Work Text:
"Oi, Lee! Kim!"
Yoohyeon looks up from the paperwork she's scribbling. Next to her, Siyeon continues to play a game on her phone. Yoohyeon wishes she could be as cool as her partner.
"Yes? What is it?" she asks instead.
"Someone's here about the cheese."
Snickers and cackles erupt throughout the station. Yoohyeon grins along even though she doesn't want to, rubbing the back of her neck to comfort herself. Stealing a glance at Siyeon, she finds her still playing her game, but now she can see how tense her shoulders are. She feels bad for her.
Yoohyeon is new, just made into a detective after passing the test. Being the butt of the joke among the rest is expected. But Siyeon is a senior, and she doesn't sign up to babysit the rookie who stole her thunder as the youngest officer ever being made detective. No matter how many times Siyeon assured her that she doesn't even remember being lauded as such, it still makes her feel bad to cause so much trouble.
Her self-deprecation goes on as an uniform officer leads someone inside. Then, all of a sudden, the station falls into silence. One of the detectives whistles but is quickly shut down by their own partner smacking the back of their head. From her vantage point, Yoohyeon can see the long, silky dark hair of a woman. Even Siyeon puts her phone away, staring at the newcomer with critical eyes as she is led to their desks.
Immediately, Yoohyeon stands up, thanking the officer before giving the woman her full attention. Despite her heels, Yoohyeon still towers over her, and yet she is fighting not to squirm under her gaze. She tugs at the lapel of her suit jacket, it feels stuffy all of a sudden. She wishes she had taken it off like Siyeon did, who now even has both sleeves of her shirt rolled up to her elbows. Although Yoohyeon doubts she would ever achieve the same sense of ease.
"Kim Bora," the woman says in lieu of an introduction, like her name is important and everyone is expected to just know who she is. Perhaps that's true. From the way Kim Bora carries herself and her designer outfit, she is someone who used to command a whole room just with her presence. "I was told to talk to the detectives about the cheese."
"Yes, ma'am," Siyeon says with a nod, having stood up after Yoohyeon did. "That's us. Please," she motions at the chair on the other side of her desk.
Yoohyeon bows as low as she can, almost missing the way Bora's lips curl up as she looks at Siyeon. She seems...pleased? Yoohyeon shakes it off. Maybe she needs to see her optometrist.
They all sit down around Siyeon's desk. Yoohyeon rolls her chair next to her with her phone and notepad ready. She is still learning through observation, but Siyeon is far more lenient with her randomness than any other senior partner. Across from them, Bora sits all prim and proper, and somehow, Yoohyeon can't shake off the feeling of dread—like she is a troubled student being called into the headmistress' office, bracing herself for getting scolded.
It is then that she realizes that despite seeming like a petty case of cheese theft, it is a high-profile case. Because it happened in a shop specialized in bringing artisanal food from all around the world right to the heart of Seoul, all for a niche of people who can afford such exorbitant prices for a pinch of saffron or a bag of luwak coffee. Of course they will encounter a few of those top 1% during their investigation.
"I'm Lee Siyeon, and this is my partner, Kim Yoohyeon. We are the detectives assigned to the case."
Yoohyeon nods along. She continues to admire Siyeon's professionalism and experience when dealing with anyone in their line of work. Because if it had been herself, she would have said cheese case and there is no way anyone will take her seriously after.
"What brings you here, Miss Kim?"
Bora digs out her purse. Her nails are painted light blue and kept short. Her fingers are unadorned by any jewelry. Yoohyeon notices the clear bandaid and some faint burn marks on her knuckles. So Kim Bora uses her hands a lot, possibly for cooking. Interesting.
Eventually, she takes out a zip bag by its corner with a look of pure disgust on her face. Yoohyeon's overactive mind chimes in with the top gory options: letters written in blood, maimed dead animals, or, worst, a body part. The bag barely makes a thud when it's dropped on the table, and Yoohyeon is a little disappointed when she sees its content: three small round wooden boxes of cheese—Epoisses.
"I know who stole the cheese, and I know why."
A free tip literally drops onto their laps without having to do the grueling work, yet Siyeon remains skeptical. "Go on," she says. "Who stole them?"
"Kim Minji, my cousin."
Siyeon scribbles down the name while Yoohyeon puts it into a search on her phone. Unfortunately, it's a quite common name. She sends a look of exasperation at Siyeon.
