Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

5 YEARS AGO

"You have to be quiet," Donghyuck whispers before he continues dragging a blindfolded Minhyung into the dark training room.

A giggle escapes his lips as he bumps into a table he hadn't noticed earlier. Trainees aren't allowed out of their dorms after curfew, and while Donghyuck has never been one to follow the rules, he doesn't think tonight is the night he wants to get caught so he lets a playful 'shh' leave his lips before he continues pulling Minhyung into the room by his wrists.

"It's not like I tripped on purpose," Minhyung defends with a small smile on his face. "I'm the blindfolded one, you're supposed to be guiding me."

Donghyuck scoffs, stepping over a wire on the ground and whispering that his boyfriend does the same.

"Do you want to tell me why I’m blindfolded?" Minhyung scrunches up his nose trying to get the blindfold off his eyes.

"So I was in class earlier with Jaemin when this older student comes running up to us," Donghyuck starts and Minhyung barely lets him speak before he interrupts.

"Baby, you know I absolutely love listening to your voice, but is this a long story? And does it have to be told while we're in the middle of breaking the rules?"

Donghyuck smacks Minhyung's stomach and gives his arm a little pinch before continuing his story. "Apparently Lee Minhyung had impressed everyone with his excellent throwing skills in knife training today."

A grin makes its way onto Minhyung's face as he remembers the events of earlier today — he surprised everyone in his class, even their instructor. Hell, he surprised himself. 

"Am I getting a reward for doing good?" Minhyung teases, wiggling his arm out of Donghyuck's grip and interlocking their fingers together instead.

"Sure," Donghyuck replies, taking Minhyung by surprise when he presses their lips together, one of his arms slipping around the boy’s waist. "But only after I see what exactly my sexy boyfriend is capable of."

Minhyung’s eyebrows pull together in confusion at the words, not understanding what Donghyuck meant. The blindfold is pulled off his eyes quickly and Minhyung has to squint from the brightness of the room they’re in.

It doesn't take him long to figure out what room they’re in though, and suddenly what Donghyuck said just a few seconds ago makes perfect sense. He feels Donghyuck wrap his arms around his waist from behind, leaning his chin on Minhyung’s shoulder, making him smile.

“Ah,” Mark chuckles. “I think I know why we’re here.”

Donghyuck turns his head to press a kiss to Minhyung’s neck. “Do you now?”

He hums in reply, untangling Donghyuck’s hands from his waist and heading over to the walls lined with knives and guns of all sizes ready for use.

“Care to put on a show?” Donghyuck says loud enough for Minhyung to hear him.

“I’d be glad to.” 

Minhyung returns with five knives in his hand and a gun in the other. With a daring smirk, he hands the gun to his boyfriend.

“I show you my progress with the knives, you show me yours,” Minhyung smirks. The two of them have been working on teaching the other the hardest skills of their own specialties for weeks, and it seems like Donghyuck’s work had pulled off because the story of Mark in knife training class earlier has been circulating around their training center the entire afternoon.

The gun is taken out of Minhyung’s hand confidently and a quiet ‘sure’ is heard right after.

Minhyung watches as Donghyuck inspects the gun given to him, twisting and flipping it around in his hand to get his grip right. When he thinks Donghyuck is going to shoot, the boy holds his hand out with a raised brow.

“You talk about getting caught, yet you hand me a gun without a silencer,” Donghyuck has a smug look on his face that Minhyung can only chuckle at. He throws the silencer he had hidden in his back pocket towards the boy and watches as Donghyuck attaches it.

“Watch and learn,” Donghyuck says before raising the gun and quickly shooting at the target twenty feet away from them, landing each bullet right in the center of it.

Minhyung’s eyes are wide, but not from surprise, he knows how handy his boyfriend is with a gun despite him specializing in knives. He gives him a proud look before remembering it’s his turn to show off.

He flips the knives in his hands, just like they practiced a few days ago between classes. Minhyung approaches Donghyuck and gives his cheek a quick kiss before whispering his own ‘watch and learn.’

Being less than confident is never a trait they teach in the training center — even if you know you might not be able to do something perfectly, having the right attitude should make up for it.

Which is why Minhyung looks confident enough in his knife throwing skills, he shows his boyfriend he is and he acts like it. Inside, however, the doubt creeps into his mind.

Maybe earlier was just pure luck and he's not actually good, Minhyung thinks.

He doesn’t give himself more time to think about it. Donghyuck always said the best way to throw is just to throw the knife, don’t overthink it — don’t think about all the angles and measurements they teach you about when you’re a beginner. Throw with power, throw with confidence, and trust that your knife won't let you down.

Minhyung lets the knife fly out of his hand with that thought on his mind. The two of them watch as the knife cuts through the air, flying straight towards the target right across him. 

Donghyuck sucks in a breath the moment the knife makes contact with the wooden target and Minhyung’s eyes widen the longer he stares at it, disbelief clear on his face.

Donghyuck makes his way towards the wooden target Minhyung just threw at, his feet silent and quick. He quickly pulls the target out of the wood and stares at it, his head turning back and forth from the knife to Minhyung.

“This was so fucking hot,” he says, raising the knife in the air to let the other boy know what he was talking about.

Minhyung throws his head back with a chuckle at his boyfriend’s words. Both of them continue staring at the hole the knife made right in the center of the target.

“Try here,” Donghyuck says, pointing at a random point on the wood before backing up, giving Minhyung space to throw.

When the second knife lands exactly where Donghyuck instructed, doubt is cleared from Minhyung’s mind. It wasn’t luck, now he truly believed that the lessons his boyfriend has been giving him has pulled off and now he was just as good with knives as he was with a gun.

Donghyuck pulls the second knife out of the wood and stares at Minhyung with adoration and love on his face. “Wanna try something?” he says.

Minhyung can only look at him, waiting for what the boy was about to say. If there’s one thing he knows about Donghyuck, it’s that he’s a risk taker — he doesn’t think about the consequences of his actions, he just does what he feels is right.

Which is why Minhyung rolls his eyes the moment Donghyuck steps in front of the wooden target, right across Minhyung, with a smirk on his face.

“Right here, big boy,” Donghyuck smirks, pointing to the spot right beside his ear.

“That’s scary, D.” Minhyung shakes his head, he doesn’t care how good Donghyuck thinks he is at throwing. He isn’t going to put Donghyuck in danger like this.

“No.”

Donghyuck’s bottom lip sticks out into a pout the moment the word leaves Minhyung’s mouth. He crosses his arms in front of his chest and leans back against the target, a daring and stubborn look on his face.

“I’m not doing it,” Minhyung says, tone final.

“But why?”

“You really think I’m risking you getting hurt because of me?” Minhyung raises his eyebrows, as if to ask Donghyuck if he’s serious. "What if something goes wrong and I have to drag you to the infirmary in the middle of the night?"

His boyfriend rolls his eyes. “If you think I can’t duck faster than it takes the knife to reach me, I’m gonna have to ask you if you even know me well enough.”

They stare each other down, both trying to convince the other to do something they don’t want to do. Minhyung doesn’t really know who’s going to win this battle, Donghyuck doesn’t back down easily but Minhyung will not let himself throw a knife that close to the boy so he shakes his head.

“Just once,” Donghyuck begs and Minhyung shakes his head.

After a few more seconds, Donghyuck breathes out a sigh and walks away from the target. “Your stubbornness is going to make us fight someday,” he warns playfully.

Minhyung laughs before throwing the knife exactly where Donghyuck asked a few minutes ago. “You act like you aren’t more stubborn than I am.”

“It’s a character trait,” Donghyuck giggles, pointing at different parts of the target he wants Minhyung to hit.

“One that might get you killed one day.”

Donghyuck shuts up right after that, not knowing what to say. He knows what Minhyung said is true but he can't bring himself to think much about it, not when they've had this conversation so many times in the past. He watches as Minhyung hits exactly where he wanted before he moves forward to pick them up and put them back where they belong.

The walk back to their dorms is quiet, only the cold hair blowing on their faces as they hide behind the walls they are all too familiar with. Minhyung knows the words he said a few minutes ago have been bothering Donghyuck but he doesn't want this to lead to another argument, so he slips his hand around Donghyuck’s, his thumb rubbing over the back of his hand gently.

“You have to be careful,” Minhyung mumbles, trying to get Donghyuck to understand the words he’s saying. This is more than just Donghyuck’s safety in the training center, once he becomes an agent his life will be on the line with every mission they go on and he wants this piece of advice to be drilled into Donghyuck's mind this early into their training.

“I know,” Donghyuck whispers back, avoiding eye contact even when Minhyung leans in to press a kiss on his forehead. “I love you.”

Minhyung nods, letting his fingers thread through Donghyuck’s hair. “I know you do.”

—

"It's December, you all know what that means."

They're in the middle of one of the announcements their training center has every so often. The older trainees take up the seats towards the front of the auditorium while the younger ones stay seated towards the back. Minhyung never really knew the reason behind this seating arrangement, but he assumes it's because the announcements are more interesting for the trainees who have been in the training center the longest.

