New Chapter

When The Sun Shines

 

We were victims of the night,
The chemical, physical, kryptonite
Helpless to the bass and the fading light
Oh, we were bound to get together,
Bound to get together.

(Shut Up And Dance, Walk the Moon)

 


 

Rumors fly whenever, wherever. It's a fact of life.

 

At the Gangnam Police Station, Soo Ok was minding his own business by pouring himself a cup of coffee when a fellow intern jumped up behind him. 

"Soo Ok!"

"GOD!" he exclaimed, almost spilling his cup. He jumped away to avoid the coffee, grunting in annoyance as he turned around to see the offender -- his friend Lee Hyung Sik. 

"What the hell?" he demanded.

"I heard a rumor."

"I don't care," said Soo Ok, wiping off the coffee from his jacket. 

"Is it true that the Detective is going out with the actress?"

"None of your business."

"But is it true?"

"Hey, why don't you get me a new jacket instead of prodding into other people's businesses?" complained Soo Ok. 

"But the Grim Reaper of Violent Crimes is dating!" exclaimed Hyung Sik, "Doesn't that interest you? I mean, he's like the Walking Dead or something."

 

Not far from the coffee station, the other cops were huddled in front of the TV, watching today's drama (a girl ends up in the Goryeo period and meets seven princes; DA Park loudly recalled how his mother loved this show). But none of them were paying attention; they were too busy talking.

"...I mean, Lee Hyuk was always the stoic guy."

"Yeah but we did know about that girlfriend he had two years ago."

"I thought that was a lie. He didn't seem like the guy who has emotions."

"He has every now and then. Remember that one time he laughed at your joke?"

"I know, but to actually like a girl."

"Wow."

 

At his desk, DA Park was privately talking with Head Inspector Jung about the recent kidnappings in Gangnam. They were talking about the next emergency plan.

"...I'd like if it a team could assemble faster soon."

"I understand that, Inspector Jung. We'll design a new escape plan...for us, I mean."

"Yeah we don't want to be the laughing stock of the other stations," said the inspector.

"We'll put Lee Hyuk in. He's good at that kind of operations."

Inspector Jung gazed at DA Park with curiousity. "Detective Lee?" he asked, "Speaking about that boy, I've been hearing plenty of stories about him."

"Such as?"

"Oh...I don't know...something involving a woman."

DA Park smiled as he signed paperworks. "You've been hearing a lot, Inspector," he said, "But those seem like the best stories I've heard in years."

 

Miles away from the Gangnam Police Station, a director was screaming his head off, ordering everyone to get in place. The lead roles were about to shoot their first kissing scene, but no one was paying attention to them. As people scurried up and about, a pair of makeup artists were giggling as they fixed up their boxes.

"...I heard from a friend that he was a stylist."

"Really? He doesn't look like one. My friend said he could be into law enforcement."

"No way! My friend swore that guy is a stylist -- a lousy one, she said. All he did was check out the actress' outfit."

"What? But my friend says she saw him get out of a police car once!"

"Could he be a criminal?"

"A handsome one if he is."

 

Rumors flew whenever wherever -- there was no stopping it. But Lee Hyuk and Kim Sun Hee didn't hear an inch of it.

They were too busy. 

 


 

1 MONTH LATER

 

"I said put your hands up or I'm going to shoot!"

 

5 out of 10 cases had the criminal just surrendering without the fight. It was always the easy way out, in Hyuk's opinion; he often wondered why crooks never took that option. Just like this one -- the one who chose to be part of the worst half of the criminals he rounded up. 

"When has that trick ever worked, Officer!" taunted the criminal, holding up the knife to his victim's neck, "If you shoot me, my hand will automatically slice this pretty girl's neck."

Hyuk felt his blood boil in anger, but he kept a sturdy grip of his gun. 

"What do you want?"

"You know what I want -- to get away."

The culprit laughed manically, his creepy laughter echoing throughout the walls of the empty warehouse. It was so typical of the suspect to lead Hyuk in a warehouse; there was no one inside but him, a couple of throw away items, and of course, the suspect and the girl. As typical criminals go, this one strictly followed the "Bad Guy" protocol to the core. 

It was his MO anyway. 

"Look, can you just let the girl go?" demanded Hyuk, "If you let her go, then I'll let you go."

