[title song: 12:30 - beast]

:chapter one:
*

Moon Jihye believes in destiny. She believes she’s destined to become a star and, long ago, she decided she would stop at nothing to achieve this dream. Her father always used to tell her she was determinedly spoiled and, honestly, she never really thought anything bad of it. It never seemed like a negative trait to have. But as Jihye settles into the grimy train compartment, a lump of a person snoring across from her, she realizes that maybe her father hadn’t actually meant it as a compliment.

She grimaces out the dirt streaked window, eyes continuously focusing on the dead fly plastered to the window. She watches the night sky blur by as she clenches her ticket in her fists and tries her best to ignore the snoring from the lump sharing her compartment. She tries to sleep, but frankly she’s afraid. She’s a deep sleeper and she really doesn’t want to be robbed not even two hours after she’s set out to Seoul. How pathetic would that be? She doesn’t want to have to go back. Contrary to popular belief, she can take care of herself and she doesn’t need her parents or some strange man-turned-husband providing for her every need.

Moon Jihye can take care of herself, goddammit.

Suddenly, the Resident Lump snorts loudly and shoots up, face wrapped in a scarf. She yelps when the person jolts up so hard, they topple out the seat, arms flailing and legs shooting up. She stares and wonders if she should help the person, since they look like they’re drowning and choking simultaneously.

Jihye’s mother had always told her to mind her own business, from the time she saw the hungry man asking for a few spare won to the time there had been screaming coming from the neighboring farm where Jihye’s friend, Kim Mi Cha, lived. She remembers that day like it was just yesterday. Her mother had peeked out the window and when she saw that nothing was burning she had stepped away and continued with the cooking. Jihye had peeked out the window a few minutes later and watched, with child’s curiosity and utter confusion, as Mi Cha’s mother (a soft spoken woman with a sweet disposition and an amazing pumpkin cake recipe) stumbled out of the house, screaming and screaming and screaming. The sound was shrill and absolutely heartbroken, lilting up into a barely indecipherable babble of shouts. Jihye couldn’t look away as Mi Cha’s father’s sturdy shadow trailed behind Mi Cha’s mother, loud booming voice intermingling with his wife’s pitched wails. Jihye instantly recognized Mi Cha’s distant sobs since Mi Cha cried about everything all the time.

“Umma, what does bastard mean?” Jihye had called over her shoulder, eyes peeking up over the windowsill.

That’s when Jihye’s mother had pulled her back by the collar and swatted at the back of her hand, drawing the curtains hurriedly. “Unless their farm is burning, it is none of our business.” Her mother scolded her, voice deadly serious. Jihye remembers trembling under her mother’s stern expression, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. “Do you understand?”

Jihye had nodded, quickly, nearly stumbling over her own two feet when her mother had commanded her to go get the table ready for dinner.

It is none of our business.

That was her mother’s mantra, her mother’s code, her way of life. Jihye was forced to live by it.

So Jihye never asked Mi Cha what had happened that night and all Jihye remembers is being surprised when Mi Cha quit crying over everything, expression as stony as the rocks by the river.

(Mrs. Kim never made pumpkin cakes again and Jihye doesn’t remember the last time she was invited to play with Mi Cha.)

It’s none of your business.

Jihye’s mother’s voice echoes in her head and Jihye has half a mind to listen to it, but Lumpy honestly won’t stop flailing and she starts to feel terrible just watching someone look so helpless.

So Jihye puts her things down and kneels beside Lumpy, leaning away so Lumpy doesn’t smack her across the face. She can’t afford to have her face damaged. She pulls the scarf off of Lumpy’s face, pulling it away from his nose and mouth as best as she can.

“Yah…yah!” She pats (smacks, really) Lumpy’s chest. “Calm down!”

After a few minutes of Jihye struggling with holding Lumpy down while Lumpy wailed and flailed in a tone that honestly hurt Jihye’s eardrums, Lumpy relents, falling still. Lumpy falls limp against the cold, narrow compartment floor, one leg draped above him along the train seats.

For a second, Jihye wonders if Lumpy’s just died, seeing as he had stopped moving completely. But then Lumpy snores, softly, mouth falling open, and Jihye can't believe Lumpy fell back asleep.

