#h.o.c

The cold, flat voice of the newcomer dropped the already quiet room's temperature below freezing.

The meeting room door was propped open. Y/N, dressed in practical, tactical gear with a file folder in hand, stepped in. Her sharp gaze swept over the team members one by one.

Instinctively, Hanbin and Sohee shot up from their seats to salute.

As for Jaehyun... he flinched so hard he knocked over his towering stack of psychology books with a loud crash.

"A-Ah! Oops! I'm sorry! I... uh... Hello, Captain!" He scrambled to pick up the books, his glasses knocked completely askew, looking far more pathetic than intimidating.

Y/N let out a soft sigh. Her beautiful face remained impassive, but her eyes were fierce. She slammed a cardboard box of her personal belongings onto the Captain's desk. Thud!

Captain Y/N scanned her team—all of whom were her "seniors" in age.

Hanbin stood tall. "Captain Sung Hanbin, reporting for duty."

Sohee hurriedly stopped chewing his gum and stood up awkwardly. "Uh... Lieutenant Lee Sohee."

Only Jaehyun remained seated, legs crossed, flashing her a sickeningly sweet smile.

"A pleasure to work with you... Captain."

Jaehyun glanced at her cardboard box, which was overflowing with crumpled documents and stray lipsticks. He pushed up his glasses and casually remarked,

"In behavioral psychology... a 'Disorganized Space, Organized Mind' is a strong indicator of high IQ."

Y/N paused, turning to glare at him. "Are you complimenting me or insulting me?"

Jaehyun beamed. "Complimenting, of course. However... people of this type often have a weak point when it comes to Impulse Control. Judging by the creases on your documents, which were clearly 'crushed' rather than 'folded'... I'm guessing you just lost your temper with the ID scanner downstairs?"

Y/N's jaw dropped slightly.

"How did you know?"

"There's a piece of laminated plastic... stuck to the hem of your shirt. Guess you gripped your card a bit too tight."

You let out an exasperated breath, shoving the messy pile of files and your favorite bag out of the way before sizing up your three new subordinates.

And finally... Myung Jaehyun. A criminal behavioral analyst on a special contract. The sole civilian on the team. Nerdy, timid, thick glasses.

"Whatever. Take your seats, we don't have much time." She slammed her file onto the table. "Lieutenant Sohee, connect the data from the latest case to the main screen."

"Copy that!" Sohee quickly swallowed his gum (or spat it out, who knows) and let his fingers fly across the keyboard. "Pulling data from the main server now... Wait, huh?"

The young hacker's fingers froze.

Suddenly, the cooling fans of the computers roared to life like jet engines preparing for takeoff. The lights in the room flickered violently.

"Wait... why are the files—"

Zzzt!

The room plunged into pitch darkness for a split second, before a harsh, blood-red light emanated from the giant monitor in the center of the room.

"What the hell is this?!" Lieutenant Sohee jumped back to the control panel, almost choking on nothing. "There's an interfering signal in the main server! It's not a hack... it's a broadcast being sent through the police department's public channel!"

The screen faded to black before an image of a Joker card appeared. White text slowly typed itself out, like a scene from an old spy movie.

Subject: An Invitation to the Feast To: The newly formed D.A.R.T.

The past twenty-five dishes... were merely an Amuse-bouche to awaken the senses. Now, the true tasting menu begins. In this banquet of illusions... Watch closely as 'The Void' opens its jaws to swallow 'Perfection' whole, To fill the starving stomach of justice. A warning to the spotlight-hungry hunters... Mind your table manners. Do not fill up before the clock strikes midnight. :-)

Bon Appétit. - The House of Cards

"Dammit! They hacked straight into our meeting room?!" Sohee yelled, clutching his chest.

Hanbin scowled deeply. "The void... Perfection... What kind of theatrical code is this?"

Amidst the panic, Y/N scanned the message just once. Her brain processed the information faster than a supercomputer.

"French..."

Jaehyun's deep voice interrupted her train of thought. He adjusted his glasses, staring at the screen with an unreadable smirk.

"Amuse-bouche and Feast... In criminal psychology, subjects with Grandiosity often view their crimes as art. Comparing their last 25 heists to 'palate cleansers' means their target wasn't the stolen assets. It was a system test..."

Jaehyun turned to meet your eyes, his gaze sparkling as if he were tossing you a ball.

"...And right now, they are starving. They want the most 'perfect' main course."

"It's not just the system that's perfect."

Y/N fired back immediately. She walked to the conference table and slammed her hand onto a map of Seoul.

"The past 25 cases? H.O.C. only targeted low-level corrupt politicians and black-market dealers. But there's one group they haven't touched yet. The ones who claim to be the most 'spotless and perfect'."

You turned, barking orders.

"Lieutenant Sohee! Search for the main sponsors of any major events in Seoul tomorrow that have the words 'Perfect' or 'Security' in their slogans. Now."

