EPISODE 70 – A Party, A Prank, and A Proposal
The confrontation with Shin Hyo-jin was swift and decisive. The team, a well-oiled machine, had moved with a single-minded purpose. With the "ghost" killer subdued and the victim, Jihye, safely in the hands of paramedics, the mission was a success. Now, as the last of the police and medical crews swarmed the apartment, the CHIPER team was ready to make their silent exit.
Still dressed in their tactical gear, they blended into the background, leaving the scene to the official authorities. They had done their part, operating in the shadows as always. Their dark, nondescript outfits ensured no one would recognize them, their faces hidden by the anonymity of the bustling city. Their only trophy was the knowledge that a twisted predator was finally off the streets.
Back at their mobile command unit, the air was still thick with the adrenaline of the mission. They all took a collective breath, the weight of the past few hours finally lifting. Minjae and Dohee quickly returned their weapons and gear to their respective cases, their movements efficient and practiced.
As they got into the van to head back to HQ, Dohee turned to Kevin, a rare, genuine smile on her face. "You know what? I think we deserve a party. We just caught a serial killer, after all."
Kevin leaned back, a satisfied look on his face. "I like the sound of that. So, where should we celebrate our success?"
Guen, still mentally processing the mission, piped up, "Here! In the HQ. It's safe, and we have everything we need."
Alex, already in a celebratory mood, chimed in, "Yeah, that's a great idea! I'll go buy the food and drinks."
"Wait, wait," Dohee interjected, holding up a hand. "That's too much work for just one person. We should split up. Some of us will get the supplies, and others will get the HQ ready for the party."
Micha, who had been quietly taking off her tactical vest, looked up. "I have an idea. How about all the boys go buy the food and drinks, and all the girls stay here and decorate?"
Minjae's face lit up. "Okay! I'll drive."
"Perfect," Kevin said with a confident grin. "Alright, Alex and Minjae, you're with me. Micha and Dohee, you're on party prep." He started walking towards the exit, but then paused, looking at Guen.
"What? I'm here too," Guen said, confused. "Why didn't you tell me to stay?"
Kevin turned, a mischievous, almost naughty smile spreading across his face. "You? Do you even know how to do party prep? You can't cook, you're terrible at 'home works,' you only know how to cut up humans with a scalpel!"
The room erupted with laughter. Even Micha and Dohee, despite their close friendship with Guen, couldn't hold back their giggles. Guen's face, however, turned a fiery shade of red. She let out an indignant shriek and lunged at Kevin, a blur of motion, her fists flying. "You absolute brute! How dare you!"
Micha, still laughing, tried to pry them apart, but Guen's fury was immense. Kevin, expertly dodging her blows, held her off with one arm, a triumphant smirk on his face. "Easy there, tiger!" he said, his voice laced with playful provocation. Then, he leaned in, lowering his voice so only she could hear. "If you don't let me go, or stop hitting me, I'll kiss you again in front of everyone."
Guen froze, her eyes widening in a mixture of shock and mortification. The memory of their last kiss, both a surprise and a jolt of electricity, rushed back to her. She immediately stopped struggling, her fury replaced by stunned silence. "Fine," she hissed, pulling away. "This is the last time. Don't you dare mess with me again."
Micha, ever the peacemaker, put an arm around Guen. "Hey, hey, it's okay," she said, trying to cheer her up. "He's just an idiot, don't mind him. Besides, you're a genius with a scalpel! You could probably carve an ice sculpture better than anyone!"
Dohee gave a sympathetic nod, though a faint smile was still on her lips. Kevin, seeing his moment to escape, laughed. "Alright boys, let's go! Take care, girls... and the duckling!"
Guen let out another furious cry and tried to chase after him, but Micha and Dohee held her back, their grip surprisingly strong. Kevin, Minjae, and Alex made their escape, their laughter echoing down the hallway as Guen continued to shout after them, her cheeks still red with a mix of rage and embarrassment.
Party Prep and Car Talk
As the girls set to work, the headquarters transformed. Micha, with her quirky aesthetic, organized colorful confetti and balloons, and even brought out some of her own homemade teddy bear-shaped cookies, a sorry-gift that she had meant to give to Minjae. Dohee, the practical one, set up the glasses, napkins, and a cooler for the drinks. Guen, still grumbling about Kevin's taunts, reluctantly helped, occasionally muttering under her breath about "killing him" and "slicing his throat" with a sterile precision that made Micha and Dohee wince.
"He's just so rude," Guen fumed, arranging the plates with unnecessary force. "Calling me names, saying I can't cook... I could cook if I wanted to! He just gets on my last nerve."
