AN: Hello everyone! I hope the investigation was fun to read because the party is going to be wrapped up in this chapter. Thank you so much for reading this story, this goes to all the silent readers out there as well. As always, I hope you like this chapter too and maybe leave a comment with your thoughts at the end. Bye~

summercharizard: You're very, very welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it that much and that it made you binge-read! :D

KathrynthePyro-bitch: Thank you so much! I'm so happy that you liked it :) Haha and sorry about the cliffhangers and for hurting Zen. You'll see whether he has plot armor or not in this chapter.

Chapter Eleven

The Science Behind Internet Trolls

It didn't happen very often that Seven was glad for the rigorous training the agency put him through, but today was one of these days. God bless his photographic memory. If he hadn't payed attention to his surroundings and noticed that Zen was eating a piece of mint-chocolate cake earlier, they'd have never known what poisoned him. Maybe they'd have found out in the hospital when they pumped out his stomach, but it would've been too late. Not only for Zen, but the other six guests who ate from the cake as well.

God and several of his archangels must've been watching over them. He'd pray to thank them for their protection later.

When they had arrived at the scene, V was already there and holding onto Zen's hand while the paramedics swarmed around them. Not wasting any precious time, Mei informed them about the Botulinum so they could order an antidote. Her presence and quick thinking was another thing he was grateful for today. It was thanks to her and the united power of the police force that the case got solved so swiftly, preventing further victims. She was like the calm center of a storm or the sturdy rock in a wild sea.

Under different circumstances, he'd have loved to watch her work a case.

Once the investigaton was over, Seven soon realized that he had severely underestimated her. It was easy to miss, considering how carefree she acted at times, but the detective was a lot smarter than he gave her credit for. It wasn't the classic, logical-mathematical, genius type of intelligence that he prided himself with, but one that came from life experience. The young detective was like a sponge, soaking up new information and using what she learned to her advantage.

It was fascinating.

In the end, Seven was glad he had decided to tell her about the doctor and the truth about the catnapping. Not only was it freeing to get the load off his chest, but revealing Dr. Nam's ties to this case was going to save lifes. It felt nice to know that he helped somewhat and of course, that Mei wasn't angry with him for withholding information. Instead, she had tried to comfort him and he could still feel the warmth of her hand in his.

After confirming that Zen was in good hands, Mei had rushed off in a hurry to find her sister. He was tempted to go after her, despite her insistance that she hadn't even looked in the general direction of the mint-chocolate cake. It was still possible that something else at the buffet had been poisoned, so he'd rather she stayed close to him—just in case.

"Seven, I swear on every box of Honey Buddha Chips you own that I'll be fine." She had rolled her brilliant eyes at him, but her lips were twitching in amusement. "I was at the door for the majority of the time and the rest I spent greeting guests. I didn't even make it to the buffet, not for lack of trying though."

"You had a glass of prosecco. How do you know that wasn't poisoned too?"

"If that was the case, I'd already be dead." Mei had shrugged, but just the thought made his heart freeze over. "Besides, Yoosung needs some comforting and I'm sure Zen would like his friends watching over him. I'd do it myself, but my sister had a detailed master plan to decimate the buffet and nobody thought it was a good idea to tell me whether she's still alive."

It was then that Seven noticed the thinly veiled desperation in her features, which was why he had stopped arguing and let her go. If there was one feeling he understood well, it was concern for a family member.

Tucking his hands in the pockets of his black pants, Seven made his way over to the support bed and stood next to Yoosung, who was watching Zen with glassy eyes. The musical actor was as pale as death, making his flawless skin appear almost translucent. If he didn't know any better, he'd think the man had already turned into a ghost and was about to leave for the afterlife. The only sign contradicting his observation was the steady rise and fall of his chest as he drew in shallow breaths.

Seven heard someone approaching from behind and soon felt a familiar hand on his shoulder. Its weight was as welcome as the person who it belonged to. V had been gone for around ten minutes, making a few important phonecalls to what Seven presumed was Zen's family. He didn't bother to listen in or ask, he had more important things to worry about.

"Don't make that face, Luciel. He will be fine," V reminded him gently, unable to hide the concern in his voice. "If any of us can survive something like this, it's Zen. He always recovers fast."

Seven sighed. He was right, of course.

Over the years, the hacker lost count of how many times the musical actor had been injured. It didn't always end in with a hospital visit, but Zen was rather accident prone. Whether it was a loose stage light that fell on him or his insistance on doing stunts by himself despite being offered a double, the stubborn man had his fair share of broken bones. Nevertheless, he had never been in the hospital for more than three days.