There are four announcements every year, two in June and two in December. The announcements are when the trainers of the training center reveal which trainees will be put in the next squad the Agency forms.

The Agency has complete control over which trainees are promoted to agents and which agents get put in a squad together. They're sent out on missions all over the world to handle different kinds of problems assigned to them, problems that range from easy to deadly.

Minhyung turns around in his seat to look for Donghyuck. He knows the boy is sitting just a few rows behind him sitting with his two friends and his roommate, the only other three people Donghyuck interacts with who aren't Minhyung. HIs eyes travel over the filled up seats before they land on Renjun, Donghyuck's roommate, who's already staring back at him.

Minhyung cocks his head to the side, silently asking him where Donghyuck is. Renjun chuckles quietly before slamming his hand down on the back of the bent over person beside him. Minhyung smiles as he watches Donghyuck snap back up and glare at his friend before listening to what he has to say and letting his head turn to look for his boyfriend.

When their eyes meet, they share a smile before Minhyung goes back to looking at the trainer standing on the stage before them talking about the final announcement — where they’ll announce to all the trainees who the newly selected agents are — will be at the end of the month.

The newly selected agents, also called the “chosen trainees”, are always given more than a month’s notice before the final announcement where their names are called in front of everybody. It gives them the chance to decline or say goodbye to their loved ones in the training center.

He doesn't know exactly what the notices say or how they look like, all he knows from whispers around him is that they come in the form of a letter — fancy writing and all, the way they arrive in the hands of the chosen trainees isn't something he knows either but he assumes it's done in secret.

There’s always the chance that only one trainee gets chosen to be an agent at the end of the month, and they'll have to work solo for the rest of their careers, but those are the best trainees in the training center. It's only happened a few times in history, and most chosen trainees are put into squads.

Minhyung and Donghyuck have always been a shoo-in for a squad that's going to be formed in the near future, there's no specific year it's going to be announced but their trainers and even the director of the training center have hinted at the two of them being put in a squad together.

The announcements continue on for a few more minutes before the trainees are released for lunch. Minhyung bids his seat mates and friends goodbye before making his way towards Donghyuck ahead of him.

"Hello Minhyung," Renjun greets before Minhyung's stops beside Donghyuck, walking side by side with the boy. Donghyuck slips his hand in Minhyung’s and lifts both their hands to his mouth, giving Minhyung a smirk before pressing a kiss to the back of his hand.

"Renjun," Minhyung nods his head at the boy in greeting and then looks to the two remaining friends Donghyuck has walking in front of them.

"Minhyungie!" Jaemin cheers when he sees who’s walking behind him. "You’re friends with the older guys, right? Do you know which trainees got sent letters for the new squad?" 

The letters had been sent out a few days ago, so the trainees who were becoming agents already know who they are. A lot of them choose to stay quiet about the results though, opting to let the trainees find out about it on the day of the final announcement.

“I’m not sure,” Minhyung replies quietly. He never really understood why the Agency or their trainers chose to send out letters before the announcement itself, he felt like it ruined the element of surprise for everyone, but he wasn't one to question the operation of everything that happens in the training center.

Trainees push their way through the sea of students trying to get out all at once, but Donghyuck grips onto Minhyung's hand the whole way out, never letting his hand go.

“You guys go ahead,” he says to his friends once they’re outside, the cold air of December blowing on their faces.

Donghyuck drags Minhyung to the side of the building, away from the students still pushing themselves out of the auditorium. He leans against the building, letting their hands fall to their sides, as he stares at Minhyung with calculating eyes.

“Yes?” Minhyung mirrors Donghyuck’s position. Leaning on his side and giving his boyfriend a smile instead.

“You’re hiding something.”

Minhyung raises his eyebrows. “No, I’m not.”

“You are.”

“Not.”

“You act like I haven’t been dating you for one and a half years, I’m pretty sure I know when you’re lying.”

Minhyung scoffs. “I’ve never lied to you, how do you know how I look when I’m lying?”

Donghyuck doesn’t reply. Instead, he pushes himself off the building and rolls over so he’s in front of Minhyung, he pushes the boy’s hair out of his face and cups his cheeks in his hands.

“Are you?” he says quietly, but low enough for Minhyung to know he's being serious.

“Fine.” Minhyung wraps his arms around Donghyuck’s waist, pulling him close so that he loses his footing and all his weight is placed on Minhyung.

“Youngho didn’t make it,” Minhyung whispers.

Donghyuck pulls back, his eyes narrowing at his boyfriend. He’s sure out of all the trainees in the training center, Youngho would’ve made it.

It’s like the Agency was stupid enough to not see the potential in their friend. Donghyuck scoffs, disbelief clear on his face before he shakes his head.

“That’s shit.” 

“I know,” Minhyung replies, not letting his arms drop from around his boyfriend’s waist. “I was gonna wait for him to tell you because it took him a while to tell me.”

Donghyuck only sighs, finding his footing once again and leaning his forehead against Minhyung’s chest. “When do you think they’ll get him?”

In all honesty, he doesn’t know when they plan on getting Youngho as an agent. He’s been a trainee for so long, the younger ones are starting to wonder if he’s ever even going to be taken as an agent. Disappointment after disappointment, Minhyung and Donghyuck have started to wonder how much more Youngho can take before he chooses to go.

“I’m going to him,” Donghyuck states, pushing himself off Minhyung and going to turn around.

He grabs onto Donghyuck’s wrist. “Wait a few hours, it’s probably hard on him right now.”

“But—”

“A few hours, Donghyuck. That’s all he needs.”

Similar to a few nights ago, their eyes narrow at each other trying to get the other to back down before Donghyuck looks away and pulls his wrist away from Minhyung’s hold.

“I don’t like that you keep winning these stupid staring thingies,” he pouts and Minhyung lets out a chuckle, pushing himself off the wall and wrapping his arm around Donghyuck’s shoulder when they begin walking back to the dorms.

“That’s payback because I’ve let you win these last few months,” he mumbles, turning his head to press a kiss to the side of Donghyuck’s head. “You look sexy, by the way.”

“Did not,” Donghyuck scoffs. “And thank you, I wish I could say the same about you.”

Minhyung chuckles and pushes Donghyuck away from him. “I take it back, you aren’t sexy.”

“Keep saying that, not like it’ll ever not be true,” Donghyuck teases before grabbing Minhyung’s hand and pulling them back together.

—

"Where is he?" Donghyuck demands the moment the door to Youngho’s dorm room swings open.

It's after four in the afternoon now, the time Minhyung deemed it okay for Donghyuck to visit their friend. He’s been itching to visit Youngho ever since he found out it’s another month he wasn’t chosen to be an agent.

Yoonoh, Youngho’s roommate, quickly lets him inside the room without saying anything. Donghyuck finds his friend laying on his back, arm covering his eyes and earphones blasting music loud enough that he can hear it from where he's standing. 

He wastes no time, dropping down on the bed beside Youngho and cuddling up to him like he does with all his friends. His arm drapes over Youngho’s stomach and his legs tangle themselves with his legs.

“Hug me back, at least,” Donghyuck comments. “It’s December. It’s cold and I need warmth.”

Youngho doesn’t say anything, he just turns on his bed and hugs Donghyuck back, pulling the younger boy to him. He doesn’t even open his eyes to look at Donghyuck who is rolling his eyes at the volume of his friend's music.

"You can go now, Yoonoh." Donghyuck points at the door and gives Yoonoh a look that says ‘don’t complain.’ It’s funny, he thinks, that Yoonoh is probably a few years older than him, but doesn't seem to mind when Donghyuck orders him around.

Yoonoh chuckles and bids them a quiet goodbye as he slips out of the door and gives the two boys the privacy Donghyuck asked for.

"Yoonoh got his letter," Youngho whispers as they stare at the ceiling of his dorm room.

Donghyuck's head swings around quickly, he looks at Youngho with wide eyes. "You mean Yoonoh is one of the members of the new squad? That's bullshit!"

Youngho quickly shushes him and lets Donghyuck wrap his head around the information just given to him. He can’t, Yoonoh arrived a few years after Youngho did, it just doesn’t seem fair that so many trainees are getting to move on while Youngho remains in the training center year after year.

"It makes sense,” Youngho interrupts his thoughts. “He’s one of the only trainees in the training center able to ace the plane flying simulation we have every month, he had it coming."

Donghyuck scoffs. "But aren't you like the best at the interrogating thing no one else can ever perfect? Isn't that a stupid elective class you've been taking for a year? Why would they keep forgetting about you?"

"I wish I knew."

"Do you know who else got a letter?" Donghyuck only knew about Youngho since that’s all Minhyung told him during their talk earlier. He eyed his friend carefully so he knew when to drop the subject if it ever looked like he was uncomfortable.

"You know that sniper guy my age? The very brooding, scary one who's always walking around alone or with this other guy."

Donghyuck thinks about it, there are only a few snipers in the training center right now, him being one of them since he’s been taking the class for a few months. He can't find it in him to place any of his classmates in his sniping class as one to be added to a squad, no one seemed good enough.

