Hongjoong lifted from his seat and smoothed out his tie. The agitated whispers about the general mistrust towards Seonghwa's hidden intentions being investigated got shushed by the call of the judge. The man motioned Hongjoong to speak.

"That would be me, My Lord. Hongjoong Kim from the detective bureau of Whitechapel."

Hongjoong didn't dare look at Seonghwa. Couldn't guess his thoughts.

"Mister Kim, what results did your investigation come to? The defendant is suspected of the murder of Albert May and prior spouses for this very inheritance."

"Not guilty," Hongjoong pledged. More shocked whispers, but he stood steady. He didn't care if someone was so personally sure of their theories. As long as the statement was his to make, Seonghwa would never have to see the inside of a cell.

Hongjoong's heart hammered in his chest at his lie. He kept his pan, hoping no one would notice.

Seonghwa sniffled.

"What a hateful claim... I just lost my beloved," he whispered and Hongjoong ducked his head.

"As morally divided as marrying people of age and money might be, there is no evidence Mister Park was anything but loving towards his husbands."

Yunho had crossed his arms. A frown knitted over his brow, but he didn't start an argument. This was Hongjoong's case.

Still, he didn't seem too supportive of this judgment. Wasn't it clear to everyone what Seonghwa had done?

"Good. In that case, Mister Park receives the full inheritance of Mister May. Court dismissed." The hammer came down on its wooden platform and Seonghwa properly broke out in tears. A cookie huddled over to soothe him, whispering how strong he was.

Though the shock lingered, no one had a reason to doubt the gumshoe specifically hired to investigate the case.

Hongjoong felt Seonghwa's eyes on him when he left his seat. The judge and his mouthpieces bid their polite farewells and rushed outside.

Yunho greeted Hongjoong in his corner.

"How peculiar. I was so sure he was a murderer," the detective noted with a glance at Hongjoong's fidgeting hands. Snickering, Hongjoong waved it off. He felt hot in his clothes.

"Not so far. Let's look into it again when number five dies."

With an unclear hum, Yunho joined Wooyoung to calm his agitated tirade about having to do another inspection. Though sure Yunho would address it again later in the bureau, Hongjoong was clear for now. He made his call, and the case was dismissed.

Since his fingers trembled so badly, Hongjoong went out for a smoke. He leaned against the building's corner, away from the stream of babbling guests. The hot smoke filled his lungs to calm his tremors.

Before long, the click of heels neared. Seonghwa elegantly rounded the corner and smiled coyly at Hongjoong's sight.

"Do you have fire?" He asked, and those grisly murder fingers tugged out an elegant long pipe from his purse and stuffed it. When Hongjoong flicked on a match for him, Seonghwa took a deep breath.

Leaning on the walls facing each other, they smoked for a quiet minute. Seonghwa studied Hongjoong with a fondness that made his head spin. His stomach was still in twists.

"What now?" Hongjoong asked as his eyes trailed over the way that elegant hand held the pipe.

In the shadows of London's seedy alleys, Seonghwa's hum was uncertain.

"I just earned a lot of dough and I should leave the country for a while until the general hatred has settled. But I would like to see you again."

"Where will you go?" Hongjoong breathed. He started his career by letting a murderer run free over an affair. Giving an actual judge he would see many more times a wrong number. His path would be rocky from here, even when he was almost sure Seonghwa would always win.

"France, perhaps, or Italy. I hear the fashion is lovely there."

Hongjoong lowered his eyes. Surely, Seonghwa would find his next husband soon, possibly overseas. He lived easily as he gathered everyone's desire for him as his tool of power.

A coo sounded between them. Seonghwa breathed out the cloyingly sweet scent of his pipe.

"Wait for my letter. I will send a handsome amount of money to reward your loyalty, darling," he promised. A hand found Hongjoong's chin, and he sighed into its dreadfully soft touch.

"Be safe. Don't get caught," Hongjoong muttered when Seonghwa stepped closer. His chin was tilted up and his red lips tugged into a grin.

"Never," Seonghwa hummed before his lips sunk onto Hongjoong's. They forgot their smokes, forgot the dingy alley behind them. Seonghwa's lips were soft and warm and tasted so enticing of danger.

Hongjoong yearned the moment Seonghwa parted from him. Forever pining for one he would never have.

"See you soon," Seonghwa whispered before his heeled boots left around the corner and disappeared into his world of temptation and racket.

Ending 2/7