Note: This story is not my original. This a modern and Hunjoy version of the short story 'Remember The Roses'.

"You called for me, Mr. Kim." Sehun asked as he looked at the man in front of him. The other man, who was engrossed in his work, looked up.

"Ah, Agent Oh. I didn't think you'd arrive here so soon. Sit down and I'll brief you." As soon as Sehun sat down, the man opened a file and slid it towards Sehun. "Thats Hwang Hyunwoo. He's the head of ST in Daegu. We had heard that he's been missing for four days, so we decided to do some searching. Turns out he has been taken by Irregular." The man continued as his voice grew serious. "Also, were planning to attack one of the Irregular bases. In one week."

"A week?" Even though the news of attack wasn't something new to Sehun, he was still quite shocked. The Wolf and Irregular were the most powerful organizations. And what came along with the power, was the immense hatred for each other and a constant need to pull the other down. Wolf was headed by Kim Junmyeon and Irregular was headed by Lee Taeyong.

Junmyeon nodded. "Yeah. I can't tell you the exact place but I can say that we've gone through a lot of difficulties to fool the enemy. From what I hear, he's strengthening his multiple smaller bases thinking thats where we'd attack. The actual place is only known to a few."

"And Hwang Hyunwoo is one of them." Sehun completed.

"We knew attacking one of their bigger bases was a risk, so we asked support from ST." Junmyeon sighed. "We didn't knew taking the help would be an even bigger risk." He then looked at Sehun, dead seriousness lining his eyes. "We all know that Irregular can break even the strongest men, both physically and mentally. So, Hwang should be reached. Either rescued or quietened."

Sehun understood the meaning and nodded. It wasnt new to him. "Where is he being held?"

Junmyeon pressed a button and the board behind him came to life. "Jeju. In this abandoned prison building." He said as he continued showing Sehun the pictures of the place. "I hope you dont get too relaxed. The condition may look bad but its just for show."

"I know. When do I leave?" Sehun was a man of business.

"Tomorrow night. You'll be taken there. Irene will brief you on your cover and stuff. It has to be quick, Oh. I dont want you in Jeju for more than a day." Then Junmyeon's face softened a bit. "I hope this works out. I know its not pleasant to kill an ally, but we cant help it. This is the only way."

"I'll do my best." Sehun bowed and walked out. The hollow feeling inside his chest grew at the thought of another killing. But he couldnt do anything, he had to follow orders. Being a part of an orgainsation wasnt easy.

__________

Sehun knelt on the ground. The woods around him were eerily quiet. The light signal he'd expected was nowhere to be seen. A person from the Wolf's Jeju base was supposed to meet him there, but there was no one. He had landed on the quite outskirts of the land. Sehun moved further and old buildings started to appear. Suddenly, in the darkness, a shadow moved against the ground. Sehun was alarmed.

"Who's there? Come out right now." He said.

"Are you from Wolf?" A figure appeared before him. The hair was long, black and tied in a ponytail. The voice was sweet and warm as sunrays on a winter morning. Sehun nodded and the girl caught his arm. "This way, follow me."

Sehun immediately snatched his hand away and pointed his gun. "Do you think I will? Who are you?" He growled.

"I'm here to help you. Trust me."

Her tone made him feel that she wasn't lying but Sehun was still skeptical. "First tell me who sent you?"

"I'm from the Wolf. Someone else was supposed to come, but they were wrongly informed that you were coming day after tomorrow." She said and grabbed Sehun's arm again, leading him into an alleyway. This time he let her. They moved further and then stopped. Sehun noticed a hole in the road. The girl slid in without hesitation and Sehun followed, wincing as the smell of sewer reached him. After they reached the end, the girl stopped and turned to him.

"Now, its time to go up." She then pointed to a ladder and Sehun lead the way, pushing the manhole open. He emerged into a large lighted room. The girl climbed out behind him and he covered the hole. That was when Sehun took a good look at her for the first time. She was dressed in black, a dull red velvet top under her black jacket. All Sehun could think was that she was truly beautiful. He had never really paid much attention to women before, being an agent requires a lot, but this one in front of him demanded attention. There was an aura around her that made it clear that, if once seen, she'd never be forgotten.

