~𝟰𝟯~

I woke up with a start the next morning, being pulled from my sleep by the alarm going off through the house. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table before flinging the blankets off of me. It was already eight-o-clock in the morning. I almost never slept that late. I ran into the operations room, almost tripping over my pyjama pantlegs because of how oversized they were. I ruffled a hand though my messy hair before standing up straight and staring at the screen that had just come on.

"Good morning, agents. I see one of you is still a bit sleepy," the commander said, gesturing with his eyes at me.

"I just wanted to tell you all that I have some work to handle out of the country, which means I won't be able to give you any missions at this time. So I thought it good to give you all a week off. I paid for plane tickets to the Maldives for all nine of you. All you have to do is pack and get on the plane tomorrow morning. I have already paid for your hotel as well. I assumed all your passports were in order."

I heard soft gasps travel through the room, my own included. I looked up at Han who stood next to me. His eyes sparkled more than usual. It was adorable.

"I hope you all enjoy the breather, and that you all come back with renewed strength and focus. Dismissed."

The screen went dark again, and I turned to the boys. My smile grew and grew until I started squealing. I jumped up and down on the balls of my feet. I heard the boys laugh at my excitement, my squeals soon turning to laughter to join with theirs.

"Looks like someone's excited," Hyunjin commented, making me blush.

I turned to leave the operations room to go get dressed before breakfast, but out of the corner of my eye I saw Lee Know. He barely even looked my way, and he seemed troubled. My movements stilled and I turned slightly to have him in full view.

A silence fell over the room as he looked up at me. He held eye contact for about a second before looking down and moving past me out the door. My eyes followed him as he walked to his room, closing the door behind him. I sighed, moving to my own room before anyone could offer me sympathy.

...

As I packed throughout the day, something kept gnawing in the back of my mind. I had a bad feeling something would happen while we were gone, but the feeling was so small, my excitement outweighed it. Every now and again, it niggled its way into my thoughts, but I just pushed it down. This is your chance to fix things, you have to take it, I told myself. So I ignored the thought. Even though I knew it would keep bugging me.

"Hey, how's the packing going?" I heard Han ask, making me turn around. My thoughts dissipated.

"It's going relatively well. You?"

"Same. I just can't believe we are actually getting a vacation. The commander never gives us time off. It just feels so surreal."

"I think it's perfect. Now you get to heal fully without feeling like you're missing out on anything."

He nodded, standing in the doorway. I stood with my calves against my bed, telling him to sit down.

"I'm good. I need to stand. I have to make up for the time I couldn't."

I smiled.

"How are your stitches feeling? Are they all still in place?"

"Yeah. Actually, I have an appointment in about an hour to get them removed. Then I just have to wear gauze for a few more days, then I'm good to go."

"Is someone going with you to the appointment?"

"No. But I should survive."

I smiled at him before speaking again.

"I could go with you if you want?"

"Really? You mean it?"

"Sure. It's not like I have much better to do."

He nodded excitedly at my suggestion, making me giggle.

...

I was just about to reach for the front door when I heard a voice behind me, making me turn around.

"And where are you going?" Lee Know asked, keeping his gaze on Han who was next to me.

It was like he didn't see me. Or he didn't want to.

"I'm getting my stitches removed. Ava volunteered to go with me."

"Oh. Well, I hope everything goes well," he said, turning his back on us again.

I could have sworn I heard him sigh as he walked away from us, making me frown slightly.

"Let's get going," I heard Han say.

...

I stood in the corner of the exam room, watching Han as he swung his legs while sitting on the exam table. I got slightly startled when the doctor came in.

"Right, how is the wound feeling, Han? Any pain or discomfort recently?"

"Mostly just when I turn my body the wrong way or move too fast. Otherwise it feels fine."

"I'm glad to hear that. Could you please remove your shirt and lay down on your back on the table."

As Han obeyed the order, I moved closer to the exam table.

"If you want, you can hold my hand," I told him, to which he smiled.

He seemed more shy than usual; cheeks dusted with a light pink. His head moved to the side to watch as the doctor took of the gauze and inspected the stitches before dragging his chair closer and taking a seat.

