“Song Ahra, 32 years old.” Jongup announced from where he stood in front of the series of television screens in Unit 12's main room. The day's news was long forgotten, and instead a photo of the victim's smiling face took up the entirety of the central screen, while those around it showed lists of her personal details, birth date, blood type, taken from the record spurted out from Junhong's medical database search.

The Unit's central desk space was a mess of piled papers and empty plates with six chairs arranged around it and all eyes were focusing on Jongup as he gestured to the screen on the right, “She was born in Yangsan, just outside of Busan, and came to Seoul ten years ago to study medicine. Police records from last year have her listed as employed at a Dongdaemun branch of the Industrial Bank of Korea, but her most recent known residence is in Busan.”

“Police records? She's been in trouble with the cops before?” Daehyun frowned. He had the tip of a pen pressed between his full lips while his brows furrowed down over his eyes. Beside him Junhong was curled up in the small seat of an office chair, his eyes blinking sleepily and his form still wrapped up in the blanket Yongguk had tucked him under in his office. He was quietly listening to everything around him, even as his hand slipped out from between cotton folds and picked at the bits of food still left uneaten on his plate.

“She had a traffic violation. Nothing serious, just a fine she left unpaid for too long.” Yongguk provided.

Himchan quirked an eyebrow, “Lucky.” He noted.

“Very.” Yongguk agreed.

“Do we know much else about her? Family, relationships, work life?” Youngjae asked. The colour had all returned to his face, but his exhaustion was palpable, and Jongup couldn't help but give a defeated shrug.

“Not much.” Yongguk said regretfully, “All we know is from her medical records. I've passed on her ID to the federal police in Busan, and I'm waiting to hear back from their director.”

“Another unit?” Jongup asked.

“No, not a unit like us, just the regular feds. I'm hoping to call in a favour.” He responded.

Jongup nodded his head as he rounded the table to collapse back into his chair. The glass vial holding the wilted flower was still there, tucked safely between a stuffed manila folder, and a stack of three empty plates that tilted haphazardly with cutlery and chicken drumsticks that had each been chewed right down to the bone. Directly across from him, Jongup noticed Himchan's eyes were on the photo again while his index finger traced along the edge of the frame back and forth and back again.

As if on cue, Yongguk's mobile phone began to buzz from where it lay face down on Daehyun's desk. He grabbed it and with a glance at the screen, swiped his finger across and pressed it to his ear, “Bang.” He said, while taking a few steps back from the table. The others turned to one another to give him privacy for his conversation.

“She studied medicine, but she worked in a bank.” Youngjae mused as he pushed his plate further away towards where Junhong was still poking and prodding at his food. His eyes lit up momentarily as he picked up a small sliver of sliced tomato with his fingers and placed it on his tongue.

“You studied psychology but you work for the Police.” Daehyun said, and Youngjae rolled his eyes.

“I'm a criminal psychologist. My whole profession exists to work alongside the police.”

“And yet you get called Doctor.” Junhong said, or well, more teased.

“Why do you always bring up the Doctor thing.” Youngjae sighed.

“Because nobody trusts a doctor without a stethoscope, it's like a dentist with bad teeth.” Daehyun gestured with his hand in the air.

“I never wear a stethoscope.” Junhong pouted from his blanket shroud and Daehyun rolled his eyes.

“Your patients don't exactly need to trust you, Jun.” He pointed out.

“I met a dentist with disgusting teeth once.” Himchan said and his words were muffled by a badly smothered yawn.

“Gross, and you still went through with the appointment?” Youngjae made a face.

Finally, Himchan looked up, “Oh no, no, I wasn't there for an appointment. He ate like seven people.”

“Oh.” Daehyun blanched, “Damn.”

Yongguk hung up the phone without so much as a goodbye and re-approached the table, “That was Busan. Director Sun says she can spare a few officers to look at the apartment in the morning. They'll speak to her parents, too.”

“Director Sun?” Daehyun made a face, “She's the one who owes you a favour?”

Himchan smacked the back of his old partner's head with the open flat of his palm, “He saved her life, remember?” He rolled his eyes, “You just don't like her because she turned down a date with you.”

Daehyun's lips pursed into a pout, “She didn't just turn me down she laughed at me.”

“She's a lesbian, Daehyun, what did you expect?” Himchan sounded exasperated.

