Here we are at last. Please read the Author's Note at the end - it's important! :)

She sat in the little red Kia for a long time just taking in the warmth. It was oddly nice for a winter's day. A small and pale sun hung in the early afternoon and there were no clouds nor sign of them anywhere and the traffic outside the precinct was almost nonexistent. A couple kids came along the end of the block and passed and looked at her car once and said something to each other entirely irrelevant and moved on. Seulgi watched them. If it were the Testarossa they would've taken pictures. Maybe even a couple videos. They would've turned to each other and gone: Whoa! Look at that bad boy! Isn't that just the coolest? And probably thumbsed up as well. Irene would've thumbsed back. Of course she would have.

When she climbed awkwardly out of the driver's side it had just gone two in the afternoon. She favoured her right arm, the one not in the sling, the one she could actually use. She stood a moment on the kerb looking back at the Kia there in the shade and rubbing her head and up the cold and thinking: I bet Don Johnson wouldn't have driven a Kia. Not ing ever. But hey. At least it was an automatic. And cheap. She turned about again. Nobody there. Nobody on the steps of the precinct or in the windows or coming along the street, not even kids now. After a moment she went on up and through the doors and along to the third floor and through into the department.

They all turned and greeted her with smiles the moment they saw her. A couple guys new to the division, the veterans and the oldies, her old team leader. All standing at their desks and congratulating her and shaking her one good hand and telling her what a crazy job it had been and how glad they were that it was over. All except Wheein, stood sorting files into cardboard boxes and packing them away, clearing each item into its own little space. She didn't even notice Seulgi come in.

'Wheein,' Seulgi said. She turned. When she saw Seulgi across the desk she smiled an enormous smile ear to ear and pushed her chair back and hugged Seulgi and stepped back again. Seulgi winced.

'Oh, ,' Wheein said. 'The arm. Sorry.'

'It's alright. Just a bit stiff.'

'What did the doctors say?'

'It's not broken. So that's good. But a cast for four weeks minimum, probably six altogether. And eight before I can use it again properly. So, good news bad news, really.'

'Yeah. What about the car? You driving again?'

Seulgi nodded. 'It's automatic. So, kind of easy.'

'I honestly thought it was illegal to drive with one arm. Shows what I know, doesn't it? Although, that would sort of disqualify people who were born with one arm and , which would be a bit discriminatory, no? Huh. I never really thought about it like that. Anyway. Good to see you again. I thought you'd die, you know.'

'So did I. Glad I didn't.'

'Me too.'

Seulgi pointed to the boxes on her desk. 'What's this?' she said.

'Oh, Hongki says I'm off the force for twelve weeks.'

'What? You serious?'

Wheein shrugged. 'It is what it is.'

'Why?'

'Uh, aiding and abetting a fugitive? Or something like that. if I know. For letting your friend free. Which, by the way, was totally my own judgement call. So you can go ahead and say it right now.'

'Say what?'

'Thank you Wheein for letting my friend go and saving all of Korea in the process.'

'Thank you Wheein for letting my friend go and saving all of Korea in the process,' Seulgi said. 'Or, most of Korea.'

'All of Korea's reputation as a centre of art and culture.'

'Does it have that reputation?'

'Dunno. It should, though. Thanks to you.'

'Are you seriously off the force?' Seulgi said.

'No I just decided to pack up all my for no reason. Just for laughs, you know.'

'Twelve weeks?'

'That's three months, if you were struggling.'

'I wasn't, but thanks.'

Wheein winked at her and stepped back around to finish clearing away what remained on the desk. Coffeecups, a stapler, couple of pages of old notes and a ballpoint pen.

'Couldn't you have asked to stay?' Seulgi said. 'I mean, you were pretty instrumental in solving this whole case. Technically speaking, of course.'

'Say that again.'

'No.'

'Go on. Tell me I saved the day again.'

'Forget it.'

Wheein laughed. 'I tried all that,' she said. 'But I did also break the law. Like, massively, you know? Hongki says I'm lucky I'm not behind bars right now. Although, he says that to everyone who even remotely steps out of line. I remember there was this one time I was on coffee run and I got him a ham and cheese sandwich instead of one with pickles and he told me I was lucky to not be in jail. So, yeah. But I don't know.'

