As usual Donghae was the first one up, but this time he didn’t want to bother Eunhyuk so he let him sleep. Donghae was too restless to stay home so he decided to go ahead to work, ready to join the politician and his crew he knew were setting up things. Changmin’s behavior still bothered him. What did he want to say exactly? And why come to him? Donghae remembered that Siwon also wanted to talk with him back at the prison, so maybe it had something to do with his brother? But then why did it concern Changmin? Lost in all those questions he didn’t notice the door opening on him. He had just the reflex of dodging it before it could hit his face. It was a young man who opened the door; his short hairs were combed perfectly, while his attire was a bit less strict with just a simple white shirt put inside his pants. Donghae remembered seeing him with the politician earlier, he looked like an intern but something in his way and in his eyes begged different. The young man didn’t apologize for almost running over Donghae, and just stood there staring at him. Behind him he heard a voice saying.

“Please refrain from breaking Mr. Lee we still need him in one piece.”

Without a word the young boy nodded and went back to the room, leading the way to Donghae. Inside, the politician was sitting around the big table, next to him another man, older was showing him documents and they seemed to be in deep conversation before the interruption. Kibum raised his head from the file in front of him and smiled at Donghae. He was a stranger, an outsider, but he seemed to fit perfectly with the place, as if he owned it. That was one of his main powers he was able to fit himself into any place and with any flock.

“Hello again Mr Lee, I guess chief Kim told you about the arrangements?”

“Yes…”

Kibum made a head movement and the man sitting next to him raised to leave his seat to Donghae.

“Please, allow me to introduce my team. Dowoon here is my assistant, he’s been with me for a while, ever since my prosecutor days, isn’t it right Do?”

The boy nodded lifelessly, without saying a word. Donghae wondered if he ever had any other expression than this one and if he would ever hear the sound of his voice. His silence wasn’t shyness it was as if he felt nothing… Donghae sat down after a hesitation.

“And this man is my actual chief of campaign, and also my right hand, Yunho. He’s the real man behind the curtain, I’m just his puppet.” Kibum said with a wink.

“Don’t say stuff like that he’s going to really believe it.”

“But it’s the truth!”

Yunho raised his eyes to the sky and ignored him. For some reason those two seemed to be closer than just work, but of course Donghae didn’t comment. Somehow the man noticed that Donghae wasn’t really at ease, and his smile became a sorry one.

“I apologize, all of this must seem sudden. We come here and act as if it was our workplace.”

“It’s ok… I was just wondering why you asked for me.”

“Because I heard you were very competent, and I admire that trait.”

Unconvinced, Donghae decided to change the subject.

“So how is it going to work?” he asked. “Will you be filming all the time?”

Yunho was the one to answer.

“No, we’ll just film some interactions between Kibum and your team, the goal is for people to know that you’re actually doing something.”

“Because you think we do nothing all day?” Donghae frowned.

“That is the common belief yes.”

Donghae swallowed a sharp response and pouted. This guy was so arrogant, he wanted to put him back in place, but he knew he was right. People thought that being a policeman was a joke, that all of them were corrupt and took their jobs as a joke. They clearly never spent a day at the precinct. Yes it was a place full of nut jobs, but nut jobs that were good at their jobs and put their lives in line for the people every day. And it was important to show that. Sensing that the air got tense suddenly Kibum turned to his two subordinates and with a cold calculated smile told them.

“Can you please give us a minute? Go see if the tv crew is ready to film.”

With a nod they left the room and Donghae found himself alone with the politician. Kibum waited for them to leave the room and then he seemed to relax a bit.

“Please excuse Yunho’s bluntness; he can lack tact even though he is in this line of work.”

“I’m annoyed because unfortunately he’s right.”

“I like that about you, you’re honest and you’re not afraid to admit when you’re wrong.”

Donghae frowned at the sudden compliment. Was this guy flirting with him right now? What the hell?! But Kibum didn’t seem shaken by it, whether he was shameless or he was the kind of person that said everything that crossed his mind, which wasn’t a good trait for a politician.

“I must admit that I was looking forward to meeting you.”

“Why? Do you know me from somewhere?”

“We actually met once, though I doubt you remember me.”

Donghae stared at him surprise, trying hard to remember where he could’ve seen him before. He had one of these faces that was hard to forget, with his beautiful dark eyes, his square jaw, and his sharp cheek bones… something in his smile that made him arrogant but at the same time soft… Kibum’s smile widened.

“At the time I was working on a big case, we were at least five prosecutors and lawyers, we were at the end of our lives. Then suddenly the door opened and a bubbly shy face appeared with documents we needed.”

