The stark smell of bleach was overwhelming. Jihyo scrunched her eyes at the bright light that was sipping through his closed eyelids. She felt powerless and heavy as she could not move her hand, her head and also her body.

             She slowly started blinking, desperately trying to open her eyes and see what’s around her. As blinding light slowly subsided, she could take a look around her surroundings, she was at the hospital.

             The room was pristine clean with a beige wallpaper stuck on it. Typical hospital bed, IV and monitors beeping. The room look like nothing, like a room where a patient should be motivated to get better. It even made her more nauseous.

             She looked around with her blurry image of her eyes and noticed that her team members were there. Along with the CID’s team. 

           “Kwangsoo….”, Jihyo uttered with her hoarse voice.

             “Noona?”, Kwangsoo who heard Jihyo’s voice calling him, quickly approached her at the bed. “Noona, gwechana? An appeo?”, Kwangsoo asked in worry as he took his seat on the chair beside the bed.

             “Jihyo.”, Jaesuk called her too.

             “Unnie.”, Somin went to approach Jihyo with her teary eyes.

             “What happened to Im Juhwan?”, Jihyo asked as soon as she opened her eyes.

             “That’s the first thing you asked as soon as you woke up?”, Jongkook asked in disbelief while watching Jihyo straight in the eyes.

             “Mwo?”, Jihyo started to furious too as she fixed her position to sit up.

             “Don’t get up, Mongji.”, Gary warned her.

             “Ani, gwenchana.”, Jihyo refused. As well, stubborn Jihyo.

             “Where is Im Juhwan? Did you guys manage to arrest him?”, Jihyo asked again as no one answer her question earlier.

             “Jongkook hyung arrested him earlier. He was at the station, in the interrogated room.”, Haha answered.

             “Keurae? I should interrogate him. Keu saekki.”, Jihyo said as she tried to get up from her bed and pulled on the IV line from her hand. “Ahhhh….”, Jihyo groaned as she felt the pain from her stomach.

             “Noona micheosseo?”, Kwangsoo asked in furious. “How are you going to interrogate him if you were like this. Keunyang stay in the bed, andwae? What are you thinking of going alone again? I can’t take this anymore, noona!”, Kwangsoo said in anger.

             “Na gwenchana. Don’t you see that I’m alive right now?”, Jihyo talked back as she touched her stomach.

             “You are not going anywhere. Just stay here in the bed until you discharge and well.”, Jongkook said in enrage too while pointing at Jihyo.

             “And who are you to say that to me?”, Jihyo frowned while looking at Jongkook.

             “Your partner.”, Jongkook answered. 

             “How are you feeling, Song Jihyo-ssi?”, Doctor Seungsoo asked as soon as he entered Jihyo’s room.

             “I think I’m good, sonsaengnim. When will I be discharge?”, Jihyo asked in a rush.

             “In two days but you can’t do anything heavy as you need to make sure your stitches doesn’t open.”, the doctor reminded.

             “Is the wound deep, sonsaengnim?”, Jongkook asked in concern.

             “Aniyo. Hajiman, she lose a lot of blood that the stabbed was graze through her artery. She almost had an arterial bleed and at the same time can also happen with a venous bleed.”, the doctor explained again.  

             “What should she do then, sonsaengnim? Does she have to make a further treatment or….”, Jongkook asked again as if he was Jihyo’s guardian.

             “Aniyo. She just has to take care of herself or have someone to help her. Just keep the wound clean and dry. If the bandage was applied and it becomes wet or dirty, just replace it. And if she’s happen to bleed too much or the bleeding won’t stop for some reasons, she has to return to hospital promptly.”, Doctor Seongsoo explained. 

             “Can I go back to work, sonsaengnim?”, Jihyo asked while ignoring every doctor’s advices.

             “Jihyo…”, Sukjin called Jihyo to calm her. How come she wanted to go to work after being stabbed.

             “You can but you don’t have to do the heavy work. But I think it’s the best for you to take a break for a while, Jihyo-ssi.”, the doctor said to Jihyo.

             “Aniyo, sonsaengnim. I will not be taking a break but I promised I won’t do anything heavy. Allow me.”, Jihyo requested. 

             “Ne. If you said so, Jihyo-ssi. Keureom.”, the doctor excused himself.

