xvii. of weapons and eavesdroppers

  Yongguk stared in muted amazement at the holographic models of the arsenal that Vidya had just showed him. She had developed blueprints of customized weapons based on the information that Alex had given her, based around each of the members' strength and weaknesses. Upgrades to Hyunwook's bow, Artemis that combined modern technology with ancient unseelie magic. Modifications made to Alex's leather gloves that gave him better control over his powers, which also included hidden brass knuckles under the material that would aid him in case of sudden emergencies. A new leather grip for Daehyun's scythe, but otherwise not going through on any modifications until she could do a full analysis of it. There was also a pair of new blades for Daehyun that Yongguk immediately fell in love with - a katana and a smaller sword, likely a wakizashi. Vidya had told him that there were no particular technical amendments made to the blades, which increased Yongguk's respect for, but also curiousity of Daehyun, particularly since they only spoke to each other once. Modified throwing stars for Saebin, which either explode on contact or poison their targets. And a whole arsenal for Helena, the weapons ranging from small throwing daggers to a retractable gun able to be hidden in...whatever she wears on a daily basis. 

  "...I'm reserving a lot of judgement for them, especially on the modifications. Since I haven't officially tested, touched, or even seen any of these weapons, there's no telling what exactly the things I've planned would do to them," Vidya explained, the fur of the lab cat, Cleo, who had snuck into her lap and had made herself very comfortable there. "Making weapons is relatively easier, since modifications can be made afterwards. And if I'm the one making them, I know to make them with a stronger frame that can withstand enough tinkering. But with pre-existing weapons, especially inheritance weapons like Hyunnie's or Daehyun's, you don't know what kind of nasty curses they come with." She paused, and Cleo wriggled free from her lap, and jumped up onto the lab table, swatting at the hologram models. "One of my friends were working on a relic spear evacuated from an old Hunting site used by the Fey, and she ended up needing to call for a professional warlock to get rid of the curse hanging over her house. You really don't mess with the Fey." 

   "...Duly noted." Yongguk mentally filed that information into the back of his mind. "It's amazing how you managed to tailor these completely to the members' needs, though. There's so much thought put into this..."

  "Well, y'all didn't hire me for nothing," Vidya snorted. "As long as you pay me enough, anything's mostly possible. Of course," She added, side-eyeing Alex. "I'm also doing this because of my dear friend Alex."

  "Of course you did," Alex called back from his corner in the room, where he was perched on his bar stool swiping through reports. "But, how did you get all this information? I mean - " Yongguk shook his head slightly. "This is ridiculously detailed." 

   "As long as you ask the right questions to the right people, anything's possible." The casualness with which Alex said this made him do a double take, but otherwise said nothing. "By the way, Vidya, you should show him his sword." 

    "My - " 

    "Well, as leader of Wonderland we can't exactly leave you out of the loop, can we?" Jumping off her chair, the engineer pulled up a model of a katana on the lab table, and Yongguk edged closer to have a better look. "A simple blade forged from goblin steel, which is one of the most durable materials we have access to. A squared guard and a long grip made of leather. It's completely unadorned, no knick and knacks or additional random bibs and bobs stuck into it. No magic too, if you don't want it. Just a simple sword made for your use." 

   "Your English is scandalous, Vidya." 

   "I spent four years around colonisers using coloniser language, deal with it." 

  Ignoring the bickering going on in the background, Yongguk stared at the weapon in a muted mixture of wonder and disbelief, while Vidya continued with her commentary, "You can switch out the tsuba and grip for any material you like, by the way. This is the intended model, but honestly you can customise it however you want." 

  "Anything?" His fingers grazed the hologram in front of him, imagining the katana hanging by his waist. A custom-made weapon. Just for him. 

  "Of course. Just ask, and if it could be done, then we'll do it." 

  "But - " At that split second where Yongguk's eyes flitted up to meet Alex's - as he always did whenever he was in the room and they were discussing something - he immediately noticed something was wrong. "What's wrong, Alex?" 

  "Well, there are a few issues at hand right now." 

  "With Daehyun and Helena?" 

  "If you want a full report on everyone, I can give you a brief rundown." 

  "That does not make sense but okay." Yongguk turned away from Vidya, who had clearly given up waiting for Yongguk and moved on to tickering with a scope. "Go on," The leader prompted. "Start with the least important thing so we can get that out of the way."

  Alex raised his eyebrows at him, clearly amused. "Well, the least important and most boring thing going on right now, is that Saebin has nothing to do and is bored right now."

