Sunday 23:30:45

"I need detail, HyeIn-sshi. Everything you remember needs to be written down on this sheet." I just stared at Replacement. He wasn't good at his job. During processing, he forgot to ask me certain questions til Tuan chimed in. He hated it when Tuan corrected him. No, I think he just hated Tuan. He probably hates me too since I'm linked to Tuan. 

"Yoo Youngjae and I flew to Beijing to confront Song KyungIl. Early Saturday morning, we did that. The police somehow were on the scene and had taken Yoo Youngjae. I fled down a fire escape and went back to the hotel we had checked into, getting my things, and going to the airport. I tried to get a ticket to Tibet, but I needed a travel permit. I sold myself to a gang for 3500USD and under the alias that I was escaping another gang called Seventeen. I was mistaken for KyulKyung if that name rings a bell. I was taken to a hair salon, then to the brothel. There I was told I had a client and at 11 I was supposed to be in room 143. I was there, with a gun, waiting to kill the person and escape with my money so I could buy a fake permit. Because I had Yoo Youngjae's passport in the bag I had brought in, the leader of the gang, Kris, investigated and found out about my ties with North Korea. He was selling me to them when the police and you all intercepted." 

"That isn't enough detail. What was the name of the gang? What were the other member's names? How did you know to go to that block? How is Alpha tied to China?" I looked at him and let out a laugh, leaning against the chair I was in. Replacement wanted to handcuff me to it, but Jackson was being nice. 

"You know, when you interrogate people, you are supposed to throw out all your questions. It means I know what you're digging for and I know exactly what answers to dodge or hide. I know that you're the replacement and it might be your first time actually doing something, but I'm not impressed. You really can't replace Tuan." 

"I'm going to have to replace him permanently soon," He muttered under his breath and I put my feet on the table, looking at the heels I was left in. They wouldn't let me change my clothes during my time in the Chinese processing site and they wouldn't let me do it on the plane back to Korea either. I think it was quite rude, but I think if I complained Jackson would've gone off. He seemed even more pissed after I back talked the Chinese officers. 

"Let me try something, hm?" He leaned back in his chair, reading the folder in front of him, "What's your name?" 

"Why do you ask?" He was playing into it already. 

"Well, because I don't know your name. I've been calling you replacement in my head for the past 9 hours and I know Tuan mentioned it once, but I failed to care. Now, I need it." He seemed shocked that I didn't know his name. I mean, he wasn't wearing a badge or a name tag either. 

"Jo Kwon." I nodded and sat up, resting my elbows on the table.

"And you use to be a behind the desk cop guessing how bad your interrogation skills are?" His eyes narrowed. He has a complex.

"No, I was in the Special Espionage Unit 2." 

"Oh, my mistake. Tuan told me stuff about his replacement but not enough I guess." He smirked and closed the folder. 

"What did Tuan say about me? I'm curious." 

"You like this one girl, but I forgot her name. She's from Forensics... I think?" I had no idea what the hell I was saying, but he's about to play himself into my trap. I hope people are watching. 

"She's not in Forensics. She's in the Treasury." I gave him a confused look. 

"What a treasury? I haven't heard that word." He let out a huff of amusement. What a . I know what a ing treasury is. 

"They handle the money. This girl is one of the heads. One of the jobs she has is to log all of the things that come in and out. Like treasure." He put his hands and spread them in a rainbow when he said the word treasure. It is now time for the closing call. 

"Oh! You like HyeJoon! That's what Tuan said." 

"No, I don't like HyeJoon! What a ! Mark's wrong." I shook my head. 

"Mark is definitely not wrong. And I've heard that said around that you like HyeJoon." He rolled his eyes. 

"You didn't even know what a treasury was, how do you even know the girls who work there?" I stood up and slammed my fist down on the table.

"No, , it's HyeJoon! You're just lying so we can think it's someone else. I know this! I've been told by so many people!" He stood up along with me, clearly angry that I was saying I knew more than him. 

"How do you even know this? You didn't know who I was and you didn't know what a treasury was! How do you know about GaIn if you've nev...er..." I smiled and sat down, putting my feet on that table again. 

"So GaIn is her name. Now I know who to talk to when I go back to HQ." His face went red and he threw my file on the table. He knew I beat him. 

"Those are called Establishing Identity, We Know It All, and Incompetent Interrogator," I put a finger up for every tactic, "I pulled a Combo play on you. Go home and research." The door opened behind him and I knew he was being pulled. I did a tiny wave.

"Jo Kwon, Cheif wants to talk to you." I went cold at his voice and looked down at my hands. He pulled out the chair and sat down with a heavy thump. Grabbing the file Jo Kwon left, he opened it and flipped through it. He must have memorized it by now. 

"Kim HyeIn, this isn't an arrest investigation for you. We're just looking into things that happened because we've arrested Song KyungIl after he had breached his agreement with South Korea. If you tell me information about Song KyungIl and well as the gang you...you sold yourself to, then I can answer the questions I assume you have." His voice was monotone and mimicking the time he first interrogated me in Busan. He still looked dead and tired. This is the worst he's looked in my eyes. I knew if I complied, he'd get better. I wanted to comply, but I couldn't. 

"Questions?" I shook my head. Oh, that had to be number 52. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. 

"Do you want to tell me how we got into this position?" His hand gestured at the blank room we were in. I shook my head for the 53rd time. I'm not supposed to talk to you. 

"Do you want to tell me anything, Hye-In?" I shook my head again. I'm not supposed to talk to you. 

"Do you want to tell me anything?" I shook my head a fourth time. 

"I'm not supposed to talk to you." My hand went over my mouth ever so slightly and that's when he snapped back up. Something was going on in his mind. He had that look. The look of someone connecting the dots. 

