"I am done!" Arya finished nailing the hinge and came out, "where are you at?"

Jin was still on his way up in the roof, "Almost done."

Arya patiently waited for Jin to finish.
It has been two days since they started building the cabin again. Bringing the raw material up in the hill from the road was the hardest part. They just camped here for the last three days and slowly built the cottage.
The cabin was very simple and small but Arya was happy with the outcome.

"What else?" Arya looked up to Jin.

"Do the floor please," Jin asked gently.

"On it." Arya nodded and again entered the cabin. They had prepared the pieces of wood beforehand.
The floor was already cleared, now she started to place the wooden slices on the floor and started to fix those with one another. The finishing of the woods was not so smooth, but it was doable. But again, none of them had any plan on living here. Well, not more than one day at best.

Jin came down finishing the roof and joined Arya. When they both finished, it was already way past afternoon.

Arya was sweating and fanned herself with the baseball cap she had.

"Hungry?" Jin looked at her.

"Starving." Arya nodded and went towards the spring coming down from the mountain wall.

She took time to freshen up.
Arya went back with water dripping from her face, "Jin...I am gonna need..."

Jin threw a towel in her direction.

Catching the towel she smiled,
"Thanks."

"Eat up." Jin indicated to her towards the food he just brought out from containers and went to freshen up.

Arya watched him carefully while munching on her food.
The past two days weren't hard to live here. Both of them were trained hard for survival training.
Besides, the Kim residence wasn't that far away. They went back whenever they needed either to take shower or prepare food or just to grab some snacks.

The food Chamiyu prepared for them was nice, but Arya missed Jin's cooking already.

"Jin?" Arya shouted from her place.

Jin looked back.

"Cook for me again," Arya shouted again, "you have spoilt me. I am already hungry thinking about your cooking while I am even eating!"

Jin just let out a hum and concentrated on his work.

"Let's go swimming now." Arya suddenly put down her food container.

"Now?" Jin looked at the sky, the sun was leaning at one side of the sky and sat in front of Arya coming back.

"Come on! We were supposed to go for the pearls."

"If you want pearls, I can arrange that from..."

"I don't want your pearl farm's pearls!" Arya frowned, "let's go for our own hunting mission."

"The sun will go down." Jin reminded her.

"Let it go down then," Arya grinned widely and said, "I don't want to delay it. You can't be sure if I will ever get to do that in the future."

"Speaking of that," Jin stated calmly,
"Will you be ok if we start the process within the next few days?"

Arya remained silent for a minute and finally opened her mouth, "sure. Let's do that from tomorrow."

"You will be alright." Jin's words were much filled with comfort.

"I hope so." Arya nodded enthusiastically and looked back at the cabin, "I just hope this place would be enough to contain me."

Once the therapy starts, she can't stay in the house. The process would be painful and very cruel. They can't risk people hearing cries and screams and shouts and intruding in the middle of the process and ruining everything.

And isolating her from the rest of the world would be best, both for her and Jin.
The last thing they want is someone walking in the house and finding her on her deathbed with a method almost murderously torturous to her.

So they both agreed to keep her here.
The hill was quiet and calm with zero residences around and high up enough for people to not hear her from below and with almost no chance to someone just randomly discover this place.

"By the way, Jin. I forgot to ask. Where will you find Heroin though?"

"You don't need to know," Jin answered quietly.

"But I'll be taking them. Of course, I need to know." Arya protested.

"Yoongi managed."

"Yoongi? The caveman?"

Jin frowned for a tiny second.

"But isn't it illegal?" it was Arya's turn to frown.

Jin stayed silent.
And his silence spoke it all.

"Hell, Jin?" Arya snapped, "don't say you are trading in muddy water now! It is not you!"

"Well, you don't know me." Jin's eyes were calm.

Arya looked into his eyes for a few seconds and sighed, "yeah, you are right. I don't know you."

Jin started eating and Arya put down her spoon, "but still, illegal? It is so not you."

"We stopped a drug cartel many years back when we were into the joint force's special team. Yoongi is always good at negotiation and business straight up. So he made a few allies back then from underground while we were at it. Now his connection came handy."

"They can even supply heroin if they want to?"

"They can even supply tanks if they want to."

"That powerful?" Arya's eyes widened in surprise.

"Where did you think we found the whereabout of Nicholas Perrera or the information about the project X-99?"

"I thought Taehyung somehow managed it."

"Well, Taehyung used to tag along with Yoongi with all his special "errands." So he too made a few allies with a few people you don't wanna mess up with. For example- Hiroto Watanabe."

"That restaurant tycoon you impersonated as?" Arya was still surprised.

"Yes." Jin nodded.

"And they are on good terms with you guys, for what?"