“Well I didn't know that, did I?!”

“Dae, it was seriously so obvious-”

“Enough.” Yongguk said, and both agents turned back towards him without a moment of hesitation, “Himchan, I want you and Jongup to visit her old workplace first thing in the morning, see what there is to know about her. Daehyun-ah, I need to know more about that flower, where it came from, and what it means. Get onto that first thing, yeah?”

“Yes, boss.” The southerner nodded.

“If she lived in Busan, what was she doing in Seoul?” Junhong said.

Youngjae hummed in thought for a moment and tapped at his lower lip, “I can't see why her killer would go to the effort of driving her all the way up here just to dump, steal and re-dump her body. They would have had to stay over night in Seoul for at least two nights, it's a risk.”

“I'll make sure the agents in Busan find out what car she drove. If she came up here herself, it has to be somewhere.” Yongguk replied. He was standing behind Junhong's chair and he rested both his hands on the young doctor's shoulders, “But right now, it's late and you've all worked hard today. Go home and try and get a good night's rest so you're all ready for tomorrow.”

“We can keep working, Hyung.” Daehyun said, but Yongguk just smiled.

“No. Rest.”

Youngjae carried the plates into the kitchen, and Jongup followed to help him stack them all in the dishwasher built into the cabinets. He dried his hands on a nearby tea towel as Youngjae knelt to turn the machine on, and noticed Himchan standing in the doorway.

“Where do you live?” He asked.

“Yongsan, not far from the river.” Jongup replied.

“Your place is on my way towards Dongdaemun. I'll pick you up, we'll head in together.” Himchan nodded and pushed himself up to stand straighter. Jongup nodded his head.

“Sure.” He pushed past the elder man to head back towards his desk where he grabbed a scrap of paper and pen and scrawled down his home address and phone number. Himchan took it with a nod and tucked it into the back pocket of his jeans.

“I'll see you tomorrow morning.” He said and turned to grab his jacket from the rack not far from the desks under the cover of hanging vines, then made for the elevator.

Behind Jongup, Yongguk was speaking to Junhong in hushed tones, while Daehyun tidied up his desk by neatening up stacks of paper and arranging folders of documents they needed for the following day.

“Where does Himchan live?” Jongup asked, and the Busan boy looked up.

He lifted a finger and pushed his black framed glasses further up onto the bridge of his nose, “Gangnam. He has an apartment on top of the hill. Why?”

“No reason.” Jongup said as he grabbed his own coat from where it hung on the back of his chair. He turned his head and glanced up to where the elevator doors were sliding closed with Himchan hidden behind them, and Jongup knew his home definitely wasn't on Himchan's way.

*

When Jongup woke up, Goyangie was staring at him and mewling for food. He smiled as she came closer and kneaded her paws into the blankets he pulled tighter over his chest, and when he held up his hand to push her gently away, she nuzzled affectionately into his palm. They ate breakfast together, her from a bowl, him off a plate, and when he showered she sat patiently by the open door watching the steam as it rolled over her head like advancing storm clouds.

As Jongup dressed, she found a sliver of sunlight warming the carpeted floor and her tail swished back and forth while he pulled on his jeans and woollen socks, and his favourite evergreen sweater. She didn't move when he pulled on his overcoat and grabbed his things, nor when he pulled the door open and headed down to the street to meet Himchan.

It was the first clear day in what felt like weeks, but the loss of cloud cover and blowing wind filled the air with ice, and Jongup hunched up his shoulders in an attempt to withstand the cold. His breath blew out in a cloud before him and he watched Himchan's black sedan pull up out front, and thankfully he climbed in. The heating blasted on his face and he sighed in relief while strapping his seatbelt across his lap.

“Morning.” Himchan said with a sidelong glance towards him. He was wearing a fitted black knit with a high neck, and something about that and his perfectly styled hair made Jongup think he looked kind of like a spy from an over the top thriller.

“Morning.” He mirrored the greeting and Himchan pulled out onto the road.

To Jongup, Seoul looked different in the sunshine. The surface of the water glittered as they shot past it, and the people that walked along the paths built by the road, though weighed down with heavy winter clothing, smiled and laughed in ways Jongup could swear he hadn't seen since summer ended. Clusters of snow were still piled up in the shade of swaying trees, but exposed grass and pavement had been dried under the warmth of the beating rays as though the miserable grey of the day before hadn't happened at all.

