Duty and Death

Cold Calculations

The morning light filtered through the grimy windows of the warehouse, casting a dull glow over the room. My mind was still tangled in the events of the previous night, but there was no time for hesitation. We had a new mission, and the stakes were higher than ever.
"Hyejin, we need to talk," Jimin's voice cut through my thoughts. He was leaning against the wall, his eyes dark and unreadable.
I sighed, knowing this conversation was inevitable. "Not now, Jimin. We have work to do."
"Yes, now," he insisted, stepping closer. "What happened between us last night..."
"Was a mistake," I finished for him, my voice firm. "It was a one-time thing, Jimin. It can't happen again."
His expression hardened, a flicker of hurt crossing his face. "Why not? We both wanted it."
"Because it's too dangerous," I replied, my tone colder than I intended. "We can't afford distractions. Not now."
Jimin opened his mouth to argue, but Hoseok's voice interrupted us. "Hey, lovebirds. We have a job to plan. Save the drama for later."
Grateful for the interruption, I turned my attention to the map spread out on the table. "What's the target?"
Namjoon leaned over, pointing to a building marked on the map. "Yoo Byung-chul. He's been moving against us, trying to take over Min-jun's territory. We need to send a message."
"We need to be careful," I said, tracing the route with my finger. "Byung-chul is heavily guarded. We'll need to strike quickly and disappear before his men can react."
"We've got the layout," Jungkook added, spreading out blueprints of the building. "There are two main entrances, but the back alley is less guarded. That's our best bet."
Seokjin nodded in agreement. "We go in, take out Byung-chul, and get out before they even know we hit them."
I could feel Jimin's eyes on me as we planned, but I forced myself to focus on the task at hand. This mission had to go perfectly. There was no room for error.
That night, we gathered our gear and prepared for the assault. The tension was palpable, the air thick with anticipation. As we moved out, Jimin fell into step beside me.
"Are we really going to pretend last night didn't happen?" he asked quietly.
"We have to," I replied, not meeting his gaze. "It's the only way to keep everyone safe."
"I don't want to lose you," he said, his voice barely a whisper.
"You won't," I promised, glancing at him. "But we can't be anything more than what we are. Not now."
The silence between us was heavy, but there was no time for further discussion. We reached the alley behind Byung-chul's building and prepared to move in.
"Everyone ready?" I asked, my voice steady despite the nerves twisting in my stomach.
A chorus of affirmations greeted me, and we moved into position. The plan was simple: quick, efficient, and lethal. We breached the back door, moving through the dimly lit corridors with practiced precision.
Byung-chul's men were caught off guard, their reactions too slow to stop us. We moved through them like shadows, silent and deadly. As we reached the main office, I signed for the others to hold back.
"Byung-chul," I called out, my voice echoing in the large room.
The man turned, surprise and fear flashing across his face. "Who are you?"
"The end of your operations," I replied coldly. "You've made a lot of enemies, Byung-chul. It's time to pay the price."
He reached for a gun, but Jimin was faster. The shot rang out, and Byung-chul fell to the floor, blood pooling around him.
"Let's go," I ordered, turning away from the body. "We don't have much time."
We moved quickly, exiting through the same alley we entered. The mission had gone smoothly, but the adrenaline still coursed through my veins. As we regrouped at the warehouse, I couldn't shake the feeling of Jimin's eyes on me.
"Good job everyone," Hoseok said, clapping Namjoon on the back. "We sent a message tonight."
"Yeah," I agreed, my mind already shifting to the next challenge. "But we can't let our guard down. Byung-chul'd men will want revenge."
The team dispersed, and I found myself alone with Jimin once more. He stepped closer, his expression serious. "We need to talk about us, Hyejin."
I sighed, knowing this conversation was far from over. "Jimin, please. Not now."
"When then?" he demanded; his frustration evident. "We can't just ignore this."
"I'm not ignoring it," I replied, meeting his gaze. "But we can't afford to let our feelings get in the way. Not now. Not ever."
Jimin's jaw tightened, but he nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But this isn't over. You can't just shut me out."
"I'm not shutting you out," I said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "I'm protecting us. All of us."
He didn't reply, but the tension between us remained, a silent promise of things unsaid. As I turned away, I knew this was far from over. Our lives were constant dance of danger and desire, and the line between the two was impossibly thin.
For now, we had to focus on survival. The shadows we moved in were growing darker, and the stakes higher. But as long as we stood together, we had a chance. And I intended to fight for that with everything I had.