DAY ONE

“What would you want me to do so I can help you?” Xiumin directly asked right after Hyoyeon settled in front of him.

“I will need your expertise in extracting information on things,” she replied.

“Things? Why? Is there something happening within Hollows that you are suddenly needing assistance?”

Hyoyeon rolled her eyes on the smirk that is playing on Xiumin’s lips.

“This is just something that needs such expertise and you know that I lack some facilities. I can’t go out in the open asking people one by one because it will take me forever to get things,” she replied.

“I know,” Xiumin shifted on his seat as J-Hope arrived with their order.

“So when would you want me to start,” he looked at her, sipping on his coffee.

“Right now,” she replied.

He almost choked on his drink, “Now?”

“I have a time limit of three days, so now,” she grinned.

Xiumin inhaled to relax before staring straight into her eyes, a new glint appearing on his eyes, “Then, let’s get going,” he stood up and picked up his cup.

The ride to get to the mansion was short. It was surprisingly deserted when they got inside.

“Where are the others?” she asked.

“Everyone went to work, the two maknaes went to school, the married one had to bring the kids to Sooyoung’s grandparents,” he replied and unlocked the door.

The men in black are still around the perimeters but she is already informed about those.

He led her to his room, opening the lone cabinet in his small room.

“Smooth one, eh?” she smiled as she proceeds to get inside and finally stepped inside his so-called white room.

“It’s been a while since you asked for help, does your brother knows about this?” Xiumin asked as he turns on the panels in front of them.

“Yeah, he actually suggested that I ask help from you. I am still curious as to why didn’t you joined the Hollows together with Suho,” she replied, going through his table full of what he call techie things.

“I have my reasons, so as with Suho. But I may think of joining for real, but not now,” he smiled and started typing things on the keyboard.

She stepped behind him and watched the largest screen blink and showed the profile of the members of the Nymphs.

“So, who is your main concern among these three beautiful ladies?” Xiumin gestured.

“Enlighten me about what do you know about them,” she crossed her arms.

“Let’s start with Meng Jia,” Xiumin zoomed in the picture of the said lady.

“Obviously a Chinese just from her name and she came a long way together with Shin Min Ah. They are actually the original founder of the group. She was sheltered from her abusive family who almost sold her to an old drug lord when she was sixteen for their debt. It was their leader who helped her out,” he narrated.

“Quite a story,” she gave a knowing nod.

“What does she do in the group?”

“Jia is the one assigned in tracking possible deals and securing them as well. She is the eyes that look over the potential group that will be a nice catch for a sure and expensive deal.”

“How about the other Chinese member?” Hyoyeon pointed over the other lady.

“That is Wang Feifei. She is the savior of the group when it faced a major bankruptcy that other mafia members started to track down the other three when they can’t pay their debts. She is the funding foundation when the group started anew. But right now, everything that she had used to pay off the debt of the group had been paid back in full, so just imagine how rich she is,” Xiumin said, zooming in her picture.

“What’s her role?” Hyoyeon asked.

“If Jia secures the deal, she is the one setting the meeting place and other parameters that needed to be fixed for the meet up and the exchange of goods,” Xiumin replied.

“The Korean one?”

Xiumin zoomed in Luna’s picture, “She is the youngest and the so-called top shooter. There was even a rumor that she can kill you even in the dark and can estimate where to shoot you for a sure kill even if blindfolded.”

“You are kidding me right?” Hyoyeon asked in disbelief.

“I haven’t seen it for real, but I had seen her shoot once, and I might conclude that it is true,” he looked up at her.

She can just blink back in reply.

Xiumin turned his swivel chair again, “She does not participate on the deals, but she is the hunter of the group. She tracks down and kill whoever partner or dealer who didn’t comply with their deals.”

Hyoyeon stared on the faces of the three ladies on the screen, “Any primary lead as of the moment?” Xiumin asked.

“I can either suspect Fei or Luna; Jia can’t possibly destroy something that helped her recover right?” she looked at him.

