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Chapter Text

The elite Assassin's Guild has only 8 members:

Shinwon: the gadgets expert. A technology genius who can turn pretty much anything into a weapon.

Yeo One: in charge of disguises, who can look like an entirely different person in under a minute.

Kino: master of persuasion. With his friendly personality, he can convince anyone anything.

Yanan: connections person. He has friends in high places all around the world, and can call in a favor for almost any situation.

Jinho: professor of discipline, he... well, he tortures people for information.

Hongseok: head of training. He is skilled in all forms of combat and battle strategy.

Yuto: surveillance specialist. He can spy on anyone without being noticed (very few photos of him exist).

And lastly, Hui: the leader. He knows everything there is to know about the art of assassination and manages the Assassin's Guild.

It will take all of their skills combined to take down a high-profile target like Wooseok.

Chapter Text

"Jung Wooseok must be stopped!" shouts Ronald Crump, slamming his fist onto the table.

A circle of 7 Senators are having a secret, after-hours meeting to discuss what to do about Wooseok.

"Now that the President is stepping down, he could win the upcoming election." says Warren Muffet.

RJ Kowling chimes in, "The younger generation is already on his side, brainwashed by his naïve socialist policies."

Elon Dusk pipes up, "If Wooseok wins, it's our paychecks that will suffer."

"I heard he's planning to raise the minimum wage as well," Will Gates mentions.

"Cancel all debts? Give homes to the homeless? Put higher taxes on billionaires? He is a disgrace! I worked for my wealth! All I ever got from my parents was a small loan of a million dollars. Those people are just lazy ingrates. If they want more money, they should work harder instead of whining. He's going to turn this into a communist country!" Ronald rants.

"We can't let him continue." Warren Muffet states firmly.

Will Gates turns to Geoff Bezos. "You hired someone to 'take care' of him, right? How long is that supposed to take?"

Geoff stares back, menacing yet calm. "I'm sure they will finish the job soon."

Mark Buckerberg scoffs, "How do you know?"

Geoff pauses for a second. "I've hired them before. Trust me, they'll do the job."

He scans the faces around the room, sending chills down their spines.

"And if they fail, I'll see to it that they suffer."

Chapter Text

Yuto perches on the roof of a parkade, looking through binoculars at the government building across the street. The wind whips around him, but he barely feels it. He’s used to this. If his observations are correct, Wooseok should be exiting the building through a side door in approximately 3 minutes, giving Yuto the perfect opportunity to shoot. Unlike the usual sniper rifle, Yuto prefers to use a long-range poison dart shooter. Bullets were too easy to trace. Poison was also traceable, unless you made it yourself. Which Yuto did. He doesn't have any friends or family to share his recipe with anyway.

In the world of assassins, loved ones were weaknesses that could be used against you. As the most accomplished killer in the country, hardly anyone knew of his existence besides the Guild. He's met the other members of the Guild, but only briefly. Guild assassins always worked alone. Hui is pretty much the only person he is in constant contact with. Consequently, Yuto's life was extremely lonely.

While most members had at least 50 confirmed kills, Yuto had 374. However, he's never had such a high-profile target before.

During his research, he discovered Wooseok was hated by the rich because of his campaign to end poverty. His promise to cancel all student debt was bold. It surprised Yuto. The whole reason Yuto became an assassin was to pay off his student loans. Yuto usually felt nothing for his targets, often they were just as crooked and corrupt as the people who hired him. But this one was different. If he had an ulterior motive, Yuto would have known about it. He actually was a good guy, trying to make a real difference. Yuto didn't feel right about killing him. Maybe if he won the election and canceled all student debts, Yuto could have a chance at a normal life.

Yuto snaps back to reality when he spots Wooseok leaving the building, right on time. Unexpectedly, Ronald Crump is with him.

From what Yuto knew, Ronald Crump was the most vocal opposition to all of Wooseok's new policies. Ronald plans to get rid of public services and give more funding to the military. 'Our country doesn't have any enemies,' Yuto thinks to himself, 'but with Ronald's big mouth he'd probably cause a war all by himself. He thinks poor people deserve to die. Honestly? He's the one who deserves to die.' Yuto feels contempt and bitterness rising in him, only getting stronger as he looks at Ronald's ugly face.

