"Where are we going?" Eunchae asked, holding onto Chaewon's hand as the woman walked the two of them into a small building in a part of town Chaewon bet Eunchae had never been into before. She herself had only been here a few times, once when the studio opened, another when Hana's car had broken down and it was late so she didn't feel comfortable taking the subway. The building was nice, a clean white and gold theme with fake plants everywhere.
"We are visiting my sister, you two are going to dance together."
"Is that why I need to wear this bathing suit?" Eunchae pointed at the black longsleeved leotard over white legging that Chaewon had to fight to put her in. Eunchae lived to be in comfy soft clothes, the tight material of both the tights and the leotard was not up to the kid's standards.
"It's not a bathing suit Chae, it's a leotard. You wear it to dance. She wants to teach you ballet, do you know what that is?"
"No."
"That's okay, she'll show you," Chaewon assured, walking past the secretary and into the studio down the hall that Hana had made it clear to go to. Hana was already there, turning around with a smile as she noticed them
" I was a bit scared you were going to get lost." Hana teased, walking over to give her sister a hug. Chaewon saw Eunchae perk up as soon as Hana spoke English, both her and Yunjin had been making more of an effort to speak it in front of Eunchae noticing the girl was more comfortable using it sometimes.
Chaewon playfully pushed her sister, rolling her eyes. She got lost one time when she was twelve, and the dancer to this day would never let her live it down. "Eunchae, say hello." Eunchae was a shy kid, so she half bent down in greeting, still hiding behind Chaewon's leg. Hana squealed, squatting down to meet the girl eye to eye. Chaewon could feel Eunchae digging her fingers into the flesh of her leg, clearly nervous. "This is my sister, Hana."
"Your sister?" Eunchae looked up at Chaewon and she nodded, with that Eunchae took a few steps out from behind her. Hana knew exactly what was going on, from Yunjin and Chaewon's very first night to Eunchae's new attitude. They were close and didn't keep anything from each other. It had been Hana's idea to get Eunchae into dance, both the sisters had started it when they moved to Korea as a stress reliever and something to put their focus on, Hana thought it could give the same comfort to Eunchae.
"Are you ready to have some fun?" Hana asked a gentle smile on her face, "We're going to do a little dancing today. Chaewon told me you like to dance."
"Last time I danced Shrimpy lost his head."
"Shrimpy?"
"Don't ask," Chaewon warned.
After a bit of coaxing, Chaewon was sat on the studio floor, Eunchae next to her as they started the class. "Can you reach all the way down to your toes, like this?" Hana asked, demonstrating. Eunchae took a glance at Chaewon who nodded in encouragement, before following in her footsteps leaning over and touching her toes. Hana cheered, "Good job!"
Eunchae loved praise and attention. Chaewon had noticed that when she would proudly show Yunjin her spelling tests and schoolwork because the woman would tell her she was proud of her and offer her a treat. Eunchae smiled and did it again, gathering more cheers. And just like that, Hana was Eunchae's new best friend. Chaewon watched with a smile, Peng resting in her lap, taking out her phone to film clips to show Yunjin when they went home.
"Chaewon do you want to do this too?" Eunchae asked, running over to her with this giddy smile.
"I'm good, my knee is bad. I can't dance anymore."
"Really?" Eunchae pouted. "How?"
"I hurt it when I was in high school," She shrugged, "Go have fun with Hana, I'm just going to watch, okay?"
Eunchae didn't seem very pleased with that but relented, walking back over to her sister who was now showing her a few steps. Eunchae was good, having a natural talent for these kinds of things and picked up everything quickly. She'd look back at Chaewon occasionally, checking if the woman was still there and if she was okay. Eunchae didn't seem angry, and Chaewon was thankful for that. Originally Yunjin was supposed to come, but she had left for work without explaining herself properly and it honestly pissed her off a bit. They had discussed it before, Hana wanted to meet her and both of them were important to Chaewon so why couldn't Yunjin just take one day off to show it was important to her as well. Chaewon hadn't responded to any of Yunjin's texts, even the one asking if they had gotten there yet. She would have known if she came.
After going of the routine a few times, Hana had to go and teach her actual class. Eunchae seemed a bit sad, but let it go, skipping over to Chaewon letting the girl put her coat on her before they left. Eunchae just wanted to be held, that's how Chaewon knew she was truly happy, snuggling into her side telling her about everything as if the woman did not just sit and watch for the last hour. "Can we stop at Yunjin's work so I can tell her? And we can meet Scooby."
"Um, I don't know if she's busy." Chaewon shrugged, "I thought you were mad at her."
"I-I am. But I still want to tell her."
Chaewon laughed and got her phone out of her pocket, handing it to Mina. "Here, call her and see if she's busy."
Yunjin didn't pick up.
