THE WEEK AFTER JEONGGUK'S AND TAEHYUNG'S MINI ARGUMENT (CHAP27)
스물 아홉
Jeongguk's PoV;
Inhaling deeply, I adjusted my tie, pushing the knot up to where each half of my collar met, exhaling as I rubbed my hands over my face.
"You good?" Ten asked, in the process of gathering up his shit.
"No. I can't do this, Ten, I can't." I replied, feeling my eyes get teary as I stared at the church that we were parked about fifty metres from, "it's too much."
"Yes, you can."
"What if he doesn't want me there?" I asked, "I know he's dead, but still."
"Of course he'd want you there. He wants to say one final goodbye to his best friend." Ten said, slamming the car door shut and standing as he tucked his shirt in.
"He hates me. I looked him in the eyes and told him that he should be dead, and look where we are now. We're stood outside a fucking church to go to a funeral." I crossed my arms, tapping my toes against the stony ground, chewing my lip as my eyes anxiously darted around.
Ten sighed, exasperated, "you're working yourself up into a fuss for no reason. He never hated you. For fuck's sake, the man got into a fight with a man who had a knife because he said that you were annoying. He didn't think twice. He didn't even consider the fact that you two had had a huge fall out."
"I suppose." I said, still chewing, "I just wish that we sorted everything out, but it's too late now. I just want one more day, laughing and messing around on duty, running from the cops and stealing cars or training together. I'd kill for it."
"He's up there, thinking of you." He simply replied, walking towards the church, "speaking of which, have you picked up your orders from boss? Apparently you've got an assassination."
I rolled my eyes, "I haven't even thought of boss. My mind has been constantly focused on Jay. I'll see him after."
"Sorry." Ten said, picking up on my sharp tone.
I shook my head, "it's fine. It's not your fault. Let's do this."
----------------FLASHBACK TO TWO YEARS AGO----------------
"Let's do this, Gguk." Jay said, the both of us hiding in a room, "just you and me. Fuck the back-up."
"The guy is a fucking psychopath, what do you mean 'fuck the back-up'?!" I whisper-shouted, watching our target's bodyguards swarm the place, nervously watching through the blurred window: the sound of clicking guns, bullets being reloaded and men speaking into walkie-talkies.
"You're an assassin, you've got this."
"Yes, I kill one specific person." I said, gesturing to all the men with gloved hands, blade glinting between my fingers as I did so, the onyx encrusted blade digging into my palm, "not his hundred fucking bodyguards!"
Jay turned to me with a sigh, his hacking device beeping, the computer whirring, "Gguk, I love you man, no homo, but shut the fuck up. You know you're good. All I need to do is delete this file and their walkie-talkies will be popping like chips in a pan or some shit."
"You could've just said that they'll self-destruct, you know."
"You could've also left your contacts out, but hey-ho." He replied, gesturing to my faux-grey eyes, "your purple suits your hair so well."
"Jay, you dyed my hair fucking pink." I hissed, "pink!"
"You told me to make you look like a flower."
"I was drunk."
"Gguk, you started to bleach your hair whilst stumbling over your own feet. I had to intervene before your eyesight died."
"You should've just told me to go to bed."
"Nah," he shook his head, grinning whilst typing, "you suit it, it's cute."
"No homo?"
"Full homo." He replied with enthusiasm, nodding his head and winking.
I laughed loudly, forgetting the fact that we were hiding from about a hundred heavily-armed boydguards, my nerves eased as I spun my blade around my fingers, my gun sitting in my pocket.
He looked up and laughed, dramatically pressing a button on his keyboard before getting up and standing beside the open window.
"Anyway, Gguk. My work is done, I'll see you on the other side. I'll buy you lamb skewers if you manage not to stain your shirt." He offered, one leg dangling from the window.
"What?!" I groaned, "what if I get the stain out?"
"If your shirt isn't stained, you get lamb skewers." He shrugged, only his head visible as he held onto the ledge with his hands, "I believe in you Gguk, you'll do great. Remember, pin them to the wall, punch to stomach and knee in the face. You're only a tiny bun, you need him on the floor before you shoot. After you've shot, run out the red door and I'll be there. You got this."
"Let's do this." I said, ready to go as adrenaline coursed through my veins as I prepared myself for my mission.
"Let's go. See you later, Gguk."
And with that, he let go and I heard the dull sound of his feet hitting a car, footsteps erratically smacking the floor before that blurred out and I was left with only the sound of my heavy breaths.
Let's do this Jay.
I steadied myself, inhaling and exhaling before ripping open the door.
I ran down the long corridors quietly, making sure to stay on carpeted floor, my bandana covering half my face.
I dodged the fire that came as a result of the walkie-talkies self-destructing, swiftly adjusting my path.
As I ran through narrow corridors, details about my mission replayed in my head:
Make sure he's dead.
Assassinate him.
Gunshot up the jaw and one to the stomach.
As little knife-inflicted wounds as possible.
Enter and leave unrecognised, preferably unseen if possible.
And then, my orders on what to do if the guy miraculously captured me:
Fight until restrained.
If restrained, play dead or asleep.
Breathe relaxed and rhythmically.
If hands are restrained, fight using Taekwondo kicks.
If hands and legs are restrained, wait until captor comes near and sling arms around and choke with whatever restraint.
Why did I get myself into this?
Why didn't I stay normal?
Why?
Why?!
It was safe to say that, yes, I was a little scared but I wasn't inexperienced in assassinations.
It wasn't my first one, but it was my first one totally alone.