Sohee jumped. "Yes, Ma'am! Right away!" His fingers blurred over the keys.

"Found it... The 30th Anniversary Gala of the National Art Gallery. The slogan is 'Security Perfected: The Unbreakable Night'... hosted by Shin Donghyuk."

"Shin Donghyuk?" Hanbin repeated. "The real estate billionaire who just beat a money laundering charge last month?"

"That's our main course." Y/N smirked.

"And the highlight of tomorrow's event is a newly discovered, mysterious black painting..." You pulled a King of Spades card with scribbled handwriting from your pocket, holding it up for the team to see.

"'Case 26 - The Void'... That matches the name of the painting perfectly."

Jaehyun whistled softly. "Bingo. Excellent deductive reasoning, Captain."

"I'm not done."

Y/N didn't smile at the compliment. Her eyes were locked on the final line of the email.

Do not fill up before the clock strikes midnight.

"Midnight..." you muttered. "The gala starts tomorrow at 7 PM. The auction ends at 11:30 PM. Nothing on the itinerary drags on until midnight."

"Could it mean the after-party?" Hanbin suggested.

"No..." You shook your head slowly, a chilling realization washing over you.

"For perfectionists... timing is everything. If the event is tomorrow evening, a warning about 'midnight' makes no sense. Unless..."

You snapped your head up to look at the digital clock on the wall.

[ 23:45 ]

Your eyes widened.

"The main course isn't being served at tomorrow's banquet... It's being served tonight. At midnight!"

"What?!" Sohee shrieked. "That's in 15 minutes?!"

"They're going to break in and steal the painting before the gala even starts. They want to humiliate Shin Donghyuk—to prove his 'perfect security' was broken before the doors even opened!"

Y/N slammed the table. "Lieutenant Sohee, gear up! Deputy Hanbin, get the car! We're heading to the gallery right now!"

"Wait, Captain!" Hanbin blocked your path. "We don't have a search warrant! Raiding a private property after hours without a warrant means we'll be sued for trespassing, and any evidence we find will be inadmissible in court!"

"Dammit!" you cursed loudly.

Getting a standard warrant would take a day, or tomorrow morning at the earliest.

Jaehyun sat back, watching the chaos unfold with calm detachment. He discreetly glanced at his wristwatch... 14 minutes. If the cops were any slower, Taesan's plan would go off without a hitch.

"I have no other choice..."

Y/N yanked out her phone and dialed the only person she could rely on in an emergency (especially a late-night one).

"Yeeesss...?" The groggy voice of Major Shim Jaeyun—Jake, your close senior (and the Police Chief's grandson) who valued his early bedtime above all else—answered.

"Jake! Wake up right now! I need a search warrant, fastest in the world!"

"Huh? Y/N?" Jake mumbled. "Right now? It's 11:45 PM... The courts closed at 4 PM, you menace."

"I know! But if I don't get a warrant right now, D.A.R.T. is finished! Are you really going to let your favorite junior get fired and end up homeless on the streets?!" You laid the drama on thick, your voice trembling perfectly.

Jaehyun, watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow. Oscar-worthy performance.

"Stop being dramatic..." Jake sighed heavily. "I really can't help you, the system is locked. But... you know..." His voice dropped, sounding like he was sleep-talking.

"The night-shift admin clerks... are incredibly lazy. If they see a stamp and a signature that looks official enough, they usually just scan it through without reading the details. Especially this late..."

Your eyes instantly lit up. A sly smirk crept onto your lips.

"Are you saying... if the document looks credible enough, it's a green light?"

"I didn't say that! I'm just complaining out loud!" Jake panicked, catching your tone. "Forging official documents is a felony, Y/N! Don't you dare!"

"Thanks, bro! Love you the most!"

Beep! You hung up before he could scream at you.

"No other choice, then..."

Y/N turned back to her team with a look of pure determination.

"Deputy Sung..."

Y/N walked over to the man standing stiffly with his arms crossed.

"You used to be the leader of Investigation Team 1, and you're the Deputy Commissioner's golden boy, right?"

Hanbin raised an eyebrow. Despite being 32 and sharing the same rank as you, playing 'second-in-command' to a 27-year-old was definitely not his ideal career path.

"Yes... He signed my transfer order here, and I respect him immensely." He answered politely, but with the rigid boundary expected of a 'Golden Boy' who played strictly by the rules.

"Good." Y/N grinned brightly. She marched over to her desk, rummaged through a drawer, and pulled out a single sheet of paper.

"Then you must know his signature perfectly."

She held it up. It was a Blank Special Operation Authorization Form... complete with the Deputy Commissioner's official stamp and signature at the bottom!

Hanbin's eyes bulged. "That's... the Deputy Commissioner's signature?! How did you get that, Captain?!"

