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When an old flame from Seulgi's past resurfaces to help with a big-time case, Seulgi's got to deal with the only thing worse than thugs and drug dealers:

A jealous Irene.

 

Rated M for: Language, Violence, Copious Miami Vice References, y Times

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▶ Official Spotify Playlist ◀

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got featured for this first time!!! Omg I can't believe it, thank y'all for the kind messages so much you're all amazing so amazing 💕 Also I kinda aced my exam which I didn't expect so as a treat have this chapter a couple days early :)

It's long as , and idk how I'm feeling about it yet (comedy and jealous angst are very hard to mix lmao), but enjoy! And please read the Author's Thoughts at the bottom to get my opinion on bonus chapters :)

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Old Love, New Love

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Part I

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It had just gone six in the evening when she parked the car in the underground lot and stepped out and went on through the lobby and up to her apartment. It had been dark since four. Short and cold days in the twilight of winter. Seulgi turned the key in the newly fixed lock and went in and closed the door behind her. The lights in the kitchen and the livingroom were on and she could hear the dim hum of the TV set before anything else. It smelled of bacon and lavender air freshener. She set her jacket down on the chair in the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water and went on through to where Irene was in the livingroom. Just sat there watching nothing relevant. She didn't even bother turning around.

'What's this?'

'What?'

'What you watching?' Seulgi said, sitting beside her and setting the glass down on the little coffee table. Irene shrugged. 'Just something,' she said. 'Not really paying attention.'

'What's up?'

Irene looked at her. A slight pout on her lips that would've been adorable if it were not an indication of something else unspoken.

'What's wrong?'

'I'm so ing bored, babe. Like, seriously bored. There's only so much housework I can do, you know? And I'm strangely terrible at it. You know, I think I might actually be allergic to manual labour.'

'Allergic.'

'Uh huh.'

Seulgi laughed.

'I'm serious,' Irene said.

'What do you want me to do about it?'

'Why can't you take me to work with you?'

'We don't do Take Your Girlfriend To Work days. Sorry.'

'Why can't I be your partner again?'

'You're not allowed.'

'Didn't stop me last time. Or you. Or whatever. Just slip it to your boss that I wanna help out or something. Can't you at least do that? I'm sure he'll let me. I'm valuable.'

Seulgi sipped at her water. The TV in the corner was playing the news on the half hour. She looked at Irene. Arms folded, legs crossed languidly one over the other, hair loose about her shoulders. In the dim copper light she looked cruelly beautiful. 'You're a criminal,' she said. 'Sorry.'

'Wow. Thanks.'

'I mean...'

Irene was quiet a moment. Then she said, 'Alright. You're technically right. But when's that ever stopped anyone before? Henry Kissinger was a criminal. And he was Secretary of State.'

'I don't know who that is.'

'God, you're terrible at Cold War geopolitics, aren't you?'

'Why are you so good at it?' Seulgi said, amused. 'Too much time spent with Wendy, I think.'

'There's nothing wrong with being world-savvy, sweetie. Maybe you could pick up a thing or too, you dig?'

'I dig.'

'I'm serious, though. Why can't I do something with you again? Last time was so fun.'

'It's not meant to be fun.'

'Well, someone ed up along the way then. Because it sure as was, I'll tell you that.'

'You could've been killed.'

'I could've been killed walking down the street this morning. A comet could've fallen from orbit and vaporised me. The wheels could've fallen off the icecream truck that drove past and bowled me over. I could've gotten my shoelaces caught in a pavement crack and tripped and snapped my neck on the concrete. I could've choked to death on my own tongue - god knows it's long enough for that, if ya catch my drift.'

Seulgi just looked at her.

'Look, the point I'm trying to make is...what was the point I was trying to make?'

'Something about comets.'

'I could've been killed,' Irene said. 'Right. But so could you. Imagine that. Just imagine for a second.'

'Don't say that.'

'I mean it. I'd have to pay all the funeral expenses and . And it's not cheap.'

'Really now.'

Irene giggled. She took Seulgi's water and finished it and flicked the channel over to something equally irrelevant and sat back again. 'I just wanna do something exciting,' she said. 'Not necessarily driving cars off bridges, but...you know.'

'It's dangerous work.'

'I feel like we've had this conversation before.'

'When?'

'The last time. And the time before that. And before that. You telling me it's dangerous and that I'd be caught in the crossfire and that you're worried about me. And then me saying: I can look after myself. Woah. Déjà vu. Crazy.'

'What do you want me to say then?'

'I dunno. How about: Sure, babe. You can come along and help me.'

'I don't think you're legally allowed.'

'Just talk to your boss for me. I'm sure he's nice enough to sort something out.'

'Not really the word I'd use.'

'Well, whatever. Please. For me.'

Seulgi looked at her. Immediately she wished she had not. The pout of her lips, glint of her eyes, expectant, waiting. 'Alright,' she said. 'I'll let him know you're interested.'

'No.'

'What?'

'Let him know I'm the most intelligent person you've ever met. And the best at solving crimes.'

'But you're not.'

'So? Jesus, you'd make a terrible marketing executive.'

'Like you're much better.'

'I could sell snow to Eskimos, babe.'

'Uh huh.'

'Seriously though, put in a good word for me, will ya?'

Seulgi eyed her a second time. Just sat there. As if she were entirely unaware of how perfect she was. 'Alright,' Seulgi said, standing and making her way to the door. 'I'll talk to him tomorrow. But you can't come along.'

'What? Why not?'

'He doesn't like that.'

Irene stood. 'What do you mean he doesn't like that?' she said.

