When Hongki and the department catch word of a new crime organisation connected to an underworld street racing circuit, they know there's only one woman fit to infiltrate their inner circle and bring them down:

The Testarossa-driving, Irene-tolerating, Don Johnson-worshipping hero of Korea - Kang Seulgi.

There's only one minor problem: She's got no car, and she's never raced in her life.

Rated T for: Language, Drag Racing, Unnecessary Damage to Beautiful Italian Sports Cars, Mild Violence

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, 140 people voted for me to continue writing this, and 0 people voted for me to stop lmao. Guess that settles it then ;)

Anyway, the support has been so amazing I just wanna say thank you. 240 Votes! Insane. This one might be slightly filler-ish but I hope it's still fun enough for y'all to enjoy! 💕

The Speed Demon

Part I

It was already three in the afternoon or just gone three when Wheein climbed back into the car and handed a bottle of water to Seulgi in the passenger seat and unwrapped her sandwich from the plastic paper and took a bite.

'That anything interesting?' Seulgi said.

'Just ham. Anything yet?'

Seulgi shook her head.

'This is getting ridiculous, man. He's been in there, what, two hours?'

'Just over.'

'How big is the ing meal? Who spends two hours in a restaurant?'

'I don't know.'

Wheein took another bite. She tossed a second bottle of water up onto the dashboard and watched it roll to the bottom of the windscreen window and settle there. 'Maybe he's onto us,' she said.

'Why would he be onto us?'

'Dunno. Maybe he's clocked that something's wrong.'

'Or maybe he's just enjoying his food.'

'Do you know anyone that spends that long in a restaurant?'

'Irene.'

Wheein laughed and chewed. 'Speaking of which,' she said.

'Yeah.'

'She still out there, you think?'

'Where else would she go? She's got a job to be doing.'

'Well, yeah. Doesn't mean she's doing it, though. And after all the you've told me about her...well.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'Nothing.'

'No, tell me.'

Wheein looked at her and laughed again.

'What?'

'You,' Wheein said. 'It's cute. I'm not used to seeing you like this.'

'Like what?'

'Like this. Whipped.'

'I'm not whipped.'

'Uh huh. Defending her from me when I say something bad about her? That's pretty whipped. Especially considering what you were like about six weeks ago. You couldn't stand being in the same room as her.'

'Yeah. Well.'

'Well.'

'Some things change,' Seulgi said, shrugging meekly. Wheein just laughed. They sat watching the front of the diner across the street. It was a newly renovated American place called The Burger Bar. Twelve or fourteen cars in the lot outside. The one in the corner was a matte black 2018 Chevrolet Camaro. In the anneal glare of that afternoon sun it looked almost evil. Almost sentient. The last of the light winking malevolent against the dim hood like a message for them. They sat in silence save the occasional muted laughter of kids fresh out of school and the rustling of the paperpacket as Wheein ate the last of her sandwich. When she was finished she balled up the trash and tossed it into the glovebox and drank about half the bottle of water and put it back again. They watched the restaurant. Nothing moved and in the windows they could make out almost nothing in the bad glass.

'What if he's just gone and we didn't see him?' Wheein said.

'His car's still there.'

'Maybe he walked.'

'You're starting to sound like-' and realising what she was about to say, Seulgi stopped.

Wheein laughed.

'Shut up.'

'You were going to say Irene, weren't you? That I was starting to sound like Irene.'

'No I wasn't.'

'Man, you can't stop talking about her. Even when it's got nothing to do with her. It's honestly almost adorable. Really. I'm happy for you.'

'Uh huh.'

'So back on topic, you sure she's still there?'

'No. But I trust her.'

'You could just ring her to make sure.'

Seulgi shook her head. 'If she's as serious about this as she wants me to believe, she needs to learn to be on her own. That's how it's going to be in the future.'

'You know she'll never be a police officer, right?'

'She doesn't need to be.'

'I don't know,' Wheein said, finishing the last of the water. 'I mean, isn't this technically illegal? Like...illegal as .'