“Yeah, that could be possible, but Jia can be the one also. You might don’t know that she wants to have the group for her own,” he stated, staring at the pictures.

The three finally became her primary suspects.

“Can you help me find whoever the Reaper of the Hollows is?” she asked again.

“The Reaper? Just like what Death uses?” Xiumin looked at her.

“Yeah,” she sighed, “He is my competitor and I don’t have any clue who this freaking Reaper is.”

“Let me see,” Xiumin worked on his keyboard and started typing things.

As he works on his search, she looked around the room. There are few books and some trash around. She picked up those and tidied the place. As she was getting back to the table, she saw a Barbie doll on a corner.

“Xiumin, I didn’t know you fancy Barbie as well,” she chuckled picking up the doll.

“That’s Summer’s doll. She must have forgotten it again,” he replied, still glued on his screen.

“Summer? She gets in here?” she asked in disbelief.

“She looks around only, she is cautious and barely touches anything, unlike her older brothers,” he replied.

She had to agree with that.

After some more minutes, he let out a sigh of frustration.

“I can’t find anything regarding him. Don’t you have any clue?” he asked.

“He is a guy and that he is employed by the Twin Trouble,” she replied.

“Well, that would take time. Those two are tricky when they hire people. I always wonder how they can conceal the identity of their special agents,” he leaned don his chair.

There was a buzz on his other computer. He checked it and the car of the married couple started to get inside the gate.

“Looks like they are back,” he stood up.

“They are fast, if I can remember, her grandparents place is quite a distance,” she stated, following him.

“They stayed there for the night,” Xiumin replied.

When they are out, they met the small family by the door.

“Hyoyeon!” Sooyoung greeted the lady and enveloped her in a hug, “Why are you here?” she asked after parting.

“I was about to leave since I didn’t saw you in here, where have you been?” she asked as Kyle and Kirby looked up at her. She bent down to get even with them and the two hugged her, saying their greetings.

“We had to spend the night at my Grandparents,” she replied as Kris come up behind her with a sleeping Summer in his arms.

“Miss Kim,” he gave a knowing smile at her before he pointed on the sleeping girl and excused himself.

Kyle and Kirby are already running around the house with Xiumin.

“Would you want to stay for lunch?” Sooyoung asked.

“I would love to, but I have things to get to first,” she smiled as she hugs the older one.

“So what made you come?’ Sooyoung asked.

“I would want to talk with you, but I think it can wait. You need to rest after the travel,” she smiled at the taller one.

“No, I am perfectly fine. We can talk about it right now. What’s wrong? Is there anything that I can do to help you in whatever problem you are facing?” Sooyoung held on to the shorter ones hands.

A lovely and dreamy smiled made its way on Hyoyeon’s lips, “You are still the woman I met before, so caring and is very much willing to do anything for her friends,” she stated.

“Hyo, are you taking up drama right now?” Sooyoung asked.

Laughter soon followed as the two laughed at their situation.

“I will be very happy if you will help me, but for now, I think you have to rest. We have some more time right?” Hyoyeon smiled and hugged her before she bade goodbye.

**********

She was home by around eight in the evening. She had to go through things first at the Hollows so she can work right away tomorrow. As she is punching in the code of their gate, a familiar voice called her.

“How is the Apple faring for the so-called mission?”

She turned her head and saw Amber leaning on a car. She was suddenly scared upon seeing the lady in front of her.

“What do you want?” she asked, stepping forward.

“I just want to pay you a visit, is there something wrong about it?” Amber smirked.

“I know you well enough to say that you are here not to visit, spill it,” Hyoyeon glared at her.

“I told you, I am just here to pay you a visit, is that something impossible for me?” she asked at the blonde one.

Hyoyeon kept her glare till Amber started to get inside her car, “Just watch out Young Miss. There are eyes that still linger at you,” she said and started the car before zooming out the place.

She had to keep her self control before she punched in the code of their gate to get inside the house.