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Chapter Text

The strobe lights of a club in Tokyo flashed wildly as Detective Myoui Mina and her partner and fellow detective Kai burst through the back door.

The air was thick with smoke and the pulsating beat of electronic music.

The smell of sweat, alcohol and drugs in the air.

Mina walked through a small hallway, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she came out into the big open room.

The room was packed to the brim. Crowded with people either dancing, drinking or passed out on the tables.

She quickly scanned the room and zeroed in on their target. Mina's agenda for today.

Shiroma Goro, A business man by day, the leader of a notorious drug operation by night. A new player in the city as Mina's been told. A foreign operation trying to expand their business to Tokyo.

Mina was clad in a dark maroon dress shirt with a black leather jacket over it and black jeans. She liked black.

Her straight black hair swayed as she weaved through the pile of sweaty bodies grinding on each other on the dance floor. Some of them looked way too young to be in a place like this and everyone was high off their minds but that wasn't what Mina was here for, At least not today.

Kai, her partner and fellow detective followed her to the best of his ability. Bumping into some girls and squeezing past a fat smelly guy.

"Mina-san! wait!!" He called out as Mina was slowly fading away into the crowd. He couldn't take two steps past the smelly guy and another much skinnier guy grabs him.

"Hey handsome, you look tasty~" The guy says as he moves closer to Kai and the smell of alcohol invades his personal space. The man then whispers in his ear.

"Ever tried a femboy?" He asks. Kai feels chills run down his spine. He has nothing against femboys or boys in general but he's a straight man and a taken man at that. No thank you.

He tries his best to kindly turn down this guy Infront of him and to find Mina. He's clearly high as a kite like everyone else in this place. They had job to do and Kai was asked to keep Mina in check which he was failing miserably at right now.

Mina on the other hand, has managed to weave through the crowd and reach the bar where her target was seated with two scantily clad woman on either side of him.

A blonde shorter girl on his right who looked Japanese and a foreign dark haired girl on his left. Both were running their hands all over the man and giving him bedroom eyes as he chatted up with the bartender and drinked.

Mina doesn't hesitate as she shoves the taller half naked girl to the side and faces the man.

"Ugh! Bitch what's your problem??" The girl says In English which Mina completely ignores. The girl stomps her feet letting out a grunt and walks away.

"Shiroma Goro, correct?" Mina asks as the Man turns to look at her.

In this man's case, looks doesn't deceive. he looked exactly like the person he was known for being. Fur coat, gold chains, designer clothes, the whole nine yards. And that vulgur smile that Mina despises. The kind of smile that says 'you're beneath me'.

"Why hello beautiful, might I ask what a fine lady like you are doing in a place like this?" The man asks as he checks Mina out. Looking at her from head to toe. He licks his lips with a smirk as he likes what he sees.

'My next conquest.' the man thinks to himself. She seems like the conservative type seeing as the only skin Mina was showing was her face and they were in a club right now.

'even better' The man thought.

"Are you Shiroma Goro?" Mina asked again bringing the man out of his thoughts, her face stoic with zero emotion. Even under the vile gaze of this piece of trash Infront of her.

"The one and only." The man says with a small bow.

However as the man raised his head again Mina grabs the back of his head and slams it on the table. The glass he was drinking out of smashes as his face hits the glass first and then hits the table.

The man screams as shards of glass had cut his face all over. The girls who were left around him panic and run away.

"You crazy bitch! Do you have any idea who I am! My beautiful face!!" The man screamed.

Mina palms the back of his head and slams it into the table again knocking the man unconscious.

She was about to handcuff the man when she felt someone grab the upper part of her arm.

Mina doesn't even get a chance to react as she is thrown halfway across the bar on to a table breaking all the glassware on it as well.

The rest of the club is still oblivious to what's going on as they continue to grind on each other to the deafening sound of music.

Mina pushes herself off the ground looking up to see a huge bulky man in a black suit standing where she was. One of goro's guards Mina assumed.

Mina wipes the blood off her lips where she got cut from the glass.

"Okay you big lump of meat. Let's do this."

She grabs a mug that fell from the table as she ran back at the big man.

He swings at her but she ducks under his arm and lands a punch in his gut making the man cough and kneel down to one knee.

Mina moves quickly around the guy to the back and smashes the mug on his head making the guy fall to the ground.

Mina let's out a sigh as she fixes her jacket and swipes away the glass shards on her shoulder.

She turns to see three more.

She moves swiftly towards them with the intent to end this quickly but one of the guys grab her arm again.

When it comes to pure strength Mina is no match for these men. But she knows how to use her strengths. Mina does a backflip making the guys arm twist with her as she landed she unloaded a barrage of consecutive punches on the guy's face breaking the guy's nose and covering her fist with blood. The guy caves under the pain of his twisted arm and the broken face making him release her.

She kicks the guy right between the legs. Making him fall to the ground. A cheeky cock shot Mina knows. But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do y'know.

She turns to the other two and blows the stray strand of hair away from her face. Blood dripping down from her clenched fist.

"One down. Two to go."

Kai finally manages to squeeze himself out of the crowd into the opening where the bar was located and all he sees is Mina fighting two bulky men and a bunch of broken glass and flipped tables.

"Chief is going to kill both of us." Kai says to himself. He sighs. This is a normal occurrence for the duo.

He runs up to join the fight.

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Mina's actions often bordered on brutality. She had a reputation for being tough, for pushing boundaries to get results. But tonight, her methods crossed a line, and it didn't go unnoticed.

Back at the precinct, Captain Tanaka's stern voice echoed through the office as he reprimanded Mina for her excessive use of force.

"Mina, just because I'm your father's best friend doesn't mean I can keep letting you get away with this."

He warned her about the consequences of her actions, reminding her of the fine line between justice and vigilantism.

Mina listened stoically, her gaze unwavering as she accepted the rebuke.

Deep down, she knew she had pushed too far, but her thirst for justice often clouded her judgment.

She tells herself that she doesn't care. They are all criminals anyway and they have done much worse to innocent civilians. Mina tells herself that she had nothing to feel guilty about. However she's not sure if she herself believes that or not.

After dressing-down, Mina retreated to her desk, the weight of the captain's words heavy on her shoulders. She glanced at the clock, noting the late hour. The precinct was quiet now, the chaos of the day replaced by an eerie calmness.

With a sigh, Mina gathered her things and headed home.

The streets of Tokyo were bathed in the soft glow of streetlights, casting long shadows as Mina navigated through the familiar alleyways.

Mina always enjoyed the walk back to her apartment after a late night of work. To other people it might be scary walking alone in the city that late at night but for Mina it was almost therapeutic.

Sometimes she wishes the walks home were longer. She even indulges herself in a walk around the neighborhood before going home some nights.

Because she knows what's waiting for her at home is nothing but loneliness and getting lost in her spiraling mind filled with bad thoughts.

As she reached her apartment, a sense of exhaustion washed over her. She kicked off her shoes and poured herself a glass of whiskey, the burn of the alcohol was a welcome distraction. It also helped stop her mind from going a mile a minute and completely destroying her from within.

But even as she tried to unwind, her attempts to stop her always anxious mind proved to be a fruitless endeavor.

Her mind kept drifting back to one name— "The Fate." It was a name whispered in the darkest corners of the city, a name that sent shivers down the spines of criminals and law enforcement alike.

Mina's obsession with "The Fate" consumed her thoughts, driving her to lengths others deemed reckless, barbaric even.

She had dedicated her life to unraveling the mystery behind this elusive criminal, to finding justice and closure for herself.

With a heavy heart and a mind full of determination, Mina stared out at the city skyline. Tomorrow would be another day where that man runs free. The mere thought makes Mina's blood boil. Her life's goal was to see that man rot behind bars and nothing, absolutely nothing, would stand in her way.

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The morning sun cast a warm glow over Tokyo as Detective Mina walked through the busy streets on her way to work the next day. A city alive with the pulse of its people and the shadows of its secrets.

As Mina navigated through the bustling crowds towards the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department with her daily dose of caffeine in her hand, the curious and envious glances from men and women alike were ignored by her as flashes of a haunting memory constantly pierced her mind.

It was always like this but it was significantly more intense at late nights when she was alone and early mornings right after she wakes up.

This is what Mina has been living through for 8 years. Being tortured relentlessly by her own mind. Being told by herself that she failed. That she wasn't strong enough. That she didn't train hard enough. That she deserved what happened to her.

Mina hadn't indulged herself in seeing a therapist or getting diagnosed. She knew she must have had some type of anxiety disorder and PTSD. These thoughts that hit her so violently that she would sometimes lose sense of reality and be stuck in the same place trying to claw her way out of her own mind, she knew it wasn't normal.

She didn't bother seeking professional help because she knew where her antidote layed. She knew what she had to do to fix herself.

It all goes back to that night.

The night her world shattered. The night fate stole everything from her.

Flashback

Mina wasn't always as stoic and cold as she is now. She was actually a sweet girl. She was kind and caring and never shyed away from showing affection to the people she loved.

She had two best friends who she would spend almost all her time with. Minatozaki Sana and Hirai Momo. They were like family to her.

That day however was a bittersweet day for Mina. They had just graduated and they were going on their different paths in life.

Sana was studying to become a doctor and Momo wanted to be a choreographer for K-pop groups. Both of their avenues happened to converge in South Korea.

They were leaving today and Mina didn't want to ruin the mood for her best friends so she tried her best to make their last day together as much fun and memorable as she could make it.

Mina came out of her room all dressed up to give her besties the best night of their lives.

She sees her lovely parents in the kitchen. Her father sitting on a stool near the table with his phone in hand and her mother busy making breakfast.

Mina always thought it was adorable that her dad would just come into the kitchen to keep her mom company while she cooked.

He would show her funny TikToks and played music as her mom cooked. He would distract her essentially.

Even with her dad being the head detective of the metropolitan police department in Tokyo, he would never miss this moment and whenever he gets too busy and misses keeping her mom company she would notice that the food would taste different. A bit bland.

She knew that her mother loved the company as much as her dad loved just watching his wife cook.

"Ohayo oto-san, oka-san." Mina greeted good morning to her parents as she sat down next to her dad.

"Well hello there my future detective." Her dad says greeting her and giving a little kiss on her cheek.

"Oto-san, I'm only joining the academy next week. I need to be a police officer before I can be a detective you know." Mina says embarrassed at her dad's optimism.

"I know I know, but I'm hopeful. I heard from your martial arts sensei yesterday. He said you beat everyone in your class. Hell you might even be a better fighter than your old man already. I couldn't tell you how proud I am. Right honey?" Mina's dad shifts the conversation towards her mother who had walked up to place the freshly cooked meals on the table.

"Humph!" Mina's mom does an almost comical scoff as she whips her head away from the two with a pout on her lips.

Mina's mom obviously didn't want Mina to follow in her dad's footsteps. But she would be lying to herself if she said that she wasn't proud.

Mina giggles at her mom's childlike display.

"Come on honey, you knew Minari was more like her pops then anyone else from the beginning. This was inevitable." Her dad says.

Mina's mom glares at her dad and then walks over to Mina to give a quick kiss on the top of her head.

"It's not a competition Akira. Besides I am proud of our baby. I just don't want her getting hurt. I still remember the first time you got shot." She turns to Mina and directs the rest of the conversation to her.

"Let me tell you Minari. Not a pleasant experience. He cried like a baby for weeks. I couldn't even touch his hand without his abdomen hurting."

Mina laughs at that. She could definitely see her dad making a big deal out of everything and over exaggerating everything. That's her dad.

Mina finishes her meal and bids her parents goodbye for the day as she made her way towards Momo's place where they had agreed to meet. It was going to be a long day for the three girls. Partying, Karaoke, amusement parks, everything and anything Tokyo had to offer they planned on doing that day.

It was almost 2 am. When Mina finally made it back home. She didn't drink but the other too did and she had to drop them off as well.

Mina made her way towards their house. She saw that the lights were off in the house which was normal but she could see the faint glow of her dad's lamp in his work office through the window.

'Oto-san is up working late again. He's gonna be a zombie the whole day tomorrow.' Mina thought to herself.

Mina opens the door and enters her home quietly.

She sees through the hallway just at the entrance of the living room there was a flower vase on the ground.

Mina's instincts kick in immediately. She leaves her bag on the ground taking off her heels and she slowly make her way towards the living room.

She turned past the door way and looked at the living room.

Mina felt her whole world collapse as all she saw was destruction. Broken glass and furniture everywhere. The place looked like a hurricane hit it.

She was mortified but her legs started moving on their own towards her father's office space.

She walked Infront of the open door of her father's study.

Blood.

Pools of blood greeted Mina. She felt numb seeing her parents on the floor in pools of their own blood.

Her mother was in the corner of the room propped up against the wall covered in blood. Her father was in the middle of the room laying in a pool of his own blood as well.

Mina wanted to scream but the sheer terror didn't let her do anything. She just stood still.

Because they weren't alone.

Right past her dad's body there was a figure standing there. Only illuminated by the dim light of the table lamp that was now hanging by its power cord.

The figure was fully clad in black. From head to toe wearing an Oni demon mask. Fully black except for one thing. Something that still haunts Mina in her dreams to this day.

A shredded crimson red scarf around the figures neck swaying in the wind coming from the open window.

Which Mina guessed was how he got in the house.

Mina's legs moved on their own as her shock and fear was now replaced by pure unfiltered rage.

She grabbed a wooden chair that was in her path and threw it at the Man as she side stepped to the other side to throw a punch.

A classic double sided attack. He would have to defend against the chair flying towards his head and Mina would have plenty of time to land a hit from the opposite side.

She was the top of her class for a reason.

The man turns around and catches the chair with one hand and blocks Mina's punch with the other.

Mina's eyes widen. That reaction time. The agility. This person. This was no ordinary criminal.

The Oni mask. The black clothing. The katana sheathed on the man's back. It made sense to Mina now. This was a Shinobi.

A relic of the past in Japan. Shinobi were skilled assassin's trained for one reason and one reason only. To kill and disappear. They were thought to be extinct as all of the major Shinobi clans were apprehended and brought to justice decades ago.

The man twists Mina's arm making her kneel. He slowly moves closer stopping mere centimeters away from Mina's face.

It felt like the man was peering into Mina's soul. Studying every inch of her being.

Mina however can't see anything but the demon mask. The eye holes were there but they were black. The room was too dark to even see his eyes. Mina had no way of seeing if this person was even human or not.

The man moves his face away and breaks the wooden chair on Mina's back making her fall to the ground.

The man stands upright looking at Mina on the floor in the pile of broken wood. He turns to the window and goes to get out.

Before he could escape a power cord wraps around the man's neck. Mina took the lamp and wrapped it's cord around the Mans neck straddling him from behind trying to choke him out.

They struggle as they move through the room. The lamp was the only source of light in the room and it was currently dangling from the Man's neck.

The lamp light flashes casting dancing shadows all through the room as the two struggled for power.

The man lunges his body towards the wall making Mina's body slam on the wall. This gave the Man enough breathing room to throw Mina over his shoulder on to the floor.

Mina stands right back up as she brought her hands up in a fighting stance.

Mina wasn't someone to underestimate. The man now knew it as well seeing as he puts his hands up in a fighting stance as well.

The two engage again throwing punches and kicks from both sides. Mina blocks a punch from the man with her forearm and she feels something crack.

'What even are you?' Mina thought to herself. This man's punches were so strong they broke Mina's hand even though she was blocking it.

Mina was running on pure adrenaline at this point. Blood was pouring from her forehead. Her right arm was broken. But she was still fighting.

She knew this man didn't want to kill her. He had a katana on his back and Mina saw a few knives strapped to his legs as well. If he wanted to he could have killed Mina a hundred times over at this point.

Mina knew this. But why? That she had no idea. Wouldn't it have been better to kill off her whole family? She was a witness now. Wouldn't it be easier to just kill her and be done with it? Did he think Mina wasn't worth it? Did he think that Mina wasn't worth even killing? These thoughts were running in her mind fueling her anger fueling her body to keep fighting.

Mina was seeing openings as the fight went on. This person was strong indeed but not perfect. She sees the flaws. She just needs to use them.

Mina backs up blocking the man's punches until she saw the opening. This man's right hand is weaker. Mina knows this because every hard hitting punch she has received throughout this fight was from the Man's left hand.

She finds an opening and moves to the Man's right side tanking the weaker punches she received from his right hand as she landed her signature one hit KO gut punch.

The man staggers back and one knee hits the floor. She made him kneel. There was hope.

This man was leagues above Mina when it came to fighting ability. But Mina was hopeful. She can win.

The Man looks up at Mina while still kneeling on the floor. He keeps the stare for a moment and then throws a kunai (throwing knife) at the power cord of the lamp that was dangling from the wall.

The light goes out. It was pitch black for a moment before Mina's eyes adjust to the sudden change. The moonlight from the outside was still enough to see what's what in the room.

But when Mina's eyes adjusted the Man was no longer Infront of her.

A punch lands on Mina's side.

*Crack*

Mina feels her ribs break as her body is thrown to the side her body crashes on to a cupboard near the far end of the room.

Mina holds herself up barely. She coughs into her palm and she sees blood. She's bleeding internally and now her ribs were broken too.

She launches herself back at the Man for round two. But something was different this time around.

She couldn't see the openings anymore. The flaws in his technique. The weaker right punch. It was all gone.

She was hopeful for no reason after all. This was a monster far beyond Mina's power. He was just going easy on her. Pitying her. Toying with her.

She gets hit. Punch after punch.

*Crack* *Crack*

Mina feels her bones breaking one after the other. She wasn't strong enough. She wasn't good enough. She trained day in and day out. She climbed hill after hill. Getting over hurdle after hurdle. She thought she was strong.

But what stands before her right now was no hill. It was a mountain. A mountain that calls himself "The fate". As Mina would later find out.

Mina finally falls.

In the aftermath of the battle, Mina lay on the cold floor in the pool of her father's blood, her body battered and broken. Her parents' lifeless bodies beside her.

Tears streamed down her face into the pool of her father's blood. The transparent and colorless sorrow mixing with the blood red of loss.

She didn't even get to hear their last words. She didn't even get to say goodbye.

The sweet, kind and caring girl who loved to show affection and loved video games and penguins, that girl died that night. Along with her parents.

As the tears streamed down her face and the adrenaline In her body was replaced with the unbearable pain of her broken bones, Mina no longer saw herself as a Penguin.

She would be a hellhound. And she vowed to herself that she would find that person, she would chase him to the very ends of the earth and drag him down to hell with her.

Flashback end
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Back in the present, Chief Tanaka greeted Mina with a stern expression. He had just finished dealing with Goro's lawyers and he looked pissed when he entered the main office.

"Myoui, your tactics during the raid were excessive," he said again.

Mina's jaw tightened, they went through this yesterday and she didn't see the need to go over it again but seeing as the prick's lawyers were here demanding to release him she understood where the chief was coming from. She wanted to retort but she remained silent, her eyes reflecting a storm of emotions mostly a dangerous mix of determination and guilt.

Her partner Kai approached, offering a supportive nod.

"We got the job done, but we can't afford unnecessary risks," he reminded her.

Mina nodded, accepting the feedback. She knew her methods were unconventional, but in her pursuit of "The fate," she couldn't afford to hold back.

Their next case involved a series of high-profile robberies across the city. Mina threw herself into the investigation, her focus unwavering despite the lingering echoes of the past.

As they pieced together clues and followed leads, Mina couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. It was a familiar sensation, one that had haunted her since the night her parents were taken from her.

Back at the precinct, Mina poured over case files, searching for any connection to "The fate."

Much to Mina's frustration, the trail had run cold for the fate. He hasn't been seen or heard from in years. Some people have already given up on the chase saying the man's probably retired now and living a quiet life somewhere far away.

The mere thought makes Mina want to burn the world down searching for him. There's no way he can get away that easily. There's no way Mina would let him have a peaceful life after what he took from her.

The clock ticked relentlessly, each passing second a reminder of her unyielding quest.

That night, as Mina left the precinct and walked through the rain-soaked streets of Tokyo, her thoughts drifted back to that fateful night. The memories of her parents, the fight with "The fate," and the relentless pursuit flooded her mind.

But amidst the shadows of Tokyo,

Detective Myoui "The Hellhound" Mina,

remained undeterred. The hunt for "The fate" continued, fueled by a fire that burned brighter with each passing day.

Chapter Text

The day started like any other. Mina woke up alone in her apartment. She had sold her parents house after their death and moved into an apartment complex.

It wasn't an easy decision for Mina as that was her childhood home. However living in that place where she would be constantly reminded of her loss and her failure to protect her family. She didn't have the strength to do that.

Mina groggily waddled from her room wearing a light blue robe and fluffy indoor slippers. She made herself a coffee and a quick breakfast.

She had work today but for some reason she didn't mind being a few minutes late that day. She had been working twice the hours that anyone else in the precinct has.

She was the best of the best. She could afford being late one time.

Mina arrived at the precinct half and hour late. She had missed the usual greeting each other part of the day as she could see everyone was busy with their work already.

Mina walked to her desk where she saw a white envelope on her desk.

"Eh?" Seeing that puzzled Mina for a moment she stood there with her head tilted to a side wondering what it could be.

Mina's first thought was

'Am I getting fired?'

Mina could honestly see that happening. She was the best detective in the city no doubt. However, her methods of doing her job over the years has garnered her more than a few powerful enemies. Both in the criminal world and the corporate world.

Mina sat down at her desk taking the envelope in her hand. She stared at it as if doing a magic trick to make it disappear.

After a while she sighs and tears up the top of the envelope and takes the piece of paper out.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

Mina barges into Chief Tanaka's office. He was sat at his table watching Mina angrily stomp towards him.

She slams the paper on his desk.

"What is the meaning of this chief? A transfer order? To South Korea??" Mina asked for an explanation.

"Yes, So best go home and pack. You'll be leaving this evening." Chief tanaka said a matter of factly.

"Why?" Mina asked gritting her teeth.

She can't leave. Not now. She has been following The fate's trail. Even if the others say the trail is cold, She feels like she's getting closer and closer everyday. She can't leave now.

"The fate." Chief tanaka said snapping Mina out of her thoughts.

"What?" Mina asked.

"I've received Intel that the fate was in Korea. 2 dead bodies already. His MO down to a T." The chief said.

"Could be a copycat" Mina retorted. It was very much a possibility. The fate is famous in the criminal world and Mina has dealt with copycats here in Tokyo as well.

"No, not this time Mina. The two victims were both political figures. They were practically guarded by an army. Both of them. And they both died in one night. Both of their heads chopped clean off their bodies and placed upright in their laps and nothing else. No sign of entry, no struggle, no fingerprints, no gunshots, nothing. It's like their heads just detached by themselves and rolled on to their laps. The Korean officers at the scene described it to me as "it looked like it was done by a ghost"". Captain Tanaka explained as Mina listened intently.

"Or a Shinobi trained to be a ghost." Mina said.

"Exactly." The captain replied.

"So are you going or not? It seems your reputation as the hellhound proceeds you. Chief Jihyo put in a personal request for you to be transferred to her department." The captain said.

"Yeah. I'm going." Mina replied taking the piece of paper and leaving the Chiefs office. She goes to her desk with a cardboard box and starts putting her things inside.

Kai walks over to her with a somewhat somber smile.

"I heard the news. Korea huh?" He said.

"Yeah.." Mina replied.

"You'll be reuniting with your besties. Momo and Sana right? If I remember correctly." Kai said.

Mina hadn't thought of that yet. It's true. Her best friends were there. A genuine smile adorns Mina's face at the mention of the two girls. Kai smiles in return.

He doesn't get to see that from his partner. Smiles were few and far between for the girl and he had to admit it suited her much much more than the resting bitch face she had all the time.

He would never say that to her directly though. He shuddered at the thought of Myoui "The Hellhound" Mina dragging him to the depths of hell with her.

The girl was legitimately scary as fuck. Even though he considered them friends and he was pretty sure Mina felt the same, he had no plans of dying anytime soon.

He has always looked out for Mina and his biggest worry was that through Mina's chase for revenge and closure she might lose herself. The real Mina. Myoui "The Penguin" Mina as he would call it.

But it seems he didn't have to worry that much. That side of Mina was still in there. Hidden deep behind the thick walls of anger and pain.

"Look Mina-san. Take this as a word of advice from a friend." He starts and Mina looks at him signaling that he has her attention. He gives her a reassuring smile in response.

"Try to tone down the violence. You'll be under a new chief and you'll have a new partner. They won't be as tolerant of you as we are. They didn't know your father nor what you've been through." Kai says looking at Mina to see any kind of emotion on her face.

"Just a heads-up" Kai says giving a little punch to Mina's side.

"Thanks Kai. I'll keep that in mind." Mina gives him a smile as he leaves her to her packing.

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The Tokyo lights faded into the distance as Detective Myoui Mina boarded the plane bound for Seoul, South Korea.

The transfer notice had arrived unexpectedly, a twist in her relentless pursuit of "The fate."

As Mina settled into her seat, her thoughts raced ahead to the challenges that awaited her in a new city, a new culture, and a new team.

Chief Jihyo's name echoed in her mind, a figure of authority she had yet to meet but whose reputation preceded her.

She has heard multiple times of Jihyo's excellent leadership and the sheer amount of cases Park Jihyo has spearheaded and helped close. Everything ranging from decades old cold cases to serial homicide.

She was a woman of legendary status and a part of Mina feels starstruck knowing that the Chief Jihyo herself requested Mina's transfer. She would never show it or admit to that though. She had a tough girl persona to uphold.

Hours passed in a blur of landscapes and fleeting glimpses of unfamiliar cities. When the plane finally landed in Seoul, Mina felt a mix of excitement and apprehension.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Department loomed ahead, a modern structure amidst the bustling cityscape. Mina stepped inside, greeted by a whirlwind of activity and the chatter of a language Mina wasn't that familiar with.

She knew enough to hold her own in conversations though. Since she studied with Momo and Sana when they were learning in preparation of their move here to South Korea. At times she even taught the older two.

Mina walked through the precinct and a detective at the far end of the room caught her eye. She was looking at Mina.

To Mina this person seemed a bit out of place here. A splash of color in a canvas of black whites and greys.

Mind you she wasn't wearing anything colorful. It was just her face that made Mina think of colors for some reason, that and the small details of color in her outfit. The outfit was similar to everyone else for the most part except for that.

Mina noticed a spark of curiosity in her gaze as their line of sight aligned. Future interactions were inevitable and Mina could already feel the headache coming.

Chief Jihyo's office was a beacon of order amid the chaos. Mina knocked on the door and entered, greeted by a sharp gaze and a warm smile.

"Detective Myoui Mina, welcome to Seoul," Chief Jihyo said, her voice carrying a sense of authority tempered with kindness.

Mina nodded in acknowledgment, taking in the new setting and the face of her new boss.

Chief Jihyo outlined Mina's role in the Seoul Police Department, highlighting the ongoing cases and the collaborative approach to investigations. Mina listened intently, her mind already analyzing the new dynamics and challenges that lay ahead.

Her focus is to be on catching the fate but she would be taking on unrelated cases while she's here according to Jihyo. Mina understood that. The case of the fate wasn't something that could be done from start to finish in one go.

There would be a lot of downtime between leads and Mina was used to that dynamic of work since that's exactly how her and Kai operated when they were in Japan.

Mina was part of a team of 5. Mina and someone named Im Nayeon, who Mina was told was her partner. Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook were partners and the second duo. And a Junior recruit named Tzuyu who was in their team as well. She hasn't reached detective status yet.

'Two duos and a Junior huh?' Mina thought. The team was smaller than the one Mina had back in Tokyo. But it will do.

'The less the people I have to deal with the better.' Mina thought.

After the meeting, Mina looked around the place as she walked to her new desk, noting the differences and similarities to her previous workplace. The energy of Seoul infused her with a sense of purpose, a renewed determination to continue her quest for justice.

As Mina was unpacking her stuff at the new desk someone peeks their head into Mina's view from over the cubicle walls.

It was the girl that was staring at her when she walked in. The girl was wearing a black shirt that hugged her body tightly with pink lines going across it and a brown leather jacket over it.

She looked like she fit in but then you look at her face, all Mina could picture was a bunny rabbit. That's not a face of a jaded cop.

She smiled at Mina.

"Hi, I'm Nayeon." She said holding out her hand.

'So this is my new partner' Mina held the urge to groan at this revelation. She really didn't mesh well with people like her. All friendly and cute and sunshine-like.

"Mina" She replied stoically putting her hand out to meet Nayeon's. The handshake was surprisingly firm coming from a bunny rabbit.

"So.. what's your story?" Nayeon asked as she sat on the chair next to Mina propping her elbow on the desk and resting her face on her palm.

"You don't wanna know." Mina replied bluntly.

"Emo. I like it." Nayeon replies and she could have sworn she saw nerves popping in Mina's forehead.

"You'll be stuck with me for a long time so I have all the time in the world Mina-san~" Nayeon sings Mina's name using the Japanese honorifics.

Mina looks at her with an unamused look. Nayeon just giggles and half skips away.

"At least she's more tolerable then Kai." Mina says to herself. She didn't hate Nayeon's guts at this point in time and that was miles better than her first interaction with Kai.

As the day drew to a close, Mina reflected on the journey that had brought her to Seoul. The transfer was more than a change of scenery — it was a chance to expand her horizons, to forge new alliances, and to confront "The fate" on unfamiliar ground.

Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new leads, and new revelations. Detective Mina was ready to embrace them all.

--------------------------------------------------------------

It was Mina's first day at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Department. She arrived at the precinct and walked straight to her teams desk with her coffee in hand ignoring all the stares and murmurs she heard on the way

Mina reached their desk and saw Nayeon already seated at the desk next to Mina's going over some case files. She arrived 30 minutes earlier and she was surprised to see Nayeon already here.

A hard worker from the looks of it. It seems they had more things in common than Mina had initially thought.

She walked to her desk and sat down prompting Nayeon to look over.

"Hi! Good morning. A fellow early bird I see." Nayeon says with a smile as she puts her pen down.

Mina just gives her a curt nod and a smile.

Nayeon let's out a little laugh and stands up making Mina look up at her.

"C'mon let me show you around the place so you know what's what. Don't want you getting lost in here now do we?" Nayeon says extending her hand.

"I'm not a child Nayeon-ssi. I think I can manage." Mina replies looking at her hand and then looking up at her.

Nayeon's smile doesn't falter even a little bit.

"C'mon humor me Mina and drop the honorifics. I'd like to think we're friends now." Nayeon says.

Mina sighs and places her bag on her table and places her hand in Nayeon's. She immediately starts getting dragged through the precinct and it almost causes Mina to lose her balance.

She corrects herself quickly and matches her pace with Nayeon's so she wouldn't pluck her arm clean off her body.

They walk out of the precinct at first and Nayeon points at the building right next to the precinct.

"That's Max's cafe. It's run by a cute foreigner. Best coffee and pastries in town. All of our colleagues are regulars there so if you need a coffee or you just want some peace and quiet, that's the place to be." Nayeon says and Mina nods making a mental note to check the place out. She had noticed that the coffee she had been getting since she arrived here wasn't quite to her liking.

The duo walks back into the precinct and Nayeon starts pointing and different places giving Mina little anecdotes and funny stories or her colleagues as she moved through the precinct.

They walks over to the back side of the precinct near a glass wall. Mina See's gym equipment inside the room as she looked inside. This peaks Mina's curiosity.

"A gym in the police station?" Mina asks Nayeon.

Nayeon looks over to the room and back at Mina and nods.

"The room was unused and Jihyo had the idea to turn it into a gym. We all pitched in to get the equipment and we set it up ourselves so it's not government provided if that's what you're wondering." Nayeon says.

That's exactly what Mina was wondering. It didn't seem like something the government would add to the place and now Mina knows it was Chief Jihyo's personal touch. Speaking of which.

"You don't use honorifics with your boss either? If she your friend too?" Mina asked and it was meant to be a genuine question but Mina was suddenly extremely aware that her cold demeanor made the question seem almost condescending.

She was about to say something else to clear any misunderstanding but Nayeon beat her to it.

"Yes actually, more so than the others. We grew up together." Nayeon replies.

"Oh. Must be nice. She seemed kind." Mina says.

"Yup. Don't be too intimidated by her. I know she has an aura of a medieval era queen but she's a sweetheart. I'm sure she won't mind if you called her casually too. Almost everyone here does." Nayeon replies giving her a wink as they walked deeper into the precinct down the hallways.

"In time perhaps, but for now I'll stick with calling her Chief." Mina says and Nayeon laughs. Giving her a few nods.

"These are the labs. Home to another early bird like us. She usually opens the lab up every morning I'm sure she's here already. Come. Let me introduce you to her." Nayeon says as they both walked to the door. This whole time Nayeon had been holding Mina's hand.

Mina didn't really like being dragged around everywhere like this. Normally she would pull her arm away forcefully and make some kind of rude comment.

However, what Kai said about taking it easy and not making everyone here hate her on her first day was running through her mind. In Mina's mind that was the only reason she was letting this girl be overly friendly with her.

Mina would never admit or realize it herself but there was something about Nayeon that made her more bareable than the others. She reminded her of one of her best friends. Sana.

She was the epitome of the kind of person Mina hated being around. So painfully extroverted that it would drain Mina's social battery in seconds. But for some reason neither her bitchy attitude nor her social battery minded being with Nayeon as much as she thought it would.

The door to the Lab was abnormally large and Nayeon let go of Mina's hand to push the door open.

Mina let's out a sigh of relief as she feels the physical contact go away.

Nayeon enters the lab with Mina following closely behind.

"Cub? You in here?" Nayeon half shouts into the  deserted room.

"Ya! In here!" Mina heard a voice call out from deeper inside the room.

"Come out here for a second, there's someone I want you to meet." Nayeon calls out and Mina immediately hears things crashing and falling inside the room and a barely audible "shit.. fuck." Coming from inside.

A short girl in a lab coat stumbles out into Mina's view. Mina raises an eyebrow as she sees the person that came into view.

The girl had short wavy blonde hair and protection glasses propped up on her head. She had a cute button nose and almost cat like eyes, Small plump lips and a beauty mark right below them. Kinda like the ones Mina had. She had a fake skeleton arm in her left hand. Indicative of the crashing sound from earlier.

The girl sees Mina behind Nayeon. Their eyes meet as Mina was scanning the girl up and down. A faint blush appears on the girls face embarrassed at the first impression she had just made.

The girl brings up the fake skeleton hand and waves it and says "Hi there". She then looks at the skeleton hand with furrowed eyebrows as if she was thinking "wait, this isn't my hand."

She puts the prop down on the table and waves again with her real hand.

Mina on the other hand was fighting the smile threatening to come up on her face.

Despite Mina's cold attitude and scarred heart, cute things were her weakness. She still had the penguin plushie her dad gave her on her sixteenth birthday on her bed back in her apartment.

Cute things made her weak, and this short blonde Infront of her was being so adorably goofy that she was finding it hard to keep a straight face.

She was amused by this clumsy girl. She was even cuter than Nayeon and Mina didn't think coming across someone cuter than Nayeon in this place would be a possibility.

Even her Chief Jihyo was gorgeous Mina would admit. She was starting to think this precinct was some kind of Police themed modeling agency or something.

Nayeon walks closer to the cute clumsy girl and motions to Mina who was behind her.

"Cub, this is my new partner. Detective waddles." Nayeon introduces motioning to Mina.

Mina's eyes widen with shock. She looks at the blonde haired girl thinking this was some kind of inside joke between them and that they were picking on the newbie.

But somehow the girl looked even more confused than she was. Her head was tilted to the side and she was looking at Mina with a questioning look hoping she would explain.

Mina collects herself from her initial confusion and walks past Nayeon ignoring the smug grin she was giving Mina. She extended her hand for the girl to shake.

"Myoui Mina." She says in her usual tone.

The blonde girl quickly wiped her hands on her white lab coat and shyly took Mina's hand. As if she was going to contaminate it if she wasn't careful or something. Mina could hear Nayeon snicker behind her at the interaction.

"Son Chaeyoung" The shy girl replied.

"Chaeyoung" Mina whispers as if testing how the name felt on her lips.

"Nice to meet you, and ignore Nayeon. She likes to give weird nicknames to people."  Chaeyoung adds, with an awkward chuckle.

Mina nods at that.

"Cub, I'm assuming is yours?" Mina asks.

"Yup, that's me. Apparently I look like a tiger cub." Chaeyoung replies with a smile feeling the awkwardness quickly fade with Mina's small attempt to make conversation.

Yes. Mina could definitely see the resemblance. The name was very fitting.

Mina turns to Nayeon and gives her a questioning look.

Nayeon quickly picks up what Mina was asking.

"You kinda waddle when you walk." Nayeon says as if she was proud of her nickname giving ability.

Mina let's out a sigh.

'i guess that title is something I can't escape even in a different country' Mina thought.

"Anyways. It's nice to meet you too Chaeyoung." Mina says looking at Chaeyoung to see her already staring at Mina with a bewildered look on her face.

"Umm.. cub, you're staring." Nayeon whispers to Chaeyoung but it was loud enough for Mina to hear and Mina has a feeling that was intentional.

Chaeyoung's face turns bright red as she whips her head to a different direction.

"I-im the head forensic doctor here and the one assigned to your team so I'll be working with you guys on your cases." Chaeyoung says trying her best to bring out some sort of professional tone to drown out the fact that she had been caught staring at the mysterious brooding new detective.

"I see. We'll be in your care then." Mina says with the smallest hint of a smile as she bows to Chaeyoung.

Meanwhile Nayeon was looking at the two with nothing but amusement in her eyes. She was gonna have so much fun teasing these two.

Chaeyoung was a bit of a wallflower and Mina being the cold mysterious type it was perfect.

She was already formulating plans to embarrass the two and put them in weird situations. Nayeon was ecstatic.

She wanted to melt Mina's cold walls the moment they met and Chaeyoung always was way too shy for her own good.

So at that moment Nayeon decided she was gonna kill two birds with one stone.

After introducing Mina to Chaeyoung and a few of her colleagues who started coming in one after another to the lab, Mina and Nayeon headed back to their desks.

People had started pouring into the precinct at this point.

The day had officially begun and Mina's early arrival to work was spent touring the precinct and getting introduced to the cute forensic scientist.

Mina was going through the files that were on her desk. It was a pile of open cases that Mina was scanning to see which one she wanted to start with.

Nayeon throws a file on top of the one Mina had open. Mina looks at the file and then up at Nayeon looking annoyed at the interruption.

She was resting her hands on top of the wall of the cubicle with her head resting on her hands looking down at Mina.

"It's a murder case. I've been told that's your specialty. A wife was murdered in a hotel room and the husband and his son is missing." Nayeon says.

Mina takes the the file and opens it.

Victim aged 45 female.

Husband aged 47 male. Possible suspect.

Son aged 20 male. Possible suspect.

"This seems fine. Is it fresh?" Mina asks.

"Yup. We found the body yesterday. We could go have a look at the crime scene if you want." Nayeon says.

Mina doesn't bother replying as she stands up starts walking towards the exit.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Nayeon scrambles to pick up her car keys from the table and follow Mina.

When she turns to look Mina was already walking out through the exit.

"Hey! Do you even know where the crime scene is?? Wait for mee!!" Nayeon yells as she runs after her.

As Nayeon runs after Mina, Jihyo was in her office looking at them through the glass walls.

She had Mina's profile open on her desktop as she looks at the screen and back at Nayeon speeding out the exit.

"I hope you find what you're looking for here Mina-ssi"

Chapter Text

Nayeon runs out of the building to see Mina waiting near the parking lot.

Nayeon noticed the annoyed look on Mina's face.

She obviously didn't know where to go or even which car among the bunch was Nayeon's.

She was used to being the lead. She hated waiting for other people to lead her.

But in the current situation there was no way Mina could lead them anywhere. Even if she did strut out confidently on her own.

Now she was stuck out there in the parking lot embarrassingly waiting for Nayeon to hold her hand and take her to the place like a lost dog.

Yes. Yes, Mina was annoyed.

"Yo, waddles. You waddle fast lemme tell you that." Nayeon says as she huffs out a breath.

"Could you not call me that Nayeon-ssi" Mina says the annoyance in her voice seeping out like venom.

"C'mon my car's right over there." Nayeon completely ignores Mina's request and starts walking towards her car.

Mina grunts and follows.

The car ride was awkward to say the least.

Mina was oozing dark energy into the car with her constant frowning and it didn't take long for Nayeon to notice Mina's dislike towards being helped by others.

They arrived near a old worn down apartment complex on the outskirts of the city.

Nayeon parks the car Mina takes a look at the building looming overhead.

"This is the place?" Mina asked.

Her mood seemed better than before now that they were actually working.

Nayeon figured it's just the work persona turning on. Keeping your emotions out of your work and all that.

"Yup. It's on the... 7th floor. If I remember correctly." Nayeon says.

"Let's go then." Mina says turning to Nayeon.

Nayeon gets taken aback by a small smile adorning Mina's face as she said that. And the tone in Mina's voice.

It was.. excitement.

This girl enjoyed doing this. Nayeon's shock turns into a reciprocating smile.

"Yes ma'am." Nayeon replies matching Mina's excitement.

The duo struts into the apartment complex walking towards the receptionist.

Nayeon approaches the counter while Mina was scanning the surroundings.

The inside didn't look as worn out as the outside did. It seemed almost up to standard. The whole lobby was empty except for the receptionist and it gave Mina an eerie feeling.

Mina catches up to Nayeon as she starts talking to the receptionist.

"Hello there. I'm detective Im Nayeon and this is my partner Michelle Jackson. We're here to take a look at the crime scene on the 7th floor" Nayeon says.

"Ugh." Mina just rolls her eyes not bothering to correct Nayeon and she turns and walks away to continue her scanning of the place.

The receptionist seemed confused but replies anyways

"Yes the boss mentioned you would be dropping by. Go right on ahead. Here's the key to the room. It's the 3rd one on the left from the elevator."

"Thank you, have a nice day." Nayeon replies as she takes the key.

The duo takes the elevator up to the 7th floor making their way into the room where the murder happened.

Mina immediately starts scanning the room and surroundings taking note of important details while Nayeon goes over to the part of the room where the body was found.

There was a chalk drawing on the ground. A silhouette of how the body exactly was when they found it.

"This family seems normal enough judging from this apartment."

"Everything seems well used and worn out. They've been living here for quite some time." Mina says.

"Yeah. This isn't a well thought out plan. They didn't lure the woman here just to murder her. A crime of passion?" Nayeon asks.

"Seems like it." Mina replies.

"Why aren't the woman's hands drawn in?" Mina asks looking at the silhouette drawn on the ground.

"Oh, because they weren't there. Both her hands were cut off and put in that trash can over there." Nayeon replies pointing at the small trash can under the water faucet in the kitchen.

"Interesting" Mina says as she moved over to the kitchen section to investigate further.

"Abusive husband maybe. He must have killed her on accident and fled. Well... That still doesn't explain the severed hands though." Nayeon says contradicting her own hypothesis.

"That leaves the son unaccounted for too." Mina adds.

"Maybe he killed the son too." Nayeon replies.

"If he did. Wouldn't the son's body be here too? Why would he dispose of the son's body somewhere else and leave the wife here if he killed them both?"

"Man, this is confusing." Nayeon says letting out a huff and standing up from the crouched position she was in near the silhouette drawing.

"Is there more evidence you guys took on your first walkthrough of the place?" Mina asks.

"No everything is still here except for the body. Chaeyoung is currently doing the autopsy on the body. It must be done by now." Nayeon says.

As soon as Nayeon finishes her sentence a light bulb lights over her head. She smirks to herself.

"I also applied to take phone records for the son and husband which I have to go pick up. How about I drop you back at the precinct and you take a look at the body and the autopsy while I go fetch the phone records?" Nayeon asks looking proud of herself for what she's doing.

Mina on the other hand was oblivious to Nayeon's scheming who just agrees.

-------------------------------------------------------------

A few minutes later the car arrives back at the precinct and Mina exits the car.

Nayeon props her head out the open door.

"I'll go fetch the phone records. I'll be back before you guys finish but if I'm not, wait for me at our desk." Nayeon says.

"Yeah okay." Mina replies and starts walking towards the entrance.

Mina walks through the hallways towards the labs and a part of Mina was looking forward to seeing Chaeyoung again.

She didn't like how easy it was to like Chaeyoung. How endearing and cute she was. How she couldn't find anything to hate about her like she did with Nayeon.

She was walking in dangerous territory. The last thing she wanted was to care for another person who would inevitably get taken away from her. Like her parents.

Mina pushes the giant doors open and enters the lab.

She was met with 3 people in lab coats looking like deer in headlights. They all stopped working and were looking at Mina like they were caught doing a crime.

"Is Chaeyoung here?" Mina asks bluntly not bothering to greet anyone or introduce herself. These people already probably knew her by now considering everyone keeps murmuring when she walks by.

"Y-yeah. She's back there." A black haired girl who was closest to Mina says pointing to a room at the back of the lab.

"Thanks" Mina replies and walks towards the room.

She opens the door slightly and Mina is immediately hit with the most pleasant sound she has heard since she arrived in Seoul.

Chaeyoung was singing.

Oh girl, what you wanna do for me?~
I got no pearls, baby, I'm lost in the sea of lust~
It took me one shot just to make it nonstop~
Oh girl, what you wanna do for me?~
I got two worlds, baby they're falling into your arms~
It took me one shot just to make it nonstop~

Mina was enthralled in the girl's voice that she didn't realize she had been standing there next to the slightly ajar door like a statue.

She didn't even knock and Mina felt like she was being a creep right now.

She decides to knock on the slightly open door.

"Come in!" She hears from inside and she opens the door fully.

"You're just in time unnie." Chaeyoung says as she turns around with the murder victim's severed hand in her hand but grinds to a halt seeing that it wasn't Nayeon.

'was she using that woman's severed hand as a microphone' Mina thought. Mina once again stifles the smile threatening to come up on her face seeing Chaeyoung turn beet red.

She'll never get used to this image. A girl as cute and tiny as Chaeyoung standing over a cold dead body with a severed human hand in her hand.

Anyone would get whiplash seeing this. She looks way too cute to be so okay with dead bodies and severed hands. It feels so out of place to Mina.

"O-oh Hi Mina. What brings you here?" Chaeyoung says waving the severed hand at Mina. She once again looks at the hand in her hand as if wondering "wait, this isn't my hand" and puts it down on the metal tray where the other hand of the victim was.

"Hi Chaeyoung. Sorry if I'm intruding. Nayeon sent me here to look at the autopsy." Mina says.

"Of course she did." Chaeyoung whispers to herself underneath her breath cursing herself and Nayeon for embarrassing herself yet again in front of the hot new girl.

"What?" Mina asks hearing Chaeyoung mumble to herself.

"Oh nothing, come. I'm almost done." She beckons Mina to come closer.

"Anything noteworthy?" Mina asks.

"Yes a lot actually. The woman had a lot of alcohol in her system. She was drunk out of her mind when she died. The cause of death is obviously the huge gaping knife wound on her chest. The hands are sloppily cut of with something that wasn't meant to cut through bones. They had a hard time cutting them."

Chaeyoung picks up one of the hands.

"See, these uneven cuts the person tried multiple times to cut through the hand here. This was done post murder." Chaeyoung says.

"Is there any sign of abuse on the body?" Mina asks trying to test her hypothesis about the abusive husband.

"No. I mean yes but these aren't from abuse if that's what you're wondering. Normally with domestic abuse victim's the bruises are on their torso or lower body. Places where it's easy to hide from the public. This woman has a busted lip and bruises on her hands. Not signs of being abused." Chaeyoung says.

"I see. That's very helpful. Thanks Chaeyoung." Mina says and Chaeyoung gives her a sudden really big smile. It was like turning on a light switch. Her cheeks dig inside showing dimples Mina didn't know she had.

Mina was sure if this was an anime she would see sparkles around Chaeyoung right now.

'She likes being complimented. Noted.' Mina thinks to herself.

"Happy to help. The other small details are in the autopsy report which I'm printing right now." Chaeyoung says cheerfully almost skipping over to the big printer in the corner of the room.

Mina waits patiently in her spot while Chaeyoung retrieves the papers from the printer and puts it neatly into a file and hands it to Mina.

Mina gives her a smile while accepting the file.

"Thanks again, I'll get back to it then." Mina said signalling that she was leaving but her body wasn't making any attempts to leave the lab. She was just standing there.

"Okay. Take care." Chaeyoung replies thinking Mina was waiting for her to say something before leaving.

"...yeah." Mina replies still waiting for a few seconds before abruptly turning on her heels and leaving the room.

Chaeyoung let's out a really big sigh as Mina closes the door behind her.

She leans on the table behind her thinking back through the entire exchange they just had and starts cringing to herself.

The longer she thinks the lower her head droops. Lower and lower until they are nestled in her hands.

Chaeyoung groans.

------------------------------------------------------------

Mina goes back to her desk and waits as Nayeon told her.

She reads through the report as she was waiting.

She had her legs crossed and she was leaning back into the chair.

Her leather jacket now taken off and layed on the chair she was sitting in.

Mina hears someone walk over to the desk.

She looks up to see a tall woman tidying up the cubicle at the end of the table.

She had the police uniform on.

'She must be the junior in our team' Mina thinks to herself.

The tall woman looks over attempting to take a sneak glance at Mina and immediately whips her head back down after realizing that Mina was already looking at her.

Mina sighs and stands up. Moving around the table to the girl's side.

"Hello. I guess introductions are in order. I'm Nayeon's new partner." Mina says extending her hand towards the girl.

"Oh hello. I'm Chou Tzuyu." Tzuyu says her voice coming out a bit shaky. She was nervous and Mina had no idea why.

It's not like she always looked like she wanted to murder someone right?.... Right?

"Myoui Mina." Mina replies to the girl.

"I know." Tzuyu says back and immediately looks like she regretted saying it.

Mina raises an eyebrow at that asking what she meant by that.

"You're kinda famous. I've heard a lot about you. You have the highest closure rate in Japan in the last decade and you're only 28. You single handedly took down a drug dealer and his huge muscular guards the night before you moved here." Tzuyu rambles.

'Actually Kai was there too.' Mina thought to herself. She shrugs it off. It wasn't something that important that she had to correct anyways. Just rumors.

"Ooh. Looks like waddles has a fan." Mina hears a voice behind her and both girls turn to see Nayeon standing there with a file in hand and an amused smirk on her face.

Mina rolls her eyes at her.

"I-it's not like that.. I just... Umm..." Tzuyu starts panicking.

"It's fine Tzuyu-ssi. I don't mind. Don't believe everything you hear like that. They tend to be exaggerated." Mina says to her.

"So you didn't take down 3 bulky men in a bar?" Tzuyu asks.

"No I did. But that's not that point. You get what I mean." Mina replies

Tzuyu hesitantly nods.

"It's nice to meet you though." Mina adds hoping to end the interaction there. Tzuyu seemed like a good hard working girl. Her timidness reminded Mina of how she used to be before her life fell apart.

She didn't want to bother or embarrass the poor girl any longer.

"You as well, I'll be in your care. Tell me if you need me to do anything." Tzuyu says bowing a little to Mina.

"Will do." Mina replies with a smile.

Mina turns and faces Nayeon.

"Do you have to tease everyone around here?" Mina asks and they both walk back to their side of the desk.

"I gotta entertain myself somehow. This place can be pretty damn gloomy at times. Y'know with all the murder and rape and drugs and smuggling and-"

"Yeah yeah I get it." Mina interrupts her.

"So anything interesting in the autopsy?" Nayeon asks with a smirk on her face. Oh how she wishes she was there to see the look on Chaeyoung's face when Mina walked in instead of her.

"A few interesting details yes. The hands were cut very sloppily. The culprit took multiple attempts to do it. The cuts are uneven and there are jagged edges. It was done after she died." Mina says.

"Our hunch about the husband being abusive isn't correct though. Chaeyoung said she had bruises on her hands and a busted lip but those aren't signs of abuse." Mina adds.

Right then Nayeon comes across a revelation.

"Maybe she's the one who did the abuse. That would explain the bruised hands. Maybe the father and son had enough of it and killed her." Nayeon says.

"I think you're right." Mina replies.

"Yeah. You're right. It's a bit far fetched..... Wait... I am?" Nayeon says surprised at herself.

"I think so. When we were at the apartment I noticed that all the family photos with the woman in it were either broken or turned away from view. That anger would be a good explanation of why he decided to cut her hands off after the fact too. Hands that abused him and his son for who knows how long. It's a good hunch Nayeon." Mina says.

"Ehehehehe" Nayeon starts giggling to herself and Mina rolls her eyes immediately regretting complimenting her.

"What about on your end?" Mina directs the conversation towards Nayeon's task.

"It was a bust. The husband got rid of his phone. No calls were made or anything. He's off the radar." Nayeon stops talking and Mina senses a but coming.

"But?"

"But the Son doesn't know any better. We have tracked his phone. It's active." Nayeon says turning her phone over towards Mina, the screen shows a red dot on the map.

Mina moves over to her chair taking her leather jacket off of it and putting it on.

"We're going to a club." Mina says.

"Yayyy girl's night out!! I knew you had a fun side to you." Nayeon celebrates fist pumping into the air but slowly stops seeing the deadpan look Mina was giving her.

