#01 | In Which Soon Youn Thinks Jae Beom Is To y For His Own Body

 

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December 3^rd, 2009

            11:10pm

Gangnam Gu, Seoul

 

SURPRISINGLY enough, Soo Youn has a rather good restraint system when it comes to alcohol. She only threw up about two times, and Officers Taec Yeon and Jin Young, were actually pretty nice about it. Officer Taec Yeon even gave her a hair tie to tie her hair up so she wouldn’t get puke on it. And Officer Jin Young bought her a bottle of water and a small bottle of mouth wash to refresh herself. This is one reason she never understood why Soon Kyu always says that police officers are mean; because, obviously they’re not.

 

The station was a ten minute drive. The precinct, at the very least, is simply small and disgusting. The windows are old, the white paint is decaying, and the blue sign that lists the station’s name is falling. Also, the small building really doesn’t fit in with the tall skyscrapers surrounding it. It’s more of an eyesore that makes you want to stare at it instead of look away.

 

“Here we are.” Officer Jin Young parks the police car in the front of the building, and almost immediately Officer Taec Yeon hops out before walking to the other side and helping Soo Youn out.

 

 

“Don’t worry about the blood; Ju Hyun-ah will fix you right up.” Taec Yeon says with a smile, and she nods her head back and forth, but regrets it the minute pain erupts on the right side. “And don’t worry about me pressing charges. I know you were probably thinking we were some type of dangerous men roaming the streets; it’s not like we have our uniforms on. But its protocol for you to stay in the station cell until someone can pick you up.”

 

Soo Youn smiles, “Thank you.” He nods his head as he brings her to the station cell and sits her down on the cold metal bench before walking into the cubicle area. “Ju Hyun-ah, can you please help her, she’s injured her nose.” He begs and the tall brunette nods her head.

 

She glances in the way of the cell to see the orange haired girl now holding the side of her head while touching her nose with her other hand. Moisture of blood is gathering together at the bottom of her chin after running from her nose, and down her lips. She stands up and reaches into Taec Yeon’s desk drawer to grab the first aid kit, once doing so she embarks her way into the cell where she crouches down in front of Soo Youn.

 

“Hi, I’m here to check on your injuries.” She says in a sweet voice.

 

Soo Youn looks up at her, “My nose hurts…a lot actually.” Ju Hyun nods her head causing a few strands of her brunette hair to fall out of her pony tail and in front of her face, but she quickly puts it behind her hair and opens up the first aid kit. She grabs a hold of some packets, opens them up, and pulls out two wet wipes.

 

She looks up at Soo Youn and offers a reassuring smile before placing a hand on the back of her neck—to keep her in place—while using her other hand to wipe a majority of the blood away from her nose, and chin. “Is it bad?” Soo Youn asks in a nervous voice. The last thing she needs is a broken nose right before mid-terms, and term papers.

 

Ju Hyun covers up her giggle as she shakes her head. “No, you must’ve just hit it hard for it to bleed. It doesn’t seem fractured, and it’s definitely not broken. Is there a lot of pain?” She asks to which Soo Youn shakes her head before cringing at the painful feeling once more. “Oh, what is it?”

 

She bites her lip, “It’s my head. I kind of got drunk because of a bet. You see, I don’t drink much but when my best friend made practically said I couldn’t it just meant that I had to, so I did.” The girl laughs and the orange haired girl only smiles in embarrassment once she hears how stupid it sounds.

 

“You can take some Aleve if that’ll help the pain.” She says while bring out two small peach colored pills. “Here.” She places them in the palm of Soo Youn’s hand, allowing her to down them quickly.

 

She’ll do anything to get rid of the pain in her head. Absolutely anything. “Oppa, give her a phone to call someone. I doubt she wants to be stuck here all night.” The girl yells as she exits the small cell.

 

Taec Yeon drops the bottle of orange juice in his hand, and grabs a hold of the longish gray telephone before bringing it to the cell and handing it to the girl. “You can call until someone agrees to pick you up.” He says as he takes a step back to give her a private conversation.

 

She quickly dials in Soon Kyu’s number and waits for the girl to pick up if she does pick up at all. Soon Kyu isn’t well known for staying awake to the depths of night like Soo Youn is. Usually Soon Kyu likes to get her beauty sleep so she can look ‘perfect’ for her date with whatever ‘lucky’ guy is taking her out. “Who the hell is calling me at,” The girl’s anger pauses as she looks over to her side table at her bright green clock, “At freaking eleven at night?”

 

Soo Youn huffs, “I’m in jail you wench.”

 

Both Taec Yeon, and Jin Young—who are sitting right at the desk outside of the cell—stare at the girl who looks innocent but seems to be good at using words that are anything but. “Yeah, right.” She spits back sarcastically while pulling herself into a lay sitting position. “Let me talk to the police officer then.” Soo Youn purses her lips before looking up at the tall man in front of her who is still staring at her wide eyed. It’s a never before seen sight for him.

 

“I’m sorry, my witch of a best friend doesn’t believe I’m here can you talk to her.” She passes him the gray telephone through the bars of the cell and Taec Yeon accepts it takes hesitantly. Instead of putting the phone to his ear, he holds it in front of him and stares at it. “Don’t worry, she can’t bite over the phone; but she sure can bark.” She mumbles with a slight smile.

 

Taec Yeon gulps while bringing the phone up to his ear, “Hello?”

 

“Who’s this? A stranger she met on the street? Look, I don’t have time for this! I have a date tomorrow.” Soon Kyu complains while kicking the covers off of her before kicking the mattress of her bed. Once realizing throwing a tantrum isn’t going to do her any good, she s a part of her long white shirt and begins to fan her face as if she’s truly too hot.

 

Taec Yeon on the other hand swears he’s heard that shrill sounding of a voice.

 

The tall man blinks rapidly as he stares over at Soo Youn for support. She’s too busy trying to comb the puke out of her hair to even notice. “Uh, this is officer Ok of the Gangnam police station. I have a Miss Jung in custody for disorderly conduct, and assaulting a police officer. In order for her to be discharged she needs someone to come over and sign the papers along with paying the twenty dollar fee.” He says in a rather quiet voice—scared the woman might lash out at him for telling the honest truth.

 

“You’ve got to be ting me, she actually got arrested?” Soon Kyu yells while smacking a hand to her forehead. The loud screech causes Taec Yeon to almost drop the phone to the floor but thankfully he catches it before it can do so. “That little birdbrain! Look, tell her I can’t be there until tomorrow afternoon—a around two or three.” With that Soon Kyu hangs up and goes back to sleep but this time more restless, and definitely not at ease.

 

Taec Yeon on the other hand doesn’t realize she’s hung up. “Hello? Hello?” He looks over at Soo Youn who’s now paying attention to him. Her wide eyes staring into his dark brown ones as she runs her thumb over her bottom lip. “She said she’d be here around two or three tomorrow afternoon.”

 

“Are you kidding me? After that stupid wench gets me in this situation she can’t even get here early enough to bail me out?” She tries hard not to scream, but almost does so when she thinks about it over and over again. What kind of best friend leaves a best friend to rot in jail over night? Apparently beauty sleep is more valuable than friendship. Though practically anything is more valuable than Soo Youn when it comes to Soon Kyu. It doesn’t take a scientist to figure that out. The information only brings a frown to her lips, and pang to her heart.

 

Officer Jin Young stands up and coughs to grab the attention of both his younger officer, and the flustered girl in the cell. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” He says kindly which only makes Soo Youn feel worse because the last thing she wants is to spend her night in a jail cell. Or to even be around people. It’s not like she knows many people anyways. Sure, she’s friendly but that doesn’t mean she wants to make friends—especially not with cops.

 

“Another one dead!” A loud voice booms scaring not only Soo Youn but also Taec Yeon, Jin Young, and Ju Hyun who were all too preoccupied with their own duties to even actually pay attention to the new figure in the room. “That’s another two girls in the past two months to add to the list.”

 

Taec Yeon rushes out at top speed to the man who had just entered the station to greet him with a ninety degree bow in utter respect. Meanwhile Soo Youn only stares with wide open in shock. In her whole life, she’s never seen someone so handsome, so stunningly good looking.

 

His dark hair is perfectly placed into a quaff with the edges of his head slightly shaved in two straight lines. His left eyebrow is somewhat similar with two lines going straight down from the top, yet it works despite it being a weird fashion sense. She could only see a few visible tattoos, such as the ones on his hands, and the stars going a bit up his neck, the rest of them are covered up by his black shirt, and leather jacket. In all honesty she looks at him like he’s some type of gift given from the Gods. He’s too perfect to be real.

 

Thankfully everyone is too busy focusing on the man to even see Soo Youn practically drooling from her head to her toes over him. Which is weird, since Soo Youn has never, and I mean never, drooled over a guy before; but this man is an exception. A totally hot exception.

 

“Still no leads?” Taec Yeon asks as he pats Jae Beom on the arm in support.

 

Jae nods with a huff, “No fingerprints, no evidence, no witnesses, and not a single ing tape from the security cameras or CCTV; the dudes a ghost.” He murmurs while crossing his arms over his chest. He’s beginning to get frustrated just from talking about the case. It’s been too long for him. Why hasn’t he caught him yet? “I can’t sleep while that ’s out there.”

 

“Maybe you should try.” Jin Young speaks up as he pats Jae on the back. Jin Young, practically the dad of the unit, has been watching Jae for the past couple of weeks. He comes into work early, and then barely ever leaves. He stays at his desk reading over case files, looking through past criminals with records of similar murders, and or he’s searching for non-existent clues. Jae’s overworking his self, and that’s not good.

 

“Who’s hungry?” He asks after Jae sits down on the black leather seat in front of him. Soo Youn’s ears perk up. Food? Yeah food sounds good. She stands up and walks over to the bars on the cell where she sticks her hand out and waves. At the sudden movement to the right of them all two police officers, one detective, and Ju Hyun look toward the small jail cell where Soo Youn stands with a smile on her face and puke on her shirt.

 

Jae blinks as he glances between the orange haired girl in the cell to Officer Jin Young. Since when do they arrest people on the weekends? The girl must’ve done something incredibly stupid for this to have happened. “And she is?” He asks as quietly as possible—so not to offend her, but she hears anyways and seems to not mind by the sight of her smile.

 

“Miss Jung Soo Youn. She’s really nice.” Ju Hyun says as she turns to smile and wave at Soo Youn. Almost immediately Soo Youn waves back at her hoping the small action will push them over the edge to allow her to have food since she’s incredibly hungry. “What are you hungry for?” If Soo Youn could fist pump, she would. She’s a genius!

 

She retracts her hand to place her index finger on her nose to help with her thinking process. For some reason it always seems to help—though it just baffles Jae who sits staring at her in awe. This girl is indeed strange.

 

“Black bean noodles, please.” Ju Hyun nods as she moves to her desk to grab the menu for the usual restaurant they order from, which is just across the street from the station.

 

“Anybody else?” Both Jin Young and Taec Yeon reply with what they want, while Jae agrees with Soo Youn.  “Alright, I’ll be back.” She says while skipping off to go across the street where they are usual customers at since they always seem to eat out. After she leaves everyone seems to settle down with Taec Yeon and Jin Young talking about some baseball game.

 

Jae Beom ignores them and looks through his computer thoroughly. Soo Youn stares at him with practical hearts in her eyes. Baby cupid must’ve shot her in the because she’s never looked at someone like she’s looking at him now.

 

Jin Young glances at Jae and sighs, “Jae Beom-ah, please go take a nap.”

