Fatal Attraction (Part 3b)
Title: Fatal Attraction
Author: VampireMadonna
Pairing: YunJae
Rating: NC-17
Length: Two-shot
Summary: Jaejoong is an assassin: Yunho, his target. But what happens when the hunter falls for his charming prey?
N/B: Inspired by, but not based on, the character of YeoWoon from Warrior Baek Dong Soo.
The moment they stepped outside of the mall, Jaejoong knew.
It was time.
They were there, a lot of them. He could sense them. Their presence had been constant since the day he’d gone to kill Yunho and never left, but it hadn’t been this thick. This time, they’d descended en masse.
He glanced over his shoulder at the bodyguards, gauging their strengths and weaknesses. There were five in all: the two that had been with Yunho when he met him and three additional ones, in plain clothes, courtesy of his father. He’d requested their personnel files and though their stats were impressive, he knew they didn’t stand a chance against his brothers.
So many innocent lives would be lost because of him. If only he could get away from Yunho, he would be able to spare them.
“Jaejoong?” Yunho snapped a finger in front his face. “You okay?”
Shaking off the dread, he forced a smile. “Yeah, sorry. I must have spaced out for a bit.”
Yunho continued watching him carefully so Jaejoong kept his smile in place and started talking about the first random thing that popped into his head. He kept the cheery façade up during the drive back to the apartment, going on and on about the things Yunho had bought him. When they were finally in the apartment, he excused himself to the bathroom, locking the door behind him.
He stood in front of the mirror staring at his reflection for a long time. He looked the same yet he was a completely different person. His eyes which, just over a week ago, had been flat and practically dead, were now alight and lively. The lips that had never truly smiled before were perpetually curved from constant happiness. His once porcelain skin, while still pale, had a healthy pink tint to it. His hair had been trimmed, not too much though because Yunho loved the silky length of it. And it smelled of watermelon, which he’d decided was his favorite out of all the scents Yunho had bought for him to try.
For the first time in his life, he felt like an individual, not just another sheep in the flock. He’d discovered things about himself, stuff that he liked and didn’t like, and with Yunho’s encouragement, he’d realized that it was okay to not always agree with someone and that he was entitled to have an opinion. He could do whatever he wanted: the world was his oyster. Or it would be but for the noose hanging over his head.
And Yunho… Yunho made him so happy. He didn’t exactly understand what they had, he just knew that Yunho had turned his world upside down and he was grateful for it. And he gave him so much, not just materially but emotionally, spiritually, mentally. In one short week, he’d grown more than he had his entire twenty-two years in existence. It was amazing what a little freedom and a supporting hand could do to a person.
As he continued to stare at himself in the mirror, his eyes filled with tears and he let them fall. He knew what he was going to do, what he had to do.
He washed and dried his face, took a deep breath and walked back into the bedroom.
Dinner was tense, though they both tried to pretend that everything was fine.
Yunho knew that something was up with Jaejoong but he didn’t bother to ask him what since he knew that he wouldn’t get a straight answer, if any at all. After dinner, they watched a movie then went to bed.
Their lovemaking that night was urgent. Jaejoong touched Yunho with a passion and desperation he had never felt from him before. It scared him as much as it excited. It felt like Jaejoong was saying goodbye to him and he was terrified.
Later in the night, when Jaejoong had fallen asleep, Yunho lay in the dark, still awake, holding his lover tightly as if by clutching him close, he could absorb him into himself and keep him there forever.
The next morning, Jaejoong seemed to be back to his usual self. He woke up and made them a delicious breakfast, his smile seemingly sincere as he talked about his plans for the day.
Whatever had been bothering him seemed to have stopped and Yunho allowed himself to relax just a fraction.
After breakfast, Yunho went to take a shower while Jaejoong washed the dishes. He had a full day of classes ahead so Jaejoong would be on his own for a while.