"No. That ping is in a club. I passed by the place when I came to work today." Mina explains.

"Awww" Nayeon does not hide her disappointment.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The duo arrives at the club. They walk straight towards the club's entrance where a guard was standing near the door.

"Let me do the talking." Nayeon whispers to Mina as they got closer to the guard.

Nayeon stands Infront of the guard and shows her badge to him.

"Hello, Im Nayeon, from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Department. This is my partner Will Smith. Don't worry she looks intimidating but she won't hurt you if you keep her wife's name out yo fuckin' mouth. We're looking for someone and we have a tracker saying he's in there. Could you let us in?" Nayeon says and immediately gets slapped in the back of her head by Mina.

"You can go in but don't make a scene. Boss doesn't tolerate anything that's bad for business. And your partner there. Will Smith was it? She needs to get rid of that gun there." The guard says pointing to Mina's gun that was strapped inside her leather jacket on her side.

Nayeon turns to Mina and starts whisper arguing with her.

"Why did you bring your gun?"

"What? We'll never know when we'll need it. He might attack us."

"This is a club Mina you can't just walk in here with a gun."

"Why not?"

"Because! Go put it in the car."

"No."

"Mina, don't be a giant snapping turtle. Just go put the gun in the car."

"A what?"

"Gun. Car. Now."

"Ugh fine."

Mina dejectedly walks towards the car leaving Nayeon near the door.

Mina opens Nayeon car and detaches the gun holster from her body and throws it into the car.

She spares a longing look towards the gun holster one more time before closing the door and walking back towards Nayeon and the guard again.

"There. I'm unarmed. Now can you please let us in?" Mina asks sounding clearly frustrated.

"Yes go on in." The guard let's the duo in.

The inside was what you'd expect from a night club. It wasn't quite as wild as the one Mina went to a few nights ago but it was still a club.

The ground shaking bass, the deafening music and the crowd of drunk people were still there.

Nayeon looks at her phone and guides the duo towards the ping.

They make their way towards one of the tables at the back.

Mina spots the phone on the table with a bunch of girls and a guy.

They all seemed around his age. In their early 20s.

Mina walks right up to the bunch taking the phone off the table and showing it to the group.

"Who owns this phone?" Mina asks.

"That right there is none of your business. Who even are you?" The guy in the middle talks.

Mina takes her badge and slams it on to the table leaning in closer to the guy.

"The police. Now. If you don't want to go to jail for aiding a murderer you best tell me who this phone belongs to or we can do this the hard way." Mina threatens.

The guy's cockyness goes right out the window. He looks like he's about to piss his pants now.

"Our friend. He went out back. He said he needed a smoke." The guy replies in time 2 speed.

"Pfft" that was Nayeon trying to stifle her laugh.

"See. That wasn't hard now was it?" Mina says taking the phone and her badge.

"Out back." Mina says to Nayeon as she starts walking towards the back exit.

"Fear the dynamic duo Minayeon!" Nayeon says dramatically doing a Kung Fu pose at the group before walking backwards towards the way Mina went.

The duo leaves through the back door of the club into a dark alleyway.

There was no one around so both of them continue to walk through the alley towards the closet road.

They turn the corner and there was someone leaning on the wall next to a convenience store.

"Hey, is this yours?" Mina asks showing the guy the phone.

The guy let's out a puff of smoke.

"Yes, I left that with my friends. Why do you have it?" The guy questions.

"We're from the police. I'll need you to come back to the station with us." Mina says while putting his phone into her back pocket.

The guy bolts running back through the alleyway towards the club's back entrance.

Mina drops her head and sighs.

"Umm.. Mina, he's running." Nayeon says pointing at the guy getting farther and farther away from them.

"I'm aware Nayeon." Mina says and she starts running behind him. Chasing him.

"Ooh. On foot chase. Exciting." Nayeon says as she too starts running behind Mina.

"Stop running kid you're just gonna get yourself in more trouble." Mina shouts at him as the three of them were booking it down the alleyway.

The guy runs past a old rusted shelf put out there from the convenience store. He pushes it down behind him trying to stop them from following him.

Mina slides under it before the shelf hit the ground and continues chasing him.

'Shit, Nayeon can't follow now. It's just me.' Mina thought to herself.

She looks back expecting Nayeon to be standing there behind the shelf.

Nayeon runs up to the shelf and bunny hops right over it. A good few feet between her legs and the shelf as she effortlessly passed over it.

Mina smirks and looks forward again continuing the chase.

'I need to stop underestimating her.' Mina thinks.

The guy reaches the back door of the club where Mina and Nayeon just came from and barges into the club in hopes of losing Mina and Nayeon in the crowd.

They reach inside and they see the guy running into the crowd in the dance floor of the club.

Mina runs after him dodging throw the crowd of people.

Nayeon decides to take a different route. She decides to run behind the bar and hop over to other side. She could avoid the crowd that way.

She runs behind the bar passing the glasses set on top of it. She stops midway through her chase and pops her head back at the bar counter.

There was a glass of water on the counter.

"Man I'm thirsty." She says as she picks up the glass and takes a big sip.

She gags with her whole body and puts the glass down on the table.

"Ack... Oh god that's tequila." She gulps one more time before she starts running again.

Mina on the other hand manages to catch up to the guy as he exited through the front door of the club.

Mina aims for the guys legs swinging a soccer kick at his back foot making it hit his other foot and making the guy fall down on the ground.

Nayeon catches up as Mina crouches down to put her handcuffs on him.

"Oh good you caught him. I think I'm drunk." Nayeon says while heavy breathing.

The duo lifts the guy up and props him against the wall of the alleyway they were in now.

Nayeon crouches down next to him. Mina was standing behind her with her arms crossed also looking at the guy.

"Listen here punk. Do you know who this is?" Nayeon says pointing to Mina with her thumb.

"That's Shakira, her hips don't lie but lemme tell you those fists can beat you three inches from death so you better start talking before I let her Ole' ole' ole' all over you." Nayeon says in the most serious and threatening voice she could.

The guy looks confused as all hell.

"You suck at this."

"Just pick him up and put him in the car. We can question him at the precinct." Mina says

"Aye aye" Nayeon says giving a salute to Mina.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Back at the precinct Nayeon was sitting in her chair at their table scrolling through her phone and waiting for Mina.

Mina walks up to her a few minutes later.

"Let's go." She says.

"Where?"

"A warehouse in the countryside. That's where the husband is hiding. It wasn't hard to make the son talk. He's scared and he still doesn't understand the gravity of the situation fully. Definitely not the killer. The husband is." Mina explains.

The duo drives to the address the son gave.

They exit the car and move around to the door of the warehouse. Both girls have their guns out.

"Ready?" Mina asks.

"Yup."

Mina kicks the door open and the duo walks in.

"Police! Put your hands up." Mina demands as they enter.

"Dynamic duo Minayeon in the house babyy" Nayeon also shouts the first thing that came to mind.

Infront of the duo was a man tied to a chair with a cloth tied around his mouth. He looks up at them and in his eyes Mina See's nothing but fear.

Mina and Nayeon move closer to the man to see his pants were ripped away and there were a lot of cuts on his thighs.

Fresh cuts still bleeding into the chair.

Mina removes the cloth from the man's mouth.

"It was me! I killed my wife. Please lock me up. Put me in jail. Please, he'll kill me." The man immediately starts begging Mina and Nayeon.

The duo looks at each other in worry.

"Who'll kill you?" Mina asks.

"I don't know. A man wearing a demon mask barged in here and tortured me. Look I had help okay. Someone helped me murder my wife. He wanted to ask about that person and he tortured me. He was about to kill me before you two came and he left." The man almost screams at them.

"Who helped you?" Nayeon asks.

"I... I can't tell you. They'll kill me. Even if you put me in Jail the person who helped can end my life easily." The man begs again.

"Either you tell us who helped you or we can just let you go. I'm sure this 'masked monster' would like to have another chat with you" Mina says.

"Please If I say anything about the person that helped me even putting me in jail won't keep me alive. I can't say anything please just but me in jail." The man continues to frantically beg the duo.

Nayeon looks at Mina with a worried look. She knows the 'masked monster' the man was talking about. She knows what happened to Mina's parents. She knows why Mina was here.

She sees Mina's fists clench so hard her knuckles turn white.

They missed him. The fate. He was here and he slipped right through Mina's fingers. Again.

"Mina.." Nayeon starts.

"I know. But right now closing this case is more important. Let's take him in. This case is closed."

The duo exits the warehouse with the man handcuffed and Nayeon guiding him towards the car.

In the distance on a rooftop a shredded red scarf sways in the air. A katana shines in the moonlight as blood slowly drips from it's edge on to the rooftop.

Lights flicker in and out and a oni demon mask comes into view.

He was looking at Mina and Nayeon putting the guy into the car.

And in a moment, he was gone.

Chapter Text

The next day. Mina skips her normal route to the coffee shop she used to go to.

She wanted to try the shop Nayeon showed her so she arrived empty handed to the precinct.

She walks over to the coffee shop. The place looks cozy. Mina could see a few people sitting inside with their laptops open on the tables drinking their coffee.

It wasn't too crowded though. So Mina didn't mind.

She pushes the door open and the bell on the door rings as she walks in.

She was expecting everyone to look at her as she walked in. Getting stared at has been a constant since she arrived in Seoul.

But this time was different. No one in the shop so much as lifted their heads.

Nayeon was right about this place being good if you wanted some alone time. The fact that people minded their own business here already left a good impression on Mina.

It was either that or the regulars already got used to seeing the gorgeous police officers coming in and out of the place.

Mina walks up to the counter to see a familiar figure standing there already.

A long white lab coat and wavy blonde hair she would recognize anywhere.

The girl turns around pushing her round glasses further up her nose. Her face lights up as she sees Mina behind her.

"Oh Hi Mina, here for coffee?" Chaeyoung asks.

"Mhmm" Mina replies. She didn't know what else to say. For some reason Mina seems to forget how to function when she's in front of Chaeyoung.

She hasn't felt this way in god knows how long. She never really cared how she interacted with people. She never cared about being seen as rude.

But when it came to Chaeyoung Mina always wanted to be kind and polite to her.

So she tries to put some effort in this time.

"You come here often?" Mina asks.

'You come here often? Really Mina? A corny pick up line? That's all you could come up with?' Mina scolds herself in her mind.

Chaeyoung nods profusely.

"Mhmm mhmm. I always grab a coffee before I go to open up the lab." Chaeyoung replies.

"I guess I'll be seeing you here every morning then?" Mina says.

Chaeyoung laughs.

Mina is mesmerized again.

The same feeling she got when she heard her singing.

The only way Mina could describe this girl's laugh and singing is 'ear candy'.

"I guess we will. You should give your order. I'm waiting for mine to be done." Chaeyoung says stepping to a side to let Mina come closer to the counter.

Mina goes up to the counter and a foreign man greets her.

"Hello. I'm Max, I own the place. You must be the new detective." The friendly man says.

Mina nods.

"You can write your name here and your usual order. We have it done for everyone at the precinct so our employees know what to make as soon as any of you arrive." The man explains.

Mina writes her order down. The man takes the paper and reads it and gives Mina a weird look.

"Straight black coffee?" The man asks.

"Yes." Mina replies.

"Okay." The man says shrugging and walks away.

"Can't say I'm surprised." Chaeyoung says.

"What?" Mina asks.

"Your order. You do look like a black coffee kinda girl." Chaeyoung says.

"I like the bitterness yes. Keeps me awake." Mina replies.

After a few minutes both girls get their order at the same time since Mina's order didn't take much time to make.

They grab their cups and walk to the precinct together.

They walk in together and Nayeon who was already sitting at her desk looks up at them and gasps dramatically.

"Waah. When did you two become best buds? You're arriving to work together." Nayeon says wiggling her eyebrows at them.

Mina rolls her eyes.

Chaeyoung blushes.

Nayeon giggles to herself seeing their reactions.

"We just met in the coffee shop Nayeon." Mina clarifies.

"I'll head to the lab then. Take care Mina. Bye unnie." Chaeyoung greets them both and leaves.

"You too" Mina replies.

"Bye ChaengChaeng." Nayeon waves at the short girl.

Nayeon turns her attention back to Mina.

"So? You wanna get in the cubs pants?" Nayeon asks.

Mina almost sprays the sip she took from her coffee all over Nayeon.

She starts coughing.

"Quite the strong reaction there Mina. Did I hit the nail on the head?" Nayeon asks with a smug smirk.

"No. I'm not interested in anything like that. Especially with a work mate." Mina replies after collecting herself.

"Mina, don't be a duckbilled platypus. I see the way you look at her. You don't look like you want to kill her. That must mean something." Nayeon says.

"A what?.. you know what. I don't even want to know." Mina decides to ignore Nayeon's weird metaphors.

"Chaeyoung is just comfortable to be around for me. I'm not sure why either but that doesn't mean I want to get in her pants Nayeon." Mina insists.

"Okay okay fine I'll leave it. But I got my eye on you. That kid is like my own child. I'll kill you if you hurt her." Nayeon says in an uncharacteristically serious tone. Mina almost feels shivers run down her spine. Almost though.

"Noted." Mina replies.

The duo settles at their desk going over the open cases to decide which one they were gonna take.

As Mina and Nayeon had their faces buried in the files the rest of the team arrives.

"Good morning Nayeon unnie, Mina.. unnie? Can I call you unnie? I'm sorry." Tzuyu starts confidently enough but deflates halfway through her sentences.

"It's okay Tzuyu. You can call me anything you want. I don't mind." Mina says with a smile.

"Yah! Are you only mean to me Mina-yah?" Nayeon complains seeing how polite Mina was to Chaeyoung and now Tzuyu as well.

Mina gives Nayeon a look that says 'yeah what you gonna do about it huh?'

Nayeon scoffs at the audacity of this girl.

Mina notices two other people she hadn't met yet also settling at the seats on the other side of the table.

Mina stands up to greet them.

"Oh hello, you must be Nayeon's new partner. I'm Jeon Jungkook. This is my partner Kim Taehyung." One of them takes the lead and greets her before Mina could.

"Myoui Mina, nice to meet you both." She replies. Mina extends her hand towards Jungkook which he shakes.

She gives Taehyung a small bow since he was a bit far for a handshake. She reciprocates the bow.

"So how do you guys operate usually?" Mina asks the whole team.

"We work on separate cases usually. Tzuyu has her duties as well. But when we take on bigger cases Jihyo sends the duo with the smaller case for back up." Taehyung explains.

"I see."

Mina and Taehyung continues their conversation with Mina asking questions she couldn't get the answer from Nayeon because she was clueless.

Tzuyu busies herself with organizing the cases that were brought in that day from other departments while Jungkook was sat at his desk drinking the rest of his coffee and Nayeon was zoning out in her seat looking off in to the distance.

Chief Jihyo walks out of her office and walks up to Nayeon as she was zoning out.

Jihyo sees that Nayeon was zoned out so instead of calling out to her, she throws the file she had in her hand on the table Infront of Nayeon startling her.

"Wha?? who?? Oh it's just you Ji" Nayeon says as if she wasn't addressing her literal boss.

"I got a case for you two." Jihyo says. This catches Mina's attention. She ends her conversation with Taehyung and comes back over to Nayeon's side taking the file that was Infront of her.

Mina goes over the file as Jihyo talks.

"A man shot and killed and stuffed into the bathroom of a casino." Jihyo explains.

"The report came in just now so you two will be the first on the scene. Take Chaeyoung with you so she can investigate the scene before we clean it up." Jihyo adds.

"Yes boss" Nayeon salutes at Jihyo.

Jihyo gives Mina a concerned look. As if saying sorry for putting Nayeon in a duo with her.

Mina recognizes the look and just shakes her head no. She didn't mind. As much as Nayeon annoyed Mina she still had respect for the girl. She was good at what she did. She was a dork but still a true detective in every sense.

Jihyo smiles at Mina in return.

"I'll leave you two to it then. You should go quickly. It's a big shot casino. People there don't like keeping dead bodies in their bathrooms for extended periods of time." Jihyo says before she leaves.

"You should go fetch Chaeyoung." Nayeon says to Mina.

"Why me?" Mina asks.

"Because I need to get the car ready for us." Nayeon says.

"Nayeon, it's a car. Not a train engine. You don't have to prepare it for departure." Mina says.

"Mina, stop being the live action adaptation movie of Avatar The Last Airbender, Just go get the girl we're burning daylight here." Nayeon says pushing Mina towards the labs.

Mina relents and goes to get Chaeyoung.

As she's walking through the hallways towards the labs the feeling strikes her again.

A feeling that she has been dreading since she first met Chaeyoung.

The feeling of excitement.

The feeling of giddiness.

The butterflies in her stomach.

She hated it.

She wanted to shoot every butterfly with her gun.

She couldn't afford to get distracted. Not now.

She's never had this problem.

Mina has met numerous good looking people both male and female who's tried throwing themselves at her. She's never felt anything for anyone since her parents died.

So why now. Why Chaeyoung?

Mina pushes the door to the lab open to see Chaeyoung sitting next to a PC doing something on it.

Mina decides to knock on the already open door to get Chaeyoung's attention.

Chaeyoung turns to look at Mina.

Her hair was a bit disheveled and her round glasses had slided to the tip on her nose.

She pushes the glasses back up, smiles and greets Mina.

"Oh, Hi Mina. You need anything?" Chaeyoung asks.

"You." Mina replies stoically.

"H-huh?" Chaeyoung was immediately flustered.

Mina was oblivious to the implications of what she had just said.

"The Chief told us to take you with us to a crime scene." Mina explains.

"O-oh... Of course." Chaeyoung says. She gets this want to hit herself on her head with her fist.

'get your mind out of the gutter Chaeyoung. Of course that's what she meant.' Chaeyoung mentally scolds herself.

"Are you busy?" Mina asks noticing the screen with multiple things showing on in Infront of her.

"No no, I'm just waiting for the test results for a case Tae and Kookie are on" Chaeyoung says.

"You don't need to be here for that to be done?" Mina asks.

"No, it'll run in the background even if I leave." Chaeyoung replies.

"Good. We'll be out in the parking lot okay? Come fast." Mina says.

"Yes, I'll be right there." Chaeyoung replies and Mina leaves.

*Bang*

That was Chaeyoung slamming her head down on to the table.

"Ugh. Why am I like this." Chaeyoung drops herself into a pit of self loathing again. She seems to always embarrass herself when Mina is Infront of her.

A few minutes pass and Chaeyoung walks out of the precinct with a white briefcase with her.

She left her lab coat in the lab so she was now wearing her normal half casual half work clothes.

She also took the time to fix her hair and be a bit more presentable.

Was Mina a big part of the reason? Yes. Yes she was.

She sees Mina and Nayeon waiting for her near Nayeon's car.

She walks up to them.

"Hi, did I keep you guys waiting?" Chaeyoung greets the two detectives

"Nope, you're just in time cub."

Mina opens the back seat door for Chaeyoung to enter without saying a word.

Chaeyoung gives her a shy smile before entering.

Mina closes the door and looks up at Nayeon to see her grinning so wide it looked like it would hurt her face.

"What?" Mina asks.

"You ready to head out?" Nayeon ignores Mina's question.

"Always." Mina replies.

"Minayeon is on the case." Nayeon says in an epic commentator voice.

"You're not going to drop that are you?" Mina sighs.

"Never." Nayeon says proudly.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The trio arrives at the mentioned casino. They get out of the car and look at the building Infront of them.

"Oh no." Nayeon says under her breath but Mina hears it.

"What?" Mina asks.

Nayeon points at the sign over the door of the casino.

It reads 'Guardians Underworld'.

"This place belongs to the G.U group." Nayeon says.

Mina gives her a questioning look.

"The owner is Gu Jin Sang. He's a presidential candidate who's running for president this year." Chaeyoung interjects.

"Big shots huh?" Mina asks.

"Yep, and notoriously hard people to deal with." Nayeon says.

"Ugh." Mina grunts.

"Ugh indeed." Nayeon echoes her sentiment.

The trio walks closer to the building and they see a crowd gathered in the giant open hall inside.

The building had an open hall in the ground floor and the actual casino was located in the higher levels.

The guard at the door sees them approaching.

"Are you reporters? If so please enter. The CEO is giving his statement right now." The guard says.

"We're not reporters. I'm detective Im Nayeon and these are my colleagues Romeo and Juliet. We're here to investigate a murder." Nayeon says.

"Which one is Romeo?" The guard asks pointing at Mina and Chaeyoung.

"The one that looks like she wants to kill me." Nayeon replies.

"Oh okay got you. Well you can go in. The staff will show you to the crime scene." The guard says.

The trio enters the building walking around the crowd gathered in the hall.

Nayeon was in front leading the group through the hall. Mina and Chaeyoung were walking behind her.

A man is there in the middle of the crowd on a makeshift podium talking to the reporters about the dead body that's been found in the casino.

Mina notices the absolute bullshit the man is feeding these reporters. Saying all the buzzwords to make sure the casino's image remains safe. And with the most fake smile she's seen in a long while.

"Who's the pretentious douchebag?" Mina asks.

"That's the son of the presidential candidate I mentioned. He owns the casino. Gu Daeho." Chaeyoung explains.

"How do you know all this?" Mina asks.

"They are really famous. Especially these days when the election is nearing." Chaeyoung explains.

The trio goes up to one of the staff to ask about the crime scene.

As Nayeon was talking to the staff the man who had finishes his little press conference comes up to the trio.

"Are you the detectives?" Gu Daeho asks them.

"Yes, that's us." Nayeon replies.

"Great, they sent a bunch of woman." The man sneers at Nayeon.

Mina tries to move in to say something but she feels a tug on her hand.

Chaeyoung was holding Mina my her wrist stopping her.

She looks up and Chaeyoung and she shakes her head telling Mina to not do whatever it was she was thinking of doing.

"We're the best you'll get Mr. Gu. Have you heard of the hellhound?" Nayeon asks the man.

"Yeah. The hotshot detective in Japan? People say he's basically a one man army." The man says.

"One woman army." Nayeon corrects him.

"What?" The man says with a disgusted look on his face.

"This is her. Myoui "The Hellhound" Mina." Nayeon says pointing at Mina.

"The hellhound is a woman? What a joke. Can you even fight?" The man asks.

"You want a demonstration pretty boy? I can add some details to that empty face of yours." Mina says.

"Is that a threat? Do you have any idea who I am?" The man screeches at Mina.

"Do I look like I give a fuck?" Mina asks.

Chaeyoung once again takes a hold of Mina's hand slowly pulling her away from the man.

This does calm Mina a little but Daeho was fuming still his face was bright red.

"Clean this mess quickly and get the fuck out of my casino. You'll be hearing from your superiors about your tone with me here today." The man gloats at Mina before turning and walking away.

The trio goes up to the casino and they are taken to the bathroom where the dead body was found.

They walk in to see the body slumped over the toilet in one of the stalls and steaks of dried blood that had flowed down from his forehead.

Chaeyoung immediately gets to work opening the white briefcase she brought with her and starts taking samples.

"A killshot right between the eyes. A bit brutal don't you think?" Nayeon asks as she looks at the man.

"This does look more like an execution than anything else. Hired killer maybe." Mina adds.

Chaeyoung puts gloves on and grabs the man's head lifts it and looks at it while standing over the body.

"The bullet in still in the skull. There's no exit would. I'll need to take the body back to the lab to take the bullet out. We'll have a make and model of the gun if I can get the bullet." Chaeyoung explains.

"And I think you're right about the hired killer Mina. The only fingerprints here are from the victim. There are gunpowder remnants out here."

Chaeyoung says showing the open space outside the stalls.

"My guess is this person got confronted in here shot and killed and placed in the stall. There are blood splatters back here too." Chaeyoung says showing them the floor behind where Nayeon was standing.

The trio goes over everything at the scene.

After some time more officers from the precinct arrived at the scene along with some of Chaeyoung's lab mates.

The trio handed the cleaning and bringing of the body to the precinct to them.

They headed back to the precinct.

Chaeyoung headed straight to the lab to begin tests with her samples.

Nayeon and Mina were seated at their desks.

"Do we wait now?" Mina asks.

Back in Japan she would take multiple cases at once so she wouldn't have any down time like right now.

But Jihyo was against Mina doing that here so all they could do now was wait until Chaeyoung finishes the tests.

"I have somewhere to be. You should head home too. We can continue tomorrow." Nayeon says.

"Somewhere to be? You have a life outside of this place?" Mina asks.

"Ha ha. Very funny. Yes. For your information, I do. I have a date. See ya." Nayeon says winking at Mina before taking her keys and bag and walking away.

Mina looks at Nayeon leaving before turning to the files on her desk.

Mina didn't think Nayeon was romantically involved with anyone. She never gave her any signs that she was. Maybe it was a first date. Or a blind date.

She looks to her left to see Tzuyu still at her desk with her head buried in the files.

She decides to help Tzuyu with some of her work before heading home.

She walks up to her.

"Hey, you need help?" Mina asks leaning down to see what she was doing.

"O-oh. Hi Mina unnie. I didn't even notice you come in. Help? Me?" She asks.

Mina chuckles.

"Yes, you." She says.

"Shouldn't I be helping you with your work? Not the other way around?" Tzuyu asks.

"Come on. I don't have anything to do and I don't want to go home yet. Let me get some of those off your shoulders." She says.

"O-oh. Thank you. I don't know what to say." Tzuyu wasn't used to her superiors helping her.

Jihyo had been the only person in the precinct who would help Tzuyu with her work here and there.

But Jihyo is always so busy with her own work that she doesn't get much free time either.

It's always Tzuyu who's helping everyone but she had never thought to ask someone else to help her. To her, it always seemed like something she shouldn't do.

Mina takes some of the files from Tzuyu and sits down next to her.

Tzuyu smiles at that.

She must admit she was a bit scared of Mina when they first met but she doesn't seem that bad.

Behind the cold demeanor she feels a warmth similar to Jihyo's.

Thanks to Mina Tzuyu finishes her work early that day.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The sun was making it's way down towards the horizon as Nayeon exits her car and enters a florist shop.

She goes straight to the counter and buys a bunch of daisies.

She grabs the flowers, pays for it and leaves getting back into the car.

She drives for about 10 to 15 minutes before she arrives at her destination.

She exits the car and walks into a big building with the flowers in hand.

She goes into the elevator and presses a button.

She waits bobbing up and down on her heels for the elevator to reach hee destination.

With a ding the elevator door opens and Nayeon walks out into a hallway.

She walks past a few doors before she reaches the door was looking for.

She knocks on the door a few time before opening the door herself.

"I'm letting myself in!" She says In a singsong tone.

Nayeon walks into the room walking up to the small cabinet next to the bed. She takes the dried up flowers in the vase on top of the cabinet out and replaces them with the flowers she got.

She sits down on a chair next to the bed.

Her date was still in bed. She smiles at the girl before slowly taking her hand and interlacing their fingers.

"Hi, Jeongie. I'm here again. It's been a week since I've had time for you. I hope you didn't miss me too much." Nayeon says in a somber tone.

The only sound that replies Nayeon is a constant beep sound coming from the device next to her.

Nayeon was in a hospital. And the girl Infront of her on the bed, Yoo Jeongyeon, has been in a coma for 2 months.

Chapter Text

Flashback

Nayeon was at her desk in the precinct going over a case her and Taehyung were working on.

Taehyung had gone to the crime scene because they found something that they didn't see the first time they scrubbed the scene.

So at their desk it was just Nayeon and Tzuyu both engrossed in their work and a comfortable silence between them.

As Nayeon was slowly developing a headache her savior suddenly shows up on her phone screen.

She was getting a call from Yoo Jeongyeon.

Yoo Jeongyeon was a headstrong investigative journalist that Nayeon met while she was on one of her cases.

She hated Jeongyeon when they first met because of how infuriatingly stubborn the girl was.

Trying to get information out of Nayeon for her story.

She bothered Nayeon any moment she got and slowly but surely Nayeon's annoyance turned to a friendship.

Nayeon likes to think they're more than friends now but ever since they met Jeongyeon had been so dedicated to this story she was working on that they never had time to make anything official.

The story was about the G.U group. That's the extent to which Nayeon knew about it.

So she had no idea what their relationship was.

They went on a few dates Nayeon likes to think.

Granted it was usually both of them staking out near the G.U chairman or his son's usual routes trying to get something juicy and damning.

Nayeon saw them as dates regardless.

Jeongyeon was convinced there was something fishy going on with the G.U group.

Nayeon heard the chairman was planning on running for president in the upcoming election.

If Jeongyeon's hunch was right and she writes a big exposé on them it could ruin the G.U chairman Gu Jinsang's chance to be president.

They'll have to see where this goes.

Nayeon takes her phone and answers it.

"Helloo" she says a smile immediately stretching across her face as Jeongyeon's excited voice hits her ear.

"Nayeon!! You're not gonna believe what I got just now. G.U group done for. This is going to be my biggest story yet." Jeongyeon says excitedly.

Nayeon laughs at how cute she sounds right now.

"You should come here and pick me up so we can go somewhere and you can tell me all about it." Nayeon says still smiling widely.

"I couldn't have done any of this without you yeonie. I'm so happy I could kiss you right now." Jeongyeon slips up in her excitement.

"I-i mean.." she tried to back track but Nayeon stops her.

"I wouldn't be opposed to that if you take me out on a date first. A real date. Not creepily stalking some rich dude." Nayeon says.

"Oh. Oh wow. I wasn't sure which team you played for so I was hesitant to ask. I'm driving my way there right now. We can go for a real date." Jeongyeon says.

Nayeon's smile widens even more to the point where Tzuyu was giving her a concerned look from the other side of the table.

She looked creepy to Tzuyu smiling like that.

"I'd love that. I'd really love that." Nayeon replies.

a few moments pass with Nayeon still on the call and listening to Jeongyeon softly hum a song as she drove over to the precinct.

Then she hears.

*Screeech*

*Bang*

"Jeongyeon??"

"JEONGYEON!!!!"

Flashback end

-------------------------------------------------------------

This was why Nayeon wasn't her cheerful self when her Mina and Chaeyoung went to that casino that day.

She was trying her hardest not to take out her gun and shoot the smug bastard between his eyes.

G.U group. Nayeon knew they were behind this. Nayeon knew that the girl Infront of her on this bed wasn't there because of a freak accident.

Jeongyeon came across dangerous information about dangerous people. She tried to expose them and now she was here in this hospital bed fighting for her life.

Nayeon still didn't know what Jeongyeon found out that day. She never told Nayeon about anything saying she'll know when she reads her articles.

Nayeon always thought it was because Jeongyeon didn't trust her with that information and it always hurt Nayeon's feelings.

Now she knows that wasn't the case. Jeongyeon knew how dangerous knowing this information was. So she didn't tell Nayeon anything on purpose. To protect her.

Nayeon feels tears pricking her eyes as she thinks about it.

Nayeon wanted revenge. Nayeon wanted to burn the whole group and everything they held dear to the ground.

But she couldn't do anything. She wasn't like Mina.

Nayeon still had something to lose.

This girl Infront of her.

Nayeon didn't know what she would do if they hurt Jeongyeon more or worse take her life.

So Nayeon held her anger back.

She held herself back.

To protect Jeongyeon.

Nayeon hears the hospital room door open and wipes her tears away.

She turns to see a doctor come into the room with a clipboard in hand.

"Hi Nayeon, it's been a while since you visited. Busy with work?" The doctor asks.

"Hi Sana. Yes, I got a new partner and I've been helping her get settled."

Minatozaki Sana was Jeongyeon's doctor. She's been caring for her and monitoring her since she arrived at the hospital 2 months ago.

"How is she?" Nayeon asks Sana as she carresed Jeongyeon's hand.

"Same as before. Nothing much has changed. She still has brain activity so all we can do for now is talk to her and keep her company and observe her for any changes. I'm sorry." Sana replies.

"It's okay. At least she can hear us. I've been telling her stories about my days every time I get here." Nayeon says.

"That's good. Don't worry too much. Her condition hasn't worsened at all since she came and all her wounds are healed now. I'm sure she'll be back to her normal self any time now." Sana tries to comfort the detective.

"Thanks Sana." Nayeon says.

Sana smiles at her before continuing to take notes of her vitals and other things in her clipboard.

"I'm heading back. Call me if you need anything." Sana says after she's done with the clipboard.

"Will do." Nayeon replies and Sana leaves.

Nayeon stays for the rest of the evening telling Jeongyeon stories about her adventures with her new partner.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Mina arrives at her house after sundown. She stayed to help Tzuyu with her work so Tzuyu offered to drive Mina home which she accepted.

Mina still didn't have a government issued car yet. Nayeon had one and from what Mina knows Chaeyoung had one too.

Tzuyu didn't have her own one but she could take the police cars when she wanted so she drove Mina home in one.

The apartment wasn't a fancy one. It had stairs leading up the side of the building and doors on the sides. It looked weirdly similar to prison cells.

Mina climbs the stairs to the second floor. She walks past the doors until she reached her apartment door.

But instead of entering she turns her back to the door and props her hands on the chest height wall that would stop her from falling right off the building.

She looks off into the distance at the cars and bikes zooming past on the road and the night lights of the city slowly coming on one by one.

She takes a pack of cigarettes out of her bag. Taking one of them out and putting them between her lips.

Mina takes out her lighter and lights the cigarette.

She's been trying to get out of the habit but the situation and atmosphere was perfect for a smoke and Mina couldn't resist.

She waits there slowly taking a puff every now and then until the sun fully set and darkness enveloped the city.

Mina throws the bud down near her feet and steps on it before taking her keys out of her bag and entering her apartment.

After she enters Mina takes her shoes off and puts her bag on the table near the door before going in to her room.

She takes a shower and switches to her home clothes.

Mina doesn't own pajamas.

She wears shorts and a black cropped tank top that left her stomach exposed.

Mina didn't like wearing too much when she at home. It's almost always shorts and a tank top and nights when she's cold she would wear an oversized t-shirt.

She goes to her fridge and opens it.

Mina was about to take out the frozen pizza in it and eat that when she heard her door bell buzz.

Mina turns and looks at her front door with a bewildered expression.

"Who the fuck?" Mina whispers to herself.

There was absolutely no one that would be visiting Mina and she had no idea who that could be.

She hadn't even told Sana and Momo she was in Seoul yet.

Mina slowly walks towards the door. She decides to take out her gun from her gun holster that was placed near her bag.

Mina walks up to the door with her gun in hand and takes a look through the peephole.

What Mina sees though, wasn't a face.

It was the top of a head. A blonde head.

Mina realized immediately who would be blonde and short and would have short curly hair.

She places her gun back and opens the door.

What awaited Mina on the other side was something she didn't expect to see that day.

She opens the door to Chaeyoung in her casual clothes.

She had her round glasses on with her hair down and a big peach colored hoodie on.

A hoodie that was way too big for her and she looked nervous.

It made her look so cute it took all of Mina's willpower not to show any emotion on her face.

"Hi Mina, I got the autopsy... Here.... Woah..." Mina sees Chaeyoung's attention drift off somewhere.

She follows Chaeyoung's line of sight to where she was looking at.

Her abs. Chaeyoung was drooling at Mina's abs.

This time Mina couldn't hold the smug smirk that came on her face as she realized where Chaeyoung was looking.

She decides not to tease the girl though. She gets enough of that from Nayeon.

"Yes?" Mina asks.

Chaeyoung shakes her head to snap herself out of the daze she was in.

"Huh? Oh. Oh! Yes Nayeon said you wanted the autopsy and reports today and you would be super angry if you had to wait until tomorrow. So I came to give them to you. Here." Chaeyoung says handing over the files to Mina.

Mina takes the files and look at Chaeyoung with a confused expression.

"Umm... Chaeyoung?" Mina calls her.

"Yeah?" She innocently replies.

Mina just gives her a sympathetic look.

Mina sees the realization hit Chaeyoung.

"She lied to me didn't she?" Chaeyoung sighs.

"I'm guessing so yeah." Mina replies.

"Of course she did. I'm so stupid." Chaeyoung face palms as she says that.

She wasn't in fact stupid but excited. She heard Mina's name and all common sense went out the window.

She wanted to see Mina too and that could have played a role in her being fooled so easily.

"Well anyways, I guess i'll get going now then." Chaeyoung awkwardly says as she bobs up and down on her heels.

As Chaeyoung turns to leave something takes control over Mina's body.

"Chaeyoung?" She calls out to her.

"Yes?" Chaeyoung turns back around with her doe eyes making Mina forget what she was about to say.

"Umm.. It's dark out, do you wanna come in and eat frozen pizza with me? i can walk you home after." Mina says against her better judgement. 

That was definitely not what she wanted to say. She didn't want to get closer to Chaeyoung in that way. She was scared of what might happen if she gets too close to someone again. 

But when those doe eyes hit Mina's vision her mouth started moving on it's own. it didn't help that Chaeyoung gave her the cutest dimpled smile when she asked that.

"I'd love to." Chaeyoung says.

Mina opens the door wider for Chaeyoung and steps aside to let her in.

Chaeyoung walks in and starts looking around the place which makes Mina a little self conscious. 

Mina didn't mind Chaeyoung seeing her in her admittedly little clothes but Chaeyoung seeing her unorganized, all over the place, apartment was what was making her worry.

"Nice place you got here." Chaeyoung says.

"You have a very generous definition of nice, Chaeyoung." Mina chuckles at her. The place definitely wasn't nice. all of Mina's boxes were open around the living room with specific things taken out of them and the rest left in there.

Mina never bothered to unpack and she's been living like this since she got here.

"It's not that bad. Besides you haven't had any time to unpack since you got here. i know you've been very busy." Chaeyoung attempts to get rid of Mina's worries.

"Frozen pizza?" Mina asks as she opens the fridge door and taking one of the slices and looks at it.

Mina looks at the pizza slice in her hand and decides to hit the pizza slice on the fridge door and the sound that it made was similar to the sound of metal clinking together.

Chaeyoung winces at the sound and both girls laugh. 

"On second thought maybe we should get take out." Mina says putting the pizza slice in the trash bin.

"Sounds like a plan" Chaeyoung replies.

Mina walks over to her bedroom to get her phone to order some food and Chaeyoung's gaze drops to Mina's ass in her short shorts as she walked away.

Chaeyoung was looking (not) respectfully.

She realizes what she was doing and does a full 180 and faces the wall away from the way Mina went.

She was having a full on gay panic.

They've known each other for only a few days at this point and Chaeyoung wasn't sure if it was too soon to be ogling at Mina's ass. Or if it was creepy of her to be doing so, but can you blame her though?

It's right there in front of her and Mina was hot. How could she not look?

Mina walks out and sees Chaeyoung staring at an empty wall like an idiot.

She gives her a confused look. What was so interesting about that empty wall?

"What do you wanna eat?" Mina asks.

"As long as it doesn't have beans in it, I can eat anything." Chaeyoung replies.

"I'll get the same thing for both of us then."

Mina orders food for them both and they decide to settle on the couch in the living room Infront of the TV with their food.

The TV was on and Mina put on a drama but neither of the girls were watching it. It served as background noise while Mina and Chaeyoung talked.

"I'm guessing you know my whole tragic back story already?" Mina says.

Chaeyoung gives her an apologetic look before replying.

"Yeah Jihyo briefed all of us about your situation before you arrived."

"Then tell me about yours. It's not fair that you know about my past and I know nothing about you Chaeyoung-ssi." Mina says in a teasing tone.

Chaeyoung tries her best not to dwell on the fact that her name sounded so good coming from Mina's mouth. She wanted to hear it again.

"Mine's nothing special. I was an orphan. I lived at the orphanage until I turned 18. I was never adopted so when I turned 18 I left to live on my own. Nayeon helped me a lot to get up on my own two feet. Even Tzuyu and my other friend Dahyun. They supported me until I could fend for myself and make a living here." Chaeyoung says.

"I see. Nayeon can be annoying as all hell but I do see why she's so respected among your colleagues. She's good at what she does and she's kind." Mina says.

Chaeyoung smiles at that.

Mina hits Chaeyoung on her shoulder.

"Oww. What was that for?"

"Don't you dare tell Nayeon I said any of this."

"My lips are sealed." Chaeyoung says acting like she's zipping up her lips.

The two girls stayed there on the couch just talking about random things as they ate their food.

Neither of them knows how long they've been there or how long it's been since the food ran out.

It took seeing Chaeyoung yawn for Mina to realize it was already 12 AM. They've been chatting the whole night since sundown.

Throughout the whole thing Mina learned a few more things about Chaeyoung.

Her weird taste in music. Her love for strawberries. That she draws. That she has small cute tattoos peppered all over her arms.

And one more fact that Mina wasn't sure about was now solidified.

Mina liked Chaeyoung. She was attracted to this girl.

Of course she still wasn't going to do anything about it. She wasn't stupid. Emotional connections will only make her weak.

And when push comes to shove Chaeyoung would become Mina's downfall if the fate finds out about it.

She wasn't going to let anything come between her and her revenge. She wasn't going to put Chaeyoung in that kind of danger either.

For Chaeyoung, She learned that Mina used to dance. She learned that Mina had a scar on the side of her abdomen. She learned that even though Mina acted like she didn't like it, she loved penguins for some reason.

Mina didn't say that though. Chaeyoung just noticed the chibi penguin on her coffee mug and a penguin plushie that she could see through the open door of Mina's bedroom.

And one more fact that Chaeyoung wasn't sure about was now solidified.

Chaeyoung was horny as fuck for Mina. Of course she loved the tidbits of Mina's personality that she has learned about throughout this night.

Chaeyoung wasn't that shallow. She always looks for personality first when she's interested in someone.

But for some reason her sexual desire for Mina was far outweighing everything else.

Chaeyoung was trying her hardest not to pounce on Mina like a cat.

It didn't help that Mina was wearing a cropped tank top and shorts. It left little for the imagination.

And boy was Chaeyoung imagining a lot of things.

Chaeyoung figured she was just needy. She hasn't been involved with anyone for almost two years now.

With all her willpower she manages to keep her hands off of Mina until it was time for her to go home.

As promised Mina goes to change her clothes so she could walk Chaeyoung home.

Mina comes out of her room wearing a full black turtleneck and black jeans.

"Does your wardrobe only have one color?" Chaeyoung asks jokingly.

"No, I just like black and they don't get ruined by blood stains so that's a plus too." Mina says like it was the most normal thing ever.

"Umm... Okay. That's not dark and creepy at all." Chaeyoung replies.

Mina chuckles.

"Come on. We should get you home. It's late." Mina says as she grabs her apartment keys and her phone.

Chaeyoung follows behind.

They walk through the city towards Chaeyoung's apartment which was a 10 minutes walk away from Mina's.

The streets weren't fully abandoned yet but there were considerably less people walking around.

Mina keeps her guard up since she didn't know how often girl's get stopped and harassed here.

It was a common occurance back in Japan where she lived. Especially when it's this late at night.

Thankfully the two girls reached Chaeyoung's apartment complex with no hiccups.

The place was considerably better looking than Mina's.

"Damn. You didn't tell me you were rich. I should have came to your place Instead." Mina jokes.

"You can, next time." Chaeyoung replies.

'Okay that wasn't what I had in mind.' Mina thought to herself. Her joke backfired. She was hoping this was a one time thing.

"And I'm not rich. I just saved up a lot to get this place. Nayeon, Tzuyu and Dahyun also pitched in." Chaeyoung explains.

"Ah yes. You did mention them helping you." Mina recalls.

"Yes, well, I should head in." Chaeyoung says.

"Yes, I'll head back after you go in." Mina replies.

Chaeyoung turns to leave and walks up to the apartment complex entrance. She stops and turns back to Mina.

She sees Mina give her a little wave.

She walks back towards Mina again.

"Is something wro-" Mina gets cut off as Chaeyoung leans in for a hug.

"Thanks for tonight Mina. You have no idea how much I needed to just talk to someone. I'm glad you invited me in. There's been a lot going on with me mentally and I'm just glad..." Chaeyoung stops as her voice weakens. A sign that she was about to cry.

Mina decides to let Chaeyoung be in this position for a while longer. She smiles as she rubs Chaeyoung's back slowly.

"I'm glad I could be of help." Mina replies. Mina had no idea what Chaeyoung was going through. She mentioned going through something mentally.

It could have been anxiety or depression or just fear of being alone. Mina understood all of those emotions very well. So she decides to stay as long as Chaeyoung wanted to be in that hug.

After some time Chaeyoung let's go and wipes the tears that were pricking at her eyes.

"God, you must think I'm crazy." Chaeyoung says with a bitter laugh.

"Not at all." Mina replies. She wanted to say more. She wanted to help the girl feel better. But Mina was blanking. She wasn't good at this.

Comforting people wasn't her strongsuit.

"Thank you again." Chaeyoung says.

"Anytime." Mina replies and they part ways.

Mina waits for Chaeyoung to enter the building.

She sighs as the girl leaves her vision.

She stays there for a few more seconds.

Chaeyoung's face flashes into Mina's mind. Her pretty doe eyes. Her deep dimples. Her fluffy blonde hair. The beauty mark under her lips. Every intricate detail is as clear as day.

She sighs again.

"I'm fucked aren't I?"

-------------------------------------------------------------

The next day as Mina was having breakfast alone in her apartment before she came to work, she decides it's about time she called up her friends.

She's been in Seoul for some time now and she still hasn't told Momo or Sana that she was here.

She decides to call Momo since Sana was a doctor and it was more likely that Momo would be free at this time.

"Moshi Moshi?" Mina hears Momo's voice from the other side.

"Hi, Momo."

"Omg Mina? Where have you been?? We haven't talked in ages!!"

Mina rolls her eyes.

"I called you last week Momo."

"That's so long ago Minarii. I missed youu." Momo coos from the other side.

"I missed you too Momo. Listen I'm here in Seoul right now. I wanna come see you and Sana today." Mina says.

"Wait for real?? Waah I haven't seen you in what? A million years?" Momo says.

"You couldn't do the math in your head could you?" Mina laughs.

"Yah! save the teasing for when we meet." Momo says.

"Today evening then?" Mina asks.

"It's a date. Wait, can I bring my girlfriend and her two friends?" Momo asks.

"I don't know Momo that's 3 people more than the amount I'm comfortable with." Mina replies.

"I have plans to meet my girlfriend's friends and Sana's coming to meet them too. It'll be perfect. We can all meet each other and be one big happy family. Come on minaaa pleaaaseeee!!" Momo begs in a cute voice.

Mina sighs.

"Fine then. I'm bringing my friend too then." Mina replies.

"Yeah sure.... Wait what???? You have a friend????" Momo screams.

Mina winces and takes the phone away from her ear.

"Yes, My partner at work. I'd like you two to meet her as well." Mina says.

"Wow, I feel like a proud parent. I thought you would never make friends other than me and Sana." Momo says.

"Speaking of Sana. I'm going to give her a call now. I'll see you in the evening." Mina says.

"Okiii. See you soon Minarii."

"Bye Momo." Mina says before hanging up.

She decides to call Sana up and fill her in. She didn't want to just tell Momo that she was here in Seoul and not tell Sana.

She didn't want Sana to feel left out in any way. A part of her wanted to surprise Sana and show up without telling her but the possibility of her being upset that Momo knew and she didn't wasn't something Mina wanted to risk.

After her call with Sana, Mina gets ready and heads to work for the day.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Mina and Nayeon were at their desk going over the autopsy of the man they found in the casino.

The same files Nayeon made Chaeyoung walk to Mina's apartment to give it to her for no reason.

Mina looks up from the file she was reading to Nayeon who was seated beside her with a pen pressed against her lips reading the sample reports.

Mina decides to ask Nayeon to accompany her to see her friends that evening.

"Umm.. hey Nayeon?" Mina calls her.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering. I'm meeting my friends from Japan who's living here and they're bringing their friends. So I told them I would be bringing a friend as well." Mina says.

"Yeah? And?" Nayeon asks not understanding what Mina was trying to say.

Some time pass and Chaeyoung who was working in her lab decides to get herself a cup of coffee and a little break.

She leaves the lab and goes out into the main hub. She sees Mina and Nayeon at their desk so she decides to go say hi before she goes to the coffee shop.

She walks closer and she notices Nayeon was full on sobbing in her seat and Mina looked like she was pretending Nayeon didn't exist.

"What's up with her?" Chaeyoung asks Mina.

"Ugh. Don't even ask me." Mina replies.

Just then Nayeon leaps at Chaeyoung and continues to cry while hugging her.

"Chaeyoung!! Mina said I was her friend! I'm so happyyyy" Nayeon sobs holding Chaeyoung's hands.

"She... She said I was... I was her friend.. she wants me to... Meet her childhood friends.... I never thought this was possible..." Nayeon says still sobbing as she hugs Chaeyoung again.

Chaeyoung awkwardly rubs Nayeon's back.

Just then Tzuyu walks in and stops next to Mina.

She looks at Nayeon koala hugging Chaeyoung and sobbing into her shoulder.

"What's up with her?" Tzuyu asks.

Mina sighs and places her head in her hands.

"I'm definitely fucked."

Chapter Text

After Nayeon's dramatic showcase to show how happy she was that Mina sees her as a friend, the duo decided to focus on work for the day.

They still had a contract killer to catch.

Mina, Nayeon, Tzuyu and Chaeyoung who went to get a coffee and came back are now all seated at the desk discussing the case.

There was nothing much they could get from the autopsy of the victim. He was shot and killed that was pretty plain to see.

They did however get a lead from the bullet that Chaeyoung pulled out of the man's head.

"It says here that the bullet is from a suppressed handgun?" Mina asks Chaeyoung to confirm.

"Yes, it's a Heckler & Koch MK23." Chaeyoung says.

This surprises Mina. She looks up at Chaeyoung before turning to Nayeon and then to Tzuyu.

Neither of them seem to share Mina's reaction.

"If you don't mind me asking Chaeyoung, how did you make that guess? From what I'm aware of, it's practically impossible to determine the exact model of a gun from just the bullet and nothing else." Mina says.

This catches Chaeyoung off guard as well. Normally everyone just takes the things Chaeyoung says and runs with it.

They see her as a genius and no one questions her when she says something.

Mina was the first person to ask her how she came to a conclusion.

Chaeyoung gets flustered having to explain it. There's no way she could do it without sounding like an absolute nerd.

"Well, you see.. the caliber of the bullet will be enough to tell what kind of gun it is. And for the exact model I looked at the rifling marks left on the bullet. They're unique grooves left on the bullet from the gun barrel. I just matched the gooves to models I thought would be close and it matched to the MK23." Chaeyoung timidly explains slowly turning redder and redder seeing just how much attention Mina was giving her.

She kept eye contact the whole time Chaeyoung explained.

"That's.. amazing Chaeyoung." Mina says.

Chaeyoung was trying her best not to giggle like a little girl. She loved getting complimented. Especially when she has worked on something really hard.

"Yeah, she does that. She's a genius or whatever." Nayeon says waving her hand in dismissal.

"So you guys don't question her at all and just believe everything she says? No offense Chaeyoung." Mina asks Nayeon while directing the last part to Chaeyoung again.

"None taken." Chaeyoung replies.

"Why bother asking? Everything she just said. Whoosh! Right over my head." Nayeon said waving her hand over her head to show how Chaeyoung's words went over it.

Mina rolls her eyes at her and directs her attention to Tzuyu.

"What about you? Does it go over your head too?" Mina asks.

Tzuyu lifts her head from what she was doing and looks at Mina.

"Oh, I wasn't listening to you guys." Tzuyu says matter of factly.

Mina sighs.

"Well, we need to find out who owns this specific model of handguns in the city." Mina says.

Nayeon perks up at that. She thinks for a moment before snapping her fingers and replying.

"I think I know someone that could help."

--------------------------------------------------------------

Mina and Nayeon were in Nayeon's car as they drove to the outskirts of the city.

Mina notices the buildings becoming less and less as they drove farther away.

"Where are we going exactly?" Mina asks.

"To meet a friend." Nayeon replies.

The drive took about 30 minutes and they arrived at an abandoned building. The place was surrounded by greenery and very secluded from the rest of the city.

Nayeon hops on to the hood of her car.

"Now we wait." She says.

Mina decides to not ask any more questions and just wait.

After a while Mina sees a motorcycle coming their way.

A woman clad in a biker outfit with a lip ring and ear piercings come into view as the motorcycle stops next to Mina and Nayeon.

"You're friend is a thug? Can't say I'm surprised." Mina quips.

"Meanie." Nayeon pouts.

"Witty this one, is she your new partner?" The woman asks Nayeon.

"Yes, it's good to see you again Ryujin, this is my partner galileo humpkins." Nayeon says.

The woman laughs.

"I see your knack for weird nicknames hasn't gone away after all these years." Ryujin says before extending her hand towards Mina.

"I'm Ryuijin by the way."

"Myoui Mina." Mina takes her hand and shakes it.

"So this is the famous nihongo hell hound." Ryuijin says.

Mina nods.

"Ryujin is an undercover cop. She's been on the other side for 2 years now. If there's anyone who can track down that gun it's her." Nayeon explains.

"I see. That explains the clothes and the motorcycle." Mina says.

"Yep. I like the bike though. I think I'll keep it after I'm out of this." Ryujin says looking back at the vehicle she arrived in.

"So, what's up?" Ryujin continues after turning back to Mina and Nayeon.

