Sooyoung walks into the precinct the next day, expecting to either be met by nothing but her great lonesome self or to find two of her unnies liplocking. She already has a few teasing one-liners ready on her tongue when she rolls into the bullpen only to see Joohyun hunched at her desk--alone and lips locking on the end of her pen.

"Unnie you're working today, again?" Sooyoung says and looks around for the short haired woman with even shorter legs.

"I'm working the whole holidays except New Year's Day," Joohyun replies as she absentmindedly pours over some file. Jeez, it's like this woman never stops working, Sooyoung feels.

She hums and sets her bag by her table, noticing her large stack of files that should've been sitting at her desk is now missing. "Oh, got nice plans on the first?" She rolls her eyes at the thought of Seungwan and Joohyun finishing all her work. She really was going to get to it... Next year. 

"No, my mother's going to Jeju today for two weeks with her friends and--"

Sooyoung shoots up and tosses a smirk over her sholder: "You don't really have any friends other than us, huh?"

"Shut up," Joohyun mumbles and doesn't look up when she throws a scrunched up ball of paper at Sooyoung's back. "What about you? Are you working any other day during the break?"

"Just today," Sooyoung sighs, starting her computer. "I'm receiving a Christmas gift everyday for twelve days!"

"What?"

"Twelve days of boyfriends and girlfriends!" Sooyoung grins, leaning an arm over her seat with a thumbs-up.

Joohyun blanches and whips her head up. "I'm sorry?"

"Okay well, most of them I wouldn't count as an official thing but there's twelve people I've at least made out with who are all obsessed with me enough to buy me gifts," Sooyoung explains and turns back to her computer when it logs in. "Aw, one of them sent me an email. With a very strange meme...Yeah no, you're off the roster. Blocked!"

"What the hell? How do you have enough time to date twelve people?"

"Our job's only nine to five, unnie. And I haven't worked overtime or anything for months thanks to the vigilantes," Sooyoung points out. "Maybe you should get in a relationship yourself, you're spending all your free time moping around at home and staring at photos of the Blue Squirrel's abs."

"I do not!" Joohyun cries, balling another paper in her fist before shooting it straight to Sooyoung's head. The latter dodges it and gives her a smug poke of the tongue.

"Sure girl."

"I don't!"

Sooyoung gives her a shrug oozing with disbelief and collects the two balls of paper fallen on the floor. "Anyway, is it just us today?"

"I'm not sure if Seungwan's coming in, but otherwise yes," Joohyun says, turning back to her work as Sooyoung smoothens out the pages, narrowing her eyes at one of them. "How was your Christmas?"

"Good but probably not as good as yours, unnie." Sooyoung lifts the page and flashes the little doodle Seungwan had drawn yesterday during the snowstorm. "I'm guessing you drew this."

"No, Seungwan did. Why?"

"Huh," Sooyoung utters thoughtfully, eyeing the two stickfigures holding hands. There's a bunch of love hearts and smiley faces around them as they're in what looks like a kitchen or something with a lot of bunnies and squirrels around...And is that Australia? "Nevermind. Where is Seungwan? You didn't come together?"

"No? She's always late, isn't she? She'll probably be here in another half hour or something," Joohyun shrugs off.

"Or not."

Joohyun glances up at that and whips her head around, following Sooyoung's gaze as Seungwan rounds the corner.

"Oh, you're here early," Joohyun says, standing up.

Sooyoung folds the paper in her hands and tucks it into her drawer before pushing her seat to the middle of the bullpen with her arms crossed. "Yeah, what's the occasion?" 

"Huh?" Seungwan seems a a bit out of breath and frazzled. Sooyoung narrows her eyes and reconisders: Well, more chipmunk-y than she usually is when she comes to work--late, unlike today.

"You're always late. Why are you on time for once?"

Seungwan sighs, walking towards them slowly as she dips her head a little, like she's hiding something on her face. "I got into a fight at the grocery store."

"What?" Sooyoung slides her chair closer as Joohyun rushes forward and brushes some of Seungwan's bangs aside.

