BoA,"The Shadow", 'Only One' [2012]

Nari’s hand shook around her gun as row upon rows of soldiers opened up before her eyes, their own rifles poised and ready for the ensuing military display for the Presidential parade – not to mention as deterrence for the ever-present threat of organised crime.

Sighing as she popped her head back around the corner, Nari closed her eyes and rested her head back against the side of the building she hid behind, the darkness of the alley providing ample cover for her to conceal herself in. Propelling her thoughts forward, Nari went over the plan in her head, just as discussed a few days ago;

“We filter ourselves in according to our own orders, but we can be free to manipulate our positions according to where our targets actually are. It’s clear that both our Families just want the protection of our allies, and only to engage combat if it breaks out. It should be a non-close fire situation.” Nari explained to the members of the Resistance (as they unofficially called themselves), as they were assembled around the control able in all their glory. Nari, iKON, Red Velvet, SHINee and WINNER, some of the most formidable, toughest groups all gathered in one place in spite of their rivalries.

Pretty cheesy, freaking scary.

“How will we avoid our own superiors noticing?” Lee Seunghoon asked with concern on his face, “I’m pretty sure all of our Families’ groups will be in attendance.”

“I heard even SJ will be going…” Yeri whispered to Jonghyun, slight fear in her eyes. He nodded with apprehension; the young girl had never even laid eyes on those Sunbaes, merely heard whispers about them. Nari knew from experience how brutal Super Junior could be in combat – she learned the hard way, as a Dongsaeng.

“That’s a good question,” Onew took the reins over the difficult question, “Judging by the circles of interest our families have set out for us to monitor, we can afford to stretch those limits out substantially.”

Taemin looked at his own leader as if he spoke in another language, “Can someone tell me what this Hyung just said?”

The group groaned simultaneously.

“He means,” Junhoe spoke up, his voice full of sass as he rolled his eyes, “You can tail a lead, so long as you claim it’s a threat or interest to your own leaders if they ask.”

Taemin looked at the boy, clearly hard at thought over the dilemma, “So if Kyuhyun Hyung comes up to me with a gun, telling me to get back into position, I simply tell him I find a person suspicious?”

“Glad someone understands….”Lee Hi groaned over all the awkward grumbles that had rippled throughout the room, “Unnie, which groups from the Movement do we have tabs on at the moment?”

“Good question,” Nari smiled at Lee Hi. She was well aware of the sheer look of confusion Bobby sent her from across the table, but she blanked him; one because she genuinely became good friends with Lee Hi since she joined the; two, because things were still awkward between her and Bobby.

Totally not my fault…Okay, maybe I’m too awkward.

“Unnie?”

Nari had shook her head, snapping herself out of her thoughts just when she had begun a stare-off with Bobby. His bright brown orbs burned into her own with a mix of amusement and passion. She’d gulped, “What was the question?”

The others had snickered.

“You’re looking a little red, Unnie?” Seulgi had cleared , a smirk appearing on her lips.

Lee Hi repeated herself.

“Got-7 [excuse grammatical incorrectness] for sure,” Bobby answered for Nari. She automatically glared at him, but blushed when he smirked at her. She never blushes.

“Twice,” Nari scoffed, briefly reminiscing over her brawl with Tzuyu. She rubbed her jaw at the memory.

“The lovely ladies in Sistar,” Key smirked, “Amber will be happy to see them after all this time.”

“Amber doesn’t know she’s still alive,” Nari sighed, slightly sad that her closest friends, F(x) weren’t a part of this alliance, “But you’re right, she’ll be damn glad to see Hyolyn after so long.”

“What’s left of Fiestar after you knocked Yezi out?” Jinwoo smirked at Nari from across the table, clearly still impressed with Nari’s fight with the ‘Crazy Dog’ from that day, “I mean, even if she did dislocate your shoulder?”

“Noona!” Chanwoo exclaimed, anger emanating in his eyes, “You never came to me about that? I could’ve fixed you up!” He immediately scuttled over to Nari, prodding and poking at her shoulder for any immediate signs of damage.

Nari groaned, “I popped it back into place myself, it was fine.”

Chanwoo gasped in horror before running off to set up the x-ray machine. A mixture of light laughter and groans echoed throughout the room.

“Will Infinite be there?” Minho asked with tightness in his voice.

Nari’s heart dropped to her stomach at the horrible reminder. Straight away, she could see all their faces again as they fought side by side with the known enemies, families who’d made their opposition to SM clear. She could see the look ok despair on Myungsoo’s face as she raised her gun at them, the first time they were on the receiving end of her line of fire. She never wanted to have to do that again.

Nari feared the time for that would come all too soon, however. She was soon sifting through the streets with all the other civilians, caught up in the hustle and bustle of excitement that buzzed through them all as they paused to take photos, stopped for selfies, and even attempt to get the soldiers to crack smile. Nari smirked at their blissful ignorance; a small part of her wished she didn’t have to be here. But it was her duty to stop it, she couldn’t live with herself if the enemy’s plans pulled through.

