Mission J

There is something about this city that just threw me off today. Something I am normally impartial to, but today it set me off at an odd angle. Maybe it was the fact that I just flew in to Seoul, and I was already being worked to the bone. Was it the strange stares people sent our way as we drove by?
Or maybe it was the obnoxiously loud, blaring of the horns from the cars surrounding us as we road through the busy mid-day traffic.

I breathed out heavily, scanning the scene that played out before me and started to profile; picking out behaviors of random strangers.
A group of slim-as-a-stick group of teens crouching and huddling around the side of the bus stop, glaring down at any adult that dared to glance their way. A clear tough guy act, with their hands shoved deep into the pockets of their oversized pants, that hung way past their hips and a lolipop stick poking out from the corner of their mouths.
A nervous looking elder woman huddled on the bench on the far side of the same bus stop, slipping nervous glances at the group of teens opposite her. I raised a brow as I saw her pull her purse tighter to her chest. No worries, ma’am; all bark and no bite.
A litterer slipped his hand down his side and ‘casually’ dropping a crumpled up hamburger wrapper onto the road. No doubt he thought he was bad-ass.
Yea, smooth; like that was so well-executed, you should get an award for such sleek moves…

Rolling my eyes, I turned away from the window and let these strangers roll back with the rest of the scenery. The more I watched, the more annoyed I was at some display.
The pain was starting up again with a dull ache. Maybe I’ll just sleep…

“---o you understand?”

I blinked, and pulled my eyes off from the clean floor mat to Jun, who sat diagonally from me in the transport car. Ugh, the flashy display of the whole thing.
“Hmm,” I hummed dismissively, not bothering to even try to seem attentive.
Even in the dim light inside the car---due thanks to the heavily tinted enforced windows---I could see him frown.
“K, this is important.” my guide scolded me.
I clicked my tongue in annoyance, and sank deeper into my seat.
“I know that.” I grumbled in response, turning my eyes back to the floor. I crossed my legs and folded my arms over my chest in silent protest.
Not that it did anything, but just so he knew I really didn’t want to deal with it.

I know what my job is; babysit some high-profile target from any attempt of harm to him or at his life. Though they won’t tell me who directly, and oh, how did they put it? ‘Best if you just met him yourself.’ Secrecy and effort to keep things quiet, god, I can only imagine where they’re shipping me off to. If I end up at the door steps of a Korean mob lord, I swear, I will raise hell…

Jun sighed, sensing that I wasn’t willing to listen.
“We should be at destination within an hour.” he said.

I just gave him another grumble before shoving myself deeper into the slick leather, letting my thoughts roam free to kill time.



It was precisely an hour and seventeen minutes before we got to the actual place---not because it was a long drive, but because of the traffic and some stops Jun requested to the driver. To make sure we weren’t being followed, yea, I got that, but something told me Jun was taking an extra amount of time to get where we needed to be.

The door finally opened, letting a gush of air push into the stuffy cabin of the luxury seat vehicle. Wordlessly I stepped out and stretched to a stand, relieved to be finally standing. The air was cool against my face and I breathed in deeply before I took a glance around.

We were standing before a set of sensored sliding glass doors that seemingly lead into a pricey looking hotel. Everything about this place spilled out luxury---actually that seemed to be the theme of the day.
Jun came around from the other side of the car and came to stand in front of me.
“Follow me.” he said, starting off.
I didn’t reply; I just straightened out my black long coat and followed his lead.

The doors slid open with ease, opening up into a wide, well lit lobby. The floor was of this pale, slick looking marble, and in the center was a round table, decorated with an extravagant tall flower display that took up most of the surface. Further ahead was the front desk, with two female attendants standing poised in their sharp uniform dress suits, hair slicked back and tucked cleanly away into a bun, ready to tend to any customer service. They smiled and bowed their heads as we walked by.

Jun headed passed the elevators and headed directly to another set of doors that stood guarded by two uniformed security men. I saw him pull something out from his jacket and flash it towards the men. They nodded.
“Any weapons, sir?” one on the left asked, speaking in Korean.
Jun just shook his head and opened his arms up, allowing the other guard to pat him down. When he was cleared, the guard turned to me.
“How about you, ma’am?” he asked politely.
I just flashed him a smile and blinked innocently.
“Sorry, no Korean.” I told him, shrugging apologetically at him.
I bit my lip, and pretended to feel embarrassed. Behind him, I saw Jun roll his eyes.
The guards nodded, allowing it.
“Do you have any weapons, miss?” he repeated in a heavily accented English.
I blinked, widening my eyes as if to be in shock.
“Weapons? Oh gosh, no! I wouldn’t,” I gasped. But then I knit my brows together, pulling together a worried, nervous expression.
“Do you…uh, need to…pat me down?” I asked timidly, motioning towards my body.

The guards blinked, and gave me a small smile.
“No, no; you’re all set.” the first one said.

With that, they signed us off and stepped aside, letting us entry. I made sure to smile sweetly to the gentlemen before passing.

I followed after Jun, entering another lobby, this one smaller. This one didn’t have a front desk or attendants; it was completely deserted. The only place it lead to was the double elevators on the other side.
It wasn’t until we were in the elevator and the door starting closing when Jun opened his mouth.
“Wow, that was impressive.” he snorted sarcastically, in Korean. “‘Sorry, no Korean.’ Can’t believe it worked when you’re Asian yourself.”
I rolled my eyes and scoffed.
“Why should that matter? Just because I’m Asian, doesn’t mean I’m Korean or even know the language.” I retorted.
But I sighed, and switched gear.
“They should really reconsider the security of this place.” I said.
Of course, in flawless Korean.
Jun laughed under his breath, shaking his head.

