Bullets & Promises ✔️

1. Gears of Fate Rewind

Picking up a duffel bag from the counter, Bullet and Shadow set out to do business, entering the van parked outside. With a screech, the vehicle takes off, reaching their destination in about an hour.

"Boss, behind you!"

The masked male ducks, evading the swinging baton aimed for his head. He kicks his attacker in the gut, the latter falling and wincing as his elbows crash on the tiled floor. Wrapping his arms from behind, he snaps the man's neck to the side, rendering him unconscious.

"Pandora, you told me there were only six guards." The male in all-black clothing hisses, a finger on his earpiece.

"Oops! This one must've been in the washroom," Pandora chirps, a chuckle following right after.

"Stop playing around, he would've been in danger because of your laid-back attitude," another voice reprimands through the earpiece.

"Don't be such a gramps, Shadow. He is 'Bullet' for a reason."

The male ignores his acquaintances' bickering and focuses on searching for what he has come to take. He scans the study room, trying to figure out where the safe is hidden. A big desk sits in the middle, rows of cabinets around the place with a painting of mountains at the side of the last one. Adjusting his cap, he walks to the painting, knowing the owner is stupid enough to hide it behind the piece.

"Bingo," he whispers taking down the frame from its nailed position, revealing an electronic lock safe. "Pandora, what was the password?"

"9512"

Bullet punches in the code on the keypad, a green light indicating the unlocking of the safe. When he pulls the handle down revealing piles of gold inside, a satisfactory smile curls up his lips behind the mask. Unzipping his duffel bag, he unloads the slabs into it and closes the safe, not before signing 'Bullet' with a permanent marker on the door.

"Get the engine started, I'm coming now." Bullet walks out of the study room, passing through the unconscious bodies of the guards and broken furniture, exiting the farmhouse, and getting into the van waiting for him.

"Woohoo! When Lee Sihyun comes back, he will wish he never spent all that cash in Miami," the driver muses from the front when Bullet enters the vehicle.

The male hands the duffel bag to the one seated beside him. He removes his mask and cap, his hair falling over his lashes. Running a hand through his ebony locks, he presses himself against the side of the car letting out a tired breath.

"Good job," Shadow comments zipping the duffel bag after looking at its contents. He frowns at the sight of the dark circles under Bullet's hooded deep-set eyes, his thin lips chapped and the fresh cut on his cheek standing out like a sore thumb, although it isn't as deep as the one on his temple. "You need to start sleeping well."

The said man chuckles wordlessly, he doesn't remember the last time he slept 'well'. His life is busy as it is, he didn't have the time nor the energy to time his sleeping schedule like a coddled rich man. Or more likely, he's terrified of closing his eyes and letting slumber take over where his dreams are more brutal than his reality.

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February 09, 5:32 P.M.

Bullet sits on the bench of the park, the latest edition of Stoned Beauty's magazine in his hands, but his eyes and ears are focused on his surroundings. He wears a simple grey sweatshirt and jeans to blend in with the crowd, a bucket hat, and a mask to cover his identity.

Children run around in the park, chasing each other or racing toward the empty swings. The women are engrossed in their conversations, laughing boisterously every now and then. The park is noisy, something Bullet isn't fond of. He waits impatiently for the men to arrive so that he could extort more information from them about the man he's looking for.

He adjusts his cap and stands up, walking up to the trash can to dispose of his empty bottle when a child collides with his leg. The girl falls on her back, her ice cream falling in the process. Bullet crouches down to her level when tears form in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asks, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"M-my ice-cweam," she sniffles rubbing her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." Bullet dusts her white frock, hoisting her back up on her feet. "How about I give you this?" He digs into his pocket and brings out an energy bar. He may not have time to buy her ice cream, hoping she'll take the bar and leave quietly. But the kid shakes her head when he offers it to her.

"Appa swaid no taking things from strangers."

Bullet slips the bar back into his pocket and stands back up. "Alright, I'm leaving then."

"Wait!" The girl wraps her tiny hand around his finger. "B-but...my ice-cweam." Her dark, doe eyes turn shiny with tears again, lips wobbly.

Kids are adorable, Bullet does not deny that, but the girl right now is distracting him from his purpose and testing his patience. He would've left her but he cannot risk the girl crying out loudly and drawing the attention of the people in the park.

"I'll take the chwocolate if you show me your face. You're not stranger then," the girl beams, a wide smile, the previous tears forgotten and wiped off of her face.

Bullet presses his lips into a thin line, raising an eyebrow at her reasoning. He considers his options but the girl is too young to know who he is anyway. He needs to focus on what he came for and get the child away from him. Once again, he squats down to her level, brings out the energy bar, and hooks a finger to slide off his mask, resting it on his chin.

The girl stares at him oddly, her eyes unblinking, head tilting to the side. "You're-"

"Soomin!" Bullet hears someone yell from a distance. The girl turns her head to the sound, waving her hand in the air excitedly.

Bullet blinks, his breath locking in his throat at the picture of a familiar face, downturned coffee-brown eyes and fluffy hair, always fashioned from head to toe. Although Bullet isn't completely sure if it's who he thinks it is as the figure is still not in clear sight. He places the bar in the girl's hands and scurries off when he sees the man coming closer to them. He isn't ready to face him nor is reconciliation with his past on his agenda today.

"Who was that?"

Bullet hears him ask and he wishes he wasn't close enough to hear the girl's answer.

"Appa, I just saw uncle Jiswoo!"

The high-pitched voice confirms all his suspicions and the man runs, as fast as he can, because that was what he had done four years ago.

Park Dae Ho ran away, leaving Kim Haneul behind without any explanation.