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Youngjae had always been great at puzzles. He liked to watch people, to identify important information and pull it from everything he heard and saw. They called him the brain of the team, and he accepted the name, liked it even.
Youngjae observed his surroundings and trained himself to pick out important elements, to catch information others missed. In a world of chaos, he learned to comprehend the scenes flashing before his eyes as order and learn everything he could from them.
His precision in observation, the ability to focus in on the smallest sensory detail and leach out all important information from it, led to a sharp accuracy no less dangerous than his skill with darts.
Unlike the darts, however, his role as the brain came with a price.
Brains compare evidence, take in detail and run it through mental tests and sensors. After completing everything, they send messages, telling legs to walk and fingers to grab. It’s up to those other limbs to respond to the directions. Brains never act. They only observe, analyze and announce the best course of action.
The lack of action never bothered Youngjae. He treated each job like a puzzle.
Youngjae spent days watching the group of drug dealers his team planned to kill. The men's schedules and their vulnerabilities became obvious to him. He moved each puzzle piece into place except the last one, which he handed to Himchan.
Himchan led the way to their hideout and fired the first bullet. The last piece fell into place. Youngjae drew the plastic across the door.
Himchan trusted him. He’d yet to face a situation where Youngjae’s observations weren’t helpful. Youngjae had yet to run into a situation he judged wrongly.
There’s a first time for everything.
Youngjae noticed Jongup’s lingering glances even before Jongup himself seemed to notice. He caught Jongup’s eyes from the corner of his vision, then watch him turn away, fists clenching and teeth grinding together. Jongup shook his head, looked confused and then stole another glance when he thought Youngjae wasn’t looking. Youngjae saw all of it.
The fire in Jongup’s gaze could only mean one thing, and Youngjae enjoyed the looks. He and Jongup had never gotten too close, but this could change everything. Jongup wanted him, and Youngjae watched him realize that, laying out the original pieces of a new puzzle.
For the first time, Youngjae didn’t know the final picture he planned to create. A normal puzzle ended with a high body count, a successful mission and money. This one could end a lot differently. He welcomed the unknown challenge.
Youngjae observed everything with more subtlety than Jongup could ever manage. Their roles existed on opposite extremes. Youngjae watched and waited, proactive and able to sense their next necessary move. Jongup reacted, a genius with his weapon, but his role in the gang depended on acting out Himchan’s instructions.
Youngjae should have realized that role never satisfied Jongup.
He was still happy with only observing the glances and stares when Jongup decided to act on them. He slammed Youngjae against a wall, ignoring his gasp of surprise. The kisses left their lips swollen, and the leg pressed between Youngjae’s thighs promised him more would come. Neither of them spoke, but Youngjae knew they’d created an acting pendulum.
It swung forward, and Jongup’s bodyweight trapped him against his bed. Then it swung away, and Jongup stood centimeters from Himchan’s face, taunting him with a knife. Youngjae saw it, observed it and never acted.
He only added more pieces to the puzzle.
Youngjae enjoyed the game. He enjoyed watching Jongup, both in a way Jongup never noticed and in a more obvious way that caused Jongup to smirk and visit him later that night.
Youngjae realized at some point that he looked forward to Jongup’s visits for more than curiosity, and the pendulum annoyed him. He told Jongup that by way of heated glances, which he could only ignore for so long. New puzzle pieces changed the image from what Youngjae originally pictured, but he accepted the change and fit those pieces into place with the others.
Despite his game with Jongup, Youngjae was too smart to allow Jongup to blind him, especially not when Daehyun began to act strangely. Daehyun always was the most obvious of the group, and his mistrusting eyes found Youngjae’s too often for it to mean nothing.
Youngjae never offered him a smile when their eyes met. Daehyun knew his abilities far too well for Youngjae to pretend they’d only met eyes by mistake.
He recognized Daehyun’s actions as desperate and fearful. Part of him wished to confront Daehyun, but direct confrontation went against his nature and his role within the team. Rather than acting, he informed Himchan, who already knew. Himchan decided not to act.
Youngjae didn’t know it at the time, but the situation added more pieces to Jongup’s puzzle, shifting it into the start of a picture Youngjae couldn’t yet imagine.
Daehyun’s eyes followed him as he hid money from the others. Youngjae spotted Daehyun lingering behind a pillar, but it didn’t surprise him. Still, he pretended to only see Junhong in front of him.
