Joong's POV
The restaurant Zee had chosen was a small but cozy Thai bistro, tucked away in a quieter part of the city. It wasn't overly fancy, but it had characterâthe kind of place you wouldn't find unless you knew where to look.
Joong glanced around as they settled into a booth. "You come here often?"
Zee shrugged. "Yeah. It's good, and it's never too crowded."
Joong nodded approvingly. "Good call."
They ordered their food, and for the first time since they met, work wasn't the immediate topic.
Joong found himself watching Zee a little differently nowânot just as an investigator, but as a person. Zee was composed, confident, and definitely sharp. But now, outside the office setting, there was a certain ease about him. He wasn't rushing through dinner. He wasn't checking his phone every five seconds. He was present.
"So," Zee said, breaking the silence as he poured himself some water. "You live alone?"
Joong nodded. "Yeah. Got my own place last year."
"Big step," Zee mused. "Not living with family anymore?"
Joong glanced down at his glass, fingers idly tracing the rim. "Nah. Not for a long time now."
Zee didn't press, but Joong caught the curiosity in his eyes. He wasn't surprisedâmost people expected him to have a strong family presence, but that was the thing. His family was complicated.
His father's fraud case had been public enough that people in the industry knew about it. And ever since his dad had gone to prison, Joong had kept his distance from the rest of his familyânot out of anger, but because he needed to be his own person.
"What about you?" Joong asked, shifting the focus. "You live alone?"
Zee smirked. "Yeah, but mostly by choice. I like my space."
Joong tilted his head. "You seem like the type who could get along with a roommate, though."
Zee let out a small chuckle. "I probably could. But I spend so much time at work that home is the only place I get to switch off. No distractions."
Joong hummed. He understood that. Work demanded so much of them that by the time they got home, the last thing they needed was more people to deal with.
Their food arrived, and for a while, they ate in comfortable silence. The flavors were rich, the spice hitting just right. Joong could see why Zee liked this place.
After a few bites, Zee spoke again, this time with a more thoughtful tone. "So, why insurance fraud?"
Joong glanced up. "What do you mean?"
"You're young. Sharp. You could've gone into law, finance, maybe even corporate investigations. But you chose this field. Why?"
Joong set his chopsticks down, considering his words. "Because I know what fraud looks like. And I know what it does to people."
Zee watched him carefully, waiting.
Joong exhaled. "I grew up seeing it firsthand. My dadâhe got caught in a fraud scheme, and it ruined everything. My family, our reputation, our finances. He made his choices, sure, but I saw how easy it was for people to convince themselves that bending the system was harmless."
Zee didn't react with pity, which Joong appreciated. Instead, he just nodded, as if understanding something.
"So now you make sure people like him don't get away with it," Zee said.
Joong smirked slightly. "Something like that."
A beat passed before Joong turned the question back on him. "What about you? You've been in this field for ten years. Most people don't stick around that long unless they have a reason."
Zee leaned back slightly, tapping his fingers against the table. "I like the chase," he admitted. "Finding the cracks, putting the puzzle togetherâfiguring out how people think when they're trying to cheat the system. It's never the same case twice."
Joong tilted his head. "That's it? Just the thrill of the game?"
Zee's lips quirked up, but there was something more behind his eyes. "And maybe, I just don't like seeing people get away with things they shouldn't."
Joong didn't push for more.
They weren't quite at the stage where personal histories were fully laid out, but this? This was a glimpse. A look at how who they were shaped the way they worked.
And as much as Joong hated to admit it, he and Zee weren't so different.
Their reasons were personal. Their approaches were different. But at the core of itâthey both wanted the truth.
As Joong picked up his chopsticks again, he found himself smirking.
"I think this is the first time we've actually talked about something other than fraud."
Zee chuckled. "Yeah, well. Don't get used to it."
Joong just shook his head, amused.
Zee's POV
The conversation had settled into an easy rhythm, their initial guardedness fading bit by bit. It was strange, really. Zee hadn't expected this dinner to be anything more than a quick meal before heading home, but now, he was actually... enjoying it.
Joong had layersâmore than Zee had initially assumed. He wasn't just sharp and ambitious; he carried his past with a quiet weight, turning it into fuel rather than baggage. Zee could respect that.
Joong took another bite of his food before casually asking, "So, when you're not chasing fraudsters, what do you do?"
Zee leaned back, tilting his head slightly. "You mean when I'm not working?"
Joong smirked. "Yeah. Do you even switch off, or is your whole life just about catching people in lies?"
Zee chuckled. "I do have a life, you know."
Joong raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting.
Zee exhaled. "Alright. I box sometimes. Helps me clear my head."
Joong blinked, a little surprised. "Boxing? Didn't expect that."
"Why not?" Zee asked, amused.
Joong shrugged. "You just seem like someone who would do something more... I don't know, calculated. Like chess or something."
Zee snorted. "I do like chess. But boxing keeps me sharp in a different way. It's about control, reading your opponent, knowing when to strike."
Joong hummed. "So, still calculated. Just... physical."
Zee smirked. "Exactly."
Joong tapped his fingers against the table, looking thoughtful. "I used to play basketball. Still do, sometimes, when I get the chance."
Zee glanced at him. "You any good?"
Joong scoffed. "Please. I was my university team's shooting guard."
Zee smirked. "So, confident, huh?"
Joong shrugged. "I don't lose."
Zee chuckled. "You say that like it's a rule."
Joong grinned. "It is."
Zee shook his head, amused. Yeah, that competitive streak made sense now.
They fell into another comfortable silence, their food almost gone, the night stretching on longer than either of them had planned.
Then, Zee asked, "What about music?"
Joong perked up slightly. "What about it?"
"Everyone's got a go-to artist or band," Zee said. "What's yours?"
Joong thought for a second before saying, "The Script."
Zee blinked. "Seriously?"
Joong smirked. "Why? What's wrong with The Script?"
Zee laughed. "Nothing, I just didn't expect you to be the emotional, introspective type."
Joong rolled his eyes. "They're good, okay? And their lyrics make sense."
Zee shook his head, grinning. "I'll admit, they have some good ones."
Joong raised an eyebrow. "And you? Let me guessâsomething loud. Rock?"
Zee smirked. "Close. I like alternative rock. But I also listen to jazz when I need to unwind."
Joong stared at him. "Jazz?"
Zee shrugged. "Yeah. Something about it helps me think."
Joong shook his head in mild disbelief. "Boxing, fraud investigations, and jazz. You're a weird combination."
Zee chuckled. "And you? Ex-basketball player with a love for emotional lyrics and an obsession with winning? You're not exactly simple either."
Joong smirked but didn't argue. Fair enough.
For a while, they just sat there, sipping the last of their drinks, neither in a hurry to leave.Zee realized something thenâthis didn't feel forced. They weren't just two investigators working on the same case. They were getting to know each other. Somehow, that made this whole thing a little more interesting.