Characters: Kyungsoo, Junmyeon, Lu Han, Original Charcters

Nine years prior.

Compliance Department.

Kyungsoo was mindlessly clicking through the files on his computer; no specific file string in mind while he was just trying to appear busy, trying to look like he was being distracted, listening to music with his headphones. But all his concentration was turned somewhere, something else. Only brief flickers of his eyes breaking the connection with his screen that’s being reflected in his glasses indicated his attention somewhere else.

He clicked on a file, his frame morphing more against the desk and his face closer to the screen; he opened the document for compliance procedures in his company and flitted his eyes over the report that was supposed to be revised, but never went through the process. His eyes flitted away from the desktop before flickering back and he blindly grabbed the telephone on his desk. Receiver in hand, he punched in the shortcut for the Human Resources department with his index finger. He lifted the receiver to his ear waiting for the other end to pick up.

“Human Resources Department, Manager Kim Ji-Dong. How may I help you?”

“Compliance Department, Doh Kyungsoo.” Kyungsoo lowered his voice and pressed the receiver between his raised shoulder and ear, both hands back on the keyboard. “Can you put me through to your Chief HRM, Ji-Dong?”

“Ah, Kyungsoo, we didn’t expect to hear back from you so fast. Of course,” without another word, queue music started to play but the music was instantly cut short, and a voice boomed and exploded Kyungsoo’s eardrum.

“Chief Human Resources Manager, Dong Ha.”

“Dong-nim, good day to you, Doh speaking, Compliance Manager.” Kyungsoo only used honorifics with people of Korean heritage of much higher positions than he was in. Where he lived, usually such formalities were obsolete.

“Ah, the little Doh, Kyung-Dae’s nephew. How are you, kiddo?”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, his hand covering his face before he stared through his fingers still resting against his face, “Dong-nim, will there be a time where you stop referring to me as my late uncle’s nephew?”

“No, kiddo. I know you since you still shat your pants,” boisterous laughter slaughtered Kyungsoo’s hearing senses again. He ignored that statement.

“I’ll be on level 15 in half an hour, getting coffee; if you want to join me…”

“Oh, that sound fantastic. That coffee machine seems to be truly the best.” It seemed like Dong-nim needed a couple of seconds until the lightbulb over his head started to light up.

It wasn’t uncommon that the two met somewhere in the company during breaks, most higher-ups aware that Dong-nim was somewhat of an uncle himself for the late CEO’s nephew. But that also meant that a lot of them didn’t take Kyungsoo too serious who only worked in the Compliance department. Kyungsoo was aware of why, but he also was only 22. At least his connection let him jump a few procedures to work directly under the CCO he planned to replace anyway.

Floor 15.

“I have a shadowed copy of the reports,” Kyungsoo whispered while Dong-nim was talking a mile a minute and inconspicuously pushed a memory stick into the CHRM’s hand when handing him the mug with coffee. Dong-nim gave him a broader smile before talking again. Kyungsoo’s superior never got into talks with Human Resources when reports of immoral behaviour started to arise from higher-ups and workers alike. Kyungsoo took it into his own hands to slowly change some rules, make additions but not too much that the Board of Directors would realise it, or he just hid the significant changes in later versions and paragraphs the higher-ups never bothered with. He also bypassed the C-suite on many occasions and filed reports for workplace harassment and the likes. He used middlemen on every level and for every occasion. Or let information sicker through the tight bounds of security the company thought they had, but a technology-affine younger brother specialised in cyber-security made Kyungsoo’s steps untraceable. Sehun’s application for the security internship with the following apprenticeship already went through Kyungsoo’s and Dong-nim’s hands skipping some rounds of the selection process and he had good chances to get accepted with his outstanding grades in high school, but he didn’t want to go to the university, maybe, later on, he once said. Boy was only barely 18 for half a year but he had immense potential.

Headquarters.

Yixing and Kyungsoo were staring one another down, only Kyungsoo’s desk between them. Kyungsoo was still wearing the suit he wore during office hours and Yixing was in full-on tactical gear.

