“Sky 1, do you copy? Sky 1 !”

The helicopter pilot clicked his HT to answer the call, “Sky 1 to Eagle. Over.”

“Sky 1, RETREAT! I repeat, Sky 1, RETREAT ! This is an order from your commander. Over.”

The pilot was still spotting those fugitives under his area, who’re crossing Hannam Bridge just now.

“Roger.” he obeyed the order and took a turn, letting those two run away with their bike.

***

“Yah!”

“Mmm?”

“When are we going to stop?”

“We haven’t arrived yet.”

“Those cops aren’t chasing us anymore, you know. We could stop now…”

Max looked up and noticed that the blue sky had turned pitch black. Lights started to lit up the whole city, and he just realized that there’s actually no cops or agents following them anymore. He rode the bike a little more, and decided to stop beside the crepes store at the corner of the street.

Amber limply got off from the bike and was waiting for him to park his bike properly. Max threw her a tired glance, “I’ll explain everything. Everything you need to know. But now, go buy yourself something. You should at least fill your stomach, coz I’m going to speed up after this. Here…” he took out some money and handed them to her. Amber was just plainly staring at him, then the money, then him again.

“Ka…” he shooed her while leaning on his own bike.

Amber unwillingly took the money, “Is choco-banana okay for you?” she peeked at him before going to the counter.

He shook, “Just get yourself one, eat fast, and then we can leave.”

The tomboy scratched her head awkwardly and went to the counter at last. She picked choco-banana for herself and chose a cheesy beef flavored for Max. She didn’t really want to argue with him so when the crepes are done, she just pushed the crepes to his chest, “You should eat too, don’t die before I could know ‘everything’.”

Max grunted and took the crepes anyway.

Amber leant on the other side of the bike while enjoying her crepes. She couldn’t help but asked with full, “Fere arf wu tafking me…?”

He chuckled, “Uh…What ?”

She swallowed hard first, “Egh… Where are you taking me?”

“Somewhere safer than here…” then he took a bite of his crepes.

“How…safe ??”

Max turned to where the voice came from, and so did Amber. Out of nowhere, he popped behind their motorcycle while panting and trying to catch a breath. His hair is a mess and his white blazer almost turned into brown.

Key oppa…?

She slowly felt anxious for no reason. That syndrome attacked her again and she felt annoyed. Usually when he wasn’t around, she would be just fine even in any life-threatening moments. What’s going on with me ? Damn.

“Hey… they’re not…chasing you anymore, so cou..could… you please just come home with me…?” said Key as he bent down, breathing hard.

Amber put her crepes on the bike and hurrily approached him, “Oy…did you walk all the way here ??”

He groaned, “OH. I walked, I ran. Are you guys crazy ?!”

Amber looked around to find if a cop’s following him, but he seems to be all by himself. Wow. So what’s going on there now, the police suddenly aren’t interested in her anymore ?

“Yah hyeong, I’ll call a taxi for you, ok? “ Amber was about to wave her hand to stop a taxi, but Max grabbed her right away. Key was surprised with the sudden act and slammed his bike, “YAH !”

“Hop on.”Max pulled Amber to his bike and forced her to sit in the back.

Amber managed to got away and ran back to Key, “Hyeong, seriously. Just go home. I…”

Key glared back at her, “YOU are the one who should come home and explain everything to us. Don’t you know? You’re now on the ‘top list’ of all the fugitives in Seoul Police Department now !!”

She was stunned and froze.

Max tucked her shoulder, “That’s our cue. We have to leave.”

“Don’t you dare, moving her away from here even for just an inch !” Key pulled her to his side. Amber swore she could hardly breathe that time, nor hearing her surroundings. Her heartbeat suddenly filled her head and in that blurry moment, suddenly Nicole flashed on her mind. The way she smiles to Key and walk by his side…

Amber slowly got off from him, “Key hyeong.” which made Key surprised.

She glanced at Max, who hinted her to ride on the back.

“Don’t get involved. Even I don’t understand what’s going on right now… so I hope you could just ignore me or something- I’m dangerous, ok?” she said heavily while took a hop to the back seat.

“Hah… what ?” Key couldn’t even blink when Max kicked off and dashed off to the road, with Amber.

Key was kinda hoping that Amber would look back at him, but she didn’t.

…I’m dangerous…why would she say stupid things like that…

A few minutes later tons of police cars with their siren off came and lined up, led by a black van who stopped in front of Key. When the door sled opened, a beautiful brown-haired girl popped out and dragged him inside. Key wasn’t even struggling when he was forced to sit between the girls with his hand locked up behind the back. He’s still staring at the figure of those two on the road, which is now getting smaller and smaller till his eyes couldn’t catch them anymore.

