The dim glow of the city lights filtered through the blinds of the cramped surveillance van. Hunched over a laptop, Jisung's fingers flew across the keyboard, pulling up blueprints, security feeds, and every piece of data they had on their target. Sharp eyes scanned the screen, jaw set in determination. Across from him, lounging dramatically in his seat, one arm draped over the backrest, the other holding a bag of chips, Minsoo crunched loudly, his expression a mix of boredom and mild irritation.  

“Alright,” came the murmured voice, barely sparing a glance at his partner. “The suspect is expected to arrive in ten minutes. We stick to the plan, no unnecessary risks.”  

Minsoo sighed dramatically, flopping against the van’s interior. “You sound like a robot, Jisung. Where’s the excitement? The thrill? The danger?” He waggled his eyebrows.  

A sharp look was all it took to shut him up.  

“I’m serious, Minsoo,” Jisung said, voice firm. “Don’t mess this up.”  

For all his theatrics, Minsoo knew when not to push. He sat up a little straighter, the bag of chips forgotten. “Got it, boss.”

Jisung had crafted this operation down to the millisecond. Failure wasn’t an option. Minsoo knows that Jisung will eat him alive if that happens, not to mention what happened last time...

Through the earpiece, a soft, programmed buzz. *“Suspect is approaching."* 

“Positions.” Jisung’s grip tightened around the comm.  

Minsoo let out a slow, exaggerated breath, cracking his knuckles. “Showtime.”

The narrow alley smelled of damp concrete and stale cigarettes. Jisung moved silently, pressing himself against the wall as their target -Kang Doyoon- strolled toward the meeting point, oblivious to the trap closing in around him.

Step by step, Jisung closed the distance. Every movement was calculated.

Then—

“Wait, wait, wait,” Minsoo’s voice crackled through the earpiece. “Is now the time to mention how good you look in this outfit?”

“Minsoo—” 

“I mean, if I were a criminal and you chased me down looking like that, I’d just surrender immediately. Hand myself over. No questions asked.”

“Focus.” Jisung clenched his jaw.

From his hidden position, Minsoo peeked around the corner, whispering, “I am focused. Focused on how cool we look right now. It’s a whole vibe.”

“Minsoo.” The name was a warning, flat and final.

“Fine, fine. Jeez. Operation Stick-in-the-Mud is a go.”

Jisung took another breath.

Doyoon finally reached the exact coordinates of the meeting spot, a secluded area Jisung had flagged for its lack of escape routes. The deal was simple: he’d exchange stolen data for cash. What he didn’t know was that the ‘buyer’ was an undercover officer. 

The moment the physical exchange began, Jisung moved.

Swift. Silent. Efficient. His footsteps were inaudible as he closed the final ten meters. Just as the suspect pocketed the money, Jisung’s voice rang out, sharp, clear, and devoid of any emotional inflection.

“Kang Doyoon. You are under arrest.”

Doyoon’s head snapped up, eyes widening in shock before narrowing in venomous recognition.

“Shit.”

He bolted, directly into the escape route Jisung had anticipated and preemptively blocked with a strategically placed dumpster.

Jisung was faster.  

His body reacted before thought, muscles tensing as he gave chase. The pounding of their footsteps echoed through the alley, adrenaline surging through his veins. Doyoon twisted through side streets, shoving past pedestrians, but Jisung was relentless, every turn, every obstacle, he matched him step for step.  

A flash of movement from his left, Minsoo, taking a completely unnecessary detour by vaulting over a fruit stand.  

“Minsoo, what the hell are you—” 

“I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THAT!” Minsoo yelled back, mid-air, arms flailing.

Jisung groaned.

Doyoon stumbled, giving Jisung the opening he needed. In a fluid motion, he lunged forward, tackling him to the ground. The impact sent them skidding across the pavement, but Jisung was already moving, pinning the suspect’s hands behind his back.  

Struggling was useless. Doyoon knew it too. His breath came in short, panicked gasps as Jisung locked the cuffs around his wrists.  

“There's no chance of success,” Jisung muttered, voice level despite the rush of the chase.  

Minsoo finally caught up, panting. “Okay, wow. That was impressive.”  

Jisung shot him a look that could freeze nitrogen. “You jumped over a fruit stand.”

“And it looked awesome,” Minsoo grinned, completely undeterred. “Also, you totally looked like a badass just now. Very ‘silent but deadly’. In a cool way.”

Jisung rolled his eyes, pushing himself up. “Help me get him up.”  

“You guys are crazy,” Doyoon groaned as they hauled him to his feet.

Minsoo smirked. “Yeah, but we caught you, didn’t we? My partner here had you figured out before you even left your house.”

As security personnel arrived to take Doyoon into custody. Jisung allowed himself a small moment to breathe. The mission had gone exactly as planned. He lived for this.

A senior officer approached, nodding with professional respect. “Clean work, Detective Lee.”

Jisung gave a curt, acknowledging nod and handed over the suspect without a word.

Minsoo nudged him with an elbow. “You do realize I provided essential morale support, right? And a distraction. A very stylish distraction.”

“You ran in the opposite direction.” Jisung scoffed. 

Minsoo gasped, clutching his chest. “How dare you undermine my artistic contribution to field operations!”

A nod was given in return, the suspect handed over without a word.  

“You owe me a meal for this,” Minsoo declared, pointing an accusatory finger. “For my trauma.”

“Fine,” Jisung conceded, the word sounding like a formal agreement.

“And coffee.”

“FUCK YOU.”  

(⁠◍⁠◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕⁠◍⁠)

It was hard to pinpoint the exact moment Hyunsuk became part of Jisung’s daily routine. Maybe it was the small, insignificant things. The morning texts that arrived like clockwork, the way their conversations never felt forced, or the way Hyunsuk would find the most absurd excuses to drop by his office. What started as fleeting moments had settled into something permanent, something steady. Somehow, without either of them acknowledging it, Hyunsuk had filled the quiet spaces in Jisung’s life, making them feel less empty.  

There was no official label for whatever they were. No discussions, no defining moments, just the quiet understanding that they were something. And whatever that something was, it made Jisung happy. He never stopped to question it, because deep down, he feared that putting it into words might break the delicate balance they had. He only knew that he wanted Hyunsuk around, that he missed him when he wasn’t there, and that every time his phone lit up with Hyunsuk’s name, his day seemed just a little bit better.  

...to be continued

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