  "...and that is important?" 

  "That's the least important thing going on and that's what you asked for." 

  "Get a room!" Vidya broke in, head still bent over her scope. She pointedly ignored the two glares sent her direction as she tinkered with it, using a screwdriver that Kakigori had just produced from his mouth-tray...thing? Yongguk re-directed his glance to Alex, massaging his temples. "Okay, what's the next least important thing?" 

   "Aside from you ignoring me?" 

   "Keep talking and I'll stab you." 

   "Oh, my apologies. I thought you wanted the news." 

  "I changed my mind. Just get married, guys," Vidya called again, dodging the mini fireball hurled at her direction by Alex as she walked to the other side of the lab. Yongguk was about to warn him to not expose himself, but none of them seemed fazed about what had happened. "Hey, watch that! You can set this place on fire." As if on cue, Kakigori rolled across the floor and extinguished the smouldering with a mobile fire extinguisher. 

  "The next thing going on right now is the Hyunwook duo in Canada," Alex continued, as if the previous exchange hadn't taken place. "Apparently they found an unseelie portal in the Corazones HQ, and are planning to use it to infiltrate the Unseelie Court soon."

   "...Well, that escalated pretty quickly." 

   "Vidya?"

   "Yeah?" 

   "Hush." 

  "Sorry, sir." The engineer immediately kept quiet after Yongguk's reprimanding, the only sound from her side of the room being the sound of metal clinking. 

  The leader took a deep breath, and turned back to Alex, who had a small smirk on his face as if he was enjoying the commentary Vidya was providing. "I hope the Branch Head approved this." 

  "I'm glad to tell you that Sir Patrick is heading the operation. He even brought in an Unseelie aide to advise on the matter, and it seems to be going well." The tactician checked his holoscreen report, and swiped it to the right to view his next report. "About Daehyun and Helena's process in Cairo, they have tracked down the seelie agent successfully, and are currently engaged in battle." 

  "Anything I need to personally attend to?" Yongguk drummed his fingers on the laboratory table, pondering on the information he just received. He trusted his team members on executing their missions successfully, and didn't want to interfere unnecessarily, but ultimately Alex was the strategist, and the one who would know best how to handle the developing situations. 

   At that, Alex paused and hesitated. Yongguk was itching to continue looking at the katana Vidya made for him, and the other could probably pick up on that. "Not really, no. I do have a few plans prepared to deal with the issues, but I could probably handle them on my own." 

   "Well, you know my number one priority for missions." Yongguk straightened his back. "Making sure everyone gets back safe." He made sure the message sunk in, though Alex knew about his priorities ever since they started working together. "I trust you enough to get everything else done." 

   "As you do." A genuine smile spread across Alex's lips, and Yongguk remembered why he was so well suited for being the team's strategist, and making sure things go the way they should. "Leader-nim." He remembered why he trusted Alex in keeping his teammates safe and making sure they come home, maybe not in one piece, but at least alive. His team, the people entrusted to him, and only saw once, but would undoubtedly be prepared to die for. 

  Sadly, that moment lasted about two seconds, before Vidya interjected.

  "Awwwwww. So cute." 

Corazones Headquarters
—  toronto, canada; 27.7.2017

   Adrian rubbed his eyes groggily, trying to take notice of his surroundings before realising it was still dark. Grabbing at the clock on his bedside table, he took a look at it, and promptly flopped back onto the sheets. 4:18am. Too early to be awake for a mission beginning in the afternoon.

   He eased an arm under his pillow, shifting into a more comfortable position before trying to slip back into dreamland, only to have a groaning sound ensue from next to him. Adrian was about to sit up sleepily to check on Jaehyun, before he mumbled drowsily and snuggled closer against him. 

  Honestly, he was really happy that he was back in Corazones HQ, having Jaehyun with him. Adrian had only spent two - no, probably four - nights in main headquarters, but he had already felt super miserable and homesick during that short period of time. He had been living in Corazones ever since he could remember, and Jaehyun was there for every single day of it. To be away from all of it, even Patrick, whom they constantly complained about, made him realise how important that place really was to him. 

  He wondered if Hyunwook or any of the others felt the same. 

  But then again, they were infinitely more experienced than him. Even though Hyunwook was only two years older than him, he had already been offered a promotion to General when he was his age. Daehyun was already a General, and all of the other people in the team were at least experienced Players, if not possessing General-grade skills. Or at least, that was what he was told. 

  Honestly, why did they choose him, out of all the other more experienced people in Corazones? He wasn't from any particular background that characterised the other members, had no particular Underworlder lineage that he knew of. He wasn't even a skilled fighter; he could barely hold his ground in hand-to-hand combat, couldn't aim straight for the life of him to shoot arrows, firearms, or throw daggers. He couldn't even swim without getting panicky. The only assets he had were his quick reflexes and his dagger skills, which he'd surprised everyone by with dismembering the practice models in the dojo, by stabbing every single vital point accurately. But that was about it. Everyone else his age, at his rank, had already acquired skills far more superior, and were able to cast skills - at least, those who had magic in their veins. 

 "What's wrong, Myeon-ie?" Jaehyun's sleepy voice arose from beneath the sheets. 

 "Just thinking of how useless I am again," He mumbled back. "Do you remember Hyunnie hyung's expression when I missed the target ten times in a row? It's clear he hated my guts." 

 "If you're talking about him having a resting face," Despite the tightness in his chest, Adrian had to choke back a laugh at that phrase. "He looks like that all the time. Don't worry. It'll be fine. He's mean all the time."  

 "Is it, though? I could see the contempt on his face. He hates me." 

 "If he really hates you," Jaehyun shifted and sat up, a hand running through his bed hair. "It would be worse than that. Hyunwook sunbae-nim doesn't let the people he hate get off that easily." 

  "You sound like you know him really well," Adrian mumbled, burying his face into the pillow to hide the tears threatening to spill.

  "I do know him well," Jaehyun's voice sounded strange, almost as if he was strangled. "I was in Diamantes for a while, remember?" 

  That caught his attention. "Were you?" 

  "Yeah. And trust me, not to say he's a good person now, but Hyunwook sunbae-nim was definitely way worse when he was still a teenager." 

  "What did he do? Like, what did he do to the people he didn't like?" 

  "Hmm, let's see..." Adrian shifted closer to Jaehyun, who was leaning back against the headboard, like they did when they were kids and he told Adrian stories because he couldn't sleep. "Do you know what powers he has?" 

  "Kinda." 

  "He had great control even when he was still training, so his training period was relatively short, but it also meant that a lot of the others were really jealous of him. There was a wolf who tried to bite his arm off during training. He froze their maw so even after they got back into human form, they couldn't talk or eat properly for a week."

  "...Damn."

  "There was also another half Unseelie who was accusing him of 'smuggling' because of his inheritance weapon, even though I think the weapon had already undergone the necessary security checks and stuff. I guess there might also be some jealousy involved, since the trainers hadn't seen an inheritance weapon in ages and they were super excited about examining it. Anyways, it eventually erupted into a full-fledged argument and it escalated in the corridor. The gist of the conclusion is that the person who insulted Hyunwook sunbae-nim had a curse on him that inflicted spiders into his room for a month." 

  "That was...intense." 

  "You know Hyunwook sunbae-nim. That guy's nothing but intense." 

  "I guess you're right." 

  "Did that make you feel better?" 

  "Just a little." 

  "Hhm. Just a little is still good." Jaehyun promptly slid back down the headboard, resting his head onto the pillow again. 

  "Uh...Jae?"

  "What's up?" 

  "I think I might have a situation."

  "A situation?"

  Cue stomach rumbling. A sigh. 

  "Does that mean we're raiding the kitchen at this hour?" A sheepish chuckle from Adrian. "You're the best." 

  As it turned out, it did not mean that they were raiding the kitchen at this hour because of a meeting held in, of all things, the Corazones Kitchen. To be fair, there was a cozy hangout in the Corazones Kitchen that resembled a Hufflepuff common room (Adrian could confirm, he'd been there) that also happened to be the pantry, which was probably why they decided to hold a meeting.

  But still, at this time? 

  "Let's go eavesdrop," Adrian whispered, tugging on Jaehyun's sleeve. He hestitated, looking unsure. "What? We do this all the time."

  "I don't know, Myeon-ah." For the first time, his partner in crime seemed visibly uncomfortable. "Maybe we should go back."

  "Why? Afraid you'll get into trouble?" That was usually the trigger that snapped Jaehyun into action. Immediately, the older boy straightened. "I'm not afraid," He stated briskly. "But connect the dots. Only people who would be holding a meeting at this hour is Patrick and Hyunwook sunbae-nim. You want to eavesdrop after hearing the crazy stuff he gets up to?"

