A/n: double update for today! make sure you read chapter 11 before this one. Enjoy!

Days afterwards, Kris diligently looks for information about a mysterious thief and a guy named Jongin, who is Kyungsoo’s senior at his school. But, the more he looks for, the more he can’t find a definite conclusion. He feels there is no link between the two. Moreover he doesn’t find anything about the thief’s background except for his crime record. Finally, Kris decides to go to Kyungsoo’s school when he has spare time between his duties. He wants to directly find out what kind of people Jongin is. Of course, he comes unknown by Kyungsoo.

Kris walks calmly as he enters the school’s entrance. He looks around the corridor that is crowded by some students who spend their lunch time. Some students who pass him look at him in curiosity, but Kris just smiles at them. He then goes to a group of girls who are sitting and giggling under a tree near the soccer field.

"Excuse me, can I ask something to you?" Kris greets the girls with his trade mark smile, making the girls stop their talking and look at him in surprised. Some of them whispers to each with flushed face, while the other are still look at Kris in awe. 

"Excuse me?" once again, Kris asks them. He tilts his head and waves his hand at the girl who is still looking at him with gaped mouth and daydream gaze.

One of the girls with brown hair immediately responds with nervous voice. "Y-yes. What do you want to ask oppa?"

Hearing the girl’s answer, Kris smiles gently at her, making her face reddens. "Well, I just want to know, is there any guy named Jongin in this school?"

"Jongin? Do you mean Kim Jongin?" That girl asks, and then looks at her friends in confusion.

"Uwm yeah, maybe that's his full name. Do you know him?" All of them nod in unison.

"Of course all of the students in this school know him. He is the most popular guy in this school. By the way, do you have any appointment with Jongin oppa?"

"Ah no, I just want to ask you about him to you all," Kris smiles then continues, "Actually, I come here by his father's will because he worries about Jongin. He wants to know how Jongin is at school lately, so can you help me please?" Kris gives them his best smile, the one he always used to persuade others. Well, so far none ever able to resist it. And so do the girls.

"S-sure. It's okay oppa!” the y says in unison, nodding their head like hypnotized. “We will help you, just ask anything you want," the girl from before answers with captivated eyes. 

"Ahh, thank you so much. So, can you tell me what kind of guy is Jongin in your eyes, girls?”

The girl thinks for awhile before looking at her friends for help. ”Emm, I think Jongin oppa is a good boy, he is smart and kindhearted. He always smiles when we greet him and he never rejected our presents,” another girl answers Kris.

“Wow, you give him presents?” Kris widens his eyes in disbelief.

“Yeah, sometimes. Because Jongin oppa is so handsome that makes us want to steal his heart.” Feeling embarrassed, she covers her blushed face with her palms then squealing softly.

Trying to ignore the girl’s reaction, Kris asks the other girls. “Ahh okay. Anyway, do you know anyone he’s close with lately?”

“Since the first time we saw him, Jongin oppa always with Chanyeol oppa. Every student in this school knows that they are friends since forever. But lately I often see Jongin oppa walks with other guy,” a short haired girl answers Kris. She looks at her friend to ger support for her answer and they nod in unison again.

“Who is the other guy?”

“Uwm I don’t really know about him because he is a new student at this school. Besides he’s a junior, but they always have lunch together lately and some girls assume that maybe they are in a relationship.”

“A new student? How’s he looks like?” Kris keeps asking the girls, wanting to make sure that the said guy is his brother, Kyungsoo.

“I don’t know his name. But I think he is cute with a pair of big doe eyes and heart shaped lips. My friend said that he was from Busan and he moved to Seoul to follow his brother who works as a detective at the police headquarters of Seoul.”

~Ahh, that guy is definitely Kyungsoo. So he is really dating Jongin.~ Kris takes a conclusion and smiles bitterly. 

“Ah the last question, did Jongin do something strange lately?”

The girls think for a while, looking at each other before shake their heads. “I think no. Jongin oppa never did something strange and he never involved in any fight at school. He is like a prince, so don’t worry oppa,” she smiles broadly.

Kris nods softly and smiles back at her. Finally he think that he gets enough information and maybe he needs to move onto other student. Some boys maybe?

So, after saying ‘thank you’ to the girls, Kris bids goodbye and leaves them. He walk to the some boys in the school yard and some students at the cafeteria, asking about Jongin, but the answers are always same one to another. In their eyes, Jongin is a popular student who has many talents and far from the image of a thief.

