Work Text:
“Rika, I’m going to trust you with Saeyoung.” V stared at the woman standing in front of him, a young Saeyoung standing next to him, clueless as to what’s going on.
“V, where’s Saeran? Why isn’t he coming with me?” Saeyoung had asked the taller male, looking up to him with golden eyes.
“Saeran will be with me, we can’t have you both in the same place. I’m sorry.” V avoided Saeyoung’s gaze, locking his eyes on Rika, who smiled despite the situation.
“Are you ready, V?” She had asked him, with the sun beginning to fall from the sky behind her, it was now or never.
“Yes.” He nodded and finally looked back down to the inquisitive red-headed boy.
“Trust Rika, she’ll protect you. Don’t lose hope.” He held Saeyoung’s hand lightly and walked over to Rika, giving Saeyoung’s hand to her.
Saeyoung refused to turn around for a moment, staring straight into V’s mint eyes with intensity.
“V, please protect Saeran, don’t let him get into danger.” He spoke with seriousness. His line of sight never leaving V.
“I will, Saeyoung. Please don’t worry about him.” V had nodded slowly, to reassure Saeyoung that his younger twin brother will be alright.
“Thank you, V.” Rika turned around with Saeyoung and began to walk in the direction of the town, just down the hill they were standing on.
They walked away together, hand in hand, while V watched, waving the two of them goodbye before turning in the opposite direction, back to the house Saeran was staying in. It was a small cabin V had rented for the four of them, so the two twins wouldn’t have to be near their mother any longer. All that was left was to convince Saeran to join the intelligence agency V had talked with, and everything will be well.
The road leading back to V’s rented cabin was silent, the shadows shifting as the sun continued to fall, marking dusk. He needed to hurry, the day was almost over. The air smelled like pine, like something from a scented candle. There was a soft crunch as V walked over fallen maple leaves and gravel, finally making it to a log cabin, smoke coming out of the chimney, lights on. It looked like something you’d find in a winter themed painting, but during the Autumn season.
He knocked and opened the door, finding Saeran sitting next to the fire and reading a book. It was Saeyoung’s, a book on coding. V had sighed and sat down on the chair facing the fire, staring at it blankly until Saeran noticed his presence and put the book down.
“V, you’re back!” Saeran had given him a smile, but it faltered when he realized who was missing.
“Where’s Saeyoung?” His look changed completely, from happiness to pure concern regarding the whereabouts of his older twin brother.
“Ah, Saeran, I wanted to talk to you about something important.” V rubbed the back of his neck and avoided eye contact. He wasn’t going to answer Saeran’s question just yet.
“Where is he?” Saeran was getting panicked. V winced as he heard Saeran’s voice rise a little from the normal soft, shy tone he normally heard from the younger male.
“Saeran, would you be interested in joining an intelligence agency? To protect Saeyoung?” V had asked Saeran, getting down on the floor and looking at him with anticipation.
“To protect Saeyoung? I’ve always wanted to do that after everything he’s done for me.. Where is he V? Why isn’t he with you?” Saeran wasn’t giving in until he had answers. V will have to explain.
“He’s with Rika, you’ll see him again, I promise.” That was a half truth. He knew Saeran would hate him for that in the future, V felt horrible.
“Alright, I trust you. Why does this agency want me? I’m weak..” Saeran looked down to his hands.
“They think you’d make a wonderful hacker, like your brother. What do you say? I can take you over there right now.” V held his hand out to Saeran, standing up from sitting on the floor. Saeran took his hand and stood up.
“Really? I guess I could then..” Saeran held the coding book he was reading tightly in his hand, as though it were his lifeline in the moment.
“Let’s go, I can tell you more on the way there.” V had smiled that familiar smile of his, calming Saeran down just a bit.
Saeran held V’s hand a little tighter as they made their way out of the cabin and to V’s car. The world around him was so colorful, filled with the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows of Autumn. Yet, to Saeran, the colors were dimmed. It bothered him endlessly.
“Are you ready to go?” V had asked him from the driver’s seat of the car. Saeran was sitting next to him, in the passenger seat.
He pulled the seatbelt over him.
“Yes, let’s go.” Saeran nodded.
He allowed himself to relax into the seat as V began to drive away from the rented log cabin. He said nothing as he stared out the window, to the moving scenery as the car drove. It went by so quickly, it was interesting to watch.
