Secret Agents Dictionary:

Blood: 1.The fluid that circulates in the principal vascular system of human beings and other vertebrates;  

2. The vital principle;

3. Life;

4. Murder;  

5. Family.

- 5 years ago - 

Mi Jung pushed the doors open and entered the big meeting room.

He wasn’t alone. Jonghyun, her brothers and several other agents were with him and they seemed to be discussing something about a map that was over the huge table.

One of the other agents was vehemently denying something while the others listened to him but all the focus was shifted from him to the woman that interrupted that briefing before a mission.

“Mi Jung. What are you doing here?” Sooman asked leaving the table and walking to her. You know you can’t interrupt us when we are working.”

“You can’t send Taemin and Jinki on a mission…nor Jonghyun!”

“Mi Jung please!” Taemin complained. They had that conversation the previous night during dinner, she was being overprotective.

“They aren’t ready!” She insisted and Jinki chuckled leaning against the table crossing his arms and sending Jonghyun a glance.

The man was a bit pale since that was mostly about him. Mi Jung didn’t want him to be an agent and was using her brother as an excuse. The fact was that Mi Jung believed Jonghyun would be better as an activist, as the face of SM, more than as a real agent.

“We are ready!” Jonghyun alleged and she sent him an angry look that he gave back at her.

“Oh boy!” Taemin mumbled beside Jinki realizing that that was after all a lover's quarrel and not much more.

“Mi Jung leave!” Sooman ordered but she didn’t move. “This is not your decision to make.”

“IT IS TOO!” she insisted “They are important to me, they are my brothers and…Jonghyun…”

Jonghyun paled with her comment and all eyes settled on him. There were rumors already, they weren’t good at hiding the way they looked at each other with so much love, the small whispers and romantic encounters.

“Leave!” Sooman asked a little more softly but that only seemed to irritate Mi Jung even more.

“I have something important to say! I’m not leaving!”

“Mi Jung please…” Jonghyun wondered if she was drunk or something. It was as if she was out of control.

“I LOVE JONGHYUN!” She screamed to her father and it was as if everyone stopped breathing. Sooman was speechless; his hand halfway to grab his daughter’s arm and Jonghyun’s scared eyes on her.

What has she done?!

“I said it!” Mi Jung glanced at Jonghyun and then back to her father and then back to Jonghyun “And I’m sleeping with him!”

“What?” Sooman’s face got a lot redder and Jonghyun’s face palmed. Did she want him to die that badly and why was she doing that in front of everyone?!

“Should I stop her?” Jinki asked a little worried now.

“No this is fun!” Taemin’s answer made Jonghyun glare at him.

“What did you say?” Sooman asked in a low dangerous voice and Jonghyun couldn’t dare to look at him. “Let’s talk outside!”

However when her father touched her shoulder and pushed her in the direction of the door Mi Jung turned around to face Jonghyun.

“We are dating and I’m pregnant!”

If Jonghyun was pale before now he was no more than a corpse or he would be pretty soon.

“Oh!” Taemin mumbled disrupting the silence that settled in the room again.

“What?” It was Jonghyun’s time to ask and Mi Jung released herself from her father.

“I’m sorry dad. I just found out…” She bit her lower lip. That explained her crazy state of mind. She was pregnant by a man that was going on a mission for the first time. “It happened and we are in love!”

“Pregnant…” The words coming from Jonghyun’s mouth didn’t seem as real as the news.

“Here!” She took the small pregnancy text from inside her pocket and offered it to Jonghyun that barely looked at it. “We are going to have a baby!” Mi Jung’s bright smile made him smile back.

“I’m so dead!” He stuttered and Jinki chuckled behind him.

Sooman wasn’t saying anything, eyeing her daughter and the man who got her pregnant with a weird expression so Jonghyun did the first thing he could remember. He kneeled in front of him as if Sooman was a king and Jonghyun his faithful servant who dared to touch his little girl.

“I’m so sorry it happened like this! I love your daughter more than anything and I couldn’t help it…I…” He struggled to raise his eyes “I’ll marry her, I’ll do anything…I’ll…”

“Then marry her and get up please. You make me sound as if I’m a dictator.”

“Sorry!” Jonghyun stood up brushing his knees over his pants.

“It makes me sad that it happened like this but there isn’t anyone better for my daughter than you.”

That made Jonghyun sigh of relief.

“Let’s settle that marriage to be very soon!” Mi Jung celebrated hugging her father “But he is still going on the mission!”

“WHAT?” She was going to start arguing again but Jonghyun pulled her away.

“I’m going to rest.” Sooman said avoiding looking at the other agents. “I don’t think I can discuss this mission right now, not after this…”

The older man left the room and Mi Jung turned to Jonghyun giving him a big kiss, very cinema like.

“We are going to get married!”

“Yes…” Jonghyun was still in shock. He was so young and there were so many things he wanted to do before settling down. He was writing his first book, he wanted to be an agent and marrying and having a kid was a little too much but…

Mi Jung kissed his cheek again and smiled so brightly at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

The previous night she argued with him asking him if he was suicidal because he wanted to go on that mission, which was ridiculous. He was ready more than he was ready to marry and be a father though. That was the real suicidal mission and yet…inside that woman was a seed that shared his blood and he couldn’t think of anyone else more eligible to be the mother of his children like she was.

“Yes. We are going to get married!” Loving her without having to hide it, he liked the idea of it.

“Congratulations!” Jinki said from behind them and soon everyone joined him.

- Present Day -

Minho was rarely called to the director’s office when he was a kid. The only time it happened was during a soccer match and he had a disagreement with another kid and both started to fight, rolling on the floor, pushing hair and trying to punch blindly.

So being inside a dark meeting room, sitting on a chair – the same one Audrey sat before, with his whole team – minus Taemin – Lee Sooman, Director Oh and a group of other members from the direction was a little scary to him.

He had no idea what to say other than he already did. Director Oh presented his case, which in his opinion made him look already guilty and after he told his side of the facts, and now he had no idea what more to say. The way everyone was looking at him wasn’t a good sign and Minho knew that he had a big problem.

Director Oh rose from her chair, the sound disrupting the silence that has fallen inside the room and Minho slumped on his chair because he knew he was doomed. He was going to be kicked out of the team for sure.

“The only thing we have right now is Choi Minho’s words which aren’t enough to overthrow the facts we have in front of us.” She said eyeing the members of the Assembly since every time she glanced at the members of SHINee team she was met with glares, especially from Kim Kibum that seemed to hate her immensely.

“This man helped and exchanged information with a woman that worked for Dokko.”

“She didn’t work for Dokko!” Kibum interrupted “She used to work in a ion organization. We saved her so of course she decided to help us when we asked.”

“We?” Director Oh smiled knowing that she found another weak spot in that story. “Did any of you knew about Choi Minho’s and this woman’s connection? Did any of you ask her to be a mole inside Dokko?”

“We didn’t but Taemin…” Jonghyun tried to speak but Director Oh raised her hand shutting him up.

“None did and Lee Taemin isn’t here to testify in his favor. Which is very interesting and so fortunate for Choi Minho.”

Not at all.

Minho felt very cold suddenly. Why was he so unlucky lately?!

“Taemin had personal problems to take care of.” Jinki informed the several powerful man that were called for that emergency meeting, many of them, people he barely met before. The need for secrecy was important when you were a famous businessman, politician or professional and helped SM’s cause. “The fact he isn’t here has nothing to do with this situation. Also I’m sure that if he was he would confirm Minho’s words.”

“We don’t know that.” Director Oh said placing her hand over the table, her eyes moving from the several members of the assembly to Jinki that stared at her with hatred.

There was a time when she feared that. That Lee Sooman would hate her, that Lee Jinki would hate her. Both powerful men, agents, gentleman, men she learned to love and desire. However she knew that day would come. They were never meant to be on her side, they were only a way for her to reach the powerful position she wanted. However it made her sad and deep inside her she still wanted them to accept her, to somehow realize how amazing she was and fall at her feet. She would make them do it somehow.

“I don’t ask for much from you. I’m only a person that stays behind the scene. Someone that is inside SM for years now, helping these agents, making sure that they don’t die in action.”

Kibum scoffed at that but she pretended not to notice. He was also going to be punished someday.

“As someone that stays in the shadows I watch many things and I know that Choi Minho is lying. I saw him speak on the phone with that woman; I know he exchanged information with her and I’m telling you that he is guilty of treason.”

“This is ridiculous. Are you acting in a movie?” Kibum rolled his eyes and touched his injured head feeling another headache kicking in.

“It’s not ridiculous! Our organization is at risk. Several of our agents were attacked. They could have died.” She turned to Kibum “Lee Audrey, the scientist beyond Aeon almost died in a burning house.”

That comment made Kibum burn in anger and he moved on his chair. Was she implying that Minho had anything to do with it?! Oh he was going to strangle her! That knew how much that would upset him and she was doing it on purpose.

“Don’t.” Jonghyun whispered grabbing his arm “She wants that.”

“Our agent, Onew’s personal life was affected too when Choi Minho revealed where he was with his wife on honeymoon.”

Jinki grasped the arm of his chair and Jonghyun panicked. He could only grab one man beside him and he also wanted to punch Director Oh so he wasn’t certain if he was going to stop anything from happening.