“We’ve made plus this month again,” Yixing’s voice was low, a slight edge of worry to it.

“It’s only about time until someone will try to get rid of me. We’re in close talks with Pérez Construction Incorporated. You know we’re already finalising the merger for the construction business; this will make us only stronger and more hated… I have an appointment with Señor Pérez and his lawyer in two weeks to sign off the contracts.” Kyungsoo mused, running his tongue along his teeth without opening the mouth.

“Since your uncle died you only held up the money laundering and drug deals, you’re not even trying to annex any routes or territories,” Yixing shook his head and glared at Kyungsoo when the younger lit a cigarette. “You’re inside…”

Kyungsoo lifted his eyes towards the ceiling while inhaling the smoke, “They might try to intercept the contract signing. I’ve already received intel that they try to get rid of me. Just their luck that my information network is always three steps ahead. I didn’t do anything yet, and they still try to jail me. What are they getting from it?”

“Not to paint a bleak future, but it would be easier to kill you in the jail than anywhere else.” Yixing pointed out. That’s how they got Kyungsoo’s uncle. But Yixing was right, Kyungsoo wasn’t an easy target, quite the contrary, his security was watertight, but there would be always a leak somewhere they would only find too late. And if he got into a privately run prison, it was a 70% chance that he landed in one that not even his allies had access to.

“Do you know when they will hit?” Kyungsoo leaned back in his chair and spun it until he was able to look out of the window. This meant serious problems.

“No, but we need to make sure you have a waterproof alibi at all times, and this also goes for everyone who’s a hitman in this group and other associates that could be used to attack you.” Yixing stood up. His work here was done, and he needed to take a shower after the interrogation he led earlier.

This was building up to be something more stressful than Kyungsoo hoped it would be. He turned back around and awoke his PC from its standby and checked his emails and the calendar. He saw something that made his stomach churn and twist in worry. He pressed a couple of keys on his landline and pressed the speaker button. Yixing accepted the call after two rings.

“Didi? I only left ten minutes or so ago.”

“In two weeks is the charity event where Dong-nim’s invited, the same day I meet Señor Pérez.”

“I’ll strengthen the security the day, but I don’t know if it is good, you’re not there,” Yixing added after a couple seconds of silence.

“Most people still don’t know that I took over and they assume that you as my uncle’s second-in-command took over because he has no heir and they thought we wouldn’t be mature and educated enough,” Kyungsoo retorted, his forehead in wrinkles.

“That’s their problem, but they might get the memo if you should really be arrested.” Yixing chuckled on the receiver and Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and cut the call without another word when he heard the water starting to run on Yixing’s end.

“This is not good, really not good,” he mumbled to himself. Sehun absolutely didn’t need any distraction, he had his finals coming up and wanted to be fully concentrated on it,.Jongin disappearing a couple of months before was still messing with his mind. Good thing the boy was in his dorm under maximum security and would have a legit alibi, but even the authorities didn’t have him on the radar because he was so shy and didn’t want to be in the public at all. Most folks working for Kyungsoo didn’t even know what his face looked like. But Sehun was always more comfortable behind a screen than in front of people. And with Jongin, Sehun’s only friend, gone, he kept mostly to himself and only talked with Yixing and Kyungsoo regularly.

It was one more week until the charity event and Kyungsoo got hold of legit information that people were out for blood. There had been a security attack at his office PC at Whitman Corp., and he had been tailed multiple times.

Hey, Kyungsoo-ah! Do you want to have dinner together next week? I have a couple of free days after the graveyard shift at the hospital. My treat?

Kyungsoo smiled at the text message he had received from one of his rare friends outside the gang. They had only met that year when Kyungsoo needed to be treated after a drunkard threw punches at him. In the end, it turned out to be a staged act to injure Kyungsoo, but he was able to disarm the man lunging at him with a machete. Yet he got some nasty cuts along his upper arms and thigh.

