CODENAME: AURA

NAME: LEEHROSUN

AGENCY: NIS

What… just happened?

I had thrown myself at Ava, effectively and swiftly seized the handgun from her grasp, and then instinctually whipped my elbow at the backside of her head. Astonishment and disbelief was plastered on her face before she crumpled to the ground.

My eyes widened in shock of my actions. My breath quickened and my heart raced: I have committed a crime.

I knocked my teammate unconscious.

“A-Ava…” I said, my voice faltering, I hastily dropped to my knees and attempted to shake Ava awake. She didn’t stir, her dark hair covering her eyes. “Oh no, oh no, oh no,” I muttered continuously. I don’t know. I don’t know what had caused me to do this.

“Idiot…” a familiar voice mumbled, I turned my head around to see Yoochun-oppa jumping from the roof to a nearby oak tree then scaling down the large plant.

Park Yoochun quickly approached me. I was too stunned in my realization to stop him when knelt down near Ava. He grabbed Ava’s wrist and checked her pulse. Once he was sure she was alive he grabbed my wrist then hastily marched towards a black motorcycle. His quick pace forced me to start running to keep up. Where is he taking me? Why does he care if Ava is alive or not? My eyes traveled down to the gun strapped to his belt.

I opened my mouth to voice my conclusion, only to find it gone. All along, Jaejoong and Ava were right: Park Yoochun is a member of the NJC.

“Y-you…” I stuttered as I began to find my voice. “You were part of the NJC!” I screamed. The shock of my deed vanished only to be replaced with the sheer rage of betrayal, “All this time… I was so stupid!” I wrenched my wrist out of his grasp. He turned around only after my wrist left his fingers.

“Fight me now!” I shouted, balling my fingers into fists, “Fight me now you coward – ”

 The end of my tirade was cut off.

Park Yoochun had kissed me.

My heart stopped.

Haven’t I fantasized this moment before? When Yoochun-oppa would announce his love for me? His lips pressed against mine urgently. What, is it… love? No, all he wants was to shut me up. Tears welled up from my eyes, threatening to reduce my anger into regret.

“Allow me to introduce myself, Hyosun.” Park Yoochun stated after he broke away from our kiss. “I am Micky, Park Yoochun; and you: Aura, Lee Hyosun; have played your parts of my plans oh-so-well.”….Micky? Micky of the NJC? The one who killed Helios and Nyx? The notorious assassin and leading man of the missions carried out by the NJC? Park Yoochun is Micky? “But, unfortunately,” Park Yoochun continued, “you’ve just gone and messed up my escape. And what’s even better is that I can’t just leave you here to blubber, because you see, Hyosun,” Park Yoochun said as he pushed me towards motorcycle, “you’re a traitor.”

Park Yoochun hoisted my body on the bike, swung his leg over, and started the engine. I gaped in fright of his words, he was right: I was a traitor, no better than what he has done to me – no, I was worse. I hurt one of my own. I had chosen Yoochun-oppa over Ava: a friend I have had for over five years. Guilt begun to devour my senses; how can I betray my friends for a man that I can’t even trust? 

What’s the point now? How strange, that enemies such as us suddenly fall in love. I wrapped my arms around Yoochun-oppa’s chest and buried my face into the warmth of his back. If I've given up on the NIS, must I give up on Yoochun-oppa as well? Yoochun-oppa’s back stiffened upon my touch, but then relaxed moments later. Could it be possible, that Yoochun-oppa returns my feelings as well?

Yoochun-oppa revved the engine before taking off into the streets; and I had only wondered where he was taking me for mere seconds. He drove recklessly down the street, going past the speed limit and refusing to heed the lights. Where ever he was headed, Yoochun-oppa’s excitement to arrive heightened his determination.

I shut my eyes. Perhaps, if I let go – if I allow myself to jump off the motorcycle – I'll wake up. And I would never have met Park Yoochun and never knocked Ava unconscious; and maybe, I never even joined the NIS.

Instead, the motorcycle’s momentum lurched me forward to a sudden stop.

“God dammit,” Yoochun-oppa muttered. I opened my eyes, curious. Yoochun-oppa’s destination had appeared to be Yong Dong Market; however, it would seem that the NIS had figured it out.  The area was surrounded by the local police cars and the NIS’s vehicles. “Just my luck,” Yoochun-oppa spat, looking as though he was considering how he was going to escape this predicament. He swung his leg over the bike, one hand gripping the handle. He ready to either bound over the bike again, or take on the NIS with a single handgun.

Yoochun-oppa bit the bottom of his lip in concentration while searching for a way out. It seemed as though a resolution had befallen him as he turned toward me and grinned.

"Well, Hyosun, it seems that you could be of use to me yet," he said. My eyes widened in response as Park Yoochun ripped me off the motorcycle, in one smooth motion wrapped his elbow around my neck, and his hand quickly retrieving the gun he had hidden in his belt. He pressed the gun against my temple, the trigger.

My body froze, my breathing stopped, and my stomach began to ache with the pain of the foreboding future. Park Yoochun was about to use my life as a tool for his escape. I realized it just then: he doesn’t love me; he only wants to use me.

A tremor in my legs worked its way up my body – I was a hostage.

Then a man emerged from one of the cars in the blockade: Jaejoong.

“Jaejoong…” I whispered my voice only audible to me. His face hardened at the sight of Park Yoochun’s embrace. This is what Park Yoochun wants, he won’t kill me, as long as Jaejoong lets him by, I’d live. But… I don’t deserve to live: I’m a traitor. I betrayed my friends – I betrayed Ava! Yunho then stepped out of one of the vehicles, his jaw noticeably locked under the tension of the situation. I began to gasp as shame consumed my mind. Has he found out my deed? Has he realized what I have done to his sister? I looked away from him, I can’t bear his kindness when I had betrayed them all.

“I’m sorry!” I cried out, hoping that my voice was loud enough for them to hear, “I’m sorry!”  

“Are you now, Hyosun?” Yoochun said his voice too loud if he just wanted me to hear, “and I thought you were such a good little hostage too. You did everything I said.” Everything he said?

Did he... did he plan everything? Did he even purposely get caught by me?  There’s no way he could predict all of my choices, at least I don’t think he could have... To the hell with Park Yoochun! If he thinks that he can play with me then he's wrong. I allowed my body to slack, giving my arms the slightest extension they needed to reach my last hope.

Park Yoochun didn’t seem suspicious or surprised by my sudden movement, thus, I took the opportunity to remove the dagger strapped to my thigh hidden underneath my dress.

"How ironic, Hyosun... is this how it's going to end?" Park Yoochun whispered into my ears. What does that mean? Is he going to actually go ahead and kill me? I don’t understand: nothing made sense any more.

Someone behind me was screaming.

Yunho lifted his gun.

Was he going to shoot Park Yoochun?

Park Yoochun nibbled on my ear, sending another wave of disgusted shivers down my spine.

"Do it," he whispered.                

The last thing I heard before collapsing onto the ground was the ring of a gunshot.

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Author’s Note: There really isn’t a good excuse other than Amaya being so busy… (read “Obsidian Theatre Extra: Rin’s Plight” for further explanation). Thus, after much nagging, begging, and downright threatening, Amaya and I finally decided to write the chapter together.

And, well, there is nothing more to say than I, Kagami Hisoka, apologize for the long, long, long delay between chapters. Furthermore, Chapter 23, (now currently being named “Calamity”) is on its way to being done and we will try to update when we can (hopefully next week). Comments are welcome (no, scratch that, comments are needed from all applicants).

Thank You!  

With Love,

Kagami Hisoka

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| Always Keep the Faith |