IMPORTANT: minor trigger warning --  brief mention of ual assault, nothing detailed but i just wanted readers to know just in case!

e p i s o d e  i v

“The victim was Kim Yooncheol, a sixty-six year old chauffeur. Jongdae was able to track the car’s license plate to him and get some information on him. Kim previously worked for Black Pearl Transportation Services but was recently fired from his job several months ago due to… well... Cause of death was an improvised explosive device forcefully attached to the victim’s heart. Death was immediate. More to report after the forensic agents get everything back to your lab.”

“Lu Han, for Pete’s sake, stop working and sit down for a moment,” Minseok scolds, taking the clipboard from Lu Han’s hands. “You were almost caught in that same explosion. Go sit with Yifan and Yixing over there and stop reporting to everyone, someone else can do it for you.”

“Take a look at the notes, Minseok.”

“You need to- huh?”

Lu Han’s head is down, hands curled tight in fists. “Just- Just read the part explaining why the victim was fired from his job.”

Minseok looks down at the report in his hand.

“Worked at Black Pearl Transportation Services for seventeen years…” his eyes widen, “dismissed from his post after facing a number of ual assault charges?!”

“That slimy piece of would take advantage of any woman pretty enough to have the misfortune of getting in his car.” Lu Han grits his teeth. “He was able to get himself acquitted the first two or three cases due to lack of evidence in court, but the number of his victims kept growing, and they kept filing charges until the company finally fired his .”

“That’s-” Minseok’s voice cracks as he scans the rest of the paragraph, exactly as Lu Han said, “-that’s awful.”

“I know,” Lu Han looks up, a quiet fury burning in his eyes, “but if those K bastards think that they’re going to get away with their stupid little games just because they’ve gotten rid of their scum for a puppet, then they better watch their backs.”

“Goddamnit,” Yifan mutters as he stand up and puts on a pair of disposable gloves and coveralls, stepping under the ring of caution tape and into the gruesome aftermath of K’s final gift. “God-ing-damnit.”

“Watch your step,” a voice says, interrupting his usual cursing.

Yifan pauses mid-step and looks down to where Yixing is kneeling down to pick up a shard of bone from the ash covered ground with a pair of tweezers. “Sorry, the forensic anthropologist will need this little guy to reconstruct the skeleton later.”

“You’re fine, you’re fine,” Yifan sighs, watching as Luhan’s CSI team continues to collect samples and pieces of the victim’s body scattered across the crime scene. “I’m just… letting out my frustrations, the usual. Don’t mind me.”

Yixing simply hums in reply as he scans the debris in front of them, deep in thought. “A sniper and a bomber…”

“Does that ring any bells?”

After a slight pause, Yixing shakes his head. “Something about that combo sounds familiar, but I would have to do a little research first. It shouldn’t be hard to draft a list of potential suspects capable of what we saw today. This was definitely the job of skilled, professional killers.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Yifan runs a hand through his hair, “Jongdae’s programs are state of the art and I highly doubt something was able to sneak past his tracking defenses. But if that’s true then… that shot… I’m almost certain if you hadn’t shot Kim in the foot, it would have been a perfect snipe straight through the heart. From a distance further than two miles. The US doesn’t even have that sort of expertise in their arsenal. Someone like that doesn’t just show up out of nowhere. For all we know, we could be looking for someone with secret military training, like, like-”

“Like me.” Yixing finishes.

At Yifan’s look of surprise, Yixing raises an eyebrow. “You don’t have to feign shock, I know the rest of the guys know about it. Jongdae is one of the best hackers in the world when he isn’t playing around. I’m more surprised he hasn’t dug up even more.”

Yifan lets out a loose cough. “Ah, sorry. I just, I wasn’t sure if you were comfortable with the news being out and everything. I mean, you keep insisting on being our receptionist of all things-“

“It’s a very respectable living,” Yixing sniffs indignantly.

“I mean usually I’d ask before hiring, but Lu Han was intent on having you here and I’d trust the guy with my life-”

“I got it Yifan,” Yixing offers a small smile, and Yifan stops babbling. “It’s fine, really. I’m really thankful for you respecting my privacy despite knowing the type of field we’re in. Your trust in Lu Han is truly admirable.”

“Good, that’s- that’s good.” Yifan takes a deep breath. There are too many things on his mind and the events of the day are coming crashing down on him all at once. He needs to take a moment to breathe and think, just like Lu Han told him. “I think I might call it a day. Head back and finish up on some paperwork before turning in. I, uh, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Bright and early,” Yixing nods gives him a thumbs-up, before turning back to where Minseok and Lu Han are standing. “Yifan’s going to head back! He’s a little motion sick from the car chase earlier!”

“For the last time, I don’t have motion sickness!”

Most of the restaurants in the area are closed by the time Yixing gets back to his apartment. He sighs as he slips out of his shoes and shuffles into the kitchen, peeking into the pantry and fridge, before deciding to boil himself some ramen. The rest of the night is just as uneventful, as he watches a rerun of some variety show while he eats. He isn’t sure what show it is or what’s really going, but the mindless background sound is comforting in its own way as Yixing stares off into space in thought.

A sniper that could hit a target over a two mile distance, huh…

He reaches for his cellphone lying on the coffee table and dials a number he hasn’t had to call in ages.

“Hey, it’s me. Yeah, I know it’s been a while. I’m doing good. Listen, do you remember Park Chanyeol?”

