BANG BANG!

BANG!

"Arghh! I don't know! I don't know anything!!"

BANG!

"P-Please, spare me!! I will tell you everything you need to know! Just don't kill me!" The last man begged in fear, going on his knees and clasping his hands in front of Karina as he continuously bowing at her while crying for a mercy.

He cannot scream for help, not when they were far from people. They were too deep at the end of the road where an old building was located, a hidden place for him and s usually hang around and hid their weapons. There, Karina stood tall and strong, looking down on him without pity. She swirled the gun in her hand before throwing it on the ground. The man looked at the gun then looked at her again, eyes still shaking in fear.

"P-Please." He cried.

"One bullet left, you know what to do." Karina said.

"I will tell you everything I know! Please don't do this to me!" He cried harder.

"You should've decided that earlier because it's too late now." Karina said then turned around to step away from him.

He grabbed the gun and wanting to make use of the last bullet to shoot Karina. However, before he gets to do that, he got shot in the head. 

"Perfect shot." Karina heard through her mini earpiece.

"You can leave now, Chaehyun."

"Okay, boss!"

Karina glanced to the hills where Chaehyun was at, and put on her sunglasses after making sure Chaehyun had no trouble leaving her position by herself. Ever since Karina learned that Chaehyun is a good sniper, she sometimes brings her along to do her job when she's too lazy to do many actions. She's really a good addition to the team. It used to be just Johnny and her, but now with Chaehyun, they can finish their work faster.

 

 

...

 

 

"Stop accepting any jobs after this, Johnny." Karina told Johnny when she reached his place in the middle of the night.

"I want you and Chaehyun to focus on finding important information about Wendy Son and Park Chanyeol." Karina said.

"I need to know who is Wendy and how is this Chanyeol guy having the possibility being related to my family's death." Karina added. 

Chaehyun and her managed to get a new information from the gang that they killed few days ago. They mentioned the name Park Chanyeol for being a psycho in killing anyone even if it's someone with a high status or powerful just for a high reward.

"Okay." Johnny nodded.

"I don't want to waste more time, Johnny. They lived long enough. I need to get my hands on them soon. All of them." 

"I know. We will find them. I promise you that." Johnny said, eyes filled with determination.

"I trust you."

"And..."

Karina looked at him and waited for him to continue his sentences.

"Winter Kim. She's clean. I don't find anything on her. For now, maybe we can trust her. But still, stay alert. She's a Kim, after all. We can't afford to trust anyone right now, especially those who comes from a wealthy and powerful family." Johnny told her.

"Hm."

"I'm worried, Karina. The underworld here is different from LA. We can't get too exposed, okay?"

"I know the risk, Johnny. But we really can't stop this anymore. I can't live freely without knowing who's my family's murderer. I can do this on my own if you're scared."

"It's not like that. I can't let you die, Karina. I gave my everything to save you."

"Oh, I won't die. I am not just Karina, remember? I'm a Yoo."

Johnny chuckled and still amazed with Karina's confidence. It is also why Karina is hard to beat. When she makes up her mind, she will make sure she survive every obstacle to achieve her goals. Johnny just hope, someday Karina will be able to live without worries and finally enjoy her life.

 

 

 

 

.....

 

 

 

 

"So this is where you have your own gym?"

Karina let Winter entered her secret gym. She still refused to let Winter know where she lives, and because she doesn't want to deal with an annoying Winter Kim, she told her about the gym. She builds it on her own, for her to do her workout routine. So, she doesn't have to go to the public gym.

"Does Johnny and Chaehyun comes here too?"

"No." Karina put on the weight on the leg press machine while Winter walked around, looking at all the equipments she has.

"Why?"

"I don't tell them about this place."

"Then, why did you tell me?"

"Had no choice."

Winter laughed and does not take Karina's honest answer to the heart. She knew that Karina is slowly starting to trust her. She was working hard for it anyways, earning Karina's trust. She doesn't know that Karina tries to trust her because both Johnny and Chaehyun have confirmed it to her that Winter has a clean history. She stays away from the underworld's trouble most of the time and live her life without any worries.

"You got a boxing ring too. If no one else knows about this place, then who do you box with?" Winter asked.

"I'll just use the punching bag." Karina answered.

Winter saw the punching bag in the middle of the boxing ring.