"Yuta?" he gasps a few seconds later when he thinks of that one classmate he has who always keeps to himself, he only talks to their trainer and leaves without saying anything when the bell rings.

Youngho laughs at Donghyuck’s shocked expression and nods. "Him and his friend. He's my partner in my interrogating elective. Very friendly, he’s really good too."

Once again, Youngho lets Donghyuck think about who it could be instead of telling him straight up what he knows. 

It takes him a little longer this time but the surprise is even clearer in his voice as he gasps out, "Hansol? No way!"

"He deserves it.” Johnny shrugs, it seems to be the only thing he says about them. “He's one of the best interrogators I've met in this training center, it'd be a shame if he wasn't included in one of the next few squads."

Donghyuck rolls his eyes, wanting to tell Youngho that's exactly what he thinks of him, but he holds his tongue. His friend is probably hurting a lot more than he's showing right now and he doesn't want to make it worse with the things he really wants to say.

"Who else?"

"That's all I know right now.” Youngho shrugs. "I only knew about Yuta and Hansol because they live across the hall but I heard rumors about this guy named Sicheng being one of them."

Donghyuck hums. "I don't think I know him."

Knocks sound on the door and both their heads snap up to look at it. "You expecting anyone?" Donghyuck asks, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Nope," Youngho quickly answers him before shouting out a 'Come in!'

The door opens and Minhyung enters, carrying a box in his arms. "Damn," Minhyung laughs. "I leave my boyfriend with you for thirty minutes and you already have him in bed?"

Youngho rolls his eyes and drops back down on his bed beside Donghyuck.

"Hi," Donghyuck smiles at Minhyung who places the box down on the table beside him. "Are those the cheese donuts?"

"Yes, Donghyuck. Just how you like them." Minhyung walks across the room to place a kiss on his forehead before moving to make himself comfortable on Yoonoh's bed. 

"How are you, Youngho?" he asks once he's settled.

"Sad, obviously." Youngho grunts. "I guess with every announcement I just get more and more angry."

Minhyung nods. "Understandable, the big bosses in headquarters are a bunch of assholes for ignoring you during every announcement."

Youngho detaches himself from Donghyuck and turns to face the wall, not showing either of the two his face as he replies, "It just sucks. What if this is their way of telling me to just give up because they're not letting me into anything soon?"

Minhyung and Donghyuck share a look, neither of them knowing what to say. They talked about this a few nights ago when the rumors about the letters being sent out started, how it was just a matter of time before Youngho gets sick of being the forgotten trainee in the center and leaves this all behind for good. The conversation was immedaitely shut down by Minhyung who didn't want to even entertain the thought of Youngho leaving them behind, but its been playing in his mind since then.

Youngho continues, "I've just wasted so much time on this stupid training center and this dream,” his voice cracks as he speaks. “Just hoping that the next time they'll choose me but it never happens, I'm let down again and again and it fucking sucks."

Minhyung's about to open his mouth when Youngho beats him to it.

"One more time," he starts. "I'll wait til the next announcement and then I'll leave. I don’t think I can take it anymore."

Donghyuck does worse at keeping his expression in check as he turns to Minhyung with wide eyes.

Youngho has been in the training center longer than anyone they know, he’s been there since Minhyung was a newbie at the center and needed someone to show him around, he was there when Minhyung first started developing feelings for that annoying boy in his knife training class. He’s been there longer than anyone knows, for him to just leave doesn’t sound like something they can fathom. 

But everyone has their limit, a number of times they allow themselves to get hurt before they give up, and Youngho is nearing his. 

"You mean leave the training center?" Minhyung asks, the surprise still evident in his tone as he speaks. “Quit being a trainee?”

"Yeah, Minhyung." Youngho mumbles, quiet enough that they wouldn't have been able to hear him if they weren't listening carefully. "Leave for good. Forget about this place and start over, I might struggle at first but at least I’ll be rid of the disappointment I feel every time I walk the halls of this stupid place."

—

"You think he's actually gonna do it?"

It should probably be common knowledge by now that as long as Minhyung and Donghyuck were dating, neither of them were going to be following the curfew set by the director of the training center. 

The clock just hit midnight and they’re still sitting by the pool, their legs hanging into the water sitting side by side.

"I wouldn't put it past him," Minhyung replies honestly. “Think about it from his perspective.”

Donghyuck sighs. "Getting put in a squad is scary," he mumbles, pulling his legs out of the water and hugging them to his chest.

Minhyung hums.

Not only does being put in a squad mean you're now a professional agent that can get assigned missions that could leave you dead, it also means you're separated from everything you now know. Most of the time identities are changed and if they aren't, your appearance is changed — you become a completely new person, you’re pulled away from your life now and forced to start over. Your squad relocates to another country, and they're now the only ones you can ever rely on.

"What if we don't get put together?" Donghyuck whispers, letting the worry be heard in his voice. "That means I have to forget about you… and you forget about me."

“I’ll never be able to forget about you,” Minhyung says quietly. It’s always around this time they both get serious during talks of the future. 

“What about being put together? You know agents from different squads hardly see each other, and appearances and names are changed, what if we don’t recognize each other?”

"We will get put in a squad together." Minhyung assures him, placing his hand on top of Donghyuck's hand laying on the cement below them."They told us we will and that won't change. I won't let it."

Donghyuck scoffs. "What are you gonna do? Storm headquarters and demand you get to be put in the same squad as your boyfriend? You know they don’t believe in that shit, they discourage trainees from even dating.”

Minhyung laughs. "Yes, I’ll storm headquarters if I have to."

"Oh, you are adorable," Donghyuck coos, leaning forward to kiss Minhyung.

He sighs into their kiss. "I love you, okay? I promise nothing will ever separate us."

"You really have no say in that," Donghyuck says quietly.

"Why do you have to be so pessimistic? I'm trying to be cute here," Minhyung whines.

"I know you are," Donghyuck giggles, using his fingers to turn Minhyung's face to him. "And I love you so much for it."

"You sure like saying you love me a lot tonight."

"Do I?" Donghyuck teases.

Minhyung hums, returning the seriousness of the night. "But that's fine. I hardly tell you I love you too anyway."

Donghyuck, always the one to steer away from being the affectionate one between the two of them, scoops up water in his hand and throws it at Minhyung.

"That was rude," Minhyung glares playfully as he wipes the drops of water off his face.

"Okay, fine. To be fair, throw water at me."

Minhyung raises his eyebrows. "I'm not doing that."

"Why not?" Donghyuck whines.

"Because if I throw water at you, you're going to throw water back, and then we're going to get into a water fight and I really don't think I want to get caught past curfew."

Donghyuck scoots a little closer to Minhyung, linking their arms together.

"You're hot when you talk to me like that," Donghyuck says with a playful tone in his voice. "But you’re also fucking annoying for ruining the fun."

"Nothing I haven't heard before." Minhyung grins, turning his head to kiss the top of Donghyuck's head.

"When do you think it'll happen? If it'll happen at all." Donghyuck asks, bringing the conversation back to the two of them becoming agents together. He sounds unsure, like after the conversation they had with Youngho earlier, he's terrified the same thing will happen to them.

"We won't end up like Youngho," Minhyung hugs him close, knowing exactly what his boyfriend is thinking and reassuring him nothing bad will happen to either of them.

"How can you be so sure?" Donghyuck says quietly, leaning his head on Minhyung’s shoulder.

"I'm not, but we can only hope."

"Hope fucking sucks," Donghyuck breathes out. "Do you think they'll get Youngho for the next one?"

"I don't know," Minhyung mumbles. "There've been talks of Dongyoung and Jungwoo getting put together for the next squad, though they said the same thing about the last trainees, and nothing happened to them."

Donghyuck's fingers play around with Minhyung's hands, tracing his fingers all over the creases in the palm of his hand. They sit in silence for a while after that, both of them just staring at the water in the pool, the light of the moon shining down on them.

"You have sniping tomorrow, right?" Minhyung asks. “I heard one of your classmates got a letter.”

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have sniping the entire day, which is shit," Donghyuck replies, ignoring Minhyung's question, he really didn't want to talk about how unfair it was that Yuta got a letter and Youngho didn't. "I'm already good at knives, why do I have to specialize in something else?"

"Probably because there are so many other trainees here who specialize in knives," Minhyung teases, ignoring how Donghyuck changed the topic quickly. "Being a sniper is sexy as fuck, though."

"Not really," Donghyuck grunts. "Always so far away from the action."

Minhyung hums, Donghyuck loves action. He loves being in the middle of everything going on, loves knowing every little thing happening on the field. He most probably would never tell him but the trainers choosing to train Donghyuck as a sniper was probably a good idea. This way he'd be far away from making impulsive decisions that could put the whole squad in jeopardy.

"It's getting late," Minhyung says, staring at the clock on the other side of the pool across them. "We should head back up."

They wipe their legs with the towels they brought down with them earlier and head out of the pool area hand in hand.

"You promise we'll be okay?" Donghyuck mumbles once again, needing every bit of reassurance he can get out of Minhyung.

