Agent Songbird | j.hs

Chapter 21

Suhyun POV

"You'd think this stupid fever would've been gone after a day," I huffed annoyedly.

Hoseok dipped the wet towel into a bowl of water before pressing it gently against my forehead. He sighed, "Suhyun, you literally drank poison. Believe it or not, your body is not superhuman."

"I built up my immunity and tolerance for years. I willingly drank stuff like this to condition myself," I argued.

"You're insane. You treat your body like a machine rather than a mass of flesh and living organisms," he retorted.

I side-eyed him, blindsided by his standoffish attitude he had been given. The whole week he had looked after me felt extremely awkward. I could tell he was worried but he also seemed irritated. Something had been bothering him.

I wasn't a fool though. I had an inkling of what had him peeved. And I wasn't exactly innocent in that fact.

But how was I supposed to say anything? How do you even address something like that?

He continued to dab the towel on my forehead, uncharacteristically silent as he cared for me.

Leave it to me to get wrapped up in something so foolish. I must've been stupid to even make such an advance on him. This was work. He was my partner. Nothing more. We've barely known each other anyway. I was letting something trivial get in the way of my work.

I was in fact working. And in the middle of such a pivotal mission, something so immature and childish had to stand in my way.

A shadow peered over my face making me open my eyes curiously. I must've made a face because Hoseok was worriedly hovering, fear scribbled across his face.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain? Is the poison spreading? Should I go get someone?" He bombarded me with questions.

"I'm fine. Sorry," I murmured.

Sae...I couldn't betray her. Even after all this time, it would be sacrilege to betray her.

Hoseok sighed exasperatedly before frustratedly getting up with his hands in the air. He got up, agitatedly pacing the room.

"Suhyun...we can't keep dancing around this," he finally said quietly.

I wanted to say something, but the words were caught in my throat. What was there to say? I was feeling just as conflicted as he was.

I had sat upright letting the blanket fall into my lap dejectedly. My heart was thrumming with anxiety and uncertainty.

"So you're not going to say anything?" He sighed.

"What's there to say? What do you want me to say?" I finally said.

"I don't want you to act like you're being forced. Say what's on your mind. I'm not here to put words into your mouth," he said.

"It feels like you are," I mumbled.

"Yeah because you're avoiding it all together! The great tactician and expert agent Eun Suhyun who always runs head first into a problem is suddenly avoiding the problem altogether?!" He retorted.

Maybe it was a defensive tactic to get him off my case and forget whatever he was feeling, but I pushed back angrily, "Mind your words, rookie. I am your senior."

He rolled his eyes, "As if you've ever cared about that before. You're doing it again. You're deflecting."

"Okay so let's talk. You're not making your point either. All we're doing is running in circles!" I exclaimed.