There was an awkward silence before Min Ho sighed loudly. “Now I feel more like a hostage,” he replied, crossing his arms. “Being locked in this room, starving to death…”
“Stop being dramatic.” Shin Hye walked to the desk at the corner of his room and pulled a chair. She sat down and silently scanned the place as though it was her first time being there. She met Min Ho’s gaze that hasn’t softened since she came in. She knew he was annoyed with her, but it was admirable how he’s keeping it bottled in. “Is that how you feel being here? Like you’re a hostage?”
Min Ho creased his brows and looked at her like she was speaking a language he couldn’t understand. Shin Hye detected it right away and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her thighs. “You can be honest.”
“As honest as you’ve been to me?”
She let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back. “Ever since you found out who I am, I’ve never lied to you.”
“That’s because you never tell me anything, so there’s no chance for you to lie.” He narrowed his eyes. “I’ve only seen one real, honest moment with you, Shin Hye. This morning at the staircase. And you’re trying to pretend like it never happened.”
Shin Hye’s body went frigid as Min Ho’s eyes bore into hers. He wasn’t angry, he was aggravated. Truthfully, she couldn’t blame him; but there was little she could do about her personality. This was who she was. She would give anything to be like normal women who can share their feelings or just give in to every emotion. But she wasn’t normal, she was fucked up. Even now, seeing Min Ho on his bed and being alone with him in this room, she was filled with desire like she’s never felt before. But she couldn’t, for the life of her, act on it – like something’s strapping her down.
“Hasn’t it ever occurred to you that I’m not used to… any of this?” She bunched her hands into fists and rested them on her knees. “I can’t be honest or open because in my world, those are weaknesses! I can’t even begin to pay attention to my feelings because I’m not supposed to have them!” Her voice rang inside Min Ho’s room. She bit her lip and took a deep breath to calm down. “I’m an assassin for God’s sake,” she spoke softly. “You know who I am and what I do. Guns, criminals, covert missions – I’m an expert at those things. Men, dating, lov…” she trailed off and averted her eyes. “I’m a total idiot at any of that. Do you really expect me to know what I’m supposed to do with how I feel for you?”
“Try.”
“Huh?”
Min Ho pulled his legs over the bed and stood up. It was only now that she noticed the change in his expression. “You’re not used to any of this, I know that. But please… try,” he walked to her slowly. Shin Hye’s breath hitched as he got closer. She fidgeted in her seat, but Min Ho bent down and put his hands over hers as though telling her to relax. Slowly, he knelt on the floor without taking his eyes off of hers. “I’m not asking you to try for me. Try for yourself. After everything you’ve been through, give yourself a chance to feel something again,” he squeezed her hand tenderly. “But you have to want to.”
Shin Hye was silent for a while before she found her voice. “We could get hurt.”
The side of Min Ho’s lips twitched up. “Aren’t we already in danger?”
“This is truly a bad idea,” she stammered, becoming more aware of Min Ho’s nearness. “You know that, right? This is a fucked up thing we’re getting into. You can’t just have feelings for the person who was supposed to kill you. Or in my case, for a target!”
“Shin Hye.”
“What?”
Min Ho’s hand reached up to caress her cheek, running his tongue over his lower lip. “I’m trying so hard not to kiss you right now so give me a fucking answer before I lose it. Are you going to try or not?”
Her eyes flitted to Min Ho’s now moist lips and felt her heart drum loudly. Her voice was stuck at the base of her throat as she drew an answer.
“You can be honest. To me, that’s not a weakness,” he continued, his thumb still brushing her skin repeatedly.
Shin Hye closed her eyes briefly before opening them and staring into Min Ho’s dark eyes – the eyes that started all this. “I want to…” she paused. “I want to try.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Min Ho swooped in and kissed her fervently. The hand that cupped her cheek moved to the back of her neck as Min Ho gradually rose from the floor, leaning into her. She stifled a gasp at Min Ho’s assault, but no sooner did her hands find his chest. She slid them up to his shoulders then around his neck, yanking him closer. This kiss was no longer chaste like the one they shared this morning. This one was passionate and hungry. Honest. Shin Hye matched Min Ho’s intensity as their tongues darted in and out of each other’s mouths. Shin Hye’s head swirled, leaving her wondering if this was what complete abandon felt like, because she has never felt this way before.
