Only the clanking of their spoons and forks against the plates filled the dining room as Dara and Daniel had their breakfast. Although Dara wasn’t used to the suffocating silence, after being used to having a quirky and noisy bunch of fools as brothers, she wasn’t a bit bothered as her mind was filled with just happy thoughts – thoughts of Jiyong as he chose to stay the night last night. It was quite evident as even with the uncomfortable silence, there was a mix of happy bubble caused by Dara’s thoughts.

 

“So, I heard you had a visitor last night?” Daniel asked, interrupting her.

 

Dara looked up, a small smile on her lips. She nodded. “Yes. Jiyong was here.”

 

“Jiyong?” he asked.

 

“Yes. Jiyong’s my… boyfriend,” she said, a pinkish tint on her cheeks, appearing as if she had just told her mother about her crush for the first time.

 

“Your boyfriend…” he repeated. “It was a shame I wasn’t able to meet the lad.”

 

“Oh, yes, it was. Too bad you were ill last night. Are you alright now, oppa?”

 

Daniel nodded. “Ah… yes. It was just a mild headache,” he said. “I wish to meet him, Sandara.”

 

“I believe he wants to meet you too, but he had gone early in the morning to finish some of hi—“ she cut herself off as she was about to reveal the reason Jiyong told her about – him finishing one of his missions. “He’s out to finish some errands.”

 

Daniel nodded comprehensively. “I’m still hoping to meet him if time permits the both of us.”

 

Dara smiled. She quickly finished her breakfast and stood up. It was a weekend and since Jiyong was busy and she had nothing to do, she planned on spending the day with her father. She was yet to call Cheondoong though. She wasn’t able to call him last night like she usually does because Jiyong was with her.

 

“I’m done,” she said. “I have to prepare Appa’s breakfast and medicine.”

 

Daniel nodded as Dara passed by him, missing the small smile plastered on his face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheondoong stepped out of the airport. His eyes scanned the area for a familiar car. At the far west, two figures were leaning on the car. One of them was waving at him while the other seemed too lazy or sleepy as it was too early in the morning.

 

Cheondoong, with his luggage, immediately ran towards them.

 

“You alone? Where are your parents?” Jiyong asked, not seeing the need to greet the younger guy, who seemed to notice it but shrugged it off.

 

“I came alone. I took the first flight. They’ll come over in the afternoon,” he explained. “What’s wrong with Jiyong-hyung?” he asked, turning to TOP.

 

“Just exhausted,” TOP said teasingly. “Don’t mind him. Anyway, your foster parents have their apartment ready. We already rented one that’s near ours, so you could always visit if you want.

 

“Quick, get in the car. I hope you’re not jetlagged because we’re going for another trip,” Jiyong said.

 

Although hesitant because they haven’t disclosed to him the itinerary for today, he got in the car. Jiyong was in the passenger seat in front with TOP driving.

 

Jiyong started explaining what he observed from the moment he took a step inside the mansion until he met the old man. Cheondoong gave him the torn picture with him and his father. As he inspected it, he was sure the old man was too old to be the same guy in the picture which was taken just fourteen years ago. He told them of his suspicions which still needed some backup evidence. Up until now, they were nothing but mere suspicions.

 

“I’m nervous about noona,” Cheondoong opened up after a while of traveling.

 

“Why?” TOP asked briefly.

 

“What if he will hurt her? If your suspicions are correct and these dudes are cons, they’ll hurt her,” he explained. “And, we’re not with her right now.”

 

Jiyong exhaled, expecting the question from him. “Dara had spent already two nights on that mansion. If our suspicions are right, he had already hurt her the first night she was there. Whatever the person behind this wants, it seems like he’s holding it a bit longer. As for the reason of this, we’re still about to find out.”

 

“Don’t worry kiddo. She’s a tough girl,” TOP said.

 

Realizing that Jiyong and TOP were right, Cheondoong sighed in relief as he slumped back to his seat. “I actually have something to confess,” he said carefully earning the older guys’ attention. “My foster mother told me just a while ago that my father used to send money for my needs.”

