Bullets are flying in every direction, whistling past his ears at times. The sound of them digging into live flesh is sickening, the loud clang resounding from metals as they bounce off is nerve-wracking. Orders are shouted through the chaos, hearts thunder with adrenaline and fear.
 

“Kris! Cover me up!” Minseok shouted before rolling on the floor once and getting into his feet, running forward while firing at their enemies.
 

Kris only had a fraction of a second to react and he had barely aimed at the thugs hiding behind rumbling concrete ahead of them before his senior officer had run head-on. He cursed inwardly and started covering Minseok, firing at anyone who dared to take down the latter. He only stopped once Minseok was taking cover behind a fallen piece of metal.
 

“We all have you surrounded! Throw away your weapons and put your hands in the air where we can see them!” the head of the team, Joonmyun, yelled, clutching his gun tightly. “This is your last warning!”
 

Kris could hear his heart beating in his ears, deafening him. He gulps in air but he still feel out of breath. He silently questioned his sanity, wondering why he had insisted on coming with Joonmyun in the first place when he could have been at home and finishing his school work. He should have endured being buried under tons of piled school work instead of getting his out here and facing death in its stinking face.
 

“Regretting coming over today?” Joonmyun asked, beads of sweat rolling down his face.
 

“Please don’t remind me.” Kris groaned, inhaling deeply as he peered over their makeshift cover, a beaten old car which was littered with bullet holes on the other side. “What if  they don’t give up? Are we going to shoot them all down?” he asked. He had never killed someone before, even if he had joined far too many operations. In fact, this was only the second time he had to exchange bullets with some thugs, most of the time he was only on lookout duty.
 

“You don’t have to.” Joonmyun replied, lips drawn into a thin line. “Just keep us covered if anything happens. I’m guessing that the robbers are almost out of ammo, so they won’t be risking death.”
 

“Guess? And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” Kris almost whined, trying to calm his nerves down.
 

Joonmyun let out a small grin, and it almost seemed that they weren’t facing deadly people who would not hesitate in killing them right then and there. Almost.
 

“I’ve always been lucky with guesses.” Joonmyun said. He shouted another warning despite saying earlier that it was his last.
 

Kris scoffed at Joonmyun’s words, and he would call the other for his bluffing but the robbers they were facing actually shouted surrender.
 

Soon, their small team of five police; Minseok, Joonmyun, Kris, and two other officers, had subdued the robbers, disarmed them and had them handcuffed and lying on the ground. They waited for the backup, making sure to keep onlookers and citizens away from the crime scene in order to avoid another chaos.
 

Kris stood beside Joonmyun, feeling his heart slow down a bit since the robbers are already restrained. He gave Joonmyun the gun, feeling lighter when the deadly weapon was out of his hands. He might be ending up using such weapon for the rest of his life once he graduated and enter the force, but he’s pretty sure that he’ll never be comfortable having such thing strapped on him.
 

“Good job today, Kris. I can see that you aim is getting even better.” Joonmyun congratulated him with a pat on the back.
 

“Thanks, dad.” Kris replied.
 

Yes, Joonmyun is Kris’ father, though the older may look younger than he really was. Joonmyun used to be a special agent but he retired almost a couple of decades earlier and joined a lower enforcement team instead. It might sound a little ridiculous but Kris always hear stories about how his father had been one of the best agents the country ever had. And he had always looked up to his father, causing for him to follow Joonmyun’s footsteps.
 

Kris is still in his last year of college but he already goes with Joonmyun’s team on some of their operations, being some kind of intern for the team. Of course it wasn’t a common position to have, but thanks to Joonmyun’s connections (not that they use them to such extent really) Kris managed to get into the team as a rookie. Sometimes he asks himself if he had actually gone insane, pursuing such career where his life is always on the line, but whenever he does so, he thinks of how dedicated Joonmyun is to his work and every doubt Kris has goes away.
 

“Anyway, has your brother called? He was supposed to pick your mom at the airport today.” Joonmyun asked, keeping an eye on the bystanders surrounding them.
 

“I haven’t, dad, I was so busy keeping my from the bullets.” Kris replied sarcastically. It’s just so ‘Joonmyun-like’ to ask such nonchalant questions after they had exchange bullets and nearly met death.
 

Jooonmyun just smirked once again. Kris fished out his phone from a pocket and checked his messages. Sure enough, there was a message from his younger brother, Sehun.
 