"Oh, you know..." Y/N shrugged, quickly scribbling details into the blank spaces. "I went into his office the other day to complain about my suspension. He was ranting about wanting 'people who work fast and skip the stupid procedures'... So I took the liberty of swiping this from his desk while he turned around to make coffee."

"That's theft! And forgery of official documents!" Hanbin turned pale.

"I call it being prepared!" you argued shamelessly. "He adores me. He'd be thrilled I'm using this to catch criminals instead of letting it collect dust. Plus, if we get the painting back tonight, he takes all the credit. Win-win."

You shoved the forged document into Hanbin's shaking hands.

"Here... your VIP pass. I'm counting on you, golden boy. Shove this in the gallery security's face for me."

Hanbin held the paper like it was radioactive. He looked like he wanted to argue, like a good cop should, but seeing your unwavering determination (and knowing the thief would escape if they didn't move now), he let out a defeated sigh.

"Understood... But let me warn you. If the Deputy Commissioner finds out, I am not covering for you. I'm not going down for a disciplinary hearing."

"Don't worry about it!" You patted his shoulder far too casually. "If he throws a fit, I'll just go complain to my grandpa—I mean! I'll ask the Senior Advisor to sort it out."

Hanbin froze. He heard that slip-up loud and clear, but wisely chose not to comment.

After all... everyone knew who the new Captain's family was.

"Let's move!"

You bolted out the door. Sohee grabbed his laptop and sprinted after you.

Jaehyun, lingering in the back, pretended to adjust his tie. His sharp eyes scanned the room to ensure he was alone before he pulled out a sleek smartphone, typing a message at lightning speed.

To: Ace (A) Message: "The Dealer called. Dinner is served early. Cut the deck... NOW."

He locked the screen, slipped the phone into his suit pocket, and instantly shifted his expression back to that of a 'panicked profiler', awkwardly jogging after the team.

"W-Wait for me, Captain! I almost tripped over a wire!"

A/N

The flashing red text on the digital scanner after you swiped your ID card made your eyebrow twitch violently.

As someone who practically worshipped speed, despised delays, and refused to waste a single second of her life—this exact scenario was profoundly, deeply irritating.

Before you could get yourself court-martialed for destroying government property (an offense you’d committed more times than you’d care to admit) or for assaulting a security guard (a crime you hadn't tried yet, but were highly considering), the expensive smartphone crammed into your back pocket vibrated, violently interrupting your incoming villain arc.

Incoming Call: 'Jungwon (HWK)'

"What" you snapped into the receiver.

The person on the other end immediately picked up on your murderous tone. And that, in turn, was also annoying.

"Whoa, easy there, tiger," Jungwon’s voice crackled through the line, sounding entirely too cheerful for your current mood. "Your badge got flagged because of the transfer order."

"Are you messing with me? Am I supposed to parkour up the balcony or something?"

"I’m just stating facts, chief. Please don't smash any state property just yet. Come up to the 15th floor... I’ve got something shiny to show you."

You let out an irritated sigh, bluntly hanging up on your 'best friend' since academy days without a shred of remorse. Still, your thumb aggressively punched the button for the 15th floor anyway.

You could feel the burning stares of the uniformed officers around you, but frankly, it was just a regular Tuesday for you. It wasn't every day people got to look at a Captain who broke the record as the youngest officer to reach the rank in police history. A literal top-of-the-class prodigy from the Police University, scoring straight A's in both theory and field tactics, a sharpshooter with deadly precision, and a hand-to-hand combat expert who made certified instructors cry for mercy.

Ah... well, just exclude the police ethics department from your resume. Come on, everyone has flaws. You can't expect a person to be a perfect saint, can you?

The elevator dinged and slid open on the 15th floor of the National Police Headquarters. This was the restricted zone of the Intelligence Division, colloquially known as Hawkeye. The atmosphere here was deathly quiet, as if it existed in a completely different dimension. You strutted down the hallway, your heels clicking sharply against the floor as you headed toward the deepest, most familiar office.

Yang Jungwon—your dear best friend—was casually spinning in his ergonomic chair in front of a gargantuan control panel, the blue glow of the servers reflecting off his glasses.

Ugh. Absolutely insufferable.

"Take a seat, Director," Jungwon said, rolling a chair toward you. "How was your one-week suspension? Word on the street is that the Senior Advisor Shim had to practically fist-fight the board of directors just to keep you from getting fired."

"Don't call it a suspension. Call it what it is: administrative archiving."

You threw yourself into the chair, crossing your legs with an irritated huff.

"The old man is just terrified of staining our prestigious, multi-generational police bloodline. Charges like 'excessive use of force' and 'destruction of government property' don't exactly look great on his favorite granddaughter’s record."

"Hey, but in exchange for bringing back a Black Box-level piece of evidence? I’d say it was worth it." Jungwon chuckled softly, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

"Your little stunt at the Incheon port last week forced the higher-ups to finally greenlight the D.A.R.T. unit... Even if, realistically, they only built it to serve as a living graveyard for all the HR nightmares they can't legally fire."