'When people think highly of themselves.'

'Why not?'

'I don't know. He just doesn't. Maybe it's a psychological thing.'

'What an .'

'I wouldn't let him hear you say that, either.'

'So what do I do then?'

Seulgi thought for a moment. Then she said, 'I don't know. Just sit here, I guess. Like you normally do.'

'And do nothing.'

'Sure.'

' that. I want some action. I want some excitement in my life. Y'know, for all the I give you, you've got your together a helluva lot more than I do. You've even got more friends than me. I can't believe I'm saying that.'

'What about all your rich art friends?' Seulgi said.

'Sure. But they're not really friends, y'know? More...distant associates. You've at least got Wheein. And one is bigger than zero.'

'That's maths.'

Irene shot her a squint. 'I don't appreciate the sarcasm,' she said. 'It doesn't suit you as well as stonefaced nothingness does.'

'Yeah. Well.'

'Where are you going?'

'To get changed into something more comfortable.'

'Can we go grab something to eat?'

Seulgi nodded. 'Where do you want to go?' she said.

'Dunno. Anywhere. Just as long as you take me in your car.'

'Why?'

'I kinda like it, y'know? Feels like you're showing me off.'

She smiled and Seulgi turned away. 'So tomorrow then,' Irene said. 'Tomorrow you'll talk to your boss for me.'

'Yeah.'

'Promise.'

'I promise,' Seulgi said.

'Good. Thank you.'

'And you promise to stay here and do nothing.'

'I never said that.'

'Say it now then.'

But Irene just shrugged and grinned and was silent.

 

♣   ♣   ♣

 

Seulgi cut the engine and stepped out into the morning pastel and went on in through the lobby without looking back. Nobody was there to greet her and in the office Wheein's desk was empty. The remaining half of the sandwich she'd eaten earlier lay by her papers with a stonecold mug of coffee boiled hours previous. Seulgi sorted her own things out and adjusted the cuffs of her suit and knocked on Hongki's door and waited. She didn't even bother peering through the glass because he'd know she was looking and he certainly wouldn't approve of that. You spying on me, Kang? he'd say. You trying to divulge something secret? You some sort of inter-agency sleeper cell or something?

He opened the door and stood looking at her. Cold and quiet. His office smelled of incense and vegan food. He wore a purple shirt with the top two buttons unfastened and trousers far too tight for him and new white Oxfords and he watched her in silent contemplation and after a moment motioned her inside. He sat behind his desk and shifted about his papers and the coffeecup and the picture of his wife still facedown as always. Seulgi stood waiting. There was a cream wicker basket she had never seen before about four feet tall stood by the side of the desk with the lid closed and sealed and a new potted plant on the windowsill behind him. Thin and pale light through the blinds.

'Sir,' she said. He looked at her. He looked at her for a long time. Then he shifted his chair back and said, 'You're supposed to be out doing something.'

'Yes sir.'

'I don't know what. But something. Am I wrong?'

'No sir.'

'No sir,' he said. 'I'm never wrong. That's why I'm the Sir, and you're the...the Not Sir.'

'Yes sir.'

'Well. Since you're here you've clearly got something important to say. So, go on then. Say it.'

'Sir-'

'No. Wait. What I meant was: You've clearly got something you think is important to say. But that doesn't mean it's actually important. It just means you think it is. That's what I meant to say. So. Continue.'

Seulgi shifted about on her feet. 'There's something I wanted to ask you, sir.'

'Well. Yes.'

'It's about my partner. Irene.'

Hongki motioned for her to continue.

'I was thinking...maybe it'd be better for her to tag along with me in the future. If there's anything I ever have to do. Anything serious. Not in any sort of official capacity. I don't mean that. But...just with me. If that makes sense, sir.'

'It doesn't.'

'Well.'

He looked at her again. Then he opened the second drawer behind his desk and took out a wooden flute and set it down in front of him. 'You want her to help you,' he said.

'Yes sir.'

'Any reason why?'

'I just think it would be better, sir. She did help me before, after all. I couldn't have done it without her. Get that painting back, I mean.'

'She's a criminal.'

'Yes sir. She was.'

'Can't have her working here.'

'No sir.'

'But you want her to come along with you on whatever you do?'

Seulgi nodded. She thought he might say something but he did not. He just sat there. As if weighing up the implications of what had already been spoken. Then he said, 'I've got something to show you, Kang.'

'Sir.'

He leant over the desk and removed the lid from the wicker basket and tossed it aside. Seulgi stepped forward. He held the flute to his lips and began to play an off-tune melody and from the basket a long and discoloured snake rose and hissed and lurched about. Its forktongue flickered and spat and settled. Its eyes coalblack and small in its globular alien face. Seulgi stepped back again. 'Sir,' she said. 'Uh...sir.'

He played the flute with no real precision or skill and the snake danced and wound about the rim of the basket and disappeared again. Hongki put the flute down and set the lid back on the basket and shot her a strange self-congratulating grin that said: Did you see that? I'm a ing magician! Then he looked at her and said: 'Did you see that? I'm a ing magician! A magician!'

'Sir.'

'It's an Indian cobra. Yeah, a real one. You don't wanna know where I got it from, believe me. Whew, boy. I never thought it'd work - hell, I'd never even played a flute in my life before this week - but look at it now. I'm charming snakes, Kang! My doctor recommended it to me. Snake charming, I mean.'

'Your...doctor?'

