【Ｔ Ｈ Ａ Ｎ Ａ Ｔ Ｏ Ｐ Ｈ Ｏ Ｂ Ｉ Ｃ】

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

7th October 2019

Hannah

I was panting and taking deep breaths as I halted my steps. I am not sure if my lungs get damaged with the lack of oxygen due to the excessive training I am having. Oh, God! Please save this pour soul from departing this life today. 

"Miss Cooper, it's not even two hours, and you are exhausted already? Damn! Why are you such a tenderfoot?", he muttered as he bent down to hold my shoulders. I internally groaned at him for being an asshole. 

"This is too hard for me", I stated as I don't really know how far he would take this and what he opines about my strength. I am not sure if I can do this. In the very first case, I don't want to but I am impotent.

"Without labor, nothing prospers, Miss Cooper", he patted my head and started walking ahead. I smiled as I realized he is not jogging or running. I trailed my steps behind him, not failing to notice his head tilting a bit to make sure I am not slipping away. 

Mr. Self Willed Impatient Devil.

"Why did you personally take the charge now?", I asked as we entered his mini fitness studio. He paused for a moment and then walked again, shaking his head for around three seconds. I grunted receiving his silent answer and took further strides.

"I just wanna get under your skin, perhaps. I like seeing you going all read and internally eff about us till you reach the capstone", he turned and tapped my nose with an annoying smug smile plastered on his face. If he is aiming to antagonize my last hope to breathe at peace, he is definitely succeeding.

"Hold this", he mouthed and flung the pistol towards me. I widened my eyes, displaying my discomfiture. Did he just forget about my fear for the guns and bullets? 

"I can't", I was confident in my answer and placed the gun on the table positioned between us. I don't want to hold a gun and I hate the sound of bullets. They irk me down my nerves and crackle up my bones. 

"What if I say you need to, Miss Cooper? Aren't you supposed to comply with my commands if you want to stay in the right shape and form?", he cocked an eyebrow and walked to my side, leaning his frame on the edge of the table.

"I am ballistophobic and you were cognizant of my trepidation. Please don't act stupid by making me do it. You have already forced me into your shit. I hope that's just enough for meddling into your business that one fucking time", I flared up at him and he just bobbed his head, triggering my vexation.

I was bumfuzzled when he held my wrists and pulled me close, turning me towards the direction of the target board. My hands began to tremble when his calloused palms started to graze down my arms, reaching the tips of my fingers in the end. A strange sensation of shudder swept through my body as my back collided with his solid rock chest. 

"What..what are you..trying to do?", I stuttered and mentally smacked myself for getting affected by the proximity we are sharing. He just stayed silent and placed the pistol in my shaky hands. I turned my head only to retreat it back to the original position. His hot breath is ridiculously giving me goosebumps.

"Hold it tight. Don't be scared since you are not holding the trigger yet", he whispered in his deep voice near my ear and I nodded, my mind still dazed about the next action. I don't want to do this. I just can't do this.

"Be calm, Miss Cooper. You are not shooting anyone, at least not now", he muttered as he rested his chin on my shoulder. I don't understand what he is trying to do but my heart is being a fucking betrayer by pounding like a crazy wild boar trying to escape my chest.

"Now slowly", he spoke while I am still trying to apprehend what's happening to me. He inched his face closer to my neck and I closed my eyes, feeling his lips on the verge of reaching my skin. 

CLACK

"V", I yelled as I quickly closed my ears hearing the loud bang of the bullet. My hands started to quiver, feeling an evocation of the dreadful moments in my life. I held onto the next thing to me and shook vigorously as the harrowing memories flashed in front of me.

"Eomma", I cried as I held his shoulders in pain, the pain that crumbles my heart every day. Every second of my life, I am living with the pain and I can't help but die with the agony flowing through my veins.

"They killed them", I bawled, closing my ears as the warm tears strode down my cheeks. Never have I thought of a life without them and it's killing me every day to be like this. I wanted to give up. I wanted to run away from this fucking circle with no end. Why bother when everything around me is just a mess and no one cares?

