A second droned on by before finally resting her hands on his back slowly patting him in a sense of confusion. As seconds greeted her on she browsed the empty hallway with her eyes silently praying that no one would chance by and see them. When a minute went by she was sure the embrace would come to an end, but Kris still sought for extending comfort.

His arms finally loosened around her and stepped back allowing the soles of her feet to touch the ground again. As his face brushed against her hair instinct told her that he would say something. Before allowing him to she turned away and walked toward her apartment.

After unlocking it and pushing the door open she slightly turned around, “Come in.”

A minute later she walked out of her room to see him seated at her kitchen table looking around curiously, almost as if he’d never been there before. Pulling the seat beside him out she sat down and opened the bottle of ointment.

“You ever think about changing your walls?” He asked slowly turning toward her, as if the walls had called his attention.

“Why would I worry about my walls?”

“Because they’re plain,” he commented, “maybe I can fix it up for you. Color it, paint it.”

Swiping her hand into the ointment she pressed it against the bruise on his face, “I like white.”

He groaned in pain and slightly twisted away, “It hurts. Be gentle.”

“Help yourself out then, I’m done here,” Namjoo threatened to get up only to have him jump in his seat in a whiny manner.

“I didn’t tell you to stop,” he whined.

“So, what happened?” Namjoo asked, remaining cool despite the stare in his eyes.

“Not sure if it’s linked, but something was going on in a house. It was a nice neighborhood too,” he spoke softly, his tone of voice endearing the filth they’d earlier witnessed. “Everything seemed so normal too. It’s…ugly.”

Namjoo fought to avoid meeting with his eyes, but when his stare seemed to burn into her she ended up looking straight at him.

Kris offered a firm smile, “I’m glad you were with Suho today.”

As her finger spread the medicine across his face she said, “Me too.”

He snorted at her. Closing the cap to the ointment she went to go wash her hand at the sink.

“Now that you’re done talking, when are you going to leave?”

Kris spread his arms out onto the table and leaned into them, “I don’t want to leave yet.”

Namjoo wanted sleep. Since she felt like she’d done her job by offering him some medicinal cream and even put them on his face for him, she felt like she was done for the night.

“Should we go for a few drinks?”

A kind of laugh fell from her lips and she turned around to look at him. Honestly, he looked innocent, but with what had happened the last time they drank together Namjoo would never know what he was thinking.

“Are you,” she swung her finger back and forth between them, “making fun of me?”

He frowned, “Would I have a reason to?”

“Yes,” her face fell flat with a nod.

Of course, he’d find ways to make fun of her every moment he got. He always wanted to annoy her somehow and she realized he was probably doing it right now.

“I’m hungry. I’ll leave after you cook me something.”

“What do you want?”

“Anything you make I’ll eat,” he looked up at her before getting up with a yawn and walked over to her couch.

She watched him drop down to lean his elbow against the arm rest. Turning around she pulled her fridge open wondering why she didn’t even have the heart to force him out like she would have.

~_____~

“The fact, Tao, that you’re able to sit here with me and think back to reevaluate all that sets you far apart from those men,” Donghae slightly lowered himself to look straight into Tao’s eyes so that he would see where he was coming from. “You’re worth something, you’re making a difference so that those out there can have better lives, and you’re doing that by working with us…as a team. The difference, Tao, is you’re no longer a criminal. You’re one of us.”

When their eyes met Donghae gave him a friendly smile to encourage him for the better.

“Have a day off tomorrow, get some rest,” Donghae stood up to pat his back and walked into his room.

Drawing his jacket off he tossed it onto his bed and lay down with his arms sprawled out. What was he going to do now?

~_____~

Once the meal was completed Namjoo turned the stove off and turned around to see Kris knocked out on her couch. Part of her knew he was going to do this while the other half of her just completely stared at how comfortable he’d made himself on someone else’s furniture. Puffing air up against her bangs she turned to walk into her bedroom, rummaged through the closet, and started toward him.

Since he was so persistent and she felt kind of sorry for him, she’d let him have his way. Namjoo still didn’t quite understand why her place seemed to be so comfortable for Tao and Kris when it wasn’t quite the same for her. Throwing the frown away she spread the blanket over him and turned to walk away only to let out a shout when she fell against the couch with a sudden pull of her arm.

Pulling the blanket from under her he threw it over her.

“You should sleep too.”

“You weren’t asleep?” She asked baffled.

“I woke up, would be the correction,” he told and looked around, “no pillow? You didn’t bring me a pillow?”