"Yeah. I doubt we'll be separated anyway, we'll be fine."

They walk to Donghyuck's dorm first, Minhyung already used to walking in the dark when heading to Donghyuck and Renjun's shared dorm. They make sure to avoid the cameras littered across the school and make it to Donghyuck's dorm without getting caught or setting off any alarms.

"Tell Renjun I say hi," Minhyung whispers quietly before kissing his boyfriend goodbye. "I love you,” he whispers as Donghyuck slips inside.

Minhyung runs the whole way back to his own dorm, making sure not to make any sound that would tip off any of the staff members that there's a trainee out after curfew.

"Busy night?" Jungwoo, Minhyung’s roommate, asks as Minhyung slips inside the room a few minutes later.

Jungwoo moved in with Minhyung a year ago, when Minhyung's roommate back then got chosen as one of the trainees being put in a squad. At first he was worried it wasn't going to go well, being put in a dorm with someone he had never heard of, but he and Jungwoo got along the moment they met each other and since then they've been one of the closest roommates in their entire building. 

"Nah," Minhyung replies, dropping down on his bed. He pulls his shirt off and throws it to the floor as he tries getting himself comfortable.

"How's Donghyuck?" Jungwoo asks, trying to make conversation as he prepares himself for bed.

"My boyfriend?" Minhyung lifts his head of his pillow and stares at his roommate.

Jungwoo raises his eyebrows at Minhyung as if to say 'who else?' 

"He's fine, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Jungwoo shrugs. "Why can't I wonder about my roommate and his boyfriend who break the rules every night just to see each other?"

Minhyung grins, and grabs the pillow beside him to chuck at his roommate. "You had me scared, asshole."

"That was the plan." He replies with an eye roll before finally putting his book aside and turning off his light.

"I was literally just staying up until you came back, in case staff did random check-ins and found you gone so I could cover for you."

Minhyung smiles. "Thanks, Jungwoo. You're the best."

"Oh, I know I am," the boy replies with a teasing tone to his voice. "Thanks for the extra pillow by the way."

Mark shakes his head and pushes his pants off his legs, he knows he isn’t getting his other pillow back without a fight and he doesn’t really feel like it right now.

—

They're back in the auditorium. It's nearing the end of December and most of the trainees are itching to find out who has been selected for the new squad, even with all the rumors going around this is still the moment of truth for most of them. 

Minhyung is sitting in the exact same spot he was sitting in a few weeks ago, a few rows before him he spots the back of Youngho's head, he feels his heart clench at the sight of his friend.

One of their trainers walks onto the stage, an envelope clutched in his hand. "In my hand I have the names of the trainees who will make up the next great squad of agents to come from this training center,” he starts. “To the six of you, congratulations!"

All the trainees hold their breaths, waiting for the names of the future agents to be called. Minhyung leans forward in his chair, the excitement getting the best of him as he waits for the trainer to reveal the names of the chosen trainees.

"First, we have Moon Taeil!" The crowd of trainees clap loudly at the sound of the first name being called, Moon Taeil is one of the smartest trainees in their training center. He's rarely seen taking any classes that involve physical contact and usually sticks to the ones that test one’s intellect. None of the trainees ever see him walking around the center unless they’re classmates with him in anything. He’s like a ghost — a super smart ghost who is now an agent.

Minhyung sees him stand up from somewhere in the front of the room, which is understandable considering he’s also one of the eldest in the training center. He makes his way towards the stairs that lead up to the stage as the trainees continue clapping for him.

"Ji Hansol!" Minhyung's head snaps to the trainer announcing the trainees when he hears the name. Ji Hansol was one of the people rumored to be sent a letter a few weeks ago, he even heard about it from Youngho who was his partner in their Interrogation elective. He watches as Hansol shakes hands with the people sitting around him before he makes his way to the stage beside Taeil.

"Lee Taeyong!" Their trainer announces after the students have quieted down from Hansol being called. Though, the commotion made when Taeyong's name is announced is indescribable. 

Lee Taeyong is one of the top trainees in the entire academy — the golden boy, the favorite, and with good reason. He has the reputation of being an all-rounder, acing every class he tries, Lee Taeyong not being good at anything would be more of a surprise than him being good at something.

"Nakamoto Yuta!" Minhyung has heard about Yuta being sent a letter beforehand, but his jaw still drops as the name is called and watches Yuta walk up the stairs and stops beside Taeyong.

It feels unreal to Minhyung, these trainees who are now being called onstage. These are guys he's worked and trained beside, who knows what even tomorrow holds for them now that they're agents.

"Jung Yoonoh!" Minhyung watches Youngho drop his head down to avoid seeing his friend and roommate walk up the stage and claim something Youngho has dreamed of for so long. He knows Youngho is happy for Yoonoh, and he would never do anything to make Yoonoh feel like he didn't deserve it, but that wouldn’t stop anyone from feeling bad about the situation.

His heart swells when he watches Youngho's head lift up and sees him start clapping. Youngho even goes as far as wolf whistling, catching the attention of Yoonoh onstage who gives him a thumbs up. Minhyung swears he sees Yoonoh mouth something to Youngho, but whatever it is, he doesn't catch it.

"Dong Sicheng!" The sixth and final person to be called for this month. He stands up from his seat and makes his way to the stage, ignoring the congratulatory shouts and screams as he passes by people. Minhyung doesn't know Sicheng personally, but he's been known as one of the cooler upperclassmen in the training center, always keeping to himself and never seen out of his dorm except during training hours.

"That's all for this month." The trainer stuffs the envelope in his jacket pocket and looks at the trainees, now agents, standing behind him. "Say your final goodbyes, trainees. This could be the last time you ever see these boys."

Minhyung watches as Youngho ducks his head down once again, refusing to watch his friends onstage. If Youngho sticks to his promise and leaves if he's not chosen in the next round, Minhyung doesn't know what he'd do, it'll be like losing one of his best friends, a brother.

Through the commotion and all the trainees shouting their goodbyes, Minhyung turns around and immediately catches Donghyuck's eyes. He's sitting beside Jeno, Jaemin, and Renjun, all of them shouting their goodbyes to the newly formed squad on stage.

Donghyuck gives Minhyung a smile, the kind he loves seeing on his boyfriend. He points to Minhyung, and then himself, and then the stage before mouthing 'us, soon.' 

Minhyung turns back around with the smile on his face. He starts shouting his goodbyes along with the rest of the trainees as the newly formed squad onstage start walking off. He knows they still have time to pack their things tonight before they're ushered onto a plane and to headquarters somewhere in Seoul, where they'll figure out the rest of their lives. 

He pushes his way past the counterflow once the assembly is adjourned, trying to make his way to Youngho who he knows will want company walking back to his dorm room. Yoonoh and the other chosen trainees will probably be briefed on their schedule for the next few days before they're allowed to go back to their dorms to pack, so Youngho will be alone until then.

"Hey, man." Minhyung eyes Youngho once he reaches his friend. 

"Hey," Youngho replies, stuffing his hands in his jacket pocket, letting the trainees around them push them forward to the exit.

Minhyung doesn’t mind that they’re walking in silence, he just gives Youngho the silence he needs as they walk up towards his dorm.

"You wanna head down to the training room?" Youngho asks Minhyung as soon as they're inside his room. "I just need to get dressed, I can't stand wearing this stupid uniform."

Minhyung nods, he's wanted to head down to the training room for a while now but he’s never found the perfect time to go down there alone. He’s been spending all his free time around Youngho these days, trying to make the most of his time with his friend before he possibly left the training center and they’d never see him again.

The training room is all the way down on the lowest floor of the training center. It’s kept hidden away from the younger trainees who could still be a little sensitive to violence and blood. There are mats scattered all over the floor for trainees to use whenever they want, there’s hardly any supervision down here so trainees are instructed to use the room with caution.

"Imagine my surprise when I go to visit my boyfriend and one of my best friends and it turns out they're already hanging out without me." 

Minhyung lets out a chuckle at what Donghyuck said as the boy enters the empty training room.

He walks up to Minhyung who's still seated on one of the chairs laying around their chosen sparring mat. "A lovely afternoon and an almost happy new year to my favorite boy, Seo Youngho," Donghyuck says as he takes a seat on Minhyung's lap, his arms wrapping around the boy's shoulders.

Minhyung barks out a laugh at Donghyuck's words and places a kiss on his boyfriend’s neck. "Hello there."

Donghyuck rolls his eyes and stands up from Minhyung's lap, giving him a pointed look with his hands on his hips.

"What?" Minhyung asks, eyebrows raising with confusion.

"You're not here to talk to me, you're here to lose to Youngho. Get off my chair," he instructs and Minhyung flashes him an amused grin, his eyebrows raising as Donghyuck tries using the tone he uses with everyone on him.

He pushes himself off the chair and leans down to kiss Donghyuck who only pushes him away again. "Lose to Youngho," he reminds with wide eyes.

"So no?" Minhyung pouts.

"No kiss." Donghyuck confirms, causing Minhyung to glare at him before he walks towards Youngho.

