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it is a dull night, at least it is for seulgi. her husband, a loathed minister too corrupt to be taken down by the justice system, holds these sort of house warming parties every week — almost as if he doesn't have a country to be taking care of. then again, how can you hold only minister kang accountable when all ministers are exactly the same, regardless of their ranks. if they aren't rich with taxpayers money, they intend on becoming so; and if they are of a prestigious rank, it is no secret how it came to be.
seulgi remembers the first time she attended one of minister kang’s parties, at the tender age of sixteen she had become enthralled with the lavish lifestyle of people in power — too naive to understand that their positions weren’t a gift bestowed upon them by god in thanks but rather a heinous act of theft. seulgi had not met the infamous minister that night, too awestruck to leave her mother’s side, but she remembers the glitz and glam as if it were yesterday, only until the illusion crumbled on top of her fragile frame.
nothing has changed from all those years ago, in terms of the nature of these meetups, except for maybe the swapping out of alliances, enemies and guests — plus minister kang’s extensive alcohol collection. cunning men in power prance about the dance floors looking for their next prey, it might be young daughters of wannabe officials, or unsuspecting lower level employees who were forced to follow their bosses under the guise of apprenticeship. chills run down seulgi’s spine thinking back to when she used to be one of those floundering fish in the sea of power and corruption.
she isn’t sure how to feel about the fact that she is no longer a part of that crowd of unknowing. it wasn't as if she had gotten any smarter or aware, she had been ensnared — and even then she hadn't realized the extent of the trap she walked into and lived in peacefully for a short time period. there is still so much that seulgi doesn't know about minister kang, let alone the nature of his work, his real underground work. but with his status added to her name, she remains protected from predators alike at the price of being his pretty trophy wife.
seulgi’s arms remain laced with those of minister kang’s, she leans on his frame as he drags her about the floor to meet new fish in the poisoned sea. it is election time, so the variety has expanded expeditiously, from journalists to parliament officials to law enforcement that can’t touch her husband or his croonies. she never pays attention to who she is introduced to, and minister kang likes that — he likes that she is an airhead, makes it easier to keep her in his grasp. the less seulgi notices his associates, the less time she will spend thinking about them, the less she will weigh in on the gravity of their business. in short, minister kang scored big with his wife. seulgi giggles at references to the law, she blushes when her husband pretends to be jealous of fellow parliament members complimenting her beauty. they make it work.
seulgi is passed from official to official as a peace offering, one dance from another. when seulgi is submerged in the glittery haze of tipsy flirtation, strung out without a worry, she can't seem to hate the minister or even anyone within the hall. seulgi moves elegantly across the floor, wrapped in a flattering dress with a glass of wine she can’t handle in her dainty hand. half of it is practice, half of it is seulgi’s inability to let go of her initial perceptions — the wonder that filled her up to the core long ago.
this party is no different from the rest, seulgi has taken a break from entertaining distinguished officials with her shy nature and chime like giggles. she rests her hand on minister kang’s shoulder, both hands gripping his arm lightly to keep her tipsy lithe frame stable. occasionally he will brush a hand over hers, outsiders will think of them as a loving couple. which couldn't be further from the truth, seulgi can't remember the last time she’s felt anything remotely similar to love from the minister. he buys her things she doesn't need, takes her to fancy dinners as a trophy wife, there are a couple plots and properties under her name — but only to hide from reporting them as part of his income. the minister doesn't love seulgi, does not give her the attention she wants — or at least, wanted from him.
it's in this moment, tired from her new high heels digging into the back of her feet and trivialized by obnoxious men, where she is introduced to inspector bae. seulgi doesn't remember clearly how minister kang introduced her, she’s exhausted and it's always amplified when she's on the verge of becoming drunk. at some point, the waiters had to pry seulgi’s fifth glass from her hands and send her back to her owner before she does something the minister would regret. there’s a glimmer of a purple halo pricking seulgi’s eye and she’s not sure where it's reflecting off of. then amongst the chatter of devious men breaks in a soft, melodic laugh. nothing resembling the tryhard giggles of potential prey that seulgi was once a part of, nor of her fellow trophy wives that never hit the bar.
it is calming, it is shy, an earnest giggle outweighing the inhumane chuckles that suffocate the weak and rat out the good. seulgi’s face flushes, whether from the alcohol she has duly consumed or because she has made eye contact with a goddess herself is up for debate, she nearly stumbles but minister kang has moved her arm to be wrapped around her waist and effectively keeps her anchored — even though that was not his intention for the seemingly romantic action. seulgi feels a push on the small of her back, looking up to the minister, she takes it as a cue that he wishes she may delight the guest in front of them.
seulgi finally registers the chief of police with his supposed wife at hand, she is forced to assume that the angelic laugh belonged to this distinguished woman. the old officer smiles at her once again as seulgi bows only to have her hand outstretched towards his grimy, chapped lips. he repeats an overused compliment to which seulgi’s drunk flush masks as embarrassed flattery, minister kang reminds the chief that he has a masterpiece of a wife by his side. the wife laughs, amused, but the noise that leaves her throat is prickly with age and jealousy — nothing like the harmonized strings from early. maybe it was just the alcohol getting to her.
the minister proposes an exchange, his arm slips away from under her arms and takes the chief’s wife off to the side. the chief doesn’t miss his chance either, they bow ever so slightly once again before he offers his hand for a dance. seulgi knows she has to accept it, and despite being an airhead in the matters of this justified criminal world, seulgi knows why this is important. lately some powerful ministers have been exposed for their predatory behaviour and ephebophilia, the entire operation is being run by a new head in the investigation department with the help of journalists ready to risk their careers to expose the state of the union. as a result, there have been a good amount of outbreaks calling for these officials to step down — what the public doesn’t seem to understand is that they can take down one asshole, but another will just fill his place.
unbiased court proceedings have been called for, not that they will bring justice to anyone but the men in power. at worst, they’ll resign on their throne of stolen bonds. even if they aren’t removed from parliament, it's still a stain on their crispy shirts — a stain the minster has always avoided. ever since the investigations and leaks, seulgi has been forced to reconcile with how minister kang obtained her; how he stayed careful yet managed to snag her when she wasn’t mentally caught up. before the party, minister kang sat seulgi down and explained, in the flowery voice he uses while trying to win over votes, that seulgi had to be very careful tonight.
