You're My Target

Chapter 32

Chapter 32 Troy sat at his kitchen table. his chin rest in his hand as he listened the to faint sounds of the weather channel coming from the the TV in his living room. he tapped his fingers on the table as he thought of what to do with Soyeon who still slept soundly on his couch. He thought about just letting her stay there. Even though Boram, Hwayoung and even Eunjung had all spent the night at his apartment, he couldnt let soyeon stay. sure there was the part of him that wanted her there, but there was also a part of him that was strongly uneasy over it. he just didnt feel comfortable with it, and he really didnt understand why himself. Troy had no choice but to call Eunjung, to see if she could give soyeon a ride home. he quickly picked up his phone and called her. after a brief conversation, Eunjung agreed to come get her. while waiting. troy stood over Soyeon and brushed her hair from her face. she was as graceful asleep as she was awake. as he calmly admired her, a knock came from his door. was it eunjung already? troy walked to the door and opened it, and there stood Mou. troy stopped opening the door fully, and closed it slightly, trying to prevent mou from coming in.

 "Whats up?" asked Troy peeking through the door.

 "just came to check in." Mou said casually. "...can i come in?" Troy stayed quiet as mou looked at him and the door, waiting for Troy to open it.

 "now, isnt really a good time." Troy told him.

 "troy, not talking to me isnt going to change the fact of what im here to talk to you about." Mou said sternly. Troy let out a small grunt and opened the door for Mou. Mou came in and noticed Soyeon on the couch. "ah now i get it." mou smiled. he nudged Troy with his elbow.

 "knock it off." troy said shoving mou's elbow away from him.

 "so whats going on with you 2?" mou asked with a cocky grin pointing to each of them

 "just doin' what im here to do." Troy said keeping his cool. "if youre here to talk lets do it quick, i have people coming and you probably shouldnt be seen here."

 "what you're here to do huh?" mou said holding back a laugh as he followed troy into the kitchen.

 "yea. find possible elementians and/or any connections." Troy said taking offense to Mous attitude.

 "troy. we may not be best friends. but we're friends. and i may not have known you very long, but i've known you long enough to see what's going on." Mou said relaxing at troys table.

 "Oh yea? what exactly is that?" troy asked him curious to hear what mou had to say about him. "you're trying to replace something you lost." mou said seriously, glancing from behind his aviator sunglasses into troys eyes. troy froze up. "theres no question you have some talent. thats why i didnt have any objection for your involvement in this. but its obvious you still have some emotional ties that may compromise our objectives." Mou explained.

 "you cant be serious." troy said clearing his throat and gathering himself. "you people dont make any sense." troy shook his head and remembered to keep his voice down, as soyeon was still in the other room. "im here to get close. thats why im doing all this. but when i get close to people im supposed to get close to, everyone says im too emotionally invested?" troy said angrily. "then why send me in at all? why didnt they just send you to do whatever it is you do? because you cant. because its not enough." mou glared at troy. "so go ahead. tell me why you're here. you're taking me out. hockey's cancelled. blah blah. lets go then. lets leave." troy ranted, wanting to yell, walking to the door.

 "well actually, i was here to ask about a withdrawal from your account." mou said unexpectedly. "600 is alot of money. what was it for?"
 Troy stopped in his tracks and turned to face mou slowly.

 "it's for... my moped." troy thought of something quick. "it got vandalized. i had to take out some cash for repairs."

 Mou looked at troy a little skeptical.
"alright."

 just then there was a knock on the door. "Troy its Eunjung and hyomin" eunjung called from the other side of the door. Troy looked over at mou.
"go hide somewhere."



 "why?" mou asked. "because youre my friend from back home remember? they're going to want to know why youre here!" troy said panicing.

 "cause its winter vacation and came to see my best friend ever?" mou answered as if it was obvious.

 "Just go damnit!" troy said pushing him into the bathroom. he didnt want to risk anything. especially with Hyomin there.

 "ok jeez, chill out man." mou said as troy shut the bathroom door.

 "im coming!" troy delicately called out as he walked to the door and opened it for them. "you came awfully quick." troy said greeting them. "thanks for coming."

 "its no problem." Eunjung smiled. they walked over to wake Soyeon.

 "Soyeon its time to get up." Hyomin said quietly nudging her shoulder.