The massive screen in the center of the room flickered to life, transitioning from pitch black to a stark, ominous red. The data displayed on it, however, was so laughably empty it was almost depressing.

"Cut to the chase, Jungwon," you muttered. "Is this seriously all we have on these bastards?"

The screen was literally just a sea of question marks (⁠?⁠).

Right beside them was the crest that the entire police force utterly loathed, yet the public worshiped like they were some kind of modern Robin Hoods.

⁠THE HOUSE OF CARDS (H.O.C.)⁠

You raised an eyebrow at the screen, surveying the total lack of identifying information. "Name? Age? Nationality? Number of operatives?"

"Zero. NADA," Jungwon sighed, spinning his chair back to face you. "We know absolutely nothing about them. For the past two years, we haven't even figured out how many members H.O.C. actually has. Five? Ten? Or maybe it's just one incredibly cracked hacker doing everything by himself. Who knows."

Wonderful.

A briefing where we officially learned absolutely nothing.

"Okay, then what's the deal with these cards?" You pointed at the graphic of six playing cards lined up on the monitor.

"Ah, that is the single thing they deliberately leave behind for us to admire," Jungwon explained, zooming in on the cards. "Every time they pull off a heist, they leave exactly one card at the crime scene. The Behavioral Analysis Unit has formulated a 'hypothesis' that each card represents a specific member with a distinct role. Mind you, this is strictly a theory. Emphasizing on theory."

Jungwon clicked a remote, and the screen displayed the categories the police had basically guessed.

"The Joker."

The monitor shifted to show a bank's mainframe completely corrupted by a laughing clown virus.

"Any case where the system gets breached or data mysteriously vanishes into thin air, we find this card. We’ve never seen a face. Could be a solo hacker, could be a whole team of elite programmers. Your guess is as good as mine."

"Or maybe our cyber crimes division is just incompetent."

"Watch your mouth."

You shrugged, gesturing for him to move to the next slide. Jungwon took a deep breath, swallowing his annoyance before continuing.

"Next, the Jack of Clubs."

A blurry CCTV footage played, showing nothing but a fleeting, lightning-fast shadow.

"The Jack. Appears in high-casualty, brute-force breaches. No one has ever seen their actual face. Cameras only catch a blur, or a figure clad in pitch-black gear that defies all tactical profiling. Some say it's a ninja, others swear it's Spider-Man."

"Please, that is so cringe. It’s literally just some kid who's good at parkour jumping across roofs."

The faint hum of the projector fan filled the silent room after your remark.

"You have zero appreciation for the arts," Jungwon muttered. "Moving on, the King of Hearts."

You averted your gaze from the screen, tapping your fingers impatiently against the desk.

"The King of Hearts... left behind in high-profile corporate espionage and witness manipulation cases. The suspect always utilizes a different, perfectly forged identity. Oh, and it's always left with a fresh red rose. The street cops playfully call him 'Lupin'—hey, focus please."

You snapped your attention back at your friend’s sharp reprimand. The screen was now displaying a beautifully vibrant rose and the King of Hearts card, cutting between static-filled CCTV clips that glitched out every single time a specific man walked past.

"Is that static the Joker's doing too?"

"Highly probable, but unconfirmed."

You jutted out your lower lip, nodding slowly.

"The Ace of Spades and the King of Diamonds," Jungwon paused for a fraction of a second before pushing through. "The Ace is found in sophisticated extortion letters outlining intricate blueprints, while the King of Diamonds is always left next to massive stacks of cash left behind at the scene. So, our working theory is that they are the Brains and the Financier. And... yep, that's it. That's the grand total of our intel."

"So, to summarize... we are fighting ghosts with fancy code names?" You let out a bitter, mocking laugh. "No wonder the cases haven't moved an inch."

"There is exactly one exception..." Jungwon’s tone dropped, becoming deadly serious as he hit the final button. "There is one member we are 100% sure exists. Because he is the only one arrogant enough to actually show his face on camera."

The screen flashed, displaying the single high-definition photograph in the entire database.

It was a tall, lean young man clad in an exquisite, pearl-white tuxedo embroidered with intricate gold threading. His collar was adorned with layered, luxurious fabric, topped off with a white top hat and a matching cape that billowed dramatically in the wind.

His face was obscured by an elegant, ornate Venetian masquerade half-mask.

He was standing on the precipice of a skyscraper, bathed in the silver moonlight, one hand resting on a sleek cane while the other effortlessly twirled a playing card between his fingers.

"The King of Spades."

"The big boss... or as the media loves to call him, 'The White Prince of Spades'."

Jungwon stared at the image with a mixture of awe and sheer frustration.

