Youngjae got used to people-watching. It was how he passed the time whenever he was stuck waiting for his Dad (Mom, technically. Or not technically.) to get out of work. The journey from Yonsei to SNU wasn't that bad. Plus, people on campus recognized him. He was Professor Park's son and Youngjae was always proud of that. So he sat down on whatever space he could find in the central part of the campus, ate a sandwich, and did some work. And of course, he watched the students of SNU.

 

Today there was someone different. It was a girl, she was on her phone and drinking out of a Mason jar with words written in English on it. The girl looked Korean but Youngjae knew better to assume, she could be another Asian and even if she was Korean there was no guarantee that she could speak it. Either way, Youngjae found her pretty. There was something different about her. Well, obviously there was as she was wearing a top that had short sleeves and everyone could see various tattoos on her arms, she was wearing jeans but Youngjae had a feeling there were more tattoos underneath. He wondered how his family would react to tattoos, they were beyond the point of believing that everyone with tattoos was part of a criminal organization. No one could possibly still buy into that myth. Didn't Mark's noona girlfriend that he met at the park and had a cute dog have tattoos? Maybe she did but they were in places where no one could see. Mark's noona girlfriend that he met at the park with the cute dog was always so elusive for no reason.

 

Should he try talking to her? Youngjae wondered what would Jackson do in this situation and realized that maybe doing what Jackson would do isn't a very good idea. The girl seemed to be waiting for someone. She didn't seem like she was in a rush to get to class and she didn't look like she was lost or confused. She looked like she knew exactly what she was doing.

 

“Can I help you with something?” The girl asked. There was no doubt that she was talking to Youngjae, she was looking straight at him.

 

“Oh no, sorry was I staring?” Youngjae didn't do well with confrontation, especially when being confronted by girls with tattoos that definitely seemed a lot scarier when she was demanding something of you.

 

“Yeah, was it the tattoos?” She didn't seem angry with him anymore.

 

“Yes but I wasn't staring at them because I thought they were bad, it's just that you have a lot but in a good way.” Why was he being even more awkward than usual.

 

The girl laughed and sat down right next to Youngjae, her Mason jar still in her hand. “I'm Angel by the way.”

“Angel?” Youngjae said carefully. The name was foreign but the girl looked Korean and spoke Korean perfectly.

 

“It means angel in Korean.” Angel said.

 

“Ah, that's a very pretty name. I'm sorry for asking but are you a foreigner by any chance?”

“Oh no, I'm Korean. I studied abroad in Australia for a long time and that was English name. I sort of use it as my real name since I was called it for so long.”

“Is that why you have English on your cup?” Youngjae asked.

 

“Yeah, the phrase is Time to drink champagne and dance on the table. The cup was a present from a friend of mine.”

 

“That seems like a good phrase. I'm Youngjae.” Youngjae and Angel shook hands.

“Are you a student at SNU?”

 

“No, I go to Yonsei. My dad is a psychology professor here. I'm waiting for him so we can leave together.”

 

“That's really sweet.” Sweet was a word that Youngjae never pictured coming out of the mouth of a girl like Angel.

“Do you go to SNU?”

 

“Oh no, I'm waiting for someone. Just like you so I can leave.”

 

“Angel?” Youngjae and Angel looked up to find that a new person had arrived. A new person that happened to be a white foreigner with blonde hair and green eyes and a laptop case underneath his arm. Well, there went Youngjae's chances.

 

“Is this your boyfriend?” Youngjae asked. It was always much better to get things over with right away.

 

“No, no, no.” Angel said hurriedly. “This is my cousin. His mom's a foreigner that was adopted so that's why he looks this way.”

“Thank you Angel. You really are my favourite relative.” the cousin said in English.

 

“My name is Youngjae.” Youngjae said the words in English.

 

“My name is Dustin.” Dustin responded back in Korean. “You look familiar, do you go here?”

“No I go to Yonsei. My dad is a professor here. Professor Park from the psychology department.”

 

“I heard about him. I'm in the technology department so I never had a class with him.” Dustin said. “We should get going.”he said to Angel in English.