Bora must have noticed the silent exchange because she adds, "The businesswoman, not the K-pop idol or the runner."
Even so, it narrows down to a couple of businesswomen named Kim Minji. The first is old enough to be Yoohyeon's grandmother, so she eliminates her based on common sense. The other Kim Minji is in her early thirties. She is the major shareholder of Insomnia Inc., a company that started out as a bakery called Bunny's Buns selling macarons and shot up to popularity within the past ten years. This seems to be the correct Kim Minji, and Yoohyeon becomes sure once she finds multiple news reports of Insomnia Inc. going public and the new board appointing Kim Bora as CEO.
Yoohyeon swallows uncomfortably. The cousins' combined net worth could buy a good chunk of Gangnam, or her whole hometown in Incheon. It dawns on her that they are dealing with the ultra rich, and it's because of cheese.
"Why would your businesswoman of a cousin steal some cheese that she can just buy?" Siyeon questions.
The case has been riddled with contrasting facts since the beginning. It isn't even the most expensive Caciocavallo Podolico that got stolen. It was three whole blocks of Limburger, a handful of Epoisses in its circular wooden box, and a wheel of Stinking Bishop—all amounting to just slightly over a month's worth of Yoohyeon's salary and probably much less than the purse Bora carries.
Other than all of them sourcing from European countries, their common denominator is that they all stink, badly so. The store attendant even went as far as describing how similar the Limburger smell is to feet, due to Brevibacterium linens bacteria being used for its fermentation, which is the same one partially responsible for foot odor. Whoever this cheese thief is, for whatever reason, they love it extra stinky.
Bora rolls her eyes, as though Siyeon is being too daft to see the obvious. "To get back at me! I hate cheese!"
She takes out her phone, taps and scrolls quickly before she shows it to them. Yoohyeon pretends she doesn't see Bora's own picture and name decorating the back of the phone case and instead squints at the chat log on the screen.
i won't stay getting hit anymore
what did u do kim minji
hehe u'll see.
"That was incriminating," Siyeon deadpans.
Bora ignores the sarcastic remark. After all, she knows her cousin better than anyone else. She has literally known Minji, who is older by a few months, since she was born. "She's looking for trouble, trust me," she says. "When I arrived at our shared place that night, the whole place reeked of cheese, so I knew."
"But how did you know cops are involved?" Siyeon asks, quick as lightning.
"It's—I'm a regular at the store!" Bora yells, flustered. "Just go to our place and search by yourself!"
Siyeon isn't impressed, and neither is Yoohyeon. There is something fishy about Bora, and it isn't because she hasn't taken her eyes off her partner since they all sat down. Yoohyeon tries not to be judgmental, but she can't stop thinking about how unusual it is for someone of Bora's status to even bother to go down to the police station by herself and to report her own cousin, no less. Is there really no sense of loyalty among the rich, even between family?
"Let me get this straight—"
"Although neither of us is," Yoohyeon quips without thinking. The nerves never really leave her, and they're the root of her tendency to ramble. "Straight, that is. Neither of us is straight."
Both Bora and Siyeon turn to her. Siyeon has a withering glare on, but Bora quirks a brow in intrigue and mutters a low good to know. Even though Yoohyeon shrinks in on herself from the combined weight of their stares, she is sure Bora isn't interested in her. She is clumsy, but she isn't blind, and it is the fourth time Bora glances at Siyeon's lips.
"Your cousin and roommate, this Kim Minji, stole artisanal cheese to get back at you," Siyeon reiterates. "Because she, in her own words, won't stand being hit anymore."
Bora doesn't like the implication of her abusing Minji in the slightest, but she also finds this no-nonsense, cold detective very, very hot. So she nods along. Her brain is a bit sluggish because most of her blood is rushing the other way.
"And it is cheese because you hate it."
At that, Bora scrunches her nose. "It smells like feet!"
Siyeon thinks her hatred of cheese is cute, but of course she won't say any of it out loud. "And now you want us to search your place." She pauses, something clicks in her mind. "Because you can't find where the other Miss Kim hid the rest of the cheese? That's it? Or else you'd have thrown out all of them, and we would never have this conversation." She scoffs, so sure of Bora's reasoning. She leans back against her chair and notices Bora's eyes stuck on her chest, where the two topmost buttons of her shirt are left undone and give away a tiny hint of cleavage. "What do you think we are? A pack of hounds?"
