c h a p t e r   s i x

"What's this?" Officer Jeon eyed the cup like there could very well be a bomb inside.

"It's coffee." I announced brightly as I stood next to his desk. "As a thanks for yesterday. If you hadn't sent help the way that you did, I don't know if I would ever have found Jinae there." I tried not to think about it as I went on. "Therefore, coffee."

He looked somewhat surprised at my statement but before he could say anything, a high-pitched voice cut in.

"Are you shitting me, Jeon?"

I jumped at that, turning around just in time to see a man storming in with his eyebrows twisted into a very pissed off expression. His brown hair was messy from the wind and his boots were dirty, like he couldn't have been bothered to avoid the puddles in front of the station left over from the morning rain.

But that wasn't the odd part. It was the outfit he was wearing; a red, black and white jumpsuit with little patches of checkers that went with the dark helmet clutched in his hands. If there was any doubt, a glance at the logo on his chest confirmed that it was an auto racing outfit.

What was a racer doing here?

Officer Jeon's eyes were wide in shock as he took in the man in front of him. "Hoseok?"

"No, it's my dead body's ghost," he spat heatedly in reply and I decided since he hadn't really noticed me yet, I should probably get the hell out because I definitely did not want to be here for whatever this was.

"And that wasn't a joke," he continued. "Because you and I both know it could have been, Jeon. I nearly died."

Uh, what?

That's when Officer Jeon sighed and his shoulders slumped. "Shit—I know, Hyung."

"You said it was okay," the man named Hoseok carried on. "And I thought that was it, that me and the rest of the guys on the team had nothing to worry about because you told me the police were going to handle it."

"They were," Officer Jeon raised his voice.

"Well, they clearly were not any fucking good at their job if I came that close to biting it."

I retreated back a step, willing myself to blend into the background somehow.

"We're taking care of it," Officer Jeon bit out.

"Yeah?" Hoseok raised his eyebrows. "Like you said before?"

"No," he snapped. "I'm handling it personally."

There was silence as this was processed.

I inched back some more.

Hoseok seemed somewhat placated by that statement. He nodded slowly. "Do what you need to do, but get me secured. The minute things get sticky, you let me know and I'll haul ass somewhere safe."

Officer Jeon sighed again, this time more to himself. "I knew you'd be coming over soon. The minute I heard it about the incident on the news, I knew you'd be right here, up in my face about it."

I hadn't heard about any racer in a near-death accident on the news, but then again I hadn't exactly been watching a lot of news recently either. And with the way they were talking, I understood this was a lot more than just an accident.

Hoseok narrowed his eyes. "Well, excuse me, but let me repeat: I nearly died."

"And let me repeat, Hoseok: I fucking know. The news came out nearly a week ago but I was on it immediately when it did. What do you think I was doing since then? I was on the Busan Police Department's ass the minute I heard of it. And you know what else? I called in some much needed reinforcements. Understand that when I say I'm the one handling this now, I'm going to handle it very effectively."

Whoa.

I took a large step back this time.

"Reinforcements?" Hoseok's eyebrows went up. "Are you...?"

"I called Yoongi," Officer Jeon announced and my ears perked up immediately.

"Yoongi?" I watched as Hoseok's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "And he actually came?"

"Yeah, but this is bigger than you know and there's more to it. He even brought—"

"Yo!" A loud voice entered the fray and we all turned around to see the man in question with the man who'd shouted, which was the one from yesterday that wore his outfit again of black and gold.

Don't even get me started on how good the usual uniform looked on Liquid Gold.

"Namjoon too?" Hoseok sounded confused and that's when Officer Jeon nodded, leaning back in his chair. "That's what I was getting to. General Min not only came, he even brought Captain Kim with him."

Hoseok was rapidly blinking like he couldn't comprehend what was happening when suddenly he burst out, addressing the blond man. "But how? Don't you have an army to bark out orders to?"

General Min didn't dignify that with a response as he just stared, like the question was so beneath him it would actually be painful to respond.

"And Namjoon?" Hoseok turned to the other man. "Thought you had a term overseas in the Navy?"

The man in black and gold simply grinned wildly, flashing his set of dimples as he did so. "Well, when the top dog in the military pulls you out for whatever reason he deems is important enough, you kinda have to go with it."

So General Min was a top dog at the military.

Hmm.

A door slammed open suddenly and everyone turned to see the redhead I remembered from before walk out of the side room; hair disheveled, tie loose and sleeves rolled up his arms. He looked exhausted once again behind those thin rimmed glasses of his that looked good on him, and he pointed an accusing finger at Officer Jeon.

"You were going to work this case without me," his eyes were narrowed and ready to see through any bullshit.

"Lieutenant Park, I didn—" Officer Jeon stood up, hands in front of him in a defensive pose.

"Don't worry, Jungkook," the redhead declared, his tone one of finality. "I've talked to Captain Bang and I'm back in."

There was another loud sigh from Officer Jeon.

I had zero idea what was happening but I was beginning to feel a little sorry for him.

"Everyone's here already?" Oh shit, that was a new voice.

"Jin Hyung?" Hoseok asked incredulously as the kind man from the night before appeared, in a dark green turtleneck and slacks, his lab coat tucked over his arm this time.

"Yes," Officer Jeon began. "When he heard about what happened, he rolled in too."

The doctor smiled. "I may not be professionally linked to this mess, but it's you who was in danger, so I am personally linked. And that makes it every right of mine to be here."

Considering the little I could understand from all that was happening, that seemed sweet of him.

Hoseok looked overwhelmed as he glanced around the group of people. "Really? Everyone's really here for me—"

"Now that I'm here, yes."

Oh crap, another voice.

This time, a guy entered the fray in a grey suit—only instead of pants there were actual shorts and he wore a little bow tie at his neck, looking more like a lost child than someone who belonged in a room full of serious adults.

"How many times do I have to tell you—"

"Alright, alright." The guy interrupted Officer Jeon. "I've heard that tired old spiel of yours a million times before. This is the police force's job, Tae. This isn't within your jurisdiction, Tae. Leave this to us, Tae. Well, guess what? It's been a while, and I'm officially a licensed private investigator now. Meaning that instead of just being a directionless detective, I get to take on whatever case I like this time—especially one that involves an old friend so fuck that, Jungkook. Fuck that because I'm here and I'm part of this shindig whether you're down with it or not."

Officer Jeon just looked tired by that point. "I know. I was going to say I've told you too many times not to track mud in here, Detective Kim."

I fought the urge to giggle.

"Guys," I saw Hoseok speak softly, his eyes almost teary now. Wow, the guy who'd stormed in here guns ablaze was reduced to tears at this? "You're really all here."

"Uh, yeah," Namjoon remarked, "of course we are. You were nearly killed," while Officer Jeon just groaned in the background, "Please don't remind him."

"So it takes a near death experience to get the ol' gang all back together again," Hoseok chuckled and the man in the bow tie laughed with him, looking years younger when he smiled.

"Well, yeah. We're all busy people now, don't you know?"

"Really, though," Jin smiled again. "Doesn't it seem back like old times again?"

"Just like high school," snickered Namjoon.

It was in the middle of this reminiscent moment in their conversation that I saw the man in the bow tie survey the room casually, almost skipping over the corner I stood in as he did a double take, his eyes effectively zooming in on me almost immediately.

"Hey there, pretty little fly on the wall. What're you up to?"

Oh shit.

Okay so DNA just dropped and it's ridiculously good

Also, this is a little longer than it should've been but oh well c: Have a good day!

-lexy