"We need you to find the owner of a specific gun. A Heckler & Koch MK23. If we get a list of names it will help us a lot in our case." Mina explains.

"I see. That wouldn't be that hard. The gang I'm currently undercover in does deal firearms. I'll ask around." Ryujin says.

"Thanks, I owe you one." Mina says.

"Wow, a favor owed by the great hellhound. I feel so powerful." Ryujin jokes.

Ryujin takes her leave soon after and Mina turns to Nayeon who's still seated on the hood of her car.

"How are you friends with so many people?" Mina asks out of pure curiosity.

"I don't know honestly, it just happens." Nayeon shrugs.

"People are scared of me so, can't say I understand how that feels." Mina says.

"Oh c'mon Mina, don't be harry potter and the prisoner of narzapam. You're great."

"Azkaban."

"What?"

"It's the prisoner of Azkaban, Nayeon."

"I've heard it both ways."

"No you haven't."

--------------------------------------------------------------

It was evening and the duo decided to put the case on hold for a moment to go meet Mina's friends.

It's not like they had any other leads to follow anyways, they had to wait for Ryujin to get back to them.

Mina was nervous, she hadn't met Sana and Momo in almost 8 years.

They always kept in touch via calls but Mina was always too busy with her work and her chase for the fate to come visit Sana and Momo and vice versa.

Nayeon was ecstatic though. She was basically bouncing off the walls.

As Mina was tidying up her desk before they left, Nayeon was hovering around her like a hummingbird.

She kept stopping their colleagues as they passed by and bragging to them about how she was Mina's friend.

Mina sighs.

She's been doing that a lot.

She tells Nayeon that she was done tidying up and the duo left to go to the place Momo told Mina about.

From what Mina understood it was a small outdoor restaurant that was between the hospital Sana worked in and the main building of a Kpop Idol agency called JYP where Momo worked as a choreographer for one of their groups.

It was their usual meeting spot since it was convenient for both of them.

Mina and Nayeon decide to drop by their respective homes before going to the meeting place.

Nayeon decided to wear more casual clothes. She was now wearing dark blue denim jeans with a short sleeve white t-shirt that's tucked in to the jeans.

Mina however was still in her usual button up shirt and leather jacket combo.

Nayeon makes a disgusted face as Mina exits her apartment wearing it.

"You're seriously going for the jaded detective look for your first meeting with your friends in 8 years?" Nayeon asks.

"Yes." Mina replies bluntly.

Nayeon sighs.

"Well at least you have different colors." Nayeon says pointing to the jacket which was a dark red color. Not the usual Myoui black.

The duo arrives at the designated location a few minutes later and they enter the restaurant.

They had to go through an indoor part that opened up to a big open space where the tables were.

The place was nice. Lots of fresh air and not too warm to be uncomfortable.

As Nayeon and Mina were walking towards the table the receptionist told them to go to they hear a deafening "Minarii!"

It was Momo screaming at her before they even reached the table.

Mina smiles and walks up to the table.

Mina scans the faces at the table and something surprises her. A face she didn't think she would be seeing today.

"Chaeyoung?"

"Mina?" Chaeyoung looks equally surprised.

Then Mina looks at the person seated next to Chaeyoung.

"Wait, Tzuyu?"

"Hi, Mina unnie." Tzuyu greets.

"Sana??" Nayeon joins in the cluster of confusion that was happening.

"Nayeon?" They knew each other because Sana was Jeongyeon's doctor. She seemed surprised too.

"Momo??" That was Momo saying her own name because she had no idea what was happening.

After all of them settle down and explain why the confusion happened Momo bursts into laughter.

"Wait, so you all know each other from different places?" Momo asks pointing to Sana, Nayeon, Mina, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu.

"Mhmm" Nayeon replies as she takes a sip from her colorful drink.

Mina had no idea what she ordered but it looked like a unicorn threw up in it.

"Well I guess we're the only ones who needs to introduce ourselves then. I'm Momo. Sana and Mina's childhood friend and this is my girlfriend Dahyun who's apparently friends with Mina's coworkers." Momo says almost as a question to the group to see if she got it right.

"Hey! We're past coworkers now I'm Mina's best friend." Nayeon says puffing out her chest.

"I never said "best" friend." Mina interjects.

"She's in denial." Nayeon puts up her palm next to her mouth and acts like she's whispering a secret but she says it loud enough for the whole group to hear.

"Hello, I'm Dahyun. Nice to meet you all. I'm a producer, song writer and composer at JYP." Dahyun introduces herself.

"So you two work together too?" Nayeon asks.

She did know that Dahyun had a girlfriend but this was Nayeon's first time meeting Momo.

"Yes, we worked together for a couple of comebacks for a few groups at the company. That's how we got to know each other." Dahyun explains.

As the girls catch up with one another and talk about what they've been up to, Momo notices something about one of Dahyun's friends.

She kicks Sana's shin a bit too hard under the table to get her attention.

She looked like she was about to cuss at Momo but she stops as she sees the smirk on Momo's face.

Momo gestures at Chaeyoung with her head and Sana looks at Chaeyoung.

Chaeyoung was full on staring at Mina as she was quietly sipping her drink from a straw.

A faint blush adorned Chaeyoung's cheeks.

Sana's jaw drops as she realized what that was.

She looks back at Momo and Momo give her a "I know, right!" Kinda look.

A look of mutual understanding flashes between Sana and Momo and they both nod almost simultaneously.

"So, Minari? You said you and Chaeyoung here were coworkers too right?" Sana asks. Both Momo and Sana has a smug smirk on their faces.

Chaeyoung snaps out of her staring session hearing her name being brought up.

"Huh?" Chaeyoung looks around confused.

Nayeon leans in and whispers to Chaeyoung.

"You've been staring at Mina the whole time. Sana just asked Mina about you. In case you were too caught up in her charm to notice." She winks at her before going back to her food.

'Oh god' Chaeyoung thinks.

Mina doesn't notice the exchange between Nayeon and Chaeyoung.

"Yes?" She replies to Sana.

"How is she. I mean.. what's your opinion on her?" Sana asks.

Mina raises her eyebrow at that.

Why was she asking about Chaeyoung specifically?

Mina senses something sus going on.

"Why are you asking about Chaeyoung specifically? Nayeon's my coworker too." Mina asks.

"Well Nayeon has already told us everything about the dynamic between you two. She hasn't stopped talking since you two got here. You and Chaeyoung aren't as vocal as she is. So I wanna know what you think about her. No offense Nayeon." Sana says.

"Nonf takegf" Nayeon replies with her mouth full of food.

Mina accepts this reasoning. She looks at Chaeyoung.

There it was again. Those same doe eyes and look of expectation. Like a puppy waiting to be petted. Or in this case, a cub waiting for a compliment.

It wasn't in Mina's nature to compliment people unwarranted.

She wanted to just say 'she's nice' and be done with it.

But the possibility of seeing Chaeyoung's expectant look turn into a look of disappointment made Mina weak.

"She's really intelligent. To the point where I think she's overqualified for her job. Compared to this idiot she's basically Einstein." Mina says pointing at Nayeon who looked like a surprised hamster with her cheeks puffed up with food.

"Hey!" Nayeon complains.

"I admire her really. The work she does is essential to us and I'm glad we have her with us." Mina continues.

Sana and Momo notices Chaeyoung's blush growing as she slowly sunk in her seat with a shy smile on her face.

"Well, I can tell you she feels the same about you Minari. Considering she has been staring at you all evening." Momo says with a huge smirk on her face.

"I would like to be swallowed by the ground now." Chaeyoung says. She has slowly but surely sunk in her seat so much that only her head was the only thing that's visible from the other side of the table.

The whole group laughs at Chaeyoung's comment before continuing the conversation.

The group got acquainted with each other. Mostly Mina and Momo with the rest of them since everyone else already knew each other from different ways.

The evening was spent sharing stories and with Mina catching up with Momo and Sana and plans made to hang out again.

Momo, Sana and Dahyun went together since the rest of them were the police crew and they all had to get back to the precinct.

Mina, Chaeyoung, Nayeon and Tzuyu exited the restaurant together to go back with Nayeon's car.

The four of them walked up to Nayeon's car. Nayeon was in the front with Tzuyu and Mina and Chaeyoung following behind them.

"Listen Mina, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I didn't mean to stare." Chaeyoung says and she sounded sad.

"No no, not at all. You could never make me uncomfortable Chaeyoung. Don't worry about it. They're like that. They like to tease me whenever they get a chance." Mina says.

"If you don't mind me asking, why were you staring? Did I have something on my face?" Mina asks.

"Oh... no. You're just... Beautiful." Chaeyoung says.

And for the first time in a long time Mina feels.

She feels something she hadn't in ages. She felt flustered. Mina didn't know how to respond to that.

She had been so far removed from any kind of romantic feelings that she didn't even know if she was capable of feeling them anymore.

She hadn't felt attracted or flustered by anyone in 8 years.

Her sole purpose had been to get revenge for her parents and that part of her was locked deep within her.

Mina had a problem, a problem named Son Chaeyoung, who managed to bring that part of Mina back from the dead. Even if for a brief moment.

"Damn Chaeyoung got game! Telling straight like it is. You go girl!" Nayeon half yells from near the car.

"I humbly ask ground-kun to swallow me again." Chaeyoung says dropping her head down.

"Leave her alone Nayeon." Mina says.

This made things worse for Chaeyoung. Mina was being protective and it shook Chaeyoung to the core.

"Hey." Mina says taking Chaeyoung's hand and making her look back up at Mina.

Chaeyoung looks up to see Mina leaning down at Chaeyoung's eye level. Their faces mere inches apart.

'Bitch you wanna kill me or what?' Chaeyoung's inner demon screams in her head.

"Uh.. umm.." Chaeyoung starts malfunctioning.

"Don't worry about it okay? Ignore them." Mina says.

"Oh and one more thing. I think you're super cute too." Mina says with a smile.

Mina stands back upright and walks towards the car leaving Chaeyoung flabbergasted.

As Mina was walking towards the car she hears Nayeon scream.

She sees Tzuyu running around the car and a terrified looking Nayeon.

Mina starts sprinting towards them as well with Chaeyoung following in equal speed.

The four of them walked up to the open door of Nayeon's car to see what startled Nayeon.

It was a dead body. A middle aged woman this time. Shot right between the eyes again.

The body was in Nayeon's car's driver seat.

Chaeyoung takes the lead to examine the body.

She sees a piece of paper on the woman's lap.

She takes it and hands it to Mina.

Mina opens the piece of paper and reads it's contents.

You're in over your head, hound. Back off.

That's all that was written on it. Mina knew who this was from though. The case they started investigating that day.

The murder in the casino. There was a second victim now.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, Mina and Nayeon got a report from Ryujin.

She managed to get them a list of names of people who purchased the model of gun they were looking for.

The whole homicide team were there at the desk.

Tzuyu, Jungkook and Taehyung were there as well.

"Do we go door to door? This is going to take forever." Nayeon says looking at the list of names.

"We don't need to. Tzuyu, can you do something for me?" Mina asks.

Tzuyu looks up from her monitor waiting for Mina to continue.

"Can you do background checks on these names. We can cross a lot of them off based on their occupation or what their life is like." Mina says.

"On it." Tzuyu says.

After a session of writing people off one by one the team was left with 2 names. Kim Joonwoo and Lee Minseok.

Two middle aged men that are basically non existent in the system.

Tzuyu wasn't able to find any official records for these two men.

The only thing she could get her hands on was their addresses.

There was very little chance anyone who's a contract killer would be living in their government recorded address.

But it was better than nothing.

"Can you two go to the other address? Nayeon and I will go look into this Lee Minseok." Mina asks Taehyung and Jungkook.

"Sure. Hyung picked out the most boring case he could find and I'm bored out of my mind anyways." Jungkook replies.

Taehyung ignores the younger one's back handed comment.

"Yeah, we'll go. Keep your radio with you. We'll update you when we get there." He replies to Mina.

Mina nods.

"We should head out as well." Mina says to Nayeon.

"I'm staying here." Tzuyu inserts herself in the conversation making Nayeon chuckle at her.

"Don't worry we weren't going to drag you with us." Nayeon says.

The duo arrives at the address Tzuyu gave them.

They exit the car and make their way towards the building.

They walk up to the front door of the building.

On the left side of the door it had a row of buttons with apartments numbers on it.

They buzz the bell for the one Tzuyu gave them.

After a few buzzes there was no answer.

"I knew it." Mina says.

"We should still check the apartment. Maybe he left something that can help us find him." Nayeon says.

"Yeah, but how are we going to get in?" Mina asks.

Just then she sees one of the buzzers that was different from the others.

She presses it.

After a while a grumpy looking man opens the door.

"What do you want?" The man asks.

Nayeon shows the man her badge before talking.

"We're detectives. I'm Im Nayeon and this is my partner Cornelius Magnificus. We suspect one of your tenants might be involved in a murder. So if you would be so kind may we see the apartment?" Nayeon asks.

"Why should I? There's no one like that in here. I don't rent my apartment to criminals. Are you accusing me? Huh??" The man spits out at them

Nayeon wipes the spit off her face with her hand and turns to Mina.

"Would you rather we go get a warrant and do this forcefully? I can't imagine the tenants being happy about a whole squad of cops invading their living space. What would you rather have? A whole squad or just two woman who's here to look at an apartment and leave." Mina asks.

The man grunts and reluctantly let's them in.

"Man you're really good at that Cornelius." Nayeon compliments Cornelius... I mean Mina.

The duo walks up to the apartment. Nayeon got the key for the apartment from the angry old man and they open the door and slowly enter the dark room.

They had their guns out and Nayeon moves along the wall until she came up to the light switches.

She turned the light on and they saw something in the middle of the room.

A body in a metal chair. His head was cut clean off and it was placed on his lap.

Mina recognized it immediately. That was the Fate's signature. This was the contract killer they were looking for.

They were too late again.

Just then Mina sees a figure leap out the window.

"Not this time." Mina says as she sprints after the figure.

"Mina wait!" She hears Nayeon yell at her.

Mina effortlessly jumps out the window and landing on the roof of the building next to the building they were in.

She sees the figure running away on the roof. She chases.

The two of them were full on sprinting on the rooftops jumping from roof to roof.

Mina was not letting the figure escape. Not this time.

The chase soon end as the figure runs up to a big wall on one of the roofs that was too high to climb and there weren't any buildings to jump on near them.

Mina catches up and stops behind the figure.

The figure turns around and finally the mask Mina was painfully familiar with comes into view.

The face of the demon.

"No where to run now." Mina says pointing her gun at her.

The Fate laughs. This was the first time Mina has heard his voice. The voice of the man that took Mina's parents from her.

He had some kind of voice changer attached to his mask. The voice was distorted and deep. Fitting for a demon.

'Fitting for a coward.' Mina thought.

"We finally meet face to face kitten. You have no idea how happy I am to finally talk to you." The man says.

"Kitten?" Mina raises her eyebrow at that.

"Yes, this game of cat and mouse. It's been entertaining." The man says.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't pump you full of lead right now." Mina says through her gritted teeth.

"Are you sure you have the guts to do that kitten? We both know you can't kill me here. You want closure. You want answers. Why don't we skip the bullshit and do this the old fashioned way." The man says.

With that said Mina lowers her gun and drops in to the rooftop and kicks it away.

The man takes his katana off it's hilt and throws it on the ground as well.

"Old fashioned way it is."

Chapter Text

"Old fashioned way it is"

Mina wastes no time as she lunges towards the man. The Fate also moves in throwing a punch at Mina.

Mina ducks under the man's punch dropping to the ground and delivering a sweeping kick to his legs making the man fall on his back.

Mina immediately corrects herself over the man and slams down a powerful stomp right at the man's face.

Mina's leg meets the roofing with a hard thump as the man rolls out of the way before Mina's stomp landed.

"You're stronger, kitten. You've been practicing? All for me? I'm honored." The Fate mocks Mina.

There was no malice in the man's words. No anger. Just pure excitement.

Mina knew the man was twisted in the head from the countless crime scene's Mina had visited that was his doing.

But Mina had no idea the extent.

Mina wastes no time as she engages again throwing punch after punch.

The Fate maniacally laughs as they exchange blows.

From the outside looking in, the fight would look equally matched for anyone else.

But Mina knew better. Mina knew The Fate was holding back. He was trying to enjoy this for as long as he could.

Mina does manage to land a few hits here and there but almost every successful punch Mina lands the Fate lands one on Mina in return.

"Why? Why did you kill them." Mina roars as the two of them dodged and weaved across the rooftop, fighting each other.

Mina throws a powerful punch and The Fate blocks the punch with the palm of his hand. The brief stop gave him a chance to reply.

"For fun of course, I just loove seeing helpless people bleed out underneath my feet. The last of their life slowly leaving them. As they beg me to spare their lives. It's positively thrilling. You should try." The twisted man says.

Mina throws another punch from under, landing it right on the man's gut making him stumble backwards.

"Bullshit, they were targeted. If you did it for fun you would have killed me that night." Mina says.

The man stops for a second. The demon mask looking straight at Mina for a few moments before he gets back into fighting stance.

"You're not as consumed by rage as I thought you'd be, kitten. I'm impressed." The Man says.

"I know what you're doing. You're trying to provoke me. Make me act out in rage like I did that night. So I would be sloppy and make mistakes. That's not happening. Not tonight." Mina takes her stance as well and the two starts exchanging blows again.

As the fight continued The Fate notices something.

Almost all of Mina's punches and kicks are being direct right at the man's face.

Another maniacal laugh erupts from the man as he speaks.

"You're trying to break my mask aren't you, kitten? I assure you I'm every bit as handsome as you think I am." The man gloats as he dodges a few of Mina's punches before jumping on to the roof of the building next to them.

Mina quickly follows not letting the man rest.

"You won't be after I'm done with it." Mina grunts as they go right back at it.

"Ooh don't threaten me with a good time, kitten." The fight continues for Mina doesn't know how long before she hears a deafening sound.

"STOP!"

Both the fate and Mina stop in their tracks and turn to the source of the voice.

Nayeon was standing on the roof they were on now with her gun pointed at The Fate.

"Get on the ground! Now!" Nayeon demands.

"Nayeon, stay out of this." Mina says as she breathes heavily.

"No, don't you realize what he's doing Mina. He's playing with you." Nayeon replies.

"Oh, I would never!" The man replies sarcastically.

"That's enough from you. I said get down on the ground." Nayeon demands again.

"Of course, who am I to deny a request from a fine young lady like yourself." The Fate says.

Mina notices the change in the man's tone. The way he said it, it sounded evil. Sinister.

"Nayeon!" Mina moves driven by her instincts but it was too late.

The Fate was faster. He lunges towards Nayeon.

Nayeon's gun goes off but it fails to hit anything as the man dodges to the side.

He throws a powerful kick aimed at Nayeon's chest.

Nayeon puts both her arms Infront of herself and blocks it but the sheer power of this man sent Nayeon tumbling down the slanted rooftop.

Nayeon tumbles off of the roof but manages to hold on to the side of it before she completely fell off.

They were on the rooftop of a 5 story building. Falling from this height would mean sudden death.

"Let's see if you're as cold and heartless as your reputation says you are, kitten. What's it gonna be? Your partner's life or your revenge on me?" The man says the amusement evident in his voice.

He hasn't had this much fun in a long time. Being chased by someone that was actually somewhat competent.

He had always been 10 steps ahead of the law all of his twisted career. This was the first time he found someone that was only one or two steps behind him.

The Fate sees the a glimpse of hesitation flash before Mina's eyes and he laughs.

"Hurry up kitten. I doubt that girl has the arm strength to hold on much longer." The man says.

Mina books it towards the slanted roof Nayeon fell off of.

She dives at the side of the roof.

She hears Nayeon scream as she dived at her.

Mina managed to hold on to Nayeon's arm the moment her grip gave out.

"Holy shit! I thought I was gonna die! Please don't let go, I'm too pretty to die here." Nayeon begs as she dangled off the roof being held on only by Mina's right hand.

The Fate walks up to Mina who was now laying down on the downward slanted roof holding on to Nayeon for dear life.

The Fate sits down next to Mina and crosses his feet.

Mina looks at the man with gritted teeth as he was just sitting there next to her.

"I'll fucking kill you." Mina threatens.

The man chuckles at that.

"I don't know about that, kitten. You seem pretty occupied." The man says as he pokes Mina cheek with the back end of his sheathed katana.

"You're weak." The man says as he moves the covered katana from Mina's face to her hand that was holding Nayeon.

He slams the Katana down on Mina's shoulder making her cry out in pain.

Nayeon who was dangling also breaks as tears start to fall down her face.

The man scoffs at the fact that Mina still refused to let go of Nayeon.

He stands back up and walks a few steps away before turning back to Mina.

"Nevertheless, you've impressed me here tonight, kitten. So I'll give you a little treat. A hint. Follow it like a good little kitten and I'm sure we'll get our chance for a rematch" The man says making Mina look back at his figure.

"Yoo Jeongyeon." That's all the man says before jumping on to the roof they were previously on and disappearing out of sight.

Mina turns back to Nayeon and with all the power she had left in her body she screams as she pulls the girl back up.

Nayeon feels a snap in Mina's hand as she gets pulled back up on to the roof.

Both girls collapse on to the slanted roof breathing heavily.

Mina tries to get up.

"He couldn't have gone far." Mina says standing up on her feet.

Nayeon who was laying down on her back looks up at Mina standing over her.

"Mina, sweetheart, you know I adore you right? And I'll be forever grateful for you saving my life." Nayeon says. She gulps before continuing.

"I mean no disrespect when I say this, Stop being a blubbering buffoon and sit your ass down." Nayeon scolds Mina.

"Look at yourself Mina. You're running on pure adrenaline. You're going to kill yourself if you go after him in that state."

Nayeon was right.

Mina's lips were blood red and there was a single drop of blood slowly making it's way down from the side of her lips.

Her right shoulder was dislocated from when he was holding Nayeon.

Mina looked down to see a large shard of glass lodged in her thigh. Blood was seeping down from the wound along her leg.

The shard of glass cut her when she jumped out of the broken window.

She was too caught up in the moment to notice.

Once the adrenaline dissipates Mina gets hit with the reality of the situation.

She groggily sits back down next to Nayeon.

She feels dizzy and her eye lids start feeling heavy. This was due to the excessive blood loss from the wound on her leg.

Nayeon notices Mina's eye's threatening to close.

She pushes herself up.

"Hey, don't faint on me up here. My body is too petite and cute to carry a whole other person down from a 5 story building's roof."

"Sure thing. I'll just tell my body not to shut down and that excessive blood loss is no big deal." Mina weakly replies.

"Wow. You're making jokes in a dire situation. I'm rubbing off on you huh?" Nayeon says as she pulls Mina's arm over her shoulder to help her stand up.

"I can't believe I just jumped out of a window from the 6th floor of a building for your ass. I admit you do got a juicy ass but there's only one juicy ass in this world I should be jumping out of buildings for." Nayeon says as the duo limp towards the other building rood where there was a door that led down in to the building itself.

"Don't be dramatic. You jumped 1 floor. You landed on the roof of a 5 story building it's not that high." Mina says.

"Are you kidding me? We were 6 stories above ground. What if I missed my landing? Huh?" Nayeon complains.

"If you missed that big of a target it's honestly your own fault." Mina says.

Nayeon gasps putting her hand over her heart and looking offended.

With a few hiccups along the way (almost dropping Mina off the building) Nayeon managed to climb down the building and put Mina into the passenger seat of her car.

Nayeon wastes no time as she drives to the nearest hospital. A place all too familiar with.

She looks over to see Mina struggling to stay awake.

She had her head resting on the window of the car and she was sweating.

Nayeon's gaze bouces from Mina's face to the road back to the giant glass shard jutting out from her thigh.

The shard was lodged in too deep to be pulled out safely. Nayeon knew pulling it out herself would only make the bleeding worse.

So she had teared up one of her shirts she had in her car and tightly wrapped it around the shard and Mina's leg to stop it from bleeding.

They arrived at the hospital in 5 minutes or so.

Nayeon parks the car and helps Mina out of the car bringing her towards the entrance.

As the duo walked in to the building the nurses were thankfully quick to action.

Taking Mina to emergency care. Nayeon waits at the front desk to fill some information in before going to Mina.

After she finishes with that she goes back to Mina to see two nurses around her.

One tending to the wound on her thigh and another tending to the small bruises and cuts around her face and hands.

"How is she?" Nayeon asks the nurses as she steps closer. Mina was still awake but barely as Nayeon could see her eyes drooping and then her jolting awake a moment later from the pain.

"We're patching her up. She will need a blood transfusion. I've paged the on call doctor. She should be here any second." The nurse says.

As if on cue a doctor walks in. She sees Nayeon there and immediately recognizes her.

"Nayeon?" Sana asks as she walks closer. That's when she sees who the person laying on the bed was.

"Oh my god Mina?" Sana bolts towards the bed almost throwing the nurse out of the way as she frantically checks her best friend to see what was wrong with her.

"Oh sweety what happened to you." Sana feels tears pricking her eyes as she sees the state Mina was in.

"I'll explain later satang. Just let me... rest a little.." Mina weakly replies.

Sana takes over all authority from the nurses insisting on doing everything herself.

She bandages up Mina's leg and sets up the blood transfusion.

Knowing that Mina was now in good care Nayeon takes the moment to call up Chaeyoung and tell her what happened.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Chaeyoung was just chilling in her apartment.

She was in her oversized pajamas.

She made a huge bowl of popcorn and everything was set for a few hours of watching some sappy drama before she slept.

She sits down on her couch with a bowl almost as big as she was.

Before she could press play however, her phone starts ringing.

She furrows her eyebrows as she looks at her phone screen. The name 'Nabongs' shows on her screen and she couldn't think of a reason why she would be calling this late at night.

Chaeyoung decides to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Chaeng, listen, we met The Fate tonight. Super scary dude. Anyways Mina and him had this big fight and she bled a lot so we're in a hospital right now. She's fine though. Sana says she'll be better after the blood transfusion. But since you have the hots for her I thought I'd call you and tell you. Okay byee." *Beep*

Chaeyoung takes the phone away from her ear and looks at it for a few moments computing what she heard.

After a few seconds of stillness Chaeyoung starts zooming around her apartment changing her clothes, taking her keys and within two minutes she was out of the apartment.

Chaeyoung knows Mina was fine. Nayeon told her so. But that didn't stop her heart from thumping vigorously against her chest the whole ride to the hospital.

Chaeyoung arrives at the hospital in record time.

She asks the reception for a Myoui Mina and flashes her badge at a few people before she manages to find her.

By the time Chaeyoung arrived at the bed Mina had fallen asleep.

Nayeon was in a chair next to the bed barely keeping herself awake.

She had been through a lot too that night. Not as much as Mina but Nayeon was exhausted as well.

Chaeyoung notices this.

She moves closer placing her hand on Nayeon's shoulder to get her attention.

Nayeon lazily looks up at Chaeyoung and gives her a sleepy smile.

"Hi Chae, *yawn* you came.."

"You should head home and rest unnie. I'll stay here with her." Chaeyoung says.

"Thanks. I don't think I'll be of much use if I sleep here." Nayeon says. She takes her leave soon after saying thank you to Chaeyoung again.

Chaeyoung assures that it's no big deal and that she had plenty of rest earlier in the day after the duo left the precinct.

And now Chaeyoung was sitting beside Mina as she slept in a hospital bed.

Half an hour ago she was in her pajamas trying to watch some sappy kdramas.

Chaeyoung suddenly remembers about the giant bowl of popcorn that she made and gets sad.

It was going to be all cold and stale when she gets back home.

She takes one look at Mina and all her sadness for the popcorn dissipates.

'what am I even thinking about right now? Of course you're more important.' Chaeyoung thinks to herself.

She lifts her butt off the chair a little and scoots the chair closer to the bed near Mina's head.

She looks at Mina's sleeping figure.

She looked so peaceful. The polar opposite of the look Mina always had when she was awake. She looked soft, and maybe even a little cute.

This was the first time Chaeyoung was seeing Mina and it not activating the horny demon in her.

She still looked somewhat badass with the busted lip and all but the oversized hospital clothes and Mina's soft facial features was making it hard for Chaeyoung to think anything other than 'cute'

She just wished she was admiring Mina's beauty in different circumstances.

One where she wasn't heavily injured and in a hospital bed.

She slowly reaches out to brush a stray strand of hair away from Mina's face.

"I'm sorry." She whispers.

--------------------------------------------------------------

It was early morning the next day.

Chaeyoung mostly stayed awake through the night In case Mina woke up and needed something.

She was by her side the whole time.

She did manage to get an hour of sleep somewhere along the night.

After her small nap Chaeyoung decides to go to the bathroom to wash her face and freshen up a little.

She bought a small basket of fruits from the hospital shop on the ground floor before coming back to the room Mina was in.

Just in case she woke up and wanted to eat something.

Mina had been sleeping for more than 8 hours at this point.

Chaeyoung sits back down on the chairs and continues with her creepy staring.

"Y'know you're kinda like a masterpiece. I can only look but I'm not allowed to touch. I'm not complaining though. You're beautiful, I could just stare at you all day and wouldn't be bored in the slightest." Chaeyoung says with a smile as she admired the woman Infront of her.

She sighs and looks out the window.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're trying to get in my pants Ms. Son." A weak voice startles Chaeyoung making her head snap back to the person on the bed Infront of her.

Chaeyoung slams her head down on the mattress of the bed.

"Why do I keep doing this to myself." She groans.

Mina let's out a soft chuckle before greeting her.

"Hi Chae."

'Chae?' The nickname rings inside Chaeyoung's head.

She liked it. Liked the way it sounded on Mina's lips. She would like to know how it tasted on Mina's lips too....

Chaeyoung shakes her head vigorously trying to keep the horny thoughts away.

"Hi, you're awake." Chaeyoung greets as she scoots a little closer to Mina.

Her voice was so weak and quiet Chaeyoung could barely hear her talk.

"Yeah, when did you get here?" Mina asks.

"Last night. Nayeon was barely awake when I arrived so I sent her home and stayed here with you." Chaeyoung explains.

"Oh, I'm sorry for the inconvenience." Mina's voice becomes even quieter as she said that.

"No no, not at all. I didn't mind." Chaeyoung waves her hand in dismissal.

"Yes, I could just stare at you all day and wouldn't be bored in the slightest is what you said right?" Mina smirks.

"Is there a way to erase someone's memory here or has medicinal science not evolved that far yet?" Chaeyoung says looking around the room.

This makes Mina smile. It relieves Chaeyoung. You don't often get to see Mina smile.

Mina pushes her elbow in to the mattress and pushes herself up.

Chaeyoung immediately stands up putting her hand on Mina's back in worry.

"You really shouldn't be standing up yet Mina. You need to heal." Chaeyoung says worriedly.

"I'm fine Chae, see, good as new." Mina says as she sits upright on the bed.

She didn't look good as new to Chaeyoung.

Then suddenly the two girls feel the air in the room suddenly shift.

Like they could sense as aura of danger.

Both girls turned to the entrance of the room to see a figure standing there menacingly.

With her hands placed on her hips and chest puffed out. She looked like an angry hamster who's ready to fight.

"Oh god. Please tell me Sana isn't my doctor." Mina begs Chaeyoung.

"I shall not tell lies." Chaeyoung says with her eyes closed and pointing one finger upwards towards the ceiling.

"Damn right I'm your doctor. Lay your ass back down before I beat you up young lady." Sana walks up to the scared looking Mina and a confused looking Chaeyoung.

She pushes Mina back down on the bed and starts analyzing her injuries like a protective mother.

"I'm 28 Satang, not a young lady anymore." Mina says.

"And I'm 29 which makes me older than you which makes you, say it with me now,

A young lady"

"A young lady" Chaeyoung says it with Sana making Mina shoot her a glare.

"What? She asked me to say it with her." Chaeyoung shrugs.

"You're not setting a foot outside this hospital until I know you're funny recovered. Do we understand each other?" Sana tells Mina with authority.

"Yeah.." Mina gives in. Seeing Mina being scolded was making it hard for Chaeyoung to keep her laughter in.

She had been all cold and 'i don't give a fuck' since she arrived and seeing Mina's strong persona crumble under this bubbly doctor's stern words were more than amusing to Chaeyoung.

She's glad she could see a different side to Mina.

'omo, is she pouting?' Chaeyoung puts her hand up to her mouth to hide the smile she couldn't control coming on her face.

After hearing the answer she wanted from Mina, Sana's motherly authority and aura reverts back to her normal self.

"Hi Chaeyoung, thanks for taking care of this penguin. She can be really stubborn sometimes. I hope you can deal with that and keep caring for her." Sana says to Chaeyoung giving her a warm smile.

"Of course, it's no problem at all." Chaeyoung smiles in return.

After doing a quick check-up on Mina, Sana returns the way she came.

"She's quite the character." Chaeyoung chuckles.

"Yeah, she can be a bit much. But she means well. She's been overprotective of me since the incident happened 8 years ago." Mina explains.

"I see, I don't blame her. I would be too." Chaeyoung says.

"I can see that." Mina says referring to how Chaeyoung stayed by her side all night.

"Every self destructive, revenge driven cop needs a safety net. I'm glad you have more than one." Chaeyoung says.

"I'm going to ignore the former half of that comment." Mina says.

Nayeon arrives a few moments later looking fresh and well rested.

"Yo, wassup idiots." She greets as she barges into the room.

"Man, you look like shit." Nayeon says to Mina.

"I'd return the compliment but I can't see you." Mina says. She was laying down still heeding the threat Sana gave her and Nayeon was standing a bit far from the bed so Mina couldn't see her still.

The trio spends some time together just talking and eating the fruits Chaeyoung bought.

The topic goes from Mina's recovery to the fight they had on the rooftops.

"The Fate, he said something to me before he left." Mina says.

The atmosphere in the room shifts to a serious one.

"He said he wanted to give me a hint. And if I follow said hint, I would meet him again soon." Mina explains.

"He said someone's name."

"Yoo Jeongyeon." Mina says.

Chaeyoung sees Nayeon stop chewing the orange slice she put in her mouth. She looked worried.

"Yoo Jeongyeon? Are you sure he said Yoo Jeongyeon?" Nayeon asks.

"Yes."

"It wasn't Yoo Jeongmeon or Yoon Jeonyoon or-"

"Nayeon, I know what I heard. He said Yoo Jeongyeon."

Nayeon sighs.

"Well then, I think there's someone you should meet." Nayeon says.

Chaeyoung helps Mina get to her feet and out of the bed.

The two of them walk out of the room and follows Nayeon into the elevator.

It goes up one floor before she gets out and walks through the hallway.

Chaeyoung and Mina following suit.

Nayeon stops at a door and pushes it open letting the other two enter.

Mina and Chaeyoung sees a woman hooked up to a bunch of machines on the bed in the room.

"This is Yoo Jeongyeon. I think I mentioned her to you briefly yesterday." Nayeon says to Mina.

"The juicy ass you would jump out of a building for?" Mina asks.

"The who and the what now?" Chaeyoung is confused.

"That's the one." Nayeon says.

"Has she?" Mina stops halfway through her question.

"Been in a coma for 2 months now. Yes." Nayeon replies.

Several questions run through Mina's mind but one question keeps repeating.

'How is Yoo Jeongyeon connected to The Fate?'

Chapter Text

The three girls were sat in Jeongyeon's room.

Nayeon was on the foot of the bed softly caressing Jeongyeon's leg.

Mina and Chaeyoung were seated in the chairs next to the bed.

Nayeon was explaining what her relationship with Jeongyeon was and how she got into this hospital bed in the first place.

"I knew there was something fishy about that G.U group." Mina says.

"Why didn't you tell us when we were basically cleaning up the son's mess for him in that casino?" Chaeyoung asks.

"I didn't want to bring my personal grudges into work and effect the work of you two. That would be extremely unprofessional." Nayeon says with a sigh.

"Trust me I wanted to bite his head off the moment he started talking, but with no evidence linking them to Jeongyeon's accident, there's nothing I could have done." Nayeon continues.

"Gu Jinsang and his son Gu Daeho of the G.U group. That's the lead the Fate wants me to follow. Whatever Jeongyeon discovered that day is the key. We need to find out what she knew." Mina says.

"Easier said than done. That day she kept what she found out from me because she didn't want me getting hurt. The only person that knows is her." Nayeon says looking at the unconscious girl in the bed.

"So you're saying all we can do is wait for her to wake up?" Chaeyoung asks.

"Or... We can try to retrace her steps and find out what she did." Mina suggests.

"I know where she lives. I've never been there though. Maybe we can check it out and see if we can find any clues." Nayeon adds.

"It's worth a shot. We'll be hitting two birds with one stone. Finding out whatever secret Jeongyeon was going to expose and bring down the G.U group and catching The Fate as well. All in one fell swoop." Mina says.

"That sounds too easy. I doubt things will go that smoothly." Chaeyoung says.

Nayeon had been trying to find out what happened to Jeongyeon by herself for two months and she was at a point where she was close to giving up.

She had thought about going to Jeongyeon's apartment before this but Jeongyeon's wishes for Nayeon to not be involved in this made her rethink doing that.

Now however, Mina was involved in this and she was willing to help. Chaeyoung as well. Nayeon knows she'll be safe as long as she has them around.

She wasn't alone in this now. She could do it and if Jeongyeon would wake up and scold her for getting involved then so be it.

She was done doing nothing and sitting idly by.

"Won't know until we try right? Fuck it. Let's go." Nayeon, with a renewed determination stands up from the bed.

Then an angry voice booms from the direction of the door.

"Where exactly do you think you'll be going Miss Myoui?"

The trio slowly turn to the door to see once again, an angry hamster with her hands on her hips and tapping her feet on the ground.

Sana stomps towards the trio.

"Listen, Satang.. I.. "

Mina doesn't get a chance to give Sana an excuse as she grabs her by the ear and pulls her.

"Oww. Satang not the ear please. Oww." Mina's begs fall on deaf ears as she is dragged out of the room and back towards the elevator leaving a bewildered Chaeyoung and Nayeon sitting in the room.

"Did I just see the famous cold blooded hell hound get dragged out of a room by her ear?" Nayeon asks.

"Yup." Chaeyoung replies adding a popping sound at the end.

Nayeon's grin widens and Chaeyoung gives her a creeped out look.

"What?" Chaeyoung asks out of concern.

"Oh nothing much. Just thinking of ways to tease her with this newfound information." Nayeon says with an evil grin.

Chaeyoung laughs at where her unnie's priorities lie.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Two days pass by with Mina constantly begging Sana and reassuring her that she was all better and Sana remaining headstrong on the fact that Mina wasn't going anywhere untill Sana herself deems that Mina was all better.

Mina finally got the 'ok' from Sana after two days and she was discharged from the hospital.

Her leg was still healing so she walked with a bit of a limp but other than that, Mina was fired up and ready to do some detective work.

She got discharged late at night on the second day and went home to sleep.

It was the next day now and she was up early as usual getting ready to go to work.

She makes herself a quick breakfast.

Mina wanted to get back to working so much that she doesn't realize she was eating at 2 times speed.

She only stops when she chokes on her food and had to drink some water.

After she was done she grabs her stuff and exits her apartment to go to work.

She waits a few seconds at the entrance of her apartment looking out into the city skyline as the sun slowly rose on the horizon.

Everything that happened that past week plays in Mina's mind

She's close. After all these years of chasing shadows, Mina finally met the man behind her anger.

She was more determined than ever.

With a body full of energy and a mind full of determination.... Mina slowly limps at a turtle's pace towards the stairs.

It takes Mina a full 2 minutes to go down 3 flights of stairs.

She stops at the end of the stairs and takes a look back at the way she came and then a look at the road leading to the precinct.

She sighs and takes out her phone.

*ring* *ring*

*ring* *ring*

"Hello?"

"Hi Chae, have you left for work yet?"

"Mina? Hi. Wait, how did you get my number?"

"Oh uh... Nayeon gave it to me. In case of emergencies."

Mina lied. She actually asked Nayeon for Chaeyoung's number and Nayeon in turn spent a whole hour making suggestive sex noises at Mina to tease her.

"Ohh. That makes sense. I'm actually getting out of my apartment right now."

"Could you come pick me up? It's going to take forever if I walk there with this leg."

"Oh.. yes yes of course. I'll be there in a sec."

"I'm waiting outside."

"Okayy."

*Call end*

True to her word Chaeyoung arrived in her car a minute later.

Mina limps over to the car and enters to the passenger seat next to Chaeyoung.

As they were making their way towards the precinct, Mina notices Chaeyoung taking worried glances at Mina's leg.

Mina tries to ignore it and just wait for them to arrive at their destination.

But it's hard to ignore something after you notice it.

Especially when the short blonde doctor was looking at Mina's leg more than she was looking at the road.

"Chaeyoung, it's just a flesh wound. I'm not going to die because of this." Mina says her voice tinged with half amusement and half annoyance.

"O-oh.. I'm sorry, Was I staring?" Chaeyoung asks.

"A lot" Mina replies making Chaeyoung flustered.

She tries to hide her face in embarrassment but having only one hand available, as she was driving, she fails to hide anything.

"I'm sorry, it's just... You were this beast of a person when you arrived here. It seemed like nothing could stop you." Chaeyoung takes a glance at Mina to see if she was maybe getting pissed at Chaeyoung or something.

It didn't seem like the case as Mina had a gentle smile on her face and seemed like she was intently listening to what Chaeyoung was saying.

Chaeyoung continues.

"That night at the hospital when I arrived, your face was all bruised up and you looked so weak. It's weird to see you that way. In a way I think it makes me like you more." Chaeyoung confesses.

"You like that I'm bruised and injured?" Mina asks a teasing grin growing on her face that Chaeyoung doesn't see now that she was focused on the road.

"No! No, that's not what I meant... How do I say this... It makes you more human I guess. And being human is a very likeable feature." Chaeyoung says.

"If being human is in your list of green flags Chae, you really need to set higher standards." Mina chuckles.

A shy smile adorns Chaeyoung's face as she hears Mina laugh. She feels proud of herself that she's the reason Mina was laughing.

They don't get to see her laugh often if ever.

"I'm just glad you're opening up to me...us! Opening up to us!" Chaeyoung was screaming mentally at herself for slipping up there.

Mina doesn't comment on it so she continues.

"I'm glad that you're letting us help you."

"I'm glad as well." Mina says softly as she looks out the window of the car.

She doesn't specify why exactly she was glad. She just said she was.

She left Chaeyoung on a cliffhanger.

She desperately pushes back her need to ask Mina what she meant by that.

She didn't want to ruin the moment by asking questions Mina didn't want to answer.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Mina and Chaeyoung arrives at the precinct 10 minutes later.

Chaeyoung parks her car in the lot and exits the car jogging to the passenger door and opening the door for Mina.

She holds out her hand for Mina to take.

"I think you're helping me a bit too much Chaeyoung." Mina complains but takes her hand anyways.

Mina exits the car and she spots Nayeon walking from the coffee shop to the precinct with a coffee in hand.

They lock eyes with each other and Nayeon starts skipping towards them.

"Oh god." Mina tries to act like she didn't see Nayeon and quickly walk into the precinct but her injured leg doesn't cooperate. She stumbles and Chaeyoung wraps her arm around Mina's waist to keep her steady.

Mina was trying to leave so Nayeon couldn't tease her about her arriving at work in Chaeyoung's car.

However, in Mina's attempt to do that she stumbled and seeing Chaeyoung wrap her hand around Mina's waist and hold her just put more feul in to Nayeon's fire of teasing.

Mina just made it worse.

"I fucking knew it! You two are totally banging in secret. Come on. Spill." Nayeon says positively glowing with excitement.

"There's nothing like that going on between us Nayeon. She just brought me to work because I was having trouble walking by myself." Mina explains.

"Mina, don't be my stepfather on a Sunday morning. We both know that's a lie. If she just brought you to work then why was her hand wrapped around your waist a moment ago? Hmm?" Nayeon asks giving them the side eye.

"I stumbled and she helped me." Mina says in her usual monotone voice.

Nayeon squints her eyes at the both of them for a moment. She realizes she wasn't going to get the answer she wanted from either of them.

"Fine. But I'm keeping my eye on both of you. I'll get a confession out of you yet. Mark my words." Nayeon says slowly backing away from the two of them while talking, like an evil villain from a cartoon that was escaping and warning the heroes that she will be back.

"Sorry about that." Mina apologizes to Chaeyoung as they walk together towards the precinct.

"Oh don't worry about that. I like watching you two banter. It's adorable." Chaeyoung giggles.

"At least one of us thinks so." Mina says.

Mina, Nayeon and Chaeyoung were gathered at Mina and Nayeon's desk discussing what to do next on the Fate case.

Jungkook and Taehyung were out on a case and apparently Tzuyu called off work today.

So it was just them three.

Nayeon was leaning on to the desk.

Chaeyoung was seated next to Mina in Nayeon's chair.

Mina was in her chair with her injured leg stretched out.

"We should go check out Jeongie's apartment before anything else." Nayeon says.

"You sure you can go out and do field work like this?" She asks Mina pointing to her stretched out leg.

"I'm fine." Mina says.

"If you say so." Nayeon shrugs.

"You should come with us cub. Just in case Mina stumbles again and needs someone to hold her. Kekekeke." Nayeon jokes and immediately dodges a pen that was thrown at her face by Mina.

"Sure! I don't have anything to do here today anyways." Chaeyoung says excitedly.

"What are we discussing?" Nayeon turns to the sound of the voice to see a face peering over her shoulder.

She gets jump scared.

"Holy God Jihyo! You scared the f out of me!" Nayeon complains as she holds a hand over her heart. (She actually says f instead of fuck because it's Jihyo.)

"Yes, that's me." Jihyo says.

"We're planning to go search Jeongyeon's apartment for her connection with the G.U group and the Fate." Mina says.

"And did you get permission from Jeongyeon to search her apartment?" Jihyo asks. She knows about Jeongyeon and Nayeon did report to Jihyo on their fight on the rooftops.

"Umm.. no? I'm sure she won't mind." Nayeon says waving her hand in dismissal.

"Well I'll look the other way this time. But if you get in trouble for searching an apartment without permission or a warrant then don't expect me to cover for you two." Jihyo says.

"It'll be fine Ji, take a chill pill." Nayeon says putting her arm around Jihyo's shoulder.

"Carry on then." Jihyo says pinching Nayeon's arm with two fingers and throwing it off her shoulder. She takes her leave.

"Shall we?" Nayeon says to the other two.

They leave for Jeongyeon's apartment soon after.

------------------------------------------------------------

The trio arrive at Jeongyeon's apartment in Nayeon's car.

Nayeon gets out first and Chaeyoung as usual takes her time helping Mina out and walking with her.

They walk up to the building Jeongyeon lived in.

It was a modern building in a lobby at the ground floor and what seemed like 20 ish floors of apartments above it.

They walk up to the receptionist.

"Hello, I'm Snow White and these are my associates Grumpy and Happy. We're detectives and we're here to search one of your apartments." Nayeon says.

The young woman at the reception looks at Mina who was frowning at her and looked grumpy as all hell and then to Chaeyoung who just looked happy to be there as she had a smile on her face and she was looking around the modern looking lobby.

"I'm guessing this is grumpy" the receptionist motions to Mina "and that's happy." She then motions to Chaeyoung who was already lost in her own world.

"No actually, the short blonde one is Grumpy and the black haired one frowning next to me is Happy." Nayeon clarifies.

The receptionist gives Nayeon a confused look.

"Shouldn't that be the other way around?" She asks.

"Now that you mention it. Yeah it should. I should have a talk with the person in charge of our codenames." Nayeon says scratching her chin.

"Aaaanyways... I need you to fill in these forms first. Our staff will guide you to where you want to go after." The receptionist says changing the topic.

Nayeon complies taking the pen from the woman.

After she is done, they get escorted to Jeongyeon's apartment by one of their staffs.

The three girls were walking behind the man.

Nayeon was walking next to the staff person asking him questions about the place and Mina and Chaeyoung were walking behind her.

As they were walking Mina notices Chaeyoung was still looking around the building with her mouth wide open.

She wasn't looking at where she was walking at all.

Mina sees Chaeyoung walking towards a cabinet with an expensive looking vase on it.

She sighs and limps up to the short girl and takes her hand.

This pulls Chaeyoung out of her own world as she frantically looks between their intertwined hand and Mina's face.

"You're supposed to be helping me walk here Chae, not the other way around." Mina chuckles as she pulls Chaeyoung away from the cabinet with the vase on it.

Only them Chaeyoung notices the cabinet there and realizes that Mina stopped her from breaking something expensive.

"Sorry, I don't get to visit fancy places like this often. The art in this building is magnificent." Chaeyoung says.

They continue walking after Nayeon and the staff member.

Chaeyoung realizes that Mina isn't letting go of her hand.

They were walking hand in hand and Chaeyoung feels shivers run all over her body. She feels her cheeks heating up.

Thankfully Mina talks to her before her brain exploded.

"You like art?" Mina asks.

Chaeyoung looks to the side to see Mina looking at her with a soft smile.

Chaeyoung knows she's probably as red as a tomato right now

She knows judging by the way Mina's soft smile turned into a smirk, that Mina notices her blush as well.

"Oh! Yes. I love art. Ever since I was a baby. I actually wanted to be an artist but my parents said I would be wasting my gifted brain if I went into art. They always said I was "too smart" to be an art kid. Whatever that means." Chaeyoung explains.

"That's good to know. It makes you human. And being human is a very likeable feature." Mina says still with a smirk on.

"Ha ha." Chaeyoung rolls her eyes at the taller girl. She just used Chaeyoung's own words against her.

"Yo! Lovebirds! Work now, flirt later." Mina and Chaeyoung look forward at the sound to see Nayeon standing next to the open door of Jeongyeon's apartment.

"Huh?" Chaeyoung asks confused.

"Y'know, Scary demon mask guy, chops people's head off for fun, some how linked to the girl I'm dating, beat the shit out of Mina the other night, ring any bells?" Nayeon says.

"He didn't beat the shit out of me." Mina defends herself.

The trio enters Jeongyeon's apartment saying a quick thank you to the staff member that brought them there.

The three girls get busy searching the place for any possible clues.

"This place looks weirdly normal." Chaeyoung comments.

"Yeah I agree. She was obsessed with that story, I don't see how there wouldn't be anything about that in here. It doesn't make sense." Nayeon says scratching her head.

"Look at this." Mina calls the other two.

They walk over to see what Mina was pointing at.

A book shelf.

"She reads. Noted." Nayeon says.

"Not that you idiot. Look down." Mina says.

There was scratch marks on the ground next to the book shelf. Like it has been moved frequently in one way.

Mina moves over to the other side and tries to push the bookshelf in the direction of the scratch marks.

"Help me push this." She says and Chaeyoung and Nayeon get into action.

They push the bookshelf away to see an entrance to a room.

The trio enters the room to see desks filled with files and a wall full of paper and red threads.

"Damn. This feels like an evil villain's lair." Chaeyoung comments as they look around.

Mina and Nayeon move closer to the wall of clues.

"Is that?" Nayeon asks as she points to the center of the wall.

"Gu Jin Sang." Chaeyoung confirms. The leader of G.U group was in the middle of the wall with red strings all going to him.

A hand drawn picture of The Fate's mask was there at a side and there was a string connecting it to Gu Jinsang as well.

Below the picture of the Fate was two pictures of old men with a red cross over their faces.

"These are the two political figures The Fate killed when he was first sighted in Seoul." Mina says pointing to the crossed out pictures.

A note was attached next to the pictures in Jeongyeon's handwriting. Nayeon takes the note.

"They were supposed to run for president against Gu Jinsang. They never announced it. They got killed before they announced it so there was no way to connect their deaths to Gu Jinsang." Nayeon says after reading the note.

"You're saying the Fate is working for Gu Jinsang?" Chaeyoung asks.

"That's what it looks like." Nayeon comments.

"He is a weapon, a contract killer. But I don't think he works for money. Gu Jinsang must have something he wants." Mina says.

Mina points to another picture on the other side of the wall that was circled multiple times with a red marker.

"Who's that?" Mina asks.

"That's Park Yongho. The leader of the Blood Orchid Cartel. The biggest gang in Korea. He's a self righteous prick who thinks all the crime and murder he enables is justice and that he's some kind of guardian above the law." Chaeyoung explains.

Both Mina and Nayeon looks at Chaeyoung.

"What?"

"Seriously, how do you know all this?" Mina asks.

"I get bored when I'm in the lab okay. Don't judge me." Chaeyoung defends herself.

"Wait, Blood Orchid? That's the same gang Ryujin is undercover in." Nayeon comments.

"I think that's our next destination. Jeongyeon circled this picture for a reason. He knows something important and she was probably going to research him herself before her accident happened." Mina says.

"I agree. We should find out what he knows and how he's connected to Gu Jinsang." Nayeon says.

"That's nice and all but how the hell are we going to reach the most dangerous man in all of Korea? He's better guarded and protected than most of these political candidates." Chaeyoung asks.

Nayeon smirks.

"Well that's easy, we join the gang."

Chapter Text

"Well that's easy, we join the gang."

Chaeyoung laughs out loud.

Seeing both Mina and Nayeon not laughing with her, her laughter slowly dies down and she looks unsure.

