When you opened your eyes, you expected to see the afterlife. And if seeing Daehyun’s face was the first thing you did when you woke up in heaven, then you were certain it had been worth it.

Until you realised heaven looked a lot like your chambers.

You were also not alone with the man you loved; instead, your room was full of many people. Groaning, you came to your senses as the pain settled in.

“This is not where I expected to be,” you croaked and Daehyun’s hand around yours tightened.

“This is exactly where you need to be,” he told you and you glanced at him before noting the look within your father’s face on the opposite side of the bed.

The elder shook his head tiredly. “You could have warned me. I almost lost the one person I hold the dearest.”

“My Lord, with all respect, would you have allowed Y/N to be the bait in the trap?” a deep voice enquired and angling your head around Daehyun’s, you spotted Yongguk sitting in a chair at the end of your bed. He had his glasses perched on the bridge of his nose as he perused a stack of reports. Finally, he glanced up and smiled warmly at you.

“Whilst I am certain my Lady has many questions as you all have comforting words to share,” Clare announced, ushering Daehyun up from his position beside you. She clapped her hands together loudly and even challenged your father with a stern look. “She is still a lady at best and one in which multiple men have spent a vast amount of time within the private quarters of. Now that you can see she has returned to us, I will ask of you all to leave at once.”

“But I have not-”

“She is my daughter and-”

“Very well, Y/N will bother me when she is ready to,” Yongguk finished, climbing to his feet and following the others forcibly being pushed to the exit.

You gave Clare a look and then sunk further into your bedding at her own harsh stare in return. You let out a heavy sigh. “Must I regain full health first?”

“That you must, my Lady.”

_________________

It was a week later when you were able to leave your bed. Aside from your father, who was graciously allowed to sit with you for an hour each afternoon, much to his chagrin and Clare’s reluctance, you had not seen either Yongguk or Daehyun since waking up.

And Yongguk was right; you had many questions to bother him with.

“I need to go out today, Clare.”

“You will not,” she ordered and you glowered at the lady maid.

“If I do not possess the knowledge I require by the end of today, I fear I will fall ill again from too much thinking. Will you accompany me or not?”

“I will, however, only to the parlour.”

“Why there?” you questioned as the woman smiled. “Clare, what are you holding privy from me?”

“Oh, you will soon see, my Lady.”

Walking slowly, and with the aide of Clare, you made it to the parlour room without much discomfort. Opening the doors, you gasped when you found what had been a space set up for conversation over cross stitch, now looked like an entirely different room. Two large tables sat in the middle of the room facing one another, stacked with reports and books.

And at either station sat your longest friend and your lover.

You reached to hold onto your head. “What on earth is this?”

“Our current headquarters,” Yongguk announced simply and you stepped into the room, Clare shutting the door behind you. Moving over to them, you came upon Yongguk’s table first. He was reading notes that contained rather graphic diagrams and you shivered, wrapping your arms around yourself. You definitely had endured your fair share of frightening experiences recently and were not ready for anything further.

Daehyun smiled at you weakly. “I suppose this is a sight you might have never expected.”

“It is, though it does perhaps answer one of my questions,” you replied softly, moving to see what was on Daehyun’s side. He also held similar files, though with a different case number. “You were never a stable hand by profession, were you?”

“I have been many a thing in my time, but I assure you, this is the role I am most capable in. I fancy your father may need to look further into the credentials of his employees after my less than stellar performance in the stables.”

Yongguk snorted. “At least you were incredibly equipped to have at least his daughter fooled.”

“Inspector,” Daehyun warned, and then grinned when Yongguk rolled his eyes. Daehyun then turned to you. “Say, would you like some fresh air?”

“Please, I have been trapped inside for too long.”

“Whatever happens out there, do ensure this time I am not needed for another re-enactment,” Yongguk warned and you bit your lip whilst Daehyun laughed heartily, ushering you to the doors that led out into the garden.

Once settled into your amble, you glanced up at Daehyun right as he went to speak.

“Y/N-”

“Daehyun-”

Sharing a gentle smile, you gestured for him to go first. He pocketed his hands and sighed. “I need to apologise and explain a lot.”

“Well, thankfully for me, my head has recovered faster than my side injury has, leaving me quite capable of listening to both.”

“I spend a lot of time undercover working for Inspector Bang. I have been a great deal of things and done even more than you can imagine. I was placed by your side for information. You attend the most events, as the only daughter and heiress to this family, and further, had the closest connections to everyone in the elitist scene. That was my primary role, to gather appropriate information to help with our investigation.”

“Yongguk knew it was someone within my circles?” Daehyun nodded and you closed your eyes. “Did he expect me to approach you as well?”

“He had not believed you would have any interest in me further than as an outside person to talk to. He knew of your past behaviour of going to the stables to let out your frustrations, however, that was all.”

“Did you plan for this?” you asked with your head down, unable to look him in the eye.

It would make sense, given his mission. You gave Daehyun an easy way in to garner your trust and potentially more information. With your apparent adoration for him, he could have gotten anything out of you had he worded it right. Though, as you thought over your time together before the night you were separated, most of it was conversation about yourselves and what a future between you would hold.

You couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh. Was everything he shared with you just there to help the investigation along?

“I had not. Admittedly, I accepted willingly to grow closer with you, as it would help with our findings. Apart from being the worst stable hand, I was honest with you as much as I could be. There were times where I pleaded with Yongguk for me to leave. I grew vulnerable around you to the point I was worried I was in too deep to be effective to my role.”

“Should I believe this?” you wondered, continuing to walk on, stopping when you realised Daehyun had not. You examined his face, his expression uncertain. Returning to his side, you caught the first tear as it fell.

