AN: Here is another reminder that I'm mainly posting this story on AO3. I don't have mucht to say about this chapter, apart from giving a heads up that the plot is going to thicken at this point. Thank you so much for reading this story :)
jhanxhenz1: I'm glad you love the story and you're very welcome!
miylove: Ah, you're making me blush :D I'm glad you think so and that you like how I'm portraying Seven (and his humor). I hope you have a wonderful day :)
Chapter Seven
Conspiracy Theories
Mei had always been a troublemaker.
When she was alone in her grandparents' garden at the tender age of four, she had chased after a cute little bunny—much like Alice in Wonderland—and fallen into a river. Soaked from head to toe, her father had wrapped her up in his jacket and carried her shaking body back to the house. He had remained silent the entire time, knowing that her mother would scold her until her ears rang once they were back inside.
Of course, she hadn't disappointed.
Even seventeen years later, Mei still wasn't sure whether she had been more afraid of the silent treatment or the angry lectures.
In her second year at kindergarden and the height of her stupidity, Mei had convinced herself that the sandcakes she made were actually edible. According to child logic, compound words ending with—or containing—'cake' in any manner meant the things should be eaten and would taste heavenly. Moreover, her mother had always insisted on finishing at least one helping of unfamiliar food before spitting it out, which is why she was secretly blaming her for this incident as well. Normal children would've stopped shoveling sand into their mouth after the first bite, but she had ended up on the hospital bed after an entire sandcake.
Afterwards, the teachers hadn't allowed her near the sandbox anymore.
When her sister entered the picture, her parents had believed she would become more mature and grow into her new role as the older sibling. She had always wanted to live up to their expectations, but never quite succeeded in becoming a good role model for Hana and ended up subverting them. Her natural curiosity, recklessness and mischievous nature were a terrible combination of stubborn character traits that had resulted in many bruises and awkward trips to the hospital over the years.
It had been a blessing that her little sister took more after their responsible mother and never imitated her stupidity.
Nevertheless, Hana had gived their parents different reasons to be worried. While the aloof girl had been the less difficult sibling, she had often pretended to be an adult and her overly mature attitude had alienated other children. It almost looked like their independence had manifested in opposite directions. However, even if it had always been painfully obvious that Mei was the more problematic sibling, their parents had never played favorites and distributed their concern evenly.
After their sudden death, Mei had struggled to fill their shoes, but as she got older she also liked to think she got wiser.
Apparently, that wasn't the case because otherwise she wouldn't be stuck on top of an oak tree with a bruised ego and the pissed off persian cat of a super-rich company heir in her arms. Maybe they should've called the fire department after all. She bit her lip as a drop of sweat formed on her forehead and ran down her temple.
This wasn't going to have a happy ending, was it?
"Are you alright up there?" Jaehee asked from behind the wall of leaves that separated them. "You have been awfully quiet."
She was an angel, but even her concern couldn't stop the detective from hoping a meteor would strike her down so that she wouldn't have to experience the embarrassment that her near future held. Mei scolded herself for her lack of foresight and the misguided attempt to impress her new friends—and crush—with her amazing tree climbing skills, which weren't that amazing after all.
Seven would never let her live this down.
"Um … I got Elly but … well ... I'm kinda stuck." Mei admitted reluctantly while the cat was silently judging her with attentive arctic blue eyes. "I don't know how to climb down with her in my arms."
She didn't appreciate the look the white feline was giving her, thinking she could be a little more supportive of her savior since she was the reason they were stuck on the branch in the first place. It wasn't her fault. Contrary to popular belief, the frightened cat hadn't been very excited about getting rescued from a tree by a stranger, if the bleeding scratches on her arms were any indication, and she tried very hard not to hold it against her. It was an instinctual reaction against danger that was natural for animals, however, Mei decided that she liked her own cats better.
As if she sensed her blasphemous thoughts, Elizabeth the 3rd pressed her front paws against her arms as she stretched herself, making her wince in pain.
"Ouch." Mei hissed. "I didn't deserve that."
"Meow?" Elly meowed innocently, but the detective wasn't deceived.
Nevertheless, starting an argument with the cat wouldn't get them out of this mess, so she resigned herself to running her fingers through the thick and incredibly soft fur. She picked out leaves and lumps of dirt that were tangled up in it, stubbornly blocking out the quiet laughter and the annoyed sigh that came from her companions in response to her earlier confession. Movement from below the canopy of leaves drew her attention away from the—now purring—cat and towards a mop of unruly red hair that had entered her field of vision.
Seven was sporting a devious grin that made her cheeks grow warm when he looked up to her.
Honestly, Mei wanted nothing more than to wipe it off his face, but she was still a little overwhelmed by his presence. She had known that he was attractive beforehand—in fact every RFA member had turned out to be unfairly handsome—yet he was the only one who made her heart pound in her chest. It made her wonder where in the world she even got the confidence to talk to him from in the first place. She had expected dark circles, thickly rimmed glasses and cuteness, however, she hadn't been prepared for the small smile when he joked around or the way his hair fell over his expressive golden eyes, giving him natural boyish charm.
Overall, Seven was different compared to the personality he portrayed to everyone in the chatroom.
It wasn't immediately noticeable since he covered it with his excentric sense of humor, but he was actually reserved, almost withdrawn, and a lot more quiet. It was in line with the conduct expected of secret agents. Mei hadn't been sure what to make of this revelation, which showed when they first met. Originally, she had wanted to give him a hug until she remembered her manners, thinking he might not appreciate sudden physical contact, and shook his hand instead. It had been warm and soft, and she found herself wishing she could've held it longer after she let go.
"Smile for the camera, Miss Detective." Seven sing-songed as he held up his phone, effectively shaking her out of her daydreams. "After I've counted to three, you have to say 'I got stuck in a tree'!"
"Seven, no!" Mei protested, cheeks burning. "You already have enough blackmail material."
"Seven, yes!" He took a picture before she could even blink. "Oh, I think I found my new background. Also, you can never have enough blackmail material ... or pictures of cute cats and detectives."
