The king's horses - the king's men.

The same rich and heavy smell of coffee and the little grin that sat on Park Jimin's lips as he announced, "Check, mate," Namjoon couldn't decide what he hated the most.

By now, he was supposed to get used to this, both losing and Jimin's preferences, but a man cannot stop hoping for a change. Perhaps, that is what kept him coming back to this place every single night.

The tatami flooring and the wooden lining would go best with a floral scent lingering around in the room instead of the nutty aroma of the coffee, he thought, not for the first time. However, he failed to express himself, already knowing what reaction he would receive.

Park Jimin was a man who never took suggestions. He knew what he wanted clearly. Perhaps, he was the only one in Namjoon's life who had not changed. Although Namjoon would argue with himself that change is a natural phenomenon that all living goes through. So the conclusion he reached was that Jimin, just like the others, does have changes, but unlike others, he rarely shows the sides of his true self.

"I was pretty close this time," Namjoon said, resetting the pieces on the chessboard. He took a glance up at Jimin's face, and just as he expected, a glint of amusement was visible in his eyes. He wanted to argue further about how a few improvements in his strategies and he'd do the impossible, but even those words sounded funny to himself.

He sure could win at a lot of things against Jimin, for say, height, but chess, a game that ran in Jimin's veins like blood, was not one of them. It was like he was made for the game or vice versa. In their college years, one or two would manage to win against Jimin, but then the circumstances were different; then Jimin wasn't a bloody murderer, as he would call himself.

They are currently sitting in a 'minka' in a Japanese town called Yoshino. He was the only one who knew about this place except for Jimin's four shadow assassins. This was the place Jimin would call his home for the last 8 years.

Despite Jimin's dislike for teas, Namjoon was about to go make some for both of them until a knock interrupted their quiet peace. "Come in."

It was the leader of the shadow assassins, Elijah, with a black flower mark on his forehead indicating his position. "Sir, we received news from the city. There was an explosion at one of our training centers, and close to 300 pieces of equipment were stolen from our main headquarters."

The same shock was evident in the assassin's voice as it was on Namjoon's face. Nothing like this has ever happened before, not when their enemies knew who they were up against. "Who could do that?"

Jimin's eyes were on the piece of chess between his fingers, he spun the King until it fell flat on the board. "Jung Hoseok," he muttered the name more to himself than Namjoon, but the room was awfully quiet, hence the wind carried his voice around until it echoed off the walls.

He watched as Jimin brushed his hand through his silver hair, pushing it back, and he lifted his face, finally meeting Elijah's eyes in a silent order to complete the message.

"Reportedly, they couldn't find anyone or any traces of who might have done it as if nobody was there at all."

A small smile slipped up Jimin's lips as he turned to face Namjoon. "The king's horses," he said, moving the two knights on the board at the same time.

Namjoon was still confused. He squinted his eyes for better comprehension.

Jimin chuckled. "The king's knights, JK and V," he explained.

"Are they s-still?" Namjoon couldn't get himself to finish the question, but he knew Jimin knew. When the silence in the room didn't budge, he held himself off of the obvious questions and opted to ask the most important one. "What are we going to do now?"

"The Queen," answered Jimin, but this time along with amusement there was a dangerous glint shimmering in his eyes like the reflection of stars in a dark pond.

*

The Tsuki clan and Taiyo Clan were well-respected clans in Japan. Their assassins were known to be lethal, graceful like rose petals, and sharp like spikes.

It was famously known how the two clans didn't get along, and the Taiyo clan was more accepted by the people.

Whereas, the Tsuki clan terrified them, mostly because of its ruthless leader, Park Jimin. Both the clans had never directly attacked the other, but that was until today.

*

Laira Takai was regretting, a feeling she rarely gave in to, but today she couldn't shake that weight off her shoulders. If only she had stayed with the others, she wouldn't have been the only one to remain unharmed. A weird way to see things, she knew, but she would rather feel the guilt than be grateful for being safe.

When she arrived back at her training center, the scene was different from how it was in the morning. The walls falling on each other, the roof crushing the floor, and a sense of panic and shock in the air in contrast to this morning's peace and happiness.

Even finding her friends still alive, but injured, did not lessen her concern. She helped her people in the infirmary, and sat beside her friend, Chloe, waiting for her to gain consciousness. According to the doctor, she will wake up any minute. The roof hit her head but fortunately, she wasn't severely injured.

"It will take more than a damn roof to make me leave you, you know. I'm a strong woman." Laira got alarmed, hearing Chloe's voice and seeing her struggle to sit up.

"Enough. You proved your point." Laira made her rest back down again. "Your wounds could burst open, so be a good girl and stay still, alright?"

"I couldn't save your photo frame," Chole said, rubbing her temples. It was the one which Laira kept beside her bed, the only thing she had of her family. "I tried."

"That's the last thing I care about. Don't tell me you went back inside for that?" Laira reached forward, nudging Chloe's shoulder for her attention, boring her eyes into hers.

"I might have." Chloe shrugged, biting her lower lip and tucking back the strands of her blonde hair. "You would have done the same for me."

There was a sense of surety in her voice, a confidence with no solid ground, but what was ever built on certainty in this world? The floor might fall out, a flood might break-in, or thunder could strike down, who knows what else? But we still believed in living, didn't we?

There was nothing certain in this world or in this Tsuki Clan which made it precious nonetheless. They had no way of knowing who would put their life on the line for them, but they wouldn't step back when it was their turn.

"Good to find you well and alive," said a voice entering the cabin. Laira was quick to get up on her feet, bowing deeply.