Jonghyun barely had time to finish his thoughts because Jinki raised himself from his chair. He didn’t attack director Oh though “Choi Minho risked his life to save me and my wife countless times. The same with Lee Audrey. He is an amazing man. Despite coming from a powerful rich family he devoted his life helping the poor, being an example for many of us. He entered this team not long ago but I swear over my honor that he is faithful to SM, that he never betrayed us. That all he did was in the name of our team and the people we swore to protect.” Jinki wrinkled his nose glancing at Director Oh. “If it wasn’t for Choi Minho I wouldn’t be here. He was the one who gave me the antidote that saved me when I was poisoned three years ago. The same person that risked his life when I had a car accident - thanks to this mole – a few weeks ago. He has proved his value so many times already and…” Jinki eyes fell on Minho, his expression softening “And he is my friend. You all know me. I’ve been raised here. SM was my father’s family and now it’s my life and my honor must have some value. I only ask you to trust me and stop accusing an innocent man.”

Silence fell inside the room again and Sooman nodded at Jinki happy with his speech and Jonghyun clapped his hands a few times before stopping.

“I-I agree with him.” Kibum patted his arm also looking at Jinki with affection and the older man let himself fall back on his chair.

“These were beautiful words, but just words.” Director Oh said “You called him your friend and isn’t that what a traitor strives to do? Enter someone’s life, make him trust you, call you friend and then they backstab you?”

“Couldn’t we say the same about anyone here?” Kibum raised his voice “We can say that about me and even you Director Oh!”

She ignored him raising her voice over his “That’s why I ask you to think about the facts and judge fairly. This man almost killed, he acted with that intention therefore the only punishment for him should be death!”

“ARE YOU INSANE?” Kibum rose from his chair and he almost lost balance since he still needed the help of a crutch to walk. “ARE YOU ING INSANE?”

“Kibum please, that won’t help!” Jonghyun tried to grab him but he could be the one screaming if Kibum didn’t do it for him.

“DEATH?” Jonghyun glanced at Minho that was motionless in his chair, pale as the wall behind him with no reaction. “You don’t even have any proof of what you’re saying. You are going to kill an innocent man.”

“They are right.” Sooman intervened. Normally he shouldn’t even speak, he was allowed to vote in the final decision and sometimes he could even take decisions on smaller matters but that was beyond his power. Being the president, one of the founders didn’t make him a god inside SM. “That’s a little too much. We haven’t killed anyone of treason in years and it only happened when we had witnesses and that person actually killed someone.”

“He could have killed. He tried to!” She approached and Kibum lost his temper and marched to kill Director Oh. However one of the agents that were supposed to keep an eye on Minho grabbed him and pushed him outside which was easy because he could barely stand on his feet.

“I SWEAR I’LL CATCH YOU! YOU I KNOW YOU ARE THE ONE BEHIND ALL OF THIS!”

Kibum screams could still be heard even after the door closed and he was outside.

“Choi Minho has total control over this team.” Director Oh said faking an expression of grimace. “Lee Taemin – also known as Ace, left the team, Onew trusts a mole, Base can’t act as a leader and control this bunch of mischiefs.“ Jonghyun slumped on his seat, his deepest insecurities being discussed in front of everyone “…and Key has a bad temper…” Her eyes settled on Jinki and he gulped. “And then Choi Minho, a traitor. This team lost its focus. They are more worried with personal problems, “family” than with their solo reason for existing. They are trained to be soldiers just that!”

Kibum was right. She had a hidden agenda all that time and probably she was the true mole inside SM. Her real enemy wasn’t SM though, it was them, SHINee. She was using every opportunity she had to undermine them, to destroy them and that situation with Ace away was the perfect timing.

But why SHINee, why them and not another team?

“Now you decide if he is innocent or guilty.” Director Oh smirked and gave Sooman a quick glance before she sat on her seat, her work done.

No. It wasn’t that she hated their team. She wanted to hurt them, his adoptive father that loved that team because it had a special meaning to her, because his family was in it and Jinki. In a very twisted way that woman was trying to crunch him, to get his attention. She was envious of what they built inside SM, of their bond.

Well she got what she wanted. Jinki’s full attention was on her and he was going to find a way to destroy her before she destroyed SHINee.

“Is it true Sung Hi? Do you live at Lee Sooman’s house now?”

“Seok you won’t believe how many rooms that house has and I have one only for myself as big as half this house.”

“Are they treating you well?”

“Yes. He has one son a little younger than me but very charming and sweet. And Lee Sooman is the best person I’ve ever met and so smart.”

“You are talking like a woman in love.

“I’m not…I only admire him.”

“Why are you blushing then?”

“Don’t laugh at me Seok. It’s not like that.”

“I hope not because you are mine.”

“What do you mean?”

The young man kissed the girl.

“Sung Hi I only have you and you only have me. Never forget that.”

His warm hand enveloped hers.

“Yes…I won’t.”

“You could help me Sung Hi! I need to know everything about Lee Sooman and his family.”

“Why?”

“You are not the only one who met someone who changed your life. This person hates Sooman with all his guts and knowledge is power.”

“I can’t do that. I can’t betray him. He is nice to me. He saved me from your mother and they are good people.”

“Sung Hi, you only have me…”

His fingers moved under her clothes and she melted with his touch and kisses, both falling over his bed.

However she couldn’t betray Lee Sooman.

Audrey was outside the meeting room when she heard the scream and then Kibum was almost thrown outside.

He didn’t try to get back in the room and instead used his crutch to walk to her and quickly Audrey crossed the hallway and met him.

“What happened?”

“That ! Director Oh! I hate her! She wants Minho to be executed!”

“What?!” Audrey didn’t think things would get that far.

“I’m so angry!” Kibum roared and she wrapped her arms around him caressing his neck.

“Sorry.” He hugged her back with one arm, letting the crutch fall against the wall. “I just hate that I have to look at her face without being able to do anything when I’m so sure that she is the one behind everything that happened this last years with the team. She is a snake following us around. “Kibum released a deep sigh “She almost got you killed.”

Audrey smiled and kissed his lips quickly before anyone could catch them on the act.

However Kibum didn’t let her move away and kissed her more intensely to the point that she had to break away from his hold enough to look at him.

“Someone might see us.”

“So? We are dating aren’t we?”

They really didn’t talk about it, if they should hide it or simply reveal it, but Audrey just got her answer.

“You are right!”

They were going to kiss again when Areum showed up followed by a very nervous Ilana that was now clean and wearing a simple black t-shirt and denim jeans.

“Is it over?” Areum asked.

“Not yet. I was kicked out.” Kibum informed her.

“He wanted to kill Director Oh!” Audrey added.

“That !” Areum comment made Kibum rose his hand and they high fived much to Audrey’s amusement.

“I’m 100% sure that she is the mole.” If only Kibum could find a way to prove it.

“Really?” Areum crossed her arms in front of her chest “I’m not surprised. That is into Jinki too, and ever since the start she tried to pull us apart. She was also mean to Audrey.”

“She was mean to you?” Kibum was surprised with that information, Audrey never complained and she lived in that house for 3 years now.

“Well…a little.”

He rolled his eyes feeling guilty that he never noticed and upset with Audrey for never complaining. She was used to be pushed around too much and that wasn’t a good thing.

“More than a little!” Areum remarked. “She tried to make Audrey feel guilty for loving you.”

“Areum!” Audrey was blushing deeply and Kibum frowned.

“I’m so going to kick her !” Kibum pulled Audrey against his chest again and she completely melted. Of course she had people who defended her before. She had Areum who always found a way to protect her, that took care of her but what Kibum was offering her now was so different. It was a different kind of warmth, not from a sister but from a man in love and she was too overwhelmed to say anything.

“She pretended to be nice to me too at first when I came to live here.” Areum explained “Director Oh even gave me medicine to drink saying it would be good for my health. Recently she asked me to give it to Audrey too.”

“She did what?” That information made Kibum suspicious.

“She gave me these small bottles of medicine and I did drink them for a while.”

“Jinki knows about this?” Kibum interrupted.

“No. I thought I could trust her, I mean she is from SM.” Areum bit her lower lip “I’m not drinking it anymore. I stopped because I started to see how she is.”

“Areum, do you still have the medicine?”

“I do. Why?” Areum widened her eyes “Do you think she was trying to poison me and Audrey?”

“She might have.”

“I didn’t have any symptoms though.” Areum didn’t know much about poison but shouldn’t she have some symptoms at least?!

“No headaches, stomach pains, coughing?” He asked with a thoughtful expression.

“Nothing unnatural. Well my period is a little chaotic since I arrived. There was even that time I thought I was pregnant, but I’ve been under a lot of stress and…” Areum covered “Do you think that whatever she used in the medicine might have prevented me from getting pregnant?”

That would explain why she wasn’t expecting a baby yet even though they were trying so hard to.

“Hum. We need to test it to be sure but it’s a possibility. A baby would completely ruin her plans of kicking you out of this house.”

“Why does she want to kick Areum though?” Audrey asked. “Jealousy?”

“Well, she does seem interested in Jinki for a while. I think she is searching for a position of power inside SM and Jinki is an heir. A baby is competition.” Kibum supposed “But we can never know what that snake is thinking.”

“I can’t believe it.” Areum down casted expression made Audrey caress her shoulder “It might be my fault that Jinki is not a father yet.”

“It’s ok. You aren’t taking the medicine anymore.” Audrey remarked.

“What if it did anything to my body?” She panicked a little and Kibum shook his head.

“We aren’t even sure if it has anything. Bring me the medicine later and I’ll find out.”

