Zero Encounters

My Heart

    The sun peeked over the horizon, greeting everyone to a new morning. Zero had just returned from a side job she had accepted from the dark web where she had to take pictures of her target. Most of her income came from her work with the SIU and her day job, but she still accepted work from the black market to stay involved in the scene. Kangho once persuaded her to stop, but they had come to agreement where she only took on jobs for spying and collecting debt from other criminals. She no longer dabbled in pointless fights and sketchy exchanges.

She counted the money on her desk and leaned back with a sigh. New faces were added to her wall since her visit to the church and it only created more loose ends. She made no progress with her search of the missing novice which left her defeated. The name that had been registered with the church had popped up in her findings, but they were women who didn't fit in the description she made. Some were too old, too young or never once stepped foot in a church. She rolled the ring between her fingers and held it up. Her bottled frustration felt like it could burst at any moment, but she had faith. After all, she was in no rush, considering how long she had waited over the years. It's not that she feared that she would never solve her mystery, it was more so the fear of wasting too much time on a dead end. Her phone buzzed on the table and she stared at it, wondering if she should bother picking it up.

"My dear~" Minwook's voice sang from the other line. Zero ended the call abruptly and he immediately called back with a scowl. "I'm sorry I missed your call, okay? I went golfing with some friends. It got intense and I didn't see it. Don't be mad~"

"I should be shocked that you called back." She said, twirling the ring around her finger. "I have something to ask you... Why did you name me Yeonwoo?"

"Huh? Getting sentimental?" Minwook chuckled and there was a few seconds of silence before he answered, "It suited you." His cheerful demeanor faded, "I was told, it suited you perfectly."

"Thanks." She replied despite him waiting for her snarky remarks. "That's all."

"What's on your mind?" He asked, questioning her tone, "Do I need to make a trip or are you thinking about doing something reckless again?"

She scoffed with the roll of her eyes, "How can I do something reckless when you have so many spies? I was just thinking, that's all."

"What part of your past are you thinking about?" He sighed, knowing it was all that troubled her. There would be no reason for her to call him if it wasn't. He still wished for the day where she would call him just to have a normal conversation, "The day we get you to let go is the day all Hell breaks loose on Earth."

"Count your days because it might just be soon." She smirked, waiting to hear his quick remarks, but his solemn voice surprised her.

"I still regret telling you what I knew then, you know? You don't have to keep looking for the root of your pain. I told you with intentions for you to grow from it. You don't have to right anyone's wrong doings. I wish I could take it all back if I could."

"I know." She said and turned her gaze to the door. The door clicked and she jumped to her feet. She ignored the rest of what Minwook had to say and held her pen tightly in her hand in front of her. Kangho walked in nonchalantly, dressed in a black sweatsuit and black cap. He looked up with a grin and a take out bag. "Like father like son." She muttered and ended the call. "It's illegal to pick locks."

"Shouldn't faze you and doesn't faze me." He shrugged and walked over to her. He whistled at the stack of notes banded neatly beside her and glanced at her wall. She expected him to make a comment or nag her of some sort, but he stayed quiet and made room for the food he bought.

"With your line of work? Yes, it should." She said, "You had nothing better to do on your day off?"

"No day off yet. I had work, I just finished about an hour ago." He unraveled the tin foil which kept the kimbap together.