Determined.
Coma. (Threequel to One Shot and Betrayal.)
Youngjae and his group were huddled together in their office where they had set up the case investigation, to get Haru back. Before being able to do anything however, they gathered all the information they had, and put it into chronological order. There were whiteboards full of scribbled notes of what happened here and there to get to where they were now. Stacks of files and booklets were spread out on their work desks.
It wasn't until 11 at night that Youngjae's team and he decided to take a break from the department and get back home, having no other leads.
Jongup was the first to run up to him when he got back. "Anything new?" he anxiously asked.
Youngjae shook his head with awful regret. "Sorry Jongup."
Youngjae saw Jongup's eyes sting with tears.
"Mom and Dad keep arguing and blaming each other for Haru's kidnapping... If only I had just stayed with her..." the poor guy's voice broke. "If only I wasn't so selfish..." he now found it hard to even support his own parents under his own roof.
"No, Jongup. This isn't your fault. Don't think that. You just needed to get out of there to release some steam."
"I told her to get out and she actually listened to me." tears were slipping endlessly out of the man's eyes.
"Jongup. It's not your fault. It never was." Youngjae hugged him. "I'll get her back." he told him. "I don't know how yet, but I'll try my best, believe that." he hesitated.
"I told her to get out and she actually listened to me." tears were slipping endlessly out of the man's eyes.
"Jongup. It's not your fault. It never was." Youngjae hugged him. "I'll get her back." he told him. "I don't know how yet, but I'll try my best, believe that." he hesitated.
The truth was, nobody knew what was going to happen to Haru or what they were planning to do to her.
Later that night, Himchan was exhausted from work, so he was in bed already. Yongguk had fallen asleep after offering to help Youngjae look through the timeline of what had happened so far and anything that could add up to who this person could be. Jongup didn't want to sleep but the rest of them knew that it would only make him feel worse about it. Therefore Zelo forced him to sleep by locking his arms around the older male in bed. Even though Jongup declared he wouldn't fall asleep, he fell into a deep slumber not so long later along with Zelo. Daehyun, who had also been sleeping in bed, got out and sat on the desk beside Youngjae, where he was still working.
Later that night, Himchan was exhausted from work, so he was in bed already. Yongguk had fallen asleep after offering to help Youngjae look through the timeline of what had happened so far and anything that could add up to who this person could be. Jongup didn't want to sleep but the rest of them knew that it would only make him feel worse about it. Therefore Zelo forced him to sleep by locking his arms around the older male in bed. Even though Jongup declared he wouldn't fall asleep, he fell into a deep slumber not so long later along with Zelo. Daehyun, who had also been sleeping in bed, got out and sat on the desk beside Youngjae, where he was still working.
Youngjae looked at him with a soft yet tired smile.
"What are you doing out of bed?" the younger man asked, curiously.
"Keeping you company. Aren't you bored?" he smiled back.
"What are you doing out of bed?" the younger man asked, curiously.
"Keeping you company. Aren't you bored?" he smiled back.
Youngjae nodded. "And very tired too."
"Why don't you sleep?"
"I can't. Every hour matters so much right now. Just until I have a plan. Just until I know where they are..." he said quietly, before making more notes.
It didn't help that the Haru lived in a place just on the edge of the city with no other houses or neighbourhood. It also didn't help that no one was with Haru or saw Haru during the hours of the kidnapping.
"Where would a criminal take a 14 year old girl, and what would he do with her?"
"I don't know. What did I do as a criminal? Scratch that, what did we do as criminals?"
"You know I don't wanna think about that." Youngjae sighed, feeling awful regret and bad memories haunting him.
"Aww, I know." he kissed Youngjae on the forehead affectionately. "But you're going to have to. To get somewhere, at least. Even though we didn't kidnap people."
"We were different Daehyun. We were different..." was all Youngjae said before he went into a completely concentrated atmosphere again.
Daehyun admired him from his distance. It was only when Youngjae went through almost 10 minutes of silence with Daehyun keeping him company, that he took a glance over at the older man. Daehyun wouldn't keep so quiet for so long.
