No matter how many times Yixing brings it up: at parties, work seminars, and even a random person’s wedding, Kyungsoo still hates to tell the story. And why wouldn’t he? Someone died, after all. But, after being put on the spot so many times in order to regurgitate the tale to a gathered group of people, he can’t help but recount the details in extreme clarity.

The morning it all began, he had been in a pretty good mood. His mother had promised to stop pestering him about settling down with someone until Christmas, and he had freshly pressed his favourite shirt to wear for work the night before. Though he cursed the builders working on the construction site next door for leaving a wheelbarrow covered in tarp to block the side gate out of his apartment building, Kyungsoo had swallowed down any unsavoury words and pushed it out of the way himself.

The short walk to work at the accounting firm had been pleasant. It was the start of the month, so he had renewed data to check up on comments left on his knitting blog. Kim Eunjung, as always, left a lovely message about how comprehensive his accompanying instructions were for the most recent sock monkey pattern he’d posted. Three other fellow bloggers linked to pictures of their completed plushies and Kyungsoo’s heart warmed at the sight -- making sure to leave positive comments to each of them about their handwork.

The staircase leading up to Boo Accountants was sectioned off with red tape, which maybe should have been a red flag for Kyungsoo, but instead he’d assumed the cement steps had come loose, and so he walked around it and into the building via the revolving doors.

Taking the elevator to level nine, he was surprised that he’d not seen anyone walking around the reception lobby. The lack of company was quickly replaced by a large crowd though, as he reached his floor. All his co-workers were present: some which Kyungsoo knew to work on different floors, and others he’d never laid eyes on before. The level was packed with people and loud conversations, everyone standing up with hands devoid of folders and arms crossed.

Kyungsoo tried to squeeze his way through the group, curious to get to Jongdae’s desk and ask what was happening, when the conversations stopped. It was like a Mexican-wave of silence washed over the floor as all the men and women turned to stare at him. Him.

Whispers started up as a path parted for Kyungsoo to get to his desk. He saw Baekhyun first, with his lips pursed and expression… contemplative. He looked at Kyungsoo with regretful yet guarded eyes, and the shorter’s weariness immediately doubled. Yixing was next to Baekhyun, appearing closer to angry than sombre, and he shook his head at the younger as if to say he’d tried his best. Kyungsoo was thoroughly confused, uncomfortable under all the attention. It wasn’t his birthday, so there was no reason for anyone, let alone everyone, to want to pay him any notice.

Slowly coming to stand a few feet from his cubicle, he saw two strangers peering over his desk. They both wore dark, long coats and didn’t look to be from the firm. The taller of the two, the man, seemed to notice the hushed atmosphere, and he turned around to fix his gaze on Kyungsoo. His jaw was set, and his eyes were narrowed. Kyungsoo would have been intimidated, if not for the lollipop stick protruding from the corner of his lips.

“Are you Do Kyungsoo?”

Kyungsoo could only nod, not liking the way the woman still looked over the organised papers in his ‘out’ tray.

“I’m Detective Oh, and this is Officer Kang.” Two police badges were flicked open in his direction, before being pocketed as quickly as they’d been taken out. “We’d like to ask you a few questions down at the station, about Boo Chul.”

“Oh, okay.” What felt like hundreds of eyes stared at Kyungsoo and he just wanted out of the public scrutiny. Officer Kang drew closer and took the leather briefcase out of Kyungsoo’s clammy hand as Detective Oh began ushering people aside for them to leave. “Are you questioning everyone about our boss or..?”

“Not at the station. That would just be you, Mr Do.” A firm hand placed itself on Kyungsoo’s shoulder and the office worker was more confused than ever. He had no clue why the police would want to talk about Mr Boo to him, let alone only him.

It felt less like a casual questioning and more like he was being arrested as the hand stayed on Kyungsoo’s shoulder while the three of them walked into the local police station. He was placed in an interrogation room to stare at his reflection and try not to squirm at the thought of policemen staring at him from the other side of the one-way mirror. He wasn’t left to marinate in his own discomfort for long though, and soon another man walked through the door.

The metal chair opposite him scraped against the cement flooring as the tall man pulled it away from the table and sat himself on it, tossing a cream folder between the two. Kyungsoo had a hard time forcing himself to make eye contact as the other pinned him with a steely stare. The rest of the man was just as intimidatingly striking as his honey brown eyes: his cheekbones prominent and jawline sharp. His hair was dark brown and gelled back, leaving his resolute frown obvious to anyone who was faced with it.

After some seconds of the man just watching him, Kyungsoo couldn’t resist the urge to break the silence.

“I was told the police wanted to ask me about my employer-”

“Former employer. Boo Chul is dead.” The low tone was smooth but cold, and Kyungsoo could barely understand the implications of the words. The man opposite was clearly looking to see his reaction, and Kyungsoo wouldn’t have known he looked horrified if he hadn’t seen the ghostly visage that stared back from the mirror.

Dead?

“N-no, I just… I saw him only yesterday.” Kyungsoo shook his head as if shooing away the investigator’s claim. Chul surely couldn’t be…

“When and where did you last see him?” The man adjusted the collar of his beige overcoat, leaning forward slightly in his chair. The frown was replaced with a blank look and Kyungsoo could tell the interviewer wasn't going to relinquish any answers to Kyungsoo’s own questions.

“Yesterday afternoon, he left early for lunch and didn't come back. That wasn’t unusual though.”

The frown returned, and the man sifted through the file he brought with him. Kyungsoo guessed his answer mustn’t have pleased the policeman. Glossy photos were thrown across the metal table, and though there was nothing particularly gruesome about them, Kyungsoo couldn’t help but gasp.

Boo Chul’s skin was an ashy white canvas blended with pale purples as he lay on familiar concrete steps. His chest was faced down, his head turned to the side with his jaw slightly ajar. The limbs were all intact but there was something unnatural about the way they were configured, and his suit was in disrepair, with the blazer’s buttons missing and the tie chokingly tight. There was thankfully no blood, but there was still no question that the fifty-year-old man in the images was dead. Kyungsoo looked away.

“Mr Boo suffered blunt force trauma to the back of his head, which caused internal bleeding of the brain and ultimately led to his death. The injury was only fatal because of his haemophilia, did you know he had the condition?”

“No.” Kyungsoo shook his head, he had never been close with the man. While Mr Boo owned a whole accounting firm, Kyungsoo was but one of many faces that worked under him. They’d barely talked twice in their lives, let alone divulged their medical histories. “Sorry, but why am I here? I didn’t really know him, Mr…”

“Senior Detective Kim Jongin. And, you, Mr Do, are here because of this.” Kyungsoo repressed a shiver as the taller spoke his name with a deep, authoritative voice, and if he hadn’t been so unnerved he may have described it as enthralling. He now had a name to put to the face of the handsome policeman, at least. Not that he should be thinking about that while speaking of his ex-boss’ murder, that is. “This is a list of the deceased’s phone activity. Two hours before his time of death, he called you. Three times.”

This was news to Kyungsoo. He hadn’t known about being called by Chul, nor why he would. He guessed the businessman got his contact details from his file, as he’d never given it directly to the man, and that probably explained why it hadn’t worked.

“That’s my old number. I swapped phones a few months ago, so I never received the call.” Kyungsoo looked closer at the printed list Detective Kim showed him. Right there, in black and white, at the bottom of the list it said ‘Do Kyungsoo’ three times. All minutes apart, just after seven pm.

“Mhmm.” Jongin leaned further forward, resting both elbows on the table, while Kyungsoo fiddled with his fingers underneath it. “His car was discovered across the street from your place of residence this morning.”

“What? W-why?”

“We were hoping you’d be able to fill us in on that part, Mr Do.” But before Kyungsoo could even think to stutter out a pathetic ‘I don’t know’, the detective continued: “Where were you between the hours of seven and nine pm last night?”

Kyungsoo thought back to his dull evening, explaining that he’d stayed back at work (choosing to bite his tongue about how most of it was spent arguing over the phone with his mother on the finding-someone-to-marry issue). After about eight thirty he’d walked straight home, heated leftovers for dinner, gotten his clothes ready for the next day, and gone to bed. After his description, Jongin had looked surprisingly unimpressed considering he’d not spent his night murdering someone.

“Well, according to that timeline, you should have walked right passed Mr Boo’s corpse on the stairs.” The accusation was clear in the detective’s tone, and another wave of horror passed over Kyungsoo.

He’d been there at the same time as Chul’s brain was bleeding. If he’d seen him, and called an ambulance, would he be alive right now?

“I exited through the back door. The front revolving door gets locked at eight.” Kyungsoo looked down, biting his lip in guilt. He may not have been the one to kill him, but he certainly hadn’t saved Chul either.

“Of course you did.” the man opposite muttered under his breath, finally filing the photographs back in the folder. Kyungsoo was relieved, he couldn’t bear to look at what had become of the man.

But, if Jongin was packing up, he hoped that meant the interview was over: was he free to go?

Before Kyungsoo could muster the courage to ask what he thought of as an insensitive question, the folder was pushed to the corner of the table and Jongin leant even closer over the metal surface. Though there was no smile, there was a glint in his eye that was almost mischievous. Almost.

“Do you work out, Kyungsoo?” Jongin’s husky voice saying ‘Mr Do’ had nothing on it saying ‘Kyungsoo’ and the office worker forgot how to breathe for a moment.

Was he flirting? Was this attractive detective flirting with Kyungsoo while he was apparently the prime suspect for a murder? Kyungsoo had never blushed so quickly in his life.

“P-pardon?” He couldn’t help the squeak in his voice as he glanced at the camera in the corner of the room, its blinking red light assuring him everything was being recorded. Wasn’t it illegal to flirt with a potential fugitive… he was pretty sure it was.

“Do you go to the gym, Mr Do?” The detective didn’t move backwards, but his voice did sound more demanding. Kyungsoo decided he didn’t think Jongin was all that good at flirting with murder suspects.

“Not really… D-do you?” The question was wobbly and the furthest thing from smooth. The shifty eyes probably didn’t help with the delivery either, if he was being honest.

Though one hundred percent ready to smack himself for actually saying that out loud, Jongin cracked a slight smile at the question, and Kyungsoo took that as a success.

“Would you mind?” The taller leant his right elbow on the table, his hand reaching out. Kyungsoo could tell that the other was requesting an arm wrestle, but was sceptical about its relevance to the interrogation. Was the detective really just being flirty?

“Uhh…” Kyungsoo found himself both unable to form a proper sentence or refuse Jongin’s wish, bringing his own arm onto the tabletop with tentative hesitation. When his cold hand met Jongin’s warm one his skin felt like it burned, but he tried not to act affected, especially considering the taller hadn’t either.

With a soft countdown from three, the detective’s plump lips quickly turned into a straight line as he pursed them in concentration. Though Kyungsoo had not been sure if they were really doing it or not, he soon felt the blood rush to his face as he tried to resist Jongin’s push. He was far stronger than the shorter though, and so Kyungsoo lost with an embarrassing groan in no time.

Not only had he been humiliated by Jongin’s straightforward advances, but now he had also been emasculated, too. Detective Kim surely did not know how to flirt with a possible murderer, Kyungsoo concluded.

“Surprisingly strong grip you’ve got there, Mr Do. I wonder what it’s capable of?” Jongin asked, a little breathless, though Kyungsoo wasn’t sure if it was from the slight exertion of the arm wrestle or if he was just putting it on. Either way, the frazzled interviewee’s eyes betrayed him as they next followed the movement of Jongin’s tongue over his lips. Wondering whether the temperature had recently increased in the room or not, Kyungsoo cleared his throat.

“I-”

“Murder, maybe?” The familiar frown was back and Kyungsoo suddenly felt like he’d been caught in a trap.

“No!” Now he was really ready to smack himself. He wasn’t entirely sure what the detective was playing at, but it must have been some kind of interrogation tactic, and Kyungsoo was pretty sure he’d been tricked. Of course the drop-dead gorgeous (pardon the pun) man would never be interested in the plain accounting worker. Jongin’s whole job was probably to go around and seduce suspects into confessing or something equally sneaky. Either way though, Kyungsoo felt like a chump for falling for it.

“Then why are you so nervous?” Kyungsoo’s gaze locked with wide eyes over Detective Kim’s shoulder. His reflection was pale, a little sweaty and just oozing anxiety. Jongin leaned closer, his brow furrowed and lips downturned. He probably thought Kyungsoo’s body language was pointing to guilt, but the accused couldn’t bear to admit that it was in fact the detective’s proximity as well as his own mortification that was having that effect on him.

“I-I’ve never gotten in trouble like this before, is all. I’m a good person... I don't even drink!” His tone was desperate even to his own ears, but at least the taller sat back in his chair, giving Kyungsoo some space to breathe.

“Let’s go over your relationship with the deceased, then.”

“There’s no relationship, really.” Kyungsoo was quick to press, “We would say good morning to each other as we passed in a hallway, but that’s it. I honestly knew nothing about him.”

“Mhmm, really?” Jongin blinked slowly, his tone obviously disbelieving. “Not even some office gossip about the man you all worked under?”

Kyungsoo bit the inside of his cheek as his gaze lowered. He didn’t want to speak ill of the dead, but that was really all there was to say about the man. That, and he was worried that speaking honestly about Chul would only serve to implicate him further.

“He was well-known to be… to act inappropriately towards some of the female staff. And sometimes he fired people for trivial reasons, but nothing worth murdering him over!”

“Aha, I see.” Jongin took a pen from his coat pocket and wrote something down in the file in between them. Kyungsoo couldn’t read it from his angle, but he prayed it didn’t say anything along the lines of ‘this guy is definitely guilty’.

“So, there’s a pretty girl at work you like that he got too close to, then? A woman you wanted to protect?” The detective leant forward again, the pen and folder forgotten. Each word he spoke was more pointed than the last and Kyungsoo wilted in his seat. “Maybe he went to your apartment just to tell you everything he did to her…”

“No!” Kyungsoo squeezed his eyes as he interrupted the other, not wanting to see the detective’s scowl. Frankly, if someone had accidently killed Mr Boo in self-defence, or to protect someone else, he couldn’t say he blamed them. Chul’s eyes had been black holes that made you feel cold just looking at -- Kyungsoo couldn’t imagine being a woman and on the receiving end of his greasy gaze. “I’m not even attracted to women, so that’s certainly not what happened!”

And, he’d just come out to the hot detective... God, this was the absolute worst day of his life.

A ghost of a smirk lifted the corner of Jongin’s lips as he finished noting down something else on the paper in front of him, and any intimidating vibes were gone. Detective Kim looked calm and satisfied.

“That concludes the questions, Mr Do. Thank you for your time.”

Kyungsoo was beyond relieved to be done with the interrogation, until he found out he couldn’t just run away from the detective and never look back. Jongin escorted him out into the main reception of the police station personally, handing the file with the photos and his own notes to Officer Kang.

“Sehun, get samples from around the area where the deceased’s car was left. Be thorough, too. Get them to Junmyeon ASAP.” Jongin instructed Detective Oh, who gave him a mock salute, and placed his hand on the small of Kyungsoo’s back. “Let me take you back to your work.”

The drive was awkward, at least on Kyungsoo’s side of things. The whole morning had been crazy, and yet he still found time between absorbing all the information to feel the weight of the silence in the police car. The fact he was sitting in the passenger's seat and not in the back somehow also made it worse.

“So, I’m not going to be arrested?” Kyungsoo asked, his eyes sweeping over the gutter out the side window as they drove past. He’d not been cuffed on the spot, and was getting taken back to his work, but he still needed to know if there was a chance of it happening later on.

“We’ll have to go over your story, cross reference it against security footage and such. If it all checks out, then there’ll be no problem.” Jongin spoke with a friendly warmth to his voice, far different from the cutting accusations of earlier. Kyungsoo supposed that being tough during questioning was part of the job and tried not to take it personally.

“You don’t…” Kyungsoo in a breath, turning to watch the detective’s angular profile as he trained his eyes on the road. The accounting worker thought he looked softer like this, with his fingers drumming against the steering wheel, an easy smile on his face as he thought about whatever tune was in his head. Kyungsoo wasn’t entirely sure why, but he needed to know what the other man thought. He told himself it was just for his professional perspective, and nothing personal. “You don’t think I did it, do you?”

Jongin averted his eyes from the road, flicking his gaze to Kyungsoo who gripped his seatbelt tight between his hands. He shouldn’t have asked that. How weird? Not to mention suspicious. If the detective didn’t think him guilty before, he certainly would now.

A small laugh and a gentle smile, and his stare was back on the morning road.

“No. I can’t say I do, Mr Do.”

Jongin ended up following Kyungsoo all the way up to the ninth floor, wanting to see the area before looking through Chul’s office on the thirteenth level. Kyungsoo found the attention from his co-workers unpleasant, as they watched his bid him farewell. There was nothing subtle about their stares.

“Thank you for driving me, Detective Kim.” Kyungsoo could barely maintain the eye contact and couldn't wait to get his head down behind his cubicle.

“You're welcome, and please, call me Jongin.” The smile had a soft glow to it when he had been watching the road. Now that it was facing Kyungsoo straight-on, though, it was like looking directly at the sun. The humble office worker didn't think he'd ever seen anyone as unabashedly gorgeous before. Not even in magazines. The realisation of his own thought process had his complexion reddening and his eyes avoiding contact with the other.

“Okay then, Jongin. You should call me Kyungsoo too.” He hoped he didn’t sound too forward but assured himself it was only polite to return the informality. Jongin had started it, after all.

After Kyungsoo pressed the button to call another elevator for the detective, he left with a feeble goodbye, scurrying back to his desk. He sighed as soon as he sat down and was out of Jongin and his nosy co-workers’ sight. Really, standing so close to Jongin, occupying all his attention… It had almost given Kyungsoo heatstroke.

“Woah, I'm surprised to see you here. Thought I was going to have to visit you in prison or something.” Yixing’s gentle but teasing tone floated over his cubicle walls and invaded Kyungsoo’s sanctuary. The whir of the photocopy machine and the constant buzzing of conversation around added to the backdrop of white noise which he found comfort in. Everything sounded to be back to normal and no one else was paying him any extra notice.

Yixing’s gelled black hair reflected the brightness of the overhead lights as his head popped up over the white divider. Baekhyun soon too stood from his chair and leant over the shorter’s desk.

“How'd it go?” Baekhyun looked concerned, and his tone lacked the light-heartedness that Yixing’s had carried. His dark brown hair was wavy but perfectly styled: he looked great, as always.

“He just asked me some questions about Mr Boo. Nothing too intense or anything.” Kyungsoo wasn't too sure if he was allowed to spread the details of the case told to him by Jongin, so he decided to not offer them up freely, just in case. As if he wanted to admit that Chul had called him and driven to his apartment right before getting murdered, anyway. “Where’s Jongdae, by the way?”

The boisterous man would always be right next to Yixing to hear about the latest gossip, so there was no way he wasn't around when Kyungsoo became a murder suspect.

“He texted me earlier. Said he heard the news and decided that meant he deserved the day off.” Yixing’s dimple was prominent and Kyungsoo could hear the Chinese man tapping his fingers against his pen in rhythm.

“How did he find out about it if he didn't show up here this morning?” Baekhyun looked over to Yixing and crossed his arms. Kyungsoo was only half listening, mostly just glad to be free of Baekhyun’s all-seeing stare.

“I think he showed up, found out, then went straight back home. I mean, this is Jongdae we're talking about.” Yixing laughed melodiously. “He would totally do that.”