Park Chanyeol had been in the ER that night, helping out because the staff was short on hands, and he was joking around while he stitched Kyungsoo up. He had seen a lot in Arkham but not a 170 cm tall man disarming a machete swinging manic over two metres tall. Yet he had blanched when the same man that attacked was finally dropped off at the ER, heavily injured and unconscious. Kyungsoo remembered being nonchalant and telling the doctor that it must’ve been the alcohol that knocked the guy out. As if he would tell anyone he almost choked the man to death.

And on a whim, he had invited the doctor some week later when he was pulling his stitches and much to his surprise he easily accepted. Now they occasionally messaged each other and went out to grab food or dinner since the hospital was also close to Kyungsoo’s firm.

Pérez Construction Inc.

Lu Han, Kyungsoo’s personal lawyer was incredibly happy with the outcome of the contract and chatted with Señor Pérez’ lawyer in muted voices.

“Señor Doh, I’m surprised how easy going you are and very well-mannered for your age. You could be my grandson,” the old man addressed Kyungsoo when they stood on the roof terrace for a smoke, the man huffing around his cigar.

“Gracias, Señor. I take that as a compliment, but I wouldn’t call you old, you’re barely mid-sixty if I’m not mistaken?” Kyungsoo smiled at the man while leaning against one of those cement plants pots, one hand in his suit packet, hand tightly clasped around his phone.

“Flattering as well, I see, you know how to make a grandpa like me happy. Say, can I invite both you and your lawyer for dinner to celebrate this union?”

“I’m sorry, but I have to pass, I already have a dinner invitation for tonight. But if you’d like, we can make an appointment at a later point? I know a nice and cosy restaurant just outside town that is a little private and they have a superb kitchen.” Kyungsoo really felt sorry, but he was supposed to meet Chanyeol, and the man never had time with his busy schedule.

“Ah, what a shame, but this sounds like a nice plan. Please, leave me your secretary’s number so my assistant can make an appointment with them,” the old man shook his head, smiling gleefully.

“You already have my number, Señor Pérez, I’m my own secretary since I’m working full-time for Whitman Corporation.” Kyungsoo pressed down on the nub of his cigarette to suffocate the smouldering material of the nub itself. At least he didn’t take a drag and just left his cigarette unattended between his fingers.

“Very diligent as well, I’m just surprised since you’re the Don, right?” Pérez seemed taken aback by Kyungsoo’s statement.

“That’s because I’m working behind the scenes. I might go as far as saying that you’re one of the few that actually know who I am,” Kyungsoo smiled at him and offered his hand for a last handshake.

“I see Señor Doh. It was a pleasure working with you and as I said, my assistant will call you for the dinner appointment.”

With a few more parting words, Han and Kyungsoo finally left the building and the lawyer stretched noisily.

“I’d say that was very successful,” he concluded while sauntering over to his car. “Should I drop you off at the restaurant you’re meeting with your friend?”

Kyungsoo nodded while staring unfocused at the car. He shook his head to clear his mind before he slipped into the passenger seat and keyed in the address. The drive was quiet, the radio playing on low volume. He stared at his phone again, unlocking it to see if he had a missed call or message for the umpteenth time since he sat down in the car.

“Something the matter?” Han asked, eyes still on the road.

“No, it’s just that I wrote Chanyeol earlier that I might be a little late. But he hasn’t answered till now.” Kyungsoo begrudgingly stated.

“Maybe he’s still getting ready?”

“Ge, we were supposed to meet twenty minutes ago, and I wrote him half an hour ago?” Kyungsoo tapped his phone against his temple, looking out of the window. “When you dropped me off, would you be okay with staying close by? Just until I tell you everything is good?”

Han turned his head shortly before looking back out on the street.

“Sure.”

Kyungsoo stepped into the restaurant, a hostess beaming at him, “Welcome Sir, do you have a reservation?”

“Ah, not me, but my friend, I’m not sure if he is here yet? His name is Park, Chanyeol Park. My name is Kyungsoo Doh,” he fiddled with his fingers. Something wasn’t right.

