The air around them hung in a deafening silence. Sungmin was at a loss for words. His mouth opened and closed like a goldfish and his blood ran cold. The truth was just so cliché for Sungmin found it hard to digest it. This couldn’t be! But Kyuhyun’s face betrayed no other hidden meaning; he was dead serious. There was no hint of lie within those burning dark orbs framed by those long and dark eyelashes. Still, Sungmin refused this madness. “You’re lying.” He whispered waspishly but Kyuhyun shook his head. “You’re lying.” He said again, a little louder this time.
Kyuhyun again shook his head. “I’m not. It’s the tru-”
“NO! YOU’RE LYING!!” He was screaming bewilderedly, panic setting in. This is absolute bullshit! There is just no way that Sir is his father; the legendary killer of all times... is his biological father! “You’re lying! You’re lying! You’re lying!” He repeated over and over again as if he was trying to hypnotize himself that Kyuhyun was nothing but a BIG LIAR! He’d cheated his feelings, his emotions, his heart and his body. Surely, this is just another lie concocted to make him...
To make him what?
What else was up in Kyuhyun’s sleeve anymore?
Why is Kyuhyun torturing him like this?
Nothing else makes sense to him anymore.
Because something inside him broke.
“Sungmin! Sungmin!” Kyuhyun called repeatedly but Sungmin continued chanting almost asthmatically, ‘you’re lying, you’re lying, you’re lying’. There was something wrong with Sungmin! Fear seized him. He grasped Sungmin’s shoulders and started shaking the limp body violently, hoping desperately to be able to snap Sungmin out of his self-induced trance. “Sungmin! Minnie! Minnie!” He called, not even realize that he’d reverted to calling Sungmin’s pet name.
But Sungmin could no longer hear Kyuhyun calling him. His head lolled almost lifelessly from left and right from Kyuhyun’s careless shaking and his eyes were clearly now glazed and unfocused. His body was just an empty vessel because his desolate soul had chosen to hide within the endless dark abyss in his heart because then he would no longer need to face the harshness of reality. As of now, Lee Sungmin has lost the will to live.
Kyuhyun had a sinking feeling that the situation is going to be irreversible if something wasn’t done quickly! He snapped his head to towards the CCTV and shouted, “Call Leeteuk hyung here now!” This was a matter of life and death because he was losing Sungmin fast and that just cannot happen. His heart was hammering like crazy within his chest and there was an unexplainable pain filling his entire being. Even though he didn’t understand what the pain meant, Kyuhyun only knew that he didn’t want a repeat of what he had felt when he woke up that one fateful morning and found that Sungmin was no longer beside him; to smile and laugh with him, to cook and to scold him, and to love and kiss him.
NO! There was absolutely no way he was going to let that happen again!
Mustering all his strength, Kyuhyun clenched his teeth and slapped Sungmin across the cheek whose head was tossed almost violently to one side from the force of it. His breathing was laboured as if he’d run for miles without rest and his hand was shaking but he was also desperately hoping that the impact of the slap will bring Sungmin out from his withdrawal state.
And it did.
Sungmin spluttered and coughed. The stinging pain on his left cheek had pulled him out of whatever state he was in and back into the cruel reality. He drew in a ragged breath in a forceful attempt to calm his frazzled nerves before he was enveloped into a bear hug that threatened to cut off his oxygen supply but the problem was, he couldn’t even struggle. “Hard... to... breathe...” He barely managed to choke out those words before the vice-like arms finally released him and he gratefully began to suck in oxygen into his lungs.
Meanwhile, Kyuhyun looked at Sungmin with an odd look in his face. Relief washed through him because he thought that he’d lost Sungmin. But he was back now and that was the most important thing. However, Kyuhyun’s eyes began to travel from Sungmin’s heaving chest, along the sexy nape that he’d planted kisses so many times, the strong chin and those tempting lips. All senses lost, he gathered the limp body into his arms again, feeling extremely pleased that the warm body fitted so well with his. Sungmin was here by his side; alive and well. And his for the taking.
His self control was wavering. There was just something about Sungmin that was making him feel like this. His throat suddenly felt dry and parched. So, when Sungmin’s little pink tongue darted out to wet his trembling dry lips, all hell broke loose! “Minnie... Minnie...” Kyuhyun rasped the name over and over again as his lips ghosted over the long nape, inhaling Sungmin’s exotic scent; missing it and loving it. It had been too long. His hands caressed teasingly over whatever exposed skin he could find.