"Wait, you're serious?" She asks.

"It's not a bad Idea. We could go undercover." Mina gets on Nayeon's side. She never thought a day would come where she would side with Nayeon over Chaeyoung.

"And get your head's blown off? Absolutely not." Chaeyoung insists.

"You're underestimating us Cub, we're professionals." Nayeon says puffing out her chest.

"No unnie, you're underestimating them. You have no idea what those people are capable of, what they'll do to you if they ever find out." Chaeyoung's voice becomes louder and more aggressive.

This catches Nayeon off guard. She and Mina share a look of worry before looking back at Chaeyoung.

"How do you know that Chaeyoung?" Mina asks.

"Huh?" Chaeyoung questions.

"How do you know so much about them? Why are you acting like you know something we don't? What are you hiding Chaeyoung?" Mina asks with zero emotion on her face. The intimidating aura that she's known for sets in fully.

Chaeyoung hesitates. She looks down at her feet before taking a step back and turning away from the two.

"It's nothing. I just don't want you to get hurt again okay?" She says shrugging off Mina's questions.

Nayeon walks up to Mina and puts her arm around her shoulder.

"Don't worry cub, I'll protect your girlfriend for you. Scout's honor!" She says putting up her other hand.

"She's not my girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend."

Both of them simultaneously reply.

"Okay okay, don't be a bunch of panties. I'm just kidding." Nayeon says.

"Nayeon, the expression is 'don't get your panties in a bunch.'" Mina corrects her.

"Why would my panties be in a bunch?" She asks.

Mina sighs.

"Nevermind."

"You two aren't going to listen to me are you?" Chaeyoung asks.

Mina notices that Chaeyoung looks a bit shaken. A mixture of fear and sadness showing in her eyes.

She walks up to Chaeyoung and takes both of her hands in her own.

"Oooh bow chika wow wow~"

"Shut it Nayeon." Mina throws a glare at her partner before turning her attention to Chaeyoung again.

"Listen Chae, I'm flattered that you care so much but I can take care of myself. The only reason I got so beat up last time was because I was angry and reckless. It's something I'm working on fixing but I assure you I'll be careful and I'll have this idiot with me the whole time. Okay?" Mina says bending down a bit to look her in the eye and give her a smile.

"Okay." Chaeyoung's voice barely leaves her as it comes out in a weak whisper.

"It's settled then. We already have a contact in their gang so it can't be that hard." Nayeon says optimistically.

Mina nods as she walks back. She takes another look at Chaeyoung to see her still lost in thought.

Mina knew there was something Chaeyoung wasn't telling her. She knew there had to be a reason for Chaeyoung's strong reaction just now.

She didn't want to force it out of Chaeyoung. She'll find out sooner or later.

-------------------------------------------------------------

A while later, the girls get back to the precinct to plan their undercover operation.

They were all sat around their desk with Mina and Chaeyoung taking the chairs and Nayeon taking her usual spot on the table.

They had to get permission from Jihyo and contact Ryujin to get them in.

"So? Who's gonna ask Ji?" Nayeon asks.

"Who else?" Mina says.

Nayeon looks and Chaeyoung and Mina who both seemed to be looking at her.

Her shoulder drops.

"Why mee?" She does a little fake cry.

"Well, I'm new here and Chae turns into a statue any time she sees the Chief. So you're the only logical choice if we want her to say yes." Mina says.

Nayeon turns to Chaeyoung.

"You're gonna take that from her?" Nayeon asks.

"Can't be offended if it's true." Chaeyoung shrugs.

"Ugh, fine." Nayeon stands up from the table and stomps towards Jihyo's office.

She aggressively walks up to the door and grabs the door with force but opens it extremely slowly.

She pops her head in to see Jihyo typing something at her desktop.

"Hi Ji." She greets.

"Nayeon, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Jihyo asks as she takes off her glasses and faces the detective.

Nayeon walks in fully and stops Infront of Jihyo's desk.

"You remember how you told us our main mission was to find The Fate and bring him in?" Nayeon asks.

"Yes?" Jihyo raises an eyebrow at that.

"Well you see, we got a lead. We went to Jeongyeon's apartment and found out he's connected to the G.U group and The Blood Orchid gang somehow. We were thinking you could maybe let us go undercover into the Blood Orchids to find out how they're connected." Nayeon nervously asks.

"Nayeon, I can barely sleep knowing I sent Ryujin in there two years ago and I still worry for her every day, and now you're asking me to send two more of my people to those devils?" Jihyo asks.

"Umm... Yes?" Nayeon cheekily replies.

"No." Jihyo says matter of factly.

"Come on Ji, don't be

"Can't Ryujin do it? She's already in there and they trust her." Jihyo asks.

"It's exactly because they trust her she can't do this for us. Our cover getting blown is almost inevitable because we would have to do some digging in there. I don't want to jeopardize her 2 years of work for a one time mission." Nayeon explains.

Jihyo rubs her forehead, an indication that she was already getting a headache thinking about this.

"Fine, but I'm not letting you two take Chaeyoung there. She's staying." Jihyo says.

Nayeon does a salute.

"Yes, boss." She says before turning and leaving.

She got out and before she closed the door behind her, she popped her head back in.

"Love you, Ji. Promise we'll be careful." She says.

"Love you too." Jihyo replies.

Nayeon walks back to Mina and Chaeyoung.

Tzuyu seems to have come in while Nayeon was in Jihyo's office.

The three of them were talking about something when Nayeon joined them.

"What we talking about?" Nayeon asks as she hops back on the table on her spot.

"Just random stuff. Tzuyu was telling us about a pet cafe' she went to. We were saying we should go together and Mina was giving us obvious fake excuses as to why she can't come." Chaeyoung explains.

"I didn't realize they were so obvious." Mina says looking almost embarrassed.

"They aren't. Chaeyoung is just really good at reading people. I had no idea they were fake excuses." Tzuyu chimes in.

"Sorry. It's just not my thing." Mina says.

"Mina, don't be a schizophrenic hippopotamus. I've seen your eyes practically glow as we pass by a cute dog on the streets. You're not as slick as you think you are." Nayeon says.

"I think the pengu-san in your bedroom will say otherwise as well." Chaeyoung chimes in too.

"How do you know about pengu-san?" Mina asks Chaeyoung looking really surprised.

"Wait, that's actually the plushie's name? I was joking. That's adorable Mina." Chaeyoung says gushing at Mina.

For the first time ever the gang sees a faint blush appear on Mina's face as she slowly sinks down in her seat.

Tzuyu, Nayeon and Chaeyoung all laugh seeing Mina so embarrassed.

"I love teasing Mina more than anything but Chaeyoung, did you just self report? How do you know what's in Mina's bedroom huh?"  Nayeon asks looking at Chaeyoung suspiciously.

Chaeyoung's mouth closes immediately as she realized what she had done.

"I knew it! You two are totally banging in secret." Nayeon says.

"No, it's not like that I.." Chaeyoung tries to defend herself.

"I swear to God if you say something stupid like you went there to give her some report, I'll hit you in the face with my 'prettiest girl in the world' mug" Nayeon threatens.

"That's exactly what it was Nayeon, you told her I would be angry if she didn't bring it that night." Mina interjects trying to save Chaeyoung from the embarrassment.

"Oh right. Sorry I forgor." Nayeon scratches the back of her head sheepishly.

"You have a mug that says the prettiest girl in the world unnie? That's a bit conceited don't you think?" Tzuyu says.

"No, it's a gift from.. Jeongyeon." Nayeon says her cheery tone going away as she says her name.

The atmosphere changes as the whole groups attention goes back to the matter at hand.

"We should get on that." Mina says.

"Agreed." Nayeon nods.

Chaeyoung stands up from her chair and brushes herself off.

"Where do we start?" She asks.

Both Mina and Nayeon share a look before turning their attention to Chaeyoung.

"What?" Chaeyoung asks.

"You're not coming with us cub." Nayeon says.

"What? Why?" Chaeyoung looks offended.

"Twas deemed by the almighty god Jihyo herself. There is naught we can do about it, mine good fellow." Nayeon says acting like someone from the medieval era.

"Sorry Chae. You're gonna have to sit this one out. Even if the chief gave you permission, I don't think I would be comfortable taking you somewhere that dangerous." Mina says.

Chaeyoung feels butterflies sprout in her stomach from Mina's display of worry towards her but she had to stay firm and act like she was offended.

"I can fend for myself." She says puffing out her chest.

"Oh really? When was the last time you hit someone?" Mina asks raising an eyebrow at her.

"I broke someone's nose once." Chaeyoung says proudly.

"When was this exactly?" Mina asks again.

Chaeyoung looks down at her feet.

"In middle school." She whispers almost too quietly for anyone to hear.

"Ha!.. ahem.. Sorry." Nayeon apologizes for not being able to hold her reaction.

"You know you can still be involved in this case while staying here right? You can be the guy in the chair." Tzuyu says.

"What?" Chaeyoung asks.

"Y'know, mission control, the eagle has landed, all that. You can help them if they carry communication devices with them. I do it all the time for Taehyung and Jungkook when they go undercover." Tzuyu explains.

"It's settled then. You'll be our cub in a chair." Nayeon says patting Chaeyoung's head.

Chaeyoung pouts.

"I hate being treated like a child." She complains.

"You know saying that while pouting and looking this cute is contradicting yourself right?" Nayeon says.

"Whatever." The cub is grumpy.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Mina and Nayeon meets later that day ready for the operation.

They were both wearing what they thought would suit a gangster.

Enough to make them fit in but not too much to the point where it would be obvious they were trying to fit in.

Mina's clothes didn't change much though. She already dressed like a gangster.

"You ready?" Nayeon asks as they get into her car.

"Always." Mina replies.

Nayeon brings her hand up to her ear.

"Bunny to mission control, Cub, Bunny and Penguin are heading in. We'll be in your care, over." Nayeon says.

"Umm... Mission control to bunny, Cub is in position and ready to assist. Over." Chaeyoung replies.

"Dorks." Mina says with a smirk and rolling her eyes.

"What?? We have to follow protocol y'know. Not everyone ignores the rules like you do." Nayeon says.

"Sure sure." Mina chuckles.

"Where are we going anyways?" Mina asks.

"To their headquarters." Nayeon replies.

"You don't actually think we can just walk in there and ask to join them right?"

"No, that's what we have Ryujin for. She referred us in someone else's name in the gang. So even if we get busted, the person she mentioned to them will get in trouble because they think whoever Ryujin mentioned was the person that let us in."

"You sure they won't trace it back to Ryujin?"

"Positive, girly knows her stuff. It's hard even for us to find her sometimes and she works for us."

"Okay then."

The duo arrives near the mentioned place and they ditch Nayeon's car in a safe place before walking the rest of the way.

They arrive at the mentioned place which was an abondoned underground parking lot.

The duo walk down into the building and they see a group of people gathered around cars waiting for them.

"Well, this isn't ominous at all." Nayeon whispers to Mina as they walk side by side.

"Hush." Mina whispers back.

The group was mostly bulky and rough looking men but the duo notices two woman standing in the middle.

One of them was sitting on a motorcycle that was parked in front of a black car.

The other one was standing in the middle of the whole group with her arms crossed.

"I'm guessing the very obvious person in charge who's in the middle is who we're here to impress." Nayeon whispers again.

The duo recognizes the other woman sitting behind the person they assumed was in charge.

The woman sat on the motorcycle was Ryujin.

She was acting like she didn't know Mina and Nayeon.

"So these are the new recruits? Don't look much to me." The woman in the middle says to Ryujin.

Ryujin smirks knowing Mina could easily beat every guy in the room but she says nothing.

"I'm Hwang Yeji. Make no mistake this is not a job interview. It's judgement. I cannot guarantee you can leave here alive." She says her voice booming with authority.

"Hwang Yeji. The right hand woman of the Blood Orchids. She's the younger sister of the leader. Their father adopted Yeji when she was really young and they grew up together." Chaeyoung says over the comms.

"You two have names?" She asks.

Nayeon steps up with a smug look.

"I'm die hard, she's die harder. We got two others in our group but they're not as cool as us." She says with her full chest.

Mina and Nayeon hears Chaeyoung laugh over the comms.

Mina facepalms.

"A comedian I see. Not much of those here. I'm sure we can beat the humor out of that one." A guy next to Yeji says while smashing his fist into his palm.

"Your real names. Think carefully before you answer this time." Yeji says and as if on cue two guys on both sides of her pulls out their guns and point them at Mina and Nayeon.

"The name's Kim Dahyun. This is my girlfriend Hirai Momo." Nayeon says.

"Really? You use our friends names in a place like this?" Mina whispers to her.

"I'm not good at making up actual names okay. It's not my field of expertise. Those were the first names I thought of that they wouldn't immediately recognize." Nayeon whispers back.

Yeji looks at the expensive looking watch on her wrist.

"Your time starts now." She says.

"Our time? What's that suppose to mea-" Nayeon gets cut off as Mina grabs her hand and pulls her down.

She looks up as she was being yanked down by Mina to see a metal bar whoosh past her face.

One of the guys swung the metal bar right at her head.

"Trial by combat." Mina says.

"Trial by what??"

"Trial by what??"

Both Nayeon and Chaeyoung exclaims simultaneously as the guy swings at Nayeon again.

This time Nayeon dodges on her own.

She grabs the end of the metal bar and lands a swift kick on the guy's face making him let go of the bar.

Nayeon picks up the metal bar and stands back to back with Mina as the guys surrounded them slowly.

Nayeon flips the metal bar against the ground making it bounce back into her hand. She does a few baseball bat swings before letting it rest on her shoulder.

Mina takes two cloth pieces that she had tied around her upper arms and ties it around her wrists. After she's done she brings her wrapped hands up in a fighter's stance.

"This is going to be fun." Mina says an excited smile slowly creeping up on her face.

"For sure. I haven't had a chance to flex my muscles in forever." Nayeon replies.

"You two have a fucked up definition of fun you know that?" Chaeyoung says over the comms.

"Says the one who cuts up dead bodies for a living." Mina replies.

"Hey! I don't enjoy doing that okay!" Chaeyoung defends herself.

"Plug your ears cub. The sounds you're about to hear is not suitable for children." Nayeon says.

"Ha ha." Chaeyoung replies.

The men all charge In at the same time this time around.

"Go high, I'll go low." Mina says.

"Being high is my specialty..." Nayeon replies.

Mina gives her a weirded out look and they could hear Chaeyoung laughing over the comms.

"Okay, that sounded way cooler in my head. I don't do drugs, promise." Nayeon adds.

Mina cracks a smile at her which Nayeon reciprocates.

They both lunge towards the group of 20 ish men.

Mina dodges and weaves through a bunch of them and aims for the bulkier men first.

She stays low almost like a tiger hunting for it's pray. 

It looked unnatural how close to the ground Mina's body was yet how fast she was moving.

She was too low to be targeted by a normal punch so she evaded most of the men and went for the biggest one first.

Mina gets close up with the biggest guy she could find.

She puts both her hands on the ground and pushes herself up at the guy.

With the force of the lunge she lands her signature gut punch and the guy making him bend over as all the air gets knocked out of his lungs.

Nayeon moves in right after with the metal bar.

She lands a hit right on the guy's head as he was bent over making him fall on the ground.

She strikes a swordsman's pose right after and sheathes the metal bar into her closed fist like it was a katana.

"Gorgeous breathing, second form: Bonk of beauty." She says in a deep and serious tone as she sheathes the metal bar into her other hand.

Mina jumps over Nayeon as she was striking the swordsman's pose and flying kicks a guy behind her that was trying to hit her with a baseball bat.

"Dork." Mina says looking back at Nayeon before she moved through the crowd to find her second pray.

Mina finds her next target and goes in but just as she reached the guy another guy grabs her arm stopping her between the two.

The guy she was aiming for hits her in the back with a baseball bat making her fall down to her knees.

"Heh heh. Not so tough now are ya." The man holding Mina in place says as he sees Mina cough a few times as she was kneeled.

She looks back up at the man and the man's mouth shuts immediately.

The look of pure rage and power that Mina exudes. It was enough to rival Yeji's.

The man looked like he was about to piss his pants.

Mina pushes herself of the ground and punches the man in is face making the man's head jerk backwards.

Nayeon moves behind the man and hits the man in the back of his head with the metal bar making his head jerk forwards again.

They were basically playing ping pong with the man's head.

Mina does a front flip and kicks the second guy on the head as she lands which also ends up twisting the hand of the man that was grabbing her.

She grabs the man's twisted hand and twists it further until she hears a crack before kicking the man in the chest and making him fall.

Mina then turns to the guy she kicked and punches him once in the gut making him bend over and then knees his head making him fall backwards.

The duo moves through the screaming men taking them down one by one with Mina aiming low and breaking their guard and posture while Nayeon going only for headshots with the metal bar to finish the job.

From the outside looking in, no one would think that this was the first fight these two were having together.

They worked like a well oiled machine.

Ryujin sees Yeji's eyes widen as she stared at the two and she smirks realizing Mina and Nayeon had already passed her little test.

After a while the sound of men screaming dies down and the only sound left was the sound of heavy breathing.

All 20 or so men were all scattered on the ground of the parking lot and in the middle of the pile of bodies was Mina and Nayeon standing there.

Sweat trickled down Mina's neck as she unwrapped her hands and tied the cloth pieces back on her upper arms.

Nayeon throws the metal bar on the ground and bends down to wipe the rust on her hands off a poor unconscious guy's T-shirt.

Yeji and Ryujin walks up to the duo.

"I have to say, I'm impressed. The initiation wasn't about beating these people. It was meant to see how long it takes for you to break and beg them to stop." Yeji explains.

"Oh.. we weren't supposed to beat them? Oops." Nayeon says scratching the back of her head.

This prompts a hearty laugh from Yeji.

"I think we'll get along just fine. As for these people. I really need to talk to whoever hired them. This is a joke." She says kicking one of the unconscious men.

"As for you two. I see you're well trained." Yeji says addressing Mina.

"Yes, I have been training in martial arts since I was 13." Mina says.

"What about me? What about me?" Nayeon excitedly asked as if they were getting comments from their teacher in school after a test.

"You're self trained I assume." Yeji asks.

"Yes. I learned to fight on my own. How'd you know?" Nayeon asks.

"Well your moves have no decipline. You're wreckless and all over the place. And you waste a lot of your energy doing unnecessary moves." Yeji explains.

Nayeon pouts.

Yeji gives Ryujin a look as if asking what Nayeon was doing.

Ryujin shrugs.

Mina facepalms.

"Useless movements aside I think you have more raw power than your partner here. Those swings were on par with the strongest men we have." Yeji adds.

"Consider yourself hired. Ryujin here will show you the ropes and what you'll be doing." Yeji says.

"But keep this in mind. Brute strength isn't going to get you any favors here. You have to earn it." Yeji says in a serious tone.

"Aye aye captain." Nayeon tries to salute but Mina grabs her hand as it was on it's way up and slowly brings it down.

"I'll leave the rest to you babe." Yeji says leaning down to Ryujin who was still sitting on the bike and kissing her.

Ryujin reciprocates the display of affection and Yeji gets in the black car behind them and leaves leaving just the three of them In the abandoned parking lot.

Ryujin takes her eyes off the leaving car and turns to her two colleagues to see Nayeon's jaw almost hitting the floor and Mina's eyes wide as saucers.

"Holy hell in a handbasket." Nayeon exclaims.

"BABE???"

Chapter Text

"BABE???"

Nayeon's voice echoes throughout the abandoned parking lot.

Ryuijin was on her bike with her hands pressed on her ears.

"Jeez, you are loud." She remarks.

Mina was standing next to them with her arms crossed waiting for an explanation.

Ryujin sees the look Mina was giving her and sighs.

"Fine, follow me." Ryujin says turning her bike on and slowly driving up the parking lot exit.

Mina and Nayeon followed behind.

She drives out of the building and puts the kickstand down and sits on her bike again how she was sitting a moment ago.

"All of them might not be unconscious. I can't have them hearing this." Ryujin explains referring to the group of men Mina and Nayeon beat up.

"So.. yeah we're dating. It just kinda happened I guess." Ryujin says.

"Ryu you were supposed to be undercover, not under the covers of a gang boss's bed." Nayeon exclaims.

"First of all, she's the right hand. Not the boss. Second of all, she's not like the others." Ryujin sighs again.

"I'm sorry, I tried really hard to resist her but I just couldn't." She says.

"She's going to find out eventually when you guys have enough evidence for a sting operation. You know that right?" Mina asks.

"I do. I'll deal with it when it happens."

Mina's intimidating look fades to a more neutral look.

"If you have it under control then It's fine by me." Mina says.

This surprises Ryujin.

"Wait, so you're not gonna tell the chief?" Ryujin asks.

"No, I'm not a snitch." Mina replies.

"I don't know about this blabber mouth though." She says nodding her head towards Nayeon.

"Hey! Why am I catching strays here? I can keep a secret." Nayeon complains.

"Sure you can." Mina says sarcastically prompting Nayeon to pout again.

"You really need to stop doing that. It's not cute." Mina says.

"Oh you know that's a lie. I'm adorable." Nayeon replies.

She was adorable, Mina couldn't deny it even if her words say otherwise. She just didn't like it when Nayeon's right. It could be a friendly rivalry or just Mina's ego.

"Well, today was a success. You're officially members now. you guys should head back and tend to your wounds. We'll meet back here and discuss the plan further." Ryujin says.

Mina and Nayeon shares a look before turning back to Ryujin with derpy looks on their faces.

"What wounds?" Nayeon asks.

Ryujin audibly gasps at this.

"Shut up. There's no way you two don't have a single scratch from that fight. That's crazy." Ryujin says.

"I'm good as new. Mina?" Nayeon answers and asks Mina.

"Yup, same." Mina stoically replies.

"Not even a bruise?" Ryujin still in disbelief asks.

"Nope." The duo says In unison.

"I feel bad for the criminals you two have to deal with." Ryujin comments.

"Still, I need to go back home before we get started so meet me back here in an hour." Ryujin says.

"Gotchu." Nayeon replies.

With that said Ryujin puts her helmet on and rides away.

Mina and Nayeon walk back along the way they came to the spot where they hid Nayeon's car.

-------------------------------------------------------------

They drove back to Mina's place since she was living in a temporary residence, it was the safest option.

Now that they're part of the gang the duo assumed they will be monitored to make sure they're trustable.

Going back to Nayeon's house or the precinct would jeopardize the mission.

The door to Mina's bathroom opens and Mina steps out freshly showered.

She had a towel wrapped around her torso covering her body.

"Your turn. You smell like shit." Mina remarks to the girl sitting on the chair next to the window.

"Excuse you, it's just my natural musk. We did do quite a workout just now." Nayeon says.

Mina throws a spare towel at Nayeon's face prompting her to stand up.

"Okay okay I'm going. Don't be such a rabid porcupine." Nayeon says as she heads in for the shower.

"I'll try?... I guess." Mina replies still not having any idea what Nayeon's metaphors mean.

Just as Nayeon closed the door to the bathroom Mina hears her doorbell ring.

She goes out to the front door still with just a towel covering her body.

She opens the door to see Chaeyoung in her casual clothes.

She had her normal round glasses on instead of the lab goggles and she was wearing a tight fit black t-shirt and jeans.

The exact opposite of the fluffy oversized clothes she wore the last time she visited.

"Holy..." Mina sees Chaeyoung's eyes drop down slowly along her body and go back up.

"I mean.. Hi Mina. I brought food." She says holding up a bag of take out food she brought with her.

Mina had briefed Chaeyoung on the way back about the situation and she had relayed the message to the rest at the precinct.

However, Mina didn't expect Chaeyoung to visit her so soon.

"Hi Chae, come in. We have to leave in half an hour though. Nayeon's in the bathroom." Mina says with a smile letting the small blonde in.

Normally Mina didn't like people barging into her space unannounced like this. She would usually tell people to just leave if they ever tried. She didn't like when people just showed up without informing her beforehand.

Even with Momo and Sana she would scold them if one of them showed up out of nowhere and tried to take her somewhere.

So it really didn't make sense for Mina when she actually felt somewhat relieved when she opened the door and saw the blonde's face.

That same weird sense of excitement filled her when she saw Chaeyoung smile at her. She didn't like it. Not one bit.

Chaeyoung on the other hand, was having a sensory overload seeing Mina in just a towel.

It didn't help that the moment she got in Mina turned around and started walking towards her room.

Chaeyoung's eyes immediately fell on her ass as she walked away.

'Stop Chaeyoung, you're not a horny teenager. Think about something gross... Old grandmas, old grandmas, old grandmas.' Chaeyoung was repeating that in her head like a mantra trying to calm herself down.

"Have a seat. I'll put on some clothes and be right out." Mina says motioning to the couch in the living room.

Chaeyoung sits herself down her gaze not leaving Mina until she was out of her sight.

Chaeyoung stays there for a couple of minutes and Mina comes out fully clothed.

"Hi." Mina says as she plops herself down next to Chaeyoung.

For some odd reason Chaeyoung suddenly gets flustered.

She wasn't sure whether it was Mina's cute 'hi' or her sitting so close to Chaeyoung.

"Hi. How was the initiation? You sure you're not hurt?" Chaeyoung asks.

"Yes, I'm fine Chae and it went well. We're meeting Ryujin again to go over our duties as soon as Nayeon is done getting ready." Mina says.

"That's good." Chaeyoung says.

She turns to the side to see Mina's face really close to hers.

"I'm glad you're okay... Okay and so.. beautiful." Chaeyoung whispers.

Mina's eyes widen at Chaeyoung's words. She doesn't remember the last time someone called her beautiful so genuinely.

She was so used to people being afraid of her. Afraid, intimidated, jealous, these are the usual responses she got from people around her.

Mina doesn't understand how Chaeyoung saw through her hard exterior so easily.

For a moment, Mina's iron clad walls crumble down and Chaeyoung sees a very obvious blush adorning Mina's cheeks.

Chaeyoung sees Mina's eyes drop from hers down to her lips.

Chaeyoung takes this as a sign. A sign to make her move. This was it. Now or never.

Chaeyoung slowly and hesitantly leans in.

She keeps her eyes open to monitor Mina's reaction just so she can backtrack if she sees any negative signs.

She sees Mina close her eyes and her lips softly part.

Chaeyoung almost has a heart attack seeing this.

Mina wants this. She wasn't backing away. She was letting Chaeyoung kiss her.

Chaeyoung's brain was going haywire.

They were so close their lips were almost touching and they could feels each other's breath.

"Man, the sexual tention In this room is through the roof. Y'all should get that checked or something." Nayeon says as she walks out of Mina's room while drying her hair with a towel.

Both Mina and Chaeyoung jump away from each other the moment they heard her voice.

Nayeon turns to the two girls on the couch to see Chaeyoung with her hands closed in fists over her thighs and staring intently down at them and Mina sitting on the opposite side of the couch with a stoic look on her face.

They both looked red as a pair of tomato's though.

Nayeon gives them a curious look before shrugging and walking up to them.

She sits herself down on the smaller couch adjacent to the ones Mina and Chaeyoung were on.

"Hey roomie. You ready to head out." Nayeon says.

Mina clears her throat before answering.

"Ready when you are." She says.

"You heard that cub? We're roomies now. Bet you're jealous." Nayeon says teasingly to Chaeyoung.

She scans Chaeyoung's face for a moment before continuing.

"Jealous is an understatement. You look like you want to stab me with a fork." Nayeon says.

Chaeyoung was indeed giving Nayeon the death glare for ruining the moment.

"We should eat. Chae brought food." Mina says trying to change the topic.

"Hell yeah!" Nayeon says enthusiastically.

Chaeyoung decides to let Nayeon live this time and direct her attention to the food.

The three of them take the time to eat comfortably while discussing their mission and what to do next.

Chaeyoung will be always available on comms as long as Nayeon and Mina are undercover so they'll always have a help line if they need it.

Today's activities shouldn't need it though. Ryujin said they'll just be going over the ropes and learning what they'll be doing while they're at the gang.

Mina and Nayeon bid a quick farewell to Chaeyoung before they headed back to the meeting place to see Ryujin again.

-------------------------------------------------------------

After meeting Ryujin she explains what Mina and Nayeon are supposed to do at the gang.

Ryujin had picked out the less criminal assignments for them to do.

Things like collecting debts from bad debtors.

Mina proved to be a natural at being a bloodhound. Let's just say she can be really convincing when getting the money back from people who were dodging to pay it back.

Nayeon on the other hand was putting her charms and people skills to use befriending anyone and everyone who looked even remotely important in the gang hierarchy.

A few weeks pass by like this with Mina gaining a reputation as a monster when it comes to work ethic and Nayeon being everyone's bestie all of a sudden.

The infiltration was complete and it went smoother than they had expected.

They also made sure not to interact with Ryujin at all after their initial training period to keep her off the radar even if their identities get found later on.

This was not the first time Mina or Nayeon had been undercover but this was definitely the hardest for Mina.

Sitting idly by while innocent people get scammed and extorted for their money was especially hard for her.

If she was there alone she would have probably beat a few people to a pulp already.

The only reason she has been able to control her anger is the sweet and soft voice in her ear keeping her grounded and focused on her goal.

Son Chaeyoung.

She's been hard at work keeping Mina in check and guiding her throughout the whole process.

After 3 weeks of this torture, the golden opportunity showed itself to the duo.

Nayeon managed to get some information out of one of her "besties" she found out where the gangs entire digital footprint was located.

Records of everything and how their money moves were being recorded in a room on the 10th floor of an under construction building.

The building was not fully built. There were no stairs or elevators going up so having a fully built room high up in the building was honestly a really smart idea.

If they can get access to those computers they can find out what connection the Blood Orchids have with the fate and the G.U group.

The plan was for Nayeon to act as a decoy while Mina infiltrates the building and gets the information.

The plan was ready to set into motion.

Nayeon managed to get Yeji and 2 of the people who worked at the place Mina was about to inflitrate, out of the way.

They were going out for a drink to celebrate a big deal that Nayeon managed to strike with a big business man thanks to her charms.

There were still two people left at the building so Mina had to find a way to deal with them.

2 is easier to deal with than 4 though. So that was a plus.

Mina arrived near the building in question.

It was indeed an under construction building as it was still just a bunch of squares and Mina could see through the building to the other side.

She was wearing all black with a face mask and a black beanie.

"So, what's the plan." Oh yeah.. that was Chaeyoung. She insisted on coming with Mina.

"You don't have to be here Chae. I can do this by myself." Mina says.

"I told you already I'm not letting you go by yourself. That's final." Chaeyoung says.

"You could have at least dressed appropriately. Do you seriously not have black clothes? You stick out like a sore thumb." Mina comments on Chaeyoung's clothes.

She was wearing a blue jacket and grey cargo pants.

"You could have let me borrow some from you if it's such a problem. All you wear is black." Chaeyoung replies as sassily as she could.

"To be honest I was hoping I could lose you on the way here so I could go in by myself." Mina says.

"I knew it. That's why you were going so fast. I had to run just to keep up with you." Chaeyoung says pouting.

Mina puts her whole hand on Chaeyoung's face covering all of it and pushes her.

"Don't do that." She says.

"Why? Did your heart flutter?" Chaeyoung says.

"Where's all this sass coming from? I remember you being all shy and quiet before." Mina says.

"It's because you're dumb." Chaeyoung whispers under her breath.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"We should go in. We don't know how long Nayeon can keep them occupied." Mina says.

"Yeah we should." Chaeyoung says.

Mina walks ahead towards the building.

"Stupid. Dense. Greatest detective in Japan my ass." Chaeyoung says stomping her feet to the ground before running after her.

Mina and Chaeyoung make their way to the base of the building. There wasn't anyone there but they did find a workers lift on the side of the building.

They decided to take it up the building.

Mina and Chaeyoung got off on the 10 floor but there was a problem.

There was no floor.

It was just the foundation and pillars connection everything.

Small beams to walk on and a 10 floor drop straight to your death.

On the other side Mina could see a fully built in wall. It looked suspiciously well made compared to the rest of the building.

She figured that was the place they were looking for.

Mina lifts one leg over the side of the lift and steps on the beam but before she could fully climb over she feels someone hug her arm.

She looks over to see Chaeyoung giving her the puppy eyes.

"Is it too late to tell you I have a fear of heights?" Chaeyoung says timidly all her shyness that Mina mentioned before seemed to come back in full swing.

Mina felt the frustration in the back of her mind but Chaeyoung looked too cute for Mina to actually say anything mean to her.

Weakness of The hell hound: Cute things

Son Chaeyoung = Cutest thing Mina has ever seen.

Mina sighs.

"Take my hand." Mina says giving her hand to Chaeyoung.

Chaeyoung who is was still looking at Mina with her doe eyes looks down at Mina's hand and then grabs it with both hands and then looks back up at her and nods a few times.

"Just slowly walk and don't look down." Mina says slowly guiding Chaeyoung over the side of the lift and walking on the beam.

As they were slowly walking Chaeyoung trips a little and she let's out a weird noise. It was a mix between a gasp and a scream.

As serious as the situation was Mina couldn't help but laugh. She never would have thought a sound like that would come from Chaeyoung.

"Umm.. that was a gasp of confidence okay?" Chaeyoung's voice comes out shaky.

"Of course. I also make that sound when I'm confident." Mina says.

"I hate you." Chaeyoung pouts again.

"No you don't." Mina smirks.

The two of them manages to get to the other side where the room was.

Mina turns to Chaeyoung and holds her shoulders.

"Stay here until I tell you okay. There will be people in there let me handle them first." Mina says.

Chaeyoung gulps. Mina was holding her. Her face was really close to Chaeyoung's. She nods profusely.

Mina let's go and Chaeyoung could see the moment Mina changes her attitude.

She could see the softness and kindness get replaced by a look of determination and anger. It was like a switch she turns on.

Mina kicks open the door and swiftly throws the first person her hand touched over her shoulder on the ground before hitting them in the face with a punch knocking them out.

She quickly moves forward and grabs the second person by their head and slams it to the wall.

And in just 10 seconds there was two unconscious men on the floor and Mina standing Infront of a table filled with monitors.

Chaeyoung was looking in from outside with her mouth agape.

"You're so hot." She says.

"What?" Mina asks.

"It's so hot in here. How do these people work here all day." Chaeyoung expertly dodges.

"Beats me." Mina answers.

"Well since you're here. You want to do the honors? You're better at this stuff than me anyways." Mina says pointing to the computers.

"See. You did need me to come after all." Chaeyoung says proudly.

Mina just smiles and nods.

Chaeyoung happily skips towards the computers and starts scanning the files.

She plugs in a drive and starts copying everything she thinks would be important.

Mina leans in to the side of Chaeyoung's face to look at the screen as well.

Chaeyoung looks to the side for a moment to see Mina's face inches away from hers.

Mina looks to the side and their gaze intercepts.

The same feeling that Mina got earlier that day captures her senses. She gets lost in Chaeyoung's eyes again.

Her eyes. The soft shade of pink on those fluffy cheeks. The plump lips. The beauty mark right under them. Mina was lost in them.

So much so that she didn't hear the person behind her stand up. She heard a click though and she moved as soon as she got back to her senses.

She turned and dodged under the man's punch before punching him in the gut and then two back to back boxing jabs right at his face.

After the man falls Mina realizes it was already too late.

She got sloppy.

There was a flashing red light under the table. Where the man was standing when Mina turned around.

"What's that?" Chaeyoung asks.

Mina moves closer before crouching down near it and looking under the table.

There was a button there and the red light was next to it and it was flashing.

"It's a panic button. They know we're here."

Chapter Text

A single yellow light hangs in the middle of a mostly empty room.

It shines a spotlight into the middle where a chair was placed.

And on the chair was a woman with her hands tied behind her back.

Several shadowy figures stand around her just outside the reach of the yellow light.

The woman slowly lifts her head and looks straight at the "camera".

Her lips where painted red from the blood and the same liquid flowed from the side of her head.

"Hi, I'm Im Nayeon. You might be wondering how I got in this predicament. Heh heh... To understand that we have to go back to the beginning. It all started when my dad injected his pro swimmers into my mom in 1995-"

"What the hell is she saying?" One of the shadowy figures asks another.

"She's breaking the fourth wall and talking to the viewers like we're in some kind of movie." The other person replies.

"Oh so she's deranged?" The first person says.

"I prefer eccentric." Nayeon interjects from the chair.

"You're in no place to be cracking jokes miss Nayeon." One of the shadowy figures steps forward into the light.

Nayeon gasps comically as her face comes into the light.

"Shit.. I'm supposed to be Dahyun. I forgor." Nayeon says to herself mostly as she squints to look at the person that just came into view.

"Yeji.. my arch nemesis. I should have known it was you." Nayeon says.

Yeji grits her teeth in frustration. She steps forward and slaps Nayeon across the face.

She crouches down to Nayeon's eye level.

"You were conscious when we jumped you and brought you in here. We were out drinking. Stop this bullshit and tell me what you and your partner are after."

Even though she was all bruised and broken, she smiles.

"What partner?" She asks.

"We should be heading to the server room. It's obvious we can't get anything from her. We might still be able to catch whoever did this." One of the other shadowy figures steps out into the light.

Lee Chaeryoung. The brains of the operation. She was in charge of the server room and she could have easily wiped the whole database in the first sign of danger. It was important that she wasn't in the room when Mina broke in so she was the main target of Nayeon's decoy plan.

"You haven't seen her partner in action Chaeryoung." The third person in the shadows step forward.

Shin Yuna. The apprentice. A newbie that's training right under Yeji. They were always connected by the hip so Nayeon had no choice but to bring her along as well.

"She's fast, strong and dangerous. She's long gone by now. This idiot is the only lead we've got." Yuna says.

"Watch your mouth kid. Only one person gets to call me an idiot, and you're right. There's little to no chance you're catching her. You haven't seen half of what that woman is capable of." Nayeon says with a smug grin.

Yeji doesn't have time for this. She takes out her gun, cocks it and points it straight at Nayeon's head.

Nayeon just leans her head into the gun. Still smiling like a maniac.

"Beating me to a pulp didn't work, I don't see why you think threatening me with a gun is going to work." Nayeon says.

"Who says I'm threatening you?" Yeji says acting as if she was about to shoot her.

"Bitch please. I'm your only lead. If you kill me here you have nothing."

Yeji hates that she's right. She was right after all. If she kills her here they weren't getting any information from her and neither was Mina coming back here to save her.

Keeping her alive it is.

Yeji takes the back end of the gun and slams it on the side of Nayeon's head trying to knock her unconscious.

"Oww.. goddammit why did you pull out a gun if you're just going to hit me with it?? I feel like that's bad for your gun." Nayeon says wincing in pain.

Yeji looks surprised and embarrassed that she wasn't able to knock Nayeon out.

She turns her back to Nayeon.

"Throw her in a cell or something. Get her out of my sight."

Yeji demands causing Yuna and Chaeryoung to jolt in fear and move to action immediately.

"I'll just use you as bait then." Yeji says to herself as she watches the other two carry a bruised and broken Nayeon away.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile on the other side of the city.

Mina tries her best to run as far away from the building as possible while holding Chaeyoung's hand and making sure she doesn't trip and fall.

This was proving difficult though. They barely managed to climb down the building and it's already been 10 minutes since the panic button went off.

Mina looks back at Chaeyoung who already looks out of breath.

"Chae..."

"Yeah.. I'm good. I can keep up.." she says panting.

Mina sighs.

She steps closer to Chaeyoung.

In one swift motion she picks Chaeyoung up in a bridal style hold.

"Wha? What're you doing?? Put me down." Chaeyoung blurts out in a flustered mess.

Mina ignores her and starts running.

Chaeyoung yelps at the sudden jolt getting surprised by how fast Mina was running while carrying her.

"Hold me tighter Chaeyoung. You're wobbling." Mina says.

The separate movement of Chaeyoung's body in her arms was making it harder for Mina to run. If she latches on tighter Mina would have an easier time moving.

Chaeyoung feels like it was impossible for her to blush more furiously than she was before but Mina keeps proving her wrong.

She felt the need to scold Mina for saying such dangerous things to her while they were so close. Hold me tighter she says. Like Chaeyoung wasn't already having a hard time controlling her urges to jump on Mina every time she sees her.

She decides against the scolding for now and and follows Mina's instructions. Not the time and place to worry about her fragile heart.

Mina on the other hand was thinking only about Chaeyoung's safety and nothing else.

Her heart wasn't beating faster than usual at all. It was beating at the normal rate for normal humans who totally aren't in denial that they have this inexplicable attraction towards the girl in their hands. Promise.

And even if it was beating faster, Mina would just say it's because she was running.

Mina continued her sprint going through alleyways and avoiding the roads until they were a few blocks away from the building in question.

They stopped near a dimly lit noodle shop. A small cozy place. The kind where there isn't a big open space, just a long countertop that stretched from one side of the wall to the other and stools lined behind it.

This seemed like the perfect place to stay until the heat dies down.

The gang would probably be searching around the area so walking back would not be the best idea.

Mina puts Chaeyoung down and before she could complain Mina grabs her hand again and walks inside the noodle shop.

"Fuck me." Mina says as soon as she enter the shop.

"What?" Chaeyoung asks innocently. Their hands were still intertwined and Chaeyoung was holding to Mina's upper arm with her other hand.

Chaeyoung follows Mina's gave to the seats of the noodle shop to see a pair on surprised looking eyes staring right back at them.

It was Sana sitting sideways on one of the chairs. Infront of her was an empty bowl and next to her was another woman hunched over enjoying her own food.

"Oh my god." Sana's face lights up immeasurable with a huge smile as she smacked the back of the girl next to her.

"*Cough* *cough* damn Satang are you trying to kill me? *Cough* what?" Momo says choking on her food.

"Look." Sana says pointing to the two deers that have been caught under headlights.

Momo turns to the two coughs one more time before taking out her phone and immediately taking a picture.

Mind you neither Momo nor Sana has ever seen Mina let anyone get into her personal space much less hug her arm like that.

Even having known her since they were babies, getting a simple hug from Mina was an ordeal for Samo.

So Momo's reflex to take a picture immediately was justified according to her.

The four of them just stare at each other in a moment of awkward silence.

Mina slowly turns around without a word and tried to leave with Chaeyoung.

"Oh no you don't." Samo says in unison as they both latch on to Mina and drag her back in and seats her at one of the stools.

Chaeyoung sits herself down on the stool next to Mina. She tries to keep a neutral expression and just see how this goes but she would be lying if she said she wasn't amused by the very obvious blush adorning Mina's cheeks.

It's refreshing to see her like this and just like that Chaeyoung found something else she loves about Mina.

"Explain. Now." Sana says excitedly, Momo was poking her head out from behind Sana looking at Mina.

"Explain what?" Mina tries to act dumb.

"Oh I don't know. How about you start with the way you two walked in here looking like a couple on their honeymoon?" Sana asks.

"We were running from blood orchid gang members and we came in here to hide." Mina says.

Sana squints her eyes at Mina. She was examining her. Trying to see if she was telling the truth or not.

"I don't believe you. Does running away from them include holding hands like a couple?" Sana asks.

Mina sighs. She doesn't have an answer for that. Chaeyoung can walk on her own. She doesn't know why she grabbed her hand again after putting her down.

Mina doesn't know why she didn't let go of Chaeyoung's hand after she stepped into the noodle shop.

She doesn't understand why she felt such a strong desire to protect this girl next to her.

Mina was totally backed into a corner now. She desperately looks at the girl sitting next to her hoping she could save her somehow.

But the look on Chaeyoung's face seemed more amused than anything else.

'Traitor' Mina thought.

"Look Mitang, if you don't wanna talk about it it's totally fine. We're just happy you're finally letting someone in." Sana says. Momo nods furiously in the back agreeing.

"And God knows it's a barren wasteland down there. You need to get laid Minari." Momo comments pointing at Mina's lower body.

"Momo!" Mina screams. Well, In Mina's definition it was a scream. It sounded barely louder than Momo's natural speaking voice for the rest of them though.

Mina was beet red at this point and she was contemplating just leaving without eating anything.

It was still too soon though. They had to stay in here for a while longer before they could leave.

The three girls laugh at Mina's embarrassment.

For Mina, the sound of Momo and Sana was drowned out in her mind and all she could hear was the soft giggles coming from the blonde next to her.

'Getting embarrassed doesn't feel so bad if I get to hear that every time.' Mina thinks to herself as she looks at Chaeyoung covering her mouth as she laughed. She could still see the smile reflected in Chaeyoung's eyes.

Then realization hits Mina.

'What am I thinking.' Mina groans and drops her head on the table.

She has been trying to sabotage herself from falling for this girl next to her but nothing seems to be working.

Mina loves how Chaeyoung makes her feel.

Mina hates how vulnerable the girl makes her.

Mina loves how Chaeyoung brings out the real her.

Mina hates how scared she gets that something bad might happen to her.

Mina was in a conflict. Her heart and her brain was having a battle she's never experienced before.

--------------------------------------------------------------

After a meal with Sana and Momo, Mina decided to drop Chaeyoung off at the precinct where she would be safe.

They potentially had evidence connecting one of the most notorious criminal's is modern history with Korea's biggest criminal organization and a presidential candidate and his business empire.

It was no exaggeration to say this was the biggest priority case in the whole precinct now.

And all of that information was in Chaeyoung's pocket.

Mina had to make sure Chaeyoung was safe before she could go save Nayeon.

Mina stood next to her table as she assembled her gun.

Jihyo, Tzuyu, Jungkook and Taehyung were all gathered around her looking at each other thinking what was going on in Mina's head.

She hasn't said a word since she dropped Chaeyoung off at the lab.

"What's the plan Mina?" Jihyo asks.

"I'm going to save my friend. That's the plan." Mina says.

Her friend. Mina thought Nayeon was annoying as all hell when they first met and she still does.

But she was her friend now. And Mina would burn the world down for the people she loves.

"There is no way I'm letting you go into a gang hideout by yourself. Taehyung and Jungkook are coming with you. Tzuyu will be on standby outside just in case something happens and she needs to call for backup." Jihyo says.

Mina looks up from her gun assembling straight at Jihyo.

The look sent shivers down Jihyo's spine.

"Fine but don't get in my way." She says looking at the two guys and Jihyo.

"I just need one thing from you chief." Mina says as she fixes her gun into the holster.

Jihyo nods telling Mina to continue.

"Permission to use lethal force." Mina says.

"Granted. It's about the safety of one of our own. I'll deal with whatever repercussions that follow." Jihyo says.

She understood why Mina was so feared by people now. She understood why Mina was always denied promotions and higher positions when she was so good at her job.

People feared what she was capable of. Criminals and law enforcement alike.

The look of sheer determination and anger.

Eyes burning with fire straight from hell.

These people have no idea what's coming.

They had no idea they are about to come face to face with The Hellhound.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Mina, Taehyung, Jungkook and Tzuyu arrived at the hideout an hour later.

Mina knew exactly where they would be keeping Nayeon.

Yeji was the one that accepted the duo into the gang and the responsibility to deal with them will fall on her as well.

Find Yeji and you find Nayeon. Simple as that.

What wasn't simple was that this time the building was heavily guarded. Unlike the server room.

There were people all around the place. Some of them eating at the stalls near the building. Some of them having their smoke breaks in the alleyway of the building.

To a bystander or a passerby it would look like a normal busy street.

But Mina knew better. These were all gang members. Every single one of them.

She can't make a scene here. Not outside at least.

If people call the cops and a different precinct responds she would have to deal with other people meddling in her case.

She doesn't want that.

Mina turns to the 2 detectives and one police officer she brought with her.

"Okay. Here's the plan. I'm going to get in through the roof an wreak havoc in there. Once they know Im in there all of these people hanging out here will run inside to catch me. Once they do just follow them inside." Mina says.

"You sure going alone is the best plan here? Jihyo sent us here with you for a reason." Taehyung says.

"It's our only plan, and it's them you should be worried about. Not me." Mina says.

She doesn't wait for a response as she runs around the back of the building and climbs it along the pipes.

Taehyung sighs and looks at his two juniors.

"Guess we have no choice. She's leading this group so let's just trust her judgement on this." He says.

Jungkook and Tzuyu look at each other with a worried expression before reluctantly nodding.

Mina manages to get into the building through the vent on the roof of the building.

She crawls through it until she finds an opening and gets out through it.

She looks around the room she climbed out into.

It seemed to be a sort of storage room. The room was filled with barrels alcohol.

Mina slowly opens the door to the room and steps out into the hallway.

Two people immediately spot her. They know what she looks like and they were already ordered to attack on sight so they didn't waste any time.

Mina likes it this way too. No useless chit chat. Straight to the point.

As the first guy throws a punch at Mina she grabs his hand, turns her back to him and judo throws him to the ground and twists his hand until she hears a snap and the man's screams.

The second person already looked terrified but he had his fists up In a pathetic, poor form, stance.

Mina looks at him as she let's go of the first man's broken arm.

"Go, tell them, the hound is here to guide them to hell." Mina says.

The man immediately starts running.

Mina walks after him.

Mina knew who this underling was running to and it just so happens that Mina is here to see her as well.
Yeji.

So Mina follows. Turning when the man turns walking through the doors the man left open as he ran through them.

Until she comes into an open hall with cells lined at the back. Actual jail cells.

She could see the man frantically telling Yeji about her as she walked in the room.

As the man finishes relaying Mina's message to Yeji, she sees Mina already there standing at the door.

"Nice of you to join us. Miss Momo, or should I say Myoui 'the hellhound' Mina. I have to say i-"

Yeji doesn't get halfway through her evil villain speech as Mina starts knocking out people left and right.

"Did she just fucking ignore me?" Yeji says. Her teeth gritting, her hands clutched into fists.

"Yeah I'm pretty sure she did." Chaeryoung says trying her best not to laugh.

As Mina was fighting 2 guys at once alternating between blocking one guy and punching the other, she sees a high speed kick coming her way.

It wasn't fast enough to hit Mina though.

She blocks it with her hand and looks at the owner of the foot.

Yeji.

Mina would admit she was stronger than all these minions she has.

But that kick compared to the one from 'the fate' was child's play. A kick from him broke Mina's arm once when she was blocking it.

Yeji was strong but she was no match for Mina.

Seeing that Yeji wasn't winning on her own, Yuna also joins the fight.

She tries to sneak up behind Mina and go for the back of her head.

Mina drops to the ground and sweeps her legs knocking them both on to the ground.

Yuna was weaker than Yeji. Mina could tell she's new. She had no problem ignoring and dodging Yeji's punches and kicks and focusing on bringing Yeji down first.

The fight lasted a good 2 minutes before Mina could see fatigue catching up with Yeji. She was strong and fast but she lacked stamina.

Mina See's an opening as Yeji got sloppy and went for her signature knockout gut punch.

And just like that Yeji was on the ground clutching her stomach.

She turns to Yuna as she threw another punch and roundhouse kicks her on the side of her head knocking her down as well.

Mina was standing with little to no scratch on her.

Mina looks at the last person standing on her own two feet in the room.

"Hey, don't look at me. I'm just an IT person. Carry on." Chaeryoung says motioning to the cell doors behind her.

Mina crouches down next to Yeji and takes the keys that was attached to her waist.

She stands back up and readies herself a little and does a football kick on the girl's head knocking her unconscious.

She see's Chaeryoung wince as Mina's leg came into contact with Yeji's head.

Mina walks to the cell door and unlocks them.

She walks into to see Nayeon tied to a chair.

She weakly lifts her head and Mina feels her stone cold heart clench.

A mix of anger and sadness she rarely feels.

Nayeon looked exhausted. She had dried blood on her forehead and her face was bruised.

Her lips were red with blood and her eyes were half lidded barely able to stay open.

Even still, she had a smile on her face.

"Took you long enough... Idiot."

Chapter Text

Mina unties Nayeon's hands and puts her arm around Mina's shoulder to help her stand up.

"I'm fine. I can walk by myself." Nayeon weakly says.

"Like hell you can. Shut up and lean on me." Mina says.

Mina was mad. However this time, it wasn't because Nayeon was annoying or because she was being stupid.

This time Mina was mad because Nayeon was hurt and Mina wasn't there to help her.

Mina was mad at herself.

She slowly walks with Nayeon towards the hallway they came from.

"There's an exit around the back. A garage door." Tzuyu says over the comms. She was still outside.

Mina walks up to the hallway to see Jungkook and Taehyung fighting a horde of men in the thin hallway keeping them from reaching Mina.

It looked like a scene from a zombie movie but the male duo were holding them back.

"Guys! I got her. Let's move." Mina shouts.

The guys turn to her and gives her a thumbs up.

Mina moves towards the back exit first and the guys stall for a little longer before they make a run for it themselves.

But before the guys could go the way Mina and Nayeon went, a group of gang members went around and blocked the way.

Taehyung puts his hand on his ear and speaks.

"Mina, the way is blocked. We have to find another way out. Just leave with Nayeon. Don't stop at any costs." Taehyung says.

Mina and Nayeon manage to exit  through the garage door at the back alone.

Just as they thought they were home free, they hear people shouting behind them.

Nayeon was barely awake in Mina's arms as she turned to see a group of gang members running towards them.

Mina was tired. Nayeon was fighting to keep her consciousness. They were in no position to fight.

Mina could put Nayeon down somewhere and deal with these people but judging from the speed at which they were running, Mina didn't have enough time to do that either.

