Technically, they don’t save the world. Jinyoung, the leader, liked playing with their gadgets and weaponry. Taking it apart before putting it back again, good as new. He says he enjoys doing things with his hands, but they know it’s because he prefers them safe and alive.

Dongwoo is strictly a pacifist. He doesn’t like being in front of the lines because he doesn’t like the violence happening. He knows it’s inevitable, that it’s going to happen and it’s going to be bloody at some point, so he prefers to stay behind and train the juniors instead.

Sunwoo is a bit of a perfectionist. He likes experimenting and testing things. This might be why he somehow gets along with Jinyoung well. He becomes the tester of Jinyoung’s gadgets and weapons and he also gives his opinions on them. He also likes thinking of creative strategy plans that The Office asks him to stay behind.

Junghwan, on the other hand, likes the thrill. Granted that he’d rather not kill anyone during a mission, he likes being in the field. Meeting strangers, getting information and saving citizens like a real live superhero. He’s all easy smiles and hearty laughter and it doesn’t make him suspicious, helping him get closer to enemies and protective custodies alike. The Office tends to send him to the most difficult missions which usually include an actual human being. He once entered an interrogation with nothing but a plastic of snacks and came out with all the entrances of a secret hideout, including exits and hidden passageways and shortcuts.

Then there’s Chanshik. He doesn’t think himself versatile or a “jack of all trades” because he was recruited for his looks. As much as Junghwan was sociable and innocent-looking, people took Chanshik more seriously in the weirdest ways. He would smile and they would prostate themselves to his feet or he could glare and they would cower in fear for their lives. He might be the youngest, but he’s proven to be one of the most dangerous.

And technically, they still don’t save the world.

That is, they were pulled together randomly by The Office who needed a team they could send out during times of crises and being that this was the 21st century, there were a lot of those. So they were pooled together, made to eat, sleep, dress, and interact in the same building apartment with only two rooms, a kitchen-dining room, a living room and a bathroom. It was small and cozy, but it wasn’t something they were used to.

Those who arrived first were Sunwoo and Jinyoung since they interacted the most before being teamed up. Dongwoo came next, quietly entering the room and he knew the both of them since he’s been in The Office nearly the same time as Jinyoung due to their line. Chanshik came after, without saying a word and merely sitting down in one corner, avoiding everyone’s gaze. They didn’t mind him, so he was fine.

Junghwan came last, bouncing and noisily. When he entered, he asked everyone’s names, what their expertise were and what they were doing there. What was happening and why were they chosen to do this. Sunwoo and Jinyoung ignored him, not quite believing him to be part of the team. Dongwoo introduced himself, and Chanshik saw Junghwan’s shoulders drop a bit and he bit back a smile because the noisiest person was just as nervous.

After Dongwoo introduced Sunwoo and Jinyoung, Junghwan approached the corner where Chanshik was sitting because Dongwoo didn’t actually know who he was. Junghwan had plopped down quickly beside Chanshik that Chanshik flinched at the thump when his backside impacted the wooden floor.

He doesn’t say a word, though. And for now, Chanshik thinks it’s fine.

*

Their first mission wasn’t quite terrible. It wasn’t much of a success either because everyone was still getting used to everyone else’s techniques and strategies, talents and skills that they would literally bump uglies. While Jinyoung took the reins and gave everyone orders, Dongwoo kept a tight hold on the back of Junghwan’s neck to keep him from running randomly on the field. Sunwoo and Chanshik both had the sense to stay behind before enacting Jinyoung’s orders.

It was definitely disastrous at first, but when they all started listening and acting to Jinyoung’s orders, everything fell into place and there was a silent agreement that they’re all they’re going to have and that to avoid dying, they’re going to have to trust each other.

And they treated each other like family. After the awkwardness of having to work on a team after working solo for years had faded, it was obvious that they had settled in a routine.

Jinyoung was the strict father, always wanting everything to be perfect. Though it’s difficult to talk to him when he’s tinkering or on the field, he prioritizes everyone’s safety before his own.

Dongwoo was the caring mother, who always had a first aid pack or two tied on his belt, making sure that each wound was cleaned and bandaged, even stitching open wounds himself in extreme emergencies. He doesn’t point his gun unless it’s absolutely necessary, and only when something (or more occasionally, someone) threatens everyone else’s lives.

Sunwoo was the smarter “older brother”, though not avoiding the field directly but he tries not to use weaponry as much as possible. If he could ask them to cooperate or capture them without killing, he would rather do that. He’s swift and flexible, his body moving perfectly when needed.