The brown-haired girl slapped him hard.

He’s still frozen.

Suzy held her, “Fei eonnie, don’t get tough on him…”

“Why didn’t you plant the GPS ?!” Fei trembled in anger.

Key scoffed bitterly, “Guess I forgot to do it…”

“AH. ‘Forgot’ ? You forgot ?!”

Suzy’s looking at him in sorry. She could understand that it’s not easy for a commoner like him to control their emotion and at the same time, doing a mission. She sighed to Fei, “Told you I should be the one who ran after them.”

Fei bit her lips in misery, “I thought he would be perfect, since she won’t be running away from him! Gosh…”

Key felt his cheeks burning from the slap, “I thought so too…”

***

When she stepped into that room, Amber could tell that this hasn’t been used for years. The creak, the dusts flying everywhere, and the sound of the humming machine above their head gives even more creepy feeling.

“So is this your so-called ‘safe’ place ?”

Amber walked fast toward Max, who’s examining something from a drawer under an old television. This basement is really old isn’t it…

“Mmm. Found it.” Max snatched out a letter and handed it to her. The paper had turned yellowish and Amber carefully opened it, afraid that she might tore it or something. “What’s this…”

- - -

‘1 2 4 7 3 1 7’

My little Amber cracked it, I’m so proud of her !

Changmin, if you read this, you’ll know that I trust my daughter to you.

Take good care of her…

P.S : She doesn’t like wearing skirts, just go with it, arasseo ?

- L.M.H –

- - -

“Appa…” Amber almost squished the paper. “Why would appa gave it to you? What does it mean..?”

Max smiled bitterly, “I see that you haven’t remembered me, huh? Turn the letter, see what’s in the back.”

She flipped the letter and found a blurry photo stick to it with a tape. In the center is her dad, and on his lap is the mini version of herself, sitting happily. She guessed that she might be only 4 years old at that time. At the right side of her dad, a chubby boy with his hair perfectly combed to the right, is leaning toward his shoulder. At the corner of the photo, she noticed her appa’s handwriting which said : Me and my favourite little brainies !

Amber stared longer to the chubby boy, and hesitantly asked, “This is my childhood neighbor, Shen. Don’t tell me you’re…Shen ?”

Max nodded, “Yeah…’Shen’ is my chinese surname. But your dad always address me with ‘Changmin’.”

She compared the photo to Max’s face and found a huge similarities, she couldn’t help but laughing, “Oh my god… you’re Shen! Why didn’t you tell me earlier ? Wow…” she punched him in the shoulder jokingly.

He shyly smiled, “It’s not something that I easily could tell you. I was waiting for the right moment..”

“Ok...so now that you revealed yourself, could you explain to me what’s going on?”

Max nod his head to the letter, “First of all, we need to accomplish missions from your dad.”

“Then how about my friends ?” 

He sighed, “They’ll be just fine. As long as you don’t have any contact with them, they’re gonna be just fine.”

Amber turned to him right away, ”What is that suppose to mean? WAIT. Let me ask you one thing.”

Max’s waiting.

“Why did you wreck Taemin’s bike ?”

He chuckled, “Hey…Meng Jia did it.”

Amber turned in disbelief, “That pink hair girl? Ah…Suzy told Key…” she paused when she have to mention Key, “… and umm… she told him that you were the one who wreck Taemin’s bike.”

“Those girls can say anything, can hire anybody, can be a part of any organization they like, can be anyone they want to be. I can’t believe you fall for that..”

Amber pouted, “Yah, how should I know things like that?”

“From now on, you have to learn those kind of things. This world is bigger than you think, and I can’t be with you all the time. So you need to learn how to take care of yourself. Arasseo?”

She smirked, “I can do Taekwondo~”

“It’s not what I meant, pabo.” Max ruffled her hair and Amber instantly got away from his hands. Those gestures just reminded her of Jjong… the last time she met him he was mad and she hasn’t apologized…

“Amber !” he clicked his fingers in front of her, cracking her dyadreams.

“Ah, arayo…” she added fast.

Max pointed to his back, “Go get a shower. Rest well tonight, we’re flying to Paris early in the morning.”

Amber nodded, but she stopped when she realized, “Hold on…Paris…?!!”

“You can ask me anything later okay? Go to bath, you’re smelly.”

***

Amber POV

I know this is stupid, but even though I know something more now, it doesn’t mean I could sleep peacefully tonight. Shen, I mean, Max,  brought me away from the cops. Did appa do something bad in the past? He was just a fatherly nerd as long as I could remember.

