41 | On The News

***

After the FBI agents secured the perimeter, Seohyun, Jessica, and Tiffany swiftly emerged, their senses heightened as they escorted Lawyer Han to the awaiting car, maintaining a vigilant watch around them.

"Continue without me, I'll catch up." Despite the assurance, Jessica's resolve to apprehend Sooyoung drives her to slam the car door shut after her friends are safely inside. She swiftly mounts a nearby bike and races after the FBI agents' truck, now vanished into the depths of the forest.

"Unnie!"

"Jessica, please, come back!" Tiffany and Seohyun attempted to pursue her, but their path was obstructed by one of the FBI agents, insisting they return to the safety of the car. Reluctantly, they complied, surrendering the rifles they held as they retreated back inside.

"What's going through Jessica's mind?" Tiffany voiced her frustration. "We were fortunate that the FBI intervened to thwart Sooyoung's plans. Why would she jeopardize herself like this?"

"I suppose she was determined to ensure Sooyoung's capture herself," Seohyun remarked with a sigh. "Recall how they collaborated at Yuri's villa? Jessica felt betrayed by her."

Tiffany was reminded, her fists clenching. "She had better come back safe and sound," she muttered. Despite her frustrations, the safety of her friend remained her utmost concern.

"We're heading back to base now," the FBI agent announced as he started the engine, navigating the car cautiously through the fresh snowfall.

—

With every breath heavy and her eyes sharply fixed, Jessica races forward, the growl of her bike's engine echoing through the crisp mountain air. Determined not to lose sight of Sooyoung darting ahead on her snowmobile, Jessica pushes herself harder, even as the FBI pursues her both on their own snow bikes. The crackle of gunfire pierces the serene snowscape, sending sprays of white powder scattering in all directions. In this high-stakes pursuit, every twist and turn presents a new challenge, yet neither Jessica nor Sooyoung shows any sign of faltering. With nerves of steel, Sooyoung expertly navigates the terrain, dodging obstacles with precision to evade capture.

As Jessica's eyes caught sight of an alternate path snaking along the mountain's edge, she swiftly veered to her right, carving through the snow with determination. Drawing closer to Sooyoung's position with each passing moment, she abruptly halted, instinctively reaching for the rifle slung across her back. With practiced precision, she cocked the weapon and brought it to bear, peering through the scope to track the movements of their pursuers. As the enemy drew within range, Jessica's finger tightened on the trigger, the shot ringing out with deadly accuracy. The bullet struck Sooyoung's helmet, shattering her concentration and sending her tumbling from her snowmobile in a whirl of snow and chaos.

In a swift and instinctual motion, Jessica revved the engine of her bike, propelling herself forward with determined speed toward Sooyoung. With adrenaline coursing through her veins, she aimed and fired a precise shot, disarming Sooyoung just as she reached for her own weapon, catching her off guard with the sudden action.

"How dare you try to hurt my friend," Jessica muttered, her voice steely with determination, as she cocked the rifle in front of Sooyoung, who was struggling to calm herself beneath her shattered helmet. "Put your hands behind your head!" she commanded, her tone firm and unwavering, leaving no room for negotiation.

Sooyoung removed her helmet first, revealing a smirk as she laid eyes on an old colleague. "Well, well, well... Long time no see, Jessica Jung," she quipped, her tone laced with sarcasm as she nonchalantly sat up, seemingly unfazed by the rifle trained on her.

"I SAID PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD!"

"Whoa, you're not with the FBI, are you?" Sooyoung remarked with a hint of surprise, gradually complying with Jessica's demands.

Without hesitation, Jessica swiftly delivered a kick to Sooyoung's face. As Sooyoung attempted to retaliate, Jessica acted quickly, firing a warning shot into the ground, effectively halting any further aggression.

"So, now you're trying to act tough, huh?" Sooyoung snickered defiantly, spitting out blood from as she spoke.

"You are the one who did this to yourself, remember?" 

"What do you know?"

Jessica scoffed incredulously. "After you bloody well called the cops on us that one time, you declared war. And now you have the gall to act like a friend? You're a stupid jerk!"

"I just did what a detective should do."

"A detective working for Mr. Lee. Yeah, That's some bull." 

Sooyoung snickered, only to receive another forceful kick to her face, causing her to stumble backward. "Ah, I see, you're getting revenge for my betrayal, aren't you?" she remarked with a smirk, despite the pain.