Kyungsoo hummed in agreeance, re-organising his ‘out’ tray as he felt a heavy gaze on the side of his face again. He cleared his throat uncomfortably, trying to focus on anything other than the fact the papers he shuffled were the exact shade of Chul’s skin in the photos he'd been shown earlier in the day. No, actually, Mr Boo had a bluer hue to him…

“So, we're not going to talk about how you were escorted off the premises a few hours ago in front of the entire company? There had to be some serious reason to take you and only you, Do.” Baekhyun clearly didn't want to give in, so Kyungsoo figured it would just be easier to give him what he wanted then change the subject.

He divulged information about the phone call history and parked car (though with his voice as quiet as he could make it), receiving a look of vague surprise from Baekhyun and an overzealous expression of utter shock from Yixing. Neither of the two had anything particularly helpful to say, but he was glad that he could trust them with it nonetheless. They were taken aback by the news, but not for a second did either one of his friends look like they might think he'd actually done anything. He knew if Jongdae were there, he would be the same. Well, he'd probably punch Jongin for even implying that Kyungsoo had something to do with the killing. It made Kyungsoo smile just thinking about it; his best friend's undying loyalty, that is. Not Detective Kim being physically abused for doing his job.

“So, that detective you walked in with… he seemed friendly.” Kyungsoo just sighed at the comment. Trust Yixing to try and talk about romance in the middle of a homicide.

“Can't we talk about something else? Like how Jongdae purposefully gets in small legal disputes just so he can have an excuse to talk to his lawyer?” The attempt at shifting the attention was entirely transparent, but that didn't mean he didn't still hope it would work.

“Aw, c’mon, Soo. We always talk about Minseok. Poor bastard.” Yixing whined, his desk phone ringing as soon as he finished the sentence. He lifted it from its receiver then dropped it back down again without so much as bringing it to his ear. “Anything else interesting happen to you recently, then? I'll let you off the hook about the hunky cop for a good weekend anecdote.”

“Why don't you talk about your weekend Yixing, we all know it was more eventful than mine.” Kyungsoo re-dispersed the pens amongst the mug they were nestled in, honestly excited about what the taller had gotten himself into this time. He was still reeling after the story of how Yixing had stumbled onto a movie premiere red carpet the week before, and he was looking forward to hearing its successor.

Baekhyun barked a quick chuckle, most likely thinking the same thing as Kyungsoo. Yixing, however, looked between the two with narrowed eyes and pouted lips. He held his wacky tales close to his heart but loved to pretend he didn't get a massive high off storytelling.

“I'll have you know nothing obscure happened these passed two days. The most exciting thing was getting my suit dry cleaned.” Yixing tilted his chin up stubbornly but had a twinkle in his eye.

“Oh really? That's all?” Baekhyun took the bait, knowing his part in the Chinese man’s self-indulgent manner of conversation.

“Well…” Yixing bit the inside of his cheek and looked down as if thinking of something he was hesitant to repeat aloud. “I was wearing the suit as it was being dry cleaned.”

Kyungsoo smiled as Yixing’s dimple deepened in his cheek and his eyes danced with mirth. Honestly, he was a gentle soul but with so much happiness to spread, and Kyungsoo was always glad to have the older around the office.

“Wait, as in it was literally being dry cleaned as you wore it?” Baekhyun looked less serious than before, his voice light and joyous. Seeing his other close friend so happy made Kyungsoo twice as grateful to Yixing for his strange lifestyle.

“Well, technically, no. I was just on the spinning, hanging system. Anyway, then I met this man who was touring with his mariachi band. One of the members was sick, though, so I offered to step in.”

Kyungsoo didn't quite care he was going to be severely behind schedule with work later on. He should've been spending his time making up for the morning he’d lost at the police station, but he was far more content to talk with his friends. He and Baekhyun continued to laugh at how Yixing had gained Mexican fans for his work as a musical understudy, and Kyungsoo completely forgot all about evidence and alibis.

Jongin groaned as he patted up and down the pockets of his coat. Something smooth slid against the back of his ear and a hand appeared in front of his face, a pen pinched between two fingers.

“How can you find clues if you can’t even keep track of your own stationary?” The clacking of something hard against teeth echoed as the voice spoke, and Jongin swiped his pen from the extended hand.

“We’re not pipe-smoking sleuths, we don’t find clues, Sehun. Here in the real world, it’s called evidence.” Jongin leant over the front counter of the precinct, filling out a form about the use of DNA testing within the investigation. He had to give it to Superintendent Wu ASAP, especially considering they’d already sent the samples down to Junmyeon.

“Uh-huh. Well, here in the real world it was super unsubtle how you pressed that guy during the interrogation just to find out his uality.”

Jongin spluttered, quickly looking around to make sure no one had heard Sehun’s perfectly audible claim. Officer Lee, who was on shift manning the front desk, tittered behind his hand and Jongin knew he’d been listening. He whacked the side of the taller’s arm, unsatisfied when it did nothing to remove Sehun’s -eating grin.

“Here in the real world that never happened! That would be extremely unprofessional, not to mention, a gross misuse of my authority.” Jongin’s stern words had seemed the professional thing to say, but as he watched Sehun’s smirk expand, he couldn’t help but feel like he was somehow actually proving the other’s point instead of his own. “Shut up!”

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I’m glad this happened. Now I know you’re into the murdering type, and honestly, it explains a lot.” Sehun grasped the stick of his lollipop, twisting it to swirl the candy sphere in his mouth. He was completely unfazed as he was hit again, this time across the stomach.

“He didn’t do it. You saw the interrogation, no way he’s capable of murder. Emotionally, as well as physically. He couldn’t have overpowered Boo Chul by himself.” Jongin looked down as he printed his signature on the dotted line at the base of the page. A loud slurping noise erupted from his right as Sehun his saliva and dissolved sugar alike off the surface of his lolly.

“They’re often good at faking shock and innocence, you know. Besides, who knows how much of his skittishness was because of his goody-two-shoes nature and not because of your raw ual prowess invading his personal bubble.” Another timid laugh resounded to Jongin’s left, and he turned to glare at Officer Lee, who then found it in himself to stifle the noise behind his sleeve.

Jongin sighed, miserable to have been partnered with Sehun those few years ago. The two got on very well in general, but Sehun could be a snarky bastard and Jongin’s slower and more earnest manner made him the younger’s perfect target. It only truly became bothersome when Sehun found the perfect ammo for his assaults, and Jongin prayed the other detective didn’t get any lower ranked policemen involved this time (apart from Officer Lee, who definitely already knew).

“I've combed through his credit card usage, emails, and even his browser history. He donates to charity regularly, knits, and volunteers at an orphanage every other weekend. No way this is our guy.” The biro was replaced behind Jongin’s ear and he picked up the form from the counter. Sehun’s smirk was absent, for once, as he looked down at the older with serious eyes.

“Jongin, he’s got no alibi. I’m just saying, you should pull back a bit, man. This is your first case taking lead, if-”

“Message received, Sehun.” The shift in tone from personal to professional was immediate as Jongin crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Now, where are we with getting the security footage of Boo Accountants?”

Sehun tensed his jaw and sighed through his nose, seemingly displeased to be brushed off by the senior detective, but he played along anyway.

“Seeing as how everything was in the deceased’s name, there’s no one to ask for the feed until his assets are transferred. So, we’re waiting for a warrant, then Officer Kang will acquire them. Shouldn’t take more than a few hours.”

“Great.” Jongin acknowledged the other, turning to give one final ‘don’t-you-dare-mention-this-conversation-to-anyone’ look to Officer Lee, before making his way to Kris’s office.

Only an hour or so later, as Sehun and Jongin were going through the other Boo Accountants employees’ statements in the latter’s office, did Junmyeon burst through the doorway. Jongin had to give it to the scientist, he worked quickly.

“How does the deceased’s ghost introduce himself to whoever he haunts?” Junmyeon walked further in, not giving Sehun time to guess or Jongin time to ask him to get to the point. “Boo!”

The manila folder in Junmyeon’s hand was slapped against his knee as he laughed, a smile that had too many teeth and not enough visible eye plastered across his face. The two detectives sighed in unison, and Sehun flicked his used lollipop stick in the trash bin by the door. Jongin wished Sehun could do the same with the poor excuse of a joke that Junmyeon had nonconsensually gifted them.

“That better be your forensics report, Dr Kim.” Jongin deadpanned, eyeing the quickly-crinkling file in the older’s tight grip.

“Chanyeol found that one funny.” Junmyeon somewhat whined as he handed over the folder, pointedly ignoring Sehun’s chime of ‘exactly.’ “Yes, it’s my report, Jongin. Along with Dr Park’s autopsy.”

That pleased Jongin greatly, and he pretty much snatched the reports from the scientist’s hand, sick of getting nothing from the accounting workers’ nor Kyungsoo’s neighbours’ police statements. He quickly flicked through Chanyeol’s jargon and drabble to the conclusion’s section: there were post-mortem bruises on the deceased’s body, meaning he had been moved to the staircase after death. Jongin looked over the rest of the findings, which harboured nothing new. Boo Chul had been struck in the head somewhere else then dumped on the steps of his company’s building. Curious.

“So, most of the things you sent along had no forensic connection to the case, but there was one piece of equipment from the construction site near where his car was found that had fibres of Mr Boo’s clothing on it, as well as another person’s clean set of fingerprints.” Junmyeon was almost bouncing with joy, as if he had just solved the case. Which, he kind of had. “You’ll never guess! Oh, well, you might, considering… Anyway, it’s none other than prime suspect Do Kyungsoo!”

Jongin froze. No way the c- short man had done such a thing. Jongin looked to the page of Junmyeon’s report, as if hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth wasn’t legitimate enough. But there it was, with one hundred percent certainty, printed on the page before him.

“So, the deceased went to visit Do Kyungsoo for an unknown reason. Most likely, Mr Do didn’t like what he had to say, so he hit him on the head with whatever was nearby, equipment from the building site next door, then transported him to Boo Accountants when he realised he was dead. Not only would that keep the victim not tied to his place of residence, but also provided a reasonable alibi that he was at work. Case closed.” Sehun his teeth as he leant back in the chair on the other side of Jongin’s desk. In opposition to his words, his body language showed no enthusiasm. Jongin felt none, either. He had been so sure...

“What reason could Boo Chul have possibly had to go talk to Kyungsoo, by all accounts they didn’t know each other. And even if Kyungsoo had been in a panic, he certainly wouldn’t be dumb enough to leave the deceased’s car across the street from his apartment.” Jongin frowned and chewed on his lip, searching through the reports in front of him again, though their contents all pointed to Kyungsoo. Was Jongin’s gut really wrong, or had he just been blinded by his curiosity about the shy man?

“I’m going to ignore the fact that you’re on a first name basis with the prime suspect. Instead, I will remind you that our job isn’t to guess a desperate man’s intellect. Here in the real world, we charge criminals using evidence.” Sehun smirked again as he used Jongin’s own words against him again. But Jongin was too shocked at the realisation that he had casually used Kyungsoo’s first name as if they were friends to formulate a response.

“Social proximity, physical proximity, and evidence of both victim and suspect on the one piece of equipment. It couldn’t fit more perfectly if it were a children’s jigsaw puzzle.” Superintendent Wu had strolled through the open door into Jongin’s office, glancing over the three already in the room, before his gaze landed solidly on Jongin. “Arrest him.”

And so Jongin found himself on the ninth floor of Boo Accountants for the second time that day, this time at around four in the afternoon. He walked as slowly as possible through the workspace cubicles, secretly hoping that Kyungsoo wasn’t at his desk. When he saw the well-styled wave of black hair leant over meticulous paperwork however, he almost groaned in frustration. He was aware of the looks he was getting, and he was also aware of what that meant for Kyungsoo once he publicly arrested him. He knew the evidence pointed to the other, but he still felt sympathy for the supposed criminal. Things just didn't feel right, but he hadn't been able to change Kris’s mind on the matter.

“Do Kyungsoo,” Jongin said softly, trying to gain the worker's attention without making a scene. He crouched by his desk in an attempt to stop people from staring, Kyungsoo spinning around in his chair, looking down at the man next to him with wide eyes. Before he could even ask what Jongin was doing there, the detective continued. “You're under arrest for the suspected manslaughter of Boo Chul.”

It was an odd scene, to be perfectly honest. Jongin crouched in close proximity to Kyungsoo, whispering that he was under arrest. Perhaps he shouldn't have been so considerate, but by all accounts, Boo Chul was a grade-A jerk. If Kyungsoo had accidently killed him, Jongin wasn't sure he entirely blamed him. Which scared Jongin, considering he'd only known of the office worker for like six hours. But in his defence, scouring through all Kyungsoo’s online information made Jongin feel like he knew him for much longer. He knew that the knitter posted heart-warming comments on others’ recipe blogs, he went to his friend Baekhyun’s small singing gigs and he always ordered flowers whenever he went to see his mother. He was too good to be true, that was for sure, but Jongin couldn't see ‘having killed another man’ as his secret flaw.

“Oh my goodness.” Kyungsoo brought a hand to cover his mouth as he gaped in shock. From the closeness the two shared, Jongin could see the watery cloud build up in the shorter’s eyes, and he wanted to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall. He was honestly surprised by the strength of the urge to comfort the other man but made sure to stay still. ‘oh my god, get a hold of yourself’ Jongin repeated in his head instead, not entirely sure why he was feeling that way. It had never really happened to him before, especially not on the job. “O-okay…”

Kyungsoo stood up and Jongin rose with him, deciding to cuff him when they were outside and away from his co-workers. Kyungsoo kept his head down and wiped at his face when Jongin’s phone rang. He saw it was from Sehun and answered immediately, glad to be able to give Kyungsoo a moment to recuperate.

“Congratulations, you were right and Junmyeon was wrong. Well, he wasn't really wrong. I guess it was my theory that was wrong, but whatever.” Sehun’s voice drawled as he tried to shift blame onto someone else, but Jongin was in no mood to humour the younger’s ego. He quickly interrupted, telling his partner to get on with it. “The security footage is in. Kyungsoo can be seen waddling out of the building via the back door exactly when he claimed. He spent most of the evening at his desk, and in all the hours of feed he didn't pick his nose once. You chose pretty well, huh Romeo.”

Jongin smiled from relief, not bothering to answer Sehun’s teasing remark before hanging up. He rubbed Kyungsoo’s shoulder gently, glad to be able to tell him that he was officially not a prime suspect anymore, and that Jongin was able to leave with no one in cuffs.

“OMG, I think Do Kyungsoo is getting arrested! He killed Boo Chul!” Someone announced loudly nearby and Jongin tried to turn to see who had said it, but a large proportion of the floor had stopped work to watch the scene play out and gossip amongst themselves. There was no way to tell who the originator of the remark was. “I knew he did it, I've always thought there was something weird in the way he looks at people.”

Jongin immediately felt offended. He had tried his hardest to spare Kyungsoo the shame, but the hearsay still spread like wildfire. It was even worse now that Jongin knew it wasn't true. He wanted to save face for Kyungsoo, but he just didn't know how… He looked down at the shorter man, and the way Kyungsoo hunched in on himself as if he could sink into a shell like a tortoise broke Jongin’s heart. The policeman could only think of one terrible solution, but he went for it before his brain could tell him what a dumb idea it was.

“Jagi, let's go for our lunch date now!” Jongin projected his voice as loud as he could and felt like a total idiot while doing so. This was the most humiliating thing he'd ever done, but the gossip was his fault, as the rumours started flying because of his presence. It was the least he could do to try and help the other out. He tried to tell himself that he was just helping out a nice guy, and not doing it to play out a fantasy where he was dating the innocent man.

Kyungsoo’s head snapped up and he looked a cross between surprised, confused and petrified, and Jongin couldn't say he didn’t probably look the same. A heavy silence settled over the entire department but the law officer kept staring down at Kyungsoo, who’s shoulder he still gently rubbed in reassurance.

“Here, let me get your briefcase for you, sweetheart.” He bent down to retrieve the leather case then grabbed Kyungsoo’s hand in his own, linking their fingers. The office worker was blushing furiously, as Jongin was sure he was himself, but he was shockingly willing. He even clung to Jongin’s arm and hid his face behind the detective’s shoulder as they walked briskly towards the elevator.

Silence continued to reign over the level as all Kyungsoo’s co-workers still seemed stunned, until the ding of the elevator meant Jongin and Kyungsoo’s departure.

“Holy hell, Kyungsoo’s dating the hunky cop!?” A thinly accented exclamation was the last thing Jongin heard before the door closed behind the pair and he smiled in satisfaction. Not because he'd been called hunky, which made him feel a little weird quite frankly, but because his plan had worked. At least all that embarrassment hadn't been for nothing.

He turned to gaze down at Kyungsoo, who had let go of his hand and just stood with his head hung. The satisfaction quickly vanished as he felt guilty for not asking the other’s permission before acting like that.

“I'm sorry, Kyungsoo. I meant no disrespect, I just didn't want them to think that-”

“Yeah, I get it, really. Thank you, but you didn't have to bother. They'll still find out I'm… being charged.” Kyungsoo took in a shaking breath and didn't make eye contact with the taller. Instead of feeling sad again, though, Jongin perked up. He was glad that the other wasn't offended by his actions, and that he was also able to solve Kyungsoo’s other problem.

“No, actually you're not. The footage from the company just came through, that's what the phone call was. Your alibi is solid.” Jongin smiled sincerely down at the other, who gripped his chest in relief. The heart-shaped smile was unexpected but froze Jongin in his spot. He couldn't look away, so he was glad that Kyungsoo wasn't looking directly at him in that moment, or else he would have been able to see exactly what his grin did to Jongin.

“I'm glad, then.” Kyungsoo turned to look up at Jongin with his wide eyes and rosy cheeks and Jongin just smiled back, probably looking dumb. “So… where are we going, then? If not to the station?”

“Oh! Do you want to get a coffee?” Jongin asked before he fully snapped out of his daze, seeing the shorter’s eyebrows raise in astonishment. He cleared his throat before continuing. “To go over the case, I mean. There's still some details I'd like to ask you about.”

At the Lights Out Café, which was a coffee shop down the road from Boo Accountants, the two ordered their drinks before settling down at a low-lying table by the window. Jongin had eventually convinced Kyungsoo to let him pay for his coffee, saying it was repayment for the little ‘jagi’ stint back at the office, and the other had quickly changed the subject to the case details the detective was interested in.

“There was some equipment from the construction site next to your apartment building that had both clothing fibres from Mr Boo’s suit and your fingerprints on it, any idea how that happened?” Jongin tried hard to switch off his detective-interrogation mode but wasn’t sure how successful he was.

“No, I mean, the builders leave a lot of stuff lying around, but I’ve never taken any of it. What was it, that had my fingerprints on it?” Kyungsoo, at least, was reacting a lot more calmly than he had been at the first questioning. Perhaps it was because of the relaxed and familiar environment, or because he knew he no longer had to worry about being arrested. Whatever it was, Jongin enjoyed the more casual and comfortable vibes between the two.

“A wheelbarrow. It was used to transport Chul’s body from your apartment complex to the company building.” Jongin took a sip of his americano as a wave of realisation dawned over Kyungsoo’s expression.

“This morning, there was a wheelbarrow blocking the side gate to the back alley I always use on my way to work. I moved it out of the way myself… I can’t believe I touched what the killer used to…” Kyungsoo trailed off the sentence with a sombre look, clasping the mug of his vanilla latte with both hands. Jongin’s interest was piqued, and he wondered if the wheelbarrow’s placement was intentional.

“Do you think the killer used the back alley to transport the body without being seen?” Jongin asked. He was still perplexed that there had been no witnesses to a corpse being wheeled around a couple of blocks in the mid evening. Kyungsoo puckered his lips in thought, and Jongin tried to not get distracted by the pretty shade of pink they were.

