~_____~

Dinner was delicious despite the feelings scratching him from inside. Now he had to think over whether he wanted Victoria in on his plans.

From the start he’d had to share his personal problems with Victoria and her team because there had been no choice. So everyone knew about him and Eunhyuk. If that weren’t the case he’d have the opportunity to seek Eunhyuk out alone, but doing it alone wasn’t an available option right now.

Eyes were watching him and Victoria would make sure to write down his every move. She wouldn’t let him find Eunhyuk alone. And that was that; what he most wanted not to happen.

He had to find Eunhyuk, he had to confront him alone, and if Eunhyuk was really doing the bad he had to catch him with his own hands. Eunhyuk or Eunhyuk’s brother wouldn’t be able to escape from his clutches.

Donghae had to admit he was selfish, but he needed to do this alone in order to put his mind at ease. Eunhyuk had disappeared for so long now and if it was just to run this ring…Donghae would never feel content.

“What’s that noise?” Victoria questioned looking up from her plate.

Lifting his head up he turned to look right and left while focusing on any noise underneath the sound waves of the classical music airing overhead. And then he caught it a second later. Something was buzzing or more like vibrating hastily.

Twisting around in his seat he made a grab for the phone he’d left inside his jacket pocket and pulled it out. It was Tao calling.

With Victoria watching he answered, “What is it?”

“Where are you?” Tao first started. “Officer Choi just called me.”

Donghae frowned. “Officer Choi? Are you sure?”

“Do you think I have hearing problems?” Tao fought.

Donghae almost wanted to roll his eyes, “What did he say?”

“Some girls have been found in Yeongwol and gang members are being transported to the Detention Hall,” Tao filled him in. “He says if you want details you’re going to have to speak with Suho. They’re heading back right now.”

All the information seemed to blast in Donghae’s mind and he immediately stood. Victoria’s head moved further up as she watched him quietly.

“Ok,” Donghae said before hanging up.

“Why? What’s going on?” Victoria started, but Donghae’s phone started ringing again interrupting her.

Donghae answered in a flustered manner, “Lee Donghae speaking.” There was a quiet moment of silence before he slightly raised his voice doubtfully, “What!? Are you sure…I’ll look into the details when she comes back. I have to go now.”

Grabbing his jacket he swerved around to head toward the front desk. Victoria was right on his heels. Coming to a stop he pulled his card out and impatiently waited for it to be handed back. Once he had it back in his hand he rushed out the door.

“Donghae!” Victoria half shouted. “What’s going on?”   

Pulling the handle of his door he turned to her, “You should head to headquarters too.”

“Why? What happened?”

Her questions almost annoyed him. Why couldn’t she just go to headquarters without asking anything? She’d find out everything once she got there too.

“Some girls have been discovered,” Donghae quickly filled her in, “Suho must have infiltrated their base.”

Victoria frowned. “Isn’t that good news?”

Unable to handle her questioning he twisted his neck around to stare at her. Why wasn’t she seeing this from his point of view?

Realizing that he’d only raise his voice at her if he were to speak he got into his seat, “I’ll meet you at headquarters.”

Closing his door he turned the engine on and drove off. So many things were going through his head now.

How had those girls been found? How had those men been captured and brought back? Why had Namjoo dispatched 15 men from the combat field with her? What had Suho done?

All questions brought him to the conclusion that nothing had gone according to his expectations.

~_____~

Donghae was frustrating, but Victoria didn’t want to put up an argument. Getting into her car she heard her phone beep at once. Recalling she’d left it behind in the car she reached over for it on the passenger’s seat.

Kris had called at least 10 times and there was a voice message.

“What are you doing? Where are you? News came up, I think you should head to headquarters,” Kris said, “some girls have been retrieved in Yeongwol and a group of men have been arrested. I think the mission Donghae sent Suho, Lay, and Chorong on had to do with it. Everyone’s going to be at headquarters within the hour, you should head there too.”

So that was what was going on. Donghae could have just given her a mere sentence instead of running out impatiently on his own. He was reckless and immature.

Oh well, there was no point in arguing now. Victoria just had to get to headquarters.

~_____~

Kris literally leapt from the parking lot when he finally arrived. Bombarded with worries that everyone was already there he raced up the steps to the building then to the elevator, which brought him to the fourth floor.

He didn’t much miss the sight of the hallway he seemed to see every time they assembled there for their next plans. Quickening his steps he walked toward the usual meeting room they used to see that the door was already open. Suddenly sure that everyone was already there he hurried in only to come to an awkward pause upon sighting Tao who had seated himself.

