“Please stop that,” Ryeowook sighed as Sungmin got up for the fifth time and paced around his living room. The younger detective looked annoyed and Sungmin couldn’t really blame him. He’d called up Ryeowook because he had a weird feeling about Haruki leaving the dinner party and didn’t know who else he could talk to.

“Sorry.” He plopped down on the desk and leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees.

“What am I even doing here?” Ryeowook complained. “Haruki’s not answering her phone. That’s no reason to freak out and try to hunt her down.”

“I know!” Sungmin twiddled his thumbs. “And I’m not hunting her down, I just...called you to help.”

“Help with what?” Ryeowook was pouting slightly. Evidently, Sungmin had interrupted a very important nap. “I can’t force her to pick up her phone. She probably just wanted to be alone for a while. You know she does that sometimes.”

“Not when she made a promise to be there for a friend,” Sungmin replied. “Also, if she were leaving, she wouldn’t have left her purse there.” He shook his head. “We know Haruki, Ryeowook. I know she’s been investigating again. I’m afraid she left for that.”

“But Chief-”

“That’s not going to stop her.”

Ryeowook had to reluctantly agree that Sungmin made sense. “Have you called Siwon?” he asked.

“Siwon is the last person she’d tell about investigating the case.”

“What about Donghae?”

Sungmin’s jaw clenched slightly before he managed to ask in a light voice, “What about him?”

“Well, maybe she’s with him.” Ryeowook ducked to avoid the glare Sungmin shot in his direction. “It’s a possibility.”

“Call him, then.” Sungmin pushed off from the desk and stomped away.

Ryeowook pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed. As he held the phone to his ear, he rummaged through Haruki’s bag with his free hand. “Hey!” Sungmin protested. “What are you doing?”

His partner shot him a sly grin. “Searching for clues, of course. What the heck is this?” He pulled the tiny hat out of his pocket and stared at it incredulously.

“She was wearing that for the party. There was a whole ‘film noir’ theme going on.”

Ryeowook tugged out a compact and his eyebrows shot up to his hairline. Sungmin could see him struggling to suppress a laugh at the thought of Haruki putting on makeup. “Ryeowook, you shouldn’t go through her stuff.”

“He’s not picking up. Try Siwon.” Ryeowook ignored him and set his phone down, before going back to poking through the purse. “What are these?” He took out a pair of crumpled gloves and shook his head. “Wow, Haruki really dressed up tonight. Was this like a classy date or something?”

“Let me see that.” Sungmin reached for the gloves and smoothed them out with his free hand. His eyes widened and he abruptly ended the call, dialing a new number. “Yoona? Hey, it’s Sungmin. Listen, I think I found something. Can you meet me at- okay, great. See you there.” He shoved the phone in his pocket and snatched up his coat. “Come on, Ryeowook.”

“What’s going on?” Ryeowook asked, hesitantly standing up.

Sungmin waved the glove at him. “I can’t be certain, so I want Yoona to confirm it, but I think this glove matches the one found in Seungri’s apartment when he was murdered.”

Haruki stared at Donghae in disbelief, unable to register the command Ga-In had given her. Like an electrical shock, the spell the model had cast on her had broken upon seeing him.

“What are you waiting for?” Ga-In asked. Hyuna had come up on the other side of Haruki, silent as a panther, proffering a gun, but Haruki didn’t take it.

“Donghae hasn’t done anything wrong,” Haruki murmured. Her voice sounded hollow and weak, even to herself. Ga-In’s face immediately changed, the sweetness melting away and revealing the anger beneath.

“What are you talking about?” There was a dangerous edge to her voice, but the detective either didn’t notice, or chose to ignore it.

“Look, I-I know you’ve been hurt before- you’ve all been hurt before, but you can’t blame all men for it.” Haruki her dry lips and swallowed hard.

Hyuna’s eyes had gone wide with disbelief, while the other girls were staring at her in silence. Haruki held her hands out pleadingly, trying to make them understand what she had been blind to all this time. “I know what they’re capable of and I know the kind of damage it causes-” Her eyes involuntarily filled with tears as she choked slightly. Her sister speeding down the highway; Hyuna’s beautiful tear-stained face; herself, huddled on the floor of the cafeteria, shaking like a leaf.

She cleared and the images went away as she fixed her eyes on Donghae.

