Chapter 21:

 

                I didn’t have the time in the world to think all the time about the guy and I needed to have my fun time with my friends. And here we were having the fun they wanted. Bom was having fun decorating her cake, CL was busy flirting with Seungri, and the other guys were our forced labourers. If life was much simpler, I would have loved this circle of friends that I have in front of my eyes.

 

                I went back to finish the other food for dinner. Bom finished a good cake. It was delicious but all I can teach her were basic decorating so her cake wouldn’t look over the top. It was beautiful in its own way. I told her to put it in the fridge; she nodded smiling like a little child.

 

                “After that, you can go outside to play with them,” I said.

 

                Bom looked at me. “How about you?”

 

                I smiled. “I’m almost finished. I will follow you after I’m done in here,” I answered. She nodded and went out. I sighed when I was alone in the house. This was not a good idea; to bring them here made it more complicated. I checked the chicken then I turned off the oven.

 

                I cleaned the clutter then someone hugged me in the back. “What took you so long?” Jiyong asked. I didn’t look at him but continued my cleaning. He turned me around then he kissed me.

 

                I smiled when he stopped. “I’m now having thoughts that you like doing something in kitchens.” I teased.

 

                “Only with you, love,” he said.

 

                I looked away and picked up a litter and I was frowning but it was gone a second it was there. “So why are you here? I thought I ask all of you to finish the camp for later,” I said.

 

                “Well, they said I can have my alone time with you,” Jiyong said so ily. Oh damn this guy! How can he be y and cute at the same time?

 

                I smirked. “And why did you believe in their advice?” He lifted me up to the counter top. “No, this is a kitchen and that thing there is hotter than you.” I pointed the pot where I cooked the soup.

 

                He snuggled up in the crook of my neck. “Gosh! I really like your humor.” I felt relieved when he didn’t say like you.

 

                “Yeah, right. I know I’m irresistible.” I pushed him back and jumped out of his reach. “Let’s go. I don’t want to miss the fun,” I said and went out of the cabin. I almost wiped the sweat in my forehead but that was a close call.

 

                They were already in a jamming session. Daesung was playing the guitar while Bom was singing. Yep, she was one damn fine singer. And I saw Top lovingly staring at her and Bom winking at him. CL looked at me with sadness in her eyes.

 

                I shook my head slightly and she understood it. I sat in the chair they had prepared for later and beside me were CL and Youngbae on the other side. I needed my guard today. I felt like we were digging our own grave with how the situation was. CL held my hand and squeezed it. I leaned my head on her shoulder. This was going to be one tiring night.

 

                Youngbae captured that best friend moment. I smiled weakly at him. He looked at me worried but I shook my head. Then my phone rang, so, I excused myself.

 

                I went to the swing that Uncle George made for us when we were still kids. I answered it because it was John.

 

                “Yes?” I said, faking my happy tone.

 

                John chuckled. “Is something bothering the leader?”

 

                I laughed softly at how they knew me well. “It’s nothing. So what’s the catch?” I asked. Well, he wouldn’t call in my vacation if it wasn’t urgent. Even if the others were not here with them, they know our schedules and where ever we were.

 

                “We are right,” he said. “The other three are in Italy, London and France. So, the last person to be killed on the list there showed up in London.” He said. My body froze for a second before telling him to continue. I smiled while talking because they were looking at me. “He rode a plane going to Los Angeles, he will arrive in L.A around evening and then he will go back there riding the plane in the morning and will land in the late evening tomorrow. According to his plane ticket, it’s around 10 pm.”

 

                “What’s the bad thing about it?” I asked. I knew that tone he was using. It looked like there was a problem with the last person.

 

                “The bad thing is he’s the third in command of the falcons. He has bodyguards with him all the time and somewhere hiding in the crowd. And the last thing is he is the cousin of the leader of the Jokers,” he said.

 

                Well, that was really a bad thing. “Who’s the damn guy then?” I asked him.

 

                “The target’s name is Jay Yang and the leader of the jokers name is…” He said.

