Being Himchan's official partner, left Sang Hee with a strange sense of pride.

It was a feeling of being accepted, being finally able to find a place to call her own, a place where she belonged.

Sure, she didn't take up the offer for all the right reasons, but meeting Dong Chul,  Chin Hwae and even Himchan made her stay a lot better.

And a lot more fun.

Sang Hee glanced at her cellphone before knocking on Himchan's door. "Yeah?"

"Hey." She said awkwardly as she poked her head inside his room.

It was the first time she ever saw the inside. It was just like the rest of his house, it looked like it was taken out of a catalogue.

"What's up?" He muttered without looking up at her.

She shifted awkwardly on her heels, "Umm, so, my landlord called and told me that they fixed the mould. I can move back as soon as today. So I was wondering if you could drive me to my apartment. I have a lot of things and it to carry it all on the bus."

He stiffened, spinning his pen around his fingers before crouching over her desk again, "Yeah, I'm not doing that."

"Wh-what why?" She asked, stunned.

He shrugged, emotionlessly, "I'm too busy."

"It won't take long. It's like 20  minutes away." She pleaded. She hated asking him for anything but Chin Hwae's car was in the shop and she didn't really feel like asking Namjoon for favours.

"That's not happening." He said bluntly.

She scoffed incredulously, "Well…what do you expect me to do?"

He looked over his shoulder. "Just stay here."

"Wha--"

"It's easier and you're already paying rent which is great for me. Just keep living here."

-----

"Guys, stop staring at me." Sang Hee muttered when she felt two pairs of eyes on the back of her head. "It's been 6 hours."

"I'm just so happy you're going to stay." Chin Hwae said emotionlessly.

She rolled her eyes playfully before turning around in her chair, "You guys knew that I chose to stay yesterday when I came back to the precinct drenched in rainwater, why can't you accept that?"

"It just warms my heart that you'd chose us." Dong Chul said shyly.

Sang Hee bursted out laughing when suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the room.

Everyone fell silent when Himchan slammed his foot against the door, swinging it open before storming in and whipping his keys violently at his computers, scratching the screen.

"Woah, what's up with you?" Dong Chul asked.

Himchan paced back and forth, steam figuratively blowing out his ears as he rested his hands on his hips. Sang Hee raised her brows and watched as he his lips and tilted his head back before something in him snapped.

He grunted and kicked the garbage can across the room but unlike Chin Hwae and Dong Chul, Sang Hee didn't jump in surprise. She just snapped her fingers, making him look over to her.

"Words."

He ran his teeth along his bottom lip before letting out a breath, "Remember Assistant Lim? The one who was convicted? Well, guess who got a mistrial?"

"Are you kidding?" She blurted out.

He laughed dryly, "I wish I was. A huge chunk of the evidence is getting thrown out, so chances are she's going to be acquitted. They're going to call me when the judge re-decides the verdict."

"What are you going to do?" Dong Chul asked in concern.

He shrugged helplessly, "Nothing. The judge is making his decision and Hong is going to get his skivvy way."

"You think he had something to do with it?" Sang Hee asked with a scowl.

He nodded, "Of course he did. He claimed that he had reasonable doubt that one of the jury members were influenced to vote in a conviction."

"How?"

He threw his hands in the air, "The would I know?!"

This time the surprise was evident on her face as she watched his anger rise, "Himcha--"

"Someone sent an anonymous tip to the DA's office claiming that I tampered with the jury." He finally admitted.

"What the ?" She growled while shooting up in her seat.

Even in the seriousness of the issue, Chin Hwae's attention fell to Sang Hee's predatory stance.

"Apparently, there was audio evidence of me paying off a jury member to convict. It's probably altered or edited because I didn't talk to a ing jury member. Why would I? She ing confessed to the murder, but now the board is putting me under investigation because if they believe that I actually did that, they could charge me." He muttered through his gritted teeth.

Everyone was stunned into a dead silence as the severity of the issue set in. "Do you think Hong sent the tip in?"

"Honestly?" Himchan started slowly, "I really don't think so. You should've seen him when we were called into the judge's chambers. After he told the judge about the tip, the judge said he got similar news and whipped out the audio file. Hong looked shocked, like he couldn't believe that there was actual proof."

"What now?" Dong Chul asked, his voice quivering.

He shrugged, "Woon's letting me continue to work until they make a decision, but until then I'm walking on eggshells."