Youngjae wondered if Daehyun believed him when he explained why he had the money, clasping Junhong on the shoulder and earnestly lying to his face.
Youngjae wondered if anyone believed anyone in the gang anymore. If they were smart, then they didn’t. Daehyun learned that the hard way.
Youngjae trusted Himchan. In their line of work, they shouldn’t trust anyone, but he trusted Himchan, and Himchan possibly trusted him back. Youngjae thought that may be a mistake on both sides, even though he saw no logical reason for either of them to betray that trust.
He didn’t trust Jongup, but Youngjae also didn’t stop him when Jongup entered his room during long nights. They never spoke about what had started between them. Both accepted it, and any decisions were made without words. Youngjae appreciated the ability to act, rather than only lay down puzzles and hand off the final piece.
He noticed how Jongup’s eyes lingered on Daehyun. Jongup became more jumpy but also more careless, as though both confident and fearful simultaneously. Youngjae didn’t understand him; he wasn’t as straightforward as Youngjae originally thought. More pieces fell into place, adding to a picture Youngjae couldn’t see anymore. He filed all he knew away for further thought.
After a week of barely seeing Jongup, he appeared in Youngjae’s bedroom again. Blood flaked off his hands, and the metallic smell of it rung warning bells in Youngjae’s head, warning bells he’d fine-tuned a long time ago.
Himchan hadn’t ordered any killings. Whoever’s blood dried on Jongup’s hands, he killed them for some outside reason. Youngjae never commented on it, and later that night, when he couldn’t hold back sounds that risked alerting the other rest of the team, Jongup pressed that same hand against his mouth. Youngjae tasted blood but not gunpowder. He wondered what that meant.
Daehyun got drunk one night. They never drank that much; it made them too obvious, and that bar was a normal haunt for them. Himchan sent him back, but by the time Youngjae went to check on him, Daehyun had disappeared again.
He spotted a crumpled paper on the floor and unfolded it to see a picture of a girl. The dried blood on her body made the pieces come together. Daehyun’s mistrust. The blood on Jongup’s hands. Jongup’s hidden glares towards Daehyun.
Youngjae saw a much better picture in his head, but it still looked fuzzy.
He’d never been the romantic type, but Daehyun was different. Youngjae imagined the girl in the photo must be his girlfriend. Youngjae was too rational for empathy; instead he scoffed because Daehyun’s a killer, and they’re all killers. How else could this hidden romance end except in the girl’s death?
Youngjae still couldn’t understand Jongup’s power games with Himchan, but he knew that meant there was more to come. Whatever game Jongup played, he didn’t plan on ending it with Daehyun.
He still needed to find more pieces, and he still couldn’t comprehend the final picture. Youngjae decided to keep the knowledge to himself. Himchan seemed unaware, despite how obvious Daehyun acted. Youngjae wondered if Himchan also was acting, biding his time to see how the situation developed. It wouldn’t surprise him.
He headed to the meeting, walking with Jongup through the building. They’d grown casual around each other, bodies closer than usual. Youngjae’s hand brushed Jongup’s, and he felt Jongup’s eyes focus on his face. His heart beat a little faster when Jongup looked at him.
Daehyun had the clear disadvantage, and all three of them knew it. He made it much too obvious when he sniffed for a hidden message on the back of the sheets from their informant; the fact he smelled one became all too clear to Youngjae.
Jongup never reacted, looking as uninterested in Daehyun as per usual. His solid deception made Youngjae uncomfortable; even Himchan had small ticks Youngjae caught when he lied, but Jongup had no noticeable changes in body language. Perhaps there was more to Jongup than his genius with weapons.
Youngjae waited until after Daehyun left to find the paper, and the written words caused him to freeze. His fingers traced Jongup’s writing, and he wondered what to do with the new information. Jongup had given Daehyun another order.
Kill Himchan.
Youngjae hadn’t realized Jongup wanted Himchan dead. He should contact Himchan, warn him about Daehyun, but he knew Daehyun wouldn’t manage the kill. Something promised him that Jongup knew the same thing. He left the paper and returned to his room, contemplating the new information he had about Jongup.
Jongup joined him that night, but it felt different to Youngjae. His touches lingered longer on Youngjae’s skin, and afterwards, when they regained their composed masks, Jongup didn’t leave. He ran his fingers down Youngjae’s chest, observing him with heavy, serious eyes.
