"Soojung's strong. And she wasn't injured that badly. There's no need to worry."

Sunga told everything but in-a-relationship part to the team because she knew it well that no matter how much her dongsaeng never been good with words, she would prefer to explain such matter with her own mouth, and when she’s ready. Thing Sunga least expected was Dongwoo and Howon would have some 'good' intention to visit Soojung's place a week later with flowers and handmade foods in their hands as get-well-soon gifts.

And in a very, very bad timing.

The door wasn't locked when the two arrived. So they creaked it open, and there was a conversation coming out from living room; "I thought you're injured?" "I don't need two hands to make you feel good", or something along those lines.

Both of them was naturally born with haste. Hence without thinking too much about what kind of scene might be ensuing such dialogue, Dongwoo and Howon pushed the door open all the way and came in. They reached living room, finding their teammate they thought was laying weakly on bed and unable to do anything, actually was laying on top of another woman, freezing midway of sliding a camisole's strap off the woman's shoulder with her teeth.

"Um. H... Hi." Dongwoo was the first one to get over the numbing stupor. He stiffly waved one hand and held up a plastic bag with the other, set of white teeth appeared as he grinned nervously. "We're here to.. Delivering this to you. Woohyun cooked. Byeseeyoulaterwe'resosorry!!!"

The guys ranaway.

———————

"So you got.. A lover?" Hyuna's tone was menacing.

Soojung could only glare at Howon, who then looked at Dongwoo, who was pretending to be busy playing with their boss' cat. Both him and the feline's stare were fixated at the cat treat in his big palm.

"Yes."

"And you didn't even bother telling me?"

"... I'm really sorry." Soojung heard Hyuna laughed a little and wondered just what would that mean. "Am I going to get some sort of punishment?"

"What are you talking about?! We should celebrate, you lovestruck moron!"

Small party for Soojung that she never expected started as soon as Woohyun and Myungsoo came back twenty minutes later with every kind of snack and booze they could grab from nearest supermarket, which everyone took greedily once they put it all down to the table. Nine of them huddled up, clinking their scotch glasses together along with roars of cheers.

“Look at our little brat now, all grown up, got girlfriend at last! Ah, I really want to cry!” There was an expression resembling proud father weeping for her daughter all over Dongwoo’s face. Some of them remarked it as gross, but he ignored them anyway.

"She scored a teacher! A nursery school teacher! Seems we should get ready to be uncles in few years!" Howon exclaimed. "Or ahjumma in these ladies' case." He instinctively dodged potato chips Minha and Kyungri thrown at him. Everybody else leaned down leisurely on their respective seat, cackling as well, and Soojung made garbling choked noise.

"Cut it off or I'll cut you guys into pieces!" She squeaked, shooting a glare that usually would make anyone shudder in fear, but apparently this time nobody put much stock in her intimidating acts anymore.

"Ooh the tigress is angry!" Leftover pizza crusts came flying to Woohyun's face for the comment and Myungsoo soon complained how they shouldn't play around with food.

"Karma is a , huh? We always bullied her for never been in relationship before, and now none of us got girlfriend as pretty as hers!" Hyuna chimed in, then yelped as she felt Sunga jabbed her on the side.

"So you're saying I'm ugly?"

Hyuna's gleeful smile fell, swapped into terrified lopsided grin and she strode following Sunga out from the room.

"Oops..." All of them glanced at each other, starting to re-evaluate who was their actual boss.

———————

"Soojung-ah."

By the time Hyuna got back to their cramped headquarter's entertainment room, Soojung was the only one left alive and sober, a rather affectionate smile adorned her lips, one hand busy with phone and the other idly Hoya's fur. The ginger cat laid comfortably over Soojung's stomach while Moya curled beside her thigh, closely watching pile of drunk-dead humans on the couch with expression full of distaste.

The older woman pushed Woohyun's immobile body away to create some space for her to slouch down beside Soojung, seizing a bottle of beer and its opener that were buried under heaps of empty snack packages. "You didn't drink?"

"Just a little. I'm driving home." Hyuna found that answer was kinda amusing. Lee Soojung never missed alcohol.

"I see.. Tiny Soul has grown up and found someone else. Now she doesn't want to drink with this old lonely Moon anymore." She took a swig of her beer, smirking when faint pink started tinting Soojung's cheeks.

"Don't be dramatic! God, you've gone senile even before you hit forty, Moonie.."

They both laughed and Hyuna waggled her brows. "Must be nice to have someone waiting for you at home, eh?" She sounded genuinely glad for Soojung despite all the teasings.

"She doesn't live with me, just sleepover often. She asked several times already but I won't let her stay in my house." Soojung replied, voice turned tight.

"Why?"

"I believe you understand why."

They were spies and this job didn't guarantee best safety, that Hyuna understood. The mention of it sent a pang through her.

"Soojung-ah, do you remember our promise when I let you join us?"

"When I found someone I love, I have to leave this group." Soojung knew Hyuna had made that rule because she didn't want her to go through same fate as her parents.