"It is personal that all I can say." Jin stated, "believe me, they'll risk everything to help Yoongi if he just asks. But Yoongi tries not to ask. He is bound on a legal duty after all, and those people are illegal and powerful."

"Remind me if I ever want to be in bad shape with Yoongi. That dude is scary." Arya blinked.
People who can get the information about X-99 are no ordinary people and Yoongi wrapping them around his fingers are quite scary.

Jin just shrugged off the remark.

"Who is the toughest among all six of you?" Arya asked suddenly,
"Excluded you."

"Seven."

"Huh?"

"Seven of us. Jungkook included."

"Isn't he still a rookie?" Arya frowned.

"If you call shooting down two F9 jets in the peacekeeping mission in solo dogfight four against one and exposing a big trafficking cartel all by himself- yeah, he is a rookie."

"Holy!" Arya gasped, "And Namjoon? How is he?"

"You know his call sign?"

"The grey wolf?" Arya asked unsurely.

"Exactly." Jin nodded.
"He is busy with his days controlling the whole branch of NIS. Planning every mission the agents are into, solving every problem keeping track of the mobilized agents all over the world, keeping contact with higher-ups. That man is a machine and smart. But if you ever see him in action- he is a beast in the field."

"I believe you." Arya sighed, "you know what? Talking with you made me realize, you are very much proud of your team."

Jin stayed quiet.

"You don't want to speak much, but when it came to them, seemed like you didn't even want to stop!" Arya smiled and said, "Your works are so complicated in NIS. You have to kill, torture, keep connections with criminals and crimes, make allies with people you don't approve of. How come you are keeping up with this? I mean you left the air force almost for the same reason!"

"No. They were just dishonest and liars. Where I work maybe it is extreme and full of dishonesty and in ethical grey areas, but the ultimate goals have never been personal or anything. We all work for the country and the people. We work the extreme sides so that normal people can sleep without worry. And be rowdy and loud and chaotic and ruthless, at the end of the day my brothers are one of the most honest, straightforward, and loyal people this country can ever get."

suddenly remembering something Arya snickered,
"What will happen when we go back to Korea if I survive this? And you are telling all this identity information about agents though you are not supposed to tell your spouse even if you have any, right?" Arya asked confusedly and the next moment she again frowns, "don't tell me..."

"Yes. You have to rejoin NIS."

Arya frowned.

"Remember, you have done something and that is not small at all. Cheif and guys went out of their limit to protect you but once you get back there, you'll be chased by our agency this time just like MOSSAD. So, the solution is- rejoin and as you didn't hand over any resignation letter, we can back you up by saying you are not an outsider, rather one of us who has full right to the information. Makes sense?"

"Totally." Arya nodded and suddenly smiled, "well, I quit cause I wanted my last times to be a little peaceful and normal. If I survive this time, I guess normal life will be too bland. Better spice it up a bit."

Jin hummed in response.

"Finish eating." Arya pushed Jin a little, "we are going to some pearl hunting. And you haven't started yet."

Jin quietly started eating.

He didn't eat cause in his principle, talking is prohibited while eating. Remembering this Arya again grinned, this man was an embodiment of manners and formal behavior.

"Lead the way." Arya tapped Jin's shoulder while checking the temperature of the water. It was quite cold already.
The sun wasn't down yet and they still brought the diver's torches with them while mounting on this boat at the pier.

"You go first and I'll just follow, ok?"

Jin nodded and dived perfectly almost without any splash made in the calm water of the lagoon.

Arya dived after Jin. They could have borrowed diving gear from the farm, but they just decided to free dive. After all, this little quest is just for curiosity, not actually for pearl hunting.

Arya followed the clear figure of Jin going down flawlessly towards the coral reef under the water and she followed him.
The water wasn't that deep and sunlight was still be able to reach the sea bed piercing through the azure water surface.

Jin waited for her near the sea bed and when she went down, he indicated at his wrist.
Telling her to keep in check of her breathing time.

Arya nodded and looked around.
She was in the middle of heaven of colors right now. Corals of different colors, shapes with swarms of tiny fishes and aquatic animals passed by them like they were inside that large fishtanks that those Waterworld emporiums have.

Jin this time indicated her towards a cave on the coral wall. Well, not one cave, there were multiple of different shapes and sizes.

Arya swam towards one cave bigger than the others and took time to explore around it a bit and turned on her underwater torch to look inside the cave. Though Jin said these caves are safe as there has no connection with the open sea except the lagoon, but she can't take risks.
Especially these types of caves were possibly the best place for shallow water sharks, giant octopus, or smaller but more dangerous creatures like Moray eel.

But she didn't see any suspicious things except shells all around. They were of various shapes from the size of a penny to a size of a plate too.

Sensing her air almost being used up, Arya glanced inside for the last time and proceeded to go up for air.