“Seeing you mere inches away from death frightened me beyond belief. I was willing to give up anything, even my own life if it meant you would stay earthbound.”

“You fool, I am still here so why are you crying?” you asked, feeling your own emotions rising behind your eyes.

Daehyun gave you a watery smile. “I am thankful you are still here. When we found your name on the top of the killer’s hit list right before Lucy’s death, I knew I would throw myself in the line of fire to save you.”

“Is that why you held me back from saving her?” you breathed and Daehyun shook his head.

“She was already dying and there was no way we could prevent it when we got there. I saw the angle he took. I did not want you to bear witness of her final moments like that.”

You nodded, gripping onto his shirt as you tried to settle your emotions. “Y/N, if I could have saved her, you know I would have, right?”

“I just wish we had been there sooner. I should have just asked to go for a stroll and not a swim.”

As you continued to talk over everything, you found that Daehyun had been taken away only to take refuge in Yongguk’s home. You stared up at him, speechless momentarily. “You mean when I was there…”

“I was in the adjacent room listening on.”

“Then you heard that I had held suspicions over you!”

He nodded. “I would have been surprised had you not.”

“As for the investigations Yongguk and I did?” you prompted and Daehyun sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

“I, unfortunately, got spotted.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“Yongguk saw me up in the tree watching on. You know, you were awfully close with him. Is there anything in the past between you both? I asked him many a time and yet he refused to answer.”

You smiled. “Then perhaps we should leave it like that.”

“Y/N!”

“I despaired over you!” you exclaimed, your frustrations mounting. “Here I was, wholly believing that I was saving your life and you were gallivanting around the countryside with us!”

“I would not go as far to stretch the truth and say I gallivanted,” Daehyun remarked and you let out a scoff, turning on your heel to walk away. “Now you just wait up a second!”

Daehyun caught you easily and you glowered in his direction. “And Yongguk! He must have had succumbed to fitful laughter with how ridiculous I was! I fear I will never be able to face him again with how mortified I am right now to be played by you both!”

“I very much so doubt that man can even laugh. I have yet to see him do such a thing in the past five years I have worked with him. Not even a chuckle!” Daehyun pointed out and you tried ever so hard not to fall trap to his amusing statement.

Clearing your throat, you shook your head, moving on with your complaints. “I was in danger and you both let it continue!”

“It was a risk, yes. However, you did agree.”

“Only because I believed you were framed!”

“Okay, so is this the part I get down on my knees in forgiveness?”

“You believe I could accept such a thing?” you wondered, looking away just in time as Daehyun dropped before you.

“It was a necessary evil and I do apologise for the grievances I have stricken you with,” he implored and you angled yourself ever so slightly to see his face. Daehyun reached out for your hand, gripping it fondly. “It was the most challenging time of my existence, I’ll have you know. I had to remain invisible in order to fool you and the killer. Even if I saw you most days, it felt as if I only did so from afar. I could do nothing for you and had to rely on others to protect you in my absence. I cannot explain how antagonising that was for me.”

“Did you know there was a separate killer?”

“We did have our suspicions. Yongguk knew I was out there waiting since Lord Wilsford had used the track to escape before and that was why he let you go with him.”

You gestured for Daehyun to get up, letting out a lengthy sigh before slipping your arms around his waist, surprising him. “I have a few requests, of course, if I am to accept your apology.”

Daehyun relished in your closeness, his arms embracing you snugly to him. He hummed for you to continue.

“Will you continue to be undercover?”

“Whilst it is a skill I possess, I do not believe it is something I will be asked to do often now.”

“Do I have to concern myself of you luring another woman if you have to return to such a task?” you continued and he pulled you back to arm’s length.

“You approached me first!”

Giving him a look, you began to repeat yourself. “Will you-”

“No, I will never. My heart belongs to only one person and I could never betray that love.”

You smiled, satisfied. “Will you leave me in the predicament that I currently am in?”

“Which is?”

“Well, I am in want of a husband. Is that a role you wish to obtain?”

Daehyun smiled, leaning into you. “You are positively a wicked creature. I was worried you were going to turn me away for good.”

“I merely asked for your assistance in making an honest woman out of me. My father believes we have-”

“No, he has been informed of the truth after a very intense approach on his behalf.” Daehyun laughed awkwardly, looking a little uncomfortable. “There was some time between your coming back to us, Y/N.”

You laughed, imagining the approach your father had taken. “Still, I shan’t wait for you forever. You will be busy with your new position and I may find someone else who takes my fancy. There will be a new stable hand-”

“Must I confess my endearment for you right now? In the most unprepared manner?”

“Whilst I would love to hear it all, I do wish to be courted properly.”

Leaning in to kiss you, Daehyun rested his forehead upon yours. “I will thank the Gods every day that you returned to me.”

“You told me I could not leave you yet.”

“Can I be selfish and ask that you never do until it is time for us both to see another world together?”

“Who else would I risk my life for?” you replied, leaning in to kiss Daehyun again. “My heart is yours.”

“And my soul will become one with you when we say I do.”

“I want to hear that right now.”

“We cannot have one nice moment, can we? Did you not just proclaim you want to be courted properly? That will require time and-”

You cut off Daehyun’s words with another kiss, smiling into the embrace as you did so. “This is a very nice moment, my love.”

“One of many, now that you are safe.”

“Safe? Why with you around I do wonder if that is a word I can use. I saw the case-studies you and Yongguk are working on. What kind of mischief are you going to get yourselves into next?!

Laughing, Daehyun nuzzled you with his nose and sighed. “I believe that anything with you has the ability to be much more frightening than those who I chase down.”

“Does it scare you?”

“On the contrary,” he murmured, holding your chin within his hand as he angled in for another kiss. “I am excited for what will happen next.”