Daehyun only smiled in return.
"What is it?"
"Nothing! It's just... Well you look super cute when you're focused on something." Daehyun grinned.
"I appreciate that, but now's not the time." Youngjae told him, but he couldn't help but feel a whole-hearted smile moving its way onto his face.
"Alright, I understand. I'll stay up with you. Keep you company, and to help keep you awake if you need it." and with that, the older man ran to his bed-side cabinet to grab a bag of snacks to share with Youngjae. "Say ah." he fed the younger boy one of the snacks from the bag.
"Thanks Daehyun."
It made Youngjae feel thankful that there was at least someone who could really make his day, no matter how it could be.
"Morning Youngjae!" Youngjae arrived at his office to be greeted by his colleagues.
"I've been doing some work. Any leads?" he asked, lightly placing the folder of notes he had been making during the night onto the table for them to see.
"I've been talking to Haru's friends." Hana reported. "Nothing. Nothing at all. The last time they met was last week."
Youngjae sighed. "Then let's try and imagine all scenarios possible and see where we head from there." He made notes as the group was talking, his mind telling him a thousand things and once again, he was fired up to do something about this - he was determined to get Haru back. With his group, he could do just about anything.
Just then the office telephone rang, cutting his thoughts immediately. "Seoul Police, Team 0128."
"Hello?!" a panicked voice, that Youngjae recognised surged right through his body and gave him goosebumps. "Who is this?!" she sounded afraid.
It was Haru.
"Haru, it's Youngjae." he swallowed, finally managing to respond. "Haru. Are you okay?"
"I'm okay." she replied. "Youngjae oppa..." her voice broke. "The one who kidnapped me... He's... He's-" the phone call ended.
Youngjae froze.
"Who was it?" they all asked curiously.
"Track back the phone conversation. It was Haru." Youngjae explained.
They obeyed him immediately, realising how big this was. Him calling them managed to help them track where he was making the phone call.
"He's on a blocked number, but they're all still in the Itaewon area. Let's go." Youngjae started the car and didn't hesitate to make a move at all.
But when he got there, the house was empty. They were in an abandoned house. No traces of him. No traces of his men. No traces of residents living in the house. Worst of all... No traces of Haru. Just a phone. The phone that called Youngjae just under an hour ago.
Youngjae cursed under his breath in frustration but managed to keep his cool afterwards. He picked up the abandoned phone that was dropped, confusing his colleagues for a second.
Just then the office telephone rang, cutting his thoughts immediately. "Seoul Police, Team 0128."
"Hello?!" a panicked voice, that Youngjae recognised surged right through his body and gave him goosebumps. "Who is this?!" she sounded afraid.
It was Haru.
"Haru, it's Youngjae." he swallowed, finally managing to respond. "Haru. Are you okay?"
"I'm okay." she replied. "Youngjae oppa..." her voice broke. "The one who kidnapped me... He's... He's-" the phone call ended.
Youngjae froze.
"Who was it?" they all asked curiously.
"Track back the phone conversation. It was Haru." Youngjae explained.
They obeyed him immediately, realising how big this was. Him calling them managed to help them track where he was making the phone call.
"He's on a blocked number, but they're all still in the Itaewon area. Let's go." Youngjae started the car and didn't hesitate to make a move at all.
But when he got there, the house was empty. They were in an abandoned house. No traces of him. No traces of his men. No traces of residents living in the house. Worst of all... No traces of Haru. Just a phone. The phone that called Youngjae just under an hour ago.
Youngjae cursed under his breath in frustration but managed to keep his cool afterwards. He picked up the abandoned phone that was dropped, confusing his colleagues for a second.
"He will call back. I'm sure of it." he told them, sounding confident.
