[ 6 YEARS AGO ]

"Get your hands off me!"

Hyuk could feel every punch directed to his face; each blow stung. He could already taste his own blood. But he wasn't going to give up without a fight. 

He stood up and pushed his assailant. 

"That's enough," he growled.

"Come here!"

The strong hand pulled him by the neck, about to deliver another blow when Hyuk forced himself to grab his attacker by the collar as well. His eyes blazed as he glared at his opponent with fury.

"Stop this," he hissed, "Stop it now."

But Cha Ju Han only screamed in fury as he struggled to pull away from Hyuk, but the latter would not budge. 

Fellow students surrounded them rowdily cheering for their pick, but the two boys felt like they were the only ones in the room. Hyuk was getting tired of the competition; he kept his silence, but enough was enough. Code of conduct said that force was not to be used for personal gain, but in this case -- he had no choice. 

The competition was too blinding, someone had to win.

Or else.

[ THE PRESENT ]

"...we were still young back then, but man, now that I think about it, I cannot believe how childish we were."

Hyuk felt his hands gripping the stem of his wine glass tighter as he watched his old classmate Cha Ju Han entertain Sun Hee with stories from their police academy days. Took him a second before he realized. 

"So, you two weren't exactly the best of friends, huh?" asked Sun Hee.

"Oh, no. If I could remember right, we fought a lot. Most of my black eyes came from him."

There was something unsettling in seeing Ju Han all of a sudden, out of nowhere, in front of him. It had been four years since they last saw each other and it wasn't exactly a sweet farewell. Now, here he was, laughing and smiling. But that wasn't the most unsettling part for Hyuk. 

The mere fact that the actress was staring at his old school nemesis with such fascination was disturbing enough.

Her eyes literally twinkled at the sight of Ju Han -- tall, broad-shouldered, and good-looking Cha Ju Han. 

"Why are you here again?" Hyuk asked all of a sudden, startling Sun Hee and Ju Han. The former looked at him, silently scolding him for being so rude. His old schoolmate, on the other hand, took a sip of wine before chuckling. 

"Ah, you sound like the old Hyuk I used to know," said Ju Han, "Didn't I tell you already?"

"I think I wasn't listening."

"Typical."

It took Hyuk by surprise when Sun Hee arrived with Ju Han in tow. After getting over the initial shock, Sun Hee explained that she ran into Ju Han in the mall yesterday. The latter, on the other hand, admitted that he was such a big fan of her crime drama, he couldn't help but feel "so damn lucky" that he ran into the good actress. According to Ju Han, it took him all of his guts to ask Sun Hee out for coffee.

It was she who suggested that she go out with him to the gala, completely forgetting about Hyuk. 

"...we spent the whole day of yesterday just chatting about dramas," Ju Han was explaining, "I think time passed us by, didn't it? We spent what...a good six hours?"

"Eight."

"God, we talked a lot."

Sun Hee giggled as she took a bite of her filet mignon, much to Hyuk's confusion. How could she just feel so at ease with him in an instant?

"When she suggested that I accompany her here, I said yes, of course," continued Ju Han, "I wanted to see a lot of actors and actresses, but really, I'm enjoying Kim Sun Hee's company more."

"Same here," said Sun Hee, "Are you sure you don't model?"

"I've tried in the past. It's really not my cup of tea."

"Maybe I could introduce you to some people here."

"No thanks, I'd rather be introduced as the date than a potential model."

The actress giggled, trying to hide her blush by cutting through her fish again and taking a bite. Ju Han, on the other hand, was smiling, obviously smitten by Sun Hee. And then there was Hyuk -- caught in the middle, still confused, and definitely displeased with the sudden change of plans. 

This was not how imagined the night would go.

Sure, Sun Hee would probably cold shoulder him, but he would follow her around as always, hiding under the facade of the faithful stylist. But he was hoping for a lull, so that he could talk to her and discuss their issue.

But here they were.

"So, Hyuk, how have you been?" asked Ju Han, "Are you a district attorney already?"

Detective Lee stopped chewing, his brain rapidly sorting his options. Ju Han still had no idea that he was now a detective in Gangnam. They shared the table with other people in the industry -- of showbiz, that is. None of them knew what he did for a living (except Sun Hee), which was the point of his undercover work. He didn't know if he should disclose the nature of his work...or swallow his pride.

"Well, he's -- " Sun Hee was about to say.

"Her stylist."