After gathering the information, Kris sit on the bench near the field, trying to connect the information from one to another students. Now, the only thing he wants to do is meeting Jongin in person. But he has no idea how to do that. Some students said, during the lunch time, Jongin often meets Kyungsoo in his class and they are always together until the lunch time is over. that’s why Kris can’t look for Jongin right now because he doesn’t want to take a risk of meeting Kyungsoo. He’s so afraid that Kyungsoo will mad at him because of his action today.

~Ahh what should I do? I really want to see Jongin directky to prove my assumption. I am so sure if the guy who kissed Kyungsoo last night is Jongin.~ Kris sighs and ruffles his hair in frustration. Standing up, he then walks toward the parking lot, wanting to go back to his office. Suddenly his phone rings, showing Suho’s name on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Where are you now Kris?” Suho's voice sounds in panic.

“I’m at Kyungsoo’s school now. Did something happened, Suho?” Kris fastens his pace. He can feel that something is happen and he has to go back to his office as soon as possible.

“Yeah, you have to get here soon. We got a challenge again from that thief. He said that tonight he is going to steal a renaissance painting that just donated to the central museum.”

Kris stops in his place. The look on his face turns to surprised. It’s not because what Suho said on the phone, but because of the guy who is standing near the school’s gate. Kim Jongin is now standing and waiting at him with crossed arms and a smirk on his face. 

Memories of a strange man who entered Kyungsoo’s room last night suddenly flashes back in his mind. Staring at Jongin in surprised, Kris lost his focus at Suho's voice who is calling his name again and again. But Kris is too shocked to hear it. Finally after calling so many times, Suho’s voice successfully snaps Kris from his trance, bringing him back to the reality.

“Hey Kris, are you okay there??” Suho sounds so anxious.

“Ah yes, Suho. I’m okay. I will go there as soon as I can. Just wait a minute. I need to finish my business here.” After hearing Suho’s approval, Kris immediately hangs up his phone and walks toward Jongin.

Standing closer, Kris can clearly see a smile on Jongin’s handsome face. Brown hair, tall and lean body, that figure really reminds him of the stranger from last night. Suddenly he also remembers the figure he saw kissing with Kyungsoo on the the earlier night, which Kyungsoo denied so hard.

 “Hello hyung, I’m Kim Jongin. And I hear that you asked some information about me to some students in this school earlier. So, do you have something to talk with me?” Jongin smiles and stretches out his hand to Kris. Somehow, Kris feels so familiar with that voice, the voice that he ever heard somewhere and sends shiver through his system. But he tries to ignore the feelings right now, and grabs Jongin’s hand.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m Kris, Kyungsoo’s brother. To be honest, I looked for information about you because I want to know the guy my brother dates. Kyungsoo never willing to tell me about you,” Kris looks at Jongin with soft smile, but his eyes shows coldness.

“I think you already knew about me, Kris hyung,” Jongin smiles slyly.

“Yeah, I think. But I still wonder how can you jump from our apartment safely? Are you a ninja? Or..” Krus pauses for a while, showing a faint smirk. “Or you just a skillful thief?” Raising a brow, Kris waits for Jongin’s answer. He doesn’t want to hide his assumption because he is quite sure that Jongin is not an ordinary high school student.

“Yeah, maybe I’m a ninja. Or maybe I’m the thief, or maybe I'm just a lucky guy who can jump safely without any wounds. Why did you ask me hyung?”

“No, I just want to know the truth. I love Kyungsoo so much, so I just can’t let my brother dates a guy who has bad attitude, like breaking into other’s house without permission and well, doing some inappropriate things,” Kris doesn’t smile anymore. He now looks at the latter with cold eyes and serious face.

“Well, I’m so sorry about that hyung. I think I’m just too in love with your brother,” Jongin shows a warm smile while shrugs his shoulders lightly, “And if you want to know the reality, you will get it soon hyung. Just wait patiently,” Jongin smiles slyly, making Kris gets more curious with the meaning behind the boy’s words.

“What do you mean?”

But the school bell is ringing, alarming Jongin to go back to his classroom soon. “Ahh, I’m so sorry hyung, but I have classes to attend. So, see ya soon,” Jongin walks and passes Kris who is still staring at him with poker face and cold eyes.

“Wait, I still can’t get the meaning behind your words,” grabbing Jongin hands, Kris tries to hold him to stay for a while.

But Jongin just leans forward and whispers on Kris’s ear. “See you tonight hyung, just prepare yourself.” And then he pulls his hands, walking to the school building with hands in his pockets.

In his place, Kris can only stands in surprised because of what Jongin said earlier. Various kinds of assumptions and imaginations break through his mind. When he finally gets everything behind Jongin’s words, the boy is already nowhere to be seen. Scolding himself, Kris quickly runs to his car. He wants to get to the head-quarter immediately to investigate the letter that was sent by the mysterious thief. He wants to know that the letter is really from Jongin.

