The Diamond Race | discontinued

chapter 15

17:00 Seoul, South Korea 37.5665° N, 126.9780° E

Kai was restless. He shifted from foot to foot as they waited to pass airport security. His eyes flicked from person to person. The exhausted mother with two bickering kids. The security guard on his phone. The young couple chattering in Chinese about how excited they were to be in Seoul. All of them were the same. All of them were completely oblivious and Kai had once been like them. Completely caught up in his own world. He wasn't like that anymore and there were times Kai wished he was. Then again, there was a certain thrill being an agent gave him, that Kai wouldn't trade the world for.

"Excited?"

Kai turned to meet Chen's knowing grin.

"A bit." He tugged down his mask and smiled.

Chen rolled his eyes. "I know the one thing on your mind is the racing part of the mission."

"Who doesn't like racing?" Kai turned back to hand his passport to the gate attendant. "I think this mission will be fun."

"You say that every mission." Chen snorted.

"Well, this time, I mean it." Kai nudged the elder with his elbow, earning a lazy swat at his side.

"Alright, is everyone accounted for?" Xiumin walked towards them with his suitcase with Junmyeon trailing close behind him.

"We're all here, let's get going." Baekhyun bounced on the balls of his feet. His eyes were just as bright as the smile on his face.

Chen glanced at his friend. For someone who had been vehemently against setting foot in Seoul, Baekhyun looked awfully cheerful and energetic. Not to mention the little episode he had on their trip back. The haunted look in Baekhyun's eyes that time had Chen deeply concerned for the other.

"So, Junmyeon do you know what code name you want?" Baekhyun asked as he popped a lollipop into his mouth. His eyes were trained on poor Junmyeon like a bullseye.

"I did think about it during our flight. I like the name Suho."

"Suho?" Baekhyun arched an eyebrow. "What kind of name is that?"

"It means guardian, like a protector of sorts. One for justice."

Xiumin didn't laugh while Kai, Chen, and Baekhyun did.

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

"We're not guardians of anything Suho." Chen chuckled. "We are definitely not superheroes."

"It's a good name." Xiumin sent knife like glare at the others that sobered them up quickly.

Junmyeon preened at that. He looked down shyly at his shoes.

"I thought so too."

"You'll go by agent Suho now." Xiumin replied. "Tell no one about your real name. Understand?"

Junmyeon nodded. He was no longer Kim Junmyeon, technology and engineering grad student. He was agent Suho.

"So any ideas as to where our so called escort is?" Baekhyun looked left and right. "I thought you said they would be here."

Xiumin shook his head. "We don't need to find them. They'll find us."

"Correct as always Xiumin." Came a light chuckle from behind them.

Walking towards them were two men in black suits. One was slightly shorter than the other. He had a kind dimpled smile on his face. The taller man beside him gave them all a cool once over. He didn't look nearly as kind as the other man. He had a stoic face and an unfriendly aura. His eyes met Kai's and Kai could instantly tell that they weren't going to get along at all.