"It's more fun doing boxing with a partner, don't you think?" Winter asked.

 

"I don't want to do it with you, Seulgi unnie."

"But it's more fun doing it with a partner, no?"

"Not if the partner is you. You ."

"Yah!"

Karina laughed seeing Seulgi's annoyed face.

"I'm good at boxing. I beat my senior during my training!"

"That's just mean your senior isn't good either."

"Shut up and put on your gloves now. Let's see who's better."

"Oh. You're on, Seulgi unnie."

 

Karina sighed silently as she remembered one of her old memories with Seulgi. Her heart clenched painfully whenever she remembered Seulgi's wide smile. She's a cheerful unnie, she always gave her full support in whatever Karina wants to do and she always gave her positive advice when she needed it.

"Don't ever tell anyone about this place. You will lose my trust as soon as you tell anyone." Karina told Winter, ignoring her question earlier.

"I won't."

Karina sat down on the leg press machine and started to do her workout.

"You should set up a speaker here. You can play some songs while working out." Winter said.

"I like it silent. I need to hear if anyone's coming down here."

"But no one knows?"

"I can never be sure of it. I'm an assassin, Winter Kim. Anyone can come after me, wherever, whenever."

"Then, maybe you can do boxing with me?" Winter asked, standing behind Karina as she bends over to look down at Karina who does not look back at her.

"What do you say?" Winter asked.

She took one of Karina's hands and put Karina's palm on her cheek, earning a hiss from Karina.

"Answer me." Winter demanded.

"Well, do you know how to box?"

"Yes. I learn the basic from Wendy unnie."

"Wendy... How good is she?" Karina asked, suddenly remembered that she needs to know something about her.

"She's good. But no, not her. You can just have me as your boxing partner. I can do better too." Winter told her.

"Okay, let's test your skills." Karina stopped her workout and got off the leg press machine.

"Let's try and see if you're good as you claimed yourself to be." Karina said.

"Now?"

"Yes, have a problem with that?" Karina asked, raising her eyebrows at Winter.

"Pft. Let's do it." Winter walked past her to get to the boxing equipment near the ring.

Winter took the red coloured gloves while Karina took the black ones. Karina glanced at Winter and noted that she knew few things about what she's supposed to do to prepare herself to do the boxing. 

"You forgot one thing though." Karina said.

"What?"

Karina then grabbed something before going towards Winter, casually pulling her and grabbed her nape as she made Winter looked up.

"Open your mouth." Karina said and Winter just did as she was asked to.

Karina put in the mouth guard for Winter since Winter has already wore the gloves.

"Hm, another thing. Your shirt." Karina looked down and held the hem of Winter's shirt.

"I need this off." Karina said and took it off coolly.

"You're wearing a sport bra. Good." Karina commented and ignored Winter's smirking face. 

"Now, get on that ring and wait for me." Karina turned around to put on her gloves and mouth guard as well.

She wore a tank top only so she doesn't need to take off her shirt. She ignored it when she heard Winter's unclear mumbling of saying that she just wants to see her body. She does, but not for what Winter thought of, she wants to know if Winter had been trained professionally or just casually by Wendy. She just needs to know if Wendy is someone she should be careful of or not.

 

 

...

 

 

"Yah! Ow!" Winter yelled at Karina as soon as she spat out the mouth guard and took off her gloves.

She lay down to catch her breath while holding her ribs. Karina pulled out guard and panted a little only. She wiped off her sweats using her forearm.

"I think you broke my rib."

"You're exaggerating."

"I-I'm- No- You check it yourself. Faster!"

Karina went near her and was about to squat down when Winter suddenly tackled her and pushed her on her back down. She instantly put her weight on Karina by sitting on her stomach.

"The gloves were heavy, it slows me down. I fight better without wearing it." Winter said and smirking at Karina who looked at her emotionlessly.

"Sure." Karina replied with a single word.

"And since you get to see my body, I think it's only fair for me to check out yours too."

Winter then moved to straddle Karina's thighs instead so she could lift up Karina's tank top and slid in her hand. Winter raised her brows in amusement, she could feel Karina's firm abs.

"Oh wow." Winter is definitely likes what she just saw when she pulled up Karina's tank top to look at her abs.