He seems to be arguing with Wooseok. Yuto zooms in with his binoculars. Ronald is turning red, yelling and pointing at Wooseok, who towers over him calmly as Ronald screams in his face. A few seconds pass until Ronald gives up and turns around with a humph. Wooseok lets out a breath and turns around as well, looking exhausted. They start to move in opposite directions. Yuto needs to do something now before he's out of range.

Yuto waits for them to get a bit farther from each other, points his weapon, takes a deep breath, and shoots. Direct hit, right in the neck. His victim falls limply, unseen by bystanders. By the time anyone finds the body, the dart would have dissolved and Yuto would be long gone.

Chapter Text

Yuto packs up his dart shooter and exits the parkade on autopilot. He can't believe what he just did. He's never let his conscience get in the way of a job before. His heart is pounding, but he can feel a smile on his face. It actually felt good. This is the first time he's ever disrespected orders. Someone from the Guild would kill Jung Wooseok, but at least it wouldn't be him. 'And now Crump, an objectively bad person, is gone. Kind of a win-win situation,' Yuto thinks as he smoothly blends into a crowd on a busy street.

He has no clue how he's going to explain this to Hui, but he'll figure it out when the time comes.

As Yuto enters his apartment and locks the door behind him, a voice from behind almost makes him jump out of his skin.

"What the hell happened yesterday?" Hui is sitting on Yuto's counter in the dark, fuming.

The time had come much sooner than Yuto had anticipated.

"Hui! H- how did you get in my house?"

"Don't change the subject. Why did you kill the wrong guy?"

Yuto is still trying to recover from fright, but he feigns ignorance. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Hui crosses his arms, looking unimpressed. "Really? So, while I'm out tailing Wooseok, I happen to watch a Senator drop dead in an alley with a poison dart in his neck and I'm supposed to think that's not your handiwork? Do I look stupid to you?"

He was caught. "I... missed?"

"Now this is just insulting. You seriously expect me to believe that you, with 300 successful kills and 11 years of long-range shooting experience, missed a clear shot in broad daylight?"

"Uh-"

"Just cut the bullshit and tell the truth."

Yuto felt like he was about the burst.

"I... I can't kill Wooseok, okay?! He's a good guy!" Yuto blurts out, much louder than he expected. "Besides, Crump was terrible! No one will even miss him other than his cult of racist idiots anyway."

Hui sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I've known you for a long time, and you've never put your feelings before your job before. But it's your JOB. We kill people, then we get money. We don't kill people, then we ALL get killed. You not only disobeyed orders, but you killed a very powerful man. Now the whole Guild could be in danger."

Yuto looks down. "Am I fired?"

Hui sighs again, nimbly getting off the counter. "Since the Guild is likely to be held responsible, the Guild will decide what to do next. We'll hold a meeting with the others."

Hui goes to the door, unlocks it, and looks at Yuto sternly.

"I'll text you the location tomorrow morning. Don't be late."

Yuto barely has time to nod remorsefully before Hui is gone and he's alone in his dark apartment.

Chapter Text

"Ugh, did this have to be at 8 in the morning?" Yanan whines, blearily entering the meeting room, obviously hungover. He stumbles into a chair in sunglasses and a Balenciaga faux fur coat.

"Better sooner than later." Hui says curtly. Everyone else had already arrived. They were meeting in a lecture hall. Universities were constantly packed with people, easy to slip in and out without raising suspicion. And if anyone asks, this is an Accounting 345 class.

Hui regards the faces before him. Hongseok, with his posture perfect as ever. Such an innocent face masking a ruthless, calculating individual. Yuto, who is staring at the table miserably, looking like he didn't get a wink of sleep. Hui feels a surge of sympathy. Shinwon, idly scrolling on his phone with an overstuffed backpack next to him. Probably filled with military-grade weaponry that's banned in at least 17 countries. Kino, being his courteous and attentive self, offers some Advil and water to a grumpy Yanan. A bit off to the side is Jinho, carving into the table with a switchblade. He's sitting in the center of a wide radius of empty seats, occasionally getting fearful glances from the other members, as no one was brave enough to sit near him. And lastly, someone Hui must assume is Yeo one, although he currently looks like a tall lady with long brown hair. He decides not to question it.

