YOUMIN

"You know the drill, love."

I give Taehyung a side glare as I shift the weighted jacket higher up my waist, tightening the straps over my chest. No matter how many times I did it, I'd never ever get to like this five-mile run. Never.

And damn Taehyung. Even without an eye and less of his perfect balance, he was still much more coordinated than me.

"Come on, Youmin."

"Come."

By the fourth mile, I'm back to dying again.

The inside of my throat is already rough from breathing too hard, and my expression squeezes when I hear footsteps catching up to me from behind. It's him— he's already finished the five laps around the mile-long track, and had completely outcircled me.

I falter.

"Youmin."

I feel him stop next to me. Then he pulls me to his chest, forcing me to get back up to my feet. I look up at him, sweat blurring my eyes.

His dark locks are pulled back from his face. And of course he looks barely exhausted, just a faint blush on his pale cheeks from the sun.

"Are you tired?"

I nod, a little surprised at the gentleness of his tone.

Had I gotten too used to him as always pushing me forward? He was my boyfriend now. Did that mean—

He smiles softly.

"One more lap."

Never mind.

With a distraught look, I start running again. My running looks more like hobbling on a broken leg, but I start the final mile, sweat dripping down my back.

Then I feel someone unclasp the jacket from my upper body. A huge breath of relief bursts out of me as Taehyung lifts the weights off— more than thirty kilograms of hard material.

"It's only today." I hear him whisper into my ear as I catch my breath. Without the jacket weighing me down, I feel like I can finish this mile in a breeze.

"Thanks, Tae."

"Then hurry up and finish, Youmin."

"I have plans in mind after this."

_________________________________

"And these are your plans? Seriously?"

He gives me a look as he shifts a knife off the weapon rack. The training hall is empty— it's only the two of us on the blue, sleek mats.

"What did you think I meant?"

"Maybe like a lunch date or something." I mumble to myself as I pull his old knife from my sheath. "Or like a walk. A walk would've been nice, you know."

An amused smile glitters on his lips.

"We can walk. After this."

"No, after this I want to sleep."

"With me?"

"Yeah, obviously." I reply pointedly as I spin the knife between my fingers. "Who else would be my pillow, hm?"

I lunge, twisting my knife towards the side of his body. He avoids my blade easily, like he'd almost expected me to jump at him mid-sentence like that.

"A little unfair, don't you think?"

"I have to be cheap with you." I say, with a smirk as I stance again. My body is tense, ready to move.

"How else can I win?"

He strikes first, this time. I skip to the side as he slashes his knife down my shoulder, feeling the rush of air brush against my cheeks. I move to his back, my leg kicking into a high arc.

By the time my foot is where his head should be, he's gone.

His eye glows.

"You've gotten even better than before, Youmin."

"Of course. I have such a great partner."

"Don't flatter me."

He wraps an arm around my waist, slipping his feet between mine. My eyes widen as he sweeps me off balance. I jerk to try and twist out of his hold, but it's like he'a reading my mind.

If I went down, it would be his win.

So I aim for his blind side.

I hear his pressed gasp as I hit a blow to his left. In a second I've turned the fight around, pinning Taehyung down to the floor with a hand around his throat and the other clasped around his shoulder.

I brush his wavy locks away from forehead, smiling faintly down at his stunned expression.

"I am a little cheap, aren't I?"

His gaze fills with warmth. And the next thing I know he's wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, his other hand around my waist. His lips touch mine.

"Tae—"

"Hush."

"Someone might see us."

"I don't care."

I laugh. He turns the kiss deeper, and I shiver when I feel the coldness of the mat against the heat of my skin. My hands slip under his shirt, touching the lean, muscled lines of his body.

"But seriously," I mumble, completely dazed as he pushes my head back to expose my throat. "Isn't like...isn't dating between UDT not...allowed or something like that?"

"Mm." He replies, pressing kisses down my neck.

"So what if we get caught?"

His eye flickers upwards. Taehyung's lips tighten, the dark waves of his hair falling over his brows. His face is so close to mine that I can see the mole lining under the slant of his eye.

"Namjoon hyung doesn't mind."

"And who said we were ever going to get caught?"

________________________________

My hair is still soaked from the shower as I sling the towel over my neck, after tugging on a loose shirt and a pair of shorts. I'm barefoot as I make my way out of the bathroom.

And Taehyung is there.

He's on the edge of his bed, his back turned to me. My eyes follow where he's looking, and I see several snipers hard in training outside the window, practicing their aim on tiny targets.

My eyes soften.

He's so focused on watching them that he hadn't even heard me.

Tae.

Then he reaches up slowly, to press his fingertips over his shut eye. And my hands tighten into fists by my sides, at his silent gesture.

My heart stings.

I toss the towel to the corner of the room. Then I approach him, not even bothering to keep myself quiet. His hand jerks away from his eye the moment he hears me, but by then it's much too late.

I wrap my arms around his shoulders, his back pressing to my front as I pull him closer.

And he breathes. "You used my shampoo, didn't you?"

"Clearly. You see mine lying around anywhere?"

He laughs, but soon falls to silence. The both of us are, until I whisper.

"I wish I could give you what you lost."

He tenses, realizing that I did see him. His lips tighten.

"How?"

His murmur is soft. But it's enough to feel like a blow right to my chest, knocking the wind out of me. My eyes are wide, at his vulnerable voice.