'Is what?'

'Her helping us like this.'

'Probably. Actually, definitely. But we need all the manpower we can get. Hongki said as much.'

Wheein laughed. Seulgi turned to her, still laughing. 'What?' she said.

'Really now.'

'What?'

'You're going to pretend you're worried about the department's human resource issues? Or about Hongki's management crisis?'

'I am worried.'

'C'mon, man.'

'What?'

'I know you better than that. Just admit you want to be around her as much as possible. It's alright. I won't judge. I already told you I think it's kinda cute.'

'Whatever.'

'How is she anyway? Didn't really get much chance to talk to her earlier before you whisked her off for whatever it was you said.'

'She's fine.'

'Is that it?'

'What?'

'Man,' Wheein said, 'you never give me much of anything, do you? I can see why you two get along.'

'What do you mean?'

'She does all the talking, you do none of it. So it kinda averages out to a normal amount of speaking, know what I'm saying?'

Seulgi looked at her. 'There's a reason I don't let you two near each other.'

'Because you're afraid my beautiful face and irresistible personality would tear her away from you?'

'Not quite.'

'Because you're afraid we'd make a better buddy-cop duo?'

'Because you're both quite insufferable to be around.'

'Wow.'

'Not all the time,' Seulgi said. 'Just, you know...some of the time.'

'Well then. How's Jisoo, by the way?'

'What?'

'Yeah, man. Can't believe she turned up like that. It's been, what? Four years? Five? And then she just pops up out of the blue for this thing and then it doesn't even work out! You didn't even get him. Man, that must've been something.'

'She's fine.'

'It wasn't awkward, was it?'

'Why would it be awkward?'

'Well, I mean...you and her.'

'We parted on good terms.'

'Her and Irene.'

Seulgi just shrugged.

'All water under the bridge?' Wheein said.

'Something like that.'

'What's this guy's name again?'

'Are you serious?'

'Why would I know his name? We're not playing Jeopardy with him. As long as I remember his face, we're all Gucci, right?'

'Lim Changmin.'

'Cool.'

'You didn't know that?'

'I probably did. I just forgot.'

'I thought you were the self-proclaimed best cop in Seoul?'

'I am,' Wheein said. 'A truly great cop only learns the things they know they need to learn. Like his face, not his name. And it's not self-proclaimed, either.'

'No?'

'Lots of cops say I'm the best.'

'Like who?'

'Like...lots of cops. Look, it doesn't matter. And, by the way, I just-' she stopped. She was looking across the street at the diner and Seulgi turned to where her eyes had landed on a tall and thin man no older than thirty, dark-haired, with big roundrimmed glasses and a wiry frame. He was standing by the vestibule entrance drawing on a cigarette casually. As if he had been there all along and they had only just noticed his presence. 'That's him,' Wheein said. 'That's our...what's his name again?'

'Lim Changmin.'

'Right. That's him.'

'You're sure?'

'Are you not?'

'I'm just double-checking.'

'I told you: I learn the things I need to learn.'

'Time to go, then.'

'Saddle up, partner.'

She opened the driver's side door and stepped out into the grey cold with Seulgi following her. They crossed in a lull in the traffic and hopped the low stone wall into the parkinglot and went on up to where he was stood by the entrance. They didn't call out to him but they didn't need to. By the time he'd spotted them his cigarette was stubbed out on the ground and they were about twenty paces from him. He looked from Wheein to Seulgi and back and mouthed something that looked to them an awful lot like: Oh ! Then he turned and bolted back inside without bothering to listen to what they had to say.

'Yep,' Wheein said. 'Thought so.'

They broke into a run after him and kicked through the doors into the front of the enormous diner like cops from an old American movie. And how fitting that was. He was already halfway down the left side of the interior, fitting his way between the tables and pushing past a couple women who had stood to pay their bill and leave. One of the waitresses came past carrying a tray with two steaming plates of food and he bowled her right into one of the tables and kept on going.