Muttering curses under her breath, she glared at him while hiding most of her face behind Elizabeth the 3rd. Mei knew she should be bothered and hated that she secretly enjoyed the thought of being his new background. Once Seven was finally satisfied and ended his spontaneous photoshoot—much to her relief—Jaehee stepped into the picture and began brainstorming ideas to get them out of the tree safely. It was only a matter of minutes until their productive discussion evolved into a full-fledged argument thanks to Seven's genius input.
"We could throw her."
If you hadn't guessed by now, it wasn't very genius.
"We're not throwing her." Jaehee said with finality, years of experience made her an expert at shooting down bad ideas. "I'm not losing my job because of you."
"Then we could throw her into my arms and—"
"We're not fulfilling your strange cat-based fantasies either." Jaehee cut him off before he could even hope to finish that sentence. "Have some common sense and find your will to live, Luciel. You know how Mr. Han can be when it comes to his cat."
"Based on his reaction when you played with her, we are as good as dead if we throw her into your arms." Mei agreed. "Jumin would murder all of us in cold blood and probably revive you just to kill you again."
"What Jumin doesn't know, won't hurt him ... or us." Seven shrugged, not budging on his brilliant plan. "And cats always land on their four feet, right?"
"It's a three meter drop," she reminded him, "I don't think a cat could land that without the ability to fly or shoot webs from her paws. Elly is too precious to throw and there aren't any radioactive spiders around, so ... any other ideas?"
Jaehee sighed in agony and suggested they call the fire deparment, but the detective would rather they found an alternative solution. The fire truck would draw unnecessary attention and take forever to arrive, not to mention that it'd be embarrassing to call them for such a minor issue.
"Well, three meters is not that far. You can jump down with her in your arms and I will catch you." Seven paused, gauging her reaction, and smiled encouragingly when he saw the doubt on her face. "It's like those trust exercises in school where you let yourself fall backwards."
"I-It's a little different," Mei stuttered weakly, beyond flustered at this point.
She felt like that little girl again, the one that always got into trouble. However, this time her hero wasn't her father, but the guy she had been developing a crush on who was asking her to trust him and fall into his arms.
"Y-yeah, you're right." Seven laughed awkwardly. "We should call the fire department and get you down with a ladder."
"No, I'll do it." Mei said quickly, the words leaving her mouth before she could stop them. "Just … don't drop me."
"I won't," he promised. "On the count of three."
Seven took his position in front of the branch with quiet confidence. She suspected that he was stronger than he looked, but couldn't help feeling nervous. He must've noticed because he lifted his arms slowly, as though he was trying to win the trust of a frightened animal, and held her gaze with steady determination. Mei swallowed her fear and willed herself to calm down.
"One."
She secured her hold on the blissfully unaware cat and inched towards the edge of the branch. Elly would be adding new scratches to her arms if she knew what was about to happen.
"Two."
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
"Three."
Adrenaline rushed through her body and made her lightheaded. It was almost as though she was flying. Air tugged on her clothes as she left the safety of the tree and her chocolate hair was blown out of her face. She would've enjoyed the feeling if she didn't remember the possibility of the hard ground below. Instinctually, she hugged Elly closer and braced herself for the harsh impact.
It never came.
Instead, Mei collided with a solid chest and felt two strong arms wrap securely around her waist. Seven managed to absorb the momentum and steadied them without much trouble, but it was still enough to knock the breath out of her lungs. However, she found herself calming down when she breathed in the scent of soda, chips and cologne, deciding that it was strangely comforting.
"You can open your eyes now," Seven whispered, amused.
She was greeted by a pair of curious eyes that shined like molten gold in the sunlight and robbed her of any coherent thought. Their faces were only centimeters apart, noses almost brushing against each other, and she was very aware of his strong body pressed against hers. Trained muscles stretched beneath his shirt as he held her up effortlessly, which was honestly surprising for someone who spent most of his time stealing information from servers, eating chips, drinking soda and laughing over memes. Maybe his work for the agency entailed more than hacking, but she doubted he'd be willing to surrender that information.
"You look like your soul left your body," Seven laughed lightly at her dumbfounded expression, his breath fanning across her face. "Are you okay?"
"Uh-huh," she hummed eloquently.
"Good."
Seven shifted her weight in his arms and slowly set her down. As soon as her feet touched the ground, he released her and took a step back after making sure she could stand by herself. Mei was sure her face resembled a stop light and didn't dare look at him. She cleared her throat to thank him, but quickly closed it when nothing came out, and instead started studying a random spot in the grass as though it was the most interesting patch of grass she had ever encountered.
"If you are quite done." Jaehee crossed her arms, impatiently tapping her foot on the ground. "Great, then maybe we can get out of this sauna-like weather and into an air-conditioned building. Unless you enjoy being baked, of course, then you're welcome to stay. However, someone has to deliver the beast back to its owner."
She turned around briskly after bringing them back to reality and lead the way back to the car. Seven and Mei followed behind without another word, the latter trying to distract herself by checking Elly for injuries. She might've lost a few hairs, but survived the stunt and was currently making herself comfortable by snuggling into her chest. It was adorable.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed and she somehow managed to fish it out of her pocket with one hand.
[A new chatroom has opened. Case closed; Jaehee Kang, 707, MC, ZEN]
ZEN: Yoosung has no idea what he is talking about. I'm not an infomertial! He's definitely too young to recognize good advice.
ZEN: Self-care and skin care are important (¬_¬)
707: I think your advice is lost on him lolol
ZEN: You're the last person I want to hear that from Σ(￣ロ￣lll)
ZEN: Eating chips and drinking soda in large amounts is unhealthy and bad for your skin. You just wait until those pimples break out.
Jaehee Kang: You should at least consider balancing your diet.
707: I could never abandon my precious Dr. Pepper and Honey Buddha Chips. No way (⋟﹏⋞)
707: over
707: my
707: dead
707: body!
ZEN: You are what you eat ┐(￣ヘ￣)┌
707: I AM A HONEY BUDDHA CHIP!
MC: Water makes up 50-75% of the average adult human body, which makes your body 50-75% soda and 25-50% corn starch.
ZEN: Why does it feel like you're using your medical knowledge for evil?;;
707: She totally gets me (ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ
Jaehee Kang: As much as I agree with Zen, there are more important matters to discuss than the future of Luciel's skin.
