Takeout came and the three of us shuffled into the living room to eat. I sat quietly on the couch, munching at my spicy pork as Min gave me a hopeful eye, her jaws in anticipation. I shook my head at her, but she continued to give me the hungry eye until I gave in.

Junsu was in a talkative mood—as per usual—and Changmin and him seemed to have started an unlikely...good acquaintanceship. I kept quiet unless something was directed at me. There were things to think over involving UKnow. He was getting too close for comfort, too comfortable with me following him around.

That's pretty much all I was doing, following him around. There had barely been any improvement with his case. Figuring out the culprit had always been the hard part. Now, not so much. What did you do when you knew who it was, but couldn't lay your hands on him?

It was infuriating. His smugness, his triumph over the precinct over and over again. Eight murders and ten thefts in two years;he was still a free man.

“Yah! Jin Ae, did you drink all my beer?”

Changmin's call snapped me from my observations and I looked towards the kitchen. “That's what you get for inviting me!” I called back and Junsu snickered.

Changmin growled and grumbled under his breathe as he came back into the living room. He glared at me before grabbing his coat. “I'm running down to the store, then. I'll be back in a little bit.”

My eyes went to his and he smirked at me. The little rat was purposefully leaving me alone with Junsu. He knew how I felt about that new information about Junsu and he was doing it on purpose. I narrowed my eyes at him and he smiled. “Don't do anything I wouldn't do,” he said and shut the door behind him.

I really wanted to kill him right then.

“I like him,” Junsu said and picked at his Kimchi.

“You don't have to work with him everyday,” I said with a roll of my eyes.

He smiled. “So tell me what its like to work with him.”

That's the thing about Junsu, he knows what gets a person to talk. He'll study you and be able to find out the way to get your tongue moving. That's how we'd met. I didn't like people, but there he was—that annoying, little boy with the sweet voice who would not leave me alone. And with that lack of privacy and security for my well being that he brought, came the greatest friend someone could ask for.

Maybe Changmin was wrong. I shouldn't be acting like that when I didn't know for sure. That wasn't the way I rolled. Just be like you always were, Jin Ae. Changmin knows nothing.

“Sorry Changmin's taking so long,” I sighed, leaning against the door jam. “Are you sure you gotta go?”

“Yeah, I gotta work tomorrow,” said Junsu.

“Oh, yes because teaching children to kick a ball around is 'work',” I said as my lips pulled into a smirk.

“Hey!” Junsu exclaimed, looking dramatically offended. “I've been upgraded to middle schoolers too! Those kids are mean. I've had to break up three fights in the past week already!”

“Aw, poor thing...” I pouted.

“You try it and maybe you can say something,” my friend said indignantly.

I smiled and shoved him lightly. “You're good with kids; that's a good talent to have.”

“Yeah, I gue—”

Something suddenly shattered in the kitchen and we both froze. When no other sound followed, my mind and heart began to race. UKnow jumped into my mind and that ridiculous feeling known as fear crept through my body.

Junsu moved by me and I grabbed at his hand, breaking from my position. “Junsu, no,” I whispered.

He put his finger to his lips and motioned for me to stay there. Like a coward, I stood there, a dull ache growing in my shoulder. Junsu moved into the kitchen and out of my sight behind the dividing wall. Nothing, but his footsteps.

A yowl broke the silence, followed by Junsu screaming out a swear word, and a very loud thud. I hurried into the kitchen; that didn't sound like a UKnow attack.

Laying face-first on the floor amongst broken pottery and dirt was Junsu. Min was sitting on the table, looking down at him rather indignantly and flicking her tail dangerously.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Your damn cat tripped me!” Junsu growled, voice muffled. “I think I broke my face...” My teeth pressed against my lip to stop the laughter as he turned over on his back, scowling at me. “Your cat has a death wish for me now.”

“Poor thing,” I said again and held my hand out to him. He took it and yanked me down with him. Thank God, it wasn't my right arm or I would have killed him. I collapsed on top of him and his arms wrapped tightly around me. I looked up at his face and glowered. “Junsu...release.”

He smiled at me, mischief with the expression of those teeth. “Not until you apologize.”

“Apologize for you tripping on my cat? No!” I tried to push off from his chest, but he held on tightly. “I have had enough of being man-handled today!” Junsu tilted his head back and laughed. I flicked him in the throat, cutting his guffaw short. “Shut up, ! Let me go!”

We heard the door open and I took the advantage of the distraction to break away. I jumped to my feet and pulled my shirt down brusquely. “Help yourself up,” I sniffed and crossed my arms.