'That's pretty bull. Not the pickles bit. Forget the pickles.'

'I don't mind. Well I mean, I kinda do. But still.'

'I'm going to miss you around here.'

'It's only three months. I'll be back before you know it.' And then she said, with a little smirk playing on her lips: 'What about your lover-lover partner?'

'She's not my...never mind.'

'Well, go on. Spill it. How's she doing?'

'She was sentenced yesterday.'

'And?'

'Six months in Seoul Correctional. Three with good behaviour.'

'Three with good behaviour,' Wheein said.

'Yeah. So...six, for sure.'

'Now that's pretty bull. She's the saviour of Korean art, man.'

'Don't let her hear you say that. Her ego will never deflate ever again.'

Wheein giggled.

'What?'

'Look at you,' she said. 'Being all cute and . It's adorable.'

'What?'

'You being finally in love.'

'I'm not in lo-'

'Come on, Seulgi. Why are you still trying to hide it?'

Seulgi was quiet a moment. She thought about this and realised she didn't truly know. Perhaps in some way she still felt guilty for having fallen for someone like Irene in the first place, but was there anyone truly like Irene? There was just Irene, really. And she was so impossible to ignore. In the end she said, 'You know, you're right. Maybe I should be open with it.'

'Sure. Nothing wrong with that. You sure you're gonna cope six months without her?'

'I'll still be able to visit her and stuff. I'm going to visit her this evening.'

'She's started her sentence already?'

Seulgi nodded. 'She was transferred there this morning. Fast-tracked or something.'

'I can't imagine her face when she's told she's got a visitor and she goes through to the visitor's hall and it turns out to be...you. I think I'd ask for solitary confinement.'

Seulgi made a Ha-Ha face and Wheein just laughed. They were quiet a moment. The others in the office speaking over them. A sort of general cheer had returned in those days following that they had not experienced in a long time. After a moment Seulgi smiled and Wheein turned to her and said, 'What? What's got you like that now?'

'I missed you, Wheein. It's good to be back.'

'Don't get all soppy on me now, please. Or if you do, at least wait a day or two. Until I'm gone, you know?'

'Three months?'

'Three months, and then you've got me for the rest of your life. There or thereabouts.'

'God,' Seulgi said. 'The prospect of that.'

'Yeah. Hey, speaking of God. He's waiting for you.'

'What?'

She nodded toward Hongki's office.

'Oh,' Seulgi said. 'Really?'

'Yeah, he was looking for you earlier.'

'Why didn't he ring me?'

'I don't know. Maybe he wanted to wait for you to come in. Maybe that's your reward for your service. Or maybe not. I can never tell with him. I mean, look at him.'

They turned to where he was stood behind his desk, one hand on the surface and one hand to the phone at his ear, yelling something into it mutely behind the dim glass, some of the others watching him, stepping from one foot to the other and shouting again and slowly turning a deep shade of purple. Every now and then he would throw up his hand in some obscene gesture like a clown at a circus and settle again. Or rub a hand over the balding crown of his hair and wipe the sweat from his head.

'I suppose I should probably go and see what he wants,' Seulgi said.

'Good luck.'

'Yeah. Hey, Wheein.'

'Yo.'

She stood in the space beside her desk and looked back at Wheein and smiled a faint smile and said, 'I'll see you 'round, kid.'

'Whoa. Look at you, Kang. All confident and . You're like a changed woman. I kinda like it, you know? It's a little bit y.'

Seulgi just laughed. On the way along to Hongki's office at the far end a couple others congratulated her and she smiled and thanked them and stood and knocked on the glass and waited. He looked up from his phone and saw her and said something down the phone and then motioned her in. When she had closed the door behind her the phone was on the desk and he was standing holding the waistband of his enormous pants. He wasn't quite smiling. She thought it was impossible for Hongki to ever smile. That it wasn't programmed into his genes the way it was for literally every other human being ever to have lived. Even the evil ones. But no. Not this guy. This loveable ape was rather special.

'Have a seat,' Hongki said, pointing to the absence of chairs. She stood looking about and scratching her head and then stepped forward and stood in front of him quietly.

'Sir,' she said.

'You look like .'

'Yes sir.'

'How's the arm?'

'It'll heal.'

'That's not what I asked.'

'I, uh. Yes sir.'