“But what about Audrey? Why give it to Audrey, it’s not like she is going to get pregnant I mean…oh…”

Audrey blushed cheeks were all the answer she needed. She was having with Kibum and maybe she didn’t want Kibum to have a child either. It was all too cruel to be true but coming from Director Oh, Areum was sure it might be real. But why was she doing that? Why did she hate SHINee so much?

“She is really a total !” If Kibum didn’t reveal her true self Areum would.

“Excuse me.” Ilana said touching Areum’s arm. “Minho…”

“Oh right!” Areum turned to Kibum “I was speaking with Ilana and she told me something about Minho that might help prove that he is a good guy and that he wanted to protect SM so I convinced her to come and tell everyone.”

“Minho asked me to tell several people inside Dokko that he was the one that killed Choi Jihun so that Yoon Kyung-Min would come after him.”

“Why on Earth would he do that?” Kibum frowned.

“Because he promised the yakuza he would give Kyung-Min to them.”

“! Damn you Minho!” Kibum felt sorry now “I knew he did something to save us. Jonghyun mentioned it before and he was right. He should have told us.”

“He did everything for you and Jinki.” Areum said eagerly “This can prove his fidelity to the team.”

“It can but our witness is the main reason he is being accused of treason.”

That was true. Ilana was the enemy in SM’s eyes and her words could be seen as lies.

“However you can still try to present it to the assembly. Are you willing to do it for Minho?”

“He saved me several times.” Ilana rubbed her arm nervously, a habit she gained from when she was working as a e and used drugs. “Besides if they kill him, they will kill me too.”

Areum and Audrey stood up from the floor as soon as the doors opened and Minho and Ilana were carried outside. Kibum that was leaning against the wall grabbed his crutch.

“What happened?” Areum asked but he didn’t say anything, his face was very pale, a small drop of sweat running down the side of his temple.

Areum bit her lower lip and frowned “No they can’t do this! No!“ She grabbed one of the agents that were holding Minho but Jonghyun quickly pulled her away.

“It’s ok!”

Jinki joined him and she sent him a devastated look.

“They won’t kill him.” Jinki explained speaking lower now that Kibum was beside them too. “He was dismissed from the team temporarily, until Taemin comes back and can testify on his behalf.”

If he comes back. No one said it out loud but that was on everyone’s mind.

“Did it help? Ilana?” Areum asked hopeful and Jinki caressed her cheek lovingly.

“Yes it did. Thanks, it was a good idea!”

“We need to talk!” Kibum said eyeing Director Oh that was leaving the room. All eyes were on her so she stopped in front of Kibum.

“I only did this for SM. I know you trust him and can’t accept the fact that he is only a traitor.”

“The real traitor is you and I’m going to prove it.” Kibum roared at her.

“SM is my family.” The older woman said seeming offended “I would never hurt any of you.”

“You are not my family.” Jinki remarked, heating the moment even further.

“Kids!” Sooman was the last one leaving the room, following the members of the assembly. “Shall we go eat something?”

How could he seem so carefree after what happened?!

“We have so many things to talk about!” Sooman insisted and Director Oh walked away, clearly not one of the people invited.

“Let’s go!” Jonghyun called everyone. “We need to find a place for Minho to stay after this.”

“And a plan, to help Choi Minho after what we learned from Miss Ilana.” Lee Sooman reminded everyone.

Everyone followed after Sooman but Areum was going to call Jinki to tell him about the medicine conversation she had with Kibum when he pulled her back.

“Don’t tell him yet.”

“Why?” She whispered back to Kibum.

“If you do he is going to kill Director Oh and we will lose any proof we might have. We can tell him later.“ Kibum advised “Right now we must help Minho first.”

Areum nodded and Audrey linked her arm with her. It’s true what they say, dark times approach families. They never felt as part of SHINee as much as they did at the moment, sadly for the worse reasons.

She told Sooman what she felt. She confessed and yet he barely reacted.

“I know but I don’t see you that way and I don’t intend to marry again. I still love my wife and I’m a stubborn man. It’s a crush, only a crush, I’m sure.”

He was wrong.

She crossed the lawn of the back of the house, crying her misery.

Two young boys were outside only in their shorts playing, running after each other, doing fighting moves but clearly as a game.

She never saw the oldest son smile like that and it was all thanks to the new son, Taemin..

Sung Hi lived in that house for a longer time and yet no one ever looked at her like they looked at each other, with love, like family members did.

She would never be a part of that family, just like she was never a part of hers.

Seok was right, she only had him.

Kibum waited outside the door of the orphanage’s director patiently.

A small red table was in a corner of the waiting room and a kid with 4-5 years was drawing over it in a big sheet of white paper.

Kibum watched him for a while absent minded realizing that that kid was the same age as Gi’s son, until the little boy grabbed the drawing and raised it to show it to him.

“Oh it’s pretty!” Kibum answered a little taken aback, not expecting that. “You are good. There are so many colors in it.”

Kibum wasn’t being nice. The kid was truly good.

“My mommy used to paint a lot with me.” A mother that wasn’t with him anymore so the comment made Kibum sad. The boy frowned suspicious “What are you doing here?” he asked.

He had bright eyes, a small round chubby face and dark hair. He was cute and had something special about him that made Kibum smile. “Are you in trouble?”

“Hum not really. I came here to ask questions to the director.”

“Are you going to adopt someone?”

Kibum pursed his lips and shook his head slowly “I’m not. I came to ask about a little girl that used to live here just like you.”

“Was she adopted?”

“Not really.” The boy seemed sad with his answer “But even though she was never adopted she is very happy and she is super smart and beautiful. She is a warrior, a beautiful and amazing warrior.”

“Like a superhero with powers?” The little kid asked returning to his seat.

“You can say that. She certainly used them on me. She is like the mermaids with a special seducing singing.”

Kibum chuckled with his own joke and then one member of the staff opened the door and stepped aside so he could enter the small study where the director was sitting behind a desk.

They bowed to each other respectfully and then Kibum sat in front of her desk and placed his crutch beside him.

“I’m Kim Kibum I came here in the name of Lee Audrey, I’m sure you were informed already. She came to live here when she was a little girl and I was hoping to find some information about her family and possible relatives that she might have.”

“We can’t reveal much about the kids we receive. Some information is confidential.”

“I understand, but can you at least tell me how did she come to live here?”

“Her parents died in a fire. That was the information we received from the person that brought her. We know that her mother was French and her father Korean. The poor little girl was in shock when she arrived. She didn’t eat much; she answered to our questions but seemed very confused and scared of everything. She couldn’t stop crying at night, waking up with nightmares of her suffocating, screaming for help. “

His Audrey was truly a superhero, a warrior. He was right.

“Did she have any visits during the time she stayed here?”

“She did. The same person that brought her here visited her a few times in the first months. He did follow her for years until she became an adult and he fully paid for her studies and health care.”

“He did?” So Audrey had a benefactor. He always wondered how a girl like her had money to study and went to a good college and now he had the answer.

“He asked to be anonymous so after the little girl started to grow and recover he stopped coming so she wouldn’t remember him anymore. He also asked us to not tell Audrey the truth about the money so we told her the orphanage was giving her a scholarship due to her good behavior. She was always a good girl. She haven’t visited us in a while.”

He couldn’t blame Audrey for not coming back to a place that made her remember how much she suffered during her childhood.

“Can I ask who this benefactor is?”

The director moved her hand over the folder on her desk and Kibum was sure she had all the info about Audrey and that mysterious man inside it.

“I’m not supposed to tell. He explicitly asked us not to share his name with anyone. We told him several times that it would be nice of him to visit Audrey and tell her about it but he always said it was best not to. Poor thing, she always wanted to meet someone close to her family.”

“So this man knows her family? Does she have any living relative?”

“Oh I believe so. The man who brought her said he was a close friend of her parents and that she still had one living relative. However that person couldn’t take care of her and that was the reason she stayed here.”

“Couldn’t take care of her?” Kibum frowned “Why? For economic reasons?”

“Well I really don’t know but I believe it was due to health problems. Maybe it was someone elderly, a grandmother I believe. I didn’t ask.”

“I see.” Kibum sighed a little too dramatically and it was time for him to use his skills to find out all he needed to know about this man. “I really wanted to know who helped Audrey.”

“I really can’t say.” The old woman repeated once again but it was clear as day that with a little more of pressure Kibum would be able to extract that info from her.

Even if he failed he only needed to enter the orphanage at night and steal that folder.

“You see…” he moved in the chair pretending to frown with pain because of his leg “Audrey is my fiancé!” It actually sounded nice, now that he said it “We are going to marry soon and I wanted to surprise her. She has no one to invite to the wedding. Her biggest dream is to invite a blood relative to it and if I was able to contact this person I could thank him personally and maybe meet Audrey’s grandmother or whoever belongs to her family.”

“Ow that’s sweet.”

“Yes.” Kibum smiled brightly “I love her very very much. She completely brightened my life. She is the one.”

Kibum smile slowly faded when he realized how easily he was able to say all that nonsense and how it didn’t feel like a lie at all.

Maybe it wasn’t.

The old lady opened the file and he knew he did it. She was going to give him what he wanted.

“You can’t really tell anyone about this.” The older woman moved her finger over the sheet of paper and Kibum moved on his seat to peek at the small picture of Audrey as a kid. She was adorable with her hair caught in two ponytails and a smile where two front teeth were missing. She was probably around six or seven when that picture was taken.

