"Woo Taewoon's car crashed."

Those four words ran inside her head. She dropped the phone on her desk and stood up. Her eyes flickered around the room as she headed towards the door. She bumped into a couple things and her walking wasn't straight. A fellow officer asked her where she was going but she didn't answer. She continued towards the door.

When she exited, Soohyun was just walking towards the door with a paper bag in his hand. He bought her a brand new pair of boots and socks, along with a scarf, a winter hat and a pair of mittens. He had a smug smile on his face when he approached the door. He could already see her fuming face. She would scream at him, asking him if this was his way of apologizing. He would answer, no, this is my way of saying I care for your health and I want you to be able to catch those bad guys. Then, she would be flustered and take the bag while shooing him out the building. His plan would be perfect! Jisu would have no choice but to help him with his case

He saw her come out the building and waved but she didn't see him. She was concentrated in getting to the police car. "Officer Kwon?" he called. He was a bit concerned. She didn't have a jacket on and her steps were unbalanced. The snow was sticking onto her hair and her uniform and the snow she was walking on was getting inside her shoes. 

She walked right past him and he watched her. She got to the police car and opened the door, but it wouldn't budge. She pulled on the handle again and again and again but the door wouldn't open. Jisu realized she had to have the keys. She searched for the keys in her pockets of her police uniform but she couldn't find it. "Keys. Keys," she mumbled. "Where are the keys?" She gave up on searching and violently tried to open the door.

Soohyun ran up to her and turned her around, surprised to see her crying. "Officer Kwon..."

She met his eyes. "Help me. Help me, please," she cried.

This was something totally unexpected. He did not plan for her to be crying, but to be in rage when she saw him. Nevertheless, he got her into his car and he drove away. While he was on his way to the hospital, he kept glancing at her. She was shivering and tears kept rolling down her cheeks. Something urgent happened and he was surprised that she didn't request him to go any faster. But even without her commanding him to go faster, he still did. He liked her strong front more than the side she was showing now. He didn't want her to be any worse if he was a second late.

They arrived at the general hospital and Jisu ran inside while Soohyun grabbed a parking space. She asked the receptionist about Woo Taewoon. The one at the desk was taking her sweet time and Jisu had no patience for that. "Hurry up!" she cried. The receptionist didn't flinch, when she was suddenly yelled at. She probably had many situations like this.

"He's in the operation room. It is just to your left." Before the receptionist could even stand up and point her to the right direction, Jisu sprinted off. She ran to the operation room but unfortunately the doors were closed. She clasped her hands together as she paced back and forth. Then, she jumped when her phone vibrated in her pocket. With quivering hands, she reached into her pocket to pull out her phone. She had trouble pulling it out but she finally got it before she accidentally dropped it on the floor. Her phone cracked open in two, and her battery fell out. She squatted down and tried to put the battery back in but she couldn't. Her shaking hands wouldn't let her.

She held her hands together, to ease the shaking. Then, someone squatted down next to her and placed the battery back into her phone. He snapped the back cover onto the phone. Jisu raised her head to see a man but her tears blocked her vision so she couldn't tell who he was.

Before he gave the phone back to her, he placed his green stripped handkerchief on her cheek. When she held it against her cheek, he let go and placed her phone in her other hand. Jisu blinked. Soohyun just smiled softly and said, "Don't forget to return it back to me." He stood up and left, leaving Jisu utterly confused. She didn't know that man was Soohyun but at least he made the tears stop falling for those mere seconds.

Almost an hour had passed and Jisu was getting nervous. The “Operation” light finally turned off and Jisu quickly stood up, clutching onto the handkerchief in her fist. She had been staring at that light the entire time. She approached the doctor when the operating doctor came out. His expression wasn't the one she wanted to see. His words weren't the words she wanted to hear. His condolence wasn't something she needed. She just wanted her father figure to be alive.

After a couple days, Detective Woo's funeral took place. She never thought it would be that way. She thought she would be able to meet Detective Woo again. She thought she would be able to have another drink with him.

Jisu dressed in a black dress that day. Everyone in her division came to pay their respect to their friend. They knew the two's relationship together so when they passed her, they would send their condolences to her, too.