“Crap.” Kris groaned. “Sehun’s caught up with some school stuff. The brat’s not going to be able to pick mom up.”
 

“What? Oh no! Her flights going to arrive in thirty minutes! She’s going to kill us if no one pick her up!” Joonmyun’s face paled a little.
 

Yep. The great agent is whipped. By his wife.
 

Kris sighed, stuffing his phone back to his pocket. “I’ll pick her up. You don’t need me here anymore, right?”
 

“No. You’re already good at keeping your from being hit. Your mom would be so proud.” Joonmyun grinned boyishly, the smile in his almost angelic face making him look a decade younger. “Just don’t tell her that you’ve been an inch from death today, that won’t be a good welcome.”
 

With a roll of his eyes, Kris left his father and drove to the airport. The traffic was light enough and he managed to get to the airport just about ten minutes after his mom’s flight had supposedly landed. He was scanning the thick crowd of tourists, locals and foreigners who were milling around the airport, thankful that he was above average height so he can see past most of the throng of people.
 

“Kris!!” a familiar voice called adamantly. “Kris! Over here, honey!”
 

Kris squinted and soon enough, his eyes were caught by a slender figure near the arrival area. She was waving at him with a bright smile, her long and wavy blonde hair flowing around her beautiful face. Regardless of the summer heat permeating the airport, air-condition or not, she looked like she had just got out of a refreshment commercial, nothing like everyone else around her who desperately fanning themselves in hopes to fight off heat.
 

Kris went over and was immediately given an almost suffocating hug by the woman, who, despite being a head shorter, had no problems in embracing him. He returned the hug nevertheless, happy that she was home after going on a weeklong vacation abroad with her sisters.
 

“Welcome home, mom.” Kris greeted, standing straight and grinning widely as he took her luggage.
 

“You smell like gunpowder. Where have you been?” the woman narrowed her eyes, a mock glare on her face.
 

“Relax, mom. I was just out with dad on some operation.” Kris replied, he started dragging the luggage out towards his car. The sooner they get home, the better. He’s exhausted, and his day is far from finished yet, much to his dismay.
 

“Relax?” his mother exclaimed. “When I see you father, I’m going to chop his fingers off! How dare he drag you to the force when he forced me to retire?! Wait until I get my hands on him! I’ll give him a piece of my mind!” she started nagging.
 

Kris sighed. This is why his father hadn’t wanted him to tell his mom about being on an operation earlier. She’s overprotective over him and Sehun. And the fact that she used to be an agent as well keeps Kris from lying to her about being out in the field with his father. She could tell if he was out, and would even know if he had been handling a gun.
 

If his dad had not forced his mom to retire after she gave birth to Sehun, then for sure, Kim Hyoyeon would be along side her husband and sending thugs into jail one after the other.
 

“Mom, I’m fine. And I was the one who volunteered to go today in the first place. Don’t blame dad, okay?” Kris gave his mom a one-armed hug, smiling reassuringly.
 

His mother huffed but relented. “And where is your brother anyway? He was supposed to fetch me.”
 

“School stuff. The kid is so busy with that dance troupe thingy he barely have time to sleep. You probably need to ground him for a week so he can rest a bit.” Kris smirked.
 

Sehun is a good kid, but he was so caught up with dancing that he was barely home in the past couple of weeks. There wasn’t a problem with Sehun’s dancing, their parents were supportive. It’s just that the kid sometimes forget that his body needs rest even if his mind and heart wants to keep going. And that’s the reason Kris stays home to look after his younger brother since Joonmyun is busy with work and Hyoyeon is also busy with her small self-defense school for kids; no matter how Joonmyun had asked her to just stay home like every other housewife, Hyoyeon wouldn’t hear a word of it.
 

“Probably. Or maybe we should take his hobby home so he won’t be out all the time. We do have that garage space-”
 

“Dad would flip if you throw his hummer away.” Kris pointed out as he put the luggage into the car.
 

“Oh for heaven’s sake! That old metal needs to rest in peace! Why can’t he just let it go!” Hyoyeon groaned.
 

“You know he treats his cars like his own children. And speaking of being thrown out, I’m planning on renting that apartment I saw-”
 

“Not now, Kris.” Hyoyeon cut her son off with a finger. “Moving out can wait. Right now I need a bathroom! I shouldn’t have had seconds with that drink on the plane!” she exclaimed and was off to find a comfort room in an instant.
 