Junsu rolled his eyes and got to his feet as Changmin walked in. My partner's eyes went to the broken pot, then to Min. As if she felt is anger, she quickly hopped down from table and disappeared into the hallway. And cue Changmin turning his attention to me.

I threw my hands up. “I'll clean it up!”

Changmin said nothing and placed the pack of beer on the counter. “Drink up, Junsu.”

“Nah, I better get home,” said Junsu. “Thanks for inviting me over. We'll talk to you later, Jin Jin.”

“See you,” I said, grabbing a broom from the hallway closet.

I returned to the kitchen and got to work; Changmin leaned against the counter top and watched me, sipping at his beer.

“So you and Junsu...”

“Don't,” I said, harsher than I intended.

“Hm, what happened?”

“Nothing,” I griped, dumping the first load of ruined plant into the trash. “But I think you were right.”

“I'm sorry, what was that?” he said, leaning closer. “I didn't hear you.”

The broom handle landed squarely in his gut. He groaned and doubled over and I grabbed the beer from his hand. “I don't want to clean up your beer too,” I said and took a sip. “But you were right. And I don't know what to do.”

Changmin in a breathe and looked up at me, “you're a terrible person.”

“I've been called worse.”

He straightened and inhaled sharply. “What do you mean you don't know what to do?” He took his beer back.

“He's my best friend!” I exclaimed. “And I don't want any of...that.” I flailed my hand around at the air. Changmin shrugged and I let out an exasperated sigh. “You're a guy!”

“Your point?”

“Never mind,” I grumbled, cleaning up the rest of the plant.



My foot pressed down harder on the gas and Changmin looked at me from the passenger's seat. “Don't kill us before we get there, please?” I didn't answer, eyes glued on the street in front of me, foot pressing harder. Changmin swore under his breathe.

I was out of the my car before the rest of the caravan had even came to a halt and checked the bullet proof vest strapped to my body. “Jin Ae, be patient!” Changmin hissed.

I him and drew my gun. “He's in there, Changmin. I'm not waiting any longer.”

I turned away, but he grabbed my shoulder. “Wait,” he replied shortly.

Shrugging his hand off, I waited a beat until the officers were in position. Waving them forward, we entered the apartment and ascended the stairs, quiet as the creaking floor would let us. Gun pointed forward, I checked the open hallway and gestured that the coast was clear. With Changmin right behind me and heart pounding, I tried to suppress the excitement beating in my veins as I came to a halt at the door.

Someone had left a tip anonymously, stating they'd seen UKnow come out of room 212 multiple times in the past week and that he'd arrive there only minutes before the call had been made. Fifteen minutes before our arrival. We'd called in officers from a closer precinct and they had kept us informed that there had been no sign of UKnow leaving the building. It was almost too good to be true.

I was braced against one side of the door, Changmin on the other. We shared a look and he nodded. “SPD!” I shouted before kicking the door in.

We rushed in, eyes scanning the small apartment. Immediately, my stomach dropped. The apartment was completely bare. There wasn't a trace of furniture or accessory. I moved to a door at one end of the room, gun at the ready as I opened it. I checked behind the door, making sure the bastard wasn't hiding. I looked around the rest of the room and froze.

Black characters towered, taking up the entire wall opposite of the door.

Maybe next time, Detective

“Anything?” Changmin asked me, coming up behind me. “Holy—”

“Check the place for prints,” I commanded, eyes glued to the sentence splayed in front of me. Mocking me. “Check the security cameras across the street. I wanna know how far we're behind him and how the hell he got out of here.” I turned to Changmin, trying to suppress the fury boiling in my chest. “I'm going to talk to the officers that were watching the building. You've got control of things in here.”

I pushed past him and headed for the door. “Jin Ae.” I looked back at him. “Don't do anything stupid.”

I turned back to the door and hurried down the stairs, fighting back the urge to punch a wall or scream out in pure fury. We had been so close! I found one of the police cars parked in an alley and strode towards it, fists clenching. However, when I reached the car there was no one inside.

“Son of a...” In my line of sight, I saw something behind the car; a shoe. That shoe was attached to a leg. I drew my gun and crept towards it. Peering over the back of the car, I found the corpse of one of the officers, a gunshot to the head.

Immediately, I turned a full circle in the alley. My heart stopped at the figure standing at the end of the alley that hadn't been there before. It was him, standing across the street. He was looking at me with a dark triumph that made my blood boil. I aimed, but as my eyes focused, a car passed between us. When it had gone, so had he.

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