“I’m telling you, those guys have nothing to do with Sang Hyun’s case,” Ji Yoon explained for the umpteenth time while she and Jun Su walked towards the workshop where the BEAST guys normally hangs out at. Despite her desperate attempts to divert Jun Su’s attention from the group of guys she had suspected earlier, it was clearly written on his face that the determined police detective was not keen on hearing Ji Yoon’s excuses.

“You could’ve missed something from the first time you visited them,” Jun Su said simply, taking off his shades as both of them stepped right in front of the workshop’s entrance. “It doesn’t hurt to try for the second time right?”

A slight vibration occurred in the front pocket of Ji Yoon’s washed out jeans. She didn’t bother taking out her phone; knowing fully well it was Eun Jung checking up on them. The girl was seriously anxious about them interrogating her boyfriend’s gang once again. To make matters worst, she wasn’t allowed to come along; having to work on another side case on her own.

Just then, heavy footsteps could be heard trudging towards them and a second later, Doo Joon’s worn-out face came into their view. Ji Yoon could tell that he had been up all night from the visible dark circles underneath his eyes. His clothes were tucking out of place too, with mismatched shoes on both of his feet. Ji Yoon wondered if he was even aware of it.

As Doo Joon approached them, she could’ve sworn she saw a small smile creeping on his face but it was instantly washed away when he realised that Ji Yoon had company. She winced silently inside. No doubt, the good rapport she had built with the BEAST leader was going to get tarnished bit by bit.

“Detective Ji Yoon,” Doo Joon cleverly greeted her after they exchanged a brief knowing look. “I see you’ve come to visit my workshop again this time. What can I do for you now?”

“Doo Joon-sshi, I came here today with a colleague of mine. This is Detective Jun Su,” at the introduction, the man beside Ji Yoon nodded slightly at the guy standing in front of him. “We came here to ask you a few questions, if you don’t mind.”

Doo Joon raised an eyebrow questioningly at her.

“Didn’t we...already have this conversation a few weeks ago?”

“I know but...” Ji Yoon started to say but Jun Su held up his hand.

“This is on me. Please, Doo Joon-sshi. Enlighten me.”

Doo Joon cast an uncertain look at Ji Yoon, his eyes asking her for explanation but there was none that she could give him. She just shrugged in response, pleading silently with him to just go along with it.

Then his eyes wandered over towards Jun Su’s sharp features, his gaze hardening in displeasure at the other police detective. Ji Yoon wasn’t sure for how long the ‘battle of stares’ was going to go on between them but she couldn’t take it any longer.

Just as she was about to interrupt their moment, Doo Joon surprisingly stepped aside, motioning for them come inside.

“Come on in. Though I’m not sure if I can be any help to you.”

While Doo Joon went back to their workshop to grab a couple of things, the rest of them had gathered together and moved over towards MBLAQ’s own warehouse, where it was more convenient to conduct their discussions.

“So wait, you’re saying throughout all of the meetings you had with them, never once did you encounter their leader?” Hyun Seung asked in bewilderment as he sat on the opposite side of Seung Ho. With Doo Joon gone temporarily, the leader role automatically goes to him without saying. Jun Hyung and Gi Kwang sat on the either side of him, while Dong Woon took his place beside Chul Yong gladly.

“No, never once,” Seung Ho shook his head regretfully. “It’s a wonder you know. How does he manage to keep his identity under the wraps for so long? I’m thinking, he must be a really powerful figure, having a lot of connections in the under-ground world.”

“That kind of leader is a coward,” Chang Sun scoffed. “But we have to find him if we want to defeat the whole group.”

“Do you think...Yo Seob might know who he is?” Byung Hee wondered out loud, directing his question at the BEAST guys. “I have a feeling...he was there with them.”

“But how?” Jun Hyung argued, leaning forward in his seat. “You said it yourself, he never participates in his groups activities. Why would he be there when they were holding on to Yo Seob?”

“Meetings with other groups, little fights and arguments...no. But kidnapping someone, Byung Hee might be right,” Seung Ho agreed. “Since he’s so determined to look for the USB, he might have come down to investigate it himself.”