Jaejoong bided his time, listening to Yunho as he moved around the apartment getting ready to leave for school. When Yunho left, he would be taking three of the guards with him. It would be easy enough for him to shake the other two or, if need be, temporarily put them out of commission. He wished it didn’t have to be that way, wished he could say a proper farewell, but he knew that Yunho would never let him go. Suicide, he’d called it the last time. He was right.
“Hey, guess what?” Yunho said, walking out with a huge smile on his face.
Jaejoong looked up from the counter he’d wiped at least five times. “What?”
“My morning class was canceled so you have me until about 1:00.”
It was a lie, of course. During his shower, Yunho had thought about Jaejoong’s behaviour over the past 24 hours. Ever since they’d left the mall, he’d been acting weird, trying too hard to be outwardly happy. That wasn’t his personality at all. He was always mellow, subdued, even now when Yunho was sure he was relaxed and comfortable with him. He was quick to blush at the littlest thing and always thought about what he said before he said it so the incessant, cheery chatter he’d exhibited the day before set off warning bells in Yunho’s head.
And then there was the way he’d clung to him in bed. A passionate, enthusiastic Jaejoong was one thing, but the desperation and urgency in his kisses and hands, almost like he was trying to get as much as possible from the encounter…as if it would be his last. Was Jaejoong saying goodbye to him? The thought freaked him out so he’d called his friend and told him to take notes for him, something had come up and he wouldn’t be able to make it. He was determined to keep an eye on Jaejoong all day if need be, or until he felt like the threat of his departure had decreased.
Jaejoong forced a smile, forced his mouth to form words. “That’s great.”
It changed nothing. His plan would still go off as scheduled. He’d wondered if he’d given himself away at some point. The week he’d spent with Yunho had taught him that he was far more transparent than he ever knew. Well, with Yunho anyway. It would’ve been easier without Yunho there, would’ve been easier to walk away from him if he was already gone, but it didn’t impede on his plan in any way so he had no excuse not to go through with it. His mind was made up, there was no going back.
“What are we doing today?” Yunho asked, leaning against the counter so that their faces were only a foot apart. He wanted to look into Jaejoong’s eyes so he could see if he was lying to him.
“‘We’?” Jaejoong teased with a chuckle. “I don’t know about you but in a few minutes, I’m going down to the kitchen as planned. You will just have to entertain yourself.”
Yunho shrugged. “I’ll come with you then, help out. I’ll be your sous chef.”
Jaejoong laughed. “Yeah, right. Like when you “helped” me a couple of days ago and nearly burned down the apartment? I don’t think so.”
“You should stay here and keep me company then. I can think of a few things…” Yunho wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Jaejoong rolled his eyes, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. He would miss this, bantering with Yunho, the way his erotic teasing made his neck flame hot and the color start creeping into his face.
“Control yourself,” he ordered.
He walked around the counter, making sure to evade Yunho’s seeking hands, and strolled casually into the bedroom. He picked up his jacket, which he’d casually laid on the back of a chair the night before so that Yunho wouldn’t think anything of it if his eyes fell on it, and walked back out. He could feel the impression of his knife in the jacket pocket and it gave him the strength to go through with what needed to be done.
As he re-entered the living room, he said teasingly, “I’ll make you something special, okay? Stop pouting.”
Yunho grabbed his hand and pulled him to him. “Stay.”
His eyes implored Jaejoong not to leave and Jaejoong became even more convinced that Yunho really knew what he was about to do. His own eyes started to feel itchy as the urge to cry came upon him. Instead he forced another smile and pressed a soft kiss to Yunho’s mouth.
“Bye.”
He gently tugged his hand out of Yunho’s and walked to the door. Opening it, he turned around to wave, stepped out and closed the door softly behind him.
“Going to the kitchen again?” Moobin, one of Yunho’s original personal guards, asked, an excited smile on his face. Jaejoong would often share his creations with the two stationed outside the door so they looked forward to his treats every day.
He returned the smiled, nodding. “Yes. I won’t be gone long. I’m afraid Yunho might get bored and come looking for me and we know how dangerous he is in the kitchen.”
Moobin groaned as the memory of the fear that had gripped him during the last fiasco came to the fore.