Minhyung and Youngho get into sparring position. "I'm gonna beat you," Minhyung warns playfully.

Youngho cracks another smile. "I'd like to see you try."

— 

Months pass and nothing changes, Minhyung and Donghyuck are still together, Renjun and Donghyuck are still roommates, Jungwoo is still Minhyung's roommate, and Youngho seems to have forgotten about the thing he promised himself and his two friends months ago.

It's the final week of May and Minhyung just finished his last class of the day. He knows Donghyuck finishes in two hours, and he doesn't really feel like waiting around that long when he can catch a quick nap in his dorm.

He's not sure if Jungwoo's already back and he doesn't really care. This entire week has been exhausting for him — it's as if their trainers decided to give Minhyung much harder training than the rest of the class and he's not sure how much more of it he can take before he snaps and screams at everyone.

The door to their dorm room is cracked open a bit so Minhyung doesn't have to take out his key from his bag when he arrives. He throws his things somewhere in the room and collapses down on his bed, kicking his track pants off his legs in the process.

"Hi Jungwoo," he greets belatedly. Jungwoo was sitting on the edge of his bed when Minhyung arrived a few moments ago and he wasn't able to take a clear look at him before he landed on his bed.

"Minhyung?" Jungwoo says cautiously. Too cautiously.

He looks up from his pillow, his whole face scrunched up into a look of worry and concern as he looks at his roommate. He expects to find Jungwoo injured, maybe bleeding and not able to bring himself to the infirmary, something that would make him use the tone he's using now.

Instead he finds Jungwoo holding two envelopes in his hands, it doesn't occur to Minhyung what exactly they could be. All Jungwoo can do is look at Minhyung with an expression he can't decipher. Is it horror? Excitement? Minhyung doesn't really know and he's too tired to figure it out.

"This one's for you," Jungwoo says hesitantly, holding out one of the envelopes to Minhyung. "They were slipped under the door when I came in a few minutes ago."

"Is it important? Woo, I'm really—"

"—Just open it, Minhyung," he interrupts. "I promise you won't regret it."

Jungwoo is starting to scare him, and no matter how hard he tries he can't figure out what's so important about a letter Jungwoo found slipped under their door.

And then it hits him.

As soon as the envelope is in Minhyung's hands and he sees his name printed on the back of it, he feels his stomach twist. His hands clam up as he stares at the symbol in the upper left, it's the symbol of the Agency in Seoul, the one in charge of all the agents, the one every trainee dreams of.

He rips the envelope open and takes out the letter folded up inside it. His heart is beating so fast in his chest he doubts he's even reading it properly. The tears pool up in his eyes as soon as he reads the words 'Congratulations, Lee Minhyung.'

He sobs as he finishes the letter and looks up at his roommate. "You got it too?" he asks, excitement very clear in his voice.

Jungwoo nods once and Minhyung can't help but jump over to the other side of the room and engulf Jungwoo in a tight hug. "Oh god, we're going to be squad mates."

Jungwoo hugs Minhyung back just as tightly as the two of them process the letters they just received. Jungwoo getting a letter means they'll be in a squad with each other, there's no scare that Minhyung will be a solo agent, he's gonna have a squad, this has been his dream for the longest time and it's finally here.

"Fuck," Minhyung breathes out when they let go. "I have to ask Youngho and Donghyuck."

Jungwoo nods excitedly. "You go do that! I'm sure they received ones too."

Minhyung's heart beats fast in his chest as he runs to the dorm room nearest his, Youngho's. Though his heart is beating not from excitement, but with fear. This could be Youngho's last, if Youngho didn't receive a letter like Minhyung did, this could be the end of their friendship, these next few weeks could be the last he ever sees of Youngho.

He knocks on the door three times, his heart beating so loudly he can hear it in his ears. The letter is sandwiched between the pages of a random book he grabbed on the way out of his dorm, just so he can hide it from Youngho in case the boy didn't receive one.

But all that is washed away the moment Youngho swings open the door with tears in his eyes. Minhyung breaks out into a huge grin and springs forward to hug his friend.

He did it. Youngho fucking did it. 

"I did it, Minhyung," Youngho says through choked sobs, his arms hugging Minhyung tightly from the excitement. "I'm gonna become an agent."

"We did it, John," Minhyung replies, pulling away from Youngho to show him the letter in his book.

They break out into huge smiles again, similar to how Jungwoo and Minhyung were earlier. Youngho invites him inside and they go over both of their letters so many times, up until they memorize their letters word per word.

"Have you asked Donghyuck?" Youngho asks as they lean against the wall Youngho’s bed is against. 

"Not yet, I checked on you first, but I'm sure he got one too." Minhyung leans back against the wall, confidence lacing his words. Their trainers have been telling them they were going to be put together, and he has no doubt they pulled through and actually put them in the same squad with Johnny.

It’s all Mark could ever ask for.

"Might wanna check on him now," Youngho says encouragingly, looking at the clock hanging in his room. Minhyung didn't even realize how long he'd been in Youngho's dorm, Donghyuck was going to be out of class in a few minutes and he wanted to be the first one to congratulate him on the good news.

"Alright, I'll see you later, man." Minhyung pushes himself off the bed, sandwiching his letter in his book again before heading for the door. "Congratulations again, Youngho."

"You too, Minhyung."

He makes it to Donghyuck's dorm room as soon as Donghyuck's last class ends. He uses the key Donghyuck gave him a while back to enter. He knows Renjun shared his last class with Donghyuck so the dorm was empty right now and he wanted to see for himself if his boyfriend really got a letter like he did.

Except, there's nothing on the floor when Minhyung enters, no sign of something being slipped under like his letter was. He even triple checked the door to see if anything was taped to it, nothing. There was nothing.

The panic settles in his stomach and his breath hitches. His eyes scan all over the dorm room, hoping one of them came back earlier and kept it hidden. He sits on the edge of Donghyuck's bed, keeping the book clutched in his hands so the letter wouldn't fall out. He tries staying positive, hoping the Agency or their trainers hadn’t given all the letters out yet and Donghyuck would receive his tomorrow.

He tries steadying his breathing so Donghyuck wouldn't notice something was wrong with him when he entered the dorm in a few minutes. Why would they slip his and Jungwoo's and even Youngho's letters under their doors but not Donghyuck's? It just doesn't make sense.

The door unlocks a few minutes later and Renjun and Donghyuck walk inside together, the latter's face lighting up when he sees Minhyung waiting for him.

"Well hello there," he greets teasingly. He drops his bag on the floor and positions his legs on either side of Minhyung so he's sitting on his lap. Donghyuck's hands play with the hair on Minhyung's nape and he places a soft kiss on the corner of Minhyung's mouth.

"So, what's got my boyfriend in the mood to wait for me after class?" Donghyuck asks quietly, a smile adorning his face as Minhyung's arms snake around his waist and pull him closer.

Renjun makes a barfing sound on the opposite side of the room. "God, can't you two wait for me to leave the room before you do anything?" he asks, taking his watch off and placing it on his table.

"We literally weren't doing anything," Donghyuck turns around in Minhyung's lap and glares at his best friend.

"I don't care, it was still something and I'm still here," Renjun rolls his eyes, similar to how Donghyuck does, and walks towards the door, bidding Minhyung goodbye as he slams it shut behind him.

"Okay, seriously. Why are you here?" Donghyuck asks, turning back to face Minhyung, a suspicious look on his face.

Minhyung feels his heart deflate. Donghyuck asking him this means he's completely clueless and Minhyung doesn't have the heart to tell him anything.

Maybe Donghyuck's letter will be slipped under his door tomorrow, he tries convincing himself. There's still so much time left until the first announcement.

"Nothing," Minhyung smiles. "Just wanted to visit you."

—

Days pass and nothing arrives. Minhyung is starting to lose hope because the day of the first announcement is nearing and he still hasn't told Donghyuck.

"It's almost the day of the first announcement," Donghyuck says one day as they walk along the courtyard. It's a Sunday so most of the trainees are lounging around their rooms or catching up on some extra training, so they're completely alone.

Minhyung hums, not knowing what to say. He's been waiting for Donghyuck to tell him he's gotten his own letter for days but he hasn't said anything and with each day that passes, Minhyung feels the guilt eating him alive.

The best he can really hope for at this point is that the same exact thing happened to Donghyuck and on the day of the final announcement they'll both be called, but that seems as unlikely as Minhyung storming the director's house and begging him to include Donghyuck in the new squad's lineup.

"Do you know anyone who got a letter?" Donghyuck asks.

Minhyung doesn't know if Youngho has mentioned anything to anyone but he thinks if anyone should know besides Minhyung, it should be Donghyuck — with or without a letter.

"I'll take you to one of them." Minhyung grins, pushing his fear away for a few minutes. He grabs Donghyuck's hand and pulls him in the direction of Youngho's building, ignoring the way his heart is beating in his chest because he wishes he could tell Donghyuck about him becoming a trainee too.

"Do you wanna tell me who we're going to?" Donghyuck asks once they're halfway up the stairs. 