 

Jae only shakes his head as he searches through his computer. Nothing seems to be making since to him. How can one man get away with murder scot free for the past fourteen years—like a disappearing act; a magician.

 

Jin Young sighs as he continues to persuade Jae to go to sleep as Soo Youn watches on in interest. What could he be possibly worried about, she thinks. It must be a case. Did someone die? Murder mysteries are definitely the most interesting books to read. I bet I could totally help—if he’d ask for it.

 

But in the meantime she has other things to worry about. Food is on its way, but transportation to get out of here is a no-no. This only leaves her one option. The option Nuclear, as she likes to call it.

 

“Officer Ok,” She mumbles catching the attention of Taec Yeon, and the two bickering colleagues. “Do you mind if I call someone else, to see if they could possibly pick me up?” He nods his head immediately and pulls away from the desk to pass her the chunky phone through the bars. “Thank you.” She mumbles as she quickly dials her older not biological brother’s number.

 

“Hello?” His groggy voice asks.

 

Soo Youn smiles as she juggles the phone from one hand to the other, “Oppa, it’s me,” Once again the orange haired girl grabs the attention of all the boys in the room. “I, I need your help.” She mumbles while she presses the phone closer to the ear as if to keep herself in a bubble so no one can see her.

 

“What did Soon Kyu make you do?”

 

She chuckles in a non-humorous way, because this totally isn’t a joking matter. “I got arrested, and I need you to come get me out. Are you still far away?”

 

Min Jun springs out of his dorm room chair at what his sister just said. For the past three months he’s been attending Kyungsung University for engineering and has barely been able to check on her. But the last time he did she was nowhere near the type of person to head to jail. At least, not the sister he remembers anyways, but this most likely is Soon Kyu’s fault.

 

He checks his wrist watch and sighs at the time. It’s almost one in the morning which means there’s probably not going to be a train until five.

 

“I can’t leave until around five or six, which means I’d get to Seoul around ten; but then I’d have to take a taxi to Gangnam which would mean, with traffic, I wouldn’t get there till around noon. What about Soon Kyu? Why isn’t she picking you up right now, and how long have you been there?”

 

She gulps, “She can’t get here until around the same time. I’ve been here for about an hour, almost two.” Min Jun groans against the phone as he runs a hand through his disheveled hair almost banging his foot on the side of his desk and waking up his roommate. “I’m okay Oppa; they’re all really nice. I would just rather be home, instead of sitting on a metal bench.”

 

“I’ll be there as soon as possible, okay?” He asks, and she responds with a yes as he hangs up to leave his dorm room as quickly as possible and not mess with his stingy roommate who hands him death glares. Meanwhile Soo Youn sighs as she hands the phone back to Taec Yeon with a frown.

 

He stares at her while tilting his head, “Is ‘oppa’ coming?” Now everyone is glancing her way once again. Soo Youn shakes her head while crossing her arms with a huff—earning a chuckle not just from Taec Yeon but from Jin Young as well. Jae Beom only watches with narrowed eyes.

 

“He’s can’t catch a train until five or six, which means he’d get here around the same time as Soon Kyu.” She complains albeit not in an annoying voice more as a sad one that is disappointed because the last thing she wants is to sleep on a cold bench when her bedroom is right around the corner.

 

Taec Yeon takes a glance at Jin Young, who in response nods his head at the eye contact between the two. The two, after processing Soo Youn through the system, found a few things out about her—and though Jin Young is usually a strict man when it comes to rules he’s lenient with this one. “If you’d like you can come sit out here with us, as long as you don’t run away.”

 

Soo Youn smiles and nods her head as Taec Yeon opens the cell allowing her to come out and sit at one of the plushy desk chairs. “Once you have food and would like to go to bed, we have beds in the back to sleep on, if that’s more comfortable.” Now she really doesn’t understand Soon Kyu, obviously police officers are nice.

 

“Thank you.” She says while getting comfortable on the chair adjacent from the super hot being she’s yet to learn the name of. As everyone was waiting for Ju Hyun to come back, Soo Youn made flirty eye contact with the detective while the detective paid no attention to her whatsoever, and instead stayed on his computer searching through databases like crazy.

 

“He’s good looking, huh?” Taec Yeon asks in a whisper as he leans over towards Soo Youn with a devious smile. Her head snaps toward him. He watches her with knowing eyes as she ends up nodding her head in confirmation.

 

“Very.” She pauses to look back over at the detective: catching him biting his lip which only makes her want to slap herself when she practically drools. She has to move her head with her hands to stop starring at him in order to look back at Taec Yeon. “Not to be creepy or anything, but what’s his name?”

 

Taec Yeon laughs and tries to keep it as quite as possible as to not attract the attention of said officer. “Detective Park Jae Beom of the Gangnam Gu police station.” Jae Beom, Park Jae Beom. What a handsome name for a handsome man. “People say he’s the best looking guy at this station; I say otherwise.” He mumbles while crossing his arms, causing her to burst into a fit of laughter.

 

“I say otherwise as well.”

 

Taec Yeon grins at her answer while Jin Young and Jae Beom look up at them, “Yah, what are you two talking about?” The senior police man asks with narrowed eyes. Taec Yeon turns his grin toward the two men as a satisfied vibe takes over him. He’s seriously too proud to be a person.

 

“She agrees with me that I’m the best looking guy in this station.” He says while fist pumping. The action only makes Soo Youn giggle as she folds her hands in her lap. Both Jin Young and Jae Beom frown. Obviously that can’t be right.

 

Jin Young shakes his head, “Miss Jung, are you blind? Taec Yeon is very dopy looking with large ears, and he’s way too tall.” As Taec Yeon frowns Jin Young points over at Jae Beom with pride. “Detective Park is obviously the most handsome man in the station. He’s also smart, funny, and just a flat out nice guy. Every girl that walks in here thinks he’s the best looking.” Jae Beom smirks while sliding his eyes away from Jin Young and back to the computer.

 

Soo Youn frowns, Jae Beom may be good looking but that doesn’t mean Taec Yeon isn’t equally good looking. “Do you want my honest opinion?” She asks and the two nod their heads as she regains Jae’s attention. “Without a doubt, Officer Ok is the most handsome man I’ve ever had the chance to meet.”

 

All three of them stare at her in shock. They can’t possibly believe that a beautiful girl like her could say that Taec Yeon is good looking. “And for your information, he’s not dopey, and his ears look good on him—and tall men are the best type of men. Besides, aren’t you around the same height?”

 

Jin Young coughs in awkwardness as Taec Yeon once again smiles brightly. He should honestly rethink insulting Taec Yeon’s height when he himself is the same height—though a little chubbier in the stomach department. “We are actually. I’m glad you noticed.” He says while slinging an arm around the back of her chair with a sleazy smile which makes Taec Yeon cringe in disgust. Because that’s his sunbae, and his sunbae is being positively gross.

 

Maybe Soo Youn does in fact think Jae Beom is a little more attractive than Taec Yeon, but that doesn’t mean she has to admit it. And it no where means she needs to put down a really nice guy to say the truth, because she’s about one hundred percent positive it’s happened to him before.

 

“You must be blind.” Jin Young comments.

 

Taec Yeon scoffs, “Ay, don’t be mean.”

 

“What exactly did you do to get in here?” Jae Beom asks her out of the blue. And she quickly notes that it’s his first time actually addressing her. Maybe not calling him hot will do that.

 

The three of them look over at him, and Jin Young becomes away of the fact that it’s the first time he hasn’t concentrated on his work. A few glances here and there over the past few days is nothing, but actually starting a conversation himself is pretty much everything.

 

At the sight of him watching her with scowling eyes Soo Youn feels like she should duck under the table and hide forever because it honestly makes her feel so small—and she doesn’t even know the guy, at all. Why is he glaring at her? IS it because she didn’t say he’s the handsomest even though she really does think that. “I was drunk and disorderly; I also assaulted Officer Ok.”

 

“Both are misdemeanors though, and won’t go on your record.” Taec Yeon adds with a smile pointed toward her. And even though it’s usually not in her nature Soo Youn smiles back before fidgeting in her chair.

 

The tall officer looks over at the mean one and gives him a look to the shut-the-hell-up; and if he could, he’d beat him up for looking down on the girl he knows nothing about; though Taec Yeon has learned a few things. The main one being that if you want to get beat the up: mess with Jae Beom.

 

Jae Beom scoffs as he rolls a pen in between his pointer and middle finger. “So you’re one of those girls.” Like a low blow to her stomach, Soo Youn snaps her gaze over to him. One of those girls?

 

Soo Youn is a workaholic, struggling business woman trying to make ends meet while also being the first person in her family to go to college, and the one time she does something stupid and gets caught she also get’s practically degraded for it. Now she sees what Soon Kyu is saying. Despite some cops being nice, there’s always going to be one that will leave a horrible taste in your mouth—even if he’s ier than any man on the planet.

 

“I don’t think you know me well enough to say that, officer.”

 

He rolls his eyes and goes back to working on his computer only offering her up a side glance for eye contact. “You keep drinking and pretending like life doesn’t truly exist. Meanwhile, I’ll actually live life like its real. Stupid college girl.” He mutters the end but that doesn’t stop Soo Youn from hearing.

 

She drops her head to her chest in utter defeat. Those words: she has no proof to prove him otherwise and she has no reason to either. She might as well leave the handsome man believe she’s a stupid, ty, obnoxious college girl since she’ll probably never see him again.

 

She turns toward Taec Yeon who is currently glaring holes into Jae Beom’s head hoping it’ll actually do some good. “Do you mind showing me where these beds are? I’m suddenly feeling really tired.” She whispers while tapping his arm.

 

Taec Yeon glances at her as his gaze softens. He nods and leads her far away from Jae. He may be handsome but the minute you wreck his ego he’s a jerk.

 

Once Jin Young can’t see them anymore, he turns toward Jae Beom and smacks him upside the head causing the young one to curse out in pain. “Yah, don’t talk about someone if you don’t know anything about them.”

 

Jae Beom looks up at him shocked as Jin Young pushes him out of the way, to enter Soo Youn’s name into the police database. Jae is certainly not understanding the situation. Since when does Jin Young care so much? “Take a look, and you’ll see why we’ve been nice to her, and why I say that to you.”

 

Jae rolls his eyes as he looks back at the computer. What could that typical dim-witted college girl possibly have gone through to have proclaimed hardass Officer Jin Young defend her? He reads through the basics, her name Jung Soo Youn, her age twenty two, her eye color, hair color, height, and weight before landing on the special sub-text under specifics.

 

SOLE SURVIVOR OF NINETEEN NINETY FIVE CRASH; KILLING BOTH OF HER PARENTS, AND YOUNGER SISTER.

 

Jae gulps; sole survivor? Whole family dead?

 

Eight year old Jung Soo Youn—two years later—recalled the night saying they were driving to her father’s friend’s house when she heard her mom scream she looked up and saw headlights; soon after she woke up in the hospital. She doesn’t remember anything else, and will scream if you ask her to.

 

Important notes from therapist (Dr. Jennifer Lee):

 

December 4^th 1999: nightmares of hearing their collective screams. Constantly looks over her shoulder; says she feels like her little sister is always there. Adoptive family says she cries at night, and barely talks to anyone.

 

November 13^th, 2001: finally made a friend. Things look up. She says she likes her adoptive brother, but is hesitant to start a relationship with both him and his parents; refuses to call his parents, hers.

 

December 2^nd, 2001: has started a relationship with her adoptive brother. She says she likes the way he treats her like family. Still won’t call his parents hers. Get’s nervous when you bring up the crash.

