**

Please go back to read chapter 7 first if you haven't read it

It's a double update~

**

The warehouse (Ground Zero)

“I found him, unnie.”

“Alive?”

Wendy hovers closely behind Yeri’s chair, trying to get a closer look at the said location.

“Dead.”

Wendy’s face hardens before taking a step back, Seulgi looks at the royal tentatively.

“I’ll send someone to pick and give him a proper burial.”

The young royal nods, “I’m going to take fresh air outside.”

“Do you want me to…”

“No, Yeri. Just find where the others are, dead or alive. I want you to find them.”

*bang

The door closed by force, Wendy just slammed it.

“Will she be okay, unnie?”

Seulgi shakes her head, “She would never be okay with this.”

Yeri casts her eyes down, the royal guard immediately pats her head, “You did a good job in locating them.”

“I tracked his device down but the signal was very weak since his body was dumped in a water tunnel, further damaging it.”

“Which tunnel?”

“Yeongdeungpo sector 8,” Yeri typed something on her keyboard, “800 meters away from the main road.”

“Send me the exact location,” Seulgi nods.

“What about Wendy unnie?”

“Just watch over her through the CCTV, she may punch or kick something, just let her be.”

“Yes, unnie”

**

Flashback

“Hei Hyukjae, what is your dream?”

Wendy looked over her youngest trainee, she just finished teaching him and his teammates some basic self-defense moves. Seulgi could do it but she especially requested to teach them. The special team, Hyukjae, Sangin, and Soo. They would infiltrate PM Kwon’s pharmaceutical factory as factory workers to find out something unusual.

“I want to give my mom a house, she always wanted to have her own house”

“That’s a good dream,” Wendy said, as she thought about her mother, what would she want from her daughter?

“How old are you, taenyeo?” Hyukjae asked her back

“24 this year”

“Oh we’re not far apart, I’m 20,” Hyukjae said excitedly “Seulgi noona took me when I was scraping for food in the dumpster, I’m always thankful for her kindness”

“Me too, I could never thank her enough.”

“If one day you have to save yourself or Seulgi noona, who would you save?”

Wendy didn’t hesitate, “Seulgi.”

“Why?”

“She saved my life so many times. I would’ve been dead by now if it weren’t for her so I want to return the favor.”

“But she wouldn’t want that.”

“I know,” Wendy chuckled. “Let’s just hope that this war will end with our victory.”

“Are you okay doing this against your family, taenyeo? I know they’re not good people but still, they’re your family, it must be hard for you.”

“Family won’t hurt their own member, Hyukjae,” Wendy smiled bitterly. “So no they’re not my family, you guys are.”

“I think we’ll be a good family, taenyeo” Hyukjae smiled at her “You’re a good person. I’ll follow and serve you with my loyalty once you’re crowned.”

Wendy laughed, finding him funny, “I’m not even in the line.”

“You should be, I trust you to lead this country.”

“Thank you for trusting me, Hyukjae,” she patted his head. “But I’m not fit for that role.”

End of flashback

**Brakk

Wendy slammed her fist on a tree, she felt so much anger and regret bubbling inside her.

She should’ve sent someone else to do the job, she should’ve rejected the idea to infiltrate Kwon Pharmaceutical.

“Argh!!” Wendy screams as tears flow down her face. I'm sorry Hyukjae, I’m so sorry.

She wanted to fire her gun to PM Kwon’s head but then all their effort would be in vain. Their years of effort to bring him down, along with his useless brother and the puppet king, her father.

The stinging pain on her hand was nothing compared to the pain she felt inside, it was nothing compared to the feeling of a mom who’s losing her son.

She took out her phone and dialed Seulgi’s number.

[Yes, taenyeo?]

“Buy a house in Busan under my name, give it to his mother. Tell her, Hyukjae worked hard for the house.”

[Yes, taenyeo]

“Tell her, he was a good kid, tell her I’m sorry for her loss.”

[Yes, taenyeo]

“Thank you, Seulgi. What would I do without you?”

[You’ll be fine, taenyo]

“No, I won't,” Wendy laughed hollowly.

[I’ll send Taeil to drive you home]

“Yes.”

[It’s not your fault, taenyeo]

“Good night, Seulgi.”

**

Wendy put her mask back once she entered the palace. Nobody shall know her pain. Nobody shall know what’s on her mind.

