Hyuk pounced at Yoohyeon like a lion making its kill, gripping his knuckle knife in his right hand ready to plunge the weapon in her skull. Just in time, she sidestepped and narrowly avoided the sharp metal. Her heartbeat sped up at the sudden attack, as she wasn't prepared for his rapid movement.

"And you call yourself an agent? Tsk tsk and I wonder how the rest of your 'elite' team copes."

"Don't you ever underestimate me as a woman," she gasped. She manoeuvred her body and got ready for his next attack.

He smirked and lunged at her again, aiming for . As he swung the knife, she managed to evade it. Thinking she did it successfully, until she felt a slight stinging on her left cheek and blood started to trickle to her chin. She wiped the blood distractedly, and Hyuk immediately used the few seconds to appear in front of her as he swung leg upwards, although Yoohyeon used her hands to block in the nick of time.

"It would be ing easy to kill you if you just stay still! You're still scared, aren't you?" 

"I'm not ing scared of you!" Yoohyeon shouted at him. 

Hyuk didn't have time to play around. He had to kill her quickly and get out of the hotel before any of her backup arrive. He proceeded to give blow after blow and Yoohyeon avoided and blocked each of his attack. Everything seemed to be going well till she miscalculated and almost fell into the pool behind. She turned back to her attacker, her senses on overdrive as she realized how much trouble she was in. Either she fought back bare handed, risking other parts of her body to be deeply cut, or fall in the pool which wouldn't be bad except it was more than 2 meters deep.

Hyuk snickered, seeing her dilemma. "Still can't swim eh Yoohyeon? Just like old times; Well goodbye, my ex-girlfriend." He used his knuckle knife and aimed at her heart. A few paces before he reached her, Yoohyeon swung her hand in front, spraying his eyes with a bottle of pepper spray she took out from her back pocket. Hyuk bent down, groaning in pain as he couldn't open his eyes. 

"This is just a warm up." Yoohyeon finally took out her weapon, silver brass knuckles that fitted in her right hand. She swung up high and forcefully hit his face, sending his body spinning and falling to the ground, his weapon thrown away in the process. Hyuk gritted his teeth as the pain felt worse than his eyes as he spit blood from his mouth.

He struggled to get up but Yoohyeon didn't give him a chance to recover as she kicked his body further away, landing him near the pool. Blindly feeling around, Hyuk quickly washed his eyes with the pool water to wash off the pepper spray. He barely just opened his eyes to slits, his eyes weren't fully pain-free.

"Tch. Not bad. Looks like being an agent got you a backbone," spoke Hyuk. He got up, touching his throbbing jaw as he eyed her with murderous eyes.

"I told you. Don't underestimate me," Yoohyeon gripped her brass knuckle tighter, and this time she lunged at him.

______________

Meanwhile.

Jooheon was still trying to find Yoohyeon. He looked at reception and the bar at ground floor but still he couldn't see her anywhere. His phone buzzing stopped him in his tracks. Looking at the screen, an incoming call from Madam Yoona was showing. He quickly pressed receive while continuing to walk towards the hotel's kitchens.

Jooheon: Hello Madam. 

Madam Yoona: Jooheon, I got an info from the staff here that Yoohyeon might be at the pool and Sanghyuk was later seen, assumingly following her.

Jooheon: Who is Sanghyuk?

Madam Yoona: Her ex-boyfriend. Hurry! The squads and I will be there soon.

Jooheon: Y-yes Ma'am!

Jooheon hung up his call and immediately ran to the nearest fire exit door as the elevators were only in the lobby area. He ran up the staircase to level 4 two steps at a time, hoping she was still fine.

"Hang in there, Yoohyeon"

_____________

The fight was still ongoing and as intense when they both started as both of them tried to beat the other to the ground. Yoohyeon aimed a punch at Hyuk's face but he managed to avoid with his hands. He turned his body, his heavy kick landing on her limps as she groaned in pain but quickly grabbing his leg, Yoohyeon hoisted her free arm over her head and used her elbow to slam down to his knee, breaking his right leg. Hyuk cried out as he was already badly injured and Yoohyeon took her chance to punch him to the ground. However, luck wasn't on her side as Hyuk was thinking the same thing. He also aimed his fist towards her and both of them were hit, falling to the ground at the same time.

