Secret Agents Dictionary:

: - A spy operating without cover or backup.

- Several Years ago - 

“Kim Jonghyun, tomorrow, near the stables at four!” She ordered being her bossy old self again, or trying to, since he now could see her in a different light. She cleared and kissed his cheek before leaving “Don’t be late!”

Jonghyun couldn’t stop replaying that moment in his mind. They kissed and then that happened. She asked him, no, she ordered him to meet her. It was almost the time she settled for him to find her at the stables and he was late.

“Are you listening?” Jinki asked after a while, his stern and tired expression making Jonghyun feel bad.

They were exhausted lately with all the training and it was harder on Jinki since he was the most experienced one and the one from who they expected the most.

“I am. I’m sorry I was just thinking…” Jonghyun cleared his throat trying to forget that he had a meeting with the woman he loved that was actually Jinki’s sister and the boss’ daughter.  “I know this leader thing is big and I know Taemin wants you to be the leader so I don’t understand why…”

“You should be the leader. You are the only one who doesn’t have a second reason for being a part of SM. You know about my past and Tae’s. You are the right man Jamong. You absolutely can pull this off.”

“Taemin is going to be so pissed off…” He admired Jinki to an extend that if people didn’t knew them better they would think Tae had a crush on the older man.

“It’s my decision. I don’t want to be the leader.”

“You do realize that even though he will call me leader he will always see you as the real leader?!”

Jinki smiled knowing exactly what Jonghyun meant. 

“Yes, but he will respect you because you can be a good leader. Also I respect and trust you and Taemin will too.”

Jonghyun nodded his head glancing at the small path that lead to the stables.

“Do you have anywhere you need to go?” Jinki asked rubbing his ear amused.

“I-I have something to do.”

“OK! Then go…Don’t keep the person you are meeting waiting!”

“W-what meeting!” Sometimes Jinki’s astuteness annoyed Jonghyun. “There is no one waiting for me. I’m going to do this alone!” Whatever this was!

“Ok!” Jinki just shrugged his shoulders and Jonghyun walked away glancing at Jinki once in a while as if he was trying to be sure that he wasn’t going to follow him.

It didn’t seem to be the case but just in case he turned a few times in the middle of the trees until he found the right path to the stables.

He walked around the building, hearing the faint sound of the horses and then reached the main door. The stable seemed to be deserted and Jonghyun walked inside, his eyes moving to his wrist watch. He was late. Fifteen minutes late.

She was probably mad with him and left as soon he was one minute left. He knew her. Mi Jung was a princess. She would never wait for him.

The stable wasn’t big and they had only a few horses, mostly used for training, and as Mi Jung’s pets. She always loved horses since she was little.

Jonghyun stopped in front of the black beautiful horse that he knew was hers. He often saw her riding it when he was training with the other recruits. They would all stop to admire her, perfect in her riding clothes, her black hair swinging with the wind, her hands on the rein, her eyes on the horizon as if she was filming a movie.

He touched the nose of the horse and caressed the white spot he had between its eyes.

“Hi there Bitnaneun!”

Jonghyun wasn’t able to pet Bitnaneun the horse for long because someone pulled him by his arm inside one of the empty stalls.

He almost tripped but feminine hands wrapped around his neck and a hungry warm mouth joined his.

He widened his eyes realizing Mi Jung was the one attacking him. She didn’t left. She actually waited 15 minutes for him and apparently she wasn’t mad at all. That confused him!

They kissed for a while stumbling around the small stall, with Jonghyun trying to win the “fight” and Mi Jung resisting. Eventually he grabbed her by the waist and pushed her against the wall of the stall, breaking the kiss so both could breathe.

“What are you doing?” He asked breathless staring at the woman in his arms. She fluttered her pretty eyes making him go crazy.

“You are late as hell! I said four!”

“I actually have things to do. Important things!”

She frowned realizing he was implying that she didn’t do anything useful. “Aren’t you getting cocky Kim Jonghyun!?”

He was right though and she knew what he was preparing with her brothers.

Did she like it? Not at all.

All the men important to her were in danger.

Of course he was in danger already even before joining SM. Jonghyun was an activist. He wasn’t afraid to talk about and defend what he believed in, to protect the ones who couldn’t protect themselves, with his words.

It couldn’t be any other way and she knew that in part she loved him because of that. Because he wasn’t that different from her father that she admired, from her brothers, from the ideal man she always pictured for herself. He was her prince even though he didn’t realize it yet.

“I’m not cocky!” He defended himself moving back from her. She didn’t want that at all, she didn’t want to fight or even talk and he was getting ready to scold her again. So, Mi Jung grabbed him by his neck and kissed him again. The passion was overwhelming and Jonghyun moaned against her lips surprised with it.

Both lost all their strength and kneeled on the floor kissing. Bitnaneun whinnied wondering what was happening in the stall next to his now that he couldn’t hear the voice of his owner coming from it.

He couldn’t because Mi Jung couldn’t talk, too busy kissing Jonghyun, both rolling on the floor of the stall that luckily was clean and only a few bits of hay remained.

It was funny how explosive they were together, how even kissing and making out, Jonghyun hands on her , and her hands under his shirt caressing her back, they were also fighting, rolling around to see who stayed on top.

He was stronger and eventually won again pinning her down, holding her wrists above her head and kissing her slower until it ended with a painful wet kiss.

They gazed intensely at each other with heavy breathing, heated bodies and a serious need for each other that didn’t seem to want to disappear.

“We shouldn’t do this!”

Mi Jung knew what he meant. She was Lee Sooman’s daughter. His only daughter and even though he had two other adopted sons all that Sooman had was going to be hers. Jinki and Taemin didn’t want her father’s money and after he died a small part of what he had would be enough for them. However in her case it would be different. She was the one who had to inherit everything. Including SM and the family business…

 She was so clueless about it though and her father was already thinking about the perfect marriage and the perfect bachelor to marry her to. Someone rightful, with a good name, rich, someone coming from a good family. Probably one of his business partners.

Mi Jung met some of those bachelors at parties before and she knew she didn’t want any of them. She wanted Jonghyun. It was madness but no other man made her burn like he did. No one dared to argue with her like he did. To make her scream, to make her furious, to make her blood boil to the point she wanted to bit him, fight him, kiss him…be his.

 She was a . She wasn’t an idiot though. She knew she wanted to be with him in a more intimate way and that scared her a little.

“Want to stop?” She asked him as if it was all a game, a challenge. Are you sure you can stop Kim Jonghyun? Are you sure you want to?

“No!” Right answer!

She smiled caressing his cheek, admiring his sharp chin, how manly he was, how his body fitted perfectly on top of hers. He kissed her again, this time more slowly but still intense. She didn’t fight him back; she hugged him instead, caressing his shoulders, feeling his muscles under the thin t-shirt he was wearing.

Fireworks were exploding all around them and she couldn’t explain it in any other way.

He was apparently feeling the same as her, seeing the fireworks too, because he moved his hand from her back down her body, caressing her s and then to her pants. He untucked her blouse and Mi Jung moaned when his fingers caressed her stomach and up, reaching her bra.

He squeezed her and she thought she would die with the pleasure.

She didn’t die though because he stopped and broke the kiss.

“Shhh!” he placed his fingers on her lips and release Mi Jung sitting beside her.

She looked at him wondering what he was doing until she heard the noise.

Someone was inside the stable with them. Her heart was pounding inside her chest and she hugged herself. If they were caught that could be really bad for him. Her father would forgive her for making out with one of the trainees like he did forgive her for flirting with them before but he wouldn’t forgive him. Not in a million years. She was still his baby and after all Jonghyun didn’t fit the perfect bachelor role. He was a secret agent now and her father would never accept the fact that she was dating someone that was constantly in danger like Jonghyun.

It was ridiculous since Sooman was an agent before, since he married her mother while being someone like Jonghyun.

 They stood in silence hearing the faint sound of steps until they vanished.

“I think he is gone!” Jonghyun frowned because he knew exactly who that person was. The training he received was enough for him to recognize who it was and he also knew that Taemin was probably sleeping inside the stable before they arrived. He often did that since he liked the silence in it, and practicing walking around the animals to see if they noticed him. Once he woke up and realized he wasn’t alone anymore he made noise so Jonghyun would know he was there.

Damn. Taemin and his ninja skills!

Soon Jinki would know he was making out with his sister.

“He?” Mi Jung asked eyeing Jonghyun curiously. He considered telling her about Taemin spying on them unintentionally but didn’t, instead he leaned to kiss her again, his eyes closing, his sweet lips reaching for hers making Mi Jung release a deep sigh.

However she pushed him back. “It’s enough!” He opened his eyes surprised with her reaction. Just a few seconds ago she was all passionate, submissive to him and now she was back to be her cocky self “For now it’s enough!” For now…

He smiled with her words and she pushed him away, placing her hands on his chest.

