An unusual sound of thumping and swooshing woke me up from my slumber. It was still fairly early based upon the view of the sky that was seen from my window at auntie's house. The sky was still a dark blue. It showed no signs of letting the sun rise any time soon. The instant I tried to stretch, I felt my body ache. The stitch on my left arm tugged so slightly that I quickly stopped in fear I will open the stitch.

I barely slept. Yesterday was an emotional breakdown on my part. I actually cried and worse was I cried in front of Kibum. My cousin, my rival.. I cried in front of him and it was because of Amber. I've kept those feelings to myself for so long. When I realized that she and Kibum was bound to be a couple, I strangled myself. I had her. She was already with me yet I chose to let her go. I kept playing in my head the possible scenarios that could've happened if ever I didn't let her go.And when I learned of her supposed death, I didn't do anything for an entire week. I sulked inside my apartment, drenched myself in alcohol and cried myself to sleep. It was a dark time for me. 

I was struck hard.

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

I walked out of bed and headed to the kitchen to fix myself a cup of coffee. However, I was surprised to find Min already awake fixing her own cup while Doojoon was silently lounging on the couch. They look better than from how they were yesterday, especially Doojoon. 

"You guys woke up as well?"

"There was this noise coming from outside and it woke me up. It kind of annoyed me really since I wanted to sleep longer especially after suffering from a headache since noon yesterday. The chloroform really got to my head so bad." Doojoon replied.

"Where did you run off to anyway Jonghyun? Look, I didn't mean to shout at you and your cousin like that yesterday but we were all emotionally vulnerable and unstable at that time. We were all stressed from what happened and somehow the memories of my father hitting my mother came back when you two started shouting. But nevermind me, what did you do yesterday? And where's your cousin? I haven't seen him since I walked out on you guys."

"I decided to rest yesterday. I took an antibiotic to help with this wound of mine. Never did I expect that I would end up sleeping for almost an entire day. But otherwise, I practically did nothing. I wasn't aware what you were guys going.. Key, he's..."

My voice lingered. What did Kibum do yesterday? Now that I think about, I had a slight wake up late last night. I didn't go out of bed but I heard clanking sounds as if two metals were hitting each other. I put down my coffee and headed straight to Kibum's room. It was unlocked and to my surprise, the bed was empty. The sheets were neatly folded, pillows stacked and all lights were off. I sped to the exit and headed to the backyard. That's where I saw him.

He set up a dummy made of hay. I looked to where he was and I saw him holding a stick of some sort. I started to walk to where he was but I stopped before I even made it halfway. He had something different about him that morning. There was something different from his aura. I felt Min stood beside me before she started to drag me back inside.

"Min, wait.. Where are we going?"

"Nowhere but I think it's best if you just leave him alone for now. Stop watching over him like he's a little kid. His ego is already blown enough by your words yesterday."

"What? I was just saying the truth, Min. And it's not just him who's troubled over Amber's capture.."

"No. It's not about Amber, you idiot. He understood what you were feeling early on. It's just about him. I don't know if you noticed but his aura is completely different just now. It's as if the frail, nervous boy we were with just the other night is completely out the door, don't you think so? Or maybe it's just me. But nevertheless, I think he's up to something good."

I didn't say anything afterwards. I felt it too. I saw it with my own eyes as well. His eyes were blazing with dedication that I can't even joke about it. He was already sweating so bad even if the morning was cold. Speaking of cold mornings, I've failed to realized that we are entering the third week of November. In less than a month, Amber's death will be marked yet again. The day she decided to walk out of everyone's lives and return as Hana. 

And that's how my morning started. Onew is still limp walking but it's quite understandable since he was shot quite bad. Seohyun went back to her usual quiet self. She was well aware of what she did the other day and I noticed how she acted like an obedient puppy that followed Joonyoung around. He was the one that got hurt mostly of what she did. Joonyoung is gracious enough to accept Seohyun's actions as an act of apology. Joonyoung went about to his usual business. He voluntarily decided to track the whereabouts of the other van. It's not known but he bugged it. He told me just the other day.

It was already noon and we were minding our own business. I can still feel it. We weren't prepared to face them just yet. A lot are still healing, including me. Joonyoung was the least injured out of the bunch. He was back on his computer while I am debating to whether or not make some more calls.

"If you are thinking to call on some more hunters, I highly doubt they will agree to what you are planning. The instant they see what happened to the others and to you, they'll go flying out the window. Look Jjong.. Don't feel too bad. We're good. We're skilled but it's just that since those people were born and trained to kil, they had an edge on us."

"I know that Joonyoung. I admit that. Despite sharing the same lineage as them, I didn't grow up to be as blood hungry as they are. My father never wanted that for me. Us, getting defeated by them was one thing but them actually realizing where Amber was despite that she was out of the scene. I didn't see any cameras that could've tapped her location."

"Those people are smart. They could've easily have people around the periphery of the warehouse to watch where she was. Jonghyun, we can't face those guys in this state. We need help but not just any help. We need people that are skilled as they are in regards to killing and stuff like that. This sounds weird but do you know people?"

"I was just thinking of the same thing, to be honest."

It has crossed my mind several times and I admit I've debated to do it. It's just that my pride is coming in the way once again for not calling them. It's like the same situation Kibum is in. You wish to do something but you can't and you end up calling other people. Eventually, I excused myself from Joonyoung and headed inside my room. I dialled a few numbers and talked to them. They were bound to be around the premises within the day. I stepped back to the backyard. The sun was directly shining above us and I saw Key setting up a gun just under a tree. If he is planning to fire that in open air, that would be really stupid. He might as well head over to a closed shooting range. People might think a murder is going on. I headed over to his side to prevent any stupidity to happen.

"No. I am not firing this gun. I was just setting it up to see how it is assembled. I am not stupid to fire in the open like this. Neighbors might think otherwise." were his words of greetings. I chuckled. I took the gun from him and laid it on my side where he can't reach for it.

"You've been too preoccupied since before dawn. You haven't eaten. You need to get a decent meal. Besides, what are you doing anyway? Setting up a hay dummy like this?"

"I've come to a resolution that I can't keep blaming you guys for being not good enough. You guys are good. It's me. I am the problem. I am incapable and instead of continue complaining about it, I decided to train myself at least with certain things. The only problem is I haven't made much progress. Other than the stealth races we had as children, I didn't get to see any assassin related activites there were."

I smiled and unconsciously messed his hair up. "About yesterday, don't mind me. It was a spur of the moment kind of thing. Don't think I'd want to have emotional conversations with you anytime soon. Hehe.. Kibum, you might kill me for saying this but when you asked me to hand Amber the necklace, I kissed her. It was nothing too intimate. I just kissed her and it was more of an act of goodbye on my part. It's me, letting her go."

He shooed my hand away and smiled. I took it as a sign that he's fine with what I did. Honestly, what I said was true. It was more of a goodbye and I know she felt it. She didn't push me away whatsoever and I know she knew that it was a farewell between us. Not physically. We were bound to meet each other especially now that she's connected to Kibum and the family. It was more on the emotional level, especially for me. I know I'm hung up on her and she has moved on just fine. I just wanted to make my feelings clear once and for all before I decided to completely bury my feelings for her. It's time that I find someone new.

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