"How do I write Zen's name again? Is it Jang Shen or Jang Jein? Which of the two?" Marlan asked, trying to write Zen's name from romanized to hangul.
"Neither," Shane chuckled and wrote it on her paper. "I already told you his name is Zhang Zen and this is how you write it in hangeul," she raised the paper to show her how it's done.
"장젠"
"I thought you said this is J…" Marlan whined, pointing ㅈ. "And now it's Zh?" She grimaced in annoyance.
"It depends… I don't know! Their alphabet just work that way."
"And my brain also works this way. I raise my case!" She closed her notebook and tossed it away.
"Hahaha don't stress yourself so much, one-chan. Just be happy because at the very least you've memorized the alphabets."
"Yeah for one week," she rolled her eyes. "I wish I were as smart as you."
"Nah!" Shane smirked and they chortled.
"Manager-nim!"
The two turned around and saw Cheon running towards their direction. Shane stood up to meet him.
"What's wrong?!" She asked, voice raising.
Cheon was gasping for air as he was pointing something from behind him.
"It's Lacy! She's going after me."
Shane's eyes squinted. "Really? Is that it?!"
"Ne!" Cheon answered, gasping. "She's been licking my leg and—appa!" He shrieked when Seiji popped out from nowhere, biffing his head off. "YAH! WHAT WAS THAT FOR, SEIJI-AH?"
Seiji placed both hands on his waist and cocked a brow. "You're really asking me that, hyung? You scared me! We thought you were already murdered."
"That's rude!" Cheon pouted.
Eyes swelling, Yi stepped out from his room, growling. "YAH! WHAT'S THE COMMOTION ALL ABOUT?!"
"Nothing, hyung!" Seiji half raised a hand and eyed Cheon. "You woke the monster up."
Yi narrowed his eyes at them before going back inside his room. They all looked back to Cheon except for Marlan who secretly took a glimpse of Seiji and looked down.
She's aware of Seiji's feelings towards her sister and she'd already accepted that but still reassuring herself that the one Shane likes is Eun and not him.
"I still have a chance," she whispered to herself, looking back at Seiji who's laughing at Cheon who's been molested by Lacy. "Where's Eun anyway?" She asked.
"With Chan hyung and Zen hyung, composing a song," Seiji answered without looking at her. "And Cheon hyung is supposed to be with them and yet he's here!"
"Aish! C'mon, Lacy. Stop that!" Shane tugged her dog away from the poor Cheon, so he got the chance to run for his life.
"Kamsahamnida, manager-nim!" He shouted.
"Aish! That guy," Shane whimpered and looked at the two left. "Do you, guys, have nothing left to do?"
They shook their heards.
"Oh because I still have, excuse me." Shane excused herself and they followed her with their stares.
"Say… does your sister have any grudge in this world?" Seiji asked which flattered Marlan's feelings.
"Ah—maybe? I-I don't know. She's been like that since we were kids, remember?"
"Oh, right!" Seiji looked at her and grinned. "How are you, anyway? It's been a while since you arrived and we haven't talked yet."
"Is it necessary for us to talk?"
Seiji moued, batting his eyes. "Ahh…if you don't want to then it's fine. I-I should go, I guess?"
Marlan was left dumbfounded of what she just said.
"Shit!" She cursed. "That was smooth, Mar."
Rolling her eyes, she sat back down, and took her notebook.
"Great! Now I forgot how to write Zen"s name again. This is injustice!"
"Why'd you left her then? Didn't you, guys, talk?"
"I don't know, hyung. I was just scared when she ask me if it's necessary for us to talk and I was like what?" Seiji's lips has been left parted.
"Was that even scary?" Yohanne chuckled. "She was just asking if what you, two, will be talking is important. What's wrong with that?"
Seiji leaned his back against the handrails and crossed his arms.
"About that," he sighed. "Ever since I knew her feelings towards me, I feel somehow awkward—scared, when I'm around her. Oh, I don't know!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yohanne also leaned on the handrails.
"Marlan is suffering from anxiety disorder since we were kids," Seiji explained. "The reason why something is holding me back from telling her my feelings."
"I didn't see that coming," Yohanne muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. He then scooted near Seiji and whispered.
"You think manager-nim also suffered the same disorder?"
Seiji narrowed his eyes. "Hyung, I don't wanna punch you because I love you but I love her more than anybody else so please…"
"Hahaha okay! All right." Yohanne jeered. "I was just messing around."
Seiji took a deep breath, dispelling his agita, and ruffled his hair. "Marlan and Shane don't have the same dad, hyung."
Yohanne cocked a brow.