He grabbed her hands and Mi Jung freaked out standing up and stepping back. He chuckled standing up too and watching her act nervously.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah you idiot!” she said angrily sending him a hateful look that confused him.

What did he do wrong?!

“Don’t follow me and don’t tell about this to anyone!” She walked away like a spoiled brat and he watched her from the door of the stall rubbing his head wondering what got into her.

One moment she is all over him and other she treats him like a loser.

Mi Jung walked all the way outside with determined steps as if nothing was wrong but once she left the stables and walked behind the wall away from possible witnesses she leaned against it and fall to the ground.

Everything was wrong and she felt like crying.

Her legs were weak, her heart was a mess and she could describe the way his lips felt against hers, how nice he smelled, how good it felt to be in his arms.

The fact that they were almost caught, the fact that he could sense how much she needed him made her weak and she was never weak.

It was all Kim Jonghyun’s fault.

She was crazily in love with a man she couldn’t love.

- Present Day -

Mina walked around in Taemin’s apartment's living room while he watched her from the corner of his eye, drinking from a bottle of water he took from the fridge.

“Do you want some?” He asked her but she shook her head thanking him.

It was a very manly apartment and didn’t have much furniture however there was something that caught her eye. It was a pillow of a cute black kitty over the couch. It was a bit too girly and Mina picked it up.

“This is not yours is it?”

“No. It’s not.” He confessed expressionless admiring her instead.

Mina was always thin but lately she was getting even thinner and now that he realized it, it worried him. Was she sick?!

He was going to ask her when she turned to him hugging the pillow against her.

“This apartment is not yours!”

The observation surprised him. “No it’s not. It’s my brothers!”

“And he has a girlfriend that likes cats!”

“Yes!” Taemin smiled softly “A wife actually. She likes cute things!”

“So they are living together now and he gave you this apartment that you didn’t furnish yet and still has his things and hers?!”

“She never lived here but stayed here sometimes, so yes.” He nodded his head positively surprised with Mina’s cleverness.

“I know you really well!” She answered even before he asked “Also I know you like this pillow and thats why you didn’t give it back yet!” She looked at the pillow and traced the cat’s whiskers. “Can I keep it? Can I use it when I come here?”

That meant coming back to his place and he his lips knowing exactly what she was asking.

Can I be in your life? Can I be more than the old Mina was to you?

“Are you sick?” He asked.

“No.” she didn’t seem to find his question weird “Can I keep it?”

That was a good answer for him “You can keep it!”

He turned around and entered the kitchen again so she followed after him hugging the pillow and stood at the door watching him.

He placed the bottle of water inside the fridge and then turned to her.

“Are you hungry?”

She shook her head “You have no idea what to do with me, right?” She laughed because he was the cutest when he was being his awkward self.

“I know exactly what I want to do with you!” he answered eyeing her intensely and dangerously making her lose her grin.

He stepped closer to her, with a predatory gaze on her and Mina realized that maybe she didn’t knew Taemin that well.

She always knew there was a dangerous side of him he didn’t show to anyone at college, which belonged to his other life, the one he was living when they met. However that person in front of her was both. The dangerous and the obnoxious man and at the same time none of them.

That was the real Taemin and she probably never saw him before.

“I know exactly what I want to do with you!” he repeated now in front of her. He raised his arm and placed it beside her on the wall of the kitchen. She wasn’t his prisoner, she could step back if she wanted since she was at the doorway but she didn’t want to. She didn’t want to even break their eye contact. Taemin grabbed the pillow from her arms and let it fall to the floor, over her feet so nothing was between them “I want to get you …” He leaned closer to her ear making Mina shiver and close her eyes, his deep husky voice making her go weak on her knees. “…and have with you.”

She felt him move away and then opened her eyes.

He was inches from her waiting for her reaction, his deadly eyes on her, semi hidden in the shadows of the kitchen with only the moonlight illuminating it.

“I want the same.” She answered to him making him step back slightly. Was he having second thoughts about what he just said that he wanted to do?! Was that all show to try and scare her away? To test her? To use his skills of seducing women on her?

“You don’t know me like you think you do. I’ve been with many women…”

“I figured. You are incredibly hot!” She answered making him run a hand on his hair.

“No. You don’t understand. It can’t be more than one night.”

Was he saying that he only wanted to have a one night stand with her?!

“I can actually name a few songs that would fit this moment perfectly…”

He sighed because she couldn’t understand what he meant, because he couldn’t tell her who he was, instead he grabbed her hand.

She watched him softly held her fingers on his, caressing them as if he never ever hold a woman’s hand before. Maybe he didn’t, not with the intention of really holding it.

“It’s my life, it’s now or never….” she sang the famous line from Bon Jovi’s song.

He raised his eyes from her fingers to her face smiling with the cheesiness.

“I aint gonna live forever….?!” She sang a little bit more as if she was uncertain and Taemin pulled her by her hand against him.

Mina hugged him back and closed her eyes.

“Don’t sing more.” He whispered against her ear and she knew he made his decision and acknowledged hers.

Whatever happened, if it was going to be one night or more, they could worry with that after.

She was right.

They weren’t going to live forever and in his case living was something that could end quicker than she could imagine.

He softly pulled her away from him and she raised her eyes to his.

The silence of the apartment was making her nervous and she wondered why he wasn’t moving and only looking at her.

No. It wasn’t the silence of the room but the silence inside her head. No song was playing anymore and she knew why. That was it. It was the big pause before the music started, the caesura.

He leaned forward to kiss her and she met him halfway.

There it was. The most beautiful melody.

Mina caressed his chest slowly and he grabbed her by her wrists pulling her with him not breaking the kiss. They walked slowly, doing small breaks to breathe and to see where they were stepping, to look at each other, to smile in agreement about that beautiful melody.

 They stumbled inside his bedroom and he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her to him, kissing her with so much intensity that she almost felt her feet rise from the floor.

He twirled with her in his arms and both fell over the bed with him over her.

He placed his elbows on the bed and raised his head to look at her under him.

Mina caressed his face, realizing that he was never that close to her before.

There was not much light inside his bedroom but apparently none of them seemed to mind until that moment that she struggled to see him.

Taemin frowned grasping her struggle and stretched his arm to light the bedside table lamp.

The light illuminated the bedroom and she sighed finally being able to see him, the real Taemin, the one she knew that was hiding behind that silent man.

“You are really handsome, like a fairy…”

He raised an eyebrow not seeming that happy and she corrected “No…an elf, a manly prince elf!”

He cupped her face squishing her cheeks and then leaned down to kiss her.

They kissed for a while, innocently, hands not even touching each other, only killing the thirst they had for each other and never knew.

They couldn’t only kiss forever and he knew it so his lips moved down her chin to her neck that he bit making Mina whimper.

He said he slept with many women before. No wonder. He was probably an animal in bed and was holding down because it was her…because she was different.

That thought made her smile and she caressed his hair while he at the skin of her neck and brushed his wet lips down to her collarbone. His fingers moved to the buttons of her shirt that he quickly and skillful ed.

 His mouth followed his fingers kissing her skin down to her s ignoring the chaotic raise of her chest and the way her breathing was accelerating with every kiss of his.

He kept kissing her down to her stomach before he raised his head to check on her.

Mina almost died with the vision. He was like a wild animal staring at his prey. She was his, all his and there was no way she would leave that bed even if she wanted. He pulled at her pants, ing and ping them, quickly pushing them down her legs and Mina bit her lower lip when he spread her legs and started to kiss the interior of her thigs, moving his tongue on her skin.

She was burning for him and she couldn’t take her eyes from his that were on her while he grabbed her leg for her to see him bit her skin.

Mina moaned surrendering completely to him and seeing him disappear between her legs. He moved her to the side with his fingers and Mina raised her hips when she felt his fingers caress her under it.

He was good truly good and once his tongue her she cried in desire, grasping the covers under her.

It was like torture, a sweet torture and she closed her eyes crying continuously moving her legs that he grabbed pinning them down beside him making her scream louder because he was now her at the same time he rubbed her.

She wasn’t sure she was going to survive that attack so when she was going to beg him to stop he pulled away from her.

She opened her eyes and tried to focus on him.

Taemin was kneeling between her legs. He took off his t-shirt and was now with his bare chest watching her.

She sat on the bed facing him and caressed his muscles admired with what he was hiding under his old t-shirts that she hated and made him look like a poor student when she knew his dad was probably rich.

“You are full of surprises Taemin!”

He smiled with her words and kissed her lips quickly. “You have no idea!”

“I hate the fact that you are a playboy but damn…I’m thankful you had a lot of practice!”

He chuckled with her words and joined lips with her again before he said something idiotic like the fact that he never kissed any of the women he slept with like he was kissing her; that none made him as nervous as she did, or made him like her moans did…

Mina ed his pants while they kissed and he stood up from the bed and pulled them off with his underwear.

She took off her too, now soaked because of what he did to her and she lied down again spreading her legs for him with a mischievous smile that made him his lips.