Kris shook his head in disbelief, he’s got some weird family. But he loves them anyways. It’s part of the reason why, even half of him nags everyday, he can’t move into his own apartment. He’s already 23 but he still lives with his family and the only thing that would probably make him move out into his own place is when he finally decided to get married. But even then, he kinds of doubts that his parents would let him; they’d probably force him to stay along with his wife. Their reason had always been because there are only four of them in the family and it would be too lonely and ‘spacious’ if one would move out. Even with just Sehun being out all the most of time they already feel like someone’s always missing, how much would it be if the sons started moving out?
 

As he waited for his mother to come out, a girl talking to a man caught his attention. The girl was one of those typical tourists who were eager to start their vacation and stroll around the city. But this one seemed to be having a hard time with communicating.
 

“Stupid. Shouldn’t you at least have bought a translator book or something?” Kris muttered, watching the scene for a few minutes more before he noticed that there was something more that was happening between the  girl and the man.
 

The man was actually trying to trick the girl into taking his cab to the city for a cost that was at least three times the original fare was. He was taking advantage at the miscommunication and language barrier.
 

Kris cursed the principles his father had instilled inside him since he was a kid. It was none of his business but thinking about how the girl was going to be tricked by the scheming driver, he just couldn’t stay there and do nothing.
 

“Hey, what is going on here?” Kris asked as he walked closer to the two.
 

Seeing the girl up-close, she doesn’t seem to be your average tourist anymore. She had nothing on her but a backpack. It looks like she’s a runaway person to be honest.
 

“It’s none of your business, kid! I’m trying to make a living here.” the taxi driver snapped.
 

“No, you’re trying to scam her, ahjussi.” Kris deadpanned.
 

“So what? It’s still none of your business!” the drives spat.
 

“I’m a cop.” well, at least he’s pretty sure he’d end up being one anyways. That wasn’t totally lying. Right?
 

That had the driver cursing under his breath, glaring at Kris before going into his car and driving away. Kris then turned to the girl.
 

“What’s your name? And where are you going? Are you stupid or an idiot? You do know that bad things can happen to you if you go to some strange place and know nothing about the most basic things, right?” Kris asked in a dead tone. He’s normally a sociable person, but the heat is getting to him, plus the near death experience earlier. In short, he was not in a mood for socializing.
 

The girl just frowned, clearly confused.
 

He sighed, “Do you speak English?” he asked in English.
 

“Yes!” the girl piped, relieved. “Thank God! Someone who will actually understand me!”
 

“You should have thought about language barrier before going to some foreign country. Anyone who has common sense would know that.” Kris replied.
 

“Are you implying that I do not have common sense?” the girl gaped.
 

“No. I’m implying that you don’t use common sense even if you have one.” he answered.
 

The girl looked at him disbelievingly. Kris had the urge to roll his eyes but he restrained himself; he was after all the son of one of most respected and outright person in the country’s force and he’s raised to the principles of serving his country the right way.
 

“Well, anyways, ma’am, it would be better if you would purchase something that would help you with the language barrier. If you want to know your way around easier during your vacation. Despite what all tourism advertisement say, there are scheming scumbags lurking all over the country and you might want to avoid situations such as I’ve just saved you from.”
 

The girl scoffed. “Thank you for your great concern, sir.” she replied sarcastically. “But I only need to get to some investigation company. I am not here for a vacation, I’m here to find someone.” she said.
 

“Investigation company? Don’t you have those in your own country?” Kris asked. What the heck? She’d risked being conned in some foreign country just to find an investigation company?
 

“That is none of your business. Sir.” the girl huffed.
 

“Suit yourself.” Kris clucked his tongue. Who cares if this snobby tourist girl would get scammed? It wasn’t indeed his business.
 

Just when he was about to walk back to his car, his mom caught sight of him and ambled towards him with a wide grin.
 

“I see that you’re still fast when it comes to girls, honey.” Hyoyeon teased. “But on an airport? Really, Kris?”
 

“Mom, please! I don’t even know her! And it wasn’t even close to that!” Kris groaned.
 

Hyoyeon ignored him though and greeted the girl. The girl immediately said that she couldn’t understand a thing Hyoyeon was saying and introduced herself as Japanese. Hyoyeon excitedly clapped in delight and started talking in rapid fire Japanese.
 

The two women started chatting up as soon as the language barrier was broken. Kris shot the girl a dirty look, how come she’s acting all nice with his mom and act snobbish towards him? He was the one who helped him from the driver!
 