Han watched with big eyes as the doctor put on a pair of blue gloves before taking a cotton swab and dripping on something that looked like rubbing alcohol.

"This might be a bit cold," he warned as he gently rubbed the cotton swab over the area. Han squirmed slightly.

"It's ticklish," he said.

"That's a good sign. And it doesn't hurt?" the doctor asked.

"Nope."

The doctor finished cleaning over and around the stitches before grabbing a pair of surgical scissors and tweezers. I took Han's hand, afraid he felt anxious. He gave it a squeeze.

The doctor started removing the stitches one by one, throwing them into a sterile bowl with rubbing alcohol before moving on. In no time, he was finished, cleaning the wound with rubbing alcohol again before getting up. He went over to a drawer, taking out a packet of adhesive strips.

"These strips should stay on for a few day. Don't take them off. They'll fall of naturally."

He gently stuck five or six strips over the wound, making sure the wound would stay closed. Then he stood up, dragging his chair back behind his desk, taking a seat there and typing on his computer. As Han got dressed again, I went to stand at the desk.

"What does he have to do every day to keep the wound clean?"

"He should just wash it with soap and water every day and then gently pat it dry afterwards."

"And is there anything he can't do while it heals?"

"He can do most things; he just can't do a lot of gym work or cardio work. The wound might pull open again. But swimming or walking should be fine."

"And if it hurts or pulls loose? Do we just contact you, Doctor?"

"Yes, please. If the wound becomes red or swollen, or he starts having symptoms like fever and chills, contact me immediately. Otherwise everything should be fine."

...

"Thanks," Han said as we stood in the queue in the pharmacy to pick up some pain killers for the vacation.

"For what?"

"For going with me. I really appreciate it."

"It's a pleasure. And I needed an excuse to get out of the house anyway."

"That bad, huh? You two really must have hurt each other."

"Yeah..."

My thought trailed off, my mind completing the sentence for me. You probably hurt him more than he did you. I shook my head to try to clear it, but that thought stuck in the corner of my mind, like a fly caught in a web. It nagged me all the way back to the dorms. And with good reason, apparently.

When Han and I walked back into the dorms, I saw Lee Know at the table, seeming to stare off meaninglessly into space. There was a crease between his brows from his frown and the corners of his mouth were turned down. He looked sad. And hurt. So very hurt. I felt the guilt springing back to life in my chest, smacking up against my heart, making it hurt. It took everything in me not to walk up to him and pull him into a hug. I knew he wasn't ready for that yet. Neither was I.

"Hey, you guys are back," I heard Chan say, walking up to Han and me.

"How'd it go? Were there any problems?"

"Nope. Everything went very smoothly. And I just have to keep the wound clean and keep the adhesive strips on it, then it should be fine," Han said.

"That's good news. And maybe when we get back from our break, you'll be able to join us on missions again. That is, if you're up for it," Chan said, making Han nod.

"Seems like everything is going back to normal," Han said, but I knew that was far from the truth.

...

The rest of the day, everyone was in their rooms, packing. It was good news for me, as I didn't have to be afraid of running into Lee Know. Until I decided I wanted a snack. I was standing at the counter, busy making myself a sandwich when he came out of the training area, breathing heavily and sweating. He raked a hand through his dampened hair before his gaze finally found mine. His movements stilled, us standing there and looking at each other.

I tried desperately to think of something to say, but my brain couldn't seem to form a comprehendible sentence. We held eye contact for what felt like hours, the tension between us growing with every passing second. I was the first one to break eye contact, looking down at the sandwich I made. I slid it over the counter to him before retreating up the stairs, back to my room. I could feel my heart ache with each step I took further away from him. And I could feel our relationship caving in around me, crumbling to dust right before my eyes.

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A/N

Hey guys :) gosh, the last couple of chapters were a roller-coaster. i apologise for that and i can assure you it will get better from now on.

what do you guys think will happen on the vacation? will ava and lee know reconsile? again, thank you for all the support and don't hesitate to leave a comment. see you in the next chapter :P