Happy Byul day!! I was not prepared for that music video it was literally so cute :3
Since it's Byul day I decided to put up another story! In it, Byul is an agent and when a mission goes south her operator is the one who has to bail her out. So not a cutesie Christmas story but I'll see what I can do in the following days lol. Enjoy!
(Also side note if you're into Blacktan/Bangpink stories I just posted one on my account)
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There are times when it is better to be alone. There are times when it is simply easier to be alone when you can let the facade drop and no one will be there to see it. If a tree falls in the forest and no one sees it is there a sound? If you become someone else in the shadows, but no one knows that person, do they exist? The answers to those questions must be the same. When the sun is eclipsed by the moon how can you know if the light really ever existed at all - or if it was all a dream?
The night was falling darkly over Seoul. Moon Byulyi sat in her office, staring out at the darkness, her chest tight. She had spent the entire day in front of cameras talking about the newest bill that she was championing in the assembly. Smiles. Strong words. Laughs. That was all she had done all day. She was known as a champion of justice in Seoul. She was the youngest woman ever to have such a successful political career, and yet sometimes she felt that if she kept her eyes shut for too long, it would all bleed away.
She ran a hand through her hair and tugged gently at the wig. The long brown hair cascaded down her back before she removed it, tucking it into her desk. Next were the heels and then the dress. She pulled on loose black pants and a dark black hoody. Her true hair was short, barely reaching her shoulders and it was a deeper black than the darkness threading through her office.
From her desk, she pulled out her gun. Checking to make sure it was loaded she tucked it into the waistband of her pants. Then she tucked in a Bluetooth bud into her ear and turned it on. She waited for the static to go away and then she heard a voice on the other side.
"Good evening ladies and gentleman, we have a fine night in Seoul on this December evening. It seems it might even snow!" She sighed in annoyance.
"Shut up, will you? Just give me my mission."
"Okay, okay, impatient as always Moonstar."
"Fuck you too, operator." She had gotten a new operator a few months ago and to say she disliked him was an understatement. He was annoying and chatty and those were two things she couldn't stand. Although she wasn't entirely sure it was a man, though they sounded like one. You could never be sure with voice modulation technology these days. The organization didn't want them to know any of the other operatives in case any of them were compromised. And so operators didn't know the true identity of agents and vice versa.
"Lovely to talk with you as always Moonstar. Tonight it looks like we have a good old case of government corruption."
"Am I closing the subject or threatening them?"
"I was about to get to that, impatient ass." She gritted her teeth at that.
"Operator..." She growled threateningly.
"Alright! You're just going to threaten him. They want him to step down of his own accord. However, if it doesn't work I'm sure they'll have you close him in no time." She sighed in annoyance.
"I wish they would just have me close these bastards." The operator chuckled.
"You know we can't do that. It's against the code." She cursed.
"I know, I know. You don't have to lecture me like I'm some new recruit."
"Right sorry, no one lectures the Moonstar." Even with the voice modulator, she could hear that their voice was dripping in sarcasm.
"Why did you become my operator if you hate me so much?" She asked as she started strapping some knives to her legs. She tucked her favorite knife into her sock holster.
"Au contraire! I rather admired your fieldwork. If I was a field agent I would certainly want to have as cool of a name as 'Moonstar'." She chuckled. What no one knew was that it was a play on her name. Moon Byulyi. Moonstar. Monster. She shook that thought out of her head.
"Alright, what's the location, op."
"Ooh 'op', I like the nickname."
"'Operator' is a bitch to say every single time."
"I agree. Perhaps I should call you moon?"
"Please don't."
"Okie dokie moon." She clenched her jaw but didn't say anything in response. "The location tonight is at the shipyard. He's apparently meeting with a member of the Son Gang and they want you to rough him up in front of his client. You know a good old dose of humiliation."
"You got it, op."
"I admit I do like the sound of that. Almost turns me on." She snorted.
"I wish I knew who you were so I could come rough you up." She said in annoyance.
"Hmm but in what way darling? I promise you would have a good time either way." She laughed.
"You're annoying, but you're more fun than my last operator. They just, you know, gave me my mission and then shut up."
She had made her way to the street now, careful to only take the stairs and back exits. She jogged lightly, knowing the shipyard was a good few miles away.
"I asked admin if I could have like a bicycle or something, but they said it's better to do missions on foot." She said, breathing heavily. The operator chuckled.
"Yeah, harder to track agents that way. No tracing it back to admin."
"Right." She said between sucking in air. "And I said, well I won't do you any good if I'm out of breath by the time I get to the target. And they just laughed at me." The operator broke out into peals of laughter and Byul smiled at their very distinct laugh. Even with a voice modulator, she thought she would recognize that laugh. It sounded a bit like windshield wipers on a car. She smiled at the thought.
"You know Moonstar I don't know why everyone in the organization is so scared of you. You're a pretty funny gal. Or guy. The damn voice modulator makes it hard to tell."
"Well, I wouldn't want to give it away." They snorted. "Okay, I'm coming up on the shipyard now. Did intel tell you where I'm supposed to find him in this massive shipyard?"
"Hmm let me check. They say left quadrant."
"Well, I wouldn't want them to be too specific." She grumbled. She made her way quietly towards the left quadrant, getting her gun out of her waistband. She slipped off the safety, making sure to slide the silencer on.
"So," The operator began. "Why did you take up with the organization?"
"Are we really going to do small talk as I stalk a target?" She whispered.