They both broke the surface at the same time.

"Coast is clear." Arya nodded and checked again the hunting knife strapped on her left arm. There was no need for it but their training taught them it is better to be prepared for the worst than to regret it in time.

Jin handed her a bag made of a net which was tied at the end of a long rope. The other side of the rope was tied with the boat.

"Just gather the shells in the bag and leave it there. We will pull it up once we get back on the boat."

"Ok. Let's do that. God! It is exciting!" Arya smiled.

They both inhaled sharply until they can't draw in the air anymore and finally dived down.

They returned to the surface five times more before sunset and emptied the bag inside the boat.

"Enough. There will be more than fifty shells." Jin said eyeing the shells spread inside the boat.
"Let's get back."

"Once more. Please?" Arya smiled at Jin.

Jin nodded, "let's hurry then. The sun is already down. We gotta come back before it gets dark."

"Mission brief understood, sir." Arya saluted Jin and dived.

They both gathered the shells fast. They both almost cleared the front part of the cave and leaving the rest on Jin, Arya went a bit further inside the cave to have a look and bring out more shells.

Filling up the bag, Jin gestured that he is carrying the bag outside so that they can pull it up from the boat.

Arya shook her head and indicated him to go first and she'll follow.
Jin went out and Arya again looked around and went to get out of the cave entrance.

But she halted with a sharp pain in her left leg. She touched her leg bending her body a bit and instantly panicked as the pain was spreading dully and the pull wasn't decreasing.

She tried to calm down and move out of the cave but she couldn't paddle her leg at all.
The worst time to get a cramp!

Her oxygen was almost finished, a few seconds more at best.

But she tried to calm down instead of panicking so hard and pushed herself out of the cave by thrusting on the stone with her hands.
She gripped on the stone walls so that she could at least climb herself up to the surface instead of swimming.

Did Jin notice that she hasn't come out yet? Will he notice that she might be in danger?
When he does, will it be too late?

Arya's grip loosens as she let out bubbles from her lungs. Her lungs were burning with the carbon dioxide in them trying to gasp for oxygen.
Her body was crying for air and her vision blurred. She couldn't hold onto the wall, her brain gave up to command her limbs as she struggled violently for air.

But amidst all these, Arya tried not to inhale. She let out the used air from her lungs but as soon as she inhales the salty water, it would be game over.
Her vision started to fade away and she knew she couldn't hold back any longer before she lost the last control on her lungs.

So that is how it ends? There is a saying that people can envision their whole life in front of their eyes while drowning. But why she wasn't seeing any of it but Jin's face only?
How much time has passed?
Her lungs gave up and she let go.

Her tightly sealed lips opened in a reflex but instead of a burning sensation of entering saltwater in her lungs, she felt pure air blow in her lungs, and within milliseconds, Arya instinctively grabbed the source in a tight grip.

The airflow didn't stop and she gasped and sucked the air in deeper and violently. She wasn't thinking anything anymore. Her lungs were burning and her head was spinning.
Her fingers traced along the thing she gripped now were making a shape in her head.

Aren't those...hairs?

Arya shot opened her eyes and her vision was blocked with two extremely worrying eyes just a few inches apart from hers.

Seeing Arya finally coming out of her disoriented state, Jin moved his face away, unsealing their lips, one hand came up to squeeze her lips so that she doesn't let out any more air he just blew in and another hand snaked around her waist and easily pulled both of them out of the water.

As soon as they reached the surface, Arya gasped for air and coughed violently letting out the air from her lungs.
Jin calmly held her by the waist and waited for her to calm down.

When she was a little bit composed, Jin asked gently, "You ok?"

"No." Arya's voice was husky and seemed like someone just rubbed the inside of her throat with sandpaper, "Absolutely Not!"

"Take time, I am here."

Arya nodded and muttered,
"Thanks."

They stayed in the water for a few more minutes with Jin holding her tight with him and not moving his worried gaze off Arya while Arya waited for her cramp to run off.

His hand around her waist was making her uneasy but she couldn't let go of it either. And the sudden realization of their proximity, her face flushed and she hurried,
"Let's get on the boat."

Jin calmly helped her get on board and wrapped a blanket around her after he climbed in, "It is ok. Take some rest."

Arya remained silent the whole way getting back.
Unconsciously she touched her lips, flinched, and jerked her hand away.

Arya saw Jin notice her action and his face was as indifferent as ever. The worried expression was long gone and was replaced by composed indifferences.

The silence turned awkward. 
Arya scoured for a topic she can contemplate right now, "Jin? You told me about Everyone almost.  What about Hoseok? And Jimin?"

