Su Ryeon gazes at the painting, a depiction of two lovers bathing in a river. Today marks the premiere of the exhibition at the Musee d'Orsay, where they’ll unveil the Lady of the Sea, crown jewel of the collection. The playful , the tense lighting, and the thoughtful shapes captivate her attention. Beautiful as it may be, it’s not why she’s here. 

As if summoned, her reason appears next to her. She doesn't take her eyes off the painting. 

"Logan Lee", she says. 

"Detective Shim, we meet at last."

She turns around and is met with a beautiful set of eyes, and cheekbones whose lines artists have carved in white marble in classical statues. The problem is, she knows these godly features and the man who sports them. She'd been waiting for this moment for months. 

“When the news said a beautiful woman is scouring the earth to find me, I was intrigued. Now that I see you”, he pauses, raking his eyes through her form, “I wish I’d come sooner”. 

As if he hadn’t dug up everything about her and the investigation. 

"I know what you do." She takes a step to him, the click of her embellished sandals intimidating to many. Not to Logan, apparently, who smirks.  

"Then why am I not behind bars?” He swivels, sending the monogrammed scarf flying. “Oh, right. You have no proof. That's why you came here. To catch me in the act, right?" he says the last part conspiratorially, as if they’re in it together. 

"I came to warn you". 

Logan looks intrigued. 

"Turn yourself in now, and we can cut a deal. If not,” her eyes harden, “I'll hunt you to the end of the world". 

He takes a step towards her and whispers. 

"Promise?"

She rolls her eyes at his obvious advances, she has a job to do. 

"The moment the money is used for something illegal, say we find it in the hands of a gang, you'll be going to prison for life."

"Prison is not for me". His billions have protected him so far, but that’s more reason for him to pay. 

"Right now you're stealing art and selling it to the highest bidder. But Logan, the minute that money goes to the wrong hands, it stops being simple theft, you'll be charged as a criminal."

Logan smirks as if this is all inconsequential. There’s an ease to his movements, while her jaw is tense. She hates how fun this is for him, while she’s been plotting to capture him for months. 

"You know, prosecutor Shim, it's not every day that I attend a gallery opening, only to be accosted by a beautiful woman who thinks I'm some kind of thief". 

"Drop the act. I've been tracing your steps. Prado, British Museum, Musée de Marseille, wherever you go, artwork is being stolen." But he doesn’t leave a trail. 

"I go everywhere, it's my job". Being a famous curator with no real need for money, he travels to museums every day. The perfect cover for his crimes, Su Ryeon is convinced. But he seems undeterred, his smile only widening as they banter. "To that end, I'm flying to Belleza Gallery in Venice next week. Why don't you come and see for yourself?" Her eyes widen. This man, looking at her with more interest than the painting and a hint of mischief. His expression opens, as he brings memories to life. "The whole city is a living breathing museum, full of color and architecture. We'll go to galleries, slide through the canals on a gondola, watch the sun dipping in the water, painting the statues rose and peach with a glass of champagne".  

That sounds dreamy. In another life. 

"Are you bribing an officer of the law?" 

"No, I’m flirting with one". 

"You don't know me, but I don't fraternize with criminals". 

"What will you do if I'm not a criminal?"

"You're stealing and selling art illegally, there's no doubt you are".

"I steal hearts too. Keep that in mind." He nods to a portrait of a woman in red. "However, what if I'm not the big bad guy you think I am? You've staked your career on catching me". 

So he's done his research about her as she did for him. It's true, Su Ryeon went against her superior Kang Ma Ri and demanded to pursue him. Everyone in her work thought she'd lost her mind when she put his picture on top of the suspect board. A guy so rich he could buy an island to live every day, why would he steal such recognisable paintings? Su Ryeon is sure he has a motive. He better, with her betting her promotion to sergeant on it. 

"What if putting me behind bars isn't the happy ending you hope?" he challenges. 

"Do you have doubts that I could catch you?"

He considers her. 

"No. You put your ex-husband in prison, only a fool would underestimate you." He says in admiration. "I'm saying, maybe the money isn't funneling drug syndicates, as you so eloquently put it, but I have more noble intentions."

"Which are?"

He raises an eyebrow. "If you want the answer, it's not free". 

"I'm not paying you anything. You have enough money to go to the moon". And stay there. 

"You could pay me with the truth". 

A group of people approach to see the painting they’re currently blocking from view, and Logan offers her his hand for a stroll. Like a modern day Mr Darcy, if Austen’s hero was stealing a lot more than impressions. They walk across the room, bathed in light and history. 

He finally speaks. “I want to know why you are chasing me. Even if you think I’m a thief, aren't there more serious crimes in the world than stealing paintings?”

She pauses, dropping her hand from his elbow. “Is this all you think you're doing?”

“I'm not doing anything. I need to understand why you're trying to drag my name through the mud for a crime that bears no meaning to the world. The role of the police is to serve and protect. Why are you wasting your time and considerable skills on this?”

