Heechul, get up. We’re going to be late.” Heechul couldn’t make out whose voice was calling to her from the other side of the wall. She stood up, taking a moment to find her balance and make the room stop spinning before she stumbled over to the sound of the person’s fist pounding on the door that was more annoying than the pounding in her head. She threw the door back, it swinging threateningly on its hinges, to find Hankyung on the other side. He gave her the most passive look he could muster but had to turn away. The woman’s face was covered with streaks of her makeup from the day before. Her eyes were red, swollen, and glazed. She obviously had a hangover. And from the smell around her, the alcohol had been pretty strong. But none of this is what made him turn his face away. The look of guilt and sadness that filled her glazed eyes tore his own heart to pieces. What made it worse was that he knew the reason behind it.

“Come on. Leeteuk’s almost ready to go and you haven’t even brushed your hair. We’re going to miss our flight if you don’t hurry.”

“Fine.” She mumbled, closing the door again. Hankyung barely heard her pad away towards the bathroom.

The files were an easier item to transport than they had originally thought. They slid them into one of the bags that they would have to pick up from baggage claim when they got back home, increasing the risk of them being stolen. But it was better than having them found and possibly confiscated in security, risking being arrested. Still that didn’t keep them from holding their breath as the luggage was pulled away on the conveyer belt.

Heechul sat in the middle section of the plane. She could vaguely make out the top of Leeteuk’s head at the front of the left section. In the very back to the right was Hankyung. They decided to spread out, making them less noticeable to anyone that might suspect them. They didn’t acknowledge each other in the airport and would remain that way until they were back in what they now knew to be the false security of the place they currently called home.

Three different taxis pulled into the little town, each one fifteen minutes after the other. Leeteuk, who had arrived first, stood outside of the café and waited for the other two to show up. The wall behind him was the most comfortable thing to lean on at the moment, not to mention the only thing available. The entire plane ride and drive back to the little town Leeteuk had been trying to avoid thinking. But at this point, he was too tired to keep himself away from the dark abyss that his thoughts pulled him into.

“Are you alright, Chullie?” Jungsoo’s voice came through the small ear piece mixed with vibrating static. Hee Chul inconspicuously fixed the device to hear her partner clearer.

“Yeah. But I don’t see why I have to do this. Couldn’t you have figured out another way to get the information?” She whispered furiously into the microphone that was hidden beneath the shoulder of her dress. A couple walked past her, glancing at her with strange expressions. The girl simply nodded a greeting, gritting her teeth against it as she stepped further into the entrance of the alleyway.

“He’s the head of the branch. This is going to be the easiest way to get anything out of him. Just get him to take a few drinks and he’ll spill everything.” Jungsoo explained. “According to Micah and Kelly’s research, he’s notorious for being a gossip when drunk.” Hee Chul sighed.

“Fine.” She answered. “But you owe me big time for this.”

“Just promise me you’ll stay away from the alcohol. The only one that needs to consume anything stronger than a tonic is him. Got it?” he warned.

“I’m on the job, Jungsoo. When have I ever had a drink when I’m on a job?”

“I know. I’m just making sure.”

It took every fiber in Leeteuk’s body not to continue the memory. That was the day that everything had changed. And it was something he was fighting against remembering. He didn’t have to work at it for too long when Heechul walked around the corner, jolting him out of his reverie. She took off her glasses as she approached the shaded area of the sidewalk where he stood. They remained silent as they looked at each other for an unknown length of time.

“So, how was your flight?” Leeteuk asked somewhat awkwardly. His memory of the disaster had switched over to the memory of the previous night. At this moment, he wasn’t sure which one he preferred.

“Fine.” She gave her terse one word answer, not taking her eyes off of the man in front of her. He fidgeted where he stood under her gaze. It wasn’t that he was uncomfortable with her; it was just the situation he was uncomfortable with. She now knew his feelings for her and he still wasn’t sure about hers. Yes, she had kissed him back but then again she had been drunk. For all he knew, she didn’t even remember it. Well, he might as well check.

“About last night…” he trailed off when he saw her face. He could have sworn her lips had twitched into her trademark smirk. But it was gone as quickly as it had come.

“What about last night?” she asked, taking a step towards him.

“Do you remember anything?” he replied. He had to know if she did. If not, he would just drop the entire thing and move on. If she did… well, he had no clue.

“Is there anything I should remember?” Another step. What was she doing? Of course she remembered! Why was she cornering him like he was some kind of animal and he was her prey? But she had to know if he would be willing to bring it up. If not, she could at least give herself closure that it had been merely an act to calm her down. Her heart clenched at the thought. That kiss had been everything she’d needed and wanted. But Hankyung…

Heechul’s thoughts came to an abrupt halt the moment Leeteuk’s lips claimed hers hungrily. It was nothing like the kiss the previous night. That one had been soft and comforting. This quickly built to nothing but teeth and tongue and it was still the only thing she wanted. It was as if he were trying to make her remember what she had not and would never forget.

Neither knew who broke the kiss but when they did, they couldn’t look at each other. Suddenly, the sidewalk and the buildings became much more interesting. It was at that moment that Hankyung decided to make his appearance from around the corner of the building.

“Okay, now that everyone’s here, let’s go on in. We need to get these files somewhere safe.” He said. He obviously had just missed the little exchange between his two partners, although he did look at them suspicious when they both jumped a little further away from each other. Still, they agreed and made their way into the small café.

Heechul’s mind went from frozen to running at 100 miles per hour in matter of seconds. She knew she was in love with Leeteuk. So why did kissing him feel so right and yet so wrong? Like she was betraying someone. She knew who that someone was. She had never loved Hankyung the way she knew she was in love with her best friend. But Hankyung was the one that knew her. He knew who she wanted to be and all of her aspirations. He knew everything about her from her deepest fears to how she liked her coffee. He was the one who would sit up with her at two o’clock in the morning when she had to finish a chapter for a deadline and couldn’t sleep because of the adrenaline. Leeteuk had never done anything that would intentionally hurt her. In fact, he had always been the one there to make every hurt better from when they were kids and she would fall off of her bike to only the night before. He was the one who would protect her with his life without a second thought.

I swear, if he’s left me alone with this creep… Hee Chul thought, inconspicuously twisting the earpiece in an attempt to reestablish a connection with her leader. She was only met with even more static followed by a screech and silence. She had to bite her tongue to keep the string of curses from flowing from .Thankfully, the music of the small club drowned out the screech from the piece. She wouldn’t know what it do if the man had heard it. There was no way to explain it. He had gotten a little too drunk a little too quickly. Because of this, Hee Chul was on her guard even more so than usual. This wasn’t the first time she had been sent to entertain a man in order to get information out of him. But she had never had to leave the club or restaurant or wherever she was in order to get the information needed. This time wasn’t any different in that way. Even still, she had no way to escape at that moment.

She now had no way of contacting Jungsoo to let him know that their target was currently dragging her out of the building and towards a waiting car. She also had no chance to react when she felt a bag thrown over her head and a blunt object make contact with her skull, ridding her of every other sense and consciousness.

When she finally did wake up, she was in a white room. It was too white. The thought that she was back in Jungsoo’s office crossed her mind but was quickly shot down by the realization of tubes sticking out of her arm.

Another one was wrapped around her face, occasionally sending a puff of oxygen into her nose. A hospital. She was in a hospital. She was about to scream when a familiar hand covered . She looked over, frightened by the sudden unexpected contact. Jungsoo’s face greeted her with a worried smile, the dimple on his left cheek only slightly visible before she fell back into the drugged darkness.