Tae-eul had been on many stakeouts in her career, but she'd never been the subject of one.
"Hey! What's going on? You can't just arrest us!" Hyeon-min wasn't coping well. He continued arguing as the guards led them towards a clearing. "Who are you guys? If you're officers then show us your badges. We haven't done anything wrong."
"They're royal guards." Tae-eul's comment attracted a few sideways glances. She was studying the team, trying to find a familiar face. It didn't look like Jo Yeong was among them. She guessed he was at the ball with Lee Gon. But why were the other guards here? Did these men know about the gateway, or had they just been told to stand guard?
"You're not under arrest," one of the men clarified, "but we'd appreciate your cooperation. We've been ordered to stop anyone in the area and bring them in for questioning." He spoke slowly, as though he doubted their ability to follow along. Tae-eul hugged Lee Gon's present closer and the man's mouth twitched. She supposed it did look very strange. She imagined being in their position, finding a tipsy couple with a giant bear strolling through the forest. She wouldn't have taken them seriously either.
One guard gave her an appraising look over his shoulder. He seemed to be the one in control. He was giving updates through an earpiece. Tae-eul strained to hear what he was saying.
"Two civilians entered the perimeter... A man and a woman." There was a pause. Whoever he was speaking to was clearly pushing for more details. "We don't know, sir. She refused to give a name." Another pause, then the man replied, "Late 20s. Tall. Slim. Long hair. She's with a man called Kang Hyeon-min."
They were approaching a fleet of dark vehicles. She instantly recognised the type. Black SUVs. "Was it them I saw earlier?" she wondered. Perhaps it wasn't a coincidence they'd been found.
"If we're not under arrest, let us go." Hyeon-min was still struggling to get a handle on the situation. "I'm an officer. I know my rights."
"These are special circumstances." The man with the earpiece came forward. "She hasn't provided her name," he nodded towards Tae-eul, "so we can't confirm her identity. Security has been tightened for the King's birthday."
"In a forest?"
"This is a restricted area. If you give us your name and address," he said to Tae-eul, "we could let you go now and follow up tomorrow."
Hyeon-min gave her a pleading look. He hadn't said anything when she'd first refused to identify herself, but she could tell he was starting to crack. Tae-eul met his eyes, willing him to trust her, and shook her head.
"I'll come with you now." The guards exchanged further glances.
Of all the challenges she'd faced in the last 48 hours, this was somehow the least daunting. She felt strangely calm, as though she'd stepped into a role she'd rehearsed many times and knew perfectly how to fill.
In the months after Lee Gon's disappearance, Tae-eul had spent countless nights imagining ways she might one day get a chance to see him. Getting taken in for questioning wasn't at the top of her dream-scenario list, but it wasn't the worst outcome.
At least not for her. Hyeon-min looked close to throwing up.
"I'm not letting you out of my sight," he whispered as they were bundled into one of the cars. They'd been asked to turn out their pockets before getting in, and Tae-eul had watched the guards closely as she'd pulled out the flute. The men hadn't shown any signs of recognition. If anything it had put them further at ease.
"Do you want to hold the bear? It's very calming." Hyeon-min shot her a frustrated look.
"Why are we doing this again?" he hissed. "Just tell them your name!"
"I can't…" She looked out the window into the darkness. It was pointless. She wasn't a person who existed in this world, and the fewer people who knew that the better. If she told the guards who she was, only to find out later that Lee Gon didn't remember, she'd be stuck.
"Don't worry, I have a plan," she said softly, though she was sure the guards at the front could hear everything. Hyeon-min studied her, but didn't say another word.
Tae-eul looked hopefully at the passing scenery. Were they getting closer to the palace? She couldn't be sure. It was a double-edged sword, this alternate-reality-time-travelling business. On the one hand, she wanted to attract as much attention as possible to make sure news reached the King. On the other hand, she needed to keep a low profile to prevent the truth from getting out. She realised in her current predicament, there was really only one person who could help.
Tae-eul leaned forward in her seat and asked the two guards casually, "Does Jo Yeong know I'm here?"
The men looked startled.
"Okay, good." Tae-eul sat back again. "I'll take that as a yes."