'Stop!' Wheein shouted, and he did not.

'Good job.'

He made for the kitchen doors in the back left of the room, zipping between the tables and dodging incoming food and ignoring the looks of those unfortunate enough to be caught anywhere near him. 'Don't do anything stupid,' Wheein said, taking after him.

'Like what?'

'Like ing shoot him.'

They kicked in the kitchen doors and stood looking about. The cooks had stopped doing much of anything. They all looked at one another and then to Seulgi and Wheein and nodded to a door in the back leading out into a long corridor beyond the storage rooms and toward a single fire escape door. He was no more than ten or fifteen feet ahead of them. They called to him again but he ignored them. In the dim white ceilinglight they could make out almost nothing. He was almost clear of the corridor. He ce to catch a glimpse of them and when he turned again the fire escape door opened violently inward and caught him square in the face with enough force to immediately take him off his feet. He tumbled backward and sprawled out on his back and turned and looked at them still in feeble pursuit.

'Don't,' Wheein said, flashing her holster. 'Just stay right there.'

He looked at them again and sighed. His nose had been broken and it was leaking blood down his front like a crimson faucet. They stood by him catching their breath, Seulgi with her hands on her knees and Wheein with a look in her eyes that said: I'm getting far too old for this .

'Oh my God.'

It was Irene that had opened the fire escape door. She stood there in the faint pale light of the evening beyond looking from them to him and to them again.

'Did I do that?'

'Yeah,' Wheein wheezed. 'You did.'

'Whoops. I didn't mean to.'

'What the were you doing?' Seulgi said.

'I was getting bored so I thought I'd come and check out the restaurant. I wasn't gonna do anything crazy. I was just gonna, you know...scope it out. Check on everything. See if he was still there. Jesus, listen to me. I just said scope it out. Two months ago I'd have mocked myself into an early grave for that. I really have changed. I still can't decide whether it's for the better or not. Maybe it's true what they say, about slowly developing your partner's habits.'

'You decided to just come and check on the restaurant.'

'I mean, yeah. Kinda.'

'Using the fire escape?'

'I thought it'd be safer than just walking in through the front, y'know? More covert. And you did tell me to stay around the back in case he came out, right? I figured I'd still have eyes on everything I needed to from here.'

'What if he'd escaped?'

'Escaped where?'

'I don't know,' Seulgi said. 'Maybe he might have gone to the toilet and then come out when you were inside. And then he would've slipped through the kitchens and got out.'

'Now you're just making up hypotheticals to be awkward.'

'He could've.'

'Yeah, but he didn't. He's there. Sorry, by the way.'

Changmin turned to her and spat on the ground and wiped the blood from his upper lip and was silent.

'Yeesh,' Irene said. 'Tough crowd.'

'You broke his nose.'

'At least I didn't shoot him.'

Wheein laughed. Seulgi shot her a glance as to say: Not helping, buddy.

'She's right,' Wheein said. 'Your reputation precedes you.'

'What reputation?'

'Shoot first, ask questions later. Or in your case: Shoot first, don't bother asking questions at all. Just shoot.'

'I'm not that bad.'

'You're pretty trigger happy. Shooting up a private boat party ring any bells to you?

'It happened one time.'

'What about that time you beat up that guy in a nightclub toilet?' Irene said.

'Alright. Two times.'

'You did what?' Wheein said.

'I'll tell you later.'

'Okay,' Irene said. 'And what about what happened in the park last-'

'That's, uh, enough. Jesus, sorry for not keeping count of my transgressions.'

'Guess it's lucky you've got me to do it for you, babe, no?' She gave a sly smirk that in some small way was rather reassuring. It was the sort of grin Seulgi had missed as of late. A grin that reminded her that her girlfriend was very much the Irene she'd first met, still that same sarcastic smile of mischief that knew far more than it ever needed to. About everything, but about Seulgi especially.

'What now?' she said. Wheein grabbed him by the arm and hauled him to his feet. He didn't bother resisting at all. 'Now,' she said, 'we take this guy back to the station.'