“Youngjae.” His voice was so quiet it barely counted as a sound, but Youngjae heard everything in it. He knew Jongup meant it as an apology. Logic said that Jongup must realize Youngjae knew more about this situation than he ever let on. The whisper made Youngjae’s heart clench in his chest, and he took a deep breath, considering how to respond.
But Youngjae was logical, not romantic. He didn’t answer and didn’t comment when Jongup spent the rest of the night lying only inches away from him on the bed.
Youngjae contemplated how this changed the final picture. Neither of them slept well, but at some point, Jongup’s hair tickled Youngjae’s side as he shifted, and Youngjae ran his fingers through it. Whatever they had between them, this changed it. Youngjae wished his heart wouldn’t beat so loud when he felt Jongup’s breath on his ribs.
He never confronted Jongup about the change, but Youngjae grew impatient. Jongup still played a game he didn’t recognize, and Youngjae wanted to see the entire picture. He took his observations to the next level, breaking into Jongup’s room while everyone prepared for their next hit.
Puzzle pieces rained down as he saw a bulletproof vest draped over Jongup’s bed, in plain view. It also opened up more questions; sure, Jongup’s door had been locked, but it still seemed careless, considering Jongup’s obvious betrayal.
Youngjae had scoped out their hit already. He estimated it as one of their less dangerous jobs. None of them ever wore bulletproof vests, and therefore, Jongup planned something big if he had this. He planned something that could kill him and probably would kill the entire team.
Youngjae’s fingers trembled as he touched the vest, the feeling of thick, rough padding almost made him shudder as he considered its meaning. Today was D-day. Whatever Jongup planned would go down in less than an hour.
The big question was if Youngjae understood the final picture well enough to survive it. He wondered if now was the time to hand off the final piece and allow Himchan to decide their course of action.
He would choose to kill Jongup for his treachery. Youngjae clenched his hands into fists as he recalled the feeling of Jongup’s soft hair in his fingers and his breath against his chest. Himchan would kill Jongup for this without another thought; he knew Himchan had already considered killing him before.
Youngjae’s role meant he passed on the final piece, but he didn’t need to follow that. He bit his lip as he contemplated keeping the picture to himself, making his own decisions. Then he nodded, once, twice, a couple more times as he decided to betray Himchan’s trust in him.
Himchan should know better than to trust anyone in their line of work.
Youngjae took the vest, slipping out of his shirt and putting it on. He fastened it with trembling fingers, watching himself in Jongup’s mirror, knowing Jongup would most likely kill him if he walked in on this moment. Still, Youngjae hesitated before slipping his shirt back on and leaving the room.
He found he needed a deep breath before he could leave, and a small part of him almost hoped Jongup would walk in on him, despite making it his own death sentence. If he walked away with the vest, he guaranteed Jongup’s death by his own game. Taking the final piece meant he’d live, but it left Jongup as one of the victims.
Youngjae thought about the girl’s blood in his mouth and the knife against Himchan’s neck. He didn’t trust Jongup, no matter how many nights they spent together. His logical nature couldn’t ignore Jongup’s personality, how easily he betrayed their team, no matter how he felt about the Jongup only he got to see.
He left with the vest, letting the door bang shut behind him and not bothering to lock it again. Either way, Jongup would know. Youngjae joined the others, tempting fate by sitting next to Jongup. His presence made Jongup stiffen, and Youngjae wondered if he already knew of his actions. Perhaps Jongup figured Youngjae put together his plans already.
The entire team knew of his skill at putting together puzzles. Jongup wouldn’t discredit that.
Youngjae covered the vest well, hiding it under a jacket and his shirt. He made sure it stayed buried under his clothes. The less logical side of him wondered if he sat by Jongup in the hopes he’d notice or if he sat by him so he had a chance to say goodbye.
“Where’s Daehyun?” Junhong asked, his eyes flicking around the room as though Daehyun hid in one of the corners. Youngjae bit at his lip, allowing himself to complete the anxious habit to stay calm. Jongup sat totally still, posture relaxed, head tilted down as though not interested in the conversation.
His ability to so completely hide his betrayal made Youngjae uncomfortable, and he had an urge to reach out towards Jongup, to shake him and insist he explain how he could betray them like this. He squashed it with a small shake of his head and by clasping his hands together.
Jongup’s eyes flickered towards him, and Youngjae pretended not to notice.