 

March 13^th, 2002: has started a relationship with her adoptive parents. She says they will never take the place of her parents, but she likes that they take care of her like her parents use to. Says she became closer to her friend from school and her adoptive brother as well.

 

June 14^th, 2002: graduated eighth grade will be entering high school in fall. Has become more open and talks to more people. Started crying; her adoptive mother was diagnosed with leukemia late May; terminal cancer. No chance to live.

 

February 10^th, 2005: came in crying. Her adoptive mother passed away yesterday. It’s the fourth death she’s experienced in life. I’ve put her on anti-depressants. I’m starting to get worried again. Everything was looking so hopeful for her; now I’m not so sure.

Note: may have prolonged grief disorder (since 95’ to—?). Regular checkups needed to confirm.

Note: Regular checkups confirm prolonged grief disorder, with onset post traumatic stress disorder from constant nightmares of seeing her parents and sister dead along with the recent death of her adoptive mother. Father says she has insomnia. Prescribed Prozac for her PTS, and beginning of HEAL trial’s for PGD.

 

September 9^th, 2007: came in excited. She got accepted into Seoul National University. She started crying saying that she thinks she made her parents, sister, and adoptive mother proud. I’ve taken her off the anti-depressants. She seems better.

 

October 8^th, 2007: her older brother has left for college. She’s become sad. Her adoptive father is never home, and her brother is away. All she has is Soon Kyu. I’m worried about her again.

 

March 20^th, 2009: came in crying again. Her adoptive father was killed last week in a freak accident on sight of a contracting bid. All she has is her brother now, and Soon Kyu. I don’t think she can handle another death. She’s lost two sets of parents, and her baby sister. What more can she handle?

Note: PGD is at a higher risk. She won’t tell me anything about her nightmares can’t confirm anything about PTSD until further notice. I’ve put her back on antidepressants and will be starting HEAL trials once again.

 

“She’s also the first person in her family to attend college. She doesn’t have a record, and the only reason she drank—albeit a stupid one—was because her friend dared that she couldn’t.”

 

Jae Beom gulps down the new information as he cracks his knuckles over and over again; a nervous habit he developed when he was in middle school. In the pit of his stomach he feels the sensation of enormous guilt burning up inside him.

 

“I think, once Taec Yeon comes back, you should go apologize to her.” Jin Young gives him a harsh look as he goes to sit in his chair. The two stay silent as Jae waits for Taec Yeon to come back out; after a few minutes or so he does.

 

“Not cool hyung.” He says while taking a seat on the couch in the corner just as Ju Hyun comes back with all the food in two separate bags.

 

“I have food.” She looks over toward the cell and frowns. “Where’s Soo Youn?” Taec Yeon points down the hallway to the bedrooms. She follows his hand and nods in understanding when her gaze stops on the hallway leading to the bedrooms. “Okay, well I’ll bring her, her food—”

 

Jae stands up in objection. “I’ll bring it to her.” He grabs the bowl of noodles with chopsticks, and dodges Ju Hyun’s strange looks as he speed walks down the hallway to Soo Youn. And he isn’t so happy to find her sitting on the edge of the bed starring down at her hands. There’s honestly no way she can sleep right now. Not when she feels like .

 

“Uh, excuse me,” He mumbles but she doesn’t move—not even a little. “Ju Hyun came back with the food, and I’ve brought you yours.”

 

He places it in front of her before leaning down on his feet to be face to face with her. “I’m sorry about what I said. I don’t know you, and I shouldn’t assume because of how dull I felt earlier. As a detective I shouldn’t have presumed. I should only base things on facts.” He waits patiently as she turns toward him with eyes that bore of no emotion whatsoever and that scares him.

 

“Thank you for apologizing. Can you tell Ju Hyun I say thank you for the food.” She says as she reaches for the noodles and begins to eat it. Jae Beom with a sigh initiates cracking his knuckles again as he stays in the awkward position of sitting in front of her practically on his knees.

 

He coughs, “Uh, my parents are still alive.” Soo Youn’s eyes narrow as she turns to once again glare at Jae. Handsome boy say what?

 

Jae Beom gapes at her as he realizes what he just said. “No, I didn’t mean to insult you or anything. I’m just making small talk.” She still gapes at him as he cracks his knuckles again.

 

“You at small talk.”

 

He nods his head, “Yeah,” Soo Youn and him continue to stare at each other but its different then the last time. This time Jae feels insecure while Soo Youn feels like she’s superior. “Right, so I’ll see you later.” He ducks out of the sleeping room, leaving her to herself as he runs back out into the cubicle area of the station to be greeted by a very angry Ju Hyun.

 

“How could you say that to her, when you don’t even know her?” She sneers while reaching over and slapping him on the back. “Did you apologize?” Jae nods his head sheepishly as he grabs his own bowl of noodles, sits on the top of the desk, and begins to eat. “Jesus you’re annoying.”

 

Jay rolls his eyes, “How was I supposed to know she’s cursed with some evil that practically makes all her family die?” Taec Yeon, Ju Hyun, and Jin Young’s eyes all widen as they stare behind Jae whose shoving food into his mouth like nobody’s business.

 

“I don’t think you were. To be honest not many people do when they first meet me and a lot of people still don’t.” As if something hit him in the back of the throat, Jae spits all of his noodles back into the bowl as he slowly looks over his shoulder at a non-affected Soo Youn who takes a seat at one of the desk. “Sorry, if I interrupted. I just thought it would be better if I ate out here.”

 

Ju Hyun nods as she forcefully bumps her shoulder into Jae Beom’s arm and takes a seat next to her. “I’m so sorry if he offended you.” Soo Youn shrugs as Taec Yeon, and Jin Young take a seat next to her as well, leaving Jae by himself.

 

“It’s okay, it’s not like it hasn’t happened before.”

 

As if Jae couldn’t feel worse—a he does. He honestly needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut in order to not hurt anyone’s feelings.

 

“Are you going to join us Officer Park?” Jae, subsequently at the sound of his name, looks over his shoulder and nods as he moves his way to sit adjacent from her and next to Ju Hyun.

 

Ju Hyun glares at the dork, “You’re stupid.”

 

He looks over at her offended. “How can you say that to my face? Do you hate me?” He places a hand over his heart as if to brace himself for Ju Hyun’s next blow but she only huffs before stuffing more food down . A nice silence comes over the police station as everyone continues to eat. That is until Jae opens his big-fat-stupid-idiotic-and-lame mouth. “Uh, what’s it like growing up with no parents?”

 

“What?”

 

“.” Jae cusses as Jin Young reaches over and slaps him upside the head. “I’m sorry; I’m bad at small talk.” He says once more. Four heads turn toward Soo Youn who stares at him with eyes of curiosity. He gulps. She stays still.

 

Why is this handsome man now suddenly getting nervous around her? Is it because of her past or is it something entirely different? Is he afraid he’s going to say something to offend her, so he does anyways? She honestly can’t figure him out, and that’s interesting to her. Oh, how the tables have turned.

 

“It’s not the greatest feeling,” She mumbles, and the four heads turn to glance at each other before looking back at Soo Youn who’s now pushing the noodles around in the bowl. “Sometimes I get really worried that since my little sister died that that means my older brother will die soon like she did. And I get really scared when I don’t get calls on time, or when he would never be home on time. And when it came to my adoptive parents; I-I don’t know. I never got to know them. It was like a sign from above that I’m never allowed to have family.”

 

“Yeah, it must to have most the people in your life dead.”

 

This time Jae doesn’t get one slap, not two, but three consecutive slaps from his other commanding officers, and Ju Hyun—which only leaves him to wither in pain as he rubs the back of his head.

 

“It does .” She says back with a slight nod.

 

She glances at the time on the desktop computer, and takes a deep breath. “It’s past my bed time. Thank you for the food Ju Hyun, and thank you all for taking care of me.” She bows her head in respect to all of them, including Jae who obviously doesn’t deserve it, and walks down the hallway to the bedrooms she was in before.

 

“What is your problem?” Taec Yeon whispers in an angered voice. “Why are you being such an all of a sudden? I mean, more than usual that is. Can’t still be because she thinks I’m better looking than you.”

 

Jae his bottom lip as he runs a free hand through his hair, “It’s not my fault. My mouth just says things when I see her. It’s like I don’t have a filter.” The answer only calls for Jin Young to smack his head once again.

 

“Usually you’re my favorite, but right now you’re just pissing me off.” Jae nods his head multiple times as he bows to his sunbae just as many times as he nods. The three disperse from the station, and go to their respected places—somewhere other than where Jae is as if it wasn’t bad enough to see the girl practically run away from him because of a stupid comment.

 

The detective sighs. All he’s done is try and be the best person he can possibly be, thus why he’s always so hard on every other person around him though it doesn’t give him the right to judge others without knowing them. The better person Jae Beom becomes the better detective he becomes, which means less people in the world will be hurt; yet, it doesn’t help what he just did to Soo Youn multiple times in a span of an hour of knowing her.

 

With a long exasperated sigh, he lifts himself up from the chair, and makes his way out of the cubicle area to the sleeping corridors where Soo Youn is trying to get as much sleep as possible.

 

Jae spots her out the minute he walks into the room. She’s lying on the bed in the far back corner of the room. In order to not wake her up, he tip toes as quietly as possible to a bed four down from where she is located. But as he began to toss and turn in the bed he realizes—he doesn’t like this exact bed; so, he rolls off the bed, and makes his way to the one closer toward her making it to where he was now only three beds away from her. This repeated two more times, until there was no beds separating them, and now he’s starring straight at her back, and long wavy orange hair.

 

This is weird, isn’t it? He questions himself as he turns over to where he’s lying on his back with his hands on his chest. Most certainly this is weird, and if she’s to turn in his direction she’d probably be creeped out and hate him even more but the bed he’s in is the most comfortable (still not quite to the comfort level that he likes).

 

Soo Youn on the other hand, could clearly hear his breathing get closer and closer as he changed from bed to bed, and the whole time she was trying to hold in a laugh.

 

She turns on her side, and faces toward him to spot him now as close as possible to her, and if it wasn’t hard to not laugh before it’s even harder now. “You make a lot of noise, do you know that?”

 

Jae coughs in surprise as he about jumps out of his skin at the sound of her calm voice. “Jesus,” He whispers while placing a hand over his heart to calm his breath. “You scared me! I thought you were sleeping.”

 

“Aren’t you supposed to be a detective? Haven’t you ever heard of fake sleeping so no one will bother you because they think you’re sleeping?” She asks and if she could, she’d tilt her head to the side. Instead she just purses her lips and settles for a slightly y look—despite not feeling y at all.

 

Jae cracks his knuckles under the white covers, “Well not every detective can realize how great an actor, or actress in your case, a victim or killer may be.” Soo Youn’s eyes prop up in a question like look as if to ask for an elaboration. “Like I said before, detectives focus on fact not fiction; but, I have a tendency to believe what I see rather than fact checking. It’s a preference. So when I saw you sleeping, I came to the deduction that you were in fact sleeping and not stupidly tricking me. Understand?” She nods.

 

“My oppa likes fact checking.” She states.

 

He rolls his eyes, “Who cares about your ‘oppa’?” He pauses as if to wait for an answer, and once she goes to talk he cuts her off. “Not me. Besides, your ‘oppa’ probably has better things to do then fact check about everything. For all you know maybe he’s cheating on you.” He mumbles.

 

“What?” She tries to hold back her laughter at the stupid comment. “For your information, my ‘oppa’ is my older brother. You know, the only person left in my family that isn’t dead?”