707: RFA-IT is proud to announce that we finally found Elly (*゜∀゜*)
MC: She's safe and sound.
ZEN: Really?! That's great news! Where was she?
707: In a very cliché place for a cat to be.
ZEN: ?!
[707 has sent a picture.]
No, he didn't. Mei shot him a look over the phone and he returned her glare with an infuriating grin.
ZEN: What where you doing in a tree? (＾艸＾)
ZEN: It's good that you didn't wear a skirt today. There are lots of perverts lurking in parks, even in broad daylight, who are waiting for a situation like that.
MC: (ノ_。)
MC: Delete it!
707: Awww it's so cute though.
MC: (/)
ZEN: Stop flirting and explain. Jumin has been hounding my ass for the past hour.
707: （・□・；）
ZEN: He didn't want to interrupt your search and V didn't pick up his phone, so he kept calling me.
ZEN: His obsession with that cat is honestly a little scary. He's acting like Elizabeth the 3rd is a person and treating the situation as though Glam and Sarah were holding his lover hostage.
Jaehee Kang: Actually, we confirmed that she ran away by herself after checking the security footage again.
Jaehee Kang: We are currently heading back to C&R to drop her off at Mr. Han's office.
ZEN: Oh. Then they weren't involved in her disappearance after all.
MC: They didn't have anything to do with it as far as we know ┐(´ー｀)┌
ZEN: It proves my point though. Jumin is totally overreacting.
Honestly, she would be worried too if her cats suddenly disappeared, but had to agree that the business heir's attachment to his pet was unhealthy. People often humanized their furry companions—it was difficult not to—and with the revolving door of women his womanizing father had established in his life, it might be easier to find stability and loyalty in Elizabeth the 3rd. Nevertheless, animals might help, but they cannot cure the loneliness that came from lack of close human relationships.
707: Well, I wouldn't like it either if suspicious people showed up at my house
707: and then my cat goes missing;;
ZEN: You don't even have a cat (¬_¬)
707: I know (T⌓T)
MC: It must be hard for Jumin.
MC: His father suddenly decides to divorce his second wife, gets engaged, arranges a forced marriage for him and doesn't even believe his warnings. And then his beloved cat disappears.
ZEN: Yeah, I'm worried too (_ _|||)
ZEN: I often joke about him being a robot and he really isn't good at expressing emotions. However, he still has them and they often come out in bad ways since he doesn't know how to deal with them.
MC: Did something happen?
ZEN: Sarah showed up at his place with a cat that looked like Elizabeth the 3rd to win his favor.
ZEN: Sort of like a peace offering.
707: From an evil witch (´ヘ｀;)
ZEN: Of course, Jumin was furious and started to question her intentions. You know how he can get.
Jaehee Kang: Unfortunately.
ZEN: When she wouldn't admit to anything, he offered her money to leave him and his dad alone, which she accepted happily. She fell right into his trap. He'd never hand money to gold-diggers or throw it out for unreasonable matters.
Jaehee Kang: Apart from cat-related projects (눈_눈)
ZEN: Don't remind me. I'm getting a sneeze attack just thinking about it (¬_¬)
MC: If Sarah and Glam have money issues, then that's probably the reason they are intent on marrying into the Han family.
ZEN: Exactly. While you were searching for the beast, he managed to dig up information on Glam Choi. Sarah isn't her student, but her younger sister.
ZEN: It's like a soap opera.
707: dun dun duuuuun
MC: (ﾟ□ﾟ*川
ZEN: Glam Choi divorced her ex-husband because his company went bankrupt recently. She must've been worried about losing their luxurious lifestyle as well as their financial security in general, which is the reason she batted her eyelashes at Mr. Chairman.
MC: Then the arranged marriage between Jumin and Sarah their backup plan or what? (ー_ー；)
707: Very likely.
707: Mr. Chairman won't be chairman forever and Glam is too old for Jumin.
707: Sarah marrying Jumin ensures that money will flow to their bank accounts even after the company leader changes.
Jaehee Kang: It's almost scary how easily you can put their motives together with so little information, Luciel.
707: ヽ(゜～゜o)ノ
ZEN: Good thing Jumin found out. After Sarah went for the bait, he kicked her out of his place and immediately called his lawyers.
ZEN: He struggles with telling his dad though. They're still on bad terms thanks to Glam.
707: The mics in his penthouse will come in handy (･◡･๑)
ZEN: He has microphones in his penthouse?! And how do you know?;;
Jaehee Kang: Luciel breaks into C&R occasionally to abuse the cat. No wonder Mr. Han is paranoid.
707: I'm not abusing her!
Jaehee Kang: You twirled her around in your arms and held her over your head like the monkey did to the lion cub in that Disney movie.
707: It's called The Lion King and I was only roleplaying with my precious Elly ( ´艸`)
MC: Well, I'm worried about Jumin. It must've been a lot to take in.
ZEN: Yeah, I don't think he's taking all this too well.
707: Everything is gonna be okay because we found his beautiful cat.
707: Our dear catmom will be over the moon once his baby is back lololol
707: He'll shower her with kisses and affection (๑ 3 ๑)
707: Just the image of Jumin smooching her lololol
Jaehee Kang: Is it impossible for you to be serious for a moment?
707: You know who you're talking to, right?
Jaehee Kang: Unfortunately (눈_눈)
Mei sobered once she read the words.
She had the nagging feeling inside her that told her something was off about his overly cheerful attitude. It was almost like Seven was trying very hard—maybe too hard—to maintain his happy-go-lucky personality. She didn't know whether he kept the charade up in order to comfort the others, to distract them from their concerns, to brighten the mood or to keep them at a distance, but she had caught his perpetual smile wavering a couple of times today when he thought nobody was looking.
It seemed carefully calculated as though he made sure they only saw what he wanted them to see.
One glace at his face confirmed her suspicions. Seven was smiling cheekily while Jaehee complained about his pranks, but it didn't reach his golden eyes. They remained cold behind the glasses, almost distant, though there was a hint of concern in their depths. He looked lonely. Mei decided that she didn't like that expression on him at all.
However, she didn't have the luxury to divide her attention.
If she had learned anything from Zen's summary of the events, Jumin needed their help and their support more than anyone, so she filed her observations away for after they returned his beloved cat. She hoped that their reunion would relieve him of the emotional burden he was carrying or, at least, make facing the challenges ahead of him less stressfull.