 

“I have to go but it was really nice meeting you Youngjae.” Angel said. She handed her cell-phone to Youngjae. “Add your number in.”

 

Youngjae did what he was told and input his number. Angel messed around on her phone for a bit and Youngjae could feel his phone vibrating with an incoming message.

 

“I'll see around.” Angel said with a smile and a wave.

 

Dustin and Angel got in the car and greeted their driver “It's never going to work you know.” Dustin said as soon as they sat down.

 

“What's never going to work?”

“This thing that you're having with him.”

“I just met him! Am I not allowed to find guys attractive? Can't I flirt with them? Go on a date?” Angel demanded.

 

“Angel, what kind of guy is going to accept when he finds out what you're really are?”

 

“It's not that bad!”

 

“Angel, you're a vegetarian that's also basically gluten-free. No guy want to deal with planning dates around that!”

 

“Well, maybe he'll be the one. Not everything has to revolve around food! There are worse things to be in life than a gluten-free vegetarian!”

 

“Not to interrupt,” their driver said. “But we've all received a job today. It's for the weekend at a foreign embassy. There's going to be a dinner party and someone needs to be taken care of. Angel, you're going to do the job.”

 

“Thank you, Trucker.” Dustin said before facing Angel. “Maybe you'll have to poison the client's victim.”

 

“And I hope your computer gets a virus.” Angel said.

 

“I still don't get why you're a vegetarian,” Trucker said. “Angel, you're an assassin for hire. Is not killing animals your way of dealing with the guilt of killing humans?”

 

*****

 

Youngjae kept his encounter with Angel a secret. He didn't want the risk of his brothers or parents finding out. Youngjae hadn't been in many relationships (and if he was being completely honest, he hadn't been in a real proper relationship ever) and everything that someone in the family did was going to be a big deal but him thinking about dating someone would cause a bigger scandal than he wanted.

Youngjae didn't want to admit it but he was feeling a bit lonely. His dad was so in love with Jaebum, it might have been a year since they married but they looked at each other like they were still in high school. As bizarre as Shinyoung's pregnancy was, there was no denying that Jackson cared for her and unborn Joseph more than anything in this world. Ever since Youngjae had known Mark, he had never seen his brother be as happy as he was when the noona he met at the park would place Mark on her lap when they watched TV. Yugyeom would eventually choose the right potential wife to marry and there was no doubt that she would fall for Yugyeom and if Yugyeom made the right choice he would fall for her as well. BamBam might have been single but he was so passionate about cooking and getting his life in order that there was no doubt that one day he was going to meet someone that was just as passionate as he was.

 

Angel was nice, she was nicer than what Youngjae had been expecting and she wanted his number. That was a sign of interest, wasn't it? He should ask her out. It would be useless to wait around for her to make the first move. Maybe she was waiting for him?

 

Youngjae sent her a quick message. A simple hello and asking her how she was doing. He didn't except Angel to respond so quickly and to give an actual answer, not just an 'I'm good' and asked Youngjae how he was doing.

 

They soon texted quite often. It was strange and exhilarating. Angel may have seemed scary but she liked to use heart stickers whenever she could. When Youngjae mentioned all his food allergies to her, she gave him the name of a great vegan restaurant that she knew and that they should meet up. Youngjae tried not to stress too much about it because it wasn't a date but he still tried his best and made sure his floppy black hat was looking extra nice that day and was glad when no one in the family seemed to notice. He was even happier when he got there and noticed that Angel had put on a sweet-smelling perfume and her lips were painted a pretty pink color. It wasn't a date but Angel hugged him before she got on the bus but maybe it was because she lived in a foreign country and everyone knew how touchy they were.

 

Just like when one night after getting ice cream at a soy-only ice cream store they sat down in a bench in front of the Han River and Angel asked him what his ideal type was. Youngjae admitted truthfully that it was a woman that he was naturally attracted to. It was a bit silly, a more roundabout way of saying that Youngjae believed in soulmates and love at first sight, but Angel didn't laugh. Angel replied that her ideal type was someone that had beauty marks and slept in late. She was always jealous of people that had beauty marks and thought they made a face more charming. She could only be with someone that slept in late because according to her roommate it was easier to wake someone up from the dead than it was to wake Angel up. Youngjae felt his cheeks heat up and almost leaned in to kiss her right then and there. The only reason he didn't was because Angel kissed him first.