"Master Joon," she greeted. It wasn't rare for Namjoon, Lara's team trainer, to show up unexpectedly.

"You need to come with me," he said. She could read the guilt and excitement vibrating in his deep, charming voice.

"Is this the part where you shove me off of a cliff?" she questioned, referring to their training session where he promised to do so if she didn't improve her landing position in 2 weeks.

"Worse. I'm taking you to him." They both knew who the 'him' was. Namjoon just saved her from the mild grimace her face broke into after hearing his name.

She scowled. "So is this the part where you want me to kill him?" she joked, hoping to draw their last laughter, unsure if such an opportunity would occur in the future or not, especially if he is going to be around.

"That will be a suicide mission." He laughed along. "C'mon, we need to be at the headquarters."

"Alright, master." Laira took a glance at Chloe. "Will you be fine on your own?"

She waved her hand nonchalantly. "Better than fine."

"That was pretty reckless, Clo," Namjoon remarked regarding the girl's actions that got her injured. "I heard what you did."

"I-I master -that-" she nervously stuttered. If there was a person who could take a jab at the strong and bold Chloe's confidence then it was Kim Namjoon. She rarely cared about the other instructors but around him, she strived to prove herself worthy of his training.

He chuckled. "Next time make sure you don't end up in a hospital."

"Ay, Ay." She let out a sheepish smile. From the time they had spent with their trainer, they knew when to be intimidated and when to laugh along. He was the contrast of his looks, Laira had come to realize. The bigger and intimidating he looked, the softer and kind he was.

*

Tsuki Clan Headquarters.
Tokyo, Japan.

"Master Jimin, these are the list of our new cadets." Trainer Denji handed him the list. The title of the leader was given to Jimin for his excellent guidance in combat. He was a marvelously trained assassin with outstanding skills, who preferred to take part in their missions unlike the other clan owners, who would stay back to avoid the risk of losing their lives.

"Shift the old team to the headquarters, they are more than ready, and move these cadets to the west training center under your wing," Commanded Jimin. Denji replied with a deep bow, the man was older than Jimin but the seniority was based more on their positions than their ages.

"Sir, we found the leads on JK and V." Elijah handed Jimin the file. "Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook were last spotted in Kyoto. Word has it that Jung Hoseok was with them as well."

"Better that we catch them all at once," Namjoon said, entering the cabin followed by Laira. Jimin dismissed the assassin upon their arrival. Namjoon introduced his trainee. "Laira Takai, the best I have to offer you."

Laira stood under his scrutinizing stare. This was the first time she got the opportunity to be face-to-face with her abductor. She'd seen him only once in all these years, the time he held the gun to her father's head.

Although an old memory, most of it faded, she still remembered the fear dancing on her skin, the cold sweat dripping down her forehead, and most prominently his piercing gaze. It still hasn't changed, she noticed.

"Laira Takai." He repeated her name, it sounding more heavy and dark falling from his lips. "Best you have to offer, you say? Enlighten me."

Legs, stop trembling. He's just another human. She told herself.

The air was not more breathable than it was a few minutes ago, hence proving her own encouragement to be plain lies. She could not breathe freely around this dangerous man.

In other cases, she would have taken his looks as a distraction to his intimidating aura, but knowing who he was and what he could do all the distractions failed to calm her beating heart.

Fear was an unfair word to assign to him, she thought. It was like fireworks. Although she didn't fear them, their sound would always catch her off guard, making her flinch. Quite a beauty for the eyes, but she wouldn't dare get too close.

"She is the top of my team," Namjoon stated, listing off her abilities, "excellent in running, perfect aim, and almost defeated me in fencing once. Namjoon chuckled. "Almost."

"Impressive," Jimin said. Laira raised her eyes momentarily to catch him looking at her with great interest. "Sounds about skilled enough to take down two of the greatest assassins I know."

Unable to tell if that was sarcasm or not, she hesitated to take a better look, let alone register the room she was standing in. Even in her mind, a picture of his furious eyes was plastered.

Perhaps if not so intimidated by his presence, she would have admired the shine of his silver hair on his pale skin. He was sitting all in his glory, dressed in black attire. The shirt is a little loose in contrast to the skin-tight pants. That was all she could catch.

She wondered if he remembered her as the 9-year-old girl he had abducted 9 years ago, or if he saw her just as another nameless weapon for him to use. He was 10 years older than her and back then they both were quite young.

She could see the change in the structure of his face, sharp edges around the cheeks. He didn't look old, but whatever bit of naiveness he had on his face was all gone. She took a breath in, averting her gaze to fall on the floor.

Hate was a strong word, she thought, but what she felt for him was not very far behind.

"These are your targets." Namjoon handed her a tablet with her mission.

She read the names and details on the screen. "They are Taiyo Clan's men?" She had heard of Jung Hoseok and his clan before, about a hundred times. He was famously known for being on the wrong end with Park Jimin, but he was an enemy you wouldn't stir awake and avoid as much as possible.

She ought to know better than to underestimate Jimin's courage. He was 19 for goodness sake when he single-handedly barged into her house, took down her father's friends, and god knows what he did with her parents.

The last she saw of them was when she was forcefully pulled out of her room by her abductor. Jimin paid no mind to her when she begged him to let her go. He gestured for her to be quiet with a finger on his lips, and after that, she lost consciousness due to panic and crying.

"Yes, the same men who attacked us today," Namjoon clarified. She had her queries, but she wondered if she was allowed to ask anything. With her hands clasped behind her back, she stood there with her questions.

Do I even have a choice to back out?