Sometimes, Seven wondered whether Zen was really human.

"He has never been poisoned though." he mumbled, noting the blueish tint to his friend's lips. "I hope they hurry with the antidote. I'm not sure how long the activated charcoal can stall the poison."

"You heard what Mei said, it's going to be fine. The hospital nearby knows and they have the antidote in stock," V insisted with a calm tone. Suddenly, the man's eyebrows furrowed in concentration, as though he was wrestling with some inner demon, and the weight on his shoulder disappeared. "Did they already find the ones responsible for this?"

"They have two suspects, but I don't know who they are." Seven shrugged and let his gaze wander over the room. "I think they're taking them into custody as we speak."

Almost the entire police force was present and taking control of the situation. It was still a mess of people, loud and obnoxious, but the air felt less tense. They were calming down confused guests and evacuated the building as peacefully as possible while keeping the media at bay. He spotted the figure of Eun Wong, the daughter of the victim, near one of the emergency exits. She looked hollow, very much like a walking dead person, though there was something about the way she balled her hands into fists that set him on edge.

"I don't know how someone could do this to innocent people," Yoosung said, gritting his teeth. "Whatever their reason is, I hope they get what they deserve."

As soon as the words left his lips, the grand oak door opened to reveal the two infamous suspects. Instead of the textbook criminals he had expected, it was a bespectacled waiter and a grumpy waitress, both relatively young and inconspicous at first glance. However, looks can be decieving.

Lead by Kyung and followed by Inspector Kim, they hurried trough the crowded room towards the emergency exit.

Officers used their bodies to form a barrier between them and the guests, who were trying to catch a glimpse of the ones responsible for this mess. They almost made it halfway across the room when Mei joined them, shooting a glare at the female suspect before speaking to her partner. Kyung stopped and took her to the side, they argued in hushed voices and Mei seemed to be frustrated by something. Nevertheless, Seven was relieved to see that she was okay. If she was already back to work that also meant Hana was alright.

"I won't let you get away with this."

Everyone's head snapped towards the figure of an angry young woman, who somehow managed to break through the line of officers and was now blocking the path to the exit. When Mei and Kyung stopped to have a chat, they had unintentionally left the suspects' front open. Metal glinted dangerously as Eun Wong raised her hand, knuckles turning white with how hard she gripped the knife. Her eyes were filling with determination and never left the two suspects in front of her.

"I'll make you pay for what you did."

Without another word, Eun lunged forward before any of the officers nearby could jump in to stop her attack. Strands of long black hair followed her movements when she stopped in front of the trembling male waiter, ready to strike. In a last ditch effort to stay alive, he dodged the oncoming attack, tripped over his own feet and fell onto the sleek marble floor.

Eun apparently didn't expect this because she hesitated, giving someone the opportunity to interfere with her plans. Seven stopped breathing when he saw who it was.

Mei.

The detective had spotted the opening and in a matter of seconds, she had managed to position herself between Eun and the murder suspect. Cautiously, Mei raised her hands in a pacifying gesture, motioning to the lurking officers to keep a safe distance. Nobody moved a muscle, afraid that even the slightest action would set off the ticking time bomb in the room that the upset daughter of the victim embodied.

"That's enough." Mei commanded firmly. "Drop the knife, Eun."

"Get out of my way!" Eun seethed, hissing at the detective like a wounded animal that got backed into a corner. "I don't want to hurt you."

Seven narrowed his golden eyes at the girl, a cold feeling settling in his stomach. The secret agent understood where she was coming from, but if she dared to harm Mei he didn't care what happened to her afterwards. He had to do something, he couldn't just stand by and watch her get hurt. However, rushing in to safe her could be a mistake, potentially escalating the already fragile situation.

"She can't." Kyung stated calmly, though there was a layer of ice to her tone. "They're still only suspects at this point and innocent until proven otherwise. In accordance with the law, we have to ensure their safety while they're in our custody. Everything else will be determined in court."

"How can you defend them?" Eun asked in disbelief. "You know what they did. They killed my father. They ruined my life and yet, you're still defending them?!"

"We're not defending them, eventhough it doesn't seem that way right now." Mei explained, every word brimming with compassion. "We're trying to protect you."

For a moment, the girl seemed to be taken aback but then she broke out into a fit of mirthless laughter. He would've thought she went insane, if it wasn't for the tears running down her cheeks. Eun was hysterical. "Don't you get it? I don't care what happens to me anymore. I don't care if I go to jail. I want them to pay for what they did and if you don't get out of my way, you'll get hurt."

It wasn't an empty threat.