"What do you mean we're taken off this case?!" Youngjae asked the Commissioner, feeling as if he was going to burst into flames. It had been another 5 days and there had been no contact at all from the criminal or Haru's present condition. Her face was plastered in the newspapers, media and posters to alert everyone that she was still missing and that there was a dangerous group of criminals in the local area. It only pressured Youngjae more and more as the days went by and every hour that passed seemed painful. This man was smart. He had never dealt with a case so difficult as this. He had been losing countless hours of sleep and his head was about to burst from both tiredness and frustration.
"I have nothing else to say. You and your team are taken off this case. I'm going to redirect this mission to a more professional district to handle." the Commissioner declared, a very top secret file was sealed in his hands.
"Aren't we professional enough?" Youngjae tried to convince him. He knew he sounded desperate but he didn't care. It was Haru's life they were discussing about here.
"Superintendant Youngjae, I have given orders. You are instructed to follow and obey them." he replied blandly.
"Can't you give us more time? It's only been a week since all this has happened."
"You've caused enough trouble as it is Youngjae. You've been delaying other cases needed to be attended to and the press are constantly demanding answers. They're wondering why such an active kidnapping is taking so long to solve. You think you're professionals, even though it's been 16 years? Think again. There's people out there that are too dangerous even for you to handle, even if you had twenty or thirty years of experience. I'm sorry, but you're no longer on this case."
"Commissioner Taesung-nim!" Youngjae roared at the top of his lungs, slamming his hands onto his Senior's table in anger.
"Superintendant Yoo Youngjae." his senior's voice sternly called him, refusing to change his mind completely.
"Youngjae..." Jaebum quietly whispered and pulled him back gently to cool him down.
"This is a personal abduction. He wants me to chase after him." Youngjae pleaded, apologetically.
"I have nothing else to say. This case is no longer your concern or responsibility. But I promise you, I will hand it over to a team who can deal with it." the Commissioner reassured, but Youngjae wasn't satisfied.
He swallowed heavily, and bowed to his senior, without another single word. All his anger was kept in his tightly balled fists as he walked off.
He didn't want to confront that. Acknowledging the fact that he couldn't save her anymore. Knowing that he let Jongup down. Letting the rest of BAP down because he couldn't save her.
Heading back to their office, Youngjae slumped in his seat feeling exhausted. Hana had followed him back, and stood beside him.
"What are we going to do?" she asked.
"I don't know."
"You look terrible." she told him. Youngjae had looked so pale and weak. His face drooped from enduring this case for so long.
"Well thanks."
"You know I don't mean it in that way." Hana explained with a chuckle. "When was the last time you ate?"
He didn't answer.
"Let's eat first and then talk later." she told him. But as she was about to walk off to the cafeteria, he had grabbed her arm in a sudden moment.
His worn out expression had changed. Instead, he looked determined. Hope was there in his eyes.
"Hana. Do you trust me?" he asked out of the blue. It freaked her out a little, nevertheless she answered.
"Of course I do. "
"Then let's just save Haru ourselves. We don't need the police to help us." he sounded determined, excited even.
Hana had to take a moment to think about what risks they were going to go through together as a team. And how in the end they could be suspended or worse, fired for disobeying strict orders. But for Haru's sake and Youngjae's determination, she was in.
"Why not?" she smiled at him.
Youngjae hadn't smiled in days. He smiled and pulled her into a hug. To suddenly see his face brighten up would make anyone happy.
"Thank you."
"Sounds like an awesome plan!" Jieun responded to Youngjae's idea at the cafeteria with Sunhwa.
"We'll join you guys." Hyosung tagged along joyfully, grabbing Jaebum with her. But Jaebum looked reluctant.
"Awesome. I just want you guys to be aware of what you're putting yourselves into. That's all I have to say."
"Well, we're a team aren't we? A team sticks together, no matter what." Hyosong smiled. "Team 0128 let's go!" she pumped a fist in the air but from the corner of his eye, Youngjae could see that Jaebum was disapproving.
"JB my man? Are you in?" he offered gently. He called Jaebum by his nickname - the nickname Youngjae gave him in high school. It made him reminisce the past and remember how Youngjae would be there for him - how Youngjae would stick by his side. But this time, Jaebum couldn't do the same.