'My other doctor,' he said. 'He makes me these herbal remedies. For my head. Yeah, all natural ingredients and everything. Real good for you. Real good for the soul. I think I'm getting used to all this hippy , you know? I think maybe it suits me. Anyway, he told me snake charming has a calming effect and told me to try it, so I went out and bought a cobra and a flute and now look at me. Charming snakes, Kang! Can you believe it? Anyway, what were you saying again? Something about quitting?'

'Uh...no.'

'Yeah. Right.'

'I was-'

'Did you know these bad boys can open their jaws so wide they can swallow African elephants whole?'

'I...uh.'

'They just unhinge them. Their jaws, I mean. Don't ask me how. I'm not a biologist. Zoologist. Whatever.'

'Sir. What I was saying-'

'They don't actually.'

'Sir?'

He shrugged. 'I made that part up. I don't know how wide they can open their jaws. Still. Makes you think, doesn't it?'

'Yes sir.'

'Anyway. You were going to say something.'

'Yes sir.'

'Well I'm sure it's not important now, so whatever. I've got something for you.'

He opened one of the drawers and took out a handful of documents paperclipped together in a red folder and passed it across the desk to her. Seulgi looked at them and a second time and set them back down. Photos, information on people, a mugshot. Hongki took out the sheets and spread them about the table and pointed to one in particular. A man maybe forty-five or fifty, dark hair and thin moustache. 'This is Kim Hongsuk,' he said.

'Kim Hongsuk.'

'You know him?'

'I've heard the name before, sir.'

'I expect so. Used to run a whole bunch of stuff over here. Mostly illegal casinos and e rings. Big business , from here to Busan. Until about a year ago, that is, when he just dropped off the map. Businesses, clients, operations - the whole lot. Rumours were he caught wind we were properly onto him and ducked for Cuba. Or somewhere in America. , I don't know. But word on the street is he's back now. And it's our job to find out if the word on the street is true or if it's just some bull. You understand me?'

'Yes sir. It's my job to find out.'

'Perceptive one, aren't you?'

'Sir.'

She took the documents again and flicked through them. 'What do I have to do?' she said. He took an envelope from one of the drawers and slid it across the desk and pointed to it. 'This is an invitation to a party at a mansion resort called The Apex, in Gangnam. Tomorrow night.'

'Sir?'

He looked at her as if he had already said everything and then looked at her as if suddenly remembering he had not said anything at all. 'It's the sort of party you'd expect all the big-time s to be at. It's a house without a number. Just a name to it. The Apex. How grand is that? And it's where all the shady goes down. You know what I'm talking about.'

'Yes sir.'

'It's a premature celebration of the Lunar New Year. Or something. I don't actually know what it's for. But you know the type of people that are going to be mingling there. And as it turns out, a couple of the guys on the guest list are guys who used to have ties with our friend over here. At least in an unofficial capacity. Nothing to properly link them to crime, of course. But still. So your goal is to get in there, find these guys, and get something out of them.'

'That's...it?'

'What else do you want?'

'I, uh.' She coughed into her hand. 'I don't know, sir. I just thought...I mean...'

'You won't be alone, so don't worry about that.'

'Sir?'

'You'll be met there by one of our undercover operatives. She's been on the case for Hongsuk for years now and nothing's come out of it. If anyone knows anything about him, or the people that worked for him, or the people that wiped his , or the name of his second wife's Spanish maid, or the weight of his dog in pounds and ounces, it's her. She'll handle the legwork. You just, y'know, don't get in the way. Moral support.'

'Who is she?'

'I can't give you a name,' he said.

'Sir?'

'She's undercover.'

'How will I know who she is?'

'She'll find you.'

'She knows my name?'

'What is this, Twenty Questions? She'll find you when you're in there. That's all you need to know for now.'

Seulgi took the envelope and opened it. There were two paper invitation slips inside. 'Two?' she said.

'Yeah, well,' he said, shrugging. 'Go on.'

'Sir?'

' off. I've got some snake charming to do. And that isn't a euphemism, before you get any ing ideas. Go.'

'Yes sir.'

'And Kang.'

'Yes sir.'

'Don't this one up too much.'

'Yes sir. I mean...no sir. I won't.'

'Good. I'm counting on you, stupid as the idea of that sounds. God, what's coming to this department? Were we always this useless? Or is it all in my head? Maybe it's the amphetamines. I don't even know I'm talking about anymore.'

 

♣   ♣   ♣

 

The door was locked when she tried the handle and when she went inside Irene was nowhere to be found. Seulgi stood in the doorway and rang her and waited. It hummed twice and then she heard Irene and dim thrash-metal music in the background and something else beyond.

'Where the are you?'

'What?' Irene said.

'Where are you? Are you at yours?'

'Nuh uh.'

'I told you to stay here and not do anything stupid.'

'I'm not doing anything stupid.'

'Irene, where are you?'

'I'm at Wendy's.'

'What? Are you kidding?'

Irene muttered something quietly.

'What?'

'She says hi.'

'What the are you doing there?'

'Relax, man. I'm just chilling. I told you, I get bored easily.'

'You promised.'

'No, you promised. I just sorta smiled at you, right? Anyways, what did your boss say?'

Seulgi didn't reply.

'Babe? You there?'

'I'm coming to get you. Don't go anywhere. Jesus, it's like I'm babysitting or something.'

Without another word she hung up the phone and locked up and went down to where she had parked the Testarossa in the corner of the lot. A thin purple haze had come up in the evening and the sky lay chalky and the sunlight fading. When she pulled into Wendy's driveway it had just gone seven and there was barely any sun left at all. She cut the engine and knocked on the door. Irene answered only a moment later. She was dressed in baggy sweats and her hair was tied back and she stank of weed and chocolate and oranges. 'Hey,' she said with an illegal smile. Seulgi peered in and saw nothing.