When Mei refused to budge from her spot in front of the suspect, Eun tightened her grip on the blade and stepped towards the detective. Pure, undiluted panic rushed through his system at the sight and a type of fear he'd never felt before gripped his heart firmly. Seven about had it with that girl. Throwing caution to the wind, he was about to wrestle his way through the annoyingly useless line of officers, when two strong arms held him back.

It was the first time in his life that he truly felt like strangeling V.

Seven struggled against his hold, earning himself a few pained gasps and grunts from the man. V was half-blind and needed a cane to walk, but also a lot stronger than he looked. Still, he couldn't hold a candle against a trained secret agent and after a particularly hard jab to his solar plexus, Seven was finally free. Not willing to waste another precious second, he hurried towards the barrier and froze at the sight in front of him.

Mei had brought up her right hand and wrapped it around the sharp blade of the knife. It was cutting into her soft skin, tainting the stainless steel with a few red drops of blood. Shock flashed through Eun's eyes and she faltered under the detective's intense, blue gaze.

"It won't bring them back." Mei told her gravely.

The truth was harsh, but Eun needed to hear it. Her entire body started shaking as she tried to supress the sobs that threatened to break out. Meanwhile, Mei let go of the knife and curled her fingers around the cut, trying to stop the bleeding.

"You're r-right," Eun stammered, sounding utterly hopeless. "It won't."

Fresh tears ran down her cheeks and her lips were trembling as pain twisted her young face. With renewed determination, she brought the knife to her own throat.

"I know you probably can't see it right now," Mei argued in a panicked attempt to stop her, "but there are many things to live for, okay?"

"Yeah? Like what? My dead family?"

"Well, you're right. Your family is dead." Kyung declared mercilessly. "Your mom died from cancer and your dad's culinary art school just lost it's CEO. You've yet to reach legal age to take over and rescue it from being upsurbed by a bigger company. Apart from the financial struggle, you just injured a detective and if she presses charges, you are in serious legal trouble. All things considered, your life is pretty crappy right now. I'd say you've hit rock bottom."

"Hey! What the hell?" Mei hissed. "No need to be so harsh, Kyu."

"However," Kyung continued sharply, ignoring her partner's basilisk glare. "It can't get worse than it is right now. If you're already at the bottom you can only go up, don't you agree?"

"I g-guess …" Eun hiccupped and collapsed onto the floor. "I guess you're right. I-I'm so s-sorry."

Seven was the only one who noticed her pain as she tucked her injured hand into the depths of her blue jacket's pocket, trying to hide it from prying eyes. Eun had latched onto her, mumbling apologies and sobbing into her golden dress. Ignoring her pain, Mei smiled and patted the girl's black hair with her good hand. It was a mystery to him how her smile remained genuine, lighting up her shining eyes without a trace of insincerity betraying her features.

She was an idiot and yet he couldn't bring himself to resent her for putting other people's needs above her own without a second thought.

That's just who she was.

He remained silent while the paramedics stormed in, rushing to tend to the girl and the fightened suspect. Seven's eyes never strayed from his favorite detective though, worrying that once he averted them she'd dissappear in the crowd. Mei didn't leave Eun's side for even a second, holding her hand with her good one while a young paramedic examined her. Her willingness to ignore her own pain in order to comfort another person, no matter how undeserving that person was in his eyes, made his heart ache.

He couldn't watch this any longer.

Striding towards Mei with purpose, Seven pushed past the officers and came to a halt behind her. Momentarily, their proximity blasted his previous thoughts out of orbit. The effect she unknowingly had on him was worrying, but he had more important things to take care of right now. Gently as though she was made of glass, he put his hands on her uncovered wrist to gain her attention.

"Unless you have magical healing powers I don't know about, which would be awesome by the way, I'd get that checked." His voice sounded rougher than he intended to, but it was hard to focus when all he could think about was how soft her skin felt beneath his fingertips. "Even warriors of justice need medical attention from time to time."

"Thank you, but it's fine." Mei whispered, making an effort to smile reassuringly. "After they're gone, I'm just gonna wrap this myself. You know I'm a good doctor and the cut isn't that deep, it's barely a even scratch."

The only other time he heard someone say that was in a meme. It was a scene from a movie where a man had his hand cut off and was bleeding to death. Seven arched an eyebrow.

"That's more than a scratch and you know it. Why are you being so stubborn? You're just gonna make m—everyone worry about you." He barely saved himself there. Regardless, Seven needed to get it through her thick skull. "You shouldn't feel like you have to take everything on by yourself, just let the paramedics help."