"You talk to everyone but me. I didn't care at first, but it started to bug me. I have no idea why, but as I was sitting, putting letters into envelopes I recounted all of our encounters. Every time you had something to say like you wanted the last word. It quieted down a bit, but I assumed that it's because you were realizing things. Or maybe you felt bad about your condition at training. Training. That's when the moment hit me. Last Friday, at least I think it was last Friday. The lines connected. The only person that could force Kim HyeIn to do something she didn't want to. The only person she seemed afraid of." 

"Youngjae." It was a whisper, but I knew he heard it. I just hoped he was the only person who did. 

"He isn't listening. He isn't anywhere near here. He's being detained and could be charged with Criminal Coercion or Criminal Harassment if you decide to press charges." I shook my head and he sighed. I bet he wanted me to charge him. 

"Can I hear the reason he's told you not to talk to me? God, this sounds like middle school." I shook my head and I feel like at that point he was done with me shaking my head. 

"I swear to God," His first hit the table hard and I jumped, "I will offer you protection from Yoo Youngjae if you answer my questions." He won't care about you MeeYon. He'll drag you into false security like the other, then use you.

"You'll use me." His eyes widened a bit before glancing at the wall where the others had to be. 

"I won't-"

"Once I'm done, I become a NIS dog that no one cares about. You all will wash your hands of me and I'll get thrown to the dust. If I let people in, I'll pay for it later. You said yourself, I'll always be North Korean. You don't see me going around yelling that I'm South Korean when I'm clearly not." He did a double take and realized I was quoting him exactly. 

". Look, we've all said things... I, I don't know what to say. How much has Youngjae wrecked you? I'm just... Look at me, MeeYon." I glanced up slowly at his usage of my real name. His look was something I've haven't seen before in his eyes. He looked sincere. 

"You're going to have to trust me. If you can't trust the NIS or Jackson or Youngjae, you have to trust me as a person. Me as Mark Tuan. I'm not using you. I will tell you when others are using you. Youngjae is using you, and maybe you can't see that because that's the Youngjae you know. A-And maybe you can't trust me because the Mark you know won't let you into his kitchen without supervision. It seems like I'm the one you can't trust because of that. I'm honestly rambling at this point. What I'm saying is I'll trust you and you trust me. You've been looking for that, the trust that you can go outside my door without someone behind you. If you trust me and what I do, I can trust you and what you do." I closed my eyes and balled my hands into fists. 

"Stay away from Mark Tuan. Don't let him touch you, don't talk to him unless you have to. If you let him in like you did the others, the same thing will happen. Do you understand, Princess? I can help you get back your brother, I know more than Tuan. I won't use you for the NIS. I care."

"I offer a counter. Stay your best away from Youngjae. Don't talk to him unless you have to and don't let him touch you unless you're comfortable with it. If you let him, unlike us, Jackson and me and the ones who actually care for your wellbeing, whatever happened before might happen again. I will help you get your brother back and the NIS, under my word, will not use you. I care. I trust you. I will keep up my end of the deal if you agree and keep up yours."

Are you sure he cares? I care. 

Are you really going to let him manipulate you? Making false promises just to exploit you? I will help you get your brother back and the NIS, under my word, will not use you.

"I agree." For once, Tuan smiled. Not a stupid smirk or a fake "I'm not going to do anything you say" smile, but a real smile. And for some reason, it made me smile. 

"Good. Now, question time. What were the names of every gang member who held you?" 

__ 

"They're asking Youngjae and KyungIl things now. It's not my part anymore since I'm just the paperboy." We were sitting in Jinyoung's new cubical that somehow came with a couch. It was across from Tuan's old desk and I could tell he was looking at it longingly. 

"How did you find me?" He uncrossed his arms and leaned back on the couch. 

"At first, I wasn't allowed on the case. I just got my yelled at. They were on a mad goose chase for a while until I called some people in China I know. They're undercovers around that area. I know it was a long shot, but they said that they saw someone like you causing a commotion early. I knew it was you so we flew out and then when we got to the Beijing Police Headquarters that were about to ship Youngjae and KyungIl back to a holding cell for North Korean escapees. We got them out and KyungIl told us where you would possibly be. The people I have connections with called and told us where your position was and we staked it out until you came out and bang." 

"North Korean wants over 50000USD for me." He made a face. 

", that's almost worth-" I kicked him and he yelped, "I mean, wow that's a lot of money for you. Wait, that sounded wrong." I rolled my eyes and looked around the office again. It was late so none of the others were here. It was just Tuan and I and Cheif in his office. 

"What are they going to do with KyungIl?" Tuan shrugged. 

"We gave him asylum, so he's probably going to be treated as a South Korean who was found with an illegal weapon. Honestly, if he gives us information, he's probably going to get let go or do a max of a year. Oh also," He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Huh, he got it, "I found this, but it was already after we flew back and I went back to change. Is this supposed to be the Chinese flag?" It was the clue I left. The one I told myself not to. A tiny piece of paper with a star in the middle. 

"Yeah." He flipped it around in his hands.

"It's not like China is 3.7 million miles of land." 

"Shut up, ." 

"Hey! I thought we were supposed to be nice to-"

"That was never in the agree-"

"Agent Tuan." Tuan shot up to stand in the presence of Cheif. 

"Yes, Cheif." 

"My office." It wasn't a good my office. It was a Tuan's about to get yelled at in my office. 

"Kim, I suggest you go meet Officer Wang in the hallway." I stood up and nodded before walking out of the office. Low and behold Jackson was standing there at the door. 

"Come with me. We're going back to Marks." He started walking, not staring me in the eyes. Interesting. 

"Why are we going back to Tuan's without Tuan?" 

"Because you're moving in with me."