Again, Bora nods without much thought. She can see Yoohyeon as an overgrown golden retriever, always slobbering and wagging her tail. Siyeon, on the other hand, would look really good with a studded leather collar, a matching leash, and nothing else, preferably inside Bora's bedroom.
"My eyes are up here, Miss Kim."
Siyeon isn't angry or uncomfortable, per se. She is flattered with the effect she has on Bora, but they are at work, inside the police station. She prefers not to be ogled by anyone during work hours, thank you very much.
Bora pouts, dragging her eyes away from Siyeon's chest. She is here to get rid of the cheese and get back at Minji, not trying to get a certain detective to report her for sexual harassment. Although she definitely won't mind being handcuffed by her. The idea is so tempting. It makes her itch to rile up Siyeon even more, in hope of getting railed by her soon.
"Regardless, I brought you evidence." She points at the sealed bag containing the Epoisses. "I'm sure the store provided you with their log, so you can crosscheck the batch number with the one they lost," she says smugly, mimicking Siyeon's posture but with her arms crossed over her chest—not a defensive gesture, but rather a calculative one to push up and bring attention to her own breasts. And it works, perfectly. Two can play this game. "I don't have to teach you how to do your job, right, Detective Lee?" she asks with a smirk, congratulating herself for choosing the low-cut red blouse under her suit earlier.
Siyeon blinks, taking her eyes away from Bora's chest with a growl. Next to her, Yoohyeon thinks something is still off, but she's too busy feeling suffocated by the sexual tension those two exude. Until Siyeon, with a sadistic grin and oh, these are evidence?, rips open the bag containing the cheese and shoves it forward. Bora shrieks, losing her sexy composure as she scrambles to cover her nose. So now, on top of choking for real due to the sudden stinky smell, Yoohyeon's ears are ringing as well.
-
Kim Minji is, well, beautiful. The word is inadequate, Yoohyeon knows. She is fluent in a few languages and dabbles in others, but the knowledge seems to abandon her brain the moment Minji walked into the interrogation room. White silk shirt under a beige suit and matching dress pants, and Yoohyeon is about to beg Kim Minji to step on her, please.
"You are drooling."
Instinctively, Yoohyeon wipes the corner of her lips with the back of her hand, a retort ready on the tip of her tongue. That is until she feels wetness on her skin. Next to her, Siyeon raises a brow, daring her to deny it, but all she can do is blush.
"As if you haven't been sexting with Kim Bora," she mumbles.
"What did you just say?"
"Texting! I said, Texting!"
Yoohyeon plasters on her most innocent puppy look. She's not about to incriminate herself, but it isn't her fault that Siyeon keeps glitching whenever she gets a new message nowadays. She doesn't even have to be a detective to know what kind of text (or possibly pictures) is being sent and who is sending it to provoke such a reaction from her partner.
Thankfully, Siyeon lets her off to stare back at Minji, who sits comfortably in the interrogation room doing nothing despite having waited for a while now. They expected her to refuse to come, or does come with a whole team of lawyers who won't let her speak even a word. Yet she comes all by herself. The Kim cousins are so sure of themselves, it's almost charming if not borderline annoying.
"You are leading today's interrogation."
"What?! No!" Yoohyeon refuses, in spite of how ridiculous it is. "I still need to learn more, I'm not ready yet."
"It's not that different from when you were an officer." Siyeon barely moves. "You lead, or you sit the case out. Your choice."
Yoohyeon knows this is coming. It's been two months, she can't continue to have Siyeon hold her hand all the way. One day soon, Siyeon will take the test to be a lieutenant, and Yoohyeon will have a new partner she has to guide. She has to take the lead if she wants to move her career any further, even though just thinking about it already fuels her anxiety.
"You're doing this on purpose," Yoohyeon says with a pout, glancing at Minji.
"You're not the only observant one, Kim." Siyeon smirks. "And you forgot to clear your browsing history."
"It was for the case!"
A brow arches up. "And your recent downloads."
"That's... fine." Yoohyeon sighs, pointing at herself and then at Siyeon. "Good cop, bad cop?"
Siyeon thinks it's poor strategy, but she's going to follow this time. "If we must."
