Seulgi’s life is full of secrecy, but –

 

– people around her don’t really get the meaning of that word.

 

“Seulgi, Seulgi! Where’s your partner?”

 

“Even if I want to, I’m forbidden to disclose anything about her to you, Park.”

 

“Pfft. You just don’t know where she is like everyone else, do you?”

 

Really, if it’s not against company policy, Seulgi doesn’t mind killing Park Joy and burying her body in secret.

 

Perhaps it will even help her lessen her pent up frustration.

 

“Seulgi, Seulgi! Has your partner ran off to have an affair with someone we don’t know?”

 

“Sod off, Kim.”

 

“Is that a yes?”

 

If ever the company amends that policy, Seulgi resolves that Kim Yerim will be her next target after Joy.

 

It will be a service to the world, as all the devilish duo do everyday is going around causing headache to everyone they encounter.

 

“Really, they’re not that bad.”

 

“Playing with my heart is bad, Wan.”

 

No matter how scornful Seulgi is against the world, she can never direct her anger at Wendy – or Wandy – or Wanda, depends on what day it is, really.

 

At least if there’s someone Seulgi doesn’t want to kill in the company, it’s her.

 

“Really, it’s me?” Wendy smirks in amusement. “What about her?” She swishes her fingers up in the air as though Seulgi is supposed to know who this ‘her’ is just by seeing the gesture.

 

Unfortunately, she does know.

 

Perhaps she decides too fast. Wendy can go too.

 

“You know, just go to the noraebang and sing your heartache out,” the blonde tells her, flipping the files in front of her.

 

“I’m not having a heartache,” she denies.

 

“Sure,” Wendy nods. “Of course. Why are you sulking in my office for seven days straight again?”

 

“I hate you,” Seulgi scowls.

 

“I’m not sure you’re supposed to spend a week in my presence if you hate me,” the blonde says in a sing-song manner.

 

“Just say you hate me too and go.”

 

“This is my office, might I remind you.”

 

“Are you shooing me away?”

 

“Nope, I’m telling you to go to the noraebang.”

 

Seulgi twitches. “If all glasses crack during my session, I’m blaming it all on you.”

 

“Sure,” Wendy airily replies. “I can help to at least bear that while you nurse over the crack in your heart.”

 

On second thought, Seulgi is positive she wants to place Wendy on 1st and push Joy back down to 2nd. The tall giant will have to deal being a second best for a while.

 

 

***

 

 

The job Seulgi has is full of secrecy, and the company she’s signed up at is full of secrecy, thus it’s really no surprise that the company has a private noraebang in their basement with soundproofed walls and secretive activity logs.

 

We don’t want anyone to be emotionally challenged, the president of the company said in one of their secret meetings, so we have a part of the basement turned into a noraebang for you guys to blow your stress off, in addition to the company’s gym, game center, and massage service.

 

Seulgi bites the inside of her cheek and stops in front of the receptionist; a robot everyone dubs as Robyeol, a play of the word byeolro, because the goddamn robot kept saying ‘byeolro’ at their name suggestions and coldly rejected their ideas. Seulgi personally thinks that if every AI has a personality like Robyeol then humans are done for; AIs will outsass and hammer everyone into submission.

 

“A room, please, Robyeol,” Seulgi murmurs, pressing her platinum ID card against the scanner plate.

 

“This. is. the. seventh. time. you. are. visiting. in. the. span. of. one. week,” Robyeol tonelessly drawls, “do. you. want. me. to. call. a. shrink?”

 

A tic appears on her forehead, and Seulgi refrains herself from throwing a punch at the cheeky robot. “A room, please, Robyeol.”

 

“It. will. be. number. nine,” the robot states, producing a key for her.

 

“Thank you, Robyeol.”

 

“Your. name. is. in. active. duty. list. for. the. day. after. tomorrow,” Robyeol drawls, its round eyes flashing blue briefly as though it is trying to glare at Seulgi. “So. no. alcohol. in. the. fridge. for. you.”

 

She sighs. “Thank you, Robyeol.”

 

“If. agent. Rabbit. comes. by. later –“

 

“Thank you, Robyeol!” Seulgi yells over the robot’s monotonous voice, snatching the key from the table and stomping away from its programmed snicker. Curse the tech team for doing way too good job at increasing Robyeol’s intelligence – hopefully their charger will go missing when their phone’s battery runs low.

 

 

***

 

 

Half an hour after the Kang’s left to find room 9, a hooded figure saunters into the noraebang and presses a golden ID card onto the scanner plate. Robyeol tilts its head at the resounding beep, and its round eyes form crescent moons at the visitor in front of the table.

 

“Welcome. back, agent. Rabbit.”

 

The figure smiles and slowly pulls back the hoodie, revealing a beautiful face framed by wild locks of purplish hair jauntily escaping from a loose ponytail. “Good afternoon, Robyeol-ah.”

 

“Are. you. coming. to. dissect. an. information?”

 

“Perhaps,” the agent admits. “But I know you aren’t allowed to disclose any.”

 

“Room. number. nine,” Robyeol briskly replies.

 

“That easily?” she asks, peering curiously at the robot.

 

“President. took. the. liberty. to. key. several. cards. together,” Robyeol says, “yours. is. keyed. with. agent. Bear’s.”

 

“Oh?” The agent leans forward, intrigued. “Since when is this? I still had to wait here until she came out last time.”

 

“Just. a. week. ago,” the robot replies. “Two. days. after. you. went. on. your. mission, so. are. you. going. to. room. number. nine?”

 

“Of course,” the agent nods.

 

Robyeol slowly bobs its head and drawls, “The. door. has. been. unlocked, agent. Rabbit.”

 

“Thanks, Robyeol-ah,” the agent says, reaching out to pat the robot’s head. “And if agent Bear ever asked, we never had this conversation, okay?”

 

Robyeol makes a show of blinking, and for once the robot’s steely shoulders go up briefly as if to shrug.

 

“What. conversation, agent. Rabbit?”