수상한메신저
They were back at C&R International in record time and with a racing heart as souvenir. She swore Seven had broken the sound barrier with the way he had been speeding through the streets. Traffic management wasn't even her department, but if she weren't on vacation, she'd use speeding tickets like wallpaper and plaster them onto his windshield until he wouldn't be able to see through it anymore.
It might sound dramatic, but her life had flashed before her eyes every time he had slammed his foot on the brakes.
Mei simply hated reckless driving and it never failed to put her in a bad mood. It didn't matter that he was an excellent driver and looked adorable when he enjoyed himself, she wouldn't make an exception for him. It seemed like Jaehee agreed with her because she was sending dirty looks at their cheerful chauffeur from the backseat.
"I'm alive," she said with laboured breath, and a healthy dose of surprise, once she exited the car. "I will never let you drive me anywhere ever again, Luciel, unless it's a life-or-death situation."
"Careful. Your chances of survival might be better outside the car even then," Mei added, resisting the urge to kiss the ground. "I think Elly lost another one of her seven lives. She's down to five now."
"Come on, it wasn't that bad." Seven rolled his eyes and locked his convertible. "Nobody was in danger and it's not my fault Jaehee gets sick easily. She almost puked on my precious leather seats, so I'd say we're even."
"It's definitely not my fault that I got sick either," Jaehee seethed, her basilisk glare petrifying him in his place. "You didn't have to take corners like we're in some bad spy movie."
"You're lucky I'm not calling my pals at the station," Mei huffed and her hands would be on her hips, if she wasn't still holding the cat. "You'd get several speeding tickets as well as your diving license revoked for a stunt like that."
"Only if they manage to catch me," he challenged smugly. "You forget that I'm a secret agent—a mysterious hacker God—whose real identity is unknown to the boys and girls in blue."
"And you forget that I know your baptismal name and your hacker alias, my dear Mr. Choi. I'll figure something out if you don't change your ways," Mei quipped. "I'll personally deliver speeding tickets to you if I have to, and once you've collected four of them, you'll be riding a bicycle instead of a sports car."
She smiled triumphantly when his eyes widened in surprise, before she promptly turned and marched inside the building with resolute steps. It wasn't easy to contain her laughter at the mental image of the hacker riding through the streets on a red bike with an equally red helmet, but she somehow managed to keep a straight face. Of course, Seven obviously wasn't going to take that comment laying down, always eager to challenge her, and caught up to her with long strides and a cheeky grin on his lips.
"Heh heh. It's been a long time since someone was so confident about catching me," he taunted, golden eyes sparkling with mischief. "Are you really sure you can revoke my license without knowing my real name, Miss Detective?"
No, she wasn't and it annoyed her that he was rubbing it in.
Luciel Choi was only his baptismal name and even if she knew his real name, the one registered on his birth certificate, she would need to know his address to enforce the law. However, unbeknownst to him, he had just confirmed one of her suspicions. He had given up his name a long time ago. It was a natural consequence of choosing hacking as his profession, but she felt her chest constrict when she thought about how lonely it must be to hide your identity from your closest friends.
"You'd be surprised," Mei answered, covering her concern with a smile before he could notice. "I hope you know how to ride a bike."
"Of course I do," he replied, sounding offended, but the obnoxious grin told her otherwise. "I even know how to ride a unicycle, but I don't think you would want me to distract everyone on the road. Holding up traffic is a serious crime after all and I am an upstanding, law-abiding citizen of this country."
If only he showed the same concern for speeding than he did for holding up traffic.
"Uh-huh. Sure." Mei narrowed her eyes at him. "You're just bent on making my job harder for me, aren't you?"
"Who, me?!" Seven pointed at himself, the picture of innocence. "I wouldn't dream of it, but last time I checked you were working with the homicide department, not the traffic police."
There was an underlying question swinging with his words, looking for the reason she was behaving like a cat that had been thrown into a bathtub.
Maybe she was overreacting, but she had a strained relationship with cars. She wasn't sure how much information he had dug up during his background check, but apparently he hadn't dug deep enough to know that her parents had died in a car accident, and she didn't feel like telling him. It wasn't his fault that he accidentally triggered a childhood trauma and she didn't want him to feel guilty. She wasn't looking for pity either and eventually she would have to get over her fears anyways.
However, she still couldn't quite bring herself to soften her frown.
"You checked? Oh, please tell me more about your criminal adventures in cyber space," Mei said in an attempt to change the topic, but immediately regretted bringing it up when he stiffened. They had joked about it, but he obviously wasn't proud of invading her privacy. "You're lucky I'm off the clock and too lazy to bother with an adrenaline junkie."
"Yeah," Seven said with an unreadable expression. "I guess I am."
Golden eyes were brimming with questions that she was unwilling to answer as he looked at her with an intensity that made her heart beat wildly in her chest. It wasn't an entirely unpleasant sensation, but he was incredibly perceptive and she felt unusually exposed under his attention. It seemed like he was trying to hack into her brain with his gaze alone, but she refused to crack, not even when he stared at her as though she was an unopened bag of his favorite chips.
Elevator doors slid open and invited them to enter with the sound of a bell.
Mei attempted to distract herself from his searching gaze by observing her surroundings. Work always kept her mind from wandering in dangerous directions and there were still pieces missing from the unfinished puzzle, which needed to be found in order to solve this case, like the escape route.
It was a luxurious elevator that followed the theme of elegance in simplicity, which could be found throughout the entire company. Polished mirrors at the sides, the faint smell of sandalwood and the thick, spotless red carpet spoke volumes about the wealth of its owner without being obnoxious. It was empty aside from a small rectangular waste bin in the corner. She managed to peer inside from her position and frowned at its contents.
A lint roller?
It was an item she would expect to find in a building inhabited by a long-haired cat that frequently shed, however, most of the sticky tape was still on the handle. Why would someone throw a barely used lint roller away? It made sense that the cleaning staff prioritized places that potential clients entered, but even the foyer wasn't as neat as the elevator. It was strange.
Her eyes widened. There was no reason to use the lint roller unless—
"Meow." Elizabeth the 3rd cried, followed by a loud hiss.