He may not have planned the betrayal, but Youngjae knew about it and didn’t plan on stopping it. He was no better than Jongup in that sense.
“I don’t know.” Himchan glanced to his left as he spoke, maintaining a stony composure. Youngjae had learned years ago that a glance to the left meant Himchan was lying. He knew more about Daehyun than he let on. “We can’t wait for him.”
“Then let’s go,” Junhong pushed. Yongguk played with his lighter from beside him, his sharp eyes glancing up as they discussed plans to leave. Youngjae wouldn’t be surprised if Yongguk also knew more than he let on.
Jongup stood as he spoke, moving away and no doubt into his room. Youngjae watched him leave, heard his door bang shut behind him.
He should tell Himchan what he knows. Yet Youngjae found himself hesitating. He recalled Jongup’s whisper of his name, how his rough hands trailed over Youngjae’s body. Himchan would kill Jongup immediately for his betrayal. Youngjae would help cause everyone’s death if he said nothing.
Youngjae paused, wondering what Jongup would do once he realized how his plan backfired. There was a chance he would call the thing off, unwilling to risk his own life, but that would be too easy. Jongup emerged from his room with no visible difference in his body language. Youngjae narrowed his eyes, stealing glances at him, but Jongup avoided them.
He didn’t know what game Jongup played anymore if he was willing to walk into it without protection.
Youngjae bit at the inside of his cheek, playing with it until he tasted blood. He should inform Himchan about Jongup’s possible betrayal, but now he knew little information at all. Jongup’s actions confused him. Youngjae wondered if the picture he created was the wrong one after all.
While he hesitated, Himchan motioned for them to leave. D-day had arrived.
Jongup trailed next to him as they walked towards the warehouse, guns loaded, prepared to follow through on their mission. Youngjae stole a glance at him, but his face revealed nothing. His eyes skated over to meet Youngjae’s, and he wondered what Jongup found in his face because he let out an amused huff and smirked.
“Ready?” Jongup looked confident; Youngjae narrowed his eyes, which only made Jongup look more amused.
“More than you are,” Youngjae said, patting a hand against his jacket. Jongup’s smirk widened.
“Yeah, you’d think that.”
Youngjae bit at his cheek again, wondering whether he’d messed up in trying to beat Jongup at his own game. He wondered if he even could call this trying to beat Jongup anymore, because all he had to do was tell Himchan, and then Jongup would lose. Telling Himchan was the most logical option, and yet, Youngjae found himself not even really considering it.
Maybe he played on Jongup’s team and had yet to even realize that. He still didn’t trust Jongup.
They paused before entering the warehouse, checking for any cameras or guards. Jongup took the opportunity to slide his hand up Youngjae’s back, his fingers pressing hard against the lines left by the thick, bulletproof material. Youngjae couldn’t feel his touch.
He expected anger from Jongup, but Jongup only narrowed his eyes and tilted his head, the corner of his lip twitching up. He looked pleased. Youngjae hid his surprise, and instead reached out to touch Jongup’s hair, brushing back the shock of blue that somehow managed to make him look even more dangerous. He relaxed under Youngjae’s touch, only to stiffen again as Yongguk declared the perimeters safe.
His head tilted down, hiding a smirk. Youngjae tried to swallow the burst of indecision that followed Jongup’s change of expression. He got the feeling only Jongup knew the complete game he played with everyone, and Youngjae hoped he hadn’t messed up everything.
Youngjae wasn’t even sure what messing up everything would cause in the end. He didn’t want Jongup dead, but that meant he was willing to let his team walk into a trap when he knew at least some of them would die.
Youngjae was logical, not romantic. Whatever he felt for Jongup wasn’t enough for Youngjae to accept this situation. He knew there was more behind it. Youngjae wished he had a good reason, but all he came up with was curiosity. He loved seeing the finished pictures after he’d built a puzzle. If he stopped Jongup, then he’d never see the end of the game.
With little chance of his own death, he was willing to let the game play out as Jongup planned it, not really caring who died because in the process. Youngjae was the brain, not the heart.
They moved inside, hands on their guns, only to snap into a defensive position as police surrounded them. More pieces fell into place. Youngjae stood between Himchan and Jongup, frozen, gun drawn and waiting for someone to snap and fire the first shot. He risked a glance towards Jongup, frowning as he realized he hadn’t drawn his weapon.
