Chapter Five

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me." Kevin thanked with a smile on his face. "There's actually a few things that I need to talk to you about."

A pleasant smile appears on her face at his greeting. "No need to thank me, whatever I can help with the case I will gladly do so."

The two sat across each other in a quaint coffee shop. He couldn't help but feel a bit shy in her presence, he felt his cheeks turning a rosy pink each time he saw her smile. He quickly shook off the juvenile thought and got his mind back to focus.

"I went to see your boyfriend JaeBum about a week ago." He looks at her only to see the expression on her face changing.

The smile on her face slowly fades at the mention of JaeBum. "He told me when he got home."

"Are you alright?" He asked, wondering about the sudden change of expression in her face.

She fakes a smile to assure him, "I'm fine. What did he say?"

"Nothing that I didn't know already. But I did drop by his work place a couple of times afterward. Has he ever talked to you about the people at work or anything about who he works for?"

Nicole shook her head, puzzled at his question. "Jay never really talked about work when he's home. The most I heard about work is when I ask him about his injuries. Even then he doesn't tell me much, he brush it off, telling me that it's nothing for me to worry about." Flashback of their argument over this issue came rushing back to her as she answered his question.

Kevin could sense there was something wrong with Nicole when she was answering his question. "Did something happen between you and JaeBum?"

She looks at him, trying to disguise her expression. "No, we're fine."

Even with her answer, he knew there was something wrong. "If you don't want me to talk about JaeBum just let me know. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

She shook her head with a gracious smile. "I'm fine, don't worry. Just ask me what you need to, about Jay or not, I'll try my best to answer."

Kevin gaze at her for a few seconds before continuing. "So you still don't know if those bruises of his are really from the warehouse?" She shook her head. "From what I've managed to gather, those bruises that you told me and from what I've seen on him during the time that I've seen him, those injuries are from human contact."

"What do you mean human contact?" Nicole was confuse but interest to know.

"Like from physical contact." He answers. "Like from fights that he could have been in."

"Fights?" She utters to herself.

"Did he ever tell you about fights that he's gotten in at work or anywhere else?"

A sudden flash of the past flooded Nicole's mind at Kevin's sudden question.

"Nicole?" Kevin's voice broke Nicole out of her sudden trance.

"Sorry." She apologized.

"Are you alright?"

She hesitate for a few seconds, she took a deep breathe. "Now that mention it, Jay does have a history of fighting." Kevin's eyes widens with interest. "But not what you think." She quickly added, as not to cause any misunderstanding. "When I first met Jay, he wasn't the guy that he is today. You can say that he had his fair share of troubles with the law. It wasn't anything major, just minor, juvenile things. He eventually got his act together and began training to become a boxer. He managed to apply himself in to the amateur leagues. He got pretty far but soon enough he came across people who were better than him, he began to loose and the more he fought the worse it got for him. His injuries were to a point that it forced him to be bed-ridden for days, but he still wanted to fight and keep going."

"What made him stop?"

"I couldn't see him go through that pain anymore. I pleaded with him and asked him to stop. I rather have him alive and with me by my side rather than letting him continue and end up dying." Tears began to form in her eyes.

The moment she said those words Kevin felt his heart constrict just a little bit. It was obvious to him that her relationship with JaeBum was and is a very deep and meaningful one. The two of them have a strong bond that ties them to each other no matter the obstacles. He knows there was probably no chance of him being with Nicole but a part of him didn't want to give up that chance.

Seeing the tears in her eyes, he reaches out to her and offers her a tissue. "Sorry Nicole. I didn't mean to bring up such sad memories for you."

She took the tissue and wipes her tears. An appreciative smile crosses her face as she took a deep breathe. "That's how he ended up working at the warehouse. He took the drop to fulfill my wishes. But I know deep down he still wants to continue to box, it's still a dream of his to enter the professional league." She pause and looks up at Kevin. "You don't think that that's what he's doing do you? Those bruises and injuries?"

Seeing the worried expression in her face, he didn't have the heart to tell her the truth but he can't hide it forever. "Maybe." He answers. "But it seems to me that he might be involve in something more than just boxing."

"What do you mean?"

He let out a sigh. "There's an underworld of illegal gambling and bare-fist boxing that's been going on for quite some time now and me and my team have been trying to crack down on those illegal activities for a while but have yet to come up with any real leads. The man that JaeBum is working at the warehouse for might be one of the ring leaders but again, we have no solid proof. If what you're telling me about JaeBum is true then I think he might be involve in these illegal activities."

Nicole's eyes widen at Kevin's explanation. This new discovery was a true surprise to her. It is hard for her to accept that JaeBum would or could be involve in these illegal activities. She could not fathom him going behind her back and doing something like this. She slowly stood up from the table.