She can't just drop Nayeon on the floor. She's been through enough.

As Mina was formulating in her head on what to do, the garage door drops down with a loud metal clang and she sees someone jam the door with a metal bar.

The figure turns to the duo.

It was him.

Katana strapped to his back, The oni mask that Mina knows every detail of by heart, two voids of nothingness in the eye holes staring right at the duo.

The fate was standing before them.

Mina was waiting for him to laugh at her. She was waiting for the toying tone.

But it didn't come. He was quiet. Just looking at them.

A moment of silence passes before Mina notices the man's head tilt to the side a little. His posture changes. And then the laugh comes.

"Hello again kitten. You're not looking so good there." The man says in the same eerie distorted voice.

"What do you want?" Mina asks anger apparent in her tone.

If this happened a month before, Mina would have thrown Nayeon on the floor and started fighting the man.

But things were different now. Mina had a friend again. Her safety was Mina's first priority.

The methodical and calculating side of her was screaming at her that this was a mistake.

That this was her chance to bring him down. His guard was lowered.

But Mina for once listened to her heart and not her head.

She backed away slowly holding Nayeon protectively.

"Well, if you die here I would lose my entertainment won't I? I'm starting to enjoy our little cat and mouse game. I can't have another kitten dying on me. Not when you're the only one that's managed to give me even a little bit of a challenge." Tha man says.

His voice feels like venom to Mina. A sense of excitement oozing through his words. This man was in every sense of the word, a monster.

"That woman on the other hand, don't you think she's holding you back? Do you want me to... lessen your burden a little." The man says as he slowly takes his katana out of it's hilt.

"Take one step and I'll show you hell." Mina says her voice booming through the alleyway.

The man laughs again. The same maniacal laugh.

"This is why I like you kitten. You act like you don't care about anything but your little revenge mission. But you do. Oh you do. That girl. The little forensic doctor. Even those two idiots fighting in there for you. And this rookie who thinks she can sneak up behind me with her gun." The Fate says as he turns around in a blink of an eye, grabs Tzuyu's hand and disarms her gun making it drop on the floor.

He pulls her hand Infront of her and shoves her towards Mina and Nayeon.

Tzuyu corrects herself standing next to Mina and Nayeon now and rubs her hand that the fate twisted.

"It's cute that you thought you could actually sneak up on me." The man says.

He directs his attention back to Mina.

"This is the main difference between you and me kitten. You care about these people and you fear for their safety. And you have no idea how much I just love the smell of fear." The Fate says.

"You can go. Unless, you want to fight me here. I would enjoy killing those two Infront of you. Oh just the thought is making me shiver with excitement. I can just imagine the look on your face when I slice their heads off. What do you say kitten. Now or later?" The man says fully unsheathing his katana.

It takes everything in her for Mina to control her anger and turn away from the man. Nayeon and Tzuyu's safety matters most right now and Mina was repeating that in her head like a mantra.

Mina hears the Man laugh again as she slowly walked away with Tzuyu helping Nayeon walk from the other side.

The fate stands there watching the three of them slowly walk away.

And in a moment he disappears.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Taehyung and Jungkook managed to get out a different way and the whole group met back up at the car.

They drove Nayeon to the hospital right away.

Sana was on duty when they arrived and she immediately came to them to help treat Nayeon's injuries.

"You two have got to stop visiting me like this. You know we can go out for coffee or something right?" Sana says as she stands next to Nayeon who was on one of the beds fully bandaged up now.

Mina was sitting on a chair on the other side of the bed and Chaeyoung was standing at the foot of the bed.

She arrived a few minutes after the group.

Taehyung, Jungkook and Tzuyu went to the precinct shortly after to brief Jihyo on the situation.

"Sorry doc." Nayeon says her usual cheery tone slowly returning to her.

"Please be careful, you want to be here when Jeongyeon wakes up right?" Sana says.

"I will, I'm doing this for her." Nayeon says.

Sana just sighs. It was like looking at a more extroverted version of her best friend. Infuriatingly stubborn and no regard for her own well being.

Sana checks everything for a second time before she leaves the three of them alone.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner." Mina says. The guilt showing through her voice.

"Come on Mina, don't be Chaeyoung when she see's your abs, I'm fine. I've been through worse." Nayeon says.

"I don't appreciate you using me as a metaphor." Chaeyoung says. She was now sitting at the foot of the bed near Nayeon's feet.

"The mission was a success right?" Nayeon asks.

"Yes, we got all the info we'll need to bring all of them down. The fate, The gang and the G.U group. I skimmed through the files while I was in the lab, there are a lot of records of illegal activity from both parties in there. And also records of the payments made to the fate to kill the competitors for the presidential election." Chaeyoung says.

"Why haven't we arrested them yet?" Mina asks.

"Jihyo said it won't be that easy. We basically stole the info. We can't present it as evidence without us getting into trouble as well." Chaeyoung explains.

"That sucks." Nayeon says.

"Yeah, It does. But at least we know what we're dealing with now. We just have to catch them red handed." Chaeyoung adds.

The trio spends the rest of the evening there next to Nayeon.

The time was spent with Nayeon and Chaeyoung exchanging stories of the adventures they been through that day and Mina quietly listening to the two of them talk.

Mina just stares.

She stares at how Chaeyoung's dimples deepen every time she smiles while recounting how Mina carried her and ran across town.

She stares at how Nayeon's bunny teeth make an appearance every time she laughs at Chaeyoung's excessive blushing.

She stares at the animated hand gestures Chaeyoung unconsciously does when she's telling a story.

She stares at the loving look in Nayeon's eyes as she intently listened to the smaller girl. It was obvious how much Nayeon cared for Chaeyoung. Despite only having a 5 year gap between them, Nayeon was like a mother figure for Chaeyoung.

Mina just sat there enjoying the moment.

She didn't know how or when it happened, but these two people Infront of her had become the most important people in her life.

She would do anything to protect them. To protect their smiles. To protect that childlike wonder that these two shared.

Mina had a new drive. A new motivation. Her revenge mission was not just a revenge mission now.

It was to avenge the ones she loved and to protect the ones she loves now.

-------------------------------------------------------------

It was late, Nayeon had fallen asleep while talking to Chaeyoung.

"We should head out. Sana will take care of her." Mina says seeing the still worried look on Chaeyoung's face.

"Yeah. I guess we should. We have a lot of work ahead of us." Chaeyoung agrees.

The two of them leave the hospital together.

They decided to walk until they reached the part where they had to go different directions to go home.

They stopped on the side of the road and looked at each other.

Chaeyoung's hands went behind her back holding each other as she bobbed on her heels.

Mina scratches the back of her neck.

It was awkward to say the least.

Mina couldn't deny anymore that she had feelings for this girl.

And Chaeyoung was going crazy with desire.

"See you at the precinct tomorrow?" Chaeyoung says trying to quell the awkwardness.

"Actually, do you mind if I walk you home. It's late." Mina says.

Chaeyoung smiles.

"I'd love that." She replies.

The duo started walking towards Chaeyoung's apartment.

Their hands brushed against each other as they walked.

After a few paces Chaeyoung intertwines their hands.

Mina looks down at their hands and then back up to Chaeyoung.

She was looking forward so Mina missed the blush that appeared on her cheeks.

"It's cold." Chaeyoung says trying to rationalize the hand holding.

Mina didn't mind. They've held hands like this before. Granted, they were running for their lives. But still.

The two girls walked hand in hand until they reached Chaeyoung's apartment.

Mina insisted on going to her door before she left so they went in together.

They took the elevator to Chaeyoung's floor and they were now standing at the front door of Chaeyoung's apartment.

"Do you.. want to come in?" Chaeyoung asks.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Mina doesn't think being alone with Chaeyoung is a good idea. Especially when her denial strategy was a bust now.

"Why not?" Chaeyoung asks.

"I..." Mina didn't know what to say.

"Stop lying to yourself Mina. Kiss me." Chaeyoung says.

Mina didn't know where this boldness was suddenly coming from. Had she been that obvious? It would suffice to say that Mina was fully flustered. Her brain malfunctioning. Thousands of words running through her head as to why this was a bad idea but none of them managing to get to her tongue.

"Chaeyoung.. it's dangerous. I'm dangerous. I have made enemies everywhere I went all my life. I have done things to powerful people that you can't even imagine. I can't possibly pull you into a world like this.. I.." Mina starts to panic.

Chaeyoung sighs.

She moves forward grabbing on to Mina's jacket, roughly pulling her as their bodies crash into each other and their lips meet.

The kiss was rough but not lustful. Like Chaeyoung was trying to prove to Mina how much she wants this.

Chaeyoung had one of her arms wrapped around Mina's waist and the other was holding her cheek as she kissed her.

A moment passed and Chaeyoung felt Mina relax into her kiss, letting Chaeyoung tilt her head and go deeper.

They kissed in the hallway, their bodies flush against each other with no space for even air to pass between them.

Chaeyoung leans back and looks at Mina.

They were both breathless as they looked into each other's eyes.

The red tint on both their faces apparent under the yellow light of the hallway.

They were still in each others embrace.

"Has it ever occured to you that maybe I like the danger, the thrill. I don't care how many enemies you have or what you have done in the past Mina. I care about you." Chaeyoung says as she pokes Mina's chest with her pointer finger.

To Mina it felt like she was getting nagged.

"But-" before Mina could continue Chaeyoung interrupts her.

With another kiss.

This one was shorter. Just a way for Chaeyoung to keep Mina's mouth shut until she was done.

"I understand that being with you is dangerous Mina. I understand you're fucked up in more ways then one. I understand that you're scared to let anyone in because you're scared of losing them." Chaeyoung says.

She takes a moment to study Mina's face now that they were so close.

Chaeyoung loved seeing Mina so flustered and shy. It was a stark contrast to the cold and mysterious hell hound that everyone knows her for.

And it made Chaeyoung feel special, that this was something only she could see.

Only Chaeyoung could bring this part of Mina out.

And Mina will only look at Chaeyoung this way.

"You won't lose me." Chaeyoung says.

And here Mina was thinking she was good at hiding her feelings. No, she was terrible at it.

Because this girl Infront of her saw right through her. She just put everything out in the open that Mina thought she was hiding like a pro.

"And if being with you means being held at gun point or being kidnapped every once in a while, then so be it. I would still choose you. Every single time." Chaeyoung continues.

With that the bewildered look on Mina's face transitions into a soft smile.

Maybe this isn't such a bad idea after all.

"So?" Chaeyoung says.

"So...?" Mina's confused.

"Just fucking kiss me already Myoui."

And kiss her she does.

Mina moves forward their lips meeting in a needy kiss as Chaeyoung's back slams into the wall with a thud.

Hands exploring each other's bodies.

To them this moment felt like getting water after a long trek in a desert.

They reluctantly detach from each other and Chaeyoung urgently slams her fingers into the keypad next to her apartment door.

As soon as the door opens their lips come crashing back together.

The door of the apartment close with a loud slam.

Clothes start flying throughout the apartment left and right.

Groans and soft giggles were heard in the apartment as they stubbed their toes on the chairs and slammed their bodies on the countertops clumsily making their way towards Chaeyoung's bedroom.

For the the first time in a long time Mina wasn't worried about the future. Mina wasn't formulating her plans for revenge. Mina wasn't calculating her steps ten steps ahead.

All Mina wanted as of this moment was to give this cute, blonde, forensic doctor the best night of her life.

Chapter Text

Mina's eyes flutter open. From the looks of the windows it was still dark outside.

Waking up in the middle of the night was nothing new to Mina.

This time however, she didn't wake up from her nightmares. She didn't wake up drenched in sweat and eyes brimming with tears.

For the first time in a long time, she felt at peace. She felt rested. Like this was the best sleep she's had in years.

The unfamiliar room she was in slowly came into focus as Mina daydreamed about what transpired a couple of hours ago.

She felt shy and proud at the same time. The sounds Chaeyoung made throughout the night had been burned into her memory.

Mina could feel her skin burn at the points where Chaeyoung's naked body is touching hers.

Their closeness, the way they had reached for each other, the way they had fallen together into that moment. it had all been real. There was no backing out now. Not emotionally, not physically.

Mina felt the recipient of her thoughts groan and shift next to her.

Chaeyoung's head was resting on Mina's chest, arms wrapped lazily around her waist from the side. Their bare skin touched with a gentle intimacy that sent warmth spiraling through Mina's chest.

It wasn't the heat of passion anymore. it was something gentler. Calmer.

Mina glanced down to see Chaeyoung's eyes blink open slowly, a wide, sleepy smile blooming across her face.

"Morning, tiger," Mina said, her voice still low and raspy from sleep.

"Morning," Chaeyoung replied, her smile widening, eyes crinkling.

"I guess the saying 'a saint in the streets, a freak in the sheets' is true for you, huh?" Mina teased.

"Shut up," Chaeyoung muttered, cheeks turning crimson as she buried her face deeper into the crook of Mina's neck.

"Was I good? It's been a while," Chaeyoung asked, voice muffled.

"I think you already know the answer to that."

Silence followed for a moment, not uncomfortable, but contemplative.

"Chaeyoung, I..." Mina began, and Chaeyoung instantly felt the truck load of anxiety that hit Mina all at once.

It made Mina squirm in her embrace and Chaeyoung responds by pulling her in a little tighter by the waist.

"Minari," Chaeyoung whispered, lifting her head slightly.

"Stop worrying, okay? We don't have to talk about this now. We don't need to put a label on anything. I knew what I was getting into. You've been chasing that person all your life. I won't ask you to change that or give it up. I can wait." Chaeyoung says hoping her eyes are showing Mina just how genuine she was being.

Mina exhaled slowly, like she had been holding her breath without realizing it.

Chaeyoung always seemed to know the right thing to say. It was as if she could reach into Mina's soul and wrap her hand around the chaos swirling inside.

"I don't deserve you," Mina said quietly.

"I'll beat you up if you say that again," Chaeyoung replied, eyes still shut as she nestled back into Mina's neck.

Mina chuckled. A real laugh, soft but genuine.

Chaeyoung smiled. She lived for moments like these. Ones where she could break down Mina's iron walls without force, just by being patient. Just by being there.

Even with all the doubts still running laps inside Mina's head, she'd agree on one thing: this felt right. Having Chaeyoung's naked body tangled up with hers, in her arms, on her bed, just talking. it felt right.

"I'm sorry," Mina said.

Chaeyoung flinched slightly at the ampunt of guilt in her tone. "Why?"

"We did this backwards," Mina murmured. "I should have taken you out on a date first. Several dates. I'm sorry."

Chaeyoung rolled her eyes and let out a soft sigh. At least she wasn't regretting the sex or the intimacy. That would have stung far more.

"Mina, believe me. I would've pounced on you the first chance I got. It's been torture trying to hold back. Even if you had taken me on a date, I would've dragged you into a storage closet or something halfway through dinner."

Mina blinked. "That's... good to know, I guess?"

Chaeyoung grinned. "Aww, are you shy now? I can't believe the feared Hellhound is a big softie."

"Only for you."

------‐--------------------------------------------------------

The sunlight peeked through the curtains in lazy beams, painting lines across the sheets and their bare bodies.

Eventually, Chaeyoung yawned and stretched like a cat, her arms reaching out before flopping back down with a thud.

"We should get up," Mina said, already missing the warmth as Chaeyoung rolled off her.

"Mmm, five more minutes."

"You said that fifteen minutes ago," Mina teased as she sat up and started reaching for her clothes scattered across the floor. She pulled on her underwear, then one of Chaeyoung's oversized T-shirts.

Chaeyoung watched her, propped up on one elbow.

"You look better in my clothes than I do," she said dreamily.

Mina raised an eyebrow. "That's because you buy the most comfortable shirts known to man. I may not return this one."

"I'd prefer if you didn't." Chaeyoung said.

Mina shook her head, trying not to smile.

By the time they were sitting on the kitchen stools, coffee mugs in hand, the air had shifted into something quieter. Still warm, but heavier now.

"So, what happens now?" Chaeyoung asked.

Mina stared at her coffee.

"Now we go back to work," she said. "Same cases. Same mission. Same target."

"Right," Chaeyoung nodded, her voice softer. That wasn't the answer she was hoping for and she would be lying if she said she didn't feel a bit disappointed.

Mina looked at her. "But not the same Mina."

That made Chaeyoung look up.

"I'm going to try," Mina said, the words foreign in her mouth.

"To let you in. Bit by bit. As much as I can. I can't promise anything, I'm still figuring it out."

Chaeyoung reached across the counter and placed her hand over Mina's.

"That's all I need." And it's true. That was all Chaeyoung was hoping for.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Mina stepped into the precinct that morning with her usual cold aura. Or so she thought.

But it wasn't quite the same. Something in her gait was looser. Something about her face, less hardened.

Of course, Nayeon noticed.

"Well, I'll be a koala's uncle." she said, sauntering over to Mina's desk like a cat who had found a particularly juicy piece of gossip. "Someone looks well-rested for once in her life."

"Monkey's" Mina corrected her not bothering to look up from the file she was pretending to read.

"Where?" Nayeon asks surprised looking for said monkeys.

"It's the Coffee, i brought you one as well." she replied flatly pointing to the steaming paper cup on Nayeon's part of the desk.

"Male cow poop!" Nayeon exclaimed. "You always have coffe with you and you have never not looked like an undead vampire"

Mina said nothing, but the slight tightening of her jaw gave her away.

"Oooh! Something definitely happened. I shall find out sooner or later. You can't hide anything from your best friend Mina." Nayeon says proudly.

"You're not my best friend." Mina says in that same flat tone.

"You're in denial." Nayeon replies.

"Umm... guys?" Tzuyu walks up to the two girls looking confused and scratching the back of her head.

"What's up with Chaeyoung?" She asks.

Both Mina and Nayeon turns to her waiting for her to elaborate.

"I just saw her skip into the precinct humming a song with the biggest grin on her face. It creeped the absolute hell out of me." She says.

Mina sees the dots connect in Nayeon's brain and literal sparks in her eyes as her brain comprehended the situation.

Nayeon slowly turns to Mina with a shit eating grin on her face.

Mina groans.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that afternoon, Jihyo called the squad into her office.

"New case," she said, sliding a folder across the table.

"Downtown. CEO. Assassinated in his penthouse. Silent entry. One clean slice across the throat."

Mina's blood ran cold. Her fingers itched before even touching the folder.

"Security footage?" Mina asked.

Jihyo shook her head. "Disabled. No prints. No signs of a struggle."

Mina opened the folder and her heart sank.

The wound.

The style.

The setting.

It was him.

"The Fate," she whispered.

Everyone froze.

"How sure are you?" Nayeon asked.

"Too sure."

That evening, Mina stood alone in the evidence room, staring at the photo. The blood. The position of the body. The cold, precise cut. The lack of anything else.

And then she noticed it.

A red thread.

Barely visible in the corner of the frame.

That didn't line up with the rest of the cases. There shouldn't be anything but the victim and their severed head.

Was the fate getting careless? Was there actually a struggle and he made a mistake? She had to go see for herself.

Mina knows what the red piece of thread is from.

She had seen that shade of red the night she lost everything. She sees that red almost everynight in her nightmares. It was from his scarf.

Her fingers twitched. Her memories threatened to spill over. But she grounded herself.

Not here.

Not now.

She turned to leave, only to find Chaeyoung standing in the doorway.

"I knew you'd be here," she said softly.

"It's him."

"I figured."

They stood in silence for a long moment before Chaeyoung took a slow step forward.

Her warm hands finding their place within Mina's cold ones. She didn't realise that she was clutching her fists so hard her knuckles had turned white.

She sees Chaeyoung softly run her fingers over the cuts and bruises on her hand.

"You're not alone this time, Mina."

Mina looked at her.

And for the first time since that night eight years ago, she didn't feel like she was.

Mina walks out of the evidence room with her energy replenished and her drive renewed.

There was no room to dwell in the past. Not now when she was the closest to her target that she has ever been in her life.

Mina sees Nayeon sitting at her desk as she walked over to her.

Nayeon was going over the victim's file.

She was trying to see if she could find any links between this person and the two political figures that the fate killed when Mina first arrived in Seoul.

That and hopfully a link of all these victims to the G.U group or the Blood Orchids.

"Anything?" Mina walks up to her and asks.

"Hmm.. no, from the looks of it I don't see how this person is linked to any of the previous victims. He's not a political figure. He's a CEO of a tech company. There are no clues about this person ever being affiliated with any of the parties of interest in this case." Nayeon says.

"Where's the report on the data we stole from the gang? I'm sure whatever the link is, it would be in those files." Mina says.

"Hyo said the IT guys are going over the data, we'll probably have to wait till the end of the day to see whatever's in that" Nayeon says.

"Why would it take the whole day for them to read some files on a hard drive?" Mina responds.

"I don't know, something about the important files being encrypted and they probably have to do some wizard magic to get it open. Y'know, computer geek stuff." Nayeon says waving her hand in dismissal.

"Hyo did explain it to me, but honestly I zoned out after I heard the word 'encrypted'" Nayeon adds.

"That sounds about right." Mina says more to herself than anyone else.

She sits down next to Nayeon and shows her the photograph she was looking at before.

Mina shows her the piece of red thread lodged underneath the armrest of an office chair in the corner of the picture.

"You think it's worth checking out?" Nayeon asks.

"It's the only lead we have right now, the fate doesn't leave evidence like this. Either something else happened in that room or this is another copycat trying to make it look like this is the fates work. I can't be sure unless I go see for myself." Mina says.

"Let's go then." Nayeon says getting up and giving Mina an encouraging smile.

Something about Nayeon not questioning Mina and instantly being ready to go with her made Mina smile in return.

Mina thought she didn't deserve a friend like Nayeon.

Maybe it was the drive she had for revenge or the pure rage and hatred in her heart, that she hadn't stopped to think that this girl infront of her indeed did nearly lose her life two times trying help her.

And if something did happen to Nayeon those two times, it would have been no one else but Mina's fault.

This realisation hit Mina a bit harder that she would have liked.

She found her legs moving forward without her permission.

Nayeon's eyes almost pop out of her sockets when she feels Mina pull her by the waist into a full on hug.

"Thank you." A soft whisper is all that escapes Mina. Mina let's herself be vulnerable just for a moment.

Nayeon's shocked face turns to a soft smile as she wraps her arms around the girl.

"I don't deserve you, or Chaeyoung for that matter. I'm sorry i'm ordering you guys around without any regard for your well being." Mina continues.

"Mina, both Chaeyoung and I joined the cops because we wanted to save lives. We are both aware that sometimes we have to endanger ourselves to save others." Nayeon says as she rubbed Mina's back.

"I trust you Mina, you're a great leader and I'd follow you into battle a thousand times over if it means we're making the world safer for the people that can't protect themselves." Nayeon backs up a little from the hug so she could see Mina's face.

It was the first time Nayeon had seen Mina's face so.. expressive. So filled with emotion. Her eyes were glossy with tears and her lower lip trembles ever so slightly.

Nayeon had forgotten that behind this beast of an exterior, behind the mask of the 'hell hound' was just a normal girl that was forced to grow up too fast.

Nayeon doesnt push. She takes the time to wipe the tears as they slowly fell from Mina's eyes. She waited for Mina to be okay.

"I'm sure Chaeyoung feels the same way. So stop worrying okay?" Nayeon adds again as she wiped the last remnants of sadness off of Mina's face.

After taking a moment to compose herself Mina takes the lead again as the duo takes off to see the crime scene for themselves.

They arrive at the crime scene where the CEO was killed.

It was the main headquarters of their company. Apparently the CEO was working a late night in his office when he was killed.

It was a giant building and the fate managed to go up to the top floor slice the head off the CEO and just leave without even raising an alarm.

As the duo walked up to the reception desk Mina noticed Nayeon started walking a little faster.

She rolled her eyes knowing what was about to happen next.

"Exsqueeze me ma'am" Nayeon says pulling down her sunglasses so the receptionist could see her eyes.

Mina doesn't even know when or where Nayeon got sunglasses from.

"I'm detective Thunderfluff, this is my partner agent meatball. We're here to look at the crime scene on the top floor ya feel me?"

Mina deflates into a sigh behind her when the receptionist looks at her with concern in her eyes.

The receptionist shows them the way and the duo goes up to the CEO's office.

The duo immediately gets into a groove as they both scanned the office from opposite sides.

As Jihyo had briefed them, there was no other clues, no signs of a struggle, nothing else.

Just the piece of red thread stuck in the chair. Mina crouches down next to it as Nayeon comes up behind her.

"It just doesn't make sense." Mina says.

"The thread?" Nayeon asks.

"Yes, I don't understand why it's here. There was no struggle here nothing else seems out of place. Even the CEO's body was sitting at his desk with his head on his lap. There was no signs of his body being moved which most likely means the man was sitting at his desk and he didn't even see it coming." Mina says.

"Maybe he got sloppy and hit the chair on his way out?" Nayeon offers.

"No Nayeon, I have studied this man my whole life. He's anything but sloppy. There's no way." Mina says.

"It's a copycat then? Trying to make it look like the fate did it?" Nayeon asks.

"No that's not possible either. No copycat can infiltrate a building like this undetected and murder a high profile target like this and leave. Not to mention the cut of the man's head. It was clean, precise, done with a blade by a master who knows how to weild it." Mina explains.

"Most of the copycat cases are in dingy motels or in places like the woods. The heads are chopped of with saws or other crude methods. This isn't one of those." Mina adds.

"Okay I got nothing then." Nayeon says throwing her hands up into the air.

That's when mina notices it. The piece of thread seemed to be abnormally long and it went off to the back of the room.

This was way too long to be a stray thread from a scarf.

Mina lifts the thread and follows it to the far end of the room.

The thread was leading to the bookshelf and when Mina felt the thread tighten, she pulled at it a bit harder and a book fell off of the book shelf.

She grabs the book and opens it to see a piece of hard paper folded in half with a little hole in one corner where the thread was looped around and knotted.

Mina unfolded the piece of paper and immediately felt her blood run cold.

The paper depicted a crude drawing of a tiger cub with an arrow pierced through it's side laying in it's own blood.

And below it was a note written in red ink.

"Made you look, kitten."

Chapter Text

A tiger cub...

Why a tiger cub? Mina stared at the piece of paper wondering.

The Fate calls her kitten as a way to mock her. So why wasn't it a kitten?

Then she remembers.

"Morning, tiger,"

She had called Chaeyoung that this morning.

Mina feels a sense of dread fill her entire body.

This couldn't be about Chaeyoung right?

She stares at the paper hoping somehow it would vanish into thin air in between her fingers. Hoping that if she stared at it long enough it would mean something else. She couldn't come to a different conclusion.

But how? She only called Chaeyoung that once and in the comfort of Chaeyoung's home. In her bed.

How the hell did the fate know?

Mina gets back on her feet in a hurry and she zooms past Nayeon towards the door they came in from.

"Nayeon, call Chaeyoung she's in danger. We have to go find her now!" Mina half screams as she spams the elevator buttons.

"Wait what?" Nayeon asks confused but still pulls out her phone at the same time and dials Chaeyoung's number.

Mina hands Nayeon the piece of paper not trusting herself to explain it properly in this point in time.

She was panicking. The elevator somehow felt slower on the way down than it did when they came up.

The duo runs to Nayeon's car and this time Mina gets into the drivers seat.

She rolls down the window and places the magnetic siren light on the top of the car. She blares the siren and drives as fast as she could.

Nayeon was in the passenger seat dialing Chaeyoung over and over with one hand and holding the piece of paper up to her face with the other.

"How sure are you that this is about Chaeyoung?" Nayeon asks.

"Positive, I called her tiger cub when we woke up this morning." Mina says.

"What?? Tf you mean when you woke up?? When Tzuyu said Chaeyoung happily skipped into work today I thought you'd finally grown a pair and asked her out on a date not go to pound town in her apartment." Nayeon says looking like a disappointed mother.

"Nayeon, you can give me the 'if you hurt my baby I'll kill you' speech later. Please." Mina says.

The desperation in Mina's voice immediately sobers Nayeon up. She was right. As much as Nayeon liked to joke in uncomfortable situations, now was not the time.

Nayeon shuts herself up and keeps trying Chaeyoung's number.

"How does the fate know about that nickname if you just gave her the nickname this morning?" Nayeon asks.

"He's watching me Nayeon, he always is. that's how he's always one step ahead of me. I was foolish to think i could hide Chaeyoung from him. I was foolish to think i could have a moment of happiness while he was alive." Mina says.

The car comes to a screeching halt and Nayeon almost smacks her head against the dash board. She sits back and puts on her seat belt this time.

She looked forward to see that they weren't at their destination. They were stuck in traffic.

Mina's grip on the steering wheel tightens. She bites her lip in frustration.

This is exactly what she didn't want to happen.

This is exactly why she never let anyone in.

Why she never let herself care for anyone.

She told herself over and over again that if she cares for someone again they'll just get hurt or worse, killed. Like everyone she's ever cared for.

She warned herself a million times.

She didn't listen to her head and listened to her heart for once in 8 years and look what happened.

The girl she had feelings for was in danger and she was stuck here in traffic.

Useless..

Weak...

"Fuck!" Mina screams as she slams both her hands on the steering wheel.

Tears start streaming down her face like a dam had been broken. It wasn't tears of sadness. It was of frustration.

Mina hated feeling powerless. She hated feeling like she couldn't protect the ones she love. She spent her whole life making sure she was strong enough to do that.

And yet here she was, stuck in traffic feeling as powerless and weak as she did that night when she was laying on the cold floor of her fathers office with her dead parents.

Nayeon who was still trying to dial Chaeyoung gets startled and starts juggling her phone in the air before it hits the top of her head and falls into her lap.

Nayeon rubs her forehead as she finally looks at Mina hoping to calm the frustrated girl down.

Nayeon sees the tears and feels a sting in her own heart.

"Mina, calm down. She was at the precinct when we left I'm sure she'll be safe there. Let's think about this." Nayeon says as she places her hand on Mina's.

For a moment Mina contemplates something and then she takes her seat belt off and opens the car door.

"Please don't tell me you're going to run to the precinct from here." Nayeon says in disbelief.

Mina gets out of the car and bends back down to be at eye level with Nayeon.

"Call the chief, and if she doesn't pick up call the boys or Tzuyu. See if Chaeyoung's there at the precinct. Get there as soon as this place clears up." Mina says and takes off running.

Mina runs a good 15 minutes without taking a single break. Mina prided herself on her stamina and endurance. Normally a run like this wouldn't affect her at all.

So it surprises Mina when she feels out of breath and dizzy after 15 minutes of running.

It takes her a second to realize that she wasn't tired, she was panicking.

She passes by a street vendor and stops there for exactly 10 seconds to buy a bottle of water, hoping that would somehow calm her long enough for her to reach the precinct.

Mina barges into the precinct and she immediately sees Jihyo speedwalking from the direction of the labs with her phone pressed against her ear and a worried look on her face.

Mina assumed it was Nayeon on the other side of the call.

"Chief!" Mina calls her from the other side of the room as she made her way towards Jihyo.

Jihyo throws her car keys at Mina not waiting for her to fully walk up next to her.

"She's not here. Go check her apartment." Jihyo says.

Mina immediately rushes off again.

She was in such a hurry that she didn't realize Jihyo gave her the keys to her personal car. Not one of the cop cars.

Mina goes up to the cop cars not knowing this and then turns around abruptly and runs toward the opposite end of the parking lot cursing at herself for stalling.

Atleast the car was a fast one. Mina thought.

Mina arrived at Chaeyoung's apartment a good 5 minutes later.

On her way there she got a call from Nayeon saying she got to the precinct and to fill her in once Mina gets to the apartment.

Mina speeds up the apartment building flashing her detective badge at anyone who even looked at her weirdly.

She ran up to the door of the apartment. Rang the bell exactly two concesutive times before slamming her foot on the door breaking it open.

She walked in to a sight all too familiar.

Furniture were thrown all over the apartment. It looked like a tornado hit it.

Her cruel mind flashes back to memories of what she saw that night 8 years ago when she came home after a night out with her friends.

As she slowly walked towards Chaeyoung's bedroom.

Her cruel mind make her see blood splatter on the walls where there was none.

Bodies laying on the floor when there were none.

Mina opens Chaeyoung's bedroom door to see her room is a similar shape as the rest of the house.

No Chaeyoung though. And thankfully no blood either.

Mina makes her way towards Chaeyoung's bed where she sees another piece of paper.

She picks it up to read it.

"We have your girlfriend hound. Return everything you took from our servers. And 1 million won in cash. Come alone or the girl dies."

The writing was sloppy and all over the place. As if a 10 year old had written it.

At the bottom of the paper was an address with logo stamped next to it.

Mina recognized the logo as well.

She breathes out a sigh of relief.

At least it wasn't the fate himself.

Atleast it was the Blood Orchids.

These people wanted something from her and they wouldn't harm Chaeyoung unless Mina herself messed something up here.

A part of her was grateful Chaeyoung was in the hands of thugs and not in the arms of a demon.

She didn't have time to waste though. She immediately doubles back and drives back to the precinct to inform Jihyo and Nayeon about the situation.

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The gang was gathered around Mina's table at the precinct.

Jungkook and Taehyung sitting at the far end of the table waiting patiently. Nayeon sitting next to Mina and Jihyo at the center and Tzuyu at the opposite side looking worriedly between everyone as if she was trying to understand how everyone was feeling.

Mina takes the moment to explain to everyone what was going on and she shows Jihyo the note.

"What should we do here Chief?" Nayeon asks Jihyo.

"It's obvious what we should do. I'm taking the hard drive and I'm going to save Chaeyoung." She stops for a moment and looks around the room at everyone. "Alone." She adds.

"No way. This is clearly a trap Mina." Nayeon protests.

"What do you want me to do then? Sit here twiddling my thumbs while they're doing got knows what to her?" Mina replies a bit louder than she had before.

It was mean. Uncalled for. Nayeon had been nothing but understanding and kind towards Mina and she didn't deserve to be shouted at like that.

Mina immediately feels bad. She was expecting Nayeon to get angry and shout at her as well. She obviously cared just as much about Chaeyoung as Mina did albeit in a different way.

Those angry words never came though. Mina looked at Nayeon what stared back at her was a look of concern. Not anger.

"You should all go." Jihyo says.

"What if they find out? The note clearly says if she doesn't come alone Chaeyoung dies. I don't think taking chances in this situation is the right thing to do. I agree with Mina she should go alone." Taehyung says from the other side of the table earning disapproving looks from everyone at the table except Mina.

"Look I've seen the girl fight, she's more skilled than any of us here. She's going to be fine." He's adds.

"What about the drive and the money? It's the only lead we have connecting the G.U group, the Blood Orchids and The Fate together." Tzuyu asks.

To this Mina responds by turning around and picking up a briefcase from the ground next to her feet and placing it on the desk infront of everyone.

She opens the briefcase to reveal it's filled to the brim with cash.

"Holy..." Nayeon whispers under her breath.

"How did you get such a large amount of cash so fast? Did you steal it?" Nayeon asks with her mouth open in wonder.

Mina just gives her a weirded out look before saying.

"When you spend your whole life chasing someone you often forget to spend the money you make. It's been accumulating in my bank account for 8 years now. If they had asked for 10 million instead I would have brought that as well. It doesn't make a difference to me." Mina said and Nayeon's mouth gapes open a little farther.

"Woah! So cool!" Nayeon was practically fangirling at Mina's coolness.

"I understand why Chae's so horny for you now." Nayeon says to which everyone at the table snaps their necks towards her so fast she thought everyone would get whiplash.

This girl just outed Mina and Chaeyoung infront of the whole team and is now currently looking at Mina with those innocent eyes like she didn't do anything.

Mina could feel the heat rushing to her face. Whether it was from anger or embarassment she wasn't sure. She just hopes she's not visibly red right now.

Tzuyu just awkwardly clears her throat and looks away.

"Nayeon, a time and a place." Jihyo keeps her composure like always.

"Sorry Chief." Nayeon says showing the motion of her zipping up her lips.

"The question isn't about the money here. It's the drive. Tzuyu's right. It's the only lead we have. What do you think Chief?" Mina tries to get back to the topic.

"Take it. Chaeyoung is more important. We can find leads in other places. I'm not putting one of my people at risk for the possibility that we might be able to take them down with what we have." Jihyo replies.

To that Mina smiles and nods. She knew Jihyo wouldn't put this case above anyone's life.

Mina hasn't known Jihyo for that long yet but she sees how much she cares for the people around her.

Even though she is authoritative and quite serious most of the time, Mina sees the way Jihyo smiles at Nayeon, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu when they're not looking.

It not a smile of pride over her subordinates. It's a smile of love, something motherly and soft.

Mina's glad her assumptions weren't wrong.

--------------------------------------------------------

As asked Mina arrives alone at the designated location with the money and drive in hand.

It was a different building from the place she rescued Nayeon from. This building looked more worn down than the previous one but it was bigger.

Mina assumed this one belonged to the actual leader of the gang. Yeji's brother.

She had started seeing gang members giving her looks almost two blocks away as her car slowly drove up to the building.

It was clear that what Mina dealt with before was just a small branch of this gang. A bunch of thugs the leader lent to his little sister so she could play mafia boss.

These people were the real deal. The actual Blood Orchids.

Mina walks in through an open garage door with the briefcase in hand.

The place was disguised as a motor shop.

There were half dismantled cars and motorcycles all around the big garage and people actually working on them.

Or atleast acting like they were working on them.

None of then acknowledged Mina walking in there but she could feel gazes on her back as she passed by them.

Mina walked until she was in the middle of the garage and stopped.

"Cut the bullshit, where's your leader. I have the money and the drive." Mina shouts into the room and eventually all the clinking of metal and sounds of engines slowly died down until it was dead silent.

Mina looked at the people around her and everyone looked back at her for a moment and turned their gaze towards a man halfway tucked under an expensive looking vintage car.

Mina assumed he was the one in charge.

She walks up to the pair of feet sticking out from under the car and lightly taps her feet on the man's.

"Are you the leader?" Mina asks.

The guy rolls out from under the car and stands up.

"Negative, I'm his right hand man. I run this shop." The man says.

"I don't care. I was promised an exchange i brought what was asked." Mina says lifting the briefcase in her hand to show him.

"My patience is running thin. Go bring your leader out of whatever hole he's burrowing in or things here are going to start breaking." Mina says.

"Do you think he cares about these? All of these cars combined is less expensive than one of his." The man says pointing to the vehicles in the garage.

"Oh I wasn't talking about the cars." Mina says looking the man dead in the eyes.

The corner of her lips slowly curve into a cocky smile as she sees realisation dawn on the man's face and a bead of sweat running down the side of his face.

"Show me." The man tries to keep his calm demeanor but Mina shows she's intimidated him.

Mina pulls the briefcase up on to her arm and opens it.

The man looks at the cash and nods.

He wipes his oil covered hands on his jeans and takes out his phone from his pocket.

He calls who Mina assumed was his boss.

They waited as the call kept beeping. It went to voicemail two times and Mina started looking around.

Their boss wasn't picking up his phone.

Mina's first thought was that this was a set up. A trap. But the window of opportunity to jump her had passed and nothing happened.

That and the look of confusion on the man's face as he repeatedly dialed the number made Mina think otherwise.

"SNEAK ATTACK!!!" Mina hears a voice all too familiar to her, scream at the top of her lungs.

The man infront of her falls face flat onto the ground and Mina is left staring eye to eye with Nayeon holding a large baton with both hands wearing a bullet proof vest and fully decked out in police gear.

"You do know it's not really gonna be a sneak attack if you scream before it right?" Mina asks.

"Say that to the guy that's twice my size who's unconscious next to our feet right now." Nayeon quips back as she sticks her tongue out at Mina.

And just like that the whole place gets swarmed by police officers all in similar gear to Nayeon as they tackled the people in the garage to the ground and handcuffed them one by one.

Mina saw the boys and tzuyu there as well.

And in the middle of all the chaos was Jihyo commanding everyone as they raided the place.

Sensing Mina's confusion Nayeon explains.

"Hyo called in a favor from Ryujin. She gave us some intel about illegal weapons being stashed here. It gave us a good excuse to raid the place." Nayeon says.

"Go, we got this place under control. Go save your princess." Nayeon says.

Normally Mina would defend herself but right now her mind was too worried to correct Nayeon.

Mina runs deeper into the building kicking in every door and shooting every lock she could find.

She eventually finds a room tucked in the far corner of the second hallway she went past. She didn't see the door before because it was hidden behind a pillar. Mina assumed this was it.

She had looked in every other room in the building already so this has to be it.

Mina kicks in the door as slowly enters with her gun pointed forward.

She clears the entrance first as she walks in further.

The room was dimly lit and it was oddly well furnished compared to the rest of the building.

This has to be it.

Mina walks up to what she assumed was a bedroom and kicked the door open.

The room was darker than the living room she had just walked through.

Only a single night light lit up the room but Mina could see the outline of a person on the bed.

She slowly walked closer.

With every step she took the dark room seemed to come into focus more.

Mina's eyes catches a glimpse of red.

Something red on the covers that made Mina's breath hitch.

The person on the bed was covered in blood. A blanket was placed over the body and the blood had seeped into the blanket so much it stuck to the body like a wet paper towel.

And now all Mina could focus on was the obvious sound of blood dripping on to the hardwood floor from the bed.

In that moment all that was going through Mina's head was..

"Please... please for the love of god don't be Chaeyoung."

Mina was scared. She was already a death machine hell bent on revenge.
Mina was already so far gone she barely felt human.

Chaeyoung is the only thing keeping Mina sane. The only thing keeping her good. If she lost her...

Mina's shaky hands slowly reach for the blood soaked blanket. But once she grabbed it she pulled it off in one motion like ripping a band aid.

Mina felt relief wash over her.

Morbid thing to feel after seeing a dead body sure but atleast it wasn't her.

It wasn't Chaeyoung. It was a man. Mina assumed this was their leader. He was naked from what Mina could see and he had a clean knife wound right where his heart would be.

The wound was so clean it almost looked surgical. The knife was taken out and the wound was just leaking blood all over the bed.

That's when she heard it. The sounds of a sob so soft and quiet she almost that it was in her head.

Mina looked around the room and she saw at the far corner of the room a figure curled into herself she looked like a ball.

The short blonde messy hair gave her away though.

Mina carefully walked closer to the girl as she placed her gun back in her holster.

"Chae?" Mina called softly when she was close enough to see her face.

Chaeyoung lifted her face looked at Mina.

Mina's heart broke at the sight. How devastated Chaeyoung looked. The mixture of blood and tears on her face.

Mina didn't waste a single second pulling the blood soaked girl into a hug.

Chaeyoung fully starts bawling her eyes out as Mina embraces her.

Chaeyoung's shaky hands open slowly and the blood stained knife dropped out of her hands onto the floor.

"I.. I killed him." Chaeyoung heaved through her sobs.

"It's okay. It's not your fault." Mina says as she smoothed down the girls messy hair.

"He... he t-tried to.." Chaeyoung tries her best to talk but she was having trouble breathing.

"I know baby. You're safe now. I'm sorry." Is all Mina could say.

"You're safe now." And "I'm sorry." Is what Mina repeated to Chaeyoung.

She repeated those words like a mantra as she rubbed the girls back.

Mina had thought a few times about being in a similar situation like this.

But she always thought she would be the one convered in blood and riddled with the burden of feeling like a monster and Chaeyoung would be her anchor that grounded her. Not the other way around.

Mina remembers how she felt the first time she look a life.

She just wished she came sooner. She would have killed the man herself. She would have taken the burden.

Mina wouldn't have minded killing a hundred people and shouldering the guilt and pain of it if it meant she could keep Chaeyoung from going through this.

The girl was too pure. Too kind. She didn't deserve this.

Chapter Text

Mina tries her best to nurse Chaeyoung back to health, both mentally and physically.

Chaeyoung had been hit a few times and had cuts and bruises. The mental damage was much more severe.

Mina spends the next few days trying her best to slowly heal her.

Chaeyoung didn't even speak for the first two days. She just existed.

So Mina did what she was best at doing. She provided a quiet comfort. She didn't question the girl. She didn't ask for anything. She just existed alongside the smaller girl while trying her best to care for her.
------------------------------------------------------

Mina gives Chaeyoung a bath.

The first day, when the two of them arrived home after a visit to the hospital Chaeyoung was barely able to keep her eyes open.

Mina just guided Chaeyoung to the bathroom and helped her take a bath.

No words were exchanged, no looks of awkwardness. Just a small, caring smile on Mina's face and wide, curious doe eyes on Chaeyoung's.

Mina would give Chaeyoung a look as if asking for permission and with a soft nod from the smaller girl, Mina would slowly remove the clothes from Chaeyoung.

Clothes dyed red by blood and shredded in places showing Chaeyoung's skin.

Mina guides the girl under the shower and turns it on.

Chaeyoung stands there like a statue as Mina washed all the blood and dirt away from her body.

Mina's clothes get soaked somewhere along the process. Mina assumed that was why Chaeyoung flinched every now and then and looked at Mina with her worried puppy eyes.

Mina didn't care.

Halfway through the process Chaeyoung's feet gives out from under her.

Mina caught her before she fell on to the hard tiled floor.

She lifted her up in a bridal style hold and walked over to the bathtub.

Chaeyoung sat in the bathtub with her knees up to her face as Mina shampooed her hair.

When the small and soft sobs came, Chaeyoung had thought she was quiet enough for the sound of water to drown out her sobs and Mina wouldn't hear her.

Mina did, and each sob, each sharp inhale felt like daggers stabbing Mina's heart.

Mina could feel tears of her own slowly run down her face.
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Mina brushes Chaeyoung's hair

Mina let's Chaeyoung leave the bathroom on her own after drying her off.

She takes the moment to collect the blood soaked clothes from the floor and put it somewhere Chaeyoung won't see them. Atleast long enough for her to dispose of them properly.

Mina walks out through Chaeyoung's room into the living room. She sees the girl's small frame ducked into her wardrobe looking for something to wear.

Mina settles herself on the couch waiting for the girl to finish dressing herself.

Chaeyoung walks out a few minutes later with a hair brush clutched in both hands.

She walks over to Mina and stops infront of her looking at her own feet her brows furrowed like she was frustrated with something.

Mina smiles at the girl and motions her to sit next to her on the couch.

Instead, Chaeyoung settles on the ground in between Mina's legs and rests her back on the couch.

Mina takes the brush and slowly starts brushing the girl's blonde locks.

She's quiet as she works through the knots, like untangling something fragile.

As the knots go away and the brush starts moving through Chaeyoung's hair in smooth motions the girl let's out a soft sigh.

Mina could see from the side that Chaeyoung had her eyes closed.

Her face looked at peace for the first time the entire day.

Mina smiles.

Neither of them speak.
------------------------------------------------------

Mina disinfects Chaeyoung's wounds.

Mina spends a few moments more than needed brushing Chaeyoung's hair.

Her short hair didn't need that much care but seeing Chaeyoung face so at peace made her want to keep doing it.

Mina makes a mental note.

'Chaeyoung likes it when you play with her hair.'

After a while Mina lifts one of her legs over the smaller girl's head to the other side and stands up.

She tells Chaeyoung to get up on the couch and that she'll be right back.

Chaeyoung follows her instructions without words spoken.

Mina goes back in to Chaeyoung's room and comes out with a first aid kit.

She sees Chaeyoung staring at her wounded hands.

A stare so intense Mina thought it would bore holes in the girl's hands.

Chaeyoung's hands were shaking and she had her bottom lip trapped between her teeth.

Mina walks up to her and places the first aid kit next to her on the couch.

Mina's attention goes to the hands Chaeyoung is currently trying to bore holes into.

She kneels in front of her and gently takes them, like trying to remind her they're still hers.

Chaeyoung snaps out of it and looks up at the girl who was now holding her hands.

Mina sees all the emotions swirling in the black pool that was Chaeyoung's eyes.

A mix of good and bad.

Guilt and shame for what she had done.

Gratitude and love for Mina who's here regardless.

Mina who's as soft as a cloud and as stubborn as a mountain.

Mina takes Chaeyoung's hands and lifts them to her lips.

She leaves small kisses on each mark and each bruise. Mina cringes at herself for being so corny but does it anyways.

The soft smile and a faint shade of pink that adorns Chaeyoung's face makes Mina's doubts vanish into thin air.

Mina gives her one more smile before she takes the first aid kit on their side and starts disinfecting the cuts on Chaeyoung's hands and face.

Mina takes her time and makes sure to be as careful as she could.

Like she was handling the most fragile artifact on earth and it could break at any moment.

She sees Chaeyoung flinch every time she puts the disinfectant on the wounds and Mina makes sure to leave a kiss on each one after she's done with them.
------------------------------------------------------

Mina lies  for  Chaeyoung.

After Mina finishes tending to Chaeyoung's wounds Mina takes her now bandaged hand and leads her into her room.

She let's Chaeyoung settle into her bed and pushes the blanket up over the girl's body.

Mina was about to leave so she can sleep on the couch but Chaeyoung's grabs her arm as she pulls away.

The expectant look the smaller girl gives is enough to convey the message. Still no words spoken between the two girls.

Mina was about to get into the bed with Chaeyoung but her phone starts ringing before she could do so.

"I'll be back." Mina says her voice coming out hoarse from the lack of use all day.

She showing Chaeyoung her phone which lit up with the name "dork".

Chaeyoung smiles knowing exactly who it was.

Mina takes the phone and leaves the room to take the call.

She speaks to Nayeon in the living room.

"Hey"

"Yeah I'm at her place."

"No it's okay i had a nap here I'm well rested I can take care of her."

"You focus on yourself okay? You got beaten to a pulp not that long ago too."

"Yes, we're fine."

Mina didn't know the walls were really thin in Chaeyoung apartment.

Chaeyoung who was wrapped in her blankets hears Mina's voice through the walls.

Her voice is calm. Too calm. Chaeyoung listens from the bedroom, hearing the exact moment Mina sells a piece of her own peace for Chaeyoung's.
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Mina reads to Chaeyoung.

Mina comes back in after her call with Nayeon and neither of the girls decide to mention it.

Mina moves over to Chaeyoung's closet and quickly changes into more comfortable clothes.

An oversized t-shirt and shorts similar to what Chaeyoung was wearing. Although the oversized shirts looked more oversized on Chaeyoung than it did on her.

Mina takes something from her bag and slides under the blankets with Chaeyoung.

She rests her back on the headrest of the bed and opens the book that she had taken from her bag.

Chaeyoung moves closer draping an arm over Mina's body and resting her face on Mina's stomach.

Mina starts reading the book as Chaeyoung tries to get rid of any distance between them for comfort.

Mina doesn't know if Chaeyoung is hearing a single word but she keeps reading regardless.
------------------------------------------------------

Mina watches Chaeyoung breathe.

Mina had read to Chaeyoung until the words started to blur for her.

It was a soft, slow chapter. Something gentle, chosen carefully by Mina.

Something without violence, without tension, without blood.

The book now lay discarded on the bedside table, left open to a page neither of them would remember later.

Its weight felt irrelevant compared to the quiet body next to her.

Chaeyoung had fallen asleep somewhere between the paragraphs. Her face was tilted slightly toward Mina, eyes fluttering shut like she was giving herself permission to rest.

Mina hadn't stopped reading right away. She'd kept going, her voice quieter, slower, until she was sure.

Until Chaeyoung's breathing fully evened out.

Now, two hours later, Mina was still awake.

Mina had turned to lay on her side, propped slightly on one elbow so Chaeyoung could fully shove her face into Mina's body and hug her.

Mina's free hand was gently combing through Chaeyoung's hair. Over and over, the same slow rhythm.

Not as an act to comfort Chaeyoung anymore. But more to reassure herself. To feel the life beneath her fingertips.

To reassure herself that Chaeyoung was still here and she was alive. That she hasn't lost her like she thought she would.

Chaeyoung didn't stir. Her lashes were dark against her cheeks, and her lips were slightly parted, breath escaping in soft puffs.

Even while asleep Chaeyoung had a faint crease between her brows.

Mina realised this wasn't something she could help change. It was the kind that doesn't go away when the danger passes, only when enough time does.

Mina's hand paused for a moment, resting lightly on Chaeyoung's head. She watched and waited.

She counted.

One breath. Two. Three.

She closed her eyes for a second, just to give them a break. When she opened them again, she was still here.

More importantly, Chaeyoung was still here. Breathing. Warm. Alive.

Mina leaned in and pressed a silent kiss to her temple. It was more a hover of lips than a kiss. Like a promise not to wake her.

She settled back down beside her, her hand drifting to rest on the curve of Chaeyoung's back.

Sleep wouldn't come, but that was okay.

For now, Mina would stay awake. Just to watch her breathe.

Just to be sure.
-------------------------------------------------------

Mina sings to Chaeyoung.

Another hour passes like this and Mina feels Chaeyoung flinch in her arms. Her body tenses all at once and then a sharp, involuntary jolt.

Then Chaeyoung curls tighter against Mina like she's trying to disappear into her.

Beads of sweat trickle down the side of her face and Mina notices them when they catch the faint light from the hallway.

Chaeyoung was having nightmares.

Mina didn't know what to do.

Mina held her. Whispered. Run her fingers through her hair until her own hand cramped.