"Do you have any idea how would want to come after you enough to spread that rumour to fake that recording?" Chin Hwae asked with a frown.

Himchan casually slipped his hands into his pockets, letting his fingers curl around the small card that he found stuck under his windshield.

May one be pardon’d and retain the offence? In the corrupted currents of this world, offence’s gilded hand may shove by justice, and oft is seen the wicked prize itself buys out the law

-Shakespeare

Hamlet.

He looked it up the moment he got it.

"No…I don't."

Sang Hee looked concerned as she took a step towards him, "Are you okay--"

"Can we just…" He cut her off before taking a deep breath and looking her dead in the eye, "Can we just go? I can't stand being here right now. I need to get the out of here."

Sang Hee pursed her lips before side-eyeing the others who gave her a subtle nod, "Sure."

Himchan nodded and walked out, leaving her alone to collect her things.

"What do I do?" She asked the other in panic.

Chin Hwae looked bothered as he tapped his pen against his table, "I'm not sure. Usually he likes drinking when Hong pisses him off, but this is next level. I've never seen him like this."

"Good luck." Dong Chul said with a sheepish smile.

She rolled her eyes, grabbed her bag and jacket before strolling towards the door.

"Thanks."

-----

Sang Hee hugged her jacket close to her body before jogging out to Himchan's car.

She took a deep breath when she saw him glaring out the window, into the darkness,  before opening the door and letting herself in.

She leaned back in her seat, sitting on her cold fingers, but instead of starting the car he just leaned his head back,  draped his arm over the wheel and closed his eyes.

"Himc--"

"How badly do you want to go back to the apartment right this very moment?" He asked, his voice gruff.

Sang Hee blinked at him before frowning. "You need to stop cutting me off every time I try talking to you."

"Please just answer my question." He muttered, his voice urging on pleading.

She gulped and folded her hands on her lap, "What do you mean?"

"I could drop you off at home if you really want to."

She scrunched her face up, "Or?"

He slid his arm down the wheel so that his fingers could grip it tighter. "Or…do you want to hang out with me?"

-----

Himchan tossed Sang Hee a six pack when he opened the door to the car and got in.

Once she agreed to 'hang out' with him, he said nothing and drove them to the closest beer store.

"Why me, though?" She asked while looking at the beer.

Himchan shrugged, "You're my...friend. I guess."

She snorted, "How sweet." 

She wasn't sure where they were going, but Himchan seemed to have a place in mind as he pulled out of the liquor store's parking lot.

He was on silent autopilot.  

Figuring that he wasn't going to give her any answers, she snapped a can out of its packaging and cracked it open before pouring half of it down .

"Pace yourself." He muttered when he caught her with the side of his eye.

Sang Hee snorted. "You know that I can hold my liquor."

Himchan didn't say anything but she saw the smirk on his face and honestly, that was better than the mute mime he was becoming.

"Fair enough, but I think we're going to have to take a cab home if we both get into that six pack." He mumbled.

"If you're not going to get drunk for yourself, then I figured I'd just do it for you." She said lightly before taking another gulp.

A small smile twitched up his lips, "Who said I'm not getting drunk?"

"Well then, I guess I'm just doing this for myself."

He took a turn and pulled into an empty parking lot before cutting off the engine. Sang Hee squinted her eyes at the dark building before frowning.

"Where are we?" She asked.

He opened the door before turning to her and grabbing the six pack from her lap.

"We're playing pool."

-----

"So, you're friend owns this place?" Sang Hee asked while trailing behind him as he led them through the building.

He nodded as he moved through the room of pool tables until he reached one at the very back, "We used to come here when I first started at the precinct. Minsoo's friend owned it."

"Minsoo?" She asked while taking off her jacket.

"My old partner."

She nodded in understanding as he switched on the small hanging lamp over the table, "And you're allowed to come in and  out even when it's closed?"

"I'm charming, people trust me." He said plainly.

He set the cans of beer down on the side while Sang Hee grabbed two cue sticks. He watched her hold both in one hand before he turned to pick up the balls and the rack.

"Let's raise the stakes."

Sang Hee quirked a brow as she chalked the sticks. "How so?"

Himchan looked around as if an idea was forming in his head. He was a little bit buzzed when he cracked open a can on the walk over and the room was closed.

"Strip pool." He blu