01.04 P.M.

 

 

After ringing the doorbell a few times, Hyukjae who had slightly damp hair opened the door and welcomed them in with a confused look.

 

"Kyuhyun? What are you doing here?"

"Sorry, can I borrow your kitchen?"

"Eh? Sure?"

"Thank you so much, Lee Hyukjae-ssi! You let us in even though you're in the middle of getting dressed after a shower and even let us use the kitchen. Kyuhyun-ah, you've got a great friend!"

 

Kyuhyun frowned at the sudden change in the way Jongwoon called him, though he made no comment on it. Even Hyukjae also frowned and looked between them curiously, but he, too, didn't comment on them. The house owner stayed in the living room with Jongwoon while Kyuhyun was making ramyeon for the spoiled big kid and himself. Not even five minutes had passed when Jongwoon got bored and snooped around shamelessly, and Kyuhyun swore to punish this naughty guy later. He had been to his friend's house before. He knew that the shelf Jongwoon was checking on was the one with photos of the four of them.

 

"Hey, this guy on the right is Officer Lee Donghae, right? You four look like great friends!"

"Jongwoon!"

"No, it's alright," Hyukjae smiled weakly at Kyuhyun, "yes, we're great friends. Hae-ah and I are childhood friends. We met Kyuhyun during our training at the police academy and became close friends. Then, Ryeowook joined our group later two years after we worked here. The three of us were assigned to the same station but only Kyuhyun got promoted to the inspector rank, well, not surprising considering he's a genius."

"Kyuhyun-ah is not photogenic though. You're really bad that Donghae-ssi looks at you and laughs!"

 

Jongwoon giggled and picked up the photo to show it to the two men. In the photo, Kyuhyun looked straight at the camera and posed so awkwardly. Donghae stared at Kyuhyun with a genuine smile in his eyes while laughing. Then, Hyukjae stared at Donghae and smiled happily. Kyuhyun looked at the photo while fondly remembering when it was taken— a party to celebrate his promotion as the youngest inspector. He still remembered that Donghae was even happier than him…

 

"It can't be helped. I don't like taking photos."

"Is that so? No wonder there are mostly pictures of Hyukjae-ssi and Donghae-ssi. Hey, Kyuhyun-ah, if you want to date me then you need to change that! One of my nicknames is selca king so you have to get better at this!"

"Who said I want to date you?"

"I did!"

 

Jongwoon winked at him and Kyuhyun could only shake his head at the shorter man's nerve. Still, he didn't attempt to correct Jongwoon's words but called the man to taste the ramyeon. Then, he snorted fondly at the black-haired man who came to stand beside him and opened his mouth with a quiet 'ah!' He sighed but fed the shorter man a spoon of ramyeon soup anyway.

 

"How is the taste?"

"Um! Amazing! I know it, you're a great cook!"

Hyukjae spoke up from the living room, "you two look like a cute couple."

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes, "who is a couple with who?"

Surprisingly, Jongwoon actually agreed with him, "yep, Kyuhyun-ah and I don't make a good couple. If it's Hyukjae-ssi then it's another story. Actually, you're my type, Hyukjae-ssi."

 

For some reason, that silly sentence made him feel really upset that he let it show on his face. Unfortunately, Jongwoon immediately noticed it.

 

"Aww," Jongwoon beamed, "are you perhaps jealous? Beware of jealousy, Kyuhyun-ah, this green-eyed monster makes fun of the victims it devours!"

"Stop spouting nonsense or else I'll dump this bowl of ramyeon in the sink."

 

Jongwoon chuckled heartily but obediently stopped teasing him, and Kyuhyun hated how those beautiful dark orbs shone in mirth staring at him.

 

******************************************

 

02.22 P.M.

 

 

After two detours and countless Jongwoon's complaints, they finally arrived at the crime scene. At first, Hyukjae wanted to tag along but Kyuhyun stopped him. Albeit reluctantly, his friend agreed to stay at home and rested. Kyuhyun and Jongwoon went to the abandoned house and headed to the dusty kitchen where they first met. However…

 

"Oh my god," Jongwoon exclaimed, "it seems like we're not the only people who want the bullet!"

 

The kitchen was in a mess. Every cupboard was opened. All appliances were moved out of their original position, some even lying on the floor. Even the old dining table set was overturned and scattered about the room. It was obvious that someone came here before them to look for the bullet. The urgency of the situation caught up with him and Kyuhyun cursed himself for letting this happen while wasting his time spoiling a certain black-haired man. If they lost the sole evidence that could solve the case because of his stupid infatuation, Kyuhyun would never forgive himself. In the first place, if he didn't follow Jongwoon's whine then—

 

Something crossed his mind.

 

"Wait, Jongwoon, could it be that you intentionally slowed us down because you know that the culprit will come back here? If so, why don't you just let me arrest them?"