"Marlan's mother had an affair with her sister's husband, thus, Shane was born, the same day her non-biological father died from an accident. Years passed, their mom also died. Reason unknown. The case wasn't solved yet but Marlan suspects their stepmother as the culprit for reasons, Shane and her only knows."
Seiji only heard Yohanne chuckling. "You talked to much when you only wanted to tell me, Shane doesn't have any disorder."
"Whatever, hyung. We better get ready. Sunho hyung's parents will arrive soon."
Yohanne nodded and the two took their different paths.
"Manager-nim? Where are you going?"
Shane was about to step out the door when Min approached her.
"Checking the case," she beamed. "Waeyo?"
Min looked down. "Can I come? I really wanted to help."
Shane looked at Sebastian and he only gave him the same questioning look.
"Seiji, Yi hyung, Xyler hyung are helping. Why can't I?" He added and looked back at her. "I want to give justice to Taesoo hyung's death. I just can't stand idly and watch my friends getting hunted. I can't lose any of them anymore."
Shane stared at him for a while and smiled. "Me either."
Min's mood lightenes up when she lend her hands to him.
"Come. I'll tell you how you can help."
He immediately took her hand and they entered the car together. The travel was smooth. Everything's at place but at far distance, Sunho's voice was echoing in a dark, shallow corridor.
"Stop…" he whispered, wincing in pain from the fresh wound on his leg.
"Should I?" The man's voice felt like it's creeping through his skin. "Because I'm not done yet."
Sunho wheezed, saving his remaining breaths, and fell down the ground. He could barely move any of his fingers. He's beat up. He swilled when a pair of sandals stopped in front of him. He didn't bother looking since he don't wanna see that person's face.
"You're done?" She asked.
"Yeah! He's been through too much already. He might die if I continue," the man, holding a dagger, said. "Where were you all this time?"
"I have to take care of the evidences," she chuckled and sat down, caressing Sunho's cheek. "So, that no one could find this munchkin until I'm done with my plans."
Sunho flinched her hand away with his remaining strength which made her smirk. "I thought you love me, Kim Jungmeyon?" She teased.
Sunho slowly looked at her and cocked a brow. "Do I? I-I know a girl. W-Who are you now, you evil bitch!"
The woman suddenly hed Sunho's cheeks, her sharp nails dug on his flesh, and he once again winced.
"I'm so gonna kill you after I'm done with your friends!" She marked, gritting her teeth.
"G-good luck then. Going against her," he gasped. "Won't be so easy." He smiled before his eyes closed.
The woman snorted and stood up. "Fine! I'll take her first then."
* * *
"But that's not the plan!" The man argued. "Everything might gone wrong if we—" he stopped when she glared at her.
"There will be a change of plans and it's your job to follow it!" She shouted and then left the room.
"I'm coming for you, little Amber!"
* * *
"Accompany him safely to the mansion, understood?"
The guards nodded and then went inside five different cars. Min was in the car in the middle, so he could be more protected.
Shane headed back inside the building owned by Sunho's grandparents to have another set of meeting.
"Assassination would be better," Sunho's grandfather marked.
"I hate to break it to you, Mr. Kim, but as of now, we still haven't gotten any information who this person was," General Lewis disagreed. "We are unable to execute any of our plans if we do not have any lead."
"Then what were you doing all these times?!" Mr. Kim snarled. "It's been already a month, General. Might be longer than that already. My grandson might be dead by now for heaven's sake!"
"We hired the most brilliant investigators, Mr. Kim, and none of them got anything from those left evidences."
The conference broke into silence until Shane raised her hand. "Will it be okay if I join the investigating squad?"
They all looked at her in askance.
"But you're just a mere manager, Miss Irie!" One of the investigator dissented. "You can do nothing about this case."
"Talking as if you've already done something, ah?" Shane taunted.
The investigator was left nothing but a bunch of criticizing stares from the conferees.
"Well, I see nothing for you not to join the team," Mr. Kim raised a hand. "After all, you've already helped enough. What can you say, General?"
General Lewis heaved a sigh. "Why not."
Shane smiled in satisfaction. Now that she won the poll, she can already do anything with their support.
Along the empty road they go, a loud explosion stopped the cars from moving forward. Min startled and screeched in fear when he saw the two cars, ahead of them, flipped over.
"Fuck!" Clark, who was driving, cursed and immediately drove back by instinct.
Gunshots echoed from nowhere which they don't have to worry about but the problem is the wheels aren't made of fucking titanium.
"CALL THE LADY, NOW!" Clark shouted and Ian immediately took his phone out.
