Winter already felt that something was wrong as soon as she walked past the fences of their house. However, she ignored it primitively, incautiously blaming it on her jittery nerves, though it didn't take long for her to anxiously stop in her tracks when she reached her minivan with all its four tires blown out. Her first instinct was, of course, to run all the way back to see if Karina was safe and unharmed, paying no heed to the unsettling thoughts that tried to worm their way into her brain, but then her stomach immediately dropped when she found no signs of the detective in every corner of the house.

So she ran.

She ran as fast as she could, shaking off the nauseating feeling all over her body until she stopped in front of a familiar door, chest heaving as she knocked desperately.

“Minjeong?” Ningning asked as she opened the door, eyes squinting as she gauged what was going on.

Winter might have interrupt ed her sleep, but she didn't care about that for now. She’d apologize later.

“I need your car.” Winter blurted out the same time Giselle appeared next to Ningning, standing just as droopy.

“Uh,” Ningning hugged her own body to fight the cold, “For what, exactly?”

“Groceries,” Winter trailed off, and for a second there, she almost thought she was about to blow her cover.

“At…” it was Giselle this time, brows furrowing as she looked at the wall clock behind her. “Two in the morning?”

Winter grimaced, awkwardly clearing before looking down on her own wrist watch. “It’s two thirty-six, actually.” 

The couple stopped to study the obviously panic-stricken blonde in front of them, sharing a sympathetic look for a whole minute and then eventually throwing one at Winter. 

“Minjeong, are you okay?” one of them asked, Winter wasn't sure which one. She couldn't focus on anything else! 

The taller one, Giselle, noticed the hysteria that was gradually building up on Winter’s body. She let out a sigh, taking a step forward as she placed a comforting hand on top of Winter’s shoulder.

“I know things haven't been— you know , ‘alright’ between you and your wife, but you’re pregnant with her child, Minjeong. I don’t think that running away is—”

“What?” the blonde questioned, now baffled.

“Jimin may or may not have told me everything. ”

“She did what!?” Winter shrieked in surprise.

Thankfully, Giselle came to speak again before Winter could assume the worst (their cover being blown).

“Yeah. About the whole fight thing.” said Giselle. “And honestly, I don’t think a kitchen wallpaper is enough reason to get a divorce–”

Much to nobody’s surprise, Ningning, who was most likely to be half asleep from the doorway, suddenly jumped in front of Winter with her eyes almost a second away from bulging out.

“Wait, you two are getting a divorce?!” she basically yelled.

Like she was more heartbroken about the news than Winter was.

“W– no! We’re not!” Winter held up her hands in front of the two as a weak attempt to calm them down. “Look, we’re fine, okay? No one is getting a divorce, and no one is running away. I swear. I just really need to borrow your car, please. I– I don’t–”

“Woah, okay, okay,” it turned out that Winter was actually the one who needed to cool her jets, only realizing it when she felt Ningning placing both of her hands on her shoulders, creating a weird, repetitive pattern that somehow felt oddly comforting. “Calm down, Minjeong. Just breathe,” she whispered soothingly, “We’ll let you borrow our car–”

“Thank you!” Winter responded immediately, swiftly breaking away from the woman’s gentle grip.

“I’ll go get the keys,” Giselle announced as she sprinted out of the scene, leaving her wife with Winter.

Ningning’s eyes followed her wife’s figure as the woman disappeared further inside, chuckling in amusement before training her worried gaze on the blonde in front of her.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Winter let out a cough. “Y-yeah, of course.”

“Okay,” Ningning said credulously, taking a step closer to Winter’s personal space with a gentle smile. “But if you need someone to talk to, I’m here, alright? Giselle and I had our fair share of fights as well, but you know… we always make it up by having a hot –”

Wide-eyed and horrified, Winter quickly tried to stop her from speaking. She reall y did not need to know about her neighbor's… after-fight-endeavors. 

“Um, I don’t think I–”

“—chocolate.” Ningning finished her sentence unassumingly, earning a relieved sigh from Winter.