She watched him grab a from his jacket that was at the end of the bed, the action made her roll her eyes and he noticed.

Of course a man that slept with half of Seoul needed to carry them around!

And then he stepped closer to her. Mina sat on the bed again and grabbed the package from his hand, ripping it and taking the from it. He watched her and groaned when she ed him skillfully her eyes on his and then rolled it up his .

“I didn’t have with many men but…I know some things!”

The comment made him upset and she noticed how his jaw clenched. Did he really think she was a ?! Apparently the idea of her being with other men upset him.

Taemin pushed her down on the bed and made her cry when he spread her legs and entered her roughly.

He could be wild and soft like an animal and she loved it.

He moved roughly in and out of her making her cry of pleasure and pain while she got used to his length inside her.

Slowly their breathing and body movements matched each other and Mina didn’t dare to close her eyes because apparently he wasn’t going to move his gaze from her.

He joined his forehead with hers, his hot heavy breathing hitting her skin, his eyes on her.

They moved like that for a while until Mina was near the edge and couldn’t take the pleasure anymore. She searched his lips, caressing his neck and back and he answered to her plea for his caresses kissing her back, moving his hand on her body.

That was all she needed to reach her and confirm that as the best she ever had.

Yes Taemin was hot and she dreamed with that moment for a long time now, ever since she fell for him, but that was better than any of her fantasies.

He didn’t stop moving even though her lips stopped answering to his kisses. Instead that made him deeply inside her against her ear, his mouth biting her neck softly between the moans until he reached his .

She felt him shake violently above her and then fall over her making her whimper, like an animal completely satisfied, his hunger satiated.

Taemin didn’t move and Mina didn’t mind, her eyes on the ceiling of his bedroom, no, probably his brother’s bedroom that was now his.

In that night she learned more about him that she learned in all the time she knew him and that thought alone was enough to make her all tingling inside. However it wasn’t only that. He was , still inside her, his breathing tickling her neck. That was special.

A music immediately came to her mind and Mina chuckled softly, running her fingers on Taemin’s back.

“This flame that burn inside of me…” she said repeating the lyrics of the famous Queen’s song. Taemin raised his head and looked at her with a dazed expression wondering what she was trying to say. “..It’s a kind of magic!”

He frowned making such a funny face that Mina laughed even more. He sat on the bed making a huge effort to release her and watched her while she rolled on the bed laughing at his face. He grabbed her by her waist but gave up on scolding her. She was too beautiful, on his bed, with swollen lips and a big red bruise on her neck. His doing!

She was right. It was a kind of magic! The oldest kind of magic ever, the one he vowed to avoid and the same one he could see affecting his team members. It was love!

Both knew it and apparently Mina was as afraid as him to say it out loud.

Singing it was always easier.

Mina stopped on the bed watching Taemin that was now silently observing her. She wasn’t sure what he was thinking or feeling at the moment but she knew what she wanted.

He turned around taking the off from his and stood up and left the bedroom. She waited for him to get back and he didn’t take long, sitting swiftly beside her not making any noise.

 “Can I sleep here? With the cat pillow?” Mina immediately attacked him.

 “The pillow is in the kitchen!” He answered back, admiring the way her eyebrows moved slightly while she looked at him.

“Then with you?” Mina asked cautiously wondering if she went too far. Well they did have but she wasn’t sure if he was going to share the same bed with her for the whole night or at least a part of it.

He didn’t answer; instead he leaned forward and kissed her again. She kissed him back passionately, cupping his face.

He pulled her body against his and rolled with her so she would stay over him, his head hitting the pillow.

Mina placed her hand on his chest and pushed herself away from his lips making him groan.

Was that a yes or no?!

She couldn’t read anything on his face and his actions confused her. He seemed to sense her doubts and stretched his hand turning of the lamp.

The darkness surprised her and she couldn’t see his face. However she could feel his hands pulling her down over him again, his lips moving against hers.

That was clearly a yes.

“Want more wine?” Kibum asked raising the bottle of wine.

Audrey shook her head still pouting, upset, with her arms crossed over her chest and he sighed drinking directly from the bottle, his action making her even more upset and she elbowed him making the wine spill from his mouth down his chin.

“Hey! No need to be aggressive!”

“Well when you said we would go out on a date I wasn’t expecting it to be like this. Not only I couldn’t wear my heels because my ankles hurt, but also you didn’t prepare anything properly.”

“I got a bottle of wine and some leftovers from the kitchen! We are even beside a lake. Lakes are romantic!” Kibum couldn’t understand her at all. Any woman would be happy with that and yet she barely ate and was sulking instead.

“I was expecting more.”

“Like what? Going out for a fancy dinner outside?!”

“NO! It’s not that!” She bit her lower lip “It’s that I waited for this for so damn long and yet like always you just don’t care!” She tried to stand up grabbing the tree trunk next to her and Kibum immediately stood up too, grabbing her by her waist gently helping her.

“I don’t need your help!” Audrey sent him a furious look and Kibum stepped back. She could be scarier than many thugs he met in his life as a secret agent.

“Is this everything I am to you?! An easy woman?!”

“Easy?” He chuckled “You are really not that easy. It took me a while to have with you!”

“You are a complete !” She said now absolutely furious with him and Kibum sighed because she was so blind to what he felt towards her.

Audrey tried to walk away but once she placed her feet on the ground she cried in pain.

“AISH!” Kibum groaned knowing that there was no point in pretending anymore that her words weren’t affecting him. Instead he grabbed her swiftly and pulled her up to his arms bridal style.

Audrey widened her eyes but placed her arm around his neck. “Kibum….”

“I think this date needs to be postponed to when you are feeling better!”

“Really?” A second date?! Was he giving her a second date?!

“You clearly need sleep. You have huge bags under your eyes and you look like a panda right now. Not that attractive at all!”

“Eh?” Was he being nice to her or completely rude?! She wasn’t sure anymore!

Kibum chuckled amused with her expression of confusion and easily walked away with her in his arms. He didn’t seem to have any rush walking with her in his arms and Audrey hid her face against his neck, smiling embarrassed with the way he was looking at her and the situation.

She felt like a princess from the novels Areum normally read to her. She spent all her life saying that Areum was the romantic one but maybe being in love made something inside her change.

Kibum surely looked like a prince.

He stopped walking and she slowly raised her eyes to him. That was all he was waiting for; seizing that moment of closeness and the fact that she was melting in his arms to kiss her lips that he was lusting over for a long time now.

Audrey pulled at the collar of his shirt, humming softly against his lips making him smile. She loved when he did that, when his lips rose, when he kissed her. When they made love that happened too, when she run her fingers on his chest while they kissed, when she whispered his name in his ear while he her neck….her actions seemed to satisfy him in some way and she loved it.

As quickly as he kissed her he resumed his pace back to the mansion, his eyes on her red cheeks and Audrey hid against him too wondering when he was going to place her on the ground. He couldn’t enter the mansion with her on his arms right?!

He could! He certainly could because that was exactly what he did proudly marching inside the mansion. No one was around though and Audrey sighed of relief. It was better that way. It wasn’t as if what they had – whatever it was – was a complete secret to the others, they probably suspected already, but it was better that way. Also Director Oh would give her a hard time if she found out about that display of affection.

He climbed the stairs with her and took her right to the door of her bedroom.

Audrey swallowed in expectation, the memory of their first night together very vivid in her mind.

Were they going to make love again?!

Apparently they weren’t because he carefully placed her on the floor in front of the door.

“Here we are princess!”

Audrey waited for him to say something else but he simply winked at her. “Good night!”

He was going to turn to leave when she grabbed his arm.

“Good night!” She told Kibum but her hand didn’t release him.

He smiled naughtily and then leaned down kissing her lips in a quick and yet sweet kiss.

“Good night!”

They were acting too much like lovers and Audrey heart was pounding too fast.

“Don’t you have anything to say?” She asked grasping his arms firmly so he wouldn’t run away. “When we jumped you said you would say it to me.”

He said he would tell her what he felt and that was something she wouldn’t let him forget.

Kibum stepped closer to her making Audrey held her breath and leaned against the door of her bedroom.

“If I say it, will you release me?”

“Yes!”

She waited in expectation covering the place her heart was with a hand making him even more amused with the situation. He loved teasing her and she knew and yet she couldn’t help reacting like that. Would Kibum admit that he loves her? Does he truly, really love her?

He leaned forward, his nose touching hers “Well…”

She took a deep breath widening her eyes and Kibum tilted his head watching her. She was truly cute!

“Well?”

He didn’t answer, instead he kissed her again this time a lot longer, placing his hands on each side of her on the door, making it hard for Audrey to breathe and she had to place her hand on his chest and grab his shirt for strength.

He broke the kiss and brushed his lips on the skin of her cheek and up to her ear, kissing her earlobe.

Kibum grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away from him.