"Oh sorry, did you have something better to do?" They asked sarcastically. She sighed.
"I hated all the corruption I saw and so I felt like I had to do something about it. A friend introduced me to admin." She tried to be as vague as possible. Admin didn't like when they knew too many personal details about each other. "I wanted justice I suppose. But the machine moved too slowly for me, so I decided to take things into my hands." The operator made a noise of agreement. "How about you, op?"
She made her way around a shipping container, keeping her gun cocked. She didn't want to be caught by surprise.
"I needed money. And also who doesn't hate a corrupt politician?" She laughed quietly.
"Admin does pay well, I will say that." She froze as she saw two men standing behind a shipping container in front of her. "I have eyes on them." She pulled a mask out of her pocket and pulled it over her head. Wouldn't do to have anyone recognizing her as an assemblywoman.
"Okay admin wants you to wait till he's alone then give him the threat. No shots if you can."
"I'll do my best. Does admin have any other requests? Perhaps I can walk on my hands over to him, or deliver the message in song?"
"You're very asinine today." The operator quipped.
"I'm fucking tired is what I am." She whispered in annoyance. She tensed as the politician walked away from his associate towards his car. She would have to get him away from his car. He would have guards in there. She chewed her lip. With a bit of apprehension, she tucked her gun away. She would have to do this without it.
"Moonstar?" The operator sounded apprehensive. "What are you planning?"
"Something stupid."
"Please be careful."
"I'm always careful." The operator snorted. She ran forwards, staying in the shadows. The politician was a few yards from his car now. She was about to move towards him when she suddenly felt the cold bite of metal right below her ear.
"Hello, there sweetheart." Shit. They had known she was coming. She had been compromised.
"Op-" She was cut off as she was pistol-whipped. She fell to the ground, to her credit not losing consciousness. She twisted around as quickly as she could shooting her feet into her assailant's stomach. "I've been made!" She hissed into the comm.
"Fuck!" She heard the operator curse. "You have to get out of there!" She flipped to her feet, feeling blood leak down her neck.
"What do you think I'm doing?" She bit out. She threw a punch, catching her assailant's jaw. Despite the man's size, he stumbled back. She was about to make a run for it when she felt pain rip through her abdomen. She let out a strangled scream.
"Moon!" She heard the operator yell. She heard them speaking rapidly, but she couldn't make out the words. She had been shot. Her hand went to her stomach, trying to keep it together. She rose from the ground, not looking back. She had to get out of there. She ran as fast she was able, making a beeline for the shadows behind the containers.
She leaned against a container breathing heavily, trying to catch her breath. She tore off the mask, sweating heavily.
"Op," She said weakly.
"Moon! Are you still there? What happened?"
"I was shot." She said softly. "Don't know how bad it is. I think the bullet's still in me." The operator cursed. "They knew I was coming, op. I was made." They cursed again.
"Come to 655 5th street."
"What?" She asked, her brain feeling foggy.
"Just do it if you want to live!"
"Okay," She muttered. She glanced around before making her way across the shipyard. She heard steps behind her and she sped up. She pulled her gun out, keeping one hand on her side. "I think they're following me."
"You need to lose them."
"Well, no shit Einstein." The operator grumbled on the other side.
She dashed behind a container, making a convoluted path to confuse those following her. She finally made it out of the shipyard and ran as fast as she could up the street. There was no one out at this time, but she still stuck to the shadows as much as she could.
"Moon talk to me." The piece in her ear felt heavy. Actually, every part of her body felt heavy. The shock and adrenaline were wearing off and she was starting to feel the blood loss keenly.
"I'm okay," She whispered. Knowing the operator wanted to make sure she was still alive more than anything.
"Please talk to me anyway. I'm bored." She laughed. Or tried to anyway.
"Sometimes this job is lonely." She said finally. She was probably going to die soon. What was the harm of saying something true for once? "I'm an assemblywoman during the day."
"Moon we can't -"
"Op I'm probably going to die. Just let me talk." They went silent. They knew she was right. "I've thought about dating, but I would have to keep so many secrets. And they would always be in danger."
"Yeah, relationships are kind of a non-starter for me." The operator said softly.
"And I don't really have any friends. And I just wonder sometimes if I did it right. No one really knows me you know?" She was panting now. She was on 3rd street. Just two more blocks. She could do it. "And sometimes I just wish one other person could know me." 4th street. One more block.
"What's your favorite color?" The operator asked.
"What?"
"Well, you want someone to know you. What's your favorite color?" She laughed breathlessly.
"It's yellow. Like sunlight." She felt like she could hear them smile. Or maybe it was the blood loss.
"Okay food."
"I really love chicken." The operator laughed. She had made it to 5th street. Maybe she wasn't going to die. She looked desperately for 655. 633. 647. Where was 655?
"What kind of chicken?"
"Spicy." She could barely see straight. Her vision was blurring. Was that 655? It didn't matter, she couldn't feel her legs anymore. She collapsed in front of the door panting.
"Op? I think I'm here." She didn't hear anything on the other side. So they had left too. Suddenly she felt the door open, but now she couldn't quite keep her eyes open.
"Moon? Moon stay with me." She struggled to open her eyes. There was someone standing above her. They picked her up effortlessly and she peered into their face. "You really did a number on yourself." They said softly. Their voice was deeper than she was used to, but she would recognize that sarcastic voice anywhere.
"Op?"
"Jin is fine." He said smiling. The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was a pair of deep brown eyes, smiling into hers.