"Oh my god, Seungwan-ah!" Joohyun cries worrily at the black eye on Seungwan's face. "What happened?"

"It's nothing," Seungwan says softly, trying to pull away from Joohyun but the older firmly grips her shoulders and leans down a bit, tilting her head to get a better look.

With a creased brow, Sooyoung shuffles up on her feet to join the other two. "What could you possibly encounter at a grocery store to get that?"

"I was fighting an old lady..."

"What?!" Joohyun all but yells.

"An old lady did that to you?" I mean I know she's tiny but jesus ing christ, Sooyoung thinks with a scoff.

It's definitely not the worst bruise Seungwan's gotten, but it's definitely the worst she's recieved from an incident not having to do with fighting crime.

"Well, I was this close to getting my hands on the last item on the shelf when I slipped on my shoelace and I got a whole lot of granny-fist to the face," Seungwan tries to explain but it just seems to further confuse the other two.

"What the hell were you guys fighting over? ing hell, why didn't you just let her have it?"

Seungwan pouts and stares at her shoes. Damn laces, she thinks bregrudgingly before she shyly glances up through her lashes to Joohyun. "It was your favourite green tea, unnie."

"Jesus," Sooyoung groans, throwing her hands up into the air and dropping dramatically back down to her seat.

"Come here," Joohyun utters quietly and gently takes her wrist, "you need some ice on that."

"It's fine, unnie," Seungwan sighs but follows along.

"Come on, Seungwan. We don't want it scarring your pretty face," Joohyun replies casually; her thoughts are very filled with concern to really think about what she's saying.

"P-Pretty?!"

"Uh... Okay, I'm gonna go..." Sooyoung awkwardly announces and starts sliding across the floor again towards her desk, "Do some paperwork..."

"No you won't," Seungwan snarks just as Joohyun drags her out of the officespace and into the hall.

" off!" Sooyoung yells back.

Joohyun brings her to the first aid room and sits her on the counter, stepping easily between her thighs as she brushes Seungwan's hair back slowly and winces at the darkness circling Seungwan's eye. "I can't believe you lost a fight with an old lady over a box of tea."

"I'm sorry," Seungwan says and hisses when Joohyun presses a finger on her eyesocket. Joohyun gives her an apologetic look that's smiled away by the younger. "I'll try another store during lunch break."

"Seungwan, you don't have to go out of your way just to buy me some tea. I can manage a day without it," Joohyun mumbles, reaching to the first aid kid beside Seungwan's leg. "Or I can buy it myself when I get off."

"But..." Seungwan becomes extremely aware of Joohyun's hand resting on her thigh as the older presses an icepack to her cheek. Seungwan brings her own hand over Joohyun's, only getting to appreciate it's warmth before Joohyun has Seungwan holding it up to her face herself.

"You're very sweet, Wan-ah. Battling an old lady just to buy me tea," Joohyun mutters and leans in closer, lifting her hand on Seungwan's thigh to open a bandaid.

Seungwan feels her cheeks warm at their proximity; her breath is minty and she bathes in the clean smell of Joohyun's fabric softener. Up close, Seungwan also notices Joohyun's perfect makeup, light yet accenting all of her best features. Not like she has any bad ones, Seungwan thinks to herself as she carves every inch of Joohyun's face into the tightest crevices of her brain. She could be Leonardo da Squirrely with how hurriedly she's trying to perfectly paint Joohyun's portrait into her irises before she can move.

Seungwan feels close up and has to swallow thickly twice as she counts Joohyun's lashes while the latter keeps her focused eyes trained on carefully placing the bandaid on the cut at Seungwan's cheekbone. "You know I'd do anything for you, unnie."

"We're in private now, aren't we?" Joohyun quips lightly.

"I'd go to war to claim a box of your favourite tea, Joohyun."

Joohyun sighs with a tone Seungwan feels confused about. She watches Joohyun's eyes as it avoids her own and dips downward. "The things you say..."

"Hm?" Seungwan's throat bobs when she finds Joohyun's gaze on her lips. Did it get hot in here all of a sudden?