'Did I do well?'

'I'd say so, yeah. Job well done. Better than Jane Rambo over here.'

'I didn't ing shoot anyone,' Seulgi said.

'Yeah, because she didn't give you chance. Come on. Before you get start getting the itch again. Bang bang.'

They escorted him back through the kitchens and the mayhem in the front of the diner and apologised to the patrons and after Wheein had shown them her badge they led him out into the parkinglot and cuffed him and took out his wallet and filed through his belongings. 'Twenty-seven years old,' Wheein said. He looked at her and looked away in silence. 'That your car over there? Yeah it is, isn't it? Seulgi.'

'What?'

'Tell me something about it.'

'What?' Seulgi said.

'You're a car person, aren't you? Tell me about it.'

'What do you want to know?'

'The fun stuff. Like they do on those TV programs.'

'Chevy Camaro. Twenty-eighteen model.' She turned to Changmin and said, 'ZL1?' and he just shrugged. 'V8 engine. Six hundred and fifty brake horsepower. Zero to sixty in about four seconds.'

'So it's fast, then?'

'Yeah, it's fast.'

'Sweet.'

'What do you mean sweet? You're not going to drive it.'

'Oh come on,' Wheein said. 'Just a little spin. Hongki will never know.'

'That's not in your job description.'

'Literally nothing you've done in the past six weeks has ever been in any police detective's job description and yet you still get away with it.'

'When you put it like that it's quite baffling,' Irene said.

'It's honestly such a mystery to me. I dunno how she does it.'

'Are you two finished?' Seulgi said. They looked at each other and smiled as if to say: Sure. For now. They crossed back over the road and stuffed him into Wheein's Hyundai and pulled out into the mid-afternoon traffic and then were gone. When they turned up outside the precinct forty minutes later it was almost entirely dark and the last of the newborn sun had swam away in the grey dusk like it had never been at all. They pulled Changmin out of the car and Wheein tossed her keys to Seulgi.

'What are these for?'

'I'll handle him,' Wheein said.

'You sure?'

Wheein nodded. 'Go get yourself something to eat. Or just sit around and do nothing. That's what you usually do.'

'Are you sure you trust her with a car?' Irene said. 'Or...me.'

'No. But, hey, what are friends for, right?'

'Sure.'

She winked at Irene and went on up into the precinct and was gone. They stood a moment, Seulgi rattling the keys between her fingers. Then she opened the Hyundai and sat in the driver's seat and Irene joined her in silence.

'God,' she said after a while.

'What?'

'Does everyone in Seoul have a Hyundai?'

'They're a Korean car company.'

'So? It's kinda boring. You should've stolen that Chevy.'

'No.'

'Babe-'

'No.'

'Fine. Suit yourself.'

Seulgi looked at her. Pouting ever so slightly. It was impossible not to crack a smile at that and so she did. 'What?' Irene said. 'Something funny?'

Instead of bothering with a reply she leant over and kissed Irene and sat back again smiling to herself.

'What was that for?'

'Do I have to have a reason?' Seulgi said.

'No. I mean...no. But you're never that forward.'

'I'm just happy, is all.'

'Why?'

'Everything's working out for once.'

'I guess,' Irene said. 'Except for, y'know, having no car anymore. And having shot your boss in the leg. And having your ex-girlfriend show up out of the blue and cause havoc. And ruining a Lunar New Year park party. And-'

'Okay. Maybe not everything's working out. But the important bits.'

'Like what?'

'Like me and you.'

'You and I.'

'What?'

'It's you and I, sweetie.'

'What is?'

'No, I mean, your grammar. Never mind. Forget it. I get your point.'

Seulgi leant over and placed a gentle kiss on her lips again and laughed.

'What now?'

'Nothing,' Seulgi said. 'I just wanted to kiss you.'

'How long do we have to sit here?'

'We can go inside if you like. Why? You eager?'

'A little. I wanna get done, y'know?'