Hui clears his throat and starts the meeting. "Alright, men." Yeo one looks offended. "Sorry- people. As most of you have already heard, Senator Crump is dead, -"

Shinwon cheers. Hui glares at him and he quiets down.

"-killed by Yuto after I gave the order to take out Jung Wooseok." Hui continues. "From what we've gathered, Crump was one of the politicians who ordered the hit on Wooseok, along with Elon Dusk, Geoff Bezos, RJ Kowling, Warren Muffet, Will Gates, and Mark Buckerberg. Now that one of our assassins has taken out one of their colleagues, there is a chance they will retaliate and target the entire Guild. We must decide our next course of action immediately."

Hongseok raises his hand. "We could hand Yuto over to them to kill as compensation, and then continue with the task of killing our original target." He suggests, devoid of emotion.

"WHAT?!" Yuto, Kino, and Shinwon yell simultaneously.

"I'm the best assassin, you can't just get rid of me!" Yuto continues, panicking.

"Also, that's so mean! Yuto doesn't deserve to be a sacrifice! Especially not to those nasty Senators!" Kino exclaims.

"And Crump was a major piece of shit who had it coming!" Shinwon adds. No one could disagree with that.

"Any other suggestions?" Hui asks.

"I say we just kill the other politicians." Shinwon says nonchalantly. "Dibs on Elon, I hate that guy."

"That's ridiculous-" Hongseok splutters, only to be cut off by Yanan.

"No, that might actually work. We're the only assassins in the country. I mean, what are they going to do, fly in some foreign assassins to take out the entire Guild? Also, if we're calling dibs, I'd like to be the one to dispose of Warren Muffet, he always hogs the best party yachts."

"Any other suggestions?" Hui asks.

"I agree with Shinwon and Yanan," Yeo one speaks up. "Killing the crooked Senators is more beneficial than killing Wooseok. We want to kill him for the huge money reward, right? Being an assassin was the only way I could pay for my apartment and still pursue my passion."

"I became an assassin to pay off my student loans," Yuto adds.

"Me too," says Shinwon.

"I became one to pay for my mom's medical bills," says Kino.

"See?" Yeo one continues making his point. "If we remove the competition, Wooseok will definitely end up as President, and when he cancels our debts and raises the minimum wage, we won't be forced to kill for a living."

The other members were nodding, but Hongseok stood abruptly, making his chair squeak.

"You're going to fail, and I won't be a part of it," he states before rushing out of the room, leaving the rest in shock.

In the stunned pause after Hongseok's hasty exit, the only sound was Jinho's knife scraping on his desk.

"So... we're gonna have to kill him too, right?" Shinwon asks, breaking the silence.

"No." Kino, Yuto, and Hui say in unison.

"Hongseok's still one of us. We'll give him some time." Hui says, hoping he looks less worried than he feels. He changes the subject. "So everyone else wants to go with Shinwon's plan?" he asks, to which everyone nods except Jinho.

"Jinho?" Hui asks.

Jinho pauses carving into his desk to slowly raise his head and fix him with piercing dark eyes. Hui gulps.

"Which plan do you prefer?" Hui asks, somehow managing to keep his voice from cracking.

Jinho redirects his gaze to examine the blade in his hand with a hunger in his eyes. "Whichever plan lets me kill more people, duh."

Everyone else goes pale, and a chill runs down Hui's spine.

"Alright then." Hui says briskly. "Now that Crump has been taken out, they'll be tightening security. So we have to take the rest out as fast as possible. I'll take Bezos, Shinwon gets Elon, Yanan gets Muffet, Kino gets Kowling, Yuto gets Gates, and Jinho will take Buckerberg. Yeo one, you can sit this one out."