But nothing was working. The tremors hadn't stopped. The soft gasps and clenched fists kept coming in waves like Chaeyoung was trapped under something that wouldn't let her go.

Mina felt helpless.

She pressed her forehead gently to Chaeyoung's temple, her voice catching in her throat as she whispered

"It's okay. I'm here. You're safe."

It wasn't enough. Her words felt too small, too human, too late.

So Mina tried something else.

Her voice was quiet at first, uncertain. A hum more than anything. A lullaby she didn't even realize she remembered until the melody rose up from somewhere deeper than memory.

Something her mother used to sing to her. Or maybe it was just something she made up in the dark when she was alone and scared. Mina wasn't sure.

Mina used to sing. A lot. Back when she had a life. Back in the day with Momo and Sana. Back when she had her parents. She hasn't sung a single note since the day she lost them.

Tonight was the first time in 8 years.

Mina didn't care that she was rusty.
She didn't care if it was out of tune. She didn't care if Chaeyoung heard all of it or none of it.

She just kept singing.

Chaeyoung's breathing slowed not all at once, but gradually.

The muscles in her back loosened under Mina's palm. The creases in her brow began to fade, bit by bit.

The nightmare wasn't fully gone. Mina could still feel its weight. But her voice was something to hold on to. A rope thrown down into the dark for Chaeyoung.

Mina's voice cracked near the end, and she didn't bother hiding it.

Her fingers brushed Chaeyoung's cheek, damp with sweat and something more fragile than fear.

Chaeyoung shifted, barely an inch but Mina felt it.

Chaeyoung whispered into Mina's chest, something too faint to catch. But her hand found Mina's in the dark and held it.

That was enough.

So Mina kept singing.

Even when she forgot the words. Even when her voice wavered. Even when her heart ached with everything she couldn't fix.

She sang until Chaeyoung finally, fully slept.

And long after that, she kept humming just in case the nightmares came back.

Just in case Chaeyoung needed reminding who she belonged to.
------------------------------------------------------

Mina cooks for Chaeyoung.

The next morning, Chaeyoung slowly walks out of her room looking like she had barely slept.

To her surprise, the apartment was already filled with the comforting sounds of someone living in it.

The sounds of pots clinking gently. Water running. A soft hum of something tuneless. It wasn't quite a song, just the melody of someone that's at peace with what they were doing.

Chaeyoung blinked trying her best to not be blinded by the light pouring in through the windows.

Her body still felt like it was made of glass. Stiff and delicate, as though if she moved too fast, she might shatter to pieces.

Mina was in the kitchen, moving with a grace and elegance that made Chaeyoung's throat dry up.

Mina was wearing one of Chaeyoung's black tank tops and the black pants Mina usually wears when she goes to work.

Chaeyoung assumed she was half dressed for work and seeing her leather jacket hanging on the coat rack near the door ready to go supported Chaeyoung's assumptions.

The tank top though, it fit her a little too tightly. Mina did have more muscle on her body than Chaeyoung did obviously.

She's been fighting and training all her life, Chaeyoung really shouldn't be surprised.

Chaeyoung tries her best not to stare. She fails miserably.

Mina on the other hand, flipped something in a pan, completely in her element. For a moment Chaeyoung thought she looked.. domestic.

Chaeyoung didn't know what to make of it.

She stepped forward slowly, cautiously, her bare feet making tiny sounds against the wood floor like a stray cat approaching its first human asking for food.

Mina heard the soft footsteps, of course she did. But she didn't turn around. She didn't immediately acknowledge Chaeyoung's presence.

She kept stirring, humming softly under her breath, letting the space stay open and safe. She knew too much attention might scare the girl off.

Still, a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

She could practically feel Chaeyoung's hesitance from across the room, like a nervous heartbeat echoing in the quiet.

Either that or she was feeling Chaeyoung's stare as she was ogling at Mina's back and arms.

Whichever one it was, Mina didn't mind in the slightest.

Chaeyoung's gaze moved from Mina to the table where she saw that a plate was already set.

Eggs. Toast. Fruit cut into tiny, careful pieces. A glass of water and a steaming cup of coffee.

Without looking, Mina said gently,

"If you don't sit down, the toast's going to get cold."

There was a pause. Then the sound of a chair being pulled out slowly, like someone still expecting the floor to fall out beneath them.

Chaeyoung sat down stiffly, arms wrapped around herself, like she wasn't quite sure she was allowed to be here or not.

Mina turned around with the pan in hand and slid a warm omelet onto the plate next to hers.

Chaeyoung looked up at her, eyes tired but soft.

"...You didn't have to." she murmured.

These were the first words Chaeyoung has said since the two girls came back from the hospital.

Her voice barely left her and if Mina didn't have almost superhuman hearing she would have missed it.

"I know," Mina said, wiping her hands on a towel.

"I wanted to."

Silence settled between them. Not a heavy silence this time but a light, comfortable one. Like steam rising from a cup of tea.

Chaeyoung picked up her fork, slowly. Took a bite. Chewed.

When Chaeyoung's brows furrowed Mina held her breath involuntarily.

Was it that bad?

And when Chaeyoung's shoulders relaxed just a little and she turned to Mina with her full puffed cheeks and gave her a hum of approval with a thumbs up, Mina finally let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

Mina makes a mental note.

'Chaeyoung looks angry when she enjoys food.'

--------------------------------------------------------

Mina skips work for Chaeyoung.

After breakfast, Mina collected the empty plates without a word and moved into the kitchen.

Mina glances back over her shoulder and says.

"Chae, go rest. I'll be done in a few minutes."

The sound of water running and plates clinking drifted through the apartment like a soft lullaby.

Chaeyoung moves as told but instead of going back to her room, she settles quietly on the living room couch.

She tucks her legs underneath her and takes the throw pillow on the couch putting it up to her chest and hugging it.

She doesn't say anything nor does she glance at Mina but she stayed close.

She waited.

Eyes fixed on the TV that wasn't even on.

A minute passed. Then two.

Mina reappeared, drying her hands on a towel, her movements quiet and sure. She walked over to the coat rack and reached for her leather jacket, slipping it on with a familiar ease.

She glanced at the couch, saw the back of Chaeyoung's head poking out from the cushions, still not looking at her.

"I'm going to head to work, Chae."Mina said gently.

No reply.

"You should call Dahyun to come over and stay with you. She's been calling and texting nonstop since yesterday. I sent her a quick reply and told her you were resting. But I think she'd want to hear from you."

Still, no answer.

Mina's grip tightens around her bag. She turns away, heading toward the door with a pace that was slow and hesitant, like her body was moving on autopilot, but her heart hadn't caught up with her yet.

She reached for the doorknob.

And then....

Arms wrapped around Mina from behind.

Chaeyoung's arms.

Small and shaky. But firm in a way that made Mina freeze completely.

Mina's breath hitched.

She didn't need to turn around to know what it meant.

She felt Chaeyoung's forehead press gently against her back, right between her shoulder blades.

A quiet plea, a wordless request.

'Please don't go.'

Mina's hand slowly let go of the door.

She turned.

Chaeyoung's eyes were wide and glassy, her lips pressed together like she was trying her best not to cry.

She didn't speak. She just looked at her like Mina was the only thing holding her together in one piece.

Mina dropped her bag to the floor and brought both hands up to cradle Chaeyoung's face, her thumbs brushing along her cheeks.

"You should've said something." Mina whispered, voice barely audible.

"I didn't know how." Chaeyoung whispered back.

Mina smiled softly and pulled her into a full hug this time, wrapping her arms tightly around her like she never wanted to let go.

"Don't worry baby." she said. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Work can wait."

That was something Mina's obsessive workaholic self never thought she'd say in her lifetime.

Mina always thought she would work herself to her grave.

Always thought her only purpose in life now was to be a weapon for the law.

And just like that, work didn't matter anymore.

Only Chaeyoung did.

Mina always thought she'd die for her family, that she'd die for her friends, that she'd die to protect the ones she loved.

But for once in her miserable life.

For once in her eternal suffering.

Mina wished to  live  for Chaeyoung.

Chapter Text

Mina sat cross legged on the couch, sipping from a mug she barely tasted, eyes drifting over to where Chaeyoung layed curled under a blanket.

Mina told her to go back to her room if she wanted to sleep, but the girl decided hugging Mina on Chaeyoung's small couch that barely fit the both of them was a better idea.

The two of them had moved to the couch after Mina decided to skip work for the day and Chaeyoung just drifted off on the couch as she hugged Mina.

Chaeyoung was now asleep, or atleast trying her best to stay asleep. Her brows remained in a furrowed state even in rest and her lips would part in broken and sporadic exhales likes she was drowning and trying to catch her breath.

Chaeyoung looked like she was stuck somewhere between holding on and letting go, like she was stuck in a perpetual tug of war.

Mina just kept softly running her hand through Chaeyoung's blonde hair as she hummed the same tune she did for Chaeyoung the night before.

Mina liked to think Chaeyoung's scrunched up face relaxed just a tiny bit from her efforts. Mina wants to believe she was helping, she wasn't sure if it's her optimism or the truth.

Mina looked at the clock hanging over the front door of Chaeyoung's apartment. Her shift at the precinct would have started thirty minutes ago.

Mina would see her phone screen light up every few minutes on the kitchen counter top like a reminder of reality trying to call her back.

An annoying prodding, keeping her from drifting off to sleep herself or having a moment of peace.

She didn't move.

Atleast for thirty more minutes, but when the screen lit up a fourth time Mina didn't have much of a choice.

She placed the mug down on the small coffee table beside the couch and replaced herself under Chaeyoung with two of the throw pillows from the couch as carefully as she could, trying to not disturb the girl's sleep.

Mina saw the way Chaeyoung groaned in annoyance as she felt Mina's warmth leave her and she couldn't help the wave of adoring she felt.

It was so cute that Mina didn't even realize she was bending over her like a gremlin leaving soft kisses all over the younger girl's face.

Mina corrects herself as soon as realisation hits her and clears her throat in embarassment. Her body just did that on autopilot and she thanked the gods no one was there to see that.

Mina walks over to her phone and picks it up to see a few spam messages from Nayeon and three missed calls. She thumbed through them without opening any, and then turned the phone face down.

She walked back to the couch and sat down gently at the opposite end this time. She gently lifts Chaeyoung's feet and places them on her lap.

"One more day." she whispered to herself. Not out of obligation. Not out of guilt. But because the ache in her chest when she looked at Chaeyoung told her this wasn't over. Not yet.

She pulled the blanket a little higher over Chaeyoung's shoulder and leaned back against the couch slowly moving her hand back and forth over Chaeyoung's thighs, letting her body relax beside hers.

"Just one more day."

----------------------------------------------------

Chaeyoung sat at the dining table stirring her soup with a spoon more than actually eating it, her shoulders slightly hunched.

Mina has cooked more in these two days than she has the whole time since she arrived in Seoul. She even went grocery shopping when Chaeyoung was napping.

She would usually order food and live off it that way but for some reason Mina wanted to cook her own food for Chaeyoung. Even though she knew the takeout food would probably taste better than her cooking.

From the satisfied hums and eyebrow scrunches Chaeyoung did whenever the spoon would occasionally find it's way into her mouth, Mina knew atleast it wasn't bad.

Chaeyoung hasn't said much to Mina since she woke up. But she stayed close atleast. That was progress. She stayed just within reach almost hovering around Mina and if it was anyone else Mina would have definitely found it annoying.

Mina sat across from Chaeyoung with her legs crossed and a cup of coffee in her hand. Mina likes to think this wasn't her second cup of the day and just a continuation of her first cup that she didn't get to finish.

She sat, she waited, she watched.

There had been another twitch. Just a minute ago when Mina turned the stove on to heat the water for her coffee. A small flinch from Chaeyoung that she didn't think Mina noticed. Like a jolt of electricity had run through her spine.

Mina didn't say anything but she had seen it. Just like she'd seen it yesterday. And the night before.

The few nights Mina spent in Chaeyoung's bed Chaeyoung whimpered in her sleep. Breathing uneven as her fists clenched around Mina's shirt as she hugged her. It felt like Chaeyoung was in a constant state of pain when she was asleep.

Mina wondered if this was about something more than what happened with her recently.

Mina understands being traumatised after taking someone's life but that still doesn't explain everything.

Why did Chaeyoung flinch every time she turned the stove on? Why did the stove look like it had been barely used? Everything else in the apartment had signs of being used except the stove that still had it's store shine on it.

The only logical conclusion Mina could reach was that Chaeyoung was afraid of fire. But why?

Mina wondered. How could she not? She wanted to know.

Mina didn't want to push. But the silence between them was starting feel a lot like betrayal.

"Chae?" Mina called her softly.

Chaeyoung's spoon stops causing a whirlpool in her soup. Her eyes flicked up to meet Mina's, the back down to her bowl.

"Hmm?"

Mina inhales. Not too deep. Careful not to startle the girl.

"Can I ask you something?"

Chaeyoung pauses again. A cautious nod.

Mina hesitated. But decided to speak plainly. She needed to know.

"You flinch every time I turn on the stove."

Chaeyoung froze. Her eyes widening in surprise.

"And you've been having nightmares. Bad ones." Mina continues.

Chaeyoung didn't look up. Her fingers tightened around the spoon like it was the only thing anchoring her.

"Chae, I'm not asking because I need to know." Mina added quickly. "I'm asking because I want to understand."

Silence stretched between them for a few seconds. Not a cold silence but full. Like something heavy was trying to find it's way to the surface.

Then finally, Chaeyoung sets the spoon down. A sigh before her voice comes low and hoarse.

"It's not the nightmares that bother me," she said. "It's the memories they come from."

Mina stayed still. Didn't interrupt.

Chaeyoung's fingers caressed the sloppy patchwork Mina had done on the cuts on her hands as she spoke, eyes distant and fixed on something in the distance.

"Remember what i told you about leaving the orphanage I was in when I was 18 and Nayeon and my friends helping me get on my own feet?" Chaeyoung asked cautiously.

Mina nods.

"Well that was a lie. That's a cover up story Nayeon said I could use if someone asks."

Chaeyoung guiltily looks up at Mina seeing if she could see any signs of anger or hurt on Mina's face. There was no such thing. So Chaeyoung continued.

"When I was eight... the orphanage I lived in burned down overnight."

Mina felt something drop inside her chest.

"I was the only one who got out alive."

Mina wanted nothing more than to hug Chaeyoung but she decided against it, afraid that even the smallest shift might close her back up again.

The younger girl kept her gaze fixed on the placemat, her voice was thin but steady.

"It was winter. Cold enough that the air hurt when you breathed in." Chaeyoung swallowed hard.

"We didn't have much, just each other. There were 32 of us, including the caretakers." Her eyes stayed unfocused, like she was staring at something only she could see.

"It started at night. I woke up because of the smoke. At first, I thought... someone had left the stove on in the kitchen. I thought it was just a small thing. But by the time I got to the hallway-" Chaeyoung's breath hitched.

"The whole place was already burning."

Mina felt her hands itch to reach for Chaeyoung's, but she stayed silent, letting Chaeyoung guide the pace.

"The fire spread fast. Too fast. I ran back to my room to try and wake everyone up, but the smoke..." She shook her head and her jaw tightened.

"I remember pulling one of the younger girls towards the door but she-" Chaeyoung's voice cracked and the rest was swallowed by silence.

For a moment, only the sound of the clock hanging on the wall, was what filled the room.

"I don't know how I made it outside." Chaeyoung whispered.

"I don't remember running. I just remember standing barefoot in the snow, watching my home collapse in fire and realizing..." her lips trembled.

"No one else was coming out."

Mina's chest ached. She wanted to say something. Anything. But Chaeyoung wasn't finished.

"They said it was faulty wiring. Just an accident.... I still smell it sometimes. The smoke. The burning wood. The screams." Chaeyoung's hand flexed against the table as if she could still feel the heat.

Her voice grew a lot quieter, almost as if she was saying the next part more to herself.

"I should've died that night. That would have been an ironic way to die. Surviving fire only to die by the cold." Chaeyoung smiles bitterly.

"I would have. If it weren't for him."

"Him?" Mina tilted her head slightly.

"A man found me." Chaeyoung says.

"An eight year old girl, half frozen and half buried in the snow. He wrapped me in his coat and carried me to his home. His name was Haruki Saito." Chaeyoung says.

"A Japanese man?" Mina asks.

"Yes.... He didn't have much either, but he gave me everything he could. Food. Warmth. A place to sleep without fear." A faint smile ghosted on her lips.

"He taught me things, real things. How to think critically. How to live life. How to question everything. He was a pathologist, and when he worked, he would let me watch. I saw him as my father. But he would never let me call him that. Said he didn't deserve it." She stops for a moment. As if she still had no idea why.

"He's the reason why I wanted to be a forensic doctor. I wanted to solve the puzzles people left behind. Find out how people died. Especially when it's unexplained. Unexpected. Undeserved." Chaeyoung's soft smile fades.

"He raised me until I was eighteen. But... when he started asking questions about the fire at my orphanage, when he started looking for answers.... someone didn't like it. He was killed in what the police called a 'robbery gone wrong'" Chaeyoung's gaze hardened for the first time in the conversation.

Mina recognized that look. How could she not? It was the same one she sees every morning in the mirror.

Chaeyoung directs her gaze towards Mina.

"It wasn't a robbery. They silenced him. Just like they silenced everyone else." Chaeyoung says her voice filled with an emotion Mina hasn't ever heard from Chaeyoung. Resent.

"I did some research after I joined the police force and guess who the orphanage belonged to." Chaeyoung said.

"G.U. group." Mina didn't have to guess.

"Yeah."

The last words hung in the air, fragile and heavy at once.

Mina finally understood why Chaeyoung knew so much about them. She had her suspicions when Chaeyoung somehow knew so much about the G.U. group and the Blood Orchids.

But she never would have guessed it would be something like this.

Mina understood why Jihyo put Nayeon as her partner and why she assigned Chaeyoung to their team.

All three of them had something in common. All of their loved ones were either hurt or taken away from them by these people and somehow Jihyo knew about all of it.

Finally, Mina stood and moved to her side, she wraps her arms around the smaller girl's shoulders from behind. Chaeyoung didn't flinch this time. She just closes her eyes.

-----------------------------------------------------

The apartment was once again quiet except for the faint hum coming from the fridge. Mina sat beside Chaeyoung on the couch, still absorbing every detail she had just heard.

Chaeyoung's gaze had drifted towards the floor, her fingers loosely curled on her lap, as if telling the story had drained every bit of energy the girl had left.

Mina reaches over and gently covers Chaeyoung's hand with her own.

"You don't have to tell me more right now." Mina said softly.

"You've been through enough."

Chaeyoung doesn't respond but gives her the smallest nod.

Before Mina's could say anything else, her phone buzzed sharply on the coffee table. She takes the phone to see the caller ID "Dork".

"Sorry, I have to take this." Mina says to Chaeyoung as she reluctantly removes her other hand that was intertwined with Chaeyoung's and moves back into the kitchen.

"What's up?" Mina answers the call.

"Mina." Nayeon's voice came through tight and urgent. Which was uncharacteristic for her even if it was something urgent.

"We finally have a lead. An actual lead. The guys found payment information made to the fate by the G.U. group through the gang, from the files we stole from them." Nayeon says.

"We actually have a name this time. A potential victim." Nayeon continues.

Mina straightened instantly. "Who is it?"

"It's an actor. A moderately famous one. Involved in politics obviously. If the tip's right, they'll be dead before midnight. I'm heading there now, but I need you with me. This might be our only shot at catching him." Nayeon replies.

Mina's eyes flickered back toward the couch, she could see Chaeyoung was now resting her head on the pile of pillows around her.

Mina couldn't tell if the girl had fallen asleep or not. Mina didn't want to leave Chaeyoung like this, not today.

But Nayeon's voice cut her thoughts off, firmer this time.

"Mina, this is the first time we've been ahead of him. If we miss this chance knowing what we know, that actors' blood is on our hands." Nayeon says.

Mina exhaled slowly. Nayeon was right. "...I'll be there."

Mina ended the call with Nayeon and stood in the doorway of the living room, Chaeyoung lifts her head when she notices Mina appear from the kitchen.

From the half lidded eyes Mina could tell that Chaeyoung was falling asleep before Mina decided to so rudely interrupt her.

"I... I have to go in for a bit," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Something came up at work." Mina hesitated as her hand hovered over her leather jacket.

Chaeyoung looked up at her then. This time it wasn't with fear of being left alone, but with something unreadable, something guarded.

"Is it dangerous?" she asked quietly.

Mina forced a small smile.

"Nothing I can't handle." She stepped closer, brushing her fingers lightly over Chaeyoung's shoulder.

"I don't want you here alone, though. Dahyun's been worried sick about you. I'm going to drop you off at her place before I go." Mina said.

"I'm fine here." Chaeyoung replied quickly, almost too quickly.

Mina crouched down so they were at eye level.

"Please, Chae. Just for today. For me."

Chaeyoung's jaw tightened, but after a pause she sighed.

"Okay."

The drive was quiet. Chaeyoung stared out the passenger window, her expression unreadable in the dim afternoon light. Mina kept glancing at her from the corner of her eye, as if trying to memorize every detail of her face before leaving.

When they pulled up to Dahyun's apartment, Chaeyoung lingered in the car a moment longer before finally unbuckling her seatbelt.

"You'll be back soon, right?" she asked Mina, her voice low. Almost as if she felt guilty asking Mina to come back to her.

"Of course," Mina said, hoping the shakiness in her voice was not obvious.

"Just a few hours." She added.

Chaeyoung stepped out, but as she closed the door, her gaze lingered on Mina. A long, lingering look that almost felt like... knowing.

The look that says 'i know you're lying'.

Mina sighs. She was starting to think she was losing her skill of hiding her emotions. That or Chaeyoung just had a super power of seeing right through her.

Mina watched until Dahyun opened the door and welcomed Chaeyoung inside. Then she started the engine, the unease in her stomach tightening once again.

-----------------------------------------------------

The sun was on its way down by the time Mina and Nayeon pulled up to the sprawling hillside estate.

The tall, iron gates opened as their car slowly drove in, as if they had been expecting them.

A security guard in a black suit approached the car, his earpiece glinting in the fading sunlight.

Nayeon leaned over to Mina, murmuring,

"This guy's got half the city eating out of his hand. Famous enough to fill theaters, connected enough to make people dissappear with just a phone call. Just bad news all around."

Mina didn't reply to that, just watched as the guard walked up to the driver side window and knocked on it. Nayeon rolls it down and starts talking to the guy.

Mina had seen this man's face here and there. Mostly in magazines and billboard ads throughout the city. Ryu Minjae. An actor known for his brooding roles and outspoken stances on political issues.

Nayeon did mention there being several rumors about the man being involved in a human trafficking operation and he did get involved in a scandal involving sex workers a few years back.

Mina wasn't paying attention to what the guard and Nayeon was talking about. She only snaps out of her own thoughts when the car starts moving again as Nayeon drove further into the estate.

The guard escorted them up a long driveway to a glass-walled mansion overlooking the city.

Inside, the smell of expensive cologne and something faintly metallic lingered in the air.

Minjae was already there, lounging in a leather chair near a panoramic window, wearing a tailored black suit. His smile was warm, but there was an eerie precision to it, like it was measured down to the millimeter. Like it was practiced infront of a mirror to the point of perfection.

Mina shouldn't be surprised. He was an actor after all.

"Detectives." he greeted, standing to shake their hands.

"I was told you have... questions?"

Mina studied him. The way his eyes didn't quite match his smile. The way his gaze flickered to the two guards stationed by the far wall.

Nayeon stepped forward first.

"Mr. Ryu, my name is-" Nayeon gets cut off mid introduction.

"No need for the pleasantries detective. I doubt we'll be seeing each other again. State your business." The man says waving Nayeon off.

This wipes the smile right off Nayeon's smug face. Her mood immediately souring.

She spent the whole car ride thinking of funny names for her and Mina and this prick just killed her whole vibe.

"Mr. Ryu, we have reason to believe your life may be in danger. We've been tracking a series of incidents that suggest-" Mina tries taking the lead but gets interrupted again, this time by a laugh. Minjae laughed, a rich, dismissive sound.

"Danger? Detective, I'm the safest man in this city. Look around you." He gestured toward the walls of glass, the armed guards stationed discreetly in the corners, the array of cameras visible along the ceiling edges.

"This estate is a fortress. Nobody gets in or out without my permission. I've played assassins on screen. Trust me, I'd see the real thing coming from a mile away." The man said arrogance oozing out of every pore.

Mina narrowed her eyes.

"You might be underestimating what you're up against."

"I never underestimate anyone," Minjae said smoothly, leaning back.

"But I don't accept protection I don't need either. My life is mine to protect."

There was a pause. A long enough one for Mina to register the faint shift in his gaze, the calculation behind his relaxed posture.

"Still..." Minjae's voice lowered slightly, almost conversational.

"I hear you've been digging into matters that don't concern you. Fires. Ownership records. People I do business with."

Mina's jaw tightened. Fires?

Minjae's smile didn't falter, but his tone sharpened just enough to cut through the air.

"Do yourselves a favor, Detectives. Stop looking. Some stories aren't meant to be told. And some endings aren't written by the good guys." The words hung between them like smoke.

After that the duo was promptly escorted off the property.

They turn back looked at the now closed metal gates.

Nayeon muttered, "He's hiding something."

Mina looks at the long winding road that stretched its way down the hill. Her gaze turns back to the mansion.

"Yeah no shit Nayeon. He just threatened us."

Night had fallen and the whole place was surrounded by darkness. Air thick with the smell of rain and trimmed hedges. The arrogant actor's smug voice still rang in their ears "Safest man in this city."

They were halway back to the car when Mina noticed something in the corner of her eye. She froze. Her gaze caught movement near the far end of the estate.

"Nayeon. Look." She muttered.

They saw a lone figure scaling the tall walls with effortless precision. The way this person moved was all Mina needed to see to know who it was.

The Fate was here to collect the head of the 'safest man in this city'.

The streetlights bounced off something metal from the figure as he made his way over the tall wall and jumped over to the roof of the mansion. Landing so softly it almost looked like the man was weightless.

"Come on, let's follow him." Mina said as she grabbed her gun through the rolled down window of the car and ran along the wall towards the way the man climbed.

"What?? Mina, don't be a rabid porcupine. we're cops. If they see us sneaking inside a famous man's mansion right after we got kicked out we might as well just kiss our jobs goodbye." Nayeon whisper yells as she follows the girl.

"You can stay out here if you want. I'm not letting him get away from me again." Mina says as she starts climbing the wall.

Nayeon closes her eyes and slams her hands together like she was praying.

"Oh goddess of beauty, please watch over your greatest creation and protect me from bad fashion choices and losing my job. Please and thank you." After a quick prayer Nayeon leaps on to the wall as well following closely behind Mina.

The two of them manage not jump on to the roof the fate was on albeit not with as much grace as he did but they managed to do it without being seen by the guards.

Mina looked back to see the guard on the closest tower playing games on his phone his arms wrapped around an AK47 holding it like it was a baby.

"Safest man in the city my ass." Nayeon whispers behind her.

The duo sees the fate making his way in deeper but instead of going towards the place Mina knew Minjae was in. The figure went deeper into the property towards a different building. A smaller one that was barely lit.

"That's not guarded." Nayeon said, narrowing her eyes.

"What even is that?"

"Storage, maybe." Mina replied.

"But if he's here, it's not random. Let's stay close."

They exchanged a glance. No hesitation. They were moving.

Slipping back through the shadows, they kept low, dodging the sweep of security cameras and patrol lights.

The main house loomed behind them, the hum of laughter and music from inside was now muffled by distance.

The storage building stood in near-total darkness, paint peeling, a single rusted lock hanging from the side door.

Inside, the air was cold and stale. Rows of crates and covered equipment filled the cramped space. Their footsteps echoed faintly as they advanced deeper into the room, scanning every shadow.

Then...

A faint click behind them.

Mina spun around just in time to see a black-clad figure launch forward. The Fate's blade flashed in the dark, missing her by inches as she ducked.

Nayeon drew her weapon, but he was already moving, striking low and fast.

"Move!" Mina barked, shoving Nayeon aside as another slash came for them.

The fight erupted instantly. Two against one, the dim light making every motion a blur. The Fate's movements were precise, almost surgical, each strike forcing them to react rather than attack.

Mina's kick barely missed his ribs. Nayeon managed to land a glancing blow with her baton, but he twisted away like smoke.

Breathing hard, Mina's eyes locked on his mask. He didn't speak. He didn't need to.

He knew the moment Mina's eyes caught him that he was being watched. Of course he did. He led them inside this place so he could deal with them. Mina was prepared for this.

It's time to end this.

Mina and Nayeon both moved immediately with a practiced precision as they launched their attacks.

Neither of them could use their guns in here. There was an army of armed guards outside and unless they wanted this to go from a two versus one to a two versus a hundred and one they needed to keep it quiet.

So Mina went with good old reliable fists and Nayeon with her baton.

The Fate once again in an act of twisted honor, sheathes his katana and retaliates with his hands as well.

It was his way of mocking Mina. She knew that.

Nayeon runs up behind the man as Mina and him were exchanging blows. She swings the baton as hard as she could at the man's head.

She lands her hit and Mina sees the man actually stumble. Taking advantage of the moment Mina lands a hard punch to the gut and another to the mask.

She hit the mask as hard as she could but it wasn't enough to break it.

She tried to go for another but The Fate dodges this one and lands a left hook on Mina's ribs making her reel backwards.

Tha Fate lifts his arm behind him without even looking and grabs Nayeon by the throat and throws her over his shoulder at Mina. Causing them both to fall over.

When the duo regained their posture the man was no where to he seen.

Just the single light hanging off the ceiling lighting up not even one thirds of the room.

The next move came so fast Mina barely had time to react she hears a loud thud and Nayeon falling on the ground unconscious.

Mina tries to land a hit but the man roundhouse kicks Mina away.

She sees what the man hit Nayeon with. Nayeon's baton was in the man's hand the back side of it red with blood.

He throws the weapon away and lifts his hands. Still no words spoken. No mockery other than his actions.

It was a one on one now.

Mina moves in exchanging blow after blow and the two bodies moved through the dark building.

Punches and kicks landed so forcefully the ground itself shook under their impact.

Mina feels the adrenaline rush through her body as her brain flashes back to that night 8 years ago.

This time it was different though. She wasn't the weak helpless girl she once was. She was stronger. Better. Ruthless.

And then Mina notices it. The same thing she noticed 8 years ago. The same weakness.

A weakness in the man's right arm. She noticed how the right hooks were weaker than the left ones. Just like it was when they fought that night.

She wasn't going to let it go unexploited this time.

With a newfound drive Mina unloads a barrage of attacks all focused on the right side of the man.

Pushing him further and further back and she threw kick after kick. Punch after punch.

Mina sees the Fate stumble on something and trip backwards against the wall and this gave Mina the perfect moment to end this.

A powerful gut punch making the man buckle and a roundhouse kick to the face.

The Fate's head snaps to the side and bobbles from the sheer force. His limbs go limp as he stumbles back to the wall and slides down to the ground.

This was it. Mina had won. Mina had finally beat the demon she had been chasing all her life.

Mina's breath came in ragged bursts, her fists still clenched, every muscle in her body thrumming from the fight. The Fate was motionless against the wall, head bowed, mask catching the dim light.

This was it. Years of nightmares, of chasing shadows, of waking up in cold sweats. All of it had led her here.

Her hands trembled as she stepped forward.

She crouched down, heart pounding in her ears, and reached for the mask. Her fingers brushed the cold edge of it before curling around the sides. Slowly, she pulled it free.

And the world stopped.

Underneath the mask was a face she knew better than her own reflection. A face she had memorized in moments of quiet, in shared coffees and lingering glances.

Chaeyoung.

Mina felt her world shatter, her breath caught in her lungs like she'd been stabbed. Her knees felt weak. The air was suddenly too heavy to breathe.

"No..." the word slipped from her lips, barely a whisper.

"No... no, it's not-"

But it was. The girl she had learned to love, the one who had laughed at her sorry attempts at jokes and walked beside her through storms.

A face she had finally opned up to after 8 years of closing herself off and denying herself happiness. It was staring back at her with closed eyes and bruises blooming along her jaw.

Mina thought fate was cruel to her from the life she had to live. She thought the suffering placed upon her was the worst it could be. She was wrong.

Her shaking hands reached for the gun at her side. Her vision blurred with the heat of tears streaming down her face, her chest twisting in on itself as she gasped in cries.

'She has to die.'

That thought looped in her mind like a broken record. Like a curse sending an unfathomable amount of pain to every limb and every nerve of her body.

It was the only way to stop her, to stop the blood, to end the nightmare. Mina's grip tightened on the gun, her finger hovering just over the trigger.

Her breath shuddered.

Sobs she had been trying to hold back escapes her lips.

'Do it.'

'Do it.'

'Pull the trigger.'

'For your parents.'

'Kill her!'

But before she could, Chaeyoung's eyes snapped wide open.

A sudden sweep of her leg knocked Mina's feet out from under her, and she hit the ground hard, the impact rattling her spine. The gun clattered across the floor, spinning away towards Chaeyoung.

Chaeyoung kicked it farther into the shadows before rising to her feet in one fluid motion.

Mina scrambled up, body tense, ready to exploit the weakness in that right arm again.

She screamed as she lunged at Chaeyoung.

A barrage of kicks and punches ensued again and Mina knew what to do now. Exploit the weakness.

She kept focusing all her attacks on Chaeyoung's right side but...

It wasn't there. The weakness was once again no where to be seen.

Chaeyoung's right hooks landed with bone-breaking force, each one driving Mina back, shaking her to her core.

She was faster now, sharper, like the weakness had never existed. Mina's counters fell apart under the onslaught.

A crushing blow to her ribs made her double over, and before she could recover, Chaeyoung's knee slammed into her jaw. Mina crumpled to the floor, dazed, the room spinning around her.

Through the haze, she saw it...

Chaeyoung's face. Her smile.

It wasn't hers.

It didn't belong to the girl Mina knew.

It was psychotic, curved further up her cheeks that it should. it looked distorted, demonic, unnatural. like a mask over a face she thought she understood.

Chaeyoung crouched down next to her, her hands dripping with Mina's blood, her voice a low, venomous purr.

"Hi, kitten."

Chapter Text

"Hi, kitten." Chaeyoung says her voice dripping with the same mocking tone that Mina had heard multiple times through the distorted voice filter.

"Y'know, i had the perfect little plan." She slowly walked closer to Mina who layed on the cold concrete floor of the storage building.

"I set up the perfect decoy. Killed that CEO, made you go there and i went all the way back to let myself get kidnapped by those idiots." But now it was coming from the sweet honey like voice that Mina had come to love.

"I basically gave them a hostage situation on a silver platter. All those idiots had to do was make the exchnage and get that stupid hard drive back but noooo~" She hated hearing Chaeyoung's voice like this.

"Their so called leader was thinking with his penis and not his head. Ugh. Bastard brought me to his room the moment he saw a pretty girl." Chaeyoung said as she stopped next to Mina.

All Mina wished at that moment was to wake up in cold sweat and realise that this was all just a bad dream. But she didn't need to pinch herself. Her whole body was already aching and she wasn't waking up.

"And there was no way in hell i was letting that piece of trash touch me like that." Chaeyoung said as she sat down next to Mina with her legs crossed.

Mina tries to push herself off the ground and stand up.

Chaeyoung places the back end of her sheathed katana on Mina's back and pushes her back down.

Chaeyoung takes Mina's hand in hers and rubs her thumb along the back of her hand.

"These hands though, i wouldn't mind letting these touch me like that again." Chaeyoung said and Mina could hear the mockery and teasing in her tone.

"I'll fucking kill you, bitch." Mina heaves out as she tries pushing herself off the ground again.

"Someone's got a potty mouth. Well lucky for you, I like my woman a little fiesty and murderous." Chaeyoung says.

Chaeyoung sees Mina's hand reach lower towards her own leg. Chaeyoung knew that's where Mina spare knife would be.

She smacks Mina's hand with her sheathed katana.

"Don't." Chaeyoung murmured, tilting her head. Her voice came low and authoritative.

"You played me." Mina's stomach twisted, heat and fury warring in her veins.

"Oh, I did. But that's not the part you're choking on right now, is it?" She crouched lower so they were eye level, her voice dipping to a near whisper.

"It's that for all your instincts, all your training... you still didn't see me coming."

For just a heartbeat, Mina's mind betrayed her.

She saw Chaeyoung the way she used to. in the lab's warm light, smiling over coffee, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear.

That flicker of softness cut through Mina's anger like a blade, and she hated herself for feeling it.

Her jaw tightened, forcing the image away from her mind.

"You felt it," Chaeyoung continued, eyes locking with hers. Noticing that moment of softness she saw in Mina's eyes.

"And so did I. Every little touch. Every breath we shared. I liked it... Mina. I liked you." Chaeyoung's gaze dipped briefly to Mina's lips, then back to her eyes with a smirk that felt like a confession and a threat all at once.

Mina's heart pounded so loud she could barely hear herself think.

Chaeyoung's cocky smile widened at the reaction, as if she could read every flicker of conflict that went across Mina's face.

"You really did fall for it... the helpless little girl who needed your protection. You were so sure you were saving me. How sweet."

Before Mina could answer, Chaeyoung props the back end of her katana against Mina's shoulder and flips her over to her back.

In one swift motion Chaeyoung straddles Mina her legs on either side locking her in place, her arm pressed horizontally across Mina's chest keeping her firmly pressed against the ground, their faces mere inches apart. Chaeyoung was so close Mina could feel her breath on her face.

Chaeyoung moves her head to the side of Mina's near her ear. A breath ghosting on the shell of Mina's ear making shivers run down her neck.

"You can pretend all you want... you're mine, detective. And all that rage and hate burning in your eyes for me..." She smiles sadistically and whispers. "it just turns me on more."

The sharp click of a knife locking into place broke the trance. Mina's eyes darted down but Chaeyoung only twirled it lazily in her free hand between her fingers before sliding it back into its sheath on her waist.

It was a statement. Chaeyoung was saying it was easy. She could kill Mina right here and not bat an eye. She was showing Mina that her life was in Chaeyoung's hands and if she gets out of this place alive tonight it will be only because Chaeyoung let's her.

Chaeyoung moves her head back up, their bodies still flush against each other, the only distance between them being the samll amount between their faces.

her hand comes up sliding a stray strand of hair behind Mina's ears. She turned her head to the side casting a glance at the unconscious Nayeon.

"You should wake her up before the guards get here. I'd hate for her to see me on top of you like this she might get the wrong idea." Chaeyoung says in her teasing tone.

Mina's jaw clenched.

Chaeyoung pushes herself off Mina and gets back on her feet with one swift motion. She slides the top of her foot under her katana that was on the ground and throws it up into her hand and expertly attaches it to her back.

She walks away into the dark but her voice floats back like smoke.

"We'll talk again soon, Mina. Don't miss me too much."

Mina pulls all her remaining strength to her legs and picks herself off the ground. Her breaths came ragged, the copper taste of adrenaline still on her tongue.

She dropped to one knee beside Nayeon, whose limp body was sprawled across the cold floor. A quick check, pulse steady, breathing fine, but unconscious. Relief fought against the tight knot in her chest.

Chaeyoung's footsteps had long faded into the dark but her voice lingered in Mina's mind.

Smooth, deliberate and laced with a cruelty Mina never heard before. It coiled in her mind, replaying again and again until she could almost feel Chaeyoung's breath against her ear again.

Mina's chest tightened and for a heartbeat she forgot where she was.

Then Nayeon's limp weight shifted in her arms, pulling her back to reality. She was still out cold. Still vulnerable. Still depending on Mina.

Mina's grip tightened instinctively, dragging her partner toward the perimeter.

Somewhere deeper in the estate, angry voices erupted. Sharp, clipped orders followed by the heavy pounding of boots.

Guards.

They were closing in.

Mina's pulse kicked hard against her chest. She forced her body into motion, boots crunching over the gravel. Every sound felt too loud, like it just might draw every gun in the building right to them.

Chaeyoung's face kept flashing in her mind. Those calm, knowing, cat like eyes, the faint curl of her lips, as if mocking Mina for ever thinking she was someone worth protecting.

She spotted the cold stone wall ahead, looming in the dim light. Pressing Nayeon against it for just a second, she scanned the shadows. No movement. But the boots were louder now, the voices getting closer, maybe only seconds away.

Then she saw it.

A narrow gap in the hedge near the far corner. No time to think. She hooked her arm under Nayeon's and hauled her through, ignoring the sting of branches raking her skin and the rough texture of concrete rubbing against her arms from the other side.

On the other side, the air was cooler, quieter but Mina didn't slow down. Each step was fueled by the sick weight in her gut, the heat of her own ragged breathing.

Only when the estate was a distant shape a single dot of light in the distance swallowed by the night did she stop.

Her arms were trembling from the effort, her lungs burning, but none of that compared to the hollow ache settling in her chest.

The image of Chaeyoung walking away without a shred of hesitation burned behind her eyes, more vivid than the path that was in front of her.

And Mina knew that no matter how far she ran tonight that voice would still haunt her.

She turns her gaze to the woman in her arms who now looked almost peaceful.

She took the sleeve of her shirt and rubbed the dirt and blood off Nayeon's face.

"Let's get you home."

-------------------------------------------------------

Mina's mind races as she goes through her morning routine like a programmed robot.

Everything made sense to now. How the fate was always two steps ahead of them. She was working in their labs. Working with them on. She saw every clue, every lead. Of course they never managed to catch her.

Mina doesn't even flinch when a few droplets of boiling water drops to her hand as she brews her coffee.

Chaeyoung was three years younger than her. Which would mean she would have been only 17 when she murdered both Mina's parents and beat her an inch away from death and left her there.

What reason could a 17 year of possibly have to do something like that?

Unless, it wasn't her back then...

'No! No mina, don't let your feelings blind you.'

Mina reprimanded herself for trying to give Chaeyoung an excuse.

She felt the weakness in her right arm during that fight 8 years ago, and she felt the same thing last night.

The way they fought was identical. The strength of each punch felt bitter yet familiar.

It was Chaeyoung. There's no doubt about it.

The morning light seeped weakly through the blinds in the precinct as Mina slowly walked through the hallways giving half hearted nods to people as they greeted her.

Mina half expected Chaeyoung to have up and left. Disappearing without a trace. Leaving nothing behind but questions.

A part of her wanted that to be the case. So when one Tzuyu casually walked over to her and told her Chaeyoung needed her help in the evidence room, Mina felt the sense of dread return in her stomach.

Amidst her confliction and second guessing her feet had already moved on its own and brought her to the evidence room.

A giant door stares back at her and Mina had this weird feeling that even inanimate objects were somehow mocking her for falling in love with the enemy.

But the moment she stepped into the evidence room, the heavy door shut with a definitive thud behinds her and that definitely did sound like it was mocking her.

Mina flinches and turns around.

There she stood. Chaeyoung. The smile on her lips was sweet, but her eyes held a dangerous glint. Cold, sharp, and amused.

Before Mina could say a word she gets pushed back against the shelves, a cold hand wraps around her neck and something colder presses against the side of her abdomen from under her shirt.

The sound of a click was all mina needed to deduce what it was. The cold metal barrel pressed into her abdomen. The gun was light, but its threat was undeniable.

Everything Chaeyoung did had this flirtatious undertone to it.

The way she bit her own lip in arousal when she felt her fingers wrap around Mina's neck.

The way Chaeyoung's legs would almost trap the girl in place the moment their bodies press together.

The way she put the gun under her shirt so the metal could touch her skin directly.

And that stupid fucking smile. That cocky smile Mina wanted to kiss and empty a whole mag of bullets into all at once.

“Listen kitten, Don’t even think about telling Nayeon unnie.” Chaeyoung’s voice was low, playful like a tiger toying with its prey.

“Or anyone else for that matter. I'm not saying this for my own sake. I'm saying this to save you from the embarassment." Chaeyoung says.

"Because absolutely no one in this precinct would believe you anyway. They adore me. There's no way their sweet Chaeyoungie could do something so horrible right?" She says.

She traced a finger lightly along Mina’s arm, the contact electric and infuriating.

“You know, Nayeon thinks of me as the little sister she never had. She trusts me. She loves me, like family.” Chaeyoung’s gaze flicked to Mina’s face, her smirk growing wider.

“It’d break her heart to hear you spouting lies about her ‘baby sister.’”

Mina swallowed hard, fists clenched tight. Her instinct screamed to fight, but another part, the part that saw how much Nayeon cared, kept her silent.

Chaeyoung leaned closer, her breath warm near Mina’s ear.

“Besides…” she purred, voice dripping with mockery and something darker.

“I liked how you used to look at me. Like I was helpless, like I needed you. How sweet that was. But I was playing you, kitten. And now?” She dragged her finger teasingly down Mina’s arm again. “You’re trapped.”

She pulled back, lowering the gun slowly with a lazy flick of her wrist, as if it were a toy she was bored with.

The door creaked open and distant footsteps echoed down the hall.

Chaeyoung’s bright, bubbly mask slipped seamlessly back on. The perfect little sister Nayeon adored.

Mina stood frozen, heart pounding, skin tingling where Chaeyoung’s touch still lingered.

She was dangerously, intoxicatingly caught in her enemy’s web and she hated every second of it.

Mina stepped out of the evidence room, her breath still uneven. The faint hum of the precinct felt distant, muffled — like she was underwater. Every nerve in her body still buzzed from the confrontation. She walked absentmindedly down the hallway towards her and Nayeon's table.

She stops halfway there as she sees two people talking near the entrance of the labs.

There she was. Chaeyoung, chatting cheerfully with Nayeon as if nothing had happened.

Nayeon smiled, reaching to straighten Chaeyoung’s coat collar.

“Are you sure you're okay? You looked so shaken a few days ago. Will you be fine with y'know. All the dead bodies and stuff. I can talk to Hyo and get you a longer leave.” Her tone was pure, concerned. The kind reserved for someone you’d die to protect.

"It's just... i always had to deal with cold, dead bodies y'know. And i always knew i was doing the right thing and it helped get them justice. It just felt different actually seeing the process happen. Actually seeing someone die. It effected me." Chaeyoung said her voice filled with emotion. Mina was in awe.

“I’m fine, unnie. I promise.” Chaeyoung tilted her head with an innocent pout. Her voice was soft, sweet. Perfect.

Mina’s jaw tightened. She could see it now. Everything that she missed before because she had those stupid rose tinted love glasses over her eyes.

Every calculated inflection, every doe-eyed blink, every carefully placed smile. And yet Nayeon, the person Mina trusted most, couldn’t see the venom hiding beneath.

Chaeyoung caught Mina’s stare over Nayeon’s shoulder. And for the briefest second, the mask slipped. The sweet smile sharpening, twisting into a silent taunt only Mina could read.

Then, just as quickly, it was gone. She saw how Nayeon still worriedly and reluctantly nodded before pulling the shorter girl into a hug.

Mina’s fists clenched. She wanted to shout, to drag Nayeon away, to tell her everything but Chaeyoung’s whispered threat from earlier still rang in her ears.

'No one would believe you.'

------------------------------------------------------

The precinct’s conference room smelled faintly of stale coffee and printer ink. Files were stacked haphazardly on the table, the weight of last night’s news pressing down on everyone in the room.

Jihyo stood at the head of the table, arms crossed, eyes scanning each member of the team.

“Ryu Minjae was found dead in his mansion this morning.” she began, her voice steady and sharp. No strain felt on it but it boomed through the whole room regardless.

“Head severed. Placed in his lap. The usual." A low murmur rippled through the room. Mina didn’t react outwardly, but inside, her stomach churned. She didn’t need to glance at Chaeyoung to know she was watching her.

Jihyo’s gaze swept over them again.

“I know this is a setback. I know some of you were counting on him for leads, maybe even for answers.” She paused, letting the silence stretch before snapping it clean.

“But we don’t get the luxury of grief. Wipe the long faces off and get back to work. The world isn’t going to slow down for us. The fate certainly won't.” Her attention landed on Mina and Nayeon.

“You two. Keep going. Don’t let this drag you under okay?" Jihyo gives them an encouraging smile.

From the corner of her eye, Mina saw Chaeyoung lean back in her chair, the ghost of a smirk playing at her lips. She looked every bit the dutiful teammate to anyone else, but Mina could read the truth in that expression.

It was pride.

Jihyo slapped a file onto the table infront of Mina and Nayeon as the other officers and detectives started to pile out of the conference room. This jolts Mina back to reality.

“New case. This one’s yours. Go and get your groove back.” Jihyo says.

Nayeon thinks solving another murder case as a therapeutic mechanism is fucked up in more ways than one.

Normal people would... y'know, get drunk. Punch a pillow or two. Scream maybe?

But when Mina takes the file and gives Jihyo a determined nod, Nayeon pushes her doubts to the back of her mind.

When they saw each other on the way to the meeting, Mina looked so distraught that Nayeon didn't bother asking what happened last night. She just asked if Mina was okay and Mina returned her a weak smile and a quick hug.

She assumed they lost and Mina brought her back.

Mina stood up with the file in hand, she gave a quick bow to Jihyo before joining the crowd of people trying to squeeze through a very normal sized door frame like their life depended on it.

Nayeon follows a little farther away as she gossiped about something with Jihyo. It was more like Nayeon animatedly describing something with her hands flying everywhere almost smacking the other people around them and Jihyo nodding to her every once in a while with a soft smile on her face.

As Mina got into the crowd of people with the file hanging loosely in her right hand, she felt something rub against her from behind.

She ignored it at first but when that something wrapped around her ass cheek and gave it a squeeze Mina almost instinctively swung her fist around at whoever was behind her.

But she felt frozen in place. She looked down to see a hand holding her wrist in place. A grip so unbelievably strong that Mina couldn't move her hand an inch to the side.

She looked up at the owner of said hand to see that smug smirk, blonde curly locks and a thin predator like eyes staring back at her.

"Careful kitten, if you stare so hard with the whole precinct here. People might think we're dating. You know how frowned upon workplace relationships are, don't you?" Chaeyoung whispered low enough for only Mina to hear.

She didn’t wait for a response. The hand that grabbed Mina’s ass, slides up to her waist, slides under Mina's shirt, her fingernails digging in to Mina’s abs hard enough to leave marks as she rakes them away.

And just like that she was gone. The only thing left was the sting Mina felt on her abdomen.

It made Mina feel violated, like she had just been marked as someone's territory without her consent.

It made Mina feel disgusted being in her own skin. Not necessarily because of the marks that were currently reddening on her stomach but because of her stupid heart that won't stop thrashing around in her ribcage.

She gets pulled away from her self loathing when she feels a soft hand slide into hers and lock into place.

Dragging Mina along out of the conference room and towards their desks. It was Nayeon of course. With a smug, shit-eating grin of her own.

"What?" Mina deadpans.

"Do you know why people call me a 'people person'"? Nayeon asks.

"Because you are good with people?" Mina asks confused as to where this conversation is going.

"Bingo, it's because I notice things other people don't. So don't even bother lying to me. I saw the cubs arm wrap around your waist just now and she whispered something to you. You're fucking aren't you?" Nayeon accuses, her voice so uncomfortably loud that it made Mina cringe and put her hand on Nayeon's mouth.

"Hush! Are you asking me something or declaring it to the world?" Mina whisper yells.

"Smf amm ymm bnsgs" Nayeon muffles put through Mina's hand.

"Yes, okay? We did. One time." Mina answers.

"So you're dating??" Nayeon asks, her excitement apparent in her tone.

Mina didn't know how to answer this.

She can't just tell her 'i found out that she was the notorious killer i was chasing for 8 years, after I had sex with her.'.

"It's complicated." Mina settles with that.

Nayeon gives her an understanding nod.

"I see, well I won't question you further if you're not ready to talk about it. But remember that your bestie is here for you if you need anything at all, okay?" Nayeon says.

"Okay." Mina softly responds.

Nayeon immediately starts jumping in place like a bunny rabbit on drugs. Mina groans.

"What now?" She asks.

"You didn’t correct me this time! You're actually seeing me as your bestie now im so happy!!" Nayeon gushes.

"I think you got hit in the head a little too hard last night. You should go get that checked." Mina says in her signature nonchalant tone as she walks past Nayeon but the small ghost of a smile on her lips makes Nayeon's bunny smile even wider.

She skips alongside Mina happily.

When they reach their table Nayeon's bubbly mood gets taken over by a serious one for a second.

"Mina?"

"Yeah?"

"Has she told you? About her past?" Nayeon asks reluctantly.

"Yes, she did." But Mina isn't sure if she believes anything Chaeyoung had told her in the past now.

"Then you know what she's been through right?"

'More than you know'

"Please don't hurt her okay?"

'Oh I'll make sure she goes through every bit of pain i did for the past 8 years and more.'

"She's been mostly alone since that happened."

'I've been alone too. And it's her fault.'

"She deserves a bit of happiness."

'She deserves hell.'

Mina is practically screaming in her head but outwardly she's as calm as she always is.

Nayeon takes both of Mina hands in hers as she locks eyes with her.

"You do too."

'Maybe i do.'

Nayeon was talking about happiness.

Mina wasn't.

