“We’re going to be okay?”

He nods, his gaze gentler than usual as he glances at the one standing in front of him, looking oddly empty-handed without his usual paintbrush. “Yeah, we’re going to be okay.”

His throat is tight as he utters the words.

No. We’re not going to be okay.

“Don’t do it,” Ryeowook says suddenly, “Not to someone you love.”

“I have to,” he insists quietly, even though his heart tells him no repetitively, “We’re going to die out here if I don’t do it, Ryeowook.”

Ryeowook shakes his head, still so calm and serene even with the threat of death looming upon his already-thin frame. “We’re going to be okay if we’re together.”

“If I do it, our lives will become much, much better. The deadline is looming, and the client is paying a high price,” he murmurs.

“You can’t do this, not to someone you love,” Ryeowook repeats.

He feels as if someone had roughly twisted his heartstrings around; he bites his lip, wretched, his mind and his heart being pulled in two opposite directions. “I’m not killing him. I’m not going to do anything to him.”

“But if you’re so certain that he does harbour some form of feelings towards your target, then you know you will break a part of him too.” Ryeowook speaks firmly, unwaveringly, his gaze fixed on Kyuhyun.

I know.

But what can I do, when there are two people I love and I can only save one and let the other break?

“Don’t do it.”

“I have to.”

Allow me to be a little selfish, because I love you more.

He inhales sharply before letting his knuckles rap against the door; he can barely believe he’s doing this, standing at the door and politely requesting entry.

The door creaks open - he comes face to face with his ex-partner once more, and he sees the surprise that runs through Heechul’s eyes. “... What do you want?”

He clears his throat awkwardly to buy time - what am I supposed to say? ‘Hi, I came to break in to kill your favourite target and get the money all for myself’? - before showing Heechul the dagger he holds in his hands.

“What?”

“You know, don’t you?”

Don’t play dumb with me, hyung. I know you’re smart.

“I can’t just allow you to take my target like that,” Heechul says quietly, hand already resting above the dagger that he always carries with him.

For a moment, he stills - he’s well aware that if he were to take Heechul on in a one-on-one fight, he’d lose; and yet, he forces himself to think of Ryeowook’s thin frame, forces himself to think of the days spent surviving on the bare minimum of food. “I left my money behind in the organisation chambers, and Ryeowook’s house was burned down.” He’s surprised at the edge of desperation in his own voice. “I need this, Heechul.”

“I know,” Heechul replies simply, “But he’s not yours to have.”

He supposes it’s pure desperation that causes him to launch off the ground with his dagger, his body slamming into Heechul’s; he’s worked with the assassin long enough to know that he could beat the man in purely physical strength.

There’s the horrible sound of the door slamming against the wall - and then Heechul falls, his back crashing to the ground, and he barely manages to prevent himself from collapsing after Heechul. He steadies himself, standing above his ex-partner; his gaze lands on Jungsoo, and the target stares back with realisation and fear darting across his expression all at once.

“The client is growing impatient,” he speaks, and he watches the target flinch at the sound of his voice. “So I’ve come to complete the job that Heechul began.”

From the corners of his vision, he sees the metal glint of Heechul’s blade in his hand.

You can kill me if you want to.

Are you going to?

Heechul grips his dagger a little tighter, but he remains still.

You’re not going to kill me.

He can still read his ex-partner’s movements all too well, he still knows everything that Heechul leaves unsaid by the faint twitch and relaxation of the man’s hand that grips the dagger.

He walks ahead, and Heechul remains still, not making any move to halt his actions. His controlled gaze meets Jungsoo’s, and he forces a smile to flit across his face, and he wonders if Jungsoo can read the penitence that haunts his expression.

One step closer. Jungsoo remains frozen in his place, his gaze darting from Kyuhyun to Heechul and back, his facial features twisted, marred in unmoving horror and sickening terror. Another step closer, another tensing of the muscles - and now he’s so close to the target, so close that he could dart forward fast as a snake and it’d all be over in a matter of seconds.

Hyung, you’re not going to stop me? His ex-partner has already gotten to his feet, and yet remains at his spot by the door, only watching.

I know how much this will hurt you… You allowed yourself to get close to him, did you not? He swallows thickly, seeing the way Jungsoo’s eyes flash behind him to meet Heechul’s in some seekage of comfort and reassurance - but he knows by the way that Heechul remains still t