'You're such an adrenaline junkie.'

'Kinda. Is that bad?'

Seulgi made a 50/50 gesture with her hand.

'Hey, maybe Wendy can hook you up with a new car.'

'I doubt it,' Seulgi said.

'How does she even make any money? Like, how is she not homeless?'

'It's better not to ask.'

'Does that mean you know and you just won't tell me for security reasons? Or?'

'No, I don't. I just think whatever she gets up to is best left to her. Genuinely.'

'Well. Sure. Can we go hang out with her?'

'Now?'

Irene shook her head. 'Whenever we're free.'

'I guess. You seem to like her a lot.'

'She's cool, man. Cooler than you.'

'Thanks.'

'It's okay. It's kinda cool how boring you can be sometimes. You're practically a Litmus test for people, really. Or something like that.'

'I'm trying to be less boring.'

'I know.'

'Is it not working?'

She thought Irene would laugh at her but instead she broke into a warm smile that was rather unexpected and drew Seulgi in for a kiss and said, 'I like you just the way you are.'

'That's cheesy.'

'Uh huh.'

'Should we go in?'

'After you.'

When they entered the office the guy with the broken nose was sat on Wheein's chair with his hands still cuffed behind his back and his bloodstiffened shirt all crumpled and permanently colourchanged. Wheein was stood leaning against her desk eating an apple.

'Why's he there?' Seulgi said.

'We've got no one to take him to be processed yet. That's how short on manpower we are.'

'What about you?'

'Well, yeah. But I'm busy.'

'Doing what?'

'Enjoying a nutritious lunch. But anyway, it's crazy when you think about it.'

'What is?'

'How ed we are.' She made a sweeping gesture to the empty office. Untouched desks and dustmottled windowpanes and Hongki's silent office with the blinds drawn all the way down so that not even God could see in. 'It only just occurred to me that we're supposed to be the Narcotics division.'

'Yeah.'

'And yet you're out there hunting down thieves and car criminals like you're...uh, name a famous detective.'

'Don Johnson.'

'Well. There you go. So, what's up with that? You're literally doing a job that isn't yours.'

'I'm not complaining,' Seulgi said.

'Neither am I,' said Irene.

Wheein took a bite of her apple. 'Yeah,' she said, 'but like...why?'

'I don't know. Hongki tells me what to do and I do it.'

'That's actually not a bad way to live your life, honestly. God knows I wouldn't wanna cross him. Nope. Been there, done that. Have you seen the way he looks at everything recently?'

'Well,' Irene said, stifling a laugh, 'he did get shot in the leg.'

'Yeah. Crazy .'

'Whoever it was must've been a terrible shot.'

'Or they were aiming for his leg and they're actually an expert marksman.'

'Jesus, don't let them hear you say that. I don't think their ego can grow much bigger.'

'What?'

Irene giggled. 'Never mind.'

'Is he in there?' Seulgi said.

Wheein shrugged.

'Is that a yes?'

'Sure.'

'Is he...you know.'

'What?'

'Alive?'

'Somewhat,' Wheein said. 'For the time being.'

'I suppose we better go see him, then.'

'It's-'

'Our funeral. I know, you've said.'

'Just looking out for you, buddy. As always. And you.' She winked at Irene again and Irene just laughed. Their captive sat watching the wall like a petulant child and still he refused to speak. 'Are you going to take him, then?' Seulgi said.

'Eventually. I mean, I'll get round to it. No rush. We know who he is, who he works for, stuff like that.'

'I guess.'

'Good luck.'

Seulgi knocked and waited with bated breath. When she heard the muted reply she opened the door sharply and stepped in and Irene stepped in behind her. Darkness entirely in the room. Even the blinds at the back of the office had been shut. It stank of takeaway food and burnt incense sticks. Hanging from an old nailhead on the top of the filing cabinet on their right was a big felt dartboard and pinned to the dartboard was a paper printout of Kim Hongsuk's face filled with various holes all unevenly shaped and sized like a pincushion. There were two darts still hanging out of the side of one of his paper cheeks. They turned to him and waited quietly in respect. He was sat with his hands clasped in front of him like a Bond villain. On his desk was an empty ringstained coffecup and a printed stack of copies of Hongsuk's face, maybe fifty or a hundred of them.

