Secrets Untold: BTOB Minhyuk x CLC Elkie

Chapter 3 | The Deal

MINHYUK APPROACHED ELKIE'S DOOR and knocked, but there was no answer so he tried the doorbell a few timesㅡstill nothing.

Finally, he started working on picking the lock. The door is, thankfully, not like the modern ones where you enter pass codes instead. When it opened, he muttered a 'yes' quicklyㅡquite thankful that his master-on-lock-picking days aren't over yet.

He was aware that at that moment, he was trespassingㅡbut he needs to know the truth. He is doing it for his job.

He peeked inside to check if Elkie was there and when he was certain he's alone, he started looking around, heading towards her deskㅡdigging, rummaging files, taking pictures for evidence. He grabbed a notebook and flipped through it, a square yellow note fell from it where numbers and words were scribbled as if in a hurry. CHAIRMAN.

Minhyuk looked around for a telephone and then he dialed the numberㅡand he was answered after only two rings.

Before he could even say anything, a voice of a man on the other line started speaking. "Elkie? Why are you calling? Do you have an appointment with the chairman?"

Just like that, Minhyuk put the phone back on the receiver, slipping the note into his pocket. He took a short moment to make everything sink into his head before he got back to take evidences.

#

[PRESENT]

"It was you, wasn't it?"

Elkie swallowed, but kept a brave face. "And what proof do you have?" she asked, still holding her gun steady at him.

"Oh I have proofs and theoriesㅡthe fact that you put the blame on Ella so quickly, that you have the chairman's phone numberㅡnot our chairman but one from a different agency! Makes me think you're under YMㅡam I right, Elkie?"

She smirked. Cunning and dangerous. "I have to admit you're smart for a newcomer. Though not smart enough to bring your camera with you while hiding in my closet. You should really work on that."

"That is not the point, Elkie!" he said firmly and coldly, slowly stepping backwards while his gun was aimed alertly at her.

"I get the point." she told him. "But even if you tattle on me, nobody would believe you. Ella was fired."

They're now outside her bedroom. Minhyuk smirked. "Don't worry," he said. "Soon enough, your secret will be a secret no more."

Elkie chuckled bitterly. "I've been fine all this time. I think I'm going to keep on surviving."

She wasn't directly looking at his hand that wasn't holding the gun, but the sides of her eyes brought him away. He was trying to get the camera!ㅡand if he does, everything will be over.

"Touch the camera or I will shoot you." she said firmly.

He smirked. "Just try, and you'll go to hell where you belong."

"Strong choice of words." she commented, staring at him. "How about we make a deal?"

"I'm not making any deal with a double agent."

Elkie took a deep breath. "Listen before you judge me."

"Already did."

"Minhyuk?"

She tossed her gun away to the floor, eyeing Lee Minhyuk to do the sameㅡbut he didn't. Elkie knows that he won't shoot her anyway. In months of observation, she learned that this guy doesn't shoot easily.

"Let's keep this between us." she began. "Act like this never happened."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll expose your secret to everyone." she said with a smirk.

Lee Minhyuk paled, but he recovered as quick as a flash. "What secret are you talking about?"

Elkie chuckled with a shrug. "Oh, come on, don't act dumb. We both know what I'm talking about."

Finally, he put his gun downㅡcarefully and slowly. "If you get caught, it's on you."

She smirked. "Delete the pictures and we'll seal the deal."

Hesitation crossed his face. Elkie stepped forward and grabbed the camera. "I'll do it for you."

She shook her head while deleting every evidence of her betrayal. Lee Minhyuk is pretty good at this. Once she's done, she handed the camera back to him and motioned him out. "There's the door. Never creep in again." she told him.

He gave her another glare before leaving without a word.

Elkie could finally breathe.

#

Elkie was still in bed when she got a call from Sungjae, a young agent in the company. She let the phone ring a bit more before answering in her lazy, morning voice. Hey, I'm human too and I certainly am not a morning person. She thought.

She cleared her throat before speaking but it was still obvious that she just woke up.

"Hey,"

"Elkie-ssi!"

"Yes?"

"You have to come to the meeting room right now. It is urgent."

Elkie sat right up. Suddenly and completely awake. "What's the matter?"

Tension filled Sungjae's voice. "Someone hacked into the system and stole, pretty much, everything."

By that time, she had come to the bathroom, putting toothpaste on her toothbrush, phone between her ear and her shoulder. "How is that even possible?"

He sighed. "Too many traitors lately in the company." he said and Elkie felt her heart skip a beat. "Anyway, come with Minhyuk. He's not around either."

Elkie nodded as if he could see her. "I'll contact him."

#

"WHAT!" Minhyuk almost screamed to the phone.

Elkie adjusted hers away from her ear. She's in the car on the way to the company and she had been calling him from the bathroom of her apartmentㅡit's only now that he picked up and he's freaking mad?

"Are you an unemployed homebody? Or a badass secret agent? Come on, it's half past ten. You need to get your ass off bed!"

"Talking as if we're friends." he muttered. Elkie's smirk disappeared. "What do you want?" Minhyuk asked later.

"Well, first of all, I certainly don't want to make friendship with you or anyone. Second, there's an emergency in the company and nobody could contact you, sleeping beauty."

His voice was finally awake. "What? What happened? What did you do?"

"Whoa, easy there, boy. This is not my deed. Apparently, some genius hacked into the system and files are missing. You need to come to the meeting room. ASAP."

"You're not there yet, aren't you?"

"On my way."

"Then pick me up."

"What? I'm not yourㅡ"

He hung up. Jerk.

Elkie took a U-turn and drove to the street where Minhyuk lives.