Sungmin had been surprised by Kyuhyun’s assault but he could feel himself spiralling out of control too. One moment he desperately needed air to breathe and the next, when he felt Kyuhyun touching and kissing him so intimately, Sungmin’s common sense flew out the window. He had totally forgotten that he couldn’t move, how much he hated Kyuhyun and the lies in his life because there is this gnawing need growing rapidly within him, consuming him and his senses. Everywhere that Kyuhyun touched was setting Sungmin’s skin on fire. Listening to Kyuhyun’s hoarse and needy voice calling his pet name in such an affectionate manner was melting down Sungmin’s defences one by one. He could no longer think properly when Kyuhyun touched him like this; treating as if he was precious and loved but the most frustrating thing is that he couldn’t respond to the touches. “Kyu...Kyu...” He cried. He was in agony and only Kyuhyun can soothe his feverish need.
“I’m here.” The familiar handsome face hovered in Sungmin’s line of vision, filled with so much tenderness and love that Sungmin readily forgave whatever cruelty Kyuhyun had done to him. “I’ll never leave you, Minnie.” As soon as he said that, he bent down to capture those unfurled pink buds in a passionate kiss. It had been too long since he’d tasted those lips and felt the quivering body under him, so deliciously pliant and arousing. Their tongues danced in a delightful erotic manner that was arousing forgotten memories of their passionate intimacy and Sungmin could feel the familiar tightening at his lower belly and something hard pressing against his stomach.
All was well until Leeteuk and Yesung burst into the room only to gawk at the sight before them. It took about a full five seconds for their brains to actually process what was happening before both of them turned red, squeaked their apologies and scrambled out of the room. Kyuhyun quickly pulled away from Sungmin and turned away, using the back of his arm to wipe away the saliva on his lips.
Meanwhile, Sungmin lay motionless on the bed, feeling extremely violated, used and burdened with shame. The fiery moment of lust was gone, doused out by a bucket of cold water. He didn’t know whether to thank the two guys who had appeared in the nick of time to stop this madness or curse them. But for now, all he know was that he could no longer allow Kyuhyun to touch him like that anymore because he needed his sanity to be intact to deal with whatever challenges that lay ahead of him for there is no one else he could depend on besides himself. “Leave.”
Kyuhyun turned to face Sungmin. His lips were slightly swollen and his clothes were dishevelled, the bulge on his pants was obvious but he didn’t say anything. He just looked at Sungmin, the lust still flickering dangerously in his eyes.
“I said leave!” Sungmin screamed, the tears still glistening in his eyes. Biting onto his lower lip to stop himself from crying out loud for Kyuhyun, Sungmin turn his face away, hoping that his expressions weren’t too obvious. Despite everything, he’d found it frightening that he had already forgiven Kyuhyun and would even grovel before his feet if Kyuhyun so let him stay by his side. He wouldn’t care if Kyuhyun used him so long that Kyuhyun wouldn’t throw him away like a ragged cloth after he was done.
His pride lay in shambles but his love for Kyuhyun burned brightly more than anything else. That is why he needed Kyuhyun to leave. Would Kyuhyun ever feel disgusted with his feelings? He didn’t want to know. Still silent, Kyuhyun stormed out of the room, obviously in shock for being rejected, whilst Sungmin, despite the flaming blush colouring his pale cheeks, stubbornly ignored the immature bastard.
“He likes you, you know.”
Sungmin turned to glare at the owner of that voice. If glares could slice a person apart, Heechul would definitely be a pile of sliced meat on the floor now. “What do you want now? Came to gloat about my condition?” He asked sarcastically. “Go away, hyung. I’m tired and exhausted.”
Heechul ignored Sungmin and pushed himself off the wall and stepped into view, his proud and beautiful face expressionless but there was a glint of mischief within his eyes and that cannot be translated into good news. “What? After all that steamy drama and all you could think of is that you’re tired and exhausted?”
“What else do you want me to think about?!” Sungmin exploded angrily, his ears blushing bright red. “I’m the one who is being drugged, manipulated, cheated and lied to! What else do you expect me to say?! Hah?! Allow him to just use me again?!” This was just too much to handle! He sucked in breath in an attempt to calm himself. This was not how he usually reacts but then again, circumstances were not normal either.
