13 Worth Of A Kiss

"A kiss?" Clara was baffled as she asked with a look of disbelief, "No…That's too much, Julia. You know I can't do something like that," Clara said with a serious look.

"Yeah, Julia. Is a kiss really necessary? All we gotta do is look like a couple on their wedding day, right?" John asked as he scratched his hair, making Clara nod in agreement.

Julia sighed as she stepped forward and approached Clara, "I know it seems unnecessary but it's the most important one to sell the image of you two being a couple. These days, young couples post romantic pics in their finstagram all the time which is not just holding hands or hugging. But since you two can't do anything intimate for obvious reasons, we have to resort to having just a kiss and a wedding pic is the most perfect one."

Clara narrowed her eyes in contemplation but still shook her head with a unconvinced face, "But this is crossing a line I cannot afford to, Julia. I am not even single but married in real life."

"I understand your predicament, girl. I was there too once," Trevor's voice echoed from the side as Clara saw him walk in with a solemn face which was different from his usually jesting face.

"What do you mean by that?" Clara asked with a curious face.

Trevor softly smiled and caressed his wedding ring as he said, "I have been married to my wife for 30 years. But as you all know she still doesn't know what job I really do. When I was younger and was quite handsome, hehe, I was tasked to seduce a dangerous woman and get information."

"Seduce? Are you kidding me?" John asked with a astonished look while Clara had the same expression.

Trevor chuckled and said, "I am not bragging this time, guys, believe me. Back to my story, I was in a great dilemma like you, Clara because I loved my wife more than anything and I didn't want to do anything that might hurt her."

Clara slowly nodded with a solemn face, feeling she could relate and was more curious, "So what did you do in the end?"

Trevor gave a complicated smile as he said, "I refused the job. But…my decision ended up costing the lives of 5000 people because that woman went on to bomb places filled with innocent people including children. Never before has I regretted something so much. Even to this day I feel like the blood of those 5000 people are on my hands."

"Don't feel too sad about it, Trevor. It's not your fault," Julia said as she patted Trevor's arm.

"Yeah, man. That's tough shit and hell, I am sure you can't blame yourself for that," John said with a heavy sigh.

"I am so sorry, Trevor…I never knew," Clara mumbled with a sympathetic look as she once again contemplated on what was at stake here.

Leon was a dangerous man who sells weapons that could cause not few thousands but tens of thousands of deaths across the world.

'Alex…what should I do…' Clara mumbled in her mind as she felt greatly conflicted.

"Don't think it as a big deal, Clara. The point of my story is that I should have realised that the missions we do are bigger than any of us. We can't afford to think and act like normal people. So the restrictions or moral obligations you think that binds you doesn't hold for the greater good," Trevor said earnestly as Clara looked at him, her expression still anxious.

"Or think like this. If you have to kiss for the mission, does it really mean anything if your heart isn't in it? Your feelings for your husband will remain pure and intact as long as you know where your heart is at. Otherwise, any physical act is meaningless. Only your feelings are important. But it's up to you. How many lives are worth for just a simple act of touching skin?" Trevor asked with a serious face.

Clara briefly closed her eyes as she took a deep breath.

She then opened her eyes slowly, her eyes glowing with determination, "Okay…let's just get it over with quickly."

John raised his brows as he asked with a concerned look, "Are you really sure, Clara?"

"Are you?" Clara asked with a slightly tense look, knowing John was commited too.

John gave a wry smile and said, "I am moved by Trevor's story too and I think I would rather save lives than worry about my pretentious girlfriend."

Clara furrowd her brows as she noticed the hint of sadness and frustration in his voice. Was he unhappy with his girlfriend?

But she didn't think too much into it as right now she must wanted to quickly get this done, 'I am sorry, Alex. But I have to do this for your sake too…' Clara apologized in her mind as she stood before John.

"Okay, guys. I only need a photo but I need both of you to kiss for at least 10 seconds so that I can capture the right moment. Otherwise it would just seem awkward," Julia said with a wry smile.

Clara rubbed her forehead with a sigh, "10 seconds?" She didn't know if she can really keep kissing another man for that long.

"10 seconds? It should be over before we open our eyes, don't worry," John said with a wink, making Clara softly chuckle as she slowly raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck to get into position.

She then took a deep breath and began to close the distance with a hesitant face.

She could feel his gaze on her lips and his hot breath caressing her face, sending shivers down her spine.

Her hands unconsciously clutched his shirt as she slowly closed her eyes, her heart becoming heavier.

"MmmN!~" Her eyes suddenly widened when John's warm lips suddenly enveloped hers and felt her lips getting sucked into his mouth as if her lips were being devoured.