Daehyun stared at the thing in his hand. Now that he was getting a good look at it, he noticed there was small text inscribed along the blue metal but he couldn’t make out what it said. It was too small and didn’t even look to be in Korean.

A noisy sigh shook him from his thoughts. “What, you get dumped?” The delinquent in front of him asked and Daehyun looked at him, puzzled. Youngjae nodded to the ring. “That. Girlfriend give it back?” he sneered.

“That’s none of your business.” Daehyun said and he pocketed the ring again. It would have to wait until later. “I am to understand you two attempted to light fire to a dumpster outside a campus building?”

“Science project.” Youngjae quipped. “Was looking to see how combustion affects different materials.”

“I’m sure…” Of course, Daehyun didn’t buy it. “Did it occur to you that you may have caught the rest of the building on fire?” Youngjae shrugged and Jongup looked down, the latter having not said anything since he sat down. “Seeing as nothing serious happened, you won’t be retained any longer. But it will go on your record and may impact your school standing. If you pull any more stunts like this things will get more serious than they are today. Do you both understand?”

“Yes, officer.” Jongup said quietly, and when his companion didn’t follow he nudged him.

“Yes, understood loud and clear.” Youngjae muttered.

“Good.” Daehyun opened their files and held them up for both to see. “Are these your current addresses?” They both nodded and he gestured to the guard that brought the boys up; the man had stayed just a couple feet away the entire time. Not that Daehyun really needed help defending himself in case things went awry, but it was policy. “Please have them both escorted home.” he told the guard who nodded and gestured for the two boys to follow him, which they begrudgingly did. Youngjae shot one last glare at Daehyun before he turned away and the officer narrowed his eyes. That one has an attitude...unlike his friend. he acknowledged. He could see Jongup wasn’t wholeheartedly into what he was doing. Peer pressure? Daehyun had seen plenty of that when he was their age, in college, but with both of their extensive histories of misdemeanors he wondered why Jongup continued to stick around Youngjae even though he clearly disliked the trouble. If they caused any more problems maybe then it would be looked into.

Brushing his fingers through his hair Daehyun decided it was time to actually do that desk work. He booted up his computer to see what was in store for him today. Unfortunately, it seemed like a lot. He groaned.

Not even an hour later Daehyun found himself unable to focus. The ring felt heavy in his pocket and thoughts of Youngjae nagged at him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that what he saw in his dream wasn’t actually a dream, but what else could it be? He scoffed, idly scrolling through the text on the screen, not really reading it. “I must be losing it.” He shook his head. It didn’t take him long to eventually grab the band and roll it between his fingers, silently mulling over everything that he knew thus far.

Youngjae had been dead in his dream. Daehyun checked his pulse, he was definitely dead then. This ring had been conducting electricity of some sort, but it wasn’t now. Curiously, he brought it closer to his computer screen to see if there was a reaction, but it didn’t hum like it did last night. No sparks, glowing, nothing. It didn’t hurt to hold. Did somebody accidentally put it in his pocket? He couldn’t see how, being that he always had his jacket on his person if he did bring it to work.

“Is that a ring?” Daehyun looked up to see Officer Choi staring incredulously at the delicate metal, mouth agape. He leaned in, “Are you proposing to someone?”

“What? No—”

“Is it Jieun?”

“Excuse me?” Daehyun sputtered, a little too loudly. He cleared his throat and pulled Junhong closer by his tie. “I found it in my pocket and I am not proposing to anyone…and I didn’t get dumped, either.” he added for good measure.

“I’d figure since you’re single. You sure it’s not Jieun?” the young officer smiled and Daehyun frowned.

“You said it yourself; I’m single. Wouldn’t I have to date Jieun first?”

“So you’re considering it?”

“Please, Junhong.” He jerked his chin at one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Not busy? Good, sit down.”

“Alright, alright.” Junhong sat in the chair and propped one long leg up over the other. “So what is the ring for, then?”

“I was wondering if you could tell me that. You know who this belongs to?”