“I would guess so. The way I walk to work is a shortcut, behind a lot of commercial buildings. There’s never anyone around by the time I go home.” Jongin felt a flash of fear at the thought of Kyungsoo walking home alone through dark alleys where there were murderers wheeling corpses around but no witnesses. In fact, the whole crime seemed a little too conveniently wrapped around the accounting firm worker. Gears started to churn in Jongin’s head.

“What if someone tried to frame you? Put Boo’s car there and called you on his phone to make it look like it was you, then planted the wheelbarrow there knowing you’d move it and get your fingerprints on it?” Jongin took an enthusiastic gulp of his drink, regretting it immediately as he burnt his tongue. Kyungsoo let out a disbelieving giggle before sliding a glass of water over to Jongin’s side of the table. The detective accepted it gratefully, holding a sip of the cool liquid in his mouth to sooth the pain as Kyungsoo shared his thoughts.

“That would mean the person knew me pretty well, like stalked me. I’ve never had a problem with a stalker before, nor any enemies that I know of. Besides, if they wanted to frame me wouldn’t they have corrupted the security footage, instead of leaving me an alibi?” Kyungsoo took a break to drink some of his coffee, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips from the taste. Jongin nodded in agreement, swallowing the water in his mouth. “Was the car checked for anybody else’s DNA? I mean, if it was planted...”

“No, I didn’t think of that. I’ll message our forensics analyst now.” The detective pulled out his phone eagerly, shooting off a quick text to Junmyeon. Putting it back in his coat pocket, he tried for another tentative sip of his americano, thinking about how great it was to be able to bounce ideas off someone new.

Sehun was really great at what he did, no doubt, and he often thought from a different perspective to Jongin, but in his originality lay his eventual predictability. Kyungsoo, beyond being fresh blood, was bright and detail-oriented, making him a great asset in a thought-provoking discussion like this one. In another life, Kyungsoo would have made for a talented detective himself.

“Okay, what if you were their real target? They go to your house, only to find Boo Chul there, they get in a fight, and Boo accidentally dies.” Jongin decided to blow on his coffee before drinking it, this time, and was rewarded with a rich and bitter taste. He let out his own hum of appreciation while Kyungsoo seemed to deliberate.

“That seems… awfully convenient. Mr Boo just so happened to be looking for me for the first time ever as someone also just so happened to want to kill me? I still don’t have any enemies, so it seems unlikely.” Kyungsoo stirred his latte, looking down at the liquid while Jongin couldn’t help but smile at the sight, though he hid it behind his mug.

In the soft lighting of the café, with the deep mahogany furniture and the one brick wall bare for aesthetic purposes, Kyungsoo looked entirely radiant. He suited the soft image well, even though his blue overcoat and matching scarf clashed with the surrounding browns and creams. His pale skin was garnished with the red tip of his nose from the outside cold, and Jongin wanted to rub warmth into the smaller’s cheeks with his hands.

This Kyungsoo was far different from the bumbling, nervous wreck that sat opposite Jongin earlier down at the police station. This Kyungsoo was comfortable to laugh at Jongin when he burned himself or shoot down his theories when they made no sense. The detective had to admit, at first he'd been interested by the shorter’s cute appearance and expressive eyes, but the longer they sat together for coffee and had a real conversation, the more Jongin felt himself grow attracted to Kyungsoo’s personality.

Eventually the conversation turned from the murder to more mundane topics. Jongin spoke of how horrendously obsessed with death-related puns Junmyeon was, and Kyungsoo related ridiculous stories from one of his co-workers. The two laughed as they finished their drinks and somewhere along the way Jongin forgot he was sitting across from the man he almost arrested and not an old friend he was catching up with. Soon enough, though, the illusion was broken, and the pair remembered where they were.

“Oh god, it's already six. I have to get back to work.” Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes at his wrist watch before they widened and stared at Jongin in disbelief. The detective was suddenly aware they were the last two in the café and the only worker was tipping over chairs as she wiped down tables. The lights were on more brightly now, as the outside world darkened around them.

Jongin nodded in agreeance, following Kyungsoo’s suit to return his coffee mug and water glass to the shop counter directly. Knowing Kyungsoo, Jongin thought to himself as the waitress thanked them for returning the dishes, he was no doubt going to stay back late at the office to catch up on work. It was already dark outside, considering it was almost winter, and Jongin didn't feel right letting him walk home in the evening when there was a murderer abound.

He held the door open for the shorter as they shuffled out of the café and into the cold night breeze. Jongin pulled his coat tighter around him and dug his hands into his pockets, trying to retain as much warmth as possible. The two began to make their way back towards Boo Accountants, Kyungsoo walking briskly with the lower half of his face buried in his woollen scarf.

“Is your coat not warm enough?” Kyungsoo asked after a particularly violent shiver racked through Jongin’s body. He almost felt embarrassed to be called out for his actions, but knew it was a physical response he couldn't repress.

“No, it's just my exposed neck.” He laughed lightly, feeling kind of tense as they ascended the stairs around where the police tape still sectioned off. As the two reached in front of the revolving door, Jongin softly called the other’s name. “Listen. This murder has you at the heart of it, whether it's a coincidence or not.”

“I didn't-”

“I know. But there is someone bad lurking these streets, and they know the route you take home every night. To make sure you're safe, I was wondering if you'd agree to…” Jongin clenched and relaxed his hands in his pockets, trying his hardest to not let his nerves show to the office worker who just stared up at him with slightly parted lips and raised eyebrows, waiting for him to finish patiently. “To call me when you get home every night? Just as a failsafe! So if something ever happens, at least I'll know to check up on you.”

Kyungsoo closed his mouth and looked down, nodding slowly in understanding of the question. While the shorter’s eyes weren't trained on the policeman, Jongin squeezed his eyes shut as a way of letting out his restlessness. There was no ulterior motive to his request, he really did want to make sure the other was okay every night. Yet, for some reason, he felt like a thirteen-year-old asking for his crushes number.

“Mm, I suppose if that's your professional recommendation…” Kyungsoo bit his lower lip as he looked back up at the taller, and Jongin couldn't tell if the former was just shy or if he was somehow teasing the detective. Either way, he nodded his head as Kyungsoo handed over his phone. Jongin made the new contact, for a second freaking-out about whether he should put his name as ‘Detective Kim’ to keep up the professional image, but in the end decided to just put ‘Kim Jongin’.

“I, uh, should get going. I don't want to make you stay any later than I already have.” Jongin spoke as he began fiddling with his ear.

“Yeah, right, of course. I'll call you later, when I get home.” Kyungsoo took a step backwards, saying farewell with a heart-shaped smile. Jongin returned the smile before turning around and descending the steps again.

He looked over at the yellow and black tape that fluttered in the wind as he passed. It quivered like a flag of surrender, and the promise of harsh justice Jongin knew it to represent seemed lost along the length of the flimsy plastic. Out there in the silence, with nothing but the frigid cold concrete for company, the detective decided that alone on those steps would be the worst place to die.

~•~•~

Kyungsoo steadied the handle across his elbow, ignoring his nervousness as he pushed through the glass doors of the local police department once more. It was the middle of the day, so the station was appropriately bustling with workers and members of the public alike. It was a little manic, and Kyungsoo took a few moments to take in the atmosphere: with loud conversations of police officers as they collaborated over sheets of paper, and the rustling of magazines as people sat in seats waiting to be dealt with. Amidst the chaos, which almost made Kyungsoo turn around and pretend he’d never set foot in the establishment, the office worker saw a familiar face. Though he wasn’t sure if the woman would recognise him, he saw it as a sign of good faith that she just so happened to be on duty when he’d arrived.

“Ah!” The member of police looked up from her seat behind the main desk, eyes flashing in recognition upon spotting the short man. “Do Kyungsoo, what can I help you with? Is this about the Boo case?”

“Good afternoon, Officer Kang. No, this is actually a pretty brief visit. I just wanted to give something, as a token of my appreciation. For clearing my name and all that.” Kyungsoo tried his hardest not to stutter under the brunette’s full attention, and gently placed the basket on the counter.

The policewoman jumped out of her chair with an excited ‘Ooh!’ and she peeled back the tea towel to peek inside. The blueberry muffins had been re-warmed right before his visit, and Kyungsoo blushed as the female officer took a hearty sniff of the baked goods, saying she was already salivating.

“Did someone say token of appreciation?” Detective Oh came out of seemingly nowhere, sauntering over to the two with an air of authority. He looked down at the muffins, then side-eyed the junior officer to his left. “I may have to confiscate these off you, Seulgi…blueberry’s my favourite.”

“I made them for everyone.” Kyungsoo interrupted, gripping the canvas bag he also carried with him with an anxious tightness. “Well, I’m sure there’s not enough for everyone who works here, but… You know…”

Seulgi nodded with understanding while Sehun looked like the comment had brushed passed him like water off a duck’s back. He immediately reached out to grab one, the muffin only an inch from his open mouth when someone called his name.

“Sehun?” Jongin leant out of an office in the back part of the precinct, a manila folder in hand. His eyes scoured the crowd before they fell on Kyungsoo, and promptly widened. He quickly made his way over to the trio. “Kyungsoo? Are you okay?”

Before Kyungsoo could answer however, Officer Kang intervened: “Mr Do brought us muffins as a thank you for doing our jobs and not arresting him. Isn’t that so sweet?”

Jongin seemed shocked, looking between the basket, Kyungsoo, and Sehun’s stuffed cheeks in bewilderment. He nodded in agreement with Seulgi’s sentiment and placed down the file on the desk in front of them, looking to Sehun for his reaction to the taste. The tallest of the group of four hummed out a review for the baked good, before realising it was incomprehensible and settling for a thumbs up and enthusiastic nodding.

“I also made something else for you, Jongin. As a gesture of my gratitude for what you did at my work the other day, and for always checking up on me after I get home from work.” Kyungsoo twisted his hands together as he spoke up to the tan detective. After he finished his explanation, though, Sehun started choking on the muffin he’d been eating. Seulgi hit his back to clear his airway, and Detective Oh struggled to breath, having to wipe a tear out of his eye.

“You check up on him after work!” Sehun coughed loudly, a fist still held to his chest, his opposite hand holding the other half of his treat. He was slack-jawed. “Like, everyday?”

“It’s just a phone call, Sehun. And I’ve told you the theories, it’s a good idea. Just to make sure he's okay.” Jongin explained, crossing his arms defensively, before his tone softened and he looked down once more at Kyungsoo. “You really didn’t have to, but thank you for the thought and effort.”

Kyungsoo could feel how flushed his face was, but it had been red since he got there so maybe the rosy cheeks looked normal to the others by now. He pulled the length of wool out from the canvas bag and showed it in his hands, reaching out to give it to the other.

“I knitted you a scarf. I just noticed how you were cold when we got coffee before and I-”

“You two went on a coffee date?!” More coughing and spluttering, and Officer Kang hit Sehun’s back a little harder than necessary.

“Wow, thank you so much.” Jongin gushed in appreciation as he ignored his partner. Instead of accepting the gift from Kyungsoo’s hands as he’d expected, the detective walked around the desk and stood in front of Kyungsoo, leaning down a little bit. The knitter took this as a sign to wrap it around the taller’s neck himself, so after a moment of hesitation he did just that. He fluffed the material and arranged it nicely around the other, finally being able to see the fruition of his past couple days’ efforts.

“I thought the dark brown would look good with the beige of your coat…” Kyungsoo couldn’t help but drabble on under Jongin’s intense stare. He smiled at the office worker, that same almost-mischievous glint in his eye that Kyungsoo had seen when they met in the interrogation room a few days prior.

“And does it look good?”

“Yes, I think so.” Though the pair were talking predominantly about the scarf, neither so much as glanced at it, instead training their gazes in each other’s eyes. Kyungsoo was barely aware that Jongin still bent down so their faces were level, or that Kyungsoo’s hands both still gripped the scarf, keeping the taller pulled down close. Until Sehun cleared his throat and ruined the moment. Both parties jumped back slightly and tried to pretend whatever just happened hadn’t.

“Well, thank you again for the lovely thought, Mr Do. I'll go take them to the break room.” Seulgi flashed one more grateful grin before scooping up the basket and leaving the group. Sehun looked back and forth between Jongin and Kyungsoo for a few seconds, before turning to follow the female officer.

“Seulgi, I thought I told you I'm confiscating those…”

Jongin played with the neat edges of the coffee-ground coloured scarf, as if inspecting its quality, while Kyungsoo keep glancing up at him every few moments, biting at his lip skin. The two stood in the middle of the loud station for a short while, just zoning out and thinking about the other's presence, before Jongin seemed to realise he had something to say.

“Oh! I forgot, but I have something to tell you, about the case.” The taller dropped his hand from his new article of clothing, catching Kyungsoo’s gaze. “Would you like to step into a room? We shouldn't discuss the details out in the open.”

Jongin ushered Kyungsoo back around the desk with a hand on the small of his back, which made Kyungsoo feel a little frazzled but also oddly safe. After Jongin reclaimed the folder he'd left on the counter earlier, the pair walked towards the back of the precinct where there were noticeably fewer people, as only the staff were allowed there.

Both stepped through the entrance to the room Kyungsoo had spotted Jongin leaving earlier, and the detective closed the door behind them, motioning to a chair in front of a desk. Kyungsoo accepted the silent offer with a smile but was thrown when instead of sitting in the bigger wheeled chair behind the desk, Jongin leant back on the dark wood right next to where the shorter sat.

“I-is this your office?” Kyungsoo asked in a soft voice, more to try and start a conversation than out of genuine curiosity. The golden plaque on the desk that read ‘Senior Detective Kim Jongin’ told him all he needed to know.

The room was modest in size and decoration. A plain bookshelf stood behind the desk, mostly filled with, well, books. A few small succulents also sat along the shelves, and Kyungsoo admired its neatness. The desk itself was also well-kept. Beyond the name tag, a few picture frames sat facing away from Kyungsoo, though he wondered what they were of, and a desk lamp was situated in the corner. A few files were strewn about, but Kyungsoo overlooked them, knowing a desk was never fully clean as long as it was in use.

“Mhmm.” Jongin leant back and placed the manila folder on the main workspace of the desk, turning back to face Kyungsoo. “The forensics results have come back from Mr Boo’s car. No one else's fingerprints or DNA was on the car’s driver seat. If anyone else had used his car while wearing gloves, Chul’s fingerprints that were already on the steering wheel would have been faded or rubbed off, but it was covered in clean prints. He drove himself to your place that night.”

Kyungsoo nodded thoughtfully. That was good news, he surmised; that meant no one was trying to frame him for someone else's murder.

“It’s looking more and more like someone went to your apartment building looking to hurt you but found Chul there instead. There were no defensive wounds and the fatal blow was to the back of his head, meaning a surprise attack or he knew the perpetrator. Most likely, he found out who was trying to hurt you, and went to warn you when he was ambushed.” Jongin’s mouth was downturned and his expression looked grim.

Kyungsoo couldn’t get his head around it. Chul had apparently saved his life… first, by trying to warn him, then by effectively being killed in his place. It was so surreal. Kyungsoo could have just as easily been the one face down on the slick concrete, instead of his former employer, and that was a tough pill to swallow.

“I don’t think they would have meant to kill him, they probably just wanted to stop him from telling you. When he died because of his haemophilia, no doubt that spooked them. That’s probably why they’ve been laying low, and not tried to come after you since.”

Kyungsoo swallowed thickly, looking down at his hands in his lap. The idea that there was someone out there with the intention to harm him specifically was terrifying, and now he was glad the policeman convinced him to call the other the past few nights.

He wasn't sure what expression was on his face, but it seemed fearful enough to spur Jongin into action. The detective knelt beside the shorter, just as he had at Boo Accountants right before announcing Kyungsoo’s arrest. Jongin lay a hand on Kyungsoo’s knee and gave a reassuring squeeze.

“You're going to be fine. I'm not going to let anyone so much as touch you, okay?” Jongin looked up at Kyungsoo with his intense stare, and the shorter knew he meant his words. It was comforting to know that someone was on his side and was watching out for him. Only once Kyungsoo showed a small and thankful smile did Jongin continue. “But I want you to message me when you leave your work every night, as well. So, if I don't get a phone call within fifteen minutes, I'll know what to do. Is that alright with you?”

Kyungsoo took a deep breath to try and steady his restless mind. It was going to be okay. He'd make sure to not stay behind at work too late, and if he had to he'd ask Baekhyun or Jongdae to stay back too. Then he'd text Jongin, sprint home and call the detective. Easy. No way he, or Jongin, was going to let him get attacked. After calming down, he nodded his head to the taller, who still crouched next to him, and still had a hand on the shorter’s leg.

“Good.” Jongin seemed to realise how close and intimate the moment was, because he quickly removed his hand and stood back to his full height, clearing his throat simultaneously. “So, do your co-workers still think we're dating?”

The question was unexpected, and so was Jongin’s small smirk. It seemed half secretive, like the dating scandal was a little in-joke between the two, but also half teasing. Kyungsoo wasn't sure if he liked it, but it made him blush and fiddle with the hem of his shirt, nonetheless.

“Uh, no. I explained it to my friends at the office. They completely understand…”

“But the rest of your colleagues?” There was that mischievous glint again.

“Mm… They still seem to think so.” This time, Kyungsoo was determined to maintain eye contact. The courage that took though, made Kyungsoo’s voice quiet and delicate. Jongin thankfully didn't tease any further, and just gave a sweet smile.

“It's your lunch break from work, yeah?” The second sudden switch in conversation would have given him whiplash if he weren't so grateful that it was a less awkward topic. He nodded. “Have you eaten yet?”

Kyungsoo couldn't help it when his eyebrows shot up, thinking he understood where the questions were headed. And as long as the detective didn't bring up the murder case or the fake dating thing, he wouldn't mind in the slightest.

“No, I was planning on grabbing something on the way back.” Kyungsoo said.

“Oh, well then, do you think I could join you?” Jongin fiddled slightly with the gift wrapped around his neck but showed a convincing grin to the office worker. “I want to go out to test how warm this thing really is.”

~•~•~

“Ah, whyyyy?” Jongdae had whined when Kyungsoo asked him to accompany the shorter as he stayed behind for work. After Kyungsoo explained, however, he promptly shut up, muttering about how he was sure it wasn't so serious. Then about an hour later, the complaining returned.

“Are you done yet, Kyung? I've got better places to be than here with your ugly face.” Kyungsoo had let the comment slide, seeing as Jongdae was doing him a massive favour, but he still ignored the older’s question until he’d emailed off his spreadsheet to the consulting manager.

“Okay, okay. Calm down, I’m done.” Kyungsoo shut down the work computer he was using and turned to watch Jongdae as he spun around on an office chair nearby. His best friend shot up as soon as he registered the younger’s words, almost falling straight down again due to dizziness. “You could have used the time more productively, you know. You took a really long break for lunch today, I know you’re behind on work.”

Jongdae tapped his foot in restlessness while Kyungsoo packed his briefcase. He didn’t seem to have a retort to the claim, and while Kyungsoo wanted to worry about him, as that led to nagging which led to actual results, he shrugged it off as simply Jongdae being Jongdae. Only when they’d reached the elevator and Jongdae pressed the down button thrice, did he bother responding.

“No one should have to work after eight, Kyung. ‘Sides, I’m bored from sitting around all day, I’ll make up for it on Monday.”

“So, what are your plans for the rest of the night, then?” Kyungsoo held the briefcase handle between both hands, glancing over at the taller as the elevator ding’d.