“Do you mind if I smoke?” Himchan asked as they slowed to a stop in front of a red light and he turned to reach back through the pockets of his heavy grey overcoat that was spread out across the backseat. He emerged with a pressed between his lips, and a lighter in hand.

“Go ahead.” Jongup replied. Himchan cracked down the window a fraction and cupped his left hand over his right to protect the flame as he in.

The light flicked to green and Himchan pressed forward while holding the smoking end of his cigarette by the window's opening and followed the road as it veered away from the twisting river and up towards the north east of the city. They rounded the bustling streets of Itaewon, alive with life even so early in the morning, and headed east under the shadow of Namsan mountain to bypass Myeongdong, where the traffic would grow heavier. Jongup watched through the passenger window as a group of neatly uniformed school children ran side by side along the foot path to avoid missing their school's early bell, while a cluster of young men strode in the opposite direction, their heads thrown back in laughter as they stumbled home from an extra late night. Seoul was different to the country town Jongup used to call home, but it hadn't taken long for it to find its way into his heart.

“I didn't offer you one.” Himchan said and jongup turned to look at him, his eyebrow arched in question until Himchan elaborated, “A cigarette.”

“I don't smoke, but thanks.” They crossed over the Chonggyecheon stream, and Dongdaemun design plaza was looming on the horizon like a spaceship that dwarfed all those around it into looking like ants.

“Yeah well, if Yongguk asks, neither do I.” Himchan said, his words puffing out with a breath of smoke.

“He hates cigarettes?” Jongup queried and Himchan chuckled.

“Mm, has this absurd notion that they're bad for you.” He flicked his thumb against the filter, sending ash out the window, “It's a bad habit I picked up in the military, but Bbang is infuriatingly immune to peer pressure.”

“What about Junhong?” Jongup asked, “Not common to see a doctor smoking, was that his service too?”

“Junnie hasn't been to the military yet.” Himchan replied and turned the car from the main road and down a back street, “He doesn't smoke often. Just when he's angry, or upset.”

Jongup nodded his head again. Funny, how angry Himchan had become when he found out that Jongup had yet to do his service, when he looked at Junhong like he needed sheltering from the world.

They passed a young woman standing in the alleyway, a chocolate brown apron pulled on over the top of her white bakery uniform. She was taking out bags of rubbish, and long strands of dark hair were falling into her eyes but she paused to watch as Himchan and Jongup drove past. When their eyes met, Jongup smiled, but she didn't smile back. By the time he turned to face forward again, she'd gone, and Himchan guided the car back onto a main road.

“You said you're a lawyer.” He changed the subject and flicked his cigarette out the window, then rolled it closed, “What university did you go to?”

“Seoul National.” Jongup replied. When Himchan's hands returned to the steering wheel, Jongup noticed the scabs indented across his knuckles littered between a wash of red and swollen skin.

“Seoul National?” Himchan repeated, surprise evident in his voice, “That's a good Uni. I heard the law school is practically impossible to get into.”

“I didn't sleep with anyone to get in there either, if that's what you're wondering.” Jongup's voice was steady.

Himchan winced and glanced over towards him with furrowed brows, “That isn't what I meant.”

“You passed it.” Jongup replied and shifted in his seat to gesture behind them, “The branch was back there.”

There was an open space on the side of the road up ahead, and Himchan parked easily parallel to the curb then turned with his hands still on the steering wheel to look at Jongup, “That isn't what I meant.” He repeated.

“Alright.” Jongup unclipped his seatbelt and rested his hand on the door handle and watched the oncoming traffic approach through the wing mirror.

“Jongup-” Himchan was getting annoyed again.

“It's fine, Himchan. Apology accepted, let's go.” The traffic stopped at a red light a hundred metres behind them, and Jongup took the opportunity to step out of the car and make for the pavement. There weren't many people around, it was mostly offices in that part of Dongdaemun, and foot flow was low, even during the day.

Himchan slammed his car door when he climbed out and pulled his overcoat on over his spy-sweater, then tucked his hands safely into the pockets. Jongup fell into step with him and they walked in silence up towards the dull grey building that housed the branch. It looked drab, even under the blue sky and Jongup thought the most striking thing about the building was how absolutely un-striking it was.