***

Menawhile, in his class Kyungsoo is standing next to the window. His gazes are focused at the two figures who are talking seriously near the school’s gate. He still can't believe that those two figures are Kris and Jongin. He keeps asking to himself why his brother suddenly comes to his school without telling him. And why he meets Jongin there? What are they talking about? But he can’t do nothing except groans in frustration when the two separated.

“God, actually what happened to both of them there?”  Kyungsoo hits the wall in anger. He is so afraid that bad things will happen to Jongin. To be honest, he never saw his brother acts like this before. Kris never came to his school in secret like this.

~Is it related with Kris hyung’s strange reaction last night? Does he suspect Jongin? Aish, I can’t think properly now!~ Kyungsoo sighs in frustration.

After Kris left, Kyungsoo walks lifelessly to his table. He is so anxious that he wants to run to Jongin’s classroom and asks his boyfriend about what happened, but his teacher enters the class and he has to sit calmly until his classes over. Suddenly, Baekhyun dashes into the classroom then takes the seat beside Kyungsoo. As soon as he sits, Baekhyun pokes Kyungsoo’s shoulder and looks at him seriously.

“Listen Kyungie, I just heard the news that the mysterious thief will come in action again tonight. Press is so excited because he finally decided to strike again after such a long time,” Kyungsoo widens his eyes in surprised.

“How can Baekhyun? I think he said to me that he won’t take any action anymore.” Kyungsoo whispers softly, looking at Baekhyun in disbelief.

“I don’t know Kyungie, I just knew that from the news just now.”

Kyungsoo is about to ask again when his teacher clears his throat, giving a warning to both of them to stop talking and listening. Baekhyun soon stops talking and quickly opens the textbooks, but Kyungsoo still feels shocked. He stares blankly at the board, his mind flies away to somewhere.

~Is this what Jongin and Kris hyung talked about?~ Kyungsoo turns pale, but he quickly shake his head and tries to kick away all the bad assumptions. ~But, no! Jongin won’t do that stupid action.~

Rufflinf his hair in frustration, Kyungsoo tries to forget all of his worries by concentrating on his teacher’s explanations about galaxy. But it doesn't work. He hopes the classes will be over soon, so he can meet Jongin to ask about everything.

Central Museum, 9PM.

The officers are stand by all over the museum. Since some hours ago, some areas around the museum have been sterilized to prevent unwanted things. And the exhibition hall where the painting is displayed is guarded securely, no gap left unguarded by the officers.

Kris is standing in front of the museum’s entrance with tired face. So many things mixed in his mind. His meeting with Jongin this afternoon is still looming clearly in his memory. He’s still not sure with the answers behind Jongin’s words earlier, and he thinks that maybe tonight, Jongin will sneak into his apartment to meet Kyungsoo while he is trying to catch the mysterious thief here. Or maybe they will meet in this place. Somehow his instinct says that Jongin is the mysterious thief, but well, he still needs to confirm it.

Kris’s reverie is dispersed when someone taps his shoulder. Turning around, he sees Suho is handing a handy talkie to him. 

“It’s almost 9 pm. We should get ready Kris. Doesn’t that thief always come on time?”

Humming softly, Kris receives his handy talkie. The look on his face turns serious. “Yes, let's finish it quickly. Is the situation under control?”

“Yep, everything is in place and the painting has also exchanged with the fake ones. The original painting is in the safe place now, just like the plan,” Suho looks around, making sure that there is no suspicious person near them. He doesn’t want to have their conversation is eavesdropped by a mysterious thief who disguises as one of the officers.

“Just make sure that the guard at warehouse isn’t as tightly as in the main hall so it won’t attract his attention,” Kris whispers to Suho, earning nods from his colleague.  

 “Okay, I will make sure everything is in the right place. I’ll go to my guarding position, if there is anything wrong, just call us with that,” Suho points at the handy talkie in Kris’s hand then taking his leave.

After checking his watch, Kris then moves to his guarding position in the main hall. This time he promises to himself that he won’t let that thief escapes anymore. Besides, he also wants to make sure about the thief’s identity.

***

At the rooftop of a building near the museum, Jongin is smiling triumphantly in front of Chanyeol. They've just heard the conversation between Kris and Suho about the plan of exchanging painting with the fake one to trap Jongin.

Without known by anyone, even Suho, Chanyeol has put a small tapper that can’t be detected in Suho’s suit. He did it when they collided in front of the museum a few hours ago just to take precaution of the secret plan the headquarter would do. And they are right. But now, they know what to do to steal the painting.

“So my assumption was right. They exchange the painting to trap you there Jongin.” Chanyeol looks at Jongin who is still smiling in front of him. 

