Killer

Killer
He pointed the gun against the girl’s back. “Don’t move, or I’ll shoot you,” he whispered quietly into her ear. The girl screamed and tried to get away. Jason sighed impatiently and knocked her out with one strike. She fell silently to the ground, unmoving. He aimed the gun at the unconscious girl’s chest and fired his gun once.
“Nice, Jason,” another girl said, stepping from the shadows. She had brown hair that was tied into a tight pony tail.
“No big,” Jason replied, kneeling down. He reached into the girl’s jacket pocket and fished out all the contents.
“I’m serious, J, if it wasn’t for you, I could’ve gotten that kill,” the girl said angrily, walking closer to him.
Jason looked up, then he stood up before grabbing the small blue USB on the ground. “Come on, Kate, she wasn’t assigned this time,” he protested, shoving his hands, along with the USB, in his jean pockets.
“So? You have enough kills on your list, I need the numbers,” Kate said seriously.
“Everyone knows you’re the second best assassin in the whole school.” He beckoned her to follow him further into the dark alley.
“And you’ll always be number one,” the brunette said knowingly, following him.
“They gave me a scholarship, Kate, if I don’t stay in the top 3, then I’m screwed,” Jason explained, running a hand through his black hair.
“Yeah, ‘cause The School of Assassins are all about the-”
“Would you just leave it?” Jason interrupted angrily, turning around to face her.
Kate looked at him, then sighed. “Fine, just call the plane and get outta here,” she said, putting her hand on her hip.
Jason smiled slightly and pressed a button on his wrist communicator.
The plane had arrived after a few minutes, the black haired boy and the brunette got in, and the plane flew away.
The ride wasn’t long, only another few minutes. If the transportation was not fast, then the assassins-in-training would never get to the scene in time. So the plane was necessary to fast. Really fast.
“I just want you to loosen up a bit, Jason,” Kate said, putting her hand on Jason’s. He shrugged it away, uncomfortable with the contact. The girl sighed, shaking her head. “Why are you acting this way?” she asked, concerned.
Jason didn’t answer, he just sat there, opposite of Kate, staring outside the window.
“Ever since that mission last Friday, you’ve been acting like killing is the only thing that matters in your life,” Kate said.
Jason didn’t say anything, but he did turn away from the window and met Kate’s eyes. Green met Blue, but neither said a word.
Finally Kate broke the silent. “Look, J,” she started, “I know that you’re regretting your choice of accepting the scholarship to the school, and-”
“Can we not talk about this, please?” Jason asked suddenly, cutting in.
Kate sighed again. She stood up a bit and kissed his forehead. “Tell me when you do want to talk, ‘kay?” she whispered against his ear. Then she stood up and headed to the bathroom.

He stared at the group of people who were huddling around the coffin. His eyes empty, exactly like how he was feeling right now.
“Jason?” she said, laying a hand on his shoulder, “are you okay?”
He didn’t answer. He didn’t want to. He couldn’t.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, still pressing him with questions. He wondered if he made a good choice of bringing her here. He thought she would understand, thought he still hadn’t told her truth yet.
“Why are we even here?”
Jason watched as his mother in the middle of the group started to cry. Typical reaction. She always loved her more. She didn’t even cry when she had discovered that Jason went missing.
“Seriously, Jason, you gotta talk to me,” the girl beside Jason said seriously.
Jason stayed quiet, then he lay down on his back, sighing. “We’re at a funeral, Kate,” he said. His voice was mocking her, telling her the obvious. He regretted immediately, not wanting her to leave him again.
“I kinda noticed that, J. But the real question is why we’re not in the group of people crying?” Kate said, lying down next to him. She stared at him in the eyes, daring him to tell a lie.
“What’re you talking about?” he asked, looking away. He was obviously affected by her accusing stare.
“Was the victim close to you?” she asked.
Jason looked back to her. Their gazes were intense, the air around them full of tension. “Why would you think that?” he retorted emotionlessly.
“Because Jason Cheung doesn’t care about anybody unless they’re from his past,” Kate said.
“I care about you,” Jason said, his gaze softening.
Kate raised an eyebrow. “Jason getting soft? I don’t think so,” she said, smiling. Jason chuckled. “Was he close to you?”
“She,” he corrected absent-mindedly, “she was important to me, yeah.”