“How could he be so confident that Seobbie won’t recognise him?” Gi Kwang crossed his arms and slumped back against his seat. “He didn’t kill him, he let him go.”

“It was risky,” Chang Sun nodded his head slowly as his mind started to think of the possibilities. “He must’ve known Yo Seob wouldn’t exactly survive that kind of traumatic incident unscarred. He’s not talking to anyone right now?”

“Anye,” Dong Woon spoke up quietly from the far end of the table. When all eyes turned to him, he cleared his throat uncomfortably and raised his voice slightly.

“Seobbie hyung refuses to talk to anyone right now. He’s either sleeping or when he’s awake; he likes to be by himself. It’s worrying us but Ji Yeon said to give it time. He’s still badly shaken up by the whole thing.”

“Then things are going as they planned,” Chang Sun said dismally. “We have to find their leader, no matter what.”

“I told you. There was nothing that he could offer,” Ji Yoon said a matter-of-factly once they were out of the workshop, after having a ‘small talk’ with Doo Joon. Her strides were long and brisk, trying to match up with Jun Su’s own fast pace.

“It was worth a try Ji Yoon,” Jun Su told her as he unlocked their private marked Toyota. “And I find it kind of weird, that his other friends were not there with him.”

“He clearly told us that they are busy running errands on their own,” Ji Yoon reminded her colleague as she got in the passenger’s side. Jun Su did the same; climbing into the driver’s seat. “There’s nothing suspicious about that.”

As Ji Yoon closed her side’s door and reached out her hands behind her to pull the seatbelt, she could feel Jun Su’s eyes watching her every move. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she buckled the belt safely across her.

“What?” she couldn’t help asking when he didn’t blink even once.

A small sly smile crept on his face as he tugged at his own seatbelt and insert the keys into the ignition.

“Nothing,” he shrugged, turning on the air-con for both of them. “It’s been awhile since I’ve got the chance to stare at you like that.”

“There’s nothing to stare at,” Ji Yoon replied uneasily, crossing her arms together. “So I’d appreciate it if you don’t do it again.”

“Ji Yoon-ah, don’t you miss me?”

“What?” she exclaimed in astonishment, not quite believing what she was hearing. “That’s absurd.”

“Ah, geotjimal,” Jun Su grinned, turning to face Ji Yoon and leaning his left arm against the seat. “I know you still think of me at times. Even if you’re dating someone else right now.”

“I don’t, Kim Jun Su,” Ji Yoon said firmly, holding his gaze steadily. “Stop being so full of yourself.”

“Who is he Ji Yoon?”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Does he treat you better than I do?”

“What the hell Jun Su? Stop this.”

“Leave him Yoon,” Jun Su continued to provoke her, enjoying watching Ji Yoon squirm awkwardly in her seat. “Leave him and let’s get back together.”

“Stop this Jun Su!” Ji Yoon cried out in frustration, unable to hold back her anger any longer. “I don’t have any trouble getting out of this car right now and find my own mode of transportation if you still refuse to stop.”

“Ji Yoon-ah, don’t be like this...”

Before she could hurl any form of vulgarity at him, Ji Yoon felt the familiar vibration in her jeans pocket and she immediately took it out, grateful for the distraction.

“Eun Jung-yah, what is it?” she answered the call quickly, watching Jun Su from the corner of her eye at the same time.

“There’s been another murder case Ji Yoon,” Eun Jung’s drained voice came from the other end. “We need you and Jun Su to head over to the crime scene right now.”

Ji Yoon felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Another murder case? Eun Jung...”

Her voice trailed off unwillingly, not wanting Jun Su to get suspicious but at the same time, she has to know. She has to know if it was any of...

“No, none that we know of.” Ji Yoon heaved a huge sigh of relief at Eun Jung’s confirmation. “I immediately called Doo Joon after getting the message. He said they are all fine. And they are all gathered together Ji Yoon. So you don’t have to worry about your brother or Chul Yong.”

“Alright. We’ll get going now. See you there.”

“A new case?” Jun Su asked the second she got off the phone.

“Yes. Let’s go.”