'I've got a question for you, Seulgi.'

'Sir.'

'It's about you getting that painting back.'

She nodded.

'You wanna tell me who that poor guy with the scar on his face was?'

'Sir?'

'Detectives found him yesterday morning,' he said. 'Hopping around a parking lot about an hour from where we picked you up on that boat. Hands tied with rope. Feet, too. And gagged. And stripped to his underwear. He said you kidnapped him. Well, Seulgi.'

'Sir?'

'Did you ing kidnap him?'

'Yes sir.'

'Care to explain why?'

'We, uh. We needed him, sir.'

He looked at her. Still than unsmiling self just watching her from behind the desk. As if unsure of what to even say to that. 'You needed him.'

'Yes sir.'

'And what about that gun you handed over? The one you shot on that yacht. Where'd you get that?'

'I, uh. I made it, sir.'

'You made it.'

'I built it myself.'

'Using what?'

'Uh, metal parts, sir. And...gunpowder.'

'You made the bullets too?'

'Yes sir.'

'Right.' He nodded. 'So what you're really trying to tell me is that you can't give up the name of whoever illegally sold you a firearm, is that it? You're refusing to.'

Seulgi smiled in apology.

'Well,' he said, 'you're luckier than a four-leaf-clover that the guy you shot didn't die.'

'Sir?'

'I'm sure the bosses would've let you off for a murder charge, considering who it was you shot. And what you've done. But I'm betting you'd have to give up some details, too.'

'Forgive me, sir.'

'For what?'

'I mean...I shot him in the head.'

'That much is obvious.'

'And he's alive?'

'Alive? Oh yeah. Big metal plate in his head though. So, only kind of, I suppose. But alive? Sure. Looks a bit like the Terminator. Good news, bad news. Right?'

He looked at her. As if waiting for a reply but none came. Then he waved her down and opened the top drawer and took out a brassclasped case and showed it to her. 'Look at these,' he said. 'You know what these are?'

'Cigars, sir.'

'Cigars. Yeah. They're ing menthol cigars, Seulgi. Can you believe it? Who in their right goddamn mind would ever make menthol cigars? Cigarettes, sure. Cigarettes are for the weak and the feeble. But cigars? It doesn't make sense. This one - look at this one. This one's peppermint. This one's strawberry. A ing strawberry cigar. And it looks just like a Cuban too. Can you believe that ? Yeah. That's what I thought - crazy. But it's what I've got to do now. Apparently.'

Seulgi didn't say anything.

'Yeah. My wife says this is one of the things I've got to start on or I'm never seeing her or the kid again. Bull, really. But... it. Maybe it'll help. Jesus, listen to me. I sound like some hippie or something. Look at them, Seulgi. Menthol! Cigars! And this - look at this.'

He turned his computer monitor so she could see the video playing. 'Look,' he said. 'ing yoga tutorials. She's got me sat stretching my legs like a monk and and you know what? You know what, Seulgi? It's actually not bad. Can you believe that? I feel like a different person for once. New back, new legs, new me. A spring in my step. Or maybe it's placebo. I don't know. All I know is I can bend and touch my toes. I haven't been able to do that in fifteen years. Maybe that's the power of the brain. I don't even know. And I got in touch with my cousin, too. The one without the eye. Yeah, well. Turns out she's still only got one eye. Crazy. But she's doing better. She wears it like a pirate now. Yeah, big ol' eyepatch over it and everything. Like Bluebeard. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah. How's the arm?'

'It's uh...' she paused, and then: 'It's not too bad, sir. I can't complain.'

'Yeah, well. Maybe you should. How long until you can get back to work?'

'A couple weeks. Maybe a bit longer.'

'A bit longer.'

'Three weeks? Or...six.'

'Don't push it, Kang.'

'Yes sir,' she said with a smile. He put the cigarbox back in the drawer and adjusted his belt and rubbed his hair. He was looking somewhere behind her. 'There she goes,' he said. 'I wish I didn't have to kick her out like that but rules are rules. She's a good one, that Wheein.'

'Yes sir.'

'Ah well.'

'She'll be back soon enough.'

'You're damn right she will be. Twelve weeks and not a day more. You understand me?'

'Uh, yes sir. I think so.'

'Good. You got anything you want to say?'