"You shouldn't say things like that so easily to everyone. People might get the wrong idea," Joohyun adds quietly, finally lifting her gaze to meet Seungwan's own wide eyes.

"I don't say that to everyone," Seungwan says, taking off her ice pack.  "And what idea is that?"

The corners of Joohyun's lips curl downwards and she guides Seungwan's wrist so that she has the ice against her cheek again. "Nevermind."

Joohyun steps out of Seungwan's legs wiith a blush and busies herself with cleaning up the bench. 

"Joohyun, I..." Seungwan starts after the first aid kid is back where it belongs on the shelf.

"Yes?"

Her gaze flickers onto Joohyun's left eye, down to her cupid's bow then back up hesitantly to her right in an inverted-triangle-like path. Seungwan pushes herself off the counter and has one feet in front of the other before she metaphorically trips over it. She doesn't know where it comes from, this feeling in her gut that's all too familar to her but strange when it's powerful enough to displace the air out of her lungs and has her desperately seeking deep breaths of air.

She's stalling, she knows it.

This feeling isn't strange because it's something she's never felt before. It's strange because she doesn't think she's noticed it around Joohyun. This stomach clenching, toe curling, cheekbones burning and twitching sensation has always only been reserved for the Pink Bunny. It unsettles her, completely.

"Nevermind," Seungwan mutters and quickly walks out the door without another word.

She gets back to her desk with a white face that has Sooyoung flashing a concerned frown but she just shakes her head at her and wordlessly slumps down in her seat.

The feeling doesn't go away, in fact her symptoms might be getting worse the more she thinks about, and when she feels Joohyun looking at her across the room, she drops her head and stares blankly at her desk. There's no paperwork to be done, she has the free time for once to investigate further into the hitman who killed her grandmother but for some reason, she finds herself paralysed in the spot; the bottom of her shoes are glued to the floor, like gravity has her as his prisoner and he will not release her until she can put a word to what she's feeling.

Dammit, I don't even own a dictionary, Seungwan thinks and tries her hardest to move a muscle but she's stuck in place.

With a dry gulp of her saliva, Seungwan finds her fingers reaching for her phone, discretely making sure both Sooyoung and Joohyun are absorbed in their work before opening a conversation. 

Joohyun feels the vibration of her phone against her desk and a little part of her hopes that it's Seungwan, maybe with an explanation to her weird behaviour before. Her eye twitches at the contact name and the message she sees instead:

squirrel:

detective bae

(you):

Did you find a new lead?

no 

Well, what is it then?

can't i just text you for the sake of it?

No. I'm at work.

well, we're working together now aren't we?

Doesn't mean you need to text me for no reason.

:((((

:)

ur mean

I take my occupation seriously. Can you say the same?

What kind of day job do you even work to have the time to bother me like this anyway?

mostly just paperwork these days

Seems like we're in the same boat. No thanks to you.

excuse me????

I haven't caught someone interesting in ages because you always beat me to it.

That won't be for long though.

and why's that

Not telling you.

awww i could help tho

You'd get in my way.

Cockroach.

stoooppp

ur so mean

i bet i can catch whatever ur looking into before u do 

Shall we make it a game then?

game??? u wanna play a game abt ur job...?

i thought u 'take ur occuption seriously'

I do.

What, are you already convinced you'll lose?

no! 

what game

i'll win

Whoever brings in more people to my police station by the end of the week wins.

that doesn't seem fair

some nights have me catching up to ten people

crime is higher when people sleep

i don't want you staying up just for a game joohyun

That's sweet but you'll still lose.

how so 

I have my ways.

So, are you too scared or should we start setting rules?

i'm gonna win

what're the rules?

Lesser serious crimes such as infractions and violations don't count. 

I know how easy it'd be for you to just sweep up every jaywalker you see.

true

what else

You must provide a witness statement for each offence.

wait what

Reports take a hundred times longer because all the people you bring in can just lie and there's no other witness to say otherwise.

but i give you guys photos of them next to the crime they commit!

You give us a selfie.

And you make them do a finger heart with you.

next to the crime!!