 

Jae Beom pauses in practical awkwardness as he once again cracks his knuckles. Another mistake he has made. Another stupid conclusion he’s come to. He’s on a roll. “What made you come to the assumption that my ‘oppa’ was my boyfriend?” She asks while trying not to crack up.

 

He sighs, “It’s just that—you know, most girls call their boyfriends ‘oppa’ now a days and I just assumed…”

 

“Without fact checking?”

 

“Without fact checking.”

 

Soo Youn laughs, as Jae turns his head away from her, “I would never call my boyfriend ‘oppa’ it’s weird, and it makes it seem like I think of my boyfriend like my brother—which is a whole other disgusting mess that I don’t want to ever think about. So, for your fact checking, any time I say or call someone oppa it means they’re my brother not my significant other, okay?”

 

He purses his lips and crosses his arms under the covers thankful that she can’t see him practically fuming. “Just so you know, I don’t care.” He adds before pulling the covers over his head as she laughs. “Go to bed, college girl.”

 

“Will do, detective.”

 

 

 

 

SOMETIME, after the two had gone to sleep and the other three left the station, Jae had made his way to sleeping on the floor right next to Soo Youn’s bed, as she leaned over the side to where half of her body is hanging off the bed, and over Jae’s body. Let’s just say, people would get the wrong picture if they saw it. And it isn’t until Soo Youn pulls the blanket more toward her, that she rolls off the bed, and onto to the floor directly on top of Jae in cause makes both of them grunt—though mainly Jae who grunts out in pain.

 

“What the hell?” He cries as Soo Youn places her hands on his chest allowing her to push herself up into a sitting position with her knees lying on either side of Jae who’s now glaring at her.

 

She blinks, “Why are you lying right next to my bed?” Jae glances at the ground before looking toward the bed Soo Youn was lying in.

 

“I don’t know.” He responds as she climbs off of him and lies on the other side closer to his side of the bed. “I must’ve fallen like you did.” The two stay completely still. Each of them are wrapped up in their comforters while lying on the floor side by side—neither of them say anything, and neither of them move. For one, Jae believes that if he moves he might offend Soo Youn and for two, Soo Youn believes that Jae may get the wrong idea if she moves. So both of their ideas are to just stay still and keep quiet.

 

And the two keep quiet for a long period of time, but both of them have their eyes wide open as they stare up at the darkness of the room. They stayed hushed until he finally had the backbone to say something, “So, when your adopted dad past away it must’ve been really hard on you and your brother. Did you ever get lonely?” Soo Youn keeps calm as she shifts her arms around to where they were now folded on top of her stomach. The question is a bit uncomfortable for her.

 

“Yeah, lonely. When dad died, it was just me and oppa; then oppa left to go back to Busan to attend school once again. Soon Kyu’s always out, hanging around with a different guy each day, and sometimes she doesn’t even come home for days on end. Times really get lonely then. I never have someone to vent to, or even just be around. Even when dad was still alive he was never home. He’d be working constantly—ever since mom died, things got lonely. Mom was always home she was someone that was there for me…always.”

 

Soo Youn never had the chance to get to know her mother or father; though they were around she never reached out. They tried hard to, but she was too scared. And the minute she did try to be a friend to her mom she was ripped away from her; and then there was her father a man that worked constantly with no breaks which only left Soo Youn with nothing to really know him by. Getting to know people and caring for people is challenging for her. What Jae Beom had said earlier is how she has a stance on life. She has a curse. Everyone she loves, everyone she cares about, they leave her; fade away never to be seen again. Two sets of parents, and her baby sister. Dead.

 

“How old was your sister?” He mumbles gracelessly.

 

Soo Youn takes a deep breath, “Two and a half.”  Soo Youn doesn’t permit herself to cry as she thinks in relation to it. To her, it’s just not reasonable. Soo Youn was six at the time, she had lived a longer life, if anyone was to live on it should’ve been Soo Jung.

 

“I’m so—”

 

“Please don’t,” She quickly interrupts him while digging her fingers into her shirt. “I’m tired of hearing people apologize. I’ve heard it all my life and I don’t need to hear it from someone who doesn’t even know me.” She sighs and moves herself onto her side, facing away from Jae. “Goodnight.”

 

 

 

 

BY the time morning had arisen Ju Hyun, Jin Young, and Taec Yeon were back in the station doing their early morning duties; which consist of drinking bitter coffee, and trying not to fall asleep while Ju Hyun busies herself cleaning because when you’re a nineteen year old assistant to your uncle at his station—you might as well be useful. “Do you think we should wake her up, samchon?” Ju Hyun asks while looking over at her uncle.

 

“No, I’m sure she’s tired, and angry because of that idiot.” He says referencing to Jae Beom’s major lack of common sense. “Just let her wake up on her own time.” Ju Hyun nods her head with a grumble as she goes to empty the trash by the desk. Despite willingly working at the station Ju Hyun doesn’t have many friends nor does she have many girl friends which only leaves her to speculate what it would be like to have a girl as a friend. So, with Soo Youn being nice to her it was unquestionably fascinating to see what it would be like and what it would be like to have Soo Youn as a friend in spite of only knowing her for less than a day.

 

Taec Yeon felt about the same when it comes to Soo Youn. Instead of being interested in her in the aspect of seeing her as someone to be romantically involved with—or someone he could ever see himself with; he just likes her presence. “What was hyung’s problem last night anyways? It was like he didn’t have a filter.” He adds.

 

Ju Hyun nods her head, “I was thinking the same thing, oppa.”

 

Jin Young stands up to amble over to the two gossipers and leans in nearer to them. “You know what love at first sight is?” He asks and the two nod in bewilderment. That can’t possibly it. “Maybe this is hate at first sight?” Both Taec Yeon and Ju Hyun stare at him with their mouths wide open as they say a loud ‘ah’ in unison with each other.

 

“That makes since. They must hate each other.”

 

Unbeknownst to them, because they never went to check on the two, Jae and Soo Youn had made a heap of a chaos on the floor, sandwiched between the two beds that they formerly laid in. One way or another they had intertwined themselves together to where their legs are entangled, his arm is slung around her waist, and her head is buried into his neck underneath his head. It happened somewhere in between his idiocy to get into a contented position and her deep sleeping dilemma to where virtually nothing but her brother’s voice wakes her up.

 

“Soo Youn!”

 

Taec Yeon and Jin Young burst out of their chairs the minute the yell is heard. Out of God knows where a lofty, not as tall as Taec Yeon, gentleman comes running into the station seething. Ju Hyun—not reacting to the man—flings the trash she was pulling out half way across the room to where it lands right in front of him. “Oops.” She mumbles with a cringe while running over to pick up the pieces. The auburn haired man merely huffs before leaning down and passing a few pieces of the trash to the girl. “Thank you.” She bows her head previous to taking the trash and placing it into the bag it was formerly in.

 

“Are you here for Miss Jung Soo Youn?” Jin Young asks.

 

The man nods, “Yes, I’m her brother Kim Min Jun.”

 

“Oppa?” A new voice asks from behind Min Jun. Thinking it’s his sister, in all his fuming, he swivels around. Only to see someone he doesn’t want to see which causes a glower to form on his face and basically stares demise into the girl’s eyes. “She called you?” The girl asks while crossing her arms over her very bright white shirt as she begins to tap her foot idly on the ground. “And of course you’re here before me.” She pouts as he simply shakes her head.

 

“Sunny?”

 

Soon Kyu looks to her left to see none other than him. Her eyes widen, and mouth drops. “Taec Yeon Oppa?” She about dies in side at the spectacle of him. What is he doing here? Did he transfer divisions? He stares at her with the same uncertainty. Does she live near here? Does she know Soo Youn? And why is she calling this guy oppa?

 

“You two know each other?” Min Jun asks while pointing between the tall man and the short girl right beside him. In all honesty, he doesn’t care. He shakes his head in aggravation as he runs a finger over his temple, “I don’t care. Where’s my sister?” He asks while gazing over at the older police man.

 

The man shifts his eyes between his younger officer and then back at the unkempt nerdy man, “Um, follow me.” Min Jun nods his head, and tags along after Jin Young with Soon Kyu trailing behind, Taec Yeon following meticulously after her, and Ju Hyun scarcely following; with her only being interested in the bizarre yet gentle Min Jun who she also finds exceptionally attractive.

 

“Soo Youn!”

 

Soo Youn about pisses herself the minute she hears her brothers thunderous booming declare. And then she freaks out when she feels an unfamiliar body on top of hers. “Whoa.” Taec Yeon, and Ju Hyun exhales concurrently when they see the sight of their superior suspiciously sleeping on top of a girl whereas Jin Young hangs his head in repulsion. Soon Kyu meanwhile stares with wide eyes at her best friend who only stares at her brother who’s barely holding onto his anger and might actually kill someone.

 

“Oppa?” She asks in a high tone voice. “It’s not what it looks like.” She continues while kicking Jae in the leg and poking him incessantly in the arm. He grumbles in displeasure as he tightens his arm around her waist and snuggles his head closer to hers. “Officer Park, please wake up.” She mumbles in his ear. At the sound of her voice he beams and nuzzles closer to her.

 

Min Jun turns toward the older officer with a glare, “Who the hell is on my sister?”

 

“Officer Park Jae Beom.” Ju Hyun asserts with a smile.

 

“Officer Park,” She basically whines in his ear while stabbing him numerous times in the side. “Wake up.” Jae at last opens his eyes and raises his head to look down at Soo Youn who gawks back at him. “Um, can you get off of me?” If he could say anything he’d curse, because the situation is progressively more uncomfortable as he keeps himself in place. “Officer Park!” She protests, and at that he soars off of her and into the bed behind him.

 

That’s when he spots all the people in front of him. Three of them he knows, and two of them he doesn’t. And the one face, the man’s face, who looks like he’s going to rip his head off—was not one he wants to see in the morning. “Oppa, Soon Kyu. You’re both here early, why?” Soo Youn asks capturing Jae’s concentration once again.

 

Min Jun momentary looks away from Jae and towards his sister, “I got a ride from a friend who dropped me at the bus station. Once in Seoul I took a taxi here. Only to find my baby sister with some lowlife police officer.” He says while glaring over at Jae who keeps his mouth shut because he has no right to interfere when he was sleeping with his sister nearly the whole night.

 

“Oppa, don’t be mean.” She complains while standing up.

 

Soon Kyu huffs and pushes herself away from Taec Yeon who continues to watch her closely, “Yah, I came here early—calling off my date—to pick you up, and you call him?” She complains while jutting her finger toward Min Jun.

 

“You were going to go on a date?” Taec Yeon intervenes while pulling himself in front of the short blonde girl. “You’re dating so soon?” He asks; crossing his arms over his chest while an ill-mannered look finds its way to his face.

 

Soon Kyu huffs, “Do you mind? I’m trying to have a conversation with my best friend.” The two eye each other warily as Taec Yeon slowly steps out of the way so Soon Kyu can continue her conversation with her friend; face to face. “Anyways, you didn’t have to call him. I would’ve come at some point.”

 

“Yeah, but I wasn’t sure when.” Soo Youn responds while glancing over at Taec Yeon in suspicion. Do they know each other? She wonders. With the way Taec Yeon is starring at her, it really seems like it.

 

But she doesn’t have the time to speculate on such meaningless things when she has six pairs of eyes starring her down.

 

Min Jun scoffs, “Of course you’re not sure since you’re supposed best friend is not a best friend at all because she’s too busy being ty.” Soo Youn gapes at her oppa in surprise as Soon Kyu takes a step back in disgust. He did not just call her a . Sure, Min Jun and Soon Kyu have never gotten along but he’s never gone as far as calling her a .

