Detective Park exited the apartment building—another dead end. The sun was setting over the rooftops of Seoul. Another day passing and still no sign of Jin Ae. Park sighed and leaned against one of the police car's hoods. He rubbed at his forehead, eyes squeezing shut as he tried to think.

“Have you found any leads yet?”

Park Yoochun looked up at the question. Changmin stood, tall and proud, but his face was drawn. Eyes were dark with worry. “No, we're still searching.”

Changmin's lip twitched in a slight sneer. “What's keeping you, huh? She's been missing for over a week! He could have her out of Seoul by now, out of Korea! This is ridiculous.”

Yoochun looked up at the mutual detective, eyes narrowing. “I'm sorry, but since when have you cared?”

Changmin blinked at him. “What?”

“If I remember right, you transferred.” Yoochun stood at his full height, which was a few good inches shorter than Changmin. “Do you know what that did to Kim or do you just not care?”

“You...” Changmin snarled.

“Plus, where have you been? You think we haven't been working our asses off trying to find her? She's my partner, Shin. What do you think I've been doing the past week?” He drew closer to Changmin who faltered back slightly. “Do not tell me how to do my job or I will have you removed. Understood?” He was answered with a glare. Yoochun stepped back and adopted a lighter tone. “Good. Suit up and start helping with the search. We're not stopping until we find Kim.”

Changmin muttered under his breath as he strapped on a bullet-proof vest. He looked around at the varying buildings in the area. Jin Ae had to be close, she had to still be Seoul. What if UKnow had sneaked her out of the city though? The country? How would they ever find them?

Changmin ran a hand through his short hair, Park's words getting to him. He was right. He'd been a complete to Jin Ae. However, she hadn't been easy to work with. Still—he shouldn't have done that to her, when she had been in the shape she had been in.

Now, he wondered if he would ever get to deliver an apology.



“Have they found anything yet?”

Junsu sighed and rubbed at the headache forming in his temples. “No. You'll be the first to know if they do.”

Jaejoong exhaled loudly from the other end. “Mom and Dad are having a hard time.”

“We all are,” said Junsu. “But don't worry, they'll find her.”

“That's all I want. Even if...its too late. I just want them to find her.”

“Yah, don't talk like that,” Junsu responded. “Jin Ae's going to come back to us. Alive.”

“I hope you're right.”

“I am.”

“I know why Jin Ae hung out with you so much...” said Jaejoong.

“Why?”

“You're like this ball of positivity.” Jaejoong chuckled, but it lacked humor. “Jin Ae never really had any positivity when she was younger, you know? You were really good for her.”

Unexpected tears pricked at Junsu's eyes. “Yeah,” he said. “I'm at her apartment; I'll talk to you later.”

Junsu got out of his car and leaned against, gathering his nerves. He had woken up in the hospital, with little recollection of what had went down inside that old building. But he remembered Jin Ae being there, saying something to him. She had risked her life for him and now...would he ever see her again? His heart was constantly burdened with the question.

He unlocked the door and stepped inside the empty apartment. Min's black body darted out from the hallway and she leaped onto the counter, letting out a small greeting. Junsu rubbed at her ears.

“You miss her too, don't you?” Min's body arched against his hand, a content purr meeting his ears, and he couldn't help the small smile that came to his lips. “Yeah, so do I.”

“Don't move.”

Junsu's body tensed at the sudden command spoke into the air. Slowly, he peeked out of the corner of his eye to see a woman standing in the hall, a gun in her hands. Pointed directly at him. “What do you want?” he demanded quietly.

“Who are you?”

“K—Kim Junsu. Who are you?”

The woman stepped into the kitchen. A small exhale escaped her lips and she holstered her gun. “My name is K. I'm a friend of Jin Ae's.”

“I've never heard her talk about you.”

“Good,” K replied. “Jin Ae knows better than to. You're Junsu? She mentioned you a couple times.”

“Oh...”

“Don't be so scared; I'm on your side. I wasn't expecting anyone.”

“What are you doing here?” Junsu asked, loosening his rigid posture slightly. Min jumped from the counter to rub her body against K's leg.

K sighed and looked around the apartment. “Looking for something. I didn't really expect to find much here, but you never know.”

“You're trying to find Jin Ae.”

“Of course,” K said.

“Are you a detective?”

A coy smile twitched at K's lips. “No, I'm not, but I'm close enough.” Junsu narrowed his eyes at her vague responses. “You can trust me, Junsu. I'm trying to find her just as everyone else is. But UKnow knows how to clean up after himself way too well.”

“They don't call him 'The Phantom' for nothing,” said Junsu. K nodded. “You seem to know something of UKnow...”

K glanced at him. “I've ran into him a time or two.”
Junsu finally made eye contact with her, his hands gripping the edge of the counter. “Tell me then...will we get Jin Ae back...alive?”

K offered a flicker of sympathy. “Its my personal belief that UKnow will not kill Jin Ae. He has...a very dark desire for her, too important to him to kill her.”

“So you don't think he'll kill her?”

“No.”

Relief seemed to lift his shoulders, only slightly. “But...do you think that he'll...” Junsu swallowed hard, knuckles turning white, “ her?”

K looked at him, an honest glimpse in her eyes. “I honestly can't tell you. Like I said, UKnow's obsession with her is far from a...normal one.”

Junsu's jaw clenched. “If he touchs her...”

“Don't worry, Kim,” K said, a small smirk. “When we catch the bastard, you'll have first chance at him.”