"Nope," Minhyung chuckles, squeezing Donghyuck's hand once as they finally make it to Youngho's floor.

"Wait," Donghyuck says slowly, the realization sinking in the nearer they get to Youngho's dorm room.

Minhyung only gives him a teasing smile.

"Hey guys," Chan, Youngho’s new roommate, says when he opens the door. "Youngho's asleep right now." He opens the door wider so they have a clear view of a sleeping Youngho but Donghyuck only scoffs.

He pulls his hand out of Minhyung's and slides past Chan. "Wake up!" he screams into Youngho's ear, swinging his leg over Youngho's abdomen so he's straddling him.

"I think it should concern me that he's hardly ever done that to me," Minhyung says to Chan as they stare at Donghyuck who's rudely trying to shake Youngho awake. "Yeah, I should handle that."

Chan laughs at Minhyung and quietly says he'll give them privacy. Minhyung appreciates it, striding over to Donghyuck who's still shaking Youngho. "Babe- Baby, I think we should just wait until he wakes up," Minhyung says as he holds onto Donghyuck's shoulders.

"But—" Donghyuck pouts. "My bestie is gonna become an agent."

Minhyung nods, agreeing with Donghyuck but also trying to pull his boyfriend off their friend before he wakes up.

"Guys?" Youngho asks sleepily, rolling over so he's facing the two.

"This is your fault." Minhyung eyes Donghyuck who only grins back at him.

"My friend, guess what I found out?" Donghyuck giggles, wiggling his way out of Minhyung's hold and dropping on the bed so he's lying down beside Youngho.

"Did Minhyung tell you..." Youngho trails off to look at Minhyung, wondering if it's okay to mention it.

"That you are becoming an agent? Hell yes."

Youngho's eyebrows furrow and he looks past Donghyuck to Minhyung who looks back at him with a guilty expression on his face, he shakes his head slightly to let Youngho know he couldn't find it in himself to tell Donghyuck about his own letter.

Minhyung can't find it in himself to ever tell Donghyuck about his letter, but he knows the hell that'll go down if Donghyuck finds out on the day of the announcement will be indescribable. He'd rather his last goodbye is a friendly one and not one where Donghyuck hates him for breaking his promise and his heart. He doesn't think he'll be able to handle that.

"Well, where is it?" Donghyuck asks, talking about the letter.

Youngho just gives Minhyung a look that says he has to figure out his shit soon before he gets up to show Donghyuck the letter he has sitting on his desk.

Suddenly Minhyung feels like he can't breath. Reality is setting down on him and he realizes he needs to tell Donghyuck soon, before the first announcement so they have the rest of the month to figure things out.

Not that there's anything to figure out at all. Agents are completely new people, their identities change, and no one from their last lives are allowed to know who they are as agents. Even if they decided to try and make it work, nothing of the sort could ever happen. It'll be like dating a ghost.

Fuck... Mark's going to have to say goodbye to Donghyuck. He's going to have to break up with Donghyuck.

He makes his way to the door, pulling at his already loose collar as he struggles to breathe.

"I have to go," he says quickly before slamming the door shut behind him. He has no idea where he's going or if he wants anyone to find him, he wants to get away. Being away from Donghyuck, he doesn't know if that's a reality he wants, but opportunities like this only ever happen once and this is his dream.

He won't turn down the chance to become an agent, but he's entering that life at the cost of Donghyuck — his boyfriend, the boy he loves, the one he can't live without. He doesn't know if he'll even be able to do it.

He pushes past the trainees now loitering by the entrance of Youngho's building and makes his way out to the courtyard. The air here is fresh, and he finally takes a deep breath.

Will he lie to Donghyuck? Will he continue hiding it? Will he break up with Donghyuck?

The last option seems like the safest, it prevents Donghyuck from getting hurt over the fact that Minhyung is basically ending this life as the Minhyung he knows and starting a new one as whoever he'll be assigned to be by the Agency.

He's taken back to that moment in the pool months ago when he promised Donghyuck they'd become agents together, that he'll do everything it takes so they get put in the same squad.

Those were all promises he made back then, but now that it's happening he has no idea how to pull through with them.

"Minhyung?" A voice sounds out hesitantly behind him. He knows it's Youngho, probably after he told Donghyuck he'll be the one to check up on Minhyung.

God, for all Donghyuck knows, he probably just thinks Minhyung is sad over Youngho being out of their lives soon.

"You need to tell him," Youngho whispers into their hug.

“I know," Minhyung cries, gripping Youngho's shirt in his hands. "Fuck, I know. I just don't know how."

Youngho sighs, just letting Minhyung cry out all his worries into their hug. "When?"

Minhyung doesn't answer, and Youngho doesn't press him for one. This is a decision for Minhyung and only him, no one else should have a say in when he tells Donghyuck or how.

"Where is he?" Minhyung asks, pulling away.

"Back in his dorm, I walked him back before I went to you."

"Does he know anything?"

"Nope," Youngho replies and Minhyung sighs.

"I'll try doing it before the first announcement… I’ll try.”

—

Minhyung ignores Donghyuck for a week after that, waiting until the day of the first announcement to even mention anything to him. He remembers how he thought it ruined the element of surprise that the Agency sent the letters out weeks before the final announcement, he's grateful the system works the way it does now, though.

If he found out he was going to become an agent on the day of the final announcement itself and only had an afternoon to say goodbye to the boy he loves, he wouldn't know what to do with himself. At least this way he has a few more weeks to say goodbye, even if Donghyuck doesn't know what's happening.

Donghyuck has tried talking to him, going out of his way to catch Minhyung right after his classes or even in the morning when Minhyung leaves his dorm. Either Jungwoo has been lying when he says Minhyung isn't in their dorm or Minhyung is just really good at avoiding Donghyuck.

"Junnie," Donghyuck whines, falling on the bed beside his best friend right as the clock hits 10:00. "Man this is curfew, Minhyung usually picks me up around this time."

"Get off my bed, Hyuck." Renjun shoves Donghyuck off him, trying to hide himself under his blanket to finally get some sleep.

"But I'm needy," Donghyuck whines. "I'm Minhyung deprived, the motherfucker has been ignoring me for days."

"Have you even seen him?" Renjun asks, peeking from behind his blanket and looking at Donghyuck with curiosity.

Donghyuck raises his eyebrows. "Would I be whining to you if I've even come close to interacting with him recently?"

They sit in silence for a while before Donghyuck smacks the part of the blanket above Renjun's stomach. "You bitch, answer me."

Renjun groans, pulling his blanket off his face. "I’m tired and I want to sleep, why can't you let me sleep?"

"Because we have to figure out why my boyfriend is ignoring me!"

"Then talk to him!"

Donghyuck pulls away from his best friend with a look of disbelief on his face and then using all his strength, he rolls Renjun off his own bed.

"He isn't talking to me, how many times do we have to go over this?"

"Apparently enough for you to throw me off my bed." Renjun glares at Donghyuck, picking himself and his blanket off the floor and moving to Donghyuck's bed.

"Okay so any ideas? This is project ‘Get Minhyung to talk to Donghyuck again’."

"That's a stupid project name." Renjun turns the lamp above Donghyuck's bed off and prepares himself for sleep.

"Stop trying to fall asleep, I need actual help." Donghyuck jumps across the room and lands beside Renjun.

"Bitch, we're in the same position we were in like five minutes ago."

"This is because you refuse to help me," Donghyuck pouts.

"I'll help you, fine!" Renjun groans. "In the morning, I wanna sleep now."

Donghyuck pulls back and stares at Renjun rolling over, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. "Fine, I'll go bother Jeno and Jaemin."

Donghyuck peeks out of his door, and ever so silently, he tiptoes three doors down he corridor and inserts the key he has to Jaemin and Jeno's dorm room.

"Hi," he grins, crawling inside the dark room.

He hears a sharp intake of breath before Jeno's familiar voice sounds out. "Hyuckie?"

"The one and only. Good evening my two J boys."

He flips the light switch on and watches as his two friends quickly cover themselves with their blankets, trying to block the light.

"Guys," Donghyuck whines once again. "I need help."

"Is this about Minhyung ignoring you?" Jeno asks, still covering himself from the light.

"Yes," Donghyuck cries out, dropping down on Jeno's bed and wrapping his legs around his friend. "Do you have any idea what I did or what happened?"

"No, but we'll figure it out... tomorrow." Jeno replies with a yawn.

Jaemin does him better, throwing his blanket off him and dragging his feet over to Donghyuck with a tired look on his face.

“Me. I’ll help you,” he yawns as he drags Donghyuck over to his bed.

“Why is everyone so sleepy? It’s 10 in the evening.”

“Because some of us have been following the curfew,” Jeno says from his bed, though it comes out muffled.

“What happened the last time you saw him?” Jaemin asks once they’re on his bed, sitting up against the wall and pushing Donghyuck’s head down onto his lap. He brushes his fingers through Donghyuck’s hair as the older boy curls up to him.

“We were in Youngho’s dorm, talking about how he got a letter and—”

“—Wait,” Jaemin interrupts. “Minhyung got a letter?”