“Kris, come on. We’re giving her a ride to your dad’s office. They’ve got the best system and she’d be able to find whoever she’s looking for in no time. Come on!” Hyoyeon piped up, already dragging the girl towards the car.
 

What?
 

“Hey, mom! What the- what do you mean we’re taking her to the office?” Kris followed.
 

How did he end up having a mother who’s heart turn soft and mushy at everything that seemed to need help? Honestly, Hyoyeon used to be one of the meanest badass in the force before she was forced to retire, thanks to his dad. By the way Hyoyeon acts, no one would ever suspect that she used to be one of the greatest agents the country ever had.
 

“We just are. And I miss your dad. I know he won’t be home until late tonight, so I want to go see him.” Hyoyeon replied, the finality in her tone making to obvious that she didn’t’t want to be denied of what she wants. So Kris didn’t’t have any choice but to comply.
 

The ride was filled with chirpy Japanese and a unusually quiet Kris. It irks him that he couldn’t understand a thing that the two were saying but a large part of him just wanted to drop the girl at the office, give his mom and dad some time to greet each other after Hyoyeon’s ‘vacation-escapades’ and then go home to his bed and much-wanted sleep.
 

He couldn’t ignore the sidelong looks his mom was giving him while talking to the girl though. Hyoyeon and the girl would say something, his mom giving him a look before giggling.
 

“I hope you are not making fun of me because I would throw you out of the car and leave you both to walk.” Kris threatened emptily. If he doesn’t want his father and Sehun murdering him, he would do no such thing. And not to mention that Hyoyeon could probably break an arm or something if he even try to do what he just said.
 

“We are not!” Hyoyeon laughed. “She just said that for a good-looking guy like you, you sure are rude.”
 

Good-looking? The girl actually thinks that? Hadn’t they been in not-so-good terms earlier at the airport?
 

“Well, for someone who looks like she won‘t hurt a fly, she’s such an ungrateful snob with a sharp tongue.” Kris rolled his eyes.
 

Hyoyeon giggled with mirth in her eyes. “You think she’s cute.”
 

“Uh, no, I said she’s a snob.” Kris cleared with a matter-of-fact tone.
 

“Oh please, I know you, Kris.” Hyoyeon was the one who rolled her eyes this time. “The last time you ever had a bad comment towards a girl, you ended up courting her.”
 

Kris was about to retort but they were already pulling into the parking lot of his dad’s workplace; the one where he’s sure to end in too once he graduates.
 

Hyoyeon said something in Japanese towards the girl and the two got out as Kris contemplated whether he’d stay in the car and wait for his mom or go greet the officers like he always do when his dad brings him over. Figuring that he’s most likely fall asleep if he waits in the car, he got out and made his way inside the building.
 

“Oh, Kris! I wondered where you had disappeared to! I thought you were going to help wrap things up at the bank earlier.” Minseok greeted him as he made his way up to his dad’s office.
 

“I was supposed to. I had to pick up mom though.” Kris replied, earning a guffaw from the older one.
 

“I see that Hyoyeon still call the shots even if she’s already retired.” Minseok laughed and continued on his way. “Great job earlier, by the way. I see all the shooting practice is paying off.”
 

“Thanks.” Kris replied and quietly made his way towards the end of the hall where his mom and the girl had entered.
 

He expected seeing his dad’s smiling face when he entered, or maybe seeing his parents giving each other warm hugs after Hyoyeon’s vacation. He didn’t expect seeing his father’s usually pleasantly composed face drawn into a blanch mask of shock and something else, his eyes wide as saucers as he stared at the girl who was leaning towards him from the other side of his table.
 

Hyoyeon looked like she had also seen a ghost, looking at the girl with the same expression as his father.
 

What is happening?
 

“You are Suho.” the girl said.
 

That’s when Kris noticed a picture laid on the table, a picture of his father and some girl that had a strong resemblance to the girl who was currently drilling holes to his dad’s face. And did she just call his dad ‘Suho’? That was what his dad was called back when he was still active as an agent, before he had chosen to lie low.
 

Just who is this girl?
 

a/n: admit it, i'm not the only one who thinks that Hyoyeon would pass as a badass secret agent too... XP

next update won't take that long... i promise!

OH MY EXO! PLEASE MAKE A COMEBACK ALREADY!! I'M DYING HERE!!!