"I would but …" Mei lowered her voice so that the girl wouldn't hear. "Eun already feels bad for what she did. She was hyperventilating and just calmed down, once she sees my injury she'll get worked up again. Trust me, I've dealt with these things before. It's better if I wait until she's taken care of and don't make her feel more guilty than she already does."

"It's her fault though, she was the one who hurt you." Seven protested persistantly before softening his approach, "Please, Mei."

She shook her head defiantly. "No, I'm not getting treated in front of her and that's final."

"You don't even know her."

"Your point being?"

Seven sighed and turned his gaze towards the painted ceiling, hoping to get blessed with the patience to deal with this stubborn woman. They engaged in a silent staring competition, blue meeting gold, while he tried to think of a strategy that'd make her give in.

Luckily, the hacker was master strategist, thourough to the point of calculating the dust particles floating in his bunker down to their atoms before making any form of move. People's reactions were even easier to predict than dust devils, making it child's play to envision every possible outcome of a situation before it even happened. It was smiliar to playing chess and became just as boring once he figured someone's game out. That was why Seven prefered creating games and filling players with wonder at his genius than playing himself.

Winning became a chore instead of an accomplishment.

Most people didn't even know how much information they were giving him though the smallest of actions. It was almost pitiful to watch how easily they bent to his will, not even knowing that they had been part of an elaborate scheme. There were few people who could actually take him by suprise. Seven knew that he viewed the world differently, seeing a sense where other's didn't.

And yet, when Mei was involved, it seemed like nothing made sense anymore.

"Fine," Seven said, resolved. "Have it your way."

Mei eyed him warily once she spotted his cheshire grin, which was a little too bright to be friendly. Without a warning, he snaked his right arm around her waist, careful not to jostle her injured hand, and steered her away from the scene. He directed them through the crowd, silently marveling how good it felt to have her by his side. She was warm and fit perfectly into his arm.

"W-wait! Seven?! What… ?" Mei stammered, cheeks burning and he had to bite his tongue to stop himself from grinning. "What are you doing?"

"Getting you treated," Seven sing-songed and tightened his hold on her. She opened her mouth to argue, but he fixed her with a glare that left no room for argument. "Stop being an idiot and at least let me help. It's bad enough that one of my friends has to go to the hospital today."

"I'm fine though."

"Sure," he mocked and rolled his eyes, knowing that he'd already won. "That's why you look like you're gonna faint anytime soon."

Apart from the pout on her pink lips, her protests died down and he was grateful. Seven knew her independence was a result of her past, but she could at least accept his help without making a fuss. Mei's persistance on doing everything by herself was annoying and worrying in equal measure. Throw her lack of self-preserverance and recklessness into the mix and you have a fully functioning trouble magnet.

Sure, he was impressed by how she handled the situation with Eun but that didn't mean he had to like it.

It took him three minutes and five seconds to find clear path to the rear entrance where he had parked his car. As soon as they were hit by the cool night air, he let go of her and closed the exit behind him. A rusty, old lantern bathed them in dim light when they made their way towards his red mustang. Opening the trunk, Seven motioned for her to sit down on the edge while he grabbed a first-aid kit from the side.

It only held the bare essentials like plasters and bandages, but that'd have to do for now.

The agent sat down next to her and gently pulled her hand out of the pocket into his lap. She hissed in pain when he slowly pried her fingers apart, revealing the cut that went across her palm in a straight line. It didn't seem like a major blood vessel got injured, but she lost a lot of blood nontheless. Seeing the wound made a fresh wave of anger towards Eun well up in his stomach, but he gritted his teeth and focused on treating the wound instead.

Picking up a cotton ball with a pair of tweezers, Seven dabbed it softly on the cut to crub the blood flow. All the while he remained quiet, wondering how long she would last under his silent treatment.

"I'm sorry," Mei mumbled guiltily and peaked at him from beneath thick lashes.

Apparently not very long.

"What for, I wonder?" Seven asked playfully, but he couldn't quite keep the irritation out of his voice. "Is it a) Jumping in front of a knife-swinging restaurant heir or b) Protecting the life of a level 55 scumbag or maybe c) Hiding that you only have 1 HP left after all of this."

"Hey, I'm not at 1 HP yet." Mei contended, tentative, trying to sweep the previous conversation under the rug with humor. "I didn't even show my true form back then."

Seven didn't laugh. Despite his own words, he wasn't in the mood for jokes right now and she caught onto it pretty quickly.

"It's none of the above. I'm sorry for worrying you," she clarified, looking bashful. "It must've seemed reckless."

"It didn't just seem reckless, it was. Stupid even." Seven scolded and continued as though he didn't hear her apology, "What in the world made you think grabbing a knife was a good idea?"