 

The agent grins.

 

“Exactly.”

 

 

***

 

 

“My heart is paralyzed…”

 

Seulgi has gone through a few songs before she finally picks the song of her life.

 

“My head was oversized…”

 

Or rather, her life these past several years.

 

“I’ll take the high road like I shooould –“

 

She has Moonbyul to thank for introducing her to this song that one time they spent a noraebang session together, the Moon drunk and heartbroken.

 

“You said it’s meant to be!”

 

Solar, or agent Sun, was missing for two weeks then, without anyone knowing or willing to disclose the whys.

 

“That it’s not you, it’s meee –“

 

If one is on mission, the only people who will know are the team and the reinforcement, or in case of solo mission, the contact person within the company who monitors and provides information.

 

“You are leaving now for my own gooood!”

 

Moonbyul slurred that maybe Solar wasn’t on a mission and simply ran off to marry a rich dude – Eric something – that had hired them some months ago, and Seulgi was stuck listening to the history of agent Moon and agent Sun and how the solar system conspired against them uniting in their happily ever after.

 

“That’s cool but if my friends ask where you are I’m gonna say –“

 

I hope you wouldn’t go through what I’m going through, Seul, Moonbyul sobbed to a bear plushie Robyeol handed them for the noraebang’s anniversary, don’t fall in love with anyone in this damned company, you hear me?

 

“She went down in an airplane!”

 

Seulgi would have honored that request if the day after that a new agent didn’t enter the company.

 

“Fried getting suntanned!”

 

She would have complied if she didn’t find herself stumbling over her words when she tried to strike a conversation with the then newbie.

 

“Fell in a cement mixer full of quicksand!”

 

Would have made sure she didn’t fall if it’s not for the new agent’s rare smiles that set her heart ablaze.

 

“Help me, help me, I’m no good at goodbyeeeeeeees~“

 

Really, it’s not her fault if fate suddenly decided it’s time for her to drown in a pool of feelings, right?

 

“She met a shark under water!”

 

So Seulgi asked Moonbyul about the sorrowful song she sang during their session, for future reference.

 

“Fell and no one caught her!”

 

Moonbyul just laughed, laughed, like Seulgi didn’t know what she’s gotten herself into.

 

“I returned everything I ever bought her –”

 

And the Kang wished Solar (who had finally come back from her mission the day before) would get a month long mission soon.

 

“Help me, help me, I’m all out of lies –“

 

Because boy, does it hurt.

 

“And ways to say you diiiiiiied.”

 

It freaking does.

 

 

***

 

 

“I still think it’s unfair that Robyeol clearly has a favorite,” Wendy complains through the earpiece. “Yah, Irene, are you listening?”

 

“Of course, Wan-ah,” the Irene replies, raking her fingers through her hair. Her sharp gaze flits from door to door, taking in the numbers. “You just have to be gentler, you know.”

 

“Have you heard the robot?” Wendy whines. “How can one be gentle in front of that much sass?!”

 

“Just embrace it and learn how to pat Robyeol’s head,” Irene laughs. “And stop being so stumped just because you can’t bribe him with cakes.”

 

“I do not do bribes –“

 

“Wan-ah, listen, I need to go now,” she says, touching the earpiece as her gaze sweeps over the number 9 engraved on the wooden door in front of her. “I will come back to you later, all right?”

 

“Oh, sure. Just make sure Seul won’t have my head on a silver platter just because I withheld the fact that I knew where you’ve been this past few days, okay?”

 

Irene snorts. “You’re exaggerating.”

 

“I don’t know, agent Rabbit, you weren’t there when she’s tearing a handful of hair out because Joy wouldn’t stop pestering her about affairs and cheatings.”

 

Shaking her head, Irene bids the blonde goodbye and deactivates her earpiece, packing the tools up in practiced movements until everything’s neatly stored back inside her pocket. She lifts her head up to stare at the room’s number again, ears straining to catch a sound, but of course she can’t hear nothing but her own heartbeats.

 

The company did a splendid job soundproofing everything.

 

With a firm nod to herself, she turns the door’s handle and slowly opens the door.

 

 

***

 

 

“My pride still feels the sting…”

 

The damned company just has too many secrets that it makes Seulgi’s head hurt.

 

“You were my everything…”

 

And perhaps her heart, too.

 

“Someday I’ll find a love like yoooours!”

 

Her friends, if they even deserve to be called friends, definitely don’t help.

 

“She’ll think I’m superman…”

 

If she hears Joy talking loudly about how agent Gum from reconnaissance department seems to harbor some deep feelings for her partner one more damned time then she swears to Pringles she’d strangle the giant, screw company policy.

 

“Not super minivan…”

 

And Yerim too, for even planting the idea that she is Seulgi’s partner – they were paired for a mission only thrice, Seulgi really doesn’t have the right to call her a partner –

 

“How could you leave on Yom Kippuuuuur?!”

 

Actually, Seulgi is sure there is no concept of permanent partners in the company because team requirements for each mission is always different.

 

“That’s cool but if my friends ask where you are I’m gonna say –“

 

But Seulgi would be a liar if she says she doesn’t want to think of a certain agent that way.

 

“She was caught in a mudslide!”

 

Every disappearance is a torture.

 

“Eaten by a lion!”

 

But every arrival is a bittersweet blessing.

 

“Got run over by a crappy purple Scion!”

 

Because the agent will find Seulgi first after a debrief and it makes her feel so damn special.

 

“Help me, help me, I’m no good at goodbyeeeeees!”

 

It makes her wonder if the agent goes through the same flurry of emotions whenever Seulgi’s on a mission.

 

“She dried up in the desert!”

 

And a voice inside her head that sounds very much like Yerim will tell her that it’s a first sign of delusion.

 

“Drowned in a hot tub!”

 

After all, no one ever tells Seulgi that the agent is antsy when she’s gone.

 

“Danced to death at an east side night club!”

 

Which is strange because the agent seems to know every silly thing Seulgi gets into whenever the agent’s on duty.

