[CONTENTID1]re:bellion[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]Chapter 25[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

“I want you to prove your loyalty to me, Eunji. I want to see how far you would go,” Doyun drawled and caught a strand of her blonde hair between his fingers, tugging lightly before he let it fall. “Number Zero has a mission specifically for you.”

“F-For me?” she stammered, straightening up. “That’s such an honor, Doyun.” Every single word she spoke was a lie. Every reaction was false. Every movement was calculated. It was a draining situation for Soojin, and she was steadily losing her cool the longer it persisted.

“We don’t want to take any risks, you see? The people allowed inside the organization are selected carefully. If we have reason to believe someone’s a traitor, a test is in order.”

“You’re still doubting me,” she said, cocking her head. “Then I will prove my loyalty.”

Doyun handed her a piece of paper with another address and another name, just like last time. “This man needs to be silenced. I want you to kill him,” he instructed without emotion. No remorse, no mercy. “Get in contact with Four; he’ll show you how it’s done properly. No witnesses, no evidence. Handle it discreetly and report to me with proof once it’s done.”

Soojin’s mind was spinning—she was supposed to kill someone this time? Take someone’s life with her own hands to maintain her disguise? Her stomach churned, and she paled. This was too much; she couldn’t do it. She could never take a possibly innocent person’s life.

“Calm down. It’ll be okay,” Baekhyun’s voice assured over the earpiece. His eyes rested on her from across the room, knowing what she had on her mind. “Tell him you’ll do it, and then come to me.”

She took a deep breath, trusting him. Her eyes bore into Doyun’s, shining with feigned confidence. “I will take care of it and get in touch with Four. We’ll see each other soon once it’s done.” Soojin winked at him and finally left the bar stool. She looked around, and once she found Baekhyun, she joined him. The paper with the target’s name was crumpled in her sweaty palm.

He emptied his glass of wine and put it back on the table. “Let’s talk about this somewhere else,” he muttered, and she was all too happy to leave this horrible place behind.

Soojin fell on the couch with a drawn-out groan. It was late, and she was tired, but her thoughts were spinning, keeping her awake. Seeing how anxious she had been after leaving the bar, Baekhyun had taken her straight home, telling her to rest up for the remainder of the night. She had changed into her pajamas, but there was no way she could get any rest with how things were. When Baekhyun entered the living room, he wore a comfortable pair of sweatpants hanging low on his hips. His dark blue shirt was tight, hugging his form like a second skin. If Soojin wasn’t so worried about the upcoming mission, she would have used the opportunity to admire him—but right now, she was otherwise occupied.

“I told you not to worry, Soo. It’ll be alright,” he said, stopping in front of her legs dangling over the sofa's edge. “You trust me, don’t you?”

“I do, but Doyun is ing scary, and… and he wants me to kill someone, that’s insane! How do I get out of this?” she whispered, biting her lip.

Baekhyun sat beside her, reaching for the blanket at the end of the couch and draping it over them. They leaned against the dark leather pillows, and he wrapped one arm around her waist to pull her in. She was nestled at his chest, surrounded by their soft blanket and the warmth he radiated.

“First of all, you won’t kill anyone,” Baekhyun said after a pause. Her head lay on his chest, his hand slowly brushing through her hair. “We’ll find the target and talk to him. I need to know why the Red Force wants him dead. Maybe he’s considered a traitor for some reason. If that’s the case, he might be willing to work with us. I’ve handled supposed assassinations for the Red Force before—faking someone’s death isn’t all that hard. Ideally, the target becomes a witness and testifies against members of the Red Force. In return, they’re entered into our witness protection program and get a chance to start over.”

Soojin’s eyes widened, and she glanced up at him. “I had no idea about this! So I don’t have to kill in order to finish Doyun’s mission,” she exhaled in relief.

“As long as the target is willing to talk. I’ve dealt with cases where the targets immediately pulled out a gun to shoot me. They left me with no choice but to defend myself,” Baekhyun explained flatly, furrowing his brows.

“Yes, that’s reasonable. Surviving the mission is what’s most important. Your life is invaluable,” she mumbled, her exhaustion taking over. Soojin’s eyelids became heavier and heavier. She breathed a sigh, snuggling up to him.

“Yours is, too,” he smiled and kissed her forehead, “And it looks like I should take you to bed now. My little Soo is falling asleep.”

“It’s been a long day… Also, I’m not your little Soo,” she pouted, clutching his shirt. “Let’s just stay here; it’s so comfy right now.”

“Our bed is even more comfy,” he smirked, adjusting his hold on her. She didn’t resist, wrapping one arm around his neck when he got up, carrying her through the living room into the bedroom. Closing the door with his foot, he let her down on the bed and claimed the spot next to her. He flipped the light switch at his bedside before inching closer.

“You’re so cute when you’re tired. Some things never change,” he whispered.

“Baek, stop teasing; I want to cuddle. Don’t you think I deserve it after today’s task?”

“Of course, Soo. You were amazing, played your part so well, and fooled the Messenger. It’s nice to have you all to myself now, though. I hate it when you’re close to him,” he uttered with a growl.

They got tangled up in each other, embracing one another under the cover. Baekhyun’s silver braids were splayed over his pillow when he turned his head, watching her silhouette in the darkness. Only a little light from the streetlamps outside reached through the gap in the curtains.

“Let’s take some time off when this is all over,” he mumbled as he buried his face in her neck, inhaling her scent. She smelled like the strawberry shampoo she recently started using—it suited her.

“Yes, I can’t wait!”

His answer was a chuckle and a kiss on her temple. “Same here, love.”

Baekhyun decided to pay their target a visit the very next day. Perhaps this particular person would be willing to testify against the Red Force, like many others before him. Soojin sat behind Baekhyun on his motorcycle, her hands on his stomach as she leaned against him, watching the street over his shoulder. They both wore their usual gear for occasions such as this, dressed all in black and equipped with hidden weapons. The colorful city lights of Busan rushed past them when Baekhyun accelerated, dodging traffic and closing in on their target’s home.

Jongdae and Minseok had done a stakeout in the area today and let their colleagues know when the target returned home. Jung Daehyun lived in an old apartment building next to an abandoned movie theater. The area was comparatively cheap to live in, and the apartments were easier to afford than those in other parts of town. Thus, the agents assumed he was merely a small-timer within the Red Force and dependent on the organization’s dirty money.

Baekhyun slowed the motorcycle when the movie theater was within sight, parking it behind the building. The agents walked up to the apartment building and checked the doorbell nameplates. Apparently, Jung’s home was on the second floor. Soojin opened the front door using a trick she had learned in her training, gaining them access to the staircase. The only elevator in the building was out of order, and even the lamps on the ceilings didn’t always work. Some simply stayed dark after flicking the light switch. As the agents made their way to Jung’s apartment, Soojin took note of several water stains on the ceiling and a moldy stench hanging in the air. The financial situation of the residents clearly wasn’t favorable, making her wonder who their target was exactly.

Baekhyun halted in front of Jung’s door, checking the lock. It was as old as the rest of the building, allowing an easy break