While she had been lost in thought, Seven had turned his attention to the cat in her arms and was currently reaching out to pet her with an exited gleam in his eyes. The target of his affections, on the other hand, wasn't as excited and leaned away as much as possible, staring at his hand as though its mere existence insulted her deeply. He dropped his hand, but made the mistake of leaning his face closer, which made her swipe a paw at him in retaliation.
It nearly knocked the glasses off his nose.
"Cats view staring as a form of intimidation." Mei had a hard time muffling her laughter at his shocked expression. "Also, you should let her smell your hand first before you pet her. If you don't respect her boundaries, she'll associate your scent with bad experiences and view you as an enemy."
"Really? I don't want her to see me as an enemy," Seven whined dramatically. "My heart is full of love and peace. Nobody knows how affectionate I can be. Why can't anyone recognize the love inside me?"
"You shouldn't bite into her neck then," Jaehee advised. "If that's love then you are a sadist."
"What's that?"
Jaehee sighed heavily. "You shouldn't ask questions you know the answer to either."
Seven hummed innocently, ignoring her words while he poked the cat with his index finger.
"Do employees use the emergency exit often?" Mei asked once they exited the elevator. Thermal cameras were installed on each floor of the staircase and she had believed that they simply hadn't reacted to the cat running by, but the door was the kind that closed automatically behind the person who went through, so it couldn't have been left open by accident for her to slip through.
"No, we only use it when the elevator malfunctions or receives maintenance," Jaehee explained. "It's exhausting to climb thirty-two flights of stairs and this isn't even the top floor. Nobody would do it voluntarily."
She had figured as much.
When they arrived in front of the penthouse, their conversation flowed to a natural stop as they heard two voices arguing inside through the slit in the door, which hadn't been closed properly. The deep and gravely voice belonged to Jumin while the other one, quiet and soft-spoken, was unfamiliar to her. Mei and her companions stood behind the door, unsure whether they should wait or attempt to end the verbal fight on the other side.
"Where were you all this time?" Jumin demanded, weary and disappointed. "I've been trying to call you for hours. You used to pick up on the first ring."
"I'm sorry," the quiet man apologized. "I was in an area without reception, but once I heard the news I came as quickly as possible. Honestly, I wish I could've done more to help, but I'm relieved the RFA members were there to support you, even if I couldn't."
"You didn't answer my question."
"Does it really matter? I'm here now, aren't I?"
Mei knew evasion tactics when she heard them and the man had definitely taken a page from the book for beginners. It was obvious that he was very uncomfortable with sharing his whereabouts, which was suspicious. She peeked through the gap in the door to identify the mystery man.
He had pale turquoise hair and sunglasses sat on the bridge of his nose, even though he was indoors. Gray clothes hung loosely on his tall frame while slender hands grasped a wooden cane for support. He was too young to need it for walking and in combination with the shades, she concluded that he must have issues with his eyesight.
More importantly, she had seen his face before.
"I wish you would confide in me, V." Jumin continued with visibly stiff shoulders, "I won't pry if you prefer to keep your personal life to yourself because I trust you. However, in the past, you wouldn't have ..." He paused as though he was unsure of himself before shaking his head. "Nevermind … why are you here now? Everything is resolved. I've lawyered up and will go to court against Glam and Sarah Choi."
"Zen called me," V said calmly. "He told me you were distressed about your father and worried about Elizabeth, but that your behavior was starting to become unhealthy."
"Of course, I was worried." Jumin crossed his arms defensively. "I knew they would stop at nothing to make sure their plan succeeds."
"You put her in a cage," V argued, unimpressed with his excuse. "Your paranoia became more important than her well-being. I know you didn't do it consciously, but you have to realize that you can't keep acting like this."
"How can you say that? Her well-being is my number one priority," he snapped back. "You know that."
"Yes, I do." V conceded with a frown. "And that's the problem. You're so afraid that she'll disappear that you lost sight of her needs. You can't imprison someone your love just so that they don't leave you, Jumin."
"Afraid ..." he repeated thoughtfully. "I think that might've been what I've been feeling, but what else could I have done? They were going to take her."
V shook his head and sighed in frustration, watching his friend with understanding. "Elizabeth can't be a replacement."
Jumin visibly recoiled from the statement as if it physically injured him.
Replacement … for who? … Rika?
"She can't fill that void. It's something you have to overcome by yourself," he continued determined. "I know opening up to people is hard, but the RFA will always be there for you."
It sounded like he didn't include himself in that statement, despite being their leader.
The atmosphere grew unsurprisingly tense as they entered a staring competition. Jumin wore a guarded expression, an emotional cocktail brewing beneath the stoic surface, and shot his childhood friend a look that was as could as ice and could probably kill someone. However, the pain he felt was obvious if one looked beyond the anger.
Mei decided that she had enough eavesdropping for one day.
They would probably continue arguing for the rest of the evening if they didn't intervene and her arms were starting to fall asleep from supporting Elly's weight. She knocked on the door to announce their presence before she stepped into the room, followed by Seven and Jaehee. Two heads swiveled in their direction and beneath their startled gazes, she was suddenly unsure whether interrupting them had been the right decision.
"Um … this might not be the best time," Mei began sheepishly, "but we came to deliver a cat that misses her owner very much."
"Mei, what ..." Jumin trailed off, stormy eyes focusing on his beloved cat. "You found her."
"I promised, didn't I?" She beamed back, hoping to dispel the negative atmosphere with positivity. "She might be dirty and dehydrated, but it's nothing a bath and some water can't fix."
Elly meowed contently and rubbed her head against her arm as if to prove her point.
"She's okay," he breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Mei said softly. "I couldn't have done it without Seven and Jaehee though."
He nodded gratefully towards them, before a shadow crossed his features. "How long have you been standing there? How much have you heard?"
She wasn't able to think quick enough to form a believable excuse and her heart was pounding in her chest from the awkwardness that began to increase with every second that passed. Luckily, she had the most confident and professional secretary in the world on her left, and the most experienced secret agent, who had turned lying into an art form, on her right.
