The Assassin's Lover

Chapter 1

She sat on a high stool, tucked behind the cash counter of a timeworn bookshop, resplendent in a bright red sundress. Her long licorice-black hair cascaded over her left shoulder, spilling onto her thigh. Hye Jin cherished the old bookshop; it was a sanctuary where she could lose herself in the pages of history, especially during the early blush of summer.

"Geu aeman bomyeon nan jeongmal..."

Her voice danced with the notes of her favorite song, a melody that had once caused her parents to fall in love back in the distant year of 1987. Though they were taken from her under mysterious circumstances, they lived on in her heart, their love manifesting every time she sang. Their legacy remained within her.

"Gaseum-i jjinghage –"

"Good afternoon..." A handsome stranger's voice broke her reverie, and she looked up to find him standing before her, an apologetic smile on his face. "I'm sorry to interrupt your performance. I'm looking for a book."

His dark hair shadowed his eyes, yet their intensity managed to pierce through the fringe, connecting with hers. They had never met before; the bookshop was a haven for recurring customers and old scholars due to the specialized nature of the books housed there.

"Welcome. Which book are you looking for?" she asked, intrigued by the newcomer.

"Animal Farm by George Orwell."

Her eyes widened briefly before she regained her composure. "I'm sorry, we don't sell that here," she explained, wondering whether he was naïve or simply new to the area. "This is a Korean classics bookstore."

"I am aware of that," he replied with unshakable confidence. "Professor Ahn sent me here."

"He did?" Confusion fluttered within her. "Why would Uncle Jun Seo send him here? And how does this guy know him?" she pondered, her curiosity piqued.

The stranger shrugged, his attention drifting from her to the shelves behind the counter, eyes narrowing as he searched for something evidently more vital than the book he had mentioned. Hye Jin's suspicion flared, her gaze narrowing as she tracked his movements. Her hand slid into her pocket, fingers brushing against the emergency object she always kept close. She was on the verge of revealing it when he spoke again.

"Please tell Professor Ahn to contact me when he's around, have a good day."

"Wait!" she called, halting him in his tracks. "What's your name?" She paused, then added, "I mean, he will want to know who came looking for him. So, what should I tell him?"

With a deliberate slowness, he reached into the inner pocket of his jacket. Alarmed, Hye Jin tightened her grip on the object hidden in her pocket, only to relax when he pulled out a business card.

"Singularity," she read, her eyes scanning the sleek black card with the solitary word. "Great... a lot of information," she thought, a hint of sarcasm tingling in her mind. Before she could question him further, he was gone.

"Jerk..." she muttered, slowly withdrawing her hand from her pocket, where it had clung to her hidden tool.

"You're also Ahn Hye Jin, remember?" she whispered to herself, a self-reminder of her dual life.

While examining the mysterious business card, her phone rang.

"You are needed tonight," a voice commanded on the other end.

She rolled her eyes, resigned to the interruption of her evening plans.

"Where?"

"I'll send you the coordinates briefly."