        “Kamsahamnida, sonsaengnim.”, Gary thanked in behalf, followed by a light bowed with the others.

             “I thought you promised me, Jihyo.”, Jaesuk called on.

“Jeuseunghamnida.”, Jihyo apologized to Jaesuk with a bowed while looking on the ground.

             “And how come a police unarmed arresting a suspect and forgot her handcuffs? Are you in that rush? Are you too eager to arrest him that you forgot your own safety and police’s protocol, Jihyo hyeongsa?”, Jaesuk started to scold her.

   “Jeuseunghamnida, Jaesuk timjangnim.”, Jihyo apologized again.

             “And then you did it again. How many apologized, noona? And how come you wanted to go to work as soon as possible?”, Kwangsoo asked in disbelief.

             “Until you are die while acting alone?”, Jongkook fired making all of them shocked by his word, also the CID’s team.

             “Jongkook hyeongsanim.”, Haha called Jongkook to calm down while approaching him. 

             “I think you are being harsh right now, Jongkook hyeongsanim.”, Jihyo asked while looking at Jongkook fiercely.

             “Ne, I am. I told you I can’t work with you if you’re acting like this. I don’t want to have a partner like you. What is the function of a partner if you decide to act alone like this? Or am I not good enough for you and the team? Or the team is not good enough for you? Are we at fault right now?”, Jongkook fired again while pointing at Jihyo.

             “Then you can change your partner to Donghoon hyeongsa and I’m willingly to be Kwangsoo’s partner and back out from you. I don’t like to work with someone I’m uncomfortable with too.”, Jihyo talked back.

             “No one is going to change a partner without my permission.”, Jaesuk interrupted to stop the fight of his junior. “Jongkook hyeongsa, you come with me to the station. We should interrogate Im Juhwan right now. Donghoon hyeongsa, you also come with us. Kwangsoo hyeongsa, you can stay with Jihyo hyeongsa here.”, Jaesuk giving instructions.

             “Ani… How about me, timjangnim?”, Jihyo asked again as she receive no ordered from Jaesuk.

             “You stay here with Kwangsoo hyeongsa. Until you get well and better.”, Jaesuk said to Jihyo firmly.

           “Timjangnim.”, Jihyo called him in disbelief while Jaesuk already walking away with Jongkook.             

             “Stay eo, Jihyo? Don’t you dare to do something stupid again.”, Haha reminded Jihyo as he walked away too.

             “Just stay, Jihyo-ya.”, Sukjin interrupted. 

             “I think we should go too, Sukjin hyung.”, Sechan said. 

             “Ne. Kaja. Take care of Jihyo, Kwangsoo-ya.”, Sukjin said.

             “Eo.”, Kwangsoo nodded.

             “Unnie, get well. Anything just text or call me, eo?”, Somin said to Jihyo. She also can’t do anything unless wanting Jihyo to get well and better.

             “Noona, what are you thinking right now? Noona micheosseo?”, Kwangsoo asked Jihyo as soon as all of them leaving. 

             “I’m sleepy, Kwangsoo. Let me sleep, eo?”, Jihyo said as she ignored Kwangsoo’s question.

             “I can’t believe you acted alone again this time.”, Kwangsoo said as his eyes are pool of tears, making Jihyo felt bad.

            “Kwangsoo…”, Jihyo said as she wiped Kwangsoo’s tears.

             “I’m not a kid, noona.”, Kwangsoo brushes off Jihyo’s hand.

             “Noona ga mianhae.”, Jihyo apologized.

             “And you will do it again. I’m used to it, noona. Don’t promise me if you can’t keep it and stop apologizing too if you have no intention to stop what you are doing.”, Kwangsoo emphasized with his fierce eyes.

             “I have nothing to say to you, Kwangsoo. I’m afraid that I will did it again. It became a habit for me now.”, Jihyo said while lowering her gaze.

             “I don’t forbid you, noona. Since you’re workaholic. Hajiman, bring Jongkook hyeongsa along.”, Kwangsoo said to Jihyo.

             “Kim Jongkook?”, Jihyo asked in disbelief.

             “Eo. Since you don’t want me, Jaesuk hyung and Donghoon hyung to accompany you.”, Kwangsoo said honestly.