“tonight there will be people roaming about our home who will do anything to ruin what we have, and what we have is beautiful. isn’t it, honey?” his hand feels rough against her cheek, her hair obscures her vision, but the intensity of his stare and the implications behind his irises radiates heavily down her core. “you know that i protect you from any and all bad, but you have to know about this evil because i cannot shield you away from it.” he attempts to caress her with his thumb, but he only manages to rub strands of hair against her face, it feels scratchy. “they will try to confuse you, try to put words in your mouth, but you’re too smart to fall for that.” if minister kang was as gentle with his actions as he is with his words, seulgi might fall in love with him. but over the course of whatever marriage they’ve engaged in, he loses his charm every time he touches her.
the infamous department head himself isn’t present at their party, but he was sure to send people in his place. as seulgi dances with the chief, she begins to notice the stiffness of tonight's event. it seems as if seulgi wasn’t the only one who received a stern warning. it makes her laugh at how a small group of people can shake the bigness of those in power, but their effect won’t last long. it never does. so seulgi focuses on the task at hand, thinking about logistics gives her a headache plus she’s already tipsy and tired. seulgi dances, giggles and pretends to listen to the chief’s stories of his bond with her husband. finally, the chief’s wife finds her own filthy husband and beckons to him. they part on the basis that they have an appearance to make at a fundraiser as well. the minister sees them off at the door and seulgi asks a waiter for a painkiller to hold off the persistent buzz pounding by her skull.
seulgi doesn’t usually last long at these parties, despite years of hosting them she can never handle herself long enough. which works out with the minister anyway, because there comes a point in the night where all the extras leave, seulgi is sent off to her room, and then a select few croonies gather round for a long night of scheming. that isn’t the case tonight, however. which has seulgi hiding off by the stairs, obscured from the direct line of sight of the partygoers. she cradles a flute as if it were a child, attempting to situate herself without flashing anything scandalous.
“lovely party, isn’t it?” a soft voice calls out from right next to her, at some point. seulgi, confused and unaware of when the perpetrator sat down, is momentarily blinded by slivers of silver from snapping her head to the side. “oh, you’re the hostess, mrs kang, correct? it’s a pleasure to meet you.” seulgi is stupefied, it’s a woman. seulgi has never fared well with the women of men in power, ever since she entered this mansion as mrs kang — they’ve held animosity towards her for reasons unclear. yet, this woman — a beautiful woman with platinum purple hair that sparkles in the dark hue of the space — came to seulgi first, she made the first move. is she new? “ah, i’m inspector bae, bae joohyun.” her body spasms immediately as inspector bae bows towards her, effectively pulling her out of her own head with the title.
“i-i’m kang seulgi.” she manages to stutter, it's as if the inspector has drained all of the alcohol from seulgi’s system and demanded her full attention. goosebumps form across her exposed skin, the flute of champagne wobbles in her dainty hands.
“i know.” the inspector tuts, but there’s no evident malice.
“ah, sorry…” seulgi feels herself blushing, but she hopes the alcohol will hide the true nature of her embarrassment.
“you don’t have to be so nervous, i’m not here to interrogate you.” she leans her cheeks against her palm, tilting as if to get a clear view of seulgi.
“that’s not why-“ seulgi clamps her lips together quickly, her filter has been broken simply by the sight of this woman.
“oh, then why are your hands shaking?” inspector bae reaches her the glass barely holding it together in her own two hands, slipping the slender handle between their fingers and placing it to the side — out of harm’s way. a waiter swoops it away soon after.
“you… you are quite pretty.” no. pretty is too shallow of a word to describe inspector bae joohyun, gorgeous perhaps or even godly — like how historians believe aphrodite used to manifest in our lowly world.
“is that so?” inspector bae’s lips quirk from the side, seulgi feels like she has made a fool of herself.
“i mean, you’re too pretty to be here alone.” seulgi attempts to crane her neck to look around, in order to spot any glaring suit-and-ties. “who are you here with?” the men here often get possessive over what they believe is theirs — if they don’t send you off themselves, you don’t move. suddenly the same laugh from before resonates off the polished steps, it comes out a little louder initially than before, and then chimes down to the original tone. seulgi is mesmerized as the inspector covers her mouth with her own lithe hands, shaking her head over so slightly.
“oh, you’re adorable !” this time she flushes purely because of the melody and the words following suit. “i’ll let it pass this time, since you weren’t paying attention to minister kang’s introduction in the slightest.” seulgi’s eyes widen in a moment, with this mysterious lady she feels like a deer caught in jarring headlights. the laugh dies down to giggles, but the chimes twinkle nonetheless. inspector bae leans in upon catching seulgi’s expression. “don’t worry, i won’t tell on you. but i am one of those people he may have warned you about earlier today.” inspector bae stands up and extends a well sculpted hand towards the dumbfounded girl, seulgi accepts it but she doesn’t think she’ll be able to support herself once she eventually stands up. the inspector’s hand is cold against her sweaty palms but firm, she pulls seulgi up on her wobbly knees elegantly — as if drawing her into a dance. inspector bae’s other hand finds her waist and rests there for awhile, seulgi simply stands without any objections, or thoughts.
“have you ever been in an affair, seulgi-yah?” seulgi is silent for a while, she doesn’t know which answer would be appropriate — if she lies, they would be starting a relationship on something less than ideal. yet if she told the truth, would joohyun still want her?
“yes… i have…” seulgi eventually mutters into the crook of joohyun’s neck, dark purple hair fans over her face to which she simply closes her eyes.
“i see, so have i.” seulgi is quiet once again, the tenderness of joohyun’s touch hasn’t changed with the revelation. “with my department head’s wife.” seulgi giggles, blowing strands of hair onto joohyun, forcing them to stick to her glossy lips. “ hey ! what is it? what’s so funny?” joohyun tries to peer down at seulgi, who only snuggles herself closer to the officer.