The suspect laughed again. "Do you think I'm that stupid?"

Yes, very much. 

Hyuk sighed. "Come on now," he said, "Let her go."

"NEVEEEER!" screamed the suspect, tightening his grip on the girl. 

Detective Lee saw this coming. He rolled his eyes.

"You're right, it's hopeless," he whispered.

 

"Who are you talking to?" demanded the suspect. 

 

Before anyone could react, a deafening boom distracted everyone. Glass shattered and the victim screamed. In a second, the suspect fell down to the floor, a bullet in his head, and the blood spreading on the concrete surface. He was dead.

Immediately, Hyuk pried the crying girl away from the psychopath's cold hands. The young woman, out of fear, clung unto him, sobbing helplessly on his shoulders. As the detective comforted the victim, reinforcement came with two stretchers. After assuring the victim that she was finally safe, he helped her onto the stretcher while the rest of the team attend to the dead body.

"I told you he was hopeless."

Detective Lee was greeted by the triumphant grin on Detective In Gook Doo's face. He handed the rifle back to one of the members of the team, keeping that I told you so look on his face. 

"Hey newbie, don't get too cocky," he told his colleague.

"I'm not being cocky. I'm just being honest," defended Gook Doo, extending his hand to help Hyuk up. The latter, shaking his head and grinning, accepted his fellow officer's hand and got up. 

"I told you before: you can rarely redeem psycopaths like this," continued Detective In, "I've had one too many sickos back at the Dobong District. The best way to keep the people safe is to get rid of serial murderers -- ASAP."

"You're talking about that Blue Beard case you had?"

"Yup."

Hyuk scoffed. "You're one to brag."

"Aren't you used to it yet?"

Detective Lee shook his head before he smiled at Gook Doo. It's been a month since he was transferred to the Gangnam Police Station. At first, Hyuk had a negative impression of the younger Detective. Gook Doo seemed arrogant, rude, and such a know-it-all; during their first meeting Hyuk almost smacked him in the face. Fortunately, as the days progressed, Hyuk realized he shared a lot of things in common with the younger detective.

Like their dislike of dramas.

Eventually, they built rapport with each other.

"Ah he got you in the face," noticed Gook Doo, pointing at the scratch on Hyuk's cheek. The latter touched the stinging stripe, wincing as he did. 

"I'll get that fixed later," he said. 

"Cool. Do you want to eat some noodles? I'm starved. It's past dinner time, already."

Noodles. Dinner time.

Suddenly, Hyuk shot up.

"Did you say past dinner?"

"Yeah."

"What time is it?"

Gook Doo glanced at his watch. "Past eight. Why?"

At that moment, Hyuk's insides froze. "Oh my god," he said, before running out of the scene, leaving a surprised Gook Doo.

"Hey, where are you going?!" he called out, watching the Detective vanish from his sight. He then grabbed Soo Ok's arm.

"Soo Ok, where the hell is he going?" he asked the intern, "He's got a scratch on his face and he didn't even bother to had it fixed. I just asked him if he wanted noodles, then he fled. What gives?"

The intern looked at his watch. "Oh, he must be late."

"For what?"

Soo Ok grinned. "A date, I guess."

 


 

Where the hell is he?

 

Sun Hee was tapping her fingers impatiently against the glass surface of the table. It had been two hours since she ordered her coffee and waited for him to arrive. They said they would meet at 7 in the evening; he swore he would come on time. 

Where was he now?

The actress sighed frustratedly as she got out her hand phone and turned it on. No messages from him. Instead of allowing her frustration to eat her up, she decided to browse her SNS, checking out the social hype for her upcoming crime drama. It was set to air two weeks from now and she had just finished taping the second episode three hours ago. 

Thinking about her new drama distracted her from the fact that her boyfriend was late.

Boyfriend.

What do you call the person you are dating? During the past month, she introduced him to people using different labels: assigned protector, the detective, friend, special friend, that guy that I'm dating. It was only now that she called him her boyfriend in her mind. 

It felt so good when she did. But he was still late.

Five minutes later, she could hear heavy footsteps running towards her direction. She turned around to see him, running as fast as he can, and looking very hurried as he did. He stopped in front of her, holding both of his knees as he tried to catch his breath. 

