He is definitely a fool.

Gary doesn’t stop his sprint as realization hits him like a tsunami. He just turned his back on his father…practically the life he had known since he was little, and for what? For two girls he just met just two weeks ago. It wasn’t fear that engulfs his chest, maybe a little, but Gary mostly feels liberated.

For the first time in his life he made a decision for himself. For something he thinks is important. He smiles unconsciously as Jihyo’s and Nix’s face flashes across his mind. He was going to protect them. He was going to use his skills to preserve something rather than to end a life.

He knows it won’t be easy yet Gary can’t help but feel thrilled, resembling a kid who finally got his desert after dinner. With two assassins on Nix’s belt, Gary is sure the three of them can make it. Now, this plan depends on whether the other two people involve in his grand plan will show up.

Gary doesn’t sigh in relief.

He doesn’t.

But the air he’d been holding leaves his mouth finally when he sees two figure walking cautiously near the tower. He keeps still, scanning the trees to check if there was someone following them but no one seems to be present.

Even from far away he can see Jihyo’s eyes moving, assessing the situation like a skilled assassin. Gary can’t help but admire her. Not only was she attractive, but Jihyo’s abilities is worthy of recognition, perhaps Gary can reward her, a kiss maybe. They make eye contact once Jihyo lifts her eyes to his. There were no hatred in her eyes nor spite and Gary fights himself from running over to them.

It took Nix a couple of minutes to realize he was standing close by. Her eyes widen in excitement. “Gary-shi!” She shouts waving erratically. But Nix stops when Jihyo whispered something down to her.

Nix flings herself at Gary’s arms taking him by surprise. “Gary-shi! You’re here!” She buries herself under his chin.

He smiles patting the little girl’s head affectionately. “Why wouldn’t I be here?” His voice low.

The girl looks up with big eyes. “Unnie kept saying you won’t show up.“

Jihyo clears and takes Nix’s arm. “Gary-shi, do you mind filling me in with this offer of yours?” Jihyo’s lifts a delicate brow at him.

He keeps his hand on Nix’s small shoulder as he speaks. “I have a plane.” Says Gary his shoulders straightening.

Irritation flashes across Jihyo’s face. “Please tell me there’s more to this idea than a plane?” Both her hands resting on her hips. Gary follows Jihyo’s movement and can’t seem to take his eyes off of her hips. “Hello?” Her exasperated voice knocks some sense into him.

He shakes himself to focus. “I can fly it. We’re going back to Seoul.”

“Then what? Live happily ever after?” Jihyo’s voice shakes with anger.

Gary looks at her with apprehension. “Yeah…” Looking at Jihyo’s angry face should make any men cower in fright, but Gary only tilts his head to the side, eyes lingering on her lips. Something itches in Gary’s trouser.

“What!” Jihyo huffs walking closer, her finger touching his chest. “! I…I…thought, god!” She stops her head hanging low.

Gary catches her wrist and pulls her against his chest. “Hey,” he says in an unfamiliar softness, “trust me okay?” Jihyo pulls away a blush dusting her cheeks. Gary notices, but say nothing though he thinks he likes it on Jihyo. Instead he gives her a smile taking Nix’s hands. “I know my plan doesn’t sound like anything…because it really isn’t, but believe me when I say this, I won’t let anything happen to the both of you.”

Nix tightens her grip. “We believe you!” The little girl cheers and that was enough of a confidence boost for Gary.

“The aircraft is three miles away. We need to get there by sunrise or else we lose the night as cover. Landing the plane is the tricky part, I know an abandoned landing strip just outside the city,” he explains, holding up the small flash light at Nix’s direction.

“Then?” Jihyo asks.

Nix mumbles something. “We can figure that out when we get there.” He answer with a shrug. “No point in worrying now.”

Jihyo grunts. “For an assassin, you sure don’t have very good strategies.”

Gary chuckles. Chuckles? When did ever laugh? “I have two people to blame for that.”

Nix pulls his hand to get his attention. “How long are we going to walk?”

“Thirty minutes?”

“Okay!” Nix cheers clearly relieved that she doesn’t have to walk for hours.

The plane is more impressive than Gary remembered. It was an old farming plane to water the crops, he doesn’t remember how he have gotten a hold of it, but it involves Kwangso and a lot of threats. He takes Nix into his arms and unlatch the cockpit door. “Ladies first,” he mutters to Nix earning him a giggle. Gary reach for the belt buckle and fastened it around the little girl carefully. Before he can step off the plane to help Jihyo, he hears a gun locking.

“Don’t,” Jihyo says to a man standing a couple of feet away.

Gary jumps off, both his gun drawn. But the man steps closer.

“I’ll ing shoot you,” Jihyo warns, her voice deadly. Gary would further appreciate her voice if it wasn’t for the man. He feels ticked off.

The man stops raising his hand in act of surrender. “Where are you going?”

Gary nearly drops his gun from hearing the voice. “Sukjin?”

“Gary.”

Jihyo looks at him then to Sukjin with wide eyes. “Jihyo, it’s okay. Stay with Nix.”

She wants to punch him until he sees stars, he knows it, but she follows the order and hop into the plane with no further questions.

“Sukjin, who’d you find us?” Gary is baffled, how in the hell did Sukjin escape detection from two assassins.

The older man grins. “Gary, you’ve been sloppy. You have too many distractions.”

Gary ignores him. “Does my father know?”

Sukjin’s eyes darts to the plane, eyes looking sorrowful. Gary’s stomach sinks. “Kwangso-“Gary wants to vomit “-he didn’t say anything e-even in the end, he didn’t Gary.”

“W-What,” but Gary knows.

Sukjin was suddenly close, clasping his shoulder. “One of the men told Jae Suk. I heard and went looking for Kwangso to notify him. He told me everything about you and the maid. I told him to run, but he refused.”

His grip around the gun tightened. “I-I, I didn’t think, , Sukjin, I didn’t.” He felt bile near his throat. “What are you doing here?” As if on que, a little girl, the same girl in his nightmares manifests in front of Gary and it takes all of his sanity to stomp down the image.

Sukjin doesn’t give any indication that he noticed Gary’s slight hitch in breathing. “Young master, I’m here to warn you that your father is coming. And, it wouldn’t matter if you were his only son. He will come and drag you back, and you know what happens to prisoners.”

Gary smiles back. “They ask for death instead of having to breathe one more day.”

Sukjin nods. “You need to go now.” He is ushered onto the plane without warning. Before Gary can protest, Sukjin had already locked the door and was running towards the darkness.

“What was that about?” Jihyo asks, Nix settled beside her.

With steady hands, Gary turns on the gears. “We’ve been comprised.”

Jihyo in a deep breathe. “We can’t go back to Seoul.”

Gary takes the wheel, the hum of the plane vibrating through the cabin. “I know,” he looks back to Jihyo and gives her, in which he hopes is a reassuring smile. “We’re going to see my grand-father.”

-0-

Jae suk takes one last glance at the body on the floor before shutting the metal door behind him. He motions for one of his thugs to chain the knob to the wall. He walks purposefully towards his study, hand still soaked in Kwangso’s blood. He had liked the boy, but he doesn’t allow disloyalty especially when it involves his traitor of a son.

Jae suk nears his office and sees Sukjin already waiting outside. “Master Kang,” Sukjin greets him with a bow.

“Report, Sukjin.”

“The young master is in a plane with the Choi’s.”

A/N: MY POOR KWANGSO, he was so braveeee :( omg this took so long, i'm sorry, sorrrry, please, i'm sorry. Hopefully, this new plot in my head will stick!