"Oh, you know?" Jongwoon smiled at him proudly, "you really live up to your name, Inspector Cho! Yep, As soon as I found the bullet in the morning, I know that the culprit will definitely come back. As for your second question, that's because I want the culprit to be caught red-handed so that they can't get away."

"...Why did you go back to calling me Inspector Cho?"

"That's what concerns you? Aww, you're so adorable! Alright, I'll keep calling you Kyuhyun-ah~ My handsome Kyuhyun-ah~ My one and only Kyuhyun-ah~"

"Stop teasing me and go back to the main topic! Judging from your confident look, I take it that you have the bullet with you all the time then?"

"Ding-ding! My genius Kyuhyun-ah is really so smart! Yep, that's correct! Only idiots would leave something as important as a bullet in a crime scene. Of course, I've it with me. It's in my—"

 

Jongwoon suddenly stopped talking. His expression gradually shifted from confidence to panic while his hands rummaged through his pockets. After a few more seconds, the black-haired man looked up at the inspector with a sheepish grin on his face.

 

"Apparently, I dropped it…"

"What!!? You're kidding me, right?"

"Ah!! I'm so sorry!! I probably dropped it in your car so wait here! I'll go fetch it now! Let me borrow your key for a sec."

"I'll go with y—"

"No need, no need," Jongwoon waved his hand, "after all, you have much to check with the patrols, right? Go ahead. I promise I'll quickly come back to you, Kyuhyun-ah~"

 

For some reason, there was a foreboding feeling that lingered in his chest watching that small back getting smaller.

 

 

Almost as if he might never get to hear that charming voice calling his name again.

 

 

Kyuhyun shook the ominous thoughts away and made his way out of the house. Although he did park the car quite far from the crime scene, there were many policemen patrolling around the area. So, Jongwoon should be fine. Reassuring himself, he called the nearest police officer to check the situation.

 

"Someone came here and searched around the kitchen. Did any of you see someone or something suspicious?"

The policeman looked genuinely confused, "Eh…? But we made sure that no one got inside the crime scene, Sir! Only police officers are allowed access!"

 

Kyuhyun frowned. The foreboding feeling grew bigger in his chest.

 

"Have you asked around or found any witness?"

"Yes, Sir, as per your instruction, we checked with homeless people living around the area and the main street leading here. However, no one saw anyone who could be a suspect. Some do say that they saw two officers, possibly Officer Lee Donghae and Officer Lee Hyukjae."

 

The foreboding feeling burst like a popped balloon and slowly suffocated the inspector with intense fear. The initial report, the mysterious and elusive culprit, the two officers' vastly different wounds, the bullet, the messy kitchen, the patrolling officer's words, and the homeless people's words…

 

"Should we spread out our force to look for— Sir!!?"

 

Ignoring the policeman's call, Kyuhyun spun around and dashed away. His heart tackled against his chest harshly as fear, worry, hope, exasperation, and fondness morphed into one sentence ringing non-stop in his head.

 

 

Jongwoon is in danger.

 

**************************************

 

10 minutes ago…

 

 

Jongwoon hummed softly while making his way to the inspector's car. He threw the car key in the air and caught it, repeating it until his legs took him to stop in front of a sleek black Porsche. Whistling in a good mood, he pressed the key and unlocked the back-seat door. Opening the door, he climbed into the car and looked around for the item.

 

Tap tap tap tap

 

He smirked in satisfaction hearing footsteps coming to stop behind him. He straightened himself up and turned around to greet the person whom he had been waiting to meet in private since this morning.

 

"You finally show yourself, the culprit who murdered Lee Donghae-ssi in cold blood."

 

Jongwoon smiled.

 

"Or should I call you by your name? Lee Hyukjae-ssi?"

 

The figure in a hood denim jacket, jeans, and sneakers seemed taken aback by the black-haired man's words, but soon snickered venomously. Keeping a gun pointing at the black-haired man, the mysterious figure took off the hood revealing his true identity— Lee Hyukjae. The lean policeman sneered at Jongwoon while taking a step closer.

 

"So, you're not as stupid as you appear to be, huh, Kyuhyun's new toy?"

"Sorry to disappoint you but I'm not his new toy. I'm his future boyfriend!"

"Like hell I care about it!" Hyukjae shouted while his face reddened up from anger. "Tell me where the bullet is or I'll make a hole in that big head of yours!!"

"Hey! That's rude! My head might be a little bit bigger than the standard but it's full of hope and dream and love for humanity! Don't you dare insult my—"

"Shut up… shut up… SHUT UP!!! TELL ME WHERE THE ING BULLET IS!!?"

"Ehhh? Why are you so adamant about getting your hand on the bullet? It's not like a single bullet can prove anything!"

 

Jongwoon's smiley expression suddenly disappeared and was replaced by a cold accusation.

