Detective Ho paused for a few seconds, unsure of how to respond. She knew that Jin Hwan wasn’t thinking about the missing child case at that moment. It felt as though they were using work-related excuses to justify their respective behaviors. Accepting Jin Hwan’s offer would be difficult for her if he didn’t frame it in terms of professional concerns. In a way, it was like he was offering her a convenient excuse, a way to accept without feeling embarrassed. She appreciated that.
Though she couldn’t imagine being away from her apartment, she also felt it wasn’t truly a safe place. Perhaps she wouldn’t even be able to close her eyes in that house. It would be even worse if she did fall into a deep sleep, losing her sense of awareness, unaware of someone opening her door and walking into her room. The stalker could do anything to her. She had no idea who they were or what their intentions might be. They could be involved in the case, using that connection to communicate something she wouldn’t otherwise know, or they could be a madman obsessed with her, willing to do anything to get to her.
She wasn’t ready to risk her life for the resolution of a mystery. As selfish as it might seem, she wasn’t sure she wanted to trade her safety for solving the case.
"Just for tonight," Detective Oh said. She then went to her room, opened the wardrobe, and pulled out an old gym bag from one of the lower drawers. It had been years since she last worked out, but she was glad she hadn’t thrown it away, as it would finally be useful. She packed some underwear, pajamas, a few makeup items for the next morning when she would need to go to work, her comb, and a couple of spare suits. Finally, her fingers hesitated over a still-unexpired pack of birth control pills. A shiver ran through her lower abdomen as she slipped them into the bag, like admitting to herself that the possibility was more likely than she had let on to Jinhwan.
After all, she couldn't deny how thrilling their kiss at the bar had been.
When she had sat on his lap, she had felt his firm muscles beneath her thighs. Her hands had traveled from his hips to his glutes, while her own rested against his sculpted chest and traced the line of his neck. Her thumb had pressed against Jinhwan’s sharp jawline as their mouths melded in a kiss that tasted of intoxication.
Those were thoughts that not even a cold shower could tame. She was absolutely certain that Jinhwan, who was now somewhere in the living room, perhaps sitting on the couch with his phone in his hands, was experiencing similar fantasies. Sure, they had something far more serious to deal with now, but it wouldn't always be this way.
She zipped up the duffel bag, then slung it over her shoulder and left the room. Who can tell if her fate would have been different if she had noticed the necklace someone had left on the nightstand next to her bed.
She joined Jinhwan. “I think I’ve got everything,” she said.
The guy got up from the couch and put his phone in his pocket. “Good, let’s go,” he said. “This place gives me the creeps. I feel like prey with no idea when the predator will strike.”
“I hardly think anyone would see you as prey,” she replied.
“Are you sure, noona?” he asked, with a deliberately teasing tone.
“Ah, now I’m ‘noona’ again.”
“It would be strange to call you Detective Oh while saying things like that.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t say them at all.”
“And where’s the fun in that?”
The detective didn’t retort but let out a soft laugh. They left her apartment, and it was as if nothing terrible had ever happened. That guy had the power to make her forget her worries, and she really liked it. She wasn’t sure how long this placebo effect would last, but as long as it worked, she clung to it like a lifeline.
She discovered that Jinhwan’s apartment was only 20 minutes from hers—a surprisingly short distance considering Seoul’s traffic and size. Jinhwan’s apartment was in a very luxurious building, one where you’d expect to find a celebrity, an actor, or a singer, not a detective just starting his career. The idea that he might come from a wealthy family was now firmly established, but even if he hadn’t, Jinhwan wouldn’t have lost a single bit of his charm.
The apartment was a spacious loft with a vast window overlooking the city of Seoul. The skyscrapers looked like parallelepipeds filled with stars, and the cars, several meters below, appeared like a procession of torches. The detective was so focused on the breathtaking view from the apartment that she didn’t even notice how refined and stylish the furnishings were.
"I'll prepare the bed for tonight," said Jinhwan.
"No need, I can sleep on the couch."
"As my guest, the least I can do is offer you the bed."
With that, Jinhwan went to change the bed linens.
The detective Oh took advantage of the moment to set her bag down and look around. The apartment was filled with appliances she had only seen on television, in dramas where successful characters indirectly showcased the best products from Korea's top brands.
"There you go," Jinhwan said, now carrying a pile of soft bed linens. He put them in the washing machine and started it up. The detective Oh was surprised to hear the appliance play a jingle; at most, hers would roar and vibrate in a low hum.
"If you want to take a shower, go ahead," Jinhwan added, demonstrating his hospitality. The detective Oh accepted the offer eagerly, looking forward to washing away the day’s stress.
Half an hour later, she was lying in Jinhwan's bed. His scent surrounded her, seeping through the pillows. She found herself wishing he were not on the couch but lying beside her instead. Yet, she lacked the courage to voice her desires. Every time she seemed to drift off to sleep, she would wake up soon after, once again thinking about Jinhwan. For some reason, it felt almost wrong, even alien. She hesitated until the very last moment, almost getting up to go to the living room, to approach the couch, take his hand, and invite him to share the bed. She fell asleep before she could muster the courage to do so.
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