Jihye sits back on her heels, mouth open in disbelief. falls even wider when she scans Lumpy’s face and realizes that Lumpy is, one, a man and, two, very, very handsome.

His lashes are long and he’s tan, skin a soft brown color. He looks young, dark hair sticking up in an attractive way and lips plump. He looks absolutely gorgeous and absolutely dead to the world. Jihye would say she’s confused, but confused is an understatement, so instead of wondering what the hell is wrong with this man, she drops the blue and white checkered scarf on his chest, frowning as his mouth falls open and he unconsciously scratches at his stomach. He’s wrapped in blankets and Jihye knows he’ll have a hard time untangling himself from them. The thought amuses her to no end.

She snorts and stands up, brushing her hands against her thighs before settling into her seat. She tries to sleep, but Lumpy is obnoxiously loud and ends up rolling down the compartment floor and under her legs. At one point he grasps onto her calf, hugging it to him as he murmurs something along the lines of stay a couple more minutes please and she glares at him. It takes her five minutes to pry his hands from her leg and she scowls at him with sleepy eyes, her knees pressed to her chest. She has half a mind to kick him but quickly decides she’s going to kill him when he wakes up. She needs her beauty sleep.

~.~.~.~.~

Jihye wakes up with a sudden jolt of her body and pain shooting up her shoulder. Bleary eyed, she sits up and finds herself sprawled across the floor of the compartment. The train has come to a full stop, the sounds of a busy train station buzzing from beyond the smudged window. She rubs her eyes and realizes that Lumpy is sitting in his seat.

For a moment, Jihye wonders if he’s asleep, but then he turns to her (slowly and rather dramatically, she might add) and Jihye frowns when he grimaces at her, expression resembling a grumpy kitten’s. His expression is more stoic than her own mother’s and it’s disconcerting to witness.

“Um.” He grumbles. “Why are you on the floor?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” Jihye snaps, pointing at him.

He just scrutinizes her appearance, eyes lingering on her messy hair. She pats at it, self-consciously, and he yawns, mouth wide. Then he holds up his wallet. “You didn’t steal anything, did you?”

“No.” She snaps, frowning. She wonders where he managed to dig that out from, seeing as he was wrapped in blankets and a coat. “Why would you ask me that?”

“You touched me last night.” He speaks bluntly.

Jihye’s mouth falls open in shock and annoyance. Her cheeks turn red and she feels embarrassed at how badly his words can be taken out of context. “I was…You were dying or something. I was just making sure you were okay.” She demonstrates how he had fallen off his seat and he just stares at her, unimpressed.

“Sure.” Lumpy says, aggravated. He still looks suspicious. “That’s what they all say.”

Jihye splutters as he stands up, reaching overhead for his luggage. His hair falls into a disarray of hair sticking out every which way and his scarf covers his chin and half of his mouth. “At least say thank you.” Jihye retorts. “I mean you wouldn’t stop snoring. I deserve a thanks.”

“Thanks.” Lumpy says, insincerely, as he slides open the compartment door. He gives her a rather disparaging look and she clenches her fist. He’s wrapped in heavy blankets, a coat, and a scarf, despite the fact that it’s barely chilly outside. Just before he steps out, he tacks on an incensed, “ert” over his shoulder.

He’s slips out of the compartment and Jihye has never felt more confused and annoyed. She angrily reaches for her suitcase and pulls it along, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

She quickly forgets about Lumpy when she steps onto the platform and looks around, amazed at the sheer amount of people covering the square. She can hear a chorus of honking outside and she feels a jolt of excitement go through her. She feels tiny surrounded by skyscrapers that tower over her and people bustling back and forth, importance dripping from their every step. The smell of coffee drifts through the air and when she takes another step forward, she’s hit with the scent of delicious street food, indecipherable voices buzzing all around her. She feels like she’s a part of something welcoming, something big.

Jihye grins as she takes in her surroundings.

She’s here. She’s finally in Seoul.