“Can I keep one of those pictures too?”

“This?” The old woman took one of the pictures from the file that was attached to it with a paper clip and offered it to Kibum.

“Maybe I can use it in the wedding video.”

“She will like that I’m sure.”

Kibum selfishly smiled and hid the picture inside his coat’s pocket.

“Here it is!” The old lady said reading the name “Lee Sooman.”

“Excuse me?” Kibum wasn’t sure if he heard it right.

“The name of the person that brought Audrey here and paid her studies is Lee Sooman.”

Jinki felt a little nostalgic inside that apartment. It belonged to him but recently it was Taemin’s hiding place and now it was Minho’s. The young man had no place to go, besides the several properties his parents owned and he didn’t want to live there. Also it was too obvious. He would be safer in Jinki’s small apartment that had a gun hidden in every room.

“I’ll go shopping for you!” Jonghyun offered opening the empty fridge.

“It’s ok. I can go by myself!” Minho tried to smile but he wasn’t that good at faking it.

“No way. We will go!” Kibum pulled Jonghyun by the back of his hoodie and the older man looked at him with a funny expression. “Let’s go.”

“Wait? Why?” Jonghyun mumbled being pulled outside.

“Before you cry!” Kibum’s answer made Minho chuckle and he sat on the couch in silence avoiding looking at Jinki.

“Thank you for lending me your apartment.”

“It’s ok. I don’t use it anymore and Taemin isn’t here so.”

“Anyway thank you.”

“That’s what family does. They help each other.” Jinki didn’t know what to say to make Minho feel better and in a way he felt sorry for what happened.

“Thank you for your speech during the meeting.” Minho never seemed more like a kid to Jinki.

“It was worthless but we will find a way to prove that you are innocent. The team will.” Jinki placed his hands inside the pockets of his jacket. “Take this as a small vacation and rest.”

“Yes.” Minho nodded his head “I’ll be back in the team soon!”

“Yup! Well since I’m here I’m going to pick up some last things I left.” Jinki was going to walk to his old bedroom when Minho spoke again.

“I never properly thanked you for saving me that day.”

“I think your debt has already been paid a long time ago. No problem!”

Minho was left alone inside the living room and he looked around him. He was inside an unfamiliar apartment and for the first time in a long time he had nothing to do. He was taking a time off from his work as a model, he wasn’t working in SM, and he had absolutely nothing to do.

Maybe he could work out. He was going to ask Jinki if he had a gym close by to his place when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

He checked the message and then rose his eyes to the door of Jinki’s bedroom where he could see him taking a bag from under the bed.

“You have some guns here.”

“You hid guns under the bed? That’s so old fashioned…” Minho said eyeing his phone.

“Well… Areum sometimes stayed here and she wouldn’t search there. She thought I had inside the bag.”

Minho chuckled briefly and then rubbed his head.

He had a big problem and for a moment he thought about telling Jinki but he really couldn’t.

He just got a text from Yoon Kyung-Min telling him to meet him later alone or he would kill one of the kids from the orphanage.

“Minho?” Jinki called softly and Minho rose his eyes to him “We will find a way. I promise!”

He probably seemed so desperate that Jinki thought he was like that because of his temporary leave from the team.

“Thank you.” Minho managed to mumble, cold sweats running through his body, a weird feeling at the bottom of his stomach.

That might be the last time he would be with Jinki, the last time he would see Kibum and Jonghyun bickering coming back through the door.

“Jinki…” He could ask them for help but that could put an innocent kid in danger. He needed a plan. “Can you check up on the orphanage where I used to help? I mean I won’t be able to leave this house much for a while so maybe you could visit it for me.”

“Sure. No problem. I think I need some practice with kids too.”

Jinki left to the kitchen and Minho placed his phone inside his pants’ pocket.

If he died that day at least Jinki and the others would protect the rest of the kids.

“Why are we shopping together?” Jonghyun asked picking up a bottle of soju.

“Not too many alcohol. We want him to forget but not too much.” Kibum said pushing Jonghyun down the aisle. “Let’s grab some real food honey!”

“Don’t…” Jonghyun stepped away from Kibum “Don’t call me that here!”

“Are you blushing?” Kibum chuckled “Are you ashamed of us?”

“ you!” Jonghyun entered the aisle where the hygiene products were and Kibum trailed after him.

“I went to Audrey’s orphanage earlier today.”

Jonghyun’s expression changed immediately and Kibum knew he touched a sensitive topic.

“So?” Jonghyun didn’t seem much interested now that he knew that Kibum only came to shop with him because he wanted to ask him some questions.

“So I found out that Audrey isn’t really alone.”

Jonghyun widened his eyes and turned to Kibum “W-what do you mean?”

“She has a benefactor, someone that paid for all she needed, someone we know very well, your father-in-law.”

“Kibum please. We talked about this before.”

“Jonghyun I’m not asking you to tell me anything, I’m just telling you that I’m this close to find out what you two are hiding about Audrey.” Kibum pushed Jonghyun so he would look at him. “Audrey is not alone anymore. She was innocent before and she had no idea where to search but she now has me and I’m going to find out who she is and why Lee Sooman knows her and was so worried on providing a future for her.”

“Aish…”

“Is he her father?”

Jonghyun almost fell against the shelf “WHAT?”

“Just testing it! It happens a lot in dramas!” Kibum chuckled “I’m joking with you.”

“Kibum, really stop searching for Audrey’s family, at least for now. Wait a little longer.” Jonghyun asked nervously.

“Wait for what? What do you mean?”

“Really soon her family will come looking for her. Give it time.”

Kibum grabbed Jonghyun’s arm “Jonghyun what do you mean? What does it matter if she waits or not?”

“Right now it’s a complicated time. After Aeon, after this mess with Minho and Taemin. Then we can focus on that.”

“It has to do with the team?” Kibum groaned “Who is Audrey? You need to tell me Jonghyun!”

“I really can’t but trust me. Don’t search more; let this subject die for now.”

“Damn it. I promised her I would find her family that she wouldn’t be alone.”

“She isn’t anymore and soon everything will become clear. After this mission. I promise I’ll talk with Sooman.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You don’t trust me?” Jonghyun grabbed a pack of toilet paper.

“I do honey. I do!” Kibum took it from his hands.

“You came.”

“Seok.”

They kissed. They didn’t in a while because of her silly resolution on protecting who didn’t deserve to be protected.

Yes he saved her but he did out of pity never for love.

“I want to be powerful. I want everyone to love me even if out of fear.”

“Sung Hi will you help me?”

“Yes. I’ll tell you all you need to know.”

A heartbeat.

“You have only me Seok.”

“I can’t believe we are actually having a double date!” Areum told Audrey while they browsed a rack filled with winter coats together.

“Moreover because we have the most peculiar boyfriends.” Audrey stated and both glanced at their boyfriends together a few steps away from them acting as if they were bodyguards more than boyfriends.

“I can’t believe we had to bring so many agents with us either.” Areum frowned “and all the secrecy. It doesn’t feel like a date at all.”

“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.” Audrey was after all still in danger. She touched her hair that was now blonde due to the temporary hair dye and matched Areum’s red one “At least we look cute undercover.”

Areum chuckled agreeing with her and took one coat off from the rack and showed it to Jinki.

That wasn’t exactly the kind of date Areum liked but Audrey missed shopping so much. They went to the movies and were now shopping and Audrey was radiant. She couldn’t remember the last time she actually did it and she was acting like an excited kid.

“OH DRESSES!” She almost screamed running to the other side of the store and Kibum quickly followed her pushing some people away as if he was indeed her bodyguard.

Jinki only watched smiling and Areum shook her head. “This won’t do. You both need to relax!”

“No. What we need is to be alone.” He answered back grabbing the coat from her hands “It’s cute. Let’s take it.”

“What do you mean? Be alone?”

“You know what I mean…” He rubbed his nose on Areum’s cheek and she bit her lower lip since his scent and his cute innocent eyes were enough to make her go crazy.

“Again? I mean…Before we came we did... That.”

“Aigo!” He placed the coat over his arm and caressed her shoulders with his big manly hands making her melt on the spot. “Who said that I meant That, I mean being alone to talk and kiss and maybe something more?”

“Like That!” She turned her head to look at him “It all goes back to That!”

“Are you complaining?”

“No, not at all!” Areum grabbed his hand and released herself from his hold. “I think Audrey should have That too. So I’m doing this for her!”

“Of course!” Jinki grinned satisfied while Areum walked to Audrey probably going to suggest to end the double date there. Jinki winked at Kibum that raised his thumb at him almost imperceptibly.

Their plan was working well. Areum was easy to manipulate by Jinki and that way both would have their time alone with their girls and well…That.

Mission accomplished.

Kibum squeezed his way through the crowd and pulled Audrey with him until they found a spot where they could see the stage perfectly.

None of them knew the band that was playing but that didn’t matter. It was so long ever since Audrey left her hiding place and she couldn’t remember a time where she went out to watch a street performance, let alone with a boy, a boyfriend.

“Do you like it?” Kibum asked knowing her answer already. If Audrey smiled more her cheeks would reach her eyes.

“What?” She couldn’t hear with the music so he pulled her closer to him and leaned forward whispering on her ear “Are you having fun?”

She grinned holding into his arms not wanting to let go and he wrapped his arm around her.