“are the wives of other men your favourite type?” seulgi wheezes out another giggle upon saying this outloud.
“well, not particularly…” joohyun trails off, seulgi has managed to bring upon the quick-witted officer a moment of stupidity. her cheeks dust pink as she shakes her head, “maybe… but i wasn’t the one to initiate it with her!” seulgi leans backwards with a laugh, the only thing preventing her from hitting her head on the couch arm is joohyun’s arm warped around her upper waist.
“i wouldn’t blame her, you are so...” seulgi trails off, averting her line of vision from joohyun’s attentive gaze.
“i am so what, seulgi-yah?” and seulgi is rendered flustered once again as joohyun tilts her head to observe the girl in her arms.
“so…” seulgi isn’t sure what she intended to say, but she definitely can’t figure it out under the intensity of those eyes. she pulls herself upright, still planted in the security of joohyun’s arms. “why did your affair end?” she whisper-asks, an eyebrow rising in pure curiosity. a sigh escapes joohyun’s lips as she attempts to make herself as comfortable as she can be with a grown woman draped across her entire form.
“i’m not quite sure,” joohyun almost looks sad, or at least that is what seulgi thinks. there’s a furrow between her sculpted brows as if she is in deep thought, her cherry lips pursed together for a moment before divulging the details known to herself. “she said that she had suddenly come to realize that she did, in fact, love her husband — or fell in love with him again,” she shrugs before ending with, “something along those lines.” seulgi rests her head on joohyun’s shoulder and the other woman leans into her.
“did it hurt?”
“not at all, i had seen it coming all along.” this time seulgi has a deep pondering look on her face, she is tempted to pull back simply to observe joohyun’s face for anything — not that seulgi is any good at reading people, it is part of the reason she ended up married to the man she has the displeasure of calling her husband.
“why do you say that, unnie?” she opts to trail her freshly manicured nails across the woman’s cheek, mapping out her facial features against her hard bones.
“i’m an investigative officer, seulgi-yah, it’s my job to read people and their intentions.” there is something uncanny about bae joohyun that seulgi hasn't been able to place her little finger on just yet, their few private meetups surely aren't enough for her to gauge what kind of person joohyun is — but seulgi is beginning to figure that she may never understand joohyun after the words she utters so contently. “i knew she was just using me to get back at her husband, and i knew that despite everything, she loved him dearly. but most of all, i understood that she was lonely, and i was happy just to keep her company while she put everything together for herself. now, i think of it as if i was performing an extended duty to the head.”
“oh…” seulgi is unable to form any other coherent sound as thoughts flood her brain without direction, she isn't quite sure herself what she is contemplating but it sends her brain into a temporary shutdown. “... and, what about me, unnie?” joohyun doesn't have to confirm ‘what about you?’ because she picks up immediately on seulgi's intentions for the question, even when the woman herself doesn't understand it completely.
“you… i like you, seulgi-yah.” with a swift movement, joohyun manages to peel seulgi from her fetal position clinging to the officer’s side, and onto her lap so that they are looking at each other straight on. “you’re not a duty, or a mission. you are... just mine, at the moment.” seulgi’s eyes gleam like the moon as her cheeks blush the equivalent of stardust.
“u..nnie...” her fists lightly pound against joohyun’s soft chest, “you can’t just say things like that…” joohyun lets out a quiet laugh, reaching upwards to tuck loose strands of brown hair behind her prettily pierced ears. the melody sends ripples through seulgi’s heartstrings and she swears she’ll never appreciate music the same way, ever again.
“can i kiss you, seulgi-yah?” fuck . seulgi feels like a schoolgirl, blushing from her ears as her hands cover her cheeks. joohyun looks at her earnestly, but she doesn't move an inch until seulgi tentatively nods her head. joohyun cradles one of her hands, now gone cold from embarrassment and grasps her chin gently with the other before they gravitate towards each other for a soft kiss. it's not their first, nor will it be their last. but with the way seulgi’s heart flutters and her soul sings against the cherry flavoured smoothness of joohyun’s lips, nipping away innocently, she believes it definitely signifies a serious shift in the gears of their relationship.
“seul- se- seulgi- mm- baby- seul- calm down.”
“i missed you-“ another kiss, and another, and another. and another. seulgi is a woman with a mission, a mission she intends on fulfilling today. joohyun tries to gasp for air, she’s not one to complain with a cute girl gnawing at her face but joohyun really needs to breathe. she also has just walked in through the door, seulgi needs to let her get inside properly.
“i missed you too but-“
“but nothin-“ seulgi has her pinned to the back of the door now, joohyun didn't know she had this much physical strength in the first place — not with how clumsy she usually is. then again, joohyun hasn’t set a single finger on seulgi yet, she allows seulgi to have her way for the time being. to press her herself and her lips to joohyun’s, until she bursts into a fit of giggles. she nuzzles joohyun’s cheek, laughing into her skin and clearing her pores. “i missed you a lot.”
“i noticed.” seulgi pouts at the teasing, the jut of her bottom lip kisses joohyun once again. “i missed you more.” she whispers this time, seulgi is close enough to hear this and she giggles in response.
“i know.” this time their lips meet in a softer fashion, joohyun reaches for seulgi’s form and meets her halfway. it is like a dance for the two of them now, joohyun enters, seulgi greets her, they waltz to her room, spend the day, then joohyun leaves as seulgi sees her off with the promise of another time. there are certain steps to be taken, joohyun doesn’t simply show up at seulgi’s door right after her shift — they arrange times, joohyun takes longer routes, deroutes anyone watching by doing all her tedious chores before she reunites with her lover. it’s easier to get into where seulgi waits, minister kang used to have a private investigator watch over the house but when into two years of their marriage, seulgi had not invited a single person over in a private setting — he dropped it. the minister had a firm belief that seulgi wasn't capable of hiding anything from him, or having an affair — and for a while, he was correct. minister kang is no saint around his house staff either, so if they see or hear anything — they don't bother to report it because their loyalty lies with the lady of the house, for her kindness warms their bitter, overworked hearts.