~.~.~.~.~

With a map in her hands and her luggage behind her, Jihye sets out for SM Entertainment. Open auditions were supposed to start soon, according to the flyer tucked safely in her pocket, and she’s never felt so nervous in her life. Her hands are shaking in excitement and she’s barely aware of her surroundings, intent on her destination. She wants to prove that she has what it takes to become a star. She wants to prove to her parents that she can take care of herself. She wants to prove to the world that she’s not just trying to fulfill some kind of childish fantasy.

She can do this.

Just as Jihye turns the corner, someone runs right into her sending her sprawling on her back. A man with a square jaw and curved, ever-present smile lets out a hurried sorry before continuing on his way, ignoring the fact that he had just pushed her. He didn’t even make sure she was okay. She rolls her eyes as she gets to her feet, expression falling when she realizes the handle of her suitcase was broken. With a heavy sigh, Jihye half-carries, half-drags her suitcase with her, thanking the gods she only has a couple blocks left to go.

She can do this.

She will pass this audition.

She will fulfil her dream.

~.~.~.~.~

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but you need an appointment.” The woman behind the main desk sounds bored, her tone monotonous as she clacks away at her computer.

“But, I—”

“Appointments only.”

Jihye lets out a soft breath, calming herself. “Then can I make an appointment?”

“You’ll have to call in for that.”

“Can I have the number please?” Jihye says, slowly, forcing herself to remain as polite as possible. She stares at the woman, whose nametag reads Sunny. Sunny types slowly before she slowly looks up at Jihye and smiles, so damn sunnily, that Jihye fleetingly wonders if the name is some kind of nickname. Parents are something else, she admits, but she doubts anyone can be that perceptive when naming their newborn baby.

“Of course.” Sunny smiles widely. “Let me find you a business card.”

Jihye stands there, tapping her foot as she tries to seem as patient as she can, while Sunny slowly shuffles through her desk. There’s a soft aha before Sunny’s perfectly manicured fingers are right in front of Jihye’s nose. Jihye takes it and feels sheepish. “Uh. Can I use your phone?”

Sunny’s smile is blinding and Jihye quickly realizes she only does that when she’s refusing Jihye of something. “Payphones are over there.”

Jihye glances over her shoulder and sees the line of payphones across the lobby. After a moment of contemplation, Jihye decides to leave her things next to the desk before heading off to the phones.

Jihye shuffles through her phone until she finds the right amount of won and dials the number on the crisp, white card. She waits and waits and waits until a familiar female voice finally answers.

“Hello, you’ve reached S.M. Entertainment. This is Sunny speaking. How can I help you?”

Jihye nearly drops the phone in shock. “Are you serious?” She mutters, turning on her heels just to see Sunny sitting at the main desk and speaking into a phone.

“Excuse me?” Sunny responds, politely.

Jihye narrows her eyes and shakes her head. “Nothing. Sorry. I was wondering if I could schedule an appointment for auditions.”

“Of course!” Sunny exclaims and Jihye watches in annoyance as Sunny turns to her computer. “Can I have your name please?”

“Moon Jihye.”

“Pretty name.” Sunny comments, in a bubbly tone. “I actually have a spot open in about an hour. Would you be able to make that?”

Jihye wonders if Sunny finds this amusing and judging from the wide smile Jihye can see from all the way across the lobby, Jihye figures she does find this amusing. “There’s a bit of traffic, but I’m sure I’ll be able to make it.” Jihye responds, sarcastically.

“Excellent!” Sunny says. “See you then.”

Jihye hangs up and stomps across the lobby, dodging a few businessmen in her path. Sunny looks up at her and Jihye swears she sees a glint of delight in her eyes. “Hello. How can I help you?”

“My name is Moon Jihye and I’m here for an audition.”

“Oh! You’re early.”

Jihye never realized the city could be this annoying.

~.~.~.~.~

A man sits at the center of a terribly long table, a look in his eyes that makes Jihye’s skin prickle.

She pushes her discomfort aside though and sings. She sings her heart out, emotions running free and mind flying away with her words, notes falling from her lips so easily that she absolutely forgets to be nervous.

Jihye gets invited to a second audition and excitement bubbles up inside her until she’s dying to let it all out.

“It’s a private audition. With important company people.” The man in the suit says, smiling. “So…make sure to dress…better.”

She doesn’t let his sneer and judging eyes get to her.