Both Sun Hee and Ju Han were astounded with his response; the former in disbelief, the latter in confusion. Hyuk hoped she would get his message and not argue further. There was no point in telling Ju Han now; besides, Hyuk wasn't even sure why his classmate was there. 

"You...style her?" asked Ju Han.

"Yes."

"But...didn't you study--?"

"I know," answered Hyuk, "I guess you can say I found a new passion."

"In clothes?"

He raised an eyebrow at Ju Han as he was about to sip his wine. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

Ju Han was obviously torn between disbelief and another form of expression Hyuk would rather not decipher. He chose to swallow his pride so he had to put up with this. Sun Hee, on the other hand, was trying to hide her laughter with a smirk.

"My," said Ju Han after a short pause, "Wow. That's news. Lee Hyuk, top student of the police academy, superstar of the batch dropped his guns to become...a stylist."

"Was he a superstar?" asked Sun Hee.

"Yep. He was the only reason why I got the second spot in the overall rankings," explained Ju Han, drinking from his glass, "Ah Hyuk, if this was your plan, then you should've given me the spot instead."

Hyuk was sorely tempted to say something, but he had to keep his composure. Instead, he smiled and resumed eating.

"I don't know why you need styling though, Miss Sun Hee," remarked Ju Han, "You're already beautiful in your own right."

Without warning, Detective Lee coughed on his chicken. Struggling, he asked the waiter for a glass of water while Sun Hee handed him a napkin. He took it from her while gratefully accepting another glass of water, drinking it.

"Ah Hyuk, still so clumsy, I see," remarked Ju Han arrogantly, "Don't worry Sun Hee, he'll be fine."

What the hell is he even doing here?

"So, how about you?" asked the actress, "What do you do? Are you in law enforcement?"

Ju Han thoughtfully chewed on his piece of meat. "Well, I'm a chef-in-training," he said, "I think being a chef would suit me better than just a plain old detective."

Hyuk gripped his spoon tighter, trying hard not be annoyed. 

"What's wrong with being a detective?" he slipped.

He could see Sun Hee looking at him with alarm; their months of working together (sort of) introduced her already to the detective's temper. Ju Han was no stranger to that, but it had been years since they last saw each other. He seemed to be ignorant of the rise in Hyuk's tone.

"To each of his own, dear classmate," he said, "I mean, look at you, didn't you choose to be a stylist instead?"

That tone of subtle arrogance was still the same. 

Hyuk forced out a smile. "I guess I see your point."

As the actress laughed at the two of them, the detective silently wondered how they all ended up in this situation -- and was it going to end soon?

Because there was this unpleasant feeling looming somewhere. All he knew was that he didn't like where he was and he wasn't enjoying the night, not when his old nemesis was flirting with the actress.

"No."

His voice sounded too firm for his own good; even Sun Hee seemed surprised with the tone. But for the Detective, no one could blame him for his disagreement. 

After all, he spent the last three hours not just watching over the actress, but also watch her and his old classmate flirt, meet new people, dance, flirt again, eat again, and flirt even more. It was like they were wrapped in their own little world that they forgot his existence.

They actually forgot and that didn't make things better. 

It didn't help that the other guests thought Sun Hee and Ju Han made a good pair, loudly complimenting them while throwing side glances at Hyuk -- the stylist. 

When the night came to a close, everyone had their own take. Sun Hee was obviously delirious with glee at the attention, especially the one her new date gave. Cha Ju Han, on the other hand, seemed to have enjoyed himself. He met new people, was gushed over, and got to hold Kim Sun Hee's hand. And then there was Hyuk -- people noticed him, but he noticed Ju Han and Sun Hee more. 

So when it was time to go home, he felt a sense of relief. Finally, Ju Han would say goodbye and things would be over.

But Ju Han asked Sun Hee if she'd like to ride back home with him.

That's when Hyuk's firm "No" came in.

"No?" asked Ju Han, "Wait, why...do you have a say in this again?"

The actress flashed him an annoyed look. 

"Yeah, why?" she asked.

You know why.

"Apart from her stylist, are you also her personal assistant? Her driver too?" Ju Han persisted, "Because if that's the case, you can take the day off. I mean, I can drive her for you."

"No," answered Hyuk, "I'm going to take her home."

"Why?"

"Yeah, why?"

Both parties were persistent. Hyuk couldn't understand why Sun Hee was being so stubborn. Was she so smitten by this stranger that she was willing to go with him (despite the fact that she didn't know who he was)? 