She shook her head. He nodded. Then he opened the second drawer and produced another brass box and opened it and took out a small silver medal with a purple ribbon and handed it over to her. 'There you go,' he said.

'Sir?'

'A commendation medal. For, you know, getting that painting back and everything. Not from me, of course. So don't go thinking that. But the bigwigs have decided to bestow that honour on you. So...congratulations, Seulgi.'

'Thank you sir,' Seulgi said, pinning it to her suit.

'Well. Go on.'

'Sir?'

'Say it. Whatever you're going to say.'

'I wasn-'

'Come on, Seulgi.'

She paused a moment. Then she said, 'What about Irene?'

'Your partner.'

'Yes sir. Does she get one of these?'

He laughed. 'You kidding me?' he said. 'She's lucky she's not behind bars permanently. And I ing mean it this time. No, she should be thanking her guardian angel every night that she was with you when you found it. I think six months is about as good as she can get. Three with good behaviour.'

'So six, then.'

'What?'

Seulgi just coughed into her hand and smiled. Hongki pointed to the peachcoloured suit she was wearing. And a white shirt underneath. White pants, white sockless loafers.

'You lose a bet or something?' he said.

'Sir?'

'That suit.'

'Oh, uh. No, sir. It's just what I...uh, what I like to wear. Surprised you haven't noticed by now.'

'Huh. You ing with me, Seulgi?'

'No sir.'

'Bec-'

'Because you don't like to be ed,' she said. 'Yes sir.'

He squinted to look at her for a moment. 'You getting cocky with me again, Kang?'

'Sir.'

'Well. I suppose I'll allow it just this one time, seeing as you've saved the city and everything. Poetically speaking, of course. So, whatever. Consider that medal your appreciation from the bosses. That's what they're giving you. And that's it. So don't go asking for a payrise or anything like that.'

'I wasn't going to.'

'Or a new car. That wasn't on our payroll.'

'Yes sir.'

'Well, go on then. Enjoy your day. And I'll see you in three weeks.'

'Or six.'

'Three, Seulgi! You hear me?'

She smiled and nodded. He waved her away and she turned and opened the door and he called out to her again.

'Sir?'

'You did a damn good job out there,' he said. 'A damn good job.'

And with that same smile she said, 'Thank you sir. Thank you very much.'

♣   ♣   ♣

When she pulled into the visitor's bay at the end of the lot at Seoul Correctional Facility it had just gone five in the evening. All was relatively dark save the flickerlights on the telephone poles and the facility from where she could see it. She parked the little red Kia and got out and walked along to the entrance and talked to the guard on duty and he led her through into the big room with the white ceilinglights. There were perhaps a hundred tables, all identical, all fastened down to the floor, each with two plasticback chairs. A handful of guards stood about the sides of the room looking on. It was already beginning to fill. She was led to a table and told to sit and wait and she did.

She was there for maybe ten minutes. The other tables played host to a consortium of crooks and criminals and their partners, all already talking, some laughing, most sharing stories. They were playing an old song over the speakers at the end of the room. She turned to where they were leading the last of the female prisoners in. The moment she saw Irene there in her orange jumpsuit she stood and smiled and watched her come over. Even there she looked every bit Irene, every bit a standout. Her hair neatly across her shoulders. The curve of her in that jumpsuit. How sordid it almost was. And that crooked smirk of mischief the moment she laid eyes on Seulgi at the table.

She came over and before Seulgi had a chance to say anything Irene drew her in for a kiss. They held it for a long time. The guard was watching them. When Irene pulled back she giggled and sat and all Seulgi could do was sit opposite and look at her for a long time in dumb silence.

'You gonna say anything or you just planning on sitting there for the full hour?' Irene said.

'I, uh. I...you. You look good.'

'I look good. That it?'

'You look really good.'

'Okay. You can go now. Guard, we're done.'

Seulgi just looked at her.

'Eyes front, sweetie.'

'Do you have to wear that thing all the time?' Seulgi said.

'What? Oh, this jumpsuit? No, only for visitors and like that. And when we're in the cafeteria. Why? You a fan of it or something? Thinking it looks good on me, is that it? I mean I can't blame you. I look good in anything.'

'Still the same old Irene.'