"I'm sorry. Forget what I said." He quickly says again, turning his gaze back out the window. "That was pointless."

He's lost more than I'd thought when he'd lost half his sight. He just hadn't shown it at all, until now.

I hug him tighter, eyes roaming over the dark hearing aid connected to the curve of his pale ear. Then I shift to his other ear, whispering lowly.

"You'll still come with me tomorrow, won't you?"

He raises an eyebrow.

"Is that really a question? You're still a novice, Youmin. Do you think I'll let you handle a mission all by yourself?"

"I didn't think so."

"Then you thought right." He murmurs quietly, tucking a loose lock of dark hair back over his ear. "I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you and I wasn't there."

The corners of my eyes soften.

How sweet.

________________________________

"Two left. One, on the high rise."

"Okay."

Gathering up my dress in a hand, I quickly make my way up to the South Balcony. Taehyung watches me from the midst of the dancing crowd, his gaze sharp and brooding as he searches for other potential targets.

My gun is already set up there.

Sweeping my hair back, I lay low and fix my eyes on the first man aiming for the Councillor. My hands work quickly— in a moment I have him at gunpoint.

The silencer hushes the sound as I pull the trigger.

A silent, quick death. The man falls back— and the soft clink the gun makes as it drops from his hands is the only sound of his failure.

"Good." I hear him whisper through my earpiece. "To your left."

"Does he suspect anything yet?"

There's a breath.

"No."

"Okay."

I see him right after Taehyung's notice. He's crouched low against the railing, and I can see him taking a smoke as he plays with his gun.

Yeah, he doesn't suspect at all. He thinks his teammate's going to kill the Councillor, and he can flee the scene with that cigarette between his lips.

I turn the gunpoint.

Too bad I killed him.

The gun jerks. And I don't miss.

The cigarette that's yet to burn through slips from his mouth and lands on top of his dead body.

"Last one. I think."

"Where?"

"High rise." He repeats, and I look above me. And I can't help but marvel how Taehyung had seen him— hidden so well between the shadows.

But now I can see, and my eyes narrow when I notice something.

"...Tae?"

"Yes?"

"He's wearing a bomb vest." I whisper, slightly taken aback. "I think he's a suicide bomber. Is he..."

My voice fades, slowly climbing with horror as I see the silhouette move around busily. I catch a glimpse of his paled face— paled but scarily determined.

I swallow.

"I think he's planning to jump soon."

Taehyung curses lowly.

"I'll go. You stay, exactly where you are."

"Taehyung—"

"Stay. Keep an eye on him, please."

My teeth grit against one another. And I clench my gun, breathing faster. I can hear Taehyung's breaths speed along with mine over the earpiece, as he climbs the rise.

The bomb had to be defused. If it exploded, either on the rise or on the ground, it would blow the entire building off its base.

But Taehyung.

What if the bomber saw him and just went for it?

"Do you want me to put a bullet through his head?" I whisper, wanting to do anything to keep him back. "You could then defuse the vest. I—"

"That's too risky. He is moving even now— if you miss and hit anywhere else on his body, the bomb will blow."

His tone slightly softens.

"Don't worry, Youmin."

How can I not?

My hands shake with anxiety as I glimpse Taehyung's familiar figure, behind the bomber. He lunges at the man without a second of hesitation, and both of them disappear from my view.

I hear a muffled scream.

Please, I pray. My fingertips hold on to the earpiece as if my own life depends on it.

I can hear the sounds of fighting over the line.

Then it all stops.

I wait for a few, heart-wracking seconds.

"...Tae?"

My voice is shaking so much. I clear my throat weakly, my knuckles turning pale as I breathe.

"Taehyung. Hello?"

"Hello...?"

"I killed him."

"Sorry I can't...I can't answer right now, love." He whispers, and I quickly shut my mouth. "The bomb's set to blow in a minute. I'm trying to find the right line."

"Sorry." I squeak, before clamping my lips back shut.

I start the minute countdown in my head.

And I've reached thirty seconds when I hear him sigh in relief. The moment I hear him, my entire body relaxes so quickly it almost hurts.

I fiddle with the trigger of my sniper, voice still a little tentative.

"...Mission complete?"

He laughs. And I smile a little bit too, at the soft sound of his laughter.

"Mission complete, Youmin."

I start dissecting the sniper, my smile growing on my face. "So do you think it's okay for us to enjoy the party a little? Now that we're all good to go?"

"You want to?"

I blush in embarrassment, glancing down at the hem of my dress sweeping the floor. "Well, we're all dressed up for it."

"One dance."

"One dance." I giggle, at his hesitant tone. My gaze lands on the laughing people down on the floor, completely oblivious to what just happened.

They're all drunk and happy, enjoying the deepening night.

I put away the parts of the sniper in the suitcase, snapping the clips shut before picking it off the floor.

There's an excited smile on my face as I make my way down.

And my heart swells when I see Taehyung already there, his dark hair slightly ruffled and the collar of his suit a little messy from the fight.

But he still looks terribly beautiful, in the sinful way he is.

"One dance." He repeats again, clasping my waist and shoulder. I stifle a laugh at his firm tone. I would've never expected him to dance, even if I'd begged him to on my knees.

I nod, with a smile.

I guess he did kind of want to enjoy tonight, as well.

*Scroll for Part 2!