"- and in other news today: After the report of three brutal murders in various places of Seoul, civilians are being asked to stay on guard at all times. Police forces and inspectors are doing all that they can to catch the killer, but so far, there have not been any notable results..."

In an apartment somewhere away from HQ, a lone man was staring at his television. It was to the midnight news, its low hum droning, its bright light flashing in the dark. The man, however, paid no attention to it. His mind was far away from what his TV screen was showing.

"Myungsoo, you're an idiot." Woohyun shook his head. "How many times do I have to tell you that an investigation lead is 10% fact and 90% instinct?"

"That's  Yongguk who always says that, you ! Stop trying to take credit from other people!"

"Okay, enough!" Kris intervened. He sent sharp, disapproving glares at the two. Sungyeol watched as the bickering friends rolled their eyes at him, and then at each other. To any other outsider, if would have seemed as if they were fed up and feeling greatly annoyed. But Sungyeol knew better. They were doing it again. Joking around. Being friendly.

How?

The television was still playing its news. Slowly, as if only a part of him was aware of it, Lee Sungyeol raised his remote to switch it off. He placed the remote down and resumed staring into space, left to brood in his thoughts in the deafening silence.

It was strange. To Sungyeol, it was strange. The division agents, the way they bantered and teased and joked amongst themselves, their close relationships with each other... Ever since his first day at work, the auburn-haired man had been greatly bemused by it all. How did they do it? They weren't even related by blood, but still, the agents acted as if they were family.

And then there was Myungsoo. Kim Myungsoo. That was something which puzzled Sungyeol even more. He, from what the newcomer had noticed, was quite the ordinary guy. There was nothing particularly special about him- he didn't have Chen's grace, Yongguk's strength, or Sunggyu's commanding presence. But somehow- and there wasn't anything else that Sungyeol could call it- he managed to be in the centre  of it. They all liked him. Myungsoo got along with everybody.

Sungyeol absentmindedly tapped his remote control. Okay, so he would admit it: he kind of liked Myungsoo. At least, he liked being around him. He was intrigued by the man. He liked being around the other agents, as well. Because with them, it almost felt like he was with family. It was- dare he say it?- nice. They made him feel like he belonged. It was so different from what he had known before...

Images of people's backsides flashed in his mind. Inside, he heard the silence of the empty house, big enough for four but keeping only one. An overwhelming sense of loneliness tugged at his heart. For him, this was what it had been like with family. No laughter. No happiness. Only the feeling that he had been abandoned and left all alone in the world.

And then November 21st came. His parents died on that day, leaving him to truly be alone. He had no siblings, no grandparents, no aunts or uncles. There were no relatives to take him in as one of their own... But that was okay. He didn't need them. Family was useless; relations messed everything up. There was no  love in them. 

That four-letter word only caused him pain, anyway.

The plastic controller slipped out of his grip. It landed on the floor with a muffled thud, pulling the man out of his pained and turmoiled thoughts. Sungyeol shook his head and pressed his lips together. In a split second decision, he made up his mind: he wouldn't let that happen again. Not here. Not now.

---------

"I don't know why you're being so shy about this, kid. Either get over your fears and confess your love, or I'll  tell the pretty boy myself."

Lowering her gun, Chaerin looked over her shoulder and raised a brow. It was the next day, about seventeen hours after they had received the note from the killer. Except for the female agent and her two companions, Shooting Range #2 was completely empty. The only thing to fill the large space of the room was the sound of rhythmically-fired gunshots.

The two companions mentioned above were none other than Lee Sungjong and Bang Yongguk. As a senior officer of the weaponry division and an avid lover of guns, Yongguk could always (well, most of the time) be found in this room. Sungjong, on the other hand, was simply there to kill time. He had finished all of his assigned tasks an hour before, and was waiting for new orders to come from the higher-ups.

The younger man, too, lowered his rifle. He shot a startled glare in Chaerin's direction.

"No!" he protested loudly. For a moment, Sungjong considered swatting at the lady's arm to reinforce his response. But seeing as she had a rather lethal weapon in her grip, he decided against it. "Don't, Chaerin. Just- Please. Don't say anything to him. I'll figure it out sooner or later."

On his other side, Yongguk was clucking his tongue. "The question is, will you get a move on sooner  or leave it like you always do 'til later?  It's been too long, punk. I think even Myungsoo is tired of waiting, and he doesn't have any idea that you like him."

"Love," Chaerin corrected with an impish grin (seriously, Chaerin was great, Sungjong loved Chaerin, but sometimes, he felt the strongest urge to strangle the not-so-funny humour out of her. This was one of those times).

Sungjong shook his head instead. "Soon. I promise. Or at least, I'll try. You know how Myungsoo is- I could shove a love letter in his face and he'd think it was something for the investigation."

"Probably," Yongguk chuckled. He adjusted the grip safety on his gun, then positioned it in his grip once more. "You don't have a lot of time to try that out, though. When's that date of yours? Today's the 19th... Just two more days, huh?"