Their eyes met and a kind of stiff tension surmounted the air. Kris was still conscious of Tao’s confession to Namjoo in Daegu and none of it served him as good memories. Tao was the one he really had to keep an eye on.

Neither of them broke the silence and he remained where he was. Kris didn’t want to move a step closer to Tao nor did he want to take a step back. A step back would show he was weak, but even a step closer to Tao sounded despiteful.

Footsteps emerged from down the hallway and he turned to see Lay, Chorong, Suho, and Namjoo walk in in single file. There was a deep thick bruise on Chorong’s left side of her face, a cut and growing bruise around Suho’s nose, but Lay and Namjoo looked to be unscarred. They sat at the table near the back wall together. Kris dropped into the chair closest to them taking note that Namjoo had not yet glanced at him or Tao.

Everyone looked drained and glum, but there was business on Suho and Namjoo’s expressions. It was as if they’d talked everything over on the ride back to headquarters, which Kris was pretty sure they did.

Footsteps neared the room again and in due time Donghae and Victoria walked through the door looking as if they’d jogged the whole way. Donghae’s eyes roved over the four who had come in together as Victoria closed the door.

And at last the whole team was back together.

~_____~

Suho was prepared to take anything coming his way. As he sat there between Lay and Namjoo he could feel Donghae’s hardened eyes running over him with scrutiny. As one of Donghae’s most trusted subjects he’d ruined the goal of the mission even when he realized how important it was to him. After a long second, Donghae turned to shoot Namjoo the same stare.

“What were you doing there?” Donghae heavily began. He first turned his attention to Namjoo, “How dare you assemble men of your own and head down to Yeongwol! What do you think this mission is? I told you to stay back. I did not order you to go out!”

“We needed power, so I suggested it,” Lay defended.

Donghae immediately turned his attention to him, “I wasn’t talking to you.” Then turning back to Namjoo he said, “What did you expect to gain out there? This job wasn’t yours.”

“I had to save them, Donghae,” Namjoo replied with no emotion, but that of defense and slight anger. “You knew how this damn mission of yours would end up if you sent Suho and you still sent him!”

“I’m the one in charge here,” Donghae put emphasis on his words, “and you do as I say. You were not permitted out there.” Then he turned to Suho, “You went too far out of bounds. How could you act on your own like that? Carrying out an operation without approval requires more than just infiltrating impulsively! You were reckless! You pulled an amateur move!”

Suho didn’t shift his eyes elsewhere, but stared right back at him. Everyone else in the room seemed to be staring at him, but Donghae couldn’t stop there. Suho’s operation put everyone in danger. Namjoo had gone out without orders, which was even more reckless. Everyone had acted on their own despite the dangers surrounding them. The probability of a death was higher for them than the group as a whole. Donghae thought they were all foolish when they were supposed to be trained professionals. He couldn’t just leave it at this.

“What are you going to do about Chorong?! You allowed her to get injured! What if any of you died out there!? Were you ready to prepare a funeral?”

“Getting injured couldn’t be avoided,” Lay cut in impatient, frustrated with why Donghae was angry, and unable to resist the urge to speak up. “We only did what was right. None of us died thanks to Namjoo and her men. The three of us decided on this operation even when we knew the dangers that lie ahead. It was our decision, not just Suho’s.”

Donghae turned to look at him irked.

“Why are you so worked up?” Victoria finally asked. “They only did what they felt was right. One of our main objectives is saving those girls.”

“That was not the goal of this mission, Victoria, or have you forgotten what I said when I sent them out?” Donghae fought.

“Are you upset about the wrong or the right of what happened?” Victoria questioned. “Or are you angry over the fact that you didn’t get what you wanted out of this mission, but those girls and those men? You’re angry that none of this links you right to Eunhyuk, right?”

Donghae opened his mouth to futher retaliate, but Kris cut in. “We should stop. Those girls are at the hospital, aren’t they? And those men at the Detention Center, correct? We just need some information that will count toward our efforts to determine our next mission.  There’s still tomorrow to work on that.”

“Kris is right,” Victoria agreed. “I bet they’re tired form a long day. If you have any more to say about this, talk tomorrow.”

Chorong swerved her eyes toward the tabletop solemnly before pushing her chair back, “I don’t mind getting injured. It was meant to happen anyway and it allows me to feel like I contributed to saving those girls. Returning them home and preventing more of it from happening is what I’m here for. I was the one who made the decision for the operation, so if anyone had lost their lives the blame would have been mine, but we all came out ok.”

The room ultimately silenced while they listened to Chorong speak aloud for what was perhaps the very first time. The bruise on her face made her look like a brave survivor of something horrendous.