'Sir.'

'Kang,' he said. He sounded like somebody else. Seulgi just stood there. She didn't quite know what to say that had not already been said. Nothing except: It was me, sir! I shot you! I'm sorry! Undoubtedly followed by a swift and painful end to her life.

'You see that?' he said, pointing to the dartboard.

'Yes sir.'

'That's my stress relief for now. And you see these?' He pointed to the stack on his desk.

'Sir.'

'That, too. And it isn't just darts, Kang. No, it isn't.'

He dipped down below his desk and came back with a wooden blowpipe and a handful of enormous ash-shaft darts to fit in the end of it. 'This,' he said. 'And this.'

When he sat back up a second time he was holding a doublebarreled shotgun with a snub nose in one hand and a little box of red plastic shells in the other. He waved them about and Seulgi took a step back.

'Relax,' he said. 'It's not loaded. Not yet.'

'Uh...sir.'

'He shot me in the leg, Seulgi. In the leg!'

'Yes sir.'

'Don't worry,' Irene said, 'we'll catch the scum that did this.'

Hongki looked at her for a minute. As if trying to gauge something from her in the darkness. Then he put the shotgun back under the desk and replaced the box of shells and produced a folder of documents from the second drawer. 'Well,' he said, 'do your thing.'

'Sir?'

'This is what you're doing. Both of you, I suppose. , we need all the help we can get around here. I swear the only person that works here anymore is Wheein. But nobody tells me anything, do they? I'm just left in the dark. Literally.'

'Sir,' Seulgi said, taking the folder and skimming the top sheets.

'You've got two choices, Kang.' He took another folded from the top drawers and laid it out on the desk while she read.

'What is this, sir?'

'It's all the information we have on a domestic terrorist organisation running out of some old warehouse a couple hours from here. Outside of Seoul, so technically outside of our jurisdiction. And, if you choose this one, you'll be going undercover to gain their trust and take them down from the inside. Starting from the top.'

'What about this one?' she said, pointing to the other folder. 'And, sorry sir, but...why this? This isn't in my job description.'

'Yeah. Well.'

'Sir?'

'I don't even know anymore. Like I said, nobody tells me nothing. They just pass things along to me and that's that.'

'What happens if I don't choose this one?'

'I'm sure someone else'll pick it up.'

'But...will they?'

Hongki shrugged. He pushed the other folder across the table. 'This is what we know about a gunrunning ring currently moving weapons around the country from somewhere in Seoul. We picked up a shipment of small arms in trucks a couple weeks back, but so far there's nobody to pin them to beyond a hint that whoever it is, is linked to an illegal street racing circuit called the Black Flags.'

'The Black Flags.'

'Heard of it?'

'No sir.'

'Well, they drive cars, Seulgi. That's what street racers do.'

'Why?'

'For fun, I assume.'

'And they sell weapons.'

'Somebody there does. But the problem is, like I said, we don't know who. Not the faintest of ing clues. All we know is this guy you picked up earlier? This Changmin kid? Yeah, he's been doing a bit of racing himself. Turns out the information we got was accurate. So, good job on actually doing what you were told without stirring up any for once. I suppose I should thank Wheein instead. But that's all we've got for now. So you'd be going in blind.'

'And doing what?'

'Jesus, you thick or something? Driving cars. Working your way up.'

Seulgi looked at him in silence.

'You got a problem, Kang?'

'Uh, no sir. It's just...I've never raced before.'

'You had a Ferrari.'

'I never raced it.'

'God, what is the world coming to? I'm sure it's easy enough to learn.'

'Uh.'

'Or you could pick that one. Hunt some terrorists.'

