Curiosity Killed the Cat

The Revenge- Alternate Ending

It took Xiumin months to track down Tao's employer and in that time he trained. He trained himself with many different weapons and self-defense skills. He knew he would never be as great as Tao was but at least he would know something about what he was doing. He had plenty of practice on the people he killed for information. He wasn't frightened anymore to kill someone. He found he had a knack for it. It came easier and easier with each person.

He also became good at covering his tracks. His jobs were messy and difficult but he never left a single trace of evidence. He wondered when they would catch on.

The man he was searching for was a large bald man who always wore black and went by the name of Mr. Z. The man didn't hide himself very well and once you knew where to find him it was easy to stay with him and that was troubling to Xiumin. Though he certainly wanted to kill the man right away, he refrained from doing so in fear that it all might be a trap. He watched him for another week, got his bearings on how the man operated, how his schedule worked, how he set up his targets.

The man ran what looked like an normal business. He owned a high-rise building that held many employees. Xiumin was still unsure how many of those said employees were actual assassin's like Tao. He figured a few dozen, but not all of them.

Xiumin found that when there was a kill on the market he would call for an employee. They would chat for a few, brief moments and then the employee would leave with a folder in hand. And every day at 2 p.m. the man had tea at a small shop just down the street. This is when Xiumin felt he had the best shot at taking the man down.

He never had bodyguards but Xiumin figured there was always someone in the shadows watching. The bathroom would be the best hope for getting anything done. Tomorrow would be his day to strike. His day to take revenge for the death of his savior.

Xiumin burned with rage at the thought of him, Tao. It was so hard to scrub the picture of the bloody man from his mind, but now it fueled his anger. It would give him the strength to finish this. He would finish this, for Tao.

The next day Xiumin waited for the man in the cafe. A cup of coffee and a book in front of him, a gun hidden in his waistline and a knife tucked carefully within his back pocket. He was ready, eager to get this done.

Mr. Z arrived just on time. He ordered his tea and took a seat on the opposite side of the cafe. Xiumin still held a perfect view of the man. The murderer. He watched him over his book as he shuffled through papers, taking his time to read each on carefully. Xiumin wondered if they were next potential victims and smiled when he knew their bounty would never reach the open market of killers.

Twenty minute's later and the man packed his belongings and head to the bathroom. Xiumin himself had been there for more than an hour now and felt there would be no suspicion in going in after him.

As he entered the man was just finishing his business. Xiumin was quiet in locking the door behind him and drew the gun. He pointed it at the mans bald head. his finger was itching to pull the trigger but he wanted the man to see his face, to know who was killing him and why.

The shock on the mans face when he turned around only gave Xiumin more fire. He hadn't been expecting him.

"Move and I shoot. Make a sound and I shoot. Understand?" The man nodded, raising his hands in surrender. Xiumin waved the gun at the floor, telling him to get on his knees.

"If it's money you want my wallet-

"I don't want your damn money. I want your life. You took one from me and now I'm going to take yours." He growled. The mans eyes widened in realization.

"I know you. You're supposed to be dead." Xiumin grinned. "That bastard was a real idiot for saving you." The man spat. "But look at you know. You've become a killer because of him, just like him." The smaller man chuckled darkly at the others words. It was true. He had become a killer, like Tao, but this wasn't for money. This was for revenge.

"So what are you going to do? Shoot me and alert everyone in the cafe of what you've just done?" The gleam in Xiumin's eye caught the man off guard.

"Not at all." He grinned. With the gun still trained on his target he pulled a pair of handcuffs from his pocket and tossed them to the other. "Put them on behind your back." He commanded. Once done Xiumin checked to make sure they were tight and secure.

"Killing me wont bring him back."

"I know. But it will satisfy me knowing that you died at my hands."

"More will come for you. I'm not the only person running the show." Xiumin proceeded to cut a thick strip of fabric from the mans dress coat and tied it snuggly so he wouldn't be able to make a sound.

"And they will die too."

With the gun back in its hold and the knife now in hand Xiumin placed the cold steel against the mans wrist and made a deep cut in each. Blood immediately pooled from the fresh wounds. But he wasn't done. The knife found itself biting into the soft skin of the mans throat. Xiumin wanted the man to drown in his own blood, gasping for air he would not receive. He wanted him to suffer but be gone quickly.

Xiumin wanted to watch the life fade from his eyes but he knew someone would need the restroom sooner or later and he'd rather be gone when they did. The knife was cleaned and fingerprints wiped from everything he touched. He was quick to leave but made it seem as if he was in no rush when he reach the busy floor of the cafe again. He was so nearly out the door when a hand roughly grabbed his shoulder.

"Xiumin." With wide eyes he turned to the voice he only dreamed of hearing again. He was greeted with a smile so radiant it almost made him forget what he had just done. Almost. He looked over Tao's shoulder. Someone was heading towards the restroom. His face held panic and Tao became confused.

"We need to go. Now." With out further question the two ducked out of the small cafe just before the screaming started. Tao yanked Xiumin back, taking his face into his hands. His expression had become cold and serious, like the one he wore the night he was supposed to kill him.

"What did you do?" He couldn't answer. He couldn't move. Tao's eyes flicked down to Xiumin's trembling hands. The blood was noticeable of you made an effort to look.

"I took care of it." He finally managed to whisper. "I took care of it." Tao looked back to him. He held Xiumin like he was a glass doll about to shatter. His smile was so faint but it filled the smaller with such happiness. It was a simple kiss that came next and that filled both with relief. Relief that this wasn't a dream.

"I'm the one who's supposed to be taking care of you." The assassin pulled the shorter into a tight embrace.

"I thought you were dead." Xiumin muttered into the others shirt. Tears spilled down his face.

"I was for a moment and then I woke in a hospital." He kissed the tears from Xiumin's cheeks. The sound of sirens made it to their ears, bringing them back to where they were and what had just happened. Tao took Xiumin's hands in his own. "We will finish this together." He promised.

They took off down the road in the opposite way of the police. They had much work to do to find the remaining dispatches. But they would do it together and that was all the mattered.

Okay so me and my tumblr friend who requested this might have talked about an alternate ending where Tao didn't die and the two ended up finding each other again. I had many scenarios running through my head but I like this one best. I hope you guys like it!