 

“Yah, what gives you the right to call Sunny a ?” Taec Yeon yells.

 

Min Jun rolls his eyes, “Who the hell is Sunny? Her names Soon Kyu.”

 

Taec Yeon looks back at ‘Sunny’ in revelation. “Your name is Soon Kyu?” She merely nods her head. She doesn’t usually like to give her real name out to guy’s she date. Though with Taec Yeon it’s exceptionally weird, since they dated for almost two years before recently breaking up, and yet she never gave him her real name.

 

“Soo Youn, let’s go…now.” Min Jun bellows and immediately Soo Youn nods while walking over to her brother, bowing to Taec Yeon, and Jae Beom in the process. “Here.” He stuffs the twenty dollar fee in Jin Young’s hands before dragging Soo Youn out of the station.

 

“Soo Youn-sshi come back any time!” Ju Hyun yells, wishing that she could add a ‘and bring your hot brother with you.’ “I hope she comes back; she was so nice.” She complains to her uncle as they walk out of the room with Jae, leaving only Soon Kyu and Taec Yeon behind.

 

And neither of them are happy. “Your name is Soon Kyu?” She nods again as she re-crosses her arms. “We dated for two years and I never knew your real name is Soon Kyu. Were you ever going to tell me?” He asks her.

 

She shrugs, “You never asked, I never answered.”

 

“I never thought my girlfriend would lie about her name.”

 

She rolls her eyes with a huff, “Well now you don’t need to worry anymore; because we broke up. So just drop it, and let me leave.” Taec Yeon gives her one last look of disgust before letting her pass. The last thing he ever expected was to see his recent ex-girlfriend and find out who she was is a lie. Does that mean their relationship was a lie too?

 

“Yah! Soon Kyu,” He calls to her, and she stops momentarily to listen. “I hate you.” The momentary stop turns permanent as he shoves his shoulder into hers and leaves to the front of the station. He hates her because she didn’t tell him her real name? Why does it matter anyways, they’re over?

 

Soon Kyu keeps her stoic face clear of any emotion as she walks out of the room, and to the cubicle area of the station. “Excuse me, Miss?” She turns on her heel toward the voice to spot the older police officer waving a clipboard in front of her face. “You have to sign Miss Jung out.” He says while offering her the clipboard and pen. Soon Kyu nods her head and quickly signs the papers, trying not to look up at the feeling of Taec Yeon glaring a whole into her side. “Thank you.” He says, and after bowing respectfully she bolts the hell out of the station and into her car.

 

Soo Youn pushes Min Jun away the minute they get to the bus stop. “Oppa, why were you so rude? They were taking care of me.” Min Jun, still fuming, turns toward his sister and places his hands a top her shoulders.

 

“Why was that supposed police officer lying on top of you?”

 

She keeps quiet, knowing full well that she has no excuse to give to her brother. In all honesty, she herself doesn’t know why that actually happened to them. I mean, it’s a no brainer that they slept on the floor by each other, but to be tangled up like they were—that’s just uncalled for. “Soo Youn-ah, I’ll be going back to Busan tomorrow morning; do me a favor and stay out of trouble. And never, ever, go back there.” He juts his thumb back toward the police station and even if she wants to nod her head, she doesn’t. She’ll do anything to keep her brother happy because he’s the only family left in her life.

 

▲▼▲

December 17^th, 2009

4:05 pm

Gangnam Gu, Seoul

 

JU Hyun stares at Taec Yeon with as much patience as she can. “If you do it, all punch you in the face and won’t regret it afterwards.” Taec Yeon glances at the short brunette girl, before pushing at the edge of the silver desk sending him flying backwards allowing him to shoot the shot. The piece of crumbled up paper flies through the area, before landing in the middle of the trashcan.

 

“I win!” Shouts Taec Yeon who fist pumps.

 

Ju Hyun on the other hand lands a nice punch into the side of Taec Yeon’s upper right arm, only to cause him to groan in pain. “I told you, you’d regret it. Next time just listen to me.” Taec Yeon makes a face at her, one where he contorts his mouth nose and eyes, as she takes a seat near her uncle.

 

“Soo Youn-sshi?”

 

Soo Youn didn’t expect to find herself holding onto a bag full of dosirak’s, nor did she expect to find herself walking inside the station she swore to her brother she’d never come back to. Yet, here she is. Standing in front of three very shocked people. “Hi.” She mumbles as she uses her free hand to wave at the three of them, and subconsciously the three wave back at her.

 

“Did something happen? Is there a problem?” Taec Yeon immediately asks while standing up to guide her to a seat which she gladly accepts.

 

She shakes her head, “I’ve felt bad for a while now. About what happened the last time I was here. My brother was a bit reckless, and I didn’t do anything to stop the tension between him and all of you. To represent my apology I’ve made some dosirak’s for each of you and also some you can store in the fridge for later when you’re hungry.” She places the brown bag a top the metal desk, and almost instantly the three flock to it.

 

Jin Young pulls out one lunch box after another until there were three different groups pilling up to six in each. “Wow, you really didn’t have to do this.” Ju Hyun adds as she opens up one box to see what’s inside of it: Kimchi pancakes, seaweed rice rolls, rolled omelet, and pan fried tofu. Both Taec Yeon and Ju Hyun stare at it with wide eyes. The two of them plus Jin Young, haven’t had homemade food in almost four months.

 

“It’s the least I can do.” She responds while folding her arms in her lap. She sits there, silently, as the three of them open and close each lunch box to see what’s in it. Once done with looking through it Ju Hyun places each one into the fridge before taking her original place across from where Taec Yeon was sitting and Soo Youn is now located.

 

“Soo Youn-sshi,” Ju Hyun grabs Soo Youn’s attention easily as she begins to talk. “Do you think we can speak informally to each other? I could call you unnie, and you could call Taec Yeon ‘oppa’.” Ju Hyun’s eyes were practically pleading Soo Youn with as much will power as possible while Soo Youn thought about the proposition.

 

Soo Youn tilts her head to the side, “It’s a deal if Taec Yeon-sshi tells me what relationship he has with my best friend.” Taec Yeon sighs. It’s like a punch to the gut that Soon Kyu’s best friend doesn’t even know who he is. It was always weird that she never introduced him to any of her friends but he at least thought she would’ve talked about him to someone.

 

He runs his hands along the top of his denim jeans barely making eye contact with Soo Youn whose now starring with eyes of which are demanding.

 

“Yes sir. I understand sir.” Before Taec Yeon can even mutter a word, detective Park comes strolling into the station with one hand holding a phone to his ear and the other shoved tightly into the pocket of his black jeans. “I’ll have the files sent to the department as soon as possible.” He pauses as the person on the other line tells him something which only makes a frown form on his face. “Sir, if I may say, this is my case you can’t pass it to them when they haven’t been involved with it as long as I have. I know that we’re short staffed, but still. I can handle it and if I need help there are good enough people here to do so.”

 

Taec Yeon and Jin Young pass a look between each other. This can’t be good. It’s most obvious the call is to the chief of police who is most likely informing detective Park that the case will now be investigated by a different division, and will be taken away from him. “Yes sir.” With the last slowly said words Jae Beom hangs up the phone and places it in the front pocket of his hoodie.

 

“Is the case being transferred?” Jin Young asks.

 

Jae shakes his head, “It’s mine for another three weeks. If I don’t catch the guy, the case is off to Yongsan. He’s practically telling me to fail.” He slams his fist down on the desk beside him causing both Ju Hyun and Taec Yeon to jump—not Soo Youn. She doesn’t get scared of trivial things like ill manner anger. “It’s been my case. I deserve to put the psychopath in jail. Hell, if anyone’s going to kill that bastard it should be me!” He slams his fist once more before turning toward where everybody is sat. His eyes wander around the people he knows the most before landing right on Soo Youn. “Soo Youn-sshi?” He asks surprised with eyes wide and mouth agape.

 

She nods, “Hello Officer Park.”

 

“What are you doing here?” He sputters before placing his hand out to stop her from talking. “Did you get in trouble again? Did you drink again?” He puts his hand out once more making her stop before she could speak. “I can’t deal with your crazy brother or crazed best friend. So please tell me you’re not in trouble and if you are, just leave.”

 

Soo Youn shakes her head, “I came by to drop off some food.”

 

His eyes snap toward her in as equal surprise as before. “Food?” He questions cautiously to which she nods her head. “You brought food?” He asks again for clarification reason, and once more she nods. “Why did you bring food? I mean, you know we’re not a goodwill right?”

 

“It’s for an apology. You know for her ‘crazy brother’ and ‘ crazed best friend’. The one’s you mentioned before.” Ju Hyun spits at the idiot who ducks his head when she chucks a stapler his way. “And you just interrupted an important situation between her and Taec Yeon Oppa. So if you will please shut up and sit down.”

 

Jae Beom looks between Taec Yeon and Soo Youn before grumbling and taking a seat in between the two. What, is he going to ask her out? As if she’d go out with him. “Soon Kyu and I dated,” Soo Youn’s eyebrows rose a little at the words as she listens to Taec Yeon intently. “For two years. She said her name was Sunny and that she grew up in Busan, but just recently moved here. She doesn’t attend college. Has a rich family. And is the sole owner of a designer store.”

 

Soo Youn’s brows rise further at the information. Her names Sunny: false, what kind of name is Sunny? Grew up in Busan: false, she grew up here in Gangnam with Soo Youn. Doesn’t attend college: somewhat true, only goes to school to meet guys. Has a rich family: false, her family is as middle class as a middle class family can get. Sole owner of a designer store: false but it is her dream.

 

Soo Youn knows a lot about what Soon Kyu does with the guy’s she professes to date. She stays with them for at the minimum of four months, let’s them buy her amazing gifts, let them take her to faraway places, make love like no tomorrow, before dumping them when she gets bored. She knows it goes on. She knows it’s bad. But she can’t stop Soon Kyu from doing things she wants to do. It’s not her place. “If it makes you feel any better I’m pretty sure you’re her longest relationship. Despite all her lying.” She mumbles the last part.

 

“What else did she lie about?” He asks attentively and in a quiet voice.

 

Soo Youn sighs. Does she really need to tell him that his ex-girlfriend is a habitual liar and that practically everything she ever says is a lie? “That she’s happy.” Taec Yeon flicks his eyes toward her in confusion as Soo Youn only smiles. Soon Kyu is good at lying. Always has. Always will. But Soo Youn knows one thing’s true: she doesn’t lie. All she can do is tell the honest truth. The last few months have been surprisingly difficult for Soon Kyu. She’s been acting as if someone stomped on her and threw her into a trashcan. She’s been nowhere near as happy, and now she knows why. “If you see her again you’ll understand.”

 

“So, now that that’s cleared up, we can speak informally to each other, right? I can call you unnie, and you can call Taec Yeon and Jae Beom oppa?” Ju Hyun asks excitedly while running a finger along the edge of the desk.

 

Before Soo Youn can agree Jae Beom interrupts, “Do not call me ‘oppa’.”

 

“Yah, Jae Beom-ah! Why are you being so mean?” Ju Hyun practically yells at him as he sulks off into one of the other rooms of the department. Leaving the four others to mindlessly wonder about how awfully mean the idiot is. “I’m so sorry Soo Youn-sshi. He can be a bit of a hassle.”

 

Soo Youn only smiles, “You can call me unnie.”

 

Jin Young and Taec Yeon both have never seen Ju Hyun smile as wide as she had the minute Soo Youn said that. Her teeth were showing and sparkling, stretched to the brim as she curled her bottom lip inward. The two officers could only marvel at the sight of the happy young girl.

