“Brake lines were cut almost all the way through, and the tiny bit holding it all together snapped clean when you slammed on the brakes after you gave chase,” the mechanic explained, showing Hyukjae the neat cut followed by jagged edges in the line. “Petrol tank was bored through too, on the left side; that’s what caused the black smoke you saw. It’s a wonder you guys are still alive at this point. It could have exploded with you guys in it.”

“That’s what almost happened,” Hyukjae gritted, his hands balled into fists. “Someone wanted to make sure we were absolutely dead. He’s the reason why Donghae has a concussion in the hospital now.”

The mechanic clucked his tongue and sighed. “I hope he’s alright. An explosion like this could have just killed anyone, not just give them a concussion. I hope it’s nothing too serious.”

Hyukjae nodded, then shook his head. The memories were still fresh in his mind and he couldn’t block out the screams and cries of agony he heard in his head, from the scene, in his voice. When Donghae went slack in his arms, Hyukjae almost had a panic attack and pleaded for a response from the younger, wanting to hold him tightly in his arms and comfort him, but also not daring to move him from his spot on the ground in case there were any broken bones. He was so afraid that he would lose Donghae again, especially since no amount of screaming and crying from his part would wake the dirtied and bloodied younger up. When the paramedics arrived a couple minutes later, Hyukjae went ballistic when they forced him to let go of Donghae so they could transport the wounded inspector into the ambulance.

It hadn’t been a pleasant sight to see. Both Hyukjae and Donghae were admitted into the hospital immediately, with Hyukjae having being sedated heavily just so they could patch up his wounds and get him to calm down, whilst Donghae was wheeled into the operating room to take care of that ugly deep gash on his forehead. Hyukjae had been discharged just a day later, but stayed in his fiance’s ward day and night to watch over him, leaving only when the mechanic called.

“Wait… what did you say just now?” Hyukjae suddenly asked.

The mechanic blinked in surprise. “What did I say? Um… I’m glad you guys are still alive?”

“No, not that, before that.”

“I was telling you about the brake line being cut?”

Hyukjae nodded furiously. “Go on, you said something about the black smoke caused by a hole in the petrol tank too.”

“That’s what I said,” the mechanic replied, completely confused. “There was a hole on the left side of the tank, around the size of a coin—”

“That!!” Hyukjae yelled, scaring the mechanic out of his wits. “It was on the left side?”

“Um, yeah, I can show it to you if you want to see it.”

Hyukjae just felt a million lightbulbs go off in his head. “Let me guess, the brake cables were also severed on the left side?”

“Now that you mention it, yeah. The left side was cleanly cut and the jagged edges were on the right,” the mechanic replied. “Does that help with anything?”

Hyukjae looked grim and nodded, feeling excited yet dreading the confrontation he knew was about to come.

* * *

Donghae was up and about again the next day, nearly threatening the doctors and nurses there who insisted on him staying another day at the hospital for observations, but aside from the constant aching of his head, the consistent buzzing in his ears, and the swollen lump of gauze on his forehead, Donghae felt great. Not even any amount of Hyukjae pleading with the younger to stay for another round of check-ups could make Donghae’s resolve budge, and in the end the officer gave in, compromising with the inspector however that he wasn’t allowed to drive or run or yell or do anything that would stress himself out and make the aftermath of the concussion worse.

So he agreed and signed the release papers, and Hyukjae begrudgingly brought him back to work, chiding him softly about worrying him to death because of the accident.

Which was just in time too.

They bumped into Sungmin on the way to Donghae’s office, and the senior officer’s eyes immediately lighted up.

“Donghae! I’m so glad to see you back, we were all so worried about you! Hyukjae never told us you were coming back today,” Sungmin said, throwing Hyukjae a dirty look.

“Hey, I never knew he was coming back today either!”

Donghae chuckled and brushed it aside. “I felt that it was a waste to stay in the hospital while there was a killer on the loose. I can rest when this case is over,” he replied, giving Hyukjae’s hand a small squeeze when he saw the concerned look in his lover’s eyes.

Sungmin nodded in understanding. “Maybe you’d like to take over now? If your head isn’t throbbing too much, of course.” Donghae raised an eyebrow in question and the senior officer hastily explained. “We picked up an accomplice of Taemin’s. She’s in the interrogation room now, and I was just on my way there.”

“She?”

“Taemin’s girlfriend.” Sungmin