Chapter Two

"Hara, what happened?" Nicole asked in a state of shock as she arrives at the scene of destruction.

"I don't know. I got here this morning and this was the condition of our cafe." Hara answers, nearing tears.

Their cafe had been ransacked, everything was upside down, glass were shattered everywhere, broken tables and chairs. The back of their cafe was in a destructive mess, the stoves were broken, food thrown everywhere. Their cash register was smashed open and all the money they had in there were gone.

The two girls held each others' hands tightly as they looked around their cafe. Trying their best to hold on to the tears but it was no help. The tears began to flow as they watch the scene in front of them. The police had arrived as they were searching the scene for any possible clue of who the suspect or suspects could be. The two girls were in a fragile state as they stood on the side, unable to do anything, all they could do now is wait for some answers.

"Sorry, but I need to ask a few questions." A masculine voice coming from behind them announced his presence.

The two girls turned themselves around to see a handsome young man standing in front of them. Wearing a pair of distressed denim, a white collar shirt, a loosened charcoal tie, a khaki blazer, with a pair of black basic converse, his hair a color of copper was neatly comb to style, the young man introduced himself, "my name is Kevin Kim, I'll be overlooking this case. I would like to ask you ladies some questions."

The two girls look over to his left blazer pocket and saw the ID and badge pinned on the pocket. They look back at him and nodded. The two followed him over to nearby bench as they sat down.

"I know that it's a bit hard for you ladies right now but I need you to answer as many questions as you can. My assistant here will take over the questioning. The more you cooperate with us the easier it will be for us to catch whoever did this to your cafe." He assures them.

The two girls nodded as he headed off back to the destroyed cafe as his assistant continues with the questioning.
 

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He stood by the heavy machinery as he pressed down on the passing plate of metal. Steam covers his face as he wipes off the sweat on his forehead with his black stained protective gloves. This was the job that he does during the day when he's not boxing off another opponent. A job in which his beloved girlfriend knows about, unlike his other hobby. JaeBum has been hiding his boxing life from Nicole for some time now and he plans to keep it a secret. His reasoning to keep it a secret from her is simple, to protect her.

The day the two of them became a couple, she had discover this hobby of his and it pained her to see him each time he was in the ring. He tried his best to assure her of his safety but no matter how much he tried she didn't want to accept it. She just didn't want to find him lying dead in the ring and end up leaving her by herself. It might sound selfish of her to put herself in front of something that he loves to do but he understood where she was coming from. He promised himself that he would protect her and do whatever it takes to make her happy, and the only way to keep his promise to her was to step aside from what he loves to do. But of course the passion could never really disappear.

Working at the warehouse placed an ease for Nicole, but to JaeBum it wasn't enough for him. His passion for the sport grew and the income he was bringing in was not enough for him and Nicole to have a better life. Though she was content with how their lives were, he wasn't. He wanted better for her and him. He got introduced to the underworld of boxing through a fellow co-worker and from there he joined the fights. The more and more opponent he took on the more his passion grew for the sport. Though at times it got rough and vicious, he didn't care, he would fight till the end, until he wins. The money was good as well, he would make more than he could ever imagine, it was a definite way for him to bring a better life for him and Nicole. Though he still tries to hide it from her, he worry about how she would react if she ever finds out. A girl with nothing in the world but him and a boy with nothing but her, they depend on each other more than anything, they can't lose each other.

He sudden feels the vibration of his phone in his jean pocket. He took out the phone and saw the face on the phone, a smile cross his face. He took a little break from the machines and steps out of the warehouse. "Hello?" He answers.

"Jay..." She sniffles on the other line.

He could hear her crying on the other line. "What's wrong?" He ask worriedly.

"The cafe..." She begins, unable to finish the sentence.

"Take a deep breathe Nicole. Tell me what's wrong?" He was feeling anxious from worry.

"The cafe..." She sniffles, "The cafe got broken in to."

His eyes widen at her news. "Are you ok? Who are you with? Where are you now?" His questions came out one after another. All he cared about was her safety.

"I'm fine, I'm with Hara right now. We're at the cafe, the authorities are here, they're looking around for clues I think." She answered, her voice still strained from the crying.

"Alright, stay there and I'll be right over to take you home." He hangs up the phone and rush off.

"Jay..." Before she could finish the phone line was cut.
 