"This guy acts like he walked straight out of a comic book. A phantom thief who literally performs magic tricks in front of the police. He steals priceless artifacts right under the noses of hundreds of guards without breaking a sweat. At the diamond auction last year, he materialized on stage out of nowhere. The lights went out for exactly eight seconds, and when they came back on, both he and the diamond were gone."

"That show-off piece of garbage..." You hissed through gritted teeth.

"Exactly. The only idiot who willingly sticks his head out to flex, wearing a blinding white outfit like he’s terrified people won't notice him," Jungwon added, making a disgusted face. "And he is the sole reason you got slapped with an 'assaulting a fellow officer' charge, because you literally elbowed the desk sergeant in the face just to steal the car keys and chase him down."

"Well, it's his fault for blocking my way!" You retorted instantly. "He was rambling on and on about protocol and paperwork while the thief was actively making his getaway!"

"So you stole a department vehicle? Drove out alone? No warrant? No backup? ...You are completely insane. If I hadn't bypassed the city cameras to map out your route, or if Wonyoung hadn't distracted the coast guard, you would’ve drowned in that harbor and died a week ago." Jungwon aggressively ran a hand through his hair.

"Watch your mouth, Jungwon."

Jungwon shrugged, deliberately looking away from you. "Sure, sure, Miss Elite Prodigy. Punching your co-workers just to chase a criminal. No wonder you got demoted." He shook his head.

"Do you even know what actually happened that night?!"

"Of course I do! I was the one watching your bodycam feed!"

11:00 PM (A little over an hour before the police's estimated timeline), Last Week.

The faint, metallic clinking of chains echoed softly through the night.

You slipped stealthily between the towering shipping containers, moving like a shadow. No backup. Just you, your service pistol, and a raw instinct telling you—they are here.

And you were right... well, half right.

Perched on top of a cargo container was the man in the white suit, casually swinging his legs and humming a cheerful tune to himself, looking like he was waiting for a cozy picnic rather than finalizing an illegal smuggling transaction.

He looked entirely relaxed... right up until you aimed your barrel directly at his chest.

"Freeze! Police!"

The King of Spades flinched so hard his entire body jolted, nearly dropping the hard drive in his hand. He whipped his head around to look at you, then frantically raised his wrist to check his watch in a clumsy, panicked motion that was entirely 'un-cool'.

"...Officer?" His voice, filtered through a vocal modulator, sounded utterly bewildered. "Wait a minute... It's only eleven? Ace calculated the police arrival time at midnight! Why on earth are you here so early?!"

"I don't drive a damn turtle like the rest of them." You advanced forward, keeping your weapon locked steady on him. "Hand over the evidence and climb down with your hands up."

"Oh, crap... I haven't even styled my hair properly. I didn't get to practice my introductory pose yet!" he muttered frantically to himself, taking a panicked step backward. "If Ace finds out the plan failed because of my poor time management, he's going to lecture me until my ears bleed..."

"You can complain all you want in a holding cell!"

You didn't waste another second listening to his rambling. You charged.

The brawl that followed was brief but fierce. He was smarter and quicker than you’d anticipated, fluidly dodging and parrying your strikes like a trained dancer. But he refused to strike back, focusing entirely on deflecting your blows and looking for an exit—until your sweeping kick sent the hard drive flying over the edge, plummeting to the ground below.

"Okay, okay! I yield, milady!"

He scrambled back to the edge of the container, shoving his hand inside his suit jacket.

You braced yourself, expecting a smoke grenade or a weapon, but instead, he pulled out a thick pencil(?) and a playing card. His elegant fingers scribbled frantically on the card, looking so rushed and clumsy the pencil almost slipped from his grip.

"Consider tonight your win! Take this consolation prize for now, and I’ll make sure to send a proper invitation later!"

BOOM!

A flashbang smoke bomb detonated at your feet.

Coughing through the thick smoke, you lunged forward to grab him, but your fingers only caught a single playing card that he flicked directly onto your forehead before vanishing into the night…

You reached into your jacket pocket, pulling out a clear Ziploc bag with a distinct red evidence seal.

Inside the bag was a heavily creased King of Spades card. On the back, a message was scribbled in messy, panicked handwriting:

⁠Next: case 26 – the void⁠

You slapped the evidence bag onto the desk with a loud thud.

"Look at this trainwreck," you scoffed. "He wrote it so fast the letters is literally smeared. This is the 'Mastermind' of a national crime syndicate? Please. He looks more like a middle schooler trying to scribble down his homework before the bell rings."

Jungwon reached out to pick up the bag, but you sharply slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch it. I haven't sent it to the forensics lab yet, you'll ruin the fingerprints."

"Wait a second..." Jungwon pulled his hand back, narrowing his eyes at you. "You haven't submitted this piece of evidence to central command yet? Y/N, that is a massive protocol violation. If Internal Affairs finds out, they're going to tack on a 'withholding evidence' charge to your record."