Chanshik was the youngest, but he was more calculating than the rest. He doesn’t take his eyes off the opponent and he stays completely aware of his surroundings. He anticipates the opponent’s moves first and attacking through defense. He’s lithe and though his body isn’t as flexible as Sunwoo’s, his movements have this “grace” that makes up for it.

Junghwan, though, was the most problematic. He was clumsy and noisy and Chanshik doesn’t quite understand why he’s being brought to the field. Even his breathing was making too much noise. Whether it’s from excitement or nervousness or fear, no one really wants to ask because they all know that if they voice it out, it would be too real

What irritates Chanshik (or all of them, but most of the time Chanshik just wants to punch something when it happens) is that Junghwan was the type of person who would rush head first without any plan of attack. That would mean moments suddenly facing the barrel of a gun right at his nose and it takes all four of them to think of what to do to ing save him. Or becoming a hostage when there were none in the first place. Frankly, it’s something Chanshik would rather not get used to as a team.

Chanshik thinks that none of them have a working self-preservation instinct in their veins, and it’s quite dangerous considering their job. It was do or die, all or nothing. It should be frightening, but he thinks that it works because they trust one another to have everyone’s backs. And as much as they try to avoid the field, they’re the best one out there.

(Technically, they’re just saving each other.)

*

It takes Chanshik approximately thirty seconds to register what he was seeing. He just returned from a report request at The Office and he finds this: Dongwoo in an apron, cooking some beef with expertise; Jinyoung beside him, cleaning rice at the sink; Sunwoo on the sofa, flicking the remote and not picking a channel and; Junghwan between Sunwoo’s legs on the floor, his head leaning on the other’s knee and something boils inside Chanshik that before he realizes what he was doing, sat himself beside Junghwan and leaned his head on the crook of Junghwan’s neck. 

His mind starts screaming at him, asking him what he’s doing and what the hell he was thinking. There was no escape from this without being embarrassed. But Junghwan seemed to take it to slide and offers a potato chip under his nose. He opens his mouth and Junghwan gently places it on his tongue and when Chanshik looks, Junghwan was too absorbed on the television to mind him.

It was a comfortable few minutes until Dongwoo called them for dinner; wiping his hands on his apron acting like the caring mother he was as if he wasn’t part of an assassin group. Junghwan visibly perks up and moves quickly, letting Chanshik’s head fall off his shoulder. Sunwoo groans in protest and appreciation because that meant he could get the feeling back to his legs.

“God, you’re heavy,” Sunwoo shouts out even when Junghwan obviously ignores him, grabbing the bowl of food from the kitchen to the living room where they would all eat together like a family.

(Junghwan sticks his tongue out at Sunwoo when he thought no one saw, even though technically, Chanshik shouldn’t be watching his every move.)

*

“How did you get yourself into this situation again?”

“Technically, it wasn’t my fault.”

“How exactly does this make it not your fault?”

“Is someone monitoring their movements?”

“Just get Junghwan out of there, please.”

Jinyoung squeezed the bridge of his nose. He felt a headache coming and it was a bad sign because that meant things were not going well and Plan C might need to be executed. Which he really hoped would work because he doesn’t want to reach the end of the alphabet. (Even though technically, he’s that thorough.)

The good sign was that Junghwan could still banter with Sunwoo and Chanshik hasn’t gone mad and followed Junghwan inside the big, dark, modernized building surrounded with glass, lights and evil henchmen. Dongwoo seemed to be panicking, but Jinyoung reassures him, grasping his hand. They were behind the lines; Jinyoung dictating them on their current plan (which he would need to think of a way to segue to Plan C) and Dongwoo was monitoring any evil henchmen (and now, Jinyoung supposes, monitoring that nothing was being done to Junghwan, too).

“O.K.” Junghwan says suddenly through the line and time felt like it stopped.

Chanshik hid behind the walls, looking at his surroundings and making sure that he wouldn’t be found. Sunwoo didn’t follow and instead, stayed where he was, watching everyone else’s movements through a sniper viewfinder.

The moment Junghwan emphasized his two words; Chanshik bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. He needed to stop himself that way or else he would have cursed out loud and give away their position. Something was happening wherever Junghwan was, and it didn’t feel right. His stomach felt as if he swallowed a boulder and ironically, his throat felt like he hadn’t swallowed anything in days. His chest was heavy and he forced himself to take deep breathes and to breathe through his nose to help. (It doesn’t.)