 

"Unless it's Lee Donghae-ssi's bullet and your blood on it."

 

Hyukjae was stunned by the cold statement. He stood in silence for a long while, his hand holding the gun shaking slightly. However, the police officer soon snorted, chortled, chuckled, and finally laughed maniacally. Raising his other hand to support his grip on the gun, Hyukjae stared at the black-haired man with bloodshot crazed eyes while splitting the next sentence with bottomless hatred.

 

"You really are so noisy, snooping around in a place that you shouldn't look. Who the hell are you, Kim Jongwoon?"

 

Jongwoon's black eyes shone up at the question as he happily replied with great enthusiasm.

 

"Finally! I've been waiting for this moment forever! The moment when I get to introduce myself! I'm Kim Jongwoon, an aspiring de—"

 

 

Bang!

 

 

"—tective. Wha…?"

 

Jongwoon looked down at his torso and saw a red pool slowly spreading over the brown overcoat starting from his left chest. His shaking legs gave in and he got down on his knees. Dark orbs widened in surprise as they stared unfocused at the gunman.

 

"Y-You shot me…"

"Yes, unfortunately, I'm not an idiot who let a stupid hero rambling on about their justice instead of just getting rid of them."

 

Hyukjae said coldly as he watched the light extinguishing from the dark orbs. The black-haired man laughed bitterly at his foolishness leading to his demise before falling to the ground like a broken marionette, the dark red liquid slowly spreading out from under his frail body. Hyukjae smiled in satisfaction as he looked down on the fallen man before him.

 

"Good. It's finally quiet down. Now, I just have to find the bullet and get away from here before—"

"Throw the gun away and slowly turn around!"

"... It's noisy again."

 

Hyukjae sighed and turned around while still holding the gun. He came to face a tall brown-haired man who had his gun aimed at him.

 

Hyukjae smirked.

 

"Well, if it isn't my best friend Cho Kyuhyun!"

 

**********************************

 

02.49 P.M.

 

 

Kyuhyun aimed his gun at Hyukjae. His heart throbbed in great pain after witnessing his friend becoming a stranger. Hyukjae that he knew was a very kind person and had nothing resembling the murder before him.

 

"Hyukjae… drop your gun. This is my last warning."

"This is what I hate about you!" Hyukjae shouted, "ordering me around just because you think that you're superior to me! You're always like that, Kyuhyun, standing proudly in the spotlight surrounded by people who love and admire you!"

 

Hyukjae laughed and laughed as if he had lost his mind. His hand holding the gun waved around madly while he pulled his hair with a free hand. The man looked up at the grey winter sky and poured out his hidden hatred by shouting.

 

"No matter how hard I work, you're the one who gets all the credit! People look up to you and respect you just because you're the youngest inspector the city ever has. Despite all of that, I keep working hard because I sincerely want to protect people and this city. I hate you for stealing the spotlight but I can forgive you for that. HOWEVER!!! YOU STOLE THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS TO ME IN THIS ED UP WORLD!! YOU STOLE HAE-AH FROM ME!!!!"

"What..?" Kyuhyun was stunned, "since when did I—"

"STOP ACTING CLUELESS!! HAE-AH LOVES YOU AND YOU KNOW IT!!!"

 

Kyuhyun was extremely shocked that he almost dropped the gun. Donghae… likes him…?

 

Hyukjae uttered through a sob, "y-you steal my light from me… even though I'm the one who has been by Hae-ah's side forever, you come out of nowhere and steal him from me… even though he's my everything…"

 

The shorter officer suddenly laughed.

 

"That's why… If I can't have his heart… then no one can… And you! You steal my light so I steal yours too!! HAHAHAHA!!!"

"What…?"

 

Confused, Kyuhyun averted his eyes from the murderer, his once friend, and observed their surroundings instead. Brown orbs fell on a body lying face-first on the dirt ground and his heart broke into million pieces recognizing the familiar black hair and brown overcoat. The dark red liquid that cushioned the lying man seemed to almost blend in with the dark brown soil but contrasted to his pale skin, as white as snowflakes slowly descending from the melancholy sky.

 

"Jongwoon…?"

 

He called out to the black-haired man, his trembling voice bleeding with raw emotions, but he got no response; not even a slight jerk from those adorable short fingers. Despair devoured him alive inside out as the weight of the situation sank into the pit of his stomach— Jongwoon died because of him.

 

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!! So, how does it feel to lose the only color in your world? Hopeless? Depressed? Sorrowful?"

"..."

"Good! Now you know how I feel when you stole Hae-ah from m—"

 

 

Bang!

 

 

Hyukjae's words were cut by a bullet grazing his cheek. A thin red line formed on his skin as a droplet of blood seeped out from the fresh wound.

