“Get yourself together and go home” He said, standing up and casting her a conflicted look, “I know I don’t have to say it, but you know you’re not allowed to have any further contact with him right? There are guards posted at his cell who know to not let anyone without my approval in to see him”

Hyemi looked up at him and nodded.

He watched her for a moment before walking out the door.

The silence swallowed her entirely. She shivered slightly, trying to wrap her head around the fact that in the matter of hours everything had changed. She waited until he was long gone before standing up and walking downstairs to where the holding cells were. She grabbed her badge, something that felt strange to be hanging from her neck now that it had been so long. It wasn’t right, to feel like the Hyemi who worked here was the other one. To feel like the Hyemi here was all wrong.

“You’re not allowed in” The man at the entrance said quickly when he saw her badge and who she was.

“I know. I just wanted to look at the cameras, I can do that right?” She asked.

The man considered it, nodding after some thought.

She said nothing as she stepped past him into the security room. Her eyes scanned the cameras until they landed on the screen with his figure in it. He paced his cell and relief washed over her, he was alive and safe. She didn’t know when her trust in Myungsoo had faltered to the point where part of her hadn’t believed him when he told her Jongin was fine. She wished she could talk to Jongin, but even if she was allowed in what could she say? Sorry I used you? Lied to you? I love you? Nothing would change the fact that everything had been a lie and that she had betrayed him.

Without another word and just a single lingering gaze, she turned and walked out of the holding cells. She went up the stairs, meaning to exit out the waiting area when she saw him. If looks could kill, she would have dropped dead right then and there.

Kyungsoo stood off to the side, arms crossed around his chest as a lawyer argued passionately with the guard at the desk. He said nothing, didn’t move a single muscle and yet the threat in him was very clear.

She bit the inside of her cheek and walked over to him. His eyes traveled from hers down to the badge hanging around her neck. A muscle in his jaw twitched with anger as he stood straight and met her halfway.

“I could snap your neck right here and now if Jongin didn’t need help” He hissed.

She met his gaze, “I’m sorry” She said with difficulty.

“A ing cop. You were a ing cop. I knew there was something wrong with you, I just never imagined this. It’s about your father right?” He asked.

She nodded, “You’d do the same if it involved the person who killed someone you loved”

Confusion crossed his face, followed by that same anger, “You don’t know anything and yet you’re going around acting like you do. Jongin didn’t kill your father”

Hyemi shook her head, “There’s no point in lying now, things are out of my hands”

“You think I’d bother to lie? I wish I could rub that in your face, but your information is sorely mistaken. Kim Jongin is the only reason you survived that night” Kyungsoo hissed.

“…What?”

“Hyemi!” Myungsoo barked, coming down the stairs and heading for them both.

Recognition crossed Kyungsoo’s face as he began to piece everything together.

“You’re a damn fool” Kyungsoo hissed stepping away from her, “Kim Myungsoo, it’s been a while” He offered.

“It’s been too long. Thankfully Hyemi here was able to facilitate a little reunion right?” Myungsoo said confidently, smirking as he pulled her to his side.

Kyungsoo said nothing for a moment, “Who would’ve thought one of the best members of Jongin’s father’s crew would be an upstanding member of society now” He said.

Hyemi glanced at Myungsoo, back then she clearly remembered what he had told her father. That he had just been a simple errand boy, not too involved at all. Not that she had completely believed him, but to hear it confirmed seemed strange. Myungsoo shrugged, the truth rolling off his back like it was nothing.

“Things change, right? Now if you don’t mind I’ve got to get her home. She’s been working hard” Myungsoo said motioning to her.

Kyungsoo grinned, at once picking up on the dynamic between them, not that Myungsoo’s possessive attitude around her was subtle.

“She really was, you’ve got a very committed to the job girl right there. There was barely a night in which she didn't spend in his bed, she must’ve gotten so much information for you guys. I would’ve fallen for it too” Kyungsoo said, smirking as Myungsoo froze, arm around her shoulder. She could feel his fingers digging into her arms and moved quickly.

“Let’s go” She muttered, pulling him away.

Surprisingly enough, he followed. She spared Kyungsoo one last look as he watched them both walk away.

“I said you didn’t have to do anything like that” Myungsoo exploded finally when they broke into the night air.

She stayed quiet.

“Why the hell did you get physically involved with him?!” He snapped.

“What did Kyungsoo mean about high ranking member?” She asked quietly.

“He’s full of , don’t avoid my questions”

“I just want to go home” Hyemi said quietly.

Myungsoo could feel yet another strand of trust snap between them. Somehow every conversation they had lately made him feel as if she was getting further and further away from him.

“You’re right, we’ll go home and—“

“I’m just going to take a cab home alone” She said quietly.

“Hyemi—“

“I want to be alone” She said instead and not allowing him to say anything else she walked away.

It was only when she was safely home that she went for her phone. The number was familiar, if not usually used.

“Seungmin” Hyemi said.

“Look at you finally making it home. I heard your missions was successful”

“Thanks” Hyemi said with a small smile on her face at her friend’s misplaced enthusiasm, “I need a favor. I need you to look into whoever was involved with releasing Kim Seungsoo from prison, including any numbers in contact with him and around the time of Ara’s murder” She asked.

“Hyemi we’re not really supposed be looking into that stuff, per the boss you know how he gets”

“Myungsoo won’t know a thing. Please. I need this favor”

“… Alright but if you get caught this isn't on me”

“Thanks” She said simply and hung up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kyungsoo had to wait 6 hours before he was finally allowed to see Jongin.

