Ayeon was standing in the 43rd precinct, strolling along the hallway while staring at the large frames hung up showcasing the faces of each year’s new batch of officers. 

Her eyes ran over each row, desperately searching for Kyung Gyu’s name. She made it to the 3rd year recruits when she finally found it. She held her breath, staring at the small oval the size of her thumb. He was clean-shaven, unlike when she last saw him, and he was chubbier than the pictures on Lucas’s computer. He looked bright-eyed and young.

She wondered why he ended up the way that he did.

She moved away from his face, the sight making her sick before looking at the other faces, unfamiliar officers.  Ayeon began looking through the 8th year recruits that hung on the wall behind her when she heard footsteps thundering towards her. Taeil stood between her and the wall with an embarrassed laugh.  

“Please don’t look at those, that’s my year and I made a very specific hair choice that I deeply regret. I’ve been trying to get someone to take it down, but it just makes them laugh.” He grumbled. “And then Doyoung gets gassed up because his photo looks great, that little prick.”

She smiled as he led her towards his office, closing the door behind her, “I heard that the caught Delco. How’s that going?”

“They don’t really keep me in the loop. I’m a witness and a conflict of interest.” She said as she sat across his desk from him.

Taeil shook his head, “I’m sorry, I could ask around for you.”  

“I don’t think I can ask for more favours after this one.” She said with a sheepish smile.

Taeil laced his fingers together, “So, what can I do for you?”

“I was wondering what information you had on an officer Lee Kyung Gyu who was here a few years ago, He’s on your 3rd year wall.” She said.

Taeil typed on his keyboard, scanning the screen until his face lit up in recognition, “Yes, I remember him, he was only here for a few years before he moved to Robbery. What info do you need?”

“I want to know what precinct he’s with now.” She reaffirmed.

Taeil blinked and looked at his screen, “He’s not in Robbery anymore?”

“No, apparently he was transferred.” She said blithely.

Taeil’s brows shot up, “Oh, an unexcused transfer? I’m sorry, but I don’t have clearance for that information, especially not on anyone that’s been gone for that long.”

“Taeil, I haven’t even gotten to the favour, yet.” She winced.

He snorted, “Let me hear it.”

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to access that info through the database, but I was wondering if there was something else you could do to find it out.” Ayeon asked.

He leaned towards her, intrigued, “Like what?”

“Like asking around to people you might have connections with, people who would know where he is now. Jinah said that you’re pretty well known.”

Taeil watched her carefully, “Why are you after him?”

“It’s…it’s a lot to share this early on but I have it on good authority to believe he had something to do with Detective Huang’s death.” She said.

Taeil’s eyes widened, “Lucas? . You’re being serious?”

“Yes, so if there is anythi—”

“I’ll do it.” He said, his voice dark.

She was surprised, “Really?”

“Kyung Gyu was a pain in the , and I liked Lucas. I met him a few times when I was over at your precinct. If he had anything to do with Lucas’s death, I want him down for it.” He said with conviction.

She smiled disbelievingly, “Thank you.”

Taeil gave her a sharp nod and when she went to stand, he spoke up, “While you’re here, can I ask you something?”

She sat back down and waited for him to continue, “What’s your relationship with Jaehyun? I’m just asking because I was surprised when you asked me to look for that picture of her. I had thought you were looking into her case or something but then I found out that you two knew each other pretty well at that restaurant.”

“We’re…dating now actually.” She still stumbled over saying it out loud.

Taeil’s face melted into a look of shock, “You’re ting me, no way.”

“No, I’m being serious. He’s officially spoken for and off the market.” She said with a laugh.

He laced his fingers behind his head, “Well, good for him. I thought he’d be single forever.”

“You know him really well, huh?”

He snorted, “Oh, we’re all close. Taeyong, the guys you met at the restaurant, Jinah and a few more that are overseas. We got way back.”

She knit her brows together, “What was he like before Haerin passed?”

Taeil blew out a loud stream of air, “He was…outgoing, loud, happy, like unfetteredly happy. He never felt guilty about feeling good. He was like a social butterfly, thriving on interacting with people, being friendly and bubbly. He was easy going too, nothing could make bring him dow—well almost nothing. He was so passionate and ambitious. It was hard on us to watch him spiral out and drink himself into oblivion.”

He leaned back in his seat, staring off at the corner of the room, “It was like he became this different person and it hurt to see it happen to someone with so much life and energy.”

“Wow.” She muttered, her gut churning at the thought of the reserve and soft-spoken man that he was today.

