some sleep!" Jung Hwan ruffled Dongwoo's hair and raised his fingers to his forehead for a proper salute. "I'll see you guys soon!" Jung Hwan headed for the door and left work.

"What is up with you?" Sunggyu wondered, grabbing his sandwich to continue. "I've never seen you hug Jung Hwan like that."

Dongwoo shook his head in disbelief. Nothing from the chronological order made sense to him. Everything was disproved before him, and Dongwoo finally confirmed the dream was nothing. I guess nothing happened last night. I was probably too tired. "I just... I'm so happy to see all of you alive."

"...ok, Dongwoo." Sunggyu rolled his eyes. Dongwoo was like a teddy bear. Tender and needs a hug every once in a while. He wrapped his arm around him. "Oh, I know why you're acting this way." Sunggyu glanced at Dongwoo's uniform shirt and knew exactly what he had been missing. The single most important article that gave Dongwoo his name. His identity.

Jang Dongwoo. 

Title: Security Guard.

It was missing.

"You're missing your name tag!"

Don't remind me. Dongwoo let out a frustratred breath. "I know, I know. I couldn't find it this morning. I don't know if I lost it on my way home or what." Dongwoo was quite bothered by the fact he no longer had his namesake. It was a name to be proud of and something he wore with honor. He considered that maybe he dropped it on his way back home. He had no recollection of even getting back to his apartment, so along the way his title may have fallen while he was falling asleep. I guess that can also explain why I feel restless. "I'm gonna ask for another tag later."

"The world needs to know your name! You're the security guard to everyone's hearts."

Dongwoo smirked faintly, staring down at his shirt. It was an empty feeling knowing he lost his name tag. In case anything happened, everyone knew who to call. His mind stirred with all kinds of thoughts, he wanted to push them all away and concentrate on his lunch break. His peach had unfortunately soaked itself with the floor's sediments and was no longer edible. Sunggyu passed his sandwich to Dongwoo, which he gratefully accepted. "So how was your date last night?"

"We're not gonna talk about that date," Sunggyu grumbled, grabbing sandwich back and munching it bitterly. Dongwoo had no chance for a bite. "Let's just say, at least we're still together."

"Do you ever learn?" Dongwoo joked, pushing Sunggyu's shoulder and almost knocking him off balance. "You not only forget you had a date, but you forget it's an anniversary. How can someone do that?"

Sunggyu held onto Dongwoo's arm and dragged him in to slap his arm. "Can you give me some assurance once in a while?"

"Hey Dongwoo." Sunggyu and Dongwoo stopped their bickering to Shin standing before them, pointing directly at Dongwoo. "Some guy outside wants to see you. Apparently he's a friend and wants to say hi."

"Woohyun? Him?" Sunggyu questioned smugly, grabbing another bite of his sandwich under Dongwoo's arm.

Before Sunggyu, Woohyun acted as Dongwoo's confidant and best friend at his previous job. The two were almost inseparable, and there was nothing Dongwoo would not do for Woohyun. He appreciated seeing Woohyun the day before, but Dongwoo still felt uncomfortable being around him after his new career change.

Dongwoo was still reluctant moving on, but he had to face his struggles and deal with the inner demons holding him back. Be the hero, not the coward. It applied to everything Dongwoo did. He untangled himself from Sunggyu's grab and got up from the bench, nodding his head with a willing smile and following Shin out into the museum lobby.

"How long has Woohyun been there?" Dongwoo asked, tapping on Shin's shoulder.

"Oh, that's his name? I don't know, he just walked up to me on the second floor and said he knew you. I told him to be at the pagoda and I would bring you out," Shin explained.

"I got it. Thanks for bringing him over. I saw him yesterday." Dongwoo hummed, his inner cheek to overcome his insecurities and talk to him like an old friend. You're fine, Dongwoo. 

"Are you doing ok, man? You looked really bummed when you got to work, and I just wanted to know if you were ok."

"I'm good, Dongwoo. Don't worry." Dongwoo smiled and placed a hand on Shin's shoulder, pinching it to show all his appreciation. "I'm always good when I have friends like you guys."

Dongwoo and Shin reached the museum lobby, another crowded day of field trips and other visitors. Dongwoo looked through the walking crowds to spot Woohyun by the pagoda. No sign of his old friend around, but what he noticed instead was a person standing with a navy blue sweatshirt and blue jeans. The person's hands were shoved down his pockets, leaning against the fencing around the pagoda and puckering his lips impatiently. Dongwoo slowed down his steps while following Shin, recognizing his image more and more with each step.

"There he is," Shin led, pointing right at the guy in the hoodie.

Dongwoo froze.

Howon.

"Good afternoon, Dongwoo," Howon smirked, adjusting his hood to cover his eyes.

And that ends our next chapter! My apologies, there was a flub that chapter was posted up. That was wrong, and no chapter occurred. Here it is though, and the story continues. A lot of unanswered questions for our hero Dongwoo, but don't worry. Everything will be answered due time.

What to expect next??? Howon will bring everything to life. Thank you for reading!