"Actually, I'd like to help Kino with Kowling." Yeo one says, causing Kino's face to light up. They both look at Hui with hopeful expressions, like excited puppies.

"Kino, are you okay with that?" Hui asks, although he already knows the answer. Kino nods so enthusiastically Hui worries he'll give himself whiplash.

"Then it sounds good to me." Hui accedes, trying to hold back a fond smile as they high-five each other.

Hui starts to wrap up the meeting. "We'll meet again in 2 days to regroup. If you can't kill your target by then, at least gather as much info on them as you can. If you have time, maybe keep an eye on Wooseok to make sure the Senators haven't sent another assassin after him. Meeting adjourned."

Chapter Text

It takes Hongseok several deep breaths to get his heart rate down to a manageable level after rushing home from the meeting. He braces against the door, trying to open it as silently as possible. He gently eases it closed behind him, wincing when the lock clicks into place louder than he was hoping for.

"Hongseok? Is that you?" says a voice from another room.

'Shit,' Hongseok thinks to himself, feeling his anxiety rising again.

"Yes, Father. I'm here." he says, hoping to sound confident.

"Come in here, son."

Hongseok walks into the study, fighting to make his aura seem calm and collected.

Sitting on the desk is Senator Will Gates.

He beckons Hongseok to sit down. Once Hongseok perches stiffly on one of the ornate, overstuffed seats, Gates leans forward with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

"So, anything new to report about that Assassin's Guild?"

Hongseok can feel sweat starting to bead on his forehead. His father, Will Gates, sent him to join the Assassin's Guild four years ago to keep tabs on its activities and make sure they wouldn't revolt against the government.

"We... had a meeting today." Hongseok states deliberately. Gates was still looking at him, expecting him to elaborate.

"To discuss killing Jung Wooseok." he continues reluctantly. Hongseok has to tell the truth. His father prides himself on being a human lie detector. If Hongseok tells the smallest lie, it's all over for him.

"Ah, I see." Gates seems to lose interest.

When Gates proposed this mission, Hongseok was hopeful. He thought he would finally have some freedom for the first time in his life. His father made it seem like he would be a double agent, but over the years it became clear he was still just a pawn for his father's greed.

"Have you heard anything about Ronald Crump's killer?" Gates asks casually, but Hongseok can tell he's tense.

"The news said he just had a stroke." Hongseok says. Not technically a lie.

Gates leans forward again. "Come on, son. A man with that much power and that many enemies doesn't die of natural causes."

Hongseok knows that. He can't wait for Gates to meet his own unnatural end.

"Well, if you have no useful information, you're free to go." Gates concludes, waving him off.

Hongseok exits, all but running out of the room.

Chapter Text

"It's done." Yanan says softly into a burner phone from the plush seat of his private jet.

"Already? I only gave the order yesterday." says Hui incredulously.

"What can I say? I'm good at what I do." Yanan replies, the smirk evident in his voice.

"Just how long have you been planning to kill Warren Muffet?"

"Since he booked the biggest suite at the Four Seasons! I had to slum it in the Junior Suite! Do I look like the type of impoverished bum who belongs in a Junior Suite?" Yanan pauses to take a deep breath and compose himself.

"Anyway, I did it this morning at the country club we both attend. He was in the VIP lounge, all it took was an empty syringe, perfect timing, and some sleight of hand. As far as the medics know, he choked on his sandwich and it triggered a heart attack."

"So you waited till he took a bite and stuck him with the syringe from behind?" asks Hui, deadpan.

Yanan pouts. "It sounds way less cool when you say it like that."

"But won't there be country club members and employees who will place you at the scene?" Hui asks.

"I went unnoticed as a waiter. Can you believe that? Me? A humble servant?" Yanan scoffs. "It was so humiliating, I'll need at least 5 hours at the spa to wash the smell of poverty away."

"Ok well, if that's all you have to tell me, I have other things to do..."

"Wait wait wait! How are the others? Has anyone else eliminated their target?"

"Not that I know of."

"Have you heard anything from Hongseok?"

There's a pause.