 

The smile never wavered on Ju Hyun’s face. It was there through every minute of the day. Taec Yeon found it reassuring, while Jin Young found it to be the most genuine part of his niece. The two automatically know that if Ju Hyun approves of someone that means that someone is good. “Will you stop by more often, unnie?” She asks while tapping Soo Youn on the knee.

 

“If you want me to. School’s out for winter break starting next Friday. I don’t mind stopping by. Oppa is always busy, and Soon Kyu…” She trails off as she makes tense eye contact with Taec Yeon who almost about walks out of the room if not for her shutting about said ‘friend’. “So, if you want I’ll come by.” She ends and Ju Hyun immediately smiles once more.

 

Jae Beom on the other hand, doesn’t. He’s starring at her with a deadpanned face. Why now? Why her? Out of all the people in the universe why did Ju Hyun have to befriend her? Somewhere in the back of his mind he gets it. She’s nice, caring, beautiful, and she has a past; but, out of all those stupid meaningless qualities about her, he’s positive that Ju Hyun likes her because she never degraded him for the things he said about her. Not once. Ju Hyun can analyze a person like a computer and no matter how many hardships the person went through the only thing that matters to her is how they deal with it, and Soo Youn dealt with it in the best way. By not blaming anyone. By not getting mad.

 

But Jae Beom knows that deep inside she’s blaming herself. Irrationally blaming herself. What she said to him that night, she believes she has a curse. She believes that she, herself, is the reason both her parents died, and her baby sister. Now. Now she’s just waiting for brother to die. Drop like flies. That’s how it is in her mind. Her family all drop like flies. He knows that if her brother dies, or comes close to death—she herself would die. And the last thing Ju Hyun needs is some on the edge suicidal girl who can’t keep her emotions in check. It may look like she does but Jae has been around to many families who’ve lost someone and killed themselves straight after for feeling guilty.

 

“We should all go out to dinner!” Ju Hyun offers catching Jae Beom’s attention. The young girl’s eyes travel to him with a glare. “You can even join.” She adds.

 

Jae smiles while gasping and placing a hand over his mouth in mock shock, “Wow. Can I really?” Jin Young has to stifle a laugh as he shoves his head under his arm. The last thing he wants is for his niece to smack him for laughing at something so ironically stupid.

 

“Shut up, dork.” She spits back.

 

Soo Youn bites her bottom lip stopping herself from smiling. It was like that all the way to the small Chinese restaurant half a block away from the station. Jae Beom would say something to get Ju Hyun riled up, and she’d end up saying something snarky which would cause Soo Youn to either smile or laugh cautiously, because she’s not quite sure on whether or not it’s appropriate to laugh in that situation.

 

“You see that waitress over there?” Taec Yeon asks as he nudges Soo Youn in the side while simultaneously chucking his thumb over towards a pretty attractive older woman.

 

“What about her?” She whispers back as the two suddenly get closer to each to talk privately. And that doesn’t go unnoticed. Jae Beom, despite having a one-sided conversation with Jin Young and Ju Hyun, has his eyes glued to the proximity between Soo Youn and Taec Yeon. It doesn’t bother him that they’re shoulders are brushing. It doesn’t bother him that Taec Yeon is practically breathing down . And it sure as hell doesn’t bother him that if he inches one step closer to her they’d be kissing. It doesn’t bother him. Only, it does bother him and he doesn’t know why.

 

“Jin Young Sunbae has liked her since the first day he saw her. He practically drools over her every time we come here. It’s like some twisted old people drama with barely any romance. Borderline stalking if I say so myself.” Soo Youn couldn’t resist but laugh at what Taec Yeon says. Almost too where she leans her forehead on his shoulder.

 

Thus bothering Jae Beom further. Since when were they so close to where they’d touch? Have I missed something? Did they date? He purses his lips at the two whom now look like a couple out with their in-laws. And in some sick twisted fantasy Jae Beom is the older brother to Taec Yeon who may or may not have feelings for his wife. Not feelings in the ‘oh, I think I love you’ way. No because Jae Beom is too chill for that. It’s in the ‘oh, I don’t know what to think of you’ way. Honestly every time he sees her it’s like his mind goes blank and he says whatever the hell his brain wants him to before thinking it over. Maybe it’s because she’s cursed. Or maybe it’s because Jae Beom has some irrational fear of once again saying something stupid which in cause makes him say something stupid.

 

“Are you saying that Jin Young-ah is some type of pedo?” Taec Yeon glances sideways toward his sunbae before nodding his head. “What about her? Does she like him?” She asks while flicking her eyes over at her.

 

When Taec Yeon moves to look at the waitress so does Jae Beom. Why are they looking at her? Wait! Don’t tell me, is she trying to set Taec Yeon up with that old lady? She has to realize that Taec Yeon could practically be that woman’s child. For s sakes. He turns his glare back toward Soo Youn who now had her right hand latched on to Taec Yeon’s upper left bicep which in cause makes Jae Beom grumble in retaliation.

 

“I’m not sure. She’s never acted on it if she does.” He responds to her.

 

Soo Youn nods her head while moving her lips from side to side. “Well if she does have feelings she probably hasn’t confessed because of the fact it could be misinterpreted.” Taec Yeon’s eyebrows clash together as he turns his head back toward Soo Youn.

 

This time Jae Beom’s eyes widen. They’re so ing close. Why are they so ing close? Underneath the brown table he cracks his knuckles and then proceeds to move his neck side to side causing a popping sound to be hard. The situation is now starting to really get to him.

 

“The only time she’ll ever see Jin Young is when he’s eating here. There’s a one out of twelve million chance of her seeing him outside of the restaurant. This means if she confesses while being in the restaurant there’s a chance that Jin Young could sue for ual harassment.” Soo Youn adds on while pointing secretly between the two older adults.

 

Taec Yeon takes in a deep breath, “But Jin Young would never do that.”

 

“She doesn’t know that. Besides, women hate taking the first step in the relationship. And since she’s an older woman she probably thinks about the days when men would confess to her and not the other way around like now a days. If Jin Young-ah really likes her he’ll make a move. If not, then it means he never really liked her in the first place and just saw her as some beautiful woman that fed him dinner once in a while.”

 

Taec Yeon nods his head in understanding at what Soo Youn had said. But that slight movement of his head was the last straw in Jae Beom’s eyes. Because his lips were so close to touching hers; and that bothers him.

 

“Yah!” He practically screams catching everyone’s attention. “If you’re going to do something like that, do it in a private place no one wants to see your public display of affection.” He says pointedly at the two who sat downward at the end of the table.

 

“It’s called PDA you dumbshi—” Ju Hyun doesn’t finish her sentence when she sees her uncle give her a sideways glance of attitude. She instead settles with a small smile and a slight bow of her head.

 

Taec Yeon’s eyebrows furrow once again as he looks at his sunbae in utter bewilderment. “What are you talking about? Soo Youn-ah and I were just talking.” That and she’s also his ex-girlfriends best friend and it would be entirely awkward to be ‘romantic’ with her.

 

“You didn’t fact check, again.”

 

Jae Beom curses under his breath as he shifts his eyes to the floor, a loose piece of his dark hair falls in front of his eyes before he places it back up in its original place. His eyes flicker between the floor and the waitress coming closer and closer. “Can we get the check, please?”

 

 

 

 

SOO YOUN came to the conclusion that Jae Beom really doesn’t like her. For the past few day’s she’s circled in and out of the station; coming by to say hi, once in a while sleeping on the couch in the cubicle area of the station, gossiped like no tomorrow with Ju Hyun, made sure Jin Young didn’t have a heart attack when Ju Hyun would claim to be better than anyone in the world, witnessed Taec Yeon beat up a drunkard for trying to touch Ju Hyun inappropriately, while at the same time catching every glare, scowl, and mindless lip curl pointed her way by none other than Jae Beom himself.

 

“You dislike me, don’t you?”

 

Jae Beom glanced up from the papers he was reading to see Soo Youn stretched out on the beige couch in front of his desk. Her legs are crossed neatly over each other, while one arm rests behind her head with her fingers curled on the side of her neck, and the other lays loosely on her stomach.

 

While she looks remotely pretty, he looks like .

 

His hair is disheveled, the clothes he’s been wearing for the past four days smell like he’s been wearing them for about one hundred instead, his eyes are gloomy, he has bags under his eyes, and his breath smell like the Chinese food he had early this morning for breakfast.

 

“I’m not sure.”

 

She nods her head, and he finds it cute as she curls her lips to think. As if a light bulb goes off in her mind, she slides her feet to the floor and sits up to stare at him intently. It surprises him. “Think of me as a suspect. Ask me anything you want and I’ll answer. Then I’ll do the same to you. We’ll conduct interviews. At the end we’ll state whether or not we dislike each other.”

 

Jae Beom wants to say no. He’s got too much to do. Two weeks left until the case isn’t his anymore. Two weeks to find a serial killer. He can’t sit here and play some stupid little game with some childish college girl who wants everyone to like her. Yet, he ends up nodding his head. He convinces himself it’s because he deserves a break from working and needs to do something entertaining for a few minutes to an hour. Something that won’t cause him to lash out or punch a wall. But in the back of his mind he knows otherwise.

 

“Are you interested in Taec Yeon?”

 

“To a degree.”

 

“Romantically?”

 

 

“He wishes.”

“Do you still think he’s hotter than me?”

 

“By far.”

 

“Who do you like better Taec Yeon or Ju Hyun?

 

“Hands down Ju Hyun.”

 

“If you could date anyone who would it be?”

 

“Someone who owns a bakery.”

 

“Do you think you’re cursed?”

 

Soo Youn for the first time falters, and Jae Beom curses at his stupidity once again. “It’s now become a trend, hasn’t it?” He tilts his head up to look at her. The question she asks, he doesn’t understand. A trend?

 

Her eyes look distant, and her smile looks like she’s smiling not at him but at someone far away. Someone dead he presumes. Maybe her mother? “You say something. I freeze. People get mad. I don’t know what to say. You get mad at yourself. I don’t blame you. You say sorry. I believe you.” She shakes her head and snaps her eyes toward him, as if coming out of a daze.

 

Which practically scares the out of Jae Beom.

 

“Yes, I think I’m cursed.”

 

He got his answer. Not to the question he asked, but the question she did. Does he dislike her? No. He doesn’t. He likes her just fine. She’s nice. She’s caring. She’s hurt. She’s human. Probably the most humane person he’s ever met. “Your turn.” He states. She nods.

 

“Do you believe in second chances?”

 

“No.”

 

“Do you believe in magic?”

 

“No.”

 

“Do you think every person you meet is bad?”

 

 

“Yes.”

 

“Are you jealous that Taec Yeon and I are close?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“!” He curses as a wide smile spreads across the girls face. She knew it. She called it. “I wasn’t jealous. I wasn’t!” He cried out as she continued to die of laughter on the couch. Stomping her feet, clapping her hands, and trying to catch her breath. It amazed him how effortlessly she looked while changing emotions so quickly. She did a one eighty. Just a second ago it looked like she could die from sadness now she looks like she could die from laughter.

 

Soon enough her laughter dies down and she’s back to starring at Jae Beom whose now glaring holes into the side of the desk. “Alright, interviews are over. What’s your analysis?” Both of their eyes narrow at each other. The answer to the question has equally piqued both of their interests.

 

“I like you.”

 

“I like you.”