“You guys can stay here,” Jaejoong suggested.
Moobin looked at him pointedly. “You know the rules.”
They were good men, Jaejoong thought. They took their jobs seriously. Moobin and Kyung were Yunho’s original guards so they remained posted outside of the apartment door. The other three, the specially trained ones, were posted at various points on the floor. He knew where they were, though he was sure no one else was aware of their presence. They could hide from the average person, even Moobin and Kyung, but they couldn’t escape detection from someone with instincts as finely honed as Jaejoong’s.
Which meant his brothers knew they were there too.
“Alright, one of you,” he allowed. “The other residents are going to wonder what we’re up to if we’re never seen without security.”
Grinning, Moobin nodded at Kyung over his shoulder and indicated for Jaejoong to walk ahead of him.
The ride to the kitchen was a short one and when Jaejoong entered, Moobin stopped quietly just inside the door. Jaejoong greeted the head chef, set his jacket aside near the pantry, and fell into the preparation line for whatever had been requested.
While he worked, he kept his eyes on Moobin, though he made sure that the man didn’t know he was being observed. Though fit, Moobin was on the heavy side and Jaejoong had already learned that he had a penchant for eating. He liked “kitchen duty” as he called it but it also made him the perfect mark.
After about an hour, Jaejoong plated a slice of torte, laid a fork on the side of the plate, and walked over to the man.
“Here,” he said, smiling as he held it out. “Fresh out of the oven. Tell me what you think. Remember, eat slowly, savor the taste.”
Eyes gleaming, Moobin cut a dainty - as dainty as he was capable of - forkful and stuck it in his mouth. His eyes about rolled back into his head in pleasure.
“So good,” was all he said before he dug into it again.
Smiling, Jaejoong started down the aisle but the smile fell away as soon as his back was turned. He kept going, walking at an angle so he could see if Moobin made a move towards him. The other kitchen staff were busily attending their tasks and thankfully, Moobin was still preoccupied with the dessert so Jaejoong was able to round the last counter, grab his jacket and slip into the back room without anyone noticing.
The back room was where supplies were stored. It was also where supplies were delivered. He’d already checked out the entrance/exit. The heavy door housed a basic lock, which was usually unlocked during the day since deliveries came regularly, but it could only be opened from the inside so that prevented intruders from getting in. It did not, however, prevent the willing from going out, as Jaejoong quietly did like the ghost he was trained to be.
The door opened onto a wide, clean, deserted alley. Closing the door behind him, he stopped to shrug into his jacket, before making his way onto the main street. He observed the ebb and flow of the foot traffic before stepping into it. He had no destination in mind but he didn’t need one. The way would be shown to him. He could feel them, his brothers, watching, moving, like shadows. One way or another, it was going to end today.
Yunho slipped into flow of sidewalk traffic, head bent low, face and body obscured by the cap and jacket he wore.
Escaping unnoticed had been easier than he’d thought. A simple climb down the fire-escape had taken care of that. Staying under Jaejoong’s radar, on the other hand, was bound to be a lot trickier. For now, he assumed he hadn’t realized he was being followed yet.
Some instinct, a little voice that refused to be ignored, had told him that Jaejoong would do something. He’d been waiting just over an hour, having immediately snuck out as soon as Jaejoong left the apartment. He’d started to wonder if he was being paranoid and just as he was about to give up and sneak back in, Jaejoong had appeared. Luckily, he’d had the presence of mind to hide in the shadows of the huge building across the street, otherwise Jaejoong would’ve passed right by him and he wasn’t sure that he wouldn’t have been seen.
He stayed across the street, which made it harder to keep an eye on Jaejoong since he also had to pay attention to his own side, but he managed to keep up. Tracking Jaejoong from behind him would’ve been ideal but he was 100% sure Jaejoong would know if he was being followed. It was bad enough that he seemed to be at high alert and would occasionally cock his head to the side as if he was listening or watching, waiting, for something.