             “It’s nothing like that, Kwangsoo. I just like to do things alone. And with Kim Jongkook? I will never. You know how he is.”, Jihyo frowned.

             “Eo, I know. But I told you before. He is a good detective, not a good man. At least your safety is ensured as he is with you. He can protect you, noona.”, Kwangsoo said.             

             “Do you think so?”, Jihyo asked while tilting her head.

             “Eo. Don’t you see it before? He asked the doctor as if he is your guardian when he is only your partner. And you don’t see that he was totally furious at the scene after arresting Im Juhwan. He looked as if he was afraid to lose you. And as if you are his precious person but I don’t overthink it since I assumed he is just taking care of you because you are his partner. And he might felt a slight responsibility of taking care of you and the incident happened made him feel bad for himself.”, Kwangsoo making assumptions.

             “Keurae?”, Jihyo sighed as she also felt bad for making every one worried, especially her partner and Kwangsoo.

             “Eo. just… don’t fall in love with him, noona. That’s the best. I don’t you to get hurt just like you did in the past. Crying over him as he left you. You see, he doesn’t recognize you now.”, Kwangsoo repeated his advice every time he reminded of Jongkook to Jihyo.

             “I never cried over him, Kwangsoo.”, Jihyo denied.

             “Don’t lie to me, noona. I saw you crying.”, Kwangsoo telling the truth.

             “Eonje?!”, Jihyo asked in shock.

             “Where are you Jongkook oppa?”, Jihyo cried in silence at the rooftop of her school. It was evening and there was no one at school. She will stay at the school’s rooftop just to watch a beautiful sunset. But somehow, that evening seemed the sunset was looking sad just like her. Her crush and her sunbae, leave her almost a month. Without telling her and disappeared just like that. She misses him and hoping that he come back. To her.

             There was a hope before. Just a tiny flicker against the wind. With the open eyes of a child she reached out, fingers extended. In that moment she had a choice of kindness and cruelty; it took no time at all for her to decide. She saw the dying ember and brought the winds to a cold howl. 

             The deepest of despair will fashion the strongest of believers, for when there is no other way out but to ask for the the divine, for a light shine upon a way to better times, she call and there comes an answer. Maybe not now, but one day.

             “Jihyo noona, you told me you were fine. But here you are crying over him.”, Kwangsoo peeked from the door entrance of the school’s rooftop. Watching over his sunbae at that time but a noona to him right now was crying over a man. Who leave her. 

But Kwangsoo just decided to not approach Jihyo as she might be embarrassed. He knew that his noona has a big pride, going to her to comfort her while she acting like she is okay and saying that she is fine are just a wrong thing for him to do.

             And here, at the door entrance, Kwangsoo just witnessing Jihyo’s crying over Jongkook as he can’t do anything and listen to Jihyo’s wailed. 

             “You saw that, Kwangsoo?”, Jihyo asked in disbelief.

             “Eo. I thought you might be embarrassed so that is why I didn’t approach you nor comforting you.”, Kwangsoo said honestly.

             “This is humiliating. How can you said to me this day after all these years?”, Jihyo asked in disbelief.

             “Because keu namja is here. With you.”, Kwangsoo said. Referring to Jongkook.

             “He is nothing to me now. And I’m fine, Kwangsoo. Eo?”, Jihyo said to assure Kwangsoo as she Kwangsoo’s shoulder. 

             “If you said so, noona. But tell me anything, eo? Don’t keep a secret with me.”, Kwangsoo demanded.

             “Eo. I will, Kwangsoo.”, Jihyo nodded.

…

“Why did you killed Jang Hyunjoo?”, Jongkook asked Im Juhwan as he is interrogating him. Along with Haha.

             “I didn’t kill anyone.”, Juhwan insisted.

             “And how come your DNA came from her nail?”, Haha asked while showing the DNA’s result to him.

             “I don’t know how my DNA appeared on her nail. I don’t even know her. Maybe someone planted it or fabricating the evidence?”, Juhwan challenged Jongkook and Haha while smirking.

             “Saekki ya. Just answer properly.”, Haha knocked the table with his palm while looking at Juhwan straight in the eyes.

             “You asked me and I answered it. I said I don’t kill her.”, Juhwan knocked the table with his palm too.