"Jimin is sneaky." Jin answered casually, "the smooth infiltrator. A master in naval and aviation engineering and the only one who was a spy from the beginning unlike the rest of us. He is with the naval intelligence, but still part of NIS, Honourary post. He is an expert in trade crimes and smuggling cartels as his main work is to be eyes and ears in naval security where others can't infiltrate. Believe me, he'll come, rob you of your security numbers to the greatest secrets of yours and you'll still be oblivious."

"He looks like a full course meal," Arya mumbled and mentally slapped herself for her glib mouth.

"Language." Jin scolded her a bit.

"Well, what can I say? All of you guys are like this good-looking and hella..."

"What?"

"Believe me you don't want to know." Arya chuckled, "you might start calling me a pervert."

Jin looked away and a similar word was thrown at Arya, "Overt!"

Arya chuckled and wrapped the blanket around her even more, "tell me about Hobi."

"Dangerous man." Jin's answer was short.

Arya again laughed, "don't mess with me."

"I am not."

"Really?" Arya's smile quickly turned into a frown.

"Mnn."

"Elaborate please." Arya was curious. No way this embodiment of sunshine can gain this reputation from Jin out of the blue.

"He is someone with most red strikes in his ledger." Jin quietly stated.

"No!" Arya still was in denial.
Red strikes denoted the number of kills in any mission.

"He is merciless when it comes to his rules. And that is why they want him in the missions that can be stated as suicide missions. He is a dangerous man. He doesn't care about anything."

"Is he still single?" Arya suddenly grinned.

Jin looked at her calmly, "Why?"

"I was thinking if he still has any feelings left for me," Arya laughed, "I am so much tempted now to try out our luck. A man with a mission and fixed ambition is soo..."

"What?"

"Hot." Arya fanned herself with a flap of the blanket and feeling the cold breeze, she stopped.

"Oh." Jin again went silent.

"I wonder, why he never approached me back then." Arya tried to remember, "you know I was almost certain that I'll accept him if he confesses."

"Why wait for him if you are willing to accept him?"

"That is a good point though." Arya went in her thinker's face, "I am not the type of girl who will wait for the prince charming to make the first move. Rather I will take the lead if I like something!"

"Prince charming?"

"Well, not prince charming, this title doesn't fit him," Arya said chuckling,
"maybe it can be replaced by sunshine/ demon slayer/ sexy motherfuvker?"

Before Jin can again get back to her, she raised her hands defensively,
"before you say it, let me say it for you," Arya grinned and copied Jin's voice, "language please!"

Jin didn't say anything, rather concentrated on his rowing.

"You fit for the title though. Perfectly."

Jin's hand stopped for a millisecond and again resumed doing what he was at.

"Mr. Prince charming, does your princess just exist in your drunk state? where is your sleeping beauty?"
Arya teased.

Seeing Jin uncomfortable and not so pleased was a treat to her eyes. Flirting with him was always her guilty pleasure from the time they met. That boy always ended up flaring up with her audacious remarks.

"Sitting in front of me." Jin's voice was clear.

Arya was shocked for a moment and burst into laughter a second later.

"God! jin! You finally learned a good comeback! Who would believe you can flirt back?"

Jin was silent again.

"I should be proud of me now! At least I could teach you something! Maybe spoiled you a little, but who cares if you get few stains in your so-called 'purity'?" Arya had a hard time controlling her laughter.

Seeing Jin's face, Arya felt euphoric. Though he was still composed, seemed like he was a bit embarrassed for his action.

"Come on, Jin! Don't start beating yourself with this small thing again!" Arya shrugged off the remark, 
"By the way," Arya again touched her lips, "was it your first kiss?"

"I'd call it saving your life." Jin was done with her blabbering.

"Still it was like mouth-to-mouth." Arya rolled her eyes with teasing in her voice, "Or should I say, "lips to lips?"

"Stop it." Jin's voice was quiet.

"Aww...look at you, so embarrassed and ashamed! It is ok, you know? Or are you really this inexperienced?" Arya laughed seeing Jin's ears turning slightly red in contrast to his cold- snowy face.

"It wasn't a k...kiss." Jin looked away.

"Ok, it wasn't." Arya chuckled.
"But tell me, was it your first time?" Arya asked eagerly knowing fully that this wasn't his first time. Arya ruined that the night of the festival. But no way he knows that.

"No." Jin's voice once again, calm.

[ Finally the longest chapter so far with almost 4k!!

I am very much struggling with the upcoming few chapters. I finished those and they will be uploaded all at once but I am sensing that those were very much raw with graphic description and a bit cruel. So before just dumping those chapters on you, I just wanted to keep this chapter light.
Hope you are mature and kind enough to read the next chapters which even I am a bit hesitant to publish.
But I am gonna publish them anyway and hope you guys will take those just as fictional stories and understand that I needed to include those for the need of the story.
Until next time- adios!]