KIM DONGHYUN

"There. This was the CCTV footage that was retrieved from the ward the other day,"

As we sat down in a row in the interrogation room, Jinyoung stood by a mini television, fiddling with the remote. In front of us, the video soon started playing and he headed towards the back to dim the lights.

I sat down with my teeth clenched. The footage first showed Jongsuk sleeping soundly on his bed before what seems like a staff of ours entered the room about a minute after. He was dressed in a white coat and had a mask over his mouth. Slowly, he approached Jongsuk's bed but as I watched on, my grip tightened on the sides of the chair. 

Turning his head around suspiciously to confirm that coast was clear, his hands then trailed to Jongsuk's nasal cannula and slowly, he removed it. 

"What the fu-,"

"Calm down", Jimin reached for my hand and held me back just as I was about to lunge at the screen. 

From the corners of my eyes, I could see Jungkook fuming as well but as an officer, he was professional enough to not let himself bring his feelings into the case. 

And, that was not all. From the footage, we saw Jongsuk clearly struggling on the bed while widening his eyes at the assassin, but giving him a sinister smile, that creep only stood there and watched Jongsuk suffered, desperately fighting for air until he finally lost consciousness. 

My heart sank at the sight while Jungkook on the other hand, remained calm and composed. 

"Pause it right there", he instructed Jinyoung. 

"Now, zoom in. I want to take a clear look at that bastard's face,"

The moment Jinyoung did so, all of us leaned in and scrutinized the image. 

"I don't remember seeing him around in the hospital", Jimin shook his head.

"And he's definitely not in the Pediatrics Team. I can swear", I said firmly, waiting for Jungkook's response. 

He had his hand rested on his forehead and with a look of dismay, he got up from his chair. He was standing by the door, ready to leave when he turned back and told the officer,

"Jinyoung-ssi, screenshot that and put him on the WANTED list", he paused and continued,

"He's GD, T.O.P's right hand man,"

---

"Donghyun-ssi, can I speak to you for a second?"

I had stayed a little while longer to facilitate the process of explaining Jongsuk's death report to all but after I was done, Jungkook called out after me.

"This. I want to return this to you," he took my hand, opened up my palm and placed the item on it. 

"Eomma said that it was yours in the first place", he smiled and as I stared at the item in my hand, I realised that it was that coin. 

That supposedly 'lucky' penny, he had called. 

"Thanks", I gave Jungkook a solemn look and turning my body around, I was in time to leave when he asked me,

"Donghyun-ssi, can we fix another date?"

I looked back at him, surprised. I couldn't believe that he was still in the mood for a date but aware of what I was thinking in my mind, Jungkook shook his head briefly and explained.

"Don't get me wrong. I just lost one of my loved one and I'm afraid of losing another", he took my hands in his all of a sudden. 

"And since I got you into this mess, it's my responsibility to protect you now. I have a bad feeling that those guys will come after you next", he frowned. 

"I-"

Before I could even reply, Jimin whooshed past Jungkook and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, taking me by surprise. I saw Jungkook cocking up his brows at us and I waited for Jimin to say something but he did not. 

"Donghyun-ssi, who is Dr. Park to you?", Jungkook asked curiously while eyeing the two of us.

"He's just-"

“He's got some humor to him, doesn’t he", Jimin cut in to my words and gave me a tender smile, that only when Jungkook started staring blankly at us that made me suddenly very protective.

This isn't the Jimin I know, I thought. But this is definitely what I call, y.

"If you don't mind, I'm talking to Donghyun-ssi, and not you", Jungkook raised his tone at Jimin.

“Uh, yeah. So funny. Too bad I won't allow that to happen”, he winced.

"'cos I'm her boyfriend,"

---

PARK JIMIN

The giggle built up inside her like so much water behind a dam, making her shoulders shake and her belly hurt. When it erupted from , it sounded more like a braying donkey as she fought to breathe and stifle the tears.

Seating beside Donghyun in the car, I couldn't help but to be annoyed by her incessant laughter. I knew that she was laughing at me and it was only when I stopped the car at the red light that I got the chance to retaliate.

"Yah, will you stop it?"

Donghyun tilted her head to the side and smirked at me. 

"'cos I'm her boyfriend," 

She mimic and did an action as though she was shivering from the chills while sticking out her tongue at me. Embarrassed, I flicked her in the forehead with my index finger before I turned away. 

"I was doing you a favour by saving you from more trouble,"

"Well, but I wouldn't call that trouble. Jungkook's my friend, and...", she stole a glance at me, 

"You're just a fake,"

Her words filtered through my mind and my body stiffened. I felt a pang in my chest but I tried to ignore it as I stared upfront.

"Anyway, you don't have to turn up at the hospital today?", she then proceeded on asking, totally oblivious to the change in my expression.

Holding on to the steering wheel, I replied anyway,

"Nope. Since you wasted half of my  day, I might as well call in sick,"
"Wow, what a great boyfriend,"
"Shut up,"

Holding in her laughter, she drew out her sketchbook and started drawing once the green light appeared. On the other hand, I continued to focus on driving us back home but thirty minutes into the ride, Donghyun suddenly gestured for me to pull over at one corner. 

"y, stop right there,"

I stamped onto the brakes and halted in time. 

Opening the door, she stepped out of it swiftly, closed the door and beckoned for me to roll down the windshield. 

"Since your time is all mine for today, come back here to fetch me in-," she took note of the time on her watch,

"Half an hour's time. I will probably be done by then", she said. Then giving me a wink, she skipped towards the shopping centre that stood in front of us without even waiting for my reply. 

---

I waited in my car for the past thirty minutes and seeing that the meeting time is going to up, I pulled down the mirror and fixed my hair slightly. Checking my reflection on the rear mirror, I soon made out her petite figure gradually approaching the car from the back. A smile crept up on my face right away. 

Kim Donghyun had had that look young women often wear, but nowadays, always behind those curling lips of her, it became a kiss just waiting to be tempted out. I never wanted to guess my own feelings but damn it, I think that I'm actually starting to like her. Sometimes, she'd look my way and I would generally pretend not to notice, afraid that showing too much interest, she would have run. And lately, when I did return her glances, I didn't have to try to smile, it just came so naturally. 

"Hi, I'm back", she opened the door and climbed into the car with a cheerful smile. 

In her hands, she was holding on to a paper bag and when she caught me eyeing it, she stuffed it into my arms. 

"This is for you by the way,"
"Hmm?"

"Open it up and see for yourself", she jerked her head at me and grinned cheekily. 

After buckling her seatbelt, Donghyun watched me as I opened the gift, tension playing over her gaunt features. Inside the paper bag, there was a store-wrapped box and unwrapping it, I found a bracelet with a small little cartoon character charm attached to it. 

"What is this?", I couldn't hide my smile as I questioned her, dangling the bracelet in the air. 

"That's Dooly, your icon", she told me, 

"And for your information, I did notice what Jin cooked for you specially this morning. Seaweed soup uh, you think you can keep it in from me, y?"

Without any other words, Donghyun took the bracelet over from my hand, secured it over my wrist, chuckling.

"You brought it in yourself. Now, you are forever mine, Park Jimin", she recited in a teasing tone and leaning in towards me, she kissed me on my cheek.

"Happy birthday,"