“No, Youngho got a letter, but Minhyung just froze up and then ran out of the dorm. Youngho told me not to worry about it and walked me back to my dorm and that’s literally the last I saw of Minhyung.”

Jaemin makes a sound of understanding from above Donghyuck, listening to everything he’s saying intently.

“Do you think it’s something bad?” he whispers. “Minhyung would tell you right away if it was something bad, right?”

“Yeah. He has been, I mean... in the past.”

“Then I don’t think it’s something bad,” Jaemin assures him.

“But if it isn’t, why is he ignoring me?” Donghyuck pouts.

“Space? What if he just needed space?” 

“From just me?” 

Jaemin sighs, not knowing what to tell Donghyuck but staying up with him anyway.

—

“Alright,” Donghyuck grins from his side of the dorm. “Is the plan clear?” 

"Donghyuck, I say this as your friend... why the fuck are we going to sneak into Minhyung's dorm?" Jeno asks after Donghyuck presented his plan.

"We are not sneaking into Minhyung's dorm," he tries to defend but lets his shoulders drop when he sees the way his friends are looking at him.

"Fine, we are sneaking into Minhyung's dorm. But only so he has no choice but to talk to me, we aren't doing anything bad."

Jaemin's eyebrows furrow and he raises his hand. "How is breaking and entering not considered bad?"

"It is not breaking, it is just entering." Donghyuck rolls his eyes.

"Yes, but it's entering without a key so that's not just entering," Renjun pipes up, only for him to receive a glare from Donghyuck.

"Okay!" Donghyuck cheers. "So the plan is clear for everyone?"

He doesn't wait for answers, only ushers everyone to follow him.

"Hyuck, I still don't think this is a good idea," Jaemin warns as they walk towards Minhyung's door.

"Relax, everyone is at the first announcement. No one will even notice we're gone." Donghyuck mumbles, picking the lock to Minhyung's dorm room and opening it wide enough for the four of them to slip inside.

Minhyung’s plan was to confront Donghyuck right after the first announcement when the trainees are let off for the rest of the day. He was going to talk to him properly, sit him down somewhere and maybe let Donghyuck process everything for a while before they decided on something.

Though when Minhyung couldn't find his boyfriend during and after the announcement, he just sighed and took it as a sign that maybe the universe doesn't want him to talk to Donghyuck today. He walks with Jungwoo to their dorm room, the two of them laughing on the way up the stairs.

That's until they swing the door to their dorm room open and find Donghyuck and his friends lounging around inside looking like they've been waiting for the two to come back.

"Great! He's here, can we please go now?" Renjun asks Donghyuck who's sitting on Minhyung's bed, arms crossed and staring directly at him. "Yeah, go ahead," Donghyuck says quietly.

"Jungwoo," Donghyuck says, silently asking Jungwoo to leave him and Minhyung alone. Jungwoo looks over to his roommate, asking if he really should leave Minhyung alone with Donghyuck.

Jungwoo probably has a general idea of what's going on between the two boyfriends. After all, he has been the one in charge of telling the boy Minhyung wasn't around when he was actually hiding behind the open door. He gives Minhyung a nod telling him he understands before he closes the door behind him.

"Donghyuck," Minhyung starts, stepping closer. "I can explain."

Donghyuck's eyes narrow. "You mean explain why you've been ignoring me for no reason these last 10 days?"

"Now, that wasn't 10 days—"

"Including the day you ran away from me and Youngho, it's 10 days,” Donghyuck confirms.

Minhyung shuts up, he looks at the pissed look on Donghyuck's face. It isn't the first time the two of them have fought, and the last few times have ended badly with the two of them needing space for weeks. Not this time, he has so much to lose by wasting weeks trying to get themselves ready to talk, in two weeks Lee Minhyung might not even exist anymore.

"I can explain," Minhyung says again.

"You already said that!" Donghyuck raises his voice. "Just tell me what it is!"

Minhyung closes his eyes and throws his head backwards. Donghyuck was explosive, that's for sure. He gets mad very easily, and it's very important to walk around him carefully when he's mad... and right now, he's very mad.

Minhyung has no idea if now is the right time to tell Donghyuck anything at all, he's scared that all this will end up blowing up in his face if he chooses now to tell Donghyuck everything he's been hiding.

Once again, he chooses not to tell him at all.

"I think we need to break up." Minhyung looks away from Donghyuck, not wanting the boy to see as the tears prick at his eyes as he says it. He imagines how in just a few weeks he'll have to walk away from this life just to start a new one as an agent, something he's dreamt of with Donghyuck.

"You really think I'm falling for that?" Donghyuck asks, stepping closer to Minhyung. The anger slowly drifts away the closer he gets to his boyfriend.

"Yes?" Minhyung replies, but it sounds more like a question. He groans, throwing his hands down. "Fuck off, I can't even break up with you properly."

"But why break up with me at all?" Donghyuck asks, finally standing right in front of Minhyung. "Say anything except the break up bullshit, I'm not letting you break up with me."

Minhyung sighs, finally giving up and letting his arm pull Donghyuck close to him. He just needs Donghyuck... close.

He breathes in the familiar scent of his boyfriend, letting his hand reach up and comb through the hair on the back of Donghyuck's head. "I wouldn't let myself break up with you either," he whispers. "But it needs to happen."

Donghyuck pulls back, confusion written all over his face. "Minhyung..." he says it quietly, but Minhyung can hear the fear in his voice. "You didn't do some fucked up shit like cheat on me, right?"

Minhyung scoffs. "Never, and I'd never let you get away from me either."

"Then why?" Donghyuck asks, his arms wrapping around Minhyung's waist hesitantly, but also tight enough that he knows he never wants to let go.

This is it, Minhyung thinks. The moment he's been dreading the most.

He doesn't want to do it, it takes everything in his whole body to even detach himself from Donghyuck. The envelope containing his letter is sitting on his and Jungwoo's shared desk — it's impossible to think Donghyuck missed it the entire time he was waiting for Minhyung to get back from the first announcement.

But the moment his eyes meet the envelope and the symbol on the upper left above Minhyung's name, Donghyuck feels his world crumbling down.

Suddenly, everything makes sense to him. The sudden break up from a few minutes ago, the breakdown when Youngho talked about being an agent. Minhyung was leaving with Youngho. Minhyung was going to be an agent, without him.

Donghyuck is about to lose two of the most important people in his life.

"No," he whispers, more to himself than at Minhyung. He can't even look his boyfriend in the eyes, he can't even bring himself to think of what's going to happen after the final announcement at the end of the month.

"You're playing with me," he announces, though he doesn't sound very confident. His voice and breath are shaky and any moment now the tears will start falling, but he can't bring himself to walk out of this room.

"Minhyung..." he says cautiously, and just saying his boyfriend's name makes the tears fall.

It’s the first time Minhyung has ever seen Donghyuck cry in their almost two year relationship. The boy was great at keeping his emotions, especially the weaker ones, in check. He’s never seen the fear that’s now in Donghyuck’s eyes, clear as day. He’d do anything to make sure Donghyuck never feels that way again, but it’s hard when he’s the exact reason it’s happening.

He pulls Minhyung to him and holds him tighter than he ever has... because in a few weeks Lee Minhyung won't even exist and he'll never be able to hold him again. Donghyuck holds Minhyung like it's their last, because with the way things are going now between them, it could be.

"Fuck." Minhyung hugs Donghyuck back just as tight. He has no idea what to do, he always seemed to have a solid plan when he did things. Losing Donghyuck was never something he foresaw, in the last few days away from him, he couldn’t even bring himself to think of how he’d go about this conversation.

They just allow themselves to cry, never letting each other go even when their sobs quiet down and the only thing heard is their breathing. The sun shines on them through the window and it seems so unfair how a day so beautiful is also the day both of their lives are thrown upside down.

Donghyuck wants to continue their relationship up to the very last day. Until they can't be together anymore, he wants to try no matter how much he knows he'll hurt when the day comes and Minhyung has to leave him. 

"I was serious," Minhyung whispers, finally loosening his hold on his boyfriend. "I think we need to break up."

And this time, Donghyuck can't come up with a serious answer, not even some snarky comeback like he usually does. All he can do is nod as the boy he loves tells him they can't be together anymore, that after Donghyuck walks out the door of this dorm room, they're over.

"Okay," he whispers. He knows nothing good can come out of them staying together for the remaining weeks they have. It's probably better to spare the two of them from hurt while they still can.

Neither of them let go, just allowing themselves to hold each other. Minhyung's heart hurts, he's angry that the system is the way it is — even if Donghyuck becomes an agent in the future or gets put in a squad, agents and squads are never allowed to interact with each other, they're all meant to keep their identities secret.

When the time comes and they have to let go, they do it without tears. Minhyung thinks the pain he feels in his chest right now will never compare to anything he'll ever have to endure as an agent, he thinks getting grazed by a flying knife or shot in the leg might feel better than the pain he's feeling in his heart right now.

Donghyuck wipes his eyes and face Minhyung one last time before closing the door behind him, he gives the boy he loves one last smile and walks away without looking back... this way it'll hurt less.