"So what are you waiting for? Go." She grimaced and impishly waved her hand, making a dismissive shooing gesture. "Live normal life. Be happy as you deserve to be."

"I... Don't know how to."

That was an evasive reply. Hyuna blinked, confused. "To what?"

"To live another life. To do anything else that isn't what I'm doing now and be someone that's not me right now." Soojung said hesitantly.

They paused for what felt like eternity, and Soojung noticed how Hyuna's expression wavered as she just gazing down at the floor like there was something very interesting within all those black ceramic tiles. Strange, because for all her life Soojung had known her, Hyuna was best at keeping mask of either calm or playful on her face no matter whatever real emotion she had behind it.

"Soojung, I've been thinking about this for awhile, and I'll let you know first before everyone else." She finally looked up, placing her drink on the table before continued. "Actually, I have decided to retire.."

"What?!" Soojung pushed herself upright in mild shock, sitting straight facing the older woman with wide eyes.

"And I'm considering to dissolve our team."

Dissolve. The. Team. The more her mind repeated them, the more it sounded unreal. Those words were heavy and rapid, like a freight train striking her directly. Hyuna wanted to disband their team. How could this happened?

"Why?" Is it because I'm in a relationship? Or because I hurted myself last time? But Hyuna answered them even before Soojung had the chance to voice her questions, as though she had anticipated it.

"It's not because of you or anybody else. I mean, not because any of you made mistake, it's because all of you deserve new, better life." She signaled at the others who were still sleeping soundly, and Soojung could see it too, finally; everyone's growing weary. They started young, they had their moments, they lost things but they learned from their loss. Hyuna began earliest among them, it only made sense she was the first who wanted to end everything.

"About what you just said.. You should know it is not true, Soojung." Hyuna resumed, soft and possessed no authority as usually whenever they talked about work-related matter. She shifted and lower her head so they were in same eye level, placing a hand on side of Soojung's face while the younger looking back at her intently.

"I've been watching you growing up since you were little, so I can never go wrong with this one. You're already becoming somebody else that isn't you. Maybe it's still all dark for now, but you will see later. The happiness you've been looking for is already there in you." And surely it couldn't be wrong. Because that didn't come from Moon the strong, charismatic leader of an espionage group Soojung adored, the one who said it was just Hyuna; the broad, comfortable back that carried her on way home from school, the protective arms which held her dearly during her worst nightmare, the dork goofball who cracked stupid jokes to lighten up her mood, her closest sister.

Hyuna's hand dropped and now was resting at Soojung's shoulder, warm as it always had. "Well. There's no pressure here, take your time to think as much as you want."

"And should you know too, that if I ever have to decide on someone fit perfectly to be my successor, the person would be you. In case you want to keep going, this team is all yours. But if you choose otherwise.. Then let's all start anew."

And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine until tomorrow
Let it be

——————— 

There were lots of things that made Soojung loved her job.

She admired Hyuna. Strived to be like her. At least in terms of character because physically she would never be able to reach same height as her. When others appraised that she'd grown into the great, fierce leader, proud surged through her chest.

She felt good when she could be useful. There was addictive adrenaline rush running inside her while she was doing her task, be it with strenuous effort or as easy as breathing. Soojung was always fascinated by sunrise, and nothing looked better than the one that rising at dawn after she spent cold cloudy night completing her mission. She regarded it as reward for her hard work.

She once thought she wouldn’t mind to stay like that for the rest of her life.

But Hyuna said she had changed into new, different person; accumulating amount of photographs of moment she passed together with Mijoo starting to fill in more spaces on her polaroid album more than magnificent sunrise taken on various countries she'd visited for work proved Hyuna was right.

"Rise and shine, sleepy head. I made toast and juice for breakfast! They aren't burnt, by the way. Give a yay for me?"

Soojung blinked her eyes open, rubbing them to chase away drowsy sensation in her head, then stirred until she was lying on her side facing Mijoo who were sitting close to her.

"'ay.." She replied vaguely.

Sleepiness went away slowly as Soojung took in the moment. There were nice smell of fruity beverage, refreshing morning breeze coming from open window, and hand softly brushing away strayed hair from her face. And Mijoo's smile; silver linings that mended her soul and held every of her part steadily.

"I'm going early today, gotta fetch some change clothes at home before heading to work. I'll see you later, okay?" Mijoo already stood up, but a sudden movement of Soojung's hand catching hers stopped her from going any further.

"Stay here." She no longer needed to fly over seven seas. Here Soojung had found the most beautiful little sun that would shine only for her.

Mijoo laughed, not comprehending. "I need to go to school, Yein will kick you if you confine her beloved teacher all for yourself."

"No, I mean.. Live here with me. Stay with me forever."

She probably would miss those good old adventures and good old friends from her first life as secret agent, but if they were to be traded with sweet kisses Mijoo now pressed to her lips as response, Soojung knew it was absolutely worth it.