Title: SM-5 The Perfect Mystery 

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Mystery, Angst, Action 

Ratings: All ages 

Case #03: L o v e

Part 1

  ~~~

  “Vic, what are you doing?”

  Zhoumi called her, after watching her engrossed in her book for some time. There he was, sitting at the dining room table sipping his morning coffee, and she, she was sitting in the living room with her glasses perched on the edge of her nose, literally buried in one of her books. She jumped up, startled by the sudden call of her name.

  “Oh, Mi-ah, you’re awake?” She fumbled with her glasses, quickly placing it on the living room table before heading towards the dining room. “I didn’t see you just now! Geez, don’t shock me like that!”

  “Sorry, Vic.” He chuckled as he gazed at her. “What are you reading, really? You’ve got work later and you’re waking up at the crack of dawn to read your book? It’s not good for health.”

  She frowned, taking a seat across him. “You’re a Psychology major and not a Health major, Mi. I know what I’m doing.” She held up her book. “It’s just Romeo and Juliet, I found it when I was cleaning up the closet, and I decided to revisit some points on the topic of love. I realized there have been many forms of love-related cases nowadays, and I thought it would be wise to study deeper into the context.”

  “You should try hanging out with friends, you know? What happened to your high school friends, your university friends? You should spend some time with them…”

  “I have more things to do, like work.” She flipped open the book.

  He nodded, smiling gently. “…Is that what you’re trying to do at work, Vic? Trying to get a love life?”

  “No!” She found herself blushing, slamming the book shut. “I-I-I told you! I-I-I’m g-g-going to prepare for possible n-n-new cases!” She stuttered hopelessly, and then took a deep breath to steady herself. “I’ve got a lot to do, you know, and I think you’re also well aware that I can support others to get into relationships but I’m not into relationships.”

  He chuckled, as if to mock her, as he stood up and took his coffee cup to the sink. “Suit yourself, Vic. I just want to make sure that you’re fine and that everything’s good on your side. I’m your friend and that’s my job.”

  “Of course I’m fine!” She insisted indignantly, standing up and moving towards her room. “I’m always fine and I am perfectly capable of taking perfect care of myself, and I don’t need people to support me! I’m always like this!”

  Zhoumi could do nothing but laugh softly to himself. Her stubborn character was always something of the worry. He knew she often portrayed herself to be understanding and somewhat flexible in a literal sense, but however, he knew that when it came to her own matters, she stuck pig-headedly to what she thought was best and she wasn’t going to listen to anyone else.

  It’s just a matter of time. He thought to himself. A matter of contradiction.

~~~

  “Mr Shim, you have a guest.”

  “Send her in.”

  Changmin was sitting in his other office at the other police branch, sorting out some matters before he returned to the main headquarters. Luckily the crime rate seemed to be decreasing lately, and it was good to know the rest of the team in the headquarters wasn’t too much on stress mode. It was a surprise, however, to receive a visitor in his office of that particular police branch, since he was hardly present in that office.

  He inverted his gaze to the lady stepping into the office. She was averaged-heighted, slim and healthy-looking, with this radiant glow about her. She had fair skin, raven dark hair and sweetly cropped bangs which fell just above her, what he always referred to as, ‘smiling eyes’. Her high heels clicking as she stepped onto the marble floors of his office, she moved towards his table, smiling brightly as she saw him.

  “…It’s been long, Changmin-sunbae.”

  His eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, Hwang Miyoung, is that you?” His lips curved into a pleasant smile as he stood up, leading her towards the low-rise table and his brown sofas, gesturing for her to take a seat, sitting down as well. “You’re right, it’s really been long. How long now…?”

  “Three years.” She grinned, setting aside her purse as she sat down. “However, it’s Tiffany now, Changmin-sunbae. I will head my father’s pharmaceutical company, and I find that Miyoung is quite a mouthful, especially with our foreign clients.”

  “Oh really? It’s a pretty name.” He chuckled as he folded his arms. “Now, Tiffany, I’m sure your visit here must be to acquire something from me, so I hope you cut the chase and tell me directly.”

  She smiled cleverly. “How so, Changmin-sunbae? Isn’t it natural for a hoobae to want to pay a visit to a sunbae she has not seen for three years?”