 

“Help me, help me, I’m all out of lies!”

 

Or maybe not, the agent’s good friends with Wendy, after all, and Wendy always knows.

 

“And ways to say you diiiiiiiiiiiiied…”

 

All the more reason to cement Wendy’s position as 1st in her hit temporarily unfriended list.

 

 

***

 

 

The person she’s visiting is just so focused on singing that Irene can slip into the room and sit on the couch undetected. Or maybe she’s just too skilled at this.

 

Stealthily, she reaches for the noraemote – taken from norae and remote and everyone agrees that the president should never be allowed to give names to new things afterwards – and waits patiently, eyes fixating on the animatic person singing soulfully in front of her, back her.

 

“I wanna live a thousand lives with you! I –”

 

It’s a little hard trying to not get up and hug that person’s back after a long time, but Irene has an incredible self-control. She will manage.

 

“Wanna be the one you’re dying to loooooove…”

 

Irene knows this song; agent Sun – who heard from agent Lion who heard from agent Pup who heard from agent Moon that Seulgi had started to play it whenever she went to the noraebang – kindly told her about it when she came back from a mission only to see Joy passing by, tossing an “Irene there you are! Seulgi’s been saying that you died, thank God she’s wrong!” over her shoulder.

 

“But you don’t want toooooooo!”

 

Still, this is the first time Irene witnesses Seulgi singing it.

 

“That’s cool but if my friends ask where you are I’m gonna say –“

 

But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t listened to it by herself enough to know that it’s about to reach the killing part.

 

“That’s cool but if my friends ask where you are I’m gONNA SAYYY –“

 

Pause.

 

Irene grins as the blaring music comes into an abrupt stop, a strained “She” slipping past the person’s lips. The indignant “Hey!” comes first, and then the person turns around to face her, ready to blame whatever it is stopping her from finishing the song –

 

“A – agent Rabbit?”

 

She feels her own grin soften into a smile. “Hi, agent Bear.”

 

 

***

 

 

Seulgi has half a mind to march outside and douse Robyeol with a bucket of acidic water for allowing someone to break into her karaoke room, but the other part of her mind is reeling with immense relief at the sight of her partner sitting on the couch, the noraemote resting on her lap.

 

“You’re here,” she dumbly mutters, her hand holding a mic limply coming down.

 

“I am,” the other shrugs, and then a smile touches upon the beautiful lips. “Have I told you that I love your voice?”

 

And that’s when embarrassment starts to set in.

 

Oh my God, Seulgi mentally screams, she’s not supposed to hear me sing this song!

 

“I um well it’s just –“ she feels constrict and she wishes for the ground to swallow her right there, “– you might have said that once or twice, yeah…”

 

“Well, been a long time since I told you, so I’m telling you again,” the other woman, agent Rabbit, Irene, replies. “Do you want to sing another song, or are you going to sit?”

 

Shaking her head, Seulgi slowly approaches the couch, her eyes never leaving Irene’s amused gaze. Her hold around the mic tightens as she carefully perches next to the then-missing agent, almost afraid that if the couch shakes too much, the latter will disappear.

 

“Hullo,” she croaks.

 

Irene snorts. “We have said hi to each other.”

 

“Ah,” she blinks, “have we?”

 

“Mmm,” Irene hums, and Seulgi’s heart skips a beat as the agent’s hand reaches out to lightly pinch her nose. “How have you been?”

 

Bloody miserable, Seulgi wants to say, but she’s no longer miserable now, not really, so she swallows the answer and smiles.

 

“I’m good now, agent Rabbit.”

 

The use of her codename causes Irene to sport a frown, but Seulgi’s not yet ready to say Irene out loud, because there is a childish voice inside her that wants her to sulk at Irene for disappearing.

 

“So, who died?” Irene asks, setting aside the noraemote and leaning back comfortably.

 

Seulgi blinks.

 

“Um –“ You, but she can’t say that, “– just someone who got away.” Nice save, Seulgi.

 

“Does this someone come back?”

 

Damn.

 

“Perhaps,” Seulgi answers, mentally cursing herself for never being able to lie in front of Irene.

 

“Interesting.”

 

“It really isn’t.”

 

“Do I know this someone?”

 

Seulgi cringes. “I really rather not say.”

 

“Even to your partner?” Irene asks, slowly leaning her head against Seulgi’s shoulder, and time might as well stop. Planets, stop turning. Atoms, stop interacting. Everyone go home, because this will be the most perfect moment Seulgi ever wants to happen, and if Wendy can read her mind she’d be shaking her head and calling for a shrink because yes hello one of my agent is infected with a sappy virus and it’s messing with her brain, send help.

 

“Seulgi?”

 

Irene’s soft call shakes her out of her stupor, only for her insides to melt again because how is it possible to fall for the way someone says your name, really?

 

“I’m sorry,” Seulgi apologizes, trying to relax her shoulder for Irene’s head, “I zoned out.”

 

“This someone must be very special, then, to make you zone out like that.”

 

“You have no idea.”

 

Silence stretches, with Irene shifting to snuggle closer and Seulgi trying not to evaporate on the spot, and it breaks when the screen beeps once before going dark – as the room’s occupant hasn’t requested a song in the last ten minutes.

 

“I missed you,” Irene whispers, teasingly close.

 

Suddenly, merely saying ‘I missed you too’ is hard.

 

“Yeah,” Seulgi murmurs instead, “how was mission, agent Rabbit?” Not that Irene will say anything, because everything is confidential, it always is. This company and its secrecy, really, it’s almost ridiculous –

 

“I was sent to Australia,” the agent replies. “Just an mission, though it got a little messy…”

 

Seulgi clears . “Are you allowed to tell me this?”

 

“The mission’s status got changed halfway,” Irene continues, ignoring the question. “Rescue. What’s first a little messy spiraled down into bloody messy. Company sent Bogum’s team to help –“

 

“Are you allowed to tell me this?”