“let’s run away.” joohyun finally speaks after riding out their high. seulgi has found herself a snug spot by the officer’s side, slotting herself against joohyun as if they were puzzle pieces. seulgi doesn’t quite catch on to the exclamation, she continues to melt in the heat surrounding the little bubble they have created for themselves. “seulgi-yah… listen to me…” joohyun murmurs, tilting her chin to allow the younger woman to press her lips to the free skin.
“mm listenin’...” seulgi giggles into her neck, blowing a raspberry with her happy mood. “you smell so good…” joohyun is fond, she is plagued by her inability to be anything but purely enamoured with kang seulgi. she turns more so to her side, so that she can face her sleepy beauty properly, resting a hand on her cheek,
“thank you, darling, it’s the shampoo you gifted me.” seulgi’s eyes shine brighter with this revelation, they sparkle under the stray gleams of sunshine that manage to escape the confines of curtains. joohyun realizes that seulgi is quite easy to please, she starts keening at the slightest hints of praise, kisses, and acknowledgement.
“did you like it?” seulgi is practically bustling with energy now, her previous post high lethargy nowhere to be found. instead she shines and looks up at joohyun as if she has awarded seulgi the greatest award of her lifetime.
“i really did, thank you.” there’s a look of longing in seulgi’s eyes, as if she is begging joohyun to spend the rest of her life like this. there is something about how seulgi’s hand moves across joohyun’s bare body — from her hips to her breasts, not teasing, without intent — an act of comfort and familiarity. seulgi knows that this prospect is highly improbable, she is a married woman after all. married to a high ranking minister, to top it off, who would not appreciate the stain of a divorce on his family friendly reputation. he would never let her go, and she has no means of escaping. yet here she lays, with another woman’s boob in her hand, leaning closer to catch joohyun’s lips in a kiss. “let’s run away.” joohyun whispers against her, seulgi stops for a moment before she giggles.
“i wish we could, joo-unnie.” seulgi resigns herself to hiding herself around joohyun once again, the officer's arm finds its way to wrap itself around her frame.
“i’ll find a way to get you out of there.” joohyun is more firm this time. “i'll put the fucker in jail for crimes he didn’t even commit.”
“i don’t think there’s too many he hasn’t committed, it’s just a matter of proving he did them, right?” seulgi supplies, she knows that she isn’t clever enough to help joohyun nor does she really understand what the minister has done secretly. joohyun avoids speaking about him entirely if she can, and if seulgi ever mentions him — she shuts her up with kisses and tickles. so it is odd for joohyun to be mentioning him at a time like, seulgi vaguely wonders if joohyun wants to spend the rest of their lives together — the way seulgi wishes they could.
“it’s more than that, the minister is smart, proving he had an active and aware hand in any crime is the hardest part of all.” seulgi can feel joohyun grind her teeth, her loose arm now embraces the officer with more conviction. “if i have to, i’ll kill him for you.” a gasp escapes seulgi’s lips, for a moment she is stunned. an abundance of emotions take over her thought process as she squeezes herself closer.
“y-you’d do that… for me… ?” her words come out as a mumble, buffered against joohyun’s cool skin. joohyun’s fingers stroke the small of seulgi’s back as she hums in affirmation. “ue-unnie… thank you.” joohyun’s hand makes its way to her head, weaving thin yet strong fingers through her hair. “you can’t do it though.” joohyun freezes in a manner similar to how seulgi did not long ago, her hand gets caught in a tangle. seulgi pulls back, just enough for her nose to be pressing against joohyun’s. at some point, maybe due to joohyun’s delicate ministrations, or maybe from her intense declaration, seulgi’s breathing has picked up speed. “i can’t.. let anything happen to you if you do.” joohyun wears a confused look on her face as her eyebrows furrow and lips purse. “i can’t live knowing you’d be in jail because of me.” the officer breaks into a grin, combing her fingers out of seulgi’s hair to move the stray strands that have swayed in front of her face. joohyun caresses seulgi’s supple cheek, her thumb rubs against a swollen red lip.
“oh baby, you’re so cute.” seulgi flushes but she stands her ground.
“unnie, you can’t-“
“no one will ever know.” joohyun’s confidence is firm enough to keep seulgi rooted in place. “i’ve caught enough murderers to know what not to do, seulgi-yah. i’d kill the minister, and still manage walk away with you.”
“joo-unnie… you dyed your hair again!” seulgi reaches for the freshly dyed roots, after separating herself from joohyun’s smothered chest. “why?” seulgi pouts, twirling the black strands between her fingers as she leans closer to take a sniff. joohyun can't help but shake her head at the younger woman’s antiques before shrugging.
“had to.” seulgi doesn't like that answer at all, her pout grows deeper than joohyun thinks possible. seulgi tugs a fistful of the black dyed hair to pull joohyun down to her lips, joohyun complies to the silent request for a kiss, taking a moment to consume the candy-like flavour that is centric to seulgi.
“i liked your purple hair, it shined like silver.” seulgi maneuvers her arms to wrap around joohyun’s shoulders, they remain loose enough that joohyun has to tighten her grip on seulgi’s waist to ensure that seulgi doesn’t go toppling over.
“it stood out too much, apparently.” joohyun supplies, “and in court, it didn’t feel appropriate. too many officials would assume i was a k-pop idol.” this time seulgi frowns, the playful pout nowhere to be seen as her eyes twitch slightly.
“that’s stupid, you’re professional enough as it is, unnie.” this time, joohyun raises a hand to ruffle seulgi’s newly chopped bangs, before coaxing the woman to dip her head down for another sweet and soft kiss. when they separate, seulgi has a dumb grin on her lips again, the way joohyun prefers it. the officer leans into the crook of seulgi’s neck, pressing a small peck to the skin she makes contact with. “unnie…” seulgi calls out to her faintly, but joohyun doesn't want to leave the tiny window of home she has found herself in.