 

                I gasped. Did he just say him? I wanted to cry to laugh then cry again. Why the hell it was complicated? “Can you tell me who’s under?” My voice didn’t crack up, thank god.

 

                “He has two second in command... I know you will not abort the revenge plan but please I want you to be careful the moment you kill him you have to be out of there. Jokers are not great enemies to have.” John reminded her.

 

                “Okay, I will tell you what my decision is when my mind was clear,” I said to him.

 

                “Okay, be safe,” He said and ended the call.

 

                I was sitting there then swinging pale faced. It was the biggest problem we had to face. I was sighing then looking in the sky when I felt pair of hands in my shoulder.

 

                “What’s wrong you look bothered?” Jiyong asked. He was here. The leader of the Jokers talking to me, I would admit he was special to me because he was the only person who can make me lose my guard in a matter of minutes.

 

                And in those seats were the second in command, who I knew love my friends and love them back. Maybe not love yet but like. I was so shaken up that I didn’t notice he was already in front of me. He really looked worried because he had creased in his forehead.

 

                I smiled while smoothing the crease in his forehead. “It’s nothing. Can I ask you a question?” I asked. He smiled back and nodded. “How precious is a family to you?”

 

                Jiyong smirked. “Why are you asking?”

 

                “You will know in a second. Just answer me, please,” I said hiding my sad emotion in the back of my mind.

 

                Jiyong thought about it for a second before answering. “Hmm…I will kill for a family and I wanted to protect them from harm.” You should protect them from me then, I replied in my head. “I wanted them to be happy.” He smiled.

 

                I smiled back. “Me too, I wanted them to be happy…so I leave the killing to you.” I grinned at him. I stood up and walked back but before that I turned around. “Thanks. You cheered me up.” You just made the choice for me.

 

                “The pleasure is all mine,” Jiyong replied.

 

                I walked back to see CL and Bom looking at me worriedly. I gave them the look that we will talk about it later. “I have very good news with you.” I put emphasis on very. That caught the attention of the four people. “Jessica,” who was not real, “is getting married.” I smiled so fake but they didn’t notice that.

 

                CL and Bom jumped in glee. “Your cousin Jessica will finally walk down the aisle,” CL said. I told you they will get my meaning behind the emphasis.

 

                “Oh so that’s why you ask me?” I nodded in Jiyong’s question.

 

                “We have to celebrate,” Bom shouted.

 

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                That night, we celebrated for the wedding of my imaginary cousin. We were laughing as guys play bottoms up. We didn’t participate because we had to be sober for them. It was a night of fun and misery on my part because I was the only one who knows who may be our next enemy, if we killed that Jay Yang.

 

                I was going to be the bearer of bad news. I laughed when they were but not the exaggerated one. I looked how careless they were. We sang like old people in a bonfire. I liked the idea of growing old with them as friends. There was never a dull moment.

 

                Then CL acted to be tipsy and dance in the bonfire. She pulled Seungri to dance with her. It was a sweet dance. Then all of them were dancing except for Youngbae, Jiyong and I. Jiyong looked at me. I shook my head and pointed to Youngbae. I would never leave my friend alone.

 

                I decided to get my camera and captured their moments. It was going to be a memorable one after all. I sat beside Jiyong and captured us smiling. His face looked stress free and happy. He then grabbed the camera, held it in one hand and the other hand tilted my chin and he kissed me sweetly. Aw, sweet. Then he pressed the capture button.

 

                I chuckled. At least I had memorable photos with him. I then excused myself and went to where Youngbae was. We took photos of us, not a single photo was serious. Well, I will have as many photos as I can be with him.

 

                I then captured the dancing couples on the dance floor. I’d got so many cool shots. I was thinking of having them printed.

 

                We wrapped the night with no s hanging and it was better that way. I didn’t have the ability to manifest that right now.