Together, they make their way out of the adjoined observation room into the interrogation room next door, with Yoohyeon in front. Minji stands up the moment they enters.
"Good morning, Miss Kim." Yoohyeon bows, then shakes Minji's hand, and bows again. She can feel Siyeon's judging stare on the side of her head, but she is already nervous as it is. "Thank you for coming in on such short notice."
After they compared the Epoisses' batch number with the ones missing, they went to a judge to get a search warrant for Bora and Minji's penthouse. Siyeon supervised the crime scene unit doing the search, with only Bora being present, as Minji was still overseas by then. Yoohyeon never learned the specifics, but rumors have it that Detective Lee was flustered and missing her tie when the search concluded. They did find the rest of the stolen cheese, though, and thus Kim Minji became a person of interest.
"It's not a problem," Minji says, sitting back on her chair when the detectives do. "I was told I'm called down regarding cheese?"
The way Minji asked is too casual, a hint of a smile on her pink-painted lips while her body language remains open and receptive—nothing like a suspect would. Yoohyeon stares until Siyeon elbows her on the side.
"Uh, yeah, but first I must inform you that our conversation today is recorded." Yoohyeon gestures at the camcorder, an old piece of technology, standing on a tripod on the other side of the room. Then she points at the one-way mirror across from it. "And observed by my colleagues." It is a lie, but it's just one of the mental manipulations they employ. "Do you understand, Miss Kim?"
"I understand."
This is too easy. Yoohyeon steals a glance at Siyeon's impassive face to steel herself. It won't do if she appears unsure in front of a potential suspect, no matter how drop-dead gorgeous they are.
"Okay," Yoohyeon mutters, mostly to herself, until Siyeon nudges her knee with her own under the table. She then not-so-subtly looks at herself and then back at Yoohyeon. "Oh, right. I have to introduce ourselves." Minji's smile widens, and Yoohyeon already feels like a fool. "My name is Kim Yoohyeon. This is my senior partner, Lee Siyeon. We are detectives—wait, you know that already. And yes, we are investigating the case of stolen cheese."
Next to her, Siyeon sighs. Although neither of them misses the way Minji nods and sits straighter, leaning forward ever so slightly. It gets her attention, it seems.
"First thing first, would you like something to drink? Water? Tea or coffee?"
This time, Siyeon doesn't even bother with subtlety and just stomps on Yoohyeon's foot. She yelps in pain, sending a look of betrayal accompanied with a pained pout. Siyeon's lips thinned, and Yoohyeon looked away. It's only polite to offer drinks. The interrogation can run for a long time. They might even need to sneakily take Minji's print and DNA from the paper cup (no, they don't and that type of shadily acquired evidence won't hold in court). It has nothing to do with her unprofessional wish to be stepped on by Kim Minji or her worry of instant combustion.
"Coffee would be nice," Minji answers, uncertain. "If you don't mind?"
Siyeon grumbles I do mind just as Yoohyeon shoots up with one coffee coming right up!, complete with a ridiculous salute before she scampers out of the interrogation room.
Less than ten minutes later, Yoohyeon comes back with more sanity and bearing two paper cups filled with coffee, one for Minji and the other for Siyeon. She even bribed their fellow detective to give her some sweet condensed milk for Siyeon's as an apology. She is acting crazy, she knows. But between Minji's presence and the pressure of leading her first-ever interrogation, she needed to get out of the room for a breather, even only for a short moment.
"Here you go, Miss Kim." Yoohyeon sets a cup in front of Minji after giving Siyeon's first. She then takes out a handful of tiny sachets from her suit pocket. "Sugar?" she offers on an open palm.
"Yes, honey?"
For a few seconds, Yoohyeon's brain stops. Then she splutters, cheeks heating up. "Do you—are you—sugar?" she asks again meekly.
"Only if it's as sweet as you are."
Siyeon snorts, hiding her laugh behind her cup. So one of the cousins is a seductress, while the other is a flirt. Great. She's glad she pushed Yoohyeon to take the lead this time because she already has her hands tied full with Bora.
When Yoohyeon stays frozen, Minji takes pity on her. "No, thank you, Detective Kim," she says. "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable."
"No... It's—it's okay. You are very fine, yes."
