20 Mar 2020

1937H (37 sec)

"Everyone, do you perfectly understand what I've said?", says Sakura after briefing us for the nth time since I met them this afternoon. 

"Positive, Sakura unnie.", the ever resepectful kid replied. 

"Yes.". Both Yujin and I confirmed. 

"We'll get into our positions in 15. Prepare yourselves to move out.", says our field captain. 

15

14

I saw A19 fidgets. 

13

12

11

"You don't have to worry.". She looked at me abruplty.

10

"I"

9

"I don't know.".

8

"I don't feel too good about this.". 

I looked at her in the eye and said, "I'm here.". 

7 

6

5

4 

"I won't let anything happen."

3

2

I gave her a smile to reassure her. 

1

And then we headed out.

We moved quickly, precisely, and carefully.

"Everyone in position?", A1.

"In position.", A11

"Waiting for your command, captain.", A19

"A31?".

Silence

"Wonyoung.", I heard a slight panic from Yujin.

It was still silent. 

"Yah! Won..."

"I'm here, cap. My earpiece fell, I had to retrack it.".

"Pabo.", Yujin whispered. 

I heard Sakura sighed in relief and I unknowingly breath out one too. 

"Phase 1 in 10.". Yujin says. 

Sakura started the countdown and that was my cue to get ready.

1940H (00 sec)

"Go, go, go.".

I moved stealthily and waited for the right moment. Just as the guards made their identification known to the system, I made my move. The guards passed out. 

"Phase 1, done.".

"Copy that. I'm on my way.", Wonyoung says on the other line.

"Move as I say, A31 and A11, understand?".

Both A31 and I, agreed. 

1944H (5 sec) 

Sakura is currently hacking the building security system while we wait for further instructions. If Sakura would be able to hack the system, which she would be able to, that's the only time she can formulate a path for us. This is why Sakura was worried since last night. She's worried whether she can formulate the least dangerous path for me within 55 seconds while fighting her way through the anti hacking system of ths building. 

55 seconds was too long for me to idle and it was enough time for me to think about what happened at the airport this afternoon. 

"40", says Yujin. 

Why did I ever thought that the girl was Minju, my Minju. 

1630H (Arrival time)

I hurriedly rushed out to find the girl who gave me this handkerchief. I spotted her while she was claiming her baggage.

Or so I thought. 

I coudn't find her. 

Reality suddenly hit me. 

Minju IS gone. Why would I see her in Jeju? 

"25", Yujin.

I was just being delusional. It's the lack of sleep, I guess. Since moving back to IZ*'s quarters, I can't sleep. It's tougher to sleep there. I don't know why. Maybe it's the familiarity that made me more uneasy. We lived there longer than we lived in our own apartment. Minju and I spent half of our lives there.

Maybe it's the warmth it gives that bothers me. Maybe it's the memories that hunt me down whenever I lay on my back and look at the ceiling. 

"15", Yujin. 

I willed myself to return to reality. But at the back of my mind, the owner of the handkerchief was all I could think.

Wake up, Chaeyeon. Focus!

5

"Are you ready, Chaeyeon?"

Sakura asked in all seriousness. She didn' t address me in my code name. That made me focus, now more than ever. 

4

3

"Anytime, Kkura." I let it