Heechul kept quiet but he didn’t leave. Instead, he hopped over the mess Kyuhyun made earlier and just sat himself down onto the bed by Sungmin’s side. “Sungmin, it is okay to cry, you know. Things never go according to plans anyways.” He caressed a tear-stained cheek and Sungmin stiffened, unused to the fact that Heechul could be so gentle and caring.
“You’ve changed, hyung.”
Heechul smiled. “Yea, I guess I did.” He looked almost shyly up at the camera above them and gave a little wink, knowing full well that Hangeng and probably the others are watching them intently and with great interest.
“What happened?”
Heechul scratched his almost invisible fine whiskers on his chin as if in deep thought before answering, “Hangeng happened to me.” Sungmin snorted at the cheesy reply and rolled his eyes, earning a hard smack on his forehead.
“OW! What was that for?!”
“For laughing at me! Now, are you going to shut it and let me do the talking or shall I just leave you hanging here like the useless lump of flesh you are?” One eyebrow was raised, daring Sungmin to retaliate. When he didn’t, Heechul inwardly did a victorious sign. “Anyway, you know how popular I was. With my skills and reputation and all, right?” He looked at Sungmin who nodded reluctantly. “Well, Sir summoned me one fine day when I was minding my own damn business for a top secret mission. Well, thinking back, it wasn’t that top secret. In fact, to think of it as a top secret mission was rather funny.”
“Why?”
“Because Hangeng is the top mission.” At Sungmin’s confused look, Heechul sighed. It was going to be a long night. “You know? The Chinese guy that knocked out Siwon?” Sungmin’s eyes widened, showing his surprise. He couldn’t believe that someone could actually get near Siwon, other than him, and knock him out. Heechul could sense Sungmin’s disbelief and was chuckling because he could relate to what was going through Sungmin’s mind. “Right, I don’t think you’ve met Hangeng before. You were too pre-occupied with me whilst Hangeng dealt with Siwon.”
“He really knocked Siwon out?! As in our Siwonnie Siwon? How is that even possible?” Sungmin made a silent ‘wow’ and a mental note to check this incredible and peculiar guy out later. Nobody has ever ambushed Siwon and ever lived to tell the tale.
“Yep. Don’t underestimate him. He got me hooked onto him after all. And mind you, I don’t get hooked that easily.” Sungmin couldn’t agree more, intrigued by the man who managed to capture the cold heart of the beautiful Death Princess. “I was to assassinate him.” Heechul continued.
Surprise, surprise. Today’s just full of surprises, ain’t it? “Why?”
Heechul shrugged. “Because he stole top secret files from the Headquarters’ database. Because he is the genius that even Sir himself acknowledges. That’s why the Headquarters need him dead for he became a threat to its existence.”
“But the Headquarters could’ve just recruited him.”
“They already tried but they can’t. Because Hangeng, like Kangin, is working for Kyuhyun. And so, I was dispatched to ‘exterminate’ him.”
“Only thing is that you didn’t.”
“Because I couldn’t.” Heechul sucked in a deep breath, slightly hesitant on whether to tell the entire story or not. Sungmin knew how hard it was for the older male to actually confess that. The Death Princess had so much pride and an ego so big that it’s hard to even imagine deflating it. “Did you know how humiliating it was for me? For someone of my pride?! But he knocked all that down in one go and bulldozed his way into my mind and heart.”
“You had a heart to begin with?” Sungmin teased.
“Hey!” Heechul swatted Sungmin’s arm. “Just because I do my assignments flawlessly doesn’t mean I don’t have a heart. It’s just that I’ve never allowed my emotions to get the better of me when I’m to do my job!” Those prickly words were aimed at Sungmin who suddenly found the loose thread on his shirt extremely fascinating.
“Until two years ago.” Sungmin muttered, extracting his petty revenge.
Heechul shot Sungmin a look of annoyance, flushing slightly. “Until two years ago.”