 

Jiyong eyed him. “You told your mom about our trip?”

 

“Well, not really. She asked me why I was coming early. I just told her we were looking for Appa. Then that was when she told me he used to send money to provide my needs… until he suddenly stopped by the time I became a middle school student.”

 

“Did she tell you why?” TOP asked.

 

Cheondoong shook his head. “She said it was too sudden. They said they thought he died or might have cut off providing me my needs because he might have thought I will be able to provide for myself. But they’re all just assumptions.”

 

“How about your noona? Has she mentioned anything to you?” Jiyong asked.

 

“I don’t think so. But I was thinking maybe he had been sending money to the orphanage for her needs too,” Cheondoong answered.

 

“That’s why we’re heading there,” TOP said, his eyes focused on the road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After about five hours on the road because of traffic, they have finally arrived at the orphanage.

 

“I guess this is the place, right, Jiyong?” TOP asked as he turned to the guy on his right.

 

Jiyong looked up at the orphanage that was standing in front of them. Yes, he was sure that this was it. He remembered that he stood in front of this same establishment seven years ago. He remembered how pissed off and lazy he felt that day. He remembered how, in ridiculous and hideous outfits – or what they termed as ‘disguises’ – Kush and Teddy pulled him towards the orphanage, despite his protests, telling him that he would finally have a new playmate – as if TOP wasn’t enough. Speaking of TOP, he remembered how pissed off he was at TOP as he ditched him that day. He had to endure a whole day of traveling to Busan, thinking it was just a waste of time. Never did he think during that time that he would be able to meet the woman he plans to spend the rest of his life with.

 

However, despite all of those memories, one thing had definitely changed in this place. The orphanage looked old. The roof looked like it needed fixing. The paint needed to be retouched. The lawn wasn’t maintained as weeds grew everywhere. There weren’t laughter filling the yard by the orphans who were running around. The orphanage today wasn’t the same orphanage it was yesterday.

 

With heavy steps, they walked towards the door and pushed the doorbell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of the day blurred past as all of their energies and efforts were wasted. They drove back to Seoul that late afternoon after not getting anything in the orphanage and their search for the possible addresses that the nuns in the orphanage gave them. They were to no avail, much to their dismay.

 

Cheondoong who was the most tired out of them was dozing off at the back seat, his head thrown back to the headrest as he kept his eyes closed. TOP was sitting on the passenger’s seat in front, his elbow resting on the opened window, biting on his nail. Jiyong replaced TOP who drove the whole day around Busan. He was keeping his eyes open, exhausted just like the two, but was bothered by the responsibility given to him that time.

 

It was past ten in the evening when they arrived home. TOP had to shake Cheondoong to wake him up. Although the mission today was in vain, Jiyong was never close to giving up.

 

“Kid, you better prepare yourself,” Jiyong said to Cheondoong as he helped with his luggage. “You’re going to be part of an important mission.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I didn’t really expect it, Jiyong!” Dara said through the phone.

 

Jiyong smiled at the excitement that was apparent in her voice. Somehow, though, he was feeling sorry. It’ll end soon, Dara, he thought. “I’m glad you’re happy.”

 

“Of course I am! Sanghyun, me, and Appa are together again,” she said, her voice trembling. “I couldn’t have asked for more.”

 

Hearing her like that, he could just picture her in his mind – a tear in her eyes, a smile on her lips, probably staring at a made-up scene in front of her – a scene he specifically told Cheondoong to execute believably and in no time, Dara would deliver the news to him immediately, to which he could say was a success.

 

“Oh my gosh! What if we’ll bring Cheondoong’s foster parents?” Dara suggested.

 

“NO!” Jiyong said, almost instantly.

 

“Oh? But…” Dara trailed off, surprised at how Jiyong sounded so against it. “I thought it was a great idea.”