Instead of answering Audrey kissed his cheek and rested her head against his chest watching the band perform like that.

Kibum caressed her back softly and tried to focus on the performance also but he couldn’t stop thinking about what happened earlier.

The visit to the orphanage was very revealing in several ways. Not only was he a step closer to find out about her family but also he realized once again how important she was to him.

“I went to the orphanage today!” He said next to her ear and she raised her eyes to him.

Yes, Jonghyun asked him to stop searching for her family and wait and he was going to do that but first he needed to give her some hope.

“And?”

He cupped her face and brushed his cheek against hers so he could speak next to her. “They say you might have a living family member.”

“What? Who?”

“They are not sure. They said they would call me as soon as they find out more about it.” He lied.

He was expecting to see her become sad with those weak news but the smile he placed on her face wasn’t leaving.

“It’s ok.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t find out much!” he hated himself for lying to her like that. Kibum truly hoped Jonghyun was right about that.

He caressed her cheeks with his thumbs admiring the way she smiled so brightly at him, how she shook her head melting under his gaze. When did he ever have that power over a woman, and more importantly when did a woman have that power over him?!

He did love Gi. She was his first love and his best friend and he would never forget her, nothing would erase her from his life.

With Audrey the feeling was similar and yet different. She was the unknown, unpredictable and fresh. Audrey was the contradiction! A cute lovely nerd that could be deadly and he didn’t mean the fact that she was able to build a time machine capable of destroying the world, he meant her smile, her words and he way she made him feel. It was a roller-coaster ride of feelings when he was with her.

Kibum wanted to protect her, save her from all the possible pain like he did with Gi but he wanted to be more to her than a friend, than a safe heaven.

“It’s really ok, maybe it’s better like this.” she screamed over the music and he frowned confused with her answer.

As a cue the music ended and everyone started clapping.

“What do you mean?”

“I already have a family!” Audrey said tilting her face against the touch of his hand “I have Areum, Jinki, Minho, Taemin, Jonghyun, Mi Jung, Bora and even Lee Sooman.” The name made Kibum flinch slightly but she didn’t seem to notice.

The singer announced that the next song would be the last and before the music ruined their chance to talk again she her lips and grasped his arms “And I have you. It’s everyone I need.”

That. That’s what he wanted to be. Her family. Damn he was doomed.

She released him a little embarrassed and pretended to watch the performance peeking at him once in awhile and he laughed with her cuteness.

Kibum wrapped his arms around her back hugging her and Audrey almost melted into the embrace brushing her head against his chest.

His warm breath on her neck made her close her eyes and Kibum kissed her behind her ear.

“You are one of a kind Lee Audrey. I’m glad I met you.”

Audrey tried to turn around and kiss him but he tightened the hold on her. “I’m cold.” His nose brushed against her earlobe and she shivered not from cold but something else and he knew it.

“Let’s go home. I want to make love with you.”

His honesty made her heart jump in her chest and Kibum released Audrey letting her turn around.

Her cheeks were slightly red and her small eyes were wide open looking at him as if she was waiting for a confirmation that what he just said wasn’t her imagination.

Kibum rubbed his neck and shrugged his shoulders waiting for a reaction from her and Audrey grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the crowd and in the direction of the place where their ride home was parked.

Taemin checked his gun one more time and then placed it on the waist of his leather pants and stood up, his eyes on the screen of the laptop.

He placed cameras all over Mina’s house and waited for her to leave like she did recently at that time.

The last few nights, ever since she had a huge fight with her father due to her brother’s health condition, she took her brother to stay at the house of the grandmother she helped out. So every night she would leave the house carrying food and would take it to her brother and the old lady.

He knew since he was monitoring every family member’s steps. That was the right opportunity to enter the house and kill her father.

He was alone, smoking weed on his bedroom and watching tv laying over his bed.

There were only two thugs by the main door but he wasn’t going to enter the house that way anyway.

That night was the night and Taemin grabbed his phone from the table and wrote another message to Jinki like he promised.

It was always a short message, something simple like goodnight, eat well or some silly thing that seemed to have no deep meaning and yet it did.

Sleep well.

He wasn’t even sure if Jinki was sleeping at all. He was probably busy with some mission or with Areum.

Taemin grabbed his black jacket and put it on before he grabbed the katana Minho used to like from his improvised bed on the floor.

A few minutes after Taemin left the dirty small apartment - that he was using as hideout, since it was in front of Mina’s house - Mina entered it.

She tried to be silent but no one was in sight.

Taemin belittled her, he didn’t think that for one second she would know that he was following her, watching her every move and living close by. He was reckless with her and that was the reason she was there, however Taemin was nowhere in sight and he didn’t even try to close the door or hide his things and she wondered why.

Mina stepped into the middle of the small room and looked around her. His frugal belongings didn’t catch her attention but the laptop did. She touched the keyboard even thought it was probably turned off but to her surprise it was working and the screen light up.

She widened her eyes when she realized that she was watching several shots of what was her house.

There was even one in her bedroom and she swallowed hard realizing that all that time he was watching her even inside her bedroom.

That ert!

She pursed her lips upset and moved her eyes to the last camera. The attic.

A man dressed in black had just jumped in, entering through the small window in it.

Taemin.

Mina kneeled on the floor her eyes on the screen and slowly she realized what everything meant. What he told to her back in the hospital now made sense.

Taemin couldn’t be with her because he was going to kill her father.

He thought that was an obstacle in a possible relationship between them and that almost made Mina smile.

The person she hated the most in the whole world was her father. Not only he her mother - from which she was the result – he also made her mother’s life a total misery until she died. Then he took another woman, got her pregnant and abandoned her, stealing her son from her, a son he humiliated everyday because he was sick.

Mina bit her lower lip. If only he had told her, she would have helped him do it.

Apparently they had an enemy in common.

Mina stood up from the floor but her eyes didn’t leave the laptop screen since she noticed another thing.

Taemin’s plan which was probably to find her father alone at the house wouldn’t work out.

Something was wrong in the scene before her eyes. Apparently her father was smoking and watching tv, laying over his bed almost motionless and alone on a Friday night when he used to play Go with his friends.

That didn’t make sense at all since he was rarely alone and she was almost sure that there were more of his thugs around when she left the house earlier that day.

She quickly ran out the door.

Mina’s father was waiting for Taemin, she was sure of it. She knew that scoundrel like no one.

Areum sat beside Jinki on the old couch and he gave her her bottle of beer back.

“Did I sing well?” She asked blinking her eyes at him cutely and he nodded grabbing her hand and drinking from her beer bottle like he did until then.

They were at the karaoke for a while and their time was almost done.

It was her choice to go there. At first they almost went bowling but she decided for karaoke instead saying that she felt like singing and she did sing for a long time and he tried it too at some point.

Now they were only chilling together finishing her beer.

“Thank you. I know how taking me out was a crazy sacrifice for you.” There were several agents outside and it was ridiculous since they weren’t on a mission and instead serving as bodyguards. It was selfish and she knew it.

“Kibum had the idea first and I only joined him. Besides they owe me favors. I helped them before, skipping many of our dates for that.”

“Still I know it’s a huge thing so thank you.” She rested her head against his shoulder “I wonder if someday we will be able to go out on a date like normal people again.”

“We will. Once Aeon is destroyed.”

She moved on the couch and faced him “But even if Aeon is destroyed there is still Dokko to defeat.”

“Dokko is weakened. Aeon is their last trump. They don’t stand a chance if they lose it. There is a reason they are so desperate to get to Audrey. The backup they had from all the criminal organizations was slowly dismantled by us. Their drug business is not doing good either. They are almost finished.”

“Wow. But then after they are finished what happen? Will you be able to quit and have a normal job? What will happen to SM?”

“Nothing. SM will still be needed. Another criminal organization will come after Dokko and after that one another one. It never ends Areum. We will have to learn to live with it and try to have a normal life as a couple. Do you think you can do it?”

With him?! Certainly!

Areum smiled and kissed his cheek “Thanks for the date once again.”

He smiled at her and finished the beer snatching it from her hand “I wanted to take you to an expensive hotel and treat you as a princess, like in Thailand but… I wasn’t sure you wanted to remember it.”

“No. I prefer this!”

He tangled his fingers in her hair and caressed her head “You look so hot with red hair. It’s a shame we don’t have a bed.”

Areum chuckled “To do That?”

“Yeah.”

“But we did it earlier today.”

“So?” He stretched his legs lazily and she watched him with a thoughtful expression. “What?”

“Aigo…such a ert!”

“Me? I only want a baby! Is it a crime to want to be a father so badly?”

She still felt bad about hiding from him her suspicious about Director Oh and her plan to undermine the baby mission.

“Don’t use the baby as an excuse to have with me!”

He leaned forward his nose bumping against hers and Areum frowned making him smile. “Since when do I need an excuse to take you to bed?”

She pushed him away softly “There is no bed here, you said so!”

Her weak answer made him smirk and Jinki grabbed the microphone from the table where she placed it.

“Are you going to sing?” She asked seeming a little disappointed.

“Yes, why? Isn’t that what people do at karaoke?”

He didn’t get to stand up because Areum groaned, took the microphone away from his hand and then raised her skirt, spread her legs and sat over his lap, straddling him under her.

She wasn’t taking the medicine anymore…

“Areum what are you doing?”

“We don’t need a bed when we really want to do it. I mean last time we even did it over a desk so…”

Jinki chuckled and cupped her face pulling her to a kiss.