“I love you.”

It was just a whisper and he immediately released her and turned back walking away.

Audrey blinked her eyes frozen against the door still wondering if that happened.

“W-what did you say?” She asked suddenly recovering the strength in her body and following after him, using the wall for support, and cringing with the pain on her ankle.

“We forgot your heels outside. I’ll pick them up.” He said ignoring her question, walking slowly as if he was giving her a chance to follow him with her injured leg.

“Forget the stupid heels! Repeat it please…louder!”

He turned around, still walking back and smiling at her like a fox “Shh! Do you want to wake up the whole house?”

“Kibum!” She complained stopping in the middle of the hallway.

“Go to sleep! I’ll place your heels outside the door of the bedroom. Sleep well!” He beamed at her cutely and then turned around, this time walking way faster.

Audrey watched him disappear at the end of the hallway and then leaned against the wall letting her body slide down to the floor.

She sulked crying softly before touching her hot cheeks.

He loved her! She didn’t imagine it happening like that and yet it was so hot and intense. However she wanted more. She needed more!

Audrey needed to make him confess to her with all the words and out loud. Yes, that would be her new mission!

Jinki always loved to sleep and normally when he was back at his apartment he couldn’t feel safe enough to do it, or the nightmares would attack him. But being beside Areum always helped, holding her hand under the covers always helped. Since he was at the mansion and she was beside him, her fingers in the middle of his, he was sure he could sleep truly well for as long as he wanted. However it was wasting time that he could be looking at her sleeping instead.

So as soon as the sun rose and he opened his eyes he decided to just look at her sleeping figure just in front of him, how she breathed peacefully, her hair falling on her shoulders and back.

She was so beautiful and he couldn’t have enough of her, however she was also stubborn and he was sure she would put up a fight before admitting that she forgave him, that she needed him and still wanted to be with him despite all that happened.

The last night was a big sign of weakness on her part, something impulsive like she was used to do and he couldn’t stop smiling remembering how they did make love the night before, how passionate she was and how they kissed and caressed each other for a while after it until they both fell asleep. It was like their first times as a couple, when he decided to risk everything and date her. There was two weeks like that when they barely could leave bed and Jinki had to pretend to be sick to miss some minor missions from SM.

He rubbed his cheek on the pillow watching her.

All that happened to her wasn’t her fault at all, even though she felt guilty, it was his. The moment he decided to start a relationship with her he put a death sentence on her. The fact Smoke kidnapped her wasn’t only because of Audrey.

He swallowed grasping her hand in his. It was his fault that Smoke hated her so much.
She was his weakness and strength. He knew that. But Jinki also knew that it was too late to give up on her now. Besides there was also Audrey, she was her friend. Even if he gave up on her she was still Audrey’s friend and someone that Dokko might want.

It was best to keep watching her, to take care of her, to love her…

He raised his hand to touch her cheek knowing that she wouldn’t wake up. He did that so many times before. She was the heaviest sleeper and she could sleep even with a huge storm outside which surprised him.

However this time she stirred in her sleep and he poked her cheek waiting for her to open her eyes.

Areum blinked her eyes, rubbing her nose with her free hand before she opened them and looked at him. She tried to move her other hand and Jinki pulled it with his to show her how they were holding it during the night.

She didn’t find that strange since he had that obsession with her hands since forever and now she knew it was all due to his past.

“Good morning.” He whispered giving her one of his best sweet smiles but Areum didn’t answer back and instead she pulled her hand from his making him pout and sat on the bed covering herself with the covers as if he didn’t saw her for years, as if he couldn’t describe her full body if he had to.

“Morning.” She said after a while.

“We are married!” Jinki reminded her sitting on the bed not even caring about covering his body, the sheet falling around his hips. Areum was never shy in bed so that was new for him. “Why are you acting like that?”

He knew it though. It was her dumb pride. Yet he caressed her back, running his fingers on her spine like he knew she loved making her shiver in pleasure.

Areum moved away from his touch sending him an upset look that couldn’t fool him. She loved what he did and what he did next too.

Her frown disappeared immediately when he pushed her down on the bed pulling the sheet from her. She barely complained because his lips joined with hers.

Instead of pushing him away like she should she tangled her fingers on his hair and kissed him back.

He moved back to watch her reaction and Areum covered her eyes knowing he could see through her.

That made Jinki laugh and he sat on the bed again “Last night you said you missed my kisses. I did kiss you a lot but I guess it wasn’t enough…”

It wasn’t! It would never be enough!

“Last night was enough!” she lied “I’m ok now!”

“Oh really?” Jinki raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Am I a toy now??!”

“NO!” She seemed livid with his suggestion and Jinki only shrugged his shoulders pretending to not care.

He knew how she would go crazy when he pretended to not be interested in her.

Instead he stood up from the bed with Areum’s eyes on his body and started doing push ups beside the bed.

“NO NOT THAT!”

He often did that when he wanted to win something from her, when he wanted to punish her.

Damn he was , working out in front of her, his muscles flexing, his beautiful .

“STOP THAT!” Areum warned kneeling on the bed, so upset that she completely forgot the sheet and was .

He knelled on the floor and pointed at her chest grinning like a ert and she groaned grabbing the sheet again.

Jinki resumed the push ups, doing them with only one arm. Areum bit her lower lip admiring the muscles of his back and down to his legs.

"YOU ARE AN IDIOT!” She screamed standing up from the bed covered like a mummy, tripping on the sheet  “I’m going to shower!”  She informed him before entering the bathroom.

“Feeling too hot? Use cold water!”

His comment made her release a frustrated groan and she closed the door of the bathroom.

Jinki sat on the floor smiling and then stood up.

It was going to be a hard task to make her bend but he knew he could do it.

Teasing her was only the first step. Jinki stood up from the floor and counted to 30 slowly until he heard the sound of the water. He smiled knowing exactly what he had to do, what she was thinking and what would make her weak on her knees.

After all he was a good secret agent. He had an operation and knew exactly what steps he had to follow for a successful mission.

He opened the door of the bathroom silently and entered it.

Areum had her eyes closed, the water running down her body and he admired her for a while. The vision was making him go nuts in desire and he knew that they wouldn’t leave that bathroom soon.

He entered the shower and she widened her eyes finally realizing his presence beside her.

“What are you doing?!” She asked covering her s.

“Taking a shower with my wife!”

“I’m not your…” She couldn’t even say it.

“Should I sign the papers then?” he asked uncertain, afraid of her answer event though he was playing with her.

“No...” Her weak answer and her eyes on his was all the comfort he needed.

He pulled her by her neck to him and crashed his lips against her, while his hands moved to her body.

Areum didn’t pretend to be shy and caressed his wet chest, while the water fell on both of them.

He grabbed her by her waist and she wrapped her legs around him. They stumbled inside the shower and he pushed her against the wall of it, his hand grabbing hers on his mimicking so many other times they had in the shower.

She was his again. No way was she going to stop him now. Not when she was against his lips and she was hungrily kissing him back.

Mission accomplished!

 - Several years ago -

Kibum was happy but he wasn’t an idiot.

After his argument with Jae, Kibum never saw him again, and for few months Gi didn’t either.

She left Paris and went to live with Kibum in South Korea. There were always deep special feelings between them and soon she and Kibum started living together as more than friends.

They never discussed it but Kibum planned to raise the baby she was expecting as his. He felt like it was his duty but above all he loved the idea since he always liked children.

For a while Gi seemed to be happy with their simple life. Kibum started accepting less paid jobs that would let him stay in Korea for a longer time, writing small traveling plans for tourists visiting Korea tourist spots and Gi kept painting and even started a small course for new mothers expecting birth.

Then Jae was back in their lives.

Gi didn’t have to say anything because Kibum knew. He knew Gi extremely well to not sense the change in her behavior. She was more distracted, going out more, crying over sad stories of families on tv.

So one day he simply decided to sit down with her and ask her what was bugging him for a long time. He needed to know even though he had an idea of what the answer would be.

He didn’t ask her if Jae was back to Korea and her life. He asked her if she loved him.

Gi cried with his question and he knew the answer immediately.

There was a time she loved him. Kibum was her first love and forever he would be her ideal man but you can’t simply choose who you love. Once her heart was filled with feelings for him and even though she still loved him in a way, Jae was the one who made her weak on her knees now.

Kibum heard her confession, her words coming out of her lips between sobs and he hugged her after. There was a part of him that knew that already and he always pushed it back saying to himself that there was no other way, but Jae was back now and of course Gi was feeling tempted to get back with him.

He told her that. He gave her the chance to choose who she wanted. Apparently Jae wasn’t a drug addict anymore, he was trying hard to get better, to be someone who deserved Gi and Kibum still loved his friend, he still wanted to believe in second chances. So, if GI believed in it too, he was willing to step back and let her go to the man she loved above him.