White automatic doors decorated with the company's bland blue insignia slid open and their faces were washed with warm air from the whirring air conditioning. The main room was empty, with a faintly patterned grey carpet that met white walls, and opposite the door was the neat row of four teller booths. Large perspex screens were built to connect the white desk to the white roof, and only two of the chairs were taken up by neatly uniformed young women.

One looked up from where she had been engrossed in her computer screen and smiled at them. For a moment, she just sat there in silence, smiling blankly at them in a way that looked almost as though she'd never actually seen anyone smile before, she'd just had the expression described vaguely to her and she hoped desperately she was doing it right. Once they approached, she seemed to snap out of it and straightened up in her seat, “Good morning! Welcome to the Industrial Bank of Korea, my name is Hwang Minji, how may I help you?” They definitely didn't get people in there often.

Himchan slipped his hand into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out his identification wallet, flipped it open and held it out for her to see through the perspex window, “My name is DCI Kim Himchan, this is my colleague DS Moon Jongup.” He gestured with his head behind him just as Jongup was withdrawing his own wallet and flipping it open for her to see, “We were wondering if we could speak to a manager or senior member of staff.”

Hwang Minji blinked in surprise and leant forward until her head was almost touching the screen as she read over the ID card. It didn't say much, just had a photo of their faces, identification numbers. Himchan's stated he was the superior officer, Detective Chief Inspector, while Jongup was just Detective Sergeant, and both cards stated them to be working for the NPA – the National Police Agency. None of it was exactly the truth, but it was as close to it as they could get.

“Has something happened?” She asked, while the other teller leant forward to try and get a look.

Himchan flashed them both a reassuring smile, “We just want to speak to your manager about an ex-staff member is all. Are they available?”

While Minji's eyes moved between Himchan, Jongup and their ID cards, the second teller pushed herself up to stand, “I'll get her.” She said, and promptly disappeared through a white door into the office space beyond.

“Which ex-staff member?” Minji asked, and Himchan turned back to look at her.

“Song Ahra. Do you know her?” He asked.

Slowly, Minji nodded and her brows furrowed, “Yeah. She finished up a few weeks after I started. Is she in trouble?”

“You could say that.” Himchan clearly didn't want to give too much information away, at least not until he'd spoken to whoever was in charge, so when the white door behind the teller desks opened again and a third woman walked through, he turned his focus on to her.

“Hello, I'm the manager here, my name is Oh Hyebin. Is there something wrong, officers?” She asked. She was older than the other two, but not by a lot, maybe around the same age that Song Ahra had been, when she met her demise. Like the others, she wore a pristine company uniform, with her hair tied so tightly at the back of her head it seemed to pull her whole face taught.

Again, Himchan and Jongup flashed their ID cards, “Is there somewhere we can talk?” Himchan asked.

“Of course, of course. Follow me.”

The door into the branch's stomach buzzed open, and Jongup ws quick to follow Himchan through it and into the rooms beyond. Clearly, this building had been designed with the intention to house many more staff than it actually did, with offices and conference rooms left vacant, other than plain grey tables and chairs arranged seemingly unused around them. They passed by a small kitchenette, and another room attached that looked as though it was used for breaks until finally Oh Hyebin lead them into a meeting room only big enough for a round table, with four chairs around it. She flicked the lights on as she entered and twisted her hands together as she glanced between them.

“Is there anything I can get for you gentlemen? We don't have much but there is tea, and coffee...” She let the offer hang, but both men shook their heads and lowered down to take a seat each facing the manager.

“No, thank you.” Himchan said aloud, “As we were saying to your staff members, ma'am, my name is DCI Kim Himchan, and this is my colleague DS Moon Jongup, and we had a couple of questions regarding a Song Ahra. We believe she used to work here?”

Jongup folded his hands on top of the table and simply watched as Oh Hyebin took a seat of her own opposite Himchan. Her brows were lifting towards her hairline as she glanced between them, “Ahra? Of course, she was here for three years, while she worked on her degree. Why? Has something happened? Is she okay?”

There was only one window built in the room, built high up on the plain white wall. It was too high to see the surrounding buildings, so when Jongup glanced up towards it, all he could see was the faintest wisp of white clouds and black birds flying across the open expanse of the blue sky.

