“Run away with me, Jihyo.” Korea’s most dangerous assassin looked like a puppy as he said those words. Jihyo, this time, is unable to hide her surprise. She squints her eyes to help her analyze the man in front of her. To her dismay and further shock, Jihyo didn’t see any mischievousness in his eyes. She opens for a retort but close it again, unsure of what to say.

The assassin’s actions were foreseeable. Deadly, but when presented of his weakness, was a very willing participant. But Gary has been saying –indicating- things to Jihyo that she hasn’t expected at all. Offering her an out of the drug cartel is not something she had predicted. She feels sweaty all of a sudden.

“Playing mind games now?” Jihyo finally replies, her hand feels clammy.

Gary stays rooted on the ground, his face unreadable. “I’m serious.” He tilts his head and seems to consider her, she feels her face warm up under the gaze. “My offer stands until tomorrow morning. I’ll be here.” He pauses, eyes hard with focus. “Bring Nix with you.”

Dumbfounded, Jihyo watches Gary walk away, a little annoyed at how Gary left his back expose to her showing some sort of that Jihyo won’t attack him. She should have but the moment had passed she lies to herself.

“Get out!” Jihyo’s father roared throwing his crystal glass full of whiskey over her head. When she didn’t make a move, Choi chuck another glass closer, this time some of the shards shatter skims her face.

She wants to offer a better excuse on how the heir was able to leave unscratched but none came to mind. Jihyo left the study blood trickling down her face. Walking back to her room seems to drag on. A miscalculation on her part blew her plan.

Nix.

Of course. It’s always the little girls. Gary wasn’t willing to disclose the location of the box to Jihyo because he wasn’t honing affection towards her, his fondness was towards Nix. And who can blame him, the little girl is an angel in the hellhole Jihyo is in. Nix’s mere presence will lift anyone’s spirits and her smile can truly be so bright it takes away the darkness within a person.

Jihyo push the door to her room and sees the little girl on her bed, breathing comfortably.

Tonight was a bust. Jihyo wants to kick herself for failing to seduce the heir. She stares at the sleeping child contemplating Gary’s offer.

Run away. With him?

She feels her face get warm. Jihyo mentally shakes herself.

Gary only needs Jihyo to bring Nix safely, of course he would extend the offer to her as well. Jihyo sits down on the chair near the fireplace, feeling unexpectedly tired. She removes the holster around her thighs and drops it quietly on the floor. She then pulls her turtle neck over her head in one swift movement.

“Unnie?” Nix mumbles sleepily.

Jihyo smiles at her direction. “Sorry for being loud little one.” Jihyo walks over to the bed and gets under the cover with Nix.

“I was having a bad dream,” Nix whispers, settling closer to Jihyo.

“Nothing a cuddle can’t fix,” Jihyo pulls Nix into an embrace. Times like this when Jihyo misses her own innocence, the carefreeness of a child. Reminding her that she needs to protect Nix no matter what the cost is. After a moment of quiet, Jihyo speaks, “Nix? Do you want to go on an adventure?”

For a second Jihyo thinks the girl had fallen asleep, but she shifts to look Jihyo in the eyes. “Are we going to see Gary-shi?” Her eyes pleading.

Deciding not to lie, Jihyo offers a smile. “Only if you want to?”

Nix’s furrowed her brows together and Jihyo can’t help but chuckle. “Unnie? I want you to come too.”

“I have to be with my father, Nix,” she answers with a heavy heart. After this failure, she knows her father will be unable to forgive her and will probably place her within the ranks of the common thug. Not something she is looking forward to.

Nix closes her eyes and scoots even deeper against her neck. “Gary-shi probably will be sad if you don’t come with me.”

Jihyo blushes and was glad that the little girl is incapable of seeing her state. “I don’t think so.” She says, her heart hopeful.

Nix laughs against her skin. “He likes you. He will be sad. Unnie, I want you to come with me.”

A child never lies, right? Maybe –hopefully- Gary sees her as an ally, a person to fight beside him to protect Nix. Content with that reason, Jihyo rests her cheeks against Nix’s head.

 “Do you really think so?”

Nix answers, tone lace with sleep, “Hm. I know so. He likes you. I see him staring at you all the time.” And with that, Jihyo closes her eyes, a smile on her lips as she descends into darkness.