"Just because," answered Hyuk shortly, "Come on, Miss Sun Hee." He approached her and took out the keys.

"But what if I don't want to?"

She glared at him, keeping her stance. Her hand was still planted firmly around Ju Han's arm.

Hyuk gazed at her seriously. "Miss Sun Hee," he began, "We've talked about this already. You have an early shooting tomorrow. I have to get you ready. Don't fight with me."

He approached her.

"Come with me now, Miss Sun Hee," he told her.

It felt like a staring match where no one would lose. The actress stubbornly looked up at the detective, waging a silent warfare. Hyuk, on the other hand, wasn't going to let her win this time. It was almost as if Cha Ju Han was a silent spectator no one was noticing.

Eventually, Sun Hee lost.

She smiled at her date with the same bright smile that fazed everyone. "I'm sorry Ju Han, but my stylist is right," she told him, "I have to follow him. He knows everything, you see."

"Ah, that's too bad," he said, "It was wonderful night. I'm sad it ended."

"We had two lovely nights together, Ju Hanah."

"Indeed."

Hyuk cleared his throat. Ju Han finally took notice of him.

"Well, I'm glad I also ran into you, dear friend," he said, releasing himself from Sun Hee's grasp, "I'd never really think I'd see Lee Hyuk again. It's good that you're living your dream...as a stylist."

Is he patronizing me?

The detective just smiled.

"You too," he said, "Come on now, Miss Sun Hee."

"Oh alright then," said Sun Hee.

"Wait but before you go, can I have your number?" asked Ju Han, "I don't want this night to be the last, Miss Sun Hee."

Is this for real?

She fluttered her eyes at him.

"Of course."

There was something different about Detective Lee tonight.  Kim Sun Hee was sure of that.

First of all, he wasn't talking. He usually didn't talk much, but he would often say a paragraph or two during these car rides. Tonight, however, he really didn't say anything, despite the fact that she had been talking non-stop. Now, she appreciated those little comments he made before.

It was odd to have him so stoic.

Second, it was like he was easily annoyed. At the party alone, she could see that he was so irritable and impatient.  Plus, he kept glaring at her and Ju Han. 

What was that about?

And finally, he was obviously not a big fan of Cha Ju Han. 

Based on the stories from her date, it seems that the two were old school nemesis. He really didn't elaborate on the extent, but it was enough to prove that Hyuk and Ju Han did not get along before. But Ju Han seemed to have buried the hatchet on his own; was Hyuk still bitter?

Despite the odd silence, Sun Hee continued her chatter so as not to be awkward. Besides, she couldn't help herself when it comes to talking about Cha Ju Han. Detective Lee might not like him, but she was interested in him. The mere fact that he showed interest in her, that he listened to her, and his insanely good looks were enough to swoop her off her feet.

"...I mean, he seems like a model, but he chose to be a law student," she babbled, "That's kind cool."

Detective Lee merely nodded as he made a right.

"So...you two were old school mates, huh?" she asked, "Why do you dislike him so much?"

"I don't dislike him," he finally said.

"Really?"

"Really."

"But you're not a big fan."

He didn't say anything anymore. Hyuk crossed the intersection and kept his eyes on the road. Sun Hee wondered what happened between the two boys; was Hyuk being so childish? If so, this was the first time.

Finally, they arrived outside of her apartment. 

There was a stubborn silence between them. 

"I'll bring you to the station again tomorrow, Miss Kim," he said, "We have another set of potential suspects for you to check. Good night."

What? That's it?

He didn't look at her. Instead, he unlocked the door and it opened automatically, encouraging to actress to go out. She glanced at him. He would usually look back, but he didn't. 

"Detective?"

"Good night, Miss Kim."

She had no choice; it seemed like he wouldn't budge. Sun Hee pulled herself out of his car and closed the door, looking at him through the window. He didn't even say goodbye. 

He just left.

"What the hell?" asked Sun Hee, watching the car disappear from her sight, "What in the world is wrong with him?"

The actress grumbled all the way up to her apartment, loudly complaining about Lee Hyuk's bad behavior. This was really unlike of the good detective; he was stoic, but he wasn't like this always. Given the past months they've spent together, Sun Hee saw him start to thaw. But now, it was almost as if he was back to his super cold self.

"What's going on?" she wondered, "He's probably tired."

"Maybe, he'll be okay tomorrow."

---

Except he wasn't.