Himchan didn't bat an eyelid as he faced Hyebin and said, “I'm sorry, but her body was found in the mountains south of Gimpo two nights ago. She was murdered.”

“Murdered?” Hyebin lifted a hand to cover as she stared with horrified eyes at Himchan, “She was- how? Oh my god. I can't believe this.”

“I'm so sorry, but because this is an on going investigation I can't pass on any details of her death to you at this point. I know this must be so hard for you to hear, but is it alright if I can ask you a couple of questions about her, and her time here?” Himchan's voice was soft, and his brows were furrowed empathetically as he looked unwaveringly towards Hyebin. She nodded her head, and so he continued, “Did you know Ms Song well?”

“Yeah, or well... I feel as though I did. We started around the same time, we worked together for years while she studied. We used to be the main tellers here.” Hyebin's fingers were twisting together, and though no tears had fallen, her eyes were wide and wet, “We didn't spend any time together outside of work, but we always got along well. It's never been very busy in here, there was always a lot of time to talk.”

“I know it has been a while since she stopped working here, but can you think of anyone who might have wanted to hurt her? Maybe she mentioned an ex-boyfriend, or someone she was afraid of.” Himchan suggested while his palms pressed flat down onto the table.

“Someone who wanted to hurt Ahra-Unnie?” Hyebin looked troubled at the thought, “She was always lovely to me, we always spent lots of time laughing, but as I said, I didn't know her very well. From what I know when she wasn't working she spent all her time studying.”

“Why was it that she left the branch? Did she finish her degree?” Jongup took his turn to ask a question. Their records had her listed as studying medicine at Seoul National university, the same one Jongup himself had attended, and as Himchan had stated earlier in the day she'd have had to be pretty smart to get into that course.

However, Hyebin shook her head no, “She didn't finish. She dropped out a couple of years in.”

“Do you know why?” Himchan urged.

“No... She always loved it. I was surprised when she told me she'd dropped out, but she said that her boyfriend had gotten some important job back home in Busan, so they were moving back. Our manager offered to get her a transfer, and she wasn't interested. I always thought she was involved in whatever work her boyfriend did, but when I asked her any questions she always avoided answering them.” Hyebin's fingers had twined together so tightly that knuckles had turned white, but it was hard to tell if it was from nerves, or the news she had just received. Himchan knew Youngjae would have been able to tell.

“So she moved to Busan, dropped out of university and quit her job, but wouldn't tell you why. What can you tell us about her boyfriend?” Jongup shifted forward in his seat again.

“I never met him. They met when they were both living in Seoul. I know he worked for some guy who had... Bars or restaurants or something in Busan and was some kind of scout for property here. He was a little older than her.” Hyebin's eyes moved between Himchan and Jongup and they gradually grew wider as she spoke, “Why? You don't think he had anything to do with this, do you?”

“We just want to make sure we follow every avenue, is all.” Himchan reassured with a smile, “I think you've helped us enough for today, though, Ms Oh. Thank you so much for your cooperation, but is it alright if we can take some of your contact details, in case we have any further questions?”

“Of course, of course. I'll get you one of my business cards.” Hyebin said, looking around. She rose from her seat and made for the door in search for the slip of paper, leaving Himchan and Jongup alone in the white and grey room.

“There wasn't any mention in her records of a partner.” Jongup said lowly with his eyes on the door, and Himchan's lips pressed into a thin line.

“A partner who never reported her as missing.” He replied and glanced down to the watch on his wrist. Half passed eight. In the pocket of his coat, Himchan's phone buzzed and he dug his hand deep down into the folds of cloth to extract it.

Jongup spared him a sidelong glance, “It's Daehyun.” He said, while tapping a reply, “He just got into work, and says the search of her apartment is just about to start in Busan.”

“Is everyone there?” Jongup asked, Himchan shook his head no.

“He says he's the first. Yongguk needs to call Sun and make sure her team focuses on finding the identity of this boyfriend.” Footsteps were approaching again from down the hall and both rose from their seat, “His apartment is on the way back to HQ.”

“Let's go.” Jongup replied.

---------

A/N: Hello friends and loved ones! I didn't have a particularly great week this past week, so I apologise for the late chapter, but you know what they say better late than never. As always, I'm eternally grateful for anyone who reads and I hope you enjoy, and I hope this was interesting! x