Kate sighed. “Then we shouldn’t be here,” she said, “you know that’s against the rules.”
“It’s not my fault that I care.”
“It’s also not your fault that you had to kill her.”
Jason’s jaw tightened. She finally figured it out, he thought. “Yes, it is.”
“Jason, you didn’t have a choice,” Kate protested.
“If I didn’t let my anger take over me when I was offered the scholarship, then I wouldn’t have to kill anybody!” he said, his tone rising angrily.
Kate took a breath, calming herself. “Well, it’s done now. And you’ll never be able to change that decision.”
“I could quit,” Jason suggested.
“You know it’s not that easy,” Kate protested, sitting up. Jason followed suit, staring at her. “The last guy who quit ended up in the hospital, in a coma for 2 months!”
“I have to take the chance, Kate. Maybe I won’t end up as bad as him,” Jason said hopefully.
Kate’s eyebrows furrowed involuntary, she was worried. “Jason,” she started, reaching for his hand. “What makes you different? Even if you’re the best in the school, you’ll still get the same consequences.”
Jason looked at her, his eyes pleading. “I killed my sister, Kate.”
Kate’s eyes widened, her hand had gone up to cover her mouth. “Oh, god, Jason,” she rambled, “I’m so, sorry, I didn’t know. Oh my god, how could they let this happen?”
“Kate,” Jason interrupted, “they did it on purpose.” She was even more shocked by this piece of news.
“Crap” was all she said.
“Yeah, that’s why I have to quit now. It’s my fault.” He paused and looked to the funeral. The preacher was saying something. It was almost time...“It’s my fault that this funeral’s happening.”
Kate hugged him, holding onto him as tight as she could, muttering ‘sorry’s every once and then.
They stayed like that for a while. Neither of them was crying, they were trained not to cry, but they still had feelings.
When they heard the preacher finish his speech, and all the mortuary objects was placed. They turned their backs and walked away as the coffin was lowered into the ground.

2 Months Later…
Kate walked in the hospital room, her heels clicking against the smooth surface. It was already dark out, but this was the perfect time to visit him.
She told the nurse that she was visiting Jason Chueng, her friend. She asked for a pass that would let her stay the night. The nurse refused at first, but after seeing the government pass, she had no choice.
The nurse led her to the room and asked Kate to call her if she needed anything. Kate nodded silently and muttered a small thank you. She peered in the room before actually stepping into it.
It was a single room, with only one patient inside. He was just sitting there, reading a book.
She took a deep breath, calming herself. She tried to walk as quiet as possible, but after she only took a few steps, he spoke.
“What’re you doing here, Kate?” he asked emotionlessly, not looking up from his book. Kate narrowed her eyes and walked to him, not caring that her heels were annoying herself.
“I need to see you, J,” she said sincerely when she was near the bed. She sat down on the bed edge, opposite of him. She threw her bag on a chair that was nearest to the bed and turned her attention back on him.
Jason’s eyes were still glued to his book, as if he didn’t realize that there was a girl right in front of him. “You’re risking a lot,” he said, his voice starting to fill with concern.
“I don’t care,” the brunette said, pushing the book away. Jason’s eyes met hers. His eyes were still as green as ever, but the dark circles under his eyes gave away the lack of sleep he got.
Nightmares, Kate thought grimly.
“Are you okay?” she asked, laying a hand on his hand. He didn’t shrug it off. He just continued to stare at her, like he was wishing that this encounter wasn’t a dream. Not that it actually was.
“I’m still here aren’t I?” Jason asked bitterly.
Kate furrowed her brows warily. She took off her coat, leaving her in a thin t-shirt and simple jeans. She moved closer to Jason, taking both of his hands into her own. “I mean mentally. Nightmares?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer to the question.
Jason nodded, looking away.
Kate bit her lip. “I asked for a vacation for a whole month,” she simply said, then waiting for his reaction.
“And they just let you?” Jason asked in disbelief, looking back at her.
“Yeah, apparently being the number one assassin in the whole school since you quit really has its perks,” she explained, shrugging.
“And you’re gonna spend the whole time looking after me?” he guessed
Kate nodded slowly. “That’s the plan, if you would let me,” she said, laying a hand on his cheek, smiling.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
Silence fell through them as they sat like that for a moment, enjoying each other’s company.
“You made a good choice Jason,” Kate whispered softly.
