8:54 AM

After eating breakfast with Mark and Joohyun, Seungwan drives them back to Joohyun's place so that the older can shower and change. Joohyun had taken some pyjamas after her patrol earlier but neglected to get anything else because she didn't expect to stay so long nor that Seungwan would want to come to work with her.

Seungwan leads her down to the parking lot to a designated spot two paces away from the elevator doors. 

"You own a Tesla?" Joohyun asks when it unlocks just from Seungwan's proximity. 

"Yeah," Seungwan says, opening the door for her.

Joohyun blushes and flashes a smile, getting into the seat. "Expected a chaebol heir to have a loud and obnoxious sports car or something."

Seungwan huffs as she shuts the door and rounds the car, saying the moment she opens the other door, "Only obnoxious and stuck-up people do that, do I seem like that type to you, Hyun?"

Joohyun chuckles at the annoyance pinching at her brow and buckles her seat. "Quite the opposite, Wan-ah."

Seungwan's content with that and starts the engine after putting on her own seatbelt. 

"Money talks, but wealth whispers, right?" Joohyun says as Seungwan places her head behind the Joohyun's head rest, peeking over her shoulder through the window as she reverses out. 

"I just wanted a Tesla," Seungwan pouts as she pushes the lever and changes back to regular driving, beginning to go out of the parking lot. "It's environmentally friendly and the interior has great leg room."

"Why do you need the leg room? You're barely tall enough to reach the pedals." Joohyun doesn't know where the courage to make teasing jokes around Seungwan comes from. 

Seungwan snorts back, "You're not that much taller than me."

"How often do you even use this anyway? Don't you use your unmarked police car for everything?" Joohyun asks and stretches her feet, there is quite the space for her legs here and she looks around the interior with an appreciative eye. "This is my first time being in a Tesla, it's quite nice."

"I just use it on the weekends sometimes when I feel like it. It's always parked here so I have it self-drive over to mine."

Damn, that's cool, Joohyun thinks and suddenly doesn't know what to say. It's not that she thinks of her differently now that she knows Seungwan's rich, she didn't start liking her because she didn't even know that about her; it's just that Seungwan looks really good in the driver's seat and the way she holds the steering wheel with just one hand while the other rests over the heat stick is just so attractive here.

"You can use it if you want," Seungwan tells her and squints from the sudden attack of sunlight going onto the street.

"Huh? What? N-No I--"

"Really, go ahead. Whenever you want. I let Mark use it as well. He likes to go crazy on the highways at night or actually, he told me he uses the auto-pilot while playing Mario Kart on his phone."

"How immersive," Joohyun deadpans.

"Yeah," Seungwan chuckles, glancing at her quickly. "So you can use it if you want, you just have to install an app."

"Huh? An app? Like on my phone?" Joohyun blinks.

"Mhm." Seungwan has her eyes focused on traffic. "You can have it drive to your location that way and you can use it to open the car."

"Um..." Joohyun hesitates, drumming her fingers on the arm rest. "I don't really use... apps."

"No? Not even any games?"

"Well Seulgi downloaded some games, saying her storage was full--whatever that means. I only use my phone for the camera and the communication."

Seungwan squints her eyes slightly, turning to her. "You don't know how to download things do you?"

"What! Of course I do!" Joohyun stumbles out with a scoff. "I'm a detective, of course I know how to do that."

Seungwan laughs at her, looking back to the front and hums, "Sure, babe. Whatever you say."

It's almost comical how Seungwan's eyes bulge at the realisation of her slip and Joohyun freezes in her spot. The car has to automatically stop at a red light for her because her brain completely stops working.

"Uh..." Seungwan utters out lowly and starts manually driving again when the light goes green. 

Thankfully Joohyun quickly manages a chuckle and says, "We spent a couple hours with Mark, pretending we're together. You don't have to keep it up when we're alone."

"Oh, yeah," Seungwan scoffs a little nervously. "Yeah, for sure. Right, right. Um--Sorry I guess I was just getting used to it."