Min Ho’s left arm snaked around her waist and pulled her up along with him. Min Ho pushed his body against hers in an attempt to be as close to her as possible, her body responding with the same yearning. She could feel his muscles under thin shirt, tensing whenever she brushed them with her fingers. It took a lot of willpower, but she pulled back slowly, completely breathless. “We can’t…”
He didn’t let another syllable in as he stopped whatever she was about to say by crashing his lips into hers. “No take backs,” he managed to speak in between ravenous kisses. Keeping him secure around her with no chance of escape, he turned around and pushed Shin Hye slowly to sit on his bed. Min Ho leaned onto her, causing her to lie on her back.
Shin Hye’s training as an assassin must have paid off because she managed to push him back despite the raging protest from every part of her body. Her elbows kept her upper body propped up because she didn’t know if she can resist once she’s completely lying down. “I’m not taking it back,” she said in between labored breaths. She was staring up at a frustrated looking Min Ho whose face was still inches from hers. He looked like he was in pain but Shin Hye smiled faintly and reached up to run a thumb over his lips. “I’m going on a mission.”
Min Ho’s gaze darkened but he didn’t budge. “When?”
“Now.”
“You’re kidding,” he inched back a little and ran a hand through his hair.
“I wish I was. That’s why Chae Won’s here.”
“I hate her.”
Shin Hye let out a small chuckle and hauled herself up even more, pushing Min Ho away. “You and me both.”
Just then, there was a knock on Min Ho’s door and Shin Hye shoved Min Ho faster than lightning, causing him to tumble on the floor with a thump. He let out a muted groan and clutched his shoulder that unfortunately collided with the ground first. Shin Hye’s eyes widened, but instead of apologizing, she mouthed a command for him to get his ass up. She immediately got off the bed and used her fingers to comb her hair that got disheveled in their momentary distraction that should have lasted longer.
Min Ho rolled over and hauled himself up the bed with difficulty. Shin Hye ran to the chair she previously sat on and crossed her legs like nothing happened. After another knock, the door opened and Shi Yoon came inside. He didn’t see Shin Hye at first and just gawked at Min Ho who was awkwardly sitting on the bed with a pained expression, his hand still on his shoulder.
“What happened to you?”
“I punched him,” Shin Hye piped from the corner. Shi Yoon whipped his head in her direction, surprised by her presence. He looked from Shin Hye to Min Ho a few more times.
“Is there something going on here?” He asked with a raised brow.
“She just told you she punched me,” Min Ho croaked.
“Really?” He folded his arms across his chest, looking like he wasn’t buying any of it. “Did he punch you on the lips because yours sure are looking bruised. Yours, too, Shin Hye.”
“Shut up and get ready. We’re leaving in thirty,” Shin Hye shot up from the seat, trying to keep her pokerface on. She gave Shi Yoon a hard nudge at the back of his head but Shi Yoon was still staring at Min Ho as though he was forcing a confession out of him.
“What?” Min Ho asked, his hand instinctively flying to cover his mouth. Before he realized what he’d done, Shin Hye and Shi Yoon’s eyes already widened.
The hacker pointed an accusing finger at him. “I warned you!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Min Ho raised his hands innocently, trying hard not to smile.
“Get over here,” Shin Hye grabbed a fistful of Shi Yoon’s shirt from the back and yanked him away from the room. She just put her guard down for Min Ho, she’ll be damned if she had to have the talk with Shi Yoon, too.
“I’m not done yet!” Shi Yoon complained, trying to get away. But Shin Hye pulled him back as far as the living room where Chae Won was currently retrieving her weapons. A frown appeared on her pretty face when she saw them.
“What the hell was I thinking agreeing to go out with a weakling like you,” she scoffed, securing her gun at the back of her jeans.
“Smart is sexy and you know it,” Shi Yoon spat back, wriggling free from Shin Hye’s clutch.
Chae Won rolled her eyes and turned to Shin Hye. “I take it you’ve told pretty boy we’re leaving?”
Shin Hye shot her a glare and proceeded to grab her weapons on the table, too. “Just focus on the mission.”
“I’m not the one who’s distracted,” she added with a knowing smile.
Shin Hye decided to ignore her comment or she’ll just get herself worked up for no reason. Concentrating on the task before them, they ran through the plan again, making sure everything was understood. “Remember, we need him alive.”
Shi Yoon and Chae Won nodded and moved out. Shin Hye took a quick glance at the hallway and was surprised when she saw Min Ho’s figure emerge. She reckoned he’d been standing there for