“And in first we have… Honeymoon!”

“Ah, what a perfect way to start your second week of promotions,” Kikwang said, rewatching Honeymoon’s music show victory on the restaurant television. Beast was treating Honeymoon and the music show producers out for a late night meal. Everyone sat along a long table at the back of the restaurant, the producers at one end and the idols at another.

“You two are really perfect,” Hyunseung said, giving Seoyoon and Minjoo a thumbs up. While Minjoo delved into a story about winning beauty contests in her hometown, Dongwoon nudged Seoyoon sitting next to him and winked. Really amazing, he mouthed.

“E-excuse me?” a shy voice asked, tapping Seoyoon’s shoulder. Everyone turned their attention to the six-year old girl standing behind Seoyoon with a marker and paper in hand. “Seoyoon, can you please sign?”

“Aigoo, of course!” Seoyoon jotted down the girl’s name and wrote down a simple message along with her signature. Minjoo looked on eagerly, but the small girl skipped away before asking for Minjoo’s signature.

“It happens,” Yoseob said, giving Minjoo a sympathetic nod.

Once the food and the drinks was set down on the table, the night began. The idols began singing and dancing and the producers all too gladly poured out the alcohol for their dongsaengs. They played a drinking game, and when Seoyoon hesitated, Doojoon stepped in for her.

“Are you kidding me? Lead prankster turns into black knight for Honeymoon?” Junhyung asked. Doojoon downed Seoyoon’s shot and slapped Junhyung on the back. Dongwoon also shot Junhyung a glare.

“Lead prankster? What do you mean?” Seoyoon asked.

“Ah, it’s just a joke between us and some other groups,” Yoseob quickly explained. “We’ve pulled a few pranks—harmless pranks—on other groups—friends—before.”

“Like what?” Seoyoon asked.

“Oh, just small things… to our 4 Minute friends or—”

A loud popping sound from the kitchen interrupted Dongwoon. Smoke filled the restaurant, setting off the fire detectors and water sprinklers. Everyone stood to evacuate, but the smoke built up so fast it was impossible to see clearly in seconds.

“Seoyoon? Seoyoon where are you?” Minjoo cried out. She reached out for her friend, but felt only the table. Minjoo desperately crawled out to the front door of the restaurant, where she saw the producers and Beast members, but no Doojoon or Seoyoon. Police and firemen arrived to clear the area, but still the two were nowhere to be found. Minjoo fell to her knees on the sidewalk, crying for someone to find Seoyoon. Rain began falling from the sky.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

The alleyway behind the restaurant was dark and cluttered with wet shipping boxes. Seoyoon slipped over the rainy ground as she rushed out of the restaurant, but Doojoon caught her in his arms.

“Thanks, I didn’t see you there,” she said. Seoyoon stared at Doojoon, whose all black outfit blended in with the night. She took a step back and eyed suspicious empty canisters on the ground around Doojoon.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Back on 21 Cheongdamdong Street, Captain Ahn was spinning around on his swivel chair humming along to an old Wonder Girls song when Minjoo and Seoyoon barged into the office, dried off from the rain. Captain Ahn yelled in surprise and immediately paused his music.

“You scared me!”

“Looks like your detective skills are getting a little old,” Seoyoon said, throwing a folder onto the captain’s desk.

“What’s this? You caught the criminal?” Captain Ahn opened the folder and saw six profiles in front of him.

“The criminal is them. The idol group Beast,” Seoyoon confidently replied.

“That’s who you suspect, anyway,” Minjoo said. She sat on a chair in front of Captain Ahn while her partner walked over to the whiteboard. Seoyoon opened another folder of photographs of Beast.

“They’re the only group that has been present at all the incidents. First, props for a drama went missing—a drama that singer Lee Gikwang was filming. Second, a traditional home being used for a variety show was vandalized—a show that singer Yong Junhyung was participating in. Third, stink bombs set off in a public mall where—you guessed it—Beast was having a fan signing. Food poisoning during Yang Yoseob’s music show recording. Television blackouts during Beast’s album promotions. And recently, a street-wide blackout during Beast’s Running Man appearance and tonight, smoke bombs set off during dinner.” Seoyoon stuck photographs of the Beast members at each location on the whiteboard and wrote down notes for each incident.

“Shouldn’t we also find other groups and cameramen who were at all these events?” Minjoo asked.

“These are not coincidences,” Seoyoon continued, ignoring her partner. “After close contact, I found the Beast acting suspicious at the more recent incidents. It’s time to start an official investigation.”

Captain Ahn applauded Seoyoon. “My Seoyoon, you’ve done so well. I’ll pass this information along to the other detectives. In the meantime, just keep up the act. You’ll be back in the office in no time.”

“Thank you, sir. It’s really—”

“This can’t be it,” Minjoo suddenly said, standing up. Captain Ahn and Seoyoon both turned to look at Minjoo, the latter with an especially pained expression. Minjoo turned towards the whiteboard and continued, “All we’ve done is connect the Beast members to the incidents. There’s still no motive for them. Why would these successful artists want to sabotage their own careers? I think there’s something deeper we can find—”

“Minjoo, you must not know because you’ve never been in the detective office, but that’s enough for a warrant to bring in the members for questioning.” Seoyoon placed her hand on Minjoo’s shoulder sympathetically. “You’ve done well, too. I’m really proud of what you’ve done.”