“It’s Friday night, Kyung. I’m going to marathon Star Trek or something, obviously.” Jongdae scratched his nose as he punched the ground level button a few times. “I would ask you the same thing, but I know what you’re going to do. You’ll run home, have a long and boring talk with that detective, as you have been the past week or so, then finish up the evening with some knitting.”

“I resent that. Also, it seems like you're in a hurry. You sure there's nothing on?” Kyungsoo pointedly looked down at the other’s bouncing leg, making Jongdae stop the movement immediately. “If you had plans you should have told me, I could have asked Yix to stay back instead.”

“No, no. There's really nothing. No date, no plans. You know I'm happy to help you out, I'm just a little stir crazy, is all. It's the end of the week, sue me.”

As the elevator doors opened to the lobby, Jongdae quickly exited the enclosed space, heading over to the back door. He held it open for Kyungsoo, and soon both men were bathed in darkness and a cold breeze. As Jongdae mumbled about having never had to use the back door before, Kyungsoo sent the usual ‘I'm leaving work now’ text to Jongin.

“Well, I guess this is where I clock-off on my best friend duties. Stay safe, and have fun tomorrow! I'll call you later, yeah?”

With a brief nod and wave, Kyungsoo started making his way down the side street adjacent to the accounting firm. It cut through the backsides of corporate and commercial buildings, only lit by occasional lights hung over locked doors. A few metal garbage bins sat in groups every so often along the paved alley, and Kyungsoo made sure to remain vigilant. Just like he had been for almost two weeks now.

A bang resounded in the narrow street as a bin lid clattered to the ground a fair way in front of the office worker. Kyungsoo jumped but told himself to calm down after a few seconds passed and no other noise came. The air was stale and stagnant, making Kyungsoo all the more eager to be home. He reached the end of the street, turning down another shortcut alleyway. This path looked similar to the first, though there were a lot more miscellaneous items leant against the peeling walls that lined the claustrophobia-inducing laneway.

The buzzing of the sparse bulbs as he passed created a sense of agitation and anticipation in Kyungsoo, and he couldn't ignore it as a clawing noise broke the constant hum. The pile of boxes and empty beer cans directly to Kyungsoo’s right shifted, vibrating, and a deep gurgling noise protruded from between the panes of cardboard. When a grubby, though entirely human, hand broke free and felt around, accompanied by drunken mumbling, Kyungsoo had had enough.

He took off sprinting, not looking left or right until he turned another corner and saw his apartment building come into view. He only stopped running once he'd entered the side gate and locked it behind him. The air was still, and all was silent again, sans Kyungsoo’s heavy breathing.

He panted the whole way up and into his apartment, fetching his phone out of his pocket before even putting down his briefcase. Kyungsoo thought to feel bad, as he heard the dialling tone ringing in his ear, regretting how he almost threw his leather case at the homeless man in the cardboard stack. He usually wouldn't be so easily frightened, but the paranoia had apparently gotten to him.

“Hey, Kyungsoo, you home already? It usually takes you a bit longer, you okay?” Jongin’s voice sounded different on the phone than in real life, yet it still made Kyungsoo feel calmer, somehow.

The past week or so since Kyungsoo had dropped off the muffins and scarf at the police station had pretty much been filled with Kyungsoo indulging in Jongin’s dulcet tones on a nightly basis. He tried to make the conversations longer, just to hear more of the stable rumble of the detective’s voice, and it had worked. Where the two started off awkwardly confirming Kyungsoo’s safety then hanging up, the pair progressed to talking about their days. This was how Kyungsoo officially found out Jongin was very much single, not that he'd pried, and was also how he'd found out that the case was pretty much as cold as Boo Chul’s dead body.

No breakthrough evidence had been gathered, Jongin had said two nights prior, and they still hadn't found the murder weapon used to hit the back of Kyungsoo’s former boss’ head. Kyungsoo was quite honestly disappointed by the lack of progress in the investigation, even though Jongin had made it clear that they weren't giving up on the case. He was getting antsy, ready for a murderer to jump out of the shadows and attack him at any given moment, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could live like that.

“No, I'm fine. I'm home, but I stayed back a bit today. Jongdae stayed with me, though.” Kyungsoo dropped his briefcase by the door and started peeling off his coat. “It’s pretty late, are you already home yourself?”

“Nah, I’m still at the station.” The end of Jongin’s statement was punctuated by a yawn, followed by a polite ‘excuse me’.

“Have you at least had dinner yet?” Kyungsoo knew that if the taller had, it would have only been take-out, but at least that was something, and Kyungsoo couldn't help but worry. The police force helped to look after everyone else in the city, but who looked after them? He didn't want Jongin suffering in the name of his career.

“Aw, y’know…”

“You have to take better care of yourself, Jongin. You can't just live off black coffee, you know.” Kyungsoo barely even felt embarrassed anymore when he slipped into his nagging mode. Most of his friends rolled their eyes when he fretted over them, but Jongin seemed more receptive to it. A few days prior, Kyungsoo had told Jongin to tape velcro to the side of his pen so the prickle would alert him when he was unconsciously putting it behind his ear, in an effort to help the detective stop losing his stationary. Where most people would have thought the idea silly and unnecessary, Jongin had answered the phone the next day saying he was trying it, and that it seemed to be effective. It made Kyungsoo ersely happy to know he had a positive effect on the other.

“I'm not! ...I stole one of Sehun’s energy drinks, so there’s that.” Kyungsoo, if he didn’t know the grown man any better, would have sworn the other’s voice had a petulant lilt to it. He could practically hear the pout through the phone’s distortion, and it made something fuzzy and intangible scrunch in his belly.

“Those are also full of caffeine, Jongin.” A resigned sigh escaped Kyungsoo as he opened up his fridge, seeing the leftovers of the dinner he made the night before. “Are you going to be there a while longer, do you think?”

“Yeah, probably. It’s just paperwork, so… Nothing strenuous.” Another yawn, and Kyungsoo felt tired just listening to Jongin’s sleepy voice.

“Okay, well, see you soon.”

“Yeah, bye. Good night.”

Kyungsoo didn’t bother returning the good night wish, instead hanging up almost immediately. He grabbed two boxes of leftovers out of the fridge, and his coat off its hook. As an afterthought, he ran to his bedroom to collect his knitting bag, got his keys from next to the front door, and then left.

Kyungsoo didn’t use his car often, his laughable Ford Aspire, but he decided it best not to walk, considering the whole murder thing, and he didn’t want to get spooked by another homeless man. By the time he had parked in the empty police car park, Kyungsoo was already starving. It was way too late to be eating dinner -- somewhere between nine and ten in the evening -- but his stomach wasn’t going to let him skip the meal.

Pretty familiar with the place by now, Kyungsoo carried his bag and the boxes inside the barely heated department. Besides the fact that the building was apparently always cold, the first thing Kyungsoo noticed were two figures sitting in dim lighting. The pair huddled in the corner of the main desk, laughing merrily and slapping playing cards in a pile between them. Kyungsoo was debating whether to sneak passed them and into the office he knew to be Jongin’s, when the female officer turned around at the movement of the accounting worker entering the building.

Kyungsoo wondered if the police department was short on staff, or if he just had wild luck.

“Oh, Kyungsoo! I mean, Mr Do.” Officer Kang greeted. Her immediate surprise soon made way for merriment when she saw the man appeared to be in no dire situation. “Here to drop off more muffins?” Seulgi glanced down, only to recognise the two boxes of dinner he was carrying, and an almost predatory grin spread across her expression. “Oh. Jongin’s in his office, I’m sure you know where it is. Take good care of him, yeah?”

Kyungsoo felt awfully observed, and didn't think he could say anything to change that. So, instead of responding, he just politely bowed to both her and her opposing card player, before walking around the desk and out of their sight.

“Kang, is that the Kyungsoo, like Jongin’s Kyungsoo?”

“Shut up, Lee. He can hear you!”

Kyungsoo knocked twice on the door before entering, taking in the sight of the detective’s office. Much of the room looked the same, though the main lights were off. The only illumination came from the desk lamp, which bathed a warm amber over both the pages covering the desk, and the man who sat behind it.

“Kyungsoo? You said you were at home, what’re you doing here?” Jongin looked up with a wide-eyed expression, sliding golden-rimmed reading glasses off his nose. The yellow light from the lamp caramelised his skin, softening his edges and made Kyungsoo feel inexplicably cosy.

“I brought dinner. I couldn’t have you go crazy off whatever chemicals are in Sehun’s drinks.” Kyungsoo sat on the leather chair on the other side of Jongin’s desk, placing his knitting bag at his feet and the containers on the closest edge of the desk. “Speaking of, if you’re here, why isn’t Detective Oh?”

“It’s just paperwork for the head of the investigation to fill out, it has nothing to do with him.” Jongin seemed to hesitate for a moment, glancing between Kyungsoo and the food, but in the end, he reached out to see what exactly Kyungsoo had brought.

The next half an hour consisted of the two sharing a quiet conversation over the meal, after Jongin got them chopsticks from the break room because Kyungsoo forgot to bring any, and it was then that Kyungsoo decided that Jongin was easy to persuade. He was nowhere near as intimidating and unyielding as he seemed in that first interrogation, and Kyungsoo almost laughed at the difference between what he’d expected of the man before him and who he really was. Though, before he could verbalise his thoughts, it occurred to Kyungsoo that the same could probably be said for him. He was sure that at first Jongin must have thought him blubbering and pathetic, and he didn’t even want to think about when he’d tried to flirt (back, let it be noted) during the interview. So, due to his reflected embarrassment, he held his tongue on the matter.

After they ate, Kyungsoo stacked the boxes and chopsticks and reached for his bag, pulling out his latest knitting project. Jongin put his reading glasses back on but peeked at the shorter from over the frames.

“Aren’t you going home? It’s almost eleven, you should get some rest.” Jongin tilted his head, and Kyungsoo was touched by the detective’s caring gesture. Even if Jongin had a complete disregard for his own sleep-cycle, he still asked Kyungsoo to maintain his.

“It’s Friday night, I can afford to stay up a bit longer. Don’t worry, I won’t fall asleep.” Kyungsoo began weaving the wool, but then stopped, looking back up at Jongin. “...Unless... you want me to go?”

“No, no! It’s nice. The company, I mean. There’s barely anyone around at this time, more officers come on around midnight, for the night shift. So it’s nice to have someone… Yeah.” Jongin fiddled with his glasses and promptly looked down again, clearing his throat as he continued shuffling the paper’s in front of him around.

Kyungsoo bit his lip to hide his shy smile, liking how he could make Jongin just as flustered as the detective could make him. He gripped the knitting needles a little tighter as he continued on with his project.

It turned out that Kyungsoo had lied. By eleven thirty he was out cold, deep breaths mingling with the fluttering noise of paper as Jongin moved and scribbled on various sheets. At first, Jongin wasn’t sure if he should wake the older up, or wait until he was finished, then wake him up so they could leave together.

While he considered the options, he caught himself openly staring at the smaller man. Kyungsoo was curled on the chair and snuggled with the sweater he’d almost finished, the brown wool squished between his hands as he hugged it to his chest. Kyungsoo’s head was lolled to the side and his lips were gently parted with soft wisps of air escaping every few seconds. Jongin pondered over the other’s ability to be handsome with his straight nose and pronounced jaw and yet simultaneously cute with his round eyes and soft cheeks.

He decided to finish his work before waking the other up, knowing Kyungsoo would most likely insist on staying anyway. And eventually the detective completed all the necessary forms and reports, feeling motivated every time he glanced at Kyungsoo’s slumbering form.

Once Jongin had cleared his desk and packed his messenger bag, he tiptoed over to Kyungsoo, kneeling down beside the man once again. He took a few moments to admire how comfortable the shorter man managed to look on what the younger knew to be an uncomfortable chair. The serenity was openly visible on his face, and Jongin wanted to reach out and touch the dark lashes that rested under his eyes. He resisted, of course, instead reaching out to gently shake the older’s shoulder.

“Kyungsoo. C’mon, wake up. Let's go home now.” Kyungsoo slurred a response as he moved his head, a frown blooming over his features. The shorter slowly opened his eyes, reflexively bringing up a hand to rub the sleep out of them. He stretched lazily but nodded at Jongin when the detective repeated himself.

While Kyungsoo took his time waking himself, Jongin slipped out of the office to put the used chopsticks in the break room sink. By the time he returned, Kyungsoo was already dozing off again and Jongin was caught between groaning in frustration and cooing at his sleepy pout. He decided to pack the older’s things for him and carry the bag along with his own.

“Come on, Kyungsoo. Look, I’ll drop you off at your place, okay?” Jongin kept talking to the half-conscious man as he helped him up. As soon as Kyungsoo was vertical, he clung to Jongin’s arm and rested his head on the taller’s shoulder as he had back at Boo Accountants when Jongin had pretended to be Kyungsoo’s boyfriend. The memory of that afternoon mixed with the proximity of the office worker made Jongin blush, and he was glad that Kyungsoo’s eyes were closed.

The walk out to the carpark had been embarrassing, as both Officers Kang and Lee had sent teasing grins to the lead detective as the pair made their way slowly out passed the reception area. Soon enough though, Jongin had helped Kyungsoo into his seat, practically having to buckle the shorter’s seatbelt for him, and gotten into the driver’s side. As Jongin started the car, he blasted the heater, and thought about how grateful he was that he already knew where Kyungsoo lived, as the previous murder suspect wasn’t in the mood to share himself.

“I drove myself, you can’t drive me home.” Kyungsoo’s eyes were still closed, and his head wobbled against the headrest every time the car moved. “It’ll get lonely overnight.”

Jongin raised his eyebrows as the older continued to mumble fairly irrelevant things and became even more certain that Kyungsoo was is no condition to be driving himself home. The drive wasn’t that long, as Kyungsoo lived only a few blocks away from the police station, so Jongin quickly pulled up outside the familiar apartment complex.

“I can walk back to the police station and drive your car back here, if you want.” Jongin offered, as Kyungsoo continued to whine about how he’d have no vehicle the next morning. Kyungsoo brushed him off though, as he fiddled with the seatbelt, coming to another conclusion.

“You’ll just have to drive me tomorrow.” Kyungsoo slurred sleepily as he finally undid the buckle, accepting his knitting from Jongin’s outstretched hand. He climbed out of the car, and before Jongin could even think of a response to his earlier statement, Kyungsoo leant down in the doorway. “Be here by nine, sharp. Or they’ll get mad!”

Jongin frowned, about to ask ‘what was happening at nine?’ or ‘who would be mad?’, but the door was slammed in his face, and Kyungsoo stumbled up into his residential building.

“Okay…” Jongin muttered to himself, shaking his head as he started the car again, making a note to himself to set his alarm for tomorrow morning as soon as he got home.

Jongin could hear panicked running and objects falling before he’d even knocked. He’d been ten minutes early, and in-luck as an older woman let him into Kyungsoo’s building with her. As Jongin finally rapt his knuckles against the white door, he heard a pair of feet patter towards the entrance, and the door swung open.

“I'm so sorry!” Was the first thing that was yelled at Jongin as he saw the dishevelled appearance before him. “I can't believe I made you come, you don't have to drive me. It's okay, really!”

Kyungsoo spun on his heel, leaving the door open as he hurried back into his apartment. Jongin could see beyond the small entrance which lay the open space living of the lounge room, dining area and kitchen. Kyungsoo’s chosen decor mostly consisted of black and white shades, with a marble kitchen countertop and alternating black-and-white stools. It was stylishly modern, and Jongin was surprised it wasn't homelier.

He could tell, though, that it was not as neat as it usually would be, as a few cardboard boxes littered the floor. Kyungsoo himself, with wild bed-hair and only a large t-shirt visible on his frame, bent over one as he tried to lift it from the floor. As Kyungsoo leant down, Jongin, who was still planted at the doorway, saw the shirt ride up to reveal the tight pastel-yellow boxer briefs that stretched around the older’s . The detective cleared his throat and immediately averted his eyes, instead staring holes into the black DVD rack by the television.

“Do you need any help?” Jongin couldn't stop himself from glancing back to Kyungsoo as the shorter man groaned with effort. When he caught sight of the thick thighs and yellow mounds again, he couldn't help it when his voice broke. “I-I'm already here, and you seem to be in a hurry… I don't mind driving you.”

“Yeah, I forgot to set an alarm last night, so I only just woke up.” Kyungsoo’s voice was strained as he spoke and Jongin was infinitely glad that the shorter managed to lift the box, as the shirt slid down again and covered any indecent thoughts the younger may have had. “If I'd gotten up earlier, I would have called you to tell you not to come.”

“Well, I'm here now. I might as well help.”

“That'd be great if you would.” Kyungsoo set the heavy box on the kitchen counter and turned to Jongin with a shy smile. “Would you mind starting to put these in the trunk of your car while I get dressed?”

Jongin quickly nodded, swallowing thickly as he saw the way Kyungsoo pulled down the hem of his shirt and crossed his legs self-consciously, as if just realising his state of undress. As soon he acknowledged Jongin’s agreeance, he bolted for the corridor that must have led to his bedroom.

Alone with the five boxes, Jongin sighed as he made his way to the closest one, which was on the coffee table in front of the white couch. It was fairly lightweight, so Jongin quickly set to work lugging it out of the apartment. Having to carry it through the elevator lift, out of the building and all the way to his car was a hassle, but being alone with his thoughts after seeing Kyungsoo’s bare legs was undoubtedly the worst part. He hadn’t really thought about any of Kyungsoo’s body parts sans his face, so the sudden awareness that the smaller had nice legs and sent embarrassment and something akin to excitement sizzling over his skin. He tried his hardest to quell the daydreams that spontaneously burst through his psyche, scolding himself about how the two couldn’t have a personal relationship while the Boo Chul case was still open. They’re almost-friendship was already pushing it, and so imagining the man who had been this close to being arrested in nothing but his underwear was entirely uncalled for and grossly inappropriate.

Jongin grunted, stepping over the potted plant he’d nudged to keep the building entrance from closing and automatically locking. He was carrying the fourth and second-last box, which was also the heavy one that Kyungsoo had placed on the kitchen counter. Jongin hated the box for making him feel like he needed to visit the gym more often, and also for making Kyungsoo bend down and thus create the thoughts he dubbed ‘The No-No Zone’.

Once he’d buckled the box into the back seat of his car, as only the first three boxes fit in the trunk, he stretched and cracked his back. He still didn’t know where he was going to drive Kyungsoo, nor did he know what Kyungsoo had in the boxes. The weight of them varied greatly, meaning they contained different things, and Jongin felt his curiosity bubble over.

Kyungsoo would be finished getting ready soon, so Jongin saw it as his chance to sneak a peek at what he had been carrying this whole time. He leant back down into the back of his car and unfolded the flaps at the top of the heavy box. A book cover stared up at Jongin, and he read the title with the morning sun shining through the back window: ‘The Oxford Explanation of Fifth Year Mathematics’. A textbook. Jongin picked it up and looked underneath, scanning a few of the other items in the box. They were all textbooks. A large proportion being the same as the top one, though Jongin glanced at a Korean Language as well as a History one, too. That explained why it was so damn heavy, at least, but not all of them had been. Jongin folded it closed again, shutting the door as he walked around to his trunk. He opened the first box he’d carried out, grabbing a stuffed giraffe from the top of the pile: this one housed toys. He moved onto the next one, surprised to see a glass dish filled with casserole in it. Jongin closed those two boxes as well, confused as to where Kyungsoo would be taking such a random assortment of items, as well as why he would have owned them in the first place.

“Where should I put this?” Kyungsoo’s voice floated over from beyond the fence, and Jongin was quick to jog over to the gate and hold it open for the shorter man.