Karina sighed before grabbing Winter's waist and lifted them both off the floor. She put Winter down once they stands on their feet.

"I'm going to lock the gym and leave soon. You shall put back your shirt on." Karina said.

Winter pulled her arm and hugged Karina's neck while Karina let her hands down on her side.

"Tell me, hottie. Have you ever date anyone?"

"I told you, I don't date."

"No one?"

"None."

"So, you're telling me that no one has ever witnessed your hot body?"

"Have you ever seen an assassin showing off their body?" Karina asked back.

"No." Winter laughed before hugging Karina closer which made them stumbled a little so Karina holds her waist again to steady them.

"Don't let anyone else see it. It's for my eyes only." Winter said.

 

 

 

 

.....

 

 

 

 

It was Karina's free day after a long time, she decided to pay her friends a visit. They agreed to meet at the nightclub at the usual room. Aeri and Ning welcomed her happily and asked her progress in opening up her business with Winter which Karina updated them only the necessary details.

"Oh, dad is calling. Hold on." Ning went out to answer the call while Aeri stayed to talk to Karina.

"How's your relationship with Winter?" Aeri asked.

"Still manageable."

Aeri laughed at Karina's short answer.

"So, she's clean."

"Mm. Hope she really is." Karina frowned. 

Aeri tilted her head and a smile appeared on her face as she observed Karina's expression.

"You're starting to trust her." Karina looked at Aeri when she said that.

"So far, she's done nothing suspicious and does not cross her boundary which I appreciate. Just stubborn and- hm, possessive."

"Seems like she's trying to earn your trust and, possessive huh? Knowing you, I thought you would be the possessive one." Aeri teased.

"Aeri, we're not dating. We just had a deal." Karina explained.

"I know, I know." Aeri chuckled.

"I cannot lose focus. I've more important matter to do." Karina said.

"How's thing going for that then?" Aeri asked, getting back to being serious now.

"We're trying. It's a little hard, but we will figure out, eventually."

"Okay."

"Did you train more like I told you to?" Karina asked her this time.

"Yeah. That's why Ning knew. I had to tell her, Jimin. And she's with me most of the time too so I made her join me in learning the combat skills and yeah, how to shoot."

"That's good. I can't be at ease worrying about your safety when I'm away. I will still try to be there for you, but you have to know how to protect yourself too."

"I know. Just focus on your mission, okay? I'll be alright. Ning and I will be alright."

"Thank you, Aeri."

"Huh?"

"For staying alive, thank you. I'm really glad that you are still here. You are the only person I have left." Karina said and this time, Aeri saw her walls' break down a little.

"We will get through this, Jimin." Aeri said and moved to hug Karina.

"Yeah." 

Karina let out a soft sigh after they pulled away. Aeri then checked the time and frowned a little.

"What did they talk about? She's taking so long." Aeri mumbled.

"I should go and check- Ack!" Aeri squealed when the door slammed open.

Both of them stood up abruptly and looked at Ning who entered in a hurry and locked the door closed.

"Ning? Oh my god, baby!" 

Karina went into a full alert mode as soon as she saw a long cut on Ning's arm. Ning looked at Karina, lips still shaking as Karina saw a fear in her eyes.

"S-Someone... At- At the back-"

Karina did not let Ning to finish her sentences as she stormed outside to go to the back alley. She looked to left and right once she got outside and there, she saw a shadow at the corner of right end. She took out her gun before going that way, hands holding the gun steadily as she approached the figure with careful steps.

"Hello, the infamous Karina." The tall guy greeted in his deep voice, face covered with a mask. He covered himself with a black jeans and a thick hoodie, he also wore a black cap.

"Good look really runs in the family's genes huh." He chuckled.

"Who are you?" Karina asked coldly.

He tried to take a step, but Karina pointed her gun at him to stop him from coming closer. He laughed and played with the knife in his hand.

"You're not happy to meet me?" He asked.

"I thought you were looking for me." He said.

Then, it clicked in Karina's mind. There's only one person that she had been looking for.

"Park Chanyeol."

"Bingo!" He did a finger gun using his other hand and laughed again.

"You hurt my friend." Karina said, gritting her teeth.

"It's my signature move to call someone I meant to see. And since it's our first time meeting, I let you ask me a question. Just a question." He said.

"Who killed my family? Was it you?"

