Sirens blared and tires screeched, tan fingers white-knuckilng the steering wheel that was yanked side to side as the police car swerved in and out of traffic. The driver took shallow, sharp breaths as he focused on maneuvering through the crowd, heart speeding just as his vehicle was. He glanced at the clock on his dashboard. 10:04 PM. It had been exactly 15 minutes since he left the station. He should’ve been there by now.

The rest of the drive a blur, Daehyun pulled up to the residence and jumped out of the car, gun in hand and his teammate on his tail as she too grabbed her own gun. He heard her yell at him to wait but he couldn’t delay any longer. Back up against the front door that he knew so well he raised the firearm and shouted a warning to the perpetrator inside.

A scream, and Daehyun’s blood boiled. He busted the door with his shoulder and pointed the gun, horrified by what he saw.

Some people claimed death could be beautiful, but to Daehyun it was always abhorrent.

Blood stained the old carpet, debris knocked here and there signalling signs of a struggle. Torn fabric littered the floor and a body lay at the origin of it all. A man’s furious roar shook him back to his harsh reality and he barely dodged the knife that swung at his face, wincing and falling to the ground as it ripped his skin just below the collarbone. A gunshot fired, and the attacker fell. But Daehyun didn’t care about him. Barely even noticed him.

He only cared about the blank stare of the woman he had been too late to save.

A gasp broke the silence in Daehyun’s bedroom as he jolted awake, heavy breathing making his chest rise and fall as his eyes darted around the room. He was in a cold sweat and the sheets that had tangled themselves between his legs stuck to his skin. The cop sat up, clutching the blankets in his fists and let out a silent sob, hunching over as he tried to bring his breathing back to normal. He flicked his bedside table lamp on, the darkness too unsettling as he rested his face in one palm and gritted his teeth, forcing himself to take deep breaths.

It had been a while since he had that dream, and each time it plagued his sleep it was as if his wound reopened. The sting of his scar didn’t hold a candle to the pain he felt in his heart.

He kicked the covers off of him and stood shakily, deciding that he would be getting no more sleep that night. It was only a few hours until his shift started anyways, so he decided to make some coffee to shake the nightmare from his thoughts. Warm mug in hand, Daehyun pushed open the double doors to his small balcony and let the cold air clear his head. He didn’t want to think about it anymore - he’d done plenty of that in the months that followed the incident - so he sipped his drink and focused on the cars that blinked by down below.

It was moments like these where he felt very alone, sitting by himself and watching the busy streets from the fifth floor, wishing he had someone to text at this hour but everyone he knew was sleeping. Junhong would be awake in a few, but he didn’t even consider bothering him with something like this. It had been a while since he had talked to his mother. He thought he should give her a call sometime. Maybe visit, too.

Gulping the last of his coffee, Daehyun stood to return back inside.

Keys jingled in his hand as Daehyun approached the station entrance, nodding at Jieun as he passed her who smiled in return. He considered asking Junhong to come with him but he was already doing something he shouldn’t; no need to get his friend involved if he could avoid it. Today Detective Kim Himchan would be investigating the neighborhood where both Youngjae and Jongup lived, and Daehyun intended to snoop around there himself.

Their second meeting was much less hostile, with Kim on the same page as the two cops and much more willing to contribute. He had mentioned that whatever information they needed he would get it. Daehyun knew being a detective had it’s benefits but he hadn’t considered just how helpful having one on their side would be for their current case. He felt weird calling it a “case” when it was just between the three of them. Chief Bang had only the bare minimum of details, and Daehyun couldn’t help the bit of guilt that pricked at him as he started the engine of the unmarked car, shifting in his seat. It’ll be worth it. He hoped it would.

The officer punched in Youngjae’s address first, the machine on his dashboard beeping when it was ready. It would take about 30 minutes with the current traffic and he wondered if he should’ve brought Junhong with him after all. At least that way he wouldn’t be alone with his thoughts as he drove. He turned the radio on instead, keeping the voices that played on low volume.

Daehyun passed block after block, the area becoming increasingly less congested and more residential. These were not apartments, but rather homes: small and quaint with humble yards. This is where you would expect a middle-class family to live. He didn’t intend on exiting his vehicle as he was still in uniform and didn’t want to attract attention - especially if Kim was in the neighborhood - so he peered at the homes from his window, shooting a glance at the GPS to get the exact address number. He slowed as he approached the residence, rolling his window down slightly and leaning to get a look.

The house was a little dingier than its neighbors, but nothing too noteworthy. A dead rosebush adorned the front walkway and there were strewn cases out front by the trash can. Daehyun recognized them as beer boxes and he made a mental note of that. Noticing that the back of the house faced an alleyway, he decided he’d head down that way as well.

Enjoying the freedom of driving slowly without looking suspicious the cop took his time scrutinizing the rear of Youngjae’s house and the houses on either side. Again, nothing really noteworthy. He frowned. They might have an alcohol problem he thought, squinted eyes scanning for anything that might pique his interest. Suddenly, the back door rattled and opened and a disheveled looking woman, probably in her late forties, stumbled out and threw a bag in one of the two cans in the alleyway. Daehyun picked up the pace slightly and got a good look at her before rolling his window back up and driving away.