—

Once again they're back in the auditorium, Minhyung is sitting in his usual seat but he can't bring himself to turn around to look for Donghyuck like he usually does whenever the trainees are gathered up for an assembly like this.

He and Jungwoo got up earlier that day, beginning to pack their things in their suitcases. Right after they leave, new trainees will be accepted into the training center and they’ll take Jungwoo and Minhyung’s dorm room, they need to leave everything spotless and ready for use.

Another trainer, different from the trainer who announced the new agents last time, walks up to the stage with a similar envelope in his hands containing the names of the members of the new squad — Mark’s included.

The trainer clears his throat, bringing the microphone closer to his lips so everyone can hear him. "In my hand I have the names of the trainees who will make up the next great squad of agents to come from this training center," he announces and Minhyung holds his breath.

He hasn't seen Donghyuck since they said goodbye to each other in Minhyung's dorm two weeks ago — not even in the courtyard between classes, it's like they both disappeared from each other’s lives. Minhyung hopes he doesn't have to see Donghyuck right now, not in the auditorium where it'll be announced that Minhyung is going to be gone in less than 24 hours, but that’s selfish. He knows Donghyuck will want to be here for something this important to him.

"To the four of you, congratulations!"

Four? 

If Minhyung, Youngho, and Jungwoo got letters that means they make up four members of a squad. They all specialize in different things but they still completely lack when it comes to being a successful group of agents. Minhyung wonders how the Agency is going to go about this, four different agents who specialize in different things.

"First, we have Seo Youngho!" The crowd cheers, a lot of people look surprised that after all this time Youngho has finally been given a chance. The older trainees scream, a lot of them stand up and clap for Youngho. He's someone everyone in the training center is familiar with and someone everyone looks up to a lot.

Youngho makes his way up the stage, a huge smile on his face. He immediately catches Minhyung's eyes once he's standing where the chosen trainees are supposed to stand. Youngho waves at the trainees who are still clapping for him and the smile on his face is so big Minhyung doesn't think he's seen anything like it in the whole time he's known Youngho.

"Next, we have Kim Dongyoung!" Minhyung's eyes widen at the name, he's the fourth member Minhyung didn't know about, but knowing he's going to be in a squad with Kim Dongyoung makes his mouth drop open. He's one of the best hackers the training center has right now and one of the most intimidating trainees Minhyung has ever come across.

They call Jungwoo next who all but skips to the stage. A lot of the trainees he's friends with gasp loudly at the sound of his name and clap for him as he makes his way up the stairs. Minhyung is reminded of the day he and Jungwoo got their letters and he's thankful that out of all the people he could've been put in a squad with, he got put with both Jungwoo and Youngho.

The moment Minhyung dreads the most is when they call him, but the gasp all the trainees let out when they realize Minhyung and Donghyuck aren't going to be put in the same squad hits Minhyung's heart hard, and even after all the lectures he's given himself about not crying while walking to the stage, he still feels the tears pricking at the the corners of his eyes.

He tries not making eye contact with anyone as he passes by the trainees still clapping for him, but he can't help but listen for the sound of Donghyuck screaming the names of the chosen trainees like he usually does. Minhyung doesn't hear it, and for a quick second he wonders if Donghyuck even attended the final announcement, if he skipped the first announcement it's quite possible he skipped the second one too.

Jungwoo takes Minhyung's hand in his in a comforting manner the moment they're standing beside each other onstage and Minhyung feels his heart swell. In a few hours he's going to be saying goodbye to this training center, to the dorms he's lived in for years, to all the trainees screaming for him, and to Donghyuck.

Donghyuck.

Minhyung's eyes search for where the trainees of Donghyuck's age are supposed to be sitting. His eyes scan all over them and he spots Renjun, Jaemin, and Jeno, but the seat next to them is empty. Minhyung tries silently communicating with Renjun, asking him where Donghyuck is but all the boy does is shake his head.

Minhyung was right, Donghyuck skipped the final announcement, he should understand but a part of him feels a little angry.

They're going to lose each other, yes. But this is also Minhyung's day, why couldn't Donghyuck have been supportive enough to even show up for this moment in Minhyung's life?

All he does is sigh and continue listening as the trainer talks about how this is the last time they're going to be in the training center and it's the last time anyone is going to see them, after this Youngho, Dongyoung, Jungwoo, and Minhyung are going to disappear off the face of the earth, onto a different and way more dangerous life.

Minhyung wants to laugh at how dark it sounds, but his eyes make contact with the empty seat Donghyuck is supposed to be occupying and he shakes his head. He doesn't feel like laughing anymore.

They're ushered off the stage and to a waiting room they're instructed to stay in until someone comes to pick them up. The four of them nod their heads in understanding, not saying anything to each other.

They sit in silence for a long time before the sound of bustling is heard behind the only other door this waiting room leads to. Their ears perk up in excitement, this is it. 

The wooden door opens and one of their trainers sticks their head out, telling them they can now enter the room for the briefing. Minhyung expects to finally meet the big bosses, to come face to face with the people in charge of the Agencyand all the agents.

What he didn't expect is seeing the agents chosen last December sitting around the table in the center of the room. All of them look completely different, whether it's the clothes they're wearing, the hair styling, or even the way they now present themselves in front of the newly chosen trainees.

"Sit," Taeyong, who is sitting at the head of the table, instructs. 

The four of them take their seats in the four empty chairs, feeling small under the stares of the squad sitting before them. These are guys they're familiar with, guys they trained with previously. Hell, Yoonoh was Youngho's roommate, but even Yoonoh seems like a completely new person, darker maybe, like he’s seen things no one should ever see in their lives, and all in half a year.

"I'm Taeyong," Taeyong starts. "The leader of Squad 127."

Youngho, Dongyoung, Jungwoo, and Minhyung look at each other in surprise. Of course they knew Taeyong was incredible, but the guy standing in front of them now holds a different kind of confidence the Taeyong they knew did. They nod their heads in acknowledgement, lowering their heads out of respect.

"There have been some changes this month, instead of the four of you becoming your own squad, the bosses have instructed us to take the four of you under Squad 127."

Minhyung's eyebrows pull together in confusion. Is that even allowed? Is this the first time it's happened? Why?

It makes sense, maybe this is the reason the four of them seem to lack so many skills to be their own squad. It's because the missing skills are already covered by the current members of Squad 127.

Minhyung clasps his hands together as he listens to Taeyong tell him all about how this time tomorrow, they're all going to be completely different people.

—

Minhyung and Jungwoo are packing the last of their things when a knock sounds on the door. 

They hold their breath, not knowing what to expect. Of course Minhyung has a huge feeling it could be Donghyuck coming to say goodbye, but he doesn't know how he'll react if he has to come face to face with the boy only to have to leave him behind in just a few minutes. 

Jungwoo opens the door, right as Minhyung turns around so only his back is visible to whoever is at the door. He doesn't think he can handle the hurt this will bring him, maybe seeing Donghyuck at the final announcement would've been better than coming face to face with him.

"Uh, this is for Minhyung," the person at the door says and Minhyung whips around to see who it is.

It's Jaemin, and he's holding a bag in his hands. Minhyung approaches him carefully, scared for what could be inside but as soon as he takes the bag from the boy, Jaemin turns around and runs down the hallway.

"You think it's from him?" Jungwoo asks as he closes the door.

"Has to be," Minhyung replies, digging his hand in the bag and taking out the item at the very top of the bag. He recognizes it immediately.

It's the bracelet he gave Donghyuck for their first anniversary.

"Hey, isn't that..." Jungwoo trails off, recognizing it as well. Minhyung had talked to Jungwoo for two hours straight about this bracelet when he first bought it, the meaning behind it and how scared he was to give it to Donghyuck.

"Yeah," Minhyung says, now curious. 

He grows more confused with each item he takes out. All these are gifts he had given to Donghyuck in their two year relationship, why are they all in this bag? Why is it being given to him?

And then it dawns on him.

Donghyuck is returning them, he wants nothing to do with these gifts. He's fucking returning them.

Minhyung scoffs and angrily throws the bag inside his open suitcase. If Donghyuck doesn't want them, fine. He doesn’t want their last meeting to be a fight about something as stupid as returning gifts. 

Jungwoo doesn't ask Minhyung any more questions, they just continue packing in peace, stripping their dorm room bare for the next trainees who'll occupy it when they're gone.

They're supposed to meet in the courtyard in a few hours, a car will bring them to the airport and then they'll fly to Seoul where they’ll spend one whole night before they meet at headquarters. Then they'll be flown to wherever the base of Squad 127 is placed and they'll officially be agents and members of a squad.

When they finish packing all their things and the dorm room is completely empty, including the mattresses not having sheets over them, Minhyung and Jungwoo bid their dorm room goodbye. He thinks of all the memories they had in this dorm and how much he'll miss this entire training center in general.

"Guess this is goodbye," Jungwoo says quietly and Minhyung nods.

"Hello to the new life," he chuckles, closing the door behind them for the last time.