"Yeah, that's right Yeol. But, they are wrong for thinking that they can catch me easily. I’m not taking my action alone. I have the best partner here," Jongin pats Chanyeol’s shoulder, smiling proudly at him. Then he takes off the earphones from his ears and wears his mask. “So, where do they hide the real painting?”

Chanyeol opens his i-pad and analyzes the central museum’s map. “The warehouse is located at the end of the second floor, near the emergency stairs that leads to the third floor and the rooftop.”

“How about the guards?”

“Like that officer said earlier, they just put some officers there. And for cctv and alarm systems, I can handle them from here. Now, I just want to know, how do you get in there?” Chanyeol looks Jongin seriously, but the latter just gives him smug smile.

“Don't worry about it Yeol. I will jump to the museum’s roof and enter from the side window that is directly connected to the side of the stairs.”

“Ah I see,” nodding several times, Chanyeol checks the map again before gives Jongin a thumb ups. "Okay, just be careful Jongin. I'll wait for you at the usual place.”

"Okay," Jongin wears his robe and getting ready to get in action. "But I think I need to meet Kyungsoo after this action. Can I?"

“It's up to you Jongin, as long as you don't harm yourself.”

"Don't worry. I will bring you the painting and I will be okay. Bye Chan.." Jongin smiles briefly before jumping to the rooftop of the building next door.  Under the dim moonlight, Chanyeol can see his shadow moves toward the museum’s roof.

***

Kris is standing in the main hall. It’s almost 15 minutes pass 9 pm and the thief hasn’t come yet. Earlier, he has contacted Suho who was guarding in the exhibition room, but the situation there is still under control. The thief hasn’t taken his action. But somehow, he feels something fishy because he knows that the thief always comes on time, just like what he promised in the letter.

~Does he know that the painting in exhibition room is the fake one and he cancels his action because he has no idea where to steal the original one? But, how can he know?~ Kris thinks hard. And suddenly, his face turns to panic as an idea hits his mind. He quickly takes his handy talkie to contact officers in the warehouse.

“Hello, hello, warehouse officers! This is Detective Kris. How things are going there?”  he calls in panic, but there’s no answer. He can only hear inaudible noise and some unclear rustling.

“Hello, warehouse officer, can you hear me? Please answer me!”  Kris tries to call again, but still getting no answer. His face turns pale. It seems like his worry turns out to be true. That thief must be already knew where the original painting is hide, so he doesn’t appear in the main exhibition hall.

 Wasting no time, Kris immediately runs into the warehouse. He is so surprised when finding two officers who are stationed in front of the warehouse are already unconscious. He quickly opens the door and enters to look for the mysterious thief.  He purposely doesn’t call the other officers because he doesn't want to make the thief knows that he’s there, and it will make him escape in hurry. 

While walking silently, Kris sees a shadow of lean figure is staring at a painting. Hiding behind the cabinet, he watches the figure -who is the mysterious thief- takes the original painting and ready to flee from the warehouse window. Kris quickly runs and grabs his robe before he can jump off. 

 That thief looks so startled, trying so hard to kick Kris’s away. And in the middle of their fighting, Kris finally can take off his mask, making the mysterious thief’s face visible under the moonlight that breaks through the window.

Kris’s eyes widened in surprised when he sees who is behind the mask. There, in front of him, Jongin is looking at him in the same expression. Kris can’t believe that his assumption is right. Kim Jongin, a high school student, the guy Kyungsoo dates is the mysterious thief he chased for a long time.  His grip loosens up due to the shock and it makes Jongin smirks.

"Hi hyung, finally you see my real face," Jongin shoves Kris off his body, smirking smugly.

"You, Kim Jongin.."

"Yeah, it’s me. I said to you that we would meet tonight, so I didn’t lie to you hyung, right?”

Kris still feels so surprised and stares at Jongin in disbelief. Taking the rare opportunity, Jongin quickly runs towards the window.

"But it seems like you won't arrest me now. And I've got what I want, so good bye hyung. Thanks for your kindness tonight~" Without waiting for Kris’s reaction, Jongin jumps off the window and disappears in the darkness. 

Kris immediately snaps from his trance, but it’s already too late. He looks at the silhouette that is soon embraced by darkness of the night.  Anger rises inside of him. Kicking the shelf, Kris screams in frustration. Right now, he’s so upset and angry because he feels like being the dumbest person in the world.

~How could I not know? How could I let him escape again?~ Kris mentally slaps himself. Trying to hold his anger for a while, he quickly calls Suho and tells him what happened, but he still saves the fact about Kim Jongin because he wants to catch that thief with his own hands, in the direct battle.

-tbc-