Chapter Text

Nayeon drove, tapping the steering wheel in rhythm with the radio, bouncing along to a bubbly pop song like she wasn't on her way to see a brutally murdered dead body.

While Mina sat stiff in the passenger seat looking out the window at the buildings that whizzed past them in a blur.

Chaeyoung lounged in the back, one leg crossed over the other, watching Mina through the rearview mirror like a tiger studying its prey.

Of course Chaeyoung had to tag along. Mina couldn't catch a break. Apparently the crime scene was fresh since it got called in that morning.

It wasn't scrubbed by the forensic team yet so they had to bring Chaeyoung with them to collect the evidence without contaminating the scene.

"You're quieter than usual, Mina." Chaeyoung said, voice playful but laced with something sharper.

"I'm focused on the case." Mina kept her eyes on the road ahead.

"Mmh... focused." Chaeyoung echoed, leaning forward slightly so her breath ghosted just behind Mina's ear.

"Let her focus cub. She's grumpy because we got beaten by the fate again last night." Nayeon cut in, smiling faintly through the rearview mirror.

"Speaking of." Chaeyoung said before slapping the back of both their heads.

"Why didn't either of you tell me anything about this? I had to find out from the chief. Do i mean that little to you?" Chaeyoung complained.

Mina felt her skin crawl as she heard Chaeyoung act all cute and concerned.

Nayeon sheepishly scratches her head.

"Sorry, you were on sick leave and it was urgent and we didn't have much time to plan anything either." Nayeon said.

"Oh, is that why you ditched me at Dahyun's place?" Chaeyoung asked turning her gaze to Mina.

"Yes." A simple answer. Nothing more.

"Sure. Okay, I'll behave. As long as you both are okay." Chaeyoung grinned her voice laced with fake concern.

She didn't lean back immediately. Instead, her fingers drummed lightly on the back of Mina's seat, a subtle reminder for Mina that she was still there.

Then, just for Mina's ears, she murmured.

"I see you heeded my warning." referring to the fact that Nayeon was still oblivious which means Mina didn't tell her anything.

"Good girl, i should reward you, maybe we can go back to my place again and I can show you what I can actually do. I had to act all shy and inexperienced the last time we did it." Chaeyoung whispered.

Mina's jaw tightened. She didn't give the satisfaction of a reply.

By the time they arrived, the tension in the car was thick enough to choke on.

And Nayeon was as oblivious as a goldfish in a library.

------------------------------------------------------------

When the trio entered the apartment complex Nayeon takes the lead.

Chaeyoung walks up to Mina with small steps and slides her hand into Mina's.

Mina jolted out of her own thoughts and looked at Chaeyoung expecting to be greeted with the same sadistic grin she was being tortured with but this time the girl wasn't looking at her.

Chaeyoung had her mouth agape and eyes wide as she scanned the interior of the building they just entered.

And in that moment she didn't look like a trained killer psychopath that enjoys taking people's lives.

In that moment she looked like Chaeyoung. Her Chaeyoung.

Mina sighs and wipes the saddened look off her face. She wraps her fingers around Chaeyoung's intertwining their hands as she dragged the shorter girl along following Nayeon.

That's right. She can act too. Now is not the time to wallow in sadness and self pity about falling in love with a psychopathic serial killer.

Now is the time for action. She needs to find out why, how, and what Chaeyoung is. And her first clue is the orphanage. She needs to do some research.

But for now, hold her hand and act like nothings wrong.

Nayeon practically skipped to the receptionist when she saw him at the counter like she had found a long lost friend.

Mina was starting to think this is Nayeon's favorite part of her job.

"Hello there." Nayeon greets sweetly.

"Hello ma'am, how can I help you?" The young guy asks shifting his attention from the computer screen to Nayeon.

Nayeon shows the guy her badge.

"I'm detective Sonic, these are my associates Shadow and Knuckles." Mina nods at the guy when he looked at her for confirmation. He looked confused as all hell.

This was part of their work routine now and Mina didn't even bother questioning it.

"Hey! Why am I knuckles? I'm the smartest one out of the three of us." Chaeyoung complains.

"Those three are the only characters I remember from the show." Nayeon shrugs as she starts walking towards the elevators after getting the room number from the receptionist.

"And im pretty sure Mina's smarter than you." Nayeon adds.

Mina snickers.

Chaeyoung rolls her eyes.

"Street smart maybe, last time I checked I'm the only doctor here." She says.

Chaeyoung pokes Mina's side making her look at the shorter girl.

"You look so much better with a smile, I was starting to think you forgot how to do that." Chaeyoung says.

"They say true love is when you can accept your partner at their best and worst. Are you finally accepting me at my worst Minari?" Chaeyoung says in a cutesy tone.

"Chaeyoung, the only way this ends is with one of us dead. If you don't cut my head off I'll put a bullet in yours." Mina says not a hint of wavering in her voice.

"Romantic." Chaeyoung says sarcastically.

The apartment complex reeked of mildew and cigarette smoke. The hallway's flickering light cast long shadows, and the door to the victim's unit stood wide open.

Inside, the living room was cramped and dim, the body slumped in a chair with a deep wound across the throat. Blood had long dried on the carpet.

Nayeon crouched to examine the wounds while Mina began photographing the scene. Chaeyoung lingered in the doorway, hands in her pockets, smile still in place.

She stays there for a moment and she notices something that makes her move further inside the room.

"Mina, honey you're shaking. Let me." she said softly from behind, close enough that Mina could feel the warmth of her presence. She takes the camera away from Mina and takes over the photographing process.

"Is it... the case? or me?" She whispers.

Mina's jaw tightened. She hadn't realized it, but Chaeyoung was right. The adrenaline, the residual fury from the night before. It all pooled in her palms, making them shake against the weight of the camera.

She clutches her hand and looks at Nayeon to make sure she didn't notice.

She swallowed and said nothing, forcing herself to watch as Chaeyoung angled the lens, capturing the scene with meticulous care. Every click of the shutter sounded unnervingly loud in the stillness of the apartment, each one like a heartbeat she couldn't control.

Chaeyoung finished with one side and as she passed behind Mina to go to the other side of the room she leaned closer, just enough that Mina could feel the warmth of her presence behind her shoulder. Her breath was soft on Mina's neck, teasing in a way that made the hair on her arms stand on end.

"You're staring kitten." Chaeyoung whispered, so close that the words brushed against Mina's ear.

Mina's stomach twisted. She hated that she flinched, hated that her body reacted before her brain could catch up.

"Just making sure you don't sabotage us." Mina says.

"Oh please, how many cases have I helped you two solve since you got here? If i actually messed with the cases here I would have been caught a long time ago Minari, this job is purely to keep tabs on you guys. Nothing more." Chaeyoung says as she snapped pics.

Mina tried to focus on the evidence, on the crime scene, anything but the ghost of Chaeyoung's presence pressing into her senses.

And then it came. so soft and quiet Mina almost didn't hear it.

"You liked her better, didn't you?" The voice was soft, almost a whisper.

"What?" Mina answers just as quietly.

"The other me. The one that you fell for. The one that was shy and smitten with you. The one that was easier to love." Chaeyoung whispers back.

For a heartbeat, Mina's blood ran cold. She looked up, meeting Chaeyoung's eyes. She was expecting the same sadistic teasing smile but the smile she returned wasn't that and it threw Mina for a loop again.

She didn't know what it was. Chaeyoung's eyes weren't as sharp as they were before. Her smile wasn't as wide. There was no trace of the mockery that she was throwing at Mina all day.

It just looked like Chaeyoung was genuinely curious.

The words hung between them, unspoken yet unmistakable, like a knife just barely hidden in silk.

Mina forced herself to nod to nothing, to the evidence scattered across the room, to Nayeon crouched in the corner examining the wounds.

The hint of something deeper lingered in Chaeyoung's gaze, a subtle fracture behind the act that no one else could see.

Her pulse was loud in her ears as she watched Chaeyoung adjust the camera, capturing angles Mina hadn't even thought to document.

Every motion was precise, calculated, and yet there was a teasing elegance to it. A reminder that she was in the room, observing Mina as much as the crime scene.

Mina's hands went to her notebook, forcing herself to write down notes. She had to anchor herself somewhere tangible, something that reminded her she was a detective first.

But every time she glanced up, Chaeyoung's eyes found hers, and Mina could feel the quiet taunt pressing in. A challenge, a memory or a confession. She couldn't tell which.

Mina's throat tightened. She shook her head, forcing herself to focus, to remember the job, the case, the evidence.

Nayeon shifted from the body, scribbling notes on her pad.

“Looks like the wound’s deep, clean. Almost surgical.” Her tone was steady and professional. As if they weren’t standing in a living room soaked with death.

Mina tried to answer, but her throat felt dry. She gave a small hum instead, writing down her own observations.

Anything to keep her focus off the way Chaeyoung’s shoulder brushed hers each time she leaned in for a shot.

Click.
Click.
Click.

Each flash from the camera illuminated Chaeyoung’s face for a split second it showed sometimes soft, almost childlike in concentration, sometimes sharp enough to cut. Mina couldn’t decide if she was imagining it.

"Angle from the chair’s left side, Cub. Blood spatter patterns look different there." Nayeon called her over, oblivious of the dilemma Mina was going through.

Chaeyoung turned smoothly, her lips tugging into a pleasant smile as she obeyed.

"Good eye, unnie." Her voice was bright, sweet enough to mask everything else. To anyone else in the room, it was just Chaeyoung being Chaeyoung.

But Mina saw it. The way her smile lingered half a second too long, the way her hand tightened on the camera as though she were holding something more than glass and metal.

Mina’s pen scratched across her notebook, words she barely registered.

Victim male, approximate age mid-thirties, deep incised wound across throat, no defensive wounds visible.

Normal. Professional. Logical. She clung to the routine, to the familiar rhythm of investigation.

Then Chaeyoung’s shoulder brushed hers again, deliberate this time.

“You’re steadier now,” she murmured, her voice pitched low enough for only Mina to catch.

“All it took was me.”

Mina’s pulse quickened. She didn’t look at her, didn’t dare. She forced herself to scribble another line, focusing on the details Nayeon called out, clinging to the sound of her partner’s grounded voice.

“Victim’s watch is missing, could be a robbery.” Nayeon noted, pointing with her pen. Chaeyoung hummed in agreement, but Mina didn’t miss the faint curl of her lips.

“Or maybe he just had something someone wanted badly enough to kill for.”

"That's what a robbery means dumb dumb, I just said that. And she says she's the smartest of us." Nayeon teases her not knowing that Chaeyoung’s comment wasn't directed at Nayeon at all.

The casual cruelty in her tone twisted in Mina’s gut. And yet, when Nayeon glanced over, Chaeyoung’s expression was smooth again, as if nothing had slipped.

“Let’s bag what we can.” Nayeon said, straightening.

“Chae, once you’re done with photos, help me with evidence collection.”

“Of course.” Chaeyoung chirped, cheerful and efficient, as though the whisper from moments ago had never existed. She moved easily toward Nayeon, her every action harmless, professional.

And Mina stood frozen for a breath too long, the words she heard moments ago still ghosting in her ears.

'You liked her better, didn’t you?'

-------------------------------------------------------

The drive back to the precinct was quiet once again. Nayeon hummed faintly to the sound of the radio as she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel like the silence didn't bother her.

Chaeyoung lounged in the backseat now looking almost sleepy as her half lidded eyes lazily moved between Mina to Nayeon to the window every now and then.

Mina was in the passenger seat lost in her own thoughts as she gazed out the window, her hands were places on her lap her fist closed and her nails digging into the palm of her hand as if the pain was helping keep her sane.

The moment the car came to a stop Mina jumped out of it as if her seat was made of heated metal.

She gave Nayeon an excuse saying she needed some rest and told her to go report to the chief with Chaeyoung.

Her chest was aching with the weight of it all. She wasn't necessarily lying to Nayeon. She did need some rest. Some space. And she needed answers.

Inside, the precinct buzzed with its usual noise. Phones ringing, officers moving in and out, case files being passed down the hallways.

Mina barely said a word as Nayeon and Chaeyoung peeled off toward the briefing room.

Instead, she slipped into the dim glow of the evidence archive, her badge granting her the access she needed without question.

There wasn't anyone in there thankfully so Mina walked over to the furthest computer from the entrance and sat at it. A sigh escapes her as the machine whirres up to life under her fingers.

Her hands trembled slightly as she typed. Not from fear now, but from a gnawing sensation in her stomach, a desperate need to know.

The orphanage. The fire. Anything that could explain who Chaeyoung really was. Why she was doing what she was doing.

She combed through records, scanned old articles, scanned until the words blurred into one another. She found out that the orphanage was in japan.

Mina knew from what Chaeyoung told her that the man who saved her from the snow was Japanese but she had no idea the orphanage itself was based in Japan.

She had thought it was here in Korea and a Japanese man just happened to save her. But that makes sense now. The Fate’s kills started originally in Japan. That's where Mina's parents were killed.

A few more minutes pass and Mina discovers something else. Police files from the investigation of the orphanage buried so far in the pile of information Mina almost missed it.

The file wasn't named or numbered. There was no mention of the orphanage anywhere on files or their parent folders.

A needle in a haystack in its truest sense. Mina had a feeling this was like this by design. Whoever did this didn't want people finding this file.

If so, why not just delete the file. Why give it a vague name of numbers and letters and keep it in the database?

Then it clicks in Mina's mind. Whoever did this didn't want to hide the information necessarily, they wanted the right person to find it.

It was deliberately made hard to find but not deleted. Hidden far enough so that someone who wasn't willing to actually comb through all of these files will have no chance of finding it.

Mina's heart hammered in her chest as she read every word and scanned every picture as if her life depended of it.

Pictures of nothing but ash, charred stone walls and burned bodies of woman and children.

Further down the pages she found the victim list and she carefully went through them chanting each name in a whisper.

Every single profile had two phrases that was in common.

"Deceased" and "body retrieved and comfirmed"

Then when a profile swiped it's way on to Mina’s screen her breath hitched.

Among the list of casualties from the orphanage fire. there it was.

Son Miyoung.

And the photo attached… Mina’s stomach dropped.

The girl looked identical to Chaeyoung. A younger version of her, yes, but it was uncanny.

Her hair was short and messy as if she had cut it on her own with a knife. A busted lip clearly visible in the picture. The girl was wearing a worn looking tank top and she had the same sharp cat like eyes and that smug smile.

But the name was wrong. It wasn't Son Chaeyoung.

Mina leaned back in her chair, pulse hammering in her throat.

Twin? A stolen identity? Or… something else entirely? Maybe she changed her name to hide from the people that burned down the orphanage and killed her Sensei.

Mina thought that was it but when she saw the right arrow icon still fully colored in she decided to press it. And the file slided on to the last profile.

Mina leaned back in towards the computer screen as the last profile caught her attention again.

Son Chaeyoung. They were twins.

She pulled up both profiles next to each other and looked between them.

Chaeyoung, unlike her sister, had a pretty pink dress on. Her long hair braided into cute pigtails. The complete opposite of how Miyoung looked in her picture. But the detail that caught Mina’s attention the most wasn't that.

It was her eyes and her smile. Chaeyoung in this picture had big doe like eyes and a soft, cute smile that perfectly showed her dimples.

Those were the eyes and smile that Mina fell in love with. The same eyes and smile that she had when Mina first met her.

Chaeyoung's words from earlier that day ringed in her head again.

'You liked her better, didn’t you?'

That was it right? Son Miyoung and Son Chaeyoung are twins and the girl Mina fell in love with was Chaeyoung and the Fate is her sister Miyoung.

Right? Mina cracked the case right?

As Mina stared at the two profiles side by side her gaze drops down from the pictures to the other info on the profiles.

Son Miyoung.

Deceased.

Body retrieved and comfirmed.

Yeah no. Mina didn't crack shit. Miyoung is dead. She glances over to Chaeyoung's profile.

Son Chaeyoung.

Missing.

Presumed dead.

She rubbed her temples, but the thoughts kept unraveling. If Miyoung had died in the fire, who was the person that was with her today? And why did she have those exact sharp eyes and that psychotic smile.

Son Miyoung's picture was a perfect match to those traits but those two phrases under the picture was glaring at Mina's face telling her she was wrong.

Miyoung is dead. Her body was retrieved and confirmed.

The longer Mina stared at the file, the more the edges of her world seemed to fray.

There was no other possibility right?

Mina wanted to believe that her Chaeyoung was innocent and she loved Mina and it was the evil twin that did all the bad things.

Mina wanted so bad to believe that theory so she wouldn't feel disgusted in her own skin for loving that girl. If that theory was correct life would become so much easier.

Of course, the world wouldn't give Mina the easier scenario.

Fate was cruel to Mina all her life. Why did she think this time would be different?

Chapter Text

The next morning, Mina strode into the precinct with the weight of last night still gnawing at her heart. Bags under her eyes and her skin looking paler than usual. She looked like a vampire walking in broad daylight.

The image of Son Miyoung, a name burned into the orphanage records, had kept her awake all night. She hadn’t solved anything, only deepened the mystery surrounding Chaeyoung. Mina felt like she was falling in an endless abyss of questions.

But as she approached her desk, she froze.

It was empty. No case files. No scattered notes. No coffee mug with lipstick stains. Just… bare wood.

Mina blinked, then spun toward the left side of the table where she could see Nayeon's head peeking slightly over the divider.

“Nayeon, Where the hell is all my stuff?” Mina asked already annoyed.

Nayeon looked up from her own stack of reports, lips twitching into a smirk that Mina immediately gave Mina a shiver down her spine. This can't be good.

“Relax, Hellhound. I gave you a break. You’ve been running on fumes, I saw you zoning out the whole time we were together yesterday, thought you could use a day off.” Nayeon says.

“A day off? This is an open case Nayeon, not a spa retreat.” Mina snapped, marching closer to the bunny who didn't seem intimidated by her in the slightest.

"Mina, don’t be a vending machine that only takes exact change. Nobody likes that." Nayeon says rolling her eyes at Mina.

"…What does that even mean?"

"Think about it"

“You can’t just kick me out of my own investigation." Mina complains still.

Nayeon leaned back in her chair, lacing her fingers behind her head.

“Sure I can. Consider it a command from your senior. Go touch some grass, get some air, eat food that isn’t coffee. Hell, try smiling at someone. Someone short, blonde and tigercub-like perhaps." Nayeon raises her eyebrows twice at Mina.

“What are you playing at?” Mina’s eyes narrowed.

Before Nayeon could answer, the doors that lead further inside the precinct swung open and a very confused looking tiger cub walks out.

Chaeyoung walked up to them, hair a little messy, lab coat hanging from one arm instead of being properly worn. Her brows were drawn tight, irritation written all over her usually calm face.

“Nayeon unnie, why is Kyujin not letting me into my own lab? She locked the door and told me I wasn’t on the schedule today. When i asked 'says who?' she said your name. Explain please.”

“Oh?” Nayeon’s smirk deepened into something positively wolfish.

“What an interesting coincidence.” Nayeon said.

Mina suddenly felt her skin crawl. She knew that look. Nayeon had orchestrated this. And whatever this was, she wasn’t going to like it.

Chaeyoung glanced between them, curiosity sparking in her eyes.

“…You’ve set me up, haven’t you?” Mina asked exasperated.

“Guilty as charged.” Nayeon spread her arms wide, shameless.

Mina groaned, dragging her hand down her face.

“Unbelievable. You’re actually insane.”

“Correction.” Nayeon said brightly.

“I’m thoughtful and the bestest besty ever. You need balance, Mina. You work, you brood, you glare, you scare juniors for fun-”

“They deserve it.” Mina muttered.

“-so I figured, why not let you spend a little time with someone who doesn’t make you want to chew glass?” Nayeon leaned forward, grin stretching like a cat that had cornered a mouse.

Mina doesn't miss the irony of what Nayeon had just said. She doesn't know it but Chaeyoung is the one person who'd make her want to chew glass the most right now.

“And who better than our very own Dr. Son?” Nayeon said looking at Chaeyoung who was just observing the situation at this point.

"Loosen her up a little." Nayeon mouthed at Chaeyoung without any sound and made two scissors with her fingers and crossed it together.

Mina stiffened. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Chaeyoung tilting her head, the usual mocking smile wasn't there this time. This time it was just an amused smile.

“You did not just-” Mina started.

“Oh, she did.” Chaeyoung interrupted gently, her voice laced with a ghost of a laugh threatening to escape her lips. She clasped her hands behind her back, watching Mina squirm.

“And honestly, it’s kind of adorable.” Chaeyoung added.

“No. Absolutely not. You’re out of your mind if you think I’m going along with-” Mina turned on her heel, jabbing a finger at Nayeon but her fury gets interrupted again.

“Except.” Nayeon sing-songed.

“I already told Kyujin to guard the lab until further notice. Which means Dr. Son here is officially off-duty. Which means the two of you have… oh, I don’t know… the entire day free?” Nayeon said.

“You weaponized her subordinate.” Mina said in an accusatory tone.

"Oh and what you gonna do about it? Gonna go compwain to mommy Jihyo? And get me in twouble?" Nayeon said in a baby voice mocking Mina.

Mina opened her mouth to argue, but Chaeyoung beat her to it. She stepped closer, the subtle brush of her sleeve against Mina’s arm making Mina’s chest tighten.

“Well.” Chaeyoung said, voice lower now, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.

“I guess the question is, what are you so afraid of, Detective?” Chaeyoung said smiling at Mina.

Mina swallowed hard. Her heart skipped in a way that infuriated her. Mina convinces herself it is just anger and nothing else.

Nayeon slapped her desk.

“Perfect! It’s settled then. Café Lillies, down the street. Cute place, good lattes, low chance of anyone from the precinct going there cause everyone goes to Max's cafe next door. Now go before I start humming wedding marches.”

“You'll need someone to hum funeral marches if you don’t stop with this.” Mina whispered to herself. She was about to throw hands.

"Hmm? Whatchu say?" Nayeon asked but it didn't seem like she wanted an answer because she was already shooing them toward the door a smug satisfaction radiating off her like heat from a radiator.

Chaeyoung glanced sideways at Mina as they walked out, lips twitching into a smile.

“You know… she’s right. This is amusing. I already feel my work fatigue leaving my body.” Chaeyoung said.

“Wipe that smile off your face before I wipe it for you.” Mina glared at her.

Chaeyoung only laughed softly, and somehow, that was worse.

--------------------------------------------------------

The bell above the café door chimed softly as Mina stepped inside, shoulders hunched like she was teenager forced to take out the garbage by their mom.

Chaeyoung trailed behind, hands shoved in the pockets of her long black coat that she had swapped for her lab coat, her quiet smile betraying just how entertained she was by all of this.

The place was cozy, cream-colored walls, tiny potted plants on every table, the faint hum of indie music playing too softly for Mina to place the song. Too nice. Too deliberate. It was a far cry from Max's place. It was obvious that this wasn't a 'coffee on your way to work' kind of café.

Mina shot Chaeyoung a sharp look.

“I’m leaving.” she deadpanned.

“You can’t.” Chaeyoung replied in the same tone.

Mina looked at her as if she had grown a second head.

“…Excuse me?”

Chaeyoung gestured lazily toward the far corner of the café. Mina’s gaze followed the gesture.

On the farthest table there was a peach colored bucket hat with a very obvious bunny design embroidered into it. The girl's head was buried in the café menu and they couldn't see the girl's face but it was as oblivious as anything who that was.

Nayeon.

They could hear her giggling like a proud mother at a school play, from the farthest end of the café.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Mina felt like pulling her hair out.

“Afraid not.” Chaeyoung said, that smile widening. Her voice dropped, smooth and low.

“If you leave now, she’ll know something's up between us.” She added.

“…You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Mina clenched her fists.

Chaeyoung’s laugh was soft, a brush of sound meant only for Mina.

“Immensely.” She replied.

Reluctantly, Mina slid into a booth.

Chaeyoung sat across from her, resting her chin on her hand like this was the most natural thing in the world. Mina felt heat crawl up her neck, irritated with herself more than anything.

Irritated by the fact that her enemy was right infront of her right now and she couldn't do anything. The Mina that came from Japan a month ago would have already pumped Chaeyoung full of bullet holes by now. But things were different now. Mina was different now.

Her restraint wasn't about Chaeyoung or what she had felt for the girl before she found out the truth.

It was for Nayeon. Mina cared a lot for Nayeon and if Mina was being honest she was the only thing keeping Mina sane right now.

She was the only constant left in Mina's life. And her dorky giggles ghosting on Mina's ear was what was giving Mina enough strength to hold back.

A waitress came, took their orders, and left them in silence that stretched just a little too long. Mina busied herself by staring at the grain of the wooden table. Anything to distract herself from the way Chaeyoung’s eyes lingered on her, scanned her every detail. The way she bit her lips like she was retraining herself. The way Chaeyoung looked at Mina like she was the one thing Chaeyoung wanted most in life.

“This is ridiculous.” Finally, Mina muttered.

“Maybe.” Chaeyoung replied lightly.

“but I don’t hate it.”

"Of course you don't. You're a sadist." Mina replied, venom spilling out from her tone.

There it was again, that flicker. A shadow crossing Chaeyoung’s gaze, something darker, sharper, almost predatory. It was gone as quickly as it came, replaced with the soft smile Mina knew. But it left her unsettled, her pulse uneven.

Chaeyoung leaned forward just slightly, voice dropping to a whisper only Mina could hear.

“You liked her better, didn’t you?”

Mina blinked. Again? Why does she keep asking that?

“…What?”

Chaeyoung’s expression was perfectly calm, the hint of a smile playing at her lips, as if she hadn’t said anything strange at all. She sat back before Mina could answer, the mask of casual amusement sliding back into place.

The waitress returned with their drinks, and just like that, the moment vanished. Mina wrapped her hands around her cup, ignoring how her hands trembled slightly. She had to hold herself back from squeezing the cup and spilling the coffee all over her.

Mina wondered why Chaeyoung kept asking her that question.

Mina wondered if there was something deeper there.

No, Mina knew there was. Especially considering the information she had found out last night. But now was not the time to confronts Chaeyoung about it.

Mina stirred her coffee, pretending to focus on the rising steam instead of the way Chaeyoung was watching her.

She cleared her throat.

“So, do you do this often?” She asked.

“Do what?” Chaeyoung asked, feigning innocence.

“Get dragged into fake dates set up by meddling coworkers. Drool over someone who wants to murder you.”

Chaeyoung’s lips curved.

“Can’t say I do. But…” She tilted her head toward the corner, where Nayeon had just dropped her menu in shock at the sight of Mina and Chaeyoung actually talking to each other.

“…I think this is worth the trouble.” She says.

Mina rolled her eyes at her stupid best friend.

“She’s going to give herself away if she keeps staring like that.” Mina says.

“Mhmm, let her.” Chaeyoung lifted her cup, sipping slowly.

“The longer she stays there and watches, the longer I get to keep you here.”

Mina's gaze moved from her coffee to Chaeyoung.

“Excuse me?”

“Relax.” Chaeyoung said with a light laugh, though there was an edge to it Mina couldn’t quite place.

“I’m not doing anything evil. I just meant conversation. Don’t look so horrified.”

Mina glared.

“What makes you think I'll believe anything you say anymore?”

Chaeyoung leaned forward, elbows on the table, her smile softening into something that almost looked sincere. Almost.

“You’re still sitting here. That means something right?”

Mina opened her mouth to argue, but the truth of it lodged in her throat. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t left. She told herself it was because of Nayeon, because leaving would draw attention. But there was something else. Something about Chaeyoung’s gaze, steady and searching, that held Mina in place.

Maybe a part of her wanted to observe Chaeyoung as well. Scan her for weaknesses? Inconsistencies? Anything that could give Mina answers.

'You liked her better, didn’t you?' echoed in her head, and her grip tightened around her coffee cup.

She forced herself to speak before the silence swallowed her whole.

“Enjoy this while it lasts Chaeyoung.”

Chaeyoung’s smile returned, easy and bright, as though nothing had shifted at all.

"Oh, is that a threat kitten?” Chaeyoung asked.

“it's a warning. I will hunt to down. To the ends of the earth. Even if we both crash as burn in the process. I won't stop until your debt is paid in blood.” She said.

Chaeyoung’s laugh was quiet, but genuine this time. Low and warm, curling around Mina like a secret.

“Oh, Don’t threaten me with a good time.” Chaeyoung teased her, her voice lilting with amusement.

Meanwhile, across the café, Nayeon was nearly falling out of her chair trying not to squeal. In her eyes, her ship was sailing and she was patting her own back for being the best wingman ever.

The hum of conversation and clatter of dishes filled the café, but Mina felt as though the world had narrowed down to the small table between her and Chaeyoung. Every time she thought she had her composure back, Chaeyoung found another way to push and send it tumbling down again.

“You’re staring again.” Chaeyoung said lightly, breaking the silence.

“Observing.” Mina corrects her.

“Observing what? How pretty I am?” Chaeyoung asked.

“Maybe it's just because I'm pretty and you just like looking at me.” She added.

Mina scoffed, leaning back in her chair.

“Relax, kitten. I’m just teasing you.”

Mina forced a sigh, trying to let her shoulders ease. That’s all it is. Teasing.

Still, her mind betrayed her, circling back to the way Chaeyoung had whispered earlier. 'You liked her better, didn’t you?'

“This is your fault, you know.” This time it is Chaeyoung that breaks the silence.

“My fault?” Mina spits back. Her anger boiling in her stomach again. How is any of this her fault??

“Yes. If you weren’t so smug all the time, maybe Nayeon wouldn’t think we’d make a good match. We were too obvious to ignore.” Chaeyoung says.

“Obvious? Hardly.” Mina shot her a look.

Chaeyoung leaned back, folding her arms with mock seriousness.

“Right. You pretend not to care about anything, and then somehow we always end up in each other’s orbit. You're cranky 24/7 and a nightmare to everyone at the precinct except me. You for some reason become a softy the moment you see me. Nothing obvious about that at all.” Chaeyoung rolls her eyes at the girl infront of her.

“Is that how you get close to your victims? You make them care for you and then you kill them when they're not looking? Coward.” Mina replied swirling her spoon.

Mina saw the way Chaeyoung flinched. The way her grip on her own cup because strained. Mina had hit a nerve.

“Mhmm. Sure.” Chaeyoung’s smirk came back a split second after, she stumbled for a moment but regains her composure just as quickly.

For a second her gaze lingered. steady and searching through her like she was peeling back the layers Mina tried so hard to keep in place.

The weight of silence stretched between them, broken only when Chaeyoung rose gracefully from her seat.

“Come on. If we sit here any longer, Nayeon’s going to choke on her drink trying to look inconspicuous.” Chaeyoung said.

Mina followed her gaze. Sure enough, across the café, Nayeon had sunk half behind a plant, her head just barely sticking out.

“This woman, i swear to god. She’s unbelievable.” Mina groaned and rubbed her temples.

Chaeyoung held out a hand to Mina, her smile amused but her eyes unreadable.

Mina hesitated but then accepted her hand.

Their hands intwrtwined only briefly as Chaeyoung helped Mina get up and out of the booth they were in, but the contact lingered in Mina’s chest long after as they stepped out into the night air together.

A burning sensation in her palm as if she had touched something forbidden.

And though Mina was relieved the “date” was finally over, the echo of Chaeyoung's gazes, her remarks, her lip bites, her scoffs, her smirks. Everything lingered.

It would be easy for Mina to forget about all these things and act like this night never happened but one thing was hindering her from doing so.

The sound of Chaeyoung's laugh. The genuine one. It had tattooed itself in Mina’s mind and Mina wanted to take a knife and carve her heart out of her own chest.

--------------------------------------------------------

The precinct was quieter than usual when Mina walked in. Most of the desks were deserted, the hum of fluorescent lights echoing in the near-empty space. She dragged her feet toward her own desk, muttering curses under her breath.

Of course, her desk looked exactly the same as when she’d left it earlier. files stacked neatly, pens in their cup, not a single thing out of place.

Mina dropped heavily into her chair and leaned back, covering her face with both hands.

“Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.”

The memory of Chaeyoung’s smirk across the café table flickered unbidden in her mind, tightening something in her chest. Mina quickly shoved the thought aside.

'Nope. Not going there.'

She needed to stop herself before she broke something in the precinct.

She was still groaning into her palms when a voice popped up right beside her.

“Good evening, sunshine.” it was almost midnight.

Mina nearly jumped out of her chair. She whipped her head to the side and glared at Nayeon, who was perched on the edge of the desk with that infuriatingly smug smile.

“You-” Mina started, jabbing a finger at her. Her finger stopped a centimeter away from Nayeon’s nose and she went cross eyed looking at Mina's finger.

“You’re the worst partner I’ve ever had.” Mina complains.

Nayeon placed a hand over her heart acting like she was hurt.

“That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think? It was just coffee. With someone you clearly don’t mind being around.” Nayeon said.

“Don’t.” Mina groaned again, burying her face in her hands.

“Relax, Mina. If you’d been miserable, you would’ve left. But you didn’t.” Nayeon chuckled, leaning in closer.

"Besides, I got to live through you guys vicariously. It's been a long time since me and Jeongie last went on a date. Well, one where we both talked i mean." Nayeon said. She visits Jeongyeon religiously and calls her visits dates but it still doesn't compare to the real thing.

Mina opened her mouth, searching for a comeback, but nothing came out. What can she say to that? She snapped her jaw shut and crossed her arms, scowling instead.

Satisfied with her victory, Nayeon hopped off the desk and dusted off her hands.

“Anyway, enough about your love life. I actually have something useful for you.”

Mina peeked at her through narrowed eyes. Untrusting.

“…Useful how?”

Nayeon’s grin turned sharp.

“A promising lead in our case. According to the neighbors, the victim and his girlfriend had a shouting match the night he died. She stormed out just hours before his body was found.” Nayeon said.

That got Mina’s full attention. She straightened in her chair, the irritation from earlier slipping into focus.

“And you’re just telling me this now? Nayeon, it's midnight. What do you want me to do with this information now?" Mina says.

“I wanted to give you time to digest your dessert,” Nayeon teased. At Mina’s withering glare, she added.

“Relax, detective. Better fate than never, right?” Nayeon shrugged.

"....It's late."

"Yeah yeah, fate, late, same vibe. Destiny's got our back."

"Destiny usually puts knives in mine."

"Goddamn, that was dark."

Mina sighed, grabbing her coat.

“If she files a complaint about officers disturbing her in the middle of the night. You're dealing with the chief." Mina says.

“Oh don't worry about her. She can't stay mad at this gorgeous face." Nayeon said brightly, already heading for the door.

Chapter Text

The streets of Seoul stretched with an eerie quietness as the duo drove towards the address Nayeon had gotten. It was something past twelve thirty and Mina refrained from checking the time just so she wouldn't be reminded of how unprofessional this was.

Mina had no problems bending the rules to her will when it came to criminals. She usually just dissociate and let's future Mina deal with the consequences.

An extra punch just in case, or a broken nose or a finger just to keep the criminals occupied while she arrests them. These things never bothered her. It never bothered her when her colleagues called her a monster. A vicious hell hound.

So why was it bothering her now. This wasn't that big of a deal. Sure it's unprofessional and can be seen as harassment if the case is not super urgent.

The only reason Mina could think of was the cold bucket of water that had been splashed on her by the name of Son Chaeyoung.

Or was it Son Miyoung? Mina doesn't even know anymore.

Now that she had seen what an actual monster looks like. The way that twisted sadistic smile grew with the sound of every crack that adorned Mina’s heart.

The way she's been living among them in the precinct like it was nothing. The way she used Nayeon genuine love for her, hell even Mina's genuine love for her as just a tool to get what she wanted.

Now suddenly the title 'monster' left a sickly feeling in her stomach.

Mina stared out the passenger side window as the tall buildings were slowly replaced with shorter ones. The wide roads slowly turned narrow and bumpy. The everglow of the city was replaced with dim street lamps few and far between. They had driven to the rural areas far from the city.

Mina who always thought of the lead, the next clue, solving the case, was now thinking about the girlfriend of the victim.

Mina hoped she was safe atleast. Mina hoped her having a fight with her boyfriend that night was fate saving a young girl from a gruesome demise.

Nayeon said the girl stormed out of the apartment just hours before the man was killed.

"Hey" Nayeon said suddenly breaking the silence between them.

"You look like laser beams might shoot out of your eyes any moment and bore holes through my windows." Nayeon says.

"If i could bore holes through anything I think I'd do it to you first." Mina says.

"No thanks, I'm taken." Nayeon says jutting her chin out proudly.

Mina gives her a disgusted look.

"Seriously though. I can practically hear the gears turning in your head. If it's about visiting this late don't worry about it. If they file a complaint I'll take the full responsibility." Nayeon says.

Mina shakes her head.

"It's not that... i just... i hope she's okay." Mina says.

To this Nayeon slowly nods as she turns her attention back to the road.

"I hope so too."

With that said Mina goes right back to drowning in her thoughts.

So much so that she doesn't realize the car comes to a stop after fifteen more minutes of driving.

She snaps out of her thoughts and shakes her head when she feels the inertia of the car stopping push her forward.

"You okay?" Nayeon asks, glancing at her again.

"Fine" Mina lies. "Just... tired."

"Then let’s make this quick." Nayeon said, optimism rekindling in her voice. She puts a reassuring hand of Mina's shoulder as she turns to her after removing the seatbelt.

"In and out, get some answers, and we’ll both be in our comfy beds dreaming about rabbits and penguins in no time." Nayeon says enthusiastically.

Mina hummed in response, but her hand drifted toward the holster at her side almost unconsciously. She couldn't help the sense of dread that gripped her the moment they got out of the car.

By the time they walked into the narrow street outside the girlfriend’s small house, the knot in Mina’s stomach had only tightened.

The house looked almost withered. Like it was lived in and had lots of life but that was a distant memory now.

Paint was peeling off the walls and the windows were fogged up with dust and the front walls were caked with mud. Most likely from cars driving by on rainy days and splashing the walls.

"52-3" Nayeon muttered reading the barely visible numbers on the metal plate next to the door.

"This is the place." Nayeon added.

Mina’s hand brushed her holster again, the feeling in her gut twisting tighter with every step. The air was too still, the kind of silence that felt staged. If the silence on the drive over felt eerie, this one felt maddening.

They stopped in front of the the door. It looked as tattered as the rest of the place. Cheap wood splintered from the bottom most likely from being subjected to water and the elements over the years. It almost felt horror game-esque and it made Mina’s hairs stand on the back of her neck.

Mina's left hand loosened from holding her gun, her knuckles cracked when she closed her hand. She hadn’t realized she was holding on to her gun so hard her knuckles had locked into place.

She lifted her hand up to the door.

Knock. Knock.

Nothing.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Seoul Metropolitan Police. If anyone's home answer the door." Mina calls out.

Nothing.

Then she heard it, a faint squeak. If the night wasn't so hauntingly quiet Mina would have missed it.

It sounded like a creak from the floor boards.

So Mina leaned in, pressing her ear to the wood. She hears faint movement inside. A shuffle. And then-

Click.

Her blood ran cold.

“Down!” Mina shouted, throwing her weight to the side. Nayeon immediately heeded the warning and dived out to the opposite direction as well.

The eerie quietness of the night was replaced with the roaring thunder of lead and gunpowder.

The withered door rattled with gunfire as bullets tore through it was paper. Mina hit the floor hard falling flat on her back. Since she was closer to the door she didn't have time to dive as gracefully as Nayeon did.

Nayeon’s wide eyes darted to Mina’s. "Holy—"

“Stay low!” Mina barked, dragging her body closer to the wall as more rounds punched through where they’d just been standing.

Then silence.

A beat later.

Crash.

Glass shattering from inside.

A window.

"He’s running!" Mina snarled, scrambling to her feet.

Mina angles herself next to the door and slams her foot through the door so hard it gets blown off it's hinges.

The duo enter with their guns, they see the broken window on the other side of the kitchen and a pool of blood peeking from the side of the kitchen island.

"Go after him! I'll be right behind you." Mina says.

Nayeon nods as she takes all but two leaping steps as she's already next to the kitchen window. She jumps through the broken window like a thread through a needle. As she starts running.

Mina moves to the kitchen island to check on the body. Frustration runs through her body when she sees the lifeless body in the pool of blood. She was too late. Again.

She crouches down next to the girl. She looked young. In her early twenties most probably. Way too young to die like this. For something her probably rich boyfriend who lived in the city did.

The girl probably found someone to finally take her out of this poor life in the country side and take her to the city.

Only for her come right back here and lose her life in this small dingy house.

"I'm sorry." Mina whispers as she closes the girl's open eyes.

Mina feels her blood boiling again as her empathy is replaced by pure blinding rage.

She punches the frame of the window breaking it off the hinges as well before she jumps out of it and starts running after Nayeon and the killer.

The neighbourhood was built on top of hills so the buildings were at different height levels even though they were mostly one or two story buildings.

The roads ran in between them is a chaotic way that was not predictable.

Mina decided to run along the main road hoping she sees one of the two and she does.

She sees Nayeon hopping right over her head from one wall on her side to the other.

"Wait! I just wanna talk about our lord and savior Jesus Christ." She years Nayeon yell at the killer.

Mina curses under her breath as she climbs on to the wall herself. Using the roads weren't gonna help her in any way when these people were running on rooftops.

As Mina stabilized herself on the thin wall her eyes caught something else. Movement in the shadows across a few blocks.

A figure leaping from a ledge, landing soundlessly on a rooftop as she rolled off on to the ground before immediately hopping on to the next wall and the on to the roof of the next house over.

Thick black clothes that made the frame look bigger. Oni mask glinting under the moonlight. A fluid grace in their movement like a cat maneuvering through a neighbourhood. The lightness on their feet almost looked like they were gliding across surfaces. It was unmistakable.

Her chest tightened.

Chaeyoung.

No.. The Fate.

And she wasn’t chasing Mina or Nayeon.

She was hunting.

Mina feels her body kick into high gear as she sees this. She jumps up on to the roof and starts running after then as well.

She sees Nayeon on the narrow road below now running after the killer unaware that another killer had joined the chase and was behind her.

Nayeon and the killer moved through the narrow road in between Mina and Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung was jumping on rooftops on the left side of the road and Mina was trying to keep up jumping from roof to roof on the right side.

Nayeon’s voice carried loud and determined as she bolted downhill after the killer, her sneakers slapping the cracked asphalt.

She moved with more purpose. Compared to Chaeyoung’s feather like steps and fluid movements, Nayeon moved with more power. Her leaps letting her lift off the ground so high it looked almost inhuman. She spent more time in the air than she did on the ground even when running though a narrow road.

Nayeon seemed locked into getting the killer and seemed to be unaware of Mina and Chaeyoung.

That's good. Mina thought. This way Mina can shift her focus.

Mina wasn’t chasing the killer now.

Her eyes were fixed on the darker shadow above them racing across the rooftops above. Black clothes and red tattered scarf moving through the wind with each graceful movement.

Her pulse spiked. Adrenaline filling her veins as she crossed the road with a jump across the side walls.

Mina gets on to the rooftops on Chaeyoung's side as she chased after her.

Nayeon was below them chasing the killer. Chaeyoung was also chasing the killer. Mina was chasing Chaeyoung.

Nayeon had no idea Mina and Chaeyoung were behind them. Chaeyoung had no idea Mina was behind her.

A chaotic 4 way chase.

The decision came without thought. The moment Mina saw Chaeyoung about to cross a gap between houses as she reached her.

Mina sprinted, then leapt at the exact moment Chaeyoung vaulted across the gap. Her hands caught fabric, warm muscle beneath, and momentum dragged them both from the air.

Mina grabbed on to Chaeyoung mid air, tackling her as they both slam into a pile of cleaning supplies gathered in someone's back yard, a pile of mops brooms and vacuum cleaners.

They had narrowly missed the brick wall and landed inside the property.

Mina’s shoulder screamed from the impact, but she rolled through it, their bodies rolling over each other a few times across the grass before Mina uses her weight to pin Chaeyoung down before she could vanish again.

The Oni mask stared up at her, silent. the eerie smile carved into the wooden mask looked all too similar to the saidstic one that greeted her the night she first saw the face behind it. The only sound was the ragged tangle of their breaths coming out as smoke from the chill of the night and the faraway pounding of Nayeon’s chase.

Mina's fingers clenched at the front of the black coat. She could feel the rapid heartbeat beneath it that mirrored her own.

Mina willed herself to believe that Chaeyoung’s rapid heartbeat was from the chase and that alone. There was nothing human left about this girl and the sooner Mina actually believed it the easier it would be for her.

She doesn't know why it was so hard to just believe in the monster she sees before her.

"Hi kitten." There it was. The sweet light delicate voice she had missed and hated all at the same time.

Chaeyoung had ditched the voice filter this time. The sound that came from behind the mask was her own.

"I know who you are..." Mina hissed at the girl beneath her as she slammed Chaeyoung's body harder into the ground below. Her voice coming out an unsteady growl.

Mina doesn't know why she's saying this. She's talking out of her ass. She doesn't know what that was supposed to mean or how this could even be possible. She clearly saw the 'dead and body confirmed' next to Miyoung's file.

But her mouth moved on her own. She wanted to see how Chaeyoung reacts to the name more than anything.

Her lips shaped the name in an accusatory whisper.

“…Miyoung.”

The reaction was instant.

Chaeyoung’s body went rigid beneath her, like she had come face to face with medusa and her body turned to stone locking into place. Even the air seemed to change. It was heavier, colder.

Mina heard the sound of dirt being clutched between the fingers of Chaeyoung's gloves that had been braced against the ground.

Mina’s breath caught. This clearly had to mean something. But she had no idea if she’d just uncovered the truth or if she’d just torn open something far more dangerous.

The mask tilted, ever so slightly, as though studying her. Mina couldn’t see Chaeyoung’s eyes, but she could feel them searing, searching, burning through her skin.

Her chest tightened. Her grip on the leather underneath her fingers faltered. For the briefest moment, she thought she saw something in that stillness

Was it hesitation? Confusion? Recognition?

Nayeon’s voice cracked the tension, a distant but sharp. “Mina!”

The sound shattered the fragile pause.

Chaeyoung twisted violently, rolling her weight and shoving Mina off with brutal force. Dirt bit into Mina’s palms as she hit the ground. By the time she pushed herself up, Chaeyoung was already on her feet.

For an instant, she lingered the mask turned toward Mina, her body tense like she might say something. Like she wanted to but no words came.

And then she was gone. Vaulting the opposite fence in one smooth motion, black coat flaring like wings before vanishing into the shadows of the hillside.

Mina threw herself off the ground in one forceful motion as she went after her, lungs burning in her chest, heart stuck in her throat.

The chase continues again.

Nayeon after the killer, Mina after Chaeyoung, and Chaeyoung flying ahead into the chaos of the night

She was always faster, always just out of reach, always one step ahead.

And Mina dispised it.

The cold wind burned against Mina’s face as she ran as fast as her legs allowed her. Trying to catch up to Chaeyoung again before she reached the killer.

Mina's pulse hammered in her ear. A mixture of fear, adrenaline and something else she didn't quite understand. She followed Chaeyoung's distant figure almost blindly as she vaulted over crooked fences.

Chaeyoung’s figure was impossibly fast. In a blur, she had caught up to the killer, who had just vaulted over a low stone wall.

The two of them came face to face. The man was wearing a ski mask and a baseball cap over it. The surprised eyes if the killer stared at the pitch black eye holes of the Oni mask infront of him.

In one swift motion Chaeyoung unsheathed her katana and swung the sword right at the man's neck.

Mina and Nayeon moved in like a well oiled machine. Mina skidded to a halt, in between the two, instinct overriding her senses and she lands a taekwondo stretch kick on Chaeyoung's arm knocking the sword upwards.

Nayeon moves in behind the killer and grabs him from the back in a choke hold pulling him away from Chaeyoung.

Mina shouted, voice taut with command and panic. “Stop!”

Mina tries to hold Chaeyoung back her gun coming out of her holster and Mina jabs it into Chaeyoung’s abdomen making sure the girl feels the threat of it no matter how filled up on adrenaline she was.

Chaeyoung froze for the barest fraction of a second, a flicker of confusion in her sharp gaze. Then she hissed, low and fierce.

“He deserves to die.” Chaeyoung whispers low enough so that Nayeon doesn't hear her.

“You don’t get to decide who lives or dies.” Mina whispers back as she tries to reach for her hand to she can cuff her.

Chaeyoung’s eyes softened just enough for Mina to catch it, the human behind the predator flickering for a heartbeat. For a second Mina thought she was going to let Mina take her in.

"That’s the difference between us Minari." Chaeyoung said, voice cold but quiet still.

“You chase justice."

Chaeyoung moves closer. Mina's hand ghosting over Chaeyoung's mere centimetres apart.

"I am justice." She says.

In a swift move Chaeyoung moves her hand to the gun twisting her body away from it while she pushes it downwards.

Bang.

In the chaos of the gun being fired, the killer swings his head back and slams it Nayeon’s nose.

"Motherf-" Nayeon curses as she grips on to her bleeding nose.

"My beautiful face!" Nayeon screams as if someone just killed her firstborn child. Stumbling back, blood blossoming against her skin. The momentary chaos gave the killer just enough space to vanish down a steep, winding path toward the subway tunnels.

Mina’s chest heaved as she took a breath. The smoke coming out of her discharged gun and blood seeping from the side of Chaeyoung's thigh where the bullet grazed.

Chaeyoung stood nearby, fists clenched, eyes locked on the disappearing figure.

"Gotta say kitten, I'm impressed you actually pulled the trigger. It seems I had underestimated how ruthless you can be." Chaeyoung says. Her head turning back to Mina and for a moment it looked as if she was thinking.

"Or maybe i didn't make you fall in love with me enough." She says.

"We both know you're not who i fell in love with." Mina replies.

Mina knows this was a bit of an admission on her part. Mina knows that saying this out loud makes it more real. But she knows what she needs to do now.

She needs to get it out it the open so she can let it go. The way Mina sees it, the girl she fell in love with is dead. And this woman wearing her face infront of her is ruining her memory and bringing disgrace on her name.

Chaeyoung whispers something under her breath that Mina doesn't quite catch. She was about to ask what she said but Chaeyoung starts sprinting after the killer that went down into the subway tunnels.

Mina groaned but followed. She had to, part of it was instinct, part responsibility.

Nayeon, also recovering from nursing her bleeding face, sprinted after them, shouting something about killing the killer herself and how no one's allowed to go for her face and how she has to look pretty for when Jeongyeon wakes up.

Chapter Text

The killer sprinted up to the abandoned subway tunnels at the outskirts of the town. He kicks open a rusted maintenance door and vanishes into the pitch black arteries of abandoned underground tunnels.

Chaeyoung dives in after the killer so fast it almost looked like gravity didn't effect the girl.

Mina and Nayeon went barrelling towards the door at the same time and their bodies slam into each other and their heads bump each other because they tried to enter at the same time.

"Dammit Nayeon!" Mina curses as places her arm around Nayeon’s waist and guides her through the door first before she enters behind her.

"Don't yell at me or I'll cry." Nayeon says turning her head back at Mina and pouting at her.

How the hell is this girl still making jokes while they're chasing two murderers, Mina will never understand.

"Just shut up and keep running." Mina says.

They hear the pounding of the two killers that ran in before them but the darkness of the tunnels had accepted the two monsters as if they belonged there, their black clothes blending with the darkness.

The duo ran in deeper into the labyrinth to the main tunnel where old yellow light bulbs hanged overhead emanating just enough light to illuminate a circle around the bulbs but the corners of the tunnels still remained bathed in darkness.

Arches of concrete walls stretched into the darkness, cracked with mildew and graffiti layered over decades of neglect. Pools of stagnant water mirrored the dim flickers of the old light bulbs that hanged above. The smell of copper, mold and something sour that had been rotting here for years invaded their nostrils. Nayeon retches a few times mumbling a sorry to Mina for doing so. Mina’s eyebrow were furrowed from the repulsive smell but she had a strong enough stomach to ignore it by now.

Their footsteps echoed through the tunnels slowly multiplying as the duo closed the distance between them and the killers.

Then the first shot came.

Muzzle flash lit in the dark deeper in the tunnel and Mina and Nayeon sees the flash light up the killer’s face twisted in panic and terror from the demon that was chasing him. The sound roared through the tunnels echoing endlessly.

Nayeon drags Mina down behind a metal barricade as a spray of dust and small debris exploded off of the concrete wall behind them. The killer was shooting Mina and Nayeon and Chaeyoung who was in between them had somehow dissappeared into thin air.

Nayeon peeks above the barricade and fires back at the killer.

Mina takes Nayeon’s cover fire as an opportunity to roll out of the cover towards another metal barrier that was on the left side so the both of them wouldn't be hiding behind the same cover.

Then commences a back and forth of bullets and Mina tries slowly to close the distance between them using Nayeon’s cover fire as times to move closer. Shots ring out through the tunnels their faces flashing in the muzzle flashes like camera flashes at a red carpet event.

The killer shoots and this time when the muzzle flashed it illuminated the killers face and the demon oni mask right behind him. A flash that looked straight out of a horror movie. The sound of a struggle echoes through as Chaeyoung tries to disarm the killer.

Mina takes the opportunity to close the gap.