From the moment he picked her up from the set while driving towards the station, he had not said a word. NONE AT ALL. Usually, when she starts to chatter, the Detective would try add some of his insight, shake his head, or be the anti-joke person he already is. Today, however, he was silent as a statue. If that wasn't enough, it was like a biting silence -- like she did something wrong.

Once they got to the station, she couldn't take it anymore.

"What the hell is wrong?" she exclaimed.

Detective Lee stopped in the middle of the steps and looked back at her. Sun Hee didn't try to hide her fuming face.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

She proceeded up the steps until they were the same leve. "Oh you know what I mean," she said, "You've been like this since last night -- all quiet and annoyed at me. You haven't said anything. Did I do something to you?"

He had a blank expression on his face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do," she insisted, "Stop playing dumb with me. I know you're mad but I don't know why. What did I do?"

Lee Hyuk just gazed at her.

"What? Is it because I talked too much? Was it because I teased you last night?" she asked, "Or maybe it's because Ju Han was there?"

That trigger in his eyes said much.

"Is it Ju Han?" she continued asking.

Finally, the detective took a deep breath and glared at her.

"Normal people would not take strangers they meet in the mall as their dates," he said, "Especially if normal people had stalkers. I wouldn't date the first person I see because they're handsome or something. You're being very careless."

There was a biting note in his tone.

"How am I being careless?" asked Sun Hee, "He's a nice guy. If he was a stalker then he would have already dragged me somewhere. I wouldn't be standing in front of you."

"That's the point. Do you want to be dragged somewhere? What if he's hiding something? Just because he's a nice guy, doesn't mean he's nice already."

"But you saw him last night."

"Still doesn't prove anything. You let him distract you, which should be the last thing on your mind."

"He didn't distract me!"

"Oh really?" asked the detective, leaning on the railing, "You really didn't stare in his eyes too much last night? You didn't let him talk smooth to you? Really?"

Sun Hee placed both hands on her hips. She was getting annoyed with how the detective was telling her off. He sounded like a dad.

"Detective Lee," she began, "I know that you're in charge of me and my protection, but this...is too much. I don't think you have a right to tell me off, especially in my dating life."

Hyuk rubbed his forehead. "You're completely missing the point," was all he said before turning his back on her and going up the station's steps. Sun Hee, on the other hand, felt very disrespected. She followed him, clicking her heels angrily. 

"Look, I don't know what sort of beef you had with Cha Ju Han before, but I hope you don't let that cloud your judgment of him," she told him, "He's a nice guy and you're telling me off because he was interested."

"He could be a stalker for all you know."

"Or maybe you just hate him."

Hyuk stopped in the middle of the hallway before the Violent Crimes room. Sun Hee looked up at him, determined to defy him. She saw the detective's bloody red lips tremble slightly. 

"I just want you to be careful," he told her, "But if that's too much, then so be it. Go ahead and date a stalker." He opened the door to his unit.

"I am not dating a stalker!" insisted Sun Hee, following him.

They went inside the department, the actress still telling him off while the detective quietly proceeded to the huddled group of superiors. 

"...will wait for them to get here. But really, am glad that the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is extending a helping hand."

DA Park was talking to someone who sat opposite him. By the time Sun Hee and Hyuk arrived, he stood up and greeted them eagerly.

"Ah there you are," he told them, then he noticed the disgruntled face of the actress, "Are you okay, Miss Sun Hee?"

She fixed her hair, ignoring Lee Hyuk. "Yes, just a bit frazzled," she answered.

Detective Lee looked around. "What's going on, DA Park?" he asked.

"Well, I wanted you two to meet another person who'll be helping out in the stalker case," explained Hyuk's superior, "He's one of Seoul's finest. Guys, say hello to Cha Ju Han."

And just like that, Cha Ju Han faced them both, surprising them. Sun Hee's jaws dropped while Hyuk froze.

Ju Han smiled warmly and bowed.

"Hello, I am Inspector Cha Ju Han from the SMPA's Violent and Drug-Related unit . Happy to be of service."

A/N: I'm so glad you guys are okay with a long fan fic. Forgive me, but just like my SHR fic, I don't think a short fic is enough to do Grim Reaper x Sunny some justice. Don't worry. I'm not going to bore you. While I'm still racking my brains, I promise you guys will enjoy the next few chapters. And as a promise, believe me when I say you'll have closure. I might be the self-proclaimed Kween of frustrating cliffhangers, but I am also a lover of good endings. Trust me.

Also, I'd love to hear from you -- reactions, comments, suggestions! Feel free!

Adios!