Jessica gripped the rifle tightly, her expression hardening into a silent, deadly glare aimed directly at Sooyoung. Despite the absence of words, the intensity of her heavy breathing spoke volumes, echoing the tension that hung thick in the air.

"Silence speaks volumes, doesn't it? I must say, I'm rather pleased with how convincing my performance has been," Sooyoung remarked arrogantly before she flung snow into Jessica's face, momentarily blinding her. Seizing the opportunity, she swiftly disarmed Jessica by kicking the rifle out of her grasp. With calculated precision, Sooyoung then spun around and delivered a sharp kick to Jessica's stomach, causing her to stagger backward. And just before she could compose herself, she pick up the rifle and it in front of her. "But I'm tougher than you, Jessica Jung." she reminds her with a shot that passes through Jessica's hair and hits the trunk behind her. "I don't think you can kill anyone, but I can."

Jessica chuckled sarcastically. "You're crazy for thinking like that." 

"Try me." Sooyoung cocked the rifle and before she could pull the trigger, Jessica kick the snow and some of it hit her face then grabs the rifle, pushing it upward and she kicked her legs, prompting her to drop to the ground.

Jessica immediately pulled the trigger just beside her feet. "You're not fast enough." she mutters.

Laughing sarcastically, Sooyoung pulled herself up and tried to snatch the rifle back but Jessica swung it across her face in a swift motion, she stumbled on the snow with a cut on her left cheek. "." she let out a loud curse looking back at Jessica furiously.

"No, you're wrong for me to get revenge for what you did back in Seoul. You tried to kill my friend, no one touches my friend, you freaking moron!" Jessica furiously yelled in frustration. She cocked the rifle ready to pull the trigger in front of Sooyoung's face when someone intervened. 

"Drop the weapon!" One of the FBI agents announced as they circled the two of them, pointing their rifles at them while approaching them carefully.

Jessica let out a huge exhale as she slowly stepped back a couple of times before she handed the rifle to one of the agents. They then handcuffed Sooyoung on the ground before she was pulled back to her feet.

"See you later, Jessica Jung." Sooyoung said in a sarcastic tone while she was being taken away. 

Scoffing, Jessica decided not to react as she went to her snow bike instead, and as she mounted it, Sooyoung glanced at her which made her send a middle finger before she drove off.

"Stupid." Muttered Sooyoung as she was brought inside a truck. She kicked the wall and sat down with a heavy heart. 

***

[Seoul]

"After bidding farewell to his directors, Taeyeon strolled out of the conference room with a casual air, adjusting his tie effortlessly as he slipped one hand into his pocket. His secretary, ever attentive, pressed the elevator button and stood by his side as they awaited its arrival."

"Ms. Kim, I'm free for the rest of the afternoon, correct?" he inquired softly, addressing his secretary.

"No, Sir. You have your weekend free for yourself. It's a chance to bring Da-On to places he hasn't gone to." she told him promptly.

"Understood," he replied before stepping into the lift.

"And let me remind you about this conference invitation, Sir."

Taeyeon raised an eyebrow as he gently received the card. "The Prime Minister of Canada coming?"

"Yes, you can decline if you want, but... I advise you to attend since the prime minister is such an important investor in the company," the secretary shared her thoughts.

"Indeed. I'll make sure to attend," he said with a friendly smile to his secretary before tucking the card into the pocket of his gray suit. "Thank you, Ms. Kim."

"No problem, Sir," his secretary replied before they exited the lift and proceeded to his office.

As Taeyeon opened the door, he was met with the sight of his office in a bit of disarray. Tissue papers were strewn about, pens and building blocks littered the floor, yet the mischief-maker responsible was nowhere in sight. "Da-On?" he called out, his voice echoing in the cluttered space. Stepping forward, he accidentally kicked a block, eliciting a surprised yelp from himself. "Aish, I told him not to make a mess," he muttered under his breath as he navigated through the scattered items. Making his way to the pantry, he discovered Da-On enjoying a chocolate drink prepared by one of the office staff.

"You're back, Sir," the employee said, promptly standing up and bowing respectfully.

Da-On greeted him with a big, cheerful smile. "Appa, the chocolate is so tasty," he remarked, taking another sip of his drink, oblivious to the chocolate smudges already adorning his cheeks.