"Ah. I said just one question. Also, I thought you're more interested to know the real murderer, the one who gave an order to kill your friend's family and your family?" He asked, grinning like a maniac at Karina.

"Let me see. Hmm." He tapped his chin before looking at Karina with his playful eyes.

"It's not fun to tell you right away. Next question." He said.

"I don't have time for your game."

"Sadly, I like to play a game." Chanyeol said.

Five masked men came out of nowhere and surrounded them both. Karina side glanced at them before looking straight at Chanyeol who was laughing. He then took off his mask and showed his full smiling face at Karina, and Karina made sure to remember his face.

"Until then, Yoo Jimin." Chanyeol winked at her before walking away.

Karina's eyes widened. He knew. She wanted to go after him, but she had to deal with the five men. She hissed and started fighting with them, She groaned when she heard a honk, and the sound of a bike speeding off.

"I'll kill all of you!" Karina growled in frustration before giving the men no chance to avoid her punches and kicks. She was frustrated and angry that Chanyeol managed to escape before she gets any important information from him.

However, she's more worried now. Chanyeol found her and knew that she's looking for the real person behind the murder. It just meant, her identity had been exposed. She also exposed her friends. She punched the last man many times even after he's unconscious to let out her frustration.

Once she made sure everyone's dead, she quickly made a call.

"Johnny."

"Hey, Chaehyun and I were just-"

"We got exposed. We gotta move fast."

"What? Where are you?"

"Naevis. Send the cleaning team, I've killed some men here. And I need you to hire bodyguards for my friends, tightened the security."

"On it!"

"Can you tell me where is Winter now?"

 

 

 

 

.....

 

 

 

 

"Hi, hottie."

Karina was leaning against the gate 5 metres away from Kim's mansion's entrance gate.

"Miss me?" Winter asked as she skipped towards her.

"Can I borrow your phone?" Karina asked.

"Ay. You only want to meet me because you need something? That's-" Karina did not let her finish when she pulled her and checked her body to get the phone.

Winter only shrugged and let her be. She loves feeling Karina's hands on her anyways.

"Password?" Karina asked, raising Winter's phone to her face.

Winter then only used her face to unlock her phone, and Karina quickly searched for Wendy's contact there to forward it to her number. Once done, Karine gave back her phone and hopped on her bike, speeding away in a flash.

"Eh. Why is she so damn rude? But that's just make her ten times hotter." Winter mumbled to herself as she watched Karina disappeared.

"But I'm sorry, hottie. I'm done being your good girl." Winter then unlocked her phone again and smiled seeing that she now can track Karina down. She can't help but worried about Karina, knowing about her job. So she had to do this, just in case if something were to happen to her.

"Gotcha."

 

 

 

 

.....

 

 

 

 

"Karina, are you sure about this?"

Karina sighed. She regretted letting her friends get involved, she should've stayed away and never meet them. Now, she's exposing their identity, and they could be the target as well. karina does not want that. Aeri and Ning are the last family she has left, she can't lose them too.

"Yes. LA is safe. I have my people there and my enemies cannot hurt you guys there, it's not their territory."

Karina asked Ning and Aeri to leave the country, She had received a warning note at her cafe the next day after her encounter with Chanyeol. Now that she got exposed, everyone she knew will be in danger too. She can't afford to risk her friends' life.

"What about you?" Aeri asked in concerned.

"I can't leave. Not until I kill them all. They will find you if I don't." Karina said.

"But-"

"Aeri ah." Karina held Aeri's shoulders.

"Don't come back until I ask you to. Both of you. Please?"

Aeri looked at Ning and she looked at her with sad eyes. Aeri glanced at the previous cut on Ning's arm. She wanted to stay and helped Karina out, but she knew she had to put her wife's safety as her priority.

"Be safe." Aeri could only tell Karina to be careful. She cannot stop her, Karina needs to avenge their family to be at ease.

"I'll try." Karina then pulled her friends into a tight hug. She closed her eyes, hoping that this won't be the last time they get to be together again.

 

 

 

 

.....

 

 

 

 

Karina, Johnny and Chaehyun was busy packing their stuff at the cafe. It's no use in cover up their identity anymore, so Karina decided to close it down and focus on their real mission again.

"I'll miss working as an ordinary person." Chaehyun sighed.

