Lupin: 3 Min Yoongi: 1 Scotland Yard: 0

The Royal Albert Hall set a new record for attendance as yesterday's recital featuring prodigy piano player Min Yoongi saw a crowd of over five thousand people gathering in the auditorium, while hundreds waited outside in the hopes of snatching last minute tickets to the hottest show in town. And the show did not disappoint, though not necessarily in the most conventional way. Some spectators admitted their fascination for Lupin was partly to blame for their rash purchase of overpriced tickets on the black market, convinced the gentleman thief would pull another stunt during the much-anticipated event. And many left the concert hall believing Lupin did in fact succeed in silencing Min Yoongi's instrument.

But very few expected the pianist to actually retaliate. Indeed, no sooner did Min realize his grand piano had been compromised that he called upon the staff to replace it with any available piano, as long as it was working. Thirty minutes later, concertgoers were gifted with an extemporaneous performance on a regular console piano which, surprisingly, managed to render quite beautifully Min's raw virtuosity.

On a more anecdotal note, rumour has it the Queen herself attended last night's recital incognito and she is said to have expressed her displeasure with the way Scotland Yard has handled the Lupin case so far.

♠

That final sentence was the last straw. Chief Rieken gritted his teeth, trying hard to figure out which emotion he should allow to take over his confused and stressed out self, replaying for the umpteenth time last night's events in his mind.

It had been close to 9:00 PM when a couple of police officers had brought inspector Jeon and reporter Park in. Rieken had thought he was going to die of laughter right then and there. Truth be told, he had derived excessive pleasure from locking them both up in a cell, believing the joke was on them at the time. He had gone home carefree and had enjoyed a most restful night. But as he saw the headlines in the morning, a lump began forming in this throat. He was currently drinking his fourth cup of coffee of the day and was finding it increasingly difficult to swallow.

Jimin, who had been reading the article out loud, threw the paper on the floor in anger. "I can't believe Gibson got to pen this! I was supposed to write this article! I'm the authority on Lupin!" he yelled, understandably upset.

"I'm sorry, Jimin. I really am," said Jungkook for possibly the hundredth time that morning.

"For the last time, Jungkook, I'm not angry with you but at him!" he replied, finger pointing at Rieken who was sitting at his desk, elbows on the table, mechanically rubbing his temples, perhaps in a desperate attempt to wake up from this nightmare which was presently running into overtime.

Somewhere, somehow, something had gone wrong. But what? Yesterday, he had it all under control. What could have possibly turned his world upside down? What clue had he missed? What mistake had he made? Not taking Jungkook seriously when the Lupin story was still mere tittle-tattle was likely his first miscalculation. Yet how could anyone have foreseen the Lupin saga to reach such proportions? Not only was the reputation of Scotland Yard tainted, he now feared for his job.

A rattling noise curtly broke his train of thought.

"Honestly though, for how long are you going to keep us in here?!" growled the reporter, furiously shaking the metal bars of their cage.

"It's no use, Jimin. His pride is hurt and he needs to blame someone for it."

"Be quiet! The both of you! Let me think for a moment." Rieken had got up from his seat and was pointing a quivering finger at the two in custody.

"I believe the time for thought has come and gone, officer." A woman no one noticed before had just spoken in a low but firm voice. Jimin stood still, mouth wide open while Rieken eyed her up from head to toe, wincing at such audacity.

"And you are?" he asked, barely saving face.

"She's Queen Victoria you half-wit!" Jimin whispered not so subtly.

Rieken's nightmare was going from bad to worse as the stranger lifted her veil to reveal the well-known royal profile. "Your Majesty!" gasped the chief. "To w- what — do I owe the honour of your visit?" he stuttered, betraying his ignorance of the etiquette applicable to such circumstances.

The Queen rolled her eyes at the other's obtuseness. "Just tell me who's in charge of the Lupin case," she requested drily.

"That would be me, your Highness." Jungkook had spoken calmly, but Jimin could see beads of sweat dripping from his temples.

The royal visitor quickly assessed the situation and turned toward Rieken whose assertiveness was shrieking at a rate of knots. "Are you telling me you have effectively locked up the only person presently working to stop Lupin from carrying out his misdeeds?"

"But they were practically caught red-handed, your Majesty!" Rieken's defence was weak, and he knew it.

Queen Victoria closed her eyes for a moment, briefly losing her balance as her head rolled back. The three men gasped, fearing she might fall backwards, but one of her bodyguards swiftly pulled a chair for her to rest. Once she recovered from her dizzy spell, she looked straight into Rieken's eyes and said, "if I were Lupin, I don't think I would wait until the night of the event to rig the outcome of the performance. In fact, from what I read in the papers, Lupin has likely been planning these stunts for months if not years!"

"But, but— "

"Hush. Another word from you and I'll have you fired. Now release these two men at once!" she ordered, running out of patience.

"But, this is not protocol!" Rieken was falling rapidly out of favour and had nothing left to hold on to but decorum.

"It is now. And I suggest you start looking for another job. Preferably one that does not require much use of the brain."

The police officer's hands were shaking so bad when unlocking the cell that Jimin almost felt sorry for him.

Almost.

The monarch then had both ex-cellmates sit at a desk with her. "Now tell me, what were you doing around the grand piano last night?" she asked, cutting to the chase.

"Well, we've seen the devices Lupin used to hypnotize clown Hoseok and to render Jin the Kantanto mute. Their designs were identical. It is likely he inserted a similar gadget inside Min Yoongi's instrument." Jungkook was trying to be as accurate as possible in as few words as he could so as not to waste his royal interlocutor's time.

"I see. Can you describe the design?"

Jimin went to grab a pencil and a piece of paper from former chief Rieken's desk. "Actually, I can draw it for you, if your Highness will allow me."

Her majesty smiled. "You would be Park Jimin if I'm not mistaken."

Jimin almost stopped breathing. "Y-you know me?"

"I have enjoyed reading your coverage of Lupin's wrongdoings. Although you sometimes portray him as a likeable character."

"Well, he hasn't killed anyone now, has he?" The kick in the shin he got from Jungkook had him bite his lips. He promptly looked down at his piece of paper and began sketching feverishly.

The royal lady wasn't fooled, however. She narrowed her eyes and let her chin rest gracefully on her hand. "You know his identity, don't you." She hadn't even bothered with the question mark because she was merely stating a fact.

Jimin gulped while Jungkook cleared his throat. "We are not to disclose information regarding an open case, your Highness. I'm sure you understand."

"Look who's hiding behind formalities now!" uttered Rieken who was still in the room.

"HUSH!" replied three annoyed voices.

In the meantime, Jimin had finished his rendering of Lupin's signature design, which earned him a bright smile from the Queen. "I know I can trust you now," she declared, pulling a similar device from her purse.

Neither of the men had expected the dreaded tool to be handed to them by non-other than the Queen herself. "Your Highness! Where did you find this?" they asked in unison.

"I had the grand piano dismantled," she confessed.

—

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