'What the are you doing here?'

'I told you, I got bored. You coming in, babe? Or you just gonna stand there?'

'Come on.'

'What? Where are we going?'

'Back to mine.'

'Why?'

'I've got something I need to tell you.'

Irene turned and looked back. The thrash-metal was still playing. 'Where's Wendy?' said Seulgi.

'She's in the garden. In her, uh, spaceship. Her new one.'

'Her new one.'

Irene shrugged.

'Come on. We need to go.'

'God, you're pushy sometimes.'

'Irene. Please.'

'Alright. Alright. Let me just get my stuff.'

'What stuff?' Seulgi said, but by the time she had finished Irene was already halfway up the stairs and then out of sight. She came back with a cardboard box of miscellanea a minute later and an enormous pole with a black flag hanging from the end of it over one shoulder. 'What the is that?' Seulgi said.

'What's what?'

'That.'

'It's my anarchy flag.'

'Your anarchy flag.'

'Uh huh.'

'What for?'

'For anarchy, you know? Down with the system, man. Capitalism . Yeah, Wendy's opened my eyes to some real , babe. Real .'

Seulgi ignored her. She went on out and started the car and Irene stood by the passenger's side a moment not moving. 'What?' Seulgi said.

'Why do these sports cars always have no room? So impractical.'

'What?'

'Where do I put my anarchy flag?'

'Leave it.'

'No.'

'Leave it.'

'No.'

'Leave-' she paused and sighed. 'Look, just put it in your lap or something.'

'It won't fit. It doesn't fold.'

'What?'

'I mean it doesn't fold down or anything. It's just a full-size flag.'

'Jesus, why do you always have to be so difficult?'

Irene giggled that low and terrific giggle and Seulgi made to pull out of the driveway without her. Irene climbed into the passenger seat and set the cardboard box between her legs and the flag so that one end was against Seulgi's door and the other draped dangerously over Irene's lap. 'Can you still reach the gears?' Irene said.

'I'll have to.'

'That's not really very reassuring, you know?'

'It's your fault.'

'Yeah. Well.'

They drove in silence toward Seulgi's apartment, racing against the last of the light in the mute traffic like phantoms. Irene leant over the flag and turned the stereo on and sat back again nodding to the music. 'That's Twin Shadow,' she said. 'I love this song.'

'I know.'

Irene was quiet a minute. Then she laughed to herself. 'You didn't know it was Twin Shadow, did you?'

'No.'

'Why'd you say it then?'

'I'm used to saying it by now.'

'Why?'

'Because every time you ever play a song you tell me what it is and who it's by.'

'Huh. I never noticed.'

'Seriously?'

Irene shrugged to nobody in particular. By the time they were back in Seulgi's apartment it had just gone eight. Irene set the box down by the foot of the couch and leant the flag against the armrest while Seulgi made them coffee. When she went through into the livingroom Irene had already shuffled out of her pants. She sat crosslegged and palely illuminate on the end of the couch, her legs so slender and tempting. Seulgi handed her a mug of coffee and nodded to the box on the floor. 'What's all that?' she said.

'Just some stuff Wendy let me have.'

'How did you manage that?'

'I asked nicely. A little bit of positivity goes a long way, you know? You should try it sometime.'

'I'm nice.'

'But you're a bit dull. No offense, of course. I love you for it. But...still.'

'What is it?'

Irene set her coffee on the table and opened up the contents of the box. 'This is a fine china set,' she said, holding up a couple plates. 'But not just any fine china set. They're lined with this special fibrous substance that they use in military test kits.'

'That right?'

'Uh huh.'

'What does it do?'

'It's like the stuff they put in reagents, you know? So if the food you're about to eat is poisoned it starts glowing green. Or purple. Or black, if it's heroin. So you know if someone's trying to kill you. Pretty gnarly, huh?'

'What about that?'

Irene held up an old pocketwatch on a brass chain. 'This is a nineteen sixty-four fob watch with a smoke bomb attachment.'

'A what?'

'See the winder at the top?'

'Yeah.'

'See this one next to it?'

'Yeah.'

'Press that twice and boom! Instant smoke grenade.'

'Right. But...why?'

'In case you need to make a quick exit from somewhere, presumably. Dunno. Just thought it sounded cool.'

'What about all that?'

Irene took a handful of the remaining items and spread them about the coffeetable and began explaining. 'This is a fountainpen that belonged to Lavrentiy Beria, the former Marshal of the Soviet Union. And this is a bracelet worn by famous Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn. And this is a cigar case that belonged to the personal assistant of US President John F. Kennedy. And these...these are sunglasses worn by Don Johnson in Miami Vice.'

'What? Seulgi said. 'Are for you real?'

'No, I'm lying.' Irene laughed. 'Had to see if you were still paying attention.'

'Who did they belong to, then?'

'A man.'

'What man?'

'Just...a man.'

'Uh huh. And what about that?'

Irene pushed the box aside and lifted out the last item. It was an enormous green plant in a faded ceramic pot. 'This is a Japanese peace lily,' she said. 'Doesn't really serve any purpose but it looks pretty, no?'

'I guess.'

'Can we keep it?'

'Whatever,' Seulgi said. Irene leant forward and kissed her on the cheek and put everything save the peace lily back in the box. 'So,' she said, sipping her coffee. 'What did you want to tell me?'

'I spoke to Hongki.'

'And?'