“let me stay like this for awhile, seulgi-yah…” seulgi shifts a bit under joohyun’s weight before relaxing, her fingers return to twirling joohyun’s hair in an attempt to help ease joohyun.
“okay.” seulgi tilts her head to the aside, just enough to bump joohyun with her silly affection. joohyun feels the love spread from the side of her head, throughout her body, here, with joohyun shivering in her arms, seulgi realizes that she is in love. this isn't like her previous affair, that only lasted a measly month before they both got bored, this is real . seulgi hugs joohyun close to her, taking in a deep breath to ingrain joohyun’s existence into her own. seulgi loves joohyun, and joohyun loves seulgi.
“how does one get away with murder?” seulgi lets the question slip from her lips. she’s at joohyun’s place tonight, it was a pure coincidence that seulgi’s cousin happened to live on the floor — so in the off chance that the minister was watching where she went, it would always look like she was visiting her dearest cousin. the cousin herself hated minister kang and has readily agreed to lying on seulgi’s behalf if ever need be. the minister is out of the capital for work, leaving seulgi snuggled with her lover on joohyun’s couch while watching hollywood movies.
“they don’t.” joohyun replies curtly, her fingers deftly curling into seulgi’s side. “at least, they don’t get away with murder when i’m involved.” seulgi giggles at that, opting to press a peck to the bottom of joohyun’s jaw.
“could you get away with murder?” seulgi turns to joohyun now, she has lost interest in the men playing cat and mouse on the screen. joohyun’s words from the other day echo in her ears sometimes, she tries to will them away as to not encourage any ridiculous hopes. minister kang has a long life ahead of him, even his excessive drinking would not cut that lifespan in half. joohyun hums in response, almost as if she were purring under seulgi’s attention.
“you can’t leave any evidence to incriminate yourself, and it works best if there’s someone else to be blamed.” is what joohyun comes up with after brief contemplation. “usually, murders occur in a moment of passion and anger, so it’s not carefully executed and then evidence is left behind.” seulgi peers at the officer intently, for a moment joohyun doesn't look like seulgi’s secret lover. “even premeditated murder doesn’t account for the fact that you’ll still be accused if there’s no reason to believe otherwise. there’s always a loophole, for us as investigators, it’s just a matter of finding it.”
“that’s… difficult, isn’t it?” seulgi repositions herself so that her legs swing over the couch leg while her head rests in joohyun’s lap.
“the difficult part isn’t finding evidence, it’s proving and convincing a jury without a doubt that this person commit a crime.” joohyun glances down at seulgi with an unreadable expression. “criminal court only convicts if there is no doubt, without a confession, it’s difficult. and people don’t confess so readily either.” joohyun finger finds solace in seulgi’s hair, petting across her skull. “so instead, prosecutors have to go the roundabout way to prove that said person is capable of committing a crime.” seulgi soaks up this information like a sponge, she doesn't understand most of it but she takes it in step by step. just because there isn’t a confession or eye witnesses, doesn't mean you can’t be convicted… doesn't mean the wrong person can't be blamed. “why are you asking, seulgi-yah?”
in an instant, joohyun’s expression changes. her eyes soften and brows release the tension they were unknowingly holding. seulgi thinks she might die under joohyun’s careful gaze, her cheeks flare pink and she is rendered speechless by the officer’s beauty.
“uhh, i was just curious.” joohyun isn’t satisfied with the answer as her brows furrowed together prominently, but she lets it slide in favour of caressing seulgi’s cheek. in turn, seulgi presses a chaste kiss to the loving touch as they both exchange soft yet confused glances.
“unnie!” seulgi’s voice comes out booming as she throws herself onto joohyun the moment the door opens wide enough.
“woah!” joohyun stumbles backwards from the sheer force of an excited lady, weighed down by the numerous high-end shopping bags adorning seulgi’s grasp. “careful, baby.” a fond giggle slips the officer’s lips as she manhandles seulgi into letting her close the door, locking it twice for good measure.
“i missed you!” seulgi’s volume drops low enough to not warrant the attention of joohyun’s neighbours, but the giddiness bounces off the walls of her apartment anyway. joohyun seeks out a kiss from her eager girlfriend, slipping her arms around the lithe body she has grown accustomed to holding, she is happily obliged with the taste of seulgi’s cherry flavoured lip tint.
“when you said you were coming over, i didn’t think you were inviting friends.” joohyun motions to the bags littering any free space across seulgi’s forearm.
“they’re for you, silly!” seulgi saunters towards joohyun’s room, proceeding to dump the mountain of bags onto the well kept bed. joohyun follows behind her, a look of confusion forming on her features.
“for… me?” she eyes the different logos splayed over the paper bags with a degree of detachment, joohyun isn’t big on shopping and as far as she knows — neither is seulgi.
“well, specifically, for us.” seulgi leans into joohyun, stealing a kiss before pushing her onto the bed, mere inches away from crumpling all the merchandise. joohyun plops down, staring up at a mischievous seulgi with a look of pure shock. “i bought us dresses!” seulgi is quick to pick up a random bag and pull out its contents: a red mini dress that sparkles enough to momentarily blind joohyun. “come on, joo-unnie, help me unpack these!”
joohyun compiles silently, content with just watching seulgi unwrap the pretty dresses from their packaging. one by one, dresses are unravelled and freed from their bags and stuff papers. they each glitter and shine in their own respects, joohyun feels as if a rainbow has exploded over her bed — and it looks like a tornado has hit her apartment, with the remnants scattered across her bedroom floor. there has to be at least twenty dresses of different designs splayed over her mattress, some outshining the others. yet joohyun has no idea why. at some point, after untangling seulgi’s shopping spree, they end up laying on the floor. seulgi is giggling about getting glitter all over her hands, joohyun can’t stop staring at her.
“seulgi-yah… why did you buy all these dresses?” joohyun eventually musters the willpower to ask. from her vantage point, joohyun can see seulgi’s cheeks fall from their bright smile into a more solemn expression. seulgi pulls herself up into a sitting position, crossing her legs as she peers down at the officer with a tint of pink dusting her ears.