"I'm Oh Sehun." Sehun introduced as he held out his hand.

She then smiled at him and took his hand. "I'm called Joy, Park Joy."

Sehun was amused. "Nice name, Wolf agent."

Joy caught the indication in Sehun's line. "I know. But names dont have to match your occupations, right?"

Sehun just smiled. "So, do you know where Hwang is kept?"

"In the old prison. In the room above the one I was in."

He stared at her. "You were in there?"

"Yeah, a long time ago." Joy signed.

"Did they release you?"

"Not exactly. I escaped." Joy said as she shook her head.

"Really? Then Hwang can even get out of there."

"Well yes, but not my way."

"Why?"

Joy let out a small laugh and turned away from Sehun. "He just couldn't. Hwang is a good man but... not my way." Then she turned back to him. "There's a way. In the cell below the room I was in, there's a well. It is connected to a river, but the river is now turned into a sewer. They used to say that in old days, the bodies of the defaulters were thrown into that river. Also, the cell was used as a torture chamber."

"And its still open?" Sehun couldnt believe it. A well leading into the prison was an obvious way, it would've been closed.

But to his surprise, Joy nodded. "I can take you there. We can go now."

Sehun smiled at her eagerness and looked at his watch. "Its too late now. But they'll come till tonight to pick me up. We can do it tonight."

She shrugged. "Okay then. I've always been hasty. That was why I was caught last time. Jung was always warning me, Joy, dont be like this. If they catch you, I wont be able to rescue you."

"Was he able to help you?" Sehun questioned.

"No." Joy let out a breathy laugh. "If it was up to him then he would've, but it really wasnt."

"What happened to him? Was he killed?" Sehun asked, noticing the pain in Joy's voice.

"I dont really know. I lost him. Jung was a good agent and a good friend." Joy shook out of memories and turned to Sehun. "You should stay here tonight, its safe. She then looked at the light bulb hanging from the top. "When this prison was abandoned, the light was left on. No one came to turn it off, no one comes here. You should sleep now, I'll come back later."

"You're going." Sehun didnt want to lose her presence from beside him.

Joy took in Sehun's hand and turned it to look at the watch. "Yes, I should. I'll come back when its dark. I'll even bring you food." She then gave Sehun a half salute. "Bye, Agent Oh. Sleep well."

"Bye." Sehun watched her as she went away from him, silently and swiftly.

__________

"Sehun. Its time, wake up." Joy's voice reached his ears and Sehun opened his eyes. Then he sat up and stared into space, blinking, and then finally rubbed his face. "You look so funny. Are you always like this when you wake up?" Joy asked, a smile playing on her face.

Sehun ran a hand through his hair and nodded. "Always. I need to collect my senses."

"Look I brought this." She showed him a bag and then handed him a bottle of water. "Freshen up first."

When Sehun came back, Joy handed him a bun and two muffins. "That's all I could get. I had no money."

Then did you sneak away with this?" Sehun asked, amused. This girl was really something.

Joy shook her head. "No. I'll tell you about it later. Eat up first."

"So, Jung? Was he a part of Wolf too?" Sehun was curious.

"Yeah. We were partners. We've spent some great times together." Joy said, staring into space, lips turned into a sad smile. She then looked at Sehun, who had finished his food. "Lets get going."

After what felt like an eternity of twists and turns, they stopped below a shaft. Sehun wondered how Joy knew the way so well.

"This is it." Joy said and pointed upwards. Sehun shone the light from his watch upwards. "I'll go first, in case someone's up there." Joy's tone was determined. Sehun was about to retort that it wont be safe for her but she cut him off. "Please dont argue, this is not the time." Something in her voice told him to just trust her. And he did.

Joy started up and Sehun followed. Foul smell surrounded then as the continued upwards. Then Joy hauled herself over the edge of the well and Sehun did the same. He moved the light from his watch around and saw that the walls were covered with green. At one corner, he saw wall of iron stairs attached to the wall. At one place was a huge table like structure with giant rollers at each end. Sehun felt the presence of Joy beside him.

