Beep.

And beep.

And more beeps.

Every call ended up with those mechanical sounds.

“!”

Jung Taein smashed his cellphone into the wall, along with the messages he received from the early morning.

“I’m going back to Korea, I want the plane to be settled tonight!”

“P-Please, clam down, Mr. Jung. You have three more meetings with the enterprisers, we worked really hard to get the chance…”

“I don’t care! I have to be stuck at this ing motel just because these old men always keep me waiting, they had so many times to meet me before but where were they? You think I don’t know? They were ing playing and flashing to those ! And here I am, not even able to speak a word to my wife!?”

“I’ll try contacting her for you, sir…But please understand, we really need these meet ups to revive our company…”

He wanted to shout to his assistant again but eventually suppressed the urge. Instead, he shooed him out and grabbed another phone.

“Yes, Mr. Jung?”

“Update me.”

“But I haven’t got much…”

“I said update me.”

A minute later, a file was sent to his mailbox. He clicked it open and few pictures popped out on the screen.

“This woman is like…everybody, she grew up in a wealthy family, father is a judge and mother is a high school teacher, and she graduated from police academy before joining the bureau plus became a unit member. I followed her, but I was only able to take these photos before they drove out of my sight.”

“I paid you for more. Find them.”

“…Yes, Mr. Jung.”

Taein stared at the pictures with chilly orbs, his hands were shaking without him even noticed. Nayeon was standing beside the open car door, putting a duffle bag to the back seat and the person in the driver's seat was that woman, Ryu Jaehee. Of course she was going somewhere and was about to spend some nights there. He didn’t know she was going out, he didn’t know where she was going either. He couldn’t get any info from the subordinates he left to spy on her, they all had lost contact with him just like her.

A hot liquid dripped down his cheek, his was stunned before raised one hand to wipe it. Is that…a tear?

Pounded his fist on the table, he took an acute inhale and blinded the helplessness with rage. He was not a coward, he hadn’t shed tears for years, he would never let things become worse and defeat him.

I will never let you leave me.

“Did we get rid of that black car already?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“That dude has been following us since we left your apartment. Any idea who might it be?”

Jeongyeon peeked at the review mirror. Nayeon was staring at her phone and was obviously in her deep thoughts, but she lowered her voice anyway.

“Jung Taein’s minions, paparazzi…I guess.”

“Well, they followed the wrong ones.” Jihyo stretched her arms and let out a satisfied breath. “You can ditch them in less than two minutes, and I can block out their signals by moving just one finger.”

Jeongyeon hummed and peeked at Nayeon once more. She was bothered by something, or someone to be precise, but Jeongyeon did not interrupt her at that time. Nayeon needed some space, she should give her that.

“You know, I’ve dreamed about this for so long…The three of us hanging out together, you two being lovey dovey, and me, world’s most intelligent third wheel, sitting right beside.” Jihyo laughed, not minding that her partner was rolling her eyes and her best friend finally lifted her head up from her phone, cheeks slightly reddened.

“We should hang out more. I mean, in some comfortable situations and better weather conditions, of course.” She turned around and patted Nayeon’s knee. “We might have to leave you in the car later when we go investigate. Call us if you feel anything weird, ok?”

Nayeon nodded and gave her a smile. Feeling a sight was locking on her, she looked to the front and met Jeongyeon’s concerned eyes in the review mirror.

I’m fine. She said with her eyes and another weary smile.

No, you’re not. Jeongyeon sighed mentally and turned her attention back to the road. There would be a lot they had to talk after finished all these works.

“I think we’re almost there.”

They pulled over at the sidewalk, a 12 storey apartment was right inside the gate, with a guard sitting in the booth dozing off while resting his feet on the coffee table. Well, that could save them some time.

After Nayeon assured them for the Nth time she would be ok, Jihyo took out two badges which she kind of faked them because their original ones were confiscated.

“Just in case he wakes up. I’m actually glad we don’t have to show him this forgery.”

Nayeon watched the two disappearing into the building, she leaned back on the car seat and put her phone face-down on her thigh. They were at a quiet neighborhood, few cars passed by occasionally, not so many pedestrians could be seen of the street. She closed her eyes and massaged her temples lightly, trying to get some rest and relax herself. Her head always hurt when the stress harassing her like there was no end.

“Excuse me?”
The unknown voice jolted her up, she turned her head with startle and saw a middle aged woman bent down outside the open window.

“Mrs. Jung? It’s really you!”

Nayeon carefully looked at her, knowing she had met this woman somewhere but she couldn’t remember at that second.

“It’s been a long while since we last chatted, I was just talking about how beautiful you were in your blue evening gown with my husband few days ago! How have you been? Why are you…” She glanced at the front seats. “Alone?”

So we’ve met at that banquet? Oh, now I remember, she’s…

“…It’s good to see you, Mrs. Moon.” She stepped out the car and forced herself to smile.

“Good to see you too! But what are you doing here? Are you waiting for Taein?”

Nayeon’s head was still hurting but nervousness made her forget about it. “No, I um…I’m hanging out with…yeah, my friends.”