"No, but it's only been one day, so we'll see."

"Ok then, good lu-"

Click.

Hui had hung up. Yanan sighs, putting his phone away. Alone again.

Chapter Text

"A bus?! You hit her with a bus?!" yells Hui.

Hui had been on the phone with Yanan when he saw a Breaking News Report on TV that RJ Kowling had been fatally hit by a bus downtown. He immediately hung up and texted Kino and Yeo one to meet him at the Guild Headquarters, an undisclosed location. Now Kino and Yeo one were being scolded by Hui, looking like guilty schoolchildren.

"Well, it wasn't our first plan..." mumbles Kino.

"What was the plan then?" Hui demands, crossing his arms.

"Yeo one disguised me as a news reporter-" Kino starts to say.

"An outfit that took all night to make-" Yeo one interjects.

"And I was supposed to catch her after a press conference and ask for an interview-" Kino continues.

"And maybe flirt with her a little-" Yeo one giggles.

"Then lead her onto the construction site nearby!"

"And push her in a hole!"

"Where we bury her in cement!"

"So there won't be any trace of a body."

"Kino has a friend in construction who let us borrow his excavator and cement mixer. It was going to be perfect."

Hui is horrified. "I'm actually glad that Plan A didn't work out." he says.

"The problem started when I asked her for an interview and she told me to talk to her assistant." Kino explains.

"We didn't see that coming." Yeo one adds.

"I used all my charm but she wouldn't come with me, so I just kept her on the sidewalk for Plan B."

"Let me guess." Hui says. "Yeo one was Plan B."

"Yep!" Kino confirms, beaming with pride. "He was waiting a few blocks down in the bus, just in case. All I had to do was give him a signal."

"But didn't people see him at the wheel?" Hui asks.

"I sped up, cut the brakes and jumped out before it hit her." Yeo one answers.

"And how didn't she notice a huge bus coming towards her?" Hui asks.

"You think any sane person would look away from this beautiful face?" Kino says with a wink and a smirk.

"Okay, get out."

Chapter Text

It’s 5am and Yuto is miserable. He’s been staking out the Gates residence for 16 hours straight, crouching in a nearby tree to get a good view of the property. His many years of training made it easy for him to stay perched for hours on end, but his overwhelming guilt made it difficult to concentrate.

One second, one decision, one reckless action, and now they have to kill 6 people instead of 1. To make matters worse, they're all way more powerful than the original target, and probably already called in reinforcements. The whole Guild could be in danger, and it was his fault. He hasn't slept since Hui confronted him about killing Crump, when the true weight of his actions hit him. But along with his guilt, he’s more determined than ever to make this mission a success. He owes it to the Guild, and to Hui, for causing him all this trouble.

Yuto rubs his sore eyes and wishes that his phone would buzz again so he could concentrate on something else for a change.

The Previous Day:

After the emergency Guild meeting yesterday, Yuto immediately went to check on Wooseok. The whole mission would be pointless if something happened to him. Wooseok wasn't home, so Yuto took the liberty of breaking in and installing tiny motion sensor cameras in every major room of his apartment. Every time there's an unusual movement, a notification is sent to Yuto's phone so he can watch what's going on, giving him enough time to send in reinforcements if it seems like Wooseok is in danger. It's the least he could do to make sure Wooseok stays safe for the time being.

After leaving Wooseok's apartment, Yuto went home to find Will Gates’ address, gather some equipment and head over there to do his job.

Yuto got the first notification around 6pm, while he was still doing the perimeter check on the Gates estate. It seemed like Wooseok was just getting home from work. He looked exhausted. Yuto watched him just long enough to make sure he locked the door behind him, then turned back to the task at hand.

To Yuto’s surprise and suspicion, he found the Gates mansion rigged to the nines with all kinds of high-tech security equipment. Alarms, tripwires, cameras, motion sensors, guard dogs, you name it. There is no way he’d be able to break in without a blueprint of the layout. An average Senator wouldn’t need such a high level of security. There was hardly any information on him online, either. Will Gates has been a Senator for 5 years, and he had a wife named Belinda who passed away 2 years ago. He must have gone to great lengths to keep his life private. Yuto was starting to think he might need some help to take this guy down. Someone who is this paranoid about being watched must have something to hide.