And with no back-up, thanks to Jay.
I came to a stop in front of the door, seeing the man clueless as he sat behind his desk.
I waited until he spun around in his chair before I silently snuck in, tiptoeing and hiding beside his bookcase.
Nervously, I fiddled with my blade, watching as he shuffled papers and whatnot on his desk.
He stood up, my heart racing as he came near the bookcase.
He pulled out two books, humming as he looked at the green one with less interest than the red.
Now?
I slowly pulled out my gun, holding it with steady hands just as he turned around.
Mentally cursing, I went to lean back against the wall, but my stupidly shaking hands allowed the pretty blade to slip through my gloved fingers.
Fuck.
Oh fuck, fuck, fuck!
I'm done for.
I'm dead.
The guy made a confused sound, looking around the room quickly.
He walked over to me and no matter how many times I prayed to whatever's up there, he could still see me and my stupid hair.
He stood in front of me, eyes narrowed as he allowed a grunt to slip through his lips.
"Are you lost, child?" He asked, a nasty tone coating his words.
"Uh, no." I replied, my foot over the dropped blade and my gun tucked into the back of my waistline, "I was just wondering if Jeong-ja, my neighbour, left her coat in here. She just worked her shift here."
Neighbour?
Fucking neighbour?
Really Jeongguk, really?!
And her coat?
Coat?!
I should've just said that I was lost.
"Can't say that I've seen it, kid. Now, you be off on your way, I have important adult stuff to do." He grumbled.
Kid?
I'm seventeen!
Seventeen, and he's calling me a kid?!
Do I really look that youn- Jeongguk. Focus.
Focus on your target.
Remember Jay's words, pin him to the wall and beat him up from there.
He looked away for a second to arrogantly check his expensive watch.
Kicking away the blade, I got his attention on me before I grabbed his collar.
With a grunt, I managed to turn us and shove him against the wall.
He looked at me with amusement in his eyes, "don't tell me you're some undercover cop. Trying to cat-"
That's all it took to build my fury, driving my knee into his stomach. He groaned, involuntarily doubling over and I took the opportunity to then smash my kneecap into his nose.
I shoved the man onto the floor, picking up my blade as I kicked him over with one foot.
I brought the gun to aim at his stomach, shooting and flinching at the recoil.
I watched with mildly disgusted eyes as blood began to bubble out of his mouth, the substance leaking from his mouth and dripping onto the white tiled floor. It sat on the surface, crimson against snow.
I looked away as I crouched down, placing the gun at his jaw.
Sighing, I shot and stood.
Gross.
On the plus side, guess who's getting lamb skewers?
Me!
Quickly, I ran out off the room and found the red door.
Panting, I jogged out to see Jay sat on the bonnet of his neon green car, taking apart a phone.
"See, everything was fine." He said, not even looking at me as I slumped on the car, breathing heavily as I removed the thick hoodie, fanning myself as I moved my shirt to get cool air to my warm core.
"You owe me, man. Why did you even want him dead?" I asked, finding relief in the cold metal of the car, pressing my sweaty forehead to it as Jay continued to mess with wires.
"Ehh, he beat me up in high school. I knew your little bun brain could take him down with no trouble, so I got boss to assign you the job."
"What?!" I exclaimed, "you nearly got me killed because you thought I could take him down?!"
"Precisely."
"You owe me so much more than lamb fucking skewers."
He laughed, throwing his head back, "yeah but you're my best friend so you don't mind."
"Wouldn't be so sure."
"Shut it, bun." He chuckled, "Jaygguk forever."
-----------------------FLASHBACK OVER----------------------------
"How are you then, Jeon?" One of mine and Jay's old friend asked, Haneul, "I bet today was hard for you."
I nodded, shakily exhaling smoke as I sat on the bench outside the church.
I'd made it through the entire service, with Ten's help but when I passed the open casket, I saw his face and I broke down.
Ten patted my back soothingly, "I don't mean to be rude, Haneul, but he just needs a bit of alone time. Jay was his best friend."
"Yeah, yeah, sorry dude. Jay told me to give you something if he died before he saw you again." Haneul said, holding something in his closed palm, "he told me that you'd understand it, which I hope you do, because I literally have no idea whatsoever."
"What is it?" Ten asked, holding out his hand.
Haneul shrugged, "a bracelet of some kind."
He dropped it into Ten's hand, wishing us a farewell before walking away.
I looked down at Ten's hand, seeing my bracelet.
We'd made friendship bracelets once when we'd snuck into a craft workshop whilst skiving duties.
He'd been buried with the one that I'd made and the one in Ten's hand was the one that he'd made for me.
He never got chance to give me it because of the argument and then I moved to Seoul.
Shakily exhaling, I picked it up between my cut and bloodied fingers from fiddling with my blade.
I smiled weakly, my cigarette perched between my lips as I held the black and red woven bracelets, 'Jaygguk forever' spelt out in small plastic cubes.
Jay had misunderstood how slim my wrists were and so he had to tie the bracelet in half a few times so it would fit, meaning the thread circled my wrist four times.
Jaygguk forever, indeed.
He always used to say that he wouldn't know what to do when I found my soulmate. He didn't want to be left alone, since I was the only one he had because his soulmate had died of disease. He used to slap my shoulder and grip it, telling me that he'd attend everything. He'd be at the wedding, at the proposal and at the honeymoon. I smiled, remembering how he told me that whoever my soulmate was, they'd be soft and lovely.
He would've loved Taehyung.
Taehyung would've definitely been like his adopted child.