'It's only been, what? Three days? Four? Honestly it feels like a lifetime. You look pretty banged up, by the way.'

'Yeah.'

'How ya holding up?'

'I've been worse.'

'You sure about that?'

Seulgi shrugged. 'It'll heal. In time.'

'Did you drive here?'

'Yeah.'

'In what car?'

'My new one. It's, uh. It's a Kia. A red Kia.'

Irene laughed. 'Yo,' she said. 'A Kia. That's interesting. And by interesting I mean: that's not interesting at all. It's like, the dead-last polar opposite of interesting. Imagine if Don Johnson had driven around in a ing Kia. Wow. Poor you.'

'Alright, I get it.'

'Wait. Listen.'

'What?'

'That's Michael Jackson.'

'I know.'

'Love Never Fe-'

'I know,' Seulgi said, blushing.

'What's the matter, sweetie? A bit hot in here or something?'

'Shut up.'

'You know, it's a shame I'm in here for six months. But probably good for you.'

'Why?'

'Otherwise I'd be all over you.'

Seulgi didn't reply. She watched that smile transform wickedly on Irene's lips as she leant forward and turned and eyed the guard and turned back. 'You look pretty good in a cast,' she said. 'It kinda works as a fashion accessory, you know? Groovy.'

She placed a tender kiss on Seulgi's cheek and sat back.

'Oh, .'

'What?' Seulgi said.

'I've only just realised.'

'Realised what?'

She pointed to Seulgi's suitjacket. 'What the is that?' she said.

'A medal.'

'A medal.'

Seulgi nodded. 'A commendation medal. From the department.'

'And where's mine?'

'Well.'

'Well what?'

'You're not getting one.'

'You serious?'

'Uh huh. Sorry.'

Irene just shrugged. They were quiet a minute. Listening to other conversations around them. Then Irene said: 'What? What are you looking at me like that for?'

'Like what?'

'Like that. See? Like that, right there.'

Seulgi was quiet.

'What?'

'I, uh.'

'What?'

'I miss you,' Seulgi said. She expected Irene to laugh. To start chuckling to herself, already readying an insult or something of the story. And then she did.

'Whoa,' Irene said. 'What's this? Are you getting soppy and emotional on me now? I can't be doing with that, Seulgi. I'm just saying. Before we get into anything I can't have you soppy all the time, you know? Stoic and boring I can do, but emotional? Nuh uh.'

'It's true.'

'It's only been like three days.'

'Still. What about the future?'

'Relax,' Irene said. 'It'll only be six months.'

'Or three with good behaviour.'

'So...six, then.'

'That's what I said!'

Irene laughed. 'Not very supportive of you, is it? Hey, while you're here - what about your buddies? The ones that helped us, I mean. Joy and Wheein. And Wendy of course. Yeah, whoo. Groovy.'

'They're doing fine. All of them. Although Wheein's out of a job.'

'Wait, what?'

'For twelve weeks.'

'Why?'

'For helping you escape? I mean, I thought that was pretty obvious.'

'But we're the heroes of Korea,' Irene said. 'Poetically speaking. And by proxy, so is she. Well, like, a tenth of a hero. Sort of like, a hero by association? Or by the powers of absorption or something? I don't know. But you catch my draft.'

'I don't make the rules.'

'You just break them.'

'Most of them,' Seulgi said with a smile. 'It's better that way.'

'Whoa,' Irene said. 'Look at you. Where'd you learn to grow a backbone?'

'From you.'

'Bit of a bad influence, aren't I?'

'Oh, absolutely. But you have your uses.'

'My uses.' Irene laughed. She set her hand palm-up on the table and Seulgi took it in her own very gently. 'You know,' she said, 'this has been pretty fun. The whole adventure shebang. Getting the painting back. Minus, you know, the murders and . And the nationwide mob business. But still. The point remains. Sort of. And I think I know why.'

'Why's that?'

'Because I had a pretty good companion.'

'Yeah?'

Irene shrugged. That smile on her lips ever so slightly bashful. 'You won't hear it again,' she said. 'So don't get used to it. It's a one-time deal only.'

'What are you trying to say?'

'I dunno. Maybe, you know...once I get out of here, we could do it all again. Not the theft and the murders and the insane . But, you know. The me-and-you stuff.'

'Partners?' Seulgi said.

