A/N: this series will featured descriptions of gun violence.
Synopsis: Lee Do never lets anyone get too close. Especially not his pretty new partner. But there’s something about the way you smile that Lee Do can’t get out of his head.
Lee Do had always lived an isolated life. He had his job, and as far as he was concerned, that was all he needed. The possibility of having a family of his own was snuffed out the day his was stolen from him as a child. The heartbreak he had felt that day had never faded, had never lessened, and Lee Do refused to put himself through that again. To him, it was better to be alone than have his world shattered all over again.
He was content helping his community, walking the streets day after day to make sure he helped as many people as he could. He tried not to notice all the couples holding hands, or the dad’s playing with their children in the park. That was a life he wouldn’t lead, out of choice, and he was happy with the decisions he’d made. A family would take away from his job, and he couldn’t bear the thought of not being there when someone needed help.
Lee Do was fiercely independent, forgoing a partner like most officers had. He liked the solitude, relished the silence that came with working alone. There was no one for him to care about and grow attached to that way.
When the boxes of bullets were found at a crime scene, Lee Do was the first on the scene. His time as an army officer had granted him in-depth knowledge of firearms, and he knew more about guns than any of his colleagues did. But no amount of knowledge could have prepared him for the atrocities that would take place.
The first mass shooting had caught everyone off guard, and Lee Do was thrust right into the heart of the investigation. The carnage was unlike anything he’d ever seen, even on his worst days in the military. The bloodshed and death only reaffirmed that he was right to spend his life alone. There was no chance of getting hurt if he didn’t have anyone to lose.
But then you arrived. A detective transferred from another division, you were highly trained in the use of guns and highly knowledgable about the world of gun trafficking, and according to your old boss, you could take apart and reassemble a gun in your sleep. The higher ups wanted you leading the investigation with Lee Do, insisting that two of you together would be unstoppable.
Lee Do insisted he didn’t need a partner, but once you were stationed at the desk next to his, there was no going back.
You were a little too loud for Lee Do. You smiled too much, laughed too hard and quickly made friends with just about everyone in the office. You spent your days together trying to piece together an impossible puzzle, and he had no doubt that you were an excellent officer. But you made his preferred life of solitude almost impossible, and he found your never-ending optimism grating.
You could see that Lee Do had no patience for you, and you wondered why he was so quiet and withdrawn. You tried to get him out of his shell, but unless it was about the case, he wasn’t interested in talking.
“We’re here to work,” he reminded you one day as you asked him how his evening had been. “This isn’t a social event.”
He knew he’d put his foot in his mouth as you locked eyes with him, your mouth forming a thin line. “Oh thank goodness,” you quipped. “I left my party hat at home.”
He was taken back by your sarcasm, noting the playful half-smile on your face as he fought his own grin. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d smiled properly.
You noticed him fighting a smile and wondered why he was so damn stubborn. His unwillingness to connect was frustrating, but you weren’t giving up on him yet. There was something about Lee Do that you couldn’t put your finger on, but you could tell there was more to him than met the eye.
“I haven’t seen you eat all day,” you said, shutting down your laptop for the night. “Fancy grabbing a bite?”
“I have paperwork,” he muttered, sinking a little lower in his chair, like he trying to make himself smaller.
“Ah, the old paperwork excuse,” you winked, trying not to let his brush off get to you. “Will you still have paperwork to do if I offer to pay? I just figured if we’re going to be working together, we should get to know each other.”
Lee Do looked at you, that small smile that irked him playing on your face. He had to admit, you were beautiful, and if he’d been a different person, maybe he’d have dropped his guard and allowed himself to enjoy your company. But feelings came with risks he wasn’t ready to face.
“Fine,” he finally agreed, hiding his blush as you beamed. “One dinner.”
You took him to your favourite place in the city, and ordered everything on the menu. He sat and listened as you talked about your life, your family and your friends. You were so animated, so full of life and so vibrant. Lee Do just sat back and watched you, wishing he had something to add to the conversation. But he had no friends, no family, nothing outside of his job. He carefully dodged any questions you asked him, steering the conversation back to you. You knew what he was doing, and wondered why he didn’t divulge anything about himself. You’d had a few partners in your career, but none had been as private and withdrawn as Lee Do.
You pulled out your card at the end of the meal to pay, but Lee Do shook his head, handing his card to waitress before you had the chance.
“To make up for not being the best partner so far,” he muttered sheepishly. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he’d had fun. It was the first night he hadn’t spent alone at his desk in god knew how long. You gave him the sweetest smile in return, promising to bring breakfast for the two of you tomorrow.
That smile of yours graced his dreams that night, and Lee Do awoke with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He couldn’t allow himself to get too close, to forge anything more than professional familiarity. But when he arrived at work and found you sitting at your desk, coffee and pastries in tow, he realised he’d already let himself slip. He was getting too close for his own good, and if he wasn’t careful, he’d find himself broken-hearted again. This case wasn’t simple, and there was more bloodshed on the way. He had to protect his heart. Because for the first time in years, he was afraid of losing someone again.
