23 23 Home At Last

Ara struggled under the weight of Jungsu as his head rested on her shoulder and he collapsed completely onto her. She would have nearly fallen backwards if not for Officer Hyun-su coming in at the last minute to grab hold of Jungsu. But even he was struggling under the weight of Jungsu. Ara helped him lower Jungsu onto the bed lined up against the walls of the room. 

Ara pulled back once he was sprawled on top of the bed to look down at him. It was quite startling how different he appeared unconscious. Where he looked sharp, alert and lethal when he was awake, he looked young and relaxed in his sleep. She unknowingly felt herself dragging her eyes over him, analyzing him in a way that she was not able to do when he was awake. Ara had a feeling that very few people had gotten to see him in this state. 

She nearly felt the urge to look away as she felt as if she had breached into his privacy, seeing him so vulnerable. The crease between his brows had dissolved into smooth and even skin. His pinched lips which seemed to always be frowning, were now set to rest in his sleep. He somehow seemed more attractive to Ara in his sleep. Perhaps it was because she didn't feel so scared of him anymore. 

Ara stood in the back, watching as the doctor began removing Jungsu's shirt. Officer Hyun-su looked back at her pointedly, indicating with his eyes that she should leave. However, Ara was not going to leave. Not with how curious she was feeling at the moment. She had the urge to see more of him, even at the expense of his privacy. 

Officer Hyun-su raised his eyebrows and turned back around with a knowing look in his eyes. Ara glared at his head, suddenly feeling irritated. 

"Oh dear. Looks like his shoulder is dislocated." The doctor said, and Ara's eyes fell back onto Jungsu's form. 

She inhaled a quick breath that seemed to have gotten stuck in her throat as she continued to stare at him, her heart beating quicker as she quickly schooled her expression to one of indifference. There was not an inch of skin on his body that didn't have muscle. He was all pale skin with corded muscles that had ridges and dips in between each set of muscles. Then, upon closer inspection, Ara noticed the faint scars on him. Some larger than others, while some smaller, and much more faint. He was a map of scars that seemed to tell a story, a story that Ara felt guilty for being curious about.

Ara simply wondered how many of those scars were inflicted on him as a result of his missions, and how many were given to him as a result of his failures. Ara remembered his words to her that day when he'd pulled up his shirt to show her the scar near his hips. Still, Ara couldn't fully trust his words, regardless of how much she found that she wanted to believe them. 

Glancing over at Hyun-su, she looked into the shockingly unguarded look in his eyes. They almost seemed...caring. 

"How long do you plan on dragging him along in this scheme?" She asked him. 

Without glancing away from Jungsu, he responded, "As long as we need to. If his information is correct, Kang Haeun is in charge of the drug distribution within the industry." His eyes found hers as he said, "He's also suspected of potential human trafficking." 

Ara furrowed her brows as she heard this new piece of information. 

"We simply haven't been able to gather any evidence against him because he is just that powerful. The evidence we do have against him is inadequate."

"And how is Jungsu's involvement going to help with anything? How do we know that Kang Haeun doesn't already know about Jungsu? Surely he does?" Ara frowned. 

"He does." Hyun-su responded and Ara felt her throat close up. 

"It's just that he's not sure what Jungsu's motives are yet. It would also be very hard to dispose of a rising star so easily wouldn't it? It won't be so easy to bury the information now, especially with Jungsu working right under Kangsoo Entertainment." 

Ara nodded her head in understanding, yet still something bothered her.

"How will Jungsu even get this evidence then? You said Kang Haeun most likely knows of Jungsu. Then how will he trust him?" 

Hyun-su pressed his lips together as he even more quietly than he was already speaking, watching as the doctor moved Jungsu's arm this way and that before pushing it back into place. 

"I'm sure he won't at first. However, Kang Haeun's supply of drugs comes from the Italians." 

Ara's brows went up at that. 

"The Italians?" She whispered, looking at Hyun-su as he nodded his head.

"Yes. And Jungsu just happens to have been a part of them." He said in a sarcastic manner, scowling as he looked down at Jungsu.

"Part of what?" Ara questioned in confusion. 

Hyun-su breathed out quietly, "The Italian mafia." 

"What?!" Ara said a little louder, causing the doctor to turn around in question, but then continue to wrap Jungsu's shoulder after Ara shot him a quick smile. 

"He's been to Italy as well?" Ara questioned, looking away from Hyun-su as she whispered in between her lips. 

"As well?" Hyun-su turned to look at her with discerning eyes. 

"Yes? Did he not tell you? He's been to Russia." Ara turned to look at him in confusion. 

"Russia?" Hyun-su whispered aggressively. "Why, that bastard!" He swore under his breath as he started pacing around the room. 

"He only told me he'd been to Italy, London, and America." Ara's eyes widened as she counted the countries in her head. 

They both glanced at each other for a moment before turning to look across the room at Jungsu lying on the bed. 

Hyun-su clenched his jaw as he narrowed his eyes in frustration. 

"When that man wakes up, the first thing I'm going to do is bring him back to the interrogation room." 

