--- 1 year later ---

Seungwan was standing in line between two of her fellow graduates from the police academy as they formed up on the steps outside Seoul Central Police Station for their official group photograph. She was wearing her newly earned uniform, her name printed in white letters on black on her sewn-on name badge. The photographer took the photo, first smiling, then hand held up in salute. Seungwan saluted, still unable to stop her smile, but it wasn't the camera she was smiling for. It was the two police officers who stood among the crowd of supporters behind the camera. Chanyeol had his phone camera held up, taking multiple pictures, his own smile broad across his face. When he caught Seungwan looking, he smiled even wider and gave her a thumbs up. Beside him, Jongdae was more relaxed, but he was smiling too. His eyes were bright, yet a little sad, and Seungwan knew he was thinking of Baekhyun. 

Seungwan thought of Baekhyun too. She'd been thinking about him a lot today. Her heart gave a pang, an aching mixture of love and pain she knew would never really go away.

The photoshoot over, the new graduates dissolved into the crowd. Seungwan ran up to Chanyeol and Jongdae. She caught Jongdae's hands and smiled into his eyes. Jongdae kissed her quickly right on the lips, making her giggle, and then let her go for Chanyeol to engulf her in a bone-crushing hug.

"Seungwan!" another familiar voice called. Seungwan extracted herself from Chanyeol to see Irene coming towards her across the parking lot, Xiumin and Luhan with her. Her face lit up as she ran over. Irene wrapped her arms around her, and Seungwan smelled the delicate, familiar scent of her perfume. Xiumin clapped her on the back, and Luhan whispered his congratulations.

"Good work, kiddo," Xiumin told her, grinning his lopsided grin. He and Irene weren't worried about being surrounded by cops. After the cartel had gone down, Irene had cleaned up her businesses, and now all of them were fully legitimate. She and Xiumin had started a