"Is this how you welcome the people who rescued your beloved cat?" Seven asked, scandalized. "It's not our fault you two argue like a married couple. You are lucky we're still willing to return Elly to a dysfunctional household, where the two husbands are about to divorce. Have you decided who will take custody of her?"
"She isn't our child and it's hardly a rescue when you are involved," Jumin muttered, "I don't even want to think about the trials Elizabeth had to endure in your presence, Luciel."
"We only arrived a few minutes ago," Jaehee clarified. "You left the door open, so we overheard your argument in the hallway. We didn't mean to eavesdrop, Mr. Han."
He didn't say anything, but his silence spoke volumes.
Mei had expected him to come rushing forward the moment they entered, steal his cat from her arms and fuzz about her disheveled state, yet nothing of the sort happened. Granted, Jumin wasn't the type to react in such a dramatic fashion, but the complete lack of reaction was surprising.
Something was wrong.
"It pains me to say this after your efforts to save her, but I think V is correct after all. I've imposed my situation on Elizabeth and didn't treat her appropriately, which caused stress for her and lead to her running away from me. I have no right to call myself her owner and should respect her choice to live a free life."
"Your misguided actions stemmed from paranoia rather than affection," Jaehee argued with the sternness of a lioness, "but everyone makes mistakes and we learn from them. It's what makes us human. I implore you to take the years you've taken care of her into account, before you make another rash decision. Wasn't Elizabeth happy while she was with you?"
Another moment passed in silence as her surprising and passionate speech sunk into their hearts. It wasn't every day that the chief assistant raised her voice against her employer.
"I don't know anymore," Jumin said with a conflicted expression, arms hanging limply at his side, though there was a spark of hope in his eyes. "She can't speak to me, so how would I know about her feelings."
"You are being ridiculous, Mr. Han." Jaehee complained in a rare show of impatience. "Elizabeth may tolerate staying with me, but she always misses her owner and acts up if you don't collect her within a certain amount of time. You've spoiled her with your attention and it shows in her behavior."
Jumin was trying to fight it, but couldn't stop the amused smile that tugged at the corner of his lips.
"As fellow cat mom," Mei added, "I speak from experience when I say that actions speak louder than words when it comes to animals."
She gently set the cat down on the floor in front of her. Elly blinked at the sudden change of environment before she stretched her back and daintily skipped towards her owner. She rubbed herself against the pants of his tailored suit in universal cat fashion and purred in delight, proving their point. It was as though the dark cloud that had been hovering over the company heir's head vanished instantly.
"You're a kind man," V spoke with purpose, smiling at his friend. "If anyone can take care of her properly, it's you."
"It looks like I've been outvoted." Jumin laughed lightly, shoulders slumping in defeat. He picked up Elizabeth the 3rd and relaxed when she meowed happily in his arms. It was quite rare to see the company heir in such a vulnerable moment, cuddling with his spoiled cat without a care in the world.
It felt like time slowed down just for their sake, allowing them to enjoy their peaceful reunion a little longer.
When the moment passed, they resumed their conversation albeit in a much friendlier tone, which soon became a loop of Jumin insisting on compensating the detective and her refusing tempting offers that ranged from large sums of money to glittering jewelry and rare expensive handbags. She didn't even care much for jewelry and handbags. Material goods were likely the only way he knew how to express gratitude, but while she felt honored, she didn't budge on her original idea and insisted that having dinner together when everything calmed down was enough.
Her resistance was met with reluctant acceptance and an amused smile.
Afterwards, Mei introduced herself to V.
Although his gentle concern for Jumin had won her over earlier, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about him. He didn't want anyone to know his whereabouts without providing one solid explanation, so the most natural conclusion was to assume that he was hiding something else as well. It worried her. She had seen the expression on his face—silent determination mixed with guilt and pain—that he was trying to hide countless times during her career and it never ended well.
However, it wasn't her place to interrogate him and everyone trusted him, so she would respect his privacy until he gave her a reason not to.
"Oh God, Mei." V suddenly grasped her wrists and she looked up at him in utter confusion when he said, "You're injured."
"What?"
She looked down at her arms in search for possible injuries and realization dawned on her once she saw that the sleeves of her red shirt were too red in some places. Damn, blood was hard to get out of clothes and she liked that shirt.
V only grew more worried when she frowned. "How did that happen?"
"Oh, cats don't like it when strangers pick them up. I'm honestly surprised I got away with a few scratches." Mei smiled reassuringly. "It doesn't hurt at all. I totally forgot they were even there."
"You forgot?!" Seven sounded incredulous. "How could you forget?"
He was at her side in an instant and pushed V—who looked really startled—away without hesitation. He took her hands into both of his and inspected the damage on her lower arms as gently as possible while her traitorous heart beat loudly in her chest. She was overwhelmed with the attention and the feeling of his smooth skin against hers, but the stab of pain that suddenly shot through her arm brought her back to reality and made her wince.
Okay, maybe the scratches hurt a little.
Seven still waited for an explanation, expectant golden eyes burning holes into her. "How can you forget that you're injured?"
"It's not the first time I've been scratched by a cat," Mei muttered, biting her lip stubbornly. "It really doesn't hurt, so it's not important."
"Right," he muttered and shot her an unimpressed look, "then why did you flinch?"
"Well, uh, I … okay, it stings a little, but it's nothing serious. I'm a medical professional, so I would know."
He didn't look convinced, but released her hands.
Surface wounds might sting badly, but they usually healed quickly and she would apply antiseptic cream once she got home to be on the safe side. It really wasn't as big of a deal as he made it out to be. Nevertheless, his concern warmed her heart, even when he grumbled something beneath his breath about her stubbornness.
"I'm glad it's nothing serious." V sighed in relief, but his surprised eyes were glued to the hacker who was still hovering over her. "Today had been a long day and it's getting late. I think we should go home and rest."
Sounds of agreement could be heard in response to his words as exhaustion settled in. Jumin was hesitant and Mei still had questions burning on her tongue as well, but V was right. It had been a long day and she wanted nothing more than to bundle up next to her sister on their comfortable couch with a nice cup of peppermint tea warming her hands.
"Assistant Kang?" Jumin called before they left through the door.
She turned around, somewhat apprehensively. "Yes, sir?"
Jumin cleared his throat. "I hope you don't get used to address me in that tone, however, my behavior was unacceptable, so I'll turn a blind eye to it today."
