"How have you been?" Baekhyun asked after he pulled Saemi out discretely outside the restaurant. They went at the back of the restaurant where only the clerks were passing by.

Saemi breathed out a deep sigh. "I'm fine... I guess."

"I'm sorry about the other day."

"You don't have to. I should be the one saying that."

"No, you were right. That was kinda off of me to do."

A roaring silence engulfed them for a few seconds. Baekhyun could not seem to relax himself. It was tensing the way Saemi did not break eye contact. 

She looked dashing under the moonlit and the people around them working didn't seem to have an impact to him. All he could think of was the woman upon him.

"Why did you bring me here? Is there something you want to talk about?" She couldn't endure the awkward silence and so, she spoke, clearing her throat after.

The latter also faked a cough, swinging his arms back and forth.

"Do you—"

"Actually, I'm the one who has something to tell you." Saemi cut him off, catching him off-guard. His brows arched in anticipation when she pulled him to a much secluded place.

Saemi lets go Baekhyun's wrist when she stood on the sidewalk of an empty street that only has the lampposts to light the midnight. The idol cleared his throat, bracing himself for what he's about to hear.

"Can you tell me more about my past?"

It was alarming how Saemi asked a favor of something she herself should know in the first place.

Baekhyun's brows furrowed. He looked the other way, and in the other, scanning if someone's giving an eye on them. Coming to see that there's none, he motioned the lass to move closer in which Saemi obeyed.

"Eun Hae Kyeong was said to have left an evidence in the building before he set it on fire, since he doesn't want that to be found. According to my source, he's been pickpocketing the products of your father's company and sells it as his own. That itself has a fine to pay." He said with a monotonous tone, conscious of his surrounding.

"Is that all?"

"No," he replied. "He made it look like your mother's going to jail if the company doesn't find a new CEO. He had set it up; the debt your mother should pay, the bankruptcy, your father. If I've known better, I think he fancied your mother then."

"What?!" Saemi grew more flabbergasted at his words.

Fancied? Why would he fancy her mother when Hae Kyeong clearly knows that she's a married woman with a loving husband? And to tell that her husband is his best pal. The more she thought of it, the more she got enraged.

"He wanted to control you just as he controlled your mother—"

"I think I've had enough." She cut him off, raising her hand in hopes of him to stop.

Baekhyun looked at her with concern. Did he say too much? Contemplating, he reached his arm towards her, in question if he should give her a comforting hug or just tap her on the shoulder instead. He went with the latter.

She didn't seem to notice and mind his hand that was on her shoulder for her mind was flying off the street. Questions and fury fused together as she tries her best to comprehend the both parties' reasons.

How would she know if that's the real story behind? How would she know if Baekhyun's telling the truth?

"You know, if you have any more questions, I can just let you talk to the direct source."

Baekhyun contacted his man and agreed that they'd meet up in their dorm. It was where he thought would be the safest place to have them meet. However, Saemi was bugged about it. It has been months since she saw the other members and it doesn't look assuring that the boys won't ask what happened and why she suddenly disappeared.

"You good?" Baekhyun asked as they ride his manager's car on the way to their dorm. Wook, EXO's manager, kept glancing through the rear mirror, at Saemi who felt more uneasy.

"Y-yeah..."

Not all of the members were there. Some, like Kyungsoo, Lay, Sehun and Chanyeol had some schedules to go to, that's why their dorm was left with Jongin, Chen, Suho and Minseok.

As Saemi sits on the sofa, waiting for the person she needs to talk to, the boys surrounded her with rather knowing glances.

"Baekhyun-a, should you be informing us something?" Suho said, propping his elbow on the side of the single couch.

"Huh?" Baekhyun tried to play cool, acting all confused.

"Forget it. I'll just ask Saemi then," their leader turned to the girl whose eyebrows arched in surprise.

"Why?"

"Don't why us. We have some things to clarify from you two." Chen stated, crossing his arms.

"Maybe we should save that for later." Baekhyun interjected.

"Why do you look so tensed, Hyung?" Jongin suddenly grabbed the older on the shoulder, appearing to be massaging his shoulders to make it relax.

"Jongin-a," the older hissed.

"It's a simple question, you know?" Minseok said. "Unless you guys—"

The doorbell rang. Everyone's heads whipped towards the door where Baekhyun was already standing on his way to get it. Entering with ease, the man removed his coat and slung it on the rack until his eyes met Saemi's.

"Jaehyun?!"

***

"Would you please explain me why you're doing this?"

Now it was just Saemi and Jaehyun talking face to face inside Baekhyun's room. How did it happen that her close friend has been working as a secret agent all this time?

"I already told you. It's my job," Jaehyun replied, scratching the back of his head.

It's not that he hasn't seen this coming.

When Baekhyun approached him to work on Saemi's case, he knew that he'd have to tell her his real work whenever he disappears all of a sudden that he's hiding from his friends and acquaintances.

Saemi runs her fingers through her hair, pushing it back in distress. She couldn't intake everything she's learned from Jaehyun. All the information she wasn't aware of her past and this, her friend's confidential occupation.

"I really hate secrets." She muttered under her breath in which Jaehyun chuckled.

"I'm sorry for not telling you. It's not that important."

"Shut up, you. I can't believe I let you keep that from me. I should know that. I'm your friend, too!"

"Friends don't need to know everything, Saemi." He said, shaking his head with a small grin on his face.

"Yah! Yah! I'm still two years older than you!"

"Friends don't have age hierarchy."

"You know, just stop talking," Saemi stood from Baekhyun's bed, pointing a finger at the latter in irritation. "I'm just getting more annoyed. Aish."

Despite that, the details she got from both Baekhyun and Jaehyun had made everything clear. She'll have to do something to stop this preposterous act that her father's supposed-to-be best friend has been doing. She couldn't believe it still.

"What are you gonna do now?" Her friend asked, looking up at her.

She gave him a meaningful look.

"I need you to help me."

happy new year, everyone!!

this is my first update this year huhu. i hope y'all enjoyed your first day. amidst this pandemic, i still wish y'all a great year ahead. we still have a lot of stories to unlock.

let's pray that i'll be diligent in updating this year hehe.

two more chapters to go and we'll have epilogue.