“Ah, yes, I have both names here. But Mr Park isn’t here yet, I can lead you to the table and you may wait for him?”

Kyungsoo thanked her before following her silently. He waited for five minutes and had already given in to order something to drink. Instead of only water he went straight with some dry white wine and appetizers, Chanyeol would forgive him. Some ten minutes later, Han messaged him if everything was okay. Maybe Kyungsoo should leave? Or call Chanyeol if he forgot their meeting? But he already called him, and his call went straight to the mailbox.

Suddenly his phone started vibrating and Kyungsoo jolted a little in shock.

“Yes? Chanyeol?”

“Oh god, Soo, I’m so sorry, we had emergency surgery, and it might take a couple more hours here, I only have truly little time to tell you right now. I’m so sorry. Just go home, I’ll treat you next time. I mean it.” Chanyeol sounded out of breath and Kyungsoo felt sick, maybe he was right, and something had been wrong on Chanyeol’s end.

“It’s fine. Do your job, I hold you accountable next time,” Kyungsoo exhaled in the receiver. At least it was only work that held Chanyeol back.

“Thanks, you’re the best!”

“I know, good luck.” Kyungsoo chuckled and after very quick goodbyes he disconnected the call. The hostess came up to him.

“Sir, your friend is not coming?”

He shook his head, “But I still like to eat, since the reservation is for two people it should be fine if someone else than Mr Park would be here, right?”

Her eyes went wide, and she nodded her head, her curls bouncing up and down. “Of course, should I get you two menu cards then?”

“Thanks, Miss. My friend should be here in five minutes when I called him. I think we can order pretty soon after that.”

She nodded at that, a smile on her lips.

Got stood up. dinner? Kyungsoo texted.

Instead of an answer, Han strode through the door not even three minutes later, “This is better than just sitting in the car.”

It was well after their meals, both men sitting together over dessert and coffee late into the night, when Kyungsoo’s eyes went to the wall-mounted TV that played some news program on silent.

“,” his eyes went wide, and he cussed aloud. Han stared at him with equally wide eyes, before following his line of sight and turning around, his cutlery clanking noisily on the plate.

“Oh no…”

Whitman Corporation.

The assassination of politician Sun Lee was all over the news and Kyungsoo was sick of hearing about it. He and Han had wordlessly left the restaurant after Kyungsoo had put the bills for the meal on the table and it’s been a week since then. Everyone was on edge.

The loss of Lee as an ally meant a huge blow to the gangs of Arkham that somewhat coexisted under him, depending on the neighbourhood one was in.

Kyungsoo just lounged in his swivel chair, alternating between slowly drawing circles or just staring outside the window. He hadn’t even his computer when he came into the office two hours prior.

Any minute now.

There was a series of harsh knocks against his office door before it was thrown open violently and Kyungsoo closed his eyes when the door hit the shelf behind it. A vase shook loudly but didn’t fall. He opened his eyes again when he heard heavy boots against the floor tiles, and he stared outside.

“Freeze, and hands up. You’re under arrest regarding the assassination of Mr Sun Lee, Mr Doh.”

Kyungsoo stared into the muzzle of a gun shoved in his face and blinked slowly, before starting to raise his hands. Yet, he was suddenly pulled out of his office chair and found himself face-first on the ground, one of the Special Forces kneeing on his back. Kyungsoo clearly felt that they used zip ties instead of handcuffs and his expression finally fell. He stumbled into his desk when he was pulled up and his glasses slipped off his nose. There was a scrunch of glass and Kyungsoo inhaled heavily when he was pushed forward. The vase fell and Kyungsoo cursed, but this was apparently already too much, and someone jabbed the shoulder pad of the rifle into his side, forcing Kyungsoo to double over. He couldn’t see , but he heard hushed voices and rather loud disbelief.

“What’s going on here?” A loud voice came closer and Kyungsoo was forced to a stop.

“Dong-nim?” Kyungsoo tried, but he knew the voice after all for most of his life.

“Under which pretence is Kyungsoo being arrested?” Dong‑nim wouldn’t take no for an answer and he just ignored Kyungsoo question.