'I, uh. I mean I didn't actually get to speak to him. He just sort of ignored me.'

'So...you didn't speak to him.'

Seulgi nodded.

'Why'd you say you did?'

'Don't know.'

'Great. So, what, then?'

She took the envelope from the inside pocket of her jacket and took out the invites so that Irene could see them. 'I'm meant to attend a party tomorrow night in Gangnam. One of these big events your friend Yeri would know about, I guess.'

'And then what?'

'Hongki said I was going to meet an undercover operative there, and that she'd help me find this guy.'

'What guy?'

'Oh. Right. Forgot that bit. He's-'

'Let me guess - he's a drug dealer?'

'No, but close enough.'

'He's a bad guy?'

'That'll do.'

'Why'd he give you two invites?'

'Your guess is as good as mine,' Seulgi said, and when Irene's face shifted into that leering, knowing smirk, she wished she had kept shut. 'Maybe he likes me,' Irene said. 'I'm guessing it's for me.'

'Maybe it is.'

'Well.'

'Well what?'

'You know I'm coming along, right?'

Seulgi thought about arguing for a second. Then she said, 'Yeah, I do.'

'When is it?'

'Says nine PM tomorrow.'

'What do we do until then?'

'Well,' Seulgi said. She stood and dropped the envelope with the invitations on the table. 'I'm going to get changed and get an early night.'

'It's not even nine.'

'I'm tired.'

'Yeah, well. You won't be sleeping much.'

Seulgi ignored her. She disappeared into the bathroom half expecting Irene to follow right behind her but she didn't even move. It was only when Seulgi heard her start shouting from the livingroom that she turned around and patted down her face and went to check on her. 'What?' she said, standing in the doorway.

'I accidentally impaled my Japanese peace lily with the end of my anarchy flag.'

'No one in the history of the world has ever said that before.'

'Look at it now,' Irene said, pointing to the soil on the carpet. 'It's ruined. And so is your floor.'

'You're cleaning it up.'

'I'm allergic to manual labour, I've told you that.'

'You're not coming to bed unless you clean it up.'

'Woah. That isn't right.'

'What isn't?'

'I'm supposed to be the one in control, y'know? I'm meant to be the y and seductive one with you wrapped around my finger, like it was before. I was meant to have you pining after me. How did it end up being the other way around?'

'At least you recognise it,' Seulgi said.

'It's not fair.'

'You can sleep there if you like. It's up to you.'

Irene looked at her for a minute. She looked at the mess on the carpet. At the anarchy flag buried halfway in the peace lily. Then she turned back to Seulgi and said, 'Have you at least got a dustpan and brush?'

 

♣   ♣   ♣

 

The house they pulled up across the street from was one Irene had seen before. They sat a moment watching people coming and going against the window flickerlights and saying nothing. Then Irene sat forward and adjusted her earrings. 'I know this place,' she said. 'I mean, I've never been here, but I know it. I dunno why. Funny how things work, you know?'

Seulgi took the invitations from the glovebox and passed one to Irene and opened the door and stepped out. She wouldn't look at Irene. Dressed in a black onepiece dress barely down to her knees and with her hair tied neatly back behind her ears and looking so very irresistible. She handed her keys to the valet stood by the garden entrance and went on up with Irene in tow without another word. The doorman took their invitations and looked them once over and then he nodded and let them past.

Inside was what they had expected. The rich and the fancy. Tables piled high with caviar and other expensive snacks and bottles of champagne in icebuckets and widemouthed glasses and bottles of brandy and bottles of wine and whiskey and tumblers on silver platters. The smell of cologne and sweat and mouthwash. And cigarsmoke. 'It looks like a brothel,' Irene said. Seulgi looked at her.

'Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration. But still. Where are we going?'

'I don't know.'

'What do you mean you don't know?'

'I don't know.'

'Well where's this person we're meeting?'

'I don't know that either.'

'What's her name?'

'I've told you, I don't know.'

'Brilliant. Well, don't mind me but I'm going to get a drink.'

'No.'

'What?'

'We need to be sober.'

'Do we, though? I mean, really?' She looked at Seulgi and shrugged and said, 'Just one, then?'

'Fine. But only one.'

She fetched a glass of champagne for Seulgi and they stood up on the balcony watching people come and go. Men in tailored suits and women in cocktail dresses laughing over the rims of their glasses. 'I feel like I've done this all before,' Irene said. 'I mean, I have. But I don't really wanna do it again.'

'Why not?'

'Gets a bit after a while, you know? Jesus, listen to me. Rich girl first-world problems. I sound like such a capitalist.'

'That anarchy flag really did a number on you, huh?'

'Down with the system, man. Wendy was right all along.'

Seulgi laughed. When she turned away from the banister she wasn't laughing anymore. Irene looked at her. 'What?' she said. 'Babe. What?'

'It's, uh. Nothing.'

'What?'

She followed Seulgi's eyes through the crowd. It was impossible to tell at first what she had caught sight of but almost immediately it became very clear. A woman no older than they were. She wore a white strapless dress and her hair was down about her shoulders and her makeup done so palely delicate as to be almost ethereal. She was coming toward them, shifting through the bodies with a warm and reserved smile on her lips, minding people out of her way gently. Irene watched Seulgi watch her, wordless, speechless. She came over and smiled at them. 'Seulgi,' she said.

'Jisoo.'

'When did you arrive?'

'I, uh. I mean...like, uh. Wow. Jisoo.'

'That's me. You okay?'

'Jisoo.'