 

"That was a warning shot," Kyuhyun said coldly while shifting the gun to aim at the other man's head, "I won't miss the next one and you know it."

Hyukjae taunted, "what are you waiting for then? Kill me!!!"

"No, it's not my place to judge your crime but the laws."

"Ever so strict and by the book," Hyukjae snorted sarcastically, "c'mon, Kyuhyun, I kill your beloved new toy! Pull the trigger and get your revenge!"

"Jongwoon isn't just a toy for me, never will be, and I'm not a murder like you."

"I really hate that part of yours." Hyukjae chuckled darkly, "well, I happen to prefer an easy way out…"

 

The killer officer turned the barrel of his gun to himself, pressing it against his temple.

 

"So long, Kyuhyun, let not meet again."

 

The pale finger moved to the trigger and—

 

Bang! Thud!

 

"Ouch!!!"

 

Hyukjae cried out in pain when the gun was suddenly and harshly disarmed from his hold by the inspector's precise shot at his gun. While he was fighting the numbness in his wrist, Kyuhyun shortened the distance between them by a few long strides. A strong punch landed on his nose and sent him staggering backward. He was still seeing stars when the long leg connected to his torso, sending him slamming to the ground. Hyukjae coughed in pain while crawling towards his gun, but a leather shoe got in his sight and kicked it away.

 

"Lee Hyukjae, you're under arrest for the first-degree murder of Officer Lee Donghae and Kim Jongwoon, as well as attempted murder, breaking into the crime scene, and attempted to hide or destroy the evidence."

 

Kyuhyun said as he kneeled down to handcuff the culprit. Hyukjae laughed maniacally but showed no resistance. The killer officer just lay there on the ground laughing his head off until more police officers arrived. They probably came here after hearing the gunshots. Kyuhyun let another policeman take the culprit away while he rushed to Jongwoon's side. Getting dragged away by policemen, Hyukjae spoke up in joy while passing the inspector.

 

"In the end, I still won because I snuffed out your precious light!"

"Officers, took him away."

"Yes, Sir!"

 

Kyuhyun ignored the crazed laughter as his eyes only focused on the person lying on the cold ground— a person who came into his life like a whirlwind and snatched his heart away without his realization. He carefully turned the body over and gritted his teeth seeing the dark-red stain on the overcoat. He carried the dead man up and cradled the cold body in his arms with utmost care. His eyes swept over Jongwoon's pale face as he traced his thumb along the freezing lips.

 

"Didn't you say that I owe you a date? How can I take you out if you don't wake up?"

 

Kyuhyun chuckled quietly as he dragged his thumb up to the pale cheek. He caressed the chubby cheek still endearing to him despite losing its color.

 

"I won't complain ever again if you wake up. You can be all spoiled and demanding, and I'll still answer your call. If you want me to carry you around then I'll carry you around and never let you down. If you want me to cook for you then I'll make anything you like for you anytime you want. No matter how nonsense and slightly annoying your rambling is, I'll keep listening to it without interrupting you. I'm willing to do anything for you, Jongwoon. This might sound unbelievable considered that we barely know each other. Heck, a day hasn't even passed yet since our first meeting but you've done it somehow…"

 

Kyuhyun cupped the cold cheek in his palm while leaning down until their foreheads touched.

 

"You've stolen my heart in such a short time, Kim Jongwoon."

 

Kyuhyun made sure that there weren't any gaps left between their lips as he sealed the chilly lips with his warm ones. He moved against the still lips with utmost gentleness as he engraved the moment in his heart. The kiss tasted strangely salty. The blame was probably on the tears forming behind his closed eyelids that escaped the corner of his eyes and trickled down his face. He had never thought that the day he cried for a stranger would come but here he was, shedding tears for a man he barely knew while kissing his cold lips desperately.

 

"I-I'm sorry, Jongwoon, if only I realized sooner then everything wouldn't have ended like this. I'm sorry that I can't protect you…"

"...Pfft, nonsense, you're the one who saved me."

"Wait, what—"

 

If the sudden appearance of the familiar voice surprised him, then the hands that pulled him down by his nape definitely shocked him to his core. Kyuhyun completely failed to register the situation because a small tongue that snuck into his mouth and naughtily had stolen all of his rationality. His widened eyes saw his shocked reflection in the beautiful black orbs that stared back at him. The two jewels shone brightly with genuine joy and smugness as their owner pushed his tongue in deeper, tracing its tip on the unmoving muscle and rubbing it. That was when Kyuhyun got his sense back. He pulled Jongwoon closer into his embrace while deepening the kiss. His hand shifted from the chubby cheek to the slim nape and held it in place, cradling it up so that he got a better angle exploring the chatty mouth— lips brushing against lips, tongue rubbing against tongue, teeth clattering, saliva spilling, and oxygen sharing. By the time they broke the heated kiss, both men were panting heavily with a flushed face; their eyes never once strayed away from the other pair.