“Donghae helped me through it all. He tried to be there for me, even when I pushed him away. And he wasn’t the only one either.” She offered them a small smile. “They’re not all bad.”

The next moment, she was on the ground, her cheek still stinging from Ga-In’s slap. She sat up slowly, rubbing her face as she stared at the model. “You say you believe in justice? Justice changes its form depending on where you stand! Those monsters were released back into society while we suffer for it! How is that justice?”

“I know it doesn’t seem fair-”

“It isn’t!”

“I agree.” Haruki held up a hand to ward off any further arguments from Ga-In as she rose to her feet. “But those are the limits of the law. No one can overstep them, no matter what. They’re meant to protect all people-”

“They protect monsters!”

“It’s rare, but yes. Sometimes, they don’t get what deserve,” Haruki replied. “I hate it as much as you do. But this isn’t the way to go, Ga-In. It’s a dangerous path.”

Ga-In walked slowly towards the detective, her eyes unreadable as they locked with Haruki. Rage suddenly flashed into them. “If you’re not with us, Haruki, then you’re against us.”

Someone grabbed Haruki’s hair and yanked her flat on her back. As she rolled onto her side, the unseen person tugged her head back as someone else kicked her in the stomach. She gagged, curling up on the ground, arms crossed protectively in front of her. Ga-In gave her a cold stare before kicking her in the ribs, then yanking her upright. She nodded at Hyuna, who smiled brightly before slapping Haruki across the face, her nails slashing Haruki’s cheek, leaving marks there matching those on Donghae’s face.

Donghae...She crashed to the ground again, but the pain inside her chest was worse than any of the injuries they were inflicting on her. He hadn’t moved since she’d walked into the room and his bruises, they had to be getting darker. What if there were more injuries she couldn’t see? What if they’d done worse to him? Oh God, if he were dead...

Breathing hard, she felt a hand yank her up by the back of her tattered dress and drop her on her knees again. Ga-In took Haruki’s right arm, turning it palm up as she knelt in front of her. Her eyes were full of fake pity.

“Look at yourself, Haruki. Look at the sorry state you put yourself in. Why are you resisting? You’re one of us in heart and mind. It’s a very simple thing we’re asking you to do. I know it’s hard to get used to it at first, but trust me. We were all there.”

It took a moment for Haruki to catch her breath enough to answer. She slowly raised her head to meet Ga-In’s eyes and shook her head.

Ga-In’s face hardened immediately. “As you wish,” she snapped, slamming Haruki’s elbow down on her knee. Haruki’s world exploded with pain.

“You were right.” Yoona straightened and peeled off her latex gloves. “The glove from the crime scene is identical to this one. The fibers match the ones found on the gun used to kill G.O.”

“And Jessica gave them to Haruki.” Sungmin propped his elbows on the table and rested his head on his hands. “The gloves are a part of their noir themed shoot. So at least one of the killers works at Mirotic.”

“Could it be Jessica?” Ryeowook asked. “I mean, she fits the profile.”

“Only in some ways,” Sungmin replied. “It’s not proof, but I can’t see Jessica as a cold-blooded killer. But we can easily check where she was at the time the murders took place. Sunny, her assistant, keeps close tabs on her.”

“What if Sunny’s part of it, too?” suggested Ryeowook.

“There can’t be that many people in on it,” Yoona objected as she carefully wiped down the microscope.

“And I still think there’s a link to that mental hospital, somehow,” Sungmin sighed, his head dropping to the table top. After a while, he raised his head again. “We think Haruki went to find the killers, right? Maybe one of the Mirotic girls didn’t show up at the event tonight?”

“I thought it was a big deal. Wouldn’t there be chaos if they skipped?” Ryeowook asked. When Sungmin just shrugged, he sighed. “I’ll see what I can find out.”

The door slammed open and Jiyong skidded to a stop as Yoona let out a squeak of protest. “I got your call!” he said breathlessly. “What’s going on?”

“Haruki’s missing,” Sungmin replied.

“Again?” Jiyong’s shoulders slumped, but he quickly straightened and cleared off a space on the nearest table for his laptop, much to Yoona’s annoyance. “Last known location?”

“She was with me,” Sungmin explained. “At Jessica’s fashion event.”

