Carmina found herself in a rather amusing situation, considering her usual approach to "checking someone out." Instead of drooling over the usual: dimples, smile, or well-defined muscles, she was deep into analysing his every move. His hands, for instance, seemed to have a life of their own, fitting about in what she called nervous energy. His breathing was another sign; each inhale and exhale seemed to carry a huge weight, as if he was carrying a burden too heavy for his shoulders. She noticed the slight tremble in his fingers, the way his eyes darted around the room as if searching for an escape route, and the tension that hinted at a lot of stress. At first glance, he seemed like the typical troublemaker, but after a closer inspection, Carmina had the feeling that he was more a scared and exhausted individual than a criminal mastermind.
He softly muttered "thank you" again, a bit relieved. Carmina, fully attentive to him now, perked up at the sound of his voice, recognizing that foreign accent once more. With a gentle smile and a little nod, she pointed to the sofa.
"Please, have a seat. Would you like some water?"
He blinked in surprise at her question, totally caught off guard by her kindness. Yet, without hesitation, he quickly settled onto the sofa, as if afraid she might change her mind and kick him out of the suite.
"If it won't be too much trouble" he answered politely, avoiding her gaze a little.
Carmina couldn't help it; she chuckled softly at his sudden, rabbit-like movement. She couldn't get rid of a spark of sympathy for him. After all, she knew what it was like to be constantly on edge. Maybe, just maybe, they were both just two weary souls searching for a moment of peace in a world full of chaos?
As she handed him a glass of water, her eyes lingered on him for a moment. He looked like he'd just walked off the set of a Hollywood movie, having that effortless sexiness that made heads turn. With his mesmerizing Asian features, he had this timeless appeal that just made her heart skip a beat. His hair was perfectly tousled, he had a sharp jawline, cute dimples when he smiled and his clothes? Oh damn, they screamed luxury and style. It was like he was born to wear those designer threads, and they fit him like a glove, highlighting every inch of his toned physique. Seriously, if he wasn't a model, he was definitely missing out.
The guest let out a small cough. "Umm, I'm Kang Daehyun." But instead of a smile or even a "Nice to meet you," there was just silence. So he leaned in, his eyes were locked on Carmina.
She was lost deep in her thoughts, debating whether this whole situation was a rom-com moment or just plain awkward. Should she play along and dive into the weirdness? Or should she make a run for it, hoping this wasn't the start of some cheesy plotline? Or maybe a cheesy plotline is what she needs right now?
Meanwhile, Daehyun couldn't believe his luck. Here he was, face to face with a real-life goddess. Her red hair was like a firecracker exploding with its full power, or maybe she was the firecracker herself. And those freckles? They were like little constellations scattered across her face, making him want to map them out with his fingers. He shamelessly admired her figure. In the velvety robe, still adorned with glittering silver droplets of water - from the shower or the swim - he wasn't sure, she made him feel like he'd been hit by a truck. His heart raced, and he didn't ponder like Carmina whether it was a rom-com moment; he simply felt the moment and enjoyed every second of it. Her eyes were absent, but their deep green shade was like an ocean luring him closer and closer until he would be drawn into them completely.
Unable to resist the gravitational pull, his hand shot out before he could even stop it, touching her arm, seeking her attention.
As soon as Carmina felt the unexpected touch, her senses kicked in, and she swiftly put him in a headlock, her muscles responding with sharp precision honed from years of training. With a quick twist and a firm grip, she had him pinned. Her eyes were finally fully focused, and she was ready for anything. Her sudden reaction caught Daehyun off guard. He let out a gasp, and the unexpected twist made him momentarily speechless. But even with a little pain and discomfort, he was still impressed by her lightning-fast reflexes.
"You've got some moves, huh?" he tried to brush it off with amusement on his face. But she kept him in place, and he started to feel a little embarrassed.
She laughed softly. "Can't help it when someone sneaks up on me!"
He dared to stare into her eyes, challenging her a little. The air between them was charged, like that feeling you got right before a big thunderstorm hit, all crackling and electric. They were close, really close; it was like this invisible wire pulling them together - weirdly intense, but kind of exciting at the same time.
She finally let him go and took one step back. He smiled a little, cracking his neck after the uncomfortable position. "I was just introducing myself, but you seemed to not listen. I'm sorry I touched you."
Now it was time for Carmina to feel a little embarrassed. She couldn't help her behaviour; this was all the fault of work. She was blaming her profession.
"I'm sorry if I overreacted. I'm Carmina," she smiled softly, and he did just the same. "Kang Daehyun."
"Are you Korean?" she blurted out right away.
Daehyun burst into laughter, catching her completely off guard. He was clearly a troublemaker, now just poking her with purpose, "You won't ask me from which side I am coming? South or North?" There was that spark of mischief in his eyes. She took the bait, teasingly asking, "Oh, are you from the North? You should be very careful then."
Dae opened his mouth, momentarily puzzled. "Are you serious now?" he scowled with a slight pout, and Carmina smirked victoriously.
"Two can play this game," she chuckled. "I was joking, Daehyun."
"Dae. You can call me just Dae."
"What about all the polite titles in Korean?" she teased.
"Looks like you know a little about my country. Do you know the language?"
"Sure. Annyeonghaseyo. And that would be...all." She grinned.
"You're really something," he murmured, reaching for the glass of water.