 In all of her five years as an agent, Yoohyeon never had a solo fight before, not like Siyeon and Dami who constantly did solo undercover in most of their missions. Never comparing to Jiu and Sua who could lead all the squads in the agency, while Handong could survive all the challenges by herself even in the forest alone. She always thought that she was the least useful member in her team and was always hiding amongst her group members. Even other agents including rookies like Taehyung, had more skills than her. Now, she had to do a mission by herself and  fight with someone whom she thought would be better be dead than anything.

"At least, this is the only thing that I can do." Yoohyeon struggled to get up but Hyuk beat her to it, grabbing her collar and headbutted her causing her to fall down again. Yoohyeon couldn't get up as she didn't have the energy to do so, coupled with the pain on her forehead. While Hyuk miraculously managed to get up even through the pain he would feel by his broken leg.

"You're still a ing weak girl, Yoohyeon." Then, Hyuk took out a gun he hid from behind and aimed at her head.

"So, any last word before I kill you?" he spoke. Yoohyeon remained silent. 

Just in time, Jooheon arrived at the pool and saw Yoohyeon lying on the ground while someone aimed his gun towards her head.

"Yoohyeon!" Jooheon shouted and Hyuk turned his head as he heard a loud voice from behind. Yoohyeon reacted immediately, using all of the remaining burst of energy she pushed him into into the pool with her whole body. Hyuk lose grip of  his gun as it dropped on the poolside when Yoohyeon pushed him. Both of them fell in a tumble of limbs and pain, both of them hit the bottom of the pool as they struggled. Getting his bearing first, Hyuk came at Yoohyeon as he gripped her neck, managing not to slip his fingers in the slosh of water. He tightened his fingers, aiming to end her life as Yoohyeon pushed his face but he was too strong. Spotting his knuckle knife nearby, she reached out to it. The knife must've fell in after she landed her first hit with her brass knuckle.

She struggled to reach the couple of centimeters to the knife as she was running out of breath. But she didn't give up, and as a last push, she managed to take hold of the knife and stabbed him in his stomach. Hyuk's eyes widened at the sight of his stomach bleeding, loosing his grip around her neck as he fell unconscious.

'I did it...' Yoohyeon smiled, feeling relief as she was able to defeat him, even if it costed her life. With that, she closed her eyes.

Jooheon was panicking when he saw blood clouding in the pool. He was outright grasped his hair when he saw no one surfacing. Without thought, he jumped into the pool and swam towards the two bodies. As he swam deeper in the pool, he realized her body was not moving at all. Thinking the worst had happened, he swam as fast as he could towards her, pushing Hyuk's prone form away. Jooheon grabbed her body and with a push upwards he swam back up to the surface. As reached at the edge of the pool, he heaved her body on the poolside.

As soon as he was out, he knelt down and checked for her pulse at her neck as well as for her breathing. Not finding any, he quickly applied CPR as he pumped her chest while careful not to do it too roughly. After a couple of pumps, he did mouth to mouth to give some air in her lungs. He kept repeating the technique but still she wouldn't wake up.

"Come on, Yoohyeon. Don't do this to me. You have to live," he muttered refusing to stop for fear he was too late.

Just then, Madam Yoona and the squad arrived through the double doors of the hotel. They came out just as Jooheon pulled back to give Yoohyeon CPR.

"No, Yoohyeon..." Madam Yoona thought that she and the other agents were too late.

"Please, Yoohyeon. Don't die...  I'm begging you..." Jooheon still haven't stopped his CPR as his tears fell onto her cheek. 

Astoundingly, she responded as she coughed out water from and gasped for air. She opened her eyes and saw Jooheon looking worried as he sat beside her. God may had heard Jooheon's prayer and gave Yoohyeon another chance to live.