Minji smiles at the compliment, almost blinding Yoohyeon in the process. Once Yoohyeon regains what is left of her wits, she flinches when Minji does after taking a sip of the hot beverages. She knows the coffee is beyond anyone's lowest expectation. But it must be painful for a billionaire with a refined palate.
"Sorry, the taste is..." She trails off, not having any suitable word to describe how awful it is.
"Like dirt?"
Yoohyeon agrees. It is an apt description of the powder that masquerades as coffee in the pantry. Still better than the one coming out of the vending machine in the hallway, though. That's just dark water with a touch of bitterness and a lot of regret.
"Well, it was ground before."
Yoohyeon nods again, until it registers in her mind. Coffee, ground, dirt—the pun is cringe-worthy. She looks up to find Minji with a self-satisfied grin on. Next to her, Siyeon clenches her jaws.
Before the detectives can recover from the mental assault, Minji inquires, "Do you perhaps have almond milk?"
"We have creamer, but I'm not sure if it's vegan, sorry."
"Yeah, this isn't a coffee shop," Siyeon snarks, having had enough of this bizzare interaction. "No almond milk whatsoever around here."
Minji's grin is too smug, like she has been waiting for someone to take her bait. "Of course, it's just nuts." Then she laughs at her own pun.
Yoohyeon's laugh is strained. Minji's joke isn't even funny, but her laugh is. If she was beautiful before, in the magical, unattainable perfection kind of way, her laugh only shatters and then enhances the image. And it's worst for Yoohyeon's not-straight self, because now she knows Minji isn't some kind of vampire dressed in a designer outfit, intent on sucking the soul out of her body (not that she minds). No, Minji is very much real, sunshine smiles and cheesy embarrassing jokes and all of that, and Yoohyeon can't stop the stupid yearning to just try.
Siyeon clears her throat. "The case, Detective Kim?"
"The case, yes, right..." Yoohyeon fumbles with the case folder to find the date of the crime. She clears her throat. "Can you tell us, Miss Kim, where you were last Friday, January 13th?"
Minji hums, trying to recall, but couldn't. "May I check the itinerary on my phone?" she requests.
"Of course."
For a moment, all Minji does is scroll through her phone until she arrives on the date. "I was scheduled to fly to Hokkaido in the evening. I had business to attend to in the Tohma area," she informs. "I boarded my private jet from Incheon International Airport and arrived at New Chitose Airport at...around eight. I had my personal assistant and a Japanese delegate accompanying me. We took the Shinkansen to Sapporo and drove to Tohma by car."
That is plenty of detailed information. Siyeon writes it down, then circles the Incheon International Airport part. All they need is to verify that Minji indeed boarded the plane and arrived at New Chitose Airport. Although private flight's manifest can be sketchy at times.
"What were you doing earlier that day?"
Minji rubs her chin, then lists, "I packed, went shopping, had lunch, just—"
"Where?"
"In Myeong-dong."
Yoohyeon takes a breath to control her reaction. That's exactly where the store is located! But that's also one of Seoul's main shopping districts for mid-to-high-end retail stores and international brands—something Minji has the means to purcase—so she shouldn't jump to conclusions too soon.
"Did you get anything while you were there?" Yoohyeon asks, getting a nod of approval from Siyeon.
Get instead of buy, because while she admits that her opinion is biased, it is possible that someone like Minji, who is the major shareholder of a multinational company and is busy traipsing all over the world, simply forgot to pay. Or maybe her assistant was supposed to do that, and they were the one who forgot. Because from the interaction they have had so far, Minji is nothing but an absolute angel, even with her embarrassing dad jokes.
(Yoohyeon omits the fact that the cheese had been strategically hidden in the Kims' penthouse. It's definitely just Bora being too sensitive and paranoid.)
Minji goes on to wax poetic about this life-altering savory gukbap she has for lunch until Siyeon, figuratively and literally, much to Yoohyeon's agony, puts her foot down. "Did you get anything else, Miss Kim?" Siyeon asks through gritted teeth. If Minji answers with a pun or another joke, she's putting her in jail no matter what.
"A set of socks, an eye mask, a bucket hat, and some cheese." Minji's grin falters. She pauses and blinks, as if she just realizes what she said. "Was that the cheese you said was stolen?" She asks, with a slight tilt of her head. She is either a very good actress, or she really doesn't think she stole the cheese, or she thinks she (with her wealth and all) won't get into trouble if she just takes some cheese.