“It’s not yours?” Daehyun shook his head. “Ok, let me see it.” he offered his palm and Daehyun set the band there. He turned it over a couple times, curious expression shifting to a more serious one. “Hm.” He held it out in front of him at an arm’s breadth. “Hard to say, really.”

“Why?”

“Well I swear I’ve seen this before but...where I saw it doesn’t help your situation like, at all.”

Daehyun’s interest was piqued. “Ok, try me.”

“Nah. It’s probably not the same one.”

“Where did you see it, Choi?” Daehyun said sternly and Junhong looked at him, taken aback.

“In a dream. But that wouldn’t help you out, would it?” Daehyun’s eyes widened and then his brow creased. “...actually, it seems like that does have some significance, doesn’t it?”

“We’re about to find out; what was your dream about? Do you remember the details?”

“Clear as day, actually. Weird dream.” Junhong leaned back. “Us two were called to a small side-street in Gangnam — big enough to have shops and stuff but not like the main streets, you know? — and it was pouring rain like crazy.” He glanced at the officer across from him who nodded, telling him to continue. “Well you pulled up and we got out of the car and a poor kid was dead in the middle of the street. Looked like head trauma, lots of blood.”

“Was Detective Kim on his way?”

“He was, but he was late.” Junhong quirked his head, realization hitting him. “Wait, how’d you know that?”

“I believe I had the same dream.” Daehyun admitted, turning to his computer and putting in the access code to view criminal files. When he found what he was looking for, he turned the screen towards Junhong. “Is this the boy that was dead?”

The young officer moved his chair closer, peering at the screen. Then his eyes widened too. “Yes. That’s him. Yoo Youngjae?”

“Yes. One of the boys you gave me the files for earlier.”

“You’re kidding.” He leaned back again, rubbing his face. “That can’t be right.”

“Believe me, I’ve been thinking the exact same thing the whole morning.” Daehyun turned the computer back and signed out. “I thought I had seen him in the station before, and maybe that’s why I dreamt about him, but then that thing—” he pointed to the ring still in Junhong’s hand, “—appeared in my pocket, and I thought I was going crazy. And now you say you’ve also seen it, had the same dream, and recognize the kid.”

The two officers stayed quiet. Suddenly static from Junhong’s communicator at his hip sounded, making both men jump. Junhong answered it and stood.

“Ok, on my way.” He placed the small black machine back on his belt. “Gotta be somewhere.”

“Understood.” Daehyun nodded and Junhong put the chair back in its place, returning the ring to Daehyun. He hesitated before walking away.

“...Hey, hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Are we both crazy?” He looked genuinely concerned. Daehyun would’ve laughed at his expression if he didn’t feel the same way.

“I don’t know, to be completely honest with you.” He shifted in his seat. “Let’s meet up after our shift, sound good?”

“Sure.” Junhong checked his watch. “In a couple hours then. Usual place?”

“Usual place.”

“Alright. See you then.”

“See you.” Daehyun waved and Officer Choi returned the gesture before taking off to wherever he was needed, leaving the man alone at his desk where he half-heartedly turned back to his work, hoping to get at least some of it done.

Afternoon sun shone through the window of the coffee shop, a kind gesture from the otherwise brittle and cold weather outside. Daehyun sat in a booth while Junhong ordered their drinks, notebook on the table in front of him and pen in hand. He scribbled down on the page what information they shared in common:

            Pouring rain, side-street in Gangnam

            Young man identified as Yoo Youngjae dead in the street

            Youngjae had a ring that conducted electricity (??)

That was it so far. The young officer tapped his pen on the paper, thinking. Trying to connect their shared dream to their current reality. He didn’t feel as anxious as he did at the station. Daehyun figured the gentle smell of coffee brews was responsible for that. He was right to suggest they both come here to think; they wouldn’t get anywhere worried they were descending into insanity.

Footsteps approached and then Daehyun’s companion set down a cardboard holder with both their cups in it.