Did you know that half of your catches are just released by morning?

yes i do unfortunately

but i think meeting me once usually make them think again before committing another crime

and fine, i'll write a little note or something 

anything else ma'am??

Yes, you can't involve your partner in this.

It's only you and me.

only us huh?

alright, i can do that

what do i get when i win?

IF. And it's a very small if!

sureee

Actually, I have no idea what you'd want if you do.

What do you want?

what are you doing a week from now?

New Year's Day? 

yup

I'll probably stay at home. Why?

when i win, i want you to go on a date with me

What?

a date

What.

a date

What

a date!

what

A DATE!

The fruit?

no

i want a date with you

I'll buy you a single date from the store.

no!

i'm serious i want to take you to dinner or something

I don't want to be seen in public with you.

And what about your partner?

this is going to sound really crazy but

we're not actually together

Anybody with eyes could see that. You're annoying as hell.

hey!

yes, i do love bunny but

i meant a date in the platonic sense

Platonic? 

What, me and YOU?

...yes

You must be insane if you think I'd want to do that.

well then i guess you just have to win

I will and when I do, you have to give me something.

a kiss?

No.

I want a clue about your identity.

Tell me something about you that I don't already know.

wow it already sounds like we're on a date

did i win already???

Shut up. Is the game on or not?

oh it's on alright

good luck, detective bae 

you'll need it

I won't, but thank you. Good luck to you as well.

soooo what kind of place should i take you when i do?

I have to get back to work.

are we thinking fancy kind of vibes or some small place?

Go away.

oh that'd probably work better if i'm gonna wear my mask

Don't wear it then.

nice try

did you like what i brought a couple nights ago?

When we were discussing the bank transaction or when you just broke into my apartment to ask me what I found from it?

second one

hey i didn't break in

you left a window open

You scared the living hell out of me.

sorry :D

You went through my bedroom.

you have cute plushies

Next time just stay outside on the balcony you creep.

relax i wasn't being a or anything

did you like the FREEE food i got you or not?

I suppose it was adequate. The cupcakes were edible.

you like red velvet? made them myself!

The tteokbokki was also alright.

what a coincidence my partner liked those as well!!

Oh, did she?

don't be jealous ;)

she's not the one i hang out with in her apartment 

We don't 'hang out,' I'm just helping you on your case so I can close mine.

Also, I'm not jealous. She's lucky she doesn't have you to mess up her place.

Cockroach.

excuse me? i don't mess up anything!

You broke my favourite mug the first time you came.

i got you another

The blue one with a squirrel that just magically appeared in my cupboard the other day?

designed it myself!

How creative.

Stop breaking into my apartment.

give me a key then :p

No. I'm going to lock all my windows now.

aw and here i was about to give you free food every now and then

i guess i'll just have to give the red velvet cupcakes i'm planning to make to my neighbour :)

 Leave them on the balcony.

my neighbour's?

they'll get stolen by a bird or something...

Fine. I'll give you a key.

YAY

Just to the balcony door.

still YAY

You're insufferable.

Out of the corner of her eye, Joohyun notices Sooyoung telling Seungwan off for being a hyprocrite about going on her phone as Joohyun's staring daggers down to her own. She eyes the unmoving conversation for another minute before huffing and tossing her phone back into her bag. Jeez, the Squirrel was the one annoying her before and she just left her on 'read'?! How dare she!

--

In the next five days, Joohyun sees the Squirrel two more times.

The first time; she'd broken into Joohyun's appartment (so she might've forgot to lock the door on her balcony, she was tired alright? It wasn't on purpose or anything!) and she'd come bearing cookies, asking how her day was for some reason. Sure, it was nice of her to do so, Joohyun had spent the first day of their little game pouring every ounce of her energy into arresting people that by the end of the night, she accidentally snapped at Seungwan and was too tired to sincerely apologise. (She ended up doing so the very next morning to which Seungwan easily waved her off with that earth-shattering smile of hers). The Squirrel left after only an hour because Joohyun was half-way to knocking out due to exhaustion but she didn't hop off Joohyun's balcony before sending a teasing remark over her shoulder about how she should give up on their game already if she's so tired. Joohyun only got a sudden surge of energy and became more competetive after hearing that.