"If they killed them, try to find them if you want to. Show them what you have instead of being a wimp. You can't give up, Miss Cooper", he mouthed and I looked up to meet his gaze, my moist eyes finding it tough to discern his face clearly.

"You are not feeling okay, Miss Cooper, and I am not calling you weak for that. I call you weak for the ridiculous decisions you make on yourself", he muttered and I blinked my eyes twice. I have never made any decisions.

"You don't want to show that you are not feeling good and that's just triggering your anxiety and depression. You don't talk much to anyone but talk to yourself, adding up your loneliness. You will slowly start to hate yourself and trust me, that can very bad and painful, more painful than few blades seeping through your skin", he spoke and I wiped my tears, trying to process his words. He was surprisingly perceptive about me.

"I am not depressed", I told him and he placed his palms on either side of my shoulders. I always thought I should not be obvious of what I am feeling but there he is, already having a report of what I am, without even having much of a talk or bond.

"You will not know when you are", he rubbed my shoulders with his palms and then got down to pick the pistol on the ground. I must have chucked it away because of his sudden action.

"What are you scared of?", I asked and he took a sigh, brushing the dust off the pistol. 

"I am not scared of anything", he answered nonchalantly and I chuckled internally. Though I want to agree that this guy is not afraid of anything in the world and that the world must be afraid of him, I can't deny the fact that everyone has some fear.

"I used to be thanatophobic but I am trained to be afraid of nothing", he added and I nodded. His ego will not let him open up and I am in no mood to pry over his personal life.

"Now that you got your tea, let me help you with this", he spoke and held my hand, pulling me to him again and turning around. He was right in front of me, my hands around him holding the pistol. He snaked his arms around my waist and levered my frame to collide with his. What the hell is wrong with him today?

"I will try to distract you and you try to pull the trigger", he stated and I looked at him, dumbfounded. I am not distracted by him or his hot breath fanning upon my face if that's what he is thinking.

"It's okay. I tried to seduce you before and you have deviated from the fact that you are holding the gun. This could help. You need not hit the target board, just shoot. This is an open place and no one will be harmed", he spoke and I was speechless. How can he admit that he seduced me so blatantly?

Son of a bitch

"I will try to distract you again and you will try to pull the trigger, okay? Don't worry, I won't touch you inappropriately unless you want me to", he sniggered at me and I restrained myself from flipping his cocky attitude to an ocean far away.

"Also, I want to state one more fact in commemoration of the first emo and open talk we had. You are not doing this because you meddled in Soobin's business that day. Let's get back to training then, Miss Cooper", he mouthed, tightening his grip on my waist and inducing inquisitive thoughts in my already messed up mind.

Why am I doing this then?

"Just hold the trigger now", he spoke as he started to trace his hands over my back.

This is going to be a very long day.

───※ ·❆· ※───

"I never thought he would use the means of seduction to train me. What the fuck!", I groaned, holding my head while JK and Yeonjun were looking at me in bewilderment, their soda cans sandwiched between their two palms.

"I didn't expect it either. Hyung never trained girls", Yeonjun muttered, sipping the soda and passing the plate of fried chicken towards me. I sighed and dipped the chicken in the mustard sauce before shoving it into my mouth.

"You ate so much already. You might have a bad stomach", JK grabbed the plate from my side and I let out a scowl. The amount of training I had should be equalized with the satisfaction of my stomach. 

"Let me eat at least until we finish the movie. You know how your hyung trains so stop barricading my appetite", I scoffed at him while he just passed the plate of chicken, sighing. I smiled in victory, munching on the crispy chicken while my eyes did the job of entertaining me with the visual graphics of the Avengers The End Game.

"Soobin loves the Infinity war", Yeonjun muttered.

"Glad that he isn't here", I expressed in delight and he chuckled. It was Yeonjun's idea for a movie night out and I wanted to make my mind fresh, ending up here. JK missed Ironman, something very peculiar to his personality but then, the more the merrier. Three is a good number for a movie. 