 

Jiyong bit down on his lip. “Uhhh, yes it is. But…” he trailed off, thinking of a believable excuse. “You know people from Jeju. They still probably need to adjust to Seoul. Besides, the apartment we bought is new. It will be just a waste to throw it away.”

 

Dara sighed on the other line. “Okay then. Maybe we’ll just visit them after a few days.”

 

Jiyong soundlessly sighed in relief.

 

“Are you going to visit today?”

 

“I’m not sure,” Jiyong said earnestly. “I’m on my way to my client now. Maybe he’ll give me new orders. Maybe tomorrow. See you then?”

 

“Okay, see you then,” Dara said. “I miss you.”

 

Jiyong smiled. “I miss you too,” he said as he hung up the phone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a while, Jiyong arrived to a café. Some men in black were by the entrance. They eyed him for a while and, as they recognized him, they let him enter. The café was empty and it seemed that his client rented the place for this private meeting. It was only his third meeting with him and this was the first time in a public place. He always met him at his home.

 

At the farthest table, the client had his back facing him.

 

“Mr. Song,” Jiyong greeted.

 

“You’ve arrived,” Mr. Song said. “Take a seat.”

 

Jiyong complied and immediately felt the strong and dark aura emanating from the guy. He had been feeling it from the first time they met and he wasn’t still used to it. Jiyong could really say that he was a powerful man in the business industry.

 

“Let’s get to the point, G-Dragon,” he said, addressing Jiyong with his code name in the assassin’s world. He picked up his cigarette and puffed into it. “What happened to that man I asked you to kill in Japan?”

 

Jiyong stopped the urge to wave off the smoke. He sensed that Mr. Song only wanted to hear Jiyong’s failures from his own mouth because he already knew of them all actually as Jiyong was attentive to reporting every event. “He had found out about me being sent to kill him so he was able to come back to Seoul.”

 

“And?” he asked, grabbing the glass of water and drank.

 

“When I came back too, he also sent someone to attack me and my family.”

 

“Has the attacks stopped? Have you caught his man?”

 

Jiyong looked down and shook his head.

 

Mr. Song slammed his glass on the table and then stared at Jiyong straight in his eyes. “Three times and you failed.”

 

Jiyong looked down and gulped, feeling small for the first time. He should not but just in the presence of Mr. Song already made him feel like this.

 

“I want you to quit the mission, G-Dragon,” he said, causing Jiyong to look up.

 

“No, I can’t.”

 

“The money at stake is really high. Do you expect me, Song Baekyoung, to give someone like you a chance to fail again? My enemy will go after me next after getting you out of the way. I’ll be looking for some other assassin to do the job for me.”

 

“But, Mr. Song, I can do it this time. Trust me, please.”

 

“I already trusted you enough,” Mr. Song said, starting to stand up but was cut off when Jiyong fell on his knees in front of him. He then scoffed seeing the pathetic scene in front of him. “I can’t believe I’m witnessing this. I have to confess something, G-Dragon.”

 

Jiyong looked up as he heard this but he remained on his knees.

 

“I only recruited you because I’ve heard some positive things about you. You’re quite famous in underground business, you know,” he said. “You actually disappoint me. I even heard you don’t act this pathetic and that you have pride on yourself. I wonder what’s making you like this.”

 

“Someone important in my life is on his hands,” Jiyong said. “I’m afraid she’ll get hurt more if I’m not the one in this mission. At least I’ll be able to assure she’s safe.”

 

Mr. Song nodded in comprehension. “So, you know where he is, eh?”

 

“I… I’m not yet sure but I’m looking into it,” he said truthfully.

 

Seeing the uncertainty from Jiyong, he was about to turn around again.

 

“Please...” he said. “I won’t take any payment. I’ll kill him for you for free.”

 

“This is business, G-Dragon. This isn’t anything that requires personal feelings,” he said before leaving him on the floor.

 

Jiyong sighed, now sure of one thing – even though he wasn’t the one holding the mission now, he would make sure that Dara’s safety was his number one priority.