“We’re almost there. Just a few more miles to go.” V had said while focusing his efforts on driving.
“Okay.” Saeran replied halfheartedly. V had noticed, but decided not to say anything more, lest he upset Saeran.
The building that they parked in front of looked nothing different from an average office building you could find in a city. One main entrance, and multiple floors with rows of windows, Saeran almost thought V had parked at the wrong place. Saeran had held his coding book tightly with both arms to his chest as he walked with V towards the entrance of the building.
“Saeyoung.. Now it’s my turn to protect you.”
He walked in without a second thought as to what would happen next.
“Yeah, hey V, so, everyone’s been asking where you’ve been lately. You alright?” Saeran spun around in his chair, his phone held up to his left ear. The monitors in front of him were filled with code from his work with the agency, he needed to finish it before their deadline, that wasn’t a problem.
“Yes, I’ve been fine. There’s just bad cell reception here.” He could hear V’s voice on the other side of the line.
“Still abroad? I’m surprised you’re not home yet.” Saeran raised an eyebrow, before realizing V was not in fact in front of him in person. That curiosity didn’t stop him.
“Yeah.. oh, I have to hang up now. Good luck with the work Saeran.” The line was cut, V hung up. Saeran only shook his head.
“He’s always like that, leaving in the middle of a conversation. I wonder why that is.” He took a sip of water before continuing to type on the keyboard in front of him. He scanned his code over multiple times to make sure there were no errors before continuing.
Any errors in my work could be fatal.
His phone rang, the screen lit up with the caller id and the photo he gave them. It buzzed twice before he decided to look. It was Zen, another member of the RFA. He picked up and held the phone to his ear as he continued to type with his right hand.
“Zen, what’s up?” Saeran had asked the actor on the other side of the phone lightheartedly.
“Ray, hey! So, the RFA messenger is being a bit glitchy at the moment, do you mind taking a look at it?” Zen’s voice filled the silence of the room, the air felt heavier at his words.
“The RFA messenger being glitchy? That’s odd, I’ll look into it.” Saeran frowned as he clicked off his Agency’s work and loaded up the messenger.
Some of the coding was off, yet it was in a style similar to his. No ordinary hacker wouldn’t have been able to do this, they must be similar to him. He huffed as he began to change the coding back to what it was, but stopped once Zen yelled in his ear.
“Ray! There’s someone in the messenger!” Ray could feel a headache coming on.
“What? How is that possible?” He clicked off the coding and checked the actual messenger itself, showing Jumin, Jaehee, and Yoosung inspecting a new user in the chatroom.
Username ‘MC’.
“Hey, Zen, I gotta hang up on you. I need to call V.” Saeran didn’t wait for Zen to respond before hanging up.
He was working double the normal speed trying to figure out who this person was and where they were. He dialed V’s number before beginning to type at a rapid speed, hacking into her phone and gaining some photos of her.
“A girl..” Saeran had mumbled as he continued typing, looking for the location of the phone. V picked up right as he slammed the table in shock.
“Saeran? What’s wrong?” V sounded calm, yet had a tone of concern regarding the loud sound coming from Saeran’s end of the call.
“Nothing V, I’m fine. There’s an intruder in the chatroom, username MC. What should we do?” Saeran had asked V with a serious tone. His stare never left the monitor that portrayed the location of the phone.
“I’ll talk with them, did you do a background check?” Saeran had noticed that V logged into the chatroom, he watched as the other RFA members continued their interrogation.
“I did, yes, MC is a female, she doesn’t look like someone with malicious intentions. She..” He paused, focusing on his typing until he had a definite answer.
“She’s in Rika’s apartment.” He finished his statement with a tone of finality.
“How is that possible?” Despite all of this, V remained calm. Saeran didn’t bother to ask how or why, V was his friend, after all.
“I don’t know, but for now we should keep an eye on her. Are you going to invite her to the RFA?” Saeran had asked V more questions.
His gaze shifted from the monitors to the small rose growing in a pot on his desk. It was a gift to him, along with the many other flowers in his little bunker. He took care of them as if they were his family, making sure they were properly loved and taken care of. The rose needed water, he made a mental note to grab his watering can after this was over.
“I don’t really have any other choice, do I?” Saeran almost wanted to laugh, but refused to during a time like this.