Alcohol and a drunken-looking woman. He didn’t expect to see a resident, but it definitely helped give him a semblance of an idea of what went on in Youngjae’s house. Was the woman his mother? Difficult to tell, and he couldn’t make any assumptions just yet. Daehyun pulled over at a side street and jotted the two details down in his notebook, jumping when someone knocked on his window. His stomach dropped when he saw Detective Kim scowling at him through the glass.

“Really?” he heard the man say through the barrier and Daehyun sighed, unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the car.

“You got me.” the officer put his hands up in jest, trying to lighten the mood. It must have worked because all Kim did was roll his eyes.

“This is my job, Jung. You do your duties and I’ll do mine.”

Feeling a little defiant, the young cop offered “Were you able to figure out that there’s an alcoholic at home?”

“If you’re alluding to the clear as day evidence on the front porch, yes. I gleaned that much.”

“How about the state of the woman that lives there?”

Kim’s raised an eyebrow. “A woman?” Daehyun nodded, glancing around and gesturing for the man to get in the passenger seat as he opened the driver door. “You saw someone exit the home?”

The cop nodded again. “I went around to the back and she stumbled out as I was passing. That, combined with the ‘clear as day evidence’, I’d say drunk.”

“Lucky timing.” the detective grumbled, writing that down for himself. “Description?” His pen scratched along paper as Daehyun described the disheveled woman. It had just been moments ago and was easy to relay information. Kim clicked his pen when he was done and pointed in the general direction of the house. “Drive us around again; I already did a double take in my own car.”

“Alright.” Daehyun complied, starting the engine again and taking off.

The short excursion proved to be no more fruitful than Daehyun’s first trip and Kim scowled. The officer assumed he was hoping he’d also get to see something interesting. He was the detective, after all. It wouldn’t do if a beat cop did his job better than he did. “I’ll do this again tonight, and probably tomorrow.” He gave the driver a look. “Do not come without being prompted again. It will look suspicious if two cars circle a neighborhood like this multiple times a day.”

“I understand.” He knew he should feel guilty about it, but he didn’t. He had discovered a reason to look further into Yoo Youngjae’s life. Having an alcoholic in the home was just enough reason to investigate the young man with the allegations Daehyun had already brought to Chief Bang. This was good for their case.

A noisy exhale from Kim surprised him. “Even though you’re in the wrong, I am glad you showed up when you did. Your timing was perfect. Hopefully, that’s a skill of yours.”

“I hope so too, Detective Kim.”

“Hm.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and moved to exit the vehicle. “Since we’re in this together, uncharted territory and what not, let’s kill the titles and be more casual with each other, sound good?”

Daehyun almost stuttered. “Okay, let’s.” Kim Himchan grunted his approval and closed the door. He patted the metal.

“Get this car back before they wonder where you went.” He ran a hand through his dark hair and stalked off, leaving Daehyun to collect his thoughts before driving what was probably a little too quickly back to the station.

Junhong’s jaw dropped. “You saw someone exit the house? Also, you ditched your patrol?”

Daehyun shushed him, glad the locker room was mostly empty save for a few men farther down the vicinity. “I should feel bad, but I don’t. I found something out that even Himchan didn’t. He said to stop using titles.” he added when Junhong raised his eyebrows at him.

The tall cop grabbed his jacket from his locker, slipping his arms into the blue pleather and grabbing his bag. “You did get lucky, man. I’m sure he didn’t appreciate that.”

“He seemed thankful in the end, I guess.” Daehyun grabbed his own bag and shut the compartment. “He warned me not to do that again, though. That goes for you, too.”

“Ha,” Junhong laughed bluntly, “You think I could get away with the stuff you do? I don’t have the Chief and Jieun wrapped around my pinky finger.”

“Neither do I.” he kicked at his friend and the younger mumbled something about “Handsome guys get all the leeway.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, now we’ve got enough purpose to investigate thoroughly, to question. Himchan said he’ll file to arrange a visit to the Yoo’s.”

“Nice. We’re starting to pick up steam, huh?”

“For knowing so little about anything, really, this is a good start.” He tried to ignore the cheesy smile Junhong shot him when Jieun waved to them both as they left the station. They reached Daehyun’s car first. “You busy today?”

“Nah, you know me. Unless you count gaming and enjoying my Friday as busy.”

“Wanna get drinks tonight, then? I’m feeling a bit like celebrating.”

Daehyun thought Junhong nodded a bit too enthusiastically. “Hey, definitely. Any chance I get to see you drunk is a good time for me.”

“Won’t happen.” Daehyun glanced at his phone. “How about six?”

“I’m down. See you then!” He waved and left to find his car.