 

Irene’s words come into a halt, and Seulgi bites her lower lip, mentally berating herself for sounding desperate. But she really doesn’t want to hear about agent Gum, doesn’t want her mind to conjure an image of Joy annoyingly talking about the male agent’s adoration to Irene.

 

“Sorry,” Irene whispers, voice carrying a defeated tone. She shifts to lift her head from Seulgi’s shoulder and the Kang tries not to think of the cold seeping inside her or the bee stinging around her heart as Irene continues,

 

“I just wanted to share about my mission to my partner, but it seems like I’ve done wrong.”

 

Seulgi closes her eyes and resists the urge to look at Irene. “Agent Rabbit, you know as well as I do that there are no permanent partners…”

 

“Of course,” and Heavens do those two words sound so hollow, “I understand, agent Bear. I’m sorry again.”

 

“It’s okay.” Seulgi pointedly ignores how wrong her reply tastes on her tongue, how bitter it feels as it rolls past her lips. “I’m glad you’re here now.”

 

 

***

 

 

It would be so easy to stand up and leave, Irene thinks.

 

It would be so easy to cradle her wounds and exit the room, marking this meeting with Seulgi as a bitter one –

 

– but it will be the first.

 

Because Irene, ever since the day she met Seulgi, has always tried to finish her meeting with the Kang with a smile and a fond ‘see you later!’, no matter how short it was.

 

If a mission was to be her last, she wants to remember Seulgi in a perfect portray of a partner who never fails to bring happiness to every corner of her life.

 

So she doesn’t leave.

 

No. She isn’t about to start running away now.

 

“So,” she says. “What have you been up to, agent Bear?”

 

“Mm?” Seulgi turns slightly towards her, “Oh, not much. Wan only tasked me to do some little researches, I was pretty much jobless.”

 

“Sounds fun.”

 

“You have no idea.”

 

“Should I try that too?”

 

“You should,” Seulgi replies almost too fast, her lips twisting into a smile as she lowers her head. “Maybe then I’ll get to worry less about you.”

 

There.

 

This kind of Seulgi is what she wants to remember if she’s to have her final breaths.

 

“Huh?” Seulgi says, confused, and Irene belatedly realizes that she has spoken her thought out loud. Seulgi is staring at her now with panic and befuddlement, lips parted open to question what Irene has been asking to herself on her most quiet nights –

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

 

***

 

 

Seulgi is a mess.

 

And by a mess, it means Seulgi is jumping into conclusions. Worst conclusions.

 

“Agent Rabbit, you –“ she shakes her head, correcting herself, “Irene,” she firmly says, “are you hurt anywhere?”

 

“No,” the agent quickly answers, eyes widening. “I’m all right.”

 

“Let me see,” Seulgi breathes, heart beating fast inside her chest. She squeezes the agent’s shoulders, ignoring the tensed muscles beneath her palms, and she works her way to Irene’s arms, wrists, fingers.

 

“Seul, I’m really all right –“

 

Seulgi lets go of the warm fingers in her hold, before moving to press her hands against Irene’s sides.

 

The agent hisses, and Seulgi’s heart drops.

 

“Damn,” Seulgi worriedly whispers, retracting her hands as though she has been electrocuted. “You’re wounded.”

 

“It’s nothing, medic has given me a first treatment during debriefing.”

 

“You should’ve gone to the health unit!” Seulgi says, annoyed at the nonchalant air Irene gives off. She reaches into her pocket for her earpiece. “What were you thinking, coming here instead?”

 

“I need to see you,” Irene firmly replies, causing Seulgi to freeze for a brief second.

 

And then annoyance sets in.

 

“Don’t throw that kind of sentence lightly,” she grumbles, putting on her earpiece and fumbling around to contact Wendy. “Wan? Listen, Irene –“

 

“Why wouldn’t I mean what I say?”

 

Seulgi closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, praying for Heavens to give her strength. She slowly turns towards the agent, trying her best to stand unaffected under the intensity of Irene’s gaze.

 

“You have no idea how much your words affect me, do you?”

 

Irene blinks at her, but Seulgi doesn’t wait for a reply.

 

“You have no idea how worried I am whenever you go missing, do you. I know you heard stories from Wan or maybe even the devilish duo, but you must have thought it’s just a cute worry from a friend, right? You probably don’t know that I worry more about you than agent Gum ever does –“

 

“Seulgi,” Irene breathes, “hold on, why are you bringing Bogum into this –“

 

“He likes you!” Seulgi yells. “He likes you and you notices him and someday you two will date if you haven’t already –”

 

“Date?” Irene asks, and then she bursts into laughter.

 

 

***

 

 

Wendy looks up from her files – that she hasn’t been reading since the last few minutes – at the sound of the door bursting open. A swarm of agents filled her office, and the quickest is agent Moon, who immediately strides towards her.

 

“We received the urgent message, what’s up?”

 

“Nothing urgent,” Wendy says, waving her hand nonchalantly. “I just thought you’d want to hear this.” She sets her earpiece on the table, adjusting it so that it’s on speaker.

 

“I’m not dating Bogum, Seul.”

 

Agent Moon’s eyes widen, and the agents behind her immediately scramble forward to get closer to the earpiece with excited murmurs. Wendy grins, motioning for everyone to tone down their voices.

 

Somewhere from the back row an agent exasperatedly huffs, “And I thought this company is hellbent on secrecy.”

 

“It is,” another agent solemnly confirms, “but if you give a loophole then we’re going to take as much enjoyment as we can out of it, honestly. Your loophole, your fault.”

 

If she isn’t so worried about her voice reaching the other side of the connection, Wendy would have guffawed because true.

 

 

***

 

 

“Nor will I ever,” Irene softly says, carefully observing Seulgi’s avoiding eyes.

 

“You should really go to the health unit,” Seulgi mumbles under her breath.

 

“And you’re changing the topic.” Seulgi flinches, guilty as charged, and Irene smiles. “You might be right, though. I probably should go there.”