"Oh my god, where have you been?" demanded Sun Hee, setting her phone down.

"I...bust...operation...didn't see the time," he stammered.

"What?"

Hyuk held on to the chair, clutching his sides,and took deep breaths. "I...just came from an operation," he explained in between labored breaths, "Kidnapping. It...took longer than I expected." He heaved an exhausted sigh before he sat down, burying his head in his arms. 

Sun Hee took a good look at him. He was still in the same white shirt she saw this morning, only this time he was sweating bad. When he raised his head, she saw that gash on his face.

"Omo, you're bleeding!" she exclaimed, immediately leaning towards him and cupping his face, "Why didn't you get this fixed?"

"I was running late."

He gazed at her intently as if to prove a point. She understood that he didn't mind his scratch; as long as he got to her on time, it was okay (although he was an hour late already). 

That touched her to bits.

Immediately, she got out some napkins from her bag and some antiseptic. Dating him these past weeks has taught her one thing: it's always handy to have some antiseptic, especially if you're going out with a detective. Carefully, she poured small portions on the napkin and gently dabbed it onto his cheek.

"Ow, ow," he moaned, wincing in pain.

"Hold still."

"It hurts."

"You've been stabbed before, haven't you? I think you can endure this."

Hyuk tried his best to remain still, staring at her as he did. Sun Hee, on the other hand, whipped out a band-aid from her bag and carefully applied it on top of his wound. He winced every now and then.

"Okay, now that's done," she said, gently patting his wound. She was about to sit back up, when he held her hand. Once again, she was trapped in Lee Hyuk's intensive gaze.

"Thanks," he whispered. 

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"We better get going," she told him, "Can you move? Can you walk?"

"Yeah. I didn't get stabbed. I just got scratched."

"No need to be snappy," she snapped.

"I'm not being snappy. You are."

"Can you blame me?" she asked, "I've been waiting here without any idea where you are. For all I know, you could've been stabbed then where would I be?"

She glared at him. Sun Hee knew she was being unreasonable with him; after all, his job wasn't exactly stable in terms of activities. But apart from him being late, she spent the last hours worrying when he didn't pick up his phone. The nature of his job was pretty dangerous; that scar on his face was enough proof. 

Hyuk, on the other hand, gazed at her knowingly. 

"I won't get stabbed," he said.

"Says who?"

He smiled at her. "Me," he answered, "I can't get stabbed if I have to get back to you, right?"

She couldn't stay mad at him. She tried her best, but who was she to get angry at that handsome detective? Without another word, he wrapped a protective arm around her shoulder, limping as he did. 

"Will you be okay?" she asked him.

"Depends. Where are you taking me?"

 


 

The past weeks with Kim Sun Hee have been nothing but a whirlwind for the Detective. The change was so significant, he figured his life should have two distinct date lines: B.S. (Before Sun Hee) and A.S. (After Sun Hee).

Ever since they confessed their feelings, a lot has happened. 

 

First, he saw her every day and not just because he had to protect her. Before he fully dived into this arrangement, he learned about relationships between witnesses and officers. Of course, it was highly discouraged since feelings were bound to get in the way of the investigation. Sun Hee's stalker case was in the open and he was the lead. During their first few days, this was his primary concern. 

Did he really have to choose?

Fortunately, in a spur of events, Gook Doo was given Sun Hee's case. According to DA Park, Lee Hyuk already had a lot on his plate; since Gook Doo was a newbie, they figured he should handle this case. It was such a surprising change, Hyuk wondered what moved his superior to his decision. Secretly, he wondered if DA Park did so intentionally.

But either way, it was a free pass for Hyuk. He could still get involved but Gook Doo had the final say for everything. 

Now he was free to date her while keeping an eye on her.

 

Second, the adjustments. 

Hyuk was used to living his life as he pleased. After spending two years as a single man, having someone text him first thing in the morning was strange but wonderful. He also wasn't used to adjusting his schedule so that he can meet her up, pick her up, or just see her -- even if it's just for ten minutes. Despite being so demanding and bossy, Sun Hee was incredibly understanding when it came to his erratic schedules in the station.

 She didn't fuss with him being late as long as he told her where he was. She did, however, fuss more when he arrives looking so distressed.