"But what does that have to do with my shop being destroyed?"

"My guess is JaeBum's boss might have been the one behind it. Maybe he's trying to get back at him for something he did wrong."

Nicole was still stunned at the recent discovery. "I'm sorry Kevin. I... I have to go." She stutters.

"Wait. Don't leave yet. I need you to help me with this."

She looks at him with a blank and helpless expression. "What can I help you with? This is the last thing that I want to get myself involved in."

"I know, I'm sorry about telling you all this, but JaeBum could be the only way for my team and I to finally put these people behind bars. And the only way that JaeBum will help us is if you talk to him."

Nicole took a deep breathe. "I don't want him more involve then he already is. I rather have him quit everything then put him in danger like this."

Kevin let a out sigh of frustration. "I know it's hard for you to accept but this is the only way. I have yet to confirm if JaeBum is even still involve, so before I do please keep this between you and I until I find the solid prove."

"Wait for you? For what? I'm going to keep my mouth shut and allow Jay to continue to get hurt?" Her voice was full of annoyance at his request.

"Please Nicole, I just need this favor from you. Help me out." He grabs her wrist as he looks straight in to her eyes with a pleading expression.

Nicole felt a sudden jump in her heart at his actions. She quickly pulls away. "Sorry Kevin." She grabs her bag and left the shop.

Kevin let out another sigh of frustration as he falls back on to the chair. He ruffles his hair out of frustration as he thought about his actions towards her just now. So much for trying to get on her good side, he thought to himself. He might have just destroyed his chances with her.
 

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Nicole wandered the streets for hours as she tried to figure out all the information that she was told just earlier from Kevin. Her mind was racing, she didn't know what to think or do anymore. She took a deep breathe as she noticed the sun setting, she found herself walking back to her's and JaeBum's apartment. She was surprise to find herself in front of their door. She stood at the front door, staring at the number, she holds the doorknob tightly. As she was about to turn the knob she stops, she exhaled and slowly loosens her grip on the knob. Her hand fell to her side as she turn away from the door and headed towards the exit. She stops at her second step to see him standing in front of her in the corridor.

"Why don't you just go in. It's your apartment too." He said to her, his monotone voice disguised his sorrow seeing her in front of him.

She stood in front of him not knowing what to say, a slight smile crosses her lips. "Hi." Was all she could utter.

"How have you been?" He asked as he places the cup of water in front of her.

She sat on the couch, her body upright as if this was a completely new environment to her. "I'm good, and you?"

"Good enough." He answers.

She let out a sigh. "How's work been?"

He gaze at her, she can feel his eyes piercing through her. "Do you really want to know?"

She looks at him, their eyes made contact. "Yes I do." Tears begins to form as her lips begins to quiver. "I want to know everything that's going on in your life. I want to know all the details. Everything that you are doing. I don't want you to keep anything from me anymore." She manages as her voice choked through the tears.

JaeBum couldn't help but feel a burden of guilt pushing him down as he watch her cry in front of him. He quickly pulls her into his embrace. She lay her head on his shoulder as she continues to cry.

"I'm sorry Nicole. I didn't want to put you through this." Tears flow down his face as he tried to keep himself together for her.

"Please Jay, tell me everything. I don't want to think the worse of anything. I just want you to be honest with me." She cries.

JaeBum pulls her out of his embrace, he cups her face as he wipes her tears. "Please understand Nicole." He utters.

She stood up from the couch. She looks at him. "Why can't you just tell me the truth? Why do you need to hide things from me?"

He stood up to her. "I..." He begins, but he didn't know what to say.

"Are you fighting again?" She bluntly questions. He was caught of guard with her question. He didn't know what to say, he turn away and starts to walk off. "So Kevin was right, you're fighting again. And you're involve in those illegal activities that's going in the warehouse aren't you?"

JaeBum quickly turns back to her at the mention of Kevin and what he has been doing at the warehouse. "So you're listening to what that Kevin is telling you? Poisoning your mind about me so he could have you to himself?" His voice was stern and threatening.

"Is he wrong?" She challenges. "Everything that he has told me seems to fit what you've been doing. The bruises, the injuries, even the money."

"How can you let some stranger come in to our lives and ruin what we have." He argues.

"So you were gonna keep lying to me and hiding all this from me? He's a cop Jay he'll figure it out soon enough. Just stop your involvement in everything." She pleaded to him.

JaeBum stood with his back to her as he clenches his fists. With no response from him Nicole slowly made her way towards the door. She turns back to look at him once more to see his reaction but nothing. He still stood there with his clenched fist. She slowly closes the door behind her.

"Goodbye Jay." She whispers.