The headlines were everywhere. 

“SHINee in a Coma!”

“The SHINing 5 out Cold?”

“Coma Takes 5 Idols!”

Of course, along with the information, fingers were being pointed in every direction.  Saesang fans for poisoning them.  The company for overworking them.  With the limited knowledge being offered to the public by the press, people remained uninformed but overly willing to dish out blame. 

Detective Jang sighed.  Personally, he didn’t understand the uproar.  Dozens of people—in this city alone—fell in and out of comas every day and no one seemed to bat an eyelash.  But when it’s their idols on the hospital bed, not everyone’s at each other’s throats.   He glanced down at his newspaper and grunted.  Second page, top headline:  “SM Must Answer!”   Irritated, he slid the paper  off his desk and into the trash. 

“Um, sir?” a quiet voice behind him made the burly man turn in his chair.  A younger intern stood there, gesturing towards his desk phone.  “There’s a Detective Park on the phone for you?  He said it was urgent.  He’s waiting on Line Two.”

Detective Jang nodded and picked up the receiver, pressing the blinking button that would connect him to Line Two.  “Hello?”

“Henry?  Jang Henry?  man, it’s been years!”

The large man stuffed into a tiny cubicle couldn’t help but chuckle.  Park could always make him do that.  “Chang Rae, I thought it was you!   No more ‘Officer’.  Got the big promotion, huh?”

“Yeah, you know I did,” the man on the other line replied easily.  “But, listen, I need a favor.  You know this idol come stuff?”

Jang scowled.  “Yeah, that nonsense?  What about it?”

“Well apparently it’s not just some ‘nonsense’ up here.  It’s a big deal, and I’ll admit it, I’m stuck Henry.  I really want to keep my promotion, Jang, so what do you say?  Want to some help your old trainee out of a tough spot?  Come on, for old time’s sake.”

Detective Jang could hear the pleading in the younger man’s voice, and he groaned, feeling his resolve crumble.  “Yeah, Parky.  I’ll come up.”

“Great man!” the other man exclaimed, “See you on Saturday, the precinct.  Eight AM sharp!”

Jang hung up the phone and rolled his eyes.  Five years out and this kid’s already ordering him around like he’s the one in training wheels.    

He scrunched up his nose in distaste as he bent down to retrieve the newspaper from the trash.  Looks like he’d have to do some more reading. 

A/N: Was anyone else wondering what was going on back in reality? :D  Just a short peek of what's to come back in the real world!  Please be sure to vote in my POLL!!