 

Third, Hyuk didn't really pay much attention to this, but he just noticed how she was always on his mind. Now more than ever. 

She even appeared in his dreams (and not in the naughty way most people think). Her appearance was always accompanied by sweet nothings in his ears and her touch every now and then -- and cherry blossoms, plenty of them. 

There was one time, however, when his dream did not make sense. She was sobbing in the middle of darkness. Despite being close to her, she could not see him; it was as if he didn't exist. She was just crying there while Hyuk stood there helplessly. 

When he woke up, he called her first thing. 

 

All these adjustments were not easy; Hyuk had to shift a major part of his life, but he didn't care. Sure, he had to text someone constantly, had to buy two cups of coffee instead of two, and spend extended hours outside of work.

But it was okay. 

As long as she was there, it was okay.

 


 

They usually spent a majority of their time sitting in a coffee shop, talking. There was something about the cozy setting that encouraged the two to hold most of their dates there. 

So when Sun Hee pulled him to the club where they first pretended to be a couple, he was surprised.

 

"Why are we here again?" he asked, practically yelling at her. 

Sun Hee was smiling at the crowd of dancing people below them. "A change of scenery," she replied, "And some memories."

A waiter arrived and placed their orders in front of them: drinks, primarily. Sun Hee took her second cocktail while Hyuk got his plate of chips and beer. 

The quiet person that he is, the detective wasn't a big fan of anything boisterous or noisy (ironically, the woman he was dating was both of those adjectives). Unless it was necessary for an undercover operation, he'd never step in a club like this. He drank, but he'd rather do it in a quiet place or in the sanctity of his apartment. 

He was watching the people below too and he couldn't help but feel annoyed at them. 

"Are you okay?"

Sun Hee was looking at him. 

"I'm...fine."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "No you're not," she answered, "You're bothered, aren't you?"

"I just...don't like places like this," he replied, "I have to shout at you so you can hear me."

"But it's the best place to have fun and share secrets at the same time."

There was a coy look in her eyes as she took a sip of her second cocktail. 

"Really? Here?"

"Why not?"

Sun Hee was a big fan of getting to know him through conversations. She knew how much of an introvert he was, which triggered her goal to make him talk more. To be fair, Hyuk has never talked as much whenever he was with her. He was silent, but he also talked when he had to. 

This was one of those times. 

"So, you've never been a party boy, huh?" she asked.

He sipped from his second bottle of beer. "No. I just drink occasionally."

"Not even with your friends?"

"I don't have much friends."

"I don't believe that."

He sighed. "Okay, I had friends, but we weren't the partygoer type," he said, "We'd rather study."

She giggled. "What a nerd."

Hyuk tried to look offended, which Sun Hee noticed. "You're probably the stereotypical popular girl then." he remarked, "Kim Sun Hee, the IT girl every girl wants to be. Your classmates must've wanted to be you back then."

He was surprised when she quietly sipped her drink; Hyuk expected her to boast of being the loveliest girl in school. He wouldn't be surprised if she was. 

"Not really," she answered, putting her drink down, "I was really quiet and shy."

"You're bluffing, right?"

"No I'm not!" she squealed, looking affronted, "What do you take me for?"

"It's not that," defended Hyuk, "It's just that...I can't imagine you being shy. You're so...outgoing."

A wistful look appeared on Sun Hee's face. "That's what you think," she remarked, "There are plenty of things you don't know about me, Lee Hyuk." She waved at another waiter and ordered her  third drink, clueless to her date's surprised expression on his face. 

"Like?" he asked.

Sun Hee got a paper napkin and started playing with it with her hands and fingers -- a sign of hesitation (which Hyuk had learned from his days of investigating people). He could sense that it must be some kind of revelation. That combined with the biting of lips suggested Sun Hee must be really hiding a lot of secrets -- and that made him very curious. 

She leaned forward, locks of hair falling to her eyes. 

"Would you believe me if I told you Sun Hee is not my name?" she asked. 

He almost spilled his drink. "What?"

She adjusted her position, still looking serene and calm. "My original name only has one syllable," she said, "Kim Sun."

"Kim Sun," he repeated.

"Yeah. I asked my parents why they named me that way; my mom said it felt right. They never really added more details. So for the majority of my life, I was Kim Sun."