Junhong sat on his side of the booth. “How’s it going?” he asked, removing his cup and popping open the little tab on the lid.

“I wrote down what we both know so far.” Daehyun spoke, staring at his notes. “Now we need to try and draw some conclusions.” He too grabbed his cup. “What conclusions, I have no clue.”

“That’s the tricky part. How are we supposed to use a dream as our base for this?”

“Is it just a dream at this point? We both experienced the exact same scenario: Youngjae was dead, now he’s not, and neither of us can really recall meeting him prior to this, plus this—” he put the ring on the table, “—exists. And again, neither of us knew this existed prior.”

“It’s all strange. If we were in any other profession I don’t think I would care as much, to be honest.” Junhong attempted to sip his coffee but it was still scalding. “Why do they serve coffee undrinkable?”

Daehyun snorted. “Your baby tongue just can’t handle it yet.”

“If I’m a baby, you’re still a toddler.” He swirled his cup. “I thought you were older when I was first assigned to you, you know.”

“How old?”

“Like...35, maybe? I would’ve thought older if you didn’t look so young. You’re always so stern.”

“People tell me I’m an old soul.” Daehyun brought his cup to his lips, enjoying the sweet but bitter taste of the drink. “Must’ve got that from my parents, I guess.”

“I guess.” Junhong tried again to take a sip, successfully drinking but Daehyun suspected it still burned a little by how he his lips. “But I can’t believe we’re only three years apart.”

“Come on. It’s not really that hard to believe when you think about it. Unlike this.” he circled his notes.

“That, I can agree to.” Junhong turned Daehyun’s notebook slightly so he could read what was there. He took a deep breath. “So. Where should we start?”

Daehyun shook his head, resting his chin on his hand and looking out the window. People in warm coats walked briskly by, boots leaving prints in the little bit of snow that remained on the ground. His eyes trailed to the center of the street. “I think we should look into Yoo Youngjae.”

“Do we have the authority?”

“...Not technically. But we have his address.” Daehyun procured a folded piece of paper from inside his jacket and handed it to Junhong who opened it to see Youngjae’s file.

He scoured the page and frowned. “We can’t exactly just go snooping around there, though. Not without good reason.”

“Yeah, that’s where I get stuck.” He leaned back, taking another sip from his coffee. “The only way we’d be able to do that is if Youngjae or the other kid, Jongup, do something worthy of police intervention, and I already warned them that next time there’d be consequences. Hell if they’ll listen to me, though.”

“In this case I hope they dont.” Junhong laughed dryly. “You know who would have the authority?”

“A detective, obviously.”

“Right. And guess what?” The tall officer grabbed the pen from Daehyun’s hand and faced the notebook towards himself, scribbling something down below the existing text. He shoved the paper back at Daehyun, a triumphant grin decorating his lips. “Detective Kim was there too.”

            Kim pulls up near the end and walks towards Daehyun and the body.

Daehyun nodded slowly. “How’d I forget about that.” They both paused, then “You think he also dreamt the same dream?”

“It’s likely, since he was also there. Also, for the record, let’s stop calling it a dream.”

“I’ll stop calling it a dream when we confirm it wasn’t. If Kim is also in on it, then I’ll accept that it’s real somehow.”

Junhong sighed. “You have no creativity, hyung.” He took a long drink from his coffee, the beverage having since cooled down. “Now we just have to meet with the guy.”

“I’ll see if I can arrange something.” Daehyun murmured, jotting that down under Junhong’s scrawl. “And then we’ll go from there.”

“Sounds good.”

The two sat and chatted about work for the rest of the time, the afternoon sun falling lower and lower into the sky, turning the snow on the sidewalks a soft orange. When they had both finished their cups Daehyun moved to trash them as Junhong donned his jacket. They bid the barista goodbye, and the door jingled as they pushed their way back out into the cold. Junhong lived the opposite direction as Daehyun so the two cops bid each other goodbye as well. Daehyun crunched through the thin white below his feet as he walked back to his apartment, the din of the streets matching that of his mind.