-----

"You can't think of anyone that would do this?" Kevin asked them once more.

The two girls shook their head. "We don't have any grudges against anyone nor would we think anyone would have one against us." Hara reply.

Kevin let out a light sigh of annoyance. "There's more to this than what it seems." He mumbles to himself.

"Excuse me Mr. Kim, but we told what we can. Since you're in charge of this case it's your job to find out who did this to our shop." Hara defended, a bit offended with his sudden sigh of annoyance.

"Hara." Nicole held on to Hara's hand tightly, holding her back from getting angry.

Hara took a deep breathe. She turns back to Kevin. "If you're done with questioning us, I'm leaving. I can't stand here and watch my shop in this condition." She turns to Nicole. "Are you coming?"

Nicole stood there as she released a light sigh. "Not yet, I'm gonna stay for a little bit longer."

"Alright, give me a call if they find anything." Hara reminded before heading off.

Nicole nodded as she watch Hara walk off, she turns back to Kevin standing in front of her, she steps up beside him. "Do you think someone did this on purpose?"

Kevin turns to her at her question. "That's the only explanation for such destruction to your cafe. If someone just wanted to steal money they wouldn't need to go through all that hassle of destroying everything that's inside the shop."

Nicole turns to look at him. The moment their eyes met he quickly took his gaze away from her. He clears his throat, feeling a little flustered. Trying to regain his composure. "I..." He began.

"Nicole." The two turn their attention towards the direction of the voice.

A smile appears on Nicole's face the moment she saw JaeBum running up to her. Kevin watched the man running up to Nicole as he took a glance at the smile on her face. He couldn't help but feel his heart sink a little bit at the smile of her face, a smile that wasn't for him.

"I was gonna tell you not to come but you hung up before I could say anything else." She pouted at him.

"Sorry." He cups her face as he kissed her forehead. "I was just worry that you were hurt."

Kevin quickly regained his composure as he turn away from the happy couple.

Nicole grab hold of JaeBum's hand as she leads him over to the scene. "I came this morning and this was what was left of the shop." A tear drips down her cheek.

JaeBum notices the droplet as he wipes it away. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. Where's Hara? Is she ok?" He ask, observing the scene to see if he can spot her.

"She left already. She was the one that called the police." She answer as she looks over to Kevin who was standing beside JaeBum, only a few inches away.

JaeBum turns his head towards the direction Nicole was looking at. "You are?" He asked.

"Kevin Kim, I'll be overseeing this case." He held his hand out for a shake.

JaeBum looks down at his hand, he hesitated for a few seconds before shaking it in response. "Jay Park."

"And your relationship with Nicole?" Kevin asks, already knowing the answer but he was hoping for a different answer.

JaeBum narrows his eyes at him suspicious, he glance over at Nicole for a second, she was still looking at the broken shop in front of her. "She's my girlfriend."

"Sorry, I just need to know the people around." Kevin assures JaeBum that he is only doing his job.

"He said that it might be people who have a grudge against us doing this." Nicole chimes in.

JaeBum turns to her. "Really?" He was puzzled. He turns back to Kevin. "Any idea then of who it is?"

"That's what we're here to find out." Kevin reply as he made his way towards the wreckage.

"I don't like this guy." JaeBum whispers to Nicole.

She puches him lightly. "Don't say that. He's here to help us."

JaeBum rolls his eyes. "Well if he and his team are here now, can we leave them to do their job?"

Nicole nodded. "Mr. Kim, we'll be leaving now. I guess we'll leave everything for you."

He turns back to her. "Of course. And if you come up with anything or have any other questions just give me a call." He offers her his card.

She took the card and bows. "Thank you. I will." She smiles at him as she turns to leave.

The moment he saw that smile of hers again, he felt a thumping in his heart, a nervous and thrilling thump. A first for him, he has never felt such feelings and acted so differently in front of someone he had only just met before. The moment she took his card he hopes that she would call him about more than just the case. He has a guess at what he was feeling all of a sudden but he needed to confirm it first, and hopefully when he gets to see her more he'll have the final answer. But seeing her with another man makes his heart sink down to his stomach a bit, maybe a sense of jealousy. He is a man with reason and rationality, never rush into anything until it is confirmed one hundred percent. He knows he needs to take his time with this situation before jumping to any rash conclusion.

A/N: Just to clarify, this is Kevin Kim from Ze:A.