“Good point, I’ll work on stabilizing the messenger. Good luck.” Saeran hung up on V and began typing away again, never stopping until his coding was as flawless as it was before the hacker messed it all up.
“Just what had happened today?” He leaned back in his chair and sighed, it was all over, for now.
He got up and pushed the chair behind him, giving him room to move away from the desk. He walked out of the room and down the hall, to where the kitchen was. It was bare, white walls with a black and white tiled floor, consisting of only a few counters, a stove and oven, a sink, and a fridge, with an island in the middle. He took the watering can from the right side of the sink and filled it with warm water. He then began to walk around the different areas of the house, watering each flower carefully, making sure they all got enough.
When he was done with taking care of the flowers, he placed the watering can back next to the sink and sat back down at his desk, pulling his pitch black hoodie on and looking at the screens before him. He still has the work from the Agency to finish, but one thing was bothering him.
“Why would a hacker want to target the RFA?”
“Ray.. are you sure you want to come over?” MC was on the other line at Rika’s apartment, voice laced with concern after he had told her that he was coming over.
“Yes, I’m sure. I want to protect you.” He acted as though he were stating the obvious, however he was sure MC didn’t understand the first time he had said it.
“But I’m fine, there’s no need to come over here..” She insisted. He could hear the tone in her voice, but he paid no mind to it.
“MC.. this isn’t really up for discussion.” He was trying his best not to get annoyed with her, yet the idea of her not wanting him to come over was bothering him. Had he done something wrong for her to get like this?
“Alright, fine, but I’m telling you, I’m really not in danger, Ray.” He could hear her sigh, he shook his head as he opened the backseat of his car and threw his laptop, headphones, and other things he’ll need to work onto the backseat.
He closed the door and opened the door to the driver’s seat, where he sat down, still on the phone with MC. He closed the door after sitting into his seat.
“MC, at least let me be there in case something happens, it’s better to be safe than sorry.” He started up the car and began to back out of his garage.
“Yes but-” She was cut off by Saeran, who was turning out of the driveway.
“Hey, I have to go, I’ll be there shortly.” He hung up on her and sighed, pressing his foot down on the gas pedal.
“I have a really bad feeling about this..” He mumbled to himself as he sped off, making sure not to hit anyone while making his way to the city, where Rika’s apartment was located.
When he got there, he parked in front of the building. Something was off, the window to Rika’s apartment was broken. There was what looked like a rope leading up to the window, someone had climbed in. Probably to avoid is CTV cameras in the hallway.
“No!” He shot out of the car and threw the door to the apartment building open. He spent no time speeding up the stairs as fast as he could, careful not to trip over himself. He slammed the door to Rika’s apartment open, and that’s where he saw him.
Saeyoung. Holding MC in his arms, with a remote in his hand that could detonate the special security bomb in the apartment, a large smirk on his face.
“Well, if it isn’t the traitor.” Saeyoung’s voice was cold, enough to chill the entire room. Saeran suppressed a shiver.
“Why.. why are you here?” Saeran didn’t know what to feel. The twin brother he wasn’t allowed to see was finally here, in front of him, but something wasn’t right.
His eyes were a mint color, his hair was dark, black with blue highlights, and a tattoo of an eye on his arm, almost covered by a black jacket with yellow circles in certain areas. His smirk was one of amusement at his own situation. He had the upper hand by holding the person Saeran cares about as a hostage. Saeran knew this, he only gave MC a sad smile before looking up to Saeyoung again.
“I only came to take my princess to paradise..” Saeyoung’s gaze was on MC, who looked slightly panicked in his arms.
“What do you mean paradise? What are you talking about?” Saeran couldn’t get angry with Saeyoung, not when their lives were in his hands. He needed to stay calm.
“You’re just going to have to find out.” Saeyoung looked to the security camera near the door of the room, scowling. Saeran followed his gaze, until he realized that the special security system would view Saeyoung as an intruder.
“I hate to cut this party short, but MC and I have a date with paradise!” Saeran had only watched as Saeyoung held onto MC as he jumped out of the shattered window, and onto the metal platform below.
Saeran couldn’t find the energy to follow, he fell to the floor, exhausted from his adrenaline filled rush up to Rika’s apartment. He had lost MC to his twin brother, the RFA would never forgive him. He didn’t deserve forgiveness.