"You can't do that." Ara shook her head silently. "Do you want him to be beaten up? If anyone else finds out, it won't be good for your mission." Ara bit down on her tongue as she nearly said, for him.

Hyun-su exhaled roughly as he looked around the room with restless eyes. 

"Tell me Hyun-su, do they plan on killing him?" Ara asked quietly, feeling Hyun-su's eyes digging into the side of her face as she kept her eyes trained on Jungsu's face. 

"I don't know Ara." He responded back. "But... I like to think that he doesn't deserve that much. He's not a spy anymore, and he's given us so much valuable information." His eyes flicked towards her, before traveling back to Jungsu. 

"I don't even think the NIS wants to be rid of him. He's far too useful to dispose of." Hyun-su said in a regretful tone. 

"Then his days as a star will end before they even begin, hun? The NIS has a new job for him?" Ara huffed out a laugh. 

Hyun-su grinned at her mysteriously, and then said, almost in a proud manner, "Actually, he just got his first offer for a movie." 

Ara's eyes widened in shock, before she blinked, realizing that she wasn't all that shocked at all with the spy in question looking like something right out of a movie. 

"And get this..." Hyun-su laughed, "he's going to be the villain!" 

Ara tried to get her lips to stop moving as she pressed them together, holding back a laugh at the irony of it. 

"What movie is it?" Ara asked, curious about what Jungsu would be filming for. 

"The Testament. It's an action thriller by Director Beom Seok. He's going to play the role of a psychopath." Hyun-su chuckled. 

"D-director Beom Seok?" Ara stuttered out. 

Hyun-su nodded his head with wide eyes, feeling as baffled and excited as Ara did in the moment.

"So what's he getting out of this movie?" Ara asked Hyun-su, but what she really meant behind her words was what the NIS's purpose was for letting Jungsu play the role. 

"Kangsoo Entertainment is a large investor in the movie. Kang Haeun will most likely be on set."

Ara hummed in thought, wondering how this all would play out. 

"So Jungsu will approach Kang Haeun?" Ara questioned. 

Hyun-su shook his head. "He will approach Jungsu. And that's when we'll get Jungsu to build his trust. They both left from North Korea, though Jungsu fled, while Kang Haeun was powerful enough to leave quietly. I'm sure Jungsu can cultivate his trust. And from there..." 

"Jungsu will be let into the drug distribution, is that it?" Ara's eyebrows pulled downwards. 

"Yes." Hyun-su responded. 

The silence spoke volumes as the two of them went back to staring at Jungsu. 

"So..." Ara trailed, "when's the filming?" 

_____________

Jungsu was now sitting in the back of Hyun-su's car, wanting to be as far away from the man as he could. He had his face turned towards the window and did not bother acknowledging Ara's presence in the car as well. 

He had woken up two whole days later with a sling wrapped around his shoulder. The drug they had fed into his system was enough to keep a regular man asleep for a week. Thankfully, Jungsu was not a regular man as he had been exposed to many drugs before. It was not his first time being drugged. 

He felt Ara's stare from the front seat as she turned her body around to face him. Jungsu ignored her, not wishing to think of her and her amber eyes. Or her lips. Or her scent. 

But how could Jungsu not think of that when her fruity scent at the time reminded him of strawberries. Now she smelled a little different, however, as the scent of jasmine in the air suppressed the small flickers of strawberry. Still, Jungsu hated admitting that even that smelled good on her. But then perhaps anything would. 

"Jungsu... are you still mad?" She asked with eyes that seemingly apologized, but Jungsu could see the beginnings of a grin forming on her lips. Jungsu glanced at Ara's reflection in the window for a moment before returning his attention back to the familiar streets of his neighbourhood. 

"I never thought I'd get to see you sulking." Ara laughed, and Jungsu nearly turned around to face her and bite out a reply, before he controlled himself and kept staring out the window. 

In the next moment, Jungsu had oppened the door, picking up his bag as he made his way inside his building. 

"Jungsu!" 

Turning around he looked at Hyun-su with irritated eyes. 

"I sent you the details for your next task. You'll be starring in a movie." 

Jungsu nearly punched the wall in frustration then, feeling far too irritable at the moment despite having had a restful sleep for two whole days. He did not like playing a role with given lines. Especially when he would be playing a role in which everyone knew he would be acting. That defeated the whole purpose of it. Why would one need to lie or impersonate someone else, become something else, if everyone around them knew that it was all a lie? It was beyond Jungsu's understanding. 

Shooting a quick nod at Hyun-su, he kept walking inside and made his way up the stairs to his apartment. Placing his bag next to the door, he fumbled around in his pockets in search of the keys. As he was opening the door with his keys, he heard a familiar voice from the background. 

"Jungsu, you're back! What are you doing there? Come inside." The grandma said as she ushered him towards her door. 

"Aiya! What happened to your shoulder? Do you know the kids have been waiting for you, we were all watching you on TV." 

Against his wishes, he found his feet moving towards her as he removed his shoes. Walking inside, his stomach grumbled as he smelled the delicious and familiar scent of Grandma's food. 

Despite himself, he felt a smile tug at his lips as the boy, Ha-joon, raced towards him and threw his arms around his stomach.