Impossible… Was he talking about that time two years ago when Donghae met again with Siwon? Kibum was with the lawyers at that time? It explained why Donghae didn’t remember him, he was so shocked to see Siwon and he had his thoughts elsewhere he didn’t notice the others in the room. But that didn’t explain Kibum’s sudden interest in him.

“I’m not close to Siwon but everyone in the branch knew about his wife and the killer being one of ours. It’s only later that I learned that Donghwa was your brother.”

Donghae shivered. Hearing his brother’s name in the mouth of someone so important was weird. But at this present moment the man didn’t look like the politician on tv, he seemed like a normal guy from every day life, his charms apart.

“I know I seem a bit forward with you, but it’s because I have to admit that I admire you.”

“Me? What is there to admire?”

“I took an interest in your brother’s story. And to do what you did, turn him in and follow your vocation, it was very brave. It was one of the main reasons that motivated me to make a career in politics. I knew that if one of us could be this committed to his beliefs than justice wasn’t totally lost yet.”

“You mean that my brother and I inspired your campaign?” Donghae asked surprised.

“Something like that yes.” he said with a smile.

Donghae stared at him dumbfounded; he wasn’t expecting something like that. But somehow Kibum lost a bit of his unattainable aura and suddenly seemed more affordable.

“I know that it’s none of my business but I don’t think your brother got what he deserved.”

Donghae frowned, regretting thinking he was nice just a second ago, but seeing his expression Kibum shook his hand innocently.

“I didn’t mean it that way! I meant that he didn’t deserve to be locked up.”

“I love my brother but he killed people.”

“I know. I mean that I think that he should be followed by psychological help, and not just simply locked with other simple inmates. Like I said I was very interested in your brother’s case, and I believe he is a sick person before being a cruel killer.”

It was weird for Donghae to be talking about his brother with someone he didn’t know, but at the same time it was liberating. Kibum didn’t seem to be judging his brother. Most of the people he met either hated Donghwa or pitied him. In Kibum’s case it was neither. He simply thought about how to make the system better, because he truly believed justice could be fair. Donghae shared his point of view; he wanted to believe that this man could truly change things. He finally smiled at him.

“Thank you. You’re the first one that doesn’t want his death.”

“I think we lack of places for people with real psychological problems. I hope that can change. And I kind of understand…”

“What do you understand?”

“My mother suffers from analgesia too.”

Again Donghae wasn’t expecting that. In a few minutes he realized how much he had in common with this total stranger. It’s been ages since he spoke so openly about his brother. And to know that he could understand a bit of his situation, it warmed his heart. Something changed between them, and Donghae thought that he could like the person behind the politics.

At this moment Yunho and Dowoon came back, and a few seconds later Eunhyuk arrived followed later by Sungmin and Changmin. They went on with the meeting. Somehow Donghae could feel that Eunhyuk was tensed up, he didn’t understand why he hated Kibum that much, and he hoped that in the future he could realize that this man was actually pretty decent and nice, when he wasn’t playing politicians. They left and the team worked on the cases they got. All those sins symbolism were awfully precise, this killer was clearly prepared and well documented. Donghae was also impressed by Changmin’s professionalism, and his knowledge. Like Eunhyuk said before, the boy was made to be in this line of work. Suddenly he had a phone call that made him leave the room. Donghae followed him with his eyes curious about it, his instincts told him that it had maybe something to do with Siwon and seeing the curious eyes of Eunhyuk he knew he was right.

When they finished debating about everything Changmin suddenly came back in the room calling them to come see what was happening on tv. There they saw the masked serial killer that they were chasing, a man who called himself Virgil. Then the killer said a specific sentence, the same one Donghae had heard a few days back on tv too. Eunhyuk noticed his uneasiness and turned to him.

 “What is it?” he asked.

Donghae took a moment before answering. He turned slowly to his boyfriend, and Eunhyuk’s uneasiness grew.

“I’ll be the voice of righteousness. I heard that before…”

“Where?”

Donghae was looking down, incapable of facing him. Then in a whisper, just loud enough so only Eunhyuk could hear, he said.

“In Kibum’s speech. I heard him say those exact same words…”

***

Donghae would’ve wanted to develop his thoughts more when he noticed someone standing at the precinct doors. Siwon was obviously looking for someone in the crowd until their eyes met, he made a hand movement calling him. Donghae turned to Eunhyuk to see if he noticed but his boyfriend was focused talking with his partner about what just happened. He was tempted to notify hi