~.~.~.~.~

Jihye twirls her hotel key card in her fingers, humming to herself happily, when for the second time today someone slams into her. She looks up from where she’s sprawled across the floor, ready to yell at the person, when her voice dies out.

“Lumpy.” Jihye exclaims quickly, scrambling to her feet.

Lumpy looks down at her, eyebrows furrowed. He slowly points at himself. “Did you just call me lumpy?”

“Well you are kind of…,” Jihye gestures at him wildly. He’s still wrapped in a number of blankets beneath a giant coat, a scarf wrapped around the bottom of his face. “Lumpy.”

“And you’re a ert.” Lumpy mutters.

“Is that any way to treat the girl you just shoved to the ground?” Jihye responds, crossing her arms. He doesn’t respond, shifty eyes darting. “Who are you looking for?”

“Nothing.” He responds too quickly.

Jihye picks up her handle-less suitcase, not convinced at all. “Okay. Whatever. See you later, Lumpy.”

“It’s Jongin.” Lumpy—Jongin—calls back to her, as she makes her way to her room. She waves him off; Lumpy suits him so much better.

Jihye spends the next couple days before her audition at a hotel she tries really hard to pretend is definitely within her budget.

Jihye never realized the city could be so expensive.

~.~.~.~.~

Moon Jihye becomes restless and jittery with anticipation. She can’t stand still, her heart fluttering in her chest, and the next thing she knows, she’s standing outside the bar across the street. She stares at it for a moment, a voice that sounds vaguely like her mother’s telling her to step away right now, but that doesn’t deter her. As a matter of fact, that voice might have egged her on because suddenly she’s sitting at the bar and ordering a fruity cocktail for herself.

(She doesn’t like to drink hard liquor because she’s afraid it’ll ruin her voice. She doesn’t want to ruin the one thing she, admittedly, bases all her self-worth upon.)

She’s halfway through her drink, wallowing in her thoughts, when the bar stool next to hers is scraped across the floor. She gives him a cursory glance before turning back to doodling on her napkin with a tiny bar pencil the bartender had given her (an unsurprised smile gracing his features when she had discretely taken it).

Then she whips her head back up and gapes. She’d recognize that square jaw and strange smile anywhere. “You!” She exclaims, so loudly that half the bar turns to look at her. Jihye ducks her head in embarrassment, still eyeing the man with the square jaw, the one who had run into her with barely an apology and broke her suitcase. He downs a full shot of something clear before turning his full attention on her.

He looks so confused and Jihye momentarily gets distracted by how adorable confusion looks on him. He looks around before he points at himself. “Me?” He mouths it, looking absolutely startled.

Maybe she should drop it but she has a little bit too much alcohol in her system and that generally means a Very Mouthy Jihye.

“Yeah, you.” Jihye pokes his arm and pretends like it didn’t hurt her finger a bit. “You’re the one who ran into me on the streets and barely said sorry!”

He stares at Jihye for a long time, eyes going blank, and doesn’t respond for a good two minutes. She wonders if she broke him.

Then his mouth falls into the tiniest of smirks. His eyes are still blank. “I don’t remember you.”

“You broke my suitcase.” Jihye pouts.

“You should have watched where you were going.” Jihye glowers at him but before she can say anything he continues speaking, even as he places an elbow on the bar and leans his head on his hand, smiling sideways at her like a cat. “But I’ll buy you a drink as an apology.”

“You’d better.” Jihye mumbles, looking away quickly when he doesn’t stop staring. “Jerk.” She adds, for good measure.

“Jongdae.”

“What?” She wrinkles her nose at him.

He smiles as he slides a bottle of soju in her direction. It scrapes across the wooden surface and she grabs for it. Their fingers brush. “It’s Kim Jongdae.”

~.~.~.~.~

One hour later and Jihye quickly learns that Jongdae’s from the countryside just like her. He wants to be a successful businessman and he’s managed to pitch an idea to an important corporate company. That’s why he had run into her; he was in a hurry. He was told that they’d call him back soon. She’s proud of him and she tells him so. He just laughs, rolling his eyes and repeats the sentiments to her about her auditions (even though she’s pretty sure he’s just mocking her). He tells her of his father; of the ultimatum he had been given the night Jongdae packed his bags.

