“… Some higher authority puts names in the notebooks. The death agents merely follow without questioning. They trust the authority.” Kyuhyun, adjusting his spectacles, explains like he’s a professor.

“How do they… um… kill somebody…?” On the other hand, Sungmin listens attentively like a student.

Before answering Kyuhyun stares intently at Sungmin, until the latter recoils. Satisfied, Kyuhyun continues. “In any creative way you can think of. They can make it look like an accident, or some sudden heart attack.”

Silence follows.

“OR THEY’D RIP YOU OPEN AND TEAR YOUR HEART OUT!!!” All of a sudden Kyuhyun roars and at the same time switches on the torch. Light cast onto his face makes him look like a demon thirsting for blood.

“Hey!” Sungmin, originally sitting cross-legged, crawls back a few paces.

Kyuhyun, as well as the others, burst out laughing.

The laughter continues… until a reedy voice pierces through it like chalk scratching a blackboard.

“… Oppa…” Mia presses her body onto Donghae, firmly clinging to his arm. “I’m scared…”

Seeing that…

Kyuhyun restores his poker face. Fake!

Sungmin rolls his eyes. !

Hyukjae, like a sculpture, locks his eyes on the campfire. “Disgusting.”

“WHAT?” Mia sits up straight right away.

Hearing that Hyukjae smiles a knowing smile, straightens himself up, turns his head to meet Mia’s glare. “Don’t you think it’s disgusting?”

Mia remains quiet. She’s too busy fuming.

Tilting his head Hyukjae smiles even wider. “I mean, the way death agents kill, is disgusting. Don’t you think so? Mia-si?”

Kyuhyun claps his hands.

Sungmin chuckles.

Mia, her face flaring red, turns to her oppa. “Donghae oppa…”

“Mia didn’t you say you’re scared? Maybe you should go back to your own camp?” Sighing, Donghae says.

Taking the chance, Mia grips Donghae’s arm again. “No Oppa! Unless you walk with me. I’m too scared to go back alone!”

“No problem Mia. I’d walk you back.” In no time Hyukjae has already gathered Mia’s handbag and things, and is waiting for her at the edge of the circle their campfire has drawn.

It’s hard to tell which is flaring more, the campfire or Mia.

……

After the two of them are gone Sungmin asks. “Donghae I don’t get it. How can you stand her?”

“Oh Sungmin you’re too innocent. Donghae’s just using her to make Hyukjae jealous.” Eagerly Kyuhyun points out.

“Really Donghae?” Sungmin peers at Donghae, “innocently” demanding an answer.

Donghae smiles, and shrugs, giving out no word.

No he’s not using Mia. She’s merely one out of a dozen other girls who fall for him. He doesn’t want to be rude. Just that. Honestly he didn’t give those girls any false hope so far.

Yes Hyukjae is someone special to him. Just that.

……

Hyukjae returns not long after. By the time he reaches the campsite, the campfire has already been quenched. Therefore he heads to his tent. “Donghae?” The tent’s shared by them both. He raises the flap and enters.

Donghae rolls over and pats the place beside him. “Come here.”

Hyukjae sometimes wonder, about the absence of awkwardness between Donghae and himself, even when they get… um… a little bit intimate. Easily Hyukjae lies down next to Donghae, who naturally puts his hand on Hyukjae’s arm.

“How did the audition go?” Donghae’s eyes trace Hyukjae’s facial features, his lips, his jawline, his collarbones, his partially revealed chest beneath the ed shirt…

“I was very nervous. But I have done my best.” Hyukjae shifts a little so that he can look at Donghae better. “Why didn’t you join the audition Donghae? I’m sure you’d make it.” Gently Hyukjae’s fingers brush against Donghae’s cheek, playfully touch his earlobe, draw patterns down his neck… his shoulder…

“Maybe next time. When do you plan to tell your father?” Again, easily without any awkwardness, Donghae cuddles closer to Hyukjae.

Hyukjae becomes quiet. His fingers have progressed to Donghae’s chest. Blindly Hyukjae keeps drawing unknown patterns there. “Dunno. Appa has never agreed to me choosing this path. He’d never understand what dancing means to me. That’d only make him mad.”

Before Donghae can speak Hyukjae abruptly puts his index finger onto Donghae’s lips. Hyukjae shakes his head, his stare hard like stone.

They hold each other’s gaze for some moments. Nodding Donghae takes Hyukjae’s hand.

Hyukjae knows what Donghae’s going to say. Donghae knows Hyukjae doesn’t want to listen.

Donghae’s an orphan. He longs for the chance to chat with his own father. Even arguing with his parents would be way better than being alone. He hopes Hyukjae and his father can talk things through, can ultimately reach mutual acceptance and understanding. But to Hyukjae, he has argued more than enough with his father. Pushing things into the backyard, greeting his father wordlessly is the best the two of them can achieve.

Donghae squeezes Hyukjae’s hand a little. “I know it’s difficult. Now. Let’s sleep.”

Next to Donghae, Hyukjae feels warm. It’s not just Donghae’s body heat. It’s the warmth from a precious friend, someone who cares, someone who knows his heart, someone who’d always be there…

“Night.”

“Night.”

They drift off to sleep.

The summer night is tranquil, beautiful and warm.

It’s the camping event organized by the class committee. They are high school students. And it’s the last week of their summer holiday.

The night passes off peacefully, so does the camping.

……

First day back in school. Roll call.

“Cho Kyuhyun.”

“Here.”

……

“Lee Donghae.”

“Here.”

“Lee Hyukjae.”

“Here.”

“Lee Sungmin.”

“Here.”

……

“Ma Boban.”

……

“Ma Boban?” The teacher looks up, eyes sweeping across the classroom.

Waves of murmurings start to flow among the students. After some time they finally locate a forgotten empty seat at the back of the room.

“If you mean Bob Ma, I’m afraid he’s dead. Miss Choi.”

Everybody shifts to locate the owner of the calm tone.

-------------------------------

A/N: So... who's the death agent? ^^