"Yoohyeon!" Jooheon, Madam Yoona and the others felt grateful that Yoohyeon was still alive. 

"Jooheon..." her voice weakly called his name.

"Yes?" 

"I'm really... stupid, aren't I?"

Jooheon's eyebrows crinkled, not sure why she would say that. "No, Yoohyeon. You're not stupid. You're so smart and... brave."

"Thank you..." she smiled. 

"Bring medic over here. We have an injured agent who need to get treatment immediately," said Mr Kang. While the squad looked a little surprised as this didn't come from their boss, they still called for the medic. Meanwhile the boss in question was so proud of her agent who managed to do the mission alone, facing her long-time tormentor as the most of it.

'You may be the weakest member of the squad but you're the bravest agent who manage to overcome their own fear and weakness, Yoohyeon,' Madam Yoona thought.

She looked on as Yoohyeon was carried away on the stretcher which would send her to the hospital for her treatment whereas Sang Hyuk was sent to a different one for his stab wound. His hospital room would be watched by the police for the remainder of his stay there.

The Next Day.

Yoohyeon was resting as she laid on the hospital bed while she looked out at the scenery through the window. Just then, Madam Yoona came in after she met the doctor who was in charge of her agent. 

"Are you still feeling any pain, Yoohyeon?" asked Madam Yoona.

"No, I'm okay. You should probably go home, ma'am. You've been staying here since yesterday." she responded.

"Don't worry, I will go home soon. The doctor said that once you've fully recovered, you can go home by tomorrow morning."

"I really wanna get out of here as quick as possible," she promised.

"Why is that?" Madam Yoona asked. 

"Because, the food here is tasteless."

"You still can't help thinking about food even in this condition huh Yoohyeon," Madam Yoona chuckled.

Then, they heard the door sliding open and saw four girls running inside the room after they knew Yoohyeon had been sent in a ward.

"Yoohyeon, are you alright? Did your bone break or you did you go into surgery just now?" Jiu looked so worried.

"Yo! What are you girls doing here?" asked Yoohyeon.

"Jiu, chill. She just drowned and had a couple of bruises only. She's not dying yet," Sua said offhandedly.

"Well, you know her, Sua. Jiu is the one always caring for us and she wouldn't stop talking if she feels worried to every little thing that happened to us." Handong  smirked.

"Hey, that's how leaders should be. Always taking care of the team."  

"Aish, it's so noisy in here. It's still morning and Jiu already started talking non-stop." Yoohyeon said as she covered her ears.

"Here, let me help." Dami went and covered Jiu's mouth with her hand. "Done," she said shortly looking satisfied as Jiu looked at her in annoyance. 

"Get your hands off me, Dami." Jiu pushed Dami's hand away. Another agent came through the doors and the occupants in the room didn't expect for her presence.

"Hey Yoohyeon, what's up?" She waved. 

"Siyeon..." Yoohyeon and the others looked at her.

"Siyeon, is your wound all right now?" asked Sua.

"Well, not yet," said Siyeon.

"Then, what are you doing here? You should be at home getting more rest," Jiu mentioned yet Siyeon refused.

"Why? An injured person can't pay a visit to her injured friend?" Siyeon asked. 

"Well, my injury is not as serious as yours. I'll be discharged by tomorrow morning," said Yoohyeon.

"Doesn't matter if my injury is serious or not but what you did last night was the bravest thing and I can't compare to what you've done." Yoohyeon looked surprised as she didn't know that Siyeon knew of the happenings yesterday.

"What?"

"Madam Yoona and Jooheon told us, dude. That's why we rushed to come here, to visit you." added Dami. 

"Yoohyeon, you managed to face your fears all by yourself," Handong smiled. 

"I'm not like you girls. Siyeon and Dami always do solo undercover for our missions before, Jiu and Sua can lead the agents by themselves, and Handong can survive all the challenges by herself," she exclaimed.

