Fortnight

Chapter - 19

Paris

Two years ago,

The air hostess's voice crackles through the intercom, announcing the flight's descent. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are now beginning our descent into Paris. Please ensure your seatbelts are fastened and your tray tables are in their upright positions. Welcome to Paris!"

As the plane lands and taxis to the gate, passengers start to deboard, one by one. Jaehyun stands up, adjusts his glasses, and stretches. Stepping off the plane, he takes a deep breath and grins widely. "I love Paris," he says to himself, basking in the atmosphere.

After grabbing his luggage from the carousel, he checks his keypad phone. A message reads, "There's a van waiting for you outside." Jaehyun smirks, slides the phone back into his pocket, and heads towards the exit with his backpack slung over his shoulder.

True to the message, a white van is parked right outside the exit gate. Jaehyun knocks on the door, which slides open to reveal Woobin inside. Jaehyun climbs in and settles next to him.

"Hey hyung, long time no see," Jaehyun greets with a grin.

Woobin turns to him and smiles. "Start coming to meet me outside assignments then."

Jaehyun leans back in his seat, "Oh, you know me. If I had it in me, I'd spend my whole life here," he says, gesturing broadly. "But duty calls."

Woobin shakes his head and hands over a file to Jaehyun as the van starts moving. "Well, here's your assignment for this trip."

Jaehyun eagerly takes the file and opens it. The first content makes him whistle. "Fortnight it is? Damn, have I ever told you how much I love my job?"

Woobin chuckles, smirking. "Doesn't that make you a sadist?"

Jaehyun shrugs as if it doesn't matter, eyes scanning the target details. "So they want me to keep check on the target for what, two weeks and just be ready for the order? Why not just do it ASAP?"

Woobin leans back, his expression nonchalant. "That's not our business to know. Our job is to complete the assignment as told and take the shot when given the order."

Jaehyun points at himself and emphasizes, "You mean my work."

Woobin waves his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. You're the star of the show."

Jaehyun shakes his head with a chuckle and turns to the window, lowering it to feel the wind on his face. He had missed this place. How long had it been, three or four years? He's glad this time the assignment is for a longer period. He's going to have a blast here.

Turning back to Woobin, Jaehyun says, "You told the person that I'm off work at night, right?"

Woobin nods, "Yeah, yeah, just go live your life. But during the day, you've got to focus."

Jaehyun gives a thumbs up, sealing the deal. "Got it, hyung. By day, a sniper. By night, a Parisian."

Woobin laughs. "Just don't get into too much trouble, alright?" Jaehyun smirks, "No promises. You know me."

As the van weaves through the streets of Paris, Jaehyun feels a thrill of excitement.

As Jaehyun leans back in his seat, he reflects on the earlier conversation. Yes, he's a sadist for saying he loves his job. After all, what is a sadist? Someone who finds joy in harming others, right? Well, if Jaehyun had to stay sane, then he has to embrace being a sadist. Because if you start feeling emotions in this line of work, then that's your end—mentally, most of all.

For the outside world, Jaehyun is just an employee at Simtech, attending a conference in Paris on behalf of his boss. But in secret, he's a killing machine. An assassin. The best of the best. His agency's true asset. Never missed a shot, never fumbled. One second and the person is gone, no traces left behind. He's also a master of setups, making deaths look like accidents, not assassinations. And that is why he's here in Paris.