 

“Y – yeah.”

 

“Maybe if I said everything in a drug-induced confession, you will believe me?”

 

“Irene…”

 

“But thank you,” she says, cutting off whatever lecture Seulgi’s preparing in her mind, “for worrying about me. Thank you, Seulgi.”

 

The younger agent rolls her shoulders, “I’m sure everyone will do the same.”

 

“Wan definitely won’t do the same,” Irene says. “She’s quite positive I can handle being like this for at least next morning. And I happen to agree with her,” she quickly continues when Seulgi’s about to protest, “it only hurts when you press on it too much.”

 

“That ,” Seulgi mutters, eyes downcast.

 

“Why?”

 

“Well, for one, that means I – no one can hug you,” Seulgi says, and Irene has to bite back a smile because she notices the slip up.

 

“You can hug me,” she replies, “you just have to put your arms higher than my torso.”

 

“Oh,” the other dumbly responds, and there’s a bashful smile she tries to hide from Irene when she continues in a smallest voice, “okay, thanks for the tip.”

 

 

***

 

 

“Can someone just drag this guy away from this room, please,” agent Pup complains, gesturing to a distraught agent that keeps mumbling to himself next to her. “He’s souring the fluff!”

 

Another male agent strides towards him, sighing as he grabs the other’s shoulder, “Come on, Gum.”

 

“She said she will never date me…”

 

The agent sighs, turning to Wendy. “Your Honor, this agent is broken.”

 

“Treat him to a cup of bitter coffee, agent Woo.”

 

“Roger, Ma’am.”

 

“Poor guy,” agent Lion says to the still-annoyed agent next to her, “can’t you empathize a little, Wheein?”

 

“My OTP is on its way to sail,” agent Pup sniffs. “I could care less about some peasant’s irrelevant opinion on that matter.”

 

“Your OTP?” agent Moon interjects, looking scandalized. “I thought your OTP is Moonsun!”

 

“You’re has-beens!” the accused agent indignantly shots back.

 

“Oh, burn,” agent Lion mumbles.

 

 

***

 

 

“Are we going to ignore your little speech, now?”

 

Seulgi swallows, mentally calculating the success rate if she’s to request for Irene to just forget it.

 

“Are you not going to tell me what kind of worry you have for me, Seul?”

 

Sighing, Seulgi resigns to the fate that the older agent has way too good memory to comply such weak request. She warily lifts her gaze from the ground, meeting Irene’s achingly curious one, and she is just so tempted to divert the topic somewhere.

 

“You died,” she finally says.

 

Irene blinks. “Pardon?”

 

“The song,” Seulgi reminds her, a ghost of smile crossing her features. “You asked me who died. It’s you.”

 

She watches as Irene’s expression turns into one of puzzlement, but the older agent has always been quick, so she really isn’t surprised when realization begins to dawn on those eyes that hold her heart captive.

 

I guess today’s the day I lay my heart open, then.

 

“I only started singing it eight months ago,” Seulgi carefully begins, “…but I’ve worried over you since the first day of our mission together.”

 

“It was well done,” Irene says.

 

“It was a job excellently done,” Seulgi corrects her, “you secured your place among us with flying colors and I haven’t worked that swimmingly with any partners before, but it was also your first time. I worried a lot. I guess I just felt responsible as someone who had worked longer in this field, and I didn’t want my partner to get hurt.”

 

“I thought you hated working with me and asked for a different partner after that,” Irene recalls, chuckling lightly over the memory.

 

“Yeah, that,” Seulgi allows herself to smile, “you weren’t aware of the company’s dynamic then, but I would like to remind you that I actually begged Wan to arrange us in a team again. It’s just that the next missions’ requirements .”

 

“But you didn’t let me know until after Wan got us the mission,” Irene points out. “And that’s like, a month later.”

 

“I didn’t want to seem pathetic,” she sheepishly admits.

 

“Well, I felt pathetic and almost messed up my second mission, I was lucky Yongsun was so forgiving towards my mistakes –”

 

“And that brings us to those times you did missions without me during your first four months,” Seulgi deliberately cuts in.

 

 

***

 

 

“Hold on, what?” an agent yells, causing everyone to turn towards her. “We can request partners? What is this? Is it written in a miniscule font in our Employee Conduct and if not why wasn’t I informed?!”

 

Wendy sighs, rubbing her temples. “Calm down, Yoona-sunbae.”

 

“Calm down you say!” the agent passionately bursts out. “If I had known, I would have requested to not get paired with agent Jang for more than once a year!”

 

A man drops onto the floor, clutching his heart while a pained noise escapes his lips.

 

“Why is it that this meeting only serves to hurt our poor, delicate pride?” another male agent mutters, shaking his head as he makes his way to pick up agent Jang.

 

“Apologize,” a female agent elbows the disgruntled agent Deer.

 

“I’m so sorry I’m honest,” she loudly returns, pouting.

 

“Is he okay?” Wendy calls over.

 

The male hoists up his friend, turning slightly to face her. “Oh, he’s just jjang, Ma’am.” He briefly salutes her. “Now if you’ll excuse us,” he says, starting to drag the now-wailing agent Jang towards the exit.

 

“Did he just –“ agent Lion grabs agent Pup’s hand and uses it to execute a facepalm.

 

“I quite agree,” agent Pup solemnly says, “that was one terrible joke, even if perfectly timed.”

 

“Remind me again why his codename is agent Pun,” agent Moon not-so-discreetly whispers to the woman leaning on her shoulder.

 

“Our beloved president likes his humor dry and unfunny,” agent Sun helpfully supplies.

 

“Aah.”

 

 

***

 

 

“What about my first four months?” Irene asks, tilting her head slightly.

 

“Well, for starters,” Seulgi begins, her lips, “I got anxious whenever you went missing for more than four days. There’s just – there are a lot of tragic stories within this company, you know? About agents that never came back, missions gone wrong, all that horrific stuff. And whenever you finally popped by the headquarter, I got so relieved that I once toppled over Wan’s table and messed up quite a bit of paperwork.”