“Here? Want to have here?”

“Well we still have time. You don’t want to?”

He shook his head slowly, the smile of his lips fading and his expression of amusement changed to a more passionate one just before he kissed her.

It would be funny if they actually made a baby inside a karaoke room. A cute funny story to tell their kid someday when he grows up, or maybe not!

Jinki hugged her against him kissing her lips, his hands caressing her under her skirt and pulling at the elastic of her .

“We need to take these off.” He mumbled against her lips and she raised her body, kneeling on the couch so he could help her take her underwear off which was a funny moment because she almost fall from the couch and he had to grab her.

“This is new to me.” Jinki laughed while she placed the inside her bag. He never had inside a karaoke room and that was exciting to him.

“Same. Let’s take it as research for my new book.”

“You are writing books now?” He asked while she ed his pants and sat over him.

“No. But I’m more inspired lately and I’m writing a lot and my next book is about this girl who is in love with her boss and she is his secretary and suddenly he wants to have with her.”

“What?” Jinki moaned when she caressed him over his underwear ping his pants.

“At first he only wants to have with her but then they fall in love. And there is this ex-girlfriend that is a psychopath.”

“Wow ok…” He closed his eyes enjoying her touches over his underwear.

“They have a lot of .”

He chuckled with her comment seeing why she was so inspired. Lately they were a mess.

“They have over desks a lot.”

“I wonder why!”

“I might have had the idea after our last time.”

He kissed her again passionately and Areum wrapped her arms around his neck. He d her s making her moan against his lips and then she raised her hips and he slide more on the couch so she could sit over his growing bulge. Areum completely understood what he wanted and she rubbed herself against him making Jinki move his lips to her neck biting her softly.

“Do they love each other?” Jinki asked at her lower lip, grabbing her by her waist watching her move over him, gridding him, stimulating his growing , making him go insane.

“Yes, more than anything, to the point that she helps him fight all his inner ghosts to be together. They even have a baby together!”

Jinki pulled her by her closer to him making her whimper and then caressed her thighs and moved his hands to his underwear uncovering his so she could touch it.

“Feels familiar.”

She raised her body and then lowered herself over his length, biting her lower lip when he fully completed her.

“This also feels familiar.”

He grinned with her comment and started raising his hips meeting her every time she lowered herself over him. She moved slowly in circles making him groan and he grasped her thighs giving in to the pleasure.

Areum alternated the slow movements with raising her body, making his slide almost fully from inside her and then let herself fall over it again, making him enter her once again.

He was enjoying it immensely and she knew it because of the way he was looking at her in desire, his hands hurting her or moving on her body in a luxurious way, groping her over her clothes or under her skirt, his lips searching for hers, against her skin.

She started to lose control, moving faster, not able to follow through with her initial intentions and Jinki moved his body up too, making her almost jump on his lap.

Areum whimpered grasping his sweater, feeling tears of pleasure come to her eyes since he wasn’t stopping, his length moving in and out of her in a frenetic rhythm and she couldn’t take it anymore. A rush of pleasure exploded inside her core and she hugged him shutting her eyes tight, losing all her strength and only falling over him, his length filling her completely making her cry.

He hugged her against him moving his hips up a few more times and waited for her to recover enough to let him reach his too. It didn’t take longer and soon she moved away from his arms and kissed him cupping his face, moving her hips in circles again making his breathing accelerate. He brushed her red hair away from her face and smiled touching her dimples.

“My red beauty…”

“Shall I keep it?” Areum asked caressing his chest over the sweater moving her body ily over him and pulling his hands up her body to her s that he massaged over her blouse.

“For a few days…” He kissed her, closing his eyes and softly and she increased the intensity of her movements, making the hand on her hair pull at it with the pleasure.

“Come Lee Jinki…”She whispered in his ear making him crazy “You have a mission to fulfill!”

He wanted to smile at her comment but he couldn’t since she placed her hands on top of the couch’s back and used it as leverage to raise her body so she could move up and down on his length. All the rubbing, her humidity and words made him crazy and soon he came, grabbing her by the waist, pulling her down so his length would be buried inside her again and he held her in place, while he moved his hips spasming a few times, a satisfying rushing over him when he emptied himself inside her.

“This was nice…” She remarked kissing his red neck and he let his head fall back onto the couch, relaxing his body but not releasing her. Areum didn’t move anyway, caressing his chest and kissing his face wherever she felt like it.

“We are getting very lately.” Jinki moved his hands on her back lovingly. There was a time he really thought that everything that was happening to Areum would break her but she never looked so cheerful and bright to him and he couldn’t be happier with it.

They stayed like that for a while and once he seemed to gather his energy Areum moved her body up and shaked it making him stare at her.

“What are you doing?” He laughed moving his body on the couch. They needed to get themselves together. They were still with no underwear in a compromising position with him inside her.

“I’m motivating your secret agents to climb! I need to get pregnant!”

“It’s not the most romantic place to get you pregnant but Go Agents!” Jinki laughed and pushed her softly down and she sat back on his lap. “I love you.”

“I love you too! But maybe we should send reinforcements.”

“What?” He tilted his head raising an eyebrow amused, knowing exactly what she meant, his hand caressing her lower back under her skirt.

“You know what I mean. More agents would be able to break the code to enter the secret room easier.”

“Hum I see what you mean and maybe you are right…” He kissed her lips. “We still have a few more minutes so why not?”

“Why not?” He pulled her over his length again and Areum giggled moving her body over his.

Jinki caught her lips with his and this time sneaked his hands under her blouse to touch her s over her bra.

“You came!” Kyung-Min rubbed his hands looking at Minho that was in front of him.

“Where is the kid?”

Kyung-Min moved his hand and one of his thugs pushed a small kid to the front so Minho could see him inside the old abandoned building.

“Let him go. You already have me.”

“Did you come alone?” Kyung-Min asked Minho but one of his thugs answered for Minho affirmatively.

“Ah we are going to have so much fun together tomorrow when I show you to my possible new friends.”

Showing everyone that he had Minho was like a pass to make The Union happen again.

“But I can’t take you to them looking so handsome and clean. We need to rough you up a little.”

Minho stepped back waiting for the first attacker. He was expecting that and he wasn’t going down without a fight.

One of the thugs approached him smiling and Minho ducked the first punch and kicked the guy on his stomach before hitting him on his neck with his elbow.

It was enough to take a few seconds to jump back and avoid another thug that joined the fight.

Soon he had three around him and even though Minho was a good fighter, he didn’t stand a chance against them.

A mistake and a punch right to his face that made him confused for a few seconds was enough for him to be pushed down on the floor and be kicked several times.

Minho closed his eyes and protected his face from the attack, trying to ignore the pain that fall all over his body.

A deadly kick to his stomach made him bit his tongue and he tasted blood.

He once wanted to die and couldn’t and now that he wanted to live destiny decided to take his life away from him.

Audrey laid down on the bed, her blonde hair falling over the white pillow, making her skin seem lighter than it already was.

Manly fingers touched her bare stomach just above her dark blue and moved up her body, prolonging the anxiety, the promise of pleasure. She smiled when Kibum placed his full hand over her skin and slide it up to her s. He did the same to her other , cupping them with his hands before he leaned down to kiss her.

Audrey raised her head to meet him halfway, hungrily kissing him back as if that was their last time together when they both knew that it was one of many nights they would share from now on.

Their lips parted but Kibum brushed his against hers, drowning in her beauty before he hugged her against his body, brushing his cheeks against hers.

She wrapped her arms around him too, caressing his back, fingertips tracing his spine, exploring his body while they hugged so intimately. It all felt like a dream and she couldn’t stop smiling.

Kibum’s lips on her neck made Audrey close her eyes and open to release a satisfied sigh. His hands gently skimmed her body, waking up the need for him inside her, making her shiver in desire and pleasure.

The last time they were together even though he was loving and caring it wasn’t like that at all, there was a bigger necessity for release, a rush to reach release. This time they were making love slowly.

They undressed slowly, kissing and caressing each other and not much changed even if they were on her bed now.

His lips moved from her neck to to the rest of her body, working as burning marks that made Audrey move on the bed every time his mouth touched her skin.

He smiled just before kissing her stomach and then his fingers played with the elastic of her , slowly pulling them down her legs. She raised her helping him, her eyes now open and on him. He didn’t look away, seductively brushing his fingers down her legs while he took that last piece of clothing that was between their bodies.

With a swift move he spread her legs making Audrey whimper and kneeled in the middle of them. She swallowed hard when he touched her, his eyes never leaving hers, watching her reaction, a cocky and yet sweet expression on his face.

Yes. He could have that effect on her. He didn’t have to say anything but she knew what he was thinking while he rubbed her oris and entrance.

She was wet, deeply aroused and he basically only kissed her.

She tried to move her legs but he held them in place, still torturing her, stimulating her oris in quick rubs that made her grasp the sheets under her.

Audrey whimpered biting her lower lip, close to an and Kibum kissed her knee and then positioning himself closer to her, ready to enter her.

Audrey closed her eyes shut and moved her body on the bed as if she wanted to escape his actions, her head sliding on the pillow, head hitting the head of the bed.

That was the moment Kibum decided to enter her and she raised her body screaming of pleasure.

He shushed her, holding her by her waist and kissing her lips softly before he at her lower lip.

He had magical powers in bed.