While Detective Woo's family, friends and clients went inside the room to pay their respect, she stayed outside. His family wasn't too fond with her. They hated her because they thought she was the one who dragged Detective Woo into her secret investigation.

After Detective Kim died, they blamed her on the stressful nights Detective Woo had by trying to investigate a closed case. She was also sure they hated her even more when she was demoted, leaving all the work to him. Now, she couldn't even face them. The person they had rarely seen at home was never to come home again.

Unfortunately, someone mentioned Jisu to the mourning family. Detective Woo's daughter, Young, became alert while her mother started crying. She walked out the room and looked around for Jisu. Jisu's eyes widened when their eyes met. There were dark circles under her eyes but she was raging with anger. She stomped towards Jisu, who was sitting at one of the tables with no food in front of her. How could she eat a single spoon when the family hated her? Young grabbed Jisu's wrist and pulled her outside.

In the cold, and away from the people they knew, Young questioned Jisu. "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here." The other opened to speak but nothing came out. She was as physically and mentally tired as Young. Maybe even more than her. “I know you want to pay your respect, but you shouldn't. Not here."

"Why?" she managed to say.

"Why? I have many reasons as to why. First, we do not like you, especially my mother. Second, there are more people paying attention to you than to us. Third, we heard it was your fault my dad died!" Jisu felt a big pang in her chest. This was the first time she heard it out loud.

"…why is it my fault?"

"My dad went to see you. He wanted to check up on you. Even though it was bad weather, he went to see how you were doing. My dad never checks up on anybody! Also, wasn't dad's best friend going to meet you back then, too? Didn't he die, too?"

Jisu felt everything pile up on her. She felt ten times heavier and she was hurt ten times more. She didn't think of it that way. She didn't think it was because of her that Detective Kim died. She never even thought about it because the evidence was so clear. Someone had dragged him away after the crash. But Detective Woo's case was different. He was not dragged away. No evidence has been released from his autopsy yet. What if it had been her fault?

"Don't cry now," Young said. "Don’t act like you never knew. It's your fault. You killed my only male figure." With those last words, she went back in, leaving Jisu feeling guiltier than ever.

No, she denied. It was not her fault that Detective Woo and Detective Kim died. If she knew, then why did Young's words hurt so much? Why was Jisu crying at a rumor? It was because she didn't know what to do anymore. She was all alone now. She had no one else.

"Officer Kwon!" she turned around at the sound of her name. Shi Yoon approached her with his black suit and black jacket. He took it off as he neared her and hung the jacket over her shoulders. He put his arm around her shoulder, holding the jacket and hugging her in attempt to keep her warm.

"Is that Detective Kwon?" they heard someone say. "I heard that it was her fault Detective Woo died. He went to check up in her since she got demoted." "I feel bad for her. She lost someone close to her." "Didn't she lose Detective Kim, too?" The two gossiping detectives threw out their cigarettes and walked back inside the building.

Shi Yoon held Jisu closer when he felt her stiffen in his arms. "You okay?"

She shook her head against his chest. She was obviously not okay. "It was not my fault he died. Why are people saying that it is?"

"They just want to blame someone for their loss. Don't believe them. Because I know that it's not your fault." Jisu felt a little but lighter. At least someone believed her. "Let's take you home, okay?"
---
Ever since that day Soohyun dropped Jisu at the hospital, he couldn't get her off his mind. On that day, he didn't really leave her there by herself. He sat there, watching her. She didn't notice because her mind was set on the door. When the doctor announced Detective Woo's condition, his heart broke when she cried in agony.

He was reminded when a girl came to his father's passing and cried in pain. That girl was a complete stranger to him. He didn't know why a person who wasn't related to him or his mother cried so much. He didn't cry that much himself but hearing the girl's cry made him want to shed a few tears.

It was what he felt with Jisu. He wanted to cry. He felt her pain as she screamed and fell to the doctor's feet. He took a step towards her but stopped. He wasn't in the position to calm her down. Who was he to her? A man who bribes people to get out of messes. He had no right to console her so he left to prevent himself from doing anything stupid.

Right now, he was in his office biting on his fingernail. It had been a couple days since he had seen her. His eyes grazed over the paper bag sitting on his desk. He shut his eyes when he was reminded about the day Jisu came out of the building looking lost and scared.