'Sure. Yeah. Partners.'

'Are you asking if we can be together?'

'What?'

'Is that what you're asking me.'

'Whatever,' Irene said.

'Romantically?'

'Look, are you going to tease me for the rest of the hour? Your time's ticking, sweetie. I can just tell the guard you're harassing me if you want. And I've gotta tell you, I'm not sure how I feel about this cocky Kang Seulgi. The confidence is y, sure. But I can't have you thinking you can get away with making fun of me, you know.'

Seulgi giggled. 'Me and you?' she said.

'Me and you. You and I. Whatever.'

'You know what, Miss Bae Joohyun?'

'What?'

'I think you've got yourself a deal, partner.'

♣   ♣   ♣

Everything had settled in the office again. It wasn't quiet anymore but she didn't mind the steady hum of chatter at all nor the constant ringing of the phones. She was sat at her desk filling out case reports when Wheein walked in the door and dropped a cardboard box of folders and documents and trinkets on the empty desk opposite and it was a moment longer before Seulgi even realised she was there at all.

'How ya doing, partner?' she said with a -eating grin.

'Wheein?'

'In the flesh, loud and clear, read it and weep. Or something. Think I'm getting my imagery muddled a bit.'

'What are you doing here?'

She held out her arms as if to say: What? You complaining or something?

'Always were a slow one, weren't you?' she said.

'What?'

She opened the cardboard box and took out a calendar and pointed to the date. 'Twelve weeks. Three months. Guess who's back?'

'It's been twelve weeks already? Are you kidding me?'

'I know, right? Time flies. But I'm back now, so you can stop worrying about who's going to be making you look good in the future. Because, you know, it'll be me again. As always. Did you miss me?'

'You know, I actually didn't. Not even a little.'

'Oh, come on, Seulgi. I know you did. Who can resist this sweet face?'

Seulgi laughed. 'Welcome back,' she said. 'How've you been?'

'Oh, you know. Same old same old. What about you?'

'Not too bad. Here and there.'

'What about him?' Wheein said, nodding to Hongki. And then, seeing Hongki sat at his desk: 'Never mind. Am I seeing things? Is he asleep or something?'

'Oh, that. No. It's just what he does now.'

'Pretends to be asleep at his desk?'

'It's meditation.'

Wheein looked at her. Everything seemed rather quiet. Then she said, 'Meditation?'

'Yeah. It's what he does now.'

'Have I stepped into the wrong department or something? Where's Hongki?'

'Right there,' Seulgi said, pointing. 'Meditating.'

'Get the out of here. Next you're gonna tell me he's taken up yoga.'

'Well.'

'No. You're kidding me.'

Seulgi just shrugged.

'His wife tell him to do it or something?'

'Uh huh. And quit smoking, too.'

'And?'

'He did. He's on menthol cigars now.'

'Menthol cigars? Those are a thing?'

'Apparently so.'

Wheein turned to him and then back again. 'Well,' she said. 'You know, I'm kinda happy about that, strange as it sounds. Can you believe it? I'm a little bit proud of him.'

'Don't catch him hearing you say that.'

'Oh, don't you worry. Not in a million years.' She turned back to Seulgi and smiled. 'It's good to see you again. I sorta missed you a little, silly as it sounds.'

'I missed you too.'

'I honestly don't know how this place copes without my tremendous work ethic.'

'We make do.'

'Uh huh.'

They looked at Hongki just as he pushed his chair away and stood and made for the door. 'Hey,' Wheein said, 'you think he's gonna be different with us now? With the whole lifestyle change and all.'

He opened the door and leant out. 'Jung Wheein!' he said. 'Get your sorry in here in eight seconds or you're fired! And permanently this time!' And then he was gone again.

'Well,' Wheein said. 'Guess that settles that. I'll see ya 'round, Seulgi.'

'Yeah. See you later.'

When Wheein was a couple steps from the desk she stopped and turned again. 'Oh,' she said, a playful grin on her lips. 'Before I forget.'

'What?'

'You might wanna go outside for a minute. There's something out there I think you've got to see.'

'What is it?'

'Oh, believe me, it's better if you see it.'