"I read somewhere that if someone is holding a knife for the first time, you can make them drop it by grabbing the blade." Mei explained sheepishly. "Once they realize that it's a weapon that can actually hurt people, they're supposed to get afraid and let go of it. That's the theory, at least."

"You've read it online so it must be true." Seven replied dryly and shook his head in disbelief, only managing a half-hearted reprimand. "You know that every internet troll with a little knowledge in computer science can edit any article to their heart's content, right? There are lots of people with psychopathic tendencies who take pleasure from speading false and harmful information."

"It wasn't entirely wrong though," she insisted with a pout. "At the very least, it shocked her enough to stop attacking."

Instead of refuting her weak statement, Seven used the cottonball to apply a little more pressure on the wound.

"Ouch," Mei gasped and threw him an accusing look. "You're doing that on purpose, aren't you?"

"It's your punishment for being an idiot." He shrugged, but lifted the ball a bit. "I warned you that I can get a little sadistic."

"I'm not an idiot," she whined sulkily, cheeks turning a traitorous pink. "You're so mean."

It reminded him of a little girl in kindergarden, complaining to the guy who always pulled at her hair to get her attention. Mei was adorably flushed and bright-eyed. Nobody should be allowed to be this cute. It was unfair. Yet, pride swelled in his chest when he realized that he was the one who made her look that way. Contrasting her pretty dress, the fabric of the oversized police jacket rusled as she squirmed under his intense gaze. Seven's defenses were crumbling and the tension left his shoulders.

Slowly but surely, a sly smile spread on his face. "You deserve it~"

"Debatable."

The peaceful silence that settled between them was comfortable. Circadas chirped in the distance when a warm breeze ruffled their hair, carrying humid air and faint noises of the city's nightlife over to them. Stars were peaking out between a thick field of clouds and he wondered briefly if it was going to rain later. Seven took a deep breath and for the first time since the party started, he felt at ease.

"I'm not used to it," Mei said quietly, leaving the words hanging in the air between them. When he raised a quizzical eyebrow, she sighed wistfully. "I always thought it would be selfish of me to ask for help when others need it more."

Every cell in his body screamed to argue with her, but he held himself back and patiently waited for her to finish. Her face was serious, perfect eyebrows drawn together in contemplation. Seven admired her candidness and her unbreakable optimism that made her a force to be reckoned with. However, under the dim light of the rusty lantern in the parking lot, Mei looked as though she was made of glass, vulnerable almost.

"When my parents died, it sort of became second nature to me to do everything by myself. I think a part of me always thought people expected me to take responsibility, even if they didn't." she admitted with a smile, eyes shining with unshead tears. "Hana gets upset at me a lot because of it. She always yells at me for taking actions without considering the help of others, that end up putting me in danger. Sometimes, I guess I just forget that they're people who care about me too."

Seven's expression softened. He had suspected this was where her behavior stemmed from, but it was nice to have his theories confirmed. And it was good to know that at least her sister had some common sense.

"I haven't met many people in my life, so I'm not speaking from experience, but I don't think it's bad to be selfish sometimes." Seven mused and drew lazy circles on her skin with his thumb. "Also, asking for help when you need it is smart. When you trust others with your problems you show that you're believing in them and in turn, they'll believe in you."

"That ... actually makes sense," Mei said, sounding amazed.

"Don't sound so surprised." He raised his free hand and flicked her nose with his forefinger. "I'm glad you got it though. Otherwise, you'd have forced me to hack into your brain and update your self-preserverance. Now I'm not gonna lie, this is gonna string."

Wiggling a bottle of disinfectant in front of her, Seven removed the cottonball and chuckled at the face she was making. If he didn't know any better, he thought she was having a war flashback. Although with her medical background, Mei probably had a few unpleasant encounters with disinfectant. She wrinkled her nose at the biting smell when he uncapped the bottle, regarding the label with apprehension and a little fear. As brave as always, she kept her hand in his grasp, bracing for the incoming pain.

"Ouch!" Mei yelped once he sprayed a small amount onto the cut. "Have you ever even dressed a wound before?"

"Hm~?" He hummed cheerfully, pretending not to hear her. "I thought it was just a scratch."

"I know it's necessary, but it still hurts." the detective complained, trying to free her hand but failing.

"Honey, if you keep complaining I'm gonna pour some more." Seven promised with a devilish grin. "I'm already tempted because you look way too cute when you're angry."

"Sadist!" Mei glared daggers at him, but there was no real fire behind it.

Guilty as charged.