That’s why that day when Kibum entered his apartment he wasn’t surprised to see the apartment empty. His dogs were at a pet hotel nearby and Gi bag’s were by the door. She was leaving him like Kibum predicted.

Yet where was she?!

“Gi?”

A soft sound came from the bedroom and he walked in the direction of it, wondering what he could say to her that would made her feel better with the decision she was making.

He didn’t blame her. He knew that would happen. He would always protect and help her if she needed. He loved her in his own way.

However the person inside the bedroom wasn’t Gi, it was a man.

“Jae?”

The man that was once his best friend turned around, his bulging scared eyes on Kibum that paled moving his own eyes down to Jae’s hands that were dirty with blood.

“What have you done?” Kibum asked stepping inside the bedroom, slipping on the pool of blood on the floor and almost falling. “Jae what did you do?”

Kibum’s scared expression matched Jae’s.

“They took her! They took her!”

“What?” For a moment Kibum thought Jae hurt Gi but apparently he didn’t, he was as worried with her as Kibum was.

“They took Gi! I arrived too late!”

“Who took her?” Kibum grabbed his friend t-shirt begging for an explanation” What are you talking about and whose is this blood?”

“It’s hers…it must be hers…” Jae moved his bloody hands on his hair as if he didn’t care anymore “They probably hurt her as a warning!”

“WHO? JAE, WHO?”

“They are after her father! They got to me first because of my drug problem….they have connections you know!” Jae seemed so confused that Kibum wondered if he wasn’t still taking them.

“Who? What about her father?”

“They wanted to know where she was because her father is in deep ! They wanted to use her as an exchange but I didn’t tell them Kibum! I didn’t! I ran away! I spent the last months making my life right to raise our baby….I would never do anything to hurt her! I swear!”

Kibum groaned desperate “WHO TOOK HER?!”

“We are ed! They are big Kibum! We can’t help her!” Jae sat on the bed “I can’t lose her and the baby….They are named Dokko!”

“Dokko? As the big pharmaceutical company?”

“Yeah…they make drugs…not medicine…” Jae explained “They have her father and he wanted to quit so they wanted her to threaten him.”

“Professor Han?” Kibum barely knew Gi’s father since he was a famous scientist and rarely was home when he visited her house.

“What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know about you! But I’m going to do something!” Kibum announced turning around and grabbing his keys again. Jae followed after him calling his name but Kibum never stopped and Jae realized he couldn’t walk outside with all that blood on his hands.

In a way it was all his fault. That blood that was possibly Gi’s was all over him. She couldn’t be dead because they needed her but they probably hurt her or the baby.

He came back to Korea and in that way he led Dokko exactly to her.

Jae sobbed letting his body fall to the floor.

 - Present Day -

“Even if you pretend that I’m not here it doesn’t change the fact that I am actually here!”

Minho ignored Nana, his eyes still on the new recruits he was training with the other members, that were right now running around the property warming up for the intense training section he would give them.

He heard her sigh of frustration but he still didn’t turn around. The previous night was the same. Ever since they arrived at the mansion he pretended that she wasn’t there at all, well he tried to, even though he couldn’t sleep at all the whole night. The fact that Nana, the woman he wanted to see the most for years was there so near to him made him confused. Now that she was there, beside him what was he going to do?!

The image of her kissing his cheek the day before made him tighten his jaw.

“Hey idiot!”

Minho groaned because Nana hit his head. He turned around rubbing it as if he was a little kid being scolded by his mother and she sent him a angry look that made him forget what he was going to say.

“When are we going to talk about what happened? We can even fight, I don’t care! We have to talk Minho!”

“I’m busy and we don’t have much to talk about!” He answered back pouting a little and that made Nana smile. Inside that deadly secret agent was still the man she fell in love with, the sweet, caring and innocent Minho.

She crossed her arms “Well when is this “class” ending?”

“Two hours probably!”

“I’ll be waiting for it! If you don’t come to talk with me I swear I’ll camp inside your bedroom!”

“? Like you used to?”

The words filled with hatred came out of his mouth before he could even think about it.

Nana didn’t answer but he noticed how she swallowed her tears. She couldn’t blame him, not after what she hid from him, what she did and became.

“I’m sorry…” He was being honest and she could see the pain in his eyes. Minho raised one hand to touch her but she stepped back. She couldn’t be touched by him, not yet, not when she still felt like the e she became years ago. “I really didn’t mean to… Nana, I’m sorry…”

“You didn’t hurt me!” She reassured him “It’s not a lie that I used to do that but I’m not that person because I chose to. I did what I had to do to survive. I changed like you changed too!”

“I know! I was an but…” She watched him swallow his words in pain. She hurt him in the past and he still couldn’t let it go.

“After you are done let’s talk. I won’t be !” She said before turning around and walking away.

Minho groaned watching her leave feeling like a complete idiot.

“Sir we finished warming up!” The leader of the trainee group announced.

“Good! Prepare yourselves because I’m going to be very hard on you!” He felt awful and when he was like that exercise was the only thing that could help.

Those trainees would have one hell of a training session. 

- Several years ago -

Mi Jung chewed the back of her pen while she pretended to be signaling clothes she liked in the catalogue in her hand, sitting on the main stairs of the mansion. In reality she didn’t care about any of those clothes and her eyes were on the door of the mansion waiting to see the man she loved come in from outside.

She moved her legs and then stood up walking down the remaining steps of the stairs.

Jinki entered followed by Taemin and Mi Jung gave them a sweet smile, her attention getting back to the door, her heart beating fast until she saw Jonghyun.

She beamed at him but quickly tried to mask her happiness. She didn’t want to look too eager to see him. She quickly walked near them and blocked Jonghyun from walking into the other room after Jinki and Taemin.

“What are you doing?” He asked confused. “We are meeting your father.”

“I know! Did it go well?” she grabbed him by the sleeve of his sweater and Jonghyun followed her to the back of the stairs and into a small corridor that lead to the employees' rooms.

“Not bad…but why should I even report what happens on my missions to you?!”

“Are you hurt?” She asked. It was hell to be away from him for weeks worried with his safety.

“No. Heard you are leaving college! Is it true?!”

“Who told you? Jinki?” She shook her head “Never mind! Yes I am! I want to design clothes and I don’t have to study more. I just want to do it by myself and dad said I could try!”

Jonghyun chuckled, the meeting he had with Lee Sooman going to second plan when Mi Jung was in the picture. “Aren’t you a spoiled little princess?!”

It was only a joke and he was using that mocking tone and words he normally used but this time it hurt her.

Mi Jung wanted to be accepted by him, respected like she respected him and yet he was the one who grew up into a man and she stayed like the little girl he used to have a crush on. She wanted to be a woman not a little girl in his eyes.

He noticed her hurt expression “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to offend you! It’s a joke!”

She pushed him sending him an angry look and walked away. Jonghyun tilted his head groaning because he knew he wouldn’t be able to walk away, not now when he hurt her. Instead he walked after her and up the stairs.

He should be meeting Lee Sooman and instead he was following his daughter and inside her bedroom.

He still hesitated at the door once she crossed it but Mi Jung let it open so she clearly wanted him to enter it and he did.

She walked around her bedroom upset and Jonghyun didn’t even notice when she closed the door of her bedroom because he was admiring her collection of school awards for the most diverse things, math contests, spelling contests, beauty pageant, piano, horse riding…

His eyes moved to the white princess desk where she clearly did her sketching and designed her clothes, with a sewing machine beside it and a mannequin with a beautiful white summer dress made by her for sure and then back to her bed where a big dog soft toy was.

It was cute and so much like her! He walked in the direction of the mannequin and admired the dress.

“Cute!”

His words seemed to annoy her and he failed to realize that those weren’t the words she wanted. She probably wanted a bigger praise and Jonghyun smiled not giving her that. He wasn’t an expert at sewing or clothes designing but she didn’t seem bad.

“Cute? That took me three weeks to make!”

“Three weeks?” He looked at her astonished “It barely covers your thighs! Not much to sew here!” He chuckled and she raised her head irritated.

“Well your muscles are small too and you are still a secret agent!”

“YA!” He turned to her “No need to offend me! I’m practicing really hard and my muscles are pretty fine! No complains whatsoever!””

“COMPLAINS?” She walked in his direction stopping in front of him “Who is checking them out?”

Her eyes were burning with anger and surprisingly that made him happy. She was jealous! She was jealous of him!

“You did…last time we were together…at the stables!” She shook her head blushing and Jonghyun raised a finger “Don’t pretend that you didn’t feel them under my clothes!”

“YOU IDIOT!” She screamed before he pulled her to him, his mouth crashing against hers. They kissed in a mix of anger, ual frustration, passion and love. They weren’t even sure what they were doing and Mi Jung was so lost in the passion that she barely felt when he pushed her against the wall angrily kissing her.

He moved away after what seemed like seconds but were certainly more than that since they were out of breath, his forehead joining with hers.

