Picture Perfect | k.th

Chapter 25

"Even in espionage, she aims to be the hottest in the room," Haru chimed, helping me pull my hair back into a tight bun.

"Nothing wrong with looking hot while I put a criminal away," I shrugged.

She sighed, "Last chance, you can back out. We can find another way."

I shook my head, "No way. I've come too far to back out now. He's already expecting me. He just doesn't know when. I've got the element of surprise. That way I can at least try to get the hostages. Whatever happens after is up to fate."

She gave a tight smile, nodding as she engulfed me in a hug, "Just...be careful okay? I know you know all that self-defense from your dad and all, but you're still just a person. Not a superhero."

"I know. I'll be careful, I promise. This is just another adventure, okay? And I've got the perfect adventurer's spirit so I'll be totally fine," I spoke firmly, hoping to inspire confidence in her and myself.

"Then in that case, we better go. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can pretend that I didn't just aid and abet you in putting your life at risk," she sighed.

While we were driving over to his house, I rehashed the plan again once more to make sure I didn't mess up a single step. Hyungseo was already expecting me because I had asked him to meet up privately. But he had no idea when, and that meant that he would be trying to prepare. Because even in his hatred of me, he still had feelings for me. From all the other times I had been there, I learned that he kept an extra key under a plastic rock outside of his house. Hopefully, what I could do is quietly get in, rescue the people, and try to talk down Hyungseo from his tirade.

I could still feel my lips tingling with Taehyung's warmth from our kiss earlier. A memory fresh in my overflowing brain. Every time I felt an inkling of uncertainty, I just had to remind myself that I was doing this for him and the boys. Their life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as Jefferson once said.

Hyungseo had texted me several times in the last hour asking where I was with no response on my side. The last thing he sent was a dejected comment about taking a shower and ringing the doorbell if I had come. That was perfect. An ideal window of time for me to try to get in and out.

"Just drop me off here and go," I told Haru, gathering all my courage.

She held my arm, unwilling to let me go, "Sohee...just...don't die."

I gently removed her hand off of mine, offering a comforting and reassuring smile. "I won't. Kang Sohee is too good for that."

She gave a halfhearted laugh before letting me out of the car. I hurriedly ushered her away just to make sure that nothing could catch her helping me out in this operation.

Once I was sure she was gone, I turned back to the death house. With hands clenched into fists, I sternly stalked towards my fate.

I did a quick sweep of the house, discreetly checking through the windows to make sure that Hyungseo hadn't finished his shower or wasn't lying about going. Once I was sure that he wasn't around and that no one in the neighborhood was snuffing me out for suspicious activity, I hastily grabbed the spare key from under the plastic rock, right where I knew it would be.

With one last look around, I swiftly unlocked the door and slipped inside the lion's den. Definitely no backing out now, no matter what.

The rushing sound of the shower was loud, but I couldn't let my guard down, as it could've easily been a diversion. My head was on a swivel as I took careful steps through the house I had grown familiar with in the last couple of months.

The lights were on, and everything had been left as if it really was just an ordinary person living there. Mail strewn over the dining table, food cooling on the counter, and a TV playing the news from the other room.