“Mr Doh is being arrested for the murder of Sun Lee…”

“What the ?” Kyungsoo’s patience ran out. “For the record, I’m ing innocent and secondly, you didn’t even read me my rights and just pressed a ing gun muzzle in my face. And not only my glasses but also the flower vase in my office are now in shambles!”

“Everything you say may be used before the court. You may remain silent,” Kyungsoo still didn’t even know what the er looked like that arrested him. And he wanted to smash that face with a vase already.

They just pulled him along, slowly as to show him off like a rare and exotic animal and Kyungsoo felt sick. This was to be expected from the get-go but that they tried to get him for the murder of Lee? This seemed a bit too desperate for his liking to get him, at least they couldn’t put him into jail right away. Solitary confinement might happen, or just group cell, but at least he knew that they could never have any kind of evidence because Kyungsoo wouldn’t kill a strong ally like Lee in a hundred years.

If he was roughly handled before, he got double the treatment when he was out of the building and his forehead smashed into the doorframe of the car he was forced into, the annoying ‘whoops’ making it clear it was on purpose. He wasn’t sure, but he might be bleeding, his forehead was always rather sensitive; he hoped he was bleeding because the smash was definitely on camera, and he didn’t struggle at all. He knew he had the upper hand and Dong-nim’s voice had been close enough at the end that he must’ve seen it.

Kyungsoo was forced to sit between the two Special Forces members and in close proximity, he finally recognised the sleazy face of the Deputy Chief. There was bile travelling up his throat just by seeing that leery grin.

“Aish,” Kyungsoo muttered to himself before he dropped his head forwards, “I might vomit.” He enjoyed the way everyone just jumped away in the confined space of the van and he dry-heaved, coughing violently. The nervousness increased tenfold now that he was on his way to the police station, and he wished he only felt as nervous as that morning when he was unable to even get his coffee down his throat. But he knew he had nothing to fear. He was innocent. But there was still a strong sliver of nervousness and fear in face of his first interrogation, but Han had coached him, setting him into comparable situations but this was real life with moments one couldn’t be prepared for.

He felt something slide across his forehead down the expanse of his nose and he went cross-eyed; it was blood.

Looking out the front window, he saw the outline of the districts and knew he would end up in the West District, the worst neighbourhood of all of Arkham. Not because it was so run-down—that was the unfortunate dilemma of the Northern district—but it was a high-profile area with all the corrupt politicians, rich families of Arkham, old money and everyone else that was hated by the rest of the city, especially the Northern District and the gangs that weren’t rubbing elbows with the police.

The ride was tiring and there was a headache building up from the wound he had on his forehead. Kyungsoo kind of wished he had a proper concussion with vomiting, so they would’ve to transfer him to the hospital…

But the drive was draining Kyungsoo’s energy, and his mood plummeted further through the ground with each passing minute inside the van.

Once they arrived at the police station, he was roughly pulled out of the van and fell to the ground, barely turning his face to the side before his face smashed into the ground. He was just as roughly pulled up and manhandled. He would sue, and Han would get access to the CCTV outside this station. And if not Han, then Sehun by any means necessary.

Pushed around the building, he was let through the backdoor which he knew was closer to the interrogation rooms. He knew almost every blueprint of all police stations in Arkham, for reasons. But all this secretiveness only spoke for some diluted bull on their side; either no one was allowed to know that Kyungsoo was here, or they acted without the blessing of a superior. Which would make sense, they didn’t even show him a warrant after all.

They just left him there, even cuffing his foot to the metal table. He just blinked slowly at the one-way mirror for some time before he grew bored seeing his slightly bloody face and dropped his head carefully on the cold table to give his headache some form of cooldown, as well as his laceration. He guessed they would let him sulk as a tactic, but why would Kyungsoo explain himself guilty if he had nothing to do with it?

He didn’t know how long he was sitting there; it felt like hours, but it might have been only minutes.

He turned his head and closed his eyes, trying to bring his breathing down, to relax.