"Withholding what?" You shrugged, a predatory, mischievous smirk spreading across your face. "The evidence for Case 25 was the hard drive, which I have fully returned. As for this card..."

You tapped your fingernail against the plastic bag.

"The idiot wrote 'Case 26' on it himself... So, technically speaking, this is a 'lead' for a future case that hasn't officially occurred yet. And as the newly appointed Director of the D.A.R.T. unit handling this specific investigation, I have full operational discretion to retain it for investigative purposes... Right?"

Jungwon’s jaw dropped. He stared at you for a long moment before shaking his head with a breathless laugh.

"Wow. The mental gymnastics are unreal... Unbelievable. You literally memorized the entire legal penal code just to exploit it for your own chaotic convenience."

"It's called operational discretion, darling."

You snatched the bag back, sliding it safely into your pocket like a prized possession.

"Next time, I'm not just kicking his evidence away. Get a holding cell ready, Jungwon. Because I am going to drag that ridiculous white-suited prince by his collar and personally lock him behind bars."

A/N

The security lock disengaged. The light turned from red to green. The automatic doors slid open slowly...

Whoosh.

A blast of cold AC air hit your face... along with a strange, sinking intuition that someone had just slipped past you in the opposite direction.

"Sohee! Head to the control room! Pull the feeds from every CCTV camera, now!" you ordered sharply.

"Copy that!" Sohee split off down the hall.

"Hanbin, you're with me to the exhibition room. Jaehyun, you stay here. Or follow from a distance, just stay out of the line of fire!"

"Yes, Captain! Please be careful!" Jaehyun replied, pretending to nervously adjust his glasses again.

The exhibition room was far too "empty"—uncharacteristic of a flawless phantom thief.

The painting 'The Void' was gone, frame and all.

And on the velvet chair in the center of the room... lay a single King of Spades card.

It was immaculate. No creases, no smudges, as if it had just been pulled fresh from a sealed deck. No fingerprints, no signs of forced entry.

It was infuriatingly "perfect." The only flaw was the messy handwriting mocking you across the surface:

'Security Perfect? You're better than I thought, My Captain.' — King of Spades

You were sure you had been fast... but you were still one step behind him.

You snapped on a latex glove and picked up the card to drop it into an evidence bag. As the paper passed your face... a faint, strange scent brushed your nose.

It wasn't oil paint. It wasn't floor wax. It wasn't expensive cologne.

It was a scent that was... bizarrely familiar. But in the heat of the moment, your brain couldn't place it.

"Captain!" Sohee's voice crackled through the earpiece. "Thermal cameras picked something up! Someone's running up toward the roof on the right wing!"

"The right wing..." Jaehyun, who had quietly followed behind, yelled out. "The main staircase is over there! It's the widest path, the most logical way to transport a large painting!"

You were about to pivot right, following his advice, when your ears caught the faintest click-clack coming from the pitch-black hallway on the left.

Your instincts screamed instantly. That open path is a decoy!

"Hanbin! Go right!" you shouted. "I'm going left!"

"Wait, Captain!" Jaehyun yelled in panic, lunging forward to block you (but missing). "That left corridor connects to the main electrical room! The power is down, those doors are dead-locked! You can't open them! A thief wouldn't run into a dead end!"

Jaehyun's warning was entirely logical, and dripping with genuine concern.

But Y/N didn't care. She trusted her gut over a profiler's logic any day.

"If it's locked tight... then he can't escape either!"

You sprinted down the left corridor without looking back, leaving Jaehyun standing there with a hardened, stressed expression... before he quickly smoothed his features back into neutrality as he felt the other male officer's gaze on him.

Darkness swallowed the narrow hallway.

You chased the shadowy figure hauling a massive cylindrical painting tube.

"Stop!"

You raised your gun, aiming at the center of his back.

The figure glanced back. Ahead of him was a massive steel door... tightly shut due to the power outage.

Checkmate. A dead end.

"Drop the weapon and get on the ground!" you shouted, advancing slowly.

The shadow had nowhere to run. He backed up against the heavy door, his hand gripping the locked handle.

You saw the figure raise a hand to his right ear. And in the blink of an eye—

FLASH!

Every single spotlight in the corridor flared to life at maximum brightness simultaneously.

"Ugh!"

Y/N, whose eyes had completely adjusted to the dark, threw her hands up instinctively. The blinding light completely whited out her vision for a crucial second.

Clang!

The sound of the heavy steel door swinging open.

And just as your vision began to clear, the door slammed shut.

"Dammit!"

Gritting your teeth, you forced your eyes open against the glare and fired a blind warning shot at the door.

BANG!

The bullet ricocheted off the steel frame in a shower of sparks.

But the shadow was gone.

Y/N rushed to the door. Sitting perfectly on the threshold was a Jack of Clubs card.

It had a small scorch mark on the edge... from the bullet you had just fired.

"FUCK!!"