When he was sure he’d checked around the entire property, Yuto settled down in the tree to start the overnight watch, checking who comes in and out. It was sunset by then, so Yuto took out his phone to check up on Wooseok.

Wooseok was watering his plants, and his mouth was moving. ‘Is he talking?’ Yuto thought to himself. ‘But there’s no one there. I made sure there were no blindspots when I set up the cameras.’ He started getting anxious. ‘Is there a ghost in his house? Or maybe the stress of his job is giving him hallucinations? Wait.’ Yuto paused and looked closer. ‘He’s singing.’ Yuto let out a breath of relief. Wooseok wasn't in any danger, so he put his phone away.

‘He sings to his plants as he waters them. That’s kind of cute.’ Yuto couldn’t help but smile at that thought.

Yuto alternated between observing the Gates estate and watching his phone. Wooseok made dinner (soup), did some paperwork, spent some time on his computer, and watched some TV before settling into bed at around 10:30pm. ‘What kind of person goes to sleep that early?’ pondered Yuto.

'And is that a stuffed animal?' He stifled a snicker.

Watching Wooseok was Yuto's only distraction from the monotony of overseeing the Gates residence. Now that he'd fallen asleep, all cuddled up with his fluffy whale, Yuto was barely able to keep his eyes open.

Present time:

Which brings him back to right now. It's 5 in the morning and Yuto is in a tree. He is cold, sore and so exhausted he can't even think. He just wants something to happen, anything-

Thump.

An arrow hits the tree trunk right beside the branch Yuto is perched on. Suddenly Yuto has never been so awake in his life. 

The arrow was shot from the estate, meaning someone inside saw him. It was too dark for him to see who shot it. Yuto yanks the arrow out of the bark. It’s a small arrow from a crossbow, and there’s a piece of paper tied to it. Yuto opens it and reads:

Find a better hiding place. Meet me at the east wall at 4:15pm.

-Hongseok

‘Hongseok?!’  Yuto is so startled he loses his balance, falling out of the tree and bringing his equipment down with him.

Luckily Yuto lands in some bushes. It seems like a good hiding spot, and obviously nothing more interesting was going to happen that night, so he lets himself drift off to sleep.

Chapter Text

He is awoken by the sound of a car motor and immediately checks his phone. It's 4pm already. He feels well-rested, the bushes he fell in were surprisingly comfortable. Yuto repositions himself to make sure he's completely covered by the bushes and watches as a black Sedan with tinted windows exits the property.
Yuto contemplates making a break for the east wall. “4:15 is an oddly specific meeting time,” he thinks. He decides to slowly crawl his way there, avoiding the security cameras.

Yuto spots Hongseok at the meeting place, near a beautiful garden on the outer perimeters of the residence. He was leaning against the wall, hidden in the shadow. Yuto approaches him cautiously, brimming with curiosity.

"Hey." Hongseok says casually. He is not dressed in his usual suit, instead he’s wearing workout clothes.

"Hey?!" hisses Yuto. "What are you doing here? Why did you leave the meeting so fast? Are you undercover? Has Gates been your target this whole time?"

Hongseok regards Yuto. "You look terrible."

Yuto has never been so offended in his life. “How could you be thinking about looks at a time like this? The Guild is in danger!” Yuto whispers on the border of hysteria. “Do you have any idea how worried we've been?”

Hongseok raises an eyebrow. “Have you spoken to the others since the meeting?” he asks skeptically.

Yuto falters slightly. “Well... no, but I'm sure they're all extremely worried.”

Hongseok doesn’t look convinced.

Yuto changes the subject. “Anyway, you still haven’t explained what you’re doing here. How haven’t you been caught?”

“Well, Gates just left for a meeting, and-”

Yuto waves his arms wildly, cutting him off. “SSSHHH! Not so loud! A mansion this big must be crawling with maids and butlers,” he whispers, looking around with wide, paranoid eyes.