 

*****

It didn't take long for the rest of the family to catch up. Youngjae, sweet and awkward Youngjae, never had to fumble his words when he went somewhere. He was raised by Park Jinyoung (Jr.) who had raised his children not to lie and no to do things that involved lying. If Youngjae said he was going to piano class, then he really was going to piano class, and if he said he was going to the mall with friends then he really was going to the mall with friends. There was nothing that Youngjae did or place that he went that was without reason. He didn't have anyone to meet up with in secret. That is until one day when Angel and him were meant to be going to the movies and when he walked right past everyone in his family carrying a bouquet of flowers, he should have seen the worst coming.

 

“Where are you going?” Jackson asked.

“I'm going to the florist, I bought the wrong flowers.” Which was a lie. Angel loved lilies.

 

“Why did you buy flowers in the first place?” BamBam asked. He was looking smug, ever since he discovered the cooking channel he was getting too smart for his own good.

 

“I just wanted to decorate my room. Flowers make an excellent decoration.” Youngjae said. “It's almost taking care of a pet, people say.”

 

Jinyoung found the whole thing bemusing. “No, people say that about plants. Small potted plants in which lilies are not.”

 

“What's really going on here?” Mark asked.

 

And maybe it was because Mark was his brother, his brother long before Jackson, BamBam, and Yugyeom and there was something in the way that Mark said it and looked at him that reminded Youngjae of the time when he was a lot younger and had broken his finger and didn't want to tell anyone but Mark figured it out that made him spill. “I'm going to meet up with my girlfriend. I didn't buy the wrong flowers. Lillies are her favourite.”

 

Youngjae watched as his father slipped right out of his chair while Jaebum leaned down to pick him up. Mark looked paler than the time he had the world's worst fever, and Jackson looked entirely shut up.

 

“How is this possible? What's her name?” Jinyoung asked once Jaebum had him back in his chair.

 

“Her name is Angel.”

 

“Angel, as in the English word?” Mark asked.

 

“Angel, just as I'm pronouncing it in English. I met her at SNU.”

 

“What does she study? What's her department? If it's in the social sciences I bet I know her professor.” Jinyoung said.

 

“She doesn't go to SNU. I met her while she was waiting for her cousin.”

 

“Then where does she go to school?” Jinyoung was maybe more than a little stressed about the whole thing. Youngjae was supposed to get a girlfriend but at a much later time in life. A nice head surgeon of a hospital.

 

“She doesn't go to school.” Youngjae didn't know why but he felt a bit sheepish in admitting it.

 

“Does she have a job at the very least?” Jaebum asked.

“Why do you have to make it seem like everyone needs to go to school or have a job.” Jackson said.

 

“Yeah, she has a job.” Youngjae didn't want to admit but there was an awful lot that he didn't know about Angel. It wasn't like she was trying to keep secrets, Youngjae knew the story of how she lost her tooth in the sandbox and that she liked this lip balm that smelled (and tasted) like pomegranates. In the midst of it all, Youngjae forgot to ask her what exactly she did for a living. “She works in retail. She takes care of inventory.” Which was the truth. When Youngjae asked more or less what she did all day Angel said that she worked at the same place as Dustin and her roommate and that she took care of stock. She also said she worked mainly graveyard shifts. Youngjae did ask Dustin once what his job was and he said it was tech support. Youngjae figured they must work at some electronic store.

 

The family seemed pleased with Youngjae and his answers on Angel, a retail worker that was the same age as Youngjae and liked lilies He got on the bus and headed towards the movie theater where he waited for twenty minutes outside for Angel. She was late occasionally, mostly when she woke up late because of how tired she was from work and other times when she worked earlier shifts; work had a tendency to take longer than usual. Yet when he got a call from Dustin of all people, Dustin who he had yet to develop a friendship outside of Angel and truth be told it seemed like a real friendship was never going to form, Youngjae felt his stomach drop.