 

"Jongwoon…? You're alive? But…? How...? I thought Hyukjae shot you…?”

"The clues are right under your nose, Kyuhyun-ah."

"Under my nose…?"

 

For the first time after the whole ordeal, Kyuhyun stopped and took a careful look at the black-haired man; and he smelled it.

 

"This smell…"

"I know you can find the answer! My Kyuhyun-ah is really sharp~"

 

Jongwoon pecked the inspector's lips before pulling away with a light giggle. Then, he sat up straight and shoved his hand inside the overcoat. Taking his hand out, the black-haired man threw a tomato juice aside and beamed at the brown-haired man.

 

"It's just fake blood! I'm perfectly fine!"

"But the bullet— ah, my badge…"

"Ding-ding! You're really smart!" Jongwoon pecked the inspector's lips again, "that's why I said you're the one who saved me, Kyuhyun-ah."

 

Jongwoon took the ruined inspector badge out of his shirt pocket and showed it to the taller man. The metal badge bent in the middle due to the stuck bullet. Just a mere centimeter or more and the bullet might pierce the black-haired man taking his life. Kyuhyun couldn't thank heavens enough that he left his badge with Jongwoon, that the badge was magically sturdy enough to stop the bullet, and that Hyukjae aimed at the heart instead of the head. He thanked heavens that he hadn't lost Jongwoon as he hugged the eccentric man.

 

"Thank heavens you're safe… I feel like I lost half of my soul seeing you lying on the ground."

"Aww, sorry for scaring you but you should thank me, not heavens."

Kyuhyun pulled away to look at the shorter man, "that's right, you bought a tomato juice and took my badge. Did you know from the beginning that it'll end like this?"

"Yep! I mean, even kids know that the back alley is a better hiding place than this dead-end area. Plus, Lee Donghae-ssi got shot three times while Lee Hyukjae-ssi only got hit at his head. Isn't it too strange? Why did the culprit bother waiting to ambush him, only to knock him out and run away? Isn't it better to kill him too if they don't want any witnesses left?"

"That makes sense. I can't believe I overlooked it..."

 

Kyuhyun looked down in shame. He failed as an inspector and his incompetence almost costed Jongwoon's life...

 

"Kyuhyun-ah, it's not your fault, alright?"

 

Jongwoon smiled kindly and cupped the inspector's face, making him look up.

 

"You have faith in your friend so you don't suspect him, and that doesn't mean that you're bad at your job. Don't blame yourself, okay?"

"Jongwoon..." Kyuhyun smiled back, "thank you."

"That's the spirit! Anyway, that's why I knew as soon as I listened to the police radio this morning that the other officer in the story is the culprit. Well, I had my doubts, to be precise, but I was certain after finding the bullet and seeing Lee Hyukjae-ssi's reaction after I mentioned it. After that, all I had to do was nudge here and poke there until I got the desired outcome!"

"Almost getting yourself killed? Is that what you want?" Kyuhyun couldn't help but feel upset, "you're really lucky that things went your way. Most importantly, you said that you listened to the police radio? We use a specific radio wave so how come you—"

 

Jongwoon suddenly avoided the inspector's gaze and whistled innocently.

 

"Jongwoon… you didn't secretly tune into the police station, right?"

"Of course not!" Jongwoon beamed, "I just accidentally found it while searching for my favorite music station!"

 

It was as clear as day that Jongwoon lied but Kyuhyun was too tired to say anything about it.

 

"Sigh, your intervention did help us catch the culprit so I'll turn a blind eye just this once. That aside, who are you? Who really are you and why are you interested in this case?"

Jongwoon's eyes lit up, "finally!! Kyuhyun-ah, did you know that this is the moment that I've been waiting for since forever? The moment when I get to reveal myself! Ah, I'm so excited that I don't know where to start first!"

Kyuhyun supplied helpfully, "you can start with your name."

"Right!! So, nice to meet you, Kyuhyun-ah, I'm Kim Jongwoon, an aspiring de—"

"YOUNG MASTER!!!!!!"

"—tective, oh, lovely, there goes my only chance."

 

Jongwoon rolled his eyes and let himself fall into the inspector's arms.

 

"Kyuhyun-ah, I'm going to pretend to be dead. You must help me!"

"What? Why?"

"I'm dead so I can't answer you!"

 

Jongwoon closed his eyes and literally pretended to be dead. While Kyuhyun was confused, he heard loud footsteps and looked up to see a familiar light brown-haired man running full speed towards them; his face full of tears. The newcomer came to kneel down beside them and sobbed his eyes out looking at the black-haired man in the inspector's arms.

 

"Young masteeeeeeeeer!!! You can't die before this old me!!! Please wake up!!! Hyung promises that I won't force you to eat broccoli anymore!!!!"