“I did it because it’s the only right thing to do. If you feel our actions violated the terms of the mission, I can apologize for that,” Chorong calmly continued. “If that’s all, I’d like to get some rest.”

Unable to say anything Victoria ushered, “Go on.”

Chorong was first to leave the room and suddenly the atmosphere almost lightened.

“We’ll meet back here tomorrow,” Victoria said. “Get some rest.”

“Suho, Namjoo,” Donghae called when the two began to get up. “I want you two here early tomorrow.”

They nodded before leaving the room. When everyone left Victoria turn to glance at him and walked out without further say.  

~_____~

“Namjoo!” Tao hurried after her down the hallway before anybody else might catch her.

Hurrying in front of her he paused. At first he was unsure of what to say and almost hesitated to say anything at all.

“You should have told me,” Tao said, “I would have come with you.”

Namjoo glanced up at him before looking away, “It’s fine, Tao.”

He opened his mouth to say more, but Donghae called out for him, “I’m leaving, Tao!”

Tao twisted around to see Donghae starting down the hallway. If he wanted to stay he might not be able to head back to the apartment, but he didn’t want to leave Namjoo yet either.

“Go on,” Namjoo nodded her head toward Donghae’s direction.

“Rest up, alright?”  

With one last glance at her he headed toward Donghae who was entering the elevator.

“Why’d you come?” Donghae asked when he got in. “You could’ve stayed at the apartment.”

“Ah…well…”

They said no more until they were well on the road.

Breaking the silence Tao asked, “Don’t you think you were being too hard on them? You sounded like an angry rat.”

“An operation decided right on the spot like that is dangerous. You need to realize that, Tao,” Donghae said. “They moved in without clear research and without weapon. Plus, Suho didn’t follow my directions. He wasn’t supposed to pull any acts there. I just want them to realize what they did.”

“But to yell at them like that…”

“Suho and Namjoo will be fine,” Donghae assured, “they’ve been around me for ages enough to know my temper.”

~_____~

Lay found Chorong in the parking lot trying to unlock her door. Trying to remain light hearted he hurried toward her.

“Heading home?” Lay asked.

Chorong’s head shot up and she smiled in his direction. The moonlight beamed down on her like a spotlight.

“I want to sleep early,” Chorong explained.

“Chorong,” Lay called and watched her slightly tilt her head toward him, “you contributed a lot in this mission, so don’t feel left out. Suho and I couldn’t have done anything without you there.”

A warm smile lit up her face.

“And you were brave today,” Lay encouraged, “really.”

“Thank you.” Pulling open her door she said, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lay.”

Upon a nod she got into her car and drove off.

~_____~

Namjoo found Suho sitting in the lounge on a couch with an ice pack over his nose. He was leaning back into the cushion with his eyes closed.

“Not going home?” Namjoo dropped onto the spot beside him.

“I’m gonna take a nap first,” Suho mumbled. “What’s the use of going home and coming back early? Might as well just spend the night here.”

Copying him she also leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes. “I guess you have a point.”

Barely off in dreamland, she jolted up when someone lifted her leg and pressed an icy cold object against her ankle.

“Calm down, will you?” It was Kris.

She felt him place her feet against his thigh for a firm hold while holding the ice pack against her ankle.

“What are you doing?”

“You walk funny, so I thought something was wrong,” he answered. “Go back to sleep.”

Namjoo stared at his effort and heaved a slight sigh, “I can’t sleep with that cold thing against my ankle. I’m fine, just go home.”

Kris glanced at her before eyeing Suho. “Donghae seemed quite mad with what you did.”

“Let him be,” Namjoo crossed her arms and leaned forward. “I have the authority to decide as I want.”

They went quiet for a minute before he said, “At least you’re not hurt.”

Namjoo felt her eyes run over his features and slightly looked away, wondering what they were doing.

Suho broke the spell of the moment when he yawned and leaned forward with outstretched arms. He glanced at them before shooting a broad smile, “Boy, am I jealous. I want someone to hold an ice pack for me. My arm’s sore after holding it for so long.”

Suho seemed to shoot Kris an eye before he stood, “I guess I’ll go home after all. Meet you here tomorrow, Namjoo.”

Namjoo’s pursed lips fell apart when Suho got up to walk away and she watched him disappear down the hallway. A slight shadow fell over her face when she realized she and Kris were the only ones there.

Her foot suddenly touched the ground and Kris rose up to his feet. “I’ll take you home.”

It wasn’t a suggestion or an offer. It was more like something he knew he’d do and something she would have to abide. When Namjoo got into his car she wondered if this was going to be an unintended long night.