‘1 2 4 7 3 1 7’

A code. Appa said I was the one who cracked it, what is that even mean?

“Aaaiiiishhh…” I scrambled my head in frustration.

I traced the back of my neck and felt the patch still sticking there. If Max found out, he would be freakin out and threw it off somewhere.

Anyway, is it still working…? I rubbed it and try thinking the word Key…

Ah come on !! Wouldn’t it be weird if I pop up in front of him again ?!

My neck suddenly bites and I felt the same electrifying sensation in my head. When I opened my eyes I already stand…in a bathroom ?

Wait a minute.

I looked at my hands and it’s already turned hollow, my whole body looked a little shaky like a TV screen with a bad signal. Maybe I have to get used to it, it still is a weird (but fun) method though.

“Jinki is that you ?” a voice came behind the shower curtain. A voice that definitely doesn’t belong to Key hyeong…

“Jjong is that you ?!” I replied to the voice.

The curtain was sled to the side and I gasped when I saw Jonghyun really standing there with his pants only. “Wwwooooogghhhhhhh…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” he screamed at the top of his voice. I don’t know what to do… I can’t cover my face coz my hand is almost invisible. Aaaaaah ohtokke…?!!

“Oh… the stupid patch…” panicked and escaped through the door. Literally, THROUGH the door. I feel like a ghost already.

I know I don’t have much time, this ‘teleporting’ thing only works for 10 minutes isn’t it? Ah crap…

“Amber ? You’re Amber…right?”

I almost jumped when I saw Jonghyun got out from the bathroom with a bath robe covering him. I wanna laugh looking at how embarrassed he must be. But instead I put my hand inside my stomach, showing him how ‘hollow’ I could be in this hologram figure. It’s not his first time seeing me like this, but I guessed he was just shocked. “Yeah it’s me !”

Jjong exhaled loudly, “Huooohh… I thought you were a ghost… Anyway, are you okay? Where are you now ?!”

“I’m fine, but I might not going home for a while. Ah…besides, I don’t have my apartment anymore, right? So yeah…”

Jonghyun didn’t look okay with my answer, “Hey listen to me… Police are chasing you and it seems like they’re all pointing their knives at you. But don’t you think if you’re running away like this, you’ll gain even more attention?”

“I know… but it’s not that simple. I need to do something now.” I didn’t dare look into his eyes. At times like this, this playboy could be so serious and I’m scared to this side of him.

We didn’t continue the awkward conversation until Victoria suddenly showed up from the other room.

“Omma…!” I spontaneously ran to her for a hug, but my body just turned shaky instead when I touch her hand. Ok, so being a hologram is not all so fun after all.

Victoria got teary and stared at me with her puppy eyes, “Amber… why are you all computer-ish ?”

“Waah eonnie, it’s okay…don’t cry…” I tried to calm her who’s start sobbing.

Innocently, she tried to grab my hand and drag me somewhere, so I had to pretend that my hand is actually being held in her hands and followed her to the living room.

“Key, look who’s…” Victoria stopped she saw Key’s sleeping in the couch…

…on her lap.

Victoria smiled playfully, “Ah Nicole-ssi… you’re taking care of him…”

I could see Nicole was a bit surprised and was about to turn her head to us when suddenly Jjong stood in front of me, blocking my view. He whispered, “As much as I want you to stay, but right now, if you wanna leave, just leave...”

I was like a dumb useless shadow back then. All that stuck in my head is the picture of him sleeping on Nicole’s lap… I’m a hologram right now, but why would the air started to suffocate me… This is so stupid. This is so stupid..

Jjong ruffled my hair, even though his fingers can’t really touch my hair, but I could feel his usual comforting.

“Jjong oppa, jeongmal mianhaeyo…” I said it fast when I felt my body started to disappear.

Jonghyun gave a warm smile, “I’ve been trying hard to consume all of these…your action-drama things, but I still can’t believe it, until this second.” he then put his arm wrapping me, acting like he’s hugging me. I hugged him back before I finally felt my head leaving my body again. The back of my neck burns and when I touched it I realized I’ve back at the basement shower again. I stared at my reflection on the dusty mirror and found something annoying on my face. I didn’t even remember when did I start making those tears, but now my cheek is all wet.

“Amber, are you done? I need to show your id and passport here !” Max called me outside.

“Oh! De, just a minute !” I shouted back but my voice cracked and Max quickly noticed it, “Gwaenchana?”

“Gwaenchanayo !” I yelled back with a better voice.

Gwaenchana Amber…

…you’re going to be just fine…

***

to be continued...

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