Love is Stronger than Blood (Snowdrop Oneshots)

19- you love her

Y'all noticed how Kangmu was the first person to notice that Sooho loved Yeongro, right? And how Sooho first noticed Kangmu was in love with Hanna?

Kinda a bro moment with Sooho and Kangmu

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"Good job," Kangmu said to Hanna over his radio. "Stay safe."

The line went dead.

"How did you meet Jang Hanna?" Sooho asked idly, fiddling with a few cassette tapes he'd gotten somewhere.

"Sorry?" Kangmu sked from across the table in Pi Seunghee's office.

"Your fiancée, right hyung?" Sooho said. "The one whom you claimed to be 'just colleagues' with and then turned out to be engaged to? The one you were just talking to?"

"Oh," Kangmu said plainly, looking down at his hands. "Right."

"I never bought that you and her weren't a thing," Sooho said, smiling gleefully. "You even got shot to protect her!"

"Do we really have to talk about this right now?" Kangmu asked.

"I don't see why not."

Kangmu sighed and put the radio down. "We met eleven years ago and dated for five years before I proposed."

"It took you six years to even ask her out?" Sooho asked. "Didn't you see her every day at ANSP?"

Kangmu swallowed. He hadn't told Sooho that he'd been gone for six years because of Hanna's father.

"No," he said carefully. "I didn't see her every day. Besides, when she joined the agency, Chief Ahn forbade her to date anyone who was a part of the ANSP. He said he wanted to avoid 'distractions'."

Sooho scoffed. "That's stupid. So you two have been sneaking around behind the Chief's back, then?"

If only he knew, Kangmu thought. He'd been sneaking around all right, trying to capture spies, but not in Seoul. Not in Asia, even. More or less, he'd been sneaking around hiding from Hanna, not the Chief.

Kangmu just wordlessly nodded.

Sooho laughed lightly. "You've got a good one, hyung. Don't lose her."

Kangmu clenched his fist, not angry at Sooho, but at himself and Hanna's father. He'd already lost her, a long time ago, and now he doubted that he'd ever get a chance to get her back. Even if he did make it out of this dorm alive.

"Yeah..." he mumbled. "I know."

Sooho frowned. Something was off, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was.

"Uh, hyung," he said, giving Kangmu a confused look. "You love her, right?"

Kangmu stared blankly at him. He knew the answer. But it was too complicated.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're acting weird," Sooho said. "What's going on?"

Kangmu shook his head. "Everything's fine. I don't need to give you the details of my love life."

"Oh," Sooho said. "Sorry if I prodded a little there. Next time she comes with supplies or whatever, I'll give you two some time alone."

"You don't have to do that-"

"Why not?" he asked. "Didn't you ask for a minute alone last time?"

"Yes, but... I thought that was the last time I'd see her. Now, I think I can make it out of here alive."

Sooho nodded confidently. "We will."

Kangmu smiled to himself, remembering how Hanna had freaked out over the dried blood on his face and how she genuinely wanted to help him, even after all he'd put her through. He didn't deserve someone like her, but she still offered herself selflessly. Getting caught meant harsh interrogation, imprisonment, and torture, maybe even execution, but she was willing to risk it for him.

When I get out of here, Kangmu pledged silently, like Hanna could hear his thoughts. I'm going to make everything up to you.

"What about Eun Yeongro?" Kangmu asked.

Sooho stiffened. "What do you mean?"

Kangmu smirked. "She's not a human shield to you anymore, is she?"

"I know," Sooho mumbled, looking down at his lap. "It was stupid of me to say that."

"And now you're holding her and all her friends hostage while her father is threatening to blow us all up."

"We can't trust the ANSP," Sooho said. "They'd just as soon kill all of us to keep us silent. I'm trying to find a way to stop them."

"I know. But maybe you shouldn't be so... obvious."

"Excuse me?" Sooho arched an eyebrow. "Obvious about what?"

Kangmu rolled his eyes. "Even the students know it. You've been giving Eun Yeongro special treatment from day one. Don't you hear what they've been whispering?"

"Um.... no."

"Well, I have," Kangmu leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "They're saying you're in love with her, Lim Sooho."

"They-they are?"

"I can't believe you're surprised," Kangmu said. "I mean, the way you look at her? You wrapped her hand when she got hurt? The way you treat her like she's an actual person? What do you expect people to say?"

"I wasn't expecting anything," Sooho mumbled.

Kangmu shook his head with a faint smile. "You're an elite Northern spy, but you apparently know nothing about how rumors spread amongst a group of girls."

"Hyung," Sooho scolded. "Is this really the best time?"

"You asked me about Jang Hanna, so I'll ask you about Eun Yeongro. You didn't deny it when I said you loved her the other day."

Sooho turned the cassette over in his hands, mumbling almost inaudibly, "Maybe I didn't want to."

"What?"

Sooho flashed him a quick smile. "Nothing. I'm going to the bathroom, sillyehamnida."

He got up and quickly left the room, leaving Kangmu alone. He looked down at the radio in his hand, his only connection to Hanna and the world outside the dorm.

"That little brat... he's totally in love with Eun Yeongro."

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Sillyehamnida: excuse me