"Uh… Did you just call Jongwoon a young master?"

"Because that brat is our young master."

 

Kyuhyun glanced up at the new voice joining them and saw the other two men in the footage slowly approaching them. The beautiful man snorted seeing Jongwoon "dying" in his arms. The other newcomer crouched down beside the sobbing man and gently pushed him out of the way. Dainty hands rested on Jongwoon's chubby cheeks and pulled it quite harshly that Jongwoon instantly shot open his eyes and sprung out of the inspector's arms.

 

"Ouch ouch ouch!! Hyung! It hurts!!"

"Good. This is for making Teukie cry and making him lose ten years of his life worrying about you!"

"Young master! You're alive!"

"Obviously, duh."

 

Although Jongwoon clicked his tongue, he smiled warmly when the crying man hugged him. He hugged the man back and giggled when another man joined them into a group hug, leaving the confused Kyuhyun with the third man.

 

"Who exactly is Jongwoon and what are you guys to him?"

"We're not young master's partners if that's what concerns you."

 

The third man smirked at the inspector who was taken off guard, before continuing the introduction with a light smile.

 

"We're young master's butlers who have been taking care of him since he was young. As for your other question, this person is young master Kim Jongwoon, the sole heir to the Kim family; this city's biggest benefactor, as well as the famous designer by the name of Yesung."

"What!!?" Kyuhyun was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out, "this weird guy is actually the mayor's mysterious son!!?"

"Correct. This weird young man may not look like it but he really is the mayor's son."

"Shindong hyung, I heard you!"

 

The third man, Shindong, smirked and pretended that he didn't hear it as he continued.

 

"As you just heard, I'm Shindong. That crying old man is Leeteuk and that evil beauty is Heechul. As the sole brain cells of this peculiar merry group, I sincerely thank you for keeping young master company and entertaining him for a day, but it's time we take him back now."

Kyuhyun frowned, "back? To where?"

Heechul chuckled, "to his world, of course, you didn't think that he'll stick around after this, right? He wanted to play a detective and he got to do it, so he didn't have any business here now."

"That's not true!"

 

Jongwoon ignored his butlers and came to stop before the inspector. His small hands cupped the brown-haired inspector's face and he said confidently: "we still have many unsorted businesses between us, right, Kyuhyun-ah?"

Kyuhyun cupped the heir's face in return, "so, we'll meet again, right?"

"Yep! And it might be sooner than you thought…"

 

Jongwoon whispered softly against the inspector's lips before giving him a farewell kiss. At first, he intended to keep it short because he didn't want to keep the inspector any longer. However, when those warm lips began to move and kneaded his own in a slight whine as if to beg him to stay, he couldn't stop himself from wanting more. Jongwoon threaded his fingers into the thick brown lock and pulled the taller man down closer. His action completely mirrored that of the inspector, caressing the soft dark hair while pulling the shorter man closer. Their simple kiss soon heated up a degree and involved more body parts— tongues, teeth, lips, and hands that traveled all over their partners' bodies. Although they heard a weird screaming in the background, both men ignored it and continued to exchange a deep kiss until they were on their last breath. Stepping away, Jongwoon's smile hid a hint of sadness as he took out a small resealable bag and handed it to the inspector.

 

"This is the bullet that I said about."

"Ah, thank you. This will be helpful for the trial."

"No need to thank me. I just do what's right. Farewell, Inspector Cho Kyuhyun, until we meet again."

"Until we meet again."

 

Kyuhyun kissed Jongwoon's forehead and sent him off with a small smile. Although he saw the butler Leeteuk glared at him, he pretended to not notice it. He kept watching until the black-haired man got inside a luxurious car, watching until the car drove out of his sight…

 

He checked his wristwatch.

 

03.34 P.M.

 

And sighed.

 

"The day is still young…"

 

Smiling one more time at the still-fresh memory of the soft lips, Kyuhyun got into his own car and drove away to the opposite direction where the luxurious car left.

 

 

He still had a mountain of reports to fill in.

 

*******************************

 

01.34 A.M.

 

 

"God! I'm finally home!"