“You’ve got to keep talking, ducky,” Sunwoo’s low voice whispers through the line, taunting Junghwan with a teasing nickname, baiting him to answer. Because if Junghwan takes the taunt, that would mean that he was alright.

Jinyoung gripped Dongwoo’s hand tighter. “Now, go, move!”

Chanshik didn’t lose a second. He moved quickly, hitting the evil henchmen at the critical parts with his hands, forcing them to sleep. His feet were fast and light and he didn’t make a sound. His eyes narrowed as he noted how many were attacking him from behind and how many else were attacking at all sides. He hears some gasping behind him and he figured out that Sunwoo was shooting at them with the sleeping darts.

“, Chanshik, don’t get too close.” Sunwoo scolds through the line when Chanshik elbows some men on their stomach, sticking almost sickeningly close just to strike.

Within a minute or two, Chanshik was inside and on his way to where he thought Junghwan was.  “Top floor, Chanshik. Sunwoo’s right behind you.” Dongwoo says through the line and Chanshik doesn’t waste his time to affirm that he heard. He merely goes to the elevator and smashes the locked controller before fixing it to go straight to the top floor without stopping.

The next following minutes were a blur to him. He knew he hit a lot of men who went after him and he heard Jinyoung and Sunwoo telling him to calm down and don’t kill anyone. But he ignores everything else because all he could think of was getting to Junghwan.

The sight in front of him when he arrived at the right room made his vision go red.

Junghwan was stubbornly (and stupidly, but Chanshik’s too relieved to see him still breathing) refusing to do what the mob boss asked him even at gun point. The barrel of the gun pointed at Junghwan’s forehead, as the mob boss mockingly flipped Junghwan’s hair.

“Too bad. You would have been very… pretty.”

Chanshik flicked his wrists and shot at the two men who were the boss’s bodyguards before shooting at the man’s shoulder. Junghwan looked at him with wide eyes. He was tied to the chair and alive, but his bottom lip was bleeding from a cut. Chanshik walked to him, putting his gun back to its holster and untied him.

Junghwan kept from moving because he knew that it would make the knots tighter. When he was finally untied, he rubbed his wrists to soothe some of the pain. Chanshik stood beside him as Junghwan tried to get the feeling back to his legs.

At the corner of Chanshik’s eye, he saw movement. It was sluggish, but quick enough to catch Chanshik’s attention. The sound of the gun shocked everyone through the line. Junghwan stood there, frozen until a hand cupped his cheek. He turns to Chanshik, tears beginning to fill his eyes.

“You’re all right…” Chanshik breathed as Junghwan was getting ready to catch him. “That’s great…”

Junghwan screams.

*

Chanshik doesn’t remember everything when he opened his eyes. It was the dorm room, rather than the stark white hospital walls that he first saw. The sun hit his eyes just right, informing him to get up.

He tries, but the pain that shot up his spine made him fall back down. He breathes through his nose to force the easing of the pain. Experimentally, he moves his fingers and his toes. Okay, so he’s still got feelings in his limbs and that’s a good sign. His head felt heavy, but he wasn’t dizzy so that probably meant there wasn’t any concussion. He tries to move his stomach, but the pain shoots up again and he flops back down. Okay… torso—not so good.

Chanshik blinks repeatedly. He doesn’t think he’s lost his sight, but the dorm room seemed too dim in the wake of the sun, so he turns to his side (and that’s another good sign; his neck wasn’t broken).

He jumps back as much as his body was able, and he hisses through his teeth as the movement made his stomach move along with him, the sharp pain tingling through his veins. He regulates his breathing through his nose again and kept his eyes shut to concentrate. When he calmed down, he slowly opens his eyes.

Junghwan looked like he hadn’t slept for nights. The dark circles under his eyes were evident and gloomy that Chanshik wanted to let him lie down on the bed with him. Junghwan was sleeping on one palm, while the upper arm he was using as a pillow stretched. Chanshik followed the limb and saw that he had a hand placed on Chanshik’s, close to the kidney. He stretches his neck a bit, trying to see his body without completely moving. He sees a stark white bandage around his stomach and realizes that that’s where the pain was coming from.

Suddenly, images returned. The dark night, the bright room, the cut on Junghwan’s bottom lip and the gun shot.

Chanshik’s eyes widened in the realization that he was shot, but he was alive. Whether or not they completed the mission didn’t seem to matter because Junghwan was right there. Chanshik snaps back to Junghwan because he didn’t notice. Now that he was paying attention, his heartbeat slowed down from the panic because Junghwan was breathing softly. That meant that they were both alive, and all in all, it was a mission success.

