Yongsun her cell phone as she stared out the bus window.  It was just after lunch rush and people were piling onto buses and heading into subway stations to return to work.  She was also getting back to work, heading to the police station for a new case as a prosecutor for the Seoul Metropolitan area.

She glanced at the file on her lap.  A college girl going to a university in Seoul had been kidnapped the prior night and all that remained was the brutalized corpse of her father, a wealthy business man.  Disappeared without a trace.

Homicides and kidnappings were uncommon in South Korea.  Yongsun had dealt more normally with white collar crime or petty crimes that usually ended in an exchange of money instead of ever reaching an actual court.  But this one was different and she could feel her skin tingling with anticipation.  

Seoul’s History Museum.  Kyunghee Palace transfer stop.  

Yongsun hastily rose from her spot, shouldering past a few people standing idly in the middle of the aisle to get to her exit.  With a quick click of her transportation card, she left the bus and walked quickly toward the Seoul Metropolitan Police Station.  She kept up a good pace, her heels clacking steadily against the pavement as she shifted in her tight blazer.  It was starting to get colder with fall transitioning into winter and she wondered idly if she’d have to bring out her long padding jacket that made her look more like a kid than an adult.

Being a 28 year old female prosecutor came with enough disrespect as is.

As she stood at the crosswalk in front of the station, she saw the front mobbed with an array of press outlets.  People stood stalwartly with their camera crews, reporting for a variety of networks.  Yongsun squared her shoulders as she tried to rehearse in her head practiced responses in case people would try to mob her with questions as a prosecutor.  Although she wouldn’t be working alone, she knew that many people would be aware of a Seoul prosecutor coming to gather information from the police.  Her name had to have been leaked to the press by now.

Yongsun swallowed once and crossed the street. As she turned to finally enter the police station she saw a few reporters turn toward her with interest.  Let the mob begin.

But before she could even her lips to prepare for the array of questions, she heard the blare of several police cars behind her.  Gripping her portfolio of the case to her chest, she took a step back as the cameras zeroed in on the main cop car.  Out jumped a woman whose dark brown hair was pulled into a haphazard pony tail and a bruise blooming on her cheek bone.  Yongsun’s mouth twitched.  Moon Byulyi always liked to come in with bravado.

The police officer opened the back door of her car as her partner grabbed the woman whose face was covered with a mask.  Her dark hair was covered by a baseball hat and her clothes were shapeless, attempting to hide every hint of the person’s identity.  

“Who is this?” a reporter yelled out.

Byulyi paused, one hand on the woman’s shoulder.

“None of your business,” she said gruffly, her tone clearly irritated by the barrage of cameras and flashing lights filling her vision.

“Who is this?” Yongsun asked steadily, walking up to Byulyi and tilting her head a little.  The cameras sounded like gunshots as she walked into frame and there were now just as many questions asking about the prosecutor’s office as there were about the identity of the woman in custody.

Byulyi mouth twisted into a smirk and she raised her eyebrows.

“Prosecutor Kim.  I’m glad to see they let out a good lawyer instead of one of those stodgy old guys.”

“Officer Moon, please speak kindly about my colleagues.  They work closely with you and your officers.”

Byulyi just her lips without an ounce of remorse and Yongsun couldn’t stop the way her heart pounded in her ears at the sight.  Her mind flitted back to a week or so ago, involving herself, Officer Byulyi, and a pair of handcuffs. 

“Who is she?” Yongsun asked again, trying not to smile at the way Byulyi was staring at her lips.

“A key witness.  We need to process her and begin interrogations, so we should get going.”

“Well then.  After you.”  Yongsun gestured with a hand and let Byulyi lead her as she followed closely behind, the cacophonous of cameras and reporters fading with the whoosh of the police station’s doors.