III

      Saturday had exhausted him, and when he eventually lay in bed too late for his liking, he fell asleep immediately. Hyeri was already in Morpheus' arms for the past couple hours and Minwoo hoped she would stay there for as long as possible. If only she could wake him up after nine am for once; it would be the best Christmas present.

      He was not sure if he was dreaming when his eyes cracked open and no little voice came to his ears. Usually Hyeri would come running in his room to jump on his bed, cuddle with him then ask him for breakfast.

Smiling for himself, he hoped for a moment she had slept in and he would not have to be up at eight for once; but a single glance at his alarm clock destroyed all his hopes.

How come it was only ten past eight ? It could not be possible. His alarm clock must have had a dysfunction and stopped somehow at ten past eight. He did not want to believe he was waking up on his own when for once his daughter was sleeping in.

Glaring at the red number on his alarm clock, he could only curse his bad luck when the number zero became a one and let him know it was working.

"What the hell ?" He breathed, grabbing his cell phone soon after just to be sure.

Minwoo almost threw the device against a wall when the hour glared back at him.

It was ten past eight, and he could not believe it.

Stubborn by nature, he refused to go out of bed so early without Hyeri coming for him to wake him up; but no matter how hard he tried he could not fall back asleep. At this point, he felt like murdering his damn alarm clock for being so freaking accurate.

"I hate you." He breathed and sat up in his bed.

He did not want to get out of it, but he had nothing to do here anymore and he should just get moving instead of getting all frustrated on his own.

Passing by his daughter's room, he could not help curse under his breath when he spotted the little girl sleeping soundlessly in her bed with an unbelievable mess on the floor.

They definitely had to clean this room today.

Sighing, he went to the toilet then bathroom to wash his hands and glared at his reflect in the mirror before exiting the room. For once he could sleep and here he was, at twenty past eight, sitting on the couch to watch some news channel waiting for Hyeri to wake up.

He was hungry, and he hoped his baby girl would wake up soon. There was no way he could eat his breakfast without her. It was a ritual on weekends to have it together -because on week days they were always having it at different moments.

      Changing channel, he found the rerun of a drama he wanted to watch a couple months ago but did not have the time to. Getting comfortable on the couch, he eventually enjoyed his peaceful morning until his daughter's awaking.

She emerged at nine am with a rub of her eyes and tousled hair. She called softly for him and wished him a good morning before laying on the couch beside him to cuddle. He caressed her head and appreciated the simple moment.

"You'd a good night ?" He asked gently and she nodded.

"I dreamed about a green unicorn trying to eat my popcorn." Minwoo chuckled at this and kissed the top of her head.

"What an interesting dream you had."

"Hum, not really. The unicorn ate all my popcorn." She answered in a sleepy and sulky voice, and Minwoo bit his lip to not laugh at this.

"Are you hungry ?" He asked instead, because himself was starving.

She nodded and watched the drama airing. "Can I have some eggs ?"

"Of course." He answered, kissed her head then pushed himself off the couch. "It'll be ready in ten."

She smiled sleepily at him before focusing back on the screen.

　

      After breakfast and lazing on the couch in front of TV until lunch, Minwoo announced it was time for them to clean Hyeri's room. The little girl was not that happy about it and followed him unwillingly inside her bedroom. Where it was a mess.

"How can you be so messy ? You're a girl, you're not supposed to be messy." He complained, putting toys inside the boxes they were supposed to be instead of anywhere on the floor and under the bed.

She pouted up at him and put a car in the box beside her. "It's annoying to get it back in place when I'm gonna play with it again the next day."

Minwoo stared at his daughter in bewilderment before saying. "What kind of logic is that ? Then what's the point of getting dressed if you're gonna take them off at the end of the day ?" She glared at him and decided to sulk as answer.

Minwoo grinned in amused victory and kept tidying the room with Hyeri.

Once done, he looked at the floor free from toys and patted himself on the back. One good thing done, now he should get the motivation to clean the apartment a bit. It was not a mess, but it had been too long since last time he had used a mop and cleaned the floor.

