“Two tomatoes were crossing the road one day, and one of them was hit by a truck. Guess what the other tomato said to him? Go on, take a guess!” Jonghyun rested his chin on Key’s shoulder, his eyes glistering in anticipation.

“What?” Key responded half-heartedly as he flipped to the next page of his magazine. There was no point in guessing; it was going to be a ridiculous answer anyways and he knew it.

“Ketchup! Do you get it? Hahahaha!” As if he did not notice Key’s boredom, Jonghyun began to quiver from laughter uncontrollably at his own joke.

Placing the magazine back onto the table, Key let out a slight yawn and stretched sluggishly. “But they are not the same thing, a bruised tomato and ketchup I mean.”

Finally able to catch his breath, Jonghyun straightened his back and made a pouting face at the reflection of the unimpressed boy who sat cross-legged facing the tall French windows.

“You should learn to appreciate a joke once in a while, I promise life will be easier on you.”

A comfortable silence embraced them as neither one felt a need to continue the conversation. Faint honks and traffic noises could be heard from the boisterous darkness below. However, in the hotel room 29^th floor above it all, they were very distant from the chaos and experienced a mutual sense of strange tranquility.

Key gazed into the impenetrable darkness at nothing in particular. He sighed and turned back to Jonghyun swiftly as he felt his vision blur slightly.    

“How long are you going to keep this up?” Jonghyun wrapped his arm around the boy’s slim shoulders and began to his back gently in a perpetual motion. “Quit before it’s too late.”

The slender boy buried his face even deeper into Jonghyun’s chest, clenching onto his shirt. Vulnerability revealed itself from his every act and movement as they made their own little scratch on Jonghyun’s heart. Jonghyun tightened his grip and placed his chin on the top of Key’s supple yet flashy Barbie blonde hair.  

“I’ll quit when I feel like it…” Key mumbled against Jonghyun’s shirt quietly.

It was neither a statement nor promise, but rather an untenable lie that they have agreed in tacit to not expose. Fate is what believers called it. They know they cannot escape fate because betrayal was not an option.

“I don’t know why I’m still covering for you.” Jonghyun exhaled; his breath tickled Key’s scalp.

Not far across the room, a faint red light began to flash from a cellphone being pushed by its own vibration across the smooth surface of a table. The subtle disruption did not seem to have startled the two, as Jonghyun patted Key’s back again and hinted for him to stand up.

“We’re dealing with a big fish today, so be especially careful of traps. If you can’t do it, don’t force yourself. I’ll be right here when you need me.” While helping Key into a casual black button-up shirt, Jonghyun exhorted him to remain guard and alertness. Even though he spoke in incoherence and an almost nagging manner, it has always managed to keep Key calm before missions like a magic spell.

The mission was to assasinate the heir of a multinational company Park Hanjoon and find a confidential file which will assist their consigner in destroying the Park cooperation. Simple, yet dangerous.    

Key turned and starred at his reflection in the mirror for a final check. The hasty change of clothes has noticeably transformed his appearance to be elegant and bright. Since the nature of this mission only required Key to protect himself from melee attacks, he had rid himself of the bullet-proof vest which became useless and a burden. He grabbed a black trench coat and strode towards the door after slipping his .22 diameter caliber and a silencer into the coat’s inner pockets.

“Be careful.” Jonghyun’s voiced echoed across the unnecessarily large room.  

Key’s motion paused for a split second. Then he waved his hand in the air without looking back and soon disappeared from the doorway.

You know why you are covering for me. You have always known.