“This?” She gestures at the paintings, affronted. “This is what makes life worth living”. He looks startled. “Art theft isn't trivial, or frivolous, or vain. I don't care how many millions these paintings are worth.” Around them, people have unspoken conversations with the artwork. it speaks to everyone in a different language, leaving marks in their life. “When I was in the midst of divorce, everyone blamed me. I was muted, acted like a robot, I was feeling nothing but fury. I picked up the brush for the first time in years and drew a way out. I painted the future, and it gave me strength to live it”. She points at the painting he's been stealing glances from. “How does this make you feel?” 

He examines it, then her. 

“Raw. With a longing that no wealth can satisfy”. 

She nods. “Art is priceless, it threads through our life and gives it meaning, it's the visual representation of emotions, of indescribable states. In every brush, the artist puts a piece of their soul for us to touch and respond to. This is what you're stealing, and it's worth more than anything, it's a crime against the very essence of life”. 

She pants as if she’s been running, the truth he asked for spilling from her insides. she composes herself, fearing her outburst was way unprofessional. She should have used something generic like in her interview for the force, “a crime is a crime and it’s our job to stop it”. But Mr Lee -Logan- sizes her words.

“You get it. I didn’t think anyone would”. 

Something she doesn’t dare to name passes between them. 

He leads her to a less crowded part of the gallery, unperturbed by the guards’ glares. 

“My first serious girlfriend loved dates in galleries. She knew which collection featured which artists, right down to the price. She was pointing out her favorite pieces. No one in my family views art as anything more than investment. I thought I found a person who shared my passion for it. So for her birthday, I locked myself in for a week and painted her portrait, in the nouvelle vague style she liked.”

“Very romantic”. She could picture him as a lovesick teen, the boyish charm and wealth, the world his oyster. 

“I thought so too. She didn’t. She got mad because what she’d been so subtly hinting at is for me to buy her a famous painting”. 

“She wanted you for the money, not the art”. 

He nods. 

“Poor you”, sarcasm is dripping from her tone. They notice her choice of words and grin. 

“I’m sure this sympathetic backstory will win you the public opinion”, she pauses. “in your trial”. 

He stops her, unlocking her arm from his. He doesn’t let go, bringing her so close she can see the small flowers dotting his tie, an artistic detail in his otherwise clean cut suit.  

“Will it also win me a dance?”

He gestures to the large room where the reception is held. A quartet of strings is filling the air with symphonies. It's dreamy. Surrounded by art and music, she could stay there forever, swaying to the beat. 

“You promised me a clue”. 

He inches closer, moving her hair behind her ear. His thumb brushes the gold earring. 

“I just gave it to you”. 

He offers her his arm and she begrudgingly follows him to the dancefloor. Logan makes a hand sign and the violins start playing a slow melody for waltz. 

She pauses and squeezes his hand.

"What did you mean when you said the money didn't go where I thought it did?"

"Let's not talk about work anymore". 

"What else is there between us?"

He is taking her in with his eyes, until they settle on hers. She feels the heat of his stare but doesn't break contact. 

"Art", he whispers, but he's not looking at the paintings surrounding them. He's looking at her. “Beauty”. 

"Is that your plan? To charm me so that I stop going after you?"

He pulls her waist until their faces are millimeters away. 

"It's to ensure that you will". 

Unbelievable, she thinks.

She doesn't have time to answer, as he twirls her around and catches her by the waist, that feels exposed without her gun. 

"Why did you put your ex husband in jail?"

"I'm positive you know why. It was plastered all over the newspapers." Three years ago, she had to see the dissolution of her marriage on the front page, right next to Dan Tae in handcuffs. And the uncertainty of her future career. 

Logan's voice softens. 

"I know what the press reported. He bribed and laundered money to construct his dream real estate area -Zeus village or something equally stupid- and he had bought almost a dozen politicians before you stopped him."

"Correct". 

"That doesn't explain why you put the man who you shared a life with for a decade in jail." He searches her eyes. "It's more than that. He must have done something so personal to you, you'd risk your family and career to see him rot in prison.” They have stopped moving, only swaying holding each other. “What did that bastard do to you?"

Su Ryeon fists the hand that is on his neck. She feels the hand on her waist tracing calming circles on her skin. He's asking her to open up and for a moment she considers it. It's been so many years since anyone cared about her psyche, whether she's happy or not. No one dug deeper than her carefully crafted exterior. She channeled her anger for Dan Tae in her work and painting, she buried her just rage inside. Now Logan, the man who's surely planning a heist at this very moment, is asking to know her true story.

"He used me."

Logan's lips get pursed and his fingers tighten on her hand. When she doesn't elaborate, he speaks.

"Then he got what he deserved."

She brings her hand to his neck, tracing his cheek, surprising him. All this is nice, dancing and chatting, but she has a job to do.

"You will too", she promises softly. 

"Can't wait, darling". 

The lights dim down, starting the presentation of the painting. He brings her closer to him. 

She feels his warm breath on her ear. 

"It's been an honor, Su Ryeon ssi. That's my cue to leave". 

She grabs his hand. 

"Don't worry. We'll see each other very soon." He kisses her hand and disappears in the crowd.

The people gather in front of the lit wall, waiting with baited breath. With a flourish, the curator unties the knot and the curtains drop. 

The painting is missing.