He watched Jongin carefully. The latter sat completely still and for once, Kyungsoo couldn’t figure out what was running through his mind. His head was slightly bowed and he tapped three fingers on the counter top on his side of the glass. The taps subtly grew faster, the pace increasing until he suddenly stopped. When he looked up Kyungsoo was once again surprised by he expression on his friend’s face. It was empty, giving away nothing as he met his eyes slowly.

“You’re sure?” He asked simply.

“I saw her, I’m sure”

He nodded.

“I need access to a phone”

Kyungsoo frowned, “Just tell me what you want to do”

“I’m getting out of here”

Kyungsoo knew there was little he could do to warn his friend or even to convince him otherwise. Regardless, he couldn’t help, but think that his friend seemed like a slightly unhinged frame. One just barely being held up, one a breath away from shattering on the ground.

~~~~~~~

Jongin felt like he was being suffocated in his own body. He laid still on his cot, feeling like every muscle in his body was tightly coiled so much so that he was in pain. His mind raced with a barrage of questions and thoughts, the assault causing a painful pulse pressing on the back of his eyes.

Open or closed.

He couldn’t pick one. Eyes open, he stared at the white ceiling on his cell, his every thought converging on the person that had put him here. Eyes closed, he saw her, consuming his mind and self. There was a weight on his chest, pressing harder and harder every time he thought of her. Of her lies. He wondered idly if she had been disgusted when he had touched her, wondered just how calculating you had to be to climb into the bed of a man you hate.

He wondered how a human being could lie with so much precision. Her words of love had seemed so real, so pure, starting from the depths of her eyes and expressed with the caress of her fingertips. The places where her lips had touched burned uncomfortably, each memory a reminder of the grand scheme he was been a part of.

Jongin wished he could shed his skin, he wished he could erase her from his thoughts. Her smile, her laugh, the sound of her steady breath at his side. Everything mocked him, an orchestra playing to his stupidity, the way he had so stupidly walked into her plan. Had she even had to try? He closed his eyes, not in the least. It had been easy to love her, all too natural. All too simple. All too stupid.

“I’m going to get a promotion for your capture”

The voice was smug and proud. Jongin said nothing in reply, refusing to acknowledge his presence, refusing to open his eyes and meet the man behind his downfall. He had listened to everything Kyungsoo had said and wondered foolishly what their relationship was. They had been together since he had gone with her father, was it a familiar relationship? A friendship? Romantic? He shouldn’t have cared in the slightest, but he did and it made him hate himself even more.

“Oh come on now, it’s no fun if you don’t talk back” Myungsoo offered, leaning against the rails, watching Jongin carefully, he seemed almost as if he was ignoring him completely, if it hadn’t been for the fact that he was completely still.

“I hope you’re not taking the experience personally. It’s just a job, she’s a professional” Myungsoo said and at that Jongin sat up.

“You must’ve really gone all out with the act, huh” Jongin said as calmly as he could, it was so hard to hold himself together, “Did you claim you knew nothing of that night? Why me? Why place the blame on me? You knew, I had nothing to do with that. I never wanted that to happen”

Myungsoo smirked, “I knew who you were going to be. You were going to turn into your dad and someone had to be blamed for her father’s murder” He said calmly, “You know what your problem’s always been Jongin? You’re so damn entitled. With your fancy school and the righteous way you liked to pretend you weren’t part of our world despite the fact that the money your dad made off others was the same one you enjoyed”

Jongin laughed then, “Careful Myungsoo, your petty insecurities are showing”

The way Myungsoo straightened out, was a small comfort.

“Is that what it comes down to? You’re still jealous of me? That’s why you sent your… what? Adopted sister?”

“I was never adopted by them” Myungsoo was quick to point out, too quick to shoot down the accusation of being related.

Jongin grinned, “You know there’s worse ways to go”

“What?”

“If I had choice, being captured after having a beautiful woman in my arms is not a terrible way to go” Jongin pretended to think of something, as if it hadn’t been running through his mind relentlessly, “You know, I do hope there’s nothing romantic going on between the two of you. Only because I imagine it’d be a little hard for you to get over the fact that she immensely enjoyed certain parts of her undercover job”

Jongin could see it, could read Kim Myungsoo as well as the past, the man was on a different side, but was very much the same as the boy he had met in the past. The jealousy and hatred coming from him was soothing to Jongin.

“It was all lies” Myungsoo said simply.

Jongin shrugged. Pretending to be unaffected despite the fact that it took everything in him.

“She used you, lied to you, and is now done with you. She used to laugh at how surprisingly simple it was to get you to trust her, how all it took was a simple kiss. She said it made her sick, but that it was a sacrifice that had to be done. You were nothing Jongin, nothing more than someone she played from beginning to end. Why would I ever be jealous of that?” Myungsoo said, walking away from him after that.

Jongin wanted to scream, to grab that entitled jerk and strangle him. Jongin wanted to hurt someone, anyone. He thought of her, laughing at him, at his stupidity and it frightened him how easily love could be blanketed by something not unlike hatred. The thought that this was all she felt when she was with him only made it worse. A guard came to his cell, briefly unlocking it to drop some food in.

Anger makes you reckless, self hatred makes you stupid.

He lunged for the guard, knowing he would get caught almost immediately. He landed a single punch, before the other guard came in and swiftly slammed the sole of his shoe to the side of his face. Jongin trashed violently even as he was wrestled to the ground. One of them called for help as the other held him down, one beating him with his fist. The punches were a welcome distraction, the emotional pain ebbing slightly. He continued to struggle even as someone else joined the room.

It must’ve been a sedative because his whole body began to relax, his mind starting to float in a welcome manner. He felt a guard ease off of him, the other grabbed him by the arm. Head rolling backwards, Jongin could only barely make out Myungsoo standing off to the side, a content smirk on his face.