In The Dark (SNOWDROP)

"don't be an idiot"

❄︎ — chapter 25 — ❄︎

Lee Kangmu tried his best to lie about where he and Lim Sooho had been, but even he could tell his fake and hastily-thought-up cover story was crumbling under Jang Hanna's gaze. Nothing in her expression suggested she might be buying what he was telling her.

Halfway through his and Sooho's ramblings, during which they probably contradicted each other a number of times, Hanna held up her hand, making them both fall silent.

"Sure, whatever, you were out picking up something from the post office," she said dryly. "Don't you two have some more files to sort?"

Sooho nodded eagerly, desperate for anything end this painfully awkward situation. "Yes, we do. We should get back to that, right hyung?"

"Right," Kangmu mumbled. Hanna stood and left the room, but he didn't miss her cutting glare as she brushed past him and slammed the door shut behind her.

He ran a hand through his dark hair. "Ssi-bal... I'm so dead, aren't I?"

"Yep," Sooho replied, forcing cheeriness into his voice. "But if it makes you feel better, I'm also probably dead with you."

"Gomawoyo..." Kangmu mumbled sarcastically. "That makes me feel so much better."

Outside his office, Hanna slumped into the chair next to Joo Gyeokchan's.

"Did they lie or admit the truth?" Gyeokchan asked.

She scoffed. "Timjangnim can't lie to save his life."

"So..."

"He still tried to lie," Hanna said. "Now I just need to think about ways to give him a hard time about it."

Gyeokchan grinned. "I'm scared for him, now."

Hanna cast him a smirk. "You should be."

❄︎ — ❄︎ — ❄︎ — ❄︎ — ❄︎

That evening, Kangmu nervously asked Hanna over the radio if they could make a stop by his apartment before they went home to hers, claiming he needed to pick up a few more things. She said nothing, only switched lanes to the exit leading towards his neighborhood. He tried getting her to talk at least a little, but she stubbornly refused, her radio remaining silent.

The two agents' cars pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex. Hanna looked around tensely, and when Kangmu tried to take her hand she pulled it away, only pushing him quickly towards the door.

"The sun's going down," she said quietly. "We need to leave before it's totally dark. Be quick."

He nodded, and they entered the apartment building. Hanna's shoulders were tense as he pushed open the door to the stairwell.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" She asked abruptly after taking three steps.

Kangmu slowed, letting her catch up with him. "What makes you say that?"

"I know where you were. Did you really think I believed your shitty cover story?"

"I knew you didn't," he mumbled. "How did you know?"

"I saw you and Sooho coming back in two separate cars. Then Gyeokchan told me how you'd rushed off once you heard about Cheongya's and my argument. You didn't even wait for Sooho."