“i…” seulgi tucks wayward strands of hair behind her ears as she averts her gaze from joohyun. “we… can’t go on dates outside, so i thought, we could have a fancy date here…” she tilts her head to glance at the array of dresses. “i wanted to dress up together for it…” joohyun doesn’t know if she can become anymore fond of the lady sitting in front of her. for a moment, everything is still: seulgi’s faint blush, her soft eyes, and only the sound of joohyun’s heart thumping against her ribcage grounds her to reality. seulgi’s hands fumble with a bag, tearing at the ends of its paper anxiously. “i know it’s stupid but-“
“no!” the words leave joohyun’s mouth before she can process them, seulgi’s attention shoots up towards the officer who has launched herself into seulgi’s arms. “i mean yes!” again, without a single thought, joohyun acts. bae joohyun, an esteemed and highly respected investigative officer known for her calm and collected nature, begins flailing for words. “no, it’s not stupid! and yes, yes , we can have a fancy date.” joohyun feels breathless as her palms planted firmly on the floor support her from falling straight into seulgi and potentially knocking her over as well. seulgi’s eyes widen at the officer who is stumbling and turning red before breaking out into a giant smile.
“r-really?” joohyun is speechless. how can she form words or coherent thoughts when seulgi decides to smile with all her teeth on display, cheeks puffing out, and her eyes morphing into crescents with wings tapering off to the side? it is then that the officer realizes — she has hit the jackpot. not trusting her voice anymore, joohyun tentatively leans in to steal a kiss from the honey sweet smile.
“i’d love to get dressed for our date with you.” twinkling eyes light up in front of joohyun, just before seulgi wraps her arms around the officer’s shoulders and pulls joohyun into her — nearly knocking them both off balance. joohyun is squished into seulgi’s chest, but she can’t complain when the rhythms of seulgi’s heart resonate with her own.
it takes them a while to realize just what kind of position they are in and how they must look from the outside: glitter, shopping bags and paper stuffing surrounding them as seulgi cradles joohyun, and her oddly sprawled limbs, against her firm breasts. immediately they burst into a fit of unadulterated laughter. seulgi’s teeth sparkle on display as her giggles barely pop through her cherry lips, versus joohyun’s open mouth and high pitched chuckles. they shake and fall against each other, creating an unparalleled orchestra with her compatible joy.
“so, how does this date work?” joohyun finally pulls herself off the floor, extending a hand to a disheveled seulgi. the sight of seulgi with her hair fanning around her head, an arm draped across her waist as her chest continues to puff through stray giggles is enough to convince the officer to abandon all the dresses and move seulgi to her bed. but seulgi takes her hand with a delighted gleam in her eyes that joohyun hasn’t been able to experience yet, and for once she looks forward to being glammed up if it means seulgi is the only one who will see her.
“we’ve got to try on the dresses!” is the best answer joohyun is going to receive before clean, lithe hands begin roaming her body and harassing her in and out of outfits. she doesn’t know how much more time passes as seulgi picks out different dresses and compares them before forcing the officer to perform mini catwalks and twirls. in turn, joohyun does the same with seulgi but in a more organized manner, it’s oddly enjoyable to watch seulgi as she undresses and dresses again; giggling away as she strikes a new “high-fashion” pose, or complaining about how certain fabrics make her feel itchy.
soon enough, they’re both dressed quite fancily, accented by jewelry and makeup that joohyun never noticed seulgi brought in. they sit on the floor again, albeit more carefully now, setting their take out on the coffee table in the living room. the lights have been dimmed and joohyun brandishes candles just to add to the mood, seulgi finds them to be romantic. they pour cans of beer into joohyun’s collection of oddly shaped glasses and clink a cheer.
“sorry…” seulgi sheepishly begins, under the warm light of the candles joohyun can spot the telltale signs of a flushed face.
“what for?” joohyun furrows her brows as she divides the meat, preparing seulgi’s plate first. there’s a hesitant tug at the edge of seulgi’s lips that catches the officer’s attention from her peripheral vision. joohyun sets the utensils aside so she can look at her lover properly in the dim lighting, watching intently as seulgi’s shoulders quake ever so slightly.
“for forcing you into this stupidity.” the younger lady eventually lets out, followed by a sigh. “i just really wanted to go on a date with you, joohyun-unnie.” joohyun is floored. seulgi’s eyes droop against her tinted cheeks, lips plush and pink. the officer styled her in a white loose dress with fanning sleeves, flowing all the way to her bare feet, dense embroidery overlayed from her high collar to just beneath where her breast ends — followed by patches of delicately sewn flowers in intricate silver strings. she looks akin to an angel, a goddess joohyun is ready to worship every day of her life.
“it’s not stupid, seulgi-yah.” joohyun finds her way to speak, soft with pure traces of fondness. “i’m glad you came up with this idea, i’m…” she chokes on her words when seulgi meets her eyes, glossy from the onset of unshed tears. she reaches over, the ruffles from her detached forearm sleeve tickle seulgi’s nose as she cups her supple cheek in her own hand. “i’m really happy, i’m always happy with you… you make me happy, seulgi-yah.” joohyun isn’t sure if the shine in seulgi’s eyes is natural or a reflection of the black glitter from her own dress, but it mesmerizes her as stray tears fall from her lashes.
“you make me happy too, unnie.” seulgi manages to say before shaking into a half laughing, half crying fit. joohyun is careful to wipe her tears away, mindful of the makeup jewels that seulgi so preciously wore.
“i’m a little disappointed over the fancy dinner part, though.” joohyun chimes in jokingly, effectively pulling strings of unfiltered giggles from seulgi who fixes herself up.