“Oh?” The woman was a little confused by her hesitation. “How’s Taein doing? It’s been a while since I last saw him.”

…It’s been a while since I last saw him too. “He’s ok, thanks for asking.”

“He must be really exhausted lately, so many things happened and he has to deal them all without his father’s help…How can some heartless people suspect him to be his father’s killer? We all know how much he loved and admired him, don’t we?”

Nayeon’s body became more rigid after hearing that. “Um…Why are you here by the way, Mrs. Moon?” She asked, in hope to stop the topic from lingering around her and the person who was the least she wanted to talk about.

“Ah, bad luck. We had a puncture around the corner, see our car right there? I think there was a nail on the road. My husband is helping our driver to change the tire, I can’t help so I just take a walk around here.”

She hadn’t thought of what to reply, Mrs. Moon threw her questions again. “Where are you going? I see you have your duffle bag, is it a long trip? And shouldn’t you call your friends? They keep you waiting for too long!”

“Um, I…I’m gonna…”

A loud bang cropped up and saved her in time since Mrs. Moon turned her head abruptly.

“What’s wrong!?” She exclaimed, her husband shouted back after smacked the top of their car with frustration: “Another puncture! We have no idea how this could happen!”

She then turned back and gave Nayeon a sorry look. “I’d better check on them, I so sor…”

“No no no, it’s ok. Just go.”

Merely one second after Mrs. Moon scooted away from her, she felt a hand landed on her wrist.

“J-Jeongyeon?”

“Come with me. Quickly.”

Before she could react, her footsteps had started to move with Jeongyeon dragging her from the front.

“I knew like this would happen.” She murmured, stuffing something sharp into her pocket that caused the fabric to bulge. “Whose idea was it to leave you down here alone?”

“Did you…” Nayeon gulped. “Did you prick their tire?”

“There’s a second nail on the road.”

“So you did! H-How did you do that? They didn’t notice you?”

“It’s inevitable. What has to be break will break no matter what.”

“……”

Never mind.

At least she was freed from those questions she didn’t know how to answer or didn’t want to answer.

They stepped into the elevator, Jeongyeon yet not loosened her grip from her wrist. Instead, Nayeon felt it slid down her palm and intertwined her fingers. She couldn’t tell how long it had been since they held hands like this, but she could tell they must look like a couple even without looking at the mirror behind. It was a good thing that they were both facing the front so Jeongyeon wouldn’t see her blush.

“Oh, there you are. What took you so long?”

Jihyo asked as she spotted the two walking out the elevator from the corridor.

“Technical problem.”

“What are…Meh. Why did I even ask?” Jihyo waved the doubt off and pointed at the door which had security cordon surrounded. “This is it. I bet the Internal has searched it, maybe more than once, but…”

“Let’s go in.”

Jeongyeon gave Nayeon a questioning look. “Wait us here, will you?”

“Sure.” The answer was as expected, and Jeongyeon knew they had to be very focus not only because they needed to hurry up before somebody caught them, but also because she didn’t want to keep Nayeon waiting for too long.

The apartment was quite neat—empty, not many furnishings were there in that small place. The heavy curtain dimmed the sunlight from outside the window, Jihyo pulled it and gasped, staggering back abruptly before coughing the dust out of her lung as much as she could.

“This is why I hate fieldwork.”

Jeongyeon took a quick look around, the shelf, the old TV, the table, the sofa…The Internal sure had searched this place, but that didn’t explain why everything looked so untouched.

“Has anyone ever lived in here?” She wiped a thin layer of powder from the floor. “There’s something that has been confusing me, Jihyo. Why destroying face? K loves to taunt, but this is not a way to taunt, this is too…targeted. More like he’s venting his rage.”

“Perhaps he still keeps the fury of his father being framed?” Jihyo took out her device and gestured Jeongyeon to put on her earphone. “Yes, Tzuyu?”

“You guys get anything in that apartment?”

“Other than pneumonia? No. How about you? Where exactly are you now?”

“A coffee shop in Gangnam.”

The two exchanged a confused look. “What are you doing there?”

“Undercover!” Instead of Tzuyu’s usually calm voice, the other bubbly noise appeared and alarmed both of them. “This is so cool!”

“Did you…” Jeongyeon felt like chocking her neck. “You brought her with you!? Are you out of your mind?”

“You brought your girlfriend too…” Tzuyu muttered. It was good that they were in two different places so she didn’t have to receive Jeongyeon’s death glare.

“Ok, back to the issue. Sana said undercover? What does that even mean?”

“We’re following someone. Pretending that we’re a dating couple makes it much easier.”

“Who are you following?”

“The administrator. The young man testified that K has been lived in that apartment.”

“Wait wait…So the one we saw earlier is a newbie? The one sleeping on duty?”

“I think so.” Tzuyu lowered her voice. “We followed Detective Park of the Internal since last night because Lee Soomin asked him to pay a visit to the witness once more. They are now two tables away from us.”

“You must have a good reason to monitor on him.”

“I sure do. Isn’t it weird that he quit his job and moved to a new home right after the Internal questioned hi