But Carmina's expression shifted, and her tone became more serious. "Daehyun, I think it's time for some answers. Can you tell me why you're here? You burst in like a rhino, and I'm sure someone was chasing you. Is everything alright? Do you need any help?"
Daehyun's smile faded instantly, and he took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry for the abrupt entrance. It's a long story, but yes, they followed me. Things have been complicated lately, and I wasn't sure where else to escape since the way to my floor was blocked."
She tried to read his expression, but nothing indicated that he was lying. "Why were they chasing you? Are you in danger?" Carmina was worried, and somehow she wanted to help him, even though they had just met, and he was the strangest case in her life.
"Long story short..." he started after a moment of hesitation, and she was ready to listen and help with all her might; "I am..."
But Carmina got a call. And she couldn't ignore it, not this one.
TOP SECRET: URGENT BRIEFING
INSERT SECURITY CODE - - - - - - -
Eyes of Dae widened, the phone was close to him, and he saw the screen before she took the device into her hands. Who was she? He followed her with his shocked gaze while she disappeared onto the terrace and closed the door behind her.
Carmina's heart raced like crazy, but she did all she could to calm down before picking up the call. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. With trembling fingers, she dialled seven numbers and brought the phone to her ear.
"Hello?" she breathed into the receiver with urgency.
"Agent O'Mara," a voice on the other end spoke, both serious and authoritative. "There's been an incident. Agent Johnson is no longer with us."
Carmina's stomach dropped, and all her attempts at calming breaths vanished in an instant. "How?" she managed to choke out.
"I can't discuss details over the phone," the voice replied, "but rest assured, it's being handled."
"Handled? By whom? We need to act!"
"Agent O'Mara, I understand your concern," the voice interjected firmly, "but this is out of your hands. We'll take care of it, as we always have. Just lay low for the next few days. Don't draw attention to yourself. You know the drill. And you knew the risk as well."
Even though the voice couldn't see her, she nodded slightly in agreement. "Understood," she replied, and the call ended abruptly.
Dae's mind was spinning with a thousand possibilities. The message on her phone felt like a scene straight out of a movie, something he'd only ever seen on screens. It was almost amusing because, well, he himself...
With a dramatic swing, the terrace doors flung open, revealing the object of his concerns just standing there. And his thoughts just disappeared like they were never there. Her head hung low.
"Carmina? You okay?"
But who was he to even ask? Just a guy who had barged into her life without an explanation. They shared a look, silent but filled with understanding. Dae, for a second, had the idea of leaving her be. After all, she'd already done more than enough for him. Yet, in that moment, it seemed Carmina craved company, even if it was just to share the silence together.
But she knew better; in her line of work, it was best for everyone to keep their distance during difficult times. She seemed to attract trouble like a magnet. With four agents lost on a mission, and only three left, including herself, it wasn't hard to see where this all was going.
Her boss had been right; Carmina understood the risks and chose to face them. She couldn't risk dragging anyone else into danger now. With a gentle smile, she turned to her guest.
"We could..." Her voice trailed off, knowing that she should stop right there. And even though she really wanted to ask him to stay, when she opened her mouth again, something completely different slipped out. "I think it's time for you to go, Dae," she said softly, her heart suddenly strangely heavy from the unspoken emotions.
Daehyun had already made his decision. Sure, it was a bit wild, impulsive, and definitely diving headfirst into a stranger's life, but he wasn't backing down now. He didn't need her to say anything; the loneliness on her face spoke volumes. And he knew all too well what it felt like to be alone, unable to voice it out loud.
But how to approach? After all, he hadn't even had a chance to talk about himself. What to do, how to handle it so he could see that red-haired beauty's smile again?
"Alright, I'll go, but when you figure out what kind of personality you've let into your suite, okay? Just so you know, you hit the jackpot meeting me." He smirked playfully.
"Oh, is that so?" she snorted at his statement.
But he continued. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but you haven't even scratched the surface of who I am."
Carmina folded her arms, and for a moment she just stared at Dae. But when she spoke, she was sharp and bitter. "Really? Because I can deduce a few things. Like your perfect looks, expensive clothes that scream 'I have money to burn', jewellery that probably costs more than the entire wardrobe I took with me here, those perfectly smooth hands that likely never did a day of hard work... And let's not forget that charming way you talk, like the world revolves around you. It's all screaming glitter and celebrity, a carefree star dodging the paparazzi." She was sarcastic, and Dae wasn't sure how to react.
He stood there dumbfounded.
And Carmina carried on. "And those people who were chasing you? It's obvious... You're someone important, someone with a lot to lose. So, forgive me if I'm not exactly thrilled to have stumbled upon a walking tabloid headline."
"What? Y-you c-called me tabloid h-head-dline?!" Dae stuttered in anger. "You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, you know."
Carmina raised an eyebrow. "Oh, trust me, I've read the entire content."
With a sigh, she walked towards the door and gestured for Dae to leave. "And now it's time to close the last chapter."
Dae looked into her eyes for the last time. "You think you've deciphered me, that you've read the full plot," he murmured softly, even with the whole turmoil inside him. "But I'll prove to you that you simply cannot read."
Watching him hesitate made her angry. "OUT!" she yelled, her voice was sharp and commanding. "The shelter is closed!"
With a swift motion, she shut the door, cutting off any further conversation. No feelings, no remorse. After all, there were just two strangers.