9:22 AM

The drive feels quick, making some light conversations about everything and nothing with Seungwan's playlist playing before they arrive at Joohyun's apartment building. 

Seungwan makes herself another cup of coffee while she waits for Joohyun to finish her shower. She eyes the desk the Squirrel and her were at a while ago when they pinky promised. 

Seungwan finds her feet moving there when she catches a pad of paper on the table. She picks it up and sees the copy of the bank transaction Seulgi sent her that she'd slid under her door a day after she and Joohyun made that agreement. The notepad seems to be Joohyun's thoughts on the matter:

Transaction is a dead end. It's too secure to trace the identity of the receiver or the sender. 

I need more information, someone hired someone to murder her grandmother. It's personal.

Get closer with the Squirrel to find out.

"What are you doing?" Seungwan hears Joohyun utter accusingly and she drops the notepad back to the table, spinning around with a nervous smile.

"H-Hey, I was just--"

"You shouldn't go through people's things, Seungwan," Joohyun tells her with a pointed look and goes to her desk to put everything in the bottom drawer.

"I wasn't, I was just--"

"Snooping around?"

"--interested in how the search for the vigilantes are going." 

It's as if there's flick of the switch as Joohyun lights up from Seungwan's words. She loves talking about it to Seungwan, mostly because the other is such a perfect listener, always giving her full attention and she likes just talking with girl. But also, because this is the only way she can get the information to the Squirrel by interrogating Seungwan later with her partner to encourage Squirrel's search for her grandmother's justice. She knows her partner well enough by now and is pretty confident that by keeping the Squirrel on her toes--by giving her a bit of information on how she's getting closer to finding out her identity--it means the faster she'll be to crack her own case and make good on their promise. Joohyun knows that the Rabbit wants this over and done with as much as Joohyun does.

Joohyun talks about what findings she has as Seungwan finishes her coffee and Joohyun gets ready for work. 

"I got a list of shipments carrying that crocodile leather of the Squirrel's gloves, spanning the recent months before and during the vigilante's first appearance. I'm not sure what the material of her current, newer suit is but I don't think I'll to find out if this lead works out. Anyway, I narrowed it down to two importers. One's based in Seoul and the other in Busan," Joohyun tells her as she puts on some light makeup.

"Busan?" Seungwan has her arms crossed as she leans against the door of the bathroom, observing the way Joohyun does her eyeliner. Wow she makes it look so easy, Seungwan thinks.

"The company has a service in which you can pay for the material to be made into anything you want. I'm guessing the Squirrel used that one because she's a chaebol. She's probably richer then you--what, with all that free time she has--and it looks like she had them make her gloves. I'm guessing her belt and boots as well, they look custom made and tailored. She has small feet."

Seungwan blinks at that and self-consciously looks down at her feet. There's a sound of a click and Seungwan looks back up to see Joohyun putting on some lipstick.

Woah, that's nice, Seungwan thinks and swallows her saliva. That colour looks really good on her.

"Anyway, I called up the company but they didn't tell me anything and they asked me quite rudely if I could 'just drive two hours down to their headquarters with a warrant,'" Joohyun says with a huff and closes her lipstick, chucking it in her bag before cleaning up the bathroom bench. "I'm going to check out the other company in Seoul just in case, after New Year's. They're closed for the holidays."

"Can I come?"

Joohyun gets her bag and Seungwan follows her back into the living room. "You want to? It's probably going to be boring, most likely a dead end. I'm sure it's the one in Busan, I'm guessing the Squirrel lived there before going to Gangnam for her vigilantism."

It's kind of scary how accurate Joohyun is, Seungwan muses. Before her transfer, Seungwan was staying in Busan, working a long case about a drug cartel.

"Yeah, I've always wanted to see you in action," Seungwan says lightly. "I want to see how the best detective in Gangnam works her magic."

Joohyun scoffs softly at that and replies, "I'm definitely not the best. You don't know enough detectives in Gangnam clearly."

