"I can't believe she just handed me a candy and kicked me out like that," Hyun muttered, licking the candy Ryu had given him, while shoving the subdued criminal into the back of the police car. The once orderly scene had erupted into chaos, and Hyun was feeling the strain. "I couldn't even find the entrance again in the lift."
Duri, the round-faced junior detective, looked at Hyun with a mixture of curiosity and confusion. "Captain, since when did you develop a taste for candy?" he asked, noting the familiarity of the candy in question. "And why does this candy seem so familiar? It's the same one you had yesterday and the day before."
Hyun sighed, keeping the candy's secret to himself. He didn't mention that this was no ordinary candy—it regrew with every bite he took. "Just since two days ago," he replied. "It feels like it's a sign that what I saw was real and what she told me was true." He glanced up at the clear, expansive sky, a look of longing in his eyes. "I want to see her again already."
His heart suddenly pounded with an unsettling rhythm. "What's going on with me?" he wondered internally. "No way… This can't be happening!" He scolded himself, trying to push away the confusing feelings. "Never… Never, never…"
Duri observed his captain's strange behavior with a mixture of concern and nonchalance. "Well, this isn't the first time he's acted this way," he shrugged, not particularly surprised.
Just then, a loud, piercing scream shattered the air. It came from the very building where they had apprehended the criminal. Hyun shoved the candy towards Duri, who was busy securing the prisoner, and sprinted towards the source of the scream. With Duri preoccupied, he couldn't follow, so he called for backup, his heart racing.
Hyun rushed up to the top floor, where the scream had become increasingly frantic. Bursting through a door, he found a woman in her underwear, barely able to move. Without hesitation, he draped his jacket over her for modesty and warmth. She looked at him with terrified eyes, pointing shakily towards the balcony and indicating that the attacker was outside.
Hyun approached the balcony with utmost caution, moving as quietly as possible. Just as he reached the curtains, preparing to pull them aside, the woman suddenly lunged at him with surprising speed. Hyun braced for impact, his senses heightened, but before she could reach him, another figure appeared out of nowhere and shoved her roughly against the wall.
It was Ryu Tae-Ra. Relief surged through Hyun as he recognized her. She had come to save him, just as she had promised.
Ryu's face was a mask of fury as she seized the woman by the neck. "Damn you, bitch," she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "Damn demon." The woman, though appearing weak and ordinary, was revealed to be something far more sinister.
Hyun watched in shock as the woman's true form emerged—greenish-blue limbs, elongated sharp nails, and eyes that glowed with an eerie green light. Her long, forked tongue flicked out, attempting to seduce Ryu, but the gesture only fueled Ryu's anger further.
"You know these tricks don't work on me," Ryu said coldly, her tone unwavering. With a powerful shove, she sent the demon crashing through the wall, and then watched as she tumbled down the long staircase.
The demon, now fully revealed in her monstrous form, screamed in frustration and fear. "Damn that bitch! She's the only one I can't control!" The demon's voice echoed down the stairs. "If I stay here any longer, the reaper will tear me apart!"
Ryu emerged from the dust cloud, her demeanor still composed. "Where's she running to?" she mused aloud, leaning casually on the stair rail. Her smile took on a sinister curve. "She's not running away from me, is she?"
As the demon reached the bottom of the stairs, Ryu leapt over the railing, landing heavily in front of her with a resounding crash that shook the surroundings. The demon's eyes widened in terror.
"Reaper, please," the demon begged, her voice trembling. "I won't do it again! I promise! Just spare me!"
Ryu drew her sword from thin air with a practiced ease. Her eyes were cold and unfeeling as she approached the pleading demon. "I warned you before," she said, her voice devoid of empathy. "But you didn't listen, did you?"
Desperation marked the demon's final pleas. "But I will listen now! Please!"
With a swift, decisive motion, Ryu slashed her sword, severing the demon's head from her body. The head and the remaining corpse quickly turned to ash, leaving only the echoes of the confrontation behind.
Hyun, witnessing the scene from the top of the staircase, stood in stunned silence. Was this merciless figure truly the same person he had met just two days ago? The Ryu he had encountered before was kind, approachable, and infinitely more human. This Ryu was cold, detached, and frighteningly efficient.
Ryu noticed Hyun watching from above. Relief that he was unharmed softened her expression, though she could see the shock in his eyes.
She floated up to him, her demeanor shifting from ferocious to somewhat playful. "Not scared of me, are you?" she asked, her voice teasing yet earnest. Hyun, surprisingly calm, replied, "No, never. You did that to protect me."
Ryu felt a flutter of emotions. It wasn't the typical flutter of a romantic interest, but it was unsettling nonetheless.
"She's someone I cannot betray," Hyun thought, a smile tugging at his lips. "Not if I want to face her wrath, which would surely be my undoing."
Both understood each other's complexities. They were unique in their ways, and despite their differences, neither feared the other.
Outside the building, they waited near the police car with Duri.
"Duri? Like 'durian'? The fruit?" Ryu laughed heartily, making fun of Duri's name. "I bet your parents were in a durian forest when they named you. How do you live with that?"
Ryu had a knack for mocking names and was notorious for her sharp humor. She'd even tease her friends and family, often pushing the boundaries of good taste.
"Stop making fun of his name!" Hyun scolded, having returned from an urgent call. "He might end up feeling worse at this rate."
"Well, if he can't handle a little teasing, that's his problem," Ryu continued to chuckle. Duri, on the verge of tears, struggled to keep his composure.
"How can you understand the suffering of those who commit suicide?" Duri finally blurted out, his voice shaking with emotion. "You have no idea how harsh their lives can be, how much they suffer in silence."