'That sounds a little pointless,' Irene said. They turned to her and she shrugged in meagre apology. 'If I was to pick this one,' Seulgi said, 'how would I manage to get in with them? I don't have a car. And where would I even go?'

'We know where they race,' Hongki said. 'We've shut them down about three dozen times in the past eighteen months alone but we've made a grand total of two arrests. Can you believe that ? Yeah, turns out suped-up street cars are faster than police cruisers. Who woulda thought? Yeah, anyway. It's this place in Itaewon. You've probably walked past it before, honestly. I know I sure as have. If I'm being honest, it looks quite fun. Maybe I'll pick up racing sometime. Once my ing leg's fixed, that is. Anyway. I'm losing my train of thought. Oh, yeah. As for a car, you can have that guy's.'

'Sir?'

'The guy Wheein brought in earlier.'

'I can have his car?'

He made a motion that said: Sure, go wild.

'Deal,' Irene said. 'I mean...uh. Yeah. We'll take that one.'

'Irene-'

'C'mon, babe. That's a Chevy Camaro out there! With a six...uh...help me out here.'

'Six point two.'

'Six point two litre engine. Six hundred horsepower!'

'Six fifty.'

'See? A match made in heaven. And honestly, it sounds like it'd be worth it. I mean, if it's between that and the other one, I know which I'd pick. And no offense, sir, but this other case? What's the point of hunting them down anyway? They don't cause any real trouble. Alright, I mean, maybe a little commotion here and there. A little noise for the locals, y'know? But nothing illegal, right? Except I guess being annoying as when they're taking so many ing photos in front of famous monuments. But apart from that. The name doesn't even make sense. Why specify that they're domestic? Why does that even matter?'

They looked at her uneasily.

'What?' she said.

'You see,' Hongki said, 'what I thought you just said was: There's nothing wrong with domestic terrorists. But you didn't just say that, did you? I must've been hearing things.'

Irene looked from him to Seulgi and back and made an O-shape with . ',' she said. 'Terrorists. You said terrorists.'

'What did you think I said?'

'Tourists.'

'What?'

'Yeah, see, I was thinking it was a little dumb.'

'You thought I said domestic tourists?'

Irene nodded.

'What the is a domestic tourist?'

'That's what I was thinking!'

He turned to Seulgi. 'Is she alright?'

'She's hard of hearing,' Seulgi said. 'Selectively hard of hearing.'

'Uh huh. Domestic tourists. They don't even sound alike.'

'They do if you slur,' Irene said.

'I didn't slur.'

'Well.'

He looked at Seulgi again. 'Well,' he said. 'What's it going to be?'

'Uh.'

'The car one,' Irene said. 'I mean, the uh...street racing one.'

Seulgi sighed. 'Yes sir,' she said. 'This one.'

'Well then. You know what to do.'

'Sir?'

'Read it through.'

'Here?'

'What? No. In your own time.' He paused. Waited for her to say something but she didn't. 'That means get out of my office and leave me alone. Preferably for a long time. When you come back I want you to tell me you've done your job and nothing else. Absolutely nothing else. No driving cars into rivers. No shooting people. No causing a scene. Just do your job this time. Anymore and I might have a heart attack. Do you understand me?'

'Yes sir.'

'Do you?'

'Yes sir.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yes sir?'

'Are you positive?'

'Yes sir.'

'Say it.'

'I'm positive, sir.'

He looked at Irene. 'What about you?'

'Crystal clear, chief,' she said.

'Uh huh. Well then. Get out.'

Wheein was still stood by her desk when they came back out. The sepia applecore sat neatly on her desk and the guy they'd busted had not moved at all. He looked at them carefully, with caution.

'Well,' Wheein said.

'We've got a job to be doing.'

'What sort of job?'

'Street racing.'

Wheein laughed.

'I'm serious.'

'What do you mean, street racing?'

'That's what we've got to be doing.'

Changmin looked at them.

'I don't understand,' Wheein said.