"I... I can't. Youngjae you know we can't disobey orders. Especially if we're handling with something so dangerous as this. Crime doesn't happen much in Korea, and for us to be going against our Commisioner's words, we're risking our jobs and our lives. Didn't you hear him? They're wondering why an active kidnapping is taking so long to solve. It's because we're doing it all wrong. We should just leave it to the professionals to handle. I can't do this Youngjae. I'm sorry."
"Yah Im Jaebum. What happened to us being a team?" Hyosung asked him, folding her arms feeling offended.
"You all know how much this job means to me. And... Aren't we risking our lives already?" Jaebum tried to explain.
"Don't be so selfish. What about our people? You're just going to let them die? You're going to let Haru die? Is that what you want?" Hyosung was furious. Furious that he wanted to back down for his own safety. But he did have a point.
"I'm not saying that! I'm just saying - if the Commissioner says we can't do it, we can't do it. It's for our own good. He promised that he would leave the case to people who can take care of it and get Haru back."
"Yeah? Well promises are meant to be broken." Hana mumbled quietly, but just enough for them all to hear. "You can't guarantee anything, being with the Police. Any minute of the day could be the end of us. But do we stop? I'd rather die a hero than a coward for someone else's life. We live everyday risking our lives. Do you think it will stop anytime soon Jaebum?"
There was a sudden atmosphere of unfamiliar silence in the group, even though they were in a cafeteria where there was the sound of laughter, chatting and cutlery being hit against trays in the distance. They all felt the group breaking apart.
"Let's talk later. After you've all calmed down from this mess. If you guys want to carry on with your idea, then go for it. But I'm not taking any part of it." Jaebum shook his head and walked away.
"Im Jaebum yo-" Hyosung was about to burst into anger but Youngjae stopped her.
"No. It's Jaebum's decision. Let him do what he wants." Youngjae told her. He understood Jaebum. He wasn't going to hate him or anything like that. Because he respected Jaebum, as his colleague and his best friend.
Youngjae was stopped abruptly from talking to them because his phone rang.
"Daehyun?"
"Have you seen Himchan?" it was Daehyun. It was weird. No greetings, no enthusiasm in his voice. He sounded scared.
"No, why - did something happen at home?"
"No, it's not that! He wasn't at work this morning but his keys and phone were there. I think..." the older man had to take a deep breath for what he had to say next, "I think those bastards took Himchan too."
Youngjae's skin felt prickly at the thought.
No way. No ing way. This man who kidnapped Haru... Wouldn't have kidnapped Himchan too... Would he?! Now, Haru wasn't the only thing to worry about. He was after Youngjae's brothers.
He wished it was just some sick trick that was happening right now. The same trick he pulled 20 years ago when he betrayed them. But this time it wasn't like that. This time, it was real.
And suddenly Youngjae entered a different world. No one was safe. No one. Not even himself.
I’m sorry, I can’t help it.
... ^^;; If you're all wondering why I've disappeared for three weeks, it's not because I have no interest in this fanfic no more. No! NEVERRRRRRRRRRRR THINK THAT. But I've just been busy babysitting my baby cousins, catching up with my family and friends and watching Winnie the Pooh LOL. Also, I got my GCSE results on Thursday that I was worrying all week about xD But! I'm satisfied with what I got. The worry is over for GCSEs and it's Advanced Levels for me now. Did anyone else also get their results? Let me know how it went for you in the comments! ^^ I haven't forgotten about this fanfic though. At all, if I can be honest. I've just also been a little occupied writing up a one shot request for a fellow friend of mine that I've promised too :D
There will be updates though, so don't worry! Also!
If you see this handsome man, please tell him that his constant tweets and selcas are KILLING MY OT6 FEELS. GAAAAAAAAH SERIOUSLY.
He made a heart with his finger and his thumb. HOW CUTE IS HE WHY KEKEMATO.
Silent readers, Daehyun will throw his cute finger hearts at chu~! (^-^)/
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