Then she turned and tapped the end of one of the cubicles and disappeared into Hongki's office with a spring in her step. Seulgi sat a moment watching them talk mutely, Hongki refusing to smile as always. Not even his wife could drag that out of him. Then she pushed her chair away and straightened her suit and went on along the corridor and down to the front of the precinct. She stood on the kerb a minute up the air. It was a nice day for a change. A tall sun wobbled in the warm sky. Season's greetings. The end of the cold.

'You gonna stand there all day or what?'

She turned to her right and blinked and looked about and back as if she had walked out of the precinct and into a dream. The sun cast down on Irene leaning against the back of a black SUV, arms folded, white polo and black jeans, hair tied back, knowing smirk on her delicate red lips. Smell of jasmine in the air.

'Well?' she said.

'Irene?'

'Took you long enough.'

'What are you doing here?'

'Is that it? Is that all I'm gonna get?'

'You should be in prison.'

'Wow. Thanks. And here I was thinking you'd be in tears or something. Well, not quite, with you being all boring and . But, you know.'

Seulgi took a step forward and then a second. So that she could smell her there, just out of reach. 'Why are you here?' she said, but already she was smiling.

'I got let out early. For good behaviour.'

'What?'

'Jesus, are you deaf or something? What's gotten into you?'

'You got let out early.'

'Bingo.'

'They said three-'

'Three months, yeah. Twelve weeks.' She held out her arms as if to say: Here I am, baby! Live and in the flesh!

'And you actually...'

'Actually what?'

'You know,' Seulgi said. 'Behaved.'

'Well. Moderately. But, yeah. I guess so. Guess I had good reason to.'

'You should've told me when I visited last week.'

'I wanted to surprise you.'

'Well.'

'Well what?'

'You certainly did.'

Irene laughed. She stepped away from the SUV and pulled Seulgi in for a kiss and draped her arms around Seulgi's neck and giggled.

'What?'

'You. Look at you.'

'What?' Seulgi said. Irene nodded to her.

'You're a regular Don Johnson, aren't you?'

'Are you going to tease me on my outfits forever? Because it gets old quite quickly. And the Don Johnson comparisons stopped being clever after, like, ten mentions.'

'Well. it up, sweetheart.'

They were quiet a while. Just standing there on the kerb, not really knowing what to say. Someone down the street was laughing. A couple kids came back kicking a ball and disappeared into the pooling red sunset. Wheein was watching them from the window and so was Hongki, puffing on one of his new menthol Cubans. They looked at each other. Irene with a glint in her eye Seulgi couldn't quite explain or trace. Eager to speak, urging herself to say something.

'What?' Seulgi said. 'What?'

She was expecting Irene to make fun of her. To laugh at her suit or her sockless ing loafers again or poke fun at the red Kia parked across the road or joke about how boring and usual and generic she was being but she didn't. She just leant forward and smiled and said, 'I love you, Seulgi.'

'What?'

'I love you.'

'You love me.'

Irene shrugged. 'Don't make me say it again. I'm not good at like this. I'm almost as bad as you, really. I'm almost boring. Can you believe that?'

'Just one more time.'

'No.'

'Please.'

'Nuh uh.'

'Irene. Please.'

Irene looked at her and sighed. 'I love you.'

'I love you too,' Seulgi said, smiling.

'Oh, good. You know, I was kinda thinking you weren't going to say it or something. Or you were going to freak out on me and run away. God, how ing embarrassing would that have been. But I guess since you've said it you can get your present now.'

'My present?'

Irene shrugged. 'Just a little something I figured I'd get you. Consider it a belated thank you for that tobacco tin.'

'What is it?'

'A car.'

Seulgi laughed. 'What is it?' she said again.

'It's a new car.'

'I've got the Kia.'

'Fine. Don't take it. I'll have it.'

'No. Wait. I mean, did you really get me a car?'

'Uh huh.'

Seulgi took a step back. 'Is this it?' she said, nodding to the SUV. Irene turned around and stepped away from the kerb and said, 'What, this? Are you kidding me? No, not this.'

'Where is it then?'

Irene motioned for Seulgi to follow. She moved back from the SUV and to the next spot down the road, hidden from where they had been standing almost entirely. Seulgi just looked at it. Wheein and Hongki were smiling and nodding and gawping from the window. Some kid across the road maybe twelve or thirteen was taking a photo on his phone. It was a 1986 Ferrari Testarossa, in white, porcelain-pale and gleaming.