"When did it become Sun Hee?"

"Just a couple of years ago."

The waiter arrived again, temporarily disrupting their conversation. As Sun Hee smiled at the waiter, taking her drink (Hyuk noticed how the waiter tried to flirt; he had to clear his throat so the other would get the message, which is to leave), he saw that she seemed a bit solemn. It was a sign that she wasn't lying and that this secret was precious to her. 

He thought she would follow up the confession after she took a drink, but she just gazed at the crowd below them again. It was his cue to talk, he guessed. 

"Why'd you change it?" he asked.

That look on her face suggested that she wasn't a big fan of talking about it. But he could also see that she wanted to be honest. 

"Reasons," she answered shortly.

"Was it because you wanted a stage name?" he suggested, "Because it sounds like a good one."

She bit her lip before she smiled. "I guess so."

This was the first time he had seen her intentionally somber (despite the fact that she already had three cocktails). She was quiet for a while, distracting herself with the food and people. Although she already explained the reason, part of Hyuk was unsure. 

He had a lot to learn about this woman. 

"Kim Sun," he repeated, "Huh, I like that." Then he took a sip of his beer. 

"What about Kim Sun Hee?"

She looked at him with those reproachful eyes. He wasn't sure if he was drunk already (he only had two beers) but he thought her eyes shined. He leant forward and whispered in her ear. 

"I like that too."

 


 

Sun Hee swore she felt intense shivers down her spine when his breath touched her ear.

 

It didn't help that he looked ridiculously handsome with his hair down or that he was wearing a slightly torn white shirt over denim (that scratch on his face actually made things better). But apart from that, she couldn't get over the fact that she opened that part of herself to him. It wasn't the entire story, but she had never talked about her original name to people. 

Apart from her parents and the people who knew her as Kim Sun, no one else knew.

Now he did. 

She expected him to probe further, to discover why she changed her name. It was dangerous territory and Sun Hee didn't know why she opened it up. The topic would open a can of worms she'd rather forget. Fortunately, he didn't. He just told her that he liked her both ways. 

Now, he was just sitting casually across her, finishing his second bottle as he gazed at the crowd below them. 

The actress couldn't explain it, but for some reason, she felt a deep connection with this man. It was unlike any other; the first time she saw him, she immediately felt connected (despite the countless times he brushed her off). That feeling of familiarity continued during their rocky partnership and now that they were together, it felt stronger.

No wonder she trusted him easily.

The lights playfully lit the detective's figure as he silently looked on. She couldn't help but admire the image. 

There was one thing to do.

She set down her drink. "Stand up," she said, brushing off crumbs from her dress. 

He looked at her, one eyebrow raised. "Are we leaving?" he asked.

"No, we're going to do something else."

Hyuk already looked uncertain. "What do you mean?"

Sun Hee knew he was going to need a lot more convincing. She raised her hands up. "We're going to dance."

The look of terror spread on the handsome detective's face -- as she expected. Judging from all the stories he told her, he was the typical nerd who sat away from the excitement. With that, it was easy to assume dancing was not on his list. 

"I...I don't dance."

"Neither do I."

"But you party. You have knowledge."

"C'mon Lee Hyuk. Just stand up. How hard can it be?"

Sun Hee started swaying her hips, beating to the rhythm. She loved how the melody made her body dance; it was one of the best ways to shake off the drama and all the stress. She bopped her head and shook her hips. 

Lee Hyuk still sat there, either mesmerized by her or terrified by her proposition.  Sun Hee started dancing again. 

"Are you going to leave me dancing alone?" she asked him.

He stood up but was still rigid. "I...I don't dance," he repeated.

The actress pouted at him as she continued dancing. "C'mon honey, no one's going to see you," she assured him, "It's just you and me here."

The detective looked around, probably seeing if he knew anyone in this club. Maybe, he didn't want his suspects seeing him here?

"Look Sun Hee, I really don't dance. I'm shy," he shouted at her over the music, "I might embarass you and I don't want that."

Sun Hee approached him, trying to listen to his reasons. 

"...and I really don't know how to move. Can't I just watch you from afar?  I mean, I'm good audience. I swear I am," he told her once she was only inches away from him. 