“i didn’t consider that pierre gagnaire à séoul didn’t deliver.” and this time joohyun’s bare shoulders quake with joy, once again because of the angel sitting in front of her. she lifts her hands to cover her face, the ruffles fanning over her cheeks leaving only her scrunched eyes visible to her adorable lover. they stare at each other, looking like polar opposites in the dress that seulgi chose for her. a tight and short black dress fitting into joohyun’s frame perfectly, adorned in subtle glitter and soft ruffles lining the low collar seam. yet, sitting across from each other over joohyun’s coffee table on the floor of her dimmed apartment, reminds them that even though the rules of their worlds may be different — they have each other, and that’s all they need. no one can take these moments and the future from them. not even god.
seulgi has never been extremely bright, nor has she experienced intense levels of malicious intent. that doesn't mean she hasn’t had her fair share of mishaps and actions leading to major consequences, she just hasn't ever been convicted for them. seulgi never figured out why, but no one could phantom her doing anything wrong, ever. like the time she left a pizza in the oven and forgot it there, the oven caught on fire and their entire kitchen needed renovations — but her parents immediately accused her brother of the wrongdoing, in fact, her brother was convinced that he was the one at fault as well. it's not like seulgi just willingly let people eat the blame for her, she just never mustered the courage to come forth, and if she tried — she’d end up in a pool of tears, sobbing to the point where even if they knew the truth, they would be more worried about her health.
but she’s never done anything bad on purpose, maybe that is why she always gets away with her careless mistakes.
except for this time.
this time it isn't a mistake, this time seulgi is wholeheartedly to blame, this time she was careful and had intent. this time…
seulgi killed the minister.
lately, every person with a single ounce of power was being juiced and this kept the minister on his toes. you either ratted others out and were granted immunity or you were ratted out and vacated of everything you had built on the suffering of others. many ministers were not ready to give their lives and positions up over a petty officer in the police department, but a couple low level ministers had already been ratted out and their sentences broadcasted all over the nation. protests and riots were the daily norm at parliament, streets and neighbourhoods known to be frequented by these parasites were often shut down as well as the average man could manage.
ministers were forced to come together and form alliances but no one is safe, no one can be trusted. men would pace in and out of minister kang’s place, fresh faces and old regulars, to discuss how the matter should be handled. sometimes they would get heated, sometimes the men would yell at each other, accuse each other of being traitors, sometimes threats would be made. only for the men to come back the next day to discuss it all over again. one day, seulgi heard minister lee — kang’s senior — pose a threat. they were considering playing the role of the rat to save their tails, but deals came with a cost — it wasn't enough to just throw one of your colleagues under the bus anymore. properties were being confiscated, positions were being demoted. minister kang had too much to simply hand it over, but he had also authorized enough that if the right proof came out — he would never see the light of day ever again. minister kang wanted to wait it out, he claimed that things would die down, he also warned the ministers not to cross him. minister lee took his words with offense, suggesting that kang already struck up a deal of his own to take down his guild and save himself, minister lee promised that he would see to it that kang wouldn't be able to talk to the investigators, ever.
with all the rising tension, minister kang has become paranoid. he got rid of most of the staff, except two of the oldest workers he has had and he barely leaves and if he does — there is still tight security around seulgi. she has had no way of getting in contact with joohyun, going on four weeks now. joohyun guised one of her calls as the phone carrier service, only to tell seulgi that she loved her and to be careful. seulgi feels uneasy without joohyun to reassure her consistently, but her words of praise from the past ring in her ears from time to time. the situation also makes her wary and attentive, she starts taking to listening in on what the minister’s visitors would be saying, she considered recording them but there would be no safe place to stash them, and in the odd chance the minister suspected seulgi of treason — she would be done for.
the tension keeps rising.
today minister lee is back, he brought some other officials from another department that seulgi isn't familiar with over as well. their maid has fallen sick and had to take a couple days off to rest back with her family. so it was seulgi popping in and out of the room to serve the distressed men. she makes sure to keep her head down everytime she enters, speaks quietly and only to the minister when or if addressed. she enters a couple times to bring them alcohol and snacks, until they barr the doors and seulgi is instructed to not return. one by one, the men begin to leave until they are all gone. all except for minister lee who remains past the usual time. even more harsh words are shared amongst themselves yet again. there's a clear thud and then minister lee raises his voice enough for her to make out the words “i’ll kill you” , much to her dismay, he is quick to rush out afterwards.
except, it works in seulgi’s favour. once seulgi confirms that minister lee is out of their house, seulgi grabs a long robe with some gloves and springs towards the meeting room. the minister’s eyes widen slightly before returning to their detested hooded state, with the way he leans seulgi knows that he is in a tipsy state. his hand rests on his nose, seulgi vaguely makes out that it is bleeding a lot, as if he were punched in the face.
“do please leave, seulgi.” he slurs, he attempts to pull himself upright and assert dominance over her — it would have worked, in an old time. seulgi doesn't say anything as she slips the covering robe on, she sits herself down where minister lee was once sitting — his seat still warm from his body heat and alcohol induced sweat. the bottles stand on the table, twinkling against the glaring of the cool room lighting. seulgi recalls which one weighed the most, having pre-examined their build before serving. she grabs a half empty bottle of champagne, its design is beautiful and intricate and the glass is proud of its quality. minister kang repeats his request with annoyance, a hand lifting up towards his tie to loosen it. he doesn't look at her, his eyes lull to the side but seulgi is disgusted by his gaze regardless. she swings . the bottle makes direct contact with the side of minister kang’s skull. a scream is let out but she cuts it in half by hitting him again with the remainder of the bottle, blood begins to seep from his head while one hand flies up in an attempt to stop the bleeding. the minister groans, he is losing blood but he isn’t dead, his eyes were blown and he looks ready to pounce. seulgi can't let his blood get on her, she grabs the next bottle and aims straight for his throat, she manages a nice clean cut. the minister’s head falls forward. minister kang is dead. seulgi drops the bottle piece and runs out of the room, shutting the door behind her.
without a second thought, she calls joohyun’s number. it rings once, twice and then-
“seulgi-yah! why did you call? i told you to wait for my call, what if the minist-“
“he’s dead-“
“what-“
“he’s dead, unnie, i killed the minister.” suddenly a choked sob erupts from her throat, she hadn't thought this far, she had not felt anything when contemplating bashing his head into glass but within the split second of hearing her joohyun’s voice, she breaks. “unnie, i killed him!” there's shuffling, joohyun is scampering, seulgi quiets down her cries waiting for joohyun to say something, to say anything.
“don’t move. don’t call anyone. delete this call from your history.”
“the trial proceeding is now in session.”
seulgi feels her heart batter against her chest, her knuckles turn as white as the simple dress she is adorning in court. she can’t bring herself to look up, to take in her surroundings. no matter how she looks at the situation, it is jarring.
“relax.” her lawyer looks down at her, park sooyoung is her name. one of the best lawyers in all of south korea, with a success rate of 78% — twice that of the national average. seulgi glances at the woman through her bangs, she should have gotten them cut when joohyun told her too, they feel dirty and unruly now — pricking at her eyes. “your case is in good hands.” these words have been repeated for the umpteenth time, or so seulgi thinks. it's just hard to believe while the courtroom is being flooded with ministers who kinned with her husband, people who were content to find out he was dead, and extra spectators.
when seulgi finds the courage to look behind her, she recognizes half of the grim men with their hands folded in their laps, leaning into each other to exchange whispers. some of them send curt nods in her direction, others avoid eye contact entirely. a handful of wives accompany their husbands as well, they take up a small corner of the row and try to maintain a humble expression that contrasts with their high fashion mourning look.
seulgi isn't sure how much she can trust this court. even with the police department weeding out judges that take bribes in the form of women and all paid for holidays, there are many who remain silently loyal to the power struggle that plagues their country — some that wouldn’t give it up. the thought alone causes seulgi’s insides to twist uncomfortably, as if they were wringing her from the inside out. she misses the minister for this one reason, he always kept her away from the drama and the darkness of the political world. he understood that she was of faint heart, that she could not withstand the pressure. he did a splendid job keeping her tucked away from the world.
“the prosecution has accused the defendant, minister lee changmin, for the murder of minister kang occuring on the night of october 8th, 2019. the defendant has pleaded not guilty.”
“on the count of murder in the second degree, how does the jury find the defendant?” the judge’s voice booms naturally across the crowded courtroom, though he commands power and respect all at the same time, everyone — from ministers to kin to reporters to housewives — stare with bated breath at the jury member standing from her seat. the juror exhales, holding a card in her hands. this silence feels extended, albeit only for a mere second.
“guilty, your honour.” seulgi breathes in shallowly, holding her face in her hands as tears spill from her eyes uncontrollably. someone’s hands find their way to her shoulder, patting softly as if to comfort the relieved widow. the judge gives out instructions for containment until sentencing, seulgi won’t have to worry about the minister anymore — not with double jeopardy in play, as well.
the masses begin to file out of the stuffy room, seulgi is carried along with them as she follows behind the prosecution’s assistant district attorney. she’s on autopilot until they finally exit the building itself, only to be followed by a swarm of reporters with their cameras.
“mrs kang! mrs kang!” they all call to her in dozens but they remain fainted ringing in her ears, seulgi only has one thought in mind: getting home. she believes its one of the police officers investigating her husband’s murder case that help her push through the crowd, she can’t be sure at this moment. before climbing into her car en route to return, seulgi turns to address the reporters desperately asking how she feels about the situation.
“i’m at peace.” she says ever so softly, enrapturing the professionals into a hushed silence as she once did with ministers alike. “the man responsible for my husband’s murder has been convicted, it makes me feel like i can look forward without any burden.” she presents them one of her solemn smiles, couples with naturally rosy cheeks, and the cameras go haywire again. seulgi easily slips into her car, leaving a calmed frenzy behind her.
seulgi has gotten used to an empty home, one without the minister or his frivolous parties, though it has been difficult — she has gotten used to it. the silence is often easier than when minister kang used to situate himself in the office, hacking away at his computer and ordering tea and alcohol to and from his room. still, the emptiness plagues her and seulgi has taken to leaving the television on in her absence, so to create the farce that she is returning to a home with other individuals dwelling in it. at best, she’s been keeping up with investigative officer bae joohyun through reports of her achievements about how she has exposed and placed the corrupt men in power on trial.
seulgi moves mechanically from the front door through the giant house, shedding her shoes, coat and bag haphazardly as all the exhaustion from court visits and the media finally weighs on top of her delicate frame.
“you did so well, seulgi-yah.” a voice cuts through her. a voice that seulgi could recognize a mile away. the same voice that comforted and guided seulgi, saving her from a lifetime in jail.
“joohyun-unnie!” it’s as if all the life has been breathed back into the younger woman as she finds her way around the furniture in the lounge, throwing herself towards the woman she has come to love. joohyun catches her in a stride, wrapping her arms around seulgi’s waist and pulling her impossibly closer. “god, i’ve missed you so much.” they fall back onto the couch, joohyun easily rearranges seulgi so that she’s planted firmly in her lap before leaning in to steal a kiss. seulgi easily obliges her, their teeth clank together for a moment before they slow down, savouring the tints of lemon and cherry that are all too familiar to them. when they resurface from their haze, joohyun hugs seulgi closer again, pushing herself into her lover’s breasts for comfort.
“you’re free, seulgi-yah.” joohyun manages to mumble from her self-imposed suffocation, and seulgi’s chest rumbles. tears streaming down her flushed cheeks as she laughs, with her teeth on full display and her cheeks puffed out — in a way that she hadn’t for quite some time. seulgi’s arms tighten around the officer’s shoulder, as if she were anchoring herself to joohyun, before resting her chin over her head.
“i wouldn’t be, not without you.” it comes out so quietly that if joohyun hadn’t been so close, she would not have caught it. joy erupts between them as seulgi giggles and hauls them over, knocking the two of them onto their sides, laying across the couch where they’ve had numerous stolen moments. seulgi fits her legs in between joohyun’s more formed muscles as she snuggled closer to the officer, cupping her face in her small hands. it’s been so long since they’ve held each other, so long since they’ve returned to being the perfect puzzle piece match, lips slotting together with a pop — and here they lay: far from the watchful courthouse, far from where they had to act like passing strangers heading in different directions. “now, how about that fancy date?”