Guts (EXO)

The Mission

"I'm in."

For the fifty-seven years that Yoon Daesuk had lived, never had he been caught off-guard by a mere seventeen year-old that, out of nowhere, came crashing inside his office at six-thirty in the morning.

He cleared his throat, clasping his hands together. "Excuse me?"

Hyerin stood at the other side of him, leaning forward with her hands rested on the glass surface of the table.

"I'm in," she repeated. "I'm going to do it."

She didn't need the few days given to her to make up her mind. It was clear to her that this was what she was supposed to do – this was what her mother wanted for her.

"Are you entirely sure about this decision?" Agent Zero questioned, looking her straight in the eye as if it will convince her otherwise. "This is a serious matter-"

"Can you please quit it with all this talk? Because I know this is a serious matter. I know it can be dangerous. But I'm not twelve. I'm not dumb to not realize that this is some life-threatening, life-changing thing," she snapped. "You're not going to change my mind. I'm doing this."

Agent Zero heaved a deep breath, running a hand through his graying hair. He tapped his fingers against the surface of the glass as she impatiently stared at him.

He looked up and finally met her gaze. "Very well." He stood up, walking around the table. "I expect you to give us your full cooperation then."

Hyerin held out her arm. "Of course."

He stared down at her outstretched hand and shook it firmly.

"So when do you plan on taking your first mission?" he asked, folding his arms in front of his chest.

Hyerin wanted to scream out of delight but resorted to a shrug. "Right now."

Agent Zero gave her another doubtful look before clearing his throat. He walked towards the table and picked up a crisp manila envelope. "I see you're rather excited."

"You can say that."

"Here." He handed her the folder. "It is less work compared to what we give out normally but it's still quite a handful."

Hyerin opened the envelope, only to be met with a thick stack of papers. "You expect me to read all this?"

Agent Zero raised a brow. "You don't have to, but if you want to know more about your targets then yes, that would be quite helpful."

Hyerin frowned. "Targets? What exactly is my mission again?"

"Yes, targets," he confirmed. "Your mission is explained there inside that envelope, but seeing that you seem to be unwilling to go through the paperwork, I will make the long story short – you are going to gather and bring some people here in our HQ."

"That's all?" she blatantly asked, giving him a blank stare. "Just take them here and it's done?"

He looked like he was about to pop a vein. He seemed to be annoyed with her arrogance, but Hyerin was having way too much fun unnerving him to stop. "Yes," he sighed. "And it is actually to your advantage. They attend your high school."

She raised a brow.

"Yeongnam, correct?"

Hyerin's triumphant smile faltered. She was ready to do whatever assignment they gave her, but people from her school? Teenagers, for that matter? It didn't seem right.

"What do you need from mere children?" she questioned, tucking the manila envelope under her arm.

"You shall find out once you bring them here."