Seoyoon and Captain Ahn continued to make plans for official investigations to begin while Minjoo sat back down. But before they left, Captain Ahn handed them a thick book and had one last request:

“If you ever meet Girls Generation, can you ask them to sign?”

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

“Unbelievable,” Minjoo said, flipping through the Captain’s Girls Generation photobook on the walk back to their dorm. “I really don’t know if I feel second hand embarrassment or just uncomfortable.”

“Maybe… jealousy?”

“What?” Minjoo stopped on the sidewalk. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Seoyoon clicked her tongue and turned around to Minjoo. “You know exactly what that meant. You’re bitter because not only am I a better detective than you, I’m a better idol.”

“What is this girl saying?” Minjoo threw down the book in her hands. “Idol? Who cares about who the better idol is? And as for detective, you can’t even see that this case isn’t that simple—”

“Oh please, you just can’t imagine your precious oppas guilty of this terrible act. Well, sorry, but that’s reality. They may be handsome, but that doesn’t make them innocent.”

“So it all comes back to this?” Minjoo laughed in Seoyoon’s face. “Even though you’re the so-called popular member, you’re still hurt that I’m prettier than you?”

“No, I’m not hurt. I just feel sorry for you. Because while I’ll be enjoying my successes, you’ll still be relying on Yoseob oppa to help you out. You like him, don’t you?”

Minjoo was left speechless. “Yeah, being honest with myself, I like him. But I know that to him, I’m Honeymoon’s Minnie. Do you remember who you are, Seoyoon?” Minjoo picked up Captain Ahn’s book from the ground and began walking again to their dorm. Seoyoon followed at a distance.

When they arrived at their dorm, they were greeted by the usual flowers and gifts—but also, a man stood at the door holding a bouquet of flowers. He had on a nervous smile and held out the flowers to the girls. Seoyoon recognized him immediately.

“Doomin oppa!”

“Crazy stalker,” Minjoo muttered under her breath. “Yah, how long have you been waiting out here?”

“Not long at all,” Doomin said, making lovey-dovey eyes at Seoyoon. “These are for you.” He handed her the bouquet. “May I come in?”

“No,” Minjoo flatly said, closing the door.

“Let’s go out for drinks,” Seoyoon said.

Doomin and Seoyoon headed out of the apartment and to a nearby food tent. They caught up on life, with Seoyoon doing most of the talking and, eventually, dancing and singing. Eventually, this caught the attention of other customers, their cell phones, and late night paparazzi.

“Is this man your boyfriend?” a reporter asked the drunk celebrity. Seoyoon’s cheeks were bright red. She giggled and hid in Doomin’s arms.

“Please, give our Seoyoon her privacy,” Doomin said with a handsome smile.

“What is your name?” another reporter asked.

Doomin turned to the reporter and readily responded, “Choi Doomin. Born 1990. My name is spelled—”

“Ah, that’s where my friends were!” Dongwoon suddenly entered the food tent and managed to squeeze himself between Seoyoon and Doomin. He put a friendly arm over both their shoulders.

“Dongwoon, what are you—” Dongwoon laughed heartily before Seoyoon could finish her sentence.

“Ah, the three of us went to high school together and were just gathering for a reunion, but it seems I’m a bit late.” Dongwoon made eye contact with Doomin, who looked about ready to punch Dongwoon in the face. “Time to head out!” Dongwoon cheerily said. He stood and lifted Seoyoon up from her seat, making sure to hide her face from any more pictures.

“Ah, yes, time to head out,” Doomin said.

Dongwoon, Seoyoon, and Doomin headed back to her apartment, but Dongwoon stopped walking when he reached a dark alley with no cameras. Seoyoon was drunk and leaned onto Dongwoon’s shoulder. “I think it’s time for you to leave,” Dongwoon said to Doomin.

“I was just trying to meet up with my friend,” Doomin insisted.

“I don’t know how you convinced Seoyoon to meet up with you this late at night, but—”

“She likes me. Just ask her.”

“So this is how you treat a girl that likes you? You use her to get famous?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve always liked Seoyoon back—”

Suddenly, Seoyoon perked up and stood up by herself. “Oppa, you like me back? You really like me?” Seoyoon grabbed onto Doomin’s face and kissed him. But Doomin at once backed away from Seoyoon and wiped his lips. Then, realizing his mistake, he tried to call Seoyoon back to him, but first Dongwoon pushed Doomin into a wall.

“I hope I never see you again.” Dongwoon took Seoyoon’s hand and led her back to her apartment.

“If… if Doomin oppa liked me, why didn’t he like my kiss? Was there something wrong with my kiss?” Seoyoon asked, tears forming in her eyes.

“No, there’s nothing wrong with you,” Dongwoon said, holding Seoyoon’s hand tightly. “He was just a bad guy.” Seoyoon stopped walking and broke out in tears on the sidewalk, so he brought her to a bench where there were no cameras. When Dongwoon patted her on the back, she vomited on his shoes.

Eventually, Minjoo came out to bring Seoyoon back into the dorm. When Seoyoon woke up the next morning, she vowed to forget about Doomin completely.