There he laid for what felt like an eternity, on the carpet next to the work computer and piles of dusty paperwork that contained confidential information to the RFA. He received a phone call from V, yet he didn’t have the will to pick it up. V didn’t stop there, he called repeatedly again and again until Saeran gave in and picked up the phone, never leaving the cold, hard floor.
“Saeran, why weren’t you picking up the phone?” There it was, V’s calm, collected voice despite everything.
“Something happened, I couldn’t pick up.” Saeran had covered his eyes with the arm that wasn’t holding his phone. He groaned before sitting up, realizing he still needed to get his stuff out of the car.
“Did you make it to Rika’s apartment alright?” V had asked him casually. Saeran almost wanted to throw the phone at the wall.
“Yes, I made it to the apartment fine.” He scowled, his memory replaying the kidnapping of MC on repeat, never stopping.
I’m too weak, I couldn’t even protect her from my twin brother. What was I thinking? I could’ve saved her, but I just stood there like a coward. Was my training at the agency for nothing?
“How’s MC doing? She hasn’t been active in the chatrooms lately.” There was the question Saeran was expecting. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. As if he couldn’t get any more stressed today, that was the question that caused the cake to come crashing down.
“V, she was kidnapped by Saeyoung.”
The minute Saeran had figured out where Saeyoung was keeping MC, he wasted no time gathering his belongings, including a certain floppy disk, and heading out of the apartment and towards his destination. It was a long drive, because the building in question was in the mountains, in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by forest, the only nearby settlement was a town an hour away, and a cabin 30 minutes away if you walked. When he made it there, he was sure to take a good look at the building before sneaking in undetected by the various security cameras located both outside and inside.
The building itself was a mansion named “Magenta” by its inhabitants. It was large, with a dead garden outside, and various different wings that are connected with halls. The walls were white with a mint colored roof, a picture of a mint eye being front and center. Saeran had tracked where the information room was, where the hacker’s monitors were being kept, and made his way over there, hiding behind plants or under tables when anybody came nearby.
When he made it to the room itself, it was empty. The monitors were still on, yet everything was locked behind a password Saeran could easily break. He was always the better hacker between the two. He walked over and plugged in a USB and began to work, intentionally trying to download all of the information so he can go through it in a safer environment.
“It’s quite nice in here, isn’t it?” Saeran immediately turned around to find his brother, and MC, who looked miserable, standing there. Saeyoung was glaring at him, that smirk he saw before was gone.
“How long have you been standing there?” Saeran could try and keep his attention away from the information being downloaded, but his efforts seem to be in vain.
“Enough to see you trying to download everything off of my computer. I must say, for a traitor you’re quite smart.” His tone was sharp, Saeran had only frowned.
“Saeyoung.. why do you think I’m a traitor?” He had said so quietly, it was almost like he was admitting his vulnerability.
“You don’t get to say that name!” Saeyoung had yelled at him, Saeran only flinched.
“Sorry, it was Unknown, right? Why do you think I’m a traitor?” Saeran had asked him again, desperate for an answer.
“You trust V! V ruined my life and you’re on his side, making you a traitor!” He was sure other people nearby could hear Saeyoung yelling at him, but Saeran had only given him a sad look, opening his mouth to speak, but no words came out.
He decided now was the time to show Saeyoung his floppy disk. He pulled it out of his pocket and waved it in front of Saeyoung as though it were some new piece of technology. He then put it in the computer and watched as pictures of Saeyoung while he was still a teenager filled up the monitor screens.
“Where.. where did you get this?” Saeyoung backed away from MC and the monitors. He looked so happy, his former golden eyes and red hair present, he was still wearing that black sweatshirt. Saeran was absent in all of the photos.
“I had asked V how you were doing, I was given these photos once I turned 20.” Saeran explained sadly.
“Why..” Saeyoung fell silent.
“Because I’ve always missed you. I never-” He was cut off by Saeyoung running off, away from the room. Leaving the area to both Saeran and MC, who looked shocked. Saeran didn’t want to stand in silence for too long, he needed to make sure MC was okay before anything else.
“MC, are you okay? Are you hurt?” He kept asking her questions as though it would help.
“I’m fine, Ray. Are you okay? You seem panicked.” MC had answered his question and asked him something else. Her eyes were filled with nothing but concern for him.