"Nothing will be ordinary the moment you joined the underworld." Johnny mumbled.

"Right."

"Wrap it up faster, guys. We need to get back and prepare for a plan." Karina said.

"Noted!" They both replied.

Karina took a box filled with glasses and brought them to the storage room.

Clank!

Karina's head snapped when she heard the noise. She went out of the storage room and checked Johnny and Chaehyun at the front, they were still busy packing and it seemed like they did not hear the noise since they were blasting the speaker with loud music now. Karina left them and headed towards the back. She closed the door slowly as her sharp eyes looked around the alley. She walked more to check further but sighed when she saw a cat.

When she was about to get back inside, she can hear something fast was being thrown at her so she quickly ducked her head. Her eyes turned to the knife that was stuck on the door in front of her. She squats down and rolled back instantly when she heard fast footsteps coming after her and swing her leg strongly on the person's shin. Karina went back on her feet almost the same time as her. A woman!

The woman then throws punches here and there while Karina managed to avoid her punches with a speed of a second faster than the woman. She's fast too!

Karina punches back after avoiding her attacks for few times and tried to grab her mask to see her face. Yet, the woman got a very quick reflex. She's almost as good as Karina. Karina groaned when the woman finally managed to land a strong jab on Karina's rib. Karina bends slightly before avoiding another punch.

"You should've just left." Karina heard the woman's unclear voice through the thick black cloth mask.

"Who the hell are you?" Karina got to grab her arm and twisted it.

The unknown woman did not answer as she pushed her back against Karina who was still holding her twisted arm until Karina's back hit the wall then flipped Karina over. THUD!

She was about to hit Karina again when suddenly she got pushed and received a hard flying kick. The woman did not get to turn when she felt a knife being slashed on her side. She fought back before throwing the other person over as well.

"This is a warning, Karina." The unknown woman speaks again before she ran away in a whirlwind.

"Winter?" Karina got up and Winter as well. She turned around to look at Karina dead in the eyes.

"You said you went out of the country."

"How did you know that I'm here then?"

"I tracked you."

"You what?"

Winter then sprinted towards her and tried to hit her but Karina was fast, she grabbed Winter's hands and pushed her onto the wall.

"I'm not that easy for you to get rid off. I told you that you are mine, Karina. You can't run away from me." Winter growled lowly.

Karina saw fire in Winter's eyes. She's clearly angry, either because Karina had been avoiding her or because she saw Karina got attacked earlier. She doesn't know.

"I'll let you go if you can calm yourself down." Karina said.

Winter hissed and glared at her, but Karina only looked at her blankly.

"I'm calm now." Winter grumbled.

Karina slowly released her and watched as Winter rubbed her abdomen. She got punched there and Karina was sure that Winter would get a bruise.

"You fought well." Karina commented and Winter rolled her eyes at her.

"I told you before. I can fight well without the stupid boxing gloves."

"Okay but go home now, Winter Kim. I have a lot in hands at the moment." Karina said and went inside.

"Only if you answer to my call."

"I will." Karina replied quickly before leaving Winter there.

Once inside, Karina turned off the music and asked Johnny and Chaehyun to leave everything there.

"We've got no time for this. We need to go."

"Are you okay?" Johnny asked when she saw Karina's dirty shirt.

"I got attacked at the back."

"What?!"

"That's like the- wait- another warning?" Chaehyun asked.

"Did you manage to reach Wendy?" Johnny asked.

"No. She still refused to meet me." Karina sighed heavily.

"We need to get the names as soon as possible. Chanyeol, find that Chanyeol guy. I can't keep calm anymore."

"We'll be on it right away."

Karina nodded and let Johnny left with Chaehyun first. She must destroy all the CCTV to get rid of evidence of the fight earlier, but she has to take the footage for Johnny to analyse and see if they can get the hint of whoever the unknown woman would be.

 

 

 

 

.....

 

 

 

 

While on the other hand, in a massive room. Two women stand side by side, watching the view from the highest floor of their building. 

"They're back, mother." The younger out of the two spoke.

"Hmm."

The woman called mother turned to the younger.

"Then we must prepare."

"And what about her, mother?"

"We let her be, for now."

"Okay, mother."

"Tell the others that it's time. Make no mistake, Kim Taeyeon."

"Yes, mother."