Feathers and Carnations

Chapter One

Voices and music mingled and swirled through the golden air, painting a picture of lavish comfort as he watched the target over the rim of his glass. The target in question was a man that fit into this lavish scene perfectly, with golden skin, dark brown hair, and an air of authority radiating from his body. He moved with lethal grace as he strode through the crowd.

Han Jisung tapped his earpiece. "Moving East."

The target suddenly paused near a large doorway, and his dark gaze swept over the party, as if he were studying the people around him.

Jisung took another slow sip of his drink, casually leaning one shoulder against the wall. He wasn't one to get nervous on missions, but his team's target tonight was no joke. Lee Minho was a ruthless man known for being impossible to track and predict. If things didn't go according to plan, his team could easily lose everything.

"Looks like he's getting ready to leave."

"Standing by," Changbin's voice came through.

A waitress suddenly approached Jisung. "More wine, sir?"

"No, thank you." He tipped his head politely, but was suddenly on high alert as she walked away. Minho was gone. Jisung frantically looked around. "I've lost eyes on him."

Changbin didn't hesitate. "On it."

Jisung moved through the crowd, his demeanor casual despite the fact he was internally panicking. "Eyes?"

"Currently searching," Felix's deep voice responded. 

Faces in the crowd were beginning to blur as he failed to spot the target. How could he lose him after looking away for one second?

"He's in the south hallway," Felix suddenly announced.

"Don't rush in, Han," Changbin warned. "I'll be there soon."

"We can't lose him." Jisung set his glass down on a random table as he exited the main party and strode down the south hallway. He wasn't necessarily the strongest fighter on his team, but he could handle himself well enough. Catching Minho was far more important than waiting for backup.

"I've lost the camera signal, this looks bad-" Felix's voice was cut off abruptly, and Jisung had just touched his earpiece when something big moved at his side. Something hard slammed into his head, making him stumble.

Hands grabbed his arms and wrenched them back while his head was pushed forward. Jisung struggled but quickly stopped upon feeling something cold and sharp press against his head.

"Come without a fuss and we won't make a mess," a cold, female voice offered. She yanked Jisung's earpiece out and crushed it under her black heels. "Shall we?"

Jisung gritted his teeth as they pushed him down another, smaller corridor. In his situation, he needed to see how things played out. Fighting wasn't much of an option at the moment anyway.

It didn't take long for them to drag him to a small, dark room where they pushed him into a wooden chair and zip-tied his hands on either side.

He let out a humorless laugh. "Is that really necessary?"

"With you, it is." Jisung's body tensed at the new voice in front of him.

Minho stepped away from the shadowed wall, adjusting the cuffs of his black suit, and studied the man in the chair. His dark, silvery dyed hair was disheveled, but his suit was clean and unwrinkled. His eyes were sharp, complimenting his heart shaped face, and his glare was made to kill. How amusing.

Jisung watched Minho warily, wondering what he could be thinking. He looked far too smug, but also strangely happy, and Jisung didn't dare say anything.