Hongseok dismisses that thought. “Don’t worry, this is when I usually train, and they have strict orders not to bother me until dinnertime.”

“Wait...” Yuto says, trailing off as he starts to realize.

Hongseok takes a deep breath like what he’s about to say causes him physical pain.

"Will Gates... is my father."

Yuto sits on the ground in silent shock. He needs to process this.

Hongseok is really concerned at this point. “Are you sure you're okay? You seem-”

“I'm fine." Yuto says firmly, still struggling to get a grasp on the situation and form a new plan. He hoists himself back to a standing position and starts to pace back and forth, mind racing.

“Well, if he’s your father, then I can’t kill him, so we’ll have to think of a new plan-”

“No need. I poisoned him this morning.” Hongseok interrupts.

“You- what?” Yuto stops dead in his tracks.

“It's slow-acting though, so it won't hit him until tomorrow."

Yuto needs to sit down again. This is just too much.

Hongseok sits down beside him, leaning against the wall. "Yuto, it's okay. Really. I've been planning this for a long time. I didn't think I'd have to do it so soon, but the circumstances were perfect."

Yuto has his head in his hands. He slowly lowers them, keeping his face downwards. “I didn’t even know Gates had a son,” he eventually says.

Hongseok sighs. "I’m not his son, I’m just his pawn,” he says bitterly. “I was erased from existence as soon as I graduated from the special intelligence academy. All my records were destroyed. My birth certificate, social security, everything. He kept me here, training and studying, until he found out how to get me in the Assassin’s Guild. He made me join the Guild so he could spy on it and make sure they didn’t try to revolt against the government. For the first year or so, he even made me wear a wire so he could listen in on Hui's assignments. When I wasn't doing his bidding, he kept me isolated and monitored, on a strict training schedule. That's how I was able to enter Level 5 so fast.”

“How come you didn’t do anything until now?” Yuto asks.

"I was scared. I don’t know what to do on my own, or even where to start. As much as I’ve grown to despise him, he organized my entire life. Without him, I don't know what I am. Or even who I am. At the meeting, while you guys were talking about why you became assassins, I realized that the rest of you guys have dreams, families, activities you're passionate about. Every part of my life is determined by his will. School, work, extracurricular activities, all meticulously orchestrated by him, for his own profit. I don’t have my own bank account. Hell, I don’t even know how to take the bus by myself.” Hongseok laughs bitterly. “When he isn’t using me to do his dirty work, he pretends I don't exist. There must be more to life than this. I left the meeting because I realized that it’s now or never. Plus, if anyone is best suited to kill him, it’s me. I slipped foxglove into his morning tea.”

Yuto turns to look at Hongseok. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”

Hongseok gets up and helps Yuto stand up as well.

“You don’t. You’ll just have to trust me.”

Chapter Text

Yuto leaves after giving Hongseok his number and making him promise to call if anything goes wrong. On the bus ride home, he’s still trying to process their conversation, but Hongseok seemed genuine and his story made sense, so Yuto decides to trust him. He exits at his stop, thinking to himself that he’d be happy to teach Hongseok how to use the bus one day.

When he gets back home to his tiny one-room apartment, he has a very happy reunion with his bed. If all goes well, he will see Hongseok at the Guild meeting tomorrow, and the rest of the targets will be dead.

But before Yuto can settle in for a good night's sleep, he realizes he hasn’t checked on Wooseok all day.

It’s 6:30pm by then, and Wooseok is home, and luckily unharmed. Yuto lets out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Wooseok is currently on the phone in his living room, pacing back and forth. He seems distraught, frowning and running his hand through his hair.

'He must be getting the news about the Senator's deaths,' thinks Yuto. 'I'm sure some of the other members have taken out their targets by now. He's probably worried that he'll be next.'

Wooseok ends the call and sits down, running his hands through his hair again. He sits there, starting at his living room wall for a long time.

Yuto can't help but feel a little bit bad for causing Wooseok's distress, but he knows it's for the greater good. Yuto keeps watching for as long as he can, but eventually his eyes gently close and he drifts off.