Now comes the main evidence. Because even with all the cheese the crime scene unit has gathered plus the ones Bora has brought that do match the ones missing from the store, it doesn't prove much. They need something else to place Minji at the store, thus comes the surveillance recording. Yoohyeon isn't sure of what she's feeling as she takes out a printed picture of their possible suspect.
They have pored through a week's worth of surveillance records of the store. They watched mostly curious people, some going in and through every aisle only to leave empty-handed, while others balk right at the bat when they realize the price is way beyond their range. Younger people who obviously don't have the means, not of their own at least, and still purchasing the wagyu meat. People who look and act like they belong right in the store, filling their carts to the brim and paying with black cards like it's a typical grocery shopping trip on a Sunday. Among the assortment of shoppers, they noted a suspicious person—tall, lithe, likely a woman, wearing a long brown overcoat, mask, and leopard-print bucket hat—lingering at the cheese section.
"Was this you, Miss Kim?"
"Yes? That's the bucket hat I just bought. Isn't it cute?"
Yoohyeon ignores the question and instead puts one of her own. "So, uh, do you admit to taking the cheese without paying or permission?"
Minji is all smiles still, although now she's clearly confused. "I don't think it's necessary—"
Yoohyeon's stomach sinks. Just when she thought Minji was kind of perfect. Of course someone like her has a flaw, but for her to assume she can just take anything she wants and disregard the law just because she is pretty and filthy rich and—
"—considering that the store is mine."
"What?!"
"The store is mine."
Siyeon turns to Yoohyeon with her eyes narrowed and an intensity she has never witnessed before, let alone been bestowed with, and she can't stop the sudden pounding of her heart. It's been her job to check, and she did, but it was when they first got the case, and she didn't go further than knowing who—or rather, which company owns the store. It slipped her mind that as the case evolves and persons of interest pop up, she needs to crosscheck the information.
"No?" Yoohyeon says, now unsure. Just when Siyeon trusts her with an interview for the first time, she doesn't want to disappoint her with her incompetence. "No, it's registered under Rabbit's Bits Company," she recalls.
"Which is mine." Minji explains, "I didn't want to sell any of the food-related businesses when Insomnia Inc. went public, so I split and put them under a different company."
Yoohyeon consults the search engine on her phone right away. Of course, there it is in Rabbit's Bits sparkly white-and-purple page of Our Most Beloved Founder and Owner: Kim Minji's picture in a (different) brown suit and tie. Yoohyeon stares, feeling a lot of gay and even more dumbfounded for just realizing that Rabbit's Bits is the perfect echo of Bunny's Buns, in brand of Minji's love of wordplay.
"And I did pay for it. You can check my bank statement. I listed the items in the transfer's remark." Minji skims through her mobile banking to show the detectives. "Usually I'd tell an attendant to avoid this kind of misunderstanding, but the store was busy that day and I was in a rush." Out of nowhere, she asks, "Can I have your number, Detective Kim?"
Siyeon cocks a brow, but Yoohyeon provides her number without question. Her phone beeps with the incoming message. Minji has sent a screencap of her bank statement. Now they can confirm the transaction with the reference number, but Siyeon is sure it won't be the only time Minji texts Yoohyeon. After all, she fell for the same trickery with Bora.
"May I know the identity of the person who reported the incident?"
"It's the store manager," Siyeon says, keeping it vague to test Minji's truthfulness.
"Lee Yubin?"
Begrudgingly, Siyeon admits, "Yes."
Minji trusts Yubin and knows she is the most level-headed among the people who work for her. It makes sense that the manager will report the missing items immediately. Although she's still lost on why Yubin didn't call her first. Because if she did, none of this will happen.
Recalling what happened on that fateful day, Minji knows she left for Japan to see the next shipment of Densuke watermelons. She always keeps both of her phones on whenever she can. Her private jet has a satellite phone ready for emergencies. And just in case something unexpected does happen, she has an auxiliary plan that whenever she is indisposed, her staff at Rabbit's Bits know to contact her cousin—
"It's Bora, isn't it?"
It doesn't take long for Minji to piece it together. That day, by the time Yubin did daily inventory, Minji would have been on her flight to Hokkaido. And since it wasn't really an emergency, Yubin must have called Bora, who by then had discovered Minji's prank with the cheese and led Yubin to make the report to the cops. Minji groans, pressing a hand on the side of her own forehead. She really should have known better than to mess with her cunning cousin, but she also didn't expect Bora to actually let her be turned in to the cops.