  “For starters, Tiffany, you never addressed me as ‘sunbae’ throughout our university days, and I have two possible guesses to that – either you want something or you have developed your eloquence to compliment the fact that you will head a very large foundation in the future.” He smirked. “However, I hardly use this office, and I suppose you went over much trouble to find this location to search me out, so thus, I can conclude you desire something, something I probably can give you.”

  She clapped her hands, the smile still evident on her face. “You really have the makings of a detective, Changmin.” She chortled. “Very well then, I shall stop beating about the bush and just come clean – I have something I would like you to solve for me.”

  “I don’t do requests, the police force is not something you can twirl around your fingertips, the way you manipulated everything in your life, Miyoung.” Changmin’s tone was firm as he leaned forward. “I’m afraid I cannot comply to your request.”

  Her smile did not falter. “I guess it’s your unlucky day, Changmin. I don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

~~~

  “Remind me again, why on earth am I stuck here doing paperwork?” Minho yelled out in frustration, after typing for at least more than three hours finishing up on several documents.

  Kyuhyun grinned devilishly as he sat in a layback manner on the sofa, leisurely sipping coffee. “Correction – the paperwork I’m usually supposed to do.”

  “Okay, rephrasing… Why am I stuck here doing your paperwork?”

  His cheek earned him a good smack on the head, with Yoona swinging the folder she had in her hands, hitting him. “Because, Minho, we’ve been lazing around way too much and Kyu’s always the one stuck doing the paperwork. I think we should be a bit decent and take some of his burdensome paperwork on our shoulders.”

  Minho frowned. “Then why aren’t you helping me?”

  “Because I have a part-time job and I’m tired.”

  “Yoona, you’re wonderful!” Kyuhyun burst out in an overly-enthusiastic manner, purposely trying to drive Minho to the edge. “Yes, you should force Minho to do the paperwork more often because I’m always-“

  “Oh geez, what on earth are you three doing?”

  They turned around, hearing the rather annoyed tone of their resident profiler, Victoria Song, who stood on the doorway with her hands on her hips. Hurriedly, everyone scurried back to their desks and continued the work they were supposed to be doing, and what had been issued for them to do.

  “…Working.” Kyuhyun answered.

  “Well, I hope you aren’t taking your own sweet time to dally around.” Victoria’s words came out rather commanding, as she stepped towards her desk. “So much work to do, so much to clear, and barely anything has been cleared. We’re the undercover agents for a reason you know, we don’t exactly get to relax like the ones on television.”

  “We’re actually working so much harder than when we actually have a case.” Minho complained.

  “That’s because when we have a case, we do mental work more than physical work. The essence of each case is that we learn to be able to control our mindsets and our actions in any given condition, rather than-“

  “You talk too much, Vic.” Kyuhyun said cheekily, just getting himself a little whack from Victoria.

  The playful, or rather, somewhat serious banter of the team was interrupted by the arrival of their team leader, who was unusually solemn as he stepped into the office. He did not have case files clutched in his hands, no, he did not. This was probably a signification that there wasn’t a new case, at least, that was what they thought. Changmin headed towards every window, and then lastly to the main door, bolting it all.

  “Listen up team, and listen good.” Changmin gestured for the team to huddle up, all the other four moving closer to him the moment he ordered them to. “…There’s something up.”

  “Do we have another case?” Victoria was immediately serious.

  “Unfortunately we do, however this one is not official.” He took a deep breath. “An old hoobae of mine, Tiffany Hwang, came to my other office today to ask for some help. I am aware that we do not consent to requests but her request was especially serious, and I think we should get ourselves involved before the situation worsens.”

  Yoona leaned in curiously. “A death?”

  “No, a patient by the name of Park Leeteuk was sent to the Seoul General Hospital several days before unconscious due to an overdose of sleeping pills.” Changmin said severely. “He is the husband of Tiffany’s best friend, and she suspects that the overdose was not a mere accident, because the usual dosage is precise and she has the impression that he’s very organized when taking those pills.”

  “So do we have to launch an investigation now?” Kyuhyun questioned.

  Changmin shook his head. “No, it’s not allowed. There was no formal report submitted and there’s no proof that it’s a crime. However Tiffany is worried that there’s something more about this incident, and she wants us to investigate before something really does happen.”

  “But how will we investigate if we’re not permitted to investigate?” Victoria said incredulously. “This doesn’t exactly sound like a simple case to investigate, don’t even talk about the fact that we’re not allowed to.”

  “We do what our other alternative is.” Changmin shot them all a knowing look. “We go undercover.”