Almost there.

Making her way through the endless sea of people, Nari began to close the distance between herself and the cluster of people that stood before the podiums, politicians and military figures already having taken their seats across the stage. Nari could see the fair hair of Yeri and the red-haired Jimin out of the corner of her eye, posing as a bickering couple on the street. Nearby, she spotted Junhoe and Donghyuk having one of their typical arguments – in fact, it appeared so tense, Nari couldn’t tell whether or not it was just their cover. And-

“I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Nari almost jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice in her ear, the feel of his hand on her gunning arm, casual enough to look ordinary, firm enough to prevent her blowing her cover. Glancing sideways however, didn’t soothe her nerves whatsoever.

“Heechul,” Nari released a sharp breath between her teeth. She hadn’t seen him in – how long now?

“It’s been seven years,” he chuckled devilishly, annoyingly answering her question, “My you’re a pretty thing now, aren’t you?”

He still had that roguish, begrudgingly handsome look about him, not to mention that arrogant smile and mischievous look in his eyes – a look that all the Super Junior guys somehow shared. Seeing him brought painful childhood memories to the surface once more – being beaten senselessly by this bully as he and his adolescent brothers laughed and walked away; skipping meals to avoid the bullies but sneaking down during the night to eat and train harder. The reminder was enough to get the blood boiling through Nari’s veins. Heechul no longer had a hold over her the way he used to. She was stronger than she was as a child.

Nari yanked her arm from his grasp, his controlling touch making her angrier by the second, “Last time I saw you I was your human punching bag, I at least expect an apology by now.”

Heechul scoffed, beginning to walk forwards, to which Nari reluctantly followed for cover’s sake, “I only give those when I’m actually sorry about something,” He spat, “Besides, it was character building.”

“Gee,” Nari rolled her eyes, “Because childhood harassment is so beneficial,”

Heechul chuckled ruefully, walking with his hands behind his back, as if prepared to spring a trap with his hands any second as they approached the stage, “I see you’ve still got your wits about you.”

“I guess I had to keep them with the likes of you and your brothers around. You boys never knew when to just leave me alone.”

“I do hope Henry still sends Christmas Cards?”

“He had a hanbok made for me when I finished Probation,”

“What loving Sunbaes you have!” Heechul beamed, pressing a hand to his chest as feeling flattered. Nari reeled from his sarcasm. She couldn’t stand his presence as a child, and that feeling hadn’t eroded much over the years, “You wanna’ see something funny?”

Nari Heechul, eyes burning into him with the fire of a thousand suns. She couldn’t stand the fact that he was distracting her from her task, let alone making her stressed when she needed it least, most of all when she knew members of the Alliance could see her with him right now. Her hands had subconsciously balled tightly into fists by her sides, as if her anger was compelling her to react in the worst way possible.

“Look by the alley-way, the three guys smoking,”

Nari followed Heechul’s instructions before she could tell herself not to – but not a single ounce of recognition came as she subtly eyed the three gentlemen in question.

Nothing suspicious. No sign of readiness to fight in their body language, no sign of a gun.

“They’re just three guys smoking,” Nari shrugged, “Boring.”

She knew very well that Kim Heechul hated nothing more than that word. He was the definition of extravagant – mere association with former word was enough to make him retch and prove the world wrong. The hatred showed in his expressive eyes almost immediately.

“Well, my little Dongsaeng, you’ve never seen Epik High?”

And that’s when recognition finally struck.

The men behind all of YG’s funding. The ones who organise all of their groups’ deals, weapons and manpower. They stay in the shadows of all their operations, and only emerge in dire situations.

“There we go,” Heechul smirked as the horror appeared on Nari’s face. She hated the fact that she reacted in the exact way Heechul wanted her to – it was almost as if he knew about her involvement with YG. Or at least her desire to prevent the very situation he was insinuating.

He can’t do this. We were told not to start something unless they did – we can’t make the first move, not if we want to keep our cover.

The reminder of her orders provided slight comfort for Nari – she knew Heechul wouldn’t disobey his orders, “So what?” Nari shrugged, confidence in her knowledge showing through, “We can’t do anything unless they start something. You out of all people should know our orders.”

Heechul chuckled, throwing his head back in the air as if the concept was the universe’s biggest joke, “Of course! The Daebu’s own daughter-to-be would never disobey protocol! How trustworthy. I, for one, say otherwise.”

“You can’t-“

“Oh, but we can.” Heechul grinned, his eyes flickering like a madman’s, “Siwon, Ryeowook and Leeteuk are prepared to strike them as soon as the opportunity arises.”

“But Heechul,” Nari pleaded, desperation straining her voice, “Our orders were to stop any fight breaking out!”

“My dear Nari,” Heechul chuckled, taking Nari’s chin in his cold, bony fingers, “You take orders too literally. You should know by now, that ‘nullifying threats’ means killing any