 

Kyuhyun complained while kicking his shoes off. He took off all outer layers while he stepped into his house until he was in a short-sleeved white shirt and black boxers only. He didn't bother picking up scattering clothes and headed straight to the sofa where he dropped down in exhaustion. Catching a culprit didn't mean that his job was done. If anything, it was just the beginning of a long and boring trial— writing a report, meeting people, writing more reports, and meeting important people. This time, because the culprit and victim were both police officers so the process took even longer. He had to gather all evidence and submit it to prove Hyukjae's wrongdoings, an easy but strenuous task. The test revealed that the bullet belonged to Donghae but the blood was tied to Hyukjae. The gun that Hyukjae used during their confrontation matched the bullets found in Donghae's body. Apart from the evidence, the testimony also pointed at the ex-policeman— the police patrols admitting that he saw Hyukjae at the crime scene before the inspector arrived, and homeless people all said that they only saw two officers heading to the crime scene. Most importantly, Hyukjae admitted it himself that he lured Donghae to the deserted area and killed him (although the way he said it deliriously made Kyuhyun pity him). After he was done persecuting charges against Hyukjae, he still had another important job to take care of— comforting Ryeowook. Needless to say, finding out that one of your friends killed your other friend wasn't easy news to take on. So, he stayed with the forensic pathologist until Ryeowook had calmed down. That's why he came home so late. He was exhausted, physically and mentally, and he only wanted to sleep…

 

 

Creek…

 

 

The sound of a squeaky hinge made his body rigid in alertness. He lived alone and didn't have a pet, so where did the noise come from? Luckily, he hadn't lost his instinct as an inspector just because he was exhausted. Kyuhyun grabbed his gun and got up to investigate the noise. He tiptoed to the dark kitchen and saw the door leading to the backyard slightly ajar. Getting hit by a sense of Deja Vu, he checked the fridge and snorted seeing the lower door open. The light from the fridge cast on the intruder's black head that popped out above the fridge door, causing the inspector to chuckle. Kyuhyun left his gun on the counter and walked to the light switch before turning the light on.

 

"Ahhhhh! My precious eyes!!!"

"Stop being so dramatic and close the fridge. You're wasting electricity. Oh, don't forget to close the backyard door too."

 

Jongwoon pouted but did everything as the house owner said. Kyuhyun laughed seeing the eccentric heir still wearing a simple long-sleeved shirt and trousers, just cleaner and neater this time.

 

"I know what you're thinking. Just so you know, men who look good in a white shirt look good in everything!"

"I agree with you. It's just, for someone who is a famous designer, you really dress modestly."

"It's called minimalistic style, not modesty. Most importantly…"

 

Jongwoon stepped closer to the taller man until their chests brushed slightly. The black-haired man placed his small hands on the inspector's shirt and smirked.

 

"We don't need any clothes for tonight's activity anyway, right?"

"Jongwoon… don't tease me…"

"I'm not teasing you though," Jongwoon whispered, "I'm asking you to take responsibility."

"Responsibility? For what? I thought I only owe you one date?"

"For this."

 

Kyuhyun inhaled a sharp breath staring at the dainty hands that slowly ed the top three buttons. Then, his heart lurched and flipped after he saw a dark-red bruise on the pale skin about the size of a coin. He didn't need to ask to know how Jongwoon got it— the fail attempted murder.

 

"See! My flawless skin is now bruised and ugly. What if I got a hideous scar and no one wanted to marry me? That's why you have to take responsibility!"

 

Kyuhyun didn't say anything. He simply traced his thumb on the bruise and gently rubbed it in circles, drawing a quiet moan from the shorter man. He carried Jongwoon up and let him sit on the counter. Smiling softly, he leaned in and kissed the red spot repeatedly until he felt the erratic rhythm against his lips— Jongwoon's heartbeat.

 

Kyuhyun whispered against the bruise, "Is this enough to pay for the debt?"

"N-No, what enough? That barely covers my medical expense!"

"Oh? My apology then."

 

The inspector dragged his lips up to the collarbone and it. After leaving a mark on the pale skin (as well as earning another moan from Jongwoon), he continued to travel north and stopped at the slim neck. He bit and the soft skin until a new bruise was formed.

 

"What about this? Is this enough?"

Jongwoon replied with a flushed face, "no… Kyuhyun-ah, that's not enough, it's never enough for me…"

 

Jongwoon pulled the inspector up to look into his unwavering dark brown eyes.

 

"I want you more…"

 

No words were needed as both men dove into one another and exchanged a kiss full of hunger. Kyuhyun carried the black-haired man up by his waist while Jongwoon hooked his legs around the inspector. Although Kyuhyun's focus was fully on the luscious lips and eager tongue, his legs still successfully took them to the bedroom on the second floor. Kicking the door open, the inspector headed straight to the bed and laid the black-haired man down.

 

"That reminds me, you have yet to properly introduce yourself. Wanna do it now?"

 

Kyuhyun asked as he worked on Jongwoon's clothes, but he got a pout instead of the answer.

 

"Not now, Kyuhyun-ah, I'd rather not waste my breath with a pointless chat knowing that you'll steal it soon."

"If you say so."

 

Kyuhyun chuckled lightly and proceeded to do as Jongwoon expected, stealing his breath until Jongwoon's gasp and moan filled the room all night.

 

***************************************

 

4 months later…

 

 

"I'm home."

"Welcome back, Kyuhyun-ah!"