Seven shook his head with a cheeky smile, her reactions were always so entertaining. Contrary to his words, he pulled out a clean bandaid and started to wrap it around her injury with experienced fingers. Making sure that the fabric covered all the important areas while still enabling her to move, he tied the ends into a bow and secured it with the golden pin from his tie.

It wasn't his best work, but he was proud of it nontheless.

Mei nervously bushed her hair behind her ear and looked down at their hands in his lap. Slowly, she shifted her palm towards his and enclosed his cold hand with both of hers. It felt warm and made an electric current run all the way up his arm, sending shivers down his spine. He didn't move a muscle, afraid she'd let go once she realized what she was doing.

"Thank you," Mei said shyly.

Seven blinked and stared at her, not expecting her to say that.

Words and their meanings escaped him at the moment, so he just watched her. It was impossible not to, like staring at the stars in the sky. Her cheeks were still flushed and her beautiful azure eyes were shining, plump lips slightly parted. Mesmerized, he watched as she bit her lower lip, drawing it partially into her mouth before letting it go again. Seven was suddenly very aware of how close they were to eachother. At some point during their bickering, they must've leaned forward without noticing.

The air between them became heavy and crackled with static. They were so close.

Seven could hear every breath, feel her warmth and smell her irresistable perfume, flowery soap and peppermint. He knew he should put distance between them, but his hand seemed to have other ideas as it trailed up from the crook of her neck to rest on her cheek. Mei leaned her face into his palm, shifting imperceptively closer. She stole his breath away and he briefly wondered how he could let this happen.

Mei smiled gently and the action lit up her entire face, making his heart melt. This was all it took for his resolve to fade into nothing. As though he was caught in a trance, Seven gradually closed the distance between them.

"Seven?! Have you seen Mei?!" Yoosung yelled from the half-open door of the rear entrance. "I'm worried about her!"

Startled and more than a little surprised, they landed back in reality and jumped apart, sporting matching blushes. Seven swallowed, he didn't know whether he should be angry at the interruption or relieved by it. The secret agent had been about to do something very stupid that he'd definitely regret later. Still, if looks could kill then the innocent gamer would be the second dead body at this party.

"Ah, Yoosung. I'm over here," Mei yelled back and waved, though there was a hint of frustration swinging in her tone. When he spotted her, Yoosung brightened and jogged over to them. A part of him wished the gamer would be able to read the mood, turn around and leave them alone, but he knew it wouldn't happen. Panting from the light jog, he stopped in front of them and raised an eyebrow, confused by their flustered expressions.

"Are you okay?" Yoosung asked the detective. "I nearly had a heart attack when that girl cut your hand. It looked pretty bad."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Seven saved me from becoming an anemic ghost, so it's all good now. Sorry for worring you," she replied hurriedly, sounding slightly stiff as though she was reciting an encyclopedia entry. When he still looked doubtful, Mei sighed and showed him her bandaged hand.

"Another successful alien rescue mission," Seven added as he plastered on a stock smile that was all teeth and didn't reach his eyes. "What's going on? You look stressed."

"Ah right, I almost forgot." Yoosung rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, before irritation crossed his features. "V told me to search for you, eventhough I told him that I'm not his freaking errand boy. He wants to talk to the all RFA members, minus Zen obviously. I don't like his timing, but he said we have some important things to discuss."

Silently, Seven glared at the car in front when another traffic light turned red, glowing mockingly at him from behind the windshield. He had been about to cross an intersection, but some senile grandpa didn't see him and rudely cut in line. The rusty old car—that had suffered more than one fender-bender—came dangerously close to colliding with his prescious mustang.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the sudden jerk when he slammed the brakes had frightened his two passengers.

Mei and Hana had a history with car accidents, so he had vowed to himself and them to drive as carefully as possible. Additionally, the hacker had calculated the perfect route to their apartment and timed their trip, making sure they'd get a green streak instead of a red one. Safe to say, thanks to the grandpa's sloppy driving they were now stuck in the opposite, hitting one red light after another.

Maybe today was cursed, Seven thought darkly, it just didn't want to stop.

Earlier, V had summoned them to one of the more secluded rooms of the building, away from the police and other prying eyes. Jumin and Jaehee had already been there, looking more stressed than usual. Zen's absence had left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth and the tense atmosphere in the room had indicated that he wasn't the only one who felt that way.

Their leader hadn't wasted any time and got straight to the point.

In order to remedy the media backlash that was inevitably upon them, V had suggested that they'd hold another party in the near future. He argued that they needed to preserve the RFA's good reputation for Rika's sake and that she wouldn't have wanted them to give up just yet. Needless to say, his decision had been met with heavy protests from all members.