Audrey didn’t sleep with many men before him but one thing she was sure of. Only Kibum could be sweet and yet intense while having .

He grunted moving his body against hers, his moving in and out of her quickly making Audrey lose herself in the pleasure, grabbing into him as if she was falling.

Kibum kissed her lips again and she opened her eyes slightly, raising her hand to caress his face, to trace his lips that she loved; his cheek so attractively soft for a man and his hair that was always looking so perfectly combed and now was a bit messy.

His eyes were closed and his expression of pleasure, his heavy breathing and the way he held on to her made her tingle inside.

“I love you.” the words left her lips just before she pulled him down for a kiss, a kiss that took the last of her breath away, his tongue pressed against her lips that she parted, her body arching up to rub herself on him, to make him stay longer inside her.

Kibum had to push her down back into the bed and raised his body up, grabbing her by her hips, resuming his , this time more ferociously. Audrey’s control didn’t survive that and she came, raising her lower body against his, the pleasure ripping through her followed by a sense of fulfillment that left her with no energy.

Kibum held her in his arms and resumed his s, kissing her neck and biting it softly, until his hit him, making him lose strength, squirming in pleasure against her, rubbing his body on hers, a satisfied smile on his face.

He moved from over her and lay down by her side taking a deep breath. Audrey rolled on her side and watched his profile while he recovered. His eyes were closed and she could see his long eyelashes and admire his cute nose.

She was in the middle of a silent giggle of a woman in love when he turned to face her too.

“Are you happy?”

His question didn’t make much sense to her. Happy? She couldn’t even describe that feeling she had inside her chest. It was as if a bomb exploded inside her chest and filled everything with glitter, unicorns and rainbows and she was sure he was the one who placed that bomb inside her. He was an expert on explosives after all. And she just tested him and he truly knew how to make everything explode around her.

“Yes…” She grinned hiding her face against his chest and he caressed her back, brushing her hair away from her neck.

“Did you like the date?”

“I liked everything.” She answered looking at him, touching his lips with her fingers. Sometimes he complained of that obsession she had with his lips but now he didn’t seem to mind. “I’m sorry I overdid it.” Audrey said and Kibum couldn’t help but glance at the place beside the door where they put all the bags with the clothes she bought. “SM paid me all these years and I never had a chance to use my money so…”

He laughed caressing her cheek. She was so beautiful, so special and he couldn’t put down in words what he felt for her.

“It’s ok.” He his lips wondering why she wasn’t scolding him since she just told him she loved him and he didn’t answer back.

“By the way!” She sat on the bed using the sheet to cover her chest and Kibum rolled again staying with his tummy up. “There is something left to be said!” She frowned cutely and he rubbed his sleepy eyes.

“Can’t we just sleep in each other’s arms? Hum?” He was smiling though. “You know I love you already and I was busy trying not to come before you….”

“What?” She giggled caressing his chest. “I didn’t mean that…I know you love me and that you were too busy having pleasure to say it.”

“Then what?”

“You said you were glad you met me and I never answered back.” She leaned over him and pressed her lips softly against his. “Even though the reasons why we met were the worse I’m sure that I am the luckiest since I met you.”

He wrapped his arms around her and rolled with her in the bed staying on top, both giggling happily.

However a knock on the door made both sat on the bed.

“Audrey is Kibum there with you?” It was Jonghyun and Audrey covered herself afraid he would enter.

“Yes, I’m here! Something wrong?”

“Nana is here. Minho is in trouble.”

“!” Kibum grabbed his underwear from the floor and his pants and moved to the door as fast as he could. Audrey followed after him wrapped in the sheets and gave him his sweater and shoes just before he opened the door.

“I’m sorry to interrupt. “Jonghyun blushed a little when he realized he ruined the after date of Kibum and Audrey. “Jinki is already ready. We have to go now.”

“Oh god!” Audrey mumbled worried and Kibum kissed her lips quickly bidding a goodbye to her and run after Jonghyun still putting his shoes on, both joining Jinki that was beside the stairs already.

Audrey leaned against the doorway and then her eyes fell on Areum, wearing a bathrobe just a few doors down the hallway.

That was their reality now. They would have to get used to it.

“Shall we get him up?” someone asked but Kyung-Min shook his head negatively.

“Let him bleed on the floor.”

Minho placed his hands on the floor and then raised his head and tried to open his eyes. It hurt every time he moved his face. Even though he covered his face to protect his head trying to avoid major injuries to it he still couldn’t help but being hit on it.

It was almost poetical that he was going through that a second time. That pain was familiar to him; the taste of the blood was only what he could taste for weeks after he was beaten because of Nana.

However everything else was different. He was now able to defend himself, he was stronger, he no longer wanted to die.

He wanted to live more than anything, not because he had many reasons to live, he only needed one, the main one. He wanted to be happy. He wanted to live a long life, have a family, build his modeling career, and help SHINee.

He still wanted to reencounter Nana again, to tell her how he was an idiot, to kiss her and he wasn’t going to give up easily.

Minho used all his strength to kneel, releasing a grunt of pain after he did so.

“Boss…” A thug called to Kyung-Min that walked closer to Minho and eyed him curiously.

“Not finished yet?”

“I never give up…” Minho spit blood to the floor and raised his bruised face to the man in front of him “Never!”

With that last rush of confidence Minho stood up wobbling, his legs betraying him but he didn’t fall. Minho’s arms rose in front of his face and he curled his fingers into fists ready for a fight.

Kyung-Min laughed at him and stepped back “Finish him off. It's ok if he goes dead.”

Minho blinked his eyes trying to concentrate but his vision was blurry and everything was going around in circles.

A big guy advanced to him and Minho moved his arm to defend himself from the blow but the hit never came. Instead the man fell to the floor on front of him and Minho stumbled almost falling back.

“What the…”

An almost imperceptible noise was heard again and another thug fell to floor just before Jinki showed up, jumping over the man on the floor elegantly before walking to Minho, pointing his gun at Kyung-Min.

It was just like that night, when he saved him.

“Did you truly think I wouldn’t come? That your family wouldn’t come?” Jinki asked making the corners of Minho’s lips move upwards which hurt like hell.

“Aigo! I feel cheated!” Kibum said coming from the other side, pulling another thug by his neck and letting him fall at Kyung-Min’s feet. “I was hoping for more idiots to kill but apparently you are dumb!”

“Who kidnaps a member of SHINee and doesn’t take measures to be safe enough?” Jonghyun added with a grin. “Hey there Marshmallow!”

“I hate that name!” Minho stumbled and fell against Jinki that grabbed him.

His energy was all lost but he was safe now. His family came for him.

Kibum shot another guy that showed up and Jonghyun grabbed the little boy in his arms since he started crying, wondering if he would be killed too.

“It’s ok little one.” Jonghyun caressed the back of the boy and then spoke to Kibum “I’m taking him outside. Clean up.”

“Sure!” Kibum approached Kyung-Min that was eyeing him apprehensively.

“I was in the middle of a freaking date do you know that?” Kibum pointed his gun at him “I’m very upset. I could be sleeping in a warm bed in the arms of a beautiful woman and I’m here with an idiot that actually thinks that Marshmallow Minho killed that .”

Jinki chuckled and helped Minho walk slowly. It was a hard task since he could barely move his legs, near losing his consciousness.

“He didn’t kill him. You fell for it like a fool and now we have what we need.” Kibum grinned mischievously rising his hand to Kyung-Min’s neck “Say hi to the yakuza for us!” Kibum hit the back of his head and the man fall in his arms unconscious. “And voilà! Shall we go?”

Kibum groaned pulling the man with him to the entrance following Jinki with Minho.

“You are hurt.” Minho mumbled trying to look at Kibum that was clearly in pain since his leg wasn’t well yet.

“Yeah well this could have been better planned if you had told us.”

“I couldn’t…by the way how did you find out about where I was?”

Kibum didn’t answer immediately because Jonghyun was back without the kid and grabbed the man in his arms throwing him over his shoulder.

“Where is the kid?” Minho asked.

“Outside safe with Nana.”

“Here you have your answer. Nana told us!” Kibum added.

“Nana…” She didn’t give up on him and he found her again, well she found him. Minho couldn’t help but smile but immediately regretted it because of the pain.

“You have time to date later!” Kibum said caressing Minho’s back. “Let’s go home! Let’s take this rat to the yakuza and save Marshmallow’s .”

Minho leaned his head against Jinki’s shoulder “Guys, I love you.”

“We know…” Kibum answered back “We know!”

Ace hesitated in front of the door that lead to that monster’s bedroom.

He knew it was a trap as soon as he stepped inside the house. It was too silent and that house was never silent and yet he couldn’t back away now. He was going to do it.

He could kill everyone inside that room before he was killed, he was sure he could.

Taemin placed his hand on the hilt of the katana on his back and then opened the door of the bedroom.

No one attacked him so he released the katana slowly and entered the room.

“Welcome!” The man said from the bed, extinguishing the cigarette he was smoking on the ashtray next to his bed “I was waiting for you Lee Taemin, or should I call you Ace?”

“You know who I am?”

“Yes. Don’t you think I would investigate the man that is ing my daughter? I knew since that day.” Mina’s father stood up from the bed “I remember you. I remember the small mouse and the big rat that was your brother.” That man’s smile disgusted Taemin. “Do you even know my name?”

“They call you The King but your real name is Park Sungmin.”