~~~

  “This is just plain stupid.”

  “No, it’s exciting!”

  Yoona nudged Minho optimistically, bouncing up and down cheerfully as the two of them, along with Victoria and Kyuhyun, sat in the meeting room of the Seoul General Hospital. All four were clad in four very different outfits, awaiting the arrival of one of the hospital’s supervisors.

  “You look really good.” Kyuhyun teased Minho, laughing at Minho’s undercover uniform. “Really, really, really good.”

  Minho punched Kyuhyun on the shoulder. “Don’t laugh! It’s not funny!” He frowned as he sunk back in his seat. “It’s not fair that you get to be a receptionist, Victoria gets to be one of the psychologists and Yoona, Yoona…” He turned to stare at Yoona. “…Yoong gets to become a nurse?! It’s not fair! Why do I have to be a janitor?”

  “…You don’t look that bad, Minho.” Yoona tried to brighten him up.

  “But…” He was about to complain, but sighed in defeat. “…Fine.”

  “Alright everyone, remember what we’ve got to do.” Victoria took the lead. “Changmin’s going to settle all the admin matters, so remember, our motive is to try and find out as much as we can about Park Leeteuk. We’ll all meet back at the hospital cafeteria in the afternoon and if there are any emergencies, call immediately.”

  Kyuhyun raised his hand to his forehead, as if to salute her. “Roger, Mommy Song!”

  She gave him a sharp nudge. “Get serious, Kyu.”

  As the door swung open, all four stood up. A skinny, scrimpy man walked in, a man who looked so weak, like he could easily be broken after a small shove. Face features alike to that of a mouse, he appeared modest and somewhat friendly, smiling brightly as he entered the room.

  “Good morning, everyone, I’m Kim Ryeowook, and I’m one of the co-heads of the board of this hospital.” He said warmly. “My friend Tiffany mentioned that you needed a place to work, and that you are all very qualified. As a part of the hospital board, I’d like to give you all a warm welcome to this hospital- Victoria!”

  Ryeowook’s sudden exclamation caused the entire team to jump in surprise, but no, that didn’t matter to the pipsqueak man, he ran straight towards Victoria excitedly, giving her a great big hug, with a childish, happy-go-lucky smile on his face. Kyuhyun, Minho and Yoona exchanged confused looks, whilst Victoria just hugged Ryeowook back.

  “Wookie!”  She said cheerfully.

  “Vic-vic! How are you doing? It’s been ages!” Ryeowook said joyfully, patting her on the back as they released each other. “And what are you doing here, becoming a psychologist? I always thought you wanted to become-“

  “Change of mind.” She cut him off quickly, but smiled once more. “My friends will go off to their respective jobs first, and we can do some catching up real soon, Ryeowook-ah.”

  He nodded, remembering his duty as he turned to the others. “Please proceed to your venues to start your jobs, if you have any queries, do ask me.”

  Yoona, Minho and Kyuhyun were still somewhat befuddled but Kyuhyun caught Victoria’s stern gaze, and he placed his arms on the shoulders of the other two, leading them towards the door. He was suspicious, definitely, when he saw the way Ryeowook had acted to Victoria, but Kyuhyun was Kyuhyun, and he maintained his calm composure no matter what. The moment the door shut with a ‘click’, Minho’s protests began once more.

  “Why did we do that? Why didn’t we just-“

  “Maybe there are reasons.” Kyuhyun suggested, continuing to shove Yoona and Minho through the corridor. “In any rate, we have jobs to do, and I think we should do it well.”

  “But it’s a simple case on overdose, it’s not even a real-“ Minho started once more.

  “Simple or hard, it’s still a case.”

~~~

  “So Vic, I haven’t seen you for real long, since what… graduation?” Ryeowook chuckled good-naturedly as he began. “It’s been quite a while, really. What’ve you been up to, since then?”

  She shrugged lightly. “After high school graduation I went off to study Psychology in Seoul, whilst Zhoumi got his first degree in the U.S, then when he came to Seoul to pursue his studies even further, I graduated from the Seoul University.”

  “So now you’re going pro, as a psychologist here?”

  She nodded, her lips tightly sealed about her secret job. “I guess so, but hey, I never expecte