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It had been several weeks since they'd heard from the vampire killer and it was rather worrisome. The good thing was, they received all the information they needed from the other police stations, so they made some major progress in profiling the killer.

The problem was, it was just a theory. Even though it all made sense, they were off on two things: he hadn't dropped a body in over a month and he hadn't contacted Nari either.

Ever since she had that disturbing conversation with Jimin and Tae, Namjoon had been trying to hire a bodyguard for her, but she refused. After they fought about it for a few days, they finally agreed on something: she was not to be alone, in any circumstances, so Jungkook was always with her. He almost lived at her house now. She didn't mind, because at least now she had company and he had amazing cooking skills, so she ate well too.

But Namjoon wasn't the only one trying to be overprotective. Her dad wouldn't let her live! He even suggested she moved back with him. What the heck? After she ran away from that house and that life? Never!

A lot of people didn't know about her connection with Park Tech, or its president Park Han Sik, her dear father. But the truth was, she was the sole heiress of the company and everything he possessed. He had put her name on everything!

She had tried to persuade him to change it, but he wouldn't budge. He was certain for some reason that she would end up coming to the company and take after him.

She would never.

She was reading through her notes about the profile Jimin and Tae made when her phone started ringing again. It was her dad. She sighed and was about to reject the call when she heard Jungkook behind her.

"Please talk to him. He is going crazy about the whole thing."

"You're such a traitor! You talk to my dad behind my back!"

"Well, technically it's not behind your back since I always tell you. Plus, I'm not the only one. He usually calls hyung first."

Nari frowned at that. She knew it already, but it bothered her. Then again, her father was closer to Namjoon's parents than Jungkook's, so it made sense. But still. He shouldn't bother the poor boy, he had an already busy life as it was.

"Call him back, noona." Jungkook said when the phone stopped ringing.

"No."

"Don't be a brat."

"Don't be disrespectful."

"I'm not the one being disrespectful here, noona."

Then he went back into the kitchen. She didn't know what he was cooking, but it smelled so good! And that was her stomach's cue to start grumbling. She was getting up to join Kookie in the kitchen when her phone rang again. She picked it up this time.

"Dad."

"Will you stop ignoring me already?"

"No. What do you want?"

He sighed before answering "I'm really tired of your childliness, Nari. You're no longer a teenager, you're an adult. Act like it."

"Well, this adult woman doesn't want to move back with you, mister Park Han Sik."

"Okay, fine I get it. But can you at least meet me tomorrow for lunch?"

She thought about it for a moment. She didn't want to see him, but she knew he wouldn't give up. He'd call her until she gave in.

"Fine, just send me the address of wherever it is you want to meet."

"I'll send a car to pick you up."

"No!" She said in an alarming tone.

Most people at work didn't know her family background, except for Soha and Hoseok sunbae. But she suspected superintendent Min knew as well. The higher-ups in this country all knew each other after all.

"Why not?"

"I'll go by myself, dad. It's either that or I'm not coming at all."

"As you wish. See you tomorrow, then."

"See you tomorrow."

She hang up and looked up to see Jungkoog looking at her with a proud smile on his lips.

"It wasn't that hard, now was it?"

She rolled her eyes and walked past him into the kitchen. "What are you cooking?"

The day after, Nari was nervous all morning for some reason. Well, she knew the reason but it didn't make sense. He was her father for God's sake! Why would she be nervous to meet him?

Probably because you haven't seen him in months.

But so what? She didn't have to see him if she didn't want to!

She spotted him as soon as she entered the restaurant. One of his men was standing beside him and bowed at her when he saw her. She bowed back and watched him leave. Her dad told her that she didn't have to bow to the staff, but she didn't mind doing it. She owed them some respect, too.

She sat in front of him and gave him a forced smile.

"Hello."

"Nice to see you too."

"What do you want, chairman Park?"

"Can we eat before starting the hostilities?"

"I'm not hungry," She protested, but then her stomach started grumbling loudly.

She blushed and took the menu. She heard her father chuckle. She looked up and smiled. A real one this time. She hadn't heard him laugh in so long and he seemed younger all of a sudden. But he wasn't. He was turning 48 in a few months.

But whose fault was it that she hadn't seen or heard him laugh in a while? She shook her head and got back to the menu. She refused to feel guilty about this. It was all his fault. He always put his work first, so why did he want to be a father now that she was an adult?

All her life, he had tried to control her. He was trying right now, too. He hadn't said it yet, but she knew why he had called her out.

