CHAPTER 26: CONFESSION
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NAME: SHIM CHANGMIN
CODENAME: MAX

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I clenched my jaw, grinding my teeth together in unimaginable apprehensiveness. My eyes were searching for something to preoccupy them as my fingers tapped impatiently on the computer mouse. In front of me, U-Know’s steady movements were being followed by the bored eyes of two agents as he paced ceaselessly back and forth from corner to corner of the room. His brow furrowed from stress and understandable fury at the current situation: his sister ‘betrayed’ by Aura, Aura then being held hostage by a fugitive NJC agent, and lastly, the capture of Hero.

Suddenly, the silver doorknob leading into the office turned slowly. I snapped up from my chair in surprise as U-Know stopped his pacing and faced the door.

Ava.

She stood before the doorframe unwilling to completely enter the room. I took a fleeting glance over to U-Know. His demeanour softened faintly at the sight of his sister though his expression was still contorted with anxiety. My gaze returned to Ava. She still stood awkwardly in the doorway, glaring at the floor rather than meeting the curious gazes.

“Jaejoong?” blurted one of the agents, unable to contain his question any longer.

“No,” Ava answered simply. She turned and strode away from the room to avoid further prodding.

U-Know returned to his furious pacing with a new vigour. I slam my fist down on the computer table as anger rises within me.

“Dammit,” I whisper. Even with all our resources, we still don’t know where the NJC are hiding. South Korea’s borders are closed – the agents of the NJC inside the country have been immobilized and unable to flee. We should have been able to track their location down by now!

Footsteps echo from the hall, interrupting my circling thoughts. Aura emerges from the sound followed by two guards as she enters the room.

“That’s her,” one of the agents whispers to the other, “She’s the traitor.” U-Know stops his enraged pacing once again and to slowly face Aura. His manner didn’t soften like it did when Ava came in; instead he threw her a cruel scowl, making sure she saw, and resuming his tread. Aura tried to hold her head high, feebly attempting to keep her dignity despite the tears threatening to flood her eyes. The guards lead her across the computer office towards the interrogation room.

I glared at U-Know out of the corner of my eye. The anger within me was replaced with intensifying disgust. How could they? How could these people, once Aura’s fellow agents and friends, kick her while she’s down?

“Wasn’t she taken hostage?” I muttered to no one in particular, “interrogating her seems a bit harsh – ”
“Hostage,” U-Know exploded, “hostage or not, she is solely responsible for betraying Alecto, allowing a NJC agent to escape, and the capture of Hero!”

I clenched my fist against my side, marched past my computer desk, knocked papers off it, and stopped in front U-Know: glaring at him squarely in the eye. “I’m just as upset as you are,” I hissed, “but the situation gives you no right to talk about Aura like that.”

I roughly smashed my shoulder into his as I strode past him towards Aura. I glowered at both her guards before grabbing Aura’s arm and pulling her away from them. “I trust Aura.” I stated, now returning my eyes to U-Know, “Just like I trust you and Alecto and every other agent in the NIS.”

“Max, I –” Aura began, I cut her off:

“It’s alright, Aura. I’m going to take you back to your room.” I murmured softly to her. Then I turned and looked at each and every person in the room. “So?” I asked loudly, “Are you guys going to arrest me? I’m protecting the ‘traitor’ aren’t I? You’re all pathetic.”
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“I’m sorry, Aura.” I said, as I sat in the lone chair in her room. Aura was curled up on the bed. “It’s just; with Jaejoong gone…everyone is just stressed.”

“But…” Aura began, her voice not above a whisper, “they’re right. I trusted him. I trusted Park Yoochun so badly. I don’t deserve your help.”

“Aura, it’s alright–”

“It’s not alright!” Aura suddenly screams, pulling herself upright. “What I did to Ava was unforgivable; you of all people must hate me for it.”

“You were taken hostage, there was nothing you could do-”

“I knocked her unconscious before I was taken hostage, Changmin!” Aura cried, she wrapped her arms around her legs and buried her head in the crook of her elbow.

My eyes widened in shock.

What?

All this time, I thought that Park Yoochun had forced Aura to commit such a felony…

“W-why?” I whisper.

Aura shrugs, “Love?”

Aura struck Ava to prevent her from hurting Park Yoochun?

“And…now?”

“...Irrevocably.”

Suddenly, I heard a loud thump resounding from outside Aura’s door.

Shoot.

I forgot to close it. Someone heard our conversation! Aura’s confession would make her seem even more traitorous than what she was already made to be.

I quickly threw myself out to door to catch a glimpse of a tall, lean individual rounding the corner.

Ava.

“Ava!” I cried, as I sprinted down the hall, “Ava!” Ava was known for her strong strides, keeping up with her was beyond difficult. It wasn’t before long that my legs begun to burn and my breathing became laboured. I had no choice. I had to rest.

I came to an abrupt stop and leaned against the wall for support. The cloth of my dress shirt was already wet with sweat, especially where my vest added a second layer of warmth. Curse it, curse that I am not athletic. Curse it that the NIS headquarters is so abnormally large. Curse it that I was the only one running around with enough professionalism to wear dress shoes-

“I’ve never seen you run that fast, Max.”

I snapped my head up to see Ava leisurely walking towards me.

“That’s because….I never had anything…” I pant, “important enough….to chase…” Ava sniggered. Finally I was well enough to stand straight. “Why did you come back?”

“I stopped hearing the sounds of footsteps behind me.” Ava stated, “Thought you might have passed out somewhere, like the old days.”

“I’ve always hated P.E.” I said, scoffing. I tried to catch her eye, but she refused to even look at my face.

“You heard Aura, didn’t you?”

“I… yeah.” She murmured quietly. Shoot. If she heard Aura admit that she hurt Ava willingly - “I heard her confess her love to you.”

Huh? She thinks Aura confessed to me? What?

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“W-why?” I whisper.

Aura shrugs, “Love?”

“And…now?”

“Irrevocably.”

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Oh. Ava thought that those words were meant for me!

“At first, I thought she and Hero where a thing, at least until that ‘Yoochun’ came around. Well, if you like the ty type, that’s your problems I guess-” Ava’s voice quavers mid-sentence.

“Ava, are you jealous?”

“What! No. Of course not. It’s none of my business what you do-” She couldn't finish her sentence for I had wrapped my arm around her waist, pulled her face up with a gentle palm, and pressed my lips softly but meaningfully against her's. This was nothing like our first kiss, our first being a gentle expression of longing. This one was the full long-awaited confession of my love and devotion to Ava. When we broke apart, I wrapped both my arms around her, hugging her in a warm embrace.

“Ava, you idiot. I’ve always loved you and always will.”
“Changmin," Ava whispered, pushing herself away from me, and for the first time in days: looking at me straight in the eye. "I can’t. Not with Jaejoong gone and the whole organization turned upside down.”

“Is that so? Then we’d better hurry up and find him.”

“Yeah,” She mutters, before breaking eye contact with me, “we got our work cut out for us.” She turned and walked back down the hall. I watched her until she disappeared from my sight.

I’ll find him. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll find you, Jaejoong.

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| Always Keep the Faith |