"I hate this place. They brought me here to frighten me. I had always thought that I was brave, until this. This place..."

Sehun looked at her and saw a different person. The strong girl he knew was replaced by someone who was scared, Sehun wanted to hold and comfort her, so he did that. He pulled Joy to him and wrapped his arms around her. She buried her head in his chest as he rubbed her back.

"Hey, its okay. I know I'd be scared to death if I was brought here. This is pure evil." Sehun reassured.

"I've heard people screaming down here. They used to tear the people here, on that table thing. They were alive, and torn. Bones, muscles, even body parts." Joy said and a shiver ran down Sehun's spine.

"I had always heard that Irregular's system was quite tough. I never knew they straight up went primitive." Sehun spoke, as Joy pulled back and calmed herself.

"This way." She signaled. "But turn off the light, theyll see it."

They climbed up the stairs where Joy held his hand to guide him. Sehun wondered how Joy knew and remembered everything so well, but then she'd escaped this place after all. After few twists and turns, they stopped.

"Close your eyes, the lights may blind you." Joy said. She led him forward and Sehun was aware of the increasing brightness around him. "Okay, you can open your eyes now, but slowly." Joy said and released his hand.

Sehun opened his eyes and saw a corridor with ten metal doors. Joy signaled to the closest one and Sehun, with his extraordinary skills, cracked the passcode. The door opened and they saw Hwang Hyunwoo lying on the floor, face downwards. He was soaking wet and there were two scorch marks on his legs. He'd been electrocuted. Sehun tried to revive him but nothing happened. After much trials, he gave up. Sehun considered carrying him, but then the journey back would be impossible to take, the guards would spot them any moment. Having no other option left, he took out syringe from his pocket. Just as Sehun was about to reach for Hyunwoo, Joy caught his wrist.

"Thats not right." Joy's voice was cold, just like her eyes. "I wont let you do that."

"Let go." Sehun said but Joy didnt budge. It was getting late and now Sehun was pissed. "He cant walk and I cant take him down that well, okay? He'll talk if we leave him here. And if he didnt, he'll be tortured endless before death." He hissed. "Its necessary."

"Its not. I know it sickens you. Each and every one of the kills sicken you. You know that's not you." Joy stared deep into Sehun's eyes.

"I made this choice. I'm the one who has to live with the guilt. Why do you care?" Sehun challenged.

"Yeah, right. Like you lived for the last four months. And was this really your choice? To become an killer instead of a hacker." Her comment made Sehun startled. "I know everything Sehun. Tell me, was anyone there for you after you completed the orders? Even after your first one, was there anyone? You had to go through everything alone, not knowing what to do. But this time its different Sehun. I'm here with you, to tell you what's wrong and what's right. Dont do this."

Sehun closed his eyes. He was tired of lying to himself. Tired of thinking that all the killings didn't affect him. He had joined Wolf as a hacker because he needed money, but this wasn't what he wanted to do. "How do you know?" He whispered, but loud enough for Joy to hear.

"Thats not important. Now tell me will you continue to destroy yourself or will you say no? "

Sehun sighed and looked at Joy. "You're right. I cant live like this anymore. Its taking too much of me."

"Put it away then." Joy's voice softened. Sehun complied immediately. "Take him on your back and follow me."

Sehun did that and then turned back to Joy. "Which way?"

"There's a door back there that leads to the outskirts." Joy said pointing in the direction.

"That's an easy route. There will definitely be guards."

Joy laughed, a playful one. "Exactly. We're gonna leave right in front of their eyes."

Sehun believed Joy had suddenly lost her mind. Leaving by one of the main exits, with a prisoner with them. It was sheer suicide, for crying out loud. But he knew he'd do that, just because she told him to. "Lets go." He laughed and Joy led the way. When they reached near the door, the halted.

"There are two guards outside the door." Joy said and Sehun tilted his neck to see. There were two guards, dressed in black.

"They'll spot us immediately." Sehun looked at Joy.