 "WAKE UP!" eunjung yelled, soyeons eyes popped open.

 "whats going on?" soyeon asked sleepily.

 "We're here to pick you up. you fell asleep at troys." Hyomin explained.

 "then just let me sleep." soyeon said waving them to go away and rolling over.

 "no come on Soyeon, lets get you home ok?" hyomin said trying to lift her. she looked at Eunjung for help.
 "come on Soyeon we'll take you home." Eunjung joined Hyomin. Soyeon finally got to her feet and they helped her to the door.

 "thanks again guys." Troy said as they were heading out the door with a smile.

 "we'll see you soon Troy." eunjung waved walking to her car.

 "good night Soyeon." he yelled to her. soyeon let out a sort of groaning yawning noise. troy shut the door and went into the kitchen.

 "can i come out now?" mou asked from inside the bathroom.

 "nope. they are still here, and they can hear you. be quiet." Troy responded sarcastically. Mou came out of the bathroom unamused by troys sense of humor. as he walked to the kitchen, a quick knock came troys front door then swung open. "Troy we forgot soyeons...." hyomin came in stopping when she saw Mou. the three of them stood silent and still all looking at each other.

 "Hyomin?" troy said in shock.

 ".....forgot Soyeons...?" mou said prompting Hyomin to finish what she started to say.

 "...Bag..." her voice cracked. Troy pointed to the end table by the arm of the couch. hyomin slinked over to get it and walked back quickly out the door. the awkwardness in the air fell as she shut the door.

"well. so much for hiding me in the bathroom." Mou shrugged.

 "just great." troy said in disbelief.

 "if you had just went along with what i said." mou said in an -i told you so- voice. "now me being here without you introducing me is going to look even fishier."

 "just shut up." troy said. "today was a good day. lets not ruin it now please. his face had a scowl on it.

 "i really dont see what the big deal is. they all think im a friend from back home which i am by the way. so what if im here. seriously, you're over-reacting." mou explained to troy.

 "maybe you are right. and even if you arent, ranting isnt gonna change anything." troy said trying to calm down, taking a deep breath. "so, is the money the only reason you came?"

 "no. ..... this student you think is an actual elementian. anything happening there?" mou asked.

 "no still just a hunch i cant shake. but i got my eyes on her.  priority one." troy said as he went into his fridge.

 "and what priority is this Soyeon girl?" mou said raising this eyebrow.

 troy tossed a can of soda to mou.
"priority 0."

 "spending an awful amount of time with a girl who has 0 value for your objective." mou popped the soda open.

 "shes my way in." troy popped his own soda open. "dont you know how this sort of thing works?"

"and that girl. Hyomin was it?" mou took a swig from the can. "you mentioned her name before. around the time you started to think we may have been compromised now that i think about it. would explain your reaction ...and her reaction."

 "o no. nah shes clueless." troy shook his head trying to convince mou otherwise. "shes not someone to worry about."

 "alright." mou replied. Troy wasnt sure if Mou believed him. Troy wasnt even sure why he was trying to cover for hyomin, other than the simple fact that if mou did know that Hyomin knew about them things would only get more complicated... and his extraction would be more likely. "well. i guess keep me posted. i know this week might be slow with no school, but try to have some progress to report next time we talk." Mou said as he started to walk to the door.

 "ok. ill try." troy obliged.

 "thanks for the soda." mou nodded his head. "o and troy, in case you didnt get it...." troy looked at him puzzled. "youre not being taken off of this." Mou revealed to troy. Troy tried to not look to happy hearing Mous words. "just keep it together though. dont know if you're gona get any more second chances." Mou said lastly before exiting Troys apartment. After mou left, troy turned off the lights in his apartment and went to his room to lie down. he sat in the dark and though to himself. it wasnt late, the sun had just gone down. but he was a bit drained from the emotionally charged day.

 "mou. who does he think he is?" he could feel his face scrunch. "thinking he knows anything about me." He threw his covers over himself and rolled onto his side. "replacing something i lost. Hmph." troy was annoyed. he slid his hand onto the left side of his abdomen. feeling a small patch of scar tissue, that ran in a thin straight line. "im not stupid. somethings can never be recovered. or replaced." troy thought as he curled up into a ball and struggled not to dwell on mous words.