"But then, there is something more interesting than the Ironman on the screen. What means of seduction did hyung actually use? And by the way, you were so red when you arrived home which makes me find it intriguing. Spill the beans, Hannah", JK nudged my shoulder and I frowned at his thoughts. Yes, he seduced me but I didn't find it sexually intriguing either.

Well, did I?

"Why don't you just go and ask your hyung about the boring beans that happened between us?", I retorted and grunted in exasperation. The fact that my body reacted to the slightest of his touches makes me feel so gross and mortifying. I never fancied him in a romantic way nor do I want to see him as one but today is quite an appalling one. 

"Hyung, shouldn't you be concentrating on how sexy IronMan's brain is instead of ferreting around the non-essential moments that happened between them, in all due dedication to the training?", Yeonjun raised his brows and I looked at Jk and then at him. Why did he become sensitive all of a sudden?

"Cool down, dipshit. What made you turn into a hot spicy wing now?", JK ruffled his hair, his hand brushing my neck while doing that. I smiled at his touch. Though I am sandwiched between the two muscled men, I don't feel the way I was in V's clasp. He is intimidating and perhaps, 

Intriguing?

"Who trained you, Yeonjun?", I asked as I was curious to know how Yeonjun is so friendly, unlike others. Soobin talks but he is a dick. The rest happen to space out in their respective worlds, not to forget about Kai's noteworthy Penguin obsession.

"V hyung", he answered and I widened my eyes. Holyshit! Yeonjun is not real for fuck's sake. Why is he still alive? Why is he...

Breathing?

"You are not being trained for personality development, so don't expect V hyung and Yeonjun to have the same personality. Soobin is an ass. Well, I ain't one", JK displayed a smug smile and I shook my head in disbelief. An ass is an important part of the body and Soobin doesn't deserve to be compared with one.

"What about the others? Who are they trained under?", I asked them as I started to realize that Yeonjun and Soobin are the ones who seem pretty close to JK and V unlike the other three. JK bit his lip for a second and even though I found it sexy, he looked quite edgy, contrary to my carnal fantasies.

"Do you think this is run under just two people and five shitheads? Grow up, girl", he tapped my head and I twitched my lips at his comment. I certainly know they are not the only people who are operating this whole unnamed organization seeing the power they hold and the weapons they use but then, my trial of getting to know the other members turned into a fiasco.

We finished the movie and JK finished six ramen cups in the excuse of being distressed over Ironman's death in the end while Yeonjun and I cleaned the mess. Though their pockets are certainly deep, they don't have a maid since it adds to their risk of privacy. I assumed it and I am confident of the reason. No secret organizations employ members for routine chores.

"Good night, noona. You need to wake up early again", Yeonjun reminded me and I smiled, nodding my head. 

"Good night, JK", I waved my hand and he waved back his hand with a small smile. If we hadn't been in an organization, this would have been a memorable night with friends in my life. I sighed remembering I wouldn't have met these people if I hadn't been stuck in this shit. Life is really crappy at times.

I walked into my room and plopped down on my bed, glancing at the mysterious Rubik's cube that my mom wanted me to solve. I tried moving the rows to get one color on one side but I know it results in nothing worthy. I didn't get a fucking clue of what's it directing me to.

I am sorry eomma, I am trying but this is getting really hard.

 I took a deep sigh and scrolled through my phone, smiling at my past messages with Kevin. I wish I had at least one photo backed up but I am also aware of the risk of having the data related to them. I want to know how Kevin's doing, how my Max is. I hope he is eating well and not missing me much.

I miss you all.

I pulled the duvet on myself and stared at the ceiling for a while. V and JK ordered me not to keep the door closed while I sleep for security reasons and assured me that no one will enter the room without knocking on the door. That works fine for me.

I gasped as I noticed the door slightly open. I do remember closing it as a whole while I walked inside. I stepped down from my bed and walked to the door and my heart skipped a beat on hearing the hasty footsteps. The sounds stopped and I opened the door ajar to find none. Am I imagining things now? I sighed and was about to close the door but I realized I am being watched upon.