Jumin had been the first to raise his voice, baffled how his childhood friend could even think about hosting another party after today's events. Someone had died, several guests had been poisoned and Zen was hospitalized. It was unreasonable to plan another party so soon. For once agreeing with her superior, Jaehee had pitched in to support Jumin whenever V tried to appeal to his emotional side.

Seven had held himself back for most of the conversation, partly because he didn't know what to think himself. He trusted V, but his calm insistance on the matter was strange. Thinking back to the conversation he had with Mei, the hacker couldn't help but think the man was hiding something from them. Back when Rika was still alive, V would've never cared about reputation above people's well-being.

He was acting totally out-of-character.

Suprisingly, Yoosung was the one who had jumped to their leader's defense. It wasn't like him to buy into V's words, but he was probably convinced that holding another successful party was what Rika would've wanted regardless. Maybe it was the stress that had made him more emotional, but Yoosung had nearly blown up into their faces.

It was then that Mei had stepped in.

Not keen on getting involved, she had remained in the background much like himself. However, as soon as it threatened to get out of hand, the detective had felt the need to intervene. It was a good thing she did, otherwise both fronts would've taken it too far. Seven admired the kind determination that radiated off of her in waves when she had stopped them. Mei had argued that they should postpone the meeting since they were all to exhaused to think clearly. They should be working together instead of fighting senselessly and could always discuss the topic once Zen got released from the hospital.

Everyone had agreed—even Yoosung—and V had apologized for his poor timing.

"I'm just glad mom drilled into us that we can only eat dessert after dinner," Mei joked from the backseat, effectively ripping him from his thoughts. "I never thought that stupid rule would save our lifes one day."

Seven risked a glance into the rearview mirror, relaxing when he saw her tired smile. She was resting her head against the black polster, eyes hazy from the painkillers with her body angled towards her sister as though she was searching for warmth.

"Should we start eating broccoli everyday?" Hana asked in earnest, sounding mortified. "And spinach?"

"Spinach is not that bad," Mei laughed at the disgusted look on her face. "And I actually like broccoli. It's not chocolate cake, but at least it's healthy."

The younger Cheon paused with a hand on her chin, lost in thought. "Yeah, I think today has ruined chocolate cake forever."

"You won't even stand a month without it." Mei chuckled amusedly, but it soon turned into a yawn. "And what kind of sister would I be, if I deprived you of one of your favorite food's for a month?"

"A terrible one," Hana agreed with a rare laugh. "Not that it would be much of a change."

That earned her a slap on the arm from the aledged terrible sister. Seven heard Mei mutter a few insults beneath her breath, before returning his attention to the street. Not matter how endearing their interactions were, he couldn't help but feel a painful stab of jealousy at their closeness. It reminded him of his own childhood and something he had to give up and could never have … his other half.

A few turned corners later, the car fell silent.

Wondering why, Seven checked the mirror and almost burst out laughing. Rightfully exhaused, Mei had passed out on the backseat and fallen to her side, landing directly onto her sister's lap. The latter looked less than amused by the turn of events, trying without success to shake her awake. After every attempt failed, Hana huffed in irritation and begrudingly started to pat Mei's hair.

Seven stopped the car in front of a tall building that was made of sturdy firebrick.

"Lazy idiot, I'm not your pillow." Hana grumbled as she tried to push Mei off of her. With an agonized sigh, she turned towards him for help. "Look, I know my sister. She's too far gone, nothing will wake her up, and I'm not strong enough to carry her upstairs."

At this point, the hacker was sure the universe had it out for him today.

Answering Hana's unspoken demand, Seven got out of the car and opened the back door, lifting the sleeping detective into his arms. She was a lot lighter than she looked, unconsciously fisting one of her hands into the fabric of his shirt. Mei mumbled something in her sleep, cuddling closer to his warmth. He knew that he couldn't allow himself to be this close to her for multiple reasons, but even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to bring it over his heart to let go of her right now.

Unaware of his inner conflict, Mei continued to mumble nonsense into his chest when he hurried after Hana.

Stepping into a rickety elevator that had definitely seen better days, they made their way to the top floor. No words passed between them, the detecive's claim that her sister wasn't a people person held true. Seven was trying his best to ignore Mei's quiet breaths that tickled his neck, making his skin tingle with goosebumps. It felt as though the minutes passed by at snail's pace, agonizingly slow and torturing.

A ringing sound announced their arrival at the top.

"Well," Hana started, suddenly embarassed, as she fumbled with her keys, "our apartment is a mess right now. For your information, it's her fault and not mine. Mei didn't know what to wear for the party and freaked out."

