They drove back to the police station in silence. Somewhere along the journey, Jiwoong had spoken up and asked his boss if he'd like him to drop him off near his home. The old man had readily agreed, most likely because he didn’t want to get caught in the sibling crossfire that would ensue.

After half an hour ride, they reached the station.

Her brother escorted her to a messy table; yellow cardboard folders with documents slipping out, two mugs of a coffee, a small framed picture of a beach with a hammock between two palm trees (‘to remind me of the holidays’ he had argued) and an old red hoodie draped over the worn out leather chair.

‘Sit, Taeyeon’

She let her body fall on a wooden chairs, nearly tumbling backwards in the process.

‘So…’

‘So…?’ Taeyeon tentatively followed

‘So, Miss Tiffany-‘

‘A.K.A galore’

‘AKA normal Korean citizen you shall not insult, said you went into the shop and refuse to leave, that’s what she said in her SOS call. But she didn’t want to follow that up apart from...’ he looked up and fixed his gaze on her ‘the whole appearing drunk and high’

Taeyeon could feel the utter disgust with which he pronounced the last word. Like the cashier girl had said, it was punishable by prison.

‘That was maybe around an hour ago, so it should still be detectable with the saliva sample’

‘There’s a saliva sample?’ Taeyeon was shocked. So the girl was right after all, she thought.

‘Erm, yeah, its relatively new. They use it in the West for traffic controls, where people take drugs- usually marihuana, and some stupefacients  and then drive. We got a few just to try them. Dubious honour for you though’

His tone had become cold once again.

‘But, oppa, I didn’t’

‘I know. Look, I can tell right off the bat but still, it’s a procedure. That’s why you should be careful Taeyeon,’ he rubbed his temples with his fingertips, ‘there are all these procedures and one of them might just turn into a criminal record’

She panicked.

‘Not in your case of course, ‘cause this was just you creeping someone out. Creeptaeng’, he chuckled at his own joke. ‘But still’

‘Yeah, yeah, I get it’

‘I don’t think-‘

‘Look oppa, you’re only a year older than me, okay?’ she inadvertently raised her voice ‘that’s it, ONE stupid year. Stop acting so high and mighty just because you’re a police officer and I’m-‘

‘You’re what, Taeng? Please explain what you’re doing with your life, because, frankly, I can’t understand and we’ve been years in the same position!’

‘I’m an ar-‘ she stopped halfway. Suddenly, she didn’t feel like speaking.

‘Whatever.Come on, put this in your mouth and wait for a few seconds so it collects the sample’. He passed her a rectangular piece of blue plastic. ‘Hang on, I’ll do it myself. Tricky bastard…count to 10'  he waited for ten seconds '…okay, done’.

‘Shake with water, okay and now the lines’ her brother’s eyebrows were furrowed, enveloped in the task at hand. ‘Okay, nothing, good to go’

‘Clean?’ she said sarcastically.

‘Squeaky-oh no, wait!’

‘What, what, what’s wrong?!’

‘It’s positive, Taeyeon’ Jiwoong slowly looked up, shock etched on his face.

‘A-a- p-positive?’ she stammered ‘Th-‘

‘Yeah... for douchery!’ He slapped the table hard, making the mugs shake. ‘Let that be a lesson next time you try and sass me up, Taeyeon’

‘ing hate you’ she mumbled.

‘Hey’ his eyes were more sympathetic and comforting now ‘come on, just breathe out for the alcohol and we can go home, okay’

His hand reached out to her head.

He ruffled her hair.

‘I know it’s tough right now, I’m sorry’

‘Whatever, you just don’t understand’

‘I know. But I’m sure that it’ll turn out okay, you said that new song was pretty good right? The one you came up with last night’

‘Was. It's ing messed up now’

‘How come?’

‘It was crap to begin with’

‘Can I see?’

‘Can you even read music?’

‘No…’

‘Well, then’ she scoffed. ‘It’s okay ‘cause apparently I can’t even write it’

Her brother patted her head. It was the only thing he could do right now, apart from carrying out saliva drug tests. He started preparing the alcoholmeter, ripping open a new plastic bag for the mouth. ‘Hmm Taeyeon?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Where’s your bag? Did you leave it in the car?’

‘The car?’ Taeyeon tried to recall, ‘ no!’

‘What, what is it?’ Jiwoong replied alarmed.

‘I left it back in the store…’

Her brother let out a whistle. 'Good luck with that'