“I’m glad you are safe!” she whispered caressing his face and Jonghyun kissed her again, stealing sweet little kisses from her lips.

He was going nuts. Not only was he kissing the bosses daughter but he was also doing it at her bedroom.

“You are so frustrating!”

She smiled with his answer and they kissed again, humming satisfied against each other’s lips.

He needed more and he was sure she did too.

That was dangerous and Jonghyun stepped back from her but she followed him, her lips insisting on not leaving his.

“I---“ he tried to speak but she grabbed into him, kissing him, demanding more. “I need to leave this bedroom!” He said grabbing her shoulders and pushing her away.

Someone needed to be a responsible adult there and it was going to be him.

“NO! Stay!” She asked grabbing him by his collar and pulling him to another kiss that made him push her against the wall again.

He recovered from the madness for a brief seconds and pulled away again. “Are you crazy??! If I stay you know what might happen!”

“I do!” Mi Jung pulled her sweater over her head and Jonghyun cursed watching her take off her bra.

“No! “ He mumbled stepping back, however his eyes were on the skin she was revealing, on her small and yet perky s that he wanted to touch desperately. “Your father is going to kill me if I touch you!”

She grabbed his hand and placed it over her making Jonghyun almost had a heart attack, closing his eyes as if he was going crazy.

“There you are touching me and my dad is not killing you.”

Jonghyun frowned “You know what I mean…”

“Do you want me to beg you, Kim Jonghyun? Have with me please?” She was frustrated and grabbed his other hand to her .

“No need…” He kissed her moving his hands from her s to her back and pulling her with him to the bed, throwing her with him to it making her shriek before he kneeled over her, his lips never leaving hers.

She helped him get and both rolled on the bed in a mix of legs and arms trying to end with any space between them.

His lips were everywhere on her body and Mi Jung was having a hard time breathing. It was her first time and she always thought she would be nervous during it but at that moment she didn’t have time to be nervous or think much about what was happening because he was kissing her everywhere he could and what she was feeling was overbearing.

She wasn’t sure if she should moan when he kissed her , chuckle when he kissed her neck making her ticklish, or scream when his fingers caressed her between her legs before he pulled a over his and entered her with no warning.

“DAMN!” He cursed realizing that she was and she moved her hand to his shoulder nervous with his reaction. He looked at her surprised because he always thought she had more experience. She did have a lot of boyfriends before, she was a flirt and apparently an expert at it and she even had condoms in her bedroom…and the way she attacked him before…

He blinked his eyes, hesitating, motionless inside her and Mi Jung sent him a worried look, tears of pain in her eyes.

“I’m sorry…” he whispered gently cleaning a tear from the corner of her eye with his thumb “I didn’t know…I…I’ll be gentle…”

She sobbed relieved because she thought he would freak out and not finish what they started. Instead he caressed her as if she was fragile, trying to push back the passion so he wouldn’t hurt her.

She raised her head to kiss him and he answered back lovingly, caressing her cheek.

“You can move…” she nodded her head cutely still being a princess and he smiled rubbing his nose against hers.

He loved her; he loved her so much even though he knew that to her he was only the boy who had a crush on her for years. If she only knew that it was more than for him. Slowly Jonghyun started moving and she pulled him to her into a tight hug.

They made love slowly, kissing each other, with both lost in pleasure and their own feelings too scared to share them because once they did things would be even more serious.

It wouldn’t be only a one-time thing. It wouldn’t be only . It would be love and they couldn’t afford that. Not when she was Lee Sooman’s daughter and he was one of the agents working for him.

- Several Years ago -

Key looked around the room observing the group in front of him. Onew, the guy he met a few hours ago was there too, sitting beside an older man. They probably had some family connection. On the other side was the younger man that was riding a bike, and on his right was a dinosaur looking man that Onew called Base before, the same one that was driving the car that took them away from the building from where Kibum stole the drugs.

“I don’t understand why I am here!”

He did in a way. He heard about SM before and he wasn’t an idiot. They saw how he easily entered and left the Dokko building alone.

“You have a very impressive style of working, Kim Kibum!” The older man said smiling softly and Kibum frowned.

He knew his name and from the way he was speaking he clearly knew a lot about him too.

“Should I call you Key instead?”

“How do you know about me?”

“Well I know Jun –Seo. He was one of our best agents for years . He was the one who taught you right?”

Kibum was surprised with Lee Sooman's knowledge of his life but he was good at not revealing his thoughts.

“You spoke with him?”

“I did. He is one of my best friends. He told me about you before and I was very surprised and delighted when Jonghyun mentioned you. I’m glad we get to meet this way…fighting for the same cause.”

“I have no cause. I’m just doing this for personal reasons.”

“I know!”

Kibum wondered how much he actually knew. He probably also heard about Gi and his relationship with her.

“There is someone I have to find.”

“I know that also! Actually that person is someone we are also searching for since she is the daughter of someone important, Professor Han.”

“They kidnapped her…”

“We know. Dokko has their own way of dealing with matters important to them. Professor Han wanted to quit working for them so they had to pressure him to keep working. That’s where his daughter comes in. “

Kibum his lips getting more anxious. For the last few years he searched for Gi with no results and now there was someone who actually knew about her existence and probably had more information about her.

“She was pregnant when she disappeared.” He moved on his seat “Do you have any idea if…”

“I’m sorry but we don’t have that information.” Onew interrupted. “Is that baby perhaps…”

“Not it’s not mine. I just….she is my best friend.” Kibum wasn’t sure why he had to clear that misunderstanding.

“There is a man with her.” Taemin said suddenly supporting his head on his arm, raising his sleepy eyes to Kibum “His name is Jae. I saw them last time…”

Kibum wasn’t sure what was “last time” but that caught his attention “Was she well?”

“She was unharmed. She seemed healthy too but I didn’t see any baby.”

Kibum swallowed hard “Was Jae kidnapped too?” Since that last time he saw him and asked for help he didn’t see him anymore.

“No.” Onew answered “He is working for them.”

Kibum paled with that last piece information but it wasn’t a surprise for him in the end. Jae was always so eager to feel useful and powerful and since they had Gi of course he also decided to join them. At least Kibum hoped that he was taking care of her.

“I see.”

“There is a chance she might be there willingly!” Jonghyun said raising Kibum’s indignation.

“No way! She would never work for them. You don’t know Gi like I do! She wouldn’t!”

No one questioned his words but Kibum wasn’t sure about them anymore. A long time passed and he didn’t have any new information about her or Jae. And since his friend was working for Dokko now, there was a high probability that she was too.

“Apart for your personal reasons we were wondering if you would want to join us!” Lee Sooman smile made Kibum eye him suspiciously.

“Join SM?”

“Join SHINee!” Onew added “With us…our team.”

“SHINee…” Kibum repeated chuckling “That is a pretty weird name…”

He didn’t have much to lose anyway and it wasn’t as if he could aim higher working solo. If he wanted to get better, ruin Dokko's plans and find Gi and Jae again he certainly needed help.

“If I join SHINee can I keep my code name Key and keep working solo when I have to?”

Taemin moved in his seat. They just found their 4^th member. “Sure!”

 - Present Day -

It was like the old days but this time they weren’t in one of high school’s empty classrooms or inside the pcbang where Areum worked at or at Audrey’s old apartment. They were inside Lee Sooman’s property, sitting by the lake, with Areum throwing small pebbles in the water and Audrey leaning her head against a tree, her eyes on the blue sky, and her hand rubbing her ankle that still hurt a little.

Audrey told Areum about the date she shared with Kibum, if she could call that a date and instead of getting her friends comprehension Areum laughed at her friend lying down on the grass, also looking at the sky.

“It’s not funny at all! Why can’t he tell me what he truly feels, be honest with me!”

“He said he loved you!”

“He didn’t say. He whispered it and walked away making fun of me. I hate how he can be so…”

“Tsundere?”

Audrey nodded her head because that was exactly how Kibum was. One time he was being romantic with her, pushing her into her bed and making out with her and the other he was being a complete , ignoring her.

“Maybe he has his reasons. Maybe he is afraid to completely love you!” Areum said caressing her stomach over her clothes.

The action caught Audrey’s attention and she sat closer to her friend. “Are you pregnant?”

“NO!” Areum sat up quickly, her cheeks pinkish “No I don’t think I am!”

“But there is a chance you are…” Audrey clapped her hands happily. She liked babies and ever since she found out Areum was married she waited for the day she could be an aunt. “Jinki will be so happy…”

“No he won’t!” Arum crossed her arms, the mentioning of Jinki’s name making her angry “We aren’t together!”

Audrey blinked her eyes and a smile started to show on her face. She knew Areum as she knew herself. Audrey slapped her friends shoulder playfully and laughed “Right! That’s why you slept in the same bedroom last night and that’s also why you were late for breakfast this morning. Because you aren’t together! It was goodbye then!”

Areum opened to answer to that but there was no way she could deny it “Who told you all of that?!”