Namjoo bit her lip unable to understand how he could even ask for that next. Before she could move he leaned over to press his head onto her shoulder.

“Just rest for a moment,” he persuaded. “You’re tired, aren’t you? Relax for a moment.”

She allowed the tension in her muscles to loosen before her back sunk into the couch. No, she hadn’t wanted this, but her eyes were already closing on her before she could ask for some mercy.

~_____~

Kris’ eyes refused to open, but there was a repeated melodic noise that kept echoing. When he first moved he felt stiffness in his neck and raised a hand up to touch the pain. Momentarily confused about where he was he looked around before recalling how he’d come to see Namjoo.

That was right. He never left.

Finally recognizing a weight on his arm he turned to see Namjoo sleeping against him and realized they’d fallen over during the night until he’d used the arm rest as his pillow.

Great way to sleep, he thought. Why couldn’t they have slept on a bed comfortably?

Easing his way out and making sure Namjoo would still sleep comfortably he carefully placed her hand onto the cushion, covering her with the blanket he’d adjusted before hurrying toward the door in case she might wake. She’d looked so tired last night he wondered if she’d been sleeping at all.

Unlocking the door hastily he opened it without worrying who was on the other side until the door was already opened. Kris found Suho peering back at him with a smile quickly dropping from his face. Awkwardness sunk over them before Kris pushed Suho back and stepped out.

Kris took notice of how Suho’s eyes swam toward the closed door, “Hey, what are you doing here so early?”

Suho ran his eyes over his clothing, which was still the same as yesterday’s before looking back into his face.

Without comment he said, “I came for Namjoo.”

Kris tried his best to refrain from becoming awkward himself and smiled, “Is it…urgent? Can’t it wait?”

Suho slightly raised an eyebrow, which wasn’t very noticeable.

“You know…she looks tired. I thought we could let her rest some more,” Kris tried, aware that Suho was probably thinking otherwise.

No one knew he met with Namjoo outside of work. Kris wasn’t sure whether it was time to be nervous and anxious or not. He still recalled admitting to Suho about his feelings, so he trusted that Suho wouldn’t be rash in speaking about seeing him there.

“Ok,” Suho nodded, “I’ll call her later then.”

Suho shot him a smile before turning to walk off. Kris made sure he was down the hallway before sneaking back inside and leaned over to the side to make sure Namjoo was still asleep. He hadn’t seen her sleep peacefully since their adventure in Wonju a few weeks ago.

Crouching by the couch with a smile he peered into her sleeping face, reaching out to brush her hair aside. Unable to restrain himself he leaned forward to steal a quick peck before moving back to watch her sleepily moan then wiped a hand against her face and her lips.

“This little…” he mumbled before getting up to stumble into the kitchen.

Browsing over the stove brought to him the delicacy she’d cooked for him last night. Turning around to look at Namjoo he felt a smile wrought itself over his lips. Instinct told him that no matter what, even if he were to ask for a late night meal Namjoo wouldn’t turn him away. To know that she’d cooked it just for him in her tired state meant a lot.

Smiling, he poured the food out onto a plate and stuffed it into her microwave. As soon as it beeped he rushed toward it afraid that even the slightest noise would wake her up. Shifting his eyes her way he watched her move and stretch before sitting up confused.

He decided Namjoo still looked tired no matter what, even when she turned to look at him with narrowed eyes. Nervous he raised his hand up to wave.

“Morning.”

“You must be thinking this is so fun, aren’t you?” Namjoo mumbled as she stuffed the food into moments later.

Kris glanced up at her as he sat in her usual seat and felt his eyes catch her lips which were still wet from chugging a glass of water earlier. Knowing that she didn’t realize he’d kissed her earlier filled him up with mischevious feelings.

“What are you looking at?” Namjoo scolded.

Lifting his eyes up to look at her she smiled foolishly. “Hey, I didn’t realize you’d fall asleep so fast last night. But you must’ve slept well, my whole arm was numb this morning.”

Namjoo ran her eyes over him quietly, “Nothing seems wrong with you.”

“You still slept against me, whether you admit it or not.”

A baffled snort fell through her lips, but before she could say anything her cellphone started ringing. As she got up from her seat she shot a finger out at him threateningly before walking away in search of her phone.

Kris’s eyes fell upon her half-eaten plate and wondered why she didn’t eat faster. Namjoo moved around so much she probably wasn’t even eating right either. Why did she have to do so much just for her job?

“Damn it, Suho,” he mumbled under his breath, “you couldn’t wait an hour?”