"Nope, I'm friends with half of them and I know most of them."

Joohyun rolls her eyes playfully. "Of course you are."

10:35 AM

When they get back to the car, Seungwan rolls down the windows and something flies inside. It lands on the floor and Joohyun turns her head around, hearing the soft impact. "What was that?"

"Hm? What was what?" Seungwan turns down the music and glances over at her. 

Joohyun dips her head as she surveys the back of the car. "Nothing," she mutters and pulls away. "Might've been a rock or something. Close your windows."

Seungwan chuckles and obeys. "You have crazy hearing you know that? You're like the Pink Bunny."

Joohyun gulps and avoids meeting her gaze in the rear view mirror, saying nothing.

10:51 AM

The two detectives arrive at the police station to see Sooyoung struggling with a ladder.

"Huh? What are you doing here?" Seungwan asks as they walk up to her standing around the entrance.

"Waiting for Yeri. What are you doing here?" Sooyoung quirks a brow and sets the ladder to lean against the wall. "And did I see you driving Joohyun unnie before? In a Tesla?"

Seungwan blinks and crosses her arms. "No."

Sighing, Joohyun asks her, "What are you up to with that?" She points to the ladder. "And why are you dragging Yerim into it?"

"It was her idea," Sooyoung scoffs and checks her phone. "Where is she? The store's only a couple blocks away."

"It's probably traffic," Seungwan tells her.

"There was a lot when we were coming from mine," Joohyun adds and Sooyoung immediately has her brows to her hairline. "Wait, what store?"

"Yeah, the weather says it's gonna be a lot of snow later," Seungwan says before Sooyoung can come up with a lie to Joohyun's question.

"So you did drive together. From yours, huh? What, did you spend the night, Seungwan? Christmas Eve, too. How romantic," Sooyoung grins, slapping her hands together and cooing.

Joohyun's brow twitches and she glares at Sooyoung. Oh, just wait until I get my hands on you, Sooyoung, Joohyun thinks indignantly.

"We bumped into each other at the same party," Seungwan explains. "Her mum works in the same company as my parents."

Joohyun noticed the careful wording that Seungwan uses and adds, "Yeah. She stayed the night because it was boring and we left early."

Sooyoung doesn't relent her not-so-subtle teasing and wiggles her brows. "Oh, took the party back to yours, huh? Have fun?"

"Yes," Joohyun says with a brisk nod, "Seungwan got hammered and knocked right out."

"Hey!" Seungwan whines. "Don't tell her that."

Joohyun shrugs and pulls Seungwan through the front doors. "Don't pull anything crazy, Sooyoung. It's just me and Seungwan today. We don't want to spend the day cleaning up your mess."

Sooyoung spins around, following them with her eyes and smirks, "Oh, just the two of you, hey?"

Joohyun rolls her eyes and throws her middle finger of the shoulder before the doors close automatically behind her.

11:01 AM

Seungwan and Joohyun start the day by checking around to see who else is working today. It's just the two detectives and another police officer on a different floor, with a cleaner, and someone stationed at the front desk. 

Seungwan decides to bring them all a candy cane before Joohyun drags her to her desk, sitting in Sooyoung's seat before declaring that they should get through the rest of the paperwork.

"Does that include Sooyoung's? Because I'm pretty sure there's dust on every single file," Seungwan says.

"Unfortunately yes," Joohyun mumbles back, splitting the stack between them. 

They work in silence for the next hour before Seungwan sighs and stretches her arms. 

"Tea?" Seungwan asks, standing up.

"Yes, please. The one that comes in the cute teabag."

A quick moment later, Seungwan is setting a cup of green tea and a cup of coffee at their desks. Joohyun quietly thanks her and they settle again into silence until Seungwan suddenly breaks it not ten minutes later: 

"Can I play some music?"

"Hm?" Joohyun looks up from her desk, the end of her pen is butting against her bottom lip.