Inherit Father’s civil service job and take care of the farm or leave.

Jihye wonders aloud if his father really expected him to leave. She remembers when her mother would say the same thing. Do this or leave. She’d never have the guts to leave and her mother knew it. She wonders what they think now. It’s none of her business but she can’t stop the words from leaving .

Jongdae looks sad, then, smile halfway there and eyes glassy. “I think he did expect me to leave. Sometimes I wonder if he wanted me to leave.”

They both take a shot at that, for family’s sake.

~.~.~.~.~

“You know what.” Jihye mumbles into Kim Jongdae’s firm shoulder. “I wish you luck in your business endeavors, my friend.”

“How are you so drunk when I drank more?” Jongdae stumbles over his words a bit and walks a little funny, but Jihye can tell he’s not exactly piss drunk. And neither is she.

Jihye giggles, head lolling to the side awkwardly. “I’m not drunk.” She mutters, but her syllables are barely separated and she figures maybe, just maybe, she is drunk.

“Right.” He mutters, hauling her up by the waist as he helps her across the street and towards her hotel. “And I’ve got a tail.”

Jihye stops in her tracks, pulling him back with her. He stumbles back and she him in concern. “Do you really? I’m no doctor but that can’t be good.”

Jongdae actually rolls his eyes at her and she feels offended that he’d dismiss her concern so quickly. “Let’s get you to your room.”

It does cross Jihye’s mind that she doesn’t exactly know Kim Jongdae that well and he could easily turn out to be an axe murderer or worse. But she prides herself in having a generally good intuition. She thinks Jongdae seems nice enough. But just in case— “You’re not an axe murderer or something, are you?”

“What if I was?” He asks, playfully, as they step out of the elevator. His eyes twinkle deviously and she scrunches her face at him.

“Then, please don’t kill me.”

He pats her head, movement sloppy when he accidentally ruffles it. She groans, reaching up to pat her hair down. “Since you asked nicely I guess I’ll spare you”

She nods her head, her eyes feeling heavy. They reach her room and she fumbles with the hotel key before the door finally beeps and unlocks. He grins at her and it’s sweet, if not a little mischievous. “Good luck with your audition.”

She looks up at him solemnly. “You should get that tail checked out.”

She can hear him laughing, loudly and obnoxiously, even after she shuts the door and falls into the soft bed.

~.~.~.~.~

When Jihye walks into the audition room, there are two men this time, sitting quietly at that same long table. Sunny doesn’t even bother Jihye when she appeared at the front desk, trying her best to remain as calm as physically possible.

They ask her to sing and she does. Her head pounds from the alcohol the night before and barely had anything to eat, queasiness settling into her stomach, but she belts out every pitch and note perfectly. Her tone doesn’t falter and she closes her eyes, falling into the music like she’s practiced.

She can feel eyes boring into her and she doesn’t like it. She thrives for attention, being a performer and all, but these eyes don’t feel adoring. They feel wrong.

They feel predatory.

Jihye hides her shaking hands behind her back and smiles when she’s done singing.

~.~.~.~.~.

One of them leaves. He whispers something into the other man’s ear before he leaves, shoulder brushing against Jihye’s in a way that nearly makes her flinch.

It’s silent for a long time.

Even as the other man steps around the long table and Jihye counts the long seconds it takes for him to get around the length of it. He leans back on the table and rolls up his sleeves. Jihye shuffles in her place, eyes glued onto his casual movements.

He’s saying something but Jihye doesn’t catch it, not when he start walking towards her, strides long and expression almost…animalistic.

His last sentence, however, manages to cut through the sound of her heart pounding against her eardrums, blood rushing to her head.

“Show me how much you want this, Jihye-ssi.”

Panic settles in her chest and she doesn’t know how to process the fingers slipping from her shoulders to the straps of her dress. Panic slithers into her the depths of her heart and she breathes heavily, heart pumping, breathing staggered. She moves without realizing it, arms robotic.

No. No, no, no, no, no.

Her head is echoing with that one word and her limbs move on their own accord, her body’s natural fight or flight extinct jolting to action.