 

“Wan told me that story,” Irene nods, lips stretched into a smile.

 

“Of course she did,” the younger agent laughs, shaking her head. “Well, that’s not to say that I never worry when someone else – like Park or Kim – went missing for a week…”

 

“You can call them Joy and Yerim like everyone else would, you know.”

 

“Shush. I’m still mad at them so no first-name basis, thank you. As I was saying, I do worry about some people other than you, so I thought maybe my kind of worry is exactly that; a worry for a close friend.”

 

“Oh.” Irene purses her lips, “You even worry over Wan?”

 

Seulgi blinks. “Well, she almost never goes out to see the sun, what more a mission… but there’s that one time she disconnected abruptly during my mission, I got a heart attack.”

 

“I bet she spilled a cup of water on the connector.”

 

“She spilled seaweed soup and accidentally pulled out the plug when she’s reaching for tissue,” Seulgi corrects her, shoulders shaking with mirth. “Got reprimanded by prez and soup-based food has been banned from offices ever since.”

 

Irene hums at the story, her fingers lightly running on the space between them before closing on Seulgi’s palm. She ignores the way the hand jerks a little as though it’s about to pull away,

 

“Your hand’s warm,” she says.

 

“Yours is just cold,” Seulgi breathes, and slowly the hesitant fingers take the initiative to slip easily, filling the gaps between Irene’s paler ones. “Where did they send you to, Antarctica?”

 

“I told you, it’s Australia.” Irene shakes her head, “And can I just say something?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“You really explain things in a roundabout way, Seul, it does get irritating sometimes.”

 

“But I like irritating you,” Seulgi teases.

 

“What did you say?” Irene sharply asks, raising a fist with her free hand.

 

“You’re really cute when you’re irritated.”

 

“First warning, Seul.”

 

“But nothing beats the way your nostrils flare up when someone calls you Bae.”

 

“Second warning!”

 

“Aren’t I right, Bae-sshi?” Seulgi grins.

 

“Seriously, it’s like you have a death wish or something,” Irene marvels.

 

“Definitely something,” Seulgi replies, squeezing their intertwined hands. “Though I do want you to call you bae and mean it,” she continues in a much smaller voice, a whisper meant to be swallowed by the wind.

 

 

***

 

 

“First of all,” agent Joy loudly says, “I propose we get popcorns and make ourselves comfortable because this is going to take a very long time.”

 

A chorus of agreement rings throughout the room, causing Wendy to nod and make a mission for agent Gum and agent Woo to buy popcorns before they get back to the company.

 

“Second of all,” she continues, “I would like to state that agent Bear is hella dense that it takes my teasing to make her realize that agent Rabbit’s coming inside her heart like a wrecking ball.”

 

“I’m willing to vouch for the dense part,” agent Myemim stands up, solemnly raising her hand.

 

“We would be inclined to believe you if you aren’t dubbed as the devilish duo!” someone yells from the back row.

 

“Please,” agent Joy sniffs in disdain, “you guys just aren’t deserving of angels.”

 

 

***

 

 

Seulgi is positive that her palms are sweating now.

 

The words slipped past her lips without much thought, and she has consoled herself that it’s quiet enough that Irene wouldn’t hear, but the ensuing silence is enough sign, and Seulgi’s signed her death certificate early.

 

“Seul?”

 

She jumps slightly at the mention, her erratic heartbeat ringing loudly to her eardrums. “Y – yeah?”

 

Irene wears a calm expression, her fingers having taken to play with Seulgi’s rigid ones. “Do you know why I always meet you first after mission debriefing?”

 

“Um,” think of non-delusional reason, Seulgi, think! “because I’m a good human pillow?”

 

And Irene’s lips slowly curve into an exasperated smile, like Seulgi’s purposely being difficult, and she’s this close to throwing caution out of the window.

 

“No, you dumb dumb,” Seulgi hears her say instead, “it’s the same reason why you said I died.”

 

Seulgi blinks.

 

“It’s… the same?”

 

“Yup.”

 

“I’m not sure it’s the same,” Seulgi weakly says.

 

Irene stares at her with a calculating look Seulgi has seen from the times they were partners on missions, “Do explain.”

 

“When I said you died, it’s because I interpret the song as a heartbroken requiem one sang because their love got away – umm and it’s sung with a heated rhythm? As if questioning – yelling, really, but you get what I mean – why do you leave me and why are you making me answer people’s question about where you are and why can’t you be here so I don’t have to say goodbye and… things like that…”

 

Irene opens , but Seulgi quickly raises her free hand to halt her,

 

“Please, I need to do this quick, my bravery is running low.”

 

Closing back , Irene slowly nods.

 

“Okay. So. Where am I… well. It’s been eight months,” Seulgi continues, eyes fixating on Irene’s fingers playing with hers, “it’s been eight months since I started to realize that I don’t only worry for your safety – I worry about your heart, too.” She swallows, rushing through the words queueing noisily inside her mind, “I’ve started to wonder if you’d fall for your mission partner, or if you met someone that caught your attention. I’ve began to spend nights being awake because some dreams are about you introducing a faceless guy as the one. I’ve tried to be indifferent but it’s so hard because it hurts and I wish I could show my pain in front of you because maybe then it will be more bearable but I can’t, you’re like a camera because I automatically smile whenever I see you –“

 

“Why’s today different, then?” Irene softly asks.

 

“I got tired,” Seugi sighs. “The devilish duo have been merciless with their nonsense and it got me thinking a lot of things like how you’re always calm and composed around me in contrast to a whole freaking zoo invading my stomach whenever you’re near, and I just – I felt so damn miserable, and when you came in earlier… you’re still as calm as ever, and I guess I just thought ah, you don’t feel the same way, and I know I’m rambling right now when really I should just tell you that I really, really like you, but –”

 

“Well,” Irene slowly says, stopping Seulgi from death caused by lack of oxygen, “you aren’t wrong, actually.”