He was not that good of a housekeeper, but he was doing a not so bad job so far. Even if it was not as perfect as with a wife at home. He was doing his possible with the little time he had for him.

"Alright. Isn't it better ?" He said with a smile, and Hyeri refused to acknowledge such fact.

Besides his shortness, and eye-smile, and sense of fashion; she had inherited his stubbornness. Minwoo wondered if he should start to worry for the future, but he decided to live the present day instead of getting all work up on things that would maybe never happen.

He really hoped Hyeri would be the model teenager, or at least not be too troublesome. It was his greatest fear knowing his baby girl would one day be a teen. He could not help shiver at the thought.

"Do you have homework for tomorrow ?" He asked and she nodded before looking up at him.

"Can I watch some TV first ?" She asked cutely, and Minwoo could not resist her and accepted against his inward father's opinion.

She had all afternoon to do her homework, it was not so bad to let her watch some TV before doing them.

Sometimes he was wondering if he was doing things right with his little girl. He was often thinking he should be more strict, more father-like instead of melting in front of her. But he could not help it, when she was looking at him with these big eyes of hers, he could rarely say no.

 

---

     

      Afternoon had came to an end when Hyeri eventually started on her homework. She did not argue when Minwoo reminded her about it and brought her books and pen in the living room to work on the coffee table -despite the fact she had a desk in her room. He liked having her close to him, so he did not mind her doing her homework in the living-room.

She spent almost two hours on it and memorized her lessons with Minwoo's help before bringing her school's stuffs back in her room to play with some toys in the living-room where Minwoo was watching some TV for most of the day.

He had not been able to stop watching this drama rerunning, and he was not even ashamed about it.

      Time for cooking diner was coming when someone rang the doorbell. Frowning, Minwoo wondered who could be there and checked on the intercom before asking for an identity.

"It's the police." Announced the man close to the intercom before flashing his badge to it.

Minwoo's throat tightened. He had no idea why the police would come to his door, and opening it, he observed the two tall police officers before greeting them.

"Can I help you ?" He asked, keeping the door ajar to hide the inside of his apartment from prying eyes.

"Lee Minwoo ?" Questioned the one with short black hair and a slightly foreign looking face.

"Yes." He answered with a slow nod.

"I'm detective Mun and this is my partner, detective Park. We've a few questions to ask you."

"About what ?"

"You're working for Kim's law firm, right ?"

Minwoo swallowed and nodded tightly, wondering what could be going on for the police to come to his place. It had never happened before, and he was not sure what to expect.

"Daddy ?" Called Hyeri from behind him, and he stiffened without really knowing why. "Who is it ?" She asked, coming closer.

"Go to your room !" He answered, not wanting her to get involved.

"But…"

He looked passed the door to his little girl and repeated, "Sweetie ! Go to your room." He was gentle but firm, and Hyeri obeyed.

"Can we come in ?" Asked detective Mun, and Minwoo wanted to say no; but he did not have much of a choice either, so he stepped back and let the two men inside.

Park smiled at him with a nod and Minwoo could not help narrow his eyes at him. Having the police at his place made him anxious without really knowing why; but police was never synonym of good news, and he hoped nothing bad had happened.

"You want something to drink ?" He offered, because he still had manners.

"Coffee ?" Asked Mun, and Minwoo nodded before glancing at Park.

"Just water, thank you."

He nodded and walked to the kitchen where he poured a glass of water and got a coffee ready.

"Here." He said, putting the two drinks on the coffee table.

Park was sitting on the couch -uninvited, while Mun was looking around : observing. Minwoo did not like it much, but he did not say anything and turned off the TV speaking in his back.

"So, what do you want to ask me ?"

"You live alone, right ?" Shot back Mun, and Minwoo furrowed his brows at the unexpected question before crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes." He answered slowly, not sure what such information had to do in whatever investigation they were on.

"With your daughter ?"

He nodded slightly and stared at the detective, not sure why he felt this chewing feeling at the pit of his stomach.