Chaeyoung twists the killer’s arm, takes the man's gun and disassembles it on the spot. The slide, the megazine and the barrel fall to the ground one by one before she throws the body to somewhere in the darkness as well.

Chaeyoung immediately takes her katana out of the sheath on her back and swings at the killer’s throat.

Mina manages to reach them just in time. She ducks and slides up from the left side of the killer sliding in between them in one fluid motion and then bam.

Mina's signature gut punch lands square on Chaeyoung’s stomach.

This time there was no holding back. No benefit of the doubt. No more wishful thinking. Mina striked to kill. So hard she felt her knuckles crack under the force. So hard she heard the wind getting knocked out of Chaeyoung's lungs.

Chaeyoung gets pushed back far enough that the very tip of the katana is all that makes contact with the killers throat. It still slits a small line across the man's throat and he falls to the ground screaming.

Chaeyoung clutches on to her stomach and stumbles to the side almost losing her balance.

'Weird.' Mina thinks. She has landed more punches than this on Chaeyoung she should be stumbling like this. Unless...

Mina's eyes lower down her body to Chaeyoung thigh.

The bullet that Mina shot. The one that grazed her thigh. It has been bleeding since then. Her whole leg looked damp with blood. The black fabric sticking to her thighs and legs outlining the shape of them perfectly.

Chaeyoung was dizzy from blood loss.

Chaeyoung realizes she was losing this fight.

She turns and runs.

"Nayeon! Take him to a hospital now! We can't afford to lose another lead! I'm going after him!" Mina screams back at the dark tunnel as she runs after Chaeyoung.

Mina almost slipped and called Chaeyoung 'her' if she did, Nayeon would have found out that Mina knew who was under the fate mask.

Mina catches up to Chaeyoung. She turns around, her teeth gritted behind the mask and her katana half raised in defiance. But before the blade could find her, Mina slammed forward her shoulder slamming against Chaeyoung's body. The sword clattered to the side uselessly.

Chaeyoung swung first. her fist comes cracking against Mina’s cheek. Mina staggers but answers immediately, her knuckles smashing into Chaeyoung’s jaw. The sound echoed through the tunnel like a gunshot. It was just them now.

Then it was chaos. Both of them throwing wild and furious punches. Mina’s fists hammered into Chaeyoung’s ribs and Chaeyoung’s counterstrikes splitting Mina’s lip and rocking her head back. The air filled with the ragged sounds of impact and breathless grunts, the stale stink of mold and blood swirling between them.

Mina landed one clean shot to Chaeyoung’s stomach which doubles her over. Chaeyoung retaliats with an uppercut that snapped Mina’s head back. For a moment, they were locked in a savage rhythm. Hit for hit, blow for blow. Two storms of fury colliding in the dark.

But Mina’s endurance held stronger this time, the time limit set on Chaeyoung body by the blood seeping out of her thigh was almost up. Chaeyoung’s body faltered. Her strikes grew sloppier and slower. Her bloody leg trembling weakly beneath her. When Mina drove a fist into her shoulder, Chaeyoung stumbled back and her balance broke.

Mina lunged to finish it, but Chaeyoung tackled her instead, both of them slamming onto the damp concrete. Their fists kept flying but they were weaker now, less precise and more desperate. Nails scratched at each other and knees dug in, elbows cracked against bone. Every movement was for raw survival.

This was the first time Mina had heard it. The ragged breath underneath her. This was the first time in their encounters that Mina actually saw the girl panicking.

Chaeyoung tried to rise back to her feet but Mina caught her arm and dragged her down again. Chaeyoung landed an elbow on the side of Mina's face and shoved her away desperately crawling for the katana that was a few paces away, but just as Chaeyoung's middle finger touched the katana she was yanked away. Mina’s hand closed around her ankle, dragging her body against the concrete as she dragged Chaeyoung away from the sword.

They hit the ground again, rolling, Chaeyoung's breaths ragged and harsh sounding more and more panicked and desperate as they traded blows. She knew she wasn't winning this one. She wanted to run away.

But she couldn't. Not this time.

The hellhound had sunk her teeth into her. There was no escape now.

“Why!” Mina spat at the girl under her. Voice breaking with fury as she pinned Chaeyoung for a heartbeat before being thrown off again.

Chaeyoung coughed as she staggered up to her knees blood still streaking down her thigh. Her mind raced she was extremely aware of everything in the darkness. Mina's broken cry. Her ragged breaths. The blood running down her lips. Every movement and every strike Mina dealt out. Chaeyoung was extremely aware of each and every one but her body couldn't keep up anymore. She lost too much blood. Her body was giving out on her.

This can't end like this. She can't be arrested now. Not when she's this close..

Mina lunged again, dragging her down from behind. This time Mina clung to her like chains, refusing to let go of her even as Chaeyoung thrashed and clawed.

“Tell me! What did they ever do to you??” Mina hissed at her, holding on with every ounce of strength she had left. Her voice so guttural that it broke. So loud that it echoed through the tunnels.

Mina grabs the Oni mask and yanks it away from Chaeyoung’s face revealing the bruised up face of the girl she had fallen for. The smug and sadistic smile was no longer there. All that stared back at her was eyes filled with fatigue and sadness.

It almost made Mina lower her guard. But no. She wasn't falling for it again. Mina pulls out her gun from her holster turns the safety off and presses the gun hard against Chaeyoung's forehead with one hand. The other one layed across her chest holding the girl down with so much strength Chaeyoung could barely flex her lungs to inhale.

"Look me in the eyes Chaeyoung and tell me why you killed my mom and dad. What did they ever do to deserve it." Mina says her voice low this time but dripping with venom and much of it as her weak body could muster up.

Chaeyoung does as told. She looks into Mina's eyes. As much as Mina tried to ignore it, all she could see staring back at her was a pool of hurt and sadness.

"I didn’t.." the words come out as a whisper.

Mina snaps.

She bites down on her bottom lip so hard it starts bleeding again. She lifts the gun up towards the ceiling and shoots it.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Three shots into the ceiling of the tunnel before she brings the burning tip of the gun back down and presses it to the side of Chaeyoung's head this time.

"Don't. Fucking. Lie to me. Again." Mina says through her gritted teeth.

"I didn’t fucking kill them Mina!" Chaeyoung screams.

The finger Mina had on the trigger loosens a little. Her eyes growing a little wider from the sheer emotion in Chaeyoung’s voice. This was the first time Chaeyoung called her by her name since she unmasked her that night.

Not kitten. Not Minari. No mocking. Just Mina.

"I went there that night to save them. I went to save your parents because I got info that they were targets of the G.U group. Just like my sensei was. I went there hoping to protect your parents and hoping they knew something about what happened at my orphanage. I went there hoping they could help me find the people who killed the only family I ever had." Chaeyoung heaves out.

"Don't lie to me!" Mina screams at her again.

"Let go of your rage for one and think about it Mina! I have always killed in one way and one way only. With my sensei's katana. Every death i have dealt was deserved and it came as retribution from the blade of the man they killed." Chaeyoung screams back at her with all of the strength left in her body.

"You're parents were shot and killed Mina. You know it as clearly as I do. We were both there. I didn't kill them.."

Mina froze.

Her finger hovered limp on the trigger. Her mind started reeling so violently she thought the tunnels themselves were spinning. Her parents… not Chaeyoung… The revelation ripped through her like a rusted blade that was gutting her from the inside.

All those years of work. All that hate. All those sleepless night with her fists clenched around phantom throats. And now she finds out that the monster she had chased in her nightmares. The one she chased all her life... wasn’t even the right one.

Her chest hollowed out. The weight of it crushed her ribs until she could barely breathe.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to claw at the walls. She wanted to undo every second that led her here. But all she could do was stare at Chaeyoung who was bleeding, bruised, broken under her and feel her entire world collapse into ash.

Her hand trembled around the gun. She wanted to drop it. To give up. To sink into the rot of the tunnels and never move again. But something steadied her. something old and unshakable gripped her and lit a fire in her again.

Her morals. Her code. The vow she made the night she buried her parents. justice, no matter what. To serve and protect.

Even if it wasn’t Chaeyoung who killed them, she was still a murderer. Still The Fate. Mina’s jaw tightened until her teeth ached.

“You…” Mina’s voice cracked, but she forced it louder, stronger.

“You didn’t kill them… but you’re still guilty. You’ve taken lives, Chaeyoung. Too many. And I don’t care how broken you are, I don’t care about your excuses… you’re under arrest.” Mina says. She had no idea what she was doing. She just had her whole world crumble right under her feet. So she was falling back to the only thing that she knew was absolute. Justice.

She shoved the gun harder against Chaeyoung’s temple.

“You’re not slipping away from me this time.” Mina says.

Chaeyoung’s lips twitched into the faintest shadow of a smile. A broken one.

“You’re stubborn as hell. Fine. If that's what you want..."

And then she moved.

With a sudden burst of strength from somewhere deep, Chaeyoung twisted beneath Mina, kicking her off with enough force to send Mina rolling across the damp floor. Chaeyoung’s hand found the katana again, dragging it from the ground with trembling fingers. She staggered to her feet, blade raised.

"I'm not letting you stop me kitten. Even if i have to kill you here, I will have my vengeance." Chaeyoung voice was now low and menacing. All the emotion it had moments ago completely drained from it.

Mina scrambled up but she was too slow. The katana gleamed under the flickering yellow bulbs as Chaeyoung swung it down, aiming straight for Mina’s throat.

Time slowed. Mina’s instincts screamed. Her hand jerked the gun upward, but she already knew she wouldn’t be fast enough.

Was this it? Was this where she dies?

A life of chasing the wrong person. A life of being absolutely useless.

Her useless life ending here underground in a abandoned tunnel filled with rotting animals felt like it fit in some ironic way.

And the end of the day she was just a dog chasing cars. Useless.

At least she would be free. Free from this misery.

In that split second as useless as Mina felt her life has been. She was ready. She was ready for deaths embrace.

But it didn't come. The death she was waiting for.

The blade stopped inches from her skin, shaking violently as Chaeyoung’s whole body trembled. Her grip faltered, the sword rattling in her hand as if she were fighting something invisible.

Her eyes widened. Not the cold and mocking glare of The Fate, but the frightened and shattered gaze of the Chaeyoung Mina had fallen for.

“I… can’t…” Chaeyoung whispered, her entire body seizing with resistance. The katana slipped from her hand, clattering onto the concrete.

"I can't hurt her.. stop... please..." Mina hears Chaeyoung whisper under her breath as she staggers away from Mina who was on her knees.

Chaeyoung moves to the opposite wall of the tunnel and starts punching the wall.

"No. No. No. No. Leave. Me. Alone." Chaeyoung screams with each hit as her knuckles explode with blood staining both her hands and the wall.

Mina finds her body moving on autopilot she runs to Chaeyoung pulling her away from the wall and hugging her. Chaeyoung bursts into tears in her arms the moment Mina wraps her arms around her.

They both fall to the ground. They sit there in a small pool of water from the tunnel mixing with the blood flowing out of their bodies.

The sound of Chaeyoung's sobs and cries fill the tunnels.

Mina tightens the hug. Her hand firmly placed on Chaeyoung's back.

For the first time, Mina realized the truth Chaeyoung wasn’t just fighting her. She was fighting herself.

Mina had a good idea of what was going on now. She had her doubts but the theory felt so absurd she never entertained the thought. But seeing the way Chaeyoung acted just now, her initial hypothesis might just be true after all.

She just needed to hear it from her. She needed Chaeyoung to tell her everything. She was sick and tired of not knowing. She was tired of chasing uncertainty.

She was still a criminal. A killer. But Mina was willing to suspend her beliefs and morals for a while. Until she learns the truth.

After all, What good is justice if it was being directed at the wrong people.

What good is justice if she was actively protecting the people that had taken everything from her. Her and Chaeyoung.

As she felt Chaeyoung’s consciousness leave her from the bloodloss while she was in Mina's arms, Mina made a decision.

She could lose her job. She could be arrested as an accomplice. She didn't care. She needed answers. That's what she told herself.

That she was doing this just for answers. Not because she cared.

That she was frantically running out of the tunnel with the small girl in her arms while her own body ached in indescribable pain.

She told herself she was doing all of this only because she wanted to find the real killers of her parents.

Not because she cared about the girl slowly losing her life in Mina’s arms right now.

Mina ran as fast as she could. She knew the car wasn't an option. Nayeon would have taken it to take the killer to a hospital.

So Mina just ran.

Her own body bleeding and bruised every joint and muscle aching so much that she could barely think properly.

And the whole way, there was one thought running through Mina’s mind like a broken record.

'Please don't die.'

-------------------------------------------------------------

Sana’s apartment was wrapped in a soft hush, the kind of silence that only came when the city outside had finally gone to sleep. She moved through it with slow, deliberate steps, following the rhythm of her nightly ritual that had become second nature after years of long shifts.

The saucepan was already heating on the stove, steam beginning to curl from its spout. She liked to make herself a cup of hot chocolate after work. Something warm and sweet to settle the lingering chaos of the day.

In the bathroom, Sana leaned over the sink, wiping the remnants of makeup from her face with a cotton pad. The faint floral scent of her cleanser filled the room as she worked in small, careful circles. She studied her reflection for a moment, fingers brushing over the faint shadows under her eyes. She smiled tiredly at herself, a smile only half real, and splashed cold water across her skin to chase away the heaviness.

She padded barefoot into the bedroom, slipping into an oversized cardigan that smelled faintly of detergent and comfort. The TV played faintly in the living room, a rerun of a kdrama she wasn’t really watching, but she liked the background noise. It kept the loneliness from feeling too sharp.

She pulled her hair into a loose braid as she wandered back to the kitchen, pausing to water the little potted plant by the window.

"Don’t worry, I didn’t forget you." she murmured softly to it, as if it could hear her.

Sana moved to turn off the stove, reaching for her favorite mug. Her mind was already picturing herself curled up on the couch with her hot chocolate, a blanket around her shoulders, the city lights glittering faintly through the curtains and the kdrama she could cluelessly look at because she wouldn't know what's happening now that she had missed the first few episodes.

That’s when it came.

The knock.

Loud. Sudden. Violent enough to rattle the wood of the door. Sana froze, the mug slipping slightly in her hand before she caught it.

Another series of pounding knocks followed, uneven and desperate, echoing through the quiet apartment. Her heartbeat kicked up, thundering in her chest.

She set the mug down with trembling fingers and moved toward the door, every step cautious, her mind racing with possibilities. Neighbors didn’t knock like that. Friends didn’t either.

She reached for the knob, hesitated, then pulled the door open.

Her breath hitched.

Mina stood there, swaying like she might collapse at any moment, her face streaked with sweat. Blood smeared her clothes, but it wasn’t just hers. In her arms, limp and deathly pale, was Chaeyoung.

Sana’s world tilted.

Mina’s lips trembled as she choked out the words, her voice breaking under the weight of them.

"Satang..."

Tears streaming down her face.

"Save her... please."

Chapter Text

The smell of iron hits Sana first. The metallic scent invading her safe space making her hairs stand on end. She blinked startled as Mina weakly leaned on the side of her doorway with someone in her arms.

"Mina- oh my god-"

The words tumbled out of sana in a squeaky voice before she could stop herself but instinct quickly takes over.

"Quick, come inside!"

Mina stumbled forward, lines of where tears had steamed down her face were visible against the blood smeared on her face. Chaeyoung looked limp and lifeless in her arms and for the first time since they were kids, Sana saw Mina shaking like a leaf.

"Put her down here sweetie, right here-" Sana interrupts herself as she sweeps her hands over her coffee table knocking over the half finished mug of hot chocolate and some magazines to the floor without hesitation. She guided Mina to lay Chaeyoung down as gently as possible.

Mina nodded and obeyed. She lowered Chaeyoung on the table trying her best to keep her trembling arms steady until the weight was fully lifted off them. Chaeyoung's skin was pale and her lips were tinted blue. She had lost too much blood. Sana’s eyes widen but she doesn't panic.

"Mitang, hey, look at me." Sana cups her best friends blood stained cheeks for a second.

"She's not gone. Okay? She’s still holding on. We can do this.. Just breathe okay?" Sana tries to ground Mina before she runs over to the drawer at the back end of the living room next to the door to her room. She takes out her old trauma kit that she still kept there.

Sana walked over grabbing Mina’s hand shoving a small towel into it and guiding it to the wound on Chaeyoung's thigh.

"Here. Press down here. Hold it tight okay?"

Mina nodded. Even though her hands shook with her own exhaustion and panic she held the towel down on the wound.

"She's cold, Sana. I can’t- i don't know what to-"

"Shhh, it’s okay. You're doing perfect." Sana’s voice was gentle. Almost singsong, like she was soothing a frightened child. Her gentle and kind aura clashed violently with the panic and darkness emanating from Mina.

Sana knelt beside them, laying out the gauze, scissors and bandages.

"All we have to do is slow the bleeding. That’s step one. You and me, We got this."

Chaeyoung stirred faintly at the pressure on her thigh, a pained noise escapes her lips and Mina springs up from the sound.

"See? She’s still with us." Sana said quickly, smiling despite the mountain of questions and worry running rampant in her mind. She removed Mina hand and presses a fresh wad of gauze over the wound. Her movements remained careful but quick.

"Hey, Chaeyoung-ah, stay with us okay? You're in good hands." Sana whispers as she worked.

Mina's face remained stoic and hard as they always were but the steady stream of tears slowly making it's way down her face told a different story. Mina had just started being okay with the loss of the one she loved.

She had only recently come to accept the fact that Chaeyoung was gone and all that was left was The Fate. She had just started building her walls back up and then this happens.

Whatever this was. Whatever that manic episode she witnessed Chaeyoung go through was.

"Please.. Save her sana. Please." The words bleed out between Mina's lips without her realizing.

Sana reaches out her free hand squeezing Mina’s wrist. Her smile wavers for a moment but her eyes stayed steady and kind.

"I'll do everything I can. I promise."

She moved methodically, talking through every step like it would make the fear shrink.

"Mina. I know it’s scary, but she needs you calm. Keep talking to her. She can hear you."

Chaeyoung whimpered again, a soft, shaky sound. Sana leaned close, brushing a strand of hair from the girl’s face.

"You’re so brave, you hear me? So brave. Just hang on, okay?" Sana talks to her almost as an example to show Mina how to do it.

Mina looked at Chaeyoung for a moment lost in thought and then she looks up at Sana with desperate eyes.

"I can’t, Sana... I-I..."

'I don’t even know who I'm talking to anymore. If it's The Fate or Chaeyoung, If it's a cold blooded serial killer or a girl forced to be ruthless because of the hand she was dealt with by life. I don’t know what to say.'

Is what Mina wanted to say to Sana. But she couldn't. The less Sana knew about this the safer she would be. Mina wasn't putting another one of her loved ones in danger. Never again.

"You can, Mina. And you will. She’s barely conscious and she needs something to keep her tethered and awake. It doesn't matter what you say just keep talking to her. Every word you say right now is a lifeline to her." Sana said firmly, her voice was still soft but unyielding.

Sana grabbed the emergency blanket from the corner of the room, wrapping it around Chaeyoung’s shoulders and torso, tucking her carefully so she wouldn’t move too much.

"There we go. Nice and snug. That’s it. Good girl."

Mina leaned over Chaeyoung, holding her head gently.

"I need to make a call. We need to take her to the hospital. Her wounds are patched up but she needs blood." Sana says.

"No!" Mina says a little too loudly startling Sana.

"We... can't. Nayeon and the others can't know about this Sana. That's why I brought her here to you." Mina says. Desperation painted in her voice.

"I know Mina! I don’t understand what the situation is with you guys but I do understand the condition Chaeyoung is in right now. I don’t exactly have bags of blood stored in my fridge okay? She needs blood. You can’t protect her from whatever it is you're trying to protect her from if she's dead!" Sana grabs Mina shoulders and shakes her softly as she half screamed some sense into her.

With that Mina deflates completely. Chaeyoung was going to get arrested and she’s never going to find out what's going on in her mind. She’ll probably get the death penalty if things go the way they are going now.

No. She can't let that happen. Even if there's a 0.1 percent chance that they have a common enemy. Mina needs to know. She didn't work her whole life to arrest the wrong person and call it a day. Mina was going to find the real killers of her parents. Even if she has to resort to unlawful means to do so.

Sensing the hesitation Sana speaks.

"We'll do this smart okay? Quietly and carefully. I know a place at the hospital. The private rooms the celebrities use. Nobody bothers you there, nobody asks questions. She’ll be safe." Sana says.

Mina blinked, unsure if she wanted to believe her.

"You really think they’ll let us use one of those rooms?"

Sana’s grin widened.

"Oh, honey. Don’t doubt me. I’ve got connections. It’ll be just like a secret hideout, except with clean sheets and proper medical equipment. She'll get properly treated."

Mina hesitated, her gaze flicking down to Chaeyoung who was pale and trembling. Her protective instinct clashed with the exhaustion and fear swirling in her chest. Finally, she lets out a long and shaky breath.

"Okay... okay. But... if anyone asks- if anyone-" Her voice faltered, broken by the panic she refused to show and she trailed off unable to finish the sentence.

"No one will know." Sana said firmly, but with the soft warmth of someone who knew exactly how scared Mina was.

"We’re doing this smart. No one finds out. I promise."

Mina swallowed hard and then nods.

"Alright..."

Sana nods at Mina's permission.

"Let me call them." Sana says standing up.

“Keep talking to her, Mitang. Tell her anything. Stories, silly jokes, whatever. She needs to hear your voice. She needs to feel safe.” Sana’s volume gradually increases as she goes farther away from the two to make her call. She leaves the room after saying that.

And Mina tries as told. She tries to talk to the Chaeyoung she knew. About random small things that seemed miniscule compared to the direness of the situation they were in now.

Mina spoke of their time together. The night they went on their first mission. How Mina carried Chaeyoung halfway across the city having no idea that Chaeyoung was faster than Mina. She spoke of their first night together. How bold Chaeyoung was despite the obvious redness on her cheeks. Mina asks how she was so good at acting that she could make herself blush on command. Mina asks how she made it look so real if it wasn’t.

Sana comes back a moment later now having changed out of her pajamas.

"I got the green light. Help me take her to my car." Sana said picking up the equipment all strewn about next to Chaeyoung.

Sana’s hand squeezed Mina’s reassuringly as she noticed the absent look in Mina's face as she pulled Chaeyoung back into her arms.

"We’re not letting anything happen to her, okay? Nothing. She’s gonna be okay."

Sana carefully guides them out of her apartment. Through the hallway. Into the elevator. Out through the back into the parking lot. Into her car. All while looking back constantly making sure they were following her.

The ride to the hospital was tense but silent, punctuated only by Chaeyoung’s shallow breathing and the occasional shuffle as Sana adjusted her hold on the steering wheel.

Once they arrived, Sana moved with ease, flashing her credentials and guiding them to the private wing with a calm and practiced efficiency.

In the elevator, the soft hum seemed deafening in contrast to the chaos of the night. Mina’s mind raced filled to the brim with fear, guilt, and exhaustion. Her arms ached from holding Chaeyoung and her own injuries were screaming at her as well but all she could think about was keeping the girl alive.

When the door to the private room opened, Sana guided Mina to gently lay Chaeyoung on the bed. She immediately checked her vitals, speaking softly to her the whole time she did so.

"There we go… deep breaths. You’re safe now. I’ll make sure of it. Nobody’s coming in, nobody’s bothering you. Just rest."

Mina sank into the chair beside the bed, her fingers hovering over Chaeyoung’s arm as if afraid to let go. She didn’t notice her own shaking until Sana reached over and lightly squeezed her shoulder.

"You’ve done everything you can tonight, Mitang." Sana said gently.

"You got her here. That’s what matters. You can’t do any more than that. She’s safe now, and we’ll take care of the rest."

Mina nods hesitantly taking in a big gulp, and she whispered, barely audible.

"Just... please... don’t let her die."

Sana’s eyes softened, sparkling with warmth.

"She’s not going anywhere. I promise. We’ve got this. Both of us. Just relax, okay? You can breathe a little. She’s safe.”

Mina finally exhaled, a long shuddering sigh. She let her hands rest near Chaeyoung. Still protective and anxious but for the first time in hours, she allowed herself to hope.

Chaeyoung stirred slightly, a weak whimper escaping her lips. Mina leaned closer, brushing a strand of damp hair from her face. Sana crouched beside them, still checking vitals but whispering gentle reassurances.

"You’re okay, Chaeyoung." Sana said softly.

"I’ve got you. Mitang’s got you. You’re going to be just fine. I promise."

Mina nodded, she stared at the way Sana softly rubbed Chaeyoung’s head as she spoke. The amount of care and love put in to each action.

It's the natural reaction obviously. All Sana knows about Chaeyoung is from that one brunch they had where they introduced each other and from the visits to the hospital after Mina got injured from hwr first fight with the fate. That was before everything went to shit.

All Sana has seen from Chaeyoung is her being a blushing mess infront of Mina at the brunch and her spending the whole night next to Mina's bed when she was hurt.

In Sana’s eyes they were already a married couple and she was already waiting to be an aunt. So yes. The protectiveness and love Sana was showing for Chaeyoung made total sense.

But that still didn't help the dirty feeling that settled in the back of Mina’s chest. The feeling of guilt. The guilt of lying to her best friend.

Chaeyoung’s breathing slowed slightly, though shallow and uneven. The tension in the room remained, but with Sana’s calm presence and Mina’s unwavering protectiveness, a fragile sense of safety finally settled in.

"Mitang." Sana said softly, her voice was like the gentle thread holding Mina’s fraying nerves together.

"I’m going to get her stabilized and treat her wounds properly. You... you need to take care of yourself too." Sana says.

Mina’s head snapped toward her, eyes wide.

"I… I can’t leave her." she protested, her voice tight with panic and exhaustion. If the G.U group wanted to get rid of Chaeyoung this would be the perfect chance.

Mina knew Chaeyoung was working for them and taking contracts from them. They might try to silence her.

"What if she... what if something-"

Sana cut her off with a bright, reassuring smile that didn’t hide the worry in her eyes.

“Hey, hey. She’s in my hands now. Not even the staff here knows about these rooms. She's safe here. I promise. But you. you’ve got blood loss too, bruises all over you, and probably a concussion too if I had to guess. You’re not invincible, Mitang. Please, just go get patched up.” Sana practically begs her. Eyes filled with worry.

Mina hesitated, every instinct screaming to stay. But Sana’s tone was firm without being harsh. A mix of authority and genuine worry that made Mina want listen. Finally, she exhaled her shoulders sagging.

"Okay... okay, I’ll go. I need to check up on Nayeon as well and..." Her voice faltered, almost whispering.

"I need to know what she did with the killer." She said more to herself.

Sana gave her an encouraging nod.

"Good. After, you get yourself patched up okay? Not before." Sana says like she's scolding her. Her finger wagging at Mina like she was her mother.

Mina smiles for the first time tonight. She nods. Sana smiles back.

"We’ll be fine. Go, Mitang. I’ll take care of her, and I’ll call you if anything changes.” Sana says.

Mina took one last look at Chaeyoung.

"Alright." Mina whispered, her voice hoarse. "I... I trust you, Sana."

Sana grinned, her usual brightness threading through the tense room. Sana was happy. She knew how difficult it was for Mina to say those three words in particular. She was thankful.

"Good. Now go. I’ll hold the fort here. You just get yourself fixed up, check up on your new bestie and come back to us." Sana said teasingly.

With a final nod, Mina slipped out of the room, the hospital corridors buzzing faintly with the soft hum of fluorescent lights. She made her way to the triage station, her steps heavy but determined. Each step reminded her of the adrenaline still coursing through her veins, the exhaustion threatening to pull her down.

The nurse at the front desk raised an eyebrow as she approached, but Mina simply held up her wrist, blood still dried on her sleeve.

"I need treatment." she said plainly.

"Minor injuries... bruises... cuts... probably some blood loss. Please, I don’t have time to wait." Mina flashes her detective badge for good measure. Just to make sure she is taken seriously when she says she doesn't have much time.

The nurse’s expression softened, understanding the urgency.

"Right away." she said, guiding Mina into a treatment room.

Mina sat on the edge of the bed, letting the nurse examine her. The bruises, the cuts, the scratches. They all stung, a harsh reminder of the night’s chaos. But she welcomed it, it was a grounding feeling in the whirlwind of fear and uncertainty she had been feeling.

"Minor injuries she says." The nurse whispering that gets Mina’s attention.

"What?" She asks.

"Your wrist is broken sweetheart. Did you even know?" The nurse says in disbelief.

"No. I do now." Mina replies like it was nothing.

Even as the nurse began cleaning and bandaging her wounds, Mina’s mind drifted to Nayeon. She needed to know what the team did with the other killer, if the lead was still intact, and if there were any further risks. Her chest tightened as worry gnawed at her, not just for the mission, but for the fragile girl still unconscious under Sana’s watch and for her partner who she left a killer with.

By the time the bandages were secured and the wounds properly cleaned, Mina stood up, brushing her hands on her pants. The cast on her right wrist hits her pants and grunts at it like it was a hindrance or something.

"Alright." she muttered to herself.

"Time to check on Nayeon. Time to make sure everything is still in motion."

She stepped out of the room, taking a deep breath. The hospital’s sterile smell mixed oddly with the faint scent of antiseptic and the hum of activity around her. But it didn’t matter. Her focus was clear. Chaeyoung was safe for now, thanks to Sana. But Mina’s mission wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

As she headed toward the exit to find Nayeon and the rest of the team, her mind was already mapping out the next steps. Every second counted. And she couldn’t afford a single mistake. Not with Chaeyoung’s life, and the truth, still hanging in the balance.

Well, her job too but she couldn't care less about that. The whole reason she became a cop was to find these answers and if she needed to lose the job to get them then so be it.

Mina pulled out her phone, fumbling slightly as her hand still shook from the adrenaline and pain and she could only use her left hand now since the right one was in a wrist cast.

She dialed Nayeon, trying to steady her breathing as the line rang.

"Mina?" Nayeon’s voice came through, tired but alert. "Are you-"

"Where are you?" Mina interrupted, cutting straight to the point. "Are you okay? Where’s the team? And the killer?"

There was a pause, and Mina could hear faint beeping and distant chatter in the background.

"I'm fine. We’re at a hospital." Nayeon said.

"The whole team came with me but it's just Hyo and me now. Tzuyu and the boys left a few minutes ago. The killer... he’s in surgery now. We don’t know if he’s going to make it.” Nayeon adds.

"Which hospital?" she asked.

Nayeon gave the name and Mina’s stomach unclenched. It was a different hospital from Sana’s. Thank goodness. That meant no accidental run-ins, no awkward explanations and no risk of Nayeon stumbling onto Sana and Mina before they were ready.

"Got it." Mina said, her voice steadier.

"Thanks, Unnie. Keep me updated."

“Holy shit did you just call me unnie? Who are you and what did you do to my tsundere partner??"

"Shut up. I'm tired okay."

"There she is."

"I'll be there in 10."

"Mina?"

"Yeah?"

Nayeon’s tone softens for a moment.

"Take care of yourself too, okay? You’re half the reason this went smoothly tonight. Don’t go bleeding out on me while I’m babysitting murderers."

Mina allowed herself the faintest of chuckles. A small, humanizing sound in the middle of all the chaos.

"Yeah... yeah, I’ll be fine. I got patched up in a different hospital." She replied.

Clutching Sana’s car keys in hand, she left the hospital, the night air hitting her like a wave. The city streets were quiet, the occasional distant siren or hum of traffic filling the gaps. She slid into Sana’s car. Sliding the key into the ignition and the engine comes roaring to life and she punched in the hospital address Nayeon had given her.

The drive was tense, each red light felt like an eternity. Her eyes flicked constantly to the rearview mirror, to the GPS, to the streets around her. She had to stop herself from slamming her broken wrist into the steering wheel.

Every moment, every breath was a reminder of what she was chasing. It wasn’t just a singular criminal now. It was something bigger. She didn't know where to go from here.

Mina reached the hospital after 10 more minutes and she parked, exhaling slowly, letting herself take a deep breath as she exited the car.

She stepped out tightened the scarf around her neck and braced herself. It was Sana’s scarf that she found inside the car. Mina thought it would help her look a little less like an undead zombie with all the bruises and bandages on her face. There was a big square patch next to her brow and a band-aid on her nose. The smaller cuts were cleaned and treated but was still clearly red and visible.

Inside, Nayeon and the chief were waiting.

Mina squared her shoulders, taking one last moment to steady her thoughts.

She pushed open the door and walked in.

Mina pushed open another door further inside and stepped into the private waiting room, the sterile scent and low hum of machinery surrounding her again. The room was sparsely furnished, a few chairs and a small table littered with papers and coffee cups, but it was quiet.

"Nayeon?" she called softly, her voice hoarse.

Nayeon looked up from a clipboard, pushing her hair behind her ear. Beside her, Chief Jihyo gave a small nod, arms crossed as if ready for a briefing.

Nayeon's eyes flicked over Mina’s bruised and bloodied form.

Mina forced a small, tight-lipped smile, ignoring the ache that ran through every muscle in her body.

"I... I lost again." she lied, limping slightly as she made her way to an empty chair.

"The Fate... got away."

Nayeon and Jihyo exchanged a glance, but neither pressed. They both could see the shame in Mina's eyes. Only they were thinking it was shame from losing a fight with the fate. Little did they know it was shame of lying to her best friend and her Chief.

"It’s fine." Jihyo said after a moment, voice low but steady.

"As long as you’re safe, that’s what matters."

Mina nodded, her chest tight. She felt the weight of the night pressing down on her, exhaustion settling in like a heavy cloak. Her head throbbed, her ribs ached, and her spirit felt bruised just as much as her body did.

Nayeon sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"We’re not going to get any answers out of the man in the condition he’s in. He’s unconscious, stable for now, but any interrogation is useless. Go home, Minari. Rest and heal. We can come back together and question him when he wakes up."

Mina forced another nod, pretending to listen.

"Right... of course."

She rose from the chair, every step slow and deliberate, her body protesting each movement.

Jihyo gave a reassuring nod, and Nayeon’s gaze lingered on Mina a moment longer than necessary. There was a flicker of curiosity in Nayeon’s eyes. A spark of suspicion. Mina was acting weird. she was too out of it and too lost in thought but she said nothing. Nayeon didn't want to confront Mina when their boss was sitting right next to her.

Nayeon remained seated and her eyes thoughtful. There was something in the way Mina moved, the way she spoke, the way she had avoided mentioning any key details... Nayeon’s instincts as the prettiest most beautiful and gorgeous detective in the world, told her that there was more going on than Mina let on.

Her brow furrowed. Something was happening. Something bigger. And she was going to find out what.

As Mina reached the door, Nayeon’s voice called softly, almost under her breath,

"Be careful, Mina."

Mina turned her head just enough to nod, then limped toward the elevator, her thoughts already turning to the hospital where Sana and Chaeyoung were waiting. Her body was battered and her spirit was weary but she refused to let herself collapse. Not yet.

She could rest later. Right now, all that mattered was keeping Chaeyoung safe and getting answers from her.

Sana met Mina just outside the hospital room. Her expression was gentle but somber.

"She’s awake." She said quietly, matching the serious tone that clung to the air.

"I didn’t fully understand why you wanted her strapped the way we do with mentally ill patients but I followed your instructions. She hasn’t tried to get free a single time. She’s been... calm. Polite. Cooperative whenever I addressed her." Sana briefs Mina professionally.

Mina frowned, confused. That didn’t make sense. After everything. The fight, the blood and the chaos.

Chaeyoung had been calm? Polite?

Sana slipped her hand briefly into Mina’s arm as they walked down the short corridor together.

"You did the right thing, though." she said softly.

"I wouldn’t have known how to handle it otherwise."

Mina’s eyes followed her, silent, every step weighted. Her thoughts were a jumble of relief, exhaustion and curiosity.

They reached the room. The quiet hum of the hospital machines were the only sound hitting their ears.

Sana stopped glancing at Mina with a small and reassuring smile.

"I’ll let you go in alone." she said.

"You two... you need this moment."

Mina nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Thanks for all of this Satang. And thanks for not asking questions I don't know how to answer yet." Mina says.

"That's what friends are for. I know you'll explain everything when you are ready. All I'm focused on right now is being here for you both." Sana says pulling Mina by her arm and giving a small peck on her forehead. It was something sana used to do when they were kids. Whenever Mina was hurt or when she cried.

Instead of stepping back, Mina drags sana closer and hugs her.

"You're the best." Mina whispers.

"I know. Now go. She's waiting." Sana replies rubbing her hand on Mina's back.

She stepped into the room. Chaeyoung sat upright on the bendable hospital bed, pushed up so she could sit. Her hands and feet were still strapped securely, but her posture was composed and almost resigned.

Mina scanned her face. The thin, cat-like eyes. The ones that had haunted her nightmares, were gone. They were replaced with wide doe eyes that scanned Mina’s face intently.

Her usual wicked and sadistic smile that stretched too far across her small face. It was replaced with a soft and sad pout. Her eyes glistened and catched the dim hospital light, and the sight made something inside Mina ache.

Chaeyoung’s voice was hoarse and trembling slightly.

"Did... did I do that to you?" She asked, sadness dripping from her voice.

Mina swallowed hard, feeling the weight of every moment that had led to this. Slowly and deliberately, she nodded a yes.

The motion seemed to uncoil something inside Chaeyoung. Her eyes welled up even more and tears began to trickle down her cheeks. She bit her lip, trembling and unable to look away from Mina’s wrecked face.

Mina moved closer and easing herself down onto the edge of the bed. She kept her gaze firm and unwavering, as if it was anchoring them both in this moment.

Mina talked quietly, but with all the weight and resolve she could muster.

"Tell me everything."

Chapter Text

The night was supposed to be like any other. Quiet. The kind of quietness that only wooden houses deep in the forest would know. Soft creakes of the old wood, wind rushing past the giant fir trees outside and the hush of too many kids sleeping, piled into the same room.

Then came the unwelcome sounds. The crackle of fire, sounds of suffocating coughs and pained screams.

8 year old Chaeyoung wakes up coughing. Her small body jerks upright in her bed. The world around her was red. The ceiling above her was bright with light that shouldn't have been there. The kind of light that was alive, moved and devoured anything in it's path.

"Unnie??" Chaeyoung voice breaks as she reaches for the bed beside hers. Empty. Heat licked the back of her neck. She stumbles out of her bed, her bare feet hitting the floor as she moved to the others in the room.

"Hey! Hey! Wake up!" Chaeyoung screams, shoving shoulders, shaking arms and slapping at faces. One by one, the others around her stirred awake. Some crying and others frozen in terror.

"Fire! Fire! The house-" She coughed again, her voice shredding against the smoke.

She ran down the narrow hallway pushing open doors that weren't burning. The air was thick, heavy and filled with the crackle of fire. The flames crawled along the walls like living creatures, reaching for Chaeyoung, hissing in her ears.

"Wake up! Please wake up!"

She yanked open the matron's door, or what was left of it. The room she came into was already half eaten by fire. The bed in the middle of the room was collapsing.

"Oka-san..." Chaeyoung whispers, even though the woman wasn't her mother. It just slipped out.

A beam from the ceiling comes crashing down beside the woman in the room and she screams, ducking. Her hands were shaking and her eyes streaming. She turned and ran towards Chaeyoung.

Chaeyoung sobs in relief, putting her hands up towards the woman for her to hug Chaeyoung or lift her up.

The matron doesn't slow down nor does she kneel next to Chaeyoung. Her knee comes in contact with Chaeyoung's small body sending her tumbling back into the flaming hallway.

The startled little Chaeyoung lifts her head holding her aching chest. She watches the woman she thought was her mother run away down the hallway of fire screaming without a single look back.

"Someone... help..." She sobbed. The only answer that came was the roar of fire and the distant howl of screams. Screams of her friends, her family.

"Chaeyoung!"

The shout cut through the crackling. Chaeyoung turned just in time to see her twin. Miyoung, with her short hair matted with sweat and ash. Her face streaked with soot. She bursts through the smoke from the opposite side of the hallway. Her arm was already wrapped in a wet towel that was more black than white now.

"Unnie!" Chaeyoung sobbed, stumbling towards her.

Miyoung doesn't waste a single second. She threw another wet towel over Chaeyoung's shoulders wrapping it tightly around her.

"We'll run okay? Stay close. Don't stop or look back okay?" Miyoung said holding Chaeyoung face and wiping the soot and tears away from it.

Chaeyoung nodded. Her sister grabs her hand and pulled. The hallway was straight out of a nightmare. The walls were fully growing red now. The beams were falling behind them and the air was so thick with smoke that they couldn't see past five feet in front of them. They ran together, coughing, crying and their feet slipping on the half burnt floorboards.

Miyoung led the way. She pushes open a doorway only to find it blocked by debris. She turned sharply dragging Chaeyoung the other way. The sound of collapsing wood chasing them.

"Faster Chae! Come on!"

They reached the staircase but half of it had already caved in. Miyoung didn't hesitate. She crouched and ducked under a fallen beam, her small frame just managing to slip through.

"Your turn! Give me your hand." She yelled reaching back for her sister.

Chaeyoung bent low her heart pounding. The beam creaked above them as Chaeyoung awkwardly tried to shimmy herself through the small opening. The smoke stung in her eyes so badly she could barely see her sister's outstretched hand.

"Almost there." Miyoung urged. She grabs Chaeyoung's left hand and tries to help her through.

"Just a little-"

The ceiling screamed.

There was a crack and then a thunderous crash.

The beam came down in a burst of sparks and dust. Chaeyoung screams as the world slammed into her right arm. The sound rips through the hallway.

"CHAEYOUNG!" Miyoung dropped to her knees panicking and grabbing at the wood. Chaeyoung's right hand was crushed under the wood.

"No, no, no, hold on!"

Chaeyoung couldn't even scream anymore. Her voice came out as broken gasps as she tried to pull free, the firelight reflecting in her wide and terrified eyes. Her small fingers of her free hand clawed uselessly at the floor, the weight of the beam pinning her right arm like a vice.

"Unnie- please- it hurts-"

Miyoung's burned hands trembled as she tried to lift the beam, tears cutting lines through the soot on her cheeks.

"Hold on, okay? I'm gonna lift it. The moment your arm's free, you run. You hear me? You run out that door and don't look back until you're outside."

Chaeyoung nodded tears streaking down her cheeks. She could barely breathe. Her lips trembled as she whispered.

"Okay, Unnie..."

Miyoung took a deep breath, her small hands bracing against the burning wood. Her skin sizzled against the heat, but she didn't stop. She bit down on a cry, the sound turning into a grunt of effort.

"On three." she said. "One... two..."

With a trembling roar, Miyoung pushed up with everything she had. The muscles in her arms strained and the beam shifted inch by inch until finally-

"Now! Go!" she screamed.

Chaeyoung yanked her crushed arm free, stumbling backward. For a moment, relief flooded her chest-

Until the ceiling gave out.

The sound was deafening. The roof above them cracked and fell apart, collapsing right where Miyoung knelt.

"UNNIE!"

The world disappeared in a cloud of smoke, dust and falling embers. When it cleared, Miyoung was buried under the debris. Not just her arm. Her whole body pinned beneath the wreckage. Only her head and one shoulder and arm visible.

Chaeyoung dropped beside her, frantic and clawing at the burning wood with her bare hands.

"No, no, no! Please! I can get you out! I can do what you did."

Miyoung coughed, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth forming a small pool on the ground.

"Chae... stop... it's no use..."

"I can!" Chaeyoung screamed. Her fingers bled as she tried again. The splinters cutting into her palms.

"Please don't leave me, Unnie!"

Miyoung's hand found her sister's cheek, trembling but gentle.

"You have to go... please... you have to live."

Chaeyoung shook her head violently.

"No! I won't! I'm not leaving you!"

The fire was everywhere now, crawling up the walls, licking at the floor. The air burned to breathe. Miyoung's eyes softened as she looked at her sister. Her twin sister she'd always protected, the one she used to braid hair for, the one who loved strawberries more than anything.

"Chaeyoung..." She whispered weakly and her voice cracking under the heat and smoke.

"I love you... my strawberry princess."

Her lips curved into the faintest smile before her eyes finally closed.

"Unnie..."

The fire swallowed the sound of Chaeyoung's scream as she knelt there, shaking, unable to move.

It took every last piece of her will to finally stand, tears blurring her sight as she turned and ran through the burning hallway.

Behind her, the only family she had ever known was gone.

The fire was behind her now but its glow still burned against the night sky. A red wound carved into the horizon.

Chaeyoung stumbled through the forest barefooted and trembling. her breath coming out in shallow and ragged gasps. The snow crunched beneath her feet becoming stained with soot and blood as she walked.

The air was sharp and biting at her skin, cutting through the thin nightgown and the towel that Miyoung wrapped around her. The towel that protected her from the heat a moment ago was now the only thing protecting her from the unrelenting cold of the snow.

She didn't know where she was going.
She just knew she had to keep moving.

The world was silent except for the wind and the sound of her shivering. Every step felt heavier than the last. Her crushed arm hung limply by her side, already swollen and discolored, and the cold made the pain worse. It felt like knives twisting under her skin.

Her lips were blue now. She tried to blow into her hands for warmth but even her breath came out weak, thin and cold.

"Unnie..." she whispered. Her voice hoarse.

"I did what you said... I ran..."

The snow kept falling, slow and endless, dusting her hair and eyelashes. She tried to remember which way the nearest town was. The caretakers used to drive there once a week. Maybe an hour's walk, maybe two. But the forest stretched on forever, white and endless.

Her steps began to falter. Her knees buckled.

She forced herself to keep going, dragging her small feet through the snow.

"I have to... I have to make it..." She mumbled to no one. Her words turned into quiet sobs.

"I have to live..."

But the cold was too much.

Her vision blurred, black creeping in from the edges of her vision.

She blinked, but her eyes couldn't focus anymore.

The burning sting of smoke had been replaced by the numbness of frost.

She had survived the heat with the sacrifice of her sister only to die by the cold.

Her body swayed.

And then she fell.

Her knees hit the ground first, then her hands and finally her cheek pressed into the cold snow. The world went quiet again. No wind, no forest, no sound of her breathing. Just the soft, white hush of winter swallowing everything.

The last thing she saw before darkness took her was the faint, orange glow far behind her. The last light of her dying home.

"...Unnie." she whispered one last time, her voice barely audible.

Then everything went still.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Chaeyoung woke to warmth.

For a moment, she thought she was dead.

Miyoung would tell her about a place they would go if they were good girls in this world. She described the place as warm and cozy. Because the place they lived in was cold and wet almost year round.

Chaeyoung wonders if she was in heaven. Chaeyoung wonders if Miyoung was here too. Will she get to see her again soon?

Her eyelashes fluttered open, and a wooden ceiling came into view. Old and uneven with faint stains from age.

The air no longer burned her lungs with smoke or froze her skin with snow. It was heavy, quiet and filled with the soft crackle of a fire somewhere close. The sound grips at her heart making her anxious. She looks around the walls making sure they weren't burning.

She sat up too quickly. Pain shot through her right arm and she gasped, clutching it instinctively.

A cast. A makeshift one. Made of sticks and cloth. Wrapped neatly around it. Someone had cleaned her wounds too. There were bandages on her knees and wrists. The faint smell of herbs lingered on her skin.

Her heart began to race.

Where was she? Who did this?

She looked around. The room was small, dimly lit by the fireplace glow spilling in from outside the door. The walls were lined with shelves full of strange jars and books. A low wooden table sat in the corner, filled with bandages, a bowl of steaming water and a blood-stained towel.

The sight of it made her chest tighten.

Someone had found her while she was unconscious. Someone strong enough to carry her all the way here.

She pulled the blanket off and slid her legs over the edge of the bed, her bare feet pressing against the cold wooden floor. Her small body trembled as she forced herself to stand. The room spun a little but she steadied herself by gripping the side of the bed.

Then, she spotted it. A broom leaning against the wall.

Her left hand wrapped around the handle. It was light but to her it felt like a weapon. The best she could find in that small room.

She crept toward the door as careful and quietly as she could. Her heart pounded so loud she was sure whoever was out there could hear it.

There were muffled sounds. Someone humming softly. A man's voice. It was deep and steady. The smell of soup drifted through the air but that only made her more anxious.

She reached the end of the narrow hallway. The living room was dim and lit by a single oil lamp on the table. A tall man sat near the fire with his back turned to her. His broad shoulders were covered in a worn black coat and his dark mid length hair looked messy.

Chaeyoung tightened her grip on the broom.

The man turned slightly, as if sensing her presence.

"Ah." he said calmly, not even surprised.

"You're awake."

His tone was gentle.

Chaeyoung steps back with the broom raised at him like a sword.

"Don't come near me." She croaked. Her voice trembling.

The man chuckled softly under his breath and raised both hands, showing her his palms.

"Easy there, kid. I'm not your enemy."

But Chaeyoung didn't lower the broom. Her eyes darted around the room. Door, window, fire poker. Formulating an escape plan.

The man sighed and leaned back slightly, letting the firelight catch his face. He looked younger than she had expected, maybe in his early thirties. Definitely younger than any of the caretakers at the orphanage.

Chaeyoung notices a scar running from the middle of his forehead how to his right ear. A scar that runs through his eyebrow and barely misses his right eye. It made him scarier than he already was.

"You were half-frozen when I found you in the snow." He said.

"You're lucky I was out hunting or you'd be a popsicle by now."

Chaeyoung said nothing. Her lips trembled and her eyes flicked to the door behind him.

He noticed.

His smile faded.

"You can run if you want," he said quietly.

"i don't recommend it though. You won't make it far. Not in this cold. Especially that arm of yours-" he nodded at the cast.

"-won't let you last long."

For a long moment, they just stared at each other.

A frightened child with a broom and a man who looked more like a shadow than a savior.

Then, finally, the man spoke again.

"Sit. Eat something." he said, turning back to the fire.

"Then you can decide whether to stay or leave."

"Yaaaaa!" Chaeyoung battle cries as she shuts her eyes and lands her strongest blow on the man's head as he turns back to her.

Chaeyoung slowly opens her eyes. She sees the man looking down at Chaeyoung with a dead pan look. The broom handle rested on top of his head and a steaming bowl of soup in his hand.

"Here, soup." The man says swatting away the broom handle from his face and handing the bowl to Chaeyoung.

Chaeyoung hesitated, her heart still hammering. But the smell of the soup was so warm and gentle, it hit her stomach like a plea.

Her grip on the broom loosened just a little.

She accepts the bowl with her left hand but the man doesn't let go of the bowl.

"Careful, it's hot. Here.." The man says taking the bowl over to the table.

Chaeyoung walks over to the table and sits. She looks over to the man one more time as if making sure she wasn't doing anything wrong.

She takes the spoon with her left hand. She struggles to eat the soup with her non-dominant hand.

The man sighs and walks over to her. Chaeyoung flinches and freezes when the man slides out the chair next to her.

"Give that to me." He says and Chaeyoung drops her head and gives the spoon. She thought she had messed up and now she had lost her soup. She thought she would have to sleep with an empty stomach tonight because she didn't do it right.

She feels tears pricking at her eyes as she stared at her lap.

"Lift your head." The man says.

Chaeyoung does as told and her eyes widen.

The spoon was infront of her face filled with steaming soup.

"Don't leave me hanging now. Open up." The man says with a smile. A smile that was nothing but gentle and kind.

Chaeyoung looks at the man, then down at the spoon, then she nods and opens up.

The tears finally start flowing. It wasn't of fear or sadness but of relief. The soup was delicious.

------------------------------------------------------------

Days turned into weeks.

Chaeyoung never found the strength to leave.

And the man never asked her to.

At first, she kept to herself.

She was quiet and skittish. Clutching that broom like it was still her weapon.

The man, however, gave her space. He'd leave food by her bed, check her bandages and speak only when necessary.

When she finally asked his name, he smirked and said.

"Haruki Saito. What's yours?"

"Chaeyoung... Son Chaeyoung."

"Names don't matter much out here. You can call me whatever you want." He adds.

"...Sensei." she murmured after a long pause.

He looked at her for a moment. A soft smile flickering on his face.

"Sensei, huh? Haven't been called that in years."

-----------------------------------------------------------

The days after that began to take shape.

He taught her how to light a fire with cold, stiff hands and wet wood. He showed her how to track animals in the snow, how to recognize footprints and how to move without sound.

She struggled at first. She was small, weak and her injured arm made every task harder than it should've been. But Sensei never raised his voice. He corrected her quietly, made her do it again, and again, until she got it right.

When she failed, he said only one thing.

"Survive. That's your first lesson. Everything else comes after."

He cooked simple food, rice, broth, whatever they could hunt.

Sometimes fish, sometimes rabbit.

Chaeyoung would watch him in silence, then copy what he did when it was her turn. Her meals were often burnt or tasteless, and Sensei would swap Chaeyoung's with his own cooked ones and ate the burnt, tasteless ones anyway.

"Never waste food. We take lives for our own. The least we can do is not waste it." He'd say with a shrug, even as he chewed something nearly inedible.

And every night, he'd sit by the fire sharpening his knife while Chaeyoung mended her clothes, her small fingers clumsy but determined.

Sometimes he'd speak short stories about the forest, about life beyond the mountains, about how cruelty was just another kind of teacher.

She didn't understand most of it back then. But she listened.