Jiyong raised his eyebrows, but didn’t comment. Pretty soon, images of Haruki walking out of the lobby and climbing into a car appeared on the screen. “How did you do that?” asked Sungmin.

“Tapped into the security cameras at that fashion place,” Jiyong explained. “Even got the license plate of the car.” He pulled up another screen and began typing it in, but stopped, frowning.

“What?” Sungmin drummed his knuckles on the table impatiently.

“That’s Siwon’s car,” Jiyong replied.

“See, I told you she’d be with him,” called Ryeowook.

“What are they doing, though? If they’re going after the killers, they’ll need backup. Where are they?” demanded Sungmin.

“Relax, I’ll trace their phones,” Jiyong replied. “I’m sure the two of them can handle themselves in any danger.”

Sungmin sat back down, but he couldn’t stop fidgeting. He could understand Haruki flinging herself recklessly into danger, but Siwon going along with her? That just didn’t sound like him.

“Thank you.” Ryeowook hung up and turned around, his face pale. “Sungmin, you were right. A model named Ga-In never showed up today.” Sungmin pounded a fist on the table and leaned back in frustration.

“Ga-In?” Yoona’s eyes widened. “I remember that name. It’s one of the earlier cases I was involved in, when I was still a junior tech. Ga-In was the victim of a ual assault where the charges were dropped before the case ever came to court. Not enough evidence. Even I had to admit it.” She shook her head, a slight furrow in her brow at the memory.

“That’s the link,” Sungmin said. “She fits the profile. I knew it! They’re all vigilantes, taking revenge on men who’ve hurt women.” He grabbed the back of Jiyong’s chair and shook it slightly. “Please tell me you’ve found something.”

“Hey! Patience! Searching two phones at the same time is hard, you know!” Jiyong complained. Suddenly, he gave a little jump in his seat and both detectives leaned over his shoulder to see. “They’re a pretty long way out. A neighborhood of townhouses called Moody Park. Doesn’t seem to be many people living around there-”

Sungmin clapped him on the shoulder before spinning on his heel and racing out the door. “Thanks!” he called over his shoulder. “Come on, Ryeowook.” He snatched up his phone and dialed quickly. “Chief Park? Yes sir, sorry to interrupt your quiet night at home, but Ryeowook and I need backup right away. I’ll explain on the way there.”

Donghae woke to the sound of screaming. His left eyelid was swollen shut and his right eye stung as he forced it open. The first thing he saw was Haruki curled up on the ground, clutching her arm to her chest and sobbing.

What was she doing here? What happened? He racked his brain, but thoughts came slowly and he felt tired, like he was pushing through mud to force himself to think.

He remembered a phone call. Yes, it had started with that. That had brought him to this place. The phone call had said Haruki was in danger.

Haruki. She hadn’t been here when he’d arrived, but she was here now. And she was crying. Her arm...it looked broken, like it had been slammed at the wrong angle.

Donghae could practically feel his brain slowly warming up. She’d come here to rescue him and been captured. He needed to get both of them out of here. There was no way Ga-In and the others were just going to let them go.

As he watched, Ga-In kicked Haruki in the ribs and she let out a yelp. It took everything Donghae had to keep from crying out her name. If he did that, then death was certain. He needed to play unconscious just a little longer, until he figured out a plan.

Ga-In was speaking as she towered over Haruki. “What the hell are you protecting him for? You’re the supposed champion of women, the only one in that entire department of misogynists who cares about us. You hate men who hurt women. This is your perfect chance to get revenge on one. You agreed, remember? When we asked you to join us.”

Well, that was not what Donghae had been expecting to hear.

Haruki’s lips moved, but all that came out was a raspy sound. She her lips and tried again, her voice weak and strained from screaming. “Donghae’s never hurt anyone,” she managed. “He’s protective of people who get hurt, too. He’d never hurt anyone, especially not a woman.”

Ga-In’s hand went to her hips. “Are you blind? Have you seen how he treats women? He charms them until they give him everything, then he tosses them aside like trash. Haven’t you noticed that?”

Donghae couldn’t help flinching. That had been true, in the past. But now-

“He’s not like that,” Haruki croaked, but even she sounded a bit doubtful now. “Donghae’s a good person.”

Ga-In made an impatient sound. “You’re a moron. You have no reason to care about him. We don’t want to kill you, Haruki, but you’re getting on my last nerve.” As she took another step towards the prone detective, Donghae groaned. Instantly, Ga-In turned around. He blinked up at her stupidly.