Kyungsoo looked a lot more put-together than he had earlier when Jongin arrived, but still more casual than whenever Jongin saw him in his work clothes. His hair was still a little wet from his shower, but was drying fluffy and his fringe sat along his eyebrows. The most striking part of his look, however, had to be the baby pink knitted sweater he wore with a collared white shirt beneath. Jongin knew he must have knitted it himself, and the detective couldn’t help but feel entirely fond as the accounting worker walked passed him with a sincere ‘thank you’.

“It’ll have to go on the backseat, the trunk’s full.” Jongin jogged back to move the potted plant to where he’d found it along the short path from the apartment building to the property gate. Afterwards, he followed Kyungsoo to his car, opening the back door for Kyungsoo to place the last box inside.

Kyungsoo smiled gratefully to Jongin, before leaning in the car and sliding the box into a good position to fasten it with the seatbelt. Jongin had tried, he really had, but he couldn’t restrain himself as his gaze drifted downward yet again and took advantage of Kyungsoo’s bent over state. The black jeans Kyungsoo wore hugged his legs well, doing the curves Jongin knew resided there justice. He was standing closer than he had been last time though, and so the impulse to just reach out and tuck his hand into the back pocket of Kyungsoo’s pants was stronger than he could bear. He bit his lip to stop himself from doing anything stupid but couldn’t resist staring as Kyungsoo’s swayed hypnotically every time he wriggled to try and get the belt to click into place. Eventually, Kyungsoo got it to work and so he straightened up and out of the doorway.

Jongin shut the car door, turning back to see that Kyungsoo’s complexion was a little pink. Jongin felt a bolt of dread pierce his chest as he wondered if Kyungsoo somehow knew he’d been checking the other out. He had been completely distracted, so he wasn’t sure if the older had looked back and caught him or not. But though Kyungsoo looked flushed, he still had a small smile in place so Jongin surmised that the blood must have just rushed to his face as he leant over in the car. Either way, he felt a little guilty, and continued to tell himself off as he opened the front passenger door for Kyungsoo. It was called ‘The No-No Zone’ for a reason, and he wanted to slap himself for being so weak.

He closed the boot as he walked around to the driver’s side and got into the vehicle. After confirming that Kyungsoo was ready to go, he started the engine and took off down the road in the direction that Kyungsoo instructed.

“So, can I ask where exactly we're going now?” Jongin glanced over at the older after asking, noting how the other was gazing out the side window as they drove passed a florist.

“The Blooming Spirit Children’s Orphanage.” Ah, of course. Kyungsoo volunteered at an orphanage every fortnight, Jongin remembered seeing the emails from the head mistress while he was scouring through Kyungsoo’s personal transactions.

When Kyungsoo had described the rough directions to the destination, it seemed awfully far away. Jongin knew for a fact that there was a similar facility closer to Kyungsoo’s residence.

“If I may, why that one specifically?” Jongin knew that Kyungsoo wasn't an orphan, so he was curious as to how Kyungsoo could have a personal link with a place he’d never stayed at.

“It's the orphanage Jongdae grew up in, I’ve mentioned him before, right? We met in high school, and have been close since, so we alternate weeks we visit the kids.” Kyungsoo took a break to tell Jongin to make the next right, before continuing with his previous line of conversation. “We bring food and help give it out to the children, as well as donate new books, school uniforms, stationary or toys. We play with them, help tutor them, that sort of thing. It does absolute wonders for the children to have reliable adults stick around, when so many of them have never had that before.”

“Oh my god, I'm such a bad person.” Jongin flushed as the words slipped out of his mouth. He tried to backpedal, but knew that turning the conversation to be about himself while Kyungsoo was modestly saving the world made him look like a jerk. “I mean, I-I don't really… volunteer, and here you are, giving casserole and investing so much money in their futures-”

“You're definitely not a bad person, Jongin.” Kyungsoo laughed, hiding his grin behind a hand, and Jongin couldn't deal with how cute he sounded, taking glances to see the way his eyes and nose scrunched up. He was a pale skinned beauty, with a siren’s laugh, all wrapped up in the most adorable pink sweater. Jongin actually couldn't believe he was human. “Your entire career is helping people. You stay back late at the station, and even do little things like take my phone calls to make sure just one member of the public is safe. I think that makes you a hero.”

Jongin was speechless, and quite frankly embarrassed, after Kyungsoo openly complimented him. Jongin, a hero? He was far from that, but he was flattered all the same. Thankfully, before he committed to thinking of a response, Kyungsoo moved right on with what he was saying.

“You just have to find the right volunteering for you. I mean, you could join me at the orphanage today to see if you like it..?” Kyungsoo spoke softly, trailing off at the end of his suggestion. Just one slight glance to the side had Jongin noticing how the older bit his lip and gripped the seatbelt tightly. Though confident-and-calling-Jongin-a-hero Kyungsoo was still something the detective had to get used to, shy-and-nervous Kyungsoo was definitely something Jongin knew how to deal with.

“Well, considering I'm your ride, I suppose I might as well.” Jongin couldn't even hide the smirk in his voice as he swapped lanes, preparing to turn left at the next intersection.

“Oh, right.” Kyungsoo still sounded shy, with an added hint of sad, for some reason, and Jongin wondered if he'd said something wrong. “Please, don't feel pressured to. I already feel awful for making you drive me there, I can call a cab for the trip back. I-I’ll also pay you back for the fuel cost, as well.”

Jongin frowned in confusion, wondering where Kyungsoo’s sudden timidness had come from.

“No, no, no. I'm not letting you pay me for driving you to your fortnightly volunteering. I mean, I probably owe you for last night's dinner, so let's just call it even. Besides,” Jongin spoke as they stopped at a red light, facing Kyungsoo and placing a hand on his knee. “I want to. I want to see how you act around kids.”

Though he still held onto the belt with both hands, Kyungsoo’s lips were parted in surprise, and no longer being bitten anxiously. They were red and glistening and Jongin was pretty sure he was staring. They looked like ripe apples and was it bad that Jongin wanted a taste?

“The light's green.” Though hypnotised by Kyungsoo’s mouth as it formed the words, Jongin was still brought back to reality. A grey sedan behind the detective’s car honked their horn and Jongin quickly removed his hand, which had crept closer to Kyungsoo’s thigh at some point, and affixed it to the steering wheel.

Needless to say, the rest of the ride had been spent in awkward silence, sans Kyungsoo’s directions. Well, at least awkward in Jongin’s perspective. Half his concentration was on the road and the other half was cringing about how he'd admitted to wanting to see the older man interact with children. It would have been less forward to directly propose.

Jongin was relieved when they pulled up to the Blooming Spirit’s Children's Orphanage, which was a flat weatherboard building adjoined to a gothic style church. The two facilities were in stark opposition to one another: one with ornate, dark edging and strict stained glass, and the other with round white windows and small hand prints painted to the exterior wall. The juxtaposition was startling to passers-by, but Jongin couldn't help but admire how the facades didn't seem to take any notice of the oddness of their union.

Both Jongin and Kyungsoo took the two lightest boxes with them as the more experienced led the way to the cramped reception area. The front desk was manned by a fairly young guy whose smile lit up as soon as he saw the accounting worker walk through the glass door.

“Kyungsoo, come in! It's unlike you to be even a minute late, I was getting worried.” The paid worker wore a blue collared shirt and name badge, and Jongin was surprised how modern and not… religious and old-timey the place looked. Every area of wall space was cramped with some painting, drawing or poster that had to have been made by the children. The sloppy bursts of colour against the cement grey of the carpet hurt Jongin’s eyes, but endeared his heart. From where they were, he could already hear the joyous shrieks of the kids, and he was at once nervous and excited to meet them.

“Hey, Lu.” Kyungsoo spoke familiarly, lifting the toy-filled box onto the counter. “Sorry about the time, I forgot to set my alarm.”

It was at this point that the employee acknowledged Jongin’s presence, looking him over with raised eyebrows, as though surprised to see him following behind Kyungsoo. He nodded in understanding to the shorter’s remark, though something impure hid behind his innocent smile as he looked again between the pair.

“Oh, of course… Busy night, then?”

Kyungsoo seemed unable to answer beyond soft stutters, so Jongin thought it a good time to jump in.

“I'm Jongin, a friend of Kyungsoo’s. Am I able to volunteer today, as well?”

Jongin was grateful for his policemen status, as it vouched as a working with children check, which was understandably necessary to work at the orphanage. So, after filling out minimal paperwork, and carrying the heavier boxes through to the staff-only backroom, the detective was finally able to meet the children.

Kyungsoo had stayed back in the kitchen, refrigerating the casserole he’d made for dinner, while Jongin handed out morning tea to the kids. Most of them were in the younger age brackets, which Luhan had told him was a good thing, as the older children were less likely to be adopted.

They seemed lively and charming, excited both to meet the new man who was handing them their buttered toast and because they knew that Kyungsoo had arrived. The laughter and high-pitched chattering of the kids as they sat and babbled along the long tables of the dining hall was both heart-warming and saddening. Jongin was happy they had each other, the nice staff and regular visitations from Jongdae and Kyungsoo, but to have grown up in such an environment… Jongin couldn’t imagine it.

The morning snack hadn’t taken long, and the next thing Jongin knew, Kyungsoo had come out and stopped to stand by his side as the children all left the dining room.

“C’mon, now comes the fun part.” Kyungsoo lightly gripped the cuff of Jongin’s cream sweater as he moved to follow the children, pulling the taller behind him for a second before letting go. “Some kids’ll be working, so if you could help with homework that would be great, as well as playing. They’ll definitely want to drag you into playtime with them.”

Jongin appreciated the adoring tone in the other’s voice, Kyungsoo’s smile was bright just thinking of the orphans he helps take care of. The detective found the clear bond touching, already knowing the children loved Kyungsoo as well.

The accounting worker was not by his side for long, as the two entered a large playroom with shelves of toys and books, and a fairly worn play mat covering the carpet.

“Soo! Soo!” a few voices chorused as the familiar adult entered the space. Kyungsoo waved back and made a beeline to the corner where a child sat in a wheelchair, his arms wiggling in the air to get the man’s attention.

“Hi Tao, how have you been?” He began talking with the seated child, along with a few others who circled them. Not long into the conversation, a book was plopped in Kyungsoo’s lap, and he began reading a fantasy story to those around him, his voice rich and flowing, changing with each character’s dialogue and pausing for effect.

Jongin found himself staring, forgetting how he was standing awkwardly by the door. He turned around to look at the other children, all below the age of ten, who ran around and crashed action figures into each other.

“You're a monster!”

The harsh, yet child-like accusation had Jongin looking directly down in surprise. He found a girl with hands on her hips staring up at the adult with a frown. She wore a yellowed shirt that looked to be a size too big, and a pink tutu over black leggings.

“Either you're a monster, or my prince!” She shouted up at the tall man, a resolute look in her eyes. It didn't sound like a question, but Jongin understood that she was giving him the option for what to play.

Jongin roared animatedly, clawing his fingers and reaching down for the girl. She squealed in delightful glee, before running off to the other side of the room. Jongin chased after her good-naturedly, not really in the mood to be playing prince-and-princess.

They ran some laps around the room before a few others joined in, and Jongin caught up to the original girl, lifting her up and pretending to eat her. She screeched and giggled as he tickled her under arms, making exaggerated ‘om nom nom’ sounds as he nuzzled his face into her neck.

Two other boys who had joined in yelled that they would save her, pulling on the leg of Jongin’s pants. So as to not get dacked, he ‘fell’ to his knees and placed the girl down when she started play-fighting to get out of his grasp. The two boys whooped their success and climbed on Jongin’s back. He then somehow ended up rolling over, lying face-up on the floor, with the children laughing as they sat on his chest, squeezing the oxygen out of him.

Jongin coughed in an effort to hide his discomfort before fighting his way back up. He grabbed the closest boy and stood to his full height, the seven-year-old shouting ‘wow!’ as he forgot about the game and instead enjoyed the height.

“Carry me next! Me next!” The other boy said, and so Jongin took it in turns to lift up and carry the children on his shoulders.

As the original girl began pulling his hair too tightly on her turn, Jongin looked back over to the opposite corner of the room, where the quieter kids gathered around the other present adult. When Jongin looked directly at Kyungsoo, he found the other already looking at him, a smile on his face. The detective couldn’t help but redden at the fond look he was receiving, unable to fully decipher all the emotions behind it. Kyungsoo quickly blinked a few times, as if only then registering Jongin’s eye-contact, and he looked back down to the page in his lap, continuing his reading. Jongin, however, couldn't look away as he tried to settle down the butterflies that had awakened in his stomach.

Until another painful pull brought him out of his reverie.

“Put me down, monster man!” the girl almost-yelled in his ear, and he couldn't get her off fast enough.

After that, the children seemed to have settled down, wanting to do more quiet and immobile forms of playing.

The little girl had roped Jongin into playing with dolls with her, but he was quickly, and gratefully, distracted from it by an older kid who interrupted to ask for help with her homework.

The thirteen-year-old, Suzy, was having problems with her reading comprehension in Korean Language, and Jongin sat down and read through the ratty textbook with her, immediately understanding the dire need for Kyungsoo to buy them new ones. Jongin was used to both writing and reading reports on a daily basis for his job, so his Korean was by no means poor, but he wasn't exactly an academic either, so he was glad it was for such a low school year level. He had no trouble helping her out, and he felt bad about having been surprised that she was so bright considering she’d been brought up in an orphanage.

He thought back to what Luhan had said about the older ones’ chance of getting adopted, and he knew that Suzy’s life wasn’t going to be easy. The only way she would be able to get a good education after high school finished was if she managed to get a scholarship. College hadn’t been the easiest time for Jongin himself, but he had known he had his parents’ support if he’d needed it. And that safety net was something Suzy, along with all the rest of the unadopted orphans, would never have.

In that moment, Jongin really wished he’d started volunteering earlier.

After that, Kyungsoo went to the bedrooms to help the other older children with maths homework, and Jongin organised the books and toys they’d brought with them throughout the playroom while the younger children ate lunch. Subsequently, the children had another bout of hyperactivity with full bellies, and Jongin took them outside for a big game of tiggy. He returned back inside a few hours later, absolutely exhausted, and gratefully accepted a juice box from Luhan as a pick-me-up.

“Well, it’s almost four. We should be going,” Kyungsoo said when he finished helping cleaning up the kitchen after lunch time. He sat next to Jongin at one of the dining tables as the children around them were handed out their water bottles after all the outdoor running.

“No, you can’t go yet, Kyungsoo,” a little boy whined with a lisp, clasping Kyungsoo’s knees as he pouted. “Kyungsoo and Kyungsoo’s husband, please don’t leave!”

Jongin started at having been referred to as the older’s husband, choking on a sip of orange juice while the other children ooh’d and ahh’d at the information. Kyungsoo was quick to try and right the wrong, sternly telling the children that the two were not married, all the while patting Jongin on the back as he continued to cough.

The two made their exit soon after, a few of the children clinging to both adults’ legs in an effort to make them stay. Jongin had seemed still embarrassed at the time, but Kyungsoo knew that it was a massive compliment to be loved enough by the children for them to beg.

They, along with the help of Luhan, then packed the empty boxes, bags, and food containers Kyungsoo had brought into the trunk of Jongin’s car. With a few polite farewells, the detective and the office worker were shortly back on the road home.

Kyungsoo glanced at the policeman inconspicuously throughout the drive, not wanting to get caught, but also mesmerised by his profile. The day had been extremely eye-opening for him, he felt like he knew Jongin a lot better after seeing him interact with the children. The taller was very good at it, and Kyungsoo had been pleasantly surprised.

Junghee, the girl Jongin had played monster with, didn’t get along well with many of the other children, let alone strangers. Kyungsoo remembered one of his previous visits where he’d tried to hand her a sandwich and she’d started crying on the spot. He had been incredibly careful around her since, but Jongin had gotten her to open up immediately.

The fact Jongin got along with children had a much larger impact on Kyungsoo than he would have expected. Earlier, as he’d watched Jongin giving the children piggybacks, and then later when he saw the group playing tiggy through a window, he felt a sort of softness spread through his chest. It felt like someone was spinning cotton candy in his stomach, and it was sweet and light and cloud-like. There was something loving growing bigger and bigger in him each time he saw Jongin smile at one of the children.

He was pretty sure, though, that it wasn’t exclusively because of the orphans. Anyone who treated the kids well instantly earned Kyungsoo’s approval, but there was more to it than that with Jongin. The detective had come unquestioningly that morning, early, to drive Kyungsoo in his own car while Kyungsoo’s car was only a few blocks away. It would have been easy to just ignore Kyungsoo’s tired ramblings the night before, but he hadn’t, and that meant a lot to the shorter.

Then, there was that thing.

That thing where Kyungsoo had been buckling a box of clothes into the back seat of the car, only to glance up at the rear-view mirror to see Jongin totally checking him out. He’d been mortified at the time, though trying to keep his cool, until he realised it had made him weirdly happy. Obviously, Jongin was a super handsome man, and Kyungsoo was only human so of course he was attracted to that, awkward interrogation flirting attempts aside. But then Jongin had continued to show that his beauty was far greater than merely being skin-deep, and Kyungsoo felt infinitely more curious to find out everything about the taller. So, the idea that Jongin might be attracted to him too was… amazing.

He gazed at the side of Jongin’s face that was haloed in liquid gold from the afternoon sun as it shone in through the window, and Kyungsoo decided, yeah… he was amazing.

“Thank you so much for everything today, the kids really loved you.” Kyungsoo hadn’t wanted to break the peaceful and comfortable quiet between the two, but he was overflowing with gratitude and had to voice it aloud before he drowned in it.

“My pleasure, really.” Jongin glanced to the side and flashed a quick smile for the split second they held eye-contact, before continuing to look dutifully out to the road. “It reminded me of when I visit my niece and nephew, they’re about the same age.”

Kyungsoo felt like his heart had been submerged in honey, and he couldn’t help it when it melted a bit more at the affectionate tone Jongin held while mentioning his family.

“Maybe I could… come again, sometime?” Jongin sounded adorably unsure, but Kyungsoo didn’t want to pressure him into anything. The last thing he wanted was for Jongin to feel obligated to continue visiting now that the children adored him.

“Only if you want to, don’t feel you have to.” Kyungsoo gripped the seatbelt across his chest with both hands, nervously squeezing it as he waited for Jongin to respond.

“If it’s okay with you, I would really like to. Even though they tired me out.” Jongin chuckled, looking over to Kyungsoo once more.

The older let go of the seatbelt after that, no longer needing it to calm his nerves. Instead, he faced the side window to hide his smile the rest of the ride back.

Jongin pulled up in the police station car park only half an hour later, immediately reminding Kyungsoo that his car was still ditched there. The two then decided to lug the bits and pieces from Jongin’s trunk to Kyungsoo’s, and as Kyungsoo walked to the back of his car with hands full, he took the chance to admire Jongin’s physique as the younger shoved a box as deep into the trunk as he could. Kyungsoo scanned his eyes over the loose faded jeans and felt his cheeks burn as he continued to stare. The back of Jongin’s sweater and shirt rode up as he bent, and the gloriously tanned sliver of skin taunted Kyungsoo as he walked closer. Shaking his head to rid himself of any inappropriate thoughts, he leant into the trunk, next to Jongin. He pushed the box in as far back as it would go, in order to try and reduce its rattling throughout the drive home.

“Uhh, I think I put my keys in that box,” Kyungsoo said in the enclosed space, motioning to the one Jongin was still trying to fit properly at the back.

“Oh, uh, where?” Jongin groaned as he stretched his arm and felt around inside for the small keys, leaning even further in.