Fortunately, Winter didn't have much time to sponge in all the absurdity of this entire situation because as soon as Ningning took a step back, Giselle hastily emerged from wherever she came from and nearly threw the keys toward Winter’s direction — which the blonde catched effortlessly.

“Here you go! Car’s already in the driveway.” she said, “Drive safe, okay?”

Winter let out a big sigh of relief as she held the keys in her hand, “I will.” she smiled politely at the couple. “Thank you. I owe you guys big time.”

Ningning and Giselle bid her goodbye with a yawn, and Winter waited until they got back inside their house safely before she jogged to the white minivan.

Why does everybody in this town own a ing minivan? She thought irritatedly as she settled on the driver’s seat, grunting while fishing her phone out of her pocket. She then started the engine, eyes dancing back and forth to each of her peripherals as she called a number on the speed-dial.

“Agent Kim.” the voice answered within a second.

“Detective Yu has been kidnapped by Kingpin’s men. I need backup now.” Winter didn't waste any time stating her business.

Muffled incessant shuffling was heard from the background. “Do you have eyes on her?”

“No, but I–”

“You have one target, Agent Kim. You don’t need backup.”

Growing frustrated, Winter clicked her tongue as she reiterated. “Did you not hear what I just said? My partner was kidnapped by a group of armed men!”

“Agent Kim, whatever it is that’s going on with Detective Yu and Kingpin's men is not in any of our concern. Our sole focus lies on you and your assignment to successfully complete the mission without blowing the agency’s cover. The FBI’s Director is already up in our business now, and we cannot afford any further complications. We can’t risk it. It is imperative that you finish the mission silently and discreetly.”

Pausing as she took a deep breath, Winter tightened her grip on the steering wheel as she came up with an ultimatum that she knew would end up in her favor.

“Fine.” she said. “If you’re not going to send a backup, then I’m going there alone.”

The voice was quick to intervene. “Agent Kim–”

“Director Bae. Please. ” Winter practically pleaded. She didn't care if she sounded desperate — she needed to make sure that Karina was safe.

A moment of silence and more shuffling in the background later, the voice eventually conceded. “ Fine. Twenty STEALTH agents.”

“Forty.” the blonde negotiated.

“Thirty. Thirty STEALTH agents will arrive there in about 15.” the voice compromised with finality.

“Make it 10.” 

Winter heard nothing but a disgruntled huff from the other line, her gaze hardening as she sped away, carelessly driving above the speed limit.

“Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!”

Disconcerted eyes fluttered open along with unprecedented sounds of movements that circled around her. With her brain in a suffocating fog, Karina attempted to crane her neck to figure out what was going on around her, the corner of her lips twitching as a sudden pain surged through her neck. She then tried to bring her hand up to soothe the spot but soon realized that both of her hands were tied behind the chair she found herself being held captive.

“Oops, careful!” 

Her heart beat picked up when she heard that familiar voice, almost afraid to see who this person was supposed to be, and when she did, Karina’s eyebrows knitted as she already assumed the worst.

“Sheriff Kang?” she spoke, fighting through the hoarseness of her voice.

Seulgi smiled upon hearing her name. She was standing behind a metal table filled with nothing but a single folder a few meters across from where Karina was tied, her foot irritatingly tapping on the floor.

“W-what’s going on?” Karina asked and only when her eyes began to wander around had she realized that she was back at the warehouse. 

This was not good. 

“I’m sure you already know what’s going on, detective.”

So she knew.

If Karina was shocked, she didn't bother showing it. There was no room for any kind of emotions that Seulgi could pick up on and use to her advantage. She tugged on her constrained wrists as she glowered at the woman. 

Seulgi moved around the table, leaning her back against it as she crossed her arms. “You know, for someone who went through all the hassle and all that training at the police academy, you were pretty easy to capture—I’m really disappointed. Hell, you didn't even put up a fight!” she chuckled.

“What do you want?” Karina growled through gritted teeth. 

Instead of answering, Seulgi only threw her a grin as she shook her head, obviously deflecting. “Where’s your partner, by the way? She didn't abandon you, did she?”

Oh no.

Winter!