“You’re saying the guy just dodged Chanyeol’s shot?!” Jongin’s eyes widened in incredulity. “Are you sure he didn’t just miss?”

Baekhyun crosses his arms with a hmph. “No! For the last time, Chanyeol doesn’t miss! How many times do I have to tell you all-”

“It’s fine Baek,” Chanyeol leans back into the couch to get more comfortable and props his legs up on the nearby ottoman. “You know that one of those guys from M must have caught him in the leg or something along those lines to have gotten him to move. Besides, there’s no guarantee my shot would have hit the mark. It’s good that you took precautionary measures beforehand.”

“It would’ve, Chan! It would’ve hit for sure!” Baekhyun insists as he flops onto Chanyeol in frustration, ignoring his partner’s surprised wheeze. How could no one else see the sniper like he did? In Baekhyun’s eyes, Chanyeol was absolutely perfect.

“It must’ve been him,” Junmyeon grins excitedly from his spot next to Jongin on the other couch, where he was previously sending an email on his laptop. “I can’t believe I missed a chance to see Yixing again because of work. I should have known he would’ve begun to find our movement suspicious. That means he’s finally beginning to notice us. Notice me.”

“You wouldn’t have gotten to see him anyway, since he was where that chauffeur guy was. Besides, there were two other guys there with him, how do you know- Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol’s eyes are the size of dinner plates as he sits up straight to look at Junmyeon. “Wait, you said his name was Yixing?”

Junmyeon’s eyes narrow. “You know him?”

The sniper freezes in his seat, mind racing. Could it actually be the Yixing he knew?

“-yeol?”

Chanyeol blinks. “Hmm? No, sorry about that. I thought you said Liching. I think Sehun said something about a Chinese student in one of his classes?”

Junmyeon seems to relax, and Chanyeol lets out the breath he doesn’t realize he’s holding until he feels Baekhyun press three fingers into the small of his back. They’re in the clear for now.

Meanwhile, Jongin’s eyes furrow as he cups his chin in confusion, muttering, “Was that guy’s name Liching?”

Baekhyun distracts Junmyeon by asking about his work day, and it isn’t long before the previous tension in the room dissipates. Chanyeol excuses himself to the kitchen to start making dinner, and doesn’t relax until he hears Baekhyun and Junmyeon start to bicker about something meaningless. It isn’t as though it would be his fault anyway if the Yixing Junmyeon’s after ends up being the one he knew, but crossing a Junmyeon in the heat of the moment could definitely prove problematic and Kyungsoo already warned them to be careful around him in his current state.

Besides, it couldn’t possibly be the same Yixing that Chanyeol had known from years past.

It couldn’t be.

Zitao is restless as he sits in class, chewing on the end of his pencil’s eraser and never looking away from the clock hanging nearby on the wall. Just a few more minutes…

He secretly glances down at his phone, where Jongdae’s text message is still visible on the lock screen.

I need your help.

What does that mean? Is he okay? Why is he asking the intern, of all people? Does Yifan know? Has K acted again?

“Alright, you all are free to go.” The professor’s voice cuts through his deliberation.

Zitao’s head shoots up as he looks around and realizes that everyone is leaving. He hastily shoves his notebook and pen into his book bag and scurries out of the lecture hall. Just as he turns the corner to exit the building, he knocks into someone in a rather abrupt and harsh collision. He immediately backs up and lowers his head in apology. “I’m so sorry! Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. It’s alright, I was at fault as well, I should have been watching where I was going too.”

Zitao looks up to a pair of piercing, yet faintly familiar eyes staring down at him. “Have I… seen you before?”

“Oh,” the guy sticks a hand out for Zitao to shake, “You’re in my sociology class, right? With Kang gyosu (professor).”

“Ah!” Zitao’s eyes widen in realization. “That’s right! I knew I had seen you before from somewhere!”

“Yeah,” his classmate rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “I remember you because your name didn’t sound Korean when he called on you last class.”

“I’m from China,” Zitao states proudly, “But I wanted a change of scenery for college, you know? To experience new things and see the world while I’m still young. I’m not completely fluent in Korean yet but it’s been very fun and exciting to here!”

“Exciting,” his classmate echoes, an expression similar to almost confusion fixed on his face. “What are you majoring in?”

“Criminal justice.”

“Hmm, I wouldn’t have pegged you as someone to go into that field.”

“Yeah, it just kind of ended up that way,” Zitao readjusts the backpack strap on his shoulder, ignoring how the other’s eyes remained locked in on him. “Uh, what about you, are you majoring in sociology?”

“Ah, no. I’m in engineering. Social construct and people are subjects kind of lost on me. I’m just taking the class to get general education credit… and because a friend suggested it to me. He’s a sociology major.”

“Oh. I see.” Zitao takes a glance at the nearby clock hanging in the hall. “Crap! I have another class I have to get to. Sorry about running into you earlier.”

“It’s all good,” his classmate says, “It was nice to meet you, uh…”

“Huang Zitao,” the Chinese laughs as he holds out a hand to shake. “Geez, we never even introduced ourselves. What’s your name?”

The other reaches over, his hand smooth and cool as he peers at Zitao one last time with those piercing brown eyes.

“Sehun. Oh Sehun.”

Ahhh so behind schedule and exams/papers need to be written so next update may not be in a while but I hope this chapter was thrilling enough! Lots of things are being built/developed so get hype OuO

Hope you all have a great week! If you all enjoyed reading please comment, subscribe and upvote! It'd mean the world to me :D

Happy Monday!

Less than three,

PalmerPie