The woman laughed. It was a laugh Irene didn't much like the sound of. A laugh sort of like her own - low and throaty and practiced. Seulgi had gone a darker shade of red and not with the heat. 'Jisoo,' she said. The woman turned to Irene and offered a polite smile and a handshake.

'Jisoo. Kim Jisoo.'

'Irene. Uh...just Irene. Please.'

She turned back to Seulgi and sipped her champagne and smiled again. 'When did you get here?'

'Not long ago. Jesus, uh...Jisoo. Wow. What are you doing here?'

'Same thing you are.'

'What?' And before Jisoo could reply: 'You're the one Hongki was talking about.'

'That's me. Might want to keep your voice down. How are you, anyway?'

'I'm, uh...uh. Good. I'm good, yeah. Not too bad. You look amazing. I mean you look great. I mean...good. You look good.'

Jisoo giggled. Irene watched her carefully over the rim of her champagne. 'And you,' Jisoo said. 'Still choosing your outfits from an eighties' catalogue, I see. That's that timeless Don Johnson chic look. I always did like it.'

'Always?' Irene said. They both ignored her. 'It's good to see you again,' said Jisoo with a smile. She offered a toast and Seulgi clinked her glass and drank while Irene stood there eyeing them with a strange and new caution.

'What are you doing here?' Seulgi said. 'I mean, I know...I know. But still. Why you? I thought you moved away.'

'I did. I'm still in Busan.'

'Why are you here then?'

'We've been looking into Kim Hongsuk for about three years now. He's been here and there on the radar and finally we think he's back. So they sent me to Seoul to figure it all out.'

'Like you usually do.'

'Like I usually do.'

'I'm sorry,' Irene said, 'do you two know each other?'

Seulgi gave a meek shrug. 'We, uh, go back. We used to work together.'

'Uh huh,' Jisoo said. 'Work together.'

'Is she your ex?' Irene said. Jisoo turned to Seulgi and Seulgi gave another shrug as if to say: I don't want to be here right now. I want to be literally anywhere but here. 'We used to date a bit,' Jisoo said.

'Date a bit.'

'Yeah.'

'What does that mean, date a bit? Were you seeing each other every third day or something?'

'Are you two an item?'

'Yeah,' Irene said, 'we're an item.'

'Oh. I didn't know.'

'Well. Now you do.'

Jisoo turned to Seulgi. 'You always did have a type,' she said.

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'You figure it out. I'm going to get something else to drink. Stay here. I'll be back soon. And don't go talking to random people. I know what you're like, honey. Never were too good at small talk.'

When she had assimilated back into the crowd and Seulgi had wiped the sweat from her forehead she turned to Irene.

'Who the is that?' Irene said.

'What?'

'Who is she?'

'She's just someone I used to work with.'

'Uh huh. You brought me here to meet your ex?'

'What? I didn't know she was going to be here.'

'Is that right.'

'I'm serious.'

'I'm Irene, and I'm your girlfriend, and she's your ex. And she said you've got a type. What does that mean, got a type? What type? Am I one of a type to you?'

'No.'

'Is she an art thief too? Do you have a thing for y art thieves?'

'Irene-'

'She called you honey. Even I don't call you honey.'

'It's just something she used to say.'

'Like you're her wife or something.'

'Now come on.'

'You seem to like her quite a lot.'

'What?' Seulgi said. She would have laughed if the expression on Irene's face were any less dour. 'I haven't seen her in about four years.'

'You could've fooled me.'

'Irene.'

'I saw the way you looked at her.'

'Don't be stupid.'

'And the way you looked at her when she was walking away.'

'Irene, come on.'

'What was her name again?'

'Jisoo,' said Seulgi, and immediately wished she hadn't. 'I didn't know she'd be here. I'm serious. Completely. I promise.'

'Yeah, well.'

'Irene. Please.'

'I'm sure you'd like to talk to your friend some more.'

'Irene-'

She finished the last of her champagne and nodded out to the crowd. Jisoo was coming back with a fresh glass in her hand and a new smile on her face. It was a smile that said much of nothing. That kept her cards close to her chest. Much like the smile Seulgi remembered seeing on Irene's face the first time they had met in that restaurant on the waterfront. When Irene had left her to pay the bill for their food with that smirk painted so deftly on her lips. Like a lifetime ago now. 'You look distracted,' Jisoo said, still smiling.

'I'm fine,' said Seulgi. 'Just didn't expect to see you again, is all.'

'Nor me. Guess it's fate, right?'

'Uh. Yeah.'

'You want a drink?'

'No, I'm good.'

'How about you?'

'I'm fine,' Irene said, trying to force a smile.

'Okay,' said Jisoo. She turned back to Seulgi. Any pretence of teasing had gone from her face. 'You're lucky I know who we're dealing with. This isn't going to be anywhere near as difficult as I thought. I found a couple guys I recognise from the case files.'

'What? Already?'

Jisoo nodded. 'I got talking to them.'

'And?'

'They're a bit drunk, which is good. But they're not going to tell us anything and I'm sure of that. And we can't go asking them. They're professionals. They know a cop from ten miles away.'

'So what do we do?'

'Let me butter up to them some more. Get them to come around. Get them a couple more drinks. You see that hallway back there on the right?'

'Yeah.'

'There's a room at the end on the left, four doors down. Meet me in there in half an hour.'

'And then what?'

'Then you pretend to be my girlfriend and introduce yourself.'

Irene scoffed. Jisoo looked at her and looked back at Seulgi and nodded to nobody in particular. 'We talk to them a bit, have some drinks, have a bit of a laugh.'

'Why do you need me to come with you?'