 

Kyuhyun smiled while pulling his boyfriend into his arms and kissed him, before carrying him up and heading inside the house. Jongwoon was grinning all the time until they settled down on a sofa together in the living room.

 

"How was your day? Did the case go smoothly? Need my help?"

"I already caught the culprit so no."

"Boo! You solve the case without my help again! I love your genius brain, it's really y, but sometimes I wish you're a bit stupider!"

 

Although his boyfriend was whining, Jongwoon was too cute that Kyuhyun couldn't take him seriously.

 

"What did you do today? Finding a lost dog?"

"A cat, actually," Jongwoon huffed, "I mean, I'm happy that I helped a kid reunite with his cat but my brain is rotting away with all these boring jobs!!"

 

Again, Kyuhyun couldn't help but laugh at his sulking boyfriend. The next day after their fateful encounter, he found out that Jongwoon ran away from the three butlers who came knocking on his bedroom door (and one of them, Leeteuk, fainted after seeing his young master in bed and covered in bite marks). The mayor sent them to take his son home but Jongwoon adamantly refused. He didn't know what happened but after Jongwoon came back from "the meeting" with his father, he brought his luggage with him and asked to stay here with him. Kyuhyun, obviously, happily agreed to it and they started living together. Although it was a bit difficult at first because his boyfriend literally couldn't do anything without his butlers, Jongwoon worked hard learning to stand on his own feet. They settled down to a simple but precious couple's life. Then, one month after moving in to live with him, Jongwoon told him the reason why he was at that abandoned house on that day...

 

 

"You want to be a detective?"

"Yep! It has always been my dream solving cases like those cool detectives I saw in the movies!"

"So, you want to open a detective agency here?"

"Only if you're okay with it, Kyuhyun-ah, it's your house, after all."

"I'm okay with it, of course."

 

Kyuhyun kissed Jongwoon.

 

"This is our house."

 

 

Ever since then, Jongwoon had been running a private detective agency with his house as the base. However…

 

"All I ever do is find lost items or lost pets because my handsome boyfriend is too good at his job! Ah, miserable me! To have a genius brain that sees through all clues and deception but also have an amazing boyfriend at the same time so I never get to shine!!!"

"Are you praising me or insulting me?"

"Both."

 

Kyuhyun laughed and kissed his adorable boyfriend's chubby cheek, but the smaller man still sulked. So, he came up with a plan to cheer up his lover.

 

"Actually… I have an unsolved case that might need your help…"

 

Jongwoon instantly perked up.

 

"Really!!? What is that case?"

"You see, I've been practicing shooting every day. Although my posture may vary, I'm pretty sure that I always hit the same spot but the result is somehow different every time. Plus, all the bullets just disappeared and I never got them back. Can you help me solve this mystery?"

 

At first, Jongwoon was deep in thought trying to solve the case. However, the black-haired man soon blushed heavily and snapped his head up to look at his boyfriend.

 

"So?" Kyuhyun smirked while caressing up and down along the spine of his boyfriend, "can you solve it?"

"Yes, I can," Jongwoon gulped, "I even know where this mysterious case takes place."

"Oh? Where then?"

 

Jongwoon moved to straddle the inspector, his arms around Kyuhyun's neck and his legs around Kyuhyun's waist.

 

"Our bedroom."

 

Kyuhyun pretended to be surprised while sliding his hands under his boyfriend's shirt and felt the smooth skin.

 

"Jongwoon, can you demonstrate it? How did the bullets disappear?"

"Gladly, my dear Inspector Cho Kyuhyun, I'm willing to show it to you until you thoroughly understand it."

 

Smirking in satisfaction, Kyuhyun got up while carrying his boyfriend and headed to the bedroom with haste.

 

 

 

The couple didn't set foot out of the room again until the next day, too busy "demonstrating" the mysterious case to their hearts' content.

 

*******************************

Author's note: D&E fans forgive me xD I have nothing against them! Just that I feel them really suit the roles. I'm really happy with how this story turned out so I hope you have fun reading it too~ Also, just in case:

Jongwoon knew from the beginning that Hyukjae is the culprit. He also found out from the police report that Hyukjae went to the heart first. So, he prepared tomato juice and the badge. After that, everything that Jongwoon did was for luring Hyukjae out— mentioning the bullet, intentionally slowing Kyuhyun down to give Hyukjae time to search the house, mentioning ramyeon so that Kyuhyun took him to Hyukjae's house (he found out from Ryeowook that Hyukjae liked ramyeon), intentionally acting lovey-dovey with Kyuhyun to make Hyukjae target him instead. Everything was for the final show down for Kyuhyun to catch Hyukjae red-handed.

I really have fun writing it and I love kyusung's chemistry + characteristics here, so I'm considering a sequel! (It won't be anytime soon though cuz I got nothing yet for the sequel lol)