Were they there?, he wondered. Were they already around them? Was that why Jaejoong had left? He wished he knew, wished he’d had some kind of training, though he knew that it probably wouldn’t have made a difference. What Jaejoong and the other assassins learned, how they were taught, was on a whole other level to regular martial artists. He felt so utterly useless and helpless.
Just then, Jaejoong turned into a side street, going out of sight.
Panicked, he ran across the street, forgetting to check for on-coming traffic and narrowly escaping the bumper of an SUV. The irritated driver blew his horn angrily behind him. He rounded the corner just in time to see Jaejoong’s long hair stream behind him as he turned into another street. He rushed to the corner but stopped short of turning into it before he checked it out. It was a long alley behind a large building that, from what he could tell from the outside, was not currently in use. Passersby walked straight passed the mouth of the alley, only one silent figure strode steadily down the middle. Taking a deep breath, he glued his back to the wall and silently crept inward.
Dammit Yunho, Jaejoong swore silently, stopping in his tracks and closing his eyes. A dull throb started in the center of his brain. He opened his eyes again and looked up at the narrow sliver of sky visible between the two tall buildings. Things had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.
He’d walked until he’d figured out where he was being led to. It wasn’t something he would ever be able to explain, following without actually being told where to go. It was just instinct, the natural ebb and flow of their energies, being so in sync that you could feel their intention without words being spoken.
He’d also known that he was being followed by another person. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who. He’d been smart not to follow directly behind him but he’d still felt him. It was the eyes, the force of his concentration. He could picture Yunho frantically trying to keep up with his pace, to not lose sight of him. He would probably have found it cute and given him a few pointers on how not to give away himself if not for the fact that they were in a life and death situation.
“Leave,” he said harshly without turning around.
He heard Yunho gasp behind him, felt when he came closer.
“Stop!” he ordered. “Turn around and go home, Yunho. This isn’t a game.”
Yunho stopped as ordered but he didn’t move otherwise. He ground his teeth as fury rolled through him.
“I won’t let you do this,” he said angrily. “I won’t let you let them kill you.”
Jaejoong spun around. “Do you think I want this? That I want to die? I’m doing this for you, for everyone around you. It’s the only way.”
Yunho shook his head. “I don’t care. I’m not letting you go on this suicide mission.”
Jaejoong’s brows swooped down, his eyes and voice cold, deadly. “Do you think you could stop me?”
Yunho froze for a second. It was the first time that he’d really looked at Jaejoong and seen the trained killer in him. Not even the night he’d walked in on him with the knife in his hand, been cut by him, had he been filled with such dread and fear. This wasn’t the Jaejoong that purred beneath his hands every time he touched him, the Jaejoong that blushed every compliment a compliment was paid to him. This Jaejoong was a stranger.
But as quickly as the change had come, it was gone and he saw the desperate fear in the big black eyes that looked back at him.
“Please,” Jaejoong begged softly. “We don’t have much time. You need to get out of here.”
Mustering what little courage he had, Yunho closed the distance between them. He raised a hand and cupped Jaejoong’s cheek gently.
“No.”
Sighing, Jaejoong took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You know we’re both going to die here, right?”
Yunho gulped. “Probably.”
“They already know you’re here so I guess there’s no point in sending you away. I don’t suppose Moobin and the others are somewhere nearby?” he asked hopefully.
Yunho blushed. “No. I kinda left without them knowing.”
Jaejoong groaned and turned around. “Stay behind me. Close, but not too close. I don’t want to hurt you in the event that I need to…”
He trailed off but Yunho got the point.
Jaejoong continued to the open door directly in front of him, gesturing for Yunho to wait as he slipped his hand into the pocket with his knife and stepped inside. He knew the building well. It looked abandoned on the outside but the inside told another story. It was one of many “shells” that the clan used whenever they had…business to conduct that had to be done away from the eyes of general public.
He waited until his eyes adjusted and cast a full sweep up and down the long hallway. Despite it being daytime, the hallway was dark, with light shining from only one end. An obvious enough signal, he supposed. He waved at Yunho and when he fell in behind him, started making his way down towards the light.