“Then why did they do this to me?” he whispered back, a little angrier.
“Because they want you to regret quitting the School of Assassins,” Kate said, exaggerating the last part with mockery. “The principal was already inhuman enough to train16 year olds to become killers.”
Jason took a breath, as he was breathing in her words, trying to calm himself.
“I trust you, Jason. If you still believe that you made the right choice, then I’m going to help you through this,” the brunette said sternly.
Jason opened his eyes and stared at her, a curious look forming on his face. “Why are you being so nice, Kate?” he asked, a bit confused yet still curious.
Kate was taken back his comment, surprised. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“When I was the top assassin, I was-Hell, when I first started killing, I never cared for anybody else but myself,” Jason explained, “I don’t understand why, or how you’re being like this?”
Kate tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, thinking about her answer. She bit her lip before answering. “I don’t know how to explain this, but…I guess all the intense training wasn’t enough to completely destroy my caring side,” she said, leaning back. Jason stared at her, still a bit confused, but understood.
“Well, lucky I met you then,” he finally said, after a moment.
Kate smiled, flattered. “Everybody needs a conscience.”
“A conscience that kills,” Jason said quietly. Kate’s smile disappeared. She looked away, half ashamed.
Jason noticed this since she didn’t say anything else but sit there, her hands in her lap, leaving his cold and lonely.
He thought of the options he had now. “When I told Principal Crow that I was going to quit, did you know what he said to me?” Jason asked, wishing to draw Kate’s attention again.
Kate turned her head slowly, meeting his eyes again. She simply shook her head, gesturing him to continue.
“He told me that I was weak, and a liar.”
Kate’s brows furrowed instantly concerned. “You’re not weak, Jason, and you’re definitely not a liar-”
“Oh, but I am,” Jason said, laughing humorously. For a second there, Kate thought that he was going mad. But that thought quickly disappeared when he his eyes turned serious and sincere.
“They knew why I have to quit. They tested me by making me kill my own sister, then see if I really had what it took to be the top student,” he explained.
“That doesn’t make you a liar-” Kate started to protest.
“I lied to them.”
Kate raised an eyebrow, then dropped it again. “And why would you that?” she asked.
Jason shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said casually.
“Jason-”
“I lied about the reason why I have to quit.”
Kate stayed silent before responding. “Why? You said they already knew.”
“They did. They just want to see if I’ll regret it or not.”
Kate didn’t say anything. She didn’t know what to say. Part of her told her to just go and leave him with his problems, but the other – the much bigger and stronger – part kept telling her to stay. Maybe it was because she felt something for him. She did felt something for him. Feelings that even she didn’t think she would be able to have.
Jason took a deep breath again. Lately he had been doing that a lot. His lungs did get damaged pretty badly, but he was pretty sure it was because of the topic and the lack of distance between Kate and him.
“I’m sorry,” Kate said, after a moment of silent.
Jason took her hands in his. “You don’t have to be, Kate,” he said, looking down at their entwined hands.
“Well, I am Jason. You didn’t deserve to go through all that beating,” she explained sincerely.
The boy simply smiled sadly and lied back on the pillow with closed eyes.
“You know, it’s true. You really didn’t deserve it,” Kate added.
“But does it really matter?” Jason asked back.
“Well,” she started then paused. “It matters to me.”
“Why?” a whisper. “You say you care, but somehow you only care about me. Not anyone else. Just me. Why am I so important to you?” He opened his eyes and met hers.
Kate stared right into him. Not caring that he has finally figured out why she still cared.
“I think,” Kate started slowly, causing Jason to look up and meet her blue eyes. “That you should get some rest.”
Jason sighed and nodded. Kate stood up and helped Jason lay down on the bed. “I’m right here okay?” she asked. Jason nodded. Kate did the same, but just when she was about to sit down on the chair, he said, “Hey, Kate?”
“Yeah?” she responded, standing straight again.
“Come here for a sec.”
Kate walked to the edge of the bed, right next to him. “What?”
“Come closer,” he said, motioning with his finger, telling her to lean down.
She did, with her long brown hair dangling on either side of her face and their faces inches apart. “What’s the matter?” Jason lifted his hand up and held Kate’s chin with two fingers. Before her reflexes could kick in, he pulled her close and pecked her lightly on her lips. He pulled away and winked. “Goodnight.”