“Oh…no one! No one had to tell me since you both came down together with a huge smile on your faces that screamed we had amazing just now.”

Areum sighed placing her hands on the grass on each side of her supporting her weight “It was always so easy for me when it came to relationships. Maybe because most of them were only interested in having a good time and not actually love me. But when it comes to Jinki…it’s all so complicated!”

Audrey knew what Areum meant and nodded her head agreeing. “He does love you, you know? He loved you all along.”

“I know!” However sometimes love wasn’t enough and Areum wasn’t sure if she wanted to be the wife of a secret agent, of a killer. The image of how Jinki spanked Smoke was still fresh in her mind. However even though that scared her, the way he always treated her, the things he did to protect others, how much he suffered when he was only a kid, all of that was making the balance fall on the side of “yes I want to have a baby with him, I want to be with him and take care of him”.

“I love him too!” Areum confessed grabbing a small pebble and throwing it at the lake “I only need some time to forgive him for lying to me. Do you think I’m being childish?”

Audrey shook her head “No, not at all. We betrayed you even though we did it for your own good. It’s normal that you are hurt.”

Areum wrapped her arm around Audrey and her friend caressed her back. “I’m so glad you are alive!”

Audrey chuckled and kissed her friend’s cheek. “I’m glad you are here safe with me. For a while I thought I lost my best friend and my sister and without you I would have no one.”

Areum grabbed her friend’s hands on hers. “But you might have someone. You might have family beside me!”

“What do you mean?”

“Your parents!”

“They died in a fire!”

“That’s what you remember but you were only a little girl.” Areum eyes lit up like they normally did when she had an idea for a new story, but Audrey’s life was not fiction “What if they didn’t die? What if you have more family? Maybe a grandmother or an uncle! We could try and search for your family.”

“We don’t know anything about them.”

“Well we know your name and we know the orphanage you were sent to. Also Audrey…it’s a French name!”

The sweet French lullaby that Audrey heard in her head when she almost died in the fire before Onew saved her came to her mind.

“I might be French yes.” She did understand the song, she knew what was being said by that sweet voice but she never spoke French before. “I think my mother was French. Maybe my father was Korean.”

“That explains your appearance and your hair…I’m sure! “

“Still France is a big country and I have no idea what is her name!” Audrey chuckled remembering how Kibum invited her to go to France someday with him. After the fire he never mentioned that anymore.  “Kibum used to visit France a lot.”

“That’s good!” Areum exclaimed “We can ask him for his help! He can help us search at the orphanage for clues and dig into your past.”

Audrey nodded but she wasn’t sure if she was ready to find out who her parents were.

“There is also that man who used to visit me.” If only she could remember his face or anything special about him. “I wonder why I can’t remember his face.”

“Well if he visited you at the orphanage maybe someone there might know him or have some record of his visits.”

Areum was right. No wonder she was used to write and tell stories. Audrey's life was revealing to be more mysterious and interesting than any book she ever read.

That was something new for Taemin.

Sometimes the women he slept with would fall asleep after and he would stay beside them for a while until he was sure they were truly asleep before he left. He didn’t like to face them after even though he was always clear about his intentions since the start.

However that morning he didn’t move from the bed and stayed under the covers watching the woman beside him sleep.

Mina had an arm over his chest, her legs were wrapped in his and his hand was on her back motionless and yet ready to pull her to him if it was needed.

That was new for him. That sense of wanting to protect a woman, to make her his, to touch her every time he could.

He moved slightly turning his body to her so he could see her sleeping face without any effort.

His movements made her stir but she didn’t wake up and he smiled rubbing his cheek on the pillow watching her.

She wasn’t much different from other women he slept with and yet she felt different and that was a sign of danger to him. He was certainly in love with her, he fell for Mina’s charms and weird personality and even though it was dangerous it also made him happy.

He always loved the danger, risking his life…

His stomach growled and he realized he didn’t eat much the previous night. It was time for breakfast and Taemin moved in the bed slowly sitting up.  The movement of his legs against hers made Mina wake up and she stretched her arms above her head lazily, focusing her sleepy eyes on the man beside her.

“Morning!” She almost sang giving him a huge smile that made him smile back.

“Morning!"

“Ahhh waking up with Taemin smiling back at me…I could get used to this!”

Her comment made his smile fade and Mina sat on the bed beside him. She had an idea of what he was thinking and even though she didn’t know what he was hiding she knew what was his opinion about having a relationship with a woman.

“I slept really well, thank you. I needed this…what we did and the warmth.” She didn’t seem embarrassed at all to talk about their night of passion and the way they slept in each other arms.

He cleared his throat ignoring the feelings her words were waking up in him.

“Want me to take you back home?”

“No.” She didn’t seem eager to go home and even though he didn’t know why he didn’t mind. He also wanted her to stay longer. “I don’t want to go home!”

He moved on the bed searching for his underwear and finding it under her clothes. “This can’t happen again.” He turned to her pulling his underwear up his legs and Mina hugged herself watching him. “I mean…the was amazing and I didn’t mind sleeping with you. I don’t regret it!” He needed to get that clear “But….you can’t really be with me. I’m dangerous!”

“I know!” She didn’t even blink with his words and she didn’t seem scared at all which made Taemin perplexed.

He sat by her side on the bed and moved a hand on his bed hair. She smiled helping him fix it. In a way he was like a little boy even though he was truly a man. He grabbed her hand in his and pulled it to his lap. “What do you know about me?”

His question was easy to answer and Mina didn’t waste any time “You disappear all the time. You move unnoticed if you want and sometimes you dress up in black clothes so you can walk around like a shadow. Also you know how to use weapons and you have an apartment that isn’t even yours probably because you can’t tell anyone where you live. Maybe that’s also why you don’t talk about your family and you try to not make friends. You don’t date but you slept with a lot of women before. You can be very seductive if you want but you are also shy and fragile which probably has to do with a painful childhood. You have a brother…but he doesn’t look much like you so I bet he was adopted or you were adopted. Also I bet you are rich since your clothes are expensive even though they are pretty simple.”

She took a deep breath and smiled because Taemin was pale looking at her. She knew she was right about all she told him. “I bet you were poor before and that’s why you don’t care about material things. You were adopted and you lead a dangerous life and since you don’t want anyone to get hurt you keep away from everyone that might get attached to you.”

He didn’t say anything and Mina kissed his lips softly “Am I right?”

“I can’t tell you who I am!” He simply answered, massaging the knuckles of her hand.

“It’s ok! I can’t tell you who I am either!”

He frowned with her words “What do you mean?”

He knew who she was…didn’t he?!

Mina smiled enigmatically. “Everyone has secrets. You are not the only one Taemin. The thing is…will you still love me despite of that?”

He swallowed nervously, his heart beating fast with her words. Not only she knew about what he felt for her and about how he wasn’t what he seemed to be, but she was also hiding something from him.

Mina moved her hand on his bare chest and kissed his jaw her lips moving closer to his. Taemin's eyes fell on hers and for a moment she saw the familiar sparkle from the previous night, that dangerous side of him. It didn’t scare her at all. She was used to be surrounded by dangerous men and she knew that he was one of the good ones even if his gaze was deadly.

If she was waiting for him to answer she didn’t get what she wanted. Instead Taemin kissed her, pushing her down on the bed, letting passion take over his body.

He couldn’t tell her about his double life, so he didn’t have the right to ask about hers either.

Areum was a good natured child. Her mother often used to say that the only trouble her daughter used to give her was when it came to her high imagination and the fact that Areum would get easily distracted in her own world. She wasn’t a picky eater, she was fairly decent at school, she didn’t need fancy clothes or many toys but Areum would trust others easily, she would get lost on her way home often, many times because she would get distracted with a cute kitty or creating a new world in her head that lead her to new adventures.

It was rare for Areum to sulk because she didn’t have something. However there was something that often made her sulk and that was seeing Jinki surrounded by other women.

It was funny because she was never the jealous type before she started a relationship with him. But Jinki was different from other men not only because she truly loved him but also because he had a certain something that would make all women fall into his spell. Some would say it was his beautiful sincere smile, others the way his eyes disappeared when he smiled, and even others his soothing voice and the manly confiding aura he emanated. When Areum was around Jinki she felt safe as she never felt before and that was something other people could relate to. He was trustworthy, caring and very responsible giving everyone around him a calming feeling.

That’s why that afternoon Areum was sulking. Jinki was outside with a group of trainees, or at least that was what Minho told her when she asked who the small group of 5, 3 men and 2 women were.

Minho explained to her that they were giving a few lessons to the new agents that week and that was a normal thing that happened often. Areum could see how often it happened because the two women were all over Jinki, staying behind after the lesson that she discreetly witnessed from the window of the living room while Jinki taught them advanced self-defense techniques.

What made her even more upset was the way he smiled at the women and laughed at their jokes. He even hugged one of them and she counted the seconds of the hug – it was more than 5 seconds. That was unacceptable between a student and a teacher. She was certain of that.

