They called him Clyde, he was charming and handsome, he had that kind of face that makes you stop in your tracks and he had that husky voice she had always loved. She was his beautiful sidekick, they called her Bonnie, she was fierce but she always had the same soft smile that he loved at every end of the day.

…

The night was full of the sound of metal clicking against metal. It was that kind of noise that people would run and scream in horror, but it was music to him. When the noise had died, he knew it was the sign to act and so he hummed before standing up from his crouching position. He smirked and aimed his gun directly on the man’s head. The man saw him, his face had shown a sign of fear as his men had died in the hands of that gorgeous lady in red.

He smiled widely when he shifted his eyes on that woman. She was aiming her gun on that terrified unarmed man as well. Her expression was unreadable but she was biting the inside of and Taemin knew something was wrong.

When their eyes locked together, he sighed deeply and pulled the trigger.

…

“Jinri”, he called and she jolted awake from her thoughts before turning to her side to look at him. Taemin tilted his head a little, his bangs fell softly on the side of his forehead, looking deep into her eyes as he slowly rubbed the back of her hand. “What troubles you so much today sweetheart?”

Upon hearing the word ‘sweetheart’ from his mouth, Jinri smiled softly, feeling delighted and loved by the latter. “I’m fine, Taemin. A little stressed out. It’s just about the amount of work we’re getting this week, that’s it,” she assured him. “I mean, it was a hell of a week!” she’s laughing now, feeling absolutely delirious. “We barely get any sleep.”

He laughed heartily before nodding. “Yeah, it’s been hell, but it’s heaven in the end.”

“Are you sure?” she furrowed so hard, her eyebrows almost connected into a straight line. “Where’s the heaven you’re talking about? The money?” she frowned, her face showed an expression of distasteful.

“No, silly” he laughed again. “It’s you. You’re the heaven I’m talking about,” he gave her a smile that just seemed so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that a familiar warmth rushes through her.

She could feel the sudden heat growing in her cheeks. By now they must be beyond an attractive rosiness. “God, you’re way too cheesy sometimes, you know that?” She huffed. “You should learn to control it before people starts to cringe at everything you say,” she giggled.

“I don’t mind people cringing at me as long as I know you love it,” his left eyebrow lifted slightly, teasing her. “Besides, I love you.”

“Stop it. You’re annoying me,” she raised her hand to pinch on his jaw. “But I love you too, baby.”

Taemin leaned closer and cupped her face with both of his hands as he left a small peck on the corner of her lips. He then brought his hands back on to the steering wheel.

“Come on, let’s go home.”

…

The matte black Audi R8 cruised smoothly down the freeway, travelling north towards the little town where they kept themselves low and hidden. Gazing straight ahead, Taemin had his eyes on the empty road, no one but them. The earlier incident suddenly refreshed into his memory as if it was telling him to not forget. To not ignore.

The look in her eyes, the uncertainty and nervousness when she bited on her cheeks. He knew something was quite not right and though he wanted to know why he chose not to force the latter to tell him.

She needed time.

Taemin drove for a long time until the car finally stopped in the driveway of their home. Glancing at the passenger seat next to him, he saw his angel wrapped in profound sleep with her hands curled up in fist. She was cute, he thought, she always was, especially in her sleep. He smiled at the latter but he immediately frowned when he felt a sharp pain in his heart. She was too tired that he felt sorry for her.

He then turned off the engine and pushed out the door open. His nose was then greeted with the familiar scent of the neighbourhood. The air was clean but if he had to describe it, it was like the air in a walk-in freezer, it had certain moistness to it but it was cold, too cold. Feeling tired from the long drive, he stretched his stiffened arm muscles and winced at the pain in his shoulder.

He quickly made his way towards Jinri who was still sleeping soundly, she did not even flinched when he rubbed his cold thumb on her cheeks.

“Jinri”, he whispered closely that his nose almost touched the tip of her left ear. His lips lifted into a small smile, adoring the girl who was still not giving him any reaction before muttering a ‘permission’ in a low voice. “I’ll carry you up, okay?”

He dashed towards the door, pulling out the keys from his pocket and unlocked it in seconds. Their home was password protected, but they still had a few locks installed in because she never felt safe enough. He then walked back towards the car, gently slid his hands behind her back and under her thighs before swiftly lifted her up with his strong arms.

He pushed the door open with his shoulder and closed it behind him with his leg. He climbed up the stairs with Jinri in his arms and as soon as they reached their bedroom, he slowly put her down on their king-sized maroon colored bed. He pulled up the comforter until it covered her whole body and stood there for a while gazing at the woman before him.

He smiled faintly as he leaned closer towards her face and imprinted a kiss on the side of her forehead. “Sleep tight, angel.”

…

The sun met with her half awakened eyes as Jinri slowly lifted her lids open. Her eyes shifted on that soft looking man before her, he had his brown hair in a disheveled mess but his perfect features complimented his look.

She sighed at the comforting warmth as he breathed softly in her face with his right arm about her neck and a leg over her thighs. She found it adorable but she knew if she stayed any longer, she would fall asleep again. She gently peeled him off and walked towards the bathroom for a long and hot shower, hoping that the water would wash away the pain and soreness from yesterday.