  "Well..." At that note Adrian hesitated a little too. "I mean, as long as we don't get found out? It's not like he'll send spiders after us without having proof of our 'crime'." With that in mind, he tip-toed down the flight of stairs that led to the pantry. Just as he made it through halfway, the wood underneath his feet creaked, and Adrian froze up in fear. 

  Instantly, the muffled voices inside the pantry quieted. "You heard that?" Definitely Hyunwook's voice. 

  Told you! Jaehyun mouthed from the top of the stairs. The kitchen was always lit with torches, so Adrian could see clearly the discomfort from his expression. "Just the wind." Patrick's low raspy tone in reply. "If not, the spirits. They usually start working at this time." 

  "Alright." Doubt in Hyunwook's tone. Immediately after, Adrian beckoned frantically at Jaehyun, who began his slow descent down the stairs as he jumped nimbly onto the landing. 

  "So, what you were telling me..."

  "Yeah, I'm not sure about going to the Unseelie Courts." Adrian froze in place. They were talking about their mission. The one he was so afraid of screwing up because of his lack of experience and fighting skills. Suddenly there was a sense of tightness rising up in his chest again. 

  "Are you worried about Adrian?" He swallowed, feeling the weight of Jaehyun's concerned gaze on him but refusing to look at his friend, waiting for what Hyunwook would say in response.

  The Unseelie was silent for a few moments. "Well, he's the root of one of my concerns. Not all of them."

  "So why, then, my boy? Is there a grudge - ah, I see."

  A bitter chuckle. "Do you, really?" 

  "The Queen's War a few years back. I assume that's the issue? You don't want to involve yourself in a conflict caused by a monarch who has blood on her hands."

  "It's not as...righteous and generous as you think." A pause. "I don't care about what she does or doesn't do - it's not my business and not my place to judge. I'm known to ally myself with the wrong crowd, as you can see." A bitter laugh. "But she did something to me personally that I cannot forgive." 

  "You mentioned this in our meeting with Kaia." Realisation struck him as Adrian recalled faint details of their meeting a few days ago. Apparently Patrick did too, because he continued. "Dragging a wolfling onto the Unseelie lands and conducting an unwarrantd trial...abducting an exiled...what was that about?"

  "I'm not sure you'll want to hear this sir, it's morning soon and I know you have your duties to tend to."

  "I'm afraid Corazones is rather lonely at this time of the year since summer tends to be the time everyone decides to escape North America to the Asian side of the world, so there really only our little friends and maybe some others here or there who could take perfect care of themselves. So feel free to make this as long or as short as you would like to."

  At 'our little friends', Adrian had to surpress a giggle, prompting a stern look from Jaehyun. Sorry, he mouthed back. 

 "Alright." Nervousness. "Here it goes, then. No one is listening in?" 

  Both Jaehyun and Adrian froze up. That was it. When Patrick exposes them. "Our spirits always wanders around the building, but if you're worried about loose tongues, I can assure you I trust the integrity of anyone in this building, even if they may or may not be outside at this present moment with their ears pressed to the door." 

  "That's our cue, we should go," Jaehyun whispered in the dark, tugging at Adrian's sleeve. When he didn't move, his friend tugged again. "Adrian!" 

  "Just a bit longer," He hushed. Jaehyun unwillingly stopped, but didn't press the issue. 

  "Okay." Hyunwook didn't sound convinced, but Adrian guessed he would've felt the same if Patrick had gave him that vague answer before he was about to reveal something important about himself he didn't want others finding out about.

   "I'll start, then." 

Uh okay so I wrote the first part of this chapter while watching John Mulaney and Trevor Noah, and playing pubg, so it's probably more funny than it should be and more OOC than it really should be. 

Also!! In case you're wondering why the hell this cut off so suddenly is because I was writing it, and then I realised it'll become a Hyunwook focalised chapter pretty soon so I'll leave it for the next chapter (or another one) where I'll talk about it in his POV 

Btw hi how is everyone :DD Long time no see, I'll just put my personal updates in point form below: 
- I got rejected by Cambridge University :(
- Today's the last day of my exams!
- Earliest time I can go back to school is 8th March, which is a massive
- ...I'm working on my tumblr thingy so it hopefully would be up soon
- I think I'll also do a side characters page so people can keep track of the people I've mentioned so far, just so everyone knows who is who :D 

I hope y'all are doing...remotely well? (And yeah again I don't know how to name chapters)