Connected

Bang

Felix's voice was all I could hear above the pounding of my own heartbeat. "What the?"

I couldn't make out every word but I definitely heard the word police. My own heart was beating so loud I could barely hear what was going on.

I opened the door and walked out, holding both of my hands up.

A muscular man in a police uniform looked to me from Felix and back again. "Someone at this residence just committed an online felony. We are just here to try to figure out who that is."

Felix hadn't even looked when I came out of the bathroom but Hyunjin had seen me, with both hands held up. His face immediately fell, and it seemed like pieces had fallen into place in his mind.

"You're looking for me." I tried to speak slowly so my voice wouldn't shake.

Felix finally turned to look at me, "What a good joke, now can you please..." He had done a double take. His eyes bounced back and forth from my hands in the air to my eyes.

Hyunjin came up behind him and lightly pulled him back by his waist. "Wait, what's going on?"

The man walked past Felix, and I saw a smaller, younger man standing in the doorway on his radio. When the man reached me he came behind me and began putting my wrists in handcuffs.

"What are you doing?" Felix cried. Hyunjin had his arms firmly around him now, but Felix had started struggling, trying to break free from his grip. "Y/N, what are they doing?"

Once in cuffs the first officer sat me down against the wall in the entryway, allowing the second officer to keep an eye on me. I turned my head away from the living room. It was all that I could do to keep myself from looking at Felix's face as it fell. Our friendship shattered right in front of him.

The more the officers talked with Felix and Hyunin the more distraught Felix became. He kept asking questions trying to make sense of everything. Hyunjin did his best to comfort him, but was also trying to figure out everything himself.

The officer in the doorway was still on the radio. I could only make out, "Captain, you better get down here," before I heard Felix sob. I bit the inside of my cheek and looked up to the ceiling trying not to cry myself.

The officer in the living room took several more minutes to talk to both Hyunjin and Felix before coming back out towards the door. He stood in front of me then squatted down to my level.

"They don't know anything. It was all me."

He nodded, "I gathered that. They could still face charges though for allowing you the initial use of the internet."

I shook my head disagreeing with him, "Connection sharing has never been illegal. There won't be any charges brought against them."

"Yoh, I hope you're right."

"Captain's on his way," said the skinny officer in the doorway."

The man in front of me nodded, "Thank you Han." He stood back up, "Why don't you take her down to the car and I will stay up here."

Officer Han nodded, and helped me stand up, then escorted me out of the apartment.

"Wait!" Felix came running out and wrapped me in a hug. "It's not true right? You didn't do anything wrong?"

Hyunjin came out behind him and pulled him back from me.

"I'm sorry to both of you."

Felix turned to Hyunjin and continued crying into his shirt. Hyunjin patted him on the back then looked at me, "I promise."

I inhaled sharply as my vision swam and I looked right in front of me and nodded slightly.

"C'mon," Officer Han said, pulling me along again.

I didn't realize how uncomfortable handcuffs were going to be. They pulled and pinched in the worst spots around my wrists. Sitting in them was even harder. My arms were pulled in an unnatural way behind me and the metal was cutting into my back.

I spent ten minutes in the car when another police car pulled up in the parking lot. A tall man got out, swiping his black hair back and placing his hat on top of his head.

I watched as he sauntered over to our car and still jumped when BANG, he hit the top with his hand. I guess Officer Han wasn't paying attention because he jumped almost as bad as I did.

"Captain..." His voice trailed off.

"Han Jisung, you need to be much more vigilant. I'm in half a mind to write you up." His voice was like silk the way it drifted back to me and felt warm, even with the scolding he was doing.

"Sorry, sir."

The Captain's eyes glanced back to me, "Why the call? Seems like you and Changbin have it under control."

"It's just a question of what to do with the others in the apartment."

"They don't have anything to do with this." My voice broke into their conversation.

The Captain looked back at me again, "How do you figure?"

Oh, he was a sneaky one. That one question could unravel everything... And he knew it. He tilted his head.

I shook mine in response, "Are you in charge of this case?"

A small smirk pulled at the edge of his mouth. "What does that have to do with it?"

"I'm only allowed to give the details to the officer in charge of the case."

"Says who?"

I leaned a little further, trying to adjust my hands and arms, "My boss."

The Captain contemplated for a few seconds and Officer Han looked from him to me in the rear view mirror.

Finally he responded. "Fine, I'm in charge of the case. Han," his eyes turned back to the officer, "Take her to the station and start processing her. I will talk to Changbin and get the others' stories and meet you there." He leaned back from the car.

"Yes sir." Han said as he closed the door.

Han watched as the Captain entered the apartment building, then he looked at me in the rear view mirror again, "Time to go."

"Not much of a choice." I shrugged my shoulders.