“Tell me again why I’m stuck with him?”

Dunk didn’t bother whispering. His voice carried across the busy precinct, loud enough for a few heads to turn—but Joong didn’t flinch. He was leaning against the desk with his usual smug look, arms crossed, pretending he hadn’t heard. But Dunk knew he had. Joong heard everything. Especially when it was about him.

Captain glanced up from his paperwork. “Because everyone else refused.”

Joong smirked. “I’m flattered.”

“I wasn’t talking to you,” Dunk snapped.

Joong pushed off the desk and walked over, way too casual, like he didn’t notice the tension burning between them—or maybe he enjoyed it. “Don’t worry, Dunk. I’ll carry the case and your attitude.”

Dunk’s jaw clenched. “You’re not carrying anything. Just stay out of my way.”

“I would if you weren’t so damn slow.”

The Captain slammed a file on the desk. “Enough. You’re working this case together. End of story.”

That was how it started.

Two detectives. One robbery case. Zero patience.

They drove in silence most of the time. Joong blasted music Dunk hated. Dunk took the long way just to annoy him. Every crime scene turned into an argument. Every suspect interview, a competition. And yet, they got results—because deep down, they were both good at what they did.

Too good.

Which only made the rivalry worse.

“You know,” Joong said one night as they sat in the car, watching a suspect’s apartment, “I used to think you were just uptight. But now I think you just hate fun.”

Dunk didn’t look at him. “And I used to think you were just arrogant. But now I know you’re also reckless.”

Joong leaned back in his seat, grinning. “You’re obsessed with me.”

“In your dreams.”

Joong turned his head, eyes lingering too long. “You do talk about me a lot. Even when I’m not around.”

Dunk finally met his gaze. “Because you keep messing things up.”

Joong’s smirk faded just a little. “Is that really what you think?”

Silence.

Dunk looked away first.

They sat there, tension coiled tight in the air between them, headlights from passing cars flickering across their faces. Something had changed lately—not in the way they fought, but in what wasn’t being said.

Maybe it was the way Joong sometimes looked at him when he thought Dunk wasn’t watching. Or the way Dunk had started to remember the exact sound of Joong’s laugh, even when he was alone.

But neither of them admitted anything.

Not yet.

⸻

Joong tilts his head, eyes trailing over you with a smirk that’s way too confident for someone this annoying.

“Careful, Detective … keep looking at me like that and people might think you actually like me.”