I noticed a silhouette.

───※ ·❆· ※───

10th October 2019

"It won't take long. I promise I will return the phone within two minutes", I smiled as I held the phone while he displayed his stony face. I fidgeted my fingers and cornered my eyes, but he didn't understand. I raised my brows and he huffed a sigh.

"I still can't believe that guy is your boyfriend but remember 120 seconds and I am gonna pull that phone off from you", he flung his index finger and I nodded, faking out a super sweet smile. Fuck! Acting sweet is really hard.

As soon as he walked away from my vicinity, I quickly typed his private number. I am sure V would be somewhere listening to my conversation and there is a hundred percent possibility for them to tap the call.

"Hi, babe. What's up?", I asked and I could hear silence for one second.

"Nothing's up babe. Just that you vanished out of my contact for several days and remember that you have someone over here", he answered and I heaved a sigh as he was playing it along.

"I am in a, I mean we need to fix this. Yes, fix. Long-distance is not working. I want to walk out but I can't. Like yeah, I was talking about walking out of the relationship back then", I stuttered in the ends and closed my eyes, internally praying for him to take the hint. 

I am in a fix and I can't walk out of here.

"Babe, that's okay. We can still try as long as you are not seeing someone. Wait! Are you seeing someone?", he asked and I smiled as he got what I am speaking.

"There are many. I mean, there are many people I want to see but I don't have time. I am just trying to live. You know what happened to my parents, right? I am just failing. I mean, I am just failing to be strong", I mouthed and checked the time. I still have 45 seconds.

There are many people over here and I am failing to find who killed my parents.

"I am sorry you are going through that. But then, I have something to ask. Do you have any other relatives from Asia? I think some Asian guy, more like a Korean one is here for you a few days ago", he stated and I wondered who would have visited my mother's cabin or our house.

"I don't know anyone though. Must be someone whom my mother did a service to", I chuckled at my own words and he chuckled along. I glanced at my watch and realized I need to end the call.

"Bye Kevin. Take care and don't be depressed. Everything will be fine, hopefully. Describe. Describe yourself after a few days.", I spoke, pretending to be sad since V started walking towards me. The time is up already but I guess I can talk as long as he allows me to.

"Short. I mean, that's a short talk. Great then, take care", he spoke and hung the call. 

A short person?

"Thank you for letting me talk to my boyfriend", I handed his phone and he nodded, without a configurable expression on his face. As usual, Mr. Stoneface. 

"Ex to be precise", he stated and stopped for a moment before turning away. I smirked as I caught him with his pants down. Well! Not actually but yes. I caught him red-handed.

"I never thought you would take interest in my romantic life, by the way", I sassed a comment and he turned to me, taking slow strides towards me. What the hell! This is not what his reaction should be. Well! At least, that's not what I expected.

"You are unromantic, Miss Copper", he pressed his index finger on my forehead and pushed my head before stepping back. 

"Dress like a civilized woman tomorrow and I am going to make you meet a very important person", he stated and I balled up my fists at his fraudulent comment. Is he delusional about being a fashionista by wearing a few Gucci three-piece suits? He is just average on my standards. My sissy was fanatical about being the prom queen of her high school which was quite antithetical to her paralleled people and I was her designer. No one thought she would want to become a biochemist with the badass character she had in her high school. Nevertheless, it's the grades that matter in the end.

"You zone out too often", he voiced out, snapping my thought and I agreed, I indeed spaced out and am happy that I thought about her. 

Good memories, even though they are just memories.

"Are you going to take me to the other prominent members of your so-called organization which isn't that bad", I asked and he shook his head. I don't know if he is indicating negation or is just disbelieved.

"You will meet my son"

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

Thanatophobic

A person who has a fear of death and the dying process

A/N: I tried some humor over here and sorry for the delay. My ear's being a troublesome organ lately. Also, I have a question for you people, who do you want Hannah to end up with? Though it won't change with the answers anyway. Have a great day / night then!