Taeil smiled slightly, “Taeyong said that when he’d see you with him, he could see parts of the old Jaehyun. Obviously, he’s never going to be the same, but the easy-going happy sides of them bled through.”

 “I don’t know how much I had to do with that.” She remarked. Taeil stared at her and opened his mouth to speak before thinking better of it.

A silence ticked by before he finally spoke, “Listen, he’s a good guy. He’s gone through a lot and as open as he is, he’s careful sharing parts of himself to people he cares about. He tends to hold things back as long as possible. Try not to be hurt when it happens, he does it because he thinks he’s protecting people. After Haerin died, he dealt with a lot of guilt, not just over her death but he thinks that the fact that he only noticed injustice when it happened to someone dear to him, that he was ignorant to other people being taken advantage of by the law.”

“He blames himself for all that?” She whispered out.

Taeil’s smile was grim, “Don’t you feel the same way about Lucas?”

“W-What?” She breathed out.

Taeil shook his head, “I’m not dumb, Detective Yoo. I know Jinah and Soya and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the redhead reporter that’s been harassing you decides to interrupt your award to expose a dirty Commissioner.”

“Even if it wasn’t a coincidence, which I’m not saying it is, that has nothing to do with Lucas.”

“No, but the timing is suspect, isn’t it? A few months after Lucas was shot and suddenly, you’re on a mission of justice? I’m a better detective than you must give me credit for.” He mused, quirking an eyebrow.

She looked uneasy but Taeil shook his head, “I’m not trying to guilt you, it’s human, I came to the exact same conclusion when Haerin died and faced the exact same emotions and guilt. I had to face the flaws I was complicit with.”

“I never…I never thought of it that way.” She muttered.

Taeil shook his head in understanding, “Don’t let it deter you, not many people take action that way you are. Most officers pretend they don’t feel the guilt, it makes them sleep better at night, but our comfort isn’t what the taxpayers pay for. It’s for justice and protection.”

“You’re right.” She said quietly. “Actually, it wasn’t Lucas’s death that made me this way. It may have exacerbated it, but it wasn’t the catalyst.”

He tilted his head curiously and she looked at her hands, “My father was abusive, my mother took it for a really long time before she finally left. My father was never charged but used the law to scare her into staying as long as she did. That’s why I am the way I am.”

It all came out in a long breath, it was odd, admitting this to someone she didn’t know at all, but when Taeil smiled, she felt a surge of confidence behind her words, “I guess we all have our origin stories for why we are the way that we are. I’m sorry I misjudged.”

“It’s okay, you still made a point.” She admitted.

He nodded, “I’ll get you that information on Officer Lee, whatever you need, that includes anything I can get on Delco’s investigation.”

“Thank you, I mean it.” She stood and offered him a hand, “It was nice meeting you properly, Detective Moon.”

“And it’s an honor meeting you, Detective Yoo, as both a detective and as someone Jaehyun holds dear.”

-----

Mina glanced at Johnny who was grumpily scouring through Ayeon’s cabinets, complaining that she drank too much tea before looking back at her computer.

[User1340ac92] Why is he worse?

She had monitored the forum with almost an obsessive eye until LuckyStar88 was back online, she was done waiting days for a single response. She had questions and she needed answers.  

[LuckyStar88] I don’t have proof; I just keep my ear to the ground and listen. I don’t trust him because he was all too eager to boot the old commissioner out. And I’ve heard rumors about him and what he does when he abuses power

She sat up, her fingers flying over her keys, every second mattered.

[User1340ac92] What rumors and Why does he make you so suspicious?

[LuckyStar88] Because he reminds me of another powerful man who was taken out because he thought he could skirt around the law and use his money to get away with committing crimes and cleaning up messes.

[User1340ac92] Who?

[LuckyStar88] A businessman. Don’t you read the news?

Mina’s lips hitched into a snarl, LuckyStar88 was getting on her nerves.

[User1340ac92] I want a name.

Seconds ticked by while the little bubble of three dots flashed and she was hit with the worst feeling of déjà vu when a message popped up and a curse left her lips.

[LuckyStar88] is offline.

-----

“Tell me again why we’re here? I support it, I just don’t follow it.” Jinah mumbled as she strolled into the police force’s auto shop with Ayeon.

Ayeon flipped through the hard copies of Haerin’s case file that Jaehyun had dug up for her, including his own notes, “When he first talked to the family that saw Haerin, they said that the only thing they remembered was that the back headlight had red paint over it. Police cars need to be serviced at least every month and in the vent of any defect. How many people come in with red paint on their light?”

Jinah took the file from her, scanning the date on Jaehyun’s writing, “Ask for the date, they have to k