 

Just then. Right when both of them were confessing their answers. Taec Yeon decides to awkwardly stand in front of them with his mouth a gape, and his bottle of water falling to the floor. “What the ?”

 

Jae Beom was the first to make eye contact with the awkward giant. “Taec—” The younger, horrified, man wiggles a finger in front of Jae Beom’s face and if he could he’d spout off a ‘nuh-uh. Not today.’ “No, dude you don’t—” Once again Jae Beom is cut off by Taec Yeon’s waggling finger in front of his face. And all he wants to do is rip it off his hand and shove it down his throat.

 

“I don’t want to hear it. I didn’t hear anything in the first place. I don’t give a . Do what you want.” With one last wiggle of his finger Taec Yeon bolts out the front doors of the station and as far away from the two who were awkwardly starring at each other.

 

He sighs, “I didn’t mean in that way.”

 

“Neither did I,” She replies with a laugh. “Taec Yeon Oppa walked in at the wrong time and assumed we were confessing. I would’ve made the same mistake.” She would add in a ‘you would too’ but she really doesn’t think it’s her place to do so.

 

The two make little eye contact as she goes back to her earlier position on the couch, and he turns to look back at his case. His eyes couldn’t stay focus on the piles of folders in which includes pictures of over forty plus dead woman. All short haired brunettes in their late thirties with a husband, and two daughters. Each woman had the same exact cut marks, to the exact inch on their spine: starting from the top and ending at their tail bone along with random—yet precise marks on every woman’s body—knife cuts on their arms, legs, and lower body; but, that’s not what killed them. It’s some type of impact. Like they were thrown out a two story building or pushed down the stairs.

 

It doesn’t make since to Jae Beom. He could’ve just plunged the knife into the woman’s back breaking their spinal cord, yet he goes ahead and kills them by shoving them out somewhere. “How long have you been on this case?”

 

“Huh?” He glances up. His eyes shifting to where they are starring straight into her bright ones as he cracks his knuckles under the desk. “Almost seven years.” He responds to which she nods causing a few strands of her hair to fall in front of her eyes. “It doesn’t matter anyways the Chief is going to give it to another precinct in the matter of minutes.”

 

Soo Youn wasn’t paying any attention to him as he rambled on. Instead she was counting in her head. Twenty one is the average age to be a homicide detective plus seven years of working on the case plus one extra year of doing nothing because she doubts he’d get assigned to a serial killer straight off the bat. “You’re twenty nine?”

 

He once again glances at her. This time his eyes narrowed in confusion. How did she figure that out? “Yeah, I am.”

 

“Shouldn’t I be calling you ahjussi since you’re seven years older than me?” She asks with a smile one that he finds nowhere near comforting yet somewhat beautiful. Though all he does is frown. “Shouldn’t you be married? The average age for a man to get married is twenty eight.”

 

He rolls his eyes, “Who even believes in that statistics crap.”

 

“I do.”

 

He should’ve suspected a girl like her would—someone who likes to ‘fact check’ as she calls it. “Let me tell you something. No matter how many charts, graphs, or surveys you look at, are going to tell you when you should get married. Jin Young Hyung is thirty seven and hasn’t been married once. Yet, he’s still got woman looking at him left and right. What does that tell you?” He pauses as she tilts her head to the side as if to ask him to continue on. Which he does. “It tells you that even when you get older, there’s still a chance for love. That’s why it’s such bull when people try to get rid of their firsts when they’re in high school. You should experience that when you’re older and actually in love.”

 

“I somewhat agree with you,” His eyebrows furrow as she only smiles. “About when it comes to the firsts, you should wait on that. Soon Kyu cried for hours when she lost her first kiss back in middle school. She said she wasn’t ready, and the next thing I know she’s lost her ity and back in my arms crying. I never wanted that to happen to me. I’ve always wanted to experience everything with someone who I genuinely love, and know that they genuinely love me to.”

 

He tilts his head to the side. He noticed something in her words. She’s talking as if she’s still never kissed someone, or—he takes a deep breath as he shuts eyes for a second before reopening them—lost her ity. Yet, he can’t believe it, she’s beautiful there has to be some guy she’s fallen deeply in love with in her twenty one years of existence. “You haven’t had your first kiss?”

 

“Nope.”

 

The answer makes his stomach knot up at the thought. She’s still innocent, yet she’s not innocent. She’s gone through a lot, yet she hasn’t experienced anything. Yes, his speech before is about saving your firsts to have it with someone you love but as you get older it’s a burden for your partner since they knew you want it to be perfect: but what if they can’t make that happen.

 

And that makes him become uneasy.

 

Jae Beom decided to focus on cracking his knuckles and popping his neck, it calms him down. He turns his attention to his computer and down to the right hand side of it. 11:15pm. “Shouldn’t you be home by now?”

 

“I don’t have the energy to walk there.” He watches her out of the corner of his eye, as she situates herself into a small curled up ball on the couch. Her bright brown eyes are shut tightly as if she’s trying to convince him that she’s in fact sleeping. But her hands betray her as they tap the edge of her waist in a repetitive motion.

 

After a long second at starring at her fingers, he shifts his eyes back toward the problem at hand. His case. His. Despite the Chief’s incessant comments about taking the case away from him, this case is his. He’s been with it longer than anyone else has, and he’s the one that’s put in the time. This man, murder, disgusting piece of has been murdering woman for fourteen years. Since Jae Beom was fifteen.

 

It’s not just something you take away and push to another district that has no clue about Gangnam or the case itself. It’s unfair. It’s not right. It’ll only lead to more deaths. Which means, if that’s not going to happen, he has to solve it in the next two weeks.

 

Yet it’s itching at the back of his mind. He’s been on the case for seven years. If he couldn’t catch the guy in that time, how can he catch him in two weeks? Impossible.

 

He worked for another three hours that night. Researching, re-reading case files, looking over the exact places the women were found at, looking over the words of the people who had found each and every one of them—but nothing. He’s got nothing.

 

He sighs while kicking the edge of the desk repeatedly. It’s getting on his nerves. This sick bastard is getting on his nerves. He wants to scream. He wants to scream because he can’t figure this case out. The frustration and the anger is building so far into his gut he feels like he might explode.

 

But he doesn’t. He also resist the urge to crack his knuckles—a habit he hates the most. He proposes its something that a detective does. They find an outlet for anger, frustration, sadness, and depression; otherwise known as a habit. His habit just happens to be the worst thing you can possibly do, and he wouldn’t be surprised if he has arthritis in the near future because of it.

 

He makes clear eye contact with the back of Soo Youn’s head. Why her? Why now? These two questions always seem to run around his brain every time he sees her. It’s a bad thing. Repetitiveness isn’t a good thing when it comes to being a detective. So why those two questions? Why are they always swarming his thoughts when he sees her?

 

As if he doesn’t have enough to focus on; she’s now clouding his brain like a bad omen. Maybe he should see someone about this? Or maybe he should let it happen. He’ll never admit, but he likes that she can distract him from overworking, and over thinking. No matter what, she could be talking about nonsense, she’ll distract him.

 

After a second or two of starring at his files, he finally had the strength to shut his desk light off, and close the files. It’s practically three in the morning—he should be in bed. And she should be home. It would feel weird to wake her up and tell her to go home just so he can shut the station down for the night.

 

So instead, he settles for placing his jacket over her, and making his way to the beds in the back. He practically lives in the station anyways; it won’t hurt to sleep here again.

 

 

 

 

BY the time morning had a risen; Jae could smell the sweet yet bitter taste of coffee sifting through the rusty old station. He hates coffee, yet he loves the smell. If there’s one thing that coffee does for him: it brings back the smell of his home—the one he lived in as a child. His father was and still is, far to obsessed with drinking three cups of coffee a day. His mother always told him—and still does—that he should never drink coffee when he’s older, or practically any point in life—some health nutrition she looked up online told her that drinking coffee is bad for you. She’s his mother so he promised her and twenty some years later he’s never had one taste of coffee.

 

He decided that now’s the best time to get up. He pushed himself onto his elbows before swinging his legs over the side of his bed, eventually standing up, and making his way down the hall of the station before finding himself in the front where Soo Youn sat in his chair. It’s a weird sight. She’s wearing his leather jacket—the one he placed on her last night—her hair is pulled into a bun on the top of her head, her tan legs are propped up on his desk, a cup of coffee near her arm, and the files of all the murders in her lap.

 

“Yah! Citizens can’t read that!” He complains while trying to pull it away from her but she childishly kicks him softly in the chest. “Soo Youn-ah!” He mumbles dangerously but she only glances at him between her lashes before smiling.

 

She placed one particular file down on the desk, and pointed at a specific spot on it. The file being the latest murder, and the spot being a rough terrain of where the woman might have been murder since the place that she was found, was not the place she was killed. “You should look here.”

 

“What?” He asks incredulously as he stares down at where she’s pointing. Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital. The building was left abandoned nearly twenty or so years ago and has since been closed to the public. Yet, people seem to find their way in with no problem. “Why there?”

 

She shrugs while pushing the folder toward him, “It’s spooky, and murder-ish.”

 

“Murder-ish isn’t a word.” He points out while almost flicking her on the forehead for being such a college girl. “Besides, what murderer kills someone in someplace that would obviously be a kill zone?”

 

Soo Youn scoffs, “A smart one.”

 

He thinks about it.

 

Maybe the killer is like some reverse psychologist. Most murderers nowadays don’t end up killing their victims in basements, dark alleys, and haunted places—it’s not the movies. But what if the killers point was to make you think that and instead actually kill his victims in said places?

 

“You’re a genius!”

 

Soo Youn’s ears perk up at the comment as she watches him gather all of his important files and shoves them into one of his black backpacks. “You’re actually going?” He nods his head as he grabs a bottle of diet coke from the mini fridge and shoves that into the bag as well. “Can I come with?”

 

He stops his movement to grab a packed lunch and instead turns his head to look at the girl who was now starring at him with curiosity. “No. You stay or better yet, go home.”

 

“Please!” She begs while putting her hands together in the form of a prayer. “I’ll be super quiet, and I’ll only be there to help.” She was begging in a whiny voice, one that he expects every woman to have mastered by the age of fifteen. “Jae Beom Oppa!” She complains.

 

He stops dead and snaps his eyes toward her, “I told you not to call me oppa.” Her eyebrows furrow together in confusion as he finally zips up his backpack and heads for the door. “You’re not coming with me, and that’s final.” Before Soo Youn could even reply back he slams the doors to the front of the station close and leaves faster than he ever has before.

 

Soo Youn’s excessive curiosity gets the best of her at times, and this one has to top the list. She pushes the cup of coffee away from her as she leans down and picks up her pair of black converses. Once placing them on her feet she makes her way out of the station. Curiosity is a big part of Soo Youn. No matter what and no matter where—she will always be curious. It’s a flaw in her everyday routine. If she finds something interesting she just has to go and investigate it.

 

Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital is located in Gwangju-si which is about an hour drive, with traffic, from the station. It’s a scary place. It’s said that the reason it closed down was because people—including doctors, and patients—began to randomly die, but no one knows why because there was never an investigation about it. It’s now a place where many ghost hunters go to see if they can find any spooky demons haunting the place.

 

Soo Youn got into the nearest taxi and directed the older man inside to Gwangju. He’s pretty happy since he’ll get his money’s worth out of the ride. Though there’s not much traffic at around seven in morning on a winter’s day. Usually there’s barely any traffic on weekdays in the morning since everyone’s already at work or just waking up.

 

About thirty minutes into the ride Soo Youn guesses that Jae Beom is most likely already on his path to walking to the hospital. The trek to the hospital is hard, and no one really knows how to get in and Soo Youn highly doubts he does. And she’s correct.