"Yubin called her, and she gave me up to you."
Yoohyeon exchanges a look with Siyeon. Minji doesn't seem like a person who would kill their own cousin in their sleep, although she might try to dip Bora in gooey cheese next to get the same desired result. Yoohyeon, being in enough trouble as she is, waits until Siyeon gives her the go-ahead nod before she confirms.
"This is all because of the vacuum cleaner."
Minji sighs, upset that her poorly executed prank has spectacularly backfired on her. Across from her, Siyeon's confused because Bora never mentions anything about any vacuum cleaner. But then again, they haven't really use their mouths to talk whenever they meet.
Then Minji delivers the punch line, "She got offended when I told her that I'm going to throw it out, because all it does is just gathering dust!" It is followed by a peal of laughter that's now familiar.
Kim Minji is a one-woman stand-up comedy act and her own loyal audience, clapping at her own unfunny jokes. It's so endearing. Yoohyeon is in love, while Siyeon snaps the pen she is holding. Less than an hour into the interrogation, she understands why Bora decided to report Minji to the cops. Hell, if she were in her shoes, she wouldn't wait until the cheese shenanigan to get Minji arrested. There must be a special jail for people who talk exclusively in dad jokes.
"So...you took cheese from your store to annoy your cousin..." Yoohyeon speaks out slowly. "The store manager happened to call her about missing cheese, and she brought us the cheese... You pranked your cousin, and she had you reported to the cops?" This has to be the most bizarre case she ever encounters.
Minji waves her hand as if it isn't a big deal. "I once had to call the firefighter because I drank too much during the company's dinner, and she locked me in the bathroom." Despite the look of bewilderment from the detectives, Minji only smiles. Bora has a short temper. It's always fun to annoy her, although most of the time the creative retribution lands Minji in real problem, just like right now. "I'll tell Yubin to withdraw the police report. Is there anything else I should do? Am I under arrest, detectives?"
"No...?" Yoohyeon turns to Siyeon.
"Not for the moment," Siyeon says.
In the span of an interview, their person of interest becomes a suspect, and then they lose the entire case. Even if it was a somehow elaborate lie and Minji decided to skip town, there is little they can do to stop her. The cheese is indeed expensive, but not so expensive as to forbid someone from leaving the country.
"We will get back to you once we verify with the bank, and with Miss Lee Yubin." Even as she says that, Siyeon side-eyes Yoohyeon, who knows it'll be her job to do those and that she can't mess it up again. "For now, you are not under arrest. Just don't go too far," she warns.
"I can't promise that," Minji says. "But I will tell Detective Kim of my whereabouts all the time."
"Of course." Siyeon rolls her eyes. "Thank you for your cooperation."
"And I shall reimburse you for the trouble I caused."
"We don't accept gift," Siyeon says.
Yoohyeon bites her tongue. She is sure a certain CEO has been sending Siyeon meals and tteokbokki from all over Sindang-dong for lunch for days now. She won't even be surprised if one day an actual chef comes to cook one right in front of them in the station.
"Yeah, it's our job as government officials," Yoohyeon adds unconvincingly, grinning at Minji. "We were sworn to help the public and all of that."
"Even so, I've taken your precious time and energy." Minji stands and bows, and the detectives can't not reply to the gesture. "That could have been used to help other people who actually need it."
"You can get us better coffee?" Yoohyeon jokes.
"Done."
"Wait, what? No! I didn't really—"
"Although I do have a request, Detective Kim."
Instantly, Yoohyeon perks up. "Yes?"
"Would you like to go out with me to the gym?"
Yoohyeon freezes. Having enough, Siyeon gathers the folders and excuses herself out. She is going to tell Bora about this, Yoohyeon's sure, but she is still kind of short-circuited at the moment. Never in her wildest dream did she imagine someone like Kim Minji would ask her out, instead of the other way around. It's perfect, of course. Yoohyeon loves the gym, but that's an unusual spot for a date. She is almost afraid, yet also curious to know. She asks anyway, bracing herself for the dad joke that she knows will come.
"Why...the gym?"
With a confident wink, Minji answers, "So our relationship can work out."