He really wouldn't budge. He just stood there, looking down at her, pleading with his eyes. 

Sun Hee being Sun Hee -- of course she was stubborn. 

Without another word she pulled him by the neck until his nose touched hers. Smiling at him, she said, "Just dance with me." 

 


 

Before he could even object, the detective was being pulled by the actress, dancing as she did. That storng grip on his hand suggested that she will not take no for an answer. 

Hyuk was already fearing for his life; he seriously didn't know how to dance. The last time he tried, he looked like a complete idiot. But Sun Hee was stubborn, she didn't want to let him go. When she got a spot, she started dancing, feeling the music. It was a different kind of electricity -- how she moved. He found himself mesmerized by her. 

He didn't notice when he started moving his hands awkwardly, trying to match her. When he did, he stopped.

But she held him, telling him to just dance with her. 

She looked so beautiful under the lights, her smile blinding and all that. Hyuk wasn't used to these kinds of scenarios, but since she was there, he knew he'll be okay. Awkward dancer he might be, if she says it's alright, then it will be alright. 

 

He danced. So did she. 

 

And they did so the rest of the night.

 


 

"Oh, don't you dare look back.
Just keep your eyes on me."
I said, "You're holding back,"
She said, "Shut up and dance with me!"
This woman is my destiny
She said, "Ooh-ooh-hoo,
Shut up and dance with me."

 


 

A/N: Hey guys, hope you're all doing well. I think only Strong Woman Do Bong Soon fans will get the cameo here, haha. So random, but just saying. 

I think I'm nearing the end of this fic. Don't worry. Me saying this means 10 chapters, I think. During my Scarlet Heart Ryeo fan fic, I told them I'm ending things soon and that didn't happen much, but who knows? After all, good things must come to an end. *sigh* anyways, I hope all of you had a good day or night or whenever! :D

 

And look! I ended with no cliffhangers! :D hihi

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Comments

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margaritarita
#1
Chapter 40: set on reading your scarlet heart ryeo fanfic now ! gosh, i just can't believe how many memories of the good old days flood back when i read the foreword.
margaritarita
#2
Chapter 40: literally the best story ever ! i felt so empty when the drama ended (yes i watched it in 2023kkkkk), but this fanfic is the very extension of the drama. you couldn't have done a even better job. thanks for all the joy it's brought me in the past few days!
Locaporkdramas42 #3
Que hace plagg de miraculous en la foto
HanInYoo
#4
Hey hey hey!!! Remember me?? XD I commented a lot when you were active on this story xP Anywaysssss DID YOU SEE!! Both of them are in a new drama!!! And strangely, it has somewhat YOUR STORY FEELZZZZZZ KDBSOANSKSNSISBSK!!! I'm falling in love with that drama! And thinking about this story time to time when I watch that drama xD I feel like rereading this once that drama ends xD

Hope you have a gread day Nini!!
convrzhigh #5
Chapter 40: after watching touch your heart ep6, i had sunny and grim reaper withdrawals so i went ahead and searched up fics and found this masterpiece. thank you so much for writing this gem!!! ♡
gitanovianti #6
Good news!
Lee Dong wook and Yoo In Na will be a couple again at TvN new drama, Touch your hearts
and it has Wang Yeo and Kim Sun feels! Aaaaaa I can not wait to watch it >__<
Debloone #7
Chapter 40: This is a gem of a story! Your writing drew me into their world. It's so hard to allude subtly yet obviously to Shin and Eun Tak, but you did it with such finesse. The cliffhangers and pacing of the story were perfect. Thank you for this wonderful work! My favourite parts were the conversations Hyuk had with his mysterious friend at the bar who always had hard-boiled eggs ;) So clever.
dreamerc #8
Chapter 40: I absolutely love this story. I started and just could not stop! It was brilliantly written and all the emotions were portrayed so well. My favourite chapters were definitely when hyuk ans sun hee were confession to each other. Totally gave me butterflies.

And the character connections and how they tied in together were integrated so well!

Looking forward to reading your other stories !
hikaru_dawn #9
Chapter 40: Thank you for this story <3 Ahhhh it wouldve been nice to have Kim Shin and Eun Tak too...thank you
hikaru_dawn #10
Chapter 13: Sunny and Lee Hyuk are cute..too cute