You screamed, kicking the steel door in sheer frustration.

So close... I was so damn close!

Jaehyun came panting down the hall, bending over and resting his hands on his knees behind you.

"Huff... Captain... Are you okay? The gunshot..."

He looked at the sealed door and feigned shock.

"Oh... the power just came back on? Wow... infernal timing."

Y/N whipped around to glare at him. Her eyes were still bloodshot from the blinding lights and sheer rage.

"Infernal timing...?" she said, her voice dripping with ice. "Or did someone deliberately turn on the lights so he could escape?"

Jaehyun flinched, looking thoroughly rattled.

"C-Come on, Captain... Who could possibly do that? The electrical system here is a mess... Besides, I was running right behind you the whole time." He gestured defensively, pleading his innocence.

Y/N stared him down.

Jaehyun genuinely looked exhausted. He was sweating, breathing heavily, and looked suitably spooked.

But the festering irritation in her chest made her want to blame everyone.

"Regroup," she ordered coldly, bending down to bag the scorched Jack. "They survived on dumb luck this time... But I won't miss again."

She shoved past Jaehyun, bumping his shoulder hard as she walked back the way they came. Jaehyun stumbled slightly from the impact.

But once your back was completely out of sight... he slowly straightened up.

He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

His eyes lingered on the scorched Jack of Clubs swaying in your hand as you walked away.

He reached up, tapping his earpiece twice, before seamlessly shifting back into a jog to follow you.

The atmosphere in the exhibition room grew exponentially more tense when the actual host arrived, just minutes after midnight.

Shin Donghyuk, the real estate mogul and owner of the stolen painting, was red in the face, screaming at Hanbin and Sohee as they collected evidence.

"What kind of garbage police work is this?! My security is world-class, and you let a petty thief waltz in and steal my painting! Where is it?! Where is your damn search warrant?! Show it to me right now!"

Hanbin stood tall, trying to de-escalate calmly. "Sir, please calm down—"

"Don't tell me to calm down! I'll sue all of you! I'm taking this straight to the Police Chief!" Shin Donghyuk roared.

Y/N walked in just in time to realize the situation was going south. The 'fake' warrant was about to backfire spectacularly. (I mean, it wasn't entirely fake, right? You weren't 100% in the wrong here).

"Mr. Shin..." She stepped forward to intervene.

But before she could speak, Jaehyun suddenly stepped forward, hands casually in his pockets, blocking her path.

He smiled... but the smile didn't reach his eyes. It was a cold, freezing smirk—an expression he only allowed to slip because his team was standing behind him, out of sight.

"Mr. Shin..." Jaehyun's voice was quiet, but it resonated with chilling authority. "If I were you, I'd lower my voice."

"...Who the hell are you?"

"The person who knows you insured that painting for three times its actual value." Jaehyun leaned in, whispering so only the older man could hear.

"And I doubt your insurance company would be thrilled to learn that, to afford this 'Perfect Security' system, you fired your Head of Security last month to cut costs."

Shin Donghyuk went deathly pale. "H-How do you know..."

"I know a lot of things." Jaehyun's smirk widened. His dark eyes stared straight into the billionaire's, as if casually dissecting his soul. "Right now, the thief only stole a painting and your pride. But if you keep screaming for that warrant until the press catches wind... the next thing to vanish might be your company's stock price."

"..." Shin Donghyuk's jaw worked silently. He was completely speechless.

"Take your pick," Jaehyun offered pleasantly. "Let us quietly catch the thief, or keep yelling at us until your shares plummet?"

The old billionaire swallowed hard before aggressively turning away. "F-Fine! Just catch them! And make sure this doesn't leak to the press!"

With that, he stormed out of the room.

Silence fell over the room once more.

Sohee stared at Jaehyun, awestruck. "Whoa... Mr. Jaehyun, you totally shut that old guy down! How did you know about the insurance?"

Jaehyun spun around, flashing his usual goofy, harmless grin. "I guessed."

"Huh?!" Sohee squawked.

"...As if," Jaehyun shrugged, taking off his glasses to clean them.

"Did you notice, Captain? When he was screaming at Deputy Hanbin, his right hand never left his tie. And his eyes weren't looking at who he was yelling at; he was looking down and to the left."

"And?" You crossed your arms.

"In body language... adjusting the collar or tie is a Pacifying Behavior. People do it to self-soothe when they feel 'fear' or 'insecurity', not 'anger'. If he were genuinely furious about losing something he loved, his eyes would be bulging, and he'd be pointing fingers at our faces."

Jaehyun slipped his glasses back on, his eyes curving into happy crescents.

"Fear that outweighs anger... in billionaires, usually stems from one thing: the fear of a secret being exposed. I deduced that insurance fraud and cutting corners were his biggest nightmares. And bingo! I guessed right."

Y/N stared at him, a mixture of awe and heavy suspicion churning in her gut.