Joy just smiled. "Stay here, dont make any sound." Then she walked down the corridor. To Sehun's surprise, neither of the two guards blinked an eye at her. Then she neared one and hit him with the butt of her gun. The other turned, startled, just to receive the same blow. Joy signaled Sehun to come out and then took out a bunch of keys from the guards belt. "This will open the gate."

They moved towards the gate and the hallway had around 10 guards. Sehun turned to Joy, "They will shoot us down the moment we step in there."

Joy clicked her tongue, "Not if we are fast. Now listen, when I open the gate, run fast. The main exit is right there, you'll see a warehouse few feet away. Turn left and it'll lead you to the outskirts. Wait for me there."

"And you?" Sehun asked, worried about Joy.

"I'll be just behind you. Now go." He was about to move when Joy held him. "And Sehun, dont look back. Whatever happens, you dont look back. Just run."

Joy the swung open the gate and Sehun began running. Behind him he could here the surprised shouts of guards and gunshots. He did not turn. The door opened as Sehun reached it and surprisingly there were no guards. Sehun ran to the warehouse and turned left, just as Joy had told. He entered the woods and ran further, finally reaching the outskirts. He stopped, panting for breath and slid Hwang down from his back. Sehun turned back but there was no sign of Joy. The forest was deserted. A fear started settling inside him. There had been guns and shooting. What if she was killed or even caught? Sehun remembered the fear in Joy's eyes when they were in the torture room. It was all his fault; he should've never let her shield him. Immediately he walked back to the way he came from.

"Sehun, I'm here."

Sehun turned at the voice behind him and relief washed over him. "Thank god, you're back. I thought they caught you."

Joy shook her head. "Nah, I've been through bullets before."

They both heard a sound and turned up. Sehun's pick plane had arrived.

Joy sighed and smiled at him. "You made it."

"We made it."

Joys smile grew wider. "Yeah, we."

"Do you want to come with me?" Sehun asked.

"You and I both know I should stay here. My heart is here after all." Joy said.

Sehun nodded. He did know that. "Then promise me you'll take care of yourself."

Joy's smile grew sad. "Another Sehun asked me for the same promise a long time ago."

The sadness in her voice made it clear that the Sehun was special to her. "You loved him?"

"He was a really special friend of mine. He used to say he'd follow me to hell." Joy let out a breath. "He kept his words, he died because of me. Because I was too stubborn."

The plane neared them. "I dont think he regrets his actions."

"No. Both of us wanted the same things." She then slipped a hand in her pocket and took out a chain with a small diamond attached to it. "He gave me this, now I want you to have this. So that you dont forget me."

"I could never forget you." Sehun took it and looked at it. "I dont have anything to give."

"If you ever come back here, bring me some roses." The sound of the helicopter grew louder.

"I promise I'll bring you the biggest bouquet you've ever seen." Sehun smiled. "Where will I find you?"

"Near the SVY school there's a park, you'll find me there." The plane neared and the door opened. "Goodbye, Sehun. Remember the roses."

"Goodbye, Joy." Sehun said and walked to the helicopter, Hyunwoo on his back. Before climbing up, he turned around, only to be greeted by the dark woods.

__________

"What rubbish are you talking about, Oh. These torture chambers, Hyunwoo said it was on the floor above him and definitely weren't filled with ancient shit."

"I saw it. Both of us saw it." Sehun was sure of himself.

"Non sense. There's no girl named Joy in Wolf. We checked all personal information. That girl doesnt exist. And about your escape, our spy saw it. He said you ran so fast that the guards were shocked and when the shot they hit their own members. This Joy didn't cover for you." Junmyeon run a hand through his hair. "Were you drunk?"

"I wasn't drunk. And she's real."

"Whatever, I'm too tired for this. Just leave." Junmyeon ordered, he didnt have the strength to continue the talk and moreover, the job was done.

Sehun left and Baekhyun, who was there with them, called him. Sehun looked at him and Baekhyun smiled. Sehun took this as his cue to start. "Its true, every single word. Everything exists."

Baekhyun slightly shook his head. "Well for starters, there were these underground torture rooms there but when Irregular occupied that place, they were sealed off. With 8 feet of concrete. I worked in the Jeju base before coming here."