"Of course, Mr. Han." Jaehee bowed in order to hide her smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."
When they walked down the familiar hallway to the elevator, Mei allowed herself to relax. Even if he couldn't say the words out loud, it might be the closest to a 'thank you' one of his employees had ever gotten. It seemed like Jumin was becoming more like himself again, though maybe, a little more open and understanding than he was before. She hoped it would last.
수상한메신저
Bright traffic lights and blinking bar signs illuminated the night like colourful constellations as she watched the city pass by in a blur through the tinted window. People drifted through the shadows and hurried along the sidewalks towards the lights like moths to a flame. It looked like the perfect background to a late night lofi music collection. She had hoped watching the city would calm her down like it always did, yet she simply couldn't relax in the passenger seat.
Nervously, Mei shifted her bare legs against the expensive leather.
She tried very hard to ignore the fact that she was alone with Seven and the way it made her heart flutter in her chest. Throughout the day, she had pushed thoughts about him to the back of her mind and distracted herself with the investigation, but her insecurities came crashing back down on her now that she had time to think.
A million questions ran through her head simultaneously.
Did he like her? Did he think she was annoying? Did he regret coming along?
She wasn't usually this insecure, but suspected that it had to do with the way he had been acting since they were alone. Seven was the one who had offered her a ride home and in the beginning they had joked around like they usually would on the phone. It wasn't difficult to strike up an entertaining conversation with him, however, her attention wasn't divided anymore, so she noticed how he ignored some of her questions, only gave short answers, changed subjects with jokes and avoided looking in her direction at all cost.
It hurt a little.
Was he still annoyed that she hid the scratches?
Mei fumbled with the hem of her shirt, careful with the bandages beneath. Jumin had sent a medic after her, who hadn't let her leave the building without treatment. The trustfund kid appeared cold and unaffected on the surface, but he really cared underneath it all. She was glad she got to know that side of him today.
Seven tapped a steady rhythm against the steering wheel while they sat together in contemplative silence. Maybe she was overthinking and he was simply concentrating on the traffic—a relief considering his habit to break the speed limit.
"You're different than I imagined," Mei observed and sneaked a hesitant glance at him. "O-of course, that's not bad or anything, uh, just unexpected."
Seven finally met her searching gaze with a dangerous glint in his golden eyes. "How so?"
It felt like he was testing her, even though his voice was like honey.
"You're more reserved and less talkative," she replied honestly. "Are you worried because I'm a detective? I would've already reported you if I thought you were a bad guy. You know I was only joking earlier, right?"
He nodded with a smile, but it was lacking the usual warmth.
"There are lots of people who have different personalities online and pretend to be someone else. You can't expect to know a person just because you talked to them in a chatroom," Seven said cheerfully, though she detected a bitter undertone, and his words bordered on the edge of something more serious. "And if I didn't trust you, I wouldn't be here."
It made sense and she perked up a little after his assurance, even if it sounded like he was mocking her.
Mei tilted her head to the side, curiosity burning in her chest when he returned his eyes to the road. He was a mystery to her. She wanted to know what he was like under the memelord mask, under the bubbly prankster, under the cold and reclusive agent. She wanted to know why he was trying so hard.
"Are you?"
Seven hummed a tune as he tried to make sense of her question, clicking his tongue in mild confusion when he couldn't. "Am I what?"
"Pretending."
She had her answer when she heard his breath hitch and saw his fingers twitch on the steering wheel, confidence visibly faltering.
"You tell me, Miss Detective."
Seven gave her a slow smile, but it was strained. His expression tugged at her heartstrings and made her feel like someone stuck a knife through her chest, reminding her of all the times she had put on a brave face for the world and forced herself to smile. Even if he tried to hide it, she saw the loneliness swimming in the depths of his eyes before they hardened and he turned away again. She threw caution to the wind and reached out, gently grasping his upper arm.
"Well … even if you are pretending," Mei said sincerely, "I'm glad I met you today."
She was very aware of his emotional turmoil and that her words could easily backfire, but she grew hopeful when she spotted the stunned expression on his face. It was gone in an instant though and replaced by the mask of the indifferent and experienced secret agent. She thought the air in the car became colder all of a sudden.
"You really shouldn't be." Seven said quietly, exasperated, visibly steeling himself to control his emotions. "Today was an exception, so don't get used to it. I'm not a nice person."
While he was a hacker and probably involved in some criminal organization, it made her upset that he thought so little of himself. How could he be so smart and not notice the contradiction between his cold words and kind actions? Bad people didn't help their friends, they didn't cheer people up, they didn't rescue cats and women from trees, they didn't care when someone was injured and they certainly didn't feel guilty.
"I don't think you are a bad person." Mei smiled out of the passenger window, not brave enough to look at him. "And I don't regret meeting you, despite what you may think about yourself."
Seven didn't say anything, but she could tell he was silently disagreeing.
However, she didn't want to agitate him more than she already had and decided to stop pushing the subject, thoughts wandering back to the case. She had suspected that something about Elizabeth's disappearance didn't add up ever since she saw the lint roller in the elevator and the door to the emergency stairs. How exactly did she escape? It was impossible for the cat to operate the elevator by herself without human help, yet the only other path leading outside was covered in cameras and had self-closing doors.
She hated loose ends. They made her nervous.
"What's wrong?"
Mei was startled and returned her attention back to the present.
"Huh?"
Seven tore his gaze away from the road ahead to look at her, question burning behind golden eyes with a familiar intensity. He really was annoyingly perceptive. She though she had been hiding her unease pretty well, but it hadn't been good enough to fool the secret agent. It must've shown on her face.
"Nothing is wrong."
He raised a single eyebrow, throwing her the textbook definition of a skeptical look. "Something is bothering you."
Mei shook her head and crossed her arms, determined to remain tight-lipped.
"You've been fiddling with your hands the entire time." Seven sighed and ran a hand through his hair, brows furrowing in frustration. "When you're worried, you also have the habit of playing with your hair. If it's about V then—"
She abruptly released the strand of hair she had subconsciously been twirling around her finger. He was even more observant than she thought if he noticed the suspicious glances she had shot their leader earlier.