"H-hello, my lady?" He said, stuttering. "We're being ambushed!"
Everything happened so fast and the next thing they knew is they're already sitting upside-down. The car was hit by an RPG from an unknown direction.
"Ahh shit!" Min cursed, wiping the blood from the cut on his forehead.
He's wincing in pain as he reached out for the seatbelt to unleash himself. Ian and Clark also did the same thing so they end up lying against the car's roof.
Min was about to open the door to run for his life when Ian stopped him. "Don't get out! We'll be safe in here."
"Safe?!" Min wailed. "We're inside a flipped car and you're telling me we're safe?!"
"This car is bulletproofed! They can't get us out," Clark gasped until five masked men stepped in front of them.
"Oh, they're still alive," the one who sat down and peered through the tainded glass chuckled. "Looks like he's that boy."
The man stood up and took a step back. Min thought they'd leave not until they started showering them with bullets.
"Shit! Shit! Shit! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!" Min shrieked as he was trying to fit himself at the back seat.
"THE LADY IS ON HER WAY!" Ian yelled with hopes but it didn't helped Min to calm down.
The continuous firing suddenly stopped and another man sat down, held his hand agaisnt the scratched windshield, and eyed Min.
"Oy! You!" The other man snarled, pointing him. "We're already out of bullets, just come out."
Min, despite trembling, shook his head, and the man kicked the windshield in anger.
"W-why are you, guys, doing this to us?!" He asked and they laughed.
"Step out and we'll tell you!" They taunted and started smashing their guns against the glass until it cracked.
Min covered his head with both arms in fear, sending SOS to God to send someone to save them which as instantly answered with a gunshot and one of the five men fell down cold.
"HOW COULD YOU?!" A woman's voice emerged.
They shrieked when the front door suddenly opened and to their relief, militaries showed up and helped them get outside the car. They all gaped when they heard another gunshot and to their surprise, the other four men were already lying on the ground as well.
"I already warned you," Shane groaned, still has her gun aimed on the last person she shot. "And I swore to God!"
They stopped for a moment until Shane turned towards them and threw the gun away as if nothing happened. She walked directly to Min and wiped the blood on his forehead.
Everyone could see the anger on her face as she carefully pulled him inside her car. The rescuers are working but most of them were looking at her, still speechless of what she did right before their very eyes.
None of the guards died but all of them were injured from the inhuman massacre. Not so sure but obviously, all the officials, who were handling Sunho's case, are connecting the debacle to it.
"She went all the way," General Lewis said as he signaled the medical team for assistance. "They're all dead."
Mr. Kim sighed and looked at the car where Shane and Mim entered. "Was it a wrong idea that I let her be a part of the investigating team? She looks impulsive."
"Pardon me, sir…" Sebastian stepped in the frame. "But the lady is nothing like that. She may look impulsive, act impulsive, but she knows what she's doing. She's been through a lot with this kind of situation already."
General Lewis sighed. "I know… I know her to well even when she's still not Shane."
Mr. Kim looked at them, bewildered. "Still not Shane? What do you mean?"
Sebastian smiled and bowed before he lefy, leaving the question unanswered. He opened the car's door and entered the driver's seat.
"Are you okay, milady?" He asked, looking at Shane in the rear mirror.
She nodded and continued treating Min's injury. "Follow the medical team. We'll take him to the hospital."
"Okay, milady," Sebastian turned the engine on and followed the ambulance, leaving the area secured by militaries.
Min was only looking at Shane the whole time, contemplating of what had already happened to him if she didn't arrive on time. He wanted to say thank you but he couldn't put his words right yet. He's still trembling.
Shane closed the first aid kit and placed it somewhere safe and looked at him.
"Mianhe, oppa," she whispered. "If I only accompanied you then this shouldn't have happened."
"W-what are you t-talking a-about?" Min stuttered between words. "You saved m-me, manager-nim. I-I might be dead by now if you haven't come."
"Still! I've placed your life in danger," she said and held Min's hand. "I promise. This won't happen again. I'm so sorry!"
Min smiled, intertwining his fingers to hers. "Eun hyung might get mad at me for holding your hand but I'll still do this," he beamed, feeling his heartbeat beating back to normal. "Thank you so much, manager-nim. We really don't know what to do if you weren't here for us."
"Shesh!" She grimaced. "You, guys, are my treasure and treasures should and must be taken care of and protected."
Min was taking glances on their hands, grinning.
"You should be jealous, Eun hyung," he whispered to himself and was about to avert his gaze when he saw something written in the midst of Shane's ring finger.
He squinted his eyes to read those tiny letters. "Scarlevounior?" He mouthed.