 

                When we were inside the cabin, I gave them ice cold water to quench their thirst from the beer and all the dancing. Then four of them dropped off the floor. Daesung caught Minzy before she wrecked her face then Youngbae caught two while CL and Bom caught one muscular body. I was sure they were heavy. We then put them to bed.

 

                We were now in the kitchen still drinking beers. Well, we need to have more before we get too drunk and these were not enough.

 

                “So what’s the catch?” Bom asked to break the silence.

 

                I sighed and took a one full swig before talking. “The last target here was seen leaving London earlier today. He was going to be in L.A tonight and will catch a plane back here and arrive here 10 in the evening tomorrow,” I explained.

 

                CL looked at me worriedly. “Then why are you not exultant about it?”

 

                I sighed again. “There is a lot of baggage that comes with him,” I replied vaguely. I couldn’t tell them that much coolly because I was shaken too.

 

                “And those are?” All of them asked, literally worried about it because I wasn’t that much confident.

 

                I collected my thoughts first before speaking to them. “The first baggage is he is third in command for the Falcons and he has a lot of bodyguards with him and some in hiding.”

 

                “That’s not that tough,” Youngbae stated.

 

                I nodded. Yes, that wasn’t much difficult for us to gather information and to let them reveal their selves to us. It was really very easy to differentiate them from the crowd when you were in this kind of business for a long time.

 

                “The second baggage is his cousin. He’s a leader.” I left the information out, a big chunk apparently.

 

                “Who is the cousin?”CL asked suspiciously.

 

                I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. “The cousin is Jiyong Kwon and he’s the leader of the Jokers.” I said exasperated. All of them gasped in the news. Yes, you heard me right. He was the leader. The f*****g leader.

 

                “That was tough,” Daesung uttered.

 

                “We are wishing for death with it,” CL stated shock clearly in her voice.

 

                “Obnoxious,” Bom expressed.

 

                “Yes, I know that but the next baggage is just the same as the later. Jiyong is named then the second in command shouldn’t shock anymore when I say they are Seungri and Top.” They nodded. Guilt was clearly in their faces. Well, they were still our friends. And my question earlier from Jiyong told me that he was willing to kill for family.

 

                “The last and final baggage is our route to escape. If we ever kill him then all of them especially the three will come and hunt us down. And for you, Dae,” I looked at him and he faced me with sadness in his eyes. “It is for you decide to tell her about us and if she wanted to come but if she didn’t…” all eyes were on me, it was my decision after all as leader on what was going to happen to her.

 

                “You can let her live but tell her that if she ever tells anyone about what she had learned, I will personally kill her,” I said in an emotionless tone. I was a killer after all. I could kill her without a bat of my eyelash.

 

                “Okay,” Daesung said, relieved because that was the best condition I can give. It was the best already with the situation we were in right now.

 

                “Youngbae, I need you to be here tomorrow because I need someone to bring the guys back home together with Daesung and Minzy, if ever she decided to come.” The two nodded. “CL, Bom and I will be doing the dirty job right. CL,” her head went up and faced me, “you need back up, and you’re the sniper. You will only need three.” She nodded then I looked at Bom. “Bom, you need to make a plan and position the snipers where they can clearly have a nice view of the target.” She nodded too.

 

                “And you?” They asked.

 

                “I’m in the front and I will wear my favourite mask in the process to keep my face hidden. That was all I need and my babies to kill the last target.” They cheered for that. I was the front act person anyway.

 

                “Bom, additional mission for you,” I said.

 

                “Sure,” she replied.

 

                “I need you to plan our escape route. I think we can’t get out of the country just yet.” I said. She nodded. “Daesung and Youngbae,” they looked at me, “we need hair colours to change our looks and scissors,” I ordered.

 

                “Yes, ma’am,” they responded.

 

                “Oh yeah Bom, we will stay at the manor in Greenwood. That was our safest place and new cars to change the one we’re going to use for escape. I want them to be ready in the next city,” I said. She saluted. “Dismiss.”

 

                Action. Everything had to end tomorrow. I could no longer stay here with them, without being suffocated by our lies.