It made her wonder if he didn’t have a relationship with one before. It could happen right?! She barely knew about his past before her and since Minho and Taemin seemed to be so active ually maybe Jinki was before she met her too.

That’s why Areum left the mansion that afternoon, burning with jealousy and walked to Jinki that was now alone in the middle of the porch grabbing the dummy they used for practice. He turned around and smiled briefly when he saw her approach him. She didn’t like it. It wasn’t a sincere sweet smile but a mocking teasing one instead. He probably knew she was watching. He clearly did. So all of that was probably meant to trouble her!

“Did you learn anything?” He asked placing the dummy under his arm.

Areum crossed her arms as if that was enough to protect her heart and feelings from him “Maybe if you give me a proper lesson alone.”

“You want to be alone with me?” He chuckled “We were alone this morning and look what happened!”

“You attacked me!” She defended herself. It was all his fault since he walked on her in the shower.

“Well next time maybe you can use some of this self-defense class to protect yourself. “ He walked away transporting the dummy and Areum walked after him since she didn’t ask him what she wanted yet.

“A-about before…” The uneasiness of her voice amused him but he didn’t turn around.

“Before?”

“Before you met me.” That made him stop and look at her.

“What about it?” He watched her bit her lower lip nervously and Jinki knew that that wasn’t a time to .

“Were you like Taemin and Minho?”

“Eh?” He certainly didn’t get her question and Areum blushed.

“I mean...how they are now…”

Jinki tilted his head confused and she pursed her lips “Did you play the game too?”

“Oh!” He laughed almost letting the dummy fall and Areum frowned with his reaction.

“Well I wasn’t playing that game but I was no saint either!”

She looked at the ground reflecting on his words and Jinki sighed “Why is that important now? I told you before that I was faithful to you ever since the day I met you. I didn’t lie about that.”

Areum wasn't sure why she needed to know more about it. He did tell her most about his childhood and how he bacame an agent but after that it was all a blank sheet to her until they got together. Maybe if she could understand more of who Onew truly was she could also learn to live with that part of his.

“Did your heart ever wavered or maybe during a mission you had to kiss someone?” She asked eagerly locking her eyes with his.

“There was!”

His words made her held her breath and he stepped closer to her. Areum lifted her head to face him and he leaned closer to her, his scent making her swallow.

“I wasn’t going to tell you but since you are asking. My heart wavered once before...when we went to the zoo on a date and we saw that beautiful baby giraffe!” He giggled and she pushed him away upset.

“IDIOT!”

That only made him laugh more “I told you…” his grin disappeared and the manly Jinki was back again making her heart skip a beat “It never wavered…and no, you were the only woman I kissed all these years. “

He walked away and this time she followed after him in silence, his words making her warm. Yes he was trained to be seductive when it was needed and lie, but she was almost sure he was being honest. He told her he wouldn’t lie anymore too and she had to trust him if she was going to get back together with him.

Areum felt silly now for feeling jealous of him. He knew she was watching and clearly he only overreacted with the trainees to make her upset, to make her act. Jinki was teasing her ever since that morning. That was probably his plan to make her bend and give in to him, forgiving him officially.

Areum was so focused on her thoughts that she barely noticed that Jinki had stopped at the door of the mansion where Audrey was and that both were talking.

Jinki asked Audrey about her ankle and she was telling him that it was better and she was now able to walk placing her feet on the ground.

“Be careful! Place some ice on it. Maybe you should get it checked. I can call a doctor if you want.”

“No need!” Audrey smiled warmly at him.

“Last time you said that you were in bed for more than a week!”

“Last time?” Areum asked watching them talk and suddenly feeling as if she wasn’t there at all. She didnt't knew about what happened to her friend on those last years and even though they were together now almost the whole day - Audrey still had to work on the research department - Areum felt as if she knew nothing about her friend's life. 

“I got a fever…” Audrey explained.

“She was burning and stubbornly said she was ok. Then she fainted…” Jinki corrected.

“Luckily Jinki was around and took me inside and called a doctor.”

“Took you inside?” Areum asked moving her eyes from her husband to her best friend.

“Yes, he carried me inside since I fainted in the garden.” Audrey blushed remembering how she stupidly waited for Kibum to come back that night and he never did.

“You carried her?” Areum asked her lips, her eyes on Audrey’s pink cheeks.

“It’s not the first time either!” Minho said suddenly joining them “He saved her from the burning house too!” He sneaked his arms around Jinki’s and Audrey’s shoulders and pulled them closer to him “I was searching for you. Lee Sooman called for lunch!”

The three of them turned around and Areum walked after him slowly, her eyes on their backs while they talked.

That unfamiliar feeling came back to her again. She felt it before earlier that day while she was having breakfast with Audrey, Jinki, Minho and Lee Sooman since they were talking between them about what they had to do that day and she barely said anything. It wasn't as if she had much to do anyway. Her days were spent walking around the mansion, playing with Bora or talking with Mi Jung or Audrey. Sometimes she would sneak inside the training headquarters and check on Jinki - seeing him exercise was a torture too and at night, once he laid by her side, she was sure it would have repercussions. Good repercussions...

Was she even a part of that family? Was she even useful to Audrey or Jinki?! At least Audrey could help him, working for SM, Areum had zero skills that could help.

Well she could write Lee Sooman’s biography if he wanted but she was sure that was not useful at all.

Jinki turned around making Minho halt and waited for Areum to reach them but she barely looked at him which troubled him. This time it was different from her normal sulking and he wondered what was wrong.

“Is everything ok?”

Areum looked at him in deep thought and her eyes drifted to Minho. She didn’t know much about the other members but she heard from Mi Jung how Minho was a model before. Modeling is not something very useful in the secret agents world. He can’t actually kill people with his dazzling looks, clothes and body….well maybe in bed…so along the way Minho decided to be an agent and got proper training for it.

Areum smiled softly having an idea. That was the perfect thing to do if she wanted to understand Jinki, to be a part of his life and Audrey’s new life.

“Are you busy this afternoon?”

Areum's urgency made Jinki happy “I have some things to do but I might find time for you. Want to go somewhere?” His face brightened. Did she want to date him too like Audrey was dating Key?! “We can’t actually leave but…”

“No. Staying here is what I want!”

“Eh?” He was surprised with her answer and Minho laughed mischievously.

“I see… honeymoon at last!” His comment made Jinki happy even though he tried really hard to hide his grin. Areum shook her head negatively. She needed Jinki’s body yes, but this time it wasn’t for .

“I’ll explain it to you later! Right now we have to eat!” Areum grabbed Audrey’s arm and pulled her away from Minho. He was being too touchy with her and Areum knew his reputation with the ladies. 

Mi Jung sat beside Jonghyun over the blanket he placed on the balcony so he could observe Bora while she rode her bicycle outside.

He wasn’t only watching their daughter; his eyes were on the small group ahead, on Minho hugging Jinki and Audrey playfully pulling them inside the house and how Areum followed them broodingly.

“Should we meet them for lunch?” Mi Jung asked wondering if that was the reason Jonghyun was so interested in the mansion and what was happening there.

“No. “ They already ate and Jonghyun preferred to do it at his own place. They were still on her father’s land, so the only way to actually feel a little independent was to avoid the mansion most of the time.

“Want some tea then?” She asked Jonghyun and he crossed his arms pensively.

“What is wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just thinking about how life can be a big joke sometimes and pull the rug from under your feet…”

“What do you mean?” Sometimes Jonghyun was so mysterious. She knew that her father shared all of his secrets with Jonghyun and even though that was a sign of trust and showed how much he respected him as a son in law and probably his successor it also meant that Jonghyun had to suffer keeping them from everyone, including her. She knew how much that troubled him, since there honesty was something that always prevailed in their wedding.

“Sometimes a person that is so close to you can have so many secrets and you have no idea how many…”

Mi Jung leaned her head against Jonghyun’s shoulder and linked her arm with his, her eyes falling on Bora that was waving at her, now riding the bike in their direction.

“You are spending too much time with my dad, you are becoming more and more like him. Luckily I was always a daddy's girl!” Mi Jung chuckled and kissed his cheek, caressing his neck with her fingers “He told you didn’t he? About how important Audrey is to him.”

Jonghyun froze, his eyes wide open on Mi Jung “You know?”

“No. He didn’t tell me anything! But I know him as well as I know you and the way he looks at her it’s as if he has a lifetime of debts to her.”

Jonghyun sighed. He couldn’t hide anything from Mi Jung even when he tried and even though he couldn’t share all of what he knew with her he was glad he could speak about that subject more openly with someone.

“Well, maybe he feels regretful.”

“For what he did to her?” She knew she shouldn’t ask since he couldn’t tell her anyway, and risk losing her father’s trust, but she was curious.

Surprisingly Jonghyun answered her.

“No, for what he didn’t do.”