"It's Christmas. I feel like we should liven the place up with some carols," Seungwan grins and takes out her phone. 

"Sure."

Seungwan flashes her dimple and goes to Jackson's desk to take his speaker before connecting it to her phone. "Any particular songs you want?"

"Red Velvet's Beautiful Christmas."

Seungwan splits into a grin and immediately plays it from her playlist. 

1:27 PM

They've just ordered lunch on Seungwan's phone (Joohyun doesn't know how to do that on her own) when they hear a sound in the bullpen.

They both look up after Seungwan's payment goes through, looking around. 

"Okay, you heard that too, right?" Joohyun says, getting up from her seat. 

"Yeah, but it's probably nothing, Joohyun." Despite her words, she also gets to her feet and goes to the middle of the room, eyes shifting left and right. 

"I swear I heard that same noise in your car."

Joohyun's beside Seungwan now as they both slowly creep forward. "That was a rock, Hyun. I think there might just be some faulty pipes or maybe it's the air conditioner. I'll call the maintenance guy tomorrow."

As if to spite her, there's another noise, only this time it's a lot clearer now that they're closer and the Christmas music playing in the background does little to hide how ominous the sound is. It's a creak, followed by a bit of shuffling.

This sounds like a horror movie monster, Joohyun muses with a gulp and grabs a fistful Seungwan's shirt. "What the hell was that?"

Seungwan also swallows and slowly reaches to the holster of her gun. Joohyun is still gripping the back of Seungwan's blouse as they creep closer to where they heard the sound.

THUMP. THUMP. 

"I'm scared," Joohyun whispers quietly and tightens her hold on Seungwan. 

"It's okay, I'm here," Seungwan says quietly and brings a hand to squeeze Joohyun's before returning it to grip her gun. 

That’s when they hear the squeal. A terrible sound that's not a shriek and not a moan. It's something even worse. And it's on the other side of the room now.

Seungwan hears the little whimper of fear Joohyun lets out behind her and they whip around towards this new sound, eyeing the area vigilantly. Joohyun and Seungwan share a worried glance and Seungwan leads them towards the original instance of the noise. She sighs and drops her gun, finding a pen and a plastic bag on the ground.

"Looks like this pen just fell," Seungwan says picking both the objects up. "It probably hit the leg of the chair before rolling onto the bag."

"Then, what about the other sound?" Joohyun asks with a trembling voice. This is literally her worst nightmare--being in a horror movie--being trapped with her crush and scared less by some sound, knowing there shouldn't be anyone around besides them in the bullpen.

Seungwan's face falls at the reminder. The station's two best detectives are ting their pants from a little sound. 

The speaker switches songs now and they both jump in suprise as the sudden music of a saxophone begins to play. 

"I'm gonna turn that off," Seungwan mutters and starts walking to her desk.

"Wait!" Joohyun hisses and grabs her arm. "The sound came from over there."

Seungwan purses her lips and takes a shaky breath. "It's okay. Maybe this is just Sooyoung and Yeri's prank?"

Joohyun blinks, recalling their encounter with Sooyoung outside earlier. "Oh, right." Seungwan turns back and goes to her desk to pause the music on her phone. "I swear to god if they seriously crawled the vents just to make creepy sounds to mess with us..."

Seungwan chuckles at the menacing tone she uses and they sit back down at their desks. "You hear that, guys?" she calls out, looking up at the ceiling. "Joohyun's gonna kill you when you come down there. Stop fooling around!"

They don't hear the sound again and share a victorious smirk, making Seungwan unpause the music. It seems that scared them off. Joohyun imagines the sight of Sooyoung long legs trying to quietly crawl back out of the vents and pictures her accidentally kicking Yeri in the face.

2:03 PM

"Aw, man," Seungwan says looking at her phone. "The delivery guy's stuck two minutes away. His wheels are stuck in the snow."

Joohyun sets a finished report to the stack they're slowly building in the middle. "We can go out to meet him?"