 

“It's Dustin. Listen, can you come over to Angel's place? She got hurt at work.” Dustin's Korean was the worst Youngjae had ever heard and he seemed to be panicky. How badly could Angel have gotten hurt at work of all places?

 

“Sure, I'll be right over.” Youngjae got on the bus to Angel's apartment and spent the whole ride with the bouquet on his lap and his knees bouncing. He got to Angel's apartment and instead of taking the elevator ran up the stairs to the fifth floor where she lived.

 

He rang the doorbell once and Dustin opened the door. “Hello Youngjae, come right in.” Dustin looked different than he normally looked. Dustin looked more serious than ever and he was wearing all black. A pretty girl wearing a black sari and carrying gauze appeared behind Dustin.

 

“You're Youngjae aren't you? My name is Sana. I'm Angel's roommate. Angel's on the chesterfield. I think you should brace yourself.” She spoke Korean better than Mark but still carried an Indian accent.

 

Youngjae walked in slowly. He had been to Angel's apartment before, he never stayed for long it was usually when Angel had left something behind or wanted to change clothes. There was Angel lying on the chesterfield, propped up on a pillow. She was wearing black Capri shorts and a black tank top but was most shocking wasn't her outfit or even the gun on the floor but was the fact that her right foot had been bandaged and blood was seeping out.

 

“Angel, what happened to you?” Youngjae set the lilies down on a table and went over to Angel, kneeling down beside her.

 

“A computer fell on my foot. It's not a problem it should heal soon. I see you met Sana. She's very pretty isn't she? She not much of a homebody so that's why you never see her. Thankfully she was working the same time as me so she was able to get me her fast.” Angel's voice was pained and Youngjae knew she was lying.

 

“Tell him the truth. He deserves to know.” Dustin said from behind Youngjae.

 

“Angel, what is it that you really do?” Youngjae asked. “And what really happened to your foot?”

 

Angel bit her lip and coughed. “I told you, I work retail and a computer fell on my foot.”

 

“If you don't tell him, we will.” Sana was speaking now.

Angel sighed. “I'm an assassin, Youngjae. I kill people for a living. Everyone that I hang out with works in the assassination business. I do the actual killing. Dustin manages the technology and security cameras. Sana charms people into paying attention to her instead of me so I can sneak in. There are others but they aren't here because they're taking care of the client. I didn't think the client would be this strong but he tried to cut my toes off and almost succeeded.”

 

Youngjae knew the rational part of his brain should try and process what Angel said as lies but it made so much sense. Why she would always wear black, why the police made her nervous, she never wanted Youngjae around her apartment and tried not to reveal too much details. She was stronger than anyone, male or female, that Youngjae knew. When they went to an amusement park together, she had excelled at every physical game and won Youngjae more toys than what he knew to do with.

 

“Are you going to be OK?”

 

“What?” Angel tried to sit up straight but Youngjae stopped her.

 

“Is your foot going to be OK? Should we take you to the hospital?”

 

“Youngjae, the hospital can't take care of her. It's too risky with our job. And her foot should be fine, we don't have our doctor with us right now but when her injury was still fresh he said that she was going to be OK. Just give it a few weeks.” Dustin said.

 

“Why are you being like this?” Angel asked. “I'm the physical killer in the Asian branch of an international assassinating organization. You're supposed to break up with me. I'm dangerous.”

 

Dangerous. That was an excellent way to describe Angel. But dangerous wasn't everything. Angel who had short nails but when she saw the girlfriends of Youngjae's piano class friends began to get the glue-on French manicures from the drugstore, who drank from Mason jars with English phrases painted on them, who always sent a good morning and good night message to Youngjae, who was always down for all you can eat buffets, who only drank rice milk, and kept a list of Youngjae's allergies.

 

“Angel, I know this is going to be too soon but I'm in love with you. I don't care if you're an assassin.”

 

Somewhere in Seoul, JYP was at home cuddling with his dogs with a smile on his face knowing that all was well.

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