HIM.

iii.

iii. THE HITMEN

HER boss asked her the next night if she could leave the place unlocked when she clocked out. Normally she was the one who closed up, but perhaps he had people visiting way past late.

This happened occasionally, but not on a normal schedule. Sometimes it made her curious as to what exactly the Black Pearl was hiding. Everyone who worked there knew that their boss partook in suspicious business, but no one questioned it. Whenever Mari tried to spark a conversation—on her good days—usually that was the topic, her manager would always tell her to shut up and mind her own business.

So to say, she didn't talk much to anyone since then. Mari wasn't an antisocial being. She had her own circle of friends, had her own things which she enjoyed to do, and lived a plainly average life.

Too average for her. She knew she needed something to make her life more exciting, but wasn't exactly sure what.

Or who.

She shouldered her jacket, pushing her hair out from underneath when the door chimed. Perhaps these were the people her boss was expecting to see. It was past closing time, but Xiaoling had taken her time in gathering her things together.

It started with one man, then followed two, three, no, six men. Mari turned her head away swiftly, feeling better if she left unnoticed. She pulled up her hood, and zipped her jacket.

The same man was with them. Did he know her boss then? She didn't know his name, wasn't even aware that he was well aware that she was an often worker at Black Pearl. Her evident attempt to stay low didn't work on him.

Hoseok noticed those who didn't want to be noticed.

He watched the girl deftly disappear through the back exit, then turned his eyes back at the empty lounge around them.

"Another assignment?"

"Yeah." Jimin voiced, glancing down at his phone. "Seokjin said he'd explain."

"Use your formalities please." The older drawled in response, appearing from the office. He had a dark-colored shirt on, a few buttons loosened. Seokjin scoffed.

"I'm older than you."

"Alright hyung," Jimin corrected, rolling his eyes. "why exactly are we here?"

"Assignment." He answered, taking a seat with the rest of them at the emptied lounging area. He glanced at Hoseok, who had assumed correct.

"Who is it this time?"

They were in a gang, the type that was skilled in thefts of a sort. But their speciality was being hitmen. They developed strategic plans, made it so perfectly flawless that no one would realize that the person was dead, or that they had even been there.

There were many in the gang of Black Pearl, but the ones he was closest to were the seven sitting here; Namjoon, Seokjin—the owner of the bar, Yoongi, Jimin, Taehyung, and Jeongguk.

"Park Moo Shin." Seokjin cracked a knuckle. "From an anonymous request. They're willing to pay a lot. But this man is heavily guarded."

"You already have a draft planned, don't you?"

Jin cocked a smirk at Namjoon, then nodded briefly. "I do. The man is celebrating his 30th birthday at a grand hotel down in Andong. I've found out the place already, but I think we should go as entertainment."

"Pardon?" The youngest questioned. "How exactly is that going to work?"

"I know a girl." The eldest shot back. "Who can sing. I'll get her to work with us on this."

"Hyung, getting an outsider involved...isn't that dangerous?"

"I have a good feeling about this one." He looked to Hoseok. "She doesn't particularly seem in sway with the normal life."

Jimin nodded slowly, whilst Jin grinned. "Boys, trust me on this one. Everything will be alright."