He could cry in relief, but the continuous blinking made his eyes and head hurt. Okay, so he wasn’t completely healed yet and moving was going to be a pain in the , but that was honestly nothing compared to knowing that he and Junghwan were alive. Carefully, he reaches for Junghwan’s hand, the one lying on his stomach. It was cold and clammy, a bit disgusting to hold really.

Chanshik didn’t dare let go.

He squeezed the hand he was holding, just to reassure himself that Junghwan was there before his eyelids felt heavier by the second. When he fully closed his eyes, he felt the hand he was holding squeezing back. His eyes shot open and he snapped his head to look at Junghwan.

Junghwan was still in the same position, but his eyes were scrunched in the middle, signs of him waking up beginning to show. Chanshik doesn’t know what to feel.

Junghwan blinked, in a bit of a daze. He looked at Chanshik from his head to his toes, obviously trying to grasp the situation. He catches Chanshik’s eyes and they look at each other in silence. There was nothing coming out of Chanshik’s mouth, so he keeps quiet, eyes wide and almost unblinking. His breath was caught in his throat and suddenly, he feels his mouth drier than sand.

There was another series of blinking and staring from Junghwan. He looks from Chanshik’s face, to his stomach until he reaches his feet. Then he repeats. Chanshik doesn’t know how much more of it he can take, because he’s just lying down and he can’t move yet or else he risks opening his wounds and his body feels so stiff from not moving for god knows how long and it’ll be such a hassle to start moving because of the wound now.

He was probably looking away when Junghwan finally grasped the situation.

“Channie,” he hears a whisper, almost broken and on the brink of crying. Chanshik turns to Junghwan, eyes wide again as he takes in Junghwan’s face. His eyes looked wet and Chanshik was pretty sure Junghwan was going to start crying again, but he didn’t expect what Junghwan did.

Junghwan’s hand caressed his cheek (and he tries not to flinch away because he was expecting a punch because of his self-sacrificing bull, as Dongwoo would put it after every mission) and then dry and chapped lips pressed against his own dry and chapped ones. It was painful but the burst of warmth and happiness overflowed.

Junghwan’s tongue lapped against his lips, wetting them before darting into his mouth, meeting Chanshik’s tongue. Chanshik reaches for Junghwan’s head, intertwining his fingers into Junghwan’s hair before getting more aggressive, and taking the lead with the kiss. He doesn’t realize that he’s slowly rising from his position, his body unconsciously following his tongue, completely filled with the want and need to overpower Junghwan. He feels the sting on his stomach, but he ignores it, too busy devouring Junghwan’s mouth.

It was when Junghwan pushed him gently did he realize how painful it was to sit up.

Junghwan panics, lying Chanshik back down, lips still wet and red from the kissing and nipping. Chanshik stares at it and he wants so bad to kiss them again, but he felt his wound threatening to open and that was probably a Very Bad Idea.

“You’re alive,” Junghwan breathes when he’s sure that Chanshik’s finally lying down again. “Thank god.” He hides his face with an arm because he was an agent for crying out loud! He should at least keep the crying to a minimum.

“Ah!” Junghwan suddenly yells, causing Chanshik to jump and groan afterward. Junghwan apologizes, biting his bottom lip. “I have to tell hyung! Wait here.” Junghwan stands from his seat beside the bed, leaning over to kiss Chanshik’s forehead before leaving the room, yelling out, “Hyung, hyung! Channie—Channie’s awake!”

In the distance, muffled through the door, Chanshik hears chairs screeching and feet thudding towards the hall. He’s sure that soon, all four of them would come bursting in and he would hear Dongwoo’s lecture about self-sacrificing again, Jinyoung would demand to know what happened, Sunwoo would tell him how lucky Chanshik was and Junghwan would be silent, the relief still heavy on his chest.

Chanshik would just stay down with his eyes closed, listening to every one of their voices and a twitch of a smile at the corner of his mouth. He’ll remember these words and soon, he’ll have them memorized by their third year anniversary of being together as a group. He’d make sure to tell Junghwan how he feels after the current lecture, so by then during their third year, he’d have Junghwan in his arms every morning, teasing each other about how cheesy their relationship was making them.

And technically, Chanshik wasn’t the one to make the first move since Junghwan kissed him. But Chanshik will keep it to himself (because technicalities aren’t everything) that he was surely the one who fell in love first.