Part 3c
Author: VampireMadonna
Pairing: YunJae
Rating: NC-17
Length: Two-shot
Summary: Jaejoong is an assassin: Yunho, his target. But what happens when the hunter falls for his charming prey?
N/B: Inspired by, but not based on, the character of YeoWoon from Warrior Baek Dong Soo.
The moment they stepped outside of the mall, Jaejoong knew.
It was time.
They were there, a lot of them. He could sense them. Their presence had been constant since the day he’d gone to kill Yunho and never left, but it hadn’t been this thick. This time, they’d descended en masse.
He glanced over his shoulder at the bodyguards, gauging their strengths and weaknesses. There were five in all: the two that had been with Yunho when he met him and three additional ones, in plain clothes, courtesy of his father. He’d requested their personnel files and though their stats were impressive, he knew they didn’t stand a chance against his brothers.
So many innocent lives would be lost because of him. If only he could get away from Yunho, he would be able to spare them.
“Jaejoong?” Yunho snapped a finger in front his face. “You okay?”
Shaking off the dread, he forced a smile. “Yeah, sorry. I must have spaced out for a bit.”
Yunho continued watching him carefully so Jaejoong kept his smile in place and started talking about the first random thing that popped into his head. He kept the cheery façade up during the drive back to the apartment, going on and on about the things Yunho had bought him. When they were finally in the apartment, he excused himself to the bathroom, locking the door behind him.
He stood in front of the mirror staring at his reflection for a long time. He looked the same yet he was a completely different person. His eyes which, just over a week ago, had been flat and practically dead, were now alight and lively. The lips that had never truly smiled before were perpetually curved from constant happiness. His once porcelain skin, while still pale, had a healthy pink tint to it. His hair had been trimmed, not too much though because Yunho loved the silky length of it. And it smelled of watermelon, which he’d decided was his favorite out of all the scents Yunho had bought for him to try.
For the first time in his life, he felt like an individual, not just another sheep in the flock. He’d discovered things about himself, stuff that he liked and didn’t like, and with Yunho’s encouragement, he’d realized that it was okay to not always agree with someone and that he was entitled to have an opinion. He could do whatever he wanted: the world was his oyster. Or it would be but for the noose hanging over his head.
And Yunho… Yunho made him so happy. He didn’t exactly understand what they had, he just knew that Yunho had turned his world upside down and he was grateful for it. And he gave him so much, not just materially but emotionally, spiritually, mentally. In one short week, he’d grown more than he had his entire twenty-two years in existence. It was amazing what a little freedom and a supporting hand could do to a person.
As he continued to stare at himself in the mirror, his eyes filled with tears and he let them fall. He knew what he was going to do, what he had to do.
He washed and dried his face, took a deep breath and walked back into the bedroom.
Dinner was tense, though they both tried to pretend that everything was fine.
Yunho knew that something was up with Jaejoong but he didn’t bother to ask him what since he knew that he wouldn’t get a straight answer, if any at all. After dinner, they watched a movie then went to bed.
Their lovemaking that night was urgent. Jaejoong touched Yunho with a passion and desperation he had never felt from him before. It scared him as much as it excited. It felt like Jaejoong was saying goodbye to him and he was terrified.
Later in the night, when Jaejoong had fallen asleep, Yunho lay in the dark, still awake, holding his lover tightly as if by clutching him close, he could absorb him into himself and keep him there forever.
The next morning, Jaejoong seemed to be back to his usual self. He woke up and made them a delicious breakfast, his smile seemingly sincere as he talked about his plans for the day.
Whatever had been bothering him seemed to have stopped and Yunho allowed himself to relax just a fraction.
After breakfast, Yunho went to take a shower while Jaejoong washed the dishes. He had a full day of classes ahead so Jaejoong would be on his own for a while.
Jaejoong bided his time, listening to Yunho as he moved around the apartment getting ready to leave for school. When Yunho left, he would be taking three of the guards with him. It would be easy enough for him to shake the other two or, if need be, temporarily put them out of commission. He wished it didn’t have to be that way, wished he could say a proper farewell, but he knew that Yunho would never let him go. Suicide, he’d called it the last time. He was right.