“I don’t know exactly, I just dropped them in. Um, not in any of the containers or bags, it should just be sitting at the bottom.” Kyungsoo pressed his side against Jongin’s, also reaching inside to feel around.

The two hands awkwardly bumped into each other a few times, but eventually Kyungsoo grasped the familiar penguin keychain and he sighed with relief.

“I think I got it.” Jongin puffed, pulling his hand out at the same time as Kyungsoo, the keys clutched in both their grips.

“I guess it’s a draw, then.” Kyungsoo joked, laughing slightly as Jongin let go and the metal keys dangled in Kyungsoo’s grasp.

The older turned to see if Jongin had acknowledged the comment, as he’d not heard the taller laugh. When he looked though, the younger was already staring at him. Kyungsoo almost jumped back in surprise (thankfully he didn’t, otherwise he would have smacked his head on the car hood), as their faces were only an inch apart. The whole right side of his body was pressed to Jongin’s left, and he could feel the other’s breath ghost over his own lips.

It was dark, inside the trunk of the car, but Kyungsoo could make out the edges of Jongin’s features, and he watched as the taller his lips slowly. The office worker couldn’t help himself as he leant just a tiny bit closer, and his nose bumped with Jongin’s. Kyungsoo watched as the younger stopped staring at his mouth and looked back into his eyes with a half-lidded gaze. The air was heavy, and Kyungsoo was sure the other could feel their breathes mingling too, and after everything that happened that day, he wanted nothing more than to lean that little bit closer and properly close the distance between them.

As Kyungsoo gathered his courage and started to surge forward, Jongin simultaneously bolted back like he’d been burned. It took Kyungsoo a second to realise the detective was gone and he was alone in the back of his car. He then shot out too, his complexion reddening with humiliation as he processed what just happened.

“Uh, yeah. Thanks for today, a-and make sure to get home safely.” Jongin nodded from the corner of Kyungsoo’s eye, and cleared his throat awkwardly. “Remember to keep messaging me when you leave work. Uh, see you later, Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo hadn't even managed a wave goodbye before Jongin was stalking back to his own car, and the older was left there with his confusion over the mixed signals. The cotton candy dissolved, and his heart felt like it had been soaked in honey for another reason entirely: every beat was heavy and lethargic.

“See you later… Jongin.”

~•~•~

Jongin hadn’t thought not kissing Kyungsoo while the both of them leant inside the older’s car would be so difficult, but it had turned out to take a surprising amount of self-control to pull off. Afterwards, he’d wanted things to go back to normal between the two, for a little while longer, just until the case was solved. Then, Jongin would properly ask Kyungsoo out, and they could go from there.

This also proved difficult, Jongin realised, as he sat across from Kyungsoo barely four days later.

“Thank you for bringing lunch.” Jongin said into the silence, smiling in a way he hoped came off as friendly and casual, and not at all uncomfortable.

“Of course. You asked for me to bring some food over, so.” Kyungsoo nodded slowly as he spoke, pushing a piece of egg around his container with his chopsticks. He didn’t make eye contact and Jongin could feel the awkward air cling to him like sweat: it made him feel cold and restless.

“How’s work? I assume things have calmed down somewhat since I was last there?” The detective chanced a chuckle, but the older didn’t join in, and the laugh ended in a sigh.

“Yeah, just stressed, I suppose. Some of my colleagues are acting weird, as well, so I don’t know…” Kyungsoo leant back in his seat, giving up on his meal. He at least gave Jongin an exasperated smile, so the taller took this opportunity to continue the conversation.

“Oh? How are they acting weird? It’s not Jongdae, I hope.” Jongin thought to mention the name of the one of Kyungsoo’s friends he remembered, thinking maybe that might get the office worker more engaged.

“Yes actually. I know he’s had problems with…” Kyungsoo glanced between Jongin and his lap for a moment, as he hesitated to finish his sentence. “...substance abuse before, so I hope it’s not that. Also, my other colleague, Baekhyun, has just been a little off recently. And he’s never off. I don’t know.”

Kyungsoo wiped his face with his hand and Jongin was curious about this new side of the elder he was seeing. He’d seen physically tired Kyungsoo before, but never emotionally tired Kyungsoo. He didn’t like it at all though, and hoped to brighten the other’s spirits by giving some news on the murder investigation.

“I’m sure they’ll tell you what’s wrong when the time is right.” Jongin tried another reassuring smile, and Kyungsoo at least nodded in agreement, most likely not wanting to talk about it any further. “An update on the Boo case, though: we’ve found some suspicious cash entries into his account. The same amount, every month for the past three months.”

Kyungsoo just nodded again with a frown as Jongin finished up his food portion. The latter swallowed as he neatly lowered his chopsticks, looking to the older for more of a reaction. But before he could desperately blurt ‘hah. Weird, right?’ the door to Jongin’s office opened, and a tall figure obstructed the entryway.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were questioning Do Kyungsoo again...” The end of Superintendent Wu’s statement trailed off as his gaze snapped onto the containers on Jongin’s desk that had housed the pair’s lunch. His lip curled in displeasure as he looked back up to the senior detective, his tone cold. “Can I see you in my office, Detective Kim?”

After sending an apologetic smile to Kyungsoo, Jongin followed dutifully behind Kris until they both entered the Superintendent's office. It was larger than Jongin’s, with medals and certificates lining the wall behind Kris’s desk, creating a halo of authority over the superior officer’s head as he sat down in his chair.

“You are aware you cannot engage in a personal relationship with Mr Do, yes?” Jongin’s boss began the conversation by getting straight to the point, as he always did. It was probably the thing the younger admired most about the other man, the way he said what he thought with no added finesse or fragrance. But, in this situation Jongin wasn't all that fond of it. Not when he was the target of Kris’s bold honesty.

“Yes, sir. We’re not in a relationship, or anything.” The last two words fell out with the rest of the sentence, and Jongin inwardly cringed at how they seemed to invalidate the rest of his claim.

The Superintendent closed his eyes as he breathed deeply, clasping his hands together atop the desk.

“He makes you lunch, and am I correct in assuming that knitted scarf you’ve been sporting recently was also made by him?”

“Yes, but it was a thank-you gift for proving his innocence. I'm sure you recall his authenticated alibi, sir.” Jongin remained standing rigid in front of the older’s desk, hands fisted tightly behind his back.

“Of course, I do. But he’s still involved, Jongin, and therefore can’t know the details of the case. So long as you are the lead detective of this investigation, you must not have a personal relationship with him. Platonic, or otherwise. Understood?”

Jongin nodded, lips pursed even though he already knew of the rule. It was the very reason Jongin had bolted from the back of Kyungsoo’s car four days earlier, and the detective didn't appreciate being reminded about it. The policy was ruining a relationship before it even started, and, quite frankly, it was really starting to piss him off.

“I'll be all the more motivated to solve this case quickly, then.” Jongin tried to make his tone as polite as possible, though he spoke through clenched teeth. He wasn’t directly mad at Kris, he was just annoyed at how long the whole thing was taking. The investigation should've been completed ages ago, before any kind of real attraction had formed between the lead detective and ex-prime suspect. As it happened though, what brought them together in the first place was now also keeping them apart.

Kris looked over Jongin’s shoulder, presumably out his office’s windows to something in the precinct corridor. His eyes followed the something as it passed, and the Superintendent looked back up at Jongin with an expression akin to sympathy.

“For your sake, I really hope you do.”

Jongin couldn’t help the confused frown form on his brow, and he turned to try get a glimpse of what Kris had been watching. All Jongin saw was an empty hallway, the cream walls bare and professional under the fluorescent lights. By the time he turned back, though, the soft expression was gone from the older policeman’s face and his mouth was yet again set in a straight line.

“I originally came to tell you I received permission from the late Mr Boo’s family to revisit his former home. You’ll be going there immediately, meeting with his sister. Make sure to look for anything that could have been missed the first time around, yes?”

Jongin let out a subtle sigh through his nose and nodded once. He supposed lunch with Kyungsoo was over, and that the awkward air would have to be cleared at a later date.

“Go on, now. Don’t keep Ms Boo waiting.”

The venetian blinds clattered against the frosted glass of the door as Jongin closed it behind himself, turning down the hall to return to his own office. He wasn’t sure what he would say to the accounting worker, but when he opened the door, expecting to see the sometimes-shy man sat in the chair opposite his desk, all he was greeted with was an empty room. Jongin walked closer to his desk, seeing that the containers of lunch had been taken along with Kyungsoo’s presence, but the break room’s chopsticks were lying beside each other next to Jongin’s name plate. A bright pink post-it note sat atop the cutlery, a cursive ‘Fighting~!’ written neatly on the paper.

Jongin sighed again as he lifted the note closer to his eyes. His gaze traced the round letters and the detective wondered how much longer he could resist Kyungsoo’s innocent charms.

The house was large, boasting thick cream pillars and French balconies overlooking an ornate fountain with a statue of a woman at the centre. Jongin didn’t see the appeal of such garish displays of money himself (thank goodness, considering his laughable paycheck), and thought that the lavish mansion fit with the greedy and selfish man Boo Chul had been made out to be by all those who knew him.

It took over thirty seconds for anyone to answer the door after Jongin pressed the doorbell -- which had sounded like church bells -- and the policeman wasn’t even surprised. Honestly, considering how big the house was, he was only shocked it hadn’t taken longer. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to having to search for anything that had been previously overlooked in the palace-sized home.

“Sorry, dude. I’m not interested in donating today.” A pubescent voice called through the crack in the door. Jongin quickly shot a hand out to stop the door from being closed in his face, and he grabbed his police badge with the other, flashing it to the owner of the voice.

“I’m Senior Detective Kim Jongin with the KPD. I was told I would be expected by Ms Boo..?”

“Oh, you’re a cop?” The door opened wider to reveal the full figure of the boy he had been talking to. The teenager wore an oversized red hoodie with “SUPREME” printed on the front and a half-smile on his round face. “Yeah, my mum said you’d be coming over. She had to leave to meet with a client, but I can show you around.”

The entryway opened wider still, and Jongin took that as his cue to enter. He slipped off his leather shoes in the marble entranceway and followed behind the shorter male as he made his way under the elaborate chandelier and up a wide staircase.

“I’m Seungkwan, BT-dubs. So, Uncle Chul only ever spent his time in front of the TV, or in his study. Well, that’s when the rest of the fam visited. So, like, not often. But, anyway, that’d probs be your best bet for finding clues and stuff.”

Jongin tried to ignore the teen’s strange manner of speaking, and listened closely to what he said about Chul. It was hard to resist the urge to roll his eyes when the kid also used the words ‘finding clues’ to describe his job, though, and he wished that Sehun had come instead of him. Sehun probably would have gotten along with the teenager better.

“TBH, there probs won’t be anything interesting in his room-” the two were walking down a carpeted hallway by now “-I mean, what could he possibly have that’s interesting beyond, like, the first edition of Playboy ever printed?”

Yeah, Sehun definitely would have gotten along with him better.

At least the pair had finally made it to Chul’s study, and Jongin tried to ignore the younger’s hovering presence by the door as the policeman rounded the front of the mahogany desk. It was interesting, Jongin noted, that the rest of the house was white, marble, polished and expansive, whereas the study was primarily wooden, with dark browns and reds, and not boastful in size. The detective felt around his jacket pockets for a pair of plastic gloves.

“-I mean, we all used to call him Bully Chully. And I’m not condoning murder, especially not in front of an oinker, but I’m just saying: he was probably asking for it-”

“.” Jongin muttered under his breath, wondering where he’d placed his packet of gloves. He could have sworn he’d put them into his left pocket before getting into his car. Jongin only then noticed the silence and realised he actually had sworn. Out loud. In front of a child. “Oh, sorry-”

“Don’t worry about it, I hear worse on Fortnite daily. What did you forget to bring? Gloves, right? I’ll go get some from the bathroom.”

The detective was pretty sure the phrase ‘fortnight-daily’ was an oxymoron, but actually found himself grateful for Seungkwan’s surprisingly astute observation. And the silence he left behind. Jongin took the opportunity to look around, without touching anything yet, and peered in the glass cabinet where there sat bottles holding various coloured liquids. The collection of alcoholic drinks was extensive for only one man’s use, and suddenly Jongin didn’t feel so bad for his caffeine addiction.

“Yeah, Bu- uh, Uncle Chul loved his liquor. Last Christmas, my mum’s present for him was an intervention. Hah, and I got a playstation. And a segue. And a butler.” Seungkwan’s re-entrance was immediately known, and he held out the box of plastic gloves to the policeman. “Don’t give me that look, Jessica Fletcher, I only have these gloves for when I give stick and pokes. It’s not like I’m cooking meth.”

“Honestly, kid, I’m not going to pretend I’ve understood a single thing you’ve said to me this entire time.” Jongin said with a nod of thanks for the gloves, grabbing two from the box and quickly putting them on. The papers on top of the desk were the first to check, and then the front drawers.

“Yeah, I guessed. You’re kinda old, no offense, and you’ve been staring at me with that confused glare this whole time.” The teenager dumped the unemptied glove box on the floor by the bin (which Jongin gave him an unimpressed look for before remembering he wasn’t the teenager’s dad), then leant back on the doorframe. “Also, if you find my DNA on any piece of evidence, it’s not my fault, okay. My mum and I are living here for a little bit before we can clear it out and sell it, so it’s normal for my fingerprints to be on everything.”

Jongin responded with a noncommittal hum, not really listening as he brushed his gloved fingertips over journals’ spines on the bookshelf. Nothing had jumped out at him, and he wondered just how much Seungkwan, or his mother, had moved things. He hoped it was all virtually as Mr Boo had left it.

“You ever shot anyone?”

Jongin crouched beneath the drink cabinet, opening the door to see a multitude of empty glass bottles huddled in secrecy. At the kid’s question, though, he looked up to see the teen standing right behind him with an excited gleam in his eye. “Yes.”

“Fatally?”

“No.”

“I didn’t want to be a cop anyway.” The kid moved back to the doorway and took out his phone. “I’m no snitch, so...”

Jongin just shook his head and went back to pondering Chul’s alcoholism -- the detective figured Seungkwan’s decision wasn’t going to be a big loss for the police force, anyway.

“But I do know this: the best question to ask yourself at a crime scene is WWCD.”

“Funny, that just sounds like a string of letters to me,” Jongin muttered as he rolled the leather chair away and looked under the wooden table top of the desk, feeling the corners for anything hidden from sight.

“Oh, so you do have a sense of humour. I thought it must have withered away with your youth or something.” Seungkwan had an awfully casual demeanour with which he insulted people, Jongin began to discover. “WWCD stands for ‘what would Columbo do’, obviously.”

“And, pray tell, what would Columbo do?” Jongin stood up from his squat with a sigh, turning to give the younger boy an exasperated expression.

“I don't know, like, check the garbage or something?” Just then, Seungkwan’s face lit up like he had the best idea known to mankind, and the look made Jongin weary. “I could take you to the big bins outside, and you could look through them. I’m sure there’s lots of… evidence inside.”

“Yeah, I’m sure there’s lots of trash inside.” Jongin didn’t let himself sass people much but Seungkwan seemed to become an exception, and he suddenly remembered why he preferred the company of very young children. Kids like his niece and nephew, who hadn’t yet learned how to be a . A trait that, apparently, ran in the Boo family like an Olympic sprinter. “If I didn’t know you better, which I don’t, I would be a little suspicious that maybe you just want to watch me suffer through used tissues and mouldy food scraps.”

“You do your job, I get a show. It’s a win-win.” Seungkwan had a faux-innocent smile as he looked up from his phone. “The other officers who were here over a week ago didn’t look through the trash. And if you didn’t need more evidence, you wouldn’t be here. So, it’s only logical that you inspect it, detective.”

Jongin walked over to the cocky teen, towered over his short form, and pretended to flick him in the middle of his forehead.

“If you and your mother are living here for the time being, you’ve definitely taken out the garbage for collection. It won’t be Mr Boo’s trash -- it’ll be yours -- and that’s not in my jurisdiction. Sorry, kid, better luck next time.”

Seungkwan rolled his eyes with a grouchy “worth a shot” as Jongin leant down to retrieve the cardboard box of latex gloves off the floor. The box sat next to the office bin, which was a quarter full of scrunched paper. The stationery was the exact same that Jongin had just sifted through on Chul’s desk, and he glanced back up at Seungkwan with a frown.

“Have you emptied this bin?”

“What? Oh, I dunno. But, if you think I’m in charge of compiling the garbage and putting it out every week, then you’re sorely mistaken-”

Jongin stopped listening to the indulgent kid, instead picking up the top piece of scrap paper from the trash can and inspecting it.

“- Oversee and sign Marco Ernst contract

- Send letter (AA) if money not delivered”

Jongin read over the checklist: both items had been crossed out, supposedly completed. The first one garnered no interest from the policeman, but the second caught his eye. The use of the word “delivered” as opposed to “sent” made Jongin immediately think of the monthly deposits Chul had made to his own account. There were only three, all one thousand dollars, precisely a month apart, except that month. Chul died exactly a week after the day he would have been expected to make another deposit, though he hadn’t. This note, however, made it seem like someone was delivering the money to Chul, who then entered it into his account by hand. In Jongin’s experience, people only did that if they wanted to minimise the trace left by directly wiring money from account to account. Suspicious.

The word “letter” also piqued the detective’s intrigue, as it implied a handwritten note instead of an email.

“Dude, you went silent all of a sudden. Are you actually considering going through the trash? Oh, what’s that piece of paper, it’s Bully Chully’s, right? I mean, Uncle Chul, of course. I totally don’t want to speak ill of the dead or whatever. Is it illegal to?”

Jongin strode over to the desk again, and opened the first draw on the left, where he remembered seeing Chul’s notebook. He took it out and set it on the desk, taking a second to admire the expensive stationary before realising that wow, maybe he was old. Flicking through the paper, Jongin reached the last page in use, and turned it over to see two ripped flaps of paper down the length of the spine, where pages had been torn out. One matched the to-do list Jongin flattened, while the second one Jongin guessed had become the letter to whoever AA was.

“What would Columbo do, indeed.” Jongin mumbled to himself as he looked around the desk, grabbing the closest pencil which Chul had kept in a mug that had ‘Only money makes cents!’ printed on it. Jongin ignored Seungkwan’s continued pestering and lightly rubbed the lead over the sheet of paper that had been beneath the ripped-out piece. The pencil skipped over the indents in the sheet, and Jongin could make out some words. He had an urge to holler in victory, but he didn’t want to either jinx it or look even more out-of-touch in front of Chul’s nephew than he already did.

The words weren’t all clear, but Jongin could definitely make out “drop it off as usual or I make it publicly known, I’ll tell...” and there seemed to be no addressee.

“Yo, why aren’t you responding anymore? You find something? If so, it’s all thanks to me. WWCD always works, I swear.”

Jongin opened his mouth to respond, when a high-pitched ringing erupted from the detective’s pants pocket. He quickly fetched it out and, having read the caller ID, asked Seungkwan to give him a minute of privacy. Once the teen left, demanding that Jongin explain what he found out after, Jongin pressed the device to his ear.

“Sehun?”

“We found the murder weapon, finally. A shovel, wiped of prints, was left at the construction site sometime this morning. The workers thought to call us to check it out. Park confirmed it matched the deceased’s head injury less than a minute ago.” As Sehun finished his sentence, Jongin could hear a boisterous yell in the background. Either Chanyeol’s or Junmyeon’s, or both. “Returning the weapon could be a sign of remorse, or a brag.”

“Either way, it’s more evidence, so that’s good. I also found something: a blackmail note from Mr Boo to an unnamed person. Could give us a motive.”

