And another case is complete :) See you all next week!

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“Are you okay?” Jonghyun asks him but to Minho, Jonghyun sounds as if he’s a million miles away.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” A paramedic says to Minho and takes him over and puts him in an ambulance too.

“He’s just in shock.” Jonghyun says to the rest of the team.

“I appreciate all your help. We’ll meet you at the hospital.” Onew says to the paramedic and the paramedic drives away.

“I hope she’ll be okay.” Key mumbles to Jonghyun and they get into their own car, following after the ambulance to the hospital.

Minho sits on the bench outside of the operating room where they were currently stitching Yoona up and Jonghyun walks over with a coffee.

“She’s going to be fine. I know you’ve had worse in your days.” Jonghyun says, sitting down next to Minho. Minho looks up in surprise and Jonghyun reads the question in his gaze.

“It’s not hard to tell judging by the scars you like to keep hidden. Let me guess, abusive father and overbearing brother?” Jonghyun asks.

Minho doesn’t reply and Jonghyun takes his silence as confirmation.

“What about Key?” Minho asks Jonghyun, remembering earlier when Key had shied away from his question. The corners of Jonghyun’s mouth pinch tightly.

“Ah, well, you’ll have to let Key tell you on his own time. Onew and I are heading back to the station to question the suspect.” Jonghyun says, patting Minho on the back comfortingly, he turns around to leave but looks back just before he walks around the corner.

“Look Minho, we aren’t going to hurt you. You’re part of our family now, you can trust us. I know you haven’t really trusted us at all since the moment you’ve met us but I know you respect us. Someday, I hope that respect will grow into a friendship. For now, just know that I’m here to talk.” Jonghyun says quietly before disappearing down the hallway.

Key comes by a few minutes later, “Hey Minho.” Key says quietly.

“Hey.” Minho mumbles, his voice cracking slightly.

“So…” Key says, his voice trailing off and he sits in silence next to Minho for a few minutes before he opens his mouth again.

“It was 2 years ago.” Key begins, his voice croaking slightly, Minho turns and looks at him. “Her name was Han Jina, we were together for five years.” Key says taking a deep breath before continuing.

“That year, I’d just started my job at the local police department as a detective. I was the youngest detective in our police force, she was so proud of me.” Key says and Minho is fully interested now.

“We were going to get married.” Key says, a sad smile filling his face and a tear running down his face. “She was so excited. Being the budding fashion designer she is, she wanted to design her own dress.” Key says and then chuckles slightly.

“I try to keep a part of her alive through my clothes, sometimes people make fun of me for it, but it’s a way of keeping her alive and for me to pretend that it’s okay.” Key says.

“I was working a case.” Key says gulping, tears streaming fully down his face now. “It was the night of the takedown and the night I was going to propose to her.”

“It was dark and rainy outside, I stood waiting for the killer when he appeared from the building with my girlfriend in tow. He told me that if he didn’t survive, my girlfriend wouldn’t either.” Key says.

“She looked so scared.” Key says his voice cracking and they sit in a moment of silence.

“Did she die?” Minho asks, breaking the silence.

“I told the killer, take me instead of her, and to let her go. She’d done nothing wrong, I was the one he wanted since I was the one who’d caught him. He agreed and I started walking towards him.” Key says, immersed completely in his memory now.

“She screamed no and tried to block the way, she grabbed the gun from the killer and in the confusion, and she fired several shots, one of which nicked me in the arm.” Key says.

“She’d managed to kill the suspect, but she killed herself too. She was my first and only love, I don’t know if I’ll ever find anyone like her again.” Key says, leaning his head against the wall, closing his eyes. Minho pats his shoulder awkwardly.

“So now you know.” Key says quietly.

“I’m so sorry.” Minho whispers.

“It’s not your fault; you have nothing to apologize for.” Key says. “I just hope you know one thing. In our line of work, loved ones are a liability. Family is a weapon that can be used against you. While I was busy protecting the world, I failed to protect the closest thing to me.”

“I understand.” Minho whispers quietly and Key nods at him.

“Agent Choi?” A doctor says, coming out of the operating room.

“Yes, that’s me.” Minho says standing up.

“Miss Im is going to be just fine. She got lucky, two more centimeters to the right and it would’ve hit her femoral artery.” The doctor says and Minho and Key heave a sigh of relief.

“Go see her.” Key says patting Minho on the shoulder and Minho nods and steps into the hospital room where Yoona was. They sewed her up and she was still sedated.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.” Minho whispers, leaving a bouquet of flowers by her bed and walking out quietly. I’m sorry that you’re involved in this life of guns, badges and killers. Minho thinks to himself, turning to look at her peaceful figure one more time.

“People you love are a liability.” The sergeant says to the crew. In our job, our profession, you have to be ready at all times.

“Yes Sir!” Minho yells with the rest of the recruits.

SHINee boards their plane after they send their regards to Yoona, asking one of the officers to deliver the card to her. The ride back to Seoul is completely silent and Minho spends most of his time looking out the window at the vast expanse of air before him.

“So, what did you learn from the suspect?” Key asks to break the silence and to ease everyone’s minds of Yoona and Minho.

“Lee Soori? Well, she was terminally diagnosed with cancer 6 months ago and in her comatose state, she imagined that she was talking with God. God apparently told her that she needed to collect and bring souls with her so that she’d be able to get into heaven.” Jonghyun says.

“She’s also schizophrenic and went off her medication a few weeks ago which explains the increased murders.” Onew says.

“Judges won’t give her a harsh sentence; she’s only got one month to live.” Key remarks.

“Yeah, it turns out her husband basically had no idea what she was doing either.” Jonghyun says and Key scoffs.

“It’s amazing what people believe these days.” Onew says shaking his head and the conversation dies quickly again.

2100. 06/04/2012. Seoul NIS Headquarters. Seoul.

They return to the base to find that Taemin had already gone home for the night. He left a note for them saying that he’d created a program for the paperwork and finished in the downtime from the case.

“Where did we get this kid again?” Jonghyun asks Onew.

“I think he was left in a basket and the NIS took him in.” Onew replies grinning.

 “I don’t care where he comes from; I’m going to kiss that kid when I see him tomorrow morning.” Key says.

“No need. I’m giving everyone the day off tomorrow, you all deserve it.” Onew says.

“Thanks Onew.” Jonghyun says hugging him. “Well, good night you guys, see you not tomorrow!” He says laughing and getting in his car to drive home.

“I’ll be heading off too now.” Onew says, “Good night you two.”

“If you need someone to talk to…” Key offers and Minho holds up a hand.

“I’ll be fine, go home and enjoy your break.” Minho says and Key bites his lip looking like he wants to say something.

“Well. Good night then Minho, take care of yourself okay?” Key says heading off towards his own car.

“I will. You too Key.” Minho says and he heads in the direction of his own car. He returns to his one story flat and loosens his tie, sitting on his leather sofa, he turns his brain off and flicks through a few of the channels before heading off into his room to take a shower.

Sometimes, Minho wonders what his life would’ve been like if he didn’t go into law enforcement. If he’d gone to med school to become a doctor. Then he’d remember all the sickos out there he helps to catch on a daily basis. He knew there was a lot of bad out there in the world, the gruesome images he saw on a day to day basis was proof enough, but somehow he felt comforted that he was bringing good and justice.

And that was enough for him.