'What the ?' Seulgi said.

'I figured I'd get you a new one. Since, you know, you kinda drove the other one through a boat. So I thought I'd make it up to you. You know how much the import fees are to get one of these shipped from Italy? ing ridiculous, I tell ya. Korean needs to ease up on their automobile laws.'

'How did you afford this?'

'What was it I said a while back?' Irene asked with a grin. 'Crime pays the bills, sweetie. And a good bit more on top of it.'

'It's illegal money.'

'It's not illegal if it goes to a good cause. Or something. I think someone said that once. Was it Richard Nixon? Who knows. Probably. It normally is. What is it with ing Richard Nixon?'

'I can't accept this,' Seulgi said, knowing she was going to accept it. Irene opened the passenger door and tossed Seulgi the keys over the hood and climbed in. 'Come on,' she said. 'Take me somewhere.'

Seulgi stood a moment. She rubbed her eyes. It was still there and so was Irene. She stepped in and closed the door and sniffed the fresh leather and the hint of jasmine and of pine from the air freshener sat on the dashboard. She put her hands on the wheel and ran them along the wood and felt the pedals under her and then she started the engine and revved it high in first and smiled.

'New stereo and everything,' Irene said. 'It's even got new airbags. You know, in case we have to drive off a bridge and onto a Swiss man's yacht again. Just one of those daily occurrences. Well. What do you think?'

'Are you kidding me?'

'How about: Thank you, Irene.'

Instead she leant over and kissed Irene and sat back and said: 'I love you, Irene.'

'I love you too. Now, can I do the honours?'

Seulgi nodded. Irene opened her bag and took out a CD and started up the stereo and skipped through a couple songs while Seulgi pulled out into the road and started toward Hannam Bridge with the wind howling in the space of the world outside.

'Oh ,' Irene said, replaying one of the tracks. 'This is ing perfect. I didn't think I put this one on there. I mean I tried to get all your favourite tunes but I totally forgot I added this one. This is what I think it is, right?'

'It is,' Seulgi said.

'No. That's not right.'

'What?'

'I want you to say it.'

'What?'

'I want you to say what it is.'

'Really?'

'Go on,' Irene said. 'Tell me what it is.'

'It's the Miami Vice theme.'

'You're damn right it is. Hey, can we stop somewhere to eat? I'm in the mood for some party sausages.'

'Later. I just want to drive around first.'

Irene giggled. 'Of course you do,' she said.

'You can pick the place.'

'What?'

'You choose, I'll drive.'

'You sure?'

Seulgi shrugged. The Miami Vice theme was still playing. 'Where do you want to go?' Seulgi said. 'Anywhere at all. It's up to you.'

They were driving headlong into a brilliant sunset and there was no traffic. No troubles, no distractions. Nothing but Seulgi and Irene and eighty thousand miles of open road. Irene smiled.

'Seulgi,' she said.

'What?'

'Take me somewhere beautiful.'

AUTHOR'S NOTE: And we're finally finished! What a ride it's been - I honestly can't ever say enough about how touching the support is from all of you; I never expected a comedy crime story to become my favourite thing to write a month ago haha, but it's been so much fun! I hope you guys have had fun reading it :)

This is now officially Complete, but I might (might) come back to it in the very near future with a couple 'Bonus' stories (Seulgi and Irene teaming up to take on cases together, with the same comedy of course) but only if I feel like they fit and are suitably good, because I think this Epilogue is a pretty good send-off lol. BUT...lemme know if you guys would like to read a bonus or two in the future if you don't think it's "selling out" or whatever haha, because I'd be more than happy to write more - can't believe I enjoyed writing comedy so much!!

My next big fic will probs be a crime/gang fic including Seulrene and all of RV/Mamamoo/EXO and probs some others too (starting probs in January after my exams are done) but in the meantime you can click the images below to go sub to my other one-shot fics :)

Also, as a bonus: In case anything happens to my account (don't worry I'm not the type to deactivate lol) like me accidentally deleting chapters again, you can click below to download a PDF version of Seoul City Vice to read offline. Enjoy!

Anyway, thank you again so much for taking the time to read this. It means so, so much to me!

Love y'all, and have a good day!

❤