~_____~

“Remember that place in Wonju we were at two nights ago?” Suho asked. “I have a feeling we should go back.”

“Why?”

“The documents we saw,” Suho reminded, “I have a feeling that we need to get them.”

“You think they’re important?”

“No, just…I just have a hunch it’ll help us in the long run,” Suho went on. “I’m at headquarters right now. Donghae gave everyone a day off, so we should take this chance to our advantage.”

“I’ll be there in thirty,” Namjoo promised before hanging up.

Suho stared down at the records of their mission so far before shutting the book and turned to open the door. He jolted back from surprise when he saw Chorong standing on the other side.

“Oh, you scared me,” he commented then slightly frowned when he noticed the tiredness in her slightly red eyes and the dark bags there. The cheery glow she usually had with her wasn’t there with her that morning.

Her eyes sprinted into a slight curve of what looked like a faint smile when she saw him.

“Sorry,” she apologized. “I didn’t know you were here.”

“Is something wrong?” Suho worried. “You don’t look well.”

Chorong shyly reached a hand up to toucoh her face, “Yea…”

“But…Donghae gave everyone a vacation today,” Suho stated, “so what are you doing here? You don’t have extra work to finish up, do you?”

Chorong’s eyes swayed from his and wavered over the walls around them.

“Chorong?” Suho called wondering why she seemed a bit dazed. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I heard that the library is a good nap room,” Chorong told. “So I thought to sleep here for a bit.”

As far as Suho recalled, Chorong had a pretty fair apartment with security at the doors.

“Is something wrong with your apartment?” Suho asked.

“I was just uncomfortable…”

Suho frowned again and stepped back to hold the door open for her.

Chorong took a step in before she paused and looked at him, “Are you going somewhere?”

Managing a smile he nodded, “Yes, I have some things to do.”

“Where?”

“Wonju.”

Chorong’s face scrunched up with a frown. Worried that he had given them away Suho smiled again calmly.

“I’m just going to go check some sites out before we head out again,” he lied.

Chorong turned away and became quiet again. She looked drained, Suho thought.

“Have a good rest,” Suho said and started to take a step forward.

“Wait,” Chorong called and turned his way again. “Can you…can’t that wait another day? Or…until later?”

Suho looked at her surprise by the sudden ask. He raised a brow, innocent and blind to the desperation for comfort crawling out of her, like a monster taking over.

“Ah…well…”

“Can’t you…” Chorong slightly lowered her eyes, “just stay for a bit?”

And for some reason Suho felt kind of sorry for her; for the exhaustion in her eyes and the hidden fear in her face.

At this moment he suddenly thought he looked as drained as Namjoo had when they came back from Daegu and were a week vacation. Or was it not like that? Suho couldn’t quite make up his mind.

Sending Chorong a kind smile he nodded, waited for her to come in, and closed the door.

“Tao sleeps in here a lot,” Suho told as he walked over to close the curtains he’d taken the time to open up that morning. “He says he gets good sleep cause it can get dark in here, but I think he only likes the couch. You might be able to get some good sleep too if you’re a person who can sleep anywhere.”

Suho tuned around to see Chorong lying down on the couch to curl up. Turning around he walked over to the other window to pull the curtain down.

“Are you sleeping?” Suho asked. “It’s kind of cold in here. Should I dig up a blanket from one of the closets?”

A shade of darkness enveloped him when the curtain fell and he made his way through the bookshelves.

“Is it comfortable?” Suho questioned.

Pulling a chair out from the table he sat down and glanced over at Chorong who still had her eyes open.

Softly smiling Suho asked, “Am I talking too much?”

Chorong shook her head, “I like listening to your voice.”

Catching herself Chorong stiffened up a little, embarrassment overwhelming her heated cheeks. Suho thought he felt it too and became a little awkward. In the end he managed to blurt out a laugh, which ruined the moment.

“I talk well, right?” He boasted jokingly.

Chorong only smiled a tad bit. To destroy the continuing silence that still seemed to flow Suho traced his finger against the table.

“I wish we could have done something during vacation instead of going to Yeongwol.”

Suho side eyed Chorong. He was suddenly feeling that this conversation was going somewhere different he hadn’t expected. He felt drawn in and instinct told him Chorong was going to say something he never expected. He was suppressed by anxiety and surprise as the silence continued to swim in on them; the only two there. 

***Dammit I always leave off with this story somewhere =.=' Whether you're still reading this or not, I deeply apologize for the long wait. I got caught up in other stuff -.- Forgive me