The second time; Joohyun had texted the vigilante saying she found something on their case and the Squirrel appeared on her balcony before she could say that she only discovered the exact time the money was sent; it wouldn't really further their investigation much. Joohyun ended up giving her a key to the balcony door as previously promised and the Squirrel went on her merry way... Before showing up again with a box of tteokbokki and a desire to play a game of cards while she waited for something to pop up on her patrol (Joohyun then found out that she's been using a police radio and scolded her for stealing it). The Squirrel ended up falling asleep and Joohyun didn't find her on her couch when she woke up. 

Meanwhile in the daytime of those five days; Joohyun's busted two drug rings, a local gang, negotiated with a kidnapper and eventually arrested him without him getting what he wanted, and even found a serial killer of a case that was closed and unsolved for five years. 

"Jesus, what are you Sherlock Holmes?" Yeri remarks after Joohyun brings in a woman for attempted robbery. "This is your fifth arrest today. It's only two o'clock. What's up with you?"

"I'm just doing my job?" Joohyun shrugs back, letting another police officer take her. 

"At this rate, you'll be brining in more guys than the vigilantes," Yeri jokes but Joohyun only smirks at that.

"Oh yeah? How many am I beating the Squirrel by?"

Yeri furrows a brow at that before dropping her shoulders in realisation. "You did not."

"What?"

Scoffing, Yeri crosses her arms. "Tell me you're not in some sort of competition with the Blue Squirrel."

A beat psasses as Joohyun considers denying the truth.

"So what?" Joohyun replies bluntly. "Am I winning?"

"You're losing," Seungwan beams as she appears from out of nowhere. 

"What?!"

Seungwan nods quite smugly for some reason Joohyun can't really tell (she's still acting a bit strange around her and Joohyun's got no clue why). "Yup. It's twenty-one to thirty, unnie. You're pretty far behind."

"Wait, how do you know about that?" Joohyun asks after she gets over the fact that she's losing by a landslide.

"Uh..."

Suddenly, Yeri huffs and pushes Seungwan back to her desk. "Nevermind that, Joohyun has a new case anyway."

"I do?"

"She does?" 

"Yes," Yeri groans, shooing her away with a swat on the back of Seungwan's head. 

"I don't have any more cases, Yeri," Joohyun tells her as Yeri closes the door to her office.

"Well, now you do," Yeri announces, slapping a document on her table and slidding it over to her. "This is a transcript of a call we got last night, at around 11PM. I'm assigning you on it."

Joohyun skims over the caller's words with a pinched brow. "The operator didn't send a cop over?"

Yeri shakes her head. "They did, but she never sent anything else over the radio. Didn't show up for work today either." When Joohyun keeps staring blankly at her, Yeri rolls her eyes and points at the last line of the transcript. "I figure you'd be the best person for this, unnie. Considering how you're apparently dating the heir to the company."

"W-What?" Joohyun stutters, looking back down to re-read the last lines:

Caller: Please come quick. I'm at Son Industries. The branch in Myeong-dong. I don't know how to explain it but what I saw in the basement--

Operator: Hello?

[Call disconnects]

"They got no name. The guy used an office phone," Yeri explains. "Look, I know you guys aren't actually dating but--"

"How do you even know about that?"

"That's beside the point," Yeri replies, sliding over a file and opening it to a page of photographs. "You'll recognise them because they're Seungwan unnie's parents, and the other one's her sister. Son Industries has been under investigation for years. She doesn't know it and she doesn't know that I know who she is. I plan to keep it that way until we can find something concrete."

"What do you mean? What are you investigating them for? Tax evasion?"

Yeri chuckles dryly. "Oh, if only it were that simple, unnie. No, there's something worse happening there, you'll hopefully be able to find out in that basement."

"You said I'd be the best person for this," Joohyun starts, not liking what assumptions she has forming in her mind. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I'm ordering you to go undercover to Son Industries, Detective Bae. And you need to do it without letting Seungwan know that you are."

"How the hell do you expect me to do that?"

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter