Chapter Text
The wind whipped her face as her feet pounded hard on the gray gravelly pavement. Jeong Taeeul could feel her lungs screaming for air but she did not stop. The trees and buildings of the neighbourhood flew past her in a blur as she pursued the suspect. The man slipped into a small alley and she followed closely behind, breathing hard.
Yes! A dead end.
"Stop, dont come any closer! Why are you following me?" The burly man cried as he reached into his scruffy black jacket to withdraw his weapon of choice.
Taeeul rested her hands on her knees and breathed deeply to catch her breath. "All I need is for you to cooperate with the investigation and follow me back to the police station. Where were you last Monday night, 25th May, between 2am to 4am?"
He ignored her question and brandished the shiny blade in front of him. "Don't come any closer or I'll hurt you. You don't want that, little lady."
Taeeul scoffed and rolled her eyes. How typical. She advanced slowly towards him, drawing her sweater sleeves down to her gloved hands, just in case. She flicked her wrists up as a corner of her lips quirked, "C'mon then. Give it your best shot."
He let out a deep growl as he dove straight towards her, his knife pointed resolutely at Taeeul. His eyes were wild and Taeeul knew that he was getting desperate. She doesn't even need to touch him to be sure of his guilt. "Try to make it count, ah-jussi. This chance may very well be your last."
Taeeul watched closely as he charged towards her, her years of Taekwando practice telling her to bide her time. Just when the blade was inches away from her neck, she whipped up her left leg in a roundhouse kick. Her sneakers smacked his face, hard. The man fell heavily to his side, the knife clattering noisily on the floor as he groaned loudly. Taeeul used the momentum to knock him off his feet before planting her rubber sole heavily on his back.
"Good effort. Now try again. Where were you on that night?"
She rocked her entire weight forward to keep him still, and removed the glove from her right hand. Subconsciously, Taeeul took a deep breath before allowing her index finger to touch the suspect's bare neck just as the man mumbled a response.
A lightning quick jolt ran up her spine at the contact. There was a familiar pinch in her chest that ended once she withdrew her finger.
It was worth it.
She answered her buzzing earpiece. "Hyung-nim. He's the one." Now, they just needed to make him confess.
She could hear Sinjae's footsteps as he approached swiftly behind her. From the corner of her eye, she saw him throw his ice cream cup into the bin and she whistled at the perfect shot. "Well done," he said gruffly, "I'll take over from here."
Taeeul grinned, moving away just as Sinjae bent down to grab the criminal's forearms to slap the metal cuffs unto the man's hairy wrists. Sinjae recited the Miranda rights quickly before dragging the criminal up to stand.
They were the perfect team.
After graduating from the police academy, Taeeul had asked to join Sinjae's unit. They had known each other since high-school, and he knows everything about her truth-seeking ability. Their Taekwando training history meant that they've learnt to work well in tandem, which proved useful when they came together to beat down the criminals. They also turned her ability into their unit's asset - she checks the veracity of their statements and Sinjae apprehends them.
Ever since she joined the violent crimes unit, their clearance rate had soared.
At that moment, a wailing police car pulled up and Jangmi leapt out. "Sunbae-nim! I am here!"
"Great timing, hey our maknae is doing well, isn't he!" Taeeul waved gaily at him before making her way to the carpark. "Thank you, Jangmi-ya." Sinjae murmured before shoving the bound man towards Jangmi. Without missing a beat, he took long strides to join Taeeul at her car. "Let's go, I'm hungry. Time for lunch, your treat."
Jangmi was about to hop into the police car but his head bounced up when he heard 'lunch'.
"Yah! Hyung-nim! Why is it my treat?" Taeeul protested loudly as she pulled open the car door. "Shouldn't the senior be paying?" She stepped into her navy blue car. Sinjae chuckled and followed suit.
Jangmi gaped as his seniors buckled up, getting ready to drive off, without so much as a backward glance for him. "S-sunbae-nim... " He called out weakly.
As the maknae of the team, Jangmi knew that he would be doing all the things that his seniors don't care about. He loved his seniors and would do anything that they asked. Even when they told him never to touch Taeeul - not even a handshake - Jangmi had obeyed without any questions.
The muscular man pouted.
How could they leave for lunch without him...
Kang Sinjae watched as Taeeul expertly flipped the marinated beef on the sizzling pan, the mouthwatering aroma of grilled meat in the air. They were in Taeeul's favourite barbecue restaurant. Around them, the lunch crowd buzzed with energy and excited chatter filled the restaurant.
She smiled cheekily at him, her eyes disappearing into charming crescents as she placed a piece of lightly charred beef rib on his plate. "Eat up, Hyung-nim. Better get your money's worth!"
Absentmindedly picking up his chopsticks, Sinjae watched Taeeul's face closely for signs of discomfort.
The first time he ever touched Taeeul was when they were seventeen.
She had spilled a cup of hot coffee all over her hand. Sinjae could still remember the red angry blotch that appeared rapidly against her milky white wrist. Anxious to soothe her burn, Sinjae had grabbed her other hand with the intention of dragging her to the sink. Yet when his fingers closed around her slender forearm, Taeeul's eyes squeezed shut and her knees buckled. She quickly snatched her arm back as she fell backwards, confusing Sinjae.
Sinjae had since learnt how painful another's touch can be for Taeeul. Her grandmother, Halmi Noh, had explained it to him.
'Taeeul is different from everyone else, Sinjae-ya. She has been blessed with Truth. And in return, she has to withstand the weight of that knowledge.'
He didn't really understand then. Why Taeeul? And why does it hurt her?
'The universe gives, and the universe takes.' Halmi explained with a soft and wizened voice. 'Any form of physical contact with another person will bring Taeeul the truth. And the cost of truth, will bring her pain. That is why you should never touch her, Sinjae-ya. No one should.'
That's why Taeeul's father had taken extra care to make sure she was a black belt by the age of twelve, and she had been a strong fighter ever since.
Sinjae had wanted to ask the elderly shaman more then, but Halmi had resolutely refused to speak further on the topic. 'She will tell you more when she's ready, Sinjae-ya. I can tell that you're good to our Taeeul. Be patient, okay?'
From then on, Sinjae started watching Taeeul closely. He became sensitive to the slightest furrow of her brows and the merest hunch in her back. He learnt that the amount of pressure applied seemed to make a difference. A very light brush barely hurt her. And when Taeeul was prepared for it, she could control the pressure of the physical contact. That's why it hurt her so much when he grabbed her the very first time.
He also learnt that she could easily tell when he was lying, with just the slightest touch. Taeeul never seemed to mind the pain in situations like that, which is probably the reason she ended up in the police force.
'This is where I'll be the most useful, Hyung-nim! I could efficiently sieve out the crooks from the innocents. Just think of all the people who would be helped through that!'
Sinjae could never understand that. He would have avoided the pain at all costs - anyone would have. Perhaps that's why he had come to admire her, for being able to endure pain for the greater good. Admire her for her seemingly endless bravery.
"Not eating, Hyung-nim?" Taeeul chirped as she placed a lettuce wrap on his plate. "Is that how you're going to make me pay for this meal, hmm?"
He shoved the wrap into his mouth and she flashed her pearly whites at him in approval. A wavy lock of hair fell across her eyes and he resisted the urge to tuck it back for her.
"You feeling okay, Jeong Taeeul?" He asked tentatively.
Taeeul's brow rose quizzically. "Of course! He barely had any moves to speak of - he was easily subdued." She reassured, "And did you see his face? Tsk. His actions were already showing us his guilt. I barely had to touch him."
Sinjae continued gazing at her, chewing thoughtfully. "You sure?"
Taeeul rolled her eyes, "Aish, you're being naggy again. You know I'll tell you if I'm not feeling well. Don't go all Halmi on me."
"Yah. Jeong Taeeul. You know Halmi will not let me go if anything happens to you. I'm not that worried about you, I'm more worried about Halmi's angry glares."
"I'm fine," she huffed dramatically as she flicked her hair back and pursed her lips. Sinjae tried not to stare. "Stop worrying like a little old lady. Anyway, Hyung-nim. Did you hear? The King's coming to Seoul! Apparently, he's going to be giving the commencement speech for this year's graduating batch at the police academy!"
"Yeah, I've heard. What's the big deal?" Sinjae ignored the flare of annoyance that was roused by her interest in their handsome monarch.
"Well, isn't it nice that our King is taking an interest in the police force!" Taeeul exclaimed excitedly, "Maybe we'll even get a raise this year!"
"The Prime Minister is in charge of that. You know that, right?"
"Eh-hey, Hyung-nim! Can't you be a little bit more hopeful? You never know what lies ahead!" Taeeul continued, refusing to allow him to dampen her spirits.
Sinjae watched as she shoved another lettuce wrap into her mouth, smacking her lips loudly in delight.
Eating well. Guess she's alright this time.
"Hyung-nim. Shall we go watch?"
Sinjae sighed loudly in response.
A row of flashing lights lined the main street as a stately black Bentley drove down it, accompanied by a dozen traffic police officers on motorcycles.
"All clear. The VIP car is heading towards the intersection."
Lee Gon sighed, closed his eyes and leaned back into the dark leather seat. His uncle, Prince Buyeong, had been pestering him about this graduation ceremony for the past few months and Gon had finally relented. Despite the fact that Gon saw no need to attend another public event to boost his image.
It was obvious. His people loved him.
Gon had worked hard to make sure of it.
As the ruling Monarch of the kingdom, his duties were endless and Gon laboured day and night to keep his people and economy thriving.
Yes, the kingdom had a Prime Minister to help with managing the cabinet ministers. However, Gon often found himself doubting the intentions of his entire cabinet, especially the wily Koo Seoryeong.
He simply did not trust anyone.
Gon just couldn't.
His father was viciously slain by his own half brother, and Gon had seen it all.
Prince Lee Rim was once the supportive and loving uncle to him, and often displayed brotherly affection and respect to his half brother, the King. Up till the very night of Lee Ho's murder, his royal uncle had spent a lot of time with Gon, explaining the classics patiently to him and teaching him the tenets of swordsmanship.
Lee Rim was the epitome of the perfect uncle. Gon had loved him.
Witnessing the murder was a cruel shock to little Gon's system. Since then, he had been sleeping with death on his mind.
How could he not, when the person who claimed loved him had betrayed him in the worst possible way?
If that is his destiny, he would do whatever he can to resist it.
Gon found that it was eaier to keep everyone at an arm's length. Even his closest living family member, Prince Buyeong, who did all that he could to support and raise him, was someone that Gon guarded against.
One could never be too careful.
"Your Majesty. We are here. Stay behind me at all times." As usual, Yeong's speech was short and succinct.
Ah, Yeong, the only exception. The captain of the royal guards had proven himself to be loyal and true to Gon, having saved him time and again from death's door.
Gon nodded.
He expected this event to be, well, uneventful. According to the royal secretary, Gon's dissenters had been quiet recently, probably because of the recent prosecution of the previous traitors that had been rooted out last year. Gon relished this period of peace, hoping that it would last for a much longer time than the previous one.
He could never rest his guard though, not when that traitor Lee Rim was still at large. The royal force never did catch him.
One could never be too careful.
Taeeul's eyes widened when the King stood up from his seat at the front of the auditorium, preparing to go on stage to deliver his address. This was her first time seeing him in person and she never realised how statuesque their King actually is.
Gosh. He looks like a model.
A smile lingered on her lips as she remembered a memory of Nari fangirling over the King when they were teenagers. Growing up, Taeeul never really paid attention to boys. She did have a few eyes candies, and the King was one of them, yet romance was something she focused little on.
There was no point. This was the price of her power.
Or curse, depending on how you look at it.
She shrugged subconsciously, brushing the thought away. Taeeul never allowed herself to linger, deeming such sentiments an utter waste of her time.
Next to her, Sinjae snickered and folded his arms across his bulletproof vest. They had rushed over from their previous operation at her request. "Yah, Jeong Taeeul." He whispered teasingly. "Stop daydreaming about the handsome king and pay more attention to what he's actually saying."
Taeeul rolled her eyes and half-listened as their eloquent monarch continued discussing the future in ones and zeroes, making Life out to be one big equation.
Huh. He's actually kinda nerdy.
Cute.
Suddenly, Taeeul heard the distinct click of a pistol in the sea of graduates. Alarm bells went off in her head. She quickly located the source just two rows behind her, four seats to the left. Taeeul's instincts kicked in and she stood up almost instantly and whirled, her gun cocked and ready.
"Police!" She stated calmly. "Put down your weap-" At that moment, a deafening bang rang out.
Time seemed to slow down as the sharp stab propelled Taeeul backwards. She groaned, her body frozen in shock. Taeeul barely noticed the pain that was rapidly blossoming from her right shoulder.
Not quick enough.
Taeeul had the great misfortune to be standing directly between the shooter and their King.
"Taeeul!"
From the corner of her eye, Sinjae disarmed the shooter with two clean shots. The man, clad in a deep forest green coat, had fallen to his knees.
Everywhere, people started screaming.