She slaps him. Hard.

The sound bounces and echoes throughout the room and her hand stings from the force of it.

His head snaps to the side and she squeaks, in disbelief and horror.

She backs away then, his hard eyes following her every movement as his head tilts to the side. His lips turn up into a cruel sneer, eyes dark.

And then he lets loose a slew of words that burrows itself into the deepest crevices of her mind. The words find a home there and she later learns that she’ll never be able to get rid of them, not completely.

“Do you think you’re special, Moon Jihye? How many little country girls do you think come here on a daily basis, wanting to make their dreams come true? You’re not special. Your talent is average. There are kids more talented than you. But.” He laughs loudly, mockingly, and she steps back. “But you’ve got a pretty face. That’s all you have and it’s best if you learn how to use it now rather than—”

She turns on her heels and runs, door slamming behind her.

~.~.~.~.~

Maybe Moon Jihye was wrong. Maybe she wasn’t as cut out to care for herself as she originally thought she was.

Sunny had given her an incredibly sad look, one Jihye had figured Sunny didn’t even know how to do. Jihye’s eyes had prickled and burned but she refused to cry.

She only had enough money for one more night at the hotel but the voice in her head that sounded like her mother wouldn’t relent in its commands.

You have just enough money left to either stay here in comfort for one night before living on the streets or you can get a train ticket back home.

Go home, Jihye.

You couldn’t do it.

You have nothing left here.

You don’t know how to work.

You can’t do it.

Go home.

Another voice joins her mother’s and she winces.

You’re not special.

Go home.

~.~.~.~.~

The walk to the train station is a long one. She tries her best to ignore the fact that it’s getting darker and colder, and the bustling sounds of the city give way to something much more sinister. The tall buildings feel like prison towers and she power walks to the train station as fast as she can.

Lunch break. Will be back in 30 minutes. The sign placed precariously inside the ticket booth reads.

She looks around the less crowded train station and averts her eyes when a hooded figure at the far corner looks up at her, his fingers fiddling with a lighter and a cigarette.

She sits at the cold bench; legs pulled up to her chest and cheeks pressed to her knees.

How could she be so stupid and naïve?

It gets chillier and darker and she curls into herself as best as she can, trying to keep attention away from her.

~.~.~.~.~

Jihye watches warily as someone takes a seat beside her.

 

She tries not to look at him, instead taking to glancing at him sideways, along her peripheral vision.

But she jumps when he speaks, voice incredibly familiar. “Moon Jihye, huh?”

Jihye turns to look at him, squinting in the dim station lights. His square jaw is as prominent as ever but he’s not smiling. He looks grim, eyes dull. “Kim Jongdae?”

He just nods.

Jihye sits up a little straighter and peers up at him, even as he slumps back on the bench, eyes vacant as he stares at the empty train tracks. “Did your business plan work out?” Jihye asks, hoping at least one of them would snag a bit of good luck.

He shakes his head and her heart plummets. He turns to the side, head tilting and hair falling into his eyes. “What about you?”

Memories flash through her mind and her bottom lip trembles the tiniest bit. “No.” She murmurs. Then she smiles, ignoring the way her eyes sting. “They just can’t understand pure talent.”

For a moment he’s silent, his dark eyes searching hers in a way she doesn’t quite like. It looks like he knows she’s hiding something. She continues speaking, voice still cheery. “That counts for you, too. They’ll regret not choosing you.” Jihye says, encouragingly, raising a fist weakly.

He actually smiles at that, lips curving. It doesn’t quite reach his eyes but she’s glad he doesn’t look as sad as he did before. He glances at the empty train tracks before looking back at Jihye. “Are you going home?”

“Yeah…” She looks at him. “Are you?”

He nods, dejectedly. “I don’t really want to.”

It’s silent for a long time, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

“Neither do I.” Jihye finally murmurs, when the conversation should have been long over.

~.~.~.~.~

“I have an idea.” Jongdae says, abruptly turning his whole body in Jihye’s direction. She sits up with a start, watching Jongdae with mild curiosity and bewilderment.

“What?” Jihye mumbles, rubbing her eyes. She was just beginning to doze off, the ticket booth for the train still stating that the employee was on lunch break.