“Hey, guess what?” Yunho said, walking out with a huge smile on his face.
Jaejoong looked up from the counter he’d wiped at least five times. “What?”
“My morning class was canceled so you have me until about 1:00.”
It was a lie, of course. During his shower, Yunho had thought about Jaejoong’s behaviour over the past 24 hours. Ever since they’d left the mall, he’d been acting weird, trying too hard to be outwardly happy. That wasn’t his personality at all. He was always mellow, subdued, even now when Yunho was sure he was relaxed and comfortable with him. He was quick to blush at the littlest thing and always thought about what he said before he said it so the incessant, cheery chatter he’d exhibited the day before set off warning bells in Yunho’s head.
And then there was the way he’d clung to him in bed. A passionate, enthusiastic Jaejoong was one thing, but the desperation and urgency in his kisses and hands, almost like he was trying to get as much as possible from the encounter…as if it would be his last. Was Jaejoong saying goodbye to him? The thought freaked him out so he’d called his friend and told him to take notes for him, something had come up and he wouldn’t be able to make it. He was determined to keep an eye on Jaejoong all day if need be, or until he felt like the threat of his departure had decreased.
Jaejoong forced a smile, forced his mouth to form words. “That’s great.”
It changed nothing. His plan would still go off as scheduled. He’d wondered if he’d given himself away at some point. The week he’d spent with Yunho had taught him that he was far more transparent than he ever knew. Well, with Yunho anyway. It would’ve been easier without Yunho there, would’ve been easier to walk away from him if he was already gone, but it didn’t impede on his plan in any way so he had no excuse not to go through with it. His mind was made up, there was no going back.
“What are we doing today?” Yunho asked, leaning against the counter so that their faces were only a foot apart. He wanted to look into Jaejoong’s eyes so he could see if he was lying to him.
“‘We’?” Jaejoong teased with a chuckle. “I don’t know about you but in a few minutes, I’m going down to the kitchen as planned. You will just have to entertain yourself.”
Yunho shrugged. “I’ll come with you then, help out. I’ll be your sous chef.”
Jaejoong laughed. “Yeah, right. Like when you “helped” me a couple of days ago and nearly burned down the apartment? I don’t think so.”
“You should stay here and keep me company then. I can think of a few things…” Yunho wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Jaejoong rolled his eyes, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. He would miss this, bantering with Yunho, the way his erotic teasing made his neck flame hot and the color start creeping into his face.
“Control yourself,” he ordered.
He walked around the counter, making sure to evade Yunho’s seeking hands, and strolled casually into the bedroom. He picked up his jacket, which he’d casually laid on the back of a chair the night before so that Yunho wouldn’t think anything of it if his eyes fell on it, and walked back out. He could feel the impression of his knife in the jacket pocket and it gave him the strength to go through with what needed to be done.
As he re-entered the living room, he said teasingly, “I’ll make you something special, okay? Stop pouting.”
Yunho grabbed his hand and pulled him to him. “Stay.”
His eyes implored Jaejoong not to leave and Jaejoong became even more convinced that Yunho really knew what he was about to do. His own eyes started to feel itchy as the urge to cry came upon him. Instead he forced another smile and pressed a soft kiss to Yunho’s mouth.
“Bye.”
He gently tugged his hand out of Yunho’s and walked to the door. Opening it, he turned around to wave, stepped out and closed the door softly behind him.
“Going to the kitchen again?” Moobin, one of Yunho’s original personal guards, asked, an excited smile on his face. Jaejoong would often share his creations with the two stationed outside the door so they looked forward to his treats every day.
He returned the smiled, nodding. “Yes. I won’t be gone long. I’m afraid Yunho might get bored and come looking for me and we know how dangerous he is in the kitchen.”
Moobin groaned as the memory of the fear that had gripped him during the last fiasco came to the fore.