“Welcome back, taenyeo,” Taeyeon greets her on her way, she is one of her father’s secretaries.

“You’re still here?”

“Yes, I’m about to go now. Today is my mother’s birthday.”

Wendy nodded with regret, “Please tell Ajumma that I’ll visit her soon. I don’t think I can go anywhere tonight.”

“Don’t blame yourself. We all know what we’re doing, we can go but we choose to stay with you till the end,” the older girl whispers before bowing once again, she must’ve heard about hyukjae from yeri.

“Drive safely,” Wendy straightens her back, she has so many people behind her, she needs to be strong for them, “We’ll have a meeting soon.”

“Yes, taenyeo,” Taeyeon says with a relieved smile, “Good night.”

“Good night.”

**

Seulgi went inside Wendy’s room in an alert manner after she received no greeting back from the young royal. She observed the empty room before knocking on the bathroom.

*knock knock*

“Taenyeo are you inside?”

*knock knock”

“I’m going inside.”

Seulgi twisted the knob and looked around the spacious bathroom but no one was inside. She immediately took out her phone to call her other sub-coordinate, Jaemin.

“Jaemin, did you see taenyeo going out from her room this morning?”

“You didn’t?!” She almost screamed, “Have you checked the CCTV??”

“I’m here,” Wendy says amusedly while leaning on the door frame.

“I’ll talk to you later,” Seulgi says before tucking back her phone inside her back pocket “Taenyeo, you should’ve notified the guard before going out!”

“The front guard knew I went for morning run”

“He must’ve forgotten to mention it to me,” Seulgi will surely complain to the head guard.

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not fine,” Seulgi says sharply.

“I’m here, aren't I? I didn’t try to drown myself again, don’t worry.”

“Please bring a guard with you wherever you go,” Seulgi says, mind fleeting back to that time when she dove in the pond to save the young royal who wanted to kill herself.

“It's just a morning run.”

“You never do a morning run before.”

“I feel like I need to, I’m getting out of shape.”

“No, you’re not.”

“You’re right, I’m not,” Wendy sighs. “I just need fresh air and get the palace’s nurse to fix my wound,” Wendy shows her injured hand to Seulgi, “I punched a tree last night.”

Seulgi nodded, not asking further because she knew why she did that.

“I was planning to get back before your shift started but Sohee unnie pulled me to her room and… I don’t need to explain further, do I?”

“Yes, no need to explain to me,” Seulgi says “What about your schedule today with Miss Irene?”

“I’m going to give her a crash course about being noble and such, she needs to impress Jeonha.”

“Sounds tough,” Seulgi comments amusedly.

“I know, just wish me luck.”

“Good luck, taenyeo. You need it.”

**

“I was hoping you’re joking.”

Those were the first words that Wendy got to hear when she arrived at classic cleaners with a bag filled with chicken and fries (spring rolls for Irene) and two thick documents tucked safely in her arm.

“Surprise! I’m not,” Wendy waves her hand at a curious Joy who stands behind Irene.

“Hope you like chicken, Joy.”

“The only person who hates it with passion is Irene,” Joy smiles happily “I already cleaned the room, so you two can study and *ahem* cuddle there, it’s soundproof by the way.”

“Oh I love that, thank you,” Wendy wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.

“We won’t be doing anything except studying.”

“For someone who is against this idea at first, you sure are eager to learn, jagi,” Wendy comments again from her side.

“Ah, jagi. That’s so cute,” Joy’s eyes shining “Go to your room, I’ll take care here.”

“Jennie will come with food later,” Irene tells her friend.

“Ah, have you told Wendy about our plan today?”

“What plan?” Wendy chirps curiously.

“Rene, you didn’t tell her?” Joy gasps loudly, “We’re having a movie night here after closing the shop.”

“I don’t think she has time to stay,” Irene glances at Wendy, her eyes conveying a message ‘you’re not invited’

But Wendy has other ideas, “I have a lot of free time.”

“Great! join us.”

Irene sighs, ”Jennie won’t like it”

“I’ll handle her.”

“Can Seulgi join us? She loves watching movies”

“Well, yeah” Joy shrugs nonchalantly “She can join if she wants to.”

**

Two hours into the study.

“I’m getting a headache,” Irene massaged her temple “I’d rather cram for algebra than this.”

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