Did he believe the police would spare him? No doubt Jongup tipped them off, but Youngjae doubted he’d openly work with the police. If they knew him, they knew him by voice alone. Jongup’s confidence didn’t mean he trusted the police to spare him.
Youngjae took a step back, tightening his circle with his team. Himchan began to lower his weapon, giving in and raising his hands.
Youngjae hesitated, observing the situation and wondering about the best course of action. Himchan glanced at him, and Youngjae knew the meaning even without Himchan changing his expression. He nodded, lowering his weapon. His role wasn’t to act. Himchan thought he held the final puzzle piece.
Daehyun ran into the room, drawing his weapon as he panted. The police turned, including Daehyun in their sights and ensuring he couldn’t do anything behind their backs. Youngjae cursed his idiocy. Only Daehyun would rush in to join them outright, rather than stay in the background and wait for the best moment to strike.
Still, Youngjae recognized this as a moment of weakness for the police. He hesitated. The best course of action would be to start the fight now, while Daehyun’s arrival caught everyone off-guard.
He couldn’t tell that to anyone. Youngjae’s role was to convey information, not to act on it. Jongup caught his eye and narrowed his own. Then he nodded, and Youngjae took a deep breath, snaking one of his hands down towards his pocket.
He didn’t trust Jongup. Yet Youngjae found that frozen between Himchan and Jongup, he chose Jongup’s side.
Youngjae acted, and everything exploded with the single thrown dart.
He knew the guy dropped without seeing it. Youngjae used a pillar as protection, peering around it and getting a glimpse of Himchan and Daehyun fighting together. He saw Jongup, gun now raised and fearless as he fired.
A policeman moved behind him, gun trained on Jongup as he worked to get a clear shot from around the pillar, and sudden anger exploded in Youngjae. He snarled, shooting the man down and causing Jongup to turn, surprised at the dying man beside him.
Jongup didn’t remain surprised for long, raising his gun and taking out someone else. The gunshots rang in Youngjae’s head, and his whole body trembled with exhausted adrenaline. A man appeared in front of him, gun drawn, and Youngjae attacked him, kicking him in the chest and finishing him with a single shot.
He caught Jongup’s eyes on his and turned just as Jongup rolled over the crates separating them. Youngjae dropped down to take out more of the police, using his precise aim and the crates under him to limit his trembling.
He trusted Jongup to protect him from behind, and the shots fired from behind him promised Youngjae he made the right choice. His breath caught as he watched Himchan collapse, and Daehyun followed.
Youngjae scanned the room, counting numbers in his head, seeing the police force Yongguk to step backwards.
He only spotted Junhong by the gun pointed out from behind a pillar. Jongup stepped closer to him, and from the corner of his eye Youngjae saw a policeman with his gun raised, focused on Jongup’s chest. Youngjae managed to make it halfway to his feet and had his gun pointed towards the man when Jongup collided with his chest.
Jongup curled forward, gasping as the bullets ripped through him. Youngjae wrapped a solid arm around him, protecting him.
He pulled Jongup closer, trying to stabilize him as they stumbled back and to the ground. His hands reached around Jongup’s body, fingers trembling as he realized Jongup died for him. Jongup’s breaths came out as short and labored, echoing in Youngjae’s ears even louder than his own shocked gasps.
He smelled gunpowder, and it was so overwhelming that Youngjae couldn’t even smell the blood that must cover Jongup’s front.
Youngjae cried out, ignoring the danger surrounding him because Jongup just died for him. His mind stuttered, observing nothing except the feeling of Jongup’s body against his own. Youngjae’s entire body shook as he cradled Jongup against him.
He didn’t trust Jongup, but maybe that no longer mattered. His heart pounded as he realized Jongup’s gasps had become wheezes. Youngjae’s mind couldn’t comprehend whether wheezes were better or worse.
He let out another cry. As his head tilted back, his fingers moved across Jongup’s chest, expecting his hand to come back sticky with Jongup’s blood. Youngjae felt the torn shirt around his fingers, but his hands remained dry. Jongup wasn’t bleeding. His fingers found the thick, coarse material of another bulletproof vest.
He realized Jongup was motionless yet alive in his arms. Youngjae registered the information, registered the real picture he created with his puzzle. Jongup had expected him to break into his room, expected him to take the vest. He’d had another because he meant for Youngjae to take one.
As the final piece dropped into place, a gun fired and destroyed the entire picture.