The elevator smoothly glided up the floors, and finally stopped at floor nine---top floor. A high ‘ding’ rang out in notification before the doors slid open. Jun stepped out and we continued our way through the halls.

"They must be really desparate to hire you."

I scowled, slightly irritated by the tone of Jun’s sudden words he had muttered over his shoulder. I mean, what the hell is his problem...and what the hell did he mean by that?
I just stared holes in his back until he turned back around. When he saw me, he flinched.
"Alright, I take it back." he said, grimacing.
He turned back around but he muttered:
"Honestly, why her?"

I just rolled my eyes and shoved my hands into my jacket pocket. Hey, I still needed him to lead me to wherever he was taking me.

One glance around told me were in apartment complex.
I sniffed, and my nose wrinkled in disgust at the abnormally clean, cool, and lightly perfumed air.
Rich people apartment complex.
Oh, how I was loving this job already.

Jun came to a stop before a door on the left side of the hall. I, who had grown bored, turned the other way, looking around the unnecesarrily wide hallway. I heard the door open, and the guy started speaking to the owner of that apartment.
I didn't bother turning around to see who he was talking to.
I was too busy staring down the security camera in the far upper corner when a hand grabbed me by the back of my jacket and yanked me around like a rag doll.

The force caused me to stumble around, the front of the jacket thrust into my throat. I gagged, making this unimpressive sound.
"Christ," I muttered, annoyed.
"K, meet your client." Jun hissed at me. "Are you going to introduce yourself?"

I blinked and I looked up at this guy in the doorway. He must have been in his mid thirties to early forties, because he wasn't that old looking. Average, but fatigue and stress was apparent in his features. Not a scar-riddled Yakuza King, or a Mob lord. And definitely not a sleazy drug dealer. Okay, so far so good…
This guy was also Asian...and a nervous looking one at that.
I gave him a half-assed smile, and a very sloppy, oh-so-sarcastic curtsy.

The man just nodded at me and he then ushered both of us into the apartment.

The apartment was nice, obviously very pricey. I snorted, looking at the different decors that colored the decorative shelf space.
How useless are these things...

And like in any Asian home, we had to take off our shoes and leave it at the door. I stepped up into the hallway, and followed the guy into a much open space.
The Living Room area, I realized, scanning the area.
The guy kept on bobbing his head nervously like those tense businessmen, saying something under his breath in his Korean.
He motioned with his hands to the nice looking couches. Jun sat down first and gave me a look that said 'Sit your smart-butt down now.' So I did, dropping myself into the cushy cushions of the two-seater.
The nervous Asian man took the opposing seat from us.
He then started to talk, directing his attention to Jun, the more professional looking one out of the two of us. So I suppose that was natural.

I sat there lounging, looking around at the expensive-looking, polished and decor-littered apartment with disdain.
An odd, slick shaped vase of a ridiculous shade of bright red sat on the counter, and I couldn't come up with a single situation where it could come into good use...An oddly shaped glass coffee table that was made a better safety hazard than its supposed intended use...and a fish tank that was bigger than my own bathtub. Really?
Oh...and this massive black and white profile portrait set on a light-plate of some handsome Asian guy, who was staring down in those 'I-am-SMOLDERING' gazes that just gave me the creeps.

Why the hell did this guy have a picture of a young man in his Living room?...weird.

There were more exchanges of Korean words between the client and my guide. And I understood exactly what was being said as I drifted in and out of the conversation. It was just small talk, things like ‘thank you for coming’, ‘I hope there was no issue in transport’, and ‘I apologize for any complications this arrangement may have caused.’ He then offered to get beverages for us, which Jun politely declined. Nothing important, so I only half listened.

As I scanned aimlessly around the room, I caught sight of the centerpiece of the coffee table. It was this odd, prickly looking shape---was it a plant, or a sculpture? I stared, bemused.
Strange, what was it---and why was I so interested in this thing?
Tentatively, I reached out and tried to grab it.

A hand suddenly shot out from my right and took a grip on my wrist. I blinked, and turned to my handler, who had the nerve to take on a bold hold of me. I felt my face twitch in annoyance.
“What the hell are you doing?” he hissed. “Behave yourself.”
I gave him a lazy sneer, and waited for him to drop my wrist.
He did, and continued to stare at me as if that was supposed to make me feel bad for my oh-so-inexcusable behavior.
I just dropped myself back into the seats of the expensive cushion couch, sulking.

The nervous Asian client looked from me to Jun, looking very uneasy and insecure.
“Is she---are you sure…can she protect us?” he said in his Korean.

Us?

Jun smiled at the man reassuringly, and leaned forward in his seat so his elbows were resting on his knees.
“I can assure you that you have nothing to worry. She may look…like this, but she does very well on her jobs. She has not failed a single mission in her training days, and she is one of the best we have.” he said with confidence.
I loved how he talked about me as if I was not present in the room.
But the client man sighed and nodded, smiling weakly.
“Oh…ah, that is reassuring.” he said, not sounding all that convinced.

I crossed my arms over my chest and settled back, watching this exchange in observation. The nervous man was also leaning forward, but his posture and stance was much different from Jun. He was tense and uneasy, as if he was ready to jump to his feet at any noise that tore through the air. He was sweating profusely, and his hands were shaky as he had his fingers interlocked.
Paranoia, fear, unease…something was clearly eating away at the man.
Jun on the other hand sat by my side in calm, confident and in a posture that showed that he was very much in his confort zone. He was in control of his own situation, but at the same time he was very serious.

…so what was going on?