He jolted when he heard shouts outside the door, and he heaved his head up that was throbbing violently and he squinted against the bright light. Seems like he had actually dozed off.

The door banged with a loud thud into the wall behind it and in the door stood a woman; Kyungsoo remembered seeing her face in the news every once in a while. She was the Super Intendant for the West District, and he knew she was one of the few good souls. But God was she scary. She turned around, still in the door and hollered, “Get someone to ing fix that poor kid up and by God, if I find out who smashed his face like this, I’m going to handle that myself.”

, her voice was booming, and the news didn’t do her justice. She stepped inside, sitting down before she raised an eyebrow and got up again. “And get me the ing keys for the handcuff and something to undo the bindings on his wrist.”

She turned back around to Kyungsoo and just stared at him; her eye was twitching ever so slightly, “And where is his lawyer?”

The Deputy Chief appeared behind her, his beady eyes and ugly snarl closing in on her, “He’s a menace, tried to resist and we shouldn’t untie him… He’s dangerous, he might kill you like Mr Sun—”

Her eyebrows drew closer, and the corner of her lip twitched now, her eyes unnervingly wide while she stared at Kyungsoo.

“He’s innocent until proven and I’m quite sure he didn’t resist. Get your out of here, Chief.”

He scurried away and she stepped into the room again. Her face was void of every emotion, but Kyungsoo didn’t feel as threatened as he might’ve.

A young officer scurried in, keys and a wire cutter in his hand, a first-aid kit in the other. He put everything down on the table and pulled a bottle of water from the other. Kyungsoo distinctly noted that he was pretty cute, his eyes staying on the man’s form who started to get warm in the face when he felt Kyungsoo unwavering stare at him. It really was hard seeing without glasses like this.

“I’m sorry, Mr Doh,” he whispered softly when he kneeled before him, undoing the cuff around his ankle. He finally got a good look on that heavenly face. Kyungsoo’s thoughts strayed, noting that the man would be looking good between his legs, bobbin—Kyungsoo felt his heart thud. How endearing.

“So, why are you here? Mr Doh?” The woman pulled him from his explicit thoughts, and he looked back at her, blinking. Her voice and face seemed impassive after the earlier outbreak of dominance. He massaged his wrists once they were undone, all red, blotchy, and sprinkled with scabs of blood. He reached for the water, but his hands didn’t cooperate, and he let out an annoyed huff. She took the bottle from his hands and unscrewed the cap for him, “Here you go.”

“Thanks,” he rasped out, letting the officer dab around his wounds to clean them with disinfectant. He hissed when it stung, and the man let out an even softer apology if it was even possible. He looked the man in the eye who was aware of the attention on him, bright red in the face and avoiding any eye contact. His hands were so soft on Kyungsoo’s wrist, “I rather wait for my lawyer, Mr Lu Han that is, Funk and Partner.”

She nodded her head and got up to make the call. Kyungsoo utilised the moment he was alone with the unsuspecting man, and he grabbed his wrist suddenly. The man seemed like he was about to shriek but caught himself. His eyes bulged behind his glasses when Kyungsoo instead lifted the knuckles to his lips and pressed a chaste kiss on them. “Thank you, sweetheart,” he blatantly flirted with the man who pulled his hand away, scurrying over to the door and stayed there, waiting for the Super Intendant to come back, bright red and fidgety, casting his eyes anywhere but Kyungsoo and when he dared to sneak a peek, he always found Kyungsoo’s eyes transfixed on him, face placed in his palm, head tilted to the side and a smirk on his lips. Kyungsoo mouthed ‘cute’ and the man fidgeted even more.

Kyungsoo waited mutedly for what seemed to be hours, but he was sure it couldn’t be that long. The officer in the corner of the room seemed to have calmed down and stood still, staring somewhere else, hands behind his back and Kyungsoo recognise the stature of a soldier in him.

“Military?”