Is this man really just a psychologist? Such deep, specific insider knowledge... just from watching a man touch his tie? Or did he already know the facts before he walked in?…

Hanbin finished clearing the scene. Sohee took the unit's van and headed back first. It was exactly 1:00 AM.

Y/N sat in the passenger seat of her own car, with Hanbin insisting on driving.

"You're emotionally compromised. It's safer if I drive, Captain," he had declared stubbornly.

And in the backseat... sat Myung Jaehyun.

"I didn't bring my car tonight. Mind if I hitch a ride back to the precinct?" he had asked cheerfully, sliding into the back before anyone could say no.

She pulled out her phone. 15 missed calls from Jake.

Sighing, she called him back.

"Y/N! You brat! Finally picking up!" Jake yelled the second the line connected.

"Yeah, I know... I'm sorry," Y/N muttered, sounding exhausted.

"Do you know I almost had a heart attack?! Dispatch called to verify the emergency warrant! I had to lie through my teeth! If Grandpa finds out, he's going to kick my ass! ...And if my dad finds out, I'm losing my badge!"

"Thanks..."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever... Did you catch them? H.O.C.?"

Y/N went silent. She looked out the window, catching the reflection of Jaehyun in the glass. He appeared to be fast asleep in the backseat, looking dead to the world.

"No... They slipped through my fingers."

"..." Jake paused. "It's okay. Treat it as a learning experience. Be careful out there, Y/N. These aren't your average thieves."

"Yeah... I'll hang up now."

Y/N put her phone down and glanced up at the rearview mirror.

And in that split second...

Jaehyun, who she thought was asleep, was staring right back.

His dark eyes locked onto hers through the mirror... still, profound, and utterly unreadable.

Y/N didn't say a word. She quickly looked away, staring straight ahead at the dark road.

A chilling thought crept into her mind. In this game of cat and mouse...

The mouse might be sitting much closer than she thought.

[ 2:30 AM – D.A.R.T Headquarters ]

The blinding neon lights of the precinct were painfully bright, contrasting sharply with the heavy, suffocating mood hanging over the room.

You led the team in, your footsteps heavy and fast. You ripped off your jacket and slammed it over the back of your chair.

Smack!

No one dared to speak.

Even with white-hot rage pulsing through your veins, your legal mind was already calculating three steps ahead. You grabbed the pen and aggressively filled out the Log Book, intentionally classifying the recovered Jack of Clubs not as a product of the premises search, but as 'abandoned property recovered from a public escape route during pursuit.' It was a flawless exploitation of the Plain View Doctrine—rendering the evidence legally pristine and completely bypassing the tainted nature of the warrant you had used to get inside.

You slapped the ziplock bag onto the counter, leaving it for the bewildered night duty officer, and walked out of the room without a single word of goodbye.

The elevator doors slid shut, leaving a stifling silence in their wake.

Lieutenant Lee Sohee was the first to move.

He tossed his tablet onto his desk without a care and slung his worn-out backpack over his shoulder.

"I'm heading out."

He stated it flatly, entirely in character for a tech genius who couldn't care less about office politics.

"Wait, Sohee..." Hanbin called out. "Aren't you going to stay and help draft the preliminary report? Or check the footage..."

"Waste of time, Deputy." Sohee replied without even looking back, hands shoved deep into his pockets. "The digital footprint in a 1-kilometer radius was wiped clean. The footage was scrubbed and looped perfectly."

Sohee adjusted his straps. "I'll try to recover it at home. The machines here are too damn slow." He finally threw Hanbin a look of pure boredom. "Besides... my contract explicitly states I only work official hours, or 'as necessary'. And right now... it's no longer necessary."

With that, the young hacker—who had once breached military satellites just for fun—whistled a tune and strolled out the door, leaving the mountain of paperwork to the remaining two.

Only Sung Hanbin and Myung Jaehyun were left.

Hanbin let out a long, heavy sigh, loosening his collar. He looked at the door where the others had disappeared, then at the towering piles of files on the desks. Finally, his gaze landed on the last remaining member.

"Mr. Jaehyun," Hanbin said evenly. "You can head home too. I'll clear up the paperwork and log the state property."

Jaehyun, who had clearly been waiting for an excuse to bolt, nodded with a soft, polite smile.

"Thank you, Deputy Sung... I'll be taking my leave, then."

Jaehyun gave a small, respectful bow before turning around. He slipped his hands into his pockets and strolled toward the exit, looking entirely relaxed, as if the massive failure of the night hadn't affected him in the slightest.

Hanbin stood perfectly still, one hand resting on a stack of files.

But his sharp eyes weren't looking at the documents.

He was staring intently at Jaehyun's broad back as the man walked away.

Hanbin's eyebrows knitted together ever so slightly.

He didn't say a word. He just stood there, watching, until Jaehyun's figure disappeared down the hall.

Until the door completely shut behind him.