“I’m fine, I need to go after him. Could you make sure everything is downloaded?” He walked towards the door, holding the knob tightly in his hand.
“Of course, good luck finding him.” MC nodded and walked over to the desk, where the data was being downloaded. Saeran had left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.
It was all downloaded, MC took the USB and put it into her sweater pocket.
Saeran ran down the halls, not caring for being spotted by any person who may be walking down the same hall. His number one priority was finding Saeyoung, and he had a feeling he knew where he’d be. The dead garden he had spotted while pulling up to the front of the building. His footsteps were muffled by the red carpet laid over the hard, tiled floor that shone so much he would be able to see his reflection. He had made it to the doors leading to the garden, he stopped abruptly, almost falling in the process.
He took a deep breath and opened the door, closing it quietly behind him as he walked down the dirt path of the garden, looking for Saeyoung. He was standing in the middle of the garden, his mint eyes looking to the sky, his face stained with tears. His black hair blew in the wind, covering a portion of his face.
“Do you remember when I took you out to see the clouds?” Saeyoung’s voice was quiet, Saeran almost couldn’t hear him.
“I do, I’ve always wished we could’ve done that again.” Saeran walked slowly towards Saeyoung, making sure his presence wasn’t unwanted.
“Why did you come here? When you knew I hated you? Was it MC?” Saeyoung still refused to turn, yet Saeran could hear the upset in his voice, he wasn’t aggressive at all.
“..It was both of you.” Saeran had moved just a little closer, the amount of dead flowers surrounding him making him just a little sad. It reminded him of the flowers he took care of in the bunker, his friends. These flowers, they’ve had nobody to care for them.
“Why..?” Saeran had hugged Saeyoung. They both were tense, but Saeyoung had loosened up, and tried to back away.
“Because you’re my other half, my twin.” Saeran had quoted something Saeyoung had said to him that day under the clouds.
It was enough to win Saeyoung over.
The bunker was filled with life after Saeyoung had moved in. MC was staying with the two of them, Saeyoung rarely coming out unless it was to tease Saeran or to grab some Honey Buddha Chips and Dr. Pepper. It was peaceful, something Saeran wasn’t expecting just weeks before, living in his bunker with nothing but his plants and computer. Now he had two more housemates, double the plants, and less silence.
“Saeran! Your favorite movie is on!” MC had called from the living room on the couch, where she was hanging out with Saeyoung.
He let his black hair go, returning it to its vermilion color. Aside from his mint eye color and outfit, he was an exact copy of Saeran. If Saeyoung didn’t have mint eyes, MC wouldn’t be able to tell the two apart from each other.
“Coming, MC! Save me a spot on the couch!” Saeran paused his work and rolled away on his swivel chair, standing up and walking to get the door so he could make his way to the living room.
“Spot taken! Try again later.” He could hear Saeyoung’s voice comment, and a muffled laugh from MC. Saeran had sighed, unable to prevent a smile from making its way into his face.
He came into the living room, taking immediate note that Saeyoung had laid himself over the couch, in an attempt to keep Saeran from sitting down. MC was laughing, the movie on the TV screen paused, waiting for him. It was his favorite, something he used to watch alone.
“Saeyoung.. that’s unfair!” Saeran complained, trying to find a place where he could sit down. There was not one place left on the couch.
“Sorry Saeran, But this couch is mine!” Saeyoung was joking, MC was laughing harder. Saeran could almost see tears. His smile only grew.
“Fine, guess I won’t buy more Honey Buddha Chips next time I go shopping.” Saeran had shrugged and shook his head, the smile he had never faltering.
Saeyoung immediately shot up, leaving the whole middle of the couch exposed.
“You wouldn’t!” Saeyoung had exclaimed. Saeran immediately ran over and sat between Saeyoung and MC on the middle of the couch.
“Thanks, MC, you can start the movie now.” Saeyoung looked devastated, Saeran was proud of himself.
“You tricked me! That’s not fair!” Saeyoung complained.
“You have to do what you have to do.” The movie began to play, the two of them quieting down so they could watch.
“I hope that one day, we could watch more movies together.” Saeyoung had whispered to Saeran, who was staring at the screen as though expecting something new to happen.
“I hope so too, Saeyoung.”