Karina took deep breaths to calm herself down as she avoided the worrying thoughts that forcefully seeped straight to her mind, anxious of what could’ve happened to the blonde. She hoped to the heavens above that Winter was currently somewhere safe. She wouldn't even care if Winter had actually abandoned her — left her all alone. At least if she did, there would be no danger that could ever come near her.

“I wonder,” Seulgi said with mocking innocence. “Do you even know the truth about your so-called wife?”

Of course, Karina wouldn't give her anything but a piercing glare.

“I'm guessing you don't,” the woman concluded, bowing her head down as she opened the folder on the table. “Winter Kim. Ring any bells?”

“Keep her name out of your mouth.”

Seulgi merely ignored her. “An FBI agent. Or at least — that's what she told you, isn't that right, Detective Yu?”

Knitting her eyebrows, Karina was almost tempted to ask what the woman had meant, but fought against it. She was messing with her, Karina reminded herself. She wanted to get through her head for whatever reason, and Karina would never let her.

Do not fall for it.

Amused, Seulgi couldn't help but chuckle at the detective’s firm resolve. She studied her for a moment, snickering to herself before she continued to read what was written on the file.

“Winter Kim. Twenty-eight years old, both parents are deceased, a trusted agent of the Specialized Team of Elite Agents for Lethal Tactics and High-level Technology or STEALTH — woah,” Seulgi paused, acting as if this was the first time she’d read the file, but it was way too obvious that it wasn't. “I thought she worked for the FBI?”

Now that piqued Karina’s attention. What was this woman even talking about? She wanted to press more but somehow found it hard to speak, a billion thoughts running in her head.

“What an amazing liar. I'm honestly impressed,” said Seulgi, briefly her thumb to turn to the next page. “Anyway, let's continue, shall we?” she smiled sweetly at Karina before getting back to where she left off. “Winter Kim began her training under supervision of STEALTH at the tender age of twelve. Twelve? That's insane! Did she even get to enjoy her childhood?”

Karina didn't know what else to believe by now.

She’d known Winter for decades and had been with her throughout her childhood, and she was certain that Winter wasn't doing anything else but that nerdy D&D club in middle school when she was twelve.

No.  

And she knew Winter worked for the FBI, there should be no reason to deny it. She saw her badge, had read her files that her captain himself had given her, and—

“Doubt it,” Seulgi claimed, interrupting her racing thoughts. “Hmm, oh! This one's my favorite! Winter Kim, responsible for the assassination of two h–”

“Shut up!” Karina had practically yelled. She couldn't take this anymore. Seulgi was lying. She had to be.

At last, Seulgi decided to show her some sense of leniency by giving her a dry laugh as she eventually closed the folder.

“Do you know how STEALTH works, Detective?” the sheriff—or whoever she actually was, took slow, taunting steps closer to Karina. “It's a secret government agency tasked to kill. To assassinate . Their job is to take down high-profile criminals—even the ones who aren't proven guilty by the court— without getting the FBI in trouble with the public.” she explained, her tone no longer mocking as her eyes began to fume with fury. “They killed thousands of people ruthlessly and hundreds of those are by the hands of your wife .”

It was painful the way Karina felt her heart stopped.

She was a detective first and foremost. She could easily tell when someone was lying if she tried enough, and one look through every expression of Seulgi, every armor, every twitch of her face, was enough to prove that she wasn't . Seulgi could be telling the truth. That, or she was a good ing liar.

“Shocking, I know.” Seulgi rounded her chair, stopping just a meter away. “The funny thing is, I'm very much certain that Agent Kim doesn't even give a single about this whole mission as much as you. She's not here to bust my business and then turn me in alive .” she crouched in front of Karina, resting her palms against her bent knees. “She was only sent here to kill me. The same way she killed my brother.”

Then realization had hit her like a thief in the night, pressing all the buttons in her head as it all eventually clicked.

“You’re Kingpin.” Karina blurted out, changing the subject.

Seulgi replied with a dry chuckle. “Took you long enough to figure it out.”

Making it visibly known that Seulgi was one-step ahead of Karina had already put her at a disadvantage. She needed to do something tha