***
"You ready for this?" Yeonjun asked, adjusting his belt while the two of them looked at the neon RAINBOW KARAOKE. It was just them, two officers from the trafficking department, Seo Chanbin and Vernon Chwe, and a few beat cops Yunjin had never met before. Sakura was doing dispatch, an earpiece in both their ears so she could relay the floor plan to them as they needed it. There were always nerves going into things like this, Yunjin had quite a few experiences under her belt. Eunha always used to get mad at her, but it was a part of her job. She needed to do it. This time, she needed to do it for Eunchae. She needed to get justice for her little human. There was always a risk, she knew that. Maybe she should have hugged Eunchae before she left or told Chaewon how much she loved her. Oh well. She wouldn't need it. Things were going to go fine.
"Yeah," Yunjin took a breath, setting her cellphone in the cupholder after sending a quick text to Chaewon asking if they had arrived at her sister's studio. Chaewon had wanted her to come, but this was more important. "Let's do this thing."
Eunjung's information had been critical, and if Lee Jiho was in this building, they were going to find him. She got out of the car, slamming the door behind her, gripping her pistol that was on her hip.
'According to the floor plan behind the karaoke is a bunch of rooms originally supposed to be rented out as apartments," Sakura spoke through the earpiece, "Just go in and take a right. And Yunjin?"
"What?"
'Don't do anything dumb.'
Yunjin was never that smart anyway, she just looked over at the other officers, nodded, and kicked the door in. "POLICE, HANDS UP."
A few teenage kids were standing by the front desk, seemingly had come to hang out after school along with a college aid part-timer stared back at them terrified, all instantly raising their hands. A few beat cops took care of them, Yunjin paid them no mind as she rushed past them, taking her gun out of her holster rushing through the halls. Yeonjun opened a door, and sure enough, there were a few young women resting in the room. Eunjung was telling the truth.
The halls were absolutely filthy, chipped paint, and flickering lights. It gave Yunjin the heebie-jeebies by just walking through them, she couldn't imagine being forced to live here. They opened a few more doors, only finding a few more girls working or resting. It was strange, Yunjin couldn't tell if they were relieved or scared to see their presence. Then a door opened, and out he walked, freezing when he saw them. Lee Jiho.
Then he took off in a sprint, Yunjin taking off after him. She had no idea if Yeonjun was with her, or if there were others, her focus was just on him. He hurt Eunchae. The incredible little person that had completely stolen Yunjin's heart, that Yunjin felt so strongly about, that came into her life when she needed her the most. Eunchae who liked to draw, dogs, and sharks. Eunchae who had a fascination with the ocean. Eunchae who couldn't sleep alone because of what he did to her and just wanted to cuddle and for Yunjin to catch the bad guys. Yunjin had made a promise, and she was going to keep it.
They rounded a corner, and down stairs, throwing the door to the outside open. Yunjin was never a good runner, it was always more Sakura's specialty, preferring to outsmart them and cut them off before they could escape. She didn't need to run much though, because the door opened into a fenced-in area, one he would not be able to climb up fast enough. He paused, staring at the fence. Yunjin got him, she just had to keep running and take him down. Then he turned, and Yunjin caught a flash of silver in his hands.
BANG BANG BANG
Yunjin heard the three shots before she registered what was going on. She heard glass break over her shoulder, raining down and coating the floor in shards. It wasn't until she was already on the floor staring up at the sky that it fully clicked in her head. The gun that was in her hand was discarded onto the floor, she couldn't reach for it. Her head felt fuzzy, but she wasn't in pain just a bit numb in her left arm and a slight burning sensation in her abdomen. There was a lot of yelling that she couldn't distinguish, it was too loud.
BANG
She flinched but heard a thud, and footsteps rushing in that direction. Lulling her head over to the side, she saw Changbin administering first aid to a now handcuffed Jiho lying on the floor. His pant leg was soaked in red, and the handgun was thrown away from him as the trafficking detective took care of him. Black danced around the edges of her vision. Good, he was not going to getaway. Yunjin caught him. Eunchae didn't have to be scared anymore.
"Yunjin!" That was Yeonjun, she had never heard that tone of voice come from him. He dropped to her side, looking over the situation, "Shit, you're bleeding."
She was what? She groaned when his hands started putting pressure on her stomach, that fucking hurt. She cried out, loud and pained, looking up at Yeonjun who lust looked panicked. His hands were stained with red, not moving as Yunjin's own weak one tried to push his away from her as her vision faded in and out, he was talking but he sounded muffled and far away. She could vaguely hear Sakura speaking through her earpiece, 'Yunjin? Are you there?'
"This Choi 2327, we have shots fired and an officer down. Requesting medical attention."
Then the world went black. Back in her cruiser, her cell phone rang, while across town Eunchae waited excitedly Chaewon's phone in hand in the lawyer's arm as the older encouraged her, wanting to relay the events her dance class completely unaware that her best friend may not be able to hear about it ever.