“You guys can stay here,” Jaejoong suggested.
Moobin looked at him pointedly. “You know the rules.”
They were good men, Jaejoong thought. They took their jobs seriously. Moobin and Kyung were Yunho’s original guards so they remained posted outside of the apartment door. The other three, the specially trained ones, were posted at various points on the floor. He knew where they were, though he was sure no one else was aware of their presence. They could hide from the average person, even Moobin and Kyung, but they couldn’t escape detection from someone with instincts as finely honed as Jaejoong’s.
Which meant his brothers knew they were there too.
“Alright, one of you,” he allowed. “The other residents are going to wonder what we’re up to if we’re never seen without security.”
Grinning, Moobin nodded at Kyung over his shoulder and indicated for Jaejoong to walk ahead of him.
The ride to the kitchen was a short one and when Jaejoong entered, Moobin stopped quietly just inside the door. Jaejoong greeted the head chef, set his jacket aside near the pantry, and fell into the preparation line for whatever had been requested.
While he worked, he kept his eyes on Moobin, though he made sure that the man didn’t know he was being observed. Though fit, Moobin was on the heavy side and Jaejoong had already learned that he had a penchant for eating. He liked “kitchen duty” as he called it but it also made him the perfect mark.
After about an hour, Jaejoong plated a slice of torte, laid a fork on the side of the plate, and walked over to the man.
“Here,” he said, smiling as he held it out. “Fresh out of the oven. Tell me what you think. Remember, eat slowly, savor the taste.”
Eyes gleaming, Moobin cut a dainty - as dainty as he was capable of - forkful and stuck it in his mouth. His eyes about rolled back into his head in pleasure.
“So good,” was all he said before he dug into it again.
Smiling, Jaejoong started down the aisle but the smile fell away as soon as his back was turned. He kept going, walking at an angle so he could see if Moobin made a move towards him. The other kitchen staff were busily attending their tasks and thankfully, Moobin was still preoccupied with the dessert so Jaejoong was able to round the last counter, grab his jacket and slip into the back room without anyone noticing.
The back room was where supplies were stored. It was also where supplies were delivered. He’d already checked out the entrance/exit. The heavy door housed a basic lock, which was usually unlocked during the day since deliveries came regularly, but it could only be opened from the inside so that prevented intruders from getting in. It did not, however, prevent the willing from going out, as Jaejoong quietly did like the ghost he was trained to be.
The door opened onto a wide, clean, deserted alley. Closing the door behind him, he stopped to shrug into his jacket, before making his way onto the main street. He observed the ebb and flow of the foot traffic before stepping into it. He had no destination in mind but he didn’t need one. The way would be shown to him. He could feel them, his brothers, watching, moving, like shadows. One way or another, it was going to end today.
Yunho slipped into flow of sidewalk traffic, head bent low, face and body obscured by the cap and jacket he wore.
Escaping unnoticed had been easier than he’d thought. A simple climb down the fire-escape had taken care of that. Staying under Jaejoong’s radar, on the other hand, was bound to be a lot trickier. For now, he assumed he hadn’t realized he was being followed yet.
Some instinct, a little voice that refused to be ignored, had told him that Jaejoong would do something. He’d been waiting just over an hour, having immediately snuck out as soon as Jaejoong left the apartment. He’d started to wonder if he was being paranoid and just as he was about to give up and sneak back in, Jaejoong had appeared. Luckily, he’d had the presence of mind to hide in the shadows of the huge building across the street, otherwise Jaejoong would’ve passed right by him and he wasn’t sure that he wouldn’t have been seen.
He stayed across the street, which made it harder to keep an eye on Jaejoong since he also had to pay attention to his own side, but he managed to keep up. Tracking Jaejoong from behind him would’ve been ideal but he was 100% sure Jaejoong would know if he was being followed. It was bad enough that he seemed to be at high alert and would occasionally cock his head to the side as if he was listening or watching, waiting, for something.
