“Seulbaenim, here’s the papers you asked for.”

Seulgi looked up and smiled quickly at Jungkook, an extremely multi-talented young officer whom she was looking forward to convincing to join her specialty as a detective before any of the other departments snatched him up. He, along with Minho, were the aces of their station, and all the higher ups in the different areas were eyeing them, especially in the special assignments unit. She would fight them to get some competent people working with her.

“Thanks, Jungkook. Slow day?”

He nodded. “We had a report for a petty theft, but the culprit had left by the time we got there. Thankfully, they caught him on a security camera, so we’re working on tracking him down. Should be resolved by the end of today.”

“That’s good to hear.” She flipped through the files she had requested. “This is pretty long. Are you sure I’m not reading a novel?”

The boy scratched his head. “Found some stuff on her while gathering all the material, so I thought I’d hand that over to you too.”

“Mmm,” Seulgi hummed, nodding appreciatively. “I better see your in that desk right there once you’ve picked your specialties.”

He laughed. “It’s here or special assignments, but my mom’s adamant on me not choosing the latter, so I guess it’s good news for you.”

Seulgi cracked her knuckles and winked. “I’m starting to like your mom, the more I hear about her.”

“You flatter her. Don’t let her head get too big, or she’ll start fussing over you too.”

Seulgi didn’t tell him that it would have been nice to be fussed over by a mother figure for the first time in a decade. “Well, that just means we’ll be siblings, and you’re obliged to listen to me and become a detective, in that case.”

He raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. I see your point.” He glanced at his watch. “I have to head back now for patrol, but do let me know if you need anything else. See you!”

Seulgi watched as her hoobae left her office. He was a good guy, and she knew he’d do well no matter where he ended up. Turning her attention back to the giant file that had been dropped off, Seulgi resumed flipping through it, using her pen to underline important things, most of which she knew, until she got halfway through the stack, stopping and rubbing her eyes to see if she read the words correctly.

“Miracle vitamins?”

Of all the things that Seulgi expected to see on a file checking Irene’s background, it definitely wasn’t the fact that the girl was selling miracle vitamins. It sounded like a scam if she’d ever heard of one.

She dialled someone, tapping her foot as she waited for him to pick up.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Key,” she greeted, grateful that her colleague wasn’t busy. “I’ve got a small favour to ask.”

“Dude, you ask for small favours every single week.”

“Yes,” Seulgi pleaded, “but you’re the most competent private investigator that I know in this area.”

“, in this area?!”

“Fine!” she acquiesced. “The bestest private investigator in all of Korea.”

“That’s more like it,” he huffed from the other side of the line. “What do you need me to do?”

Seulgi glanced down at Joohyun’s background check. The entire last half was related to her current company of employment. “Can you look into a company for me, please? It seems to be a pyramid scheme, but I don’t have much time to look too deeply into it on my own, with all the cases and whatnot.”

“Yeah, email me the name and all that, and I’ll get back to you soon.” Straight and to the point. That’s what Seulgi loved about Key.

“Awesome, you’re the best. I’ll email it to you now. Bye.”

She hung up and shook her mouse, typing in her computer password to access her email. She switched over to her personal account and sent Key the information she had from the papers. It didn’t even take him three hours to get back to her, sending her an email with an attachment so large that it had to be zipped.

“Jesus Christ, that’s huge.”

Seulgi quickly ped the file, copying it into her personal USB in case she wanted to look at it at home, and skimmed the documents Key had provided. Of course the company would list itself under multi-level marketing. She snorted at the very plain evidence.

There were also pictures of recruitment taking place and copies of fake annual reports. How no one had caught out the company yet was beyond her, but she pushed that thought aside and she scoured for the names of the employees.

Aha. Bae Irene.

Seulgi phoned the appropriate department and let them know what she had found, telling them that there was evidence of recruitment taking place. She also let them know of her involvement through a witness for her case who was recruited by the company. They told her that they would take a look at it and work collaboratively with her as needed.

Next step was to call up Irene. Seulgi wondered if she had the jurisdiction to call her in for selling miracle vitamins, or if she had to stick to case matters for now. Well, she was their only detective. They couldn’t possibly fire her for calling in the witness for a related crime anyway.

---

“Ms. Bae. Please take a seat.”

Irene looked cautiously at Seulgi as the latter motioned at the chair, expressionless. Seulgi was the only one in the office, despite all the police officers who had been chatting outside when Irene entered the station. Seulgi knew that the lack of working detectives oftentimes served to intimidate the people called in, because it was just her and her piercing eyes prompting answers from the person in question in a completely silent atmosphere. Who knew she’d gain so much leverage in exchange for being overworked.

“You’re probably wondering why you’re here.”

Irene nodded. “Did you get a lead on the case?”

“Actually, no.” Seulgi crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat. “I’m questioning you as a participant in an illegal pyramid scheme.”

Irene paled. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Ah, so you aren’t denying it?”

“You!” Irene stood up, pointing a shaking finger at Seulgi. “I’m leaving.”

Seulgi shot up and grabbed Irene’s arm, pushing aside the shock that rushed over her as their skin made contact. Irene felt herself being yanked back down into the seat.

“You don’t have any proof and you never told me you were working on a pyramid scheme case. Isn’t this illegal?”

Seulgi was sure that there were some not-legal shortcuts she was taking, but Irene didn’t know the law like she did, which the detective used to her advantage. She picked up the files from Key that she had printed earlier, tossing them in Irene’s direction.

“Those are photo evidence of recruitment processes going on. I’ve confirmed their identities.” Seulgi pointed at the list of names. “All of the pictured individuals are listed under the company’s employee masterlist there, and your name is no exception.”

“Look!” Irene dropped the papers onto the table. “I don’t know about these people, but I’ve never recruited—”

Seulgi let out a bark of laughter. “Never recruited anyone?