Taeyeon clenched his fists, suppressing his rising temper, but eventually released a heavy exhale. "Patience is a virtue," he reminded himself, striving to maintain composure.

"I-I'm sorry about the mess, Sir. D-Da-On... he's kinda... adorable, I can't stop him."  

"It's okay, Chen-ssi," Taeyeon said calmly as he approached his son and took a seat next to him on the sofa. He playfully poked at the chocolate drink with his forefinger and transferred a smudge to his son's forehead, eliciting giggles from the young boy. "You're having fun, aren't you?" he couldn't resist and pinched his son's cheek affectionately.

Da-On giggled and nodded enthusiastically. "Appa, your office is so big that Chen Hyung and I played a lot. I want to play with him again tomorrow."

"Yeah, I can see that," Taeyeon said, loving the joy in his son's face. He wiped the dirt from his cheeks and then planted a kiss on his forehead. "But we need to get changed now."

"Yes," Da-On replied before finishing his drink. He then took his father's hand as they made their way out of the pantry. 

Seated on the sofa, Taeyeon opened the backpack, and as he checked inside, he was surprised to find a bottle of milk, a bag of chips, and some biscuits. "I-I thought I brought your extra clothes too?" he muttered, puzzled by the absence of the clothing items.

"Hmm?" Da-On raised his eyebrows and then checked the backpack. "No clothes," he murmured, confirming his father's observation.

"Yeah, I really brought it with us, Da-On but it wasn't here."

"Maybe you forgot, Sir," his secretary said as she tidied up the office.

"No, I really did put them inside. Da-On, did you take them out?" Taeyeon asked, shooting his son a playful glare.

Da-On pouted cutely, shaking his head in denial.

"Ugh, you did. What am I going to do with you?" Taeyeon exclaimed, ruffling his son's hair, which earned giggles from the young boy. Da-On immediately hugged him, but Taeyeon chuckled, saying, "A hug won't change the fact that you replaced the clothes with a bag of chips, Kim Da-On." He then kissed his son's forehead affectionately.

Da-On looked up at him with a wide grin. "Appa, I love you," he sweetly declared, earning another ruffle of his hair. They both giggled in unison, sharing a moment of warmth and affection.

"How are we going to change you now?" Taeyeon sighed, exasperated.

"I think you need some changing too, Sir," the secretary remarked with an amused smile, noticing the chairman's suit had a chocolate smudge.

Checking his suit, Taeyeon realized that chocolate had transferred onto it. "Da-On."

"I'm sorry, Appa," Da-On said, pulling back before immediately darting away as his father chased him around the office. Da-On's squeals, laughter, and more squeals echoed through the large office which can be heard outside.

***

"Please handle them with care," Yoona instructed firmly as soon as the delivery guys began to pick up the paintings and carry them to the lift. These are Seohyun's last remaining pieces, sent via courier and arriving two days later.

As his phone rang from within his pocket, he casually retrieved it from his business suit, a smile spreading across his face as he read Taeyeon's contact ID. "Hey, bro," he answered in a relaxed tone.

[Don't forget tonight.]

"What time was it again?" he asked playfully.

[Ugh, I hate you. Just come.]

"I know, I'll be there before you know it," he giggled before promptly ending the call. "Omo, omo," he exclaimed under his breath, but his attention quickly shifted as he noticed a painting about to fall. Acting swiftly, he reached out to catch it, the delivery guy apologizing hastily before lifting it back up and carrying it to the lift. "That was close," he exclaimed with a relieved sigh.

After a while, he led the way to his apartment and directed the delivery guys to the guest room he had recently cleared out specifically for the paintings. After giving them a tip, he bid them farewell and took a seat on the floor, his smile warm as he gazed at the paintings before him. Out of the 100, at least 30 had been saved from the gallery, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride for Seohyun. Her journey was evident in each brushstroke, a testament to her resilience.

"Welcome home, Seo Joohyun," he said softly, his voice filled with warmth and sincerity.

*** 

Instead of heading straight to Taeyeon's place, Yuri made a detour to a nearby claw machine, enticed by the colorful array of stuffed toys within. However, her eager anticipation was momentarily thwarted as two children were engrossed in a fierce battle of skill and luck at the machine.

Observing them closely, Yuri couldn't help but smile as he recognized the unmistakable bond between the siblings. The older brother, a young lad with determination gleaming in his eyes, made promises to his younger sister about securing a Pikachu plush for her upcoming birth