Were they there?, he wondered. Were they already around them? Was that why Jaejoong had left? He wished he knew, wished he’d had some kind of training, though he knew that it probably wouldn’t have made a difference. What Jaejoong and the other assassins learned, how they were taught, was on a whole other level to regular martial artists. He felt so utterly useless and helpless.
Just then, Jaejoong turned into a side street, going out of sight.
Panicked, he ran across the street, forgetting to check for on-coming traffic and narrowly escaping the bumper of an SUV. The irritated driver blew his horn angrily behind him. He rounded the corner just in time to see Jaejoong’s long hair stream behind him as he turned into another street. He rushed to the corner but stopped short of turning into it before he checked it out. It was a long alley behind a large building that, from what he could tell from the outside, was not currently in use. Passersby walked straight passed the mouth of the alley, only one silent figure strode steadily down the middle. Taking a deep breath, he glued his back to the wall and silently crept inward.
Dammit Yunho, Jaejoong swore silently, stopping in his tracks and closing his eyes. A dull throb started in the center of his brain. He opened his eyes again and looked up at the narrow sliver of sky visible between the two tall buildings. Things had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.
He’d walked until he’d figured out where he was being led to. It wasn’t something he would ever be able to explain, following without actually being told where to go. It was just instinct, the natural ebb and flow of their energies, being so in sync that you could feel their intention without words being spoken.
He’d also known that he was being followed by another person. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who. He’d been smart not to follow directly behind him but he’d still felt him. It was the eyes, the force of his concentration. He could picture Yunho frantically trying to keep up with his pace, to not lose sight of him. He would probably have found it cute and given him a few pointers on how not to give away himself if not for the fact that they were in a life and death situation.
“Leave,” he said harshly without turning around.
He heard Yunho gasp behind him, felt when he came closer.
“Stop!” he ordered. “Turn around and go home, Yunho. This isn’t a game.”
Yunho stopped as ordered but he didn’t move otherwise. He ground his teeth as fury rolled through him.
“I won’t let you do this,” he said angrily. “I won’t let you let them kill you.”
Jaejoong spun around. “Do you think I want this? That I want to die? I’m doing this for you, for everyone around you. It’s the only way.”
Yunho shook his head. “I don’t care. I’m not letting you go on this suicide mission.”
Jaejoong’s brows swooped down, his eyes and voice cold, deadly. “Do you think you could stop me?”
Yunho froze for a second. It was the first time that he’d really looked at Jaejoong and seen the trained killer in him. Not even the night he’d walked in on him with the knife in his hand, been cut by him, had he been filled with such dread and fear. This wasn’t the Jaejoong that purred beneath his hands every time he touched him, the Jaejoong that blushed every compliment a compliment was paid to him. This Jaejoong was a stranger.
But as quickly as the change had come, it was gone and he saw the desperate fear in the big black eyes that looked back at him.
“Please,” Jaejoong begged softly. “We don’t have much time. You need to get out of here.”
Mustering what little courage he had, Yunho closed the distance between them. He raised a hand and cupped Jaejoong’s cheek gently.
“No.”
Sighing, Jaejoong took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You know we’re both going to die here, right?”
Yunho gulped. “Probably.”
“They already know you’re here so I guess there’s no point in sending you away. I don’t suppose Moobin and the others are somewhere nearby?” he asked hopefully.
Yunho blushed. “No. I kinda left without them knowing.”
Jaejoong groaned and turned around. “Stay behind me. Close, but not too close. I don’t want to hurt you in the event that I need to…”
He trailed off but Yunho got the point.
Jaejoong continued to the open door directly in front of him, gesturing for Yunho to wait as he slipped his hand into the pocket with his knife and stepped inside. He knew the building well. It looked abandoned on the outside but the inside told another story. It was one of many “shells” that the clan used whenever they had…business to conduct that had to be done away from the eyes of general public.
He waited until his eyes adjusted and cast a full sweep up and down the long hallway. Despite it being daytime, the hallway was dark, with light shining from only one end. An obvious enough signal, he supposed. He waved at Yunho and when he fell in behind him, started making his way down towards the light.
Part 3c