"Just so you know, I will not get off this case. It's too late for that, anyway."

He didn't answer and kept reading the menu. She frowned. Something wasn't right.

"Dad, I'm serious."

"I know. Now, can we eat?"

They had their lunch peacefully. Well, aside from the time when he brought up her moving back with him, everything went great. He even asked her if she needed anything. Did she need more money? Any appliances at her house?

Like seriously? He wired a crazy amount of money on her account every month, he bought her the house she lived in and it was already furnished when she had moved in. What else would she need? Did he think that she was working for free?

Right, she was earning nothing but crumbs, according to him. She would have been able to live well with what she earned, though. Other people did.

Paying rent, food, her bills and still being able to save.

The only reason she accepted to move into that house was that it was one of the conditions she had to oblige to for him to let her be a police officer. But she had to admit that it was convenient.

"Please pick up my calls from now on?"

"I'll try," she said with another fake smile.

He smiled and pinched her nose lightly before getting into his dark BMW. He waved her goodbye and the driver drove off.

She sighed and started walking back to work. It wasn't that bad, right? But still. Something wasn't right. They hadn't had such a peaceful meal in a very long time.

What was he up to?

Yoongi turned around to see his father followed by a couple of men in uniform, including his direct superior. They all looked so solemn. And his father was sending daggers at him. Not surprisingly.

He'd been avoiding him for weeks, after all.

"Commissioner Min," he said as he bowed.

The older man looked around the precinct and slightly tilted his head at everyone before looking back at his son. His expression became grim again when their eyes met. Yoongi sighed and walked up to him.

"Can I help you?"

"What exactly is going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you and your team slacking off?"

"Why-"

"Maybe you should give this case to another team? People are starting to talk and the whole police force is being criticized."

Yoongi smirked and slid his hands in his pockets.

"I see you've been talking to chairman Park."

There was a short silence, then commissioner Min hissed "let's talk in your office."

The group of men behind him stayed put as they were both headed to Yoongi's office. He closed the door behind him as his father sat on the sofa.

"Do you want some tea?"

"You need to switch the team on the case."

"You're obviously not thirsty..." murmured Yoongi as he sat on the couch near his father.

His father was glaring at him, probably waiting for an answer he already knew. Yoongi wasn't going to let the old man manipulate him again, ever. He had no right to interfere in this matter either. Well, technically he did. He was his boss's boss. But that didn't mean he had to listen to him.

There was no valid reason to change the current team working on the vampire killer case. They were doing good progress, so what was the point? The only reason his father would come here to ask this of him personally - except for the fact that his son wouldn't pick up his calls - was if chairman Park was pressuring him.

"Dad, let's not do this. I'm tired and stressed out enough. We've been trying to catch a serial killer who keeps outsmarting us. I already feel powerless enough."

"Maybe if you put a more competent team on it, you'd be more at ease."

"How do you know these guys aren't competent?"

"I've been following the case. Everyone has."

"We're doing fine, thank you for worrying."

"Do as I say, little boy."

Ooooh, he called him 'little boy'. He was getting pissed.

"Detective Park won't like that."

"Is she your boss?"

"She is one of my best detectives and if she is unhappy, I am unhappy too. So I'll have to decline your offer, dad."

"Yoongi, don't be stubborn."

"Commissioner Min, you're the one being stubborn here. Let us do our job, okay? Just tell chairman Park that you can't get a hold of me. He'll understand since he is also a busy person."

His father was now fuming, but he was holding tight onto his self-control. He cast Yoongi a menacing look, then abruptly stood up.

"We're not done with this conversation. We'll talk when I get back."

"From where?"

"You'd know if you weren't avoiding me."

Yoongi rolled his eyes and got up as well. He followed his dad outside and as the old man was leaving, he yelled: "I promise to come home soon for dinner!"

"I'm not feeding you shit until you come back to your senses!" He yelled back before leaving the precinct.

Yoongi facepalmed and turned back to see everyone watching him with stunned expressions. Oh, right. It was the first time for most of them to see him interact with his father, so of course, they'd be choked.

"Like father, like son." Soha said in a low voice.

"I heard that," Yoongi responded as he watched her with narrowed eyes.

"You were supposed to." She snapped back before looking away.

"I will make you guys respect me one day, I promise." He said as he joined them.

They then picked up where they had left off before his father's impromptu visit.

"If it's true that he's stalking Nari, it's taking him too long to contact her, right?"