-0-

Kwangso gapes at Gary critically, it takes all of him not to question the heir about his encounter with Jihyo. The car ride is silent, only the engine can be heard in the night.

He follows Gary into the Lee’s mansion, tongue itching with curiosity. None of the men were close enough to hear the conversation between Gary and the woman –Jihyo- who he knew as one of the maids.

He had been waiting, gun in hand, for the heir’s signal, but the conversation between the two assassins took longer than he anticipated. In the end, his master let the woman go, even boldly leaving his back open for an attack, Kwangso have raised his gun that time just in case, but the woman stayed motionless.

Kwangso’s thoughts are interrupted when Gary stops walking and speaks, “Tell my father I’ve killed the spy.”

Kwangso’s eyes widen in shock. “Sir?”

The heir turns his head slightly, glaring at him. “Tell my father I’ve killed the spy, Kwangso. Don’t let me repeat myself.” Gary didn’t wait for Kwangso’s acceptance and heads towards his room.

Kwangso groans and walks grudgingly towards the study of the older Kang.

If the older Kang finds out Kwangso had lied to Jae suk he will have his head serve on a gold platter. It wouldn’t matter that Kwangso have been serving the Kangs since he was eight when Suk Jin had picked him up as a child on the streets, dying of starvation. Betrayal is not tolerated in the house of Kang.

But he had already decided of what to do the moment Gary had said the words, and that was to lie to the older Kang. He might be tough at times, but Gary had saved his life many times in street brawls in Seoul that lying doesn’t even equal as a payment.

The door is in front of him, but he hesitates. Why is Gary lying to his father? Does Gary have some sort of plan in eliminating the Chois? If so, does his master need assistance? He sighs again knocking on the door.

“Come in,” he hears the muffled reply of Jae suk’s voice. He enters the study trying to emulate calmness.

“Good evening, sir,” he greets with a bow.

“Report, Kwangso,” the older man says as he sips tea.

He clears his throat. “Gary-shi had executed the assassin, sir.”

The older Kang raise an eyebrow at him and Kwangso feels a single sweat roll down his temple. Did he see through him? A moment pass by and Jae suk nods his head. “Very well. Make sure I speak with him tomorrow morning.” Jae suk says and bids him to leave.

Kwangso heads to his own quarters with heavy feet. He needs to gather the other sixty men they had brought tonight to debrief them of Gary’s orders. Kwangso doesn’t want any of them to ruin the ruse. But as he reach the staircase leading to his room, his eyes catch something outside the window, a figure moving so fast Kwangso almost misses the familiar stature of Gary.

He is unable to move, dread fills his stomach.

.

Brain putting the pieces together, Kwangso groans inwardly. He isn’t blind nor stupid. He had seen the way Gary’s eyes had followed the servant’s movement with interest; either it might just be her walking or interacting with others. It is subtle yet it is more than enough evidence for Kwangso to deduce that Gary is harbouring feelings towards the spy. And he might add, as well as the kid who, in Kwangso’ horror, had pulled in Gary into picking up weeds from the pond.

Gary’s shadow disappears into the woods. Kwangso rubs his temple in concern. Who would have guessed…the most feared assassin in Seoul is now chasing after a flower who is more poisonous than any snake on Earth.

-0-

Jihyo had only been asleep for two hours but her eyes automatically opens when she remembers Gary’s offer. She looks at the time and grunts when she sees it’s five in the morning. Nix had taken all the space and is now stuck on her side like glue, she smiles at this.

If she takes the ill advice offer, Jihyo will be disowned entirely of her family’s wealth. Her father will probably send other assassins to hunt her down and kill her, which, will be a smart move on his part. She’s probably going to be dead in less than a month, or will starve because Gary won’t know how to feed her and Nix. Because it is a stupid plan. But, running away might give her a new purpose in life, instead of killing people she can save a life, this offer might save Nix’s life.

Jihyo closes her eyes in confusion. What is she going to do? Does Gary have some concrete plan? She laughs quietly in frustration, of course he doesn’t, who was she kidding?

Nix shifts closer. And Nix might have just decided the outcome of their lives.

A/N: It's nice not having to worry about school work haha!! happy holidays dears!!!!! :D