Seungwan nods and texts him that. A minute later she gets a reply and frowns, "He said not to. There's a snowstorm coming. He doesn't want us to be hit out there with him."

Joohyun hears Seungwan standing up before she sees it. "Where are you going then?"

"To go help him of course," Seungwan tells her as if it wasn't her who said her last words. "Aren't you hungry?"

Joohyun creases a brow. "I'm sure the vigilantes know about the snowstorm. One of them is sure to be out patrolling right now to help him." She sees Seungwan still putting on her coat and she leans down to pick up her phone. Discretely, Joohyun pulls her own out under her desk and texts her partner:

(You):

Hey, do you mind going out right now? The snowstorm's coming and people could use a hand.

that stupid rat:

you read my mind! i was just about to text you about the snowstorm

always poping in at the right time, huh bunny?

i'll see if i can slip away from work

will i meet you out there?

No, I'm also stuck at work.

Wait, why are you working on Christmas day?

why r u?

i'm keeping a coworker company

Joohyun glances up when Seungwan drops a pen and looks back down to her phone as the younger crouches to the floor under her desk.

Oh, me too. 

Be safe out there.

Joohyun hears a thump against Seungwan's desk and quirks a brow. "You okay down there?"

"Yup!" Seungwan drawls with a pained moan. "Just hit my head. This pen rolled really far."

Oh my god, she cares about me, Seungwan gushes mentally and does a little dance under her desk, causing the top of her head to bump against her desk again. She sees Joohyun peek her head under the desk, blinking at the pen in her hand and the phone in her other.

"Careful, Seungwan. You're gonna get a concussion," Joohyun tells her.

"I found the pen," Seungwan manages a grin, rubbing her head and wiggling the aforementioned object.

Joohyun's head disappears from her sight, rolling her chair further into the desk as she goes back to her report. "Well get up carefully, I don't want to have to take you to the hospital."

Seungwan quickly shoots her partner a reply before clicking her phone shut and standing back up:

will do, don't want you missing me if i'm not!

Joohyun rolls her eyes seeing her phone light up with the text and swipes it away without replying.

"I'm gonna go meet him now," Seungwan tells her, causing Joohyun to whip her head back up when Seungwan stands. 

"What? No, I just said--"

"Who knows how people are out there right now," Seungwan interrupts her. "The vigilantes are probably helping as many people as they can, who knows if they can even see him with the snowstorm coming soon."

"Seungwan, it's too dangerous."

"I'll be careful," Seungwan replies softly, staring back at Joohyun who's standing right in front of her now.

"Oh like how you were 'careful' about pickup up a pen?" Joohyun says sarcastically, holding onto Seungwan's forearm. She wants to tell her that the Blue Squirrel will be out there and she doesn't have to worry. Things would be so much easier if she could just tell her about her secret identity. 

The younger places her palm on top of Joohyun's fingers and gently pries them off her. "I'll be back before you know it."

"I'm coming with you then," Joohyun declares and starts following her.

"No way," Seungwan scoffs, spinning back on her heel. "Only one of us needs to go. You stay and hold down the fort."

"I'm not letting you go out there alone," Joohyun grumbles.

"I won't be. Taeyong's out there."

"Who?"

"The delivery guy."

Joohyun sighs and gives her a look.

"I'm gonna go before he eats your tteokbokki," Seungwan tells her jokingly.

"No way, I'm not letting you out of my sight," Joohyun says firmly and rushes up to her as she walks away. She steps in front, blocking her as Seungwan tries sidestepping. They engage in a little petty match where Seungwan tries jumping past her but Joohyun's too quick and easily obstructs her with her body. "Stop it, you're not getting past me."

Seungwan grumbles and folds her arms over her chest. "Fine, you win," she whines and Joohyun seems to believe her until Seungwan makes a break for it and runs down the hall.

"Yah!" Joohyun yells after her and runs with all the strength in her legs to catch up to her. Just as she gets close enough to set off the motion detectors o