“Huh, could he have been blackmailing Do Kyungsoo, then someone else stood in to protect him?”

“No-”

“Jongin, you can’t-”

“I was going to say.” Jongin interrupted right back, his stern tone cutting Sehun off before he was given the chance to repeat Kris’s earlier lecture. “No, because there’s no unaccounted withdrawals from his account, okay?”

“Okay, okay, geez. Wait… oh, the cash entries into Chul’s account. You think they were from whoever he was blackmailing.” Sehun didn’t need to pose it as a question, but Jongin gave an affirmative hum anyway.

“Boo Chul definitely had to tell Kyungsoo something the night he was killed…” Jongin pinched the phone between his ear and shoulder as he mused aloud. The detective found a plastic evidence bag in his inner jacket pocket, thank god he hadn’t misplaced that as well, and slid the checklist and sketched-over blackmail note inside. “Maybe telling Kyungsoo was him ‘making it public’...? Nah, surely that’s too small-scale...”

“Well, your mad mutterings aren’t gonna solve the case. And speaking of which, why did Kyungsoo bolt from your office this morning?” The emphasis on the fact that Jongin still called the ex-prime suspect by his first name didn’t go unnoticed by the older but did go unremarked upon.

“Things may have gotten… somewhat heated last Saturday.” Jongin sighed and resigned himself to his fate. Sehun was surely going to find out at some point, and maybe he’d be able to offer some insight on the situation. Before the following life-sentence of teasing, of course.

“What? You hung out on the weekend!? Does the Superintendork know?”

“No, and he won’t, right? Anyway, it’s a long story. But basically, we almost kissed and now he’s acting weird.” Jongin heard not one, but three surprised gasps. “Uhh, Sehun?”

“Yeah, you’re on speaker, by the way.”

“Sehun!”

“Of course he’s upset!” Junmyeon’s tenor voice floated through the small speaker by Jongin’s ear. “If the office gossip is anything to go by, he clearly really likes you, and you didn’t kiss him!”

“But I can’t!” Jongin responded just as passionately as Junmyeon had, trying to ignore how embarrassing it was to be having this conversation with his co-workers. Aside from Sehun, Jongin made a point to never cross the line from professional to personal with his fellow staff. Now that he thought about it though, it was extremely ironic that he still took that stance with those he worked with even though he’d completely obliterated that rule with someone actually involved in the case.

“But you want to?” Chanyeol piped in. Then, his voice continued in a quieter tone, as if he were speaking to someone else and had no intention of Jongin hearing. “I didn’t know he had like, y’know, real feelings. Is that weird?”

“No, not at all. Quite frankly, I’m equally surprised. I’ve said so many jokes in front of him and he’s not laughed once -- I always figured he must be incapable. I really want to meet this Kyungsoo guy now.”

“Firstly, Chanyeol, Junmyeon, I heard all of that. Secondly, yeah, I do.” Jongin repressed the urge to say ‘not that that’s any of your business’. “I’m just not allowed.”

“Calm down, Jongin.” Sehun spoke up again, and Jongin tried to relieve his tense neck muscles with his right hand, rubbing circles below his scalp. “It’ll work out fine. I mean, sure it would’ve been a bit awkward at the time, but since you’ve explained why, I’m sure he understands for the time being.”

“Oh.” Jongin didn’t know what to say, he definitely should have thought to tell Kyungsoo the reason. Surely if he had, Kyungsoo wouldn’t have been acting so strange, like Jongin had rejected him or something. Which, now that the detective thought about it, he kind of had.

“He didn’t explain it, did he.”

“I’m going to go with no.”

Sehun sighed. “Do you even want this to work out? You didn't tell him why you avoided his lips like he had cooties… seriously?”

Jongin couldn't hold back his groan as he rubbed his hand over his face in frustration. “This is why I never do relationships.”

“Chill out dude.” Came Chanyeol’s deep voice, loud enough that Jongin knew the statement was now directed to him. “If he came to see you today, then not all’s lost. You can just explain it next time you see him, no harm done.”

“Yeah!” Junmyeon threw in. “And since you found that blackmail note, I'm sure you're zeroing in on the killer, too.”

“Yeah,” Jongin agreed, surprisingly feeling a bit better. He swallowed his pride and said something he never thought he would say to either the mortician or the forensics analyst. “Thanks guys, for everything.”

“Thank us after you and Do have run into the sunset together, strangled in a couple scarf you both knitted by an open fire.” Sehun’s smug tone returned and Jongin knew the period of advice-giving was over, and the teasing was just beginning.

“Yeah, yeah.” Jongin brushed him off, ready to pack up and head out of the office. “I'll be coming back to the station soon, so see you then.”

He hung up after the half-hearted chorus of three ‘bye’s and looked up to see the sliver of a Nike pool slide next to the doorframe.

“Seungkwan…” Jongin said with a sigh. Even if he wasn't going to see the kid again after that day, he was still embarrassed the teen had overheard compromising details about himself.

“You told me to give you a minute, and I did. Anything after that was fair game.” The kid peeked into the threshold, another cheeky grin on his lips. “You totally should've kissed him, though.”

“Whatever.” Jongin stomped over to the doorway, evidence bag in hand, and ignored both Seungkwan’s laugh and his own blush. “Give me a quick tour of the rest of the house just in case, will you?”

“Sure thing.” The teenager shuffled to keep up with the detective's pace. “But only if you promise to work things out with your Mr Watson.”

“That’s an entirely inaccurate parallel to make, but fine.”

“Yes~! Get it, Gramps!”

Kyungsoo took two deep breaths as he strode to his work cubicle, dumping the food containers on the corner of his desk as he sat down. From just a glance, he knew which one Jongin had eaten from: the empty one, while Kyungsoo’s was barely half-finished. It wasn’t hard to tell that the turbulent feelings over the almost-kiss four days beforehand were entirely one-sided on the older’s part. Beyond overcompensating for the tension between them, Jongin had been normal. Friendly, engaging and irrevocably desirable.

Kyungsoo wasn’t sure how pathetic it was of him to still think such things of the detective who had politely rejected him the Saturday before, but he was pretty sure it was incredibly so. Though, on the other hand, Jongin had given mixed signals about his intentions. He’d leaned in to the kiss-to-be initially. Kyungsoo definitely hadn’t imagined that, nor had he imagined the way Jongin had his lips while staring longingly down at Kyungsoo’s. Nor the way Jongin had stared at his before their drive to the orphanage. Nor the way Jongin’s hand had crept up Kyungsoo’s leg as the detective said he wanted to see how the older acted around children.

That all had to have meant something, right?

Kyungsoo groaned as he looked at the locked screen of his work desktop. He couldn’t think to work when he had a cloud of confusion and doubt circling his thoughts, suffocating any chance of productivity before it formed. Perhaps if he talked it out, no matter if he wasn’t given any advice in return, then he’d feel better. Maybe the problem was just that the situation was stuck in his head, as he’d not spoken directly about it to Jongin himself, and so he needed to get it out into open air. He hoped his best friend was around, and available for a good venting session.

“So, Kyungsoo, why’re you glaring at some Tupperware?” Yixing’s face ascended from over the desk divider. His dimple was in full swing, no matter how off-putting Kyungsoo’s facial expression may have been. “There’s definitely a story there.”

“Have you seen Jongdae, Yix?”

“Yeah, I think he's around.” The older scanned the vicinity with his eyes for a short while, promptly giving up on his search when he decided the loud male wasn’t nearby. “Why? You don't want to open up to your local Mexican heartthrob?”

“That’s not it,” Kyungsoo said, managing a small laugh.

“I know, I know. Friends since high school and all that.” Yixing’s sweet smile returned, and he leant both elbows on the divider between them. “But, you can’t expect the rest of us to not be worried about you. Even my story about how I gave a sermon at a Scientologist convention last Sunday didn’t cheer you up.”

“I wouldn’t call it a sermon.” A new voice joined the conversation, and Kyungsoo turned to his right in surprise. Baekhyun stood with one hand on a hip and the other clutched around a purple binder. “You just listed Tom Cruise's filmography in order from most to least screen time.”

“Yeah, well… Tom Cruise is a Scientologist, right? So that’s relevant.”

Baekhyun just sighed, turning his gaze from Yixing to Kyungsoo. He placed the binder on the edge of the latter’s desk, and leant next to it.

“You look like you need to get something off your chest, what’s on your mind?”

It was then Kyungsoo’s turn to sigh as he looked between the two men. He was very close to the pair, all four of the workers (along with Jongdae, of course) being a friendly group. It just felt weird to talk about it first to the others without his childhood best friend there too. The thought was silly though; he was a grown man, he didn’t need Jongdae to hold his hand when he opened up about his feelings. In fact, Jongdae was the most likely of his three friends to spend all the available time teasing him instead of offering any sort of resolution to his problems. The youngest of the three inhaled deeply as he steeled himself against the upcoming conversation.

“It’s about Jongin.”

“Yeah, I sorta guessed.” Yixing cut in, pointing an index finger towards the corner of the younger’s desk. “You seemed nervous when you left to eat with him then you returned and tried to laser your lunchboxes with your eyes.”

“I wasn’t- Anyway, last Saturday we ended up volunteering at Jongdae’s orphanage together. It was… good. But then, I kind of tried to kiss him and he ran away. Literally.”

“Ouch.” Yixing’s desk phone rang, interrupting what he was about to say. Instead of slamming the receiver down to cut off the call like he’d done previously, he looked around the office to make sure no one else was watching before ripping the plug directly out of the wall.

“And before you say anything, let me defend myself.” Kyungsoo continued, raising a hand at the Chinese man’s open mouth. “He’s been giving very interested vibes since we met. Especially last Saturday. I mean, he wouldn’t talk to me on the phone for ten minutes every night, and ask to eat lunch with me, if he wasn’t interested, right?”

“Kyungsoo, I’m sure we all-” Baekhyun gave Yixing a particularly stern look before turning back to the youngest member of the trio, “-know that Jongin’s really the only one who can answer that. I think you need to be open about it, to put it all on the table for him to properly accept or reject your feelings.”

“I agree,” Yixing amended with an emphatic nod. “You can’t just let him lead you on.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I guess I’m just scared. But if I have to, I have to.” Kyungsoo nodded along, packing up the food containers and putting them in a canvas bag by his briefcase under his desk. When he straightened up, he eyed the purple binder Baekhyun had brought with him. It looked impeccably new and appeared to be almost empty. “What’s that, Baek? Are you making another conference presentation?”

“Oh! No, no.” Baekhyun quickly scooped up the folder and angled it away from his two co-workers. “Nothing important, I’m afraid.”

“Hey.” Yixing piped up, leaning further over the divider. He squinted at Baekhyun’s leaning form and tilted his head to the side. “You’ve seemed a little… distant lately, everything good?”

“Of course I’m fine. I’ve got a stable job where I get to see my friends every day, what’s there not to be happy about?”

“Uhh. Our boss just got murdered, so our jobs aren't stable, one of our mutual friends is on the fritz, and Boo Accountants’ water tastes like .” Yixing stopped squinting, looking at Baekhyun like he’d had to have been living under a rock to not know about everything he just listed.

“Mutual friend on the fritz?”

“So, you noticed Jongdae, too?” Kyungsoo intercepted the conversation, letting Baekhyun off the hook by asking after his orphaned friend. “I’m worried he might have fallen into old habits.”

“Yeah, I don’t know about any problems in his past, but…” Yixing played with the telephone plug between his hands. “He’s been a bit jittery lately? Restless, and unable to work for long periods of time. Of course, I’ve only noticed this about him because I myself have been bored.”

“Yeah, but there’s nothing unusual there.” Baekhyun commented dryly.

“Careful, binder boy.” Yixing fired back, his dimple returning immediately.

“Oh please, what’s a Tom Cruise fanatic gonna do?”

“Just because I know every movie he’s ever been in, and how much screen time he got in each one, does not mean-”

“Hey, guys.” Jongdae’s easily loud voice barrelled over the conversation, and Kyungsoo’s heartbeat picked up in paranoia -- he hoped Jongdae hadn’t heard them talking about him a minute prior. He walked up to the group from Kyungsoo’s left, and thankfully there was no one stationed at that desk at the time. “What’s up?”

“Nothing much, I’m just trying to prove a point.” Baekhyun didn’t let on that Jongdae had been the previous topic of conversation, and Kyungsoo was beyond glad. “Yixing, how come you didn’t list the movies in order of quality?”

“Obviously, because they’re all ten out of- oh, I see. Very clever.” Yixing’s eyes were twinkling like they did when he told a good yarn, and the younger wondered whether he’d walked into Baekhyun’s trap on purpose.

“Anyway, mind if I take Kyungsoo for a moment?” Jongdae’s voice was as confident and smooth as ever, but his left hand was shaking slightly, even as he clasped it tightly with his right one. No one commented on it though, if they noticed.

“Knock yourself out, I was just about to perform my favourite sermon to Baek over some coffee.” Yixing grinned once more over the divider before moving away from it, and Baekhyun left to follow the elder towards the staff room coffee machine.

“Hey, what’s up?” Kyungsoo swivelled in his chair to face the marginally taller co-worker, noting how the other’s hair was a bit too greased, and his eyes looked sunken when paired with the dark smudges beneath them.

“Um… Can we talk in one of the conference rooms?” Jongdae glanced around them, eyeing the lady sitting two cubicles down with unease. He shifted on his feet, and it was enough for Kyungsoo to know exactly what the elder was going to tell him.

He just nodded his head with an encouraging smile before the two made their way around desks to the smallest and most private meeting room on the floor. Kyungsoo took a seat by the table as Jongdae closed the door behind him, jumping a little at the clicking noise it made. He took his phone out of his back pocket, placing in on the table before taking a seat next to the younger.

“So, there’s something I want to tell you. Well, I don’t really want to, but I should have done it a while ago. It’s just, I really didn’t want to disappoint you. I know you worked hard to get me this job, and I didn’t want to throw away all the effort you’ve put into me-”

“Jongdae, it’s okay. You’ll be my best friend no matter what. We’ve been through hell together once, and I’ll do it again if I need to.” Kyungsoo interrupted the other, placing his warm hand over Jongdae’s cold and shaking one. “You can tell me. Promise.”

“I relapsed.”

“...I know.”

Jongdae looked down in shame, and Kyungsoo shot out of his seat, wrapping his arms around the awkwardly slouched body opposite him. Jongdae clutched at the smaller’s back just as eagerly, taking deep breaths as he squeezed his hands into the fabric of Kyungsoo’s shirt.

“It’s okay, Jongdae. We’ll get through it together.” Kyungsoo rubbed his hands up and down the older man’s back, hoping to bring him comfort in a difficult time. Considering how much he’d been shaking, it was easy to tell he’d been struggling for a while. Kyungsoo knew how big it was for Jongdae to admit he had a problem, and he was relieved he finally had.

“I don’t think we can, Soo. Not this time.” Jongdae’s voice, which was always strong and carrying, came out weak and meagre as the man buried his face deeper into the younger’s shoulder.

“We’ll get you professional help, of course. But I’ll be there every step of the way.” Kyungsoo made sure to push the waver out of his tone, focussed entirely on being Jongdae’s rock, as he had in the past. Their college days had been beyond difficult, but Kyungsoo had always stayed by Jongdae’s side, and he didn’t plan on letting go this time around either.

Jongdae pushed away gently, looking up at Kyungsoo’s resolute expression. His cheeks were hollowed, and his eyebrows slanted sadly. Kyungsoo saw how his eyes swam with both secrecy and vulnerability, and he wondered just how bad it was. He thought to ask, just as Jongdae’s phone buzzed on the table. A quick glance at the device saw the name “Kim Minseok” light up the screen, and Kyungsoo pulled away from his best friend fully, moving to sit back in his previous seat.

“Ahh, I've got to take this.” Jongdae slowly moved over to pick up the phone, but didn't yet accept the call.

“Does he know?”

Jongdae stood from the chair, moving to leave the room. He pressed something on the screen and the buzzing stopped. Kyungsoo watched as Jongdae frowned with a kind of haunting sadness that didn't suit him, and the younger just hoped the other wasn't piling too much blame on himself.

“Yeah, h-he knows everything.” Jongdae lifted the phone to his ear, but kept eye contact with Kyungsoo as he opened the door behind him, giving one last half-smile as he said goodbye. “It means a lot to hear you say all this, Soo. Thank you.”

As the door clicked closed behind the elder, Kyungsoo couldn't help but sigh. Though it was upsetting to have his suspicions of Jongdae’s addiction confirmed, he really was glad the other was ready to take active measures to get through it. To be able to admit something so personal, something Jongdae must see as shameful, to both his best friend and his lawyer… Not only did it make Kyungsoo curious as to the nature of Minseok and Jongdae’s relationship, but it also made him proud.

If Jongdae could admit to his worries, and take steps to achieve his goals, then Kyungsoo could too. He'd confess what was on his mind -- and to the person it mattered most to, this time.

Kyungsoo left the conference room to quickly work through the backlog of tasks he had to complete for the day, finishing up a bit after four pm. Once the last spreadsheet had been emailed, he grabbed his coat and briefcase, leaving the bag carrying the lunchboxes to be taken home another day. He didn’t even tell his friends where he was going, though he still heard Yixing shout “get your hunky cop!” before the elevator arrived.

Kyungsoo half walked, half jogged to the police station. He entered the familiar glass doors, telling himself that even though it was probably a really bad idea to have this kind of conversation while Jongin was still supposed to be on duty, he had to do it before he wimped out.

Officer Kang wasn't at the front desk, nor anyone else he recognised. Usually the brunette police woman would give him a smile and motion him along as a form of permission to enter the back section of the precinct. Though, it looked like Kyungsoo was going to have to wait through the short line to talk to the male officer at the front desk this time. The accounting worker wasn't even sure what he was supposed to say, could he just ask to talk to Senior Detective Kim Jongin, saying he had to urgently tell the other man he was the most amazing person he'd ever met? Could he tell the lower officer that he wanted to receive a kiss that had been stolen from him the Saturday before, and that he wanted to feel the taller’s hands all over him? Or would that be oversharing?

“You're Do Kyungsoo, right?” Before Kyungsoo could even join the small queue, a man walked around the front desk to approach him. The man was not much taller than Kyungsoo himself, wearing a sweater vest in lieu of a police uniform and an enthusiastic smile as he moved closer. “I'd recognise your DNA anywhere!”

The man laughed heartily as he grabbed Kyungsoo’s hand for an impromptu handshake. The shorter couldn't bring himself to smile back though, as he had no recollection of having ever seen the man before.

“...And I've seen your photo,” he finished, before letting go of Kyungsoo’s hand. “I'm Dr Kim Junmyeon, I'm sure Jongin’s mentioned me before!”

“...Oh, yes, actually.” Kyungsoo vaguely remembered Jongin mentioning how a forensics analyst named Junmyeon always made death-related puns, back when the two had gotten coffee at the Lights Out Café. He had also come up in numerous brief work anecdotes Jongin had shared over the phone on nights since.

“Did you attend Boo Chul’s funeral, by any chance?” Before Kyungsoo was aware of it, he’d apparently been into a conversation with the older man, and he quickly schooled his expression from a confused frown to one that hopefully showed respectful seriousness.

“No, I’m afraid. We weren't close.”

“Do you know what his family said as his casket was lowered into the ground?” Junmyeon’s face bloomed into another face-splitting grin. He didn’t leave room for the other to respond, which Kyungsoo was thankful for, as he had no idea what to answer anyway. “Boo-hoo!”

