The gentle waves lapped in lazy crawls towards the shore, the light breeze rustled palm trees scratching against wooden panes while the night creature sang their mating songs like a muted cacophony that wasn't too displeasing to the ears. Sooyoung leaned against the cool rails, mindless of the water droplets smearing her arms; a reminder that the rainy season has yet to passed and the beaches was far from safe with the unexpected high tides riding in. But it seemed danger was not a familiar word to her lone tenant when a tall silhouette sporting an almost undetectable limp appeared from the forage of green where she knew a small trail led up to her modest cottage house set apart from the main town. There, by the beach, he'd stay for an hour staring at the darkened night sky in contemplation(of what, she wouldn't know) before heading back to the cottage with enough stealth that Sooyoung rarely encountered him entering through the door.

He was a curious one. Changmin; that was the name he'd given her. Just Changmin without a last name attached and she was too in need of cash to question why when he'd quietly laid the neat stack of cash enough to cover a month's worth of payment. It wasn't as though she was dense enough not to fear living alone with a strange male who top her by another few inches and looked capable enough to carry two of her, fireman style. Their island was small that any foreign face who stayed more than three days gets tattled about with an almost celebrity-like status. It didn't help that Changmin was handsome, in a rugged way, that got young single females vying for his attention, and silently mysterious to get the gossip mill running. But Sooyoung resided long enough to filter out words in town and learned to judge matters from her own perspective. Their town was small that she'd brushed past Changmin probably on more occasions than she could remember and he hasn't sent the alarm bells shrieking in her mind when he'd knocked on her door a week after his appearance on the island, stoic face without a hint of smile when he told her the old man by the book store directed him to her.

Old gramps Kim might be an eccentric in the eyes of others but Sooyoung'd seen an intelligence that surpassed many back when she first set foot on the island with the book store as her first visit of choice. He'd tottered around her while she'd scanned through collections, ing a particularly thin and small choice in her hands. Sooyoung remembered how she'd almost disregard his selection for her but a spark in his eyes had her paying for the book she never intended to buy. Upon simple words and phrases, she'd grasp what the book keeper wanted for her to know. Sooyoung'd trusted the old man's judgment since then.

Leaving her tenant to his own privacy, Sooyoung returned to the warmth of the house that her grandmother'd left her following her death, her smile nostalgic as her eyes caught the arrays of photographs framed on the huge wall by the living room; mostly of random shots caught unaware by a photographer her grandmother had paid for. Noting the time, Sooyoung started on dinner and Changmin returned just in time when the oven beeped with the scent of melted butter greeting his return.

Changmin wasn't used to this; coming back to a place with comfort and a proper bed. Years spent in the forests, on the streets, in abandon buildings and (for the worse parts) sewages, he'd learnt not to take luxury for granted. He was on a break for now, returning from Iraq after a near-death from screwing with the target's mistress for information. Changmin was used to it, making use of any possible means to extract what he wanted to get the job done. He could do it simple and clean or he could complicate matters a little and turn it messy. Changmin's option often leaves his contact cursing but no matter the process the result wouldn't change.

Target locked, set, killed.

Changmin's hands were soiled that he didn't know what a normal life was. To take things at face value, to not over think the actions of another, to not suspect one for any motives at all. The familiar press of his favorite blade against his lower back was enough evidence to his extend of normal, so coming back to a warm place with the scent of home cooked food hanging heavy in the air was a sight he could never get used to despite holing himself in this island for a month plus now. Like so many that were strange to him, Sooyoung was the one that puzzled him the most.

He'd chosen this island for its geographic spot where it's far from civilization enough that Changmin knew it'd be a safe hideout for the time being. It helped that the population here barely reached two thousand and transportation was limited to only sea and air, where any newcomer would be alerted to almost immediately. Changmin'd expected being approached, had considered the limitless pseudonyms at his dispense but when the female had opened her door and looked at him with those wide depthless eyes, he'd given his birth name at her enquiry. She was not the typical inhabitants of the island; Sooyoung scoffed on rumors, spoke little about him staying with her(which he was thankful for, not that he showed it) and rarely hang out with what people called 'friends'. Changmin would say everyone knew of Sooyoung, could easily strike a conversation with her, but she doesn't stay longer than necessary in town to run her daily errand.

Setting the food on the table, Sooyoung bustled around for utensils while he made his way to the sink to wash away the grime coating his hands from the hour on sands before setting himself by the dining table quietly waiting for his landlord to take her place across from him. Another setting that knocked him off-balance, one he didn't intend to get used to but was forced upon when Sooyoung'd glared at him the first day he'd intend to skip lunch in favor for lounging by some random tree. He'd been trained and seen terror far worse but something about her stare had him marching to the dining table and sitting down like a good soldier while she served him an assortment of sandwiches with his mouth sealed shut other than the soft thank you.

Changmin had grudgingly(or rather, obediently) taken his meals with Sooyoung since the day he paid for boarding.

"Sooyoung ss--" She shot a look at him and he tried again, "Thank you, Sooyoung." The smile Changmin got used to graced her lips, lighting up her face and had it been five years ago, he would have asked for her number on the spot. Pushing aside the useless regrets and memories, Changmin dug into the casserole, a moan slipping past his lips as flavor burst on taste buds deprived of proper food in years. Sooyoung only chuckle at his reaction, used to his behavior after the first meal when Changmin thought he was in heaven.

He was onto his second serving when Sooyoung broke the silence, "Did you find your answer by the beach?"

Changmin started. It wasn't a tricky question, he knew, yet something about her phrasing gave him pause. What were you doing by the beach? would be the kind of question he'd expect and how she knew he was there to think told Changmin that his landlord was more observant than that innocent face let on.

"Maybe." He hedged, head lowered to his plate. Through his longer fringe, Changmin subtly watched as Sooyoung finished her portion before heading to the sink to wash up. An inner conscience, perhaps, prompted long-forgotten manners when he offered to do the dishes which she(surprisingly) conceded without much of a fight. Bidding him goodnight, Sooyoung retreated for the day with a side reminder for him to switch off the lights. He only nodded, a soft good night left his lips only when the door clicked shut.