Seulgi pointed to Changmin. 'This guy's been taking part in illegal street races in Itaewon and Hongki believes that somebody that's a part of this group is selling weapons across Korea.'

'Weapons?'

'Small arms, I think. That's what he said.'

'And he wants you to...what, exactly? Street race your way to a bust?'

'I guess so.'

Wheein thought for a moment. 'Why don't we just interrogate him?' she said.

'I suppose you could do that as well. If you're allowed.'

'Let me,' Irene said. 'I'm very good at interrogations.'

'Not a chance you're going anywhere near him.'

'Surely it'd just be easier to get him to talk.'

'I doubt he knows anything. He's just races cars. I mean, look at him. Does he look like he sells weapons to you?'

'Oh, I suppose you should know.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'All your friends being arms dealers and .'

'They're not arms dealers. I've told you this.'

'So,' Wheein said, 'how are you going to be street racing without a car? Unless you wanna ruin a Hyundai rental or something.'

Seulgi held out her empty hand.

'What?'

'Give me the keys.'

'My keys?'

'No,' Seulgi said. 'His.'

Wheein dipped into her pocket and tossed the Chevrolet keys to Seulgi. 'It's still in that parkinglot. Hasn't budged an inch.'

'Hey,' he said. The first word any of them had heard him speak. 'That's some bull. You can't just steal my car like that!'

'We can do whatever we like,' Irene said. 'We're the ing police.'

'You can't just steal my car. That's breaking the law.'

'Yeah, well. Tell that to the judge.'

'What?'

Seulgi made a motion that said: Ignore her, please.

'So when's this street racing, then?' Wheein said.

'I don't know. I haven't read the case files yet.'

'Brilliant. Why didn't you just ask him?'

'Have you seen the state he's in?'

'You mean the dartboard?'

'I mean everything. He's got a shotgun, Wheein.'

'I know. Gnarly, right?'

'Totally,' Irene said.

Seulgi shook her head. She put the Chevy's keys in her pocket. 'I'm scared for him,' she said.

'I'm scared for you.'

'What?'

Irene just smirked.

'Is there something you're not telling me?' Wheein said. 'I feel like I'm missing out on a joke here or something.'

'I'll tell you later.'

'Uh huh. Sure. Anyway, I better go.'

'Go where?'

'I've got an appointment at the hairdresser's in, like, twenty minutes.'

'What about this guy?'

Wheein looked about and shrugged. 'I mean...he's not going anywhere.'

'What if he runs off?'

'He's got no hands.'

'He doesn't need hands to run.'

'He does if I lock the office door.'

'What if he escapes out the window?'

'I'll lock the windows, too.'

Seulgi thought about this for a second and realised she had a point. 'We should go,' she said. 'Get out of here before his mood gets even worse. Come on, let's go pick up that Chevy.'

'Alright,' Irene said. 'Now you're talking. Hey, I've got a song request. For later, I mean. When we're in the Chevy.'

'What song?'

'Danger Zone?'

Seulgi shook her head.

'What? You don't know it?'

'I don't think so.'

'Babe. Wow. Kenny Loggins?'

'Don't think I've heard it.'

'I've literally heard it on one of your ty old CDs.'

'They're not ty.'

'Point still stands.'

'I put all sorts on those. Half the time I don't even know what I'm listening to.'

'You know it, right?'

Wheein nodded. 'Of course.'

'See? A woman of culture.'

'Maybe you two should get a room,' Seulgi said.

'Maybe we should. And we could sit there and listen to Kenny Loggins on repeat because we're civilised people, with civilised music tastes. Not like you.'

'Alright then.'

'I'll see you later, Wheein.'

'Uh huh,' Wheein said, laughing. 'See ya 'round.'

Irene winked at her. 'Maybe next time we could share our tastes in other things, too.'

'Sounds like a plan.'

'God,' Seulgi said. 'You're intolerable sometimes.'

Irene giggled that ever so familiar giggle of hers. 'Baby,' she said, 'intolerable is my middle name.'