'Looks more convincing that way. And in case any goes down, I've got you as backup. You're lucky you're not in a dress or else they'd be all over you.'

'What are you trying to say?' Irene said. They ignored her again.

'So what are we doing?' Seulgi said.

Jisoo sipped her drink. She peered about. People coming and going still. 'We talk to them, get them to come around, act like we're just here to have a good time and . The standard. The usual.'

'And then?'

'Then I slip a tracker in their pocket and we get the out of there.'

Irene laughed. They turned to her. 'Come on,' she said. 'It's going to be that easy, is it? You've got it all figured out?'

'Something like that, yeah. I've done this before.'

'I'm sure you have.'

'She's not coming with us,' Jisoo said to Seulgi. 'She'll get in the way.'

'That's right. I'll just get in the way.'

'Jisoo.'

'It's alright, babe. I'll end up getting in the way.'

'This is serious,' Jisoo said. 'We need to go about this the proper way. It's the only way we've got a chance of getting close to Hongsuk.'

'How?' Seulgi said.

'You always were a slow one, weren't you?'

'I'm serious.'

'Some things never change.'

'Jisoo.'

'Right. Yeah. I slip these guys a tracker. One of these little GPS devices, size of your fingernail, they'll never know. Then we wait.'

'For what? For Hongsuk to turn up?'

She nodded. 'Sometime down the line they'll meet him. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week. Probably tomorrow.'

'And what if they find this tracker device?' Irene said. 'Bet you didn't think of that.'

'They won't.'

'But what if they do?'

'They won't.'

'Yeah, but...what if they do though?'

Jisoo ignored her. She finished the last of her champagne and set the glass down on one of the tables next to them and nodded to Seulgi. 'Down there,' she said. 'Half an hour. I don't want to be doing this alone but I will if I have to.' Then she was gone and they were alone, Irene watching her fade into the tangle of bodies, Seulgi tapping an awkward finger against the side of her glass.

'She's so ing full of herself,' Irene said.

'What?'

'Look at her. The way she walks. The way she acts.'

'Are you jealous?'

'What?'

'Are you jealous?'

'Jealous of what?'

Seulgi shrugged.

'I just think she's too cocky, is all.'

'Why are you pouting?'

'I'm not pouting.'

'You're pouting.'

'I'm not. This is just my face.'

'It's funny.'

'My face is funny?'

Seulgi sipped her champagne.

'Is my face funny?'

'No,' Seulgi said.

'Did you plan on me meeting your girlfriend tonight?'

'She's not my girlfriend.'

'No,' Irene said. 'I am. In case you forgot.'

'I didn't.'

'You sure?'

Seulgi looked at her. She had a hand wrapped so tight around the mouth of her glass Seulgi thought it might shatter. 'I'm sorry,' she said. 'I didn't know she'd be here tonight. I promise. I really didn't expect to see her again.'

'Yeah. Well.'

'Irene-'

'Go on. You've got a job to do.'

'Where are you going?'

'To get a drink. Or five. And some party sausages. Jesus, I'm starving. Forget the party sausages. I could eat the whole ing pig. And then some.'

 

♣   ♣   ♣

 

She knocked on the door and waited and waited some more. Someone behind her excused themselves and someone down the hallway was throwing up on their shoes. Jisoo answered a moment later. In the thin and lone light it was hard for Seulgi to take her eyes away. She thought of Irene. Of what Irene would think. But Jisoo just smiled and showed her into the room and closed the door behind her. It stank of smoke and expensive whiskey. There were two cigars smoking bluely in the big glass ashtray on the table and two guys sat on the couch across from them, no older than thirty or thirty-five. They seemed far more drunk than Jisoo was.

'This is my girlfriend,' Jisoo said, in a voice Seulgi knew immediately to be her best Pretend I'm Drunk voice. A voice from years ago. Damn, the memories. She shot a fake smile and giggled a fake giggle and passed one of the glasses to Seulgi while the two guys said something to one another she didn't hear. The one on the left was bald and had a scar across his forehead. The one on the right had a wiry sort of face. He leant forward and took one of the cigars and puffed on it and said to Seulgi, 'Your girlfriend's a pretty good storyteller, you know that?'

'Uh huh.'

Jisoo sat beside her and placed a kiss on her cheek. 'Aren't I just the best, babe?' she said with a wink. Seulgi watched them each in turn. It all felt so very fake. A sort of tension bubbling just under the surface. Jisoo shot her a look that said: Let's get the out of here sooner rather than later. Seulgi nodded to nobody.

'You want a drink?' the wiry-faced man said.

'I'm good, thanks.'

'Just a small one then.'

He poured her about half a glass of whiskey and toasted and they drank. They spoke about nothing much at all. Jisoo taking the lead. She made them laugh and Seulgi tried to force a laugh of her own but it was almost impossible. She thought of Irene. She thought of Irene all the way up until Irene came barging in from the hallway about ten minutes later, looking barely like Irene at all. Her hair was matted about her face and her skin a tender scarlet blush and she wore an enormous tiger fur pelt draped over her shoulders like a cape and in one hand she had a replica human skull with the top of the cranium sawed away and removed. They all looked at her. She wobbled about the doorway like an old man and giggled to herself.

'Who's this?' the man on the right said.

'It's...uh.'

'Can you believe this?' Irene said, waving the skull about. A dark red wine sloshed about the top and disappeared against the carpet. 'It's a real ing skull. A real one! Apparently. That's what they said. Man, there's some crazy going on at this party, y'know? Real crazy . This is a human skull, Seulgi! Look at it! Alas, Poor Yorick, I knew him! That's Shakespeare, by the way.'