Micha offered her a cookie. "I know, I know. He can be a handful. But I've noticed... he only does it to you."
Dohee, ever observant, added, "And you only get this worked up with him. It's... interesting."
Guen's protests were cut short by a knowing look from her friends, and she huffed, turning back to her work with a quiet fury.
Meanwhile, in Minjae's sleek, black sports car, the three boys were on a mission. Minjae drove with his usual confident swagger, while Alex, in the back seat, scrolled through a list of food apps.
"So, bro, I think your girlfriend is pretty mad at you now," Alex teased, a smirk on his face.
Minjae chuckled from the driver's seat. "He deserved it. He was a real bully. But I think she'll get over it. You two have a very... physical relationship," he added, a glint in his eyes.
Kevin, in the passenger seat, just laughed, shaking his head. "She's not my girlfriend. And we're not 'physical.' It's just... friendly rivalry."
Alex and Minjae exchanged a look. "Friendly rivalry that involves kissing and bone-breaking threats?" Alex quipped. "That's a new one."
Minjae, now fully into teasing mode, turned his attention to Alex. "What about you, bro? You've been quiet. Are you still single? Do you need a settlement with another girl? I can help you, I have a lot of connections."
Alex, caught off guard, waved his hands in denial. "No, no, I'm... I think I'm okay being single. I appreciate the offer, though. I'm just not interested right now."
Minjae leaned in, a theatrical look of concern on his face. "Really, bro? Are you going to die single? Are you... a gay? Do you have an interest in boys? If so, please tell me, I have so many boys I can set you up with!"
Alex burst out laughing. "Hey, Minjae! I'm not gay! And no, I don't have an interest in boys! I'm just... too lazy for all the dating and marriage stuff. It seems so hard. And honestly, I love my job so much, I don't think I can handle a relationship and a secret CHIPER life at the same time. I don't have any plans."
Kevin, who had been listening with a thoughtful expression, suddenly spoke up. "You know, you could try asking out Dohee. I think she'd be fine with it. You two are perfect together, you get along so well, and you know each other enough to make it work."
Alex's face immediately turned bright red. "Hey, bro! Don't say things like that!"
Minjae's eyes widened in fake surprise. "Ooh! Our Alex baby got shy! That means Alex likes Dohee! Okay, okay, then I'll help you!"
"No, no! Don't do that! It's not like that!" Alex protested, but his protests were met with laughter from both Minjae and Kevin.
They arrived at a bustling commercial center, their mission to procure a feast. They bought a mountain of fried chicken from KFC, an assortment of burgers, pizzas from a popular franchise, and some Korean dishes like gimbap and tteokbokki. Alex, with a thoughtful look, also grabbed a few cartons of ice cream. Kevin and Minjae raised their eyebrows. "Ice cream?" Minjae asked with a smile. "Alright, let's go! We have enough food to feed an army."
Back in the car, Minjae drove with Kevin in the front and Alex in the back, surrounded by bags of food and drinks. Alex looked at the spread with a concerned expression. "We bought so much unhealthy food... and alcohol too. Is this really safe for us? I don't think we can drive home after all this."
Kevin, ever the pragmatist, reassured him. "It's fine. My drivers can take us all home, don't worry."
Minjae, with his usual mischievous glint, added, "Or we could just all stay at the HQ together?"
Alex immediately shot him down. "Minjae, why don't you ever think of good things? You're always having bad ideas! What if we get drunk, and there are girls there? It's not safe!"
Kevin, now a mediator, said, "He's right, Minjae. It's not safe. But don't worry, Minjae was just kidding."
"Of course I was kidding!" Minjae said with a laugh. "But you know, I do have experience with that stuff..."
Alex's eyebrows shot up. "What? With drinking and driving? With what?"
Kevin quickly intervened. "Hey, Alex, don't listen to him. You know Minjae's crazy. Minjae, you need to decrease your alcohol limits and stop visiting bars and clubs, understand?"
Minjae gave a mock salute. "Yes, bro, understand!" He winked at Alex. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not a jerk. I was just talking about... having an experience driving while drunk!" he said with a laugh.
They finally arrived back at HQ, their car now overflowing with food. Minjae turned to his teammates with a grin. "Alright, let's go see what the crazy girls did."
They scanned their fingerprints and faces to get access to the HQ, and as the doors slid open, they walked in, shouting, "We're back with food and drinks!" The sight that greeted them was a transformed meeting room, filled with balloons, confetti, and the comforting scent of home-cooked food.
The party was about to begin, a well-deserved celebration of their victory.