"Why are you asking this ? What do you want ?" He shot back on the defensive, and sharing a look, the two detectives' behavior made him even more wary.

"Come take a seat." Began Mun, and trying to lead Minwoo to a stool, he had to stop when the shorter man refused to move.

"Not before you tell me what's going on."

A silence passed as Mun shared a look with Park. The later stood up and Minwoo stiffened with a glance at the hallway behind the detectives. He realized the two were standing between him and his daughter's room. Which stressed him.

"Your daughter's room's this way, right ?" Asked Park with a thumb pointing towards the hallway and a small smile on his lips.

"Where are you going ?" He asked in growing worry when the man headed to Hyeri's room, but Mun stepped in front of him and pushed a hand on his chest. "Don't touch me !" He snapped, smacking the man's hand away. "Come back here !" He called after Park, and Mun shoved him back when he tried to follow the other man.

Shocked, he stared at the taller man and started wondering if these people were real cops. He feared for a second they would hurt his daughter, and when he heard her voice then Park's, a dull panic soared inside him.

Standing stiffly in the living-room with Mun on his way, Minwoo apprehended what this man in Hyeri's room would do. He never liked knowing her around strangers, and being unable to keep her safe at the right moment felt maddening.

Eventually, Park came back in the living-room with Hyeri's hand in his. The man was caring towards the little girl, but Minwoo hated the fact this stranger was being so close to her. Mostly when he had no idea what was going on.

"Come take a seat." Said Mun, and shifting his attention from his daughter to the detective in front of him, Minwoo hesitated to move. "She'll be fine." Smiled the man. "He's good with kids." He added, and Minwoo was more worried than reassured by such words. "Come on !" He walked to the high stool and sat on the one in the kitchen.

With a last glance at his daughter smiling and showing her toys to Park, he decided she was alright for now and joined Mun to the counter. He was tensed and reckless, and did not try to hide it.

"What do you want ?" He asked lowly for Hyeri to no hear him.

Mun grinned, "Relax. We're not here to hurt you. We just need your help."

"My help ?" He was more than confused and the look on his face showed it.

"Yes. We need some data in Kim Dongwan's possession and you're the only one able to get them for us."

A beat passed, then Minwoo snapped, "What ?"

His voice was loud and attracted Hyeri's attention, which was enough for him to settle down and sit back on the stool.

"Daddy ?" She called in a worried voice, and looking over at her he smiled.

"It's okay sweetie, don't worry." He nodded towards Park then and added. "You're showing him your pocket balls ?"

She smiled big and said, "Yes. He knows every Pokemon I have and he said he could get me more."

Minwoo tensed up and forced his saliva down. "That's great." He managed out before glaring at Park who smiled sheepishly at him.

"Don't worry about them, he won't hurt her."

"If he harm her…" He began threateningly, and Mun smirked.

"He won't, if you do what we say."

The words felt like a blow in the guts, and for a spreading moment Minwoo was unable to think or breathe.

"What data do you need ?" He asked eventually, and the man smiled in satisfaction. "I don't have access to his…"

"Don't worry yourself about that. We've our way. You just need to get in his office and do what I say."

Minwoo swallowed thickly and wondered what could be going on. "What do you need these data for ?"

Mun grinned mysteriously. "You don't need to know such information."

"Are you real cops ?"

The man chuckled and show him his badge once again. "Yes. We're private detectives if you prefer, but we were cops once in a lifetime."

"Why are you doing this ?" He shot back, staring straight in Mun's eyes turning serious.

"We need these data, and we'll use every means to get them."

Minwoo swallowed dryly and knew at this right moment the guy was talking real business.

---

---

Well, I hope it gave you some answers to what this story was about and where it was heading.

Did you like it ? I guess you already know who are the detectives, I couldn't be more obvious xD

 

And, Happy New Year everyone

(I don't know what time it is in your country, and maybe it's still december 31th there for you, but whatever xD)

I wanted to wish you all a happy new year ^^