"Whatever, I dont care about the building. But Joy was real. She gave me this." Sehun took out the chain from his pocket and handed it to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun stared at it. "It contains a message. Have you seen it?"

"Message? There's nothing. Its just a diamond, I looked through it."

"Not like this." Baekhyun then took it near the window and positioned it. The sunlight met the surface of the diamond. To Sehun's surprise, when the ray from the diamond hit the wall, few words appeared.

To Sooyoung, the Joy of my life, we'll meet again someday. Yours, Sehun.

Baekhyun read out. Sehun tried to understand what was in front of him. "We gang members may be heartless, but some of us are still romantics. When I was in Jeju, a story was really popular there. There were these partners. They were assigned a mission and one of them got caught. The other tried to save his partner, but was killed. The girl escaped and left Wolf. But later, the members of Irregular found her and burned her whole house, along with her. The girl's name was Park Sooyoung." Baekhyun sighed. "Well people say, the partners loved each other."

Sehun stood there in silence. "Joy... Sooyoung? But she was real. I hugged her."

Baekhyun shrugged. "I cant decide if Joy, your Joy, was a living person or ghost. If Joy and Sooyoung are same. Only you have the right to. Also, the only Sooyoung that exists now is in Velvet Park."

"Velvet Park?"

"It used to be a park but was bought by the Wolf to remember the ones who worked for them. Its near a school. Something SVY."

"That's where she said she'd be." Sehun said as he stared into space. He then turned to Baekhyun. "I want to leave this. I didn't join to become a killer. I'll talk to Kim."

"Really?" Baekhyun confirmed and Sehun only nodded.

__________

"Velvet Park," Sehun read and entered, a big bunch of red velvet roses in his hand. After looking around for a few minutes, he finally found her. He looked at the stone.

Park Sooyoung / Joy
3rd Sep 1968 - 17th Dec, 1994

The picture there confirmed what he already knew. This was his Joy. He placed the roses near the picture. "See Joy, I remembered the roses." Just then a flower rolled off the bunch and fell on the ground. Sehun picked it up and then his eyes landed on the stone next to Sooyoung's.

Jung Sehun
12th April 1965 - 26th January 1994

Sehun looked at the picture and the face in it shocked him. It was him, well, the man looked like him.

"Do you know her?"

A voice startled him and he turned around. There she was, standing in front of him. Sehun looked at the girl with wide eyes and she looked at him with the same expression.

"You... you look like him." The girl said, pointing at something behind Sehun but he already knew what she was pointing at. The picture.

"And you look like her."

Sehun and the girl sat on the bench and looked over the stones.

"How do you know her?" Sehun asked the girl.

"She was my aunt's friend. Aunt Irene used to say that I looked like her. She always brought me here and then it became a habit." The girl sighed. "How do you know her?"

"I dont know how to explain it." Sehun said as he turned the rose that had fallen.

"Well, try." The girl didnt give up.

"She helped me, thats all I can say right now."

"You saw her too?" The girls question surprised Sehun.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, confused.

"I saw him too. He talked to me, helped me."

Sehun looked at the girl next to him. She was just like Joy, eager and restless. "Whats your name?" He asked looking softly at her.

"Bae Sooyoung, but most people call me Joy." She then looked up at him. "Dont tell me yours is Sehun."

Sehun laughed. "I'm sorry then. It's Oh Sehun."

His answer made her laugh. Sehun softly looked at her. Maybe it was fate that they met here. Maybe everything had happened intentionally. He then extended the rose towards Joy. "I want you to have this."

Joy looked at the rose, then at the stones. "Me?" She asked, looking up at Sehun, who just nodded. Joy then took the flower and smiled looking at it. "Hey, do you want to sit on swings. There's a school around here."

"Why do you think they'll allow us inside?" Sehun looked at her, amused.

"Right. But we can always jump over the fences, you know? Now get up." She stood up and grabbed Sehun's wrist, dragging him behind her. Her idea was childish, but somehow, Sehun knew he'd do that, just because she told him to.




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Do read the real short story, you'll find it on wattpad ig. I absolutely love that story. Also I changed the ending here a bit.