The man seemed taken aback, before recomposing himself, “Navy, actually. Did my mandatory enlistment there, lead my own division before I changed to the police force. I feel like I can achieve more here. Junior Grade Lieutenant Kim Junmyeon.” He finally introduced himself and Kyungsoo had a name for the cute face. “You, Sir?”

“Military service; studied under the military Business Economics,” Kyungsoo chuckled, he had hated the military university and the government as a whole. “And no need to call me Sir, I’m younger than you are, Officer Kim.” Kyungsoo leaned back in his chair, winking at the flustered man.

He was about to jump into full flirtation, when, “—oing to sue this whole place! I’ll drag this whole place down, mark my words!” The man shouting came closer to the interrogation room and he was still shouting profanities, uncaring in what domain he moved in. He barged into the room and Officer Kim grabbed his chest, frightened by the demonic aura from the lawyer who grabbed Kyungsoo by the tie and pulled him closer. He was startled when the lawyer kissed Kyungsoo’s cheeks in greeting and the man reciprocated the action. “Didi, why are you here?” The voice was softer and the lawyer cupped Kyungsoo’s jaw before his face twisted into a horrific grimace when he finally recognised the state his mandate was in. “What happened to his face?”

“He was unrulily manhandled by the officers who will be reprimanded by our Super Intendant. She already has a warrant for the CCTV at Mr Doh’s company and there was a direct complaint of misconduct regarding the officers from the company Mr Doh is working at,” Han’s head whipped around, and his eyes narrowed on the officer he had ignored at the beginning. Officer Kim had his arms raised in defence. “You want me to fill a complaint?”

“Calm down, Han-ge, Officer Sweetheart here cleaned my wounds, but we might’ve to check with the hospital after this. Might be a concussion, my head feels like exploding.” The lawyer raised an eyebrow at that and turned back towards the officer.

“I take that ‘Officer Sweetheart’ isn’t your real name.”

“Officer Kim Junmyeon,” he hastily held out his hand than Han took. “Please, sit down. I guess we can get started now because actually, a lot of the warrant to me is unclear. Miss Dey should be here any minute, she should be done reprimanding the Deputy Chief accordingly since he set out to arrest Mr Doh on his own.”

The whole interrogation took two hours and Kyungsoo was glad over the ice pack he got from Miss Dey when she finally joined them. Squinting his eyes without glasses added to his headache immensely.

“Mr Doh,” her voice dropped, and she leaned closer, shielding the recorder, “We all know that the arrest warrant for murder is unwarranted. You have proof that you and your lawyer were eating outside the city and your alibi seems watertight. We’re going to contact Mr Park for his side of the story, but the chat logs are good enough proof, but as a procedure, we’re going to contact the restaurant as well. The others want to jail you until the trial, but until now, you’re their scapegoat. You might have to stay one or two hours longer and I’ll contact a judge for the bail. We both know that we both don’t want you to be anywhere near a jail cell.”

Mr Kim’s eyes went wider when he realised what was happening, “Officer Kim, I have to swear you to secrecy and nothing that is being talked about now is ever going to leave this room. And I trust you since you’re one of the few righteous souls in this police district. And Mr Doh is the one who can help.” She turned towards Kyungsoo, and he finally saw the age and rage in her brown eyes, lined by crow’s feet, deep and sunken, grey strands of hair interwoven into her otherwise dark-ish hair. She must’ve been his uncle’s age, “I worked closely with your late uncle for years, but I think you can do more than him with the people you’re working with now. We don’t know each other, but I trust you.” She stood up, signalling to make the necessary calls for his bailout.

Kyungsoo and Han waited in the interrogation room, left alone, voice recorder taken away, but they could never be too sure. Kyungsoo knew from files that his uncle trusted super intendant Dey, he even vaguely remembered her being at his uncle’s funeral, holding his hands tight when she expressed her sorrows for losing his family under circumstances like these. She had promised him to find out who was responsible for the murder of his uncle. He just slowly remembered it; his memory foggy with the untreated concussion. The officer had checked the wound and said it doesn’t look like he’d need stitches, but after so many hours gone by, he wasn’t sure as well.