             “Then why you robbed her? Why is she the target?”, Jongkook turned to ask about the culprit’s real motive.

             “I just want to rob. That’s all. Why is she the target? Because she’s walking alone at in the middle of the night. She’s the only one so I have no choice.”, Juhwan smirked while leaning on the chair like he was not at fault.

             “I dug in your background. You were divorced and have a daughter. She is now a 22-year-old student at Hanyang University. What if someone tried to rob her because she is the only person and a girl who walk in the middle of the night? As she insisted, the culprit kill her unintentionally because she tried so hard to fight. What would you feel?”, Jongkook asked as he used the culprit’s daughter as a bait.

             “Don’t you dare to bring about my daughter now!”, Juhwan get furious as he turned his eyes to look at Jongkook.

             “I’m just using her as an example. Would you feel the same if the victim is your daughter or your daughter is a victim for another culprit?”, Jongkook fired. Showing no sign to stop himself.

             “Ya! I killed keu haksaeng because she said I was pathetic for robbing a 20-year-old girl in the middle of the night. She deserved it as she running freely in this world and walking alone in the night.”, Juhwan suddenly confessed as he was cornered.

             “So running our mouth freely and threw word what we wanted to say was the good reason for killing someone then? Also walking alone?”, Jongkook talked back.

             “She doesn’t know how this world work. It’s cruel!”, Juhwan shouted.

             “And so were you.”, Jongkook answered while pointing his finger to Juhwan. 

             “We got it, Jongkook hyeongsanim. Let’s wrapped up.”, Haha said while closing the laptop after writing the statement from culprit.

             “Ne.”, Jongkook agreed as they walked out from the interrogation room.

             “Michin saekki.”, Juhwan smirked as tears running through his eyes.

              Both Jongkook and Haha came to Jaesuk who were watching them from the next room as they interrogated Im Juhwan. They wrapped up the interrogation and started to write a report for the case.

        “Suguhaesseoyo, Jongkook hyeongsa and Donghoon hyeongsa. Write a report for me as soon.”, Jaesuk said to Jongkook and Haha as he tapped their shoulders.

             “Ne.”, Jongkook nodded.

             “Ne. It’s nothing as we just got his statement and confession, timjangnim. It’s Jihyo’s.”, Haha said to Jaesuk.

             “Ne, maja. Let have her rest first and get better. We will scold her later. Also praising for her good work.”, Jaesuk stated.

             “Are you going to let her doing thing like this again, timjangnim?”, Jongkook asked in disbelief.

             “You don’t know how much we warned her, Jongkook hyeongsa. It’s been years but she is still like that.”, Haha said honestly.

             “Maja, Jongkook hyeongsa. If you think you can fix her, then do so. We can’t. Even Kwangsoo.”, Jaesuk stated again.   

             “Ne. I’ll try my best. As his partner.”, Jongkook nodded.              

             “Ne. I’ll write my report now.”, Haha nodded too.

             “Aniyo, Donghoon hyeongsa. Leave it to me. you can go back home now. Your family is probably waiting for you right now. It’s almost 11:00 pm.”, Jongkook offered as he felt concern to the father figure.

             “Ani... You don’t have to, Jongkook hyeongsa.”, Haha refused.

             “Just leave it to me. I have nothing to do after a while. I’ll write a report and sent it as soon as possible to Jaesuk timjangnim. Then, I will go to hospital.”, Jongkook said in his small voice.

             “To visit Jihyo hyeongsa?”, Haha asked the obvious question.

             “Ne.”, Jongkook nodded shyly.

             “You are really her partner, then. Gomawoyo, Jongkook hyeongsa.”, Haha bowed lightly to Jongkook. “Keureom.”, Haha continued as he bowed to Jaesuk too.

     “Suguhaesseoyo.”, Jaesuk tapped Jongkook’s shoulder as he excused himself too.

…

Jongkook took his light step as he approached Jihyo’s room. He carefully opened the door’s room, afraid that Jihyo and Kwangsoo will notice his presence. He peeked them and saw Jihyo was alone in her room. Where is Kwangsoo?

             As he aware that Kwangsoo was absence, he slowly approached the sleeping Jihyo and took his seat next to her bed. On the chair.

             He