“Donghae...” Haruki whispered and he could read the relief on her face.

Ga-In looked from one to the other, then grabbed the corner of the tape on Donghae’s mouth and ripped it off. Donghae bit back a grunt as pain seared across his lips. “Hey there, pretty boy.” Ga-In gripped his chin in her hand and turned him to face her.

“What’s...what are you doing?” he slurred.

“You know you’re not getting out of here alive, right?” Ga-In asked. Donghae nodded meekly. “See, we offered Haruki the honor of finishing you off, but she refused, because you’re a ‘good guy.’” She smiled nastily. “Isn’t that sweet? She actually thinks you care about her. Why don’t you tell her the truth? Tell us all how much you really care about her.”

Donghae’s stomach dropped. While they were beating him, they’d asked what he wanted with Haruki, if he was just playing with her. He’d lied about his feelings for her, hoping that they wouldn’t go after her. There was no way he could repeat any of those things- he just couldn’t let her believe it. But...

He bit his lip to force himself to focus and his mind raced as he began to form a plan. This...this might just be their way out of here. He needed to make Haruki angry enough to shoot him. But- no, he couldn’t say that now, not to her face.

Hyuna carelessly kicked Haruki’s broken arm and she screamed again.

“I never cared about you,” Donghae blurted out. He forced himself to speak slowly, so it wouldn’t look like he was trying to keep them from hurting her further. “All I wanted was to get in your pants.” Haruki stared at him in disbelief. “And the only reason is because you’re supposed to be a .”

His stomach turned at the pain in her eyes, but he didn’t stop. “You’re stupid. Did you really think I’d like you? You’re an idiot to believe it.” Something glittered in the corner of her eyes before they filled with rage. “I mean, you had such a screwed up life. You’ve got no friends at work. You’re not even easy on the eyes. Hell, Taemin had to be pretty desperate to fall for you.”

The other girls stood back as Haruki struggled to her feet, right arm hanging uselessly at her side. Donghae took a deep breath. “And you’re pathetic for trying to protect someone who’d never do the same for you.”

Haruki slowly reached a hand towards Hyuna, who smiled as she placed the revolver in it. Haruki spun back towards Donghae and leveled the gun straight at his head. She was stunning in that moment, with her dress tattered, her face bruised and scratched, anger burning in her dark eyes.

Donghae smiled slightly as Haruki pulled the trigger.

Ga-In collapsed beside him, her cold smile frozen on her face.

Haruki barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief before there was a strangled scream. Hyuna broke away from the knot of girls and launched herself at the detective, tackling her to the ground with both hands locked around .

The gun clattered to the floor, skittering somewhere far out of reach. Haruki’s shriek of pain as her arm slammed into the ground faded into a choke as Hyuna squeezed tightly. The almost feral rage in the girl's eyes was more terrifying than the burning sensation building in her chest as her lungs cried out for air. “Stop...” she whispered, but Hyuna was past reasoning. Her teeth were bared in a snarl as she tightened her grip, fingernails digging into the skin around Haruki’s neck. Somewhere, she thought she could hear a voice calling her name. Her vision was flickering now, black stars fading in and out of her sight. Her uninjured hand grabbed Hyuna's wrist and tried to pull it off, but she was just so drained...

Suddenly, Hyuna’s eyes widened in shock as her body jerked and she coughed once, red mist spraying into Haruki’s face. The fingers loosened their grip as Hyuna swayed for a moment and collapsed, dropping to the ground beside Haruki.

Far away, a familiar voice was shouting, “This is the police! Get on the floor with your hands behind your head! We’ve got you surrounded!”

Somewhere in the distance, she could hear the girls screaming and footsteps pouring into the room.

Donghae, she thought. She tried to sit up, if only to see if he was alright, but she didn’t even have the strength to wipe Hyuna’s blood from her face.

A strong hand gripped hers and Sungmin's face swam into view. His lips moved and she squinted, trying to make out what he was saying. “Haruki, can you hear me? You’re safe now. Okay?”

“Donghae,” she whispered, before her vision faded away completely.

A/N: Please  don't leave spoilers in the comments everyone! If you want to discuss/scream about/etc. something, you can PM me! 

One more chapter to go! Thank you all for putting up with me!