Another round of rambunctious laughter had Kyungsoo looking around in unease, hoping no one was paying them any mind. A few of the casually dressed members of the public that lined up, along with some who sat in the waiting bay, glanced at the pair. Fortunately, no one’s eyes stayed on them for long, and Kyungsoo turned back when he felt Junmyeon’s hand clutching his shoulder as he doubled-over.

“The joke lies in the fact that his name was Boo.” The scientist explained once he’d regained his breath and wiped the moisture from under his eyes.

“I see.” Kyungsoo replied with a polite smile, thinking that Jongin had been completely right about the forensics analyst. He was indeed a strange creature to find humour in such an insensitive pun.

“What am I like! You’re probably here to see Jongin, I shouldn’t hold you up any longer. Go on through, he’s in his office. Alone.” Junmyeon gave one more cheeky grin before beginning to move away, closer to the front exit. “Oh, and by the way, I’m really glad you didn’t end up having killed Mr Boo.”

“Th-thank you…?”

“Anyhoo, or should I say anyboo, I hope you and Jongin work everything out! You’ll be cute together!” And with that, Junmyeon gave a friendly wave goodbye, as if the pair had been friends for years, before walking through the glass doors out of the building.

Kyungsoo stood with his hand in the air, long after having returned the scientists wave. Beyond the fact it was a little strange to hear a grown- man say something as puerile as “you’ll be cute together!”, the statement also raised suspicion and something acutely hopeful in the office worker’s chest. He had never met Junmyeon before, yet the man clearly seemed to be aware of Kyungsoo’s perceived romantic feelings between both himself and Jongin. The only way he could know about it would be from Jongin telling him, which would mean the feelings weren’t just made up in Kyungsoo’s head. The way Junmyeon spoke was as if he knew the two would end up in a relationship, which could have only happened if Jongin had given him that impression.

Right?

Kyungsoo didn’t want to overthink things, not know when he was so close to telling Jongin how he felt, but this form of overthinking was giving him that last little bit of courage to confess. It was a revelation, the confirmation that Jonign must like him as well. Though, also confusing. Kyungsoo couldn’t help but wonder why Jongin hadn’t kissed him. Did he think it was the gentlemanly thing to do? Was he afraid of commitment? Or, did he think he’d be abusing the detective-and-ex-suspect relationship they were supposed to have?

Whatever the reason, Kyungsoo wanted to know the truth, and he was going to find out. Maybe Jongin hadn’t understood the signs Kyungsoo was giving him, and thought he wasn’t interested… If so, Kyungsoo would put it all out in the open, right now.

The accounting worker straightened his work tie, to give his hands something to do, as he made his way around the desk. The overworked policeman didn’t even register that an un-uniformed person had entered the area omitted to the general public, and so Kyungsoo kept walking. He stood in front of the familiar office, unable to see inside due to the drawn blinds, and took two deep breaths.

“You’ll be cute together!” Kyungsoo repeated to himself as he lightly knocked on the door. Upon hearing the polite command to enter, he opened the door before slipping inside the room, closing the entrance behind him.

Jongin was pacing the main space of the room, looking over a report in his hands. His gold-rimmed glasses were once again perched on the edge of his nose as his eyes glossed over the words in front of him. His beige overcoat was thrown over the back of his office chair, and he stood in brown work slacks and a white button-down. The sleeves were rolled up clumsily and his chocolate brown hair was messily tousled. Kyungsoo wondered if the disheveled state had anything to do with the tension between the two of them, and not just the stress of working the case.

“Jongin.”

The detective looked up quickly, apparently shocked to see that the person who visited him turned out to be Kyungsoo. The shorter man took it in his stride though, as he walked further into the room.

“I couldn’t leave things the way they were, earlier. I can’t just pretend that what happened -- almost happened -- didn’t.” Kyungsoo slowly approached Jongin, while the latter raised his eyebrows at the shorter’s words.

The glasses came off Jongin’s nose and Kyungsoo dropped his briefcase and his own coat onto the closest chair. It was the same one he’d fallen asleep on five days earlier. The memory pulled at something in his chest, the previous Friday seemed so long ago by now.

“And-” Jongin swallowed thickly, closing the report he held in his right hand. “-and what non-happening would you be referring to?”

Kyungsoo made no effort to respond, instead he continued to step closer to the detective. When the older reached only an arm’s length away, Jongin began simultaneously retreating backwards, but after only a few steps he was quickly backed against the front of his desk, trapped with nowhere else to go. Kyungsoo used the opportunity to claim the report and glasses out of Jongin’s grip, their hands sparking at the ephemeral touch. In a languid movement, he leant around the younger, placing the items on the far edge of the desk, where they wouldn’t risk being whisked off. He could feel Jongin holding his breath as he did so, and chanced light contact as he brushed his upper body against the taller’s closest arm on the way back. A small gasp of air filled the older’s lungs as he felt Jongin shiver, and he ended up standing only a hair’s breadth away from being chest-to-chest with the law officer.

“Jongin…” Kyungsoo sent the name out in a breathless sigh, hoping it was clear he didn’t want to beat around the bush: it was no time for Jongin to play dumb.

“I... need to finish this investigation… You’re still invol-”

“Innocent?” Kyungsoo softly cut in, not really wanting to discuss the murder case. That was almost all they seemed to ever talk about. He wanted Boo Chul’s killer caught more than anyone, having been accused of it himself, but he also wanted to talk about them, not his dead boss.

Jongin hummed in distracted agreeance, glancing down at the features of Kyungsoo’s lower face and biting his lip, as if restraining himself, and that little action alone boosted the older’s confidence enough to continue.

“You know, this whole thing has reminded me that life is short. One moment, someone you care about could be standing right in front of you, waiting for you to reach out...” Kyungsoo’s throat closed over momentarily, and he wasn’t sure if it was a reaction to his nervousness, the warmth radiating off every inch of Jongin’s close body, or the musky smell the younger was aromatized with. He looked away from Jongin’s intense gaze, extending out his hand to smooth down the other’s shirt collar, even though it was in no way wrinkled. “And in the next moment, they could simply… be gone.”

He then let go, his hand falling by his side, and looked back up to gauge Jongin’s reaction. The younger released his lower lip from his teeth, and it was the exact shade of ripe cherries Kyungsoo loved to indulge in every summertime. His eyes were wide with neither surprise nor confusion, and Kyungsoo allowed himself to drop his gaze back down to the cherries as they formed words.

“Where will you be in the next moment?” The voice was thick with emotion, and when mixed with their close proximity, it caused a warm buzz to blaze over the shorter’s skin.

“It depends… if you’re still needing to solve the case or not,” Kyungsoo responded, his tone just as affected as Jongin’s.

Kyungsoo his lips in anticipation of the younger’s response. He didn’t want to ruin whatever they had, but if the way the detective looked down at his lips like he was Eve and they were the forbidden fruit was anything to go by, then he hoped he didn't have much to worry about. The two stood in silence as Kyungsoo watched the conflict dance in the other’s eyes. His breaths came out slightly panted and uneven, and in the quiet room he could hear Jongin’s doing the same. And just as the hesitation was getting too much to bear for the older, he felt Jongin’s hand circle his wrist, a light tug sending Kyungsoo falling firmly against the younger’s chest, looking up into his gaze with wide eyes.

“ it.” Jongin whispered to himself in agitation, before his other hand shot out to grip the back of Kyungsoo’s hair, and he pressed down until their mouths were tightly sealed.

Kyungsoo had barely a chance to in a last breath before it happened, but he couldn't find it in himself to complain when he’d finally gotten what he wanted. Jongin’s mouth was incredibly smooth, though he was sure it would feel softer had they not been pressed together so hard.

The whole experience was warm. From the heat radiating from Jongin’s body, to the hot feeling of his mouth as he pulled away and re-angled the kiss. Kyungsoo could barely keep up, his mind emptying as Jongin let go of his wrist in favour of snaking an arm around his waist and pulling him even closer. The sudden and firm press of their bodies against each other made Kyungsoo gasp into the kiss, and Jongin seemed to be expecting it, as he at the inside of Kyungsoo’s bottom lip with a satisfied hum.

Kyungsoo soon aroused from his mental blank, and he caressed one hand against the taller’s jaw as he Jongin’s tongue back. He groaned as Kyungsoo dragged his fingers down the length of his spine, and Kyungsoo pulled out of the kiss for a moment, panting once as he admired the vaguely wrecked look of the younger, though he knew himself to be just as dishevelled.

“Jongin…” The name slipped out between another ragged breath and Jongin dropped his hands from Kyungsoo’s hair, one arm under his and one against his back as he suddenly lifted the shorter man off the floor. “Jongin!”

The detective's name badge and other trinkets clattered onto the hardwood flooring as he turned and dropped Kyungsoo onto the edge of his desk. The older wasn't given any more time to complain before their mouths were yet again joined in an urgent kiss.

The wet warmth shouldn't have been surprising the second time around, but his arms shook as he wrapped them around the taller’s neck. Their slick lips slid against each other and made wet noises as they re-positioned them. It wasn't too loud, Kyungsoo idly thought, as those noises were mostly covered by the occasional sounds of them into each other and the various objects that thudded the floor as they were pushed off the desk.

Jongin stood between the older’s legs, and he rubbed his hand up and down Kyungsoo’s thigh as he bit on his lower lip. Kyungsoo sighed as Jongin teasingly pulled the lip away, letting go and re-attaching himself to them. The older embedded one hand in Jongin’s hair and lightly pulled him away, until the slick pop of their lips detaching echoed through the room.

“...Kyungsoo…” Jongin’s voice was even deeper than usual, and Kyungsoo forgot his plans to catch his breath before he tilted his head and kissed the other man fervently yet again.

This time, Jongin drew away after letting Kyungsoo into his mouth, and he dragged his bruised and puffy lips over the older’s neck as Kyungsoo angled his head to give the younger more skin to explore.

“Ahhh.. Jongin.” The accounting worker knew he should stop the younger before someone heard them, but couldn't find it in him to separate himself from Jongin’s proximity. It seemed the younger didn't want to either, and it was his workplace, so he told himself the decision should be left to the other. At that point, any responsible thought about the implications of someone walking in on them was quickly ditched as Jongin’s teeth nipped just below Kyungsoo’s jawline. “Ah!”

Jongin let out a low chuckle that vibrated against the shorter’s skin as his lips kissed against his pulse point. Kyungsoo mewled as Jongin nosed down his throat, and he pulled Jongin up by the hair once more.

“You don't know how much I've wanted to do this.” Jongin panted and his half-lidded eyes followed the curve of Kyungsoo’s open mouth.

“I think I have some idea…” Kyungsoo responded, leaning forward once more to press a kiss against the younger’s addictive lips. He let Jongin enter his mouth again, and lightly on his tongue. Jongin groaned as he the back of Kyungsoo’s teeth. The older felt his heart hammering in his chest so hard he was almost worried he’d go into cardiac arrest, and he slipped one of his arms from around Jongin’s neck to slide his hand up between their bodies. The younger hummed again as Kyungsoo raked his fingers over Jongin’s upper body, and the shorter settled his palm over the other’s chest, feeling Jongin’s heart beating just as fast as his own.

While the two were distractedly exploring their mutual desires, Kyungsoo remained unaware of the stomping noise until the door to Jongin’s office slammed open. Both still in each other’s arms, the pair separated their lips with a wet smack, blindly turning their faces in the direction of the doorway.

Unbelievably, there stood Jongdae, his eyes squeezed shut and his phone tightly clasped in his hand. His chest rose and fell in quick tandem, and Kyungsoo guessed he must have run there.

“I confess to the unlawful act of involuntary manslaughter against-” At this point, Jongdae opened his eyes. They immediately became the size of saucers as he noticed that not only was his best friend also in the room he had just confessed in, but that he and the lead detective of the case were in an extremely compromising position together.

“...Boo Chul.”

“You were the prime suspect of a murder investigation, started dating the lead detective of said case and then it turned out the actual killer was your best friend? That beats my story about drinking my own pee in the Gobi desert, no question. It’s been years and I still can’t top it.” Yixing laughs lightly as he raises his glass of diet coke to his lips, leaning further back into the recliner chair he's seated in.

“Don’t call Jongdae a killer, okay! It was probably the hardest time of his life, I can’t believe you made me re-hash it.” Kyungsoo has to resist the urge to frown, already regretting having told the story yet again.

Jongin, who is sitting on his right, soothingly rubs a hand along Kyungsoo’s leg. The younger had helped fill in the blanks of the story himself, and so Kyungsoo guesses he probably feels just as guilty. “...Besides, technically we didn’t officially start dating until after Jongdae confessed.”

Yixing only laughs again.

“Well, that was certainly… something.” Mrs Choi, a middle-aged lady that now lives two doors down from the couple, chimes in when the lounge room quiets down.

“I don't know… This guy drinking his own piss is a fair contender, I definitely have to hear it sometime.” The familiar clacking of a lollipop against teeth harmonizes with the spoken words as Sehun pipes up from the other side of Jongin.

“But as a ‘how we met’ story... It's a bit much.” Mr Soon shakes his head as he finishes another cucumber sandwich. He lives across the road from Kyungsoo and Jongin, in a sweet little cottage well-suited to his retirement life.

“Yeah, I like to call it ‘the six feet blunder’. Haha… get it? ‘Cause the guy was accidentally killed.” Junmyeon is the only one to laugh at his own joke, seeing as Park Chanyeol isn't attending the gathering, though that doesn't seem to be slowing him down much.

The rest of the room remains quiet in response, until Yixing looks down at the scientist sitting on the floor with a tilt of his head. “...Sorry, who are you again?”

“Yeah, did you have to invite him?” Sehun ends his question by crushing the sugar sphere with his teeth, even the crunching noise sounding disappointed by Junmyeon’s presence.

“I thought it would be the polite thing to do.” Kyungsoo just shrugs in response, knowing Sehun’s only teasing.

“Aw, that's a load of Chul. You totally wanted me here.” Junmyeon laughs again, and this time Mr Soon joins in after he asks for clarification on the name of the dead boss. Mrs Choi, however, remains unimpressed with the coarse language.

“Okay, I think this party’s over.” Jongin declares, getting up from the couch and leaning over to pick up the empty chip bowl.

“What? We haven't even had any Booze yet!” Junmyeon continues to test everyone's patience, and Kyungsoo is immediately glad that Jongin began the preparations for everyone to leave.

“Yeah, you're getting Boo’d off stage, Jun. Quit while you're ahead.” Sehun snaps as he spits the candy stick into his empty glass before placing it on the coffee table.

After only a few more attempts at humour from Junmyeon, everyone is ushering themselves out the door.

“Happy house warming!” The forensics analyst waves boisterously before exiting out the front door, followed closely behind by Sehun.

“Yeah, nice pad.”

Yixing is the last to leave, getting distracted by telling Kyungsoo an anecdote from Baekhyun, who definitely couldn't make it to today’s party. He'd been travelling the world since signing a contract to join an entertainment company, and neither of his friends could be prouder. Kyungsoo has always loved the older’s voice, and now the rest of the world does to.

“Anyway, I’d best be off. I’ve got a spaghetti eating competition at four, so I should probably go practice. See you on Monday though, Kyung, and thanks for letting me see your snowglobe collection, Jongin! Congrats on officially moving into a house together, too, by the way.” Yixing talks all the way to the door, opening it for himself and waving before walking out and closing it behind him, leaving only Kyungsoo, Jongin, and a lot of post-party mess within the home.

“It was nice seeing everyone.” Jongin comments as Kyungsoo returns to the lounge room, sitting back on the couch and resting his head on Jongin’s lap.

“Mm, I just hope our new neighbours don’t find us too weird, now.” Kyungsoo hums as long fingers thread through his hair and lightly press against his scalp. He knows he doesn’t have time to relax before he has to leave himself, but he lets Jongin’s fingers work their magic a little while longer as he rests his eyes.

“I’m sure they won’t.” Jongin chuckles, and the movement slightly bounces Kyungsoo’s head where it’s nestled against the taller’s legs. “They were both hanging onto every word, at the very least we entertained them for a few hours.”

Kyungsoo hums again, this time in affirmation, as he feels himself start to get sleepy.

“I didn’t get to ask the other day, but how is he?” Jongin’s voice is quieter, deeper and more serious, as if the topic were taboo.

At this, Kyungsoo sighs and sits up, accepting that if he lays down any longer he’ll have an accidental nap. “He’s okay… But he’s getting the nightmares again. He still dreams about it.”

“Does he remember any more of that night?” Tan fingers interlace with Kyungsoo’s and he rubs his thumb along the back of the other’s hand.

“No. Just a drunken blur, then he woke up the next day with a shovel under his bed. I can't help but wonder… what would have happened if he'd not been drinking when he got Mr Boo’s note. Would he have tried to stop him telling me? I already suspected, and he was ready to-”

“There's no use thinking about it now, Soo. He's been able to get good help this way.” Jongin speaks softly, pulling Kyungsoo flush against him, and tucks the older’s head under his chin.

“Mm, I’m so glad he got no time in prison, it would have been awful for him,” Kyungsoo says into Jongin’s chest, enjoying the comfort of the taller’s warm hands now rubbing up and down his side lazily, eyeing the small cluster of crumbs Junmyeon must have left on the rug.

“I know. His lawyer did a really good job.”

“Yeah, Minseok’s the best of the best.” The movement of the analogue clock on the mantelpiece draws Kyungsoo’s gaze, and he groans as he realises what it says. “It’s already late, I need to get going. I think I’ll swing by the rehab centre and see Jongdae on the way, you sure you don’t want to come? The kids miss you.”

Kyungsoo detaches himself from the younger, standing and stretching his back to try and get rid of the sleepiness that lingers there. Jongin puffs out a half-laugh with a bright smile, the same bright smile he shows every time the orphanage is mentioned. It never ceases to surprise Kyungsoo how quickly the other had bonded with the children, and now a few years down the track, it was still clear in Jongin’s eyes how much he adores the little ones.

“Hopefully next time. I still need to pack all this up and then I’m due down at the animal shelter.” Jongin rises from the couch as well, throwing some discarded napkins onto the platter dish that previously housed various sandwiches Kyungsoo made.

The older smiled at the sight, running a hand up Jongin’s arm, stopping to lightly squeeze just above his bicep. “Are you sure you’re okay to clean all this up? I feel bad about leaving the mess to you.”

“You feel bad? Junmyeon’s the one who should feel bad.” Jongin shakes his head at the sight of a piece of lettuce right next to where the forensics analyst had been sitting, before turning to pick up a water glass with a Chupa Chup wrapper and matching stick shoved inside. “...And Sehun.”

“Well, if you say so… The car’s already packed with everything I want to take, so I guess I should be hitting the road,” Kyungsoo says as he moves to the attached entrance room, picking up his black coat from the hook by the door. He wraps it around himself, remembering to collect the keys from the nearby bowl before opening the door to make his own departure.

“Wait!” Jongin quickly jogs to catch up, as Kyungsoo turns around from his place on the front step, and reaches to the hooks by the door. He lifts a wonky blue scarf, wrapping it around the shorter’s neck with a shy smile. The knitted material has unintentional loops along the length of its body where stitches had been missed and the ends are already fraying, but Kyungsoo feels an affectionate warmth settle over him as he accepts the gift.

“Thank you, Jongin.” Kyungsoo whispers, one hand the woven wool around his neck, the other reaching out to settle behind the taller’s neck. Only a small initial pull is needed for Jongin to take the hint, and he leans down until the pair meet in a kiss. And it’s out there in the cool breeze, with the happy chirping of birds for company that Kyungsoo decides standing with Jongin on those steps is the best place to live.

Thank you so much for reading all of it!! Any comments are more than welcome!