…

“You did not wake me up,” he huffed as soon as his eyes met with Jinri who had her eyes down onto the counter, cutting up some vegetables. She had an apron wrapped around her waist and her hair was tied in a low ponytail with a bit of loose hair framing her face.

“Morning,” she said without looking up, but Taemin could see the small smile she had on her pale face.

He sat on the stool before the counter as he grabbed a green apple with his left hand and took a bite of it. He frowned at the sourness of the apple, trying to adjust his taste buds as he took another bite again.

He had his handsome face rested on his free hand (now occupied) as he stared at Jinri who was now busying herself with the pancake mixture. They remained in a comfortable silent for a while accompanied by the sound of the whisk against the glass bowl and his small bites of the apple.

“Jinri,” he muttered as he had his eyes fixed on the woman who only had her body covered with the large gray sweater that belonged to him. “Do you want to…go out today?”

The sudden question alerted her and she immediately lifted her head up. She furrowed a little when her eyes met with his gaze. “Where to?” she asked. “I don’t think I’m comfortable to go anywhere…” she murmured hastily.

Aside from work, she never really favored going out. She had a constant fear of being followed around or being caught by whoever who wanted to catch them. She knew it was odd how she had chose the job that risked her life on her own’s will yet she always felt afraid to be out in the eye of the public.

Little did she know her constant fear will eat her up alive.

“But,” Taemin sighed and thought deep into his mind before continuing from where he had left off. “We could use a little bit of fun. I mean, we don’t have much of a time before we get another task. How does the beach sounds to you?”

She pursed her plump lips into a straight line, her eyes looked up like she was finding her answer at the wide ceiling of the huge kitchen. She loved the beach, it was her favorite place before the job occupied most of her time that she never had the opporturnity to soak her feet in the salty water again.

She felt indecisive whether it would be a good idea or not but as soon as she saw that hopeful look on Taemin’s face, she nodded her head. “Okay.”

…

Taemin strolled by the beach with Jinri’s soft hand clasped in his as their foot left deep prints in the wet sand. She was humming her favorite song, Little House, as her eyes stared towards the empty horizon.

They exchanged no words between them as usual and when Jinri’s hand left his, he turned his head towards the latter who was now crouching down. The bottom of her dress soaked slightly in the sea and her hair fell onto her face as the wind gently blowed them.

“Taemin, look”, she said excitedly. “It’s a baby crab! He’s so cute!” she grinned so wide showing her perfectly aligned teeth.

Taemin sat beside her as he took a closer look on the crab that Jinri had her finger pointed at. He smirked meaningfully before picking the little friend up to her face, leaving only a few inches between. She shrieked and pulled her face away immediately. “Hey!” she snapped. “That’s not nice.”

He laughed so hard it showed in his eyes. In the way his face changed into that vision of relaxed joy and unrestrained mirth she knew he was having fun teasing her. But that was what she loved about him, his laugh was always enough to transport her away from her worries and the tension in her life.

She folded her arms, eyebrows arched waiting for him to stop. His laughter ended when he saw her looking at him. “What? You said it was cute!”

She pouted and hugged herself, it was a habit of hers when she sulked. “Yeah, but I didn’t tell you to shove it on my face!” she hissed.

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry alright?” He laughed again. “But it’s been a little while since the last time I saw you mad at me that I missed it,” he reasoned out. “You’re always cute when you do your signature pouty look.”

“Sheez, will you ever stop flirting?” she rolled her eyes playfully. “Maybe,” he said. “Or maybe not. I don’t know. I can’t help it you know, it’s like in my genes. Flirting is my charm, don’t you think?”

“You’re so full of yourself, Lee Taemin,” she pinched his cheeks in helpless affection.

“I know,” he said softly as he wrapped his arms around her perfectly curved waist. “Can we go eat now though? I felt hungry when I saw that crab,” he glanced down at the baby crab he had left on the sand earlier, patting on his packed stomach.

“Don’t tell me you had the urge to eat him,” she let out a small laugh before continuing. “Don’t even think about it, Taemin. He’s innocent, please spare him a life.”

“I would if I had a bonfire, but since I don’t I won’t” he joked. “Come on, let’s find some place to eat.” He smirked when an idea popped into his mind. It was brilliant, he thought.

“Let’s race to the car. Whoever arrives late will not pay for the food!” Before Jinri could even understand what he was suggesting, he sprinted towards the car leaving her by herself. She gathered her thoughts and when she finally get what he meant, she smiled.

He always hated it when she paid for them instead, he complained that it made him look less gentleman. But Jinri knew, that was not entirely the reason.

It was because he loved her, and the fact that their contracts held them down, they will never be able to tie a knot between them. It was a sad reality, how they had stayed through thick and thin yet they could not make that promise of love.

Her gaze silently followed the back of Taemin’s tall and slimmed figure. Turning her head back to the beach to take a good look of it before leaving, she smiled at the lilac painted sky that meets the end of the wide sea. “Good bye.”