The wiry-faced man looked at her. 'You're Seulgi?' he said.

'Yeah.'

'Do you know her?'

'We're, uh...it's complicated.'

'She's my girlfriend,' Irene said, swaying about. She held the skull out. 'Want some?'

'I thought you were with her,' the bald man said. Seulgi shrugged.

'This is a misunderstanding,' said Jisoo, offering them some more whiskey. The bald man pointed to Irene and said, 'Is that your girlfriend?'

'No.'

'Oh, is that right?' Irene said. She held the skull to her lips and drank and turned it around and kissed it on the mouth and laughed. They just watched her. When she spoke she slurred her words enough that under any other circumstance Seulgi would've laughed. Laughed quite a lot. 'You're disowning me now, babe?' she said.

'Babe?'

'Is that what this is? You needed an excuse to ditch me?'

'Who the is this?'

'Who the am I? Who the are you?' she said, pointing to them. 'You ugly bald motherer. And why are you trying to get into my girlfriend's pants?'

'What?'

'You want some of this?'

'Who are you calling ugly?'

'Do you want to leave now?' the man with the wiry face said. 'We were busy.'

'Uh huh. It's red wine, by the way. I figured it fit the whole aesthetic, y'know? Since it kinda looks like blood and all. And I'm drinking from a skull. If this was a fancy dress party I'd score top marks. You sure you don't want some?'

'No.'

'Just a sippy sip.'

'Irene,' said Seulgi.

'Babe.'

'Please leave.'

'That's not very nice of you. I just wanted to have a good time. Hey, did you know there's a guy out there with one leg? Well, I mean, he's got two legs, technically. But one of them's plastic. Crazy. He asked me to kick him and everything!'

'Irene.'

'I don't even know where I got this thing from.' She waved the end of the tiger pelt around. 'I feel kinda bad for the tiger, really. But it's already dead now, so...eh. Modern fashion, right?'

'I'm sorry,' Seulgi said, turning to them with a smile. 'She's drunk.'

'I'm not drunk! I'm fine. Fine and dandy.'

'I'll get rid of her.'

They were watching Irene sway about in the doorway still. Seulgi stood and offered another smile and took Irene by the arm out into the corridor. Jisoo said something behind them she couldn't understand and then the door was closed and they were alone in the hallway, Irene giggling and bobbing about, Seulgi with a grip on her forearm. Someone at the end of the hall was watching them and drinking champagne from a tall glass. 'What the is wrong with you?' Seulgi said.

'I'm fine...fine, I said. I'm fine, babe!'

'Do you know how much we might be in because of you?'

'What have I done?'

'Go home, Irene.'

'Home.' She giggled again. She could barely look Seulgi in the face. 'I'm not going home.'

Seulgi led her down the stairs and out into the street without looking back to see if Jisoo was there with them. 'Wait,' Irene mumbled. 'Wait.'

'What?'

'Just...wait.'

'What?'

'Let me put this down first,' she said, waving the skull about. 'Imagine if someone saw me taking a sippy sip from this. I look like ing...uh, ing...what's his name?'

Seulgi ignored her. She crossed to where the Testarossa was still parked and stood on the sidewalk with an arm outstretched waiting for the first cab to come their way. Irene was talking to herself. People came and went. About a minute later a taxi pulled up by the kerb and Seulgi leant and said something to the driver and opened the door and stashed Irene inside. She fell against the seat and tried to right herself and fell again and the driver said something and Seulgi told him her address and propped Irene up against the back of the seat.

'Irene. Irene, look at me.'

'Babe.'

She pressed her apartment key into Irene's hand and turned to the driver. 'Make sure she gets in safely.'

'Babe, wait.'

'You need to sleep.'

'Wait.'

'I'll talk to you in the morning.'

'Wait. Seulgi, wait.'

Seulgi looked at her. A small and tender quiet between them. Irene with a drunk's senselessness focusing on nothing and everything at once. 'Seulgi,' she muttered.

'What?'

'Hannibal Lecter.'

'What?'

'The skull. That's who I looked like. Hannibal Lecter.'

Seulgi didn't say anything. The driver tapped the wheel impatiently. She took the skull from Irene and tossed it out along the sidewalk and stopped a moment to look at her, head lolling against the back of the seat, eyes closed, smiling to herself. She still smelled amazing. And she looked no worse than she ever did. 'Wait,' she said again, not even looking.

'Irene.'

'Wait a minute.'

'What?'

'Where are you going?'

'Back inside.'

'Without me.'

'I need to sort something out,' Seulgi said.

'Sort what out?'

'This? We've got a job to do. I do.'

'With Jisoo.'

'Yes.'

'Jisoo.'

Seulgi didn't reply.

'Babe,' Irene said. 'Babe.'

'What?'

She hiccupped and laughed. 'I'm so drunk.'

'I know.'

'Babe.'

'What?'

'Where's Jisoo?'

'She's inside.'

'Are you going to leave me?'

'I have to.'

'Babe.'

Seulgi sighed. 'What?'

'I love you.'

'I love you too.'

'Hannibal Lecter.'

'What?'

'I'm Hannibal Lecter! Where's my skull? I want my drinking skull!'

Seulgi fished around in her pocket and took out another fold of crumpled bills and passed them through the seat divider to the driver. 'Please,' she said, 'don't let her kill herself.'

'I'll try,' he said.

'Hey,' Irene said. 'Hey, babe.'

'What?'

'I didn't even get any party sausages. Can you believe it?'