Ryu listened, her expression remaining unreadable as Duri poured out his heart.
"Every person has their own problems," Duri continued passionately. "They all suffer in their own ways."
Hyun was taken aback by Duri's outburst. It was a rare moment of vulnerability for his junior. Hyun was curious about Ryu's response.
"Oh, is that all?" Ryu said with a sigh, preparing to speak. "What gives you the right to sympathize with those 'losers'? They think their lives will get better if they end them. They call their lives hellish when they haven't even seen real suffering."
Duri's frustration boiled over. "As if you know what real suffering is," he retorted.
"I do know," Ryu said, grabbing Duri's collar with a firm grip. "And if you want to see it, I'd be glad to show you."
"Oh yeah?" Duri challenged, grabbing Ryu's collar in return. "Show me then."
The confrontation grew intense. Hyun stepped in, trying to mediate. "Alright, both of you stop," he ordered, but they pushed him away, shouting, "Get lost!"
Hyun was stunned. Did Duri just tell him to get lost? He tried to intervene again, but Duri's resistance made it clear that this was a battle he couldn't easily win.
"This is too much to handle," Hyun thought, his frustration mounting. Determined not to let his junior's behavior tarnish his reputation, he called out, "Duri Dae-Jung!" using his full name. "What kind of behavior is this?"
Duri straightened up, realizing the gravity of his actions. "I'm so sorry, Captain. I won't do it again."
Ryu, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. She had instigated part of the conflict but was now being blamed as if she were entirely blameless. "Why are you scolding him when I started this?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be scolding me too?"
"There are reasons," Hyun said, his gaze fixed on her. "I'll explain it to you later."
Ryu was disappointed but shrugged it off. Hyun continued to reprimand Duri, while Ryu remained in the background, observing.
At a café near the main street, Ryu sat across from Hyun, enjoying a large slice of chocolate cake and a warm glass of chocolate milk. "So," she said, taking a big bite of cake, "you've already gotten into trouble, huh?"
Hyun, curious, asked, "How did you find me? I've been wondering about that." He suspected it was due to the bracelet Ryu had given him. "Tell me," he urged, a hint of intrigue in his voice.
Earlier that day, Ryu had been in her office, the headquarters of her rapidly expanding company. The sleek, modern space was filled with the hum of activity as employees bustled around. Ryu was seated behind a large, glass-topped desk, her gaze fixed on a stack of documents. Her secretary and close friend, Hye Il-Seong, was typing away on a nearby keyboard.
"Well, it's probably because of the stunt you pulled the other day," Il-Seong said, glancing up from his work. His tone was light, but there was an edge of amusement in his voice. "Your little escapade made quite a splash, and your name has been buzzing around ever since. It's good for business, though."
Ryu, her focus momentarily diverted, rolled her eyes playfully. "You're just happy because your salary might increase," she teased. "Don't think I don't know what motivates you."
Il-Seong chuckled. "You're right, of course. But you know, it's not just about money. It's about how your actions are reshaping things around here. The company's fortunes have shifted dramatically."
Ryu raised an eyebrow. "So, you're telling me that my little 'rescue mission' actually had a ripple effect?"
"You bet," Il-Seong said, turning back to his work. "And don't forget to finish those reports I gave you. They're not going to complete themselves."
Ryu glanced at the stack of documents on her desk, feeling overwhelmed. Managing a company was no small feat, and the pressure was relentless. "Yeah, yeah. I'll get to them," she said, feeling the weight of her responsibilities settling on her shoulders.
Il-Seong paused his typing and looked at her thoughtfully. "By the way," he said, "what about that detective you were so interested in? Will he be okay without you?"
Ryu's expression turned contemplative. "I'm not his bodyguard," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of defensiveness. "But I suppose I'm still a part of his story, in a way."
Il-Seong raised an eyebrow. "And what's the deal with the bracelet? I saw you give it to him. Any particular reason?"
Ryu hesitated before responding. "It's more than just a gift. It's a token of my interest, something to keep him safe and connected to me. It's a subtle way of ensuring he's aware of the world beyond his own."
Il-Seong nodded, understanding. "Well, whatever your reasons, it seems like your influence is spreading."
Meanwhile, back at the café, Ryu took another generous bite of her chocolate cake, savoring the rich, decadent flavor. She looked at Hyun with a playful grin. "So, detective, did you enjoy the show?" she asked, her tone teasing. "I hope I didn't scare you too much."
Hyun shook his head, still processing the events. "It's not about being scared. It's more about being amazed. You were… incredible."
Ryu shrugged nonchalantly, her gaze drifting to the window where the city's skyline was visible. "Incredible or not, sometimes I have to remind people of what's at stake. It's easy to forget how fragile things can be."
Hyun took a sip of his coffee, his mind racing. "I can see that. And I appreciate what you did. But there's still a lot I don't understand. Why are you so involved in all of this?"
Ryu's expression softened slightly as she regarded him. "It's complicated. Let's just say that I have my reasons for being here. My interests align with protecting certain people and ensuring that justice is served, even if it means getting my hands dirty."
Hyun nodded, accepting her answer for now. "I guess I'll have to trust you on that. But you have to know, you're quite a mystery."
Ryu chuckled softly. "Mysteries can be intriguing, can't they? Maybe one day you'll figure me out."
The conversation shifted to lighter topics as they enjoyed their snacks. Despite the earlier tension, there was a palpable sense of camaraderie between them. Hyun appreciated Ryu's straightforwardness and wit, while Ryu enjoyed Hyun's earnest curiosity.
As they finished their treats and prepared to leave, Ryu's phone buzzed with a message. She glanced at the screen, her expression turning serious. "Looks like I have another appointment to get to," she said, standing up.