"... Yeah." Sungjong gave him a sideways glance before continuing. "The 21st. You know how it'll go. We'll be gone for the whole day visiting the old house and the cemetery. Nothing new."

Bang!  Chaerin shot her gun. Not taking her eyes off of the targets, she said, "Nothing new, except this year you're going to tell him. Right?"

Sungjong rolled his eyes. "Yes, mom." Following the blonde woman's lead, he raised his weapon to eye level, took careful aim, and squeezed the trigger tightly.

Bang!  The loud echoes of the gunshot faded away. Only a single, clean bullet hole was left in its wake.

"Good shot," Yongguk said approvingly. He took his protective goggles off to peer at the maimed bulls-eye. "I think I already told you, but that model of the G3A4 is one of the hardest guns to use. Even Chaerin and I have some trouble with the mechanics. I'm pretty sure this gun was made especially for you, little guy. Besides Sungyeol, you're the only person I know who can hit such accurate marks."

The G3A4 master looked pleased with himself. "Thanks," he smiled. "Just me and Sungyeol, you say? Since when did he come try this out?"

"A few days ago." Shrugging, Yongguk snapped his goggles back into place. "I got him and that Myungsoo punk to test the model like you did before. Myungsoo , as usual. The newbie, on the other hand... I'm actually tempted to ask Sunggyu to reassign him with us."

At that particular moment, the door to the range flew open. A lanky figure skipped inside. His blonde hair bounced this way and that, flopping over his eyes, but the person only shoved it aside impatiently.

"Hey!" Zelo approached the armed trio. His arms were flailiing in a wild waving motion and his eyes were dancing with a lively air. "Guys, guys, guys!"

"Careful!" Chaerin admonished. "Do you want  to trip on me and cause me to shoot myself?"

The junior agent ignored her. "You'll never guess what happened! Kahi found the weapons used on Son Taehyun!"

Upon hearing these words, Yongguk seemed to snap his spine up straighter. "Did she? When was this?"

"Today, maybe just a few hours ago." Zelo was excited. He was practically dancing on the spot, too hyped up at the prospect of murder weapons to stay still. "She went to Bayview Avenue this morning to interview Taehyun's employer, who came back from a business trip last night. When she was done, she decided to do an area check because Taehyun's house is pretty close to that street. And that's when she found them! Some sort of meat cleaver and a small pistol."

"Have they identified the models and brands yet?" Yongguk asked. For some reason only known to him, there was an amused grin playing at his lips. "You might need Lee Sungyeol for that."

Chaerin sent him a questioning look. "I'm on my way," she told Zelo. With quick, efficient movements, she loped over to the equipment table. "I don't know about Sungyeol, but you'll need an expert's help on that." The agile lady took off her protective gear. She then looked over her shoulder at the other agents.

"Aren't you two coming?"

"You go ahead," Sungjong answered. He nodded at Zelo, who had already skipped his way to the exit. "He looks like he's been waiting forever for this day to come. Yongguk and I will be there once we finish cleaning."

Yongguk nodded in agreement and turned towards Zelo. "You behave yourself," he said sternly.

The blonde man saluted him with mock seriousness. "Sir, yes sir!"

Chaerin bid the pair farewell and left the room with her junior officer. Sungjong waited until they had left before tidying up his gear.

"They found both of the weapons used in his killing, right?" he asked. Carefully, Sungjong placed the safety lock back in position on his high-tech rifle. "How long do you think it'll be before we find the other ones, the knife and the rod?"

"Who knows? Though my gut tells me it may not be for a while." Copying the former's actions, Yongguk emptied the bullets out of his gun. Standard procedure, he had once said while rolling his eyes. Just to make sure the rookies don't accidentally shoot each other while cleaning.

He continued, voice sounding like the low rumble of a faraway earthquake. "Little guy, I was serious about what I said before."

"You mean the G3A4?" Sungjong blinked at him. "Oh, I know. Thanks for the praise earlier. I mean, if both you and Chaerin find it difficult to wield, it's a surprise that Sungyeol and I are managing to-"

"No, I wasn't talking about the gun. I meant Myungsoo," Yongguk interjected. His own firearm, a Grand Power K100, was a bit more delicate than the one Sungjong had used. The artillery expert inspected it here and there, making sure he was satisfied with its condition before continuing. "Listen carefully. I may not know much about love, but I've been around long enough to know some  things. So trust me when I say this, Lee Sungjong: Myungsoo isn't the type of guy who'll be around forever."

Sungjong watched, silent, as the older male gathered all of their equipment into his arms.

"I'll go put this back. You go on first; they don't even need me anyway." Yongguk began walking away. About five steps later though, he suddenly paused and looked back at his companion.

"Think about it, alright? Don't forget what I just told you."

The agent was quiet as his friend disappeared to the other side of the room. It was only when Yongguk had travelled out of earshot that Sungjong let out a breath. It was a tired, sorrowful, and greatly defeated breath.

"Myungsoo isn't the type of guy who'll be around forever."

Sungjong sighed again. This time longer and and louder, it sounded exactly like how autumn might if it saw its trees all bare and its flowers dead from the cold.

"You think I don't know that?"