They all went silent and some looked from Nari to Yoongi. Yoongi was watching Nari with a worried look on his face. She seemed in bad shape herself, and he could guess why. He wouldn't be able to sleep either if he was in her situation. He wished he could do more, but he wasn't God. All he could do was having officers patrol her neighborhood until that psycho made his next move.

"He's someone who watches his victims slowly bleed to death, so he is very patient. He is probably waiting for an opportunity."

"Then he is probably watching our every moves right now?"

"Probably."

"How can he be so close and no one is suspicious of him?"

There was another silence while everyone exchanged looks. They were obviously thinking the same thing, but no one wanted to voice it.

Did he have a mole in the police?

"You're 31 years old, Jin."

"I know my own age, what's your point?"

"Isn't it time for you to stop fooling around? Get a wife and settle down already."

"If this is the reason for your visit, you can leave. I have work to do."

His father raised an eyebrow at him and crossed his legs.

"Aren't we rude? You haven't seen me in weeks and this is how you welcome me?"

"You were away for only 12 days and we saw each other the night before your trip. Don't be a drama queen."

Mister Kim smiled at his son and patted his head affectionately.

"How have you been, son?"

"You should have started with that, instead of nagging."

Mister Kim laughed and Jin did the same.

"I'm okay, dad. How are you?"

"I'm healthy and grateful for it. But you don't look good, though. You look like someone who hasn't slept in ages."

Jin grimaced and shook his head.

"This handsome face never shows fatigue, you're imagining things, dad."

Mister Kim sighed, then took a serious expression.

"I know I can't convince you to quit and come work with me, but at least take care of yourself?"

Jin didn't answer right away. He had so much on his mind lately. How could he take care of himself? He couldn't keep this case out of his mind. Then there was Nari. He kept imagining the worse case scenarios.

Every time his phone rang, he was scared they were going to give him bad news about her... The last time he saw her, she seemed pretty shaken up by the whole message thing, but she refused to admit it. She put on a brave face, but he knew she was terrified.

Of course, she would be. Anyone would feel the same in her shoes.

"I just want to protect the people I love." He sighed.

"You can't be everywhere at the same time. Take it slow, ok?"

Jin nodded, then there was a short silence before his father broke it.

"Did you meet someone you want to protect?"

"I want to protect you guys."

"You know what I mean." Mister Kim said, rolling his eyes at Jin.

Jin just smiled and answered "Maybe."

Yes, and she has big green eyes and curly dark hair.

But just as a friend.

Or was she?

"When are you going to take a break?"

"After my next project, I promise."

His father nodded and his mother looked skeptical. Mimi just kept eating while listening to them talk. She was oddly silent that night.

"I promise, this time I'm taking at least two months of vacation."

"I'll wait and see. Anyway, how is everything? How is Nari?"

For some reason, he blushed at the mention of the name. This made no sense. They'd been friends for 22 years, why was his heart still fluttering at the mere mention of her name?

"She is doing fine."

His parents watched him expectantly and he frowned.

"What?"

"When is she becoming our official daughter-in-law?" his mother asked.

Mimi and Namjoon burst out laughing at the same time.

"Have I said something funny?" she said with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, you did. He will never be brave enough to tell her how he feels and the same goes for her. They are both very frustrating. Jungkook and I can't take it anymore."

Everyone looked at Mimi in silence, then his parents focused their attention on him.

"She doesn't see me like that," he defended himself.

"I beg to differ, son. She is definitely into you."

"Dad, please."

"It's true. Plus, who would reject you? Handsome, rich, respectful, sweet, smart... You're perfect! It's obvious she loves you."

Namjoon laughed at his father and tried to ignore his nervousness. He couldn't imagine Nari returning his feelings, so he decided not to risk their friendship for now. He was happy with the way things were and he wasn't going to screw that up.

Although, his feelings were getting stronger with every passing year. It was becoming scary.

"Why don't you invite her over for a meal one of these days? It's been a while since we've seen her."

"You guys talk to her on the phone all the time." Mimi intervened.

Their mother blushed and responded, "It's not the same."

"I was talking to her father not too long ago, he mentioned that she should hurry and marry you. Apparently, he is convinced that you'll be able to make her change her mind about being a detective."

Namjoon couldn't help but blush again. Marry her? Make her change her mind? What a joke!

"I think he is overestimating my abilities," he murmured before sipping his water.

After dinner, Namjoon went to sit in the library with his computer. It was his favorite room in the house for several reasons. It was the biggest, filled with books, and it was silent. He could write his songs there, read books or just relax.