After Dark (Prompts)

Be With You - 21

"At first I was afraid, I was petrifieeeeeddddd!"

Kang Jin-tae suddenly stood up and told the group, "Let's go guys! I think the owner of this bar is kicking us out!"

Everyone happily obeyed what the detective said except for Ha Chae Yoon, who complained and groaned. "What? Wait! Can't I finish my song?"

Kang Jin-tae sighed. "Ha Chae Yoon, there's really no need to be yelling 'I Will Survive'," he pointed out to the song she planned to sing next.

"I don't yell!" she continued to wail. "Come on! Just this one last."

Kang Jin-tae crossed his arms. "My ears hurt. Come on. Let's go."

Seeing that the others have left, Ha Chae Yoon stomped her feet but followed him out. "Hmph. Some friends you are."

Kang Jin-tae gave her a smug look. "Remember this and thank me later."

"What?!"

"Nothing. I ate so much. Let's walk around first," the detective said, leaving no room for discussion.

Ha Chae Yoon did not want to take a walk by the river, she feels more lonely because it was something she used to do with Im Cheol-Ryung a lot.

Used to. Why was she talking in the past tense?! She mentally scolded herself for being overly dramatic. Still, her heart couldn't help it.

She disliked being apart.

"It's quite noisy tonight," Ha Chae Yoon commented, hearing some music in the distance. "Looks like those kids who turn their radios up so loud as if everyone wants to listen to their music."

"Where are our companions?" Ha Chae Yoon asked, barely noticing that Lee Da-bin stayed largely silent.

"I'm exhausted. Let's sit," Lee Da-bin suddenly said.

"It hasn't even been 10 minutes!"

But seeing that Lee Da-bin had chosen a seat with a good view of the river and the city scape across it, Ha Chae Yoon joined her friend.

She sighed and wished that Im Cheol-Ryung were here to enjoy it with her. She can't help but recall to the first time they took a walk together and left their colleagues to head home or wherever they intended to go after their drinks.

She would say something random and he would react as if she had said the most boring thing in the world, but he would smile at her when he thought she wasn't looking.

More and more, the longer they knew each other, he stopped hiding that smile.

She recalled how her heart skipped a beat when she saw him smiling wide. Maybe that's why it was good that he didn't smile too often. How would people function staring at that handsome face of his?

"Excuse me?"

Ha Chae Yoon was taken out of her reverie by a little girl who tugged on her coat. "Yes?"

"This is for you," she said, handing Ha Chae Yoon an envelope.

Before Ha Chae Yoon could ask, she ran off to her mother, who was grinning and giving a thumbs up to Ha Chae Yoon. Turning to Lee Da-bin, Ha Chae Yoon frowned, "This might be a scam."

Lee Da-bin gave her a serious look. "Best be careful then. That little girl could be the most dangerous crime lord we would ever have to deal with."

Ha Chae Yoon narrowed her eyes at Lee Da-bin. "Fine. If something happens to me, this is all on you."

Cautiously, Ha Chae Yoon opened the envelope to reveal its contents. First a photo of her, taken during one of their first nights out with the group. Along with the photo was a letter. Realising it was Im Cheol-Ryung's handwriting, she gasped and quickly read what he had written.