-
-Flashback-
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Heechul slipped quietly into the dark room, like a predator stalking its prey, which was only illuminated by the dim flickering light from the computer. He vaguely noticed that the room lacked furniture and other furnishings that made it liveable and comfortable. According to the personal details provided, his intended assignment was always on the move; never staying in one place long enough to be detected and often moving from one place to another. It took the Headquarters a full year to track him down and Heechul had been given prior orders to not fail this mission. He had scoffed at that order for he was the infamous ‘Death Princess’ and there is no such word as ‘failure’ in his dictionary.
Slanting his eyes towards the slender figure who was slouched over the keyboard, typing away furiously and made no indication of having heard Heechul approaching him at all. Pulling out the sharp dagger, Heechul’s long fingers grasped the handle tightly and as he tiptoed nearer and nearer, he raised it up to deliver death as swift as he could onto his assignment. Poor thing will never even know what hit him when Hangeng suddenly spoke. “You know...”
Surprised, Heechul stopped in his tracks. Had he been caught? When the slender man with the messy mop of hair turned to face him in one swift movement, he jumped back and raised the dagger in defence in front of him.
“I don’t like it when people sneak in behind me to attack.” Hangeng said as he took off his spectacles, rubbing the bridge of his nose before slipping his glasses back on. “You could’ve just come onto me head on. I would’ve just gladly accepted my fate.” He smiled at Heechul and leant back heavily against his chair which creaked loudly under his weight.
Heechul hissed at him, obviously baffled by the strange turn of events. From his years of experience, he had never met someone like this. Unshaken and fearless even in the face of death. And was even smiling at him! The nerve!
His assignment studied Heechul from top till bottom and then frowned. “Why did they send a woman to do a man’s job? Oh well, not that I care but it’s not such a bad thing to die in the hands of such a pretty sight.” He even waggled his eyebrows flirtatiously at Heechul who stared incredulously at him.
Heechul snorted. Stupid man even had the guts to joke about this! “I’m no girl.” He growled, annoyance pricking at his frazzled nerves.
“You’re a man!” Hangeng exclaimed loudly as he pointed at Heechul, his mouth forming a silent ‘o’ as he gawked at Heechul.
“In flesh and blood. Idiot!”
Obviously Hangeng didn’t like being called an idiot because he jumped onto his feet and crossed his arms, pouting at Heechul in a very childish manner. “Hey! I don’t like that word ‘idiot’! It’s Hangeng! My name, that is.”
Heechul pursed his lips and huffed. “So? I don’t need to know the name of the person I’m about to kill.” He didn’t even realise that he’d lowered his dagger and his defences. The man looked dejected and his shoulders sagged. There was even a cloud of doom and gloom on top of his head. “How did you know I was here? I didn’t make a single noise.”
Hangeng, still looking dejected, pointed towards the monitors and Heechul realized that there were CCTVs all over the place. Which means that Hangeng had known that Heechul was coming and still, he remained in place? If he knew that some assassin had been sent to kill him, wouldn’t he have fought back? Why did the idiot just stayed as he is?
“Why didn’t you escape?” He couldn’t help it. His curiosity had been roused. Not a good thing for a trained hitman because curiosity always killed the cat. Always. Excuse the pun.
“Because that would make me a coward. And I’m no coward!” Hangeng announced proudly, his chest puffing out with pride. “Besides, I already know that after what I did, the Headquarters will hunt me down to the ends of the earth and even to hell if possible, to just silence me.”
“True.” Heechul nodded in agreement.
“So, rather than running away, I might as well just face my fate. It will catch up sooner or later.”
Heechul blinked owlishly and was exasperated at how stupid a person can be. There has just got to be a limit! However, he had to admit that this person was just so different from all his previous victims; who would all cry and beg for his mercy which clearly made him disgusted at how pathetic a human can be in the face of death. Some of them even peed in their pants and still had the guts to grab onto his pants and offer him riches of the world that many couldn’t even begin to imagine.
“You’re not afraid to die?”
-to be continued-
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A/N: Sorry for the late update. The continuous fever that I had turned out to be some sort of infection that could’ve been potentially fatal if I had not been careful but luckily, I managed to get out of it in one piece and is currently recuperating.
This chapter and the next chapter were quite hard to write since I’m not really focused on the story right now because of my upcoming exams. But because I was MIA (Missing In Action) from last week’s update, I will put up the next update in the next two or three days. It’s a action-filled chapter (Hopefully it’s not fail!action) :(