The Witness ➳ Taegyu

13. Stronger

*Black Reaper HQ*

A new member looked out the window of the high-rise building. It was a very tall building disguised as the headquarters of a printer company. But above the fourth floor were the endless stories of the Black Reaper's home.

"Sir, I wanted to ask you about the boss," the new member said, nervously shuffling on his feet in front of Lee Seojun's desk. "What happened to him? Are you technically the boss?"

Seojun laughed slightly and walked over to his wall of windows, staring out at the skyline of Seoul. "Kami and I are currently the only leaders. It's not an ideal situation, but there was no one to take the boss's place. The police took his life from us and sent our group spiraling. Kami and I have since stabilized the organization, but it is difficult. Especially now, since the police seem to be stronger... and smarter than before."

*Some days later (nearly four weeks since they met)*

Date: May 1st

"I'm sorry that you can't graduate with us," Yeonjun said while trying on his cap and gown in his bathroom. Beomgyu sat in his room since they were hanging out, and Taehyun was conversing with Yeonjun's mom downstairs for whatever reason.

"It's fine," he shrugged. "I'll be able to graduate when this is all over."

"Oh, yeah. About that. Have they made any progress in giving you freedom again? If you're just under protection because you were close to Mrs. Park, then you should be okay once this case is solved, right?"

Things weren't that simple, but of course, he couldn't tell his friends about what was truly going on. Even Soobin didn't know the truth. He was told that Beomgyu was abducted when they were supposed to hang out, but he wasn't told who did it or the fact that it had to do with the case.

"Maybe. It's not that easy though. Come out. I wanna see."

His friends were all graduating in just a few days. It hurt Beomgyu that he couldn't be there with them to all finish this part of school together, but he would be in the audience, cheering them on. Besides, when this was all over, he could graduate, and then get his PhD. When he had told Taehyun about his goals, the man was ecstatic. He genuinely thought it was insanely cool.

Although, to get a degree of such a level, you needed to actually be at school. Beomgyu just prayed that his time off wouldn't affect his chances to go bigger.

***

"That's a bummer," Rosé huffed, listening to Beomgyu's concerns while she worked on her computer. "But if there's one thing Taehyun can do, it's make sure you get proper treatment by the education system. What's happening isn't your fault. Your bad attendance isn't your fault either. I'm sure he will help you get into whatever program you want if you just ask him."

Ask him? He's done way too much for Beomgyu already. He couldn't possibly ask Taehyun to do any more.

He thanked her for her advice before remembering a question he wanted to ask her. "How come you're never with the other two when they go out?"

"I have different responsibilities than them."

"Don't they have different responsibilities than each other too?" They were all the captains and had the same level of authority, but they all worked in different categories. If Rosé wasn't there because she was from a different category, then why were the other two together?

"The places they go are places Taeyong was assigned to. Taehyun just likes going with him to help. Their brains together are formidable. They have been since they met."

Formidable, huh? He still wondered a lot about Taehyun. Sure, it was just Taehyun's job, but Beomgyu felt he had a right to be curious about him. They were living together, and they basically spent all of their time together. He knew Taehyun was smart just from listening to him speak about cases sometimes, but formidable?

It sounded very cool to Beomgyu.

"They met two years ago, right? Taeyong mentioned it the other day."

Rosé nodded. "Taeyong and I have both been cops for six years. We trained together and came here. Taehyun came here two years ago, and the three of us all became captains together. It's funny though. When discussing the idea of having a captain for different divisions, Chief Kim and the others all agreed that the captains should be cops for at least four years before having that title." She looked at Beomgyu from above her computer. "Taehyun became a captain right after he was sworn in."

It wasn't funny. It was just weird. Her and Taeyong were both in their late twenties and had been cops for six years, but Taehyun was only twenty-one, and had been a cop for two years. Was he really just that reliable that he moved up in the ranks immediately?

"He's our best officer. I promise. He just... has a bit of an attitude problem sometimes."

Chief Kim was right about everything he said. Regardless of Taehyun's attitude and childish personality, he was one hell of complex, yet endearingly kind person.

You couldn't blame Beomgyu for thinking so intently about him. Again, they spent almost all their time together.

Soon later, the two boys got back and Rosé gasped, making Beomgyu turn in his chair to look at them. They were both being helped in by lower-ranked officers, but they both looked beaten pretty bad. "What happened?!" Beomgyu and Rosé both yelled, running over to help them to their desks.

"You guys need to go to the infirmary. But first, what happened?" Rosé asked, getting the first aid kit she had in her desk and beginning to clean the cuts and other wounds on Taeyong's face, instructing Beomgyu to help Taehyun. "Idiot, speak to me. This is serious."

"Shut up," Taeyong groaned, wincing when she grabbed his head to keep him still.

Beomgyu kneeled in front of Taehyun, staring into his eyes that held every negative emotion one could imagine. He carefully began to wipe away the dirt in the bruised scrapes on his cheeks, apologizing when he seethed from the sterilizing chemicals.

"We were investigating a murder. They came up from behind and tried to abduct us, and we had to physically fight them because we didn't have time to reach for any weapons. They're with Kami's group. There's no doubt about it," Taeyong finally answered.

"What do they want with two officers who were just investigating a murder? Even if the person was killed by Black Reaper, they've never attacked police who were investigating the crime scene."

While Rosé questioned it and Taeyong admitted that he didn't know, Beomgyu continued cleaning Taehyun's wounds, noticing that his irritated expression turned to one of sadness. "They're still after you, Beomgyu. They're trying to kill the cop who is protecting you. That's why they tried abducting two random police. To get information on me. They will not leave you alone, no matter how long we wait this out with you under my protection."

What he said didn't do anything to soothe Beomgyu's guilt, but it made him want to do whatever he could to help. "Kami asked me something. Considering how fast the police moved at erasing my identity at school and stuff, she was surprised since you moved faster than Black Reaper. She asked what kind of a cop is working here, but I told her I didn't know. Maybe they could be looking for that specific cop too, which is also you, isn't it?"

Taehyun nodded. "Now we know multiple reasons they could be targeting police specifically." He sighed and put his hand over Beomgyu's that was still wiping his temple, making the boy freeze. "They are just ruining everything, aren't they?" He smiled softly and shut his eyes, but his sadness was devastatingly evident.

A/N: It's gonna get interesting here REALLY soon.