 

 

***

 

 

“She’s lying, Your Honor,” Wendy says, staring straight into a mirror she holds high.

 

“Is this how you play with yourself when you’re alone?” agent Moon questions, a bead of sweat rolling past her left eyebrow. “You sure you don’t need, uh, a shrink?”

 

“As it stands, agent Moon,” Wendy starts, putting away the mirror calmly for the time being, “it will be best if we don’t comment every so often and eavesdrop diligently on the Bear and the Rabbit.”

 

“You were the one commenting first!”

 

 

***

 

 

Perhaps Irene shouldn’t smile in front of Seulgi’s crestfallen face, especially when the latter visibly tries to form a smile – one that falls short to something akin of a grimace.

 

“I do fall for my partner,” she gently says, her fingers firmly holding onto Seulgi’s before they can retreat. “In my defense, it’s pretty hard not to. She’s funny, she’s sweet, she’s got a voice I will never get tired of listening –“

 

“Agent Rabbit,” Seulgi urgently says with a strangled voice, “I don’t mind being heartbroken but you – you do realize agent Sun is dating agent Moon?”

 

Irene blinks, and a bout of laughter instantly bubbles up inside her – rolling past her parted lips in form of hearty chuckles.

 

“Agent Bear,” she wheezes, trying not to hurt her sides by being amused too much, “can you please get closer? I will answer your question in a whisper.”

 

Hesitation flickers across the younger’s face, all too visible for Irene to see, but Seulgi obeys the request, slowly leaning in with her head turned slightly to offer Irene an ear.

 

And Irene deliberately rests her lips a shy away from the other’s reddening ear, letting out a breath that causes Seulgi to hold back a shiver.

 

“It’s never Yongsun, Seul.”

 

Seulgi shifts, clearly about to pull away, but Irene’s free hand has come up under her chin, gently tilting the younger’s head to face her, holding Seulgi in a place she’s dreamt of in countless nights.

 

“It’s you,” she breathes, then the small distance between them ceases to exist.

 

 

***

 

 

“They are kissing, Your Honor,” agent Myemim unnecessarily says, a pair of hands belonged to agent Joy firmly covering her ears.

 

“How do you know?” agent Pup wonders.

 

The silence following the question is deafening; enough that a sharp exhale and a sigh coming from the earpiece ring clearly throughout the room.

 

“I concur, Your Honor,” agent Moon grins, swallowing down her popcorn. “I’ve had some delightful experiences to know what noises a kiss makes.”

 

“I’m not hearing this,” agent Lion moans, covering her ears. “I’m not hearing abut my superiors’ love life…”

 

“You are currently eavesdropping on one,” agent Sun argues.

 

“Syoooooo bedoo bedoo,” agent Lion loudly sings, “ddoo beroo beroo! Whatever you do, I’m not hearing you!”

 

 

***

 

 

Irene’s lips are soft.

 

They brush gently against Seulgi’s, pulling back slightly after a moment – only to return with a slightly more pressure, teasing Seulgi’s already dazed mind in a rhythm she hasn’t gotten used to dance to.

 

And it ends way too quickly.

 

Irene pulls back, sighing into Seulgi’s lips one last time before she peers at Seulgi through lidded eyes, a lazy smile twisting her lips.

 

Warm, soft, kissable lips.

 

“In case you still need to hear it out loud,” Irene’s lips say, and Seulgi struggles to lift her gaze so she can lose herself in the other’s eyes instead. Irene’s eyes are smiling, too.

 

“I like you, Kang Seulgi.”

 

This must be a dream.

 

“Irene,” Seulgi hears her own voice says, and her stomach churn because, because, she’s never successfully confessed in any of her dreams, and if Irene is going to disappear this time too – she can’t say she won’t break –

 

“Yes, Seul?”

 

She’s still here.

 

With the thumping of her heart, Seulgi swallows the lump in and whispers back,

 

“I like you, too.”

 

She doesn’t disappear.

 

 

***

 

 

“I’ve acquired diabetes, Your Honor,” an agent from the middle row yells.

 

“Want to exchange popcorns?” the agent next to her asks, “Mine is salty.”

 

“Yours must’ve been handled by agent Gum,” another agent quips. “The flavor is basically his tears.”

 

“I’m coming back purely to accomplish your sudden mission for Woo and I but I’m honestly feeling attacked right now, Your Honor,” agent Gum theatrically sobs, clutching his chest.

 

“You can go have a coffee again,” Wendy sympathetically offers, “I will cover the bill.”

 

“It’s okay, Gum,” agent Woo says, “we won’t encounter tears-flavored drinks in the café. Come on.”

 

 

***

 

 

“You’re really dense,” Irene says, planting a chaste kiss on the corner of Seulgi’s lips. “Super-mega-giga-terra dense,” she presses, pecking the tip of the other’s nose.

 

“Um,” Seulgi murmurs, squeezing their joined hands – that neither have let go of since forever, “I would like to respond and defend myself, really, but you’re barely a help –“

 

Irene grins, pulling Seulgi into another kiss that lasts a little longer than their first. When she pulls away, Seulgi has surrendered using words and opted to burrow her face on Irene’s shoulder instead.

 

“Seul?”

 

“Don’t Seul me,” the other whines, causing Irene to laugh. “Why are you so calm about everything, why?”

 

“Well, the medic team did inject me with some calming concoction earlier.”

 

“Liar.”

 

“Oh?” Irene raises her eyebrows, although Seulgi won’t be able to see her. “I’m speaking the truth. Just ask Wan, your earpiece is still connected with her, by the way.”

 

 

***

 

 

“MY EARPIECE IS STILL WHAT?!”

 

Wendy flinches at the loud exclamation, hurriedly picking up the earpiece and disabling the speaker feature. She shoots the agents a wry grin as she wears the earpiece and waits for Seulgi to speak to her.

 

But it never comes.

 

Her anticipation is met with dead silence.