A couple hours later the two cops were unrecognizable as police officers, dressed casually in jeans and coats as they pushed through the door to their favorite bar. Well, Junhong’s favorite. Daehyun didn’t drink much but he accompanied the 23 year-old anyway when invited. The place was classy, dark walls adorned with a plethora of bottles that faced a long counter. They grabbed a couple stools near the end and enjoyed the feeling of meshing with society without the feeling of people’s wary eyes on them while their badges were visible. Of course, Daehyun always had his badge on him and even kept his gun on his belt, but they were tucked away under his jacket where they would hopefully stay for the evening. Junhong flagged down the bartender who took their orders, turning away to grab a bottle of soju to start them off and clinking two shot glasses down for the men.

Junhong uncapped the bottle and poured some for Daehyun and himself. “Cheers to your good luck.”

“And hopefully this all ends well.” Daehyun added, squinting as he downed the little glass of alcohol, not particularly enjoying the flavor.

The younger noticed and laughed heartily. “Man, are you ever gonna get used to that? Looks like you on a lemon.”

“It’s not that bad,” Daehyun defended himself, “I didn’t drink at all until you started dragging me here.”

“And you probably never would have if not for me.” Junhong poured himself another shot. “Aren’t I a great friend?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Daehyun narrowed his eyes at the clear liquid that filled his glass again, deciding to let the first settle before drinking any more. “I’m going to order some anju. What do you want?”

“Anything fried is good for me.” Daehyun ordered them a couple dishes and he took a small sip of his soju while they waited, glancing around at the other patrons.

It was a habit of his: to scan his environments. It came with the job. It seemed as if everybody was being civil tonight as was typical of this particular bar. Junhong had taken him to a few rowdy ones before but they’ve since stopped going because a few times they had to flash their badges and step in, and that ruined the evening. When they were off, they liked to actually be off. Their first dish arrived and Junhong broke conversation to grab a bite, clearly enjoying being out tonight. Daehyun couldn’t help but admit that he too enjoyed being out, even if at a bar. Spending time around jovial people was nice for a change after working for hours around stiff employees and criminals. He was glad he had a friend in Junhong who balanced his formal and slightly brooding nature with chattiness and bad jokes. He thought the warmth of the alcohol was starting to get to him so he finished his glass, liking the way it made him relax.

“That’s better.” Junhong smiled and poured him yet another shot, which Daehyun actually picked up and was about to down his third when a loud crash sounded behind them.

Daehyun’s face fell. Great. He shared a look with Junhong who appeared just as bummed as he was, and the two turned toward the direction of the noise, identifying a broken glass of scotch on the floor as the cause of the sound. A man’s voice raised among the din and sharp movement caught Daehyun’s eye as the owner of the voice grabbed a bartender by his shirt collar, a different one than the one that served the officers. He was shorter and young, and wasn’t able to do much about the fist buried under his chin. Not caring what the man was yelling about as he shook the bartender, Daehyun jumped up and put his hand on the drunk’s shoulder. He felt Junhong close behind.

“Is there a problem here?” he asked the angry patron who still had his hand tangled in fabric.

“This sonuva insulted my lady, yeah?” He shook the bartender again and Daehyun finally glanced at the poor man behind the counter, eyes widening as he recognized Yoo Youngjae in the bar’s uniform. The angry burning in the young man’s eyes affirmed it was definitely who Daehyun thought it was.

Without thinking the cop yanked the man’s arm off Youngjae and pushed him back, probably harder than he really needed to because the drunk lost his balance and fell, his “lady” gasping dramatically. “Bastard—” he slurred and moved to jump up again but Junhong stepped in front of Daehyun who had now completely blocked Youngjae from view.

Junhong did the thing they really didn’t want to do tonight. “Sir,” he started, reaching into his jacket and pulling out his badge, “I heavily suggest you leave before things escalate any further.” The woman looked shocked, pulling the man up to stand and hissing at him that they should just go. He didn’t look happy about the situation and tried once more to lunge forward in his debauchery. Daehyun put his hand on his hip but Junhong pushed him back, shooting him a confused glance. He turned back to the man. “We will warrant arrest if this continues. Please exit the bar, sir.”

Finally, the drunkard complied, cursing as his girlfriend tugged him away. When the altercation was for sure over, Daehyun heard his friend release a sigh. He frowned at Daehyun but returned to his seat, trying to calm the bartender who insisted their drinks were on the house tonight.

Turning around, he looked at Youngjae who was attempting to straighten his collar, shifting the black vest over it so he could flatten the fabric. He looked calm but his eyes gave away how he really felt. He looked up at Daehyun, smiling a fake grin. “Thank you for ending that quickly, officer. I’ll clean up the mess now.”

“Are you okay?” he asked with some hesitation, knowing well that the young man was not.

Youngjae scoffed and scowled. “Please. I’m used to this.” He walked away to grab a broom.

_______________________________________________

hey. starting a fanfic while in grad school and working was not the smartest idea ohohoho

apologies for the late chapter. probably won't make it to the deadline for that contest at this point but ah well, i'd rather not sacrifice the fic just to try and win something.

i doodled some daehyuns because i do that when i write but i cannot for the life of me get it to post into this chapter. i've added pics to chapters before in other fics idk why i can't do it with this one :/