There was a knock on his door. Soohyun straightened up on his chair and told the visitor to come in. Secretary Lee came in with a folder in his hand. He approached his boss and did a court bow. "You don't look so well," Secretary Lee observed.

"I am not well," Soohyun confirmed. "I have a lot on my mind and it's making my head hurt."

"I'm sorry about that." Soohyun gave him a look. He did not understand why he was sorry, but now that he apologized, he had thought about something that he had forgotten. "Secretary Lee, where did you get the briefcase of money from?"

"The money was from my own wallet." Soohyun's eyes widened at the answer. "Your own wallet? How did you get that much money? I don't even have a briefcase of money for myself."

The secretary chuckled. "I've been working for President Kim for many years. I've had many raises in my years and it just so happens that I don't use the money I earn as much."

"Why is that? If I were you and if I had that much money, I would have quit."

"But what will I do once I quit? I don't have any family. I don't have many friends. If I stay home all day, what will I become?" Soohyun thought he had a point. "Plus, I am here out of loyalty. President Kim had been nothing but gentle to me. And also because you are my friend's son."

Soohyun knew Secretary Lee since he was small. Secretary Lee and his father had been best friends before he was even born. In addition to that, Secretary Lee had been working under President Kim of SKY universities. Soohyun felt like it was him who brought his mother and President Kim together. He was grateful for that because it made his mother happy.

"Thanks for keeping my record clean," Soohyun said.

"There is no need to thank me. I did it for you. If you get in any more trouble with the police, that money will keep you safe." He placed the folder in his hand on Soohyun's desk. "This folder is for the meeting in an hour." Soohyun almost laughed at the way he changed the topic so suddenly. He was the man he knew. He hated having heartwarming talks. Then, his phone started to vibrate on his desk. The two's attention went over to the phone's screen. It wasn't a number registered in his contacts but he knew the number very well. The number had been calling him many times the past couple days. Soohyun looked at Secretary Lee and he got the message. He bowed once and left the room.

Soohyun picked up the phone and answered it. "She just left the funeral. I think she's ready to go home," the man on the other line said.  "Okay. You don't have to follow her anymore. Come by the office to get your cheque."

Soohyun had hired someone to watch over Jisu. Although he didn't know her personally, he was curious. He wanted to know how she was coping after she made him worry. Kim Soohyun was a nice, caring guy but Kim Soohyun, the heir of SKY universities and the CEO of KSH, was a cocky and pampered man. He approached her as an heir but she somehow turned him back to the real Kim Soohyun. It was rare for him to get out of character. He had practiced for so many years and for someone to mess up his role meant something. At least to him it did.

Soohyun grabbed the paper bag on his table and left his office. He was going to "coincidentally" meet Jisu at the apartment. Maybe her flashing anger will change that depressed face she had on.

He arrived at the apartment and parked his car in reverse. He was certain that she didn't arrive before he did because he was informed that the passing took place in another city. Soohyun opened a can of coffee and sipped on it while he waited for a taxi to come by. Another ten minutes passed and there was no sign of a taxi. Soohyun thought she wasn't coming home. He knew for sure she lived in the same apartment as him, so he though maybe she was staying over at someone's place for the night.

Then, a white car pulled up in front of the building. Soohyun looked past that car because it wasn't the taxi he was looking for. When Shi Yoon got out of the driver's seat, Soohyun looked back at the white car. In the passenger seat, someone came out. She turned to face Shi Yoon and Soohyun's eyes widened. His spy did not mention that she came home with another man!

Other than that, it had been a couple days since he last saw her and he could see that she was drained out of energy. Her eyes were swollen and her skin's complexion was very pale. She almost looked green.

He watched the two talk but he couldn't get the weird feeling off his chest. It had been his first time feeling it and he thought he had some kind of heart condition. He watched her go back into the building and the man go back into his car. He waited until the white car sped off before he got out of his own. He ran inside to catch her before she went too far.

When he entered the building, no one was in the lobby. He walked to the elevator but it rode up past the first floor. He thought she took the stairs, so he opened the door to the stairway and ran up to the first floor. When he was on the first floor, no one was there. Soohyun sighed out of breath and placed his palm on his forehead. He thought he was going too far. He only wanted for her to help him with his dad's case, not go chasing around for her. She was making him do things he had never done before.