 

Furrowing her brows, Wendy tries to turn the volume up, in case she accidentally sets it low when she reverts the speaker earlier, but still, silence.

 

“What did she say?” agent Moon inquires.

 

Wendy blankly stares at the agent in return, turning the volume to the max, and shrugging when she still doesn’t catch a sound. “I don’t know, I can’t hear anyth –“

 

“YAHHH WENDY SHON!!!”

 

Wendy instantly falls off her chair.

 

 

***

 

 

“I can’t believe this,” Seulgi groans, deactivating her earpiece. “I bet she’s eavesdropping on us with the devilish duo.”

 

“Actually,” Irene says, amusement coloring her voice, “I can see every off-duty agent being called into the office to eavesdrop together, I won’t put it past her.”

 

“Oh my God,” the younger mutters, pocketing the device, “I’m so sorry. This is my fault.”

 

“Hey.” Irene pinches the other’s nose, grinning when Seulgi scrunches up her face in return. “It’s all right. It’s just Wan and our nosy coworkers.”

 

“But now almost everyone knows,” Seulgi meekly says, “you don’t mind?”

 

“I really have nothing to hide,” Irene softly assures her, “and certainly not you.”

 

“I still can’t believe that this is real,” Seulgi mumbles, a small smile tugging on her lips.

 

“I can kiss you again,” Irene offers.

 

“You don’t check dreams that way! You’re supposed to pinch me.”

 

“I’ve pinched your nose twice.”

 

“Third time’s the charm...?”

 

“Or I can just bite you.”

 

“Bite my nose?” Seulgi gasps, immediately shielding her precious nose with her free hand.

 

“No, your lips,” Irene smirks, enjoying the way Seulgi’s cheeks color rapidly with a beautiful red.

 

“You’re the worst, you know that?” Seulgi mumbles, studiously avoiding Irene’s eyes.

 

“I do,” she sing-songs. “I wonder if you’d still want to walk the sinister me home.” Though, really, when she says home she means an apartment the company assigns her to. Easier to keep track of everything as well as keeping it a secret from the outside world, is the official reason provided.

 

“You know I will,” Seulgi says, looking back at her with a tight smile. Irene arches an eyebrow, sensing the unspoken but, and Seulgi squirms. “Okay, I do have a proposal for you…”

 

“Let’s hear it.”

 

“Iwantyoutocomehomewithmeandstaythenight,” Seulgi rushes, “becauseyouarehurtandIwillfeelbetterifIcanlookafteryouandbenearwheneveryouneedme –“

 

“Breathe,” Irene orders, and Seulgi immediately takes in a deep breath, slumping sideways against the couch.

 

“I’m sorry, I will repeat that,” Seulgi promises, “just give me a minute.”

 

“Have you been rapping to Outsider, Seul?” Irene asks, the edge of her lips upturning in amusement. “Luckily for you, I’ve been listening to fast-paced songs,” she continues, leaning in to steal a peck from Seulgi’s lips, “and the answer is yes.”

 

The younger blinks, once, twice, thrice, and a smile works its way across her face as she sighs, eyes gazing fondly at Irene as though the latter has just gifted her a star. “I could get used to this,” Seulgi honestly says, and Irene feels her heart swell with affection and warmth that sets even her drug-induced calm mind giddy.

 

“The feeling is mutual.”

 

 

***

 

 

“This is karma,” Wendy says in sorrow, wincing when agent Joy places a bag of ice on her ankle. “You two just you wait, your turn will come too.”

 

Agent Myemim looks up from the files she’s been tasked to rearrange, eyes narrowing. “Me? The innocent me?? Karma? Oh, puhlease.”

 

“Really, all we did was helping to bring them together,” agent Joy complains, rising from her crouching position. “If anything, we should be blessed by a hardship-free life.”

 

“You two are even more delusional than Seulgi,” Wendy moans, laying her head against the table.

 

“It’s called being positive,” the taller agent sniffs.

 

“You should try that sometime,” the shorter agent brightly suggests. “Hakuna matata, eat bugs and larva.”

 

“Do I want to know?” agent Joy mutters to herself, shaking her head and quickly busying herself with the writing tools Wendy has sent cluttering everywhere with her fall earlier.

 

 

***

 

 

“Do you want to go back now?” Seulgi asks, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind Irene’s ear. “We can talk about anything, watch anything, and then I can cook you dinner?”

 

“You make it sounds really appealing, agent Bear,” Irene replies, smiling. “Are you free?”

 

She nods. “Next mission won’t be until the day after tomorrow,” she says, recalling Robyeol’s nagging.

 

“That’s a pleasant surprise.”

 

“Yup. I can take you out tomorrow –“

 

“While that already sounds amazing,” Irene softly says, “I was referring to your mission. I have one the day after tomorrow, too. I think we’re going to partner up again.”

 

“Really?” Seulgi feels her own smile widen, “about time.”

 

“Seul?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

Irene hums. “Take me home.”

 

It’s only a hum and three words but Seulgi’s heart is buzzing constantly with warmth that only seems to pour non-stop. She rises from her seat and gently pulls Irene to stand, her insides fluttering helplessly when Irene gazes at her with a look that makes everything but her fades to the background.

 

Heol. She gets it bad.

 

“Remember, Seul –“

 

“Higher than your torso,” Seulgi quickly says, gesturing to Irene’s sides, and Irene chuckles.

 

“I was going to say, ‘I like you’, but yeah, do remember that, too.”

 

“I like you too,” Seulgi says, failing to contain a goofy grin at the words she can finally admit to herself without restraint. “I like you, agent Rabbit.”

 

“I know.”

 

“I like you, Bae Irene!”

 

“And I you, you dense bear.”

 

And so they leave the room, with spring in their steps and blooming love in their hearts. Leaving, perhaps, Seulgi’s last time singing fifty ways to say goodbye, because she doesn’t only not know how to say goodbye, now.

 

She doesn’t want to say goodbye, either.

 

Ever.

 

Not like Irene would let her.

 

 

 

 

END.