"How about we stick together? Until we figure something out?" He says, his lips curling up into a thoughtful smirk.

She shivers internally, hugging her legs further into her chest. Technically she doesn’t even know him. "Why should I trust you?"

"Who else is there to trust?" He asks, raising an eyebrow as he pointedly looks around the dark train station.

She glances around her, too, at the bleak pavement and skyscrapers towering above their heads and swaying so, so close to God. He's right, she realizes then. She's alone in a place with too many people, all of whom give zero s about her. Except for this boy, with the sculpted jaw and sweet, soothing voice. He seems to want her to tag along in whatever he’s planning.

She sighs, half-shrugging, "Okay." She mutters. His face lights up and he smiles. Then she jabs him in the chest, warningly, "But you better figure something out quick."

He scowls at her then, pursing his lips and resembling a duck. "Why do I have to figure something out?"

"Because I can't be the pretty one and the smart one." She says with a roll of her eyes, waving her hand dismissively.

He blinks for a long moment before he suddenly bursts into laughter, his voice loud and obnoxious and strangely calming. She’s glad that this time, his amusement seems to reach his eyes.

She smiles slightly as she watches him bend over from the force of his laughter and waits for him to let it all out, rolling her eyes a little. Finally, he slumps back against the cold bench and rolls his eyes at her, smiling slightly, lips curved and she likes this, she decides. She likes that she isn’t so alone in such a cold, bleak city. She likes this better than taking a train back home.

Moon Jihye’s just glad she doesn’t have to go home. She’s glad that her dreams aren’t quite finished yet.

“I’ll figure something out.” Jongdae grins, smile almost cat-like. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head.”

Moon Jihye snorts and Kim Jongdae smiles, pleasantly.

~.~.~.~.~

2 Weeks Later.

~

“Sir, sorry to interrupt. I have a report for you.” Kim Minseok glances up from his reports. A familiar doe-eyed officer stares at him, a manila folder in his hand. Luhan bows before holding out the manila folder, a wary expression plastered across his face.

Minseok takes the folder and places it in front of him, on top of the small stack of files. Minseok doesn’t open it, instead he leans on his elbow and looks up at Luhan, pursing his lips. “What is this one about?”

“It’s classified, Captain.” Luhan responds immediately, straight backed and prim as ever.

Minseok doesn’t miss the way Luhan’s doe eyes sparkle and Minseok very nearly snorts in amusement. “Never stopped you from taking a peek before, now did it?”

There’s a moment of silence before Luhan falls out of his stiff position and breaks into the ugliest grin Minseok has ever seen. Minseok enjoys it and he finds himself laughing, shaking his head. “How’d you find out?”

Minseok just raises a brow. “I’m an investigative officer, Luhan. I’m not stupid.”

Luhan’s expression tells Minseok that he begs to differ and Minseok can’t seem to find offense with it. He likes cheeky officers, especially since he’s surrounded by stiff employees day in and day out. It’s a nice change.

Minseok casually opens the folder and skims over the report. A report of a robbery, it reads. There aren’t enough details, the eyewitness reports coming out much too jumbled to be beneficial in anyway. “Petty theft, huh?” Minseok leans on his palm and sighs. He was expecting something challenging. Why would petty theft be classified, anyway?

“If you call robbing a bank petty theft, then yeah.” Luhan says.

Minseok looks up, confused. “What?”

Luhan laughs. “Are you still not used to the way we do our reports, Captain?” Minseok wrinkles his nose and Luhan points at the folder. “It’s on the back.”

Minseok flips the page over, grumbling about nonsensical formatting, before his mouth falls open. “A national bank?”

“250 million won.” Luhan says rather solemnly. “And the culprits left nothing behind.”

Kim Minseok feels a peculiar sort of excitement in his bones as he eyes the report. Finally, something exciting.

---

a/n:

This is a surprise update!! I'm still not done with Good Girls and I've realized that writing 3 ongoing fics at once is really hard for me to concentrate on (I mix up a lot of info between the fics oops). So updates will be slow with this, but here's the first chapter! Thank you to everyone who subbed and commented already, you're all A+++ the best!! <3

Please let me know what you think! :)

xoxo