"You think all of us don't have any weakness Yoohyeon? Everyone is afraid of something, Tree. We all do but we can't manage to face the fears like you did. You managed to face that disgusting human being, your ex-boyfriend and you managed to jump into the pool even though you can't swim." The others agreed, nodding along at Jiu's message. 

"But, I was being such a stupid person."

"Yeah, you were stupid going off by your own. But your stupid idea made you to be the bravest member in the team," Sua patted her friend's shoulder and smiled.

"This is why I chose you to become part of the team, Yoohyeon. Every one of you have your own personalities that makes our team stronger, and what you have Yoohyeon is your courage and bravery," stated Madam Yoona to the girls in front of her. 

"Thank you, ma'am. Thank you everyone." Yoohyeon grinned and they were all glad and proud of her. Not long after, they heard the door sliding open and saw Jooheon came in with a bouquet of flowers in his clasped hands.

"Jooheon, you coming for a visit too?" asked Madam Yoona.

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded. 

"Girls, can you leave Jooheon and I alone for awhile?" Yoohyeon asked them.

"Come on girls, let go," Madam Yoona coaxed them to leave the room.

"We will come back with your favorite food, okay Tree?" said Sua. 

"Thanks Sua," she smiled and they all walked out of the room and the door closed behind them gently. The atmosphere immediately changed as the two occupants in the room stayed silent.

"Hey." Jooheon waved at her awkwardly as he stood not that far away from Yoohyeon's bed. 

"Hi," she smiled.

"Are you feeling better now?" 

"Yeah." They went back to awkward silence.

"I-I brought some flowers for you. I don't know what kind of flower you like so I just bought these daisies from the flower shop. The owner said that it is a get-well-soon message for someone recovering." He showed the flowers to Yoohyeon.

"Thank you," she replied. Jooheon put the flowers on the small cabinet beside her.

"Ermm... Jooheon?" Yoohyeon called him. 

"Yes?"

"Thank you for saving my life yesterday." She felt thankful to Jooheon as Madam Yoona had told her what happened when she drowned.

"You almost gave us a heart attack yesterday. You didn't wake up from drowning and I was so scared at the time." Jooheon patted her hand and he pulled back right after as he remembered that Yoohyeon was afraid of men. 

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to hold your hand. I-I know you're still afraid of men and I-I think I should go--" Jooheon was about to walk away and Yoohyeon quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him down, making him sit closely next to her.

"Jooheon..." their eyes suddenly met. Their distance became ever closer the longer they looked into each other's eyes. 

"Yes, Yoohyeon?"

"Please, stop talking..." she tilted her head as she lightly put her lips onto his. Jooheon didn't refuse the kiss and he cupped her face as they kept on kissing. The others outside the room peeked from the small window on the door and they watched as the two newly lovebirds had their own sweet moment together. 

"Well, our Yoohyeon is not afraid of men anymore," said Sua.

"And she finally found her true love," added Handong. As they gushed at the couple, they didn't realize that another unexpected visitor had come to visit Yoohyeon. She stared at the girls weirdly as they were peeking through the door.

"What are you girls doing here?" they heard a voice as they turned around and saw Gahyeon standing behind them.

"Gahyeon!? What are you doing here?" Jiu and the others were shocked when they saw her, except Dami.

"Well, Dami unnie told me that Yoohyeon unnie is in the hospital. Where is she right now?"asked Gahyeon.

"She's inside," Dami pointed at the room they were in front of. 

"Okay. Yoohyeon unnie! I came to visit you!" Gahyeon pushed them away as she opened the doors fully. They tried to stop her but they didn't make it as Gahyeon saw Yoohyeon and Jooheon were kissing. 

"I thought Yoohyeon unnie is a lesbian?!?!" Gahyeon said loudly.

"I am not!" Yoohyeon shouted back. "And what are you doing here?!" 

"And she ruined their moment." Dami shook her head and they all laughed while the two on the bed were blushing red. Just then, Sua's message tone was suddenly heard and she took out her phone from her pocket. She read a message that was sent from her little sister.

From: Lil Sis, Chaewon. 

"Bora unnie, I want to meet you."

End Of Chapter 36.