Sooyoung bustled through the hectic police station, barely stepping foot in her home before her phone started blowing up with calls and messages, prompting her to leave for the police station right away. 

"How in the world did the evidence get destroyed?"

"Another breach?! I thought we updated the security systems!"

"Kang is going to have our heads f0r this..."

Kang. Sooyoung sprinted up the staircases, heading to the office all the way on the top floor, where the head honcho sat. She got a lot of looks thrown her way when making her way to the top, whispers about how she was going to get past this hurdle and if she was the right person for the job. She ignored them, knocking on the door to the office her boss was in. 

"Come in!"

Sooyoung entered, seeing a disheveled Seulgi walking around her office, her hair tangled and in a mess, and talking very heatedly with someone on the phone. 

"Hyun-ah, please, just listen!"

It looks like the call was cut since Seulgi wound up throwing her phone on the table, a loud thud resonating through the office. 

"God, nothing gets through that ing skull of hers..." Seulgi sat back down in her chair, trying her best to make herself presentable before diverting her attention to the detective standing in front of her.

"So. Where do we go from here, Detective?"

Sooyoung sat down in front of Seulgi, who seemed a little calmer than Sooyoung had expected. She was taking this well. 

"We're ed aren't we?"

"More than you could possibly imagine."

Sooyoung let out a dry laugh, while Seulgi took out a cigarette. 

"Since when did you smoke?"

"Recently." Seulgi took out a very fancy lighter, marked with her initials, Sooyoung noticed. Very luxurious. 

"Quite ironic really. I think I hate lighters now." Seulgi said, putting her lighter in her pocket and filling the office up with smoke, prompting Sooyoung to cover her nose with her hand. 

"Sorry." Seulgi stood up and opened the window, standing by it and looking out at New York City.

"The case has been closed."

Sooyoung's jaw dropped. 

"What?"

"You heard me." Seulgi turned to look at Sooyoung, a slight smile on her lips. She looked... happy, almost. 

"Why?"

"Not enough leads, no witnesses coming forward, and our one lead is now ashes. NYPD has had enough."

Sooyoung stared blankly at Seulgi, who was now looking out of the window. 

"And if I'm honest, I'm glad it's closed."

Sooyoung stood up, walking over to Seulgi, challenging her superior. 

"Isn't the NYPD about justice?" Sooyoung asked, her voice quivering, threatening to blow up at any moment. Seulgi could feel it. 

"Justice will be served." Seulgi looked Sooyoung in the eyes, unfazed by the Detective's intimidating stature. 

"It's only been barely two months, I'm sure we can find something."

"But we haven't, and it doesn't look like we will."

Sooyoung breathed a heavy sigh. She yanked out her phone, making a call to someone. 

"Taeyeon, can you come over to the police station?"

Seulgi raised an eyebrow, putting out her cigarette and looking at Sooyoung, who had a rather smug smile on her face.

"Who was that?"

Sooyoung sat back down in front of Seulgi's desk, grabbing one of the lollipops Seulgi had and popping it in . 

"You wanted a lead? You got it."

***

It was a quiet morning.  Sooyoung barely was awake, her mind begging her to go back to sleep after days of insufficient rest, but her stomach was also screaming to be filled. It was a difficult choice, but her stomach prevailed. She found herself wandering to the kitchen, dragging her fluffy rabbit slippers across her apartment. 

She was not expecting to see Taeyeon preparing a full breakfast, hands coated with flour that she must have just bought since Sooyoung had absolutely no cooking ingredients at home. She did have machinery though, even if she never used them. 

"You're still here..." Sooyoung blurted, her brain barely able to function at this point. She slumped into a chair, putting her head down on her dining table, already regretting her decision to leave the comfortable hug her bed provided. 

The smell of pancakes and waffles helped get her brain running, as her head slowly raised to the view of Taeyeon in an apron, serving breakfast. 

"Well, I had to find a way to thank you for your hospitality yesterday." Taeyeon took a seat across of Sooyoung, pushing a plate of eggs towards the much taller girl. 

Sooyoung let out a grunt, too exhausted still to really say anything. She picked up a fork, before deciding she was too tired to eat even though the food smelled delicious. 

Taeyeon noticed, and let out a laugh, cutting up some of the pancakes and putting them in front of Sooyoung's mouth. 

"Gosh, you're just like a baby."

Sooyoung opened , letting Taeyeon feed her. Her eyes began to widen from the fluffy delight that had invaded her taste buds. 

"Damn, those are good."

Taeyeon gave a sheepish smile and continued to feed Sooyoung, who began to become more awake each time a pancake was put into her. Soon, she was sitting upright, looking straight at Taeyeon. Or a little above Taeyeon.

"You're very short without your heels." Sooyoung murmured, getting a tut from Taeyeon. 

"That's why you basically don't see me without them. Irene too, as a matter of fact. She loves her heels."

"I noticed. And Wendy loves her Irene too." Taeyeon smirked at Sooyoung's witty comment. 

"I've known Irene for a long time. She never lets anyone get this close to her, besides me. She must really like this Wendy."

"I quite like her too," Sooyoung said, drinking maple syrup which mortified Taeyeon. 

"She's a good person. Irene needed someone like her, someone with a genuinely pure heart. It's rare nowadays." Taeyeon said, grabbing the cup of maple syrup and taking it away from the taller girl, which led to a pout.

"How did you get to know Irene anyway?"

Taeyeon sipped on some coffee that she brewed, her eyes drifting to the side before answering Sooyoung's question. 

"We met in high school. We became friends there."

"Why, because you two were the only ones on the same eye level?"

Sooyoung caught the sugar cube that was thrown at her, popping it in which further scared Taeyeon. 

"Sugar freak."

"I like the rush, it's like a roller coaster ride."

"Or a highway to diabetes."

"Pros and cons to everything little one."

"Don't call me that."

Sooyoung smirked smugly, stretching her body to highlight her tall stature, which earned her a pair of rolled eyes from Taeyeon. 

"Anyway, Irene was my good friend in high school. We kept in touch ever since."

Sooyoung nodded, now drinking Taeyeon's addictive coffee. 

"And you wound up working for her how?"

"The music world is tough." Taeyeon gave a sad smile. "I tried to pursue singing, but it didn't work out too good for me."

"Your voice as good as your coffee?"

"Better," Taeyeon said, getting a raised eyebrow from Sooyoung, who seemed mildly impressed. 

"Must be pretty good then."

Taeyeon smiled. 

They sat in silence, both finishing up the coffees that they had been sipping on. 

Sooyoung observed Taeyeon. The petite girl gracefully sipping her coffee, her pinky sticking out as she looked through her phone. What an interesting character. 

"What were you stressed about?"

Taeyeon's eyes stopped following the words on her phone screen. They were now directed towards Sooyoung, who was looking right at her.

"Pardon?"

"Last night, you said something was on your mind."

Taeyeon leaned back in the chair, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. 

"Ah, did I now..." Taeyeon regained her composure rather quickly, but Sooyoung caught her slight moment of vulnerability. She chuckled. 

"You aren't like Irene, you aren't at that level yet." 

Sooyoung stood up from her chair, her long body stretching over Taeyeon, who had recovered and was now back to how she was when Sooyoung first met her. Cold and steely, just like Irene.

"Tell me."

Taeyeon tried. She really did. She wanted to keep up this persona of hers, but she couldn't. This weight was too much for her to bear, and she had to let it out, sooner or later. Her eyes went soft, and she looked at Sooyoung. 

"I saw it."

"What?"

"The first murder."

***

Things will get a little more interesting now... we're onto Phase 2 ;) please leave some comments, it would be greatly appreciated :D