"It's fine." Seven shrugged. "My place usually looks like a bomb went off, too."

Nodding in thought, Hana opened the grey door and let him inside and he immidiately realized what she meant; the entire place was littered with clothes in different colours, shapes and sizes. There was even a pair of shoes hanging from a lamp, making him wonder how they even got up there. Other than that, their apartment was homely, as though every item had sentimental value and been selected with the utmost care.

Books of every kind were stacked on top of eachother and filling the birchwood shelves on the walls. Potted plants were thriving wherever he looked, next to the large windows and on top of furniture, filling the space with life. The walls were decorated with pieces of art, post-it conversations and pictures of their family and friends. Their two cats—Loki and Siri—were cuddled together on the cozy couch between soft patterned cushions. If his arms weren't already full, he'd have rushed over to catnap them.

"Her room is to the left," Hana told him. "Close the door behind you when you leave."

"Okay."

She disappeared into her room, leaving him to his own devices.

Once Seven figured out how to open the door with Mei in his arms, he entered her room. It resembled the rest of their apartment, though it was a little more organized. He walked towards the double bed and bent down, trying his best to tranfser her onto the blue comforter without waking her up.

Everything went well until he tried to pull her hand from his shirt, which made her moan in protest.

"Where am I?" Mei looked so unguarded and innocent when she was half-awake, it was adorable.

"Home." Gently, Seven brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and covered her in a blanket.

In many ways, the detective was still a mystery to him. In a matter of two weeks, she had wormed into their hearts and made herself at home. And despite everything that happened today, the RFA were on their way to regain what they had lost with Rika's death. Everyone had been more upbeat and energetic since she joined, himself included. Somehow, she had even managed to sneak through his heavy defenses, disarming him with her smiles.

There was just something about her presence that was comforting, cheering people up without intending to. As cheesy as it sounded, she was like a cup on sunshine on a rainy day and as reliable as the constellations in the starry sky.

"I don't know how you do that," he said quietly.

Struggeling to stay awake, Mei blinked at him through confused, half-lidded eyes. "Do what?"

"Nothing," Seven murmured, shaking his head. "Sleep well, alien girl."

A familiar feeling spread though his entire body, warming and chilling him at the same time. It constricted his throat and made emotion sting behind his eyes. With one last glance, he closed the door behind him and hurried out of the homely apartment. Night air brushed against his skin when he stepped outside, enveloping him in a cold sense of calm that he so desperately needed.

It had begun to drizzle and a few stray drops hit his face before continuing their path towards the pavement. Puddles were forming, turning into tiny lakes as the time went by, and plants rustled in relief as the water that they missed so much during the dry summer bent their leaves.

Seven knew he should probably get into his car, standing in the rain without a jacket or an umbrella increased his chances of getting a cold. However, his feet wouldn't move an inch, remaining stuck on the stony sidewalk. He wasn't sure how long he was standing there, soaked and motionless, but he didn't care.

It all made sense now.

The warm feeling in his chest whenever Mei looked at him, the blush that rose to his cheeks when she smiled, the excitement when he spotted her name in the chatroom and the way his breath got stuck in his throat when he saw her in that dress. The need to cheer her up when she was feeling down, the way his blood turned cold when she was in danger, the happiness he felt when she laughed and the way his heart raced whenever she touched him.

Mei was the only person, who managed to catch him off guard and Seven couldn't lie to himself anymore.

He was in love with her.

The secret agent tried to examine the thought with the cool detatchment that the agency had trained him to do. In a way, love was nothing more than a release of chemicals— like serotonine or dopamin— into your brain. Possible symptoms were an increased release of hormones, accelerated heart rate, dilated pupils and obsessive thoughts directed towards one specific person. It would certainly explain his fascination with her.

Then again, it was so much more than that.

Mirthlessly, Seven chuckled to himself, the reality of the situation hitting him hard. The universe was playing another miserable joke at his expense.

In the end, his feelings for her were precisely why he had to do his absolute best to stay away from her. If the agency or any of his enemies ever found out, she would become their prime target. She was his greatest weakness and they would definitely exploit that, which is why he needed to keep his distance from now on, his feelings remaining unrequited forever.

It was because he was in love with her that he couldn't be selfish with her. A relationship would only put her in harms way, and he would never be able to forgive himself if she got hurt because of him. And even if by some miracle she liked him back, a person like him wasn't good enough for her. He'd never be good enough for her.

As always, Seven would have to stay in the shadows and marvel at the light from a distance.

It was cruel. It was unfair. Yet, it was the right thing to do.

He was in love with her, but she would never find out.

To Be Continued ...