“Where have you been?!” Tao hissed right next to rather put-off looking Suho.

He grinned sheepishly, “Sorry!” He whispered back.

“You’d better be, we haven’t got all night!” Suho admonished before signalling them to advance.

Feeling adrenaline rush through him, it was all Chanyeol could do to keep his mouth shut and tag behind them obediently. Although, not without hitting a set of precarious looking ornaments of course, earning an angrily hissed, “Park!” from Tao and another one of his leader’s patronising looks. They wisped along the empty hallway, their black clothes blending in with the surrounding.

“Chanyeol,” Suho called, he stepped forward, gritting his teeth in utmost concentration so as to avoid from colliding into another set of obstacles.

A ghost of another smile went undetected on Suho’s pink lips in the dark of the night as he commanded, “Light it up, not too bright.”

Chanyeol grinned, “Sure!”

He closed his eyes, and imagined the fire, clean, bright and purifying fire. When he opened his eyes once again, his orbs shone a dazzling carmine shade, hands enveloped in a flame so blue that his hands were barely visible shrouded beneath it. Small globes of blue flame floated up to light the dark space, the entrance to a vault bathed in a shimmering aqua glow.

Suho adjusted his earpiece in before, “Chen? Can you hear me? I need the codes for the vault.” He produced a strange looking device and attached it to the upper left corner of the vault, “Mmhm, yeah, I just did that.” Next, he flicked open the keypad and punched in a series of numbers as instructed by Chen, waiting nervously for the lock to give away. The steel door cracked open with a minor hiss and Suho turned towards the other boy, “Tao-yah, finish your job?”

“With pleasure.”

The Chinese boy cracked his neck, a wicked smile playing on his thin lips. Chanyeol watched in awe as the boy jumped, leapt, rolled and landed smoothly without touching even a single line of those infra-red sensors, his lean body folding and unfolding with angular precision. He reached the activate/deactivate switch in no time (and just to show-off Chanyeol suspected) used his leg to turn the switch down while his strong upper body supported him in an impromptu hand-stand. Chanyeol found himself green with envy.

“Chanyeol, lights.”

 He directed the globes inside the vault, the now-illuminated space showing various treasure hoarded throughout the years by the YG Family. For a moment, the three of them merely stood still amidst the valuable, before D.O’s voice jolted them off their reverie and got them working. The first to snap out, Suho walked towards a collection of exclusive paintings and ran an appreciative hand along it’s gilded frame as he sighed and said, “S’ a pity you’re stuck in here.”

He crooned at it lovingly, causing Chanyeol and Tao to break out goose pimples. Suho’s admiration for things sometimes made Chanyeol tremble in fear; he treated his things a hundred times more preciously compared to them! Bypassing the various priceless collection littered in the room, Suho came to calculated stop in front of a quaint-looking wooden box. It was carved out like a treasure chest, a rather intricate one with elaborate decorations framing it’s four corners. He took it in careful hands, cautious and wary, “Our target for tonight. Tao-yah, my case, please.” The boy nodded and rummaged around in the bag he’d been carrying since the beginning and brought out a sleek, silver case.

Placing the wooden box in the case with utmost care, he gave the place a once-over and turned towards them, “Let’s go, we’re done here. Kris? Alert Luhan and Sehun, the mission is over.” Grabbing both their hands, Suho closed his eyes and willed his power to come forth. 

Chanyeol would never forget the experience of travelling as water vapour.

---

She twirled the sword as though it weighed nothing, sweat trickling sensually down the side of her temple down to her tawny throat before disappearing beneath her training gear. One step forward, twist right and slash to the left. The events of last night flashed like a broken record in her head, teasing and taunting her.

“!”

She leapt up, nimble body flying in a back-flip as she sliced the air ferociously, frustrated. Panting, she threw her sword and collapsed on the floor, head tipped back and eyes closed, breathing through her nose.

Like this, she could feel his warm breath on her, the touch of his lips yet lingering on his skin. Her crush from teen hood had evolved to become a thief and broke into her place of employment. And instead of performing her rites as a knight of YG, she’d succumbed to her feelings like a normal, weak female!

‘Stupid!’ She flopped down listlessly against the tatami-layered floor, a mass of aches and groans and unfulfilled dissatisfactions.

---

The house was a funfair, everybody was in celebratory mode. And they had every reason to be so. After all, they had successfully, single-handedly (not exactly, considering that there is 12 of them, Chanyeol thought), penetrated the so-called invincible castle of titanium, the House of YG. Of course they would be happy.

However..

Chanyeol stood alone on the balcony overlooking the wild forest, wispy tendrils of his cigarette the only thing holding him to this world, the house, their party.

Their bosses were present and were congratulating as well as singing glories of Suho for being able to lead the team so skilfully. But Suho looked over each and every one of them long and intense, and they all knew.

If even a single one of them were not present or were not able to carry out their duties well, he wouldn’t be here in the first place. It was enough for Chanyeol; at least he knew where they stood in his leader’s heart.

After that, he’d been holed up in his room, his personal sanctuary, events from the previous replaying over and over again in his mind. The silken whisper of her hair against his calloused hands, her favoured sandalwood soap in her skin, the taste of her lips against his parched ones, Chanyeol gripped the railing of his balcony, hard, willing himself to calm down.

He still could feel the warmth of her skin slipping away from his own, her sweet, minty breath mingling with his own. Chanyeol felt a chasm open up deep in the corner of his heart, robbing him of all his conscience, leaving him only with the memories of her.

Of the past, the present, the moments they were together..

 

The ball passed through the hoop almost mesmerizingly, leaving Chanyeol to gape in her wake. She was doubled over, hands on her knees, towel hanging from her neck, doing nothing to stop the lines of perspiration tracking a steady path down and below.

“How do you do it, really?”

He shook his head in amazement, concurring to her skills in the game. She rose, fluid as water and stretched her limbs leisurely, smiling superiorly, “Years and years of gruelling practice and extreme self-discipline.” She pushed her intruding bangs out of the way and, “Which, we all know, you don’t have.”

“Hey!” An indignant Park Chanyeol threw the ball that’d just rolled towards him to her, earning her laughter. He felt his cheeks burn at the sight of her laughing; head thrown back, gossamer locks parting to give a brief glimpse of the vulnerable column of her neck..

He thought he must be some sort of ert - even drenched in sweat, Minzy still looked y to him.

She grabbed his head fondly, “Don’t be mad, Park.” Ruffling his head, she continued, “We all know it’s the truth.” She smirked, Chanyeol huffed in annoyance.