"It's not," Mei interrupted, mildly irritated that he thought she'd be nosy. "I was thinking about something else."
"Oh, really? And what would that be?" Seven smirked triumphantly, enjoying his victory as he waited for her to continue. He had known it wasn't about V, but used it to provoke her into admitting that something was bothering her and she had totally fallen for his trap.
Well played.
"Okay, you win." Mei admitted defeat, mentally waving the white flag. " … You remember the video footage from the sixteenth floor, right?"
"We looked at it together." Seven nodded, sounding curious. "It showed Elly running from the penthouse and proved that she escaped by herself."
"It's the only camera that caught her, but I've been wondering where she went afterwards. She ran in the direction we came from, so her only options were the emergency stairs or the elevator. However, the rest of the building is packed with security cameras. It's not impossible that she avoided all of them," Mei paused, turning to look at him directly, "but if we're talking probability, chances that she did are pretty slim."
"True," Seven agreed, unsure what she was getting at. "It gets even worse if you consider that every employee knows what she looks like. They'd never let her run away and risk losing their jobs. It's almost a miracle that she managed to avoid everything."
She frowned and started playing with her hands again. "What if she didn't avoid the cameras?"
"You mean someone took her?" Seven asked surprised. "Weren't you the one insisting that this wasn't a catnapping? We found her in a park all by herself, remember?"
"I know," Mei admitted, worrying her lower lip. "It's just … by process of elimination, you would assume she escaped through the emergency stairs, right? It makes the most sense as an escape route since it's impossible for a cat to operate an elevator without help. However, the door to the stairs closes by itself after use and they are covered in thermal cameras. The elevator, on the other hand, doesn't have a single camera installed."
"You think someone waited in the elevator to take her? I'm not saying it's impossible," he reasoned, remaining skeptical on the idea, "but we can't know for sure where she went without video footage."
"I think I found evidence that she was in the elevator earlier," she announced, smiling at his baffled expression. "You could definitely make a carpet out of cat hair on the sixteenth floor, it's no wonder Jaehee complains so much. However, it's weird that it's everywhere except for the elevator, which Jumin must've used that day when he came back from the vet with her."
"Someone cleaned it?" Seven frowned in concentration. "No, it wouldn't make sense to clean it and not the rest, unless someone was trying to erase evidence that Elly was in the elevator, somewhere she couldn't have gotten by herself. You think someone was trying to hide their involvement?"
"Yeah. There was a lint roller in the trashcan. It was barely used," Mei said confidently. "I think they lured her towards the elevator, put her in a bag to smuggle her out of the building and then wiped the floor clean. Moreover, the elevator route ensured minimal contact with personnel and security cameras."
"Hold on," Seven said, taking a sharp turn. "How did they know when Elly would break out?"
"They didn't need to know the exact moment if they had enough time," she replied with a shrug. "I can think of a few jobs in C&R that would fit the bill."
He nodded. "A janitor or a security guard."
"Exactly," she agreed. "Although, the bigger mystery is how they knew that she would break out in the first place."
"Fortune-telling? Water divination?" Seven joked, making her laugh. "Throwing animal bones?"
"That'd be cool. Wait … animal bones?" Mei grimaced at the barbaric idea and shook her head as if to get rid of the mental image. "Hmmm … Jumin mentioned that the vet gave her a shot, right? What if they were in on it and injected her with something that messed with her stress levels?"
"If the drug increased her stress, she would've moved around more," he concluded, adopting her train of thought, "which in turn would increase the chance of hitting the main bolt of the lock on the cage. What could they have given her?"
"It's likely they picked cortisol, adrenaline or noradrenaline, which are stress-inducing hormones." Mei replied thoughtfully. "None of them are detectable after the effects have worn off and none of them are illegal. An overdose would trigger an animal's flight instincts, though I'm not an expert on veterinary medicine."
"Why would someone do this? It doesn't make any sense," Seven argued, thoroughly puzzled. "If I went through the trouble of stealing the beloved cat of a super rich company hear, I would totally demand loads of unmarked cash and other goodies in return. Why would they just leave her in a park afterwards?"
She didn't have an answer.
There were criminals who had twisted reasons for their crimes, others had an intact moral compass but their hands had been forced, many had relatable motifs and some had no reasons behind their actions at all. She had given up on trying to understand the last group years ago.
Honestly, she wanted to write off the catnapping as a coincidence, but her gut feeling told her otherwise. It felt like the culprit—if there really was one—had been testing whether they could get through Jumin Han's security. It had been an experiment, a preparation, the prelude to the main act, and the thought made the knot in her stomach twist uncomfortably. However, she didn't have a logical argument to defend her claim and wasn't even sure she wanted to be right. She realized how ridiculous her thoughts were, now that she had voiced and bounced them off of him.
Mei groaned and buried her head in her hands. "I sound like a conspiracy theorist, don't I?"
"Well, I'm an expert at making tinfoil hats if you need one," he joked, trying to cheer her up. "I've heard they are in fashion too."
She laughed lightly. "Thanks. I was worried I wouldn't find one because the Flat Earth Society, Anti-Vaxxers and Illuminati made them go out of stock."
"It wasn't easy to get the material, but I saved some from when I raided Area 51." Seven grinned cheekily. "Honestly, I'm surprised you got all of that from a lint roller. You know that Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character, right?"
"Of course," she huffed and crossed her arms with a pout, praying he wouldn't see the blush on her cheeks. "It's one of my favorite books."
Golden eyes glinted in a way that told her he already knew, yet the melodic laughter that followed made her forget her exasperation almost too quickly. She sighed in defeat and since she had no evidence for her conspiracy theory, she resigned herself to endure his silent gloating. At least, Seven seemed more content than earlier and she would use the opportunity before he raised his guards and withdrew back into his protective shell.
Mei met his gaze with a shy smile. "Thank you for everything."
Surprise crossed his features and she caught the glimpse of a smile before he abruptly turned his head to stare out of the windshield. He acknowledged her gratitude with a nod and muttered words in a foreign language beneath his breath, but it was enough for her. Mei relaxed in the passenger seat and observed him when a traffic light bathed them in red. She thought she saw his pale cheeks flush lightly, but that was probably her imagination as well.
To Be Continued ...