“Of course you also investigated me. Good job! What do you know more about me? Tell me Taemin. I can drop all the formalities right? After all you are my daughter’s boyfriend.”

“You have a drug business and you threatened several business establishments around here asking for money in exchange for protection. You have a daughter and one son and several bastards.”

“Bravo!” The King clapped a few times and then his smile faded. “But let’s get down to business and what truly matters. Why are you ing my daughter? Are you using her to get to me?”

Taemin didn’t answer and instead placed his hand on the katana on his back once again.

“Answer me Taemin.”

He didn’t and The King sighed. “At least you should say the truth to her before you die.”

Taemin apparently didn’t react to the comment but as soon as The King spoke those words he was sure that his plan to kill that man was ruined.

Mina was there, behind him, entering the room and yet he didn’t turn around.

“Bring her forward.”

Taemin heard the steps and he could see from the corner of his eyes Mina being pushed closer to them. A man was holding her, covering so she couldn’t speak and she was trying to release herself, a knife next to her neck.

What an idiot! She should have gone to visit her grandma. She was ruining everything!

“Tell her.”

“You won’t hurt her.” Taemin said firmly.

“Are you sure Taemin?” The King chuckled “You watched me these last days; you know what kind of relationship I have with my daughter. I really don’t mind losing a kid. I have so many bastards running around these streets. She is basically useless, well until now. She made you lose focus, forget the reason why you are here for.” The King his lips and Taemin knew he was right. “I remember it as today. How I ripped your brother apart.” He rotated his hand pretending to hold a knife. “The knife moved inside his body and the warm blood run out from it. It got me dirty! Very disgusting!”

Taemin bit his lower lip with so much strength, trying to resist that provocation, that he tasted blood.

“You hate me so much that you want to do the same to me don’t you?”

Mina moaned and Taemin glanced at her before he looked back at her father. Now she knew why he was there.

“But you can’t do it.” The King shook his head “You are still a little mouse.”

“I’m not a little mouse.” Taemin couldn’t fall for his teasing.

“No, you are a little mouse. You are still weak like you were back then because once again you have someone you love and want to protect. It’s cute!”

Taemin eyes fell on Mina and she struggled again.

“Answer it. Did you seduce my daughter to reach to me?” The King raised his fingers and spoke to the man holding Mina “cut her neck if he doesn’t answer.”

“I didn’t.” Taemin answered immediately.

“So you do like her. That makes everything even more fun. “

Taemin swiftly grabbed the katana on his back and used it to cut part of the chest of a man on his right that just entered the room, the blood splashing over him before he turned to direct his attack at the man holding Mina.

“CUT HER NECK!” The order was enough to stop Taemin, his blade inches from the man’s neck, his cold killer gaze on him.

Mina was surprisingly quiet now watching Taemin with wide eyes.

That was Ace, a part of him she didn’t know yet and it was a scary sight to see.

“Throw the katana away and I won’t order to kill her.

“If she dies he dies too!”

“Whatever, I have so many.” The King sat on the bed watching the scene amused. “Cut her neck.”

The knife moved on Mina’s neck and a single drop of blood fall down her neck. Taemin watched it moving his eyes from her cursed blood to her eyes that were still on him. He wondered what scared her the most? Dying or that new Taemin in front of her.

He stepped back and slowly placed the katana on the floor.

“Good boy. Kick it away.”

He did as he was told and then he also took his gun and all the weapons he had. He wasn’t defeated though; he still had his hands and legs to fight.

The King stood up from the bed and called two of his thugs to approach him.

“Make him kneel in front of The King!”

The two men pushed Taemin down which was hard since he resisted and then The King grabbed the knife that was against Mina’s neck and showed the blade to Taemin.

“Look at her blood, my blood…”

Taemin looked away which made that monster laugh. He knew exactly what to say to make it hurt more.

“Look at it you prick or I’ll collect more from her for you to see. Maybe I could do to her the same I did to your brother! Would you like that?”

Taemin stared at the blade this time, breathing hard, trying to control his fury.

“How could you possibly have fallen for the person to whom this blood belongs to? She is my daughter, the daughter of the man you hate the most. What an idiot!” The King brushed the blade of the knife against Taemin’s cheek, cleaning Mina’s blood on his skin and cutting Taemin with it, dirtying the blade with his blood too.

Taemin didn’t move but he closed his eyes briefly. The pain was nothing compared to what he was used to. The pain inside his heart was way worse than anything else.

“This is romantic.” The King said throwing the knife away and then he punched Taemin, Mina’s muffled cry filled the room.

She probably struggled a lot because she was able to speak for the first time since she entered the room.

“YOU ARE A MONSTER! I HATE YOU!” She was crying and Taemin stared at the floor below him, trying to ignore her cries of desperation. He needed to be Ace.

“I know baby, I know!” Mina’s father said “I don’t share much affection from you either but you are my blood and I need you.” He grabbed Taemin’s hair and pulled his head up so he would look at him but Taemin stubbornly looked everywhere but at that man.

“You see Taemin, I am The King and therefore she is a princess. And like the kings from other times I will give my daughter away to marry another prince. I have a few interested in her already. She is feisty and hot and many want her.” The King pulled at Taemin’s hair with all his strength and Taemin stared with all his hatred at him “However I am willing to give her to you if you give me someone back, someone I really want and I can use to make me powerful, someone like Lee Sooman.”

Taemin didn’t answer and The King released him and instead punched him again.

Taemin groaned blinking his eyes for a few seconds and then he looked back at him as if nothing happened as if he wasn’t bleeding from his nose, the warm blood falling over his lip.

“Give me that rich head and you have my daughter. See? I’m nice. I’m all for love!”

Taemin chuckled and shook his head slowly “I will never do that.”

“Really? Not even if I kill her?”

That threat wouldn’t work anymore.

“You won’t kill her. You just confessed that you need her.” Taemin brushed the blood away from his lips with the back of his hand “Guess you are not that smart.”

The King nodded his head appreciatively “I can kill you.”

“Fine by me.” Mina fought to release herself again but this time Taemin didn’t look at her. Death didn’t scare him and even if they tried to kill him they would have a very hard time to do so. “Good luck trying!”

The King swallowed hard. He now knew why Ace was a feared name, the way that young man was looking at him was out of this world, it was as if he had a demon inside him.

“I’m fascinated. I’ve heard about you and how scary Ace can be but I never realized I was the one who pushed you to become this. I’m proud!”

He crouched in front of Taemin and Taemin smiled at him, a smile that made him shiver.

“What are you going to do then? To get out of this situation?” The monster asked him, staring into Taemin’s cold empty eyes.

“First I’m going to kill everyone inside this room and then I’m going to kill you, slowly, so slow that you will beg me to finish you quick. Then I’m taking Mina away from here.”

The King didn’t say anything at first and Taemin was sure that he was truly taking his words as a possibility but then he laughed “You have guts or maybe you are just insane.”

“Maybe I am.”

The King stood up again and walked away to grab his lighter from the bedside table lighting another cigarette.

“I’m not killing you. You are much more useful alive and kicking!” A cloud of smoke came out from his lips and he crouched in front of Taemin again and poked his forehead, blowing the smoke at him “Besides I’ve always wanted to have a little mouse as a pet and you are a perfect cute little thing. Also my daughter is a pain in the sometimes and I’m sure that with you around she won’t nag me as much. Maybe sometimes you can give her some smooches and you know, calm her down.”

The King has barely finished speaking when Taemin hit his head with his with all his strength which made him fell back crying in pain. Taemin then stood up and rolled to grab his katana that he used against the man holding Mina, cutting his leg making him fall to the floor, a pool of blood at his feet, screams of agony filling the room.

Mina screamed releasing herself from his hold and she ran to grab the gun from the floor close by. She didn’t manage to go far since her father grabbed her. Taemin killed two more thugs, ing the blade of the katana through the chest of one and then breaking the arm of another that tried to punch him and throwing him to the floor. He was going for The King next when he was shot twice on his leg and fell to the floor. He still tried to get up screaming in pain but quickly three men grabbed him. The last ones still alive pushed him down immobilizing him. Taemin growled and grunted like a wild animal, clutching his teeth, his furious expression and demoniacal eyes on Mina’s father.

The King pushed Mina to the bed and grabbed the gun from the floor and walked closer to Taemin.

Her worried eyes on Taemin made him feel guilty. She still loved him, even though he was Ace, even though he wasn’t much different from her father, a killer.

She tried to attack her father, to take the gun away but he elbowed her on her face and she fell on the bed unanimated.

“You messed up with the wrong person kid.” The cold barrel of the gun was pressed against Taemin's forehead “You ing slaughtered most of my best fighters.” He wasn’t happy at all, a few more seconds and Ace would have killed him too. That kid was no joke and his heart was still beating fast in fear.

“I’m going to break you. I’m going to make you mine!” He signaled to his men to pull Taemin up and they did struggling to hold him even though he was hurt and bleeding from his leg. “Get him treated and throw him into the cage downstairs.”

Taemin eyed the floor while he was carried away, the pain of his leg being secondary, his mind working fast looking for a plan B.

“Lock my daughter in her room too.” The King was still talking nervously “Like a mouse in an earthen jar!”

The King laughed, the disgusting sound taking Taemin back to his past, a tear falling down his cheek mixing with his and Mina’s blood.

Hello~

I'm sorry it took ages! T__T

I hope it wasnt too violent.

Ahhh I have no idea what to say! Thank you for reading and being with me all this time ~