 

Jae stands on a dirt path. In front of him are bushes and trees covering up every inch of plain view around him. The hospital is practically nowhere to be seen and he’s not quite sure where to go from here. The locals don’t say . They never have, and never will. Now he regrets ever coming, and that maybe he should’ve brought Soo Youn with him.

 

Thankfully, Soo Youn gets there in another ten minutes to find him standing in the exact place he was before but this time crouching down and analyzing the path that leads to darkness. “Jae Beom-ah!” She calls causing him to fall on his in surprise. He twists his head around to see her walking up to him.

 

“Did you follow me here?” He asks while standing up and dusting off his pants. Let’s just say he’s not happy, and his voice pretty much displays that. Though his voice is as if he’s angry she followed him, on the inside he begins to relax knowing that she’ll figure out how to get them there and that’s reassuring.

 

She flashes him a smile and reaches up to pat him on the arm subsequently entering his personal space though he doesn’t seem to notice or maybe he doesn’t mind. “I came to help.”

 

“Who say’s I need your help?” He asks while pushing her hand off of him.

 

She drops her smile and takes a step back, “Alright fine, then I’ll go home.” She twists around, her hair almost smacking him in the face, as she begins to trek her way back to the road where she’ll acquire another taxi to take home.

 

Jae Beom stares at her in disbelief. Is she crazy? She came all the way to help and now she’s leaving because of what he said. That’s just ridiculous. She’s ridiculous. “Wait!” He calls while biting the inside of his cheek to stop him from saying something immensely stupid.

 

She looks over her shoulder at him, “What?”

 

“Just,” He pauses to rake his fingers through his hair, as a result messing up his quaff in the process. “Show me the way.”

 

She turns back toward him, and although the look on her face says that she wants to say something, she doesn’t. She pushes her shoulders back instead, and walks right past him. “I’m only doing this for the sake of the case.”

 

Jae scoffs, “You’re acting like it’s your case. I hope you realize that you are in fact a citizen and not a police officer or homicide detective for that matter.” He honestly can’t take this woman seriously. She’s walking ahead of him, guiding him, like she’s in fact the detective and he’s the citizen when it’s the other way around. “By the way if you get hurt at all through this—I’m not liable for you because you came on your own free will.”

 

“Nothing bad will happen,” She pauses as they come face to face with a small stream. “I checked the case. The morning is when you find the body; when the autopsy is done you find out that they are all killed late the night before. So it’s more than likely that the killer isn’t in the hospital at all.”

 

He only sighs as he crosses the stream quickly, and ends up helping her across the stream. “Who says I was referencing the killer, maybe I was talking about you getting attacked by a ghost or get bit by a poisonous snake.” It’s actually highly likely that either one of them can get bit by a snake, spider, or any other poisonous creepy crawly that’s out and about.

 

“It’s nice that you care.” She adds, and although it’s supposed to come off with a nice sweet voice, it’s rather sarcastic and vain. He doesn’t seem to notice though and only follows after her.

 

He rolls his eyes, “I don’t.”

 

Finally, after making their way up a steep part of a hill, they make it to the eerie hospital building. The front of the building being an ashy gray, with tiny specks of black running up it from all the ants carrying food; standing tall, with few breaks, is the rusty—almost orange—colored gate; this gate being the only way in, and the only way out. In every small crevice of the side of the building they are at there’s pieces upon pieces of broken glass, and spider webs hanging loosely on the wall. In some way it vividly reminds Jae Beom of the station he practically calls home. “Lead the way.” He says while gesturing to the small opening in the gate which will most likely cause both of them to crawl to get inside.

 

She glances at him, “Are you serious?”

 

“You’re my tour guide…guide me.” He once more gestures to the small opening but this time he couldn’t help but let a small smile form on his lips.

 

She only huffs which causes a good amount of her bangs to go up and then fall down in a disastrous place in front of her eyes. “Fine.” Soo Youn crouches down in front of the opening, its way too small to just duck through like limbo, this causes her to lie on her back and actually worm her way through it—thus gaining a few chuckles from Jae who watches in amusement.

 

Once she’s standing a few feet away from the gate, Jae makes his through in a more glamorous way then she does—by not doing the worm. “This place is huge,” He comments as the two walk further into the building. He side glances at Soo Youn to see her eyeing up a side of the wall that says, in big dark red letters, H-E-L-L. “Come on.” He grabs her by the upper arm and drags her down the hallway which causes her to stop paying attention to the stupid word.

 

“What are we looking for?” She asks as they walk further into the darkness.

 

He shrugs while pulling out his phone to turn on the flashlight. “If you see weapons, blood, or anything that may or may not be involved in murder—then you’re on the right track.”

 

The two keep silent after that. Most of the time their eyes are moving left to right, starring either down the corridor at the walls, into thrashed rooms, or out towards the windows to see what’s outside. After a while the pair had finally made it to the rooftop of the building, finding nothing along the way. The rooftop is actually quite nice compared to the rest of the building. It’s caged in like a bird cage which allows you to see out and about, there’s a broken basketball hoop above the door they had walked through, along with enough room to do practically anything.

 

“They kept the patients in like birds.” Jae says while pointing to the cage.

 

Soo Youn only shrugs, “What would you rather have: a complaining patient about always being stuck inside, or a dead one that decided to jump off the roof just for the hell of it.” Jae blinks as he looks back at her. She only chuckles as she takes a few steps ahead of him to take a closer look at the ground further head. “You have to remember this was a mental hospital, and no one likes being mental or being treated like their mental.”

 

“Guess I forgot.”

 

Jae crouches in front of a large blotch stain, located in the middle of the roof. This is definitely it. Either it’s the man Jae’s been running after for seven years, or it’s some other murder. “Hey, you got like a wipe in your bag or something?”

 

Soo Youn looks over her shoulder at him, before reaching into her brown purse and pulling out something ‘like a wipe’. “Here.” She passes it to him, and he takes it without looking. Once pulling it down to eye level he cringes.

 

“A tampon, really?”

 

She shrugs with a laugh, “It’ll get the job done.” Jae almost gags at the comment as he rips the yellow paper off of it and then the blue plastic thing off the actual white, shaped like the zoomed in magnified picture of , tampon. Starting from the top of the blotch, he presses the tampon into the ground before stopping when he reaches the end. Thankfully, Soo Youn is right and the tampon absorbed a bountiful of the blood on the floor. “Jae, there’s someone out there.”

 

Jae looks up at Soo Youn to see her pointing below the hospital. He quickly stands up and stares at where she’s looking. There, two stories below them, walks a man—yet to notice them—wearing a black and white suit and a hat covering a majority of his face. “Look, there.” She points further ahead where a young girl—maybe sixteen or so—skips over to him wearing a school uniform. Her hair is auburn with streaks of dark green that comes down to right below her shoulders. “Maybe they’re just visitors—like us.”

 

He shakes his head and grabs onto her hand, “I don’t trust it.”

 

He pulls her away from the sides of the cage, and back into the building. “Keep as quiet as possible.” He whispers to her as he drags her into a secluded room, where the two duck behind a cabinet.

 

“How do you even know they’re going to come up here?” She asks in a hushed voice as he grabs a hold of a sheet of aluminum and pulls it over to lean up against the cabinet and cover a majority of their body. “Besides, aren’t you insinuating that he’s also using a high school girl for what? His murders? Pleasure? Or maybe even to kill her here?”

 

He takes a deep breath in before twisting his view to look at her, “Can you just shut up? I don’t know, okay? But I’ll figure it out once we get out of here safely so just shut the up.” Soo Youn sighs as she comfortably sits Indian style on the ground, her one leg overlapping by sitting on top of his knee. “We won’t be leaving until I know its safe so get comfortable.”

 

The two sit in that position—him huddled up against the cabinet, while she overlaps him—for almost an hour. Neither of them are expecting much to happen, and since they’ve yet to hear any rustling like the two were moving up the stairs or coming near them, they actually expected for them to have left.

 

“Appa, you said we wouldn’t have to come back here until next month!” The voice, a female for sure, is shrill almost spine-tingling like nails on a chalkboard. She’s definitely not someone that either of the two—huddled behind a cabinet and a piece of aluminum—want to meet.

 

“Just shut-up and follow.” His voice; Soo Youn can only describe it in three words: breathy, gutteral—where his voice is so low it’s barely considered human—and raspy to where it sounds more like air than it does an actual human voice. But nonetheless, the sound of the man makes Soo Youn clasp her fingers around Jae’s upper arm.

 

The girl stomps her feet, causing the radiation of the vibration of the floor boards underneath them to reach both Jae and Soo Youn—almost making Soo Youn grab onto Jae with her other hand. “Appa! I hate coming here, and I have major homework. I can’t always come to help you with your stupid clean up. It’s your mess so you clean it up.”

 

A loud clap like sound resonates through the building before a light scream echoes right after. Jae knew instantly that the man has slapped the high school girl. Jae also knows that this man is definitely the killer.

 

Soo Youn leans in closer to Jae and presses her lips almost visibly against his ear. And if not for the dangerous situation in front of them, he might actually enjoy this position. “Where’s your gun?”

 

He reaches down towards where his holster is supposed to be, and cringes when it’s not there. If the holster isn’t there, his gun isn’t there. This means they have practically no chance of getting this guy. Jae’s a good shot, but he’s not good at fighting, and he’s not going to put Soo Youn or that teenager in a dangerous situation with a serial killer who most likely has bountiful of weapons.

 

He turns his head toward her, their faces so close he smells that bitterness of the coffee she had drank early this morning and she can smell the freshness of the mint he had digested earlier, and leans his head into the crook of her neck where his face is side by side with her and the wall. “Stay calm,” He begins. She can only roll her eyes—stay calm? In this situation? Yeah right. “I don’t have it.”

 

All Soo Youn wants to do is slap Jae upside the head with so many curse words it visibly hurts him to stand. But she can’t; because, right outside their so called safe haven, is a serial killer and his daughter. She doesn’t blame Jae. He was rushing to get out of the station, and left his gun behind. She followed after him and together they got stuck in this situation.

 

The two of them could hear large bulky footsteps, with softer ones following behind until slowly they disappeared. “They’re on the roof,” Jae mumbles, and Soo Youn nods. “Now’s our time to leave.”

 

“Shouldn’t you get a picture of the guy?” She asks as he carefully removes the piece of aluminum from around them.

 

He shakes his head, “Just follow me. I need to get us out of here.”

 

Jae should’ve known. The minute she asked the question he should’ve latched his hand on to her wrist and dragged her out of the building forcefully. But as he began his way down the stairs to the bottom level of the building, Soo Youn went the opposite direction and made her way to the top.

 

Jae, not once, glanced over his shoulder as he kept a steady pace down the stairs, out of the gate, and into the midst of the forest area. “We’re out.” He breathes a sigh of relief as he places his hands on his knees to control his breathing. After a second of not hearing Soo Youn’s voice he turns around to face where he just ran from. Only, Soo Youn isn’t standing there.

 

“Soo Youn-ah?” He asks blatantly confused.

 

Where is she?

 

“Soo Youn-ah!” He yells a bit louder now beginning to get nervous. It's been like what? Ten minutes top.

 

Where is she?

 

His brain is beginning to get frantic.  Why isn’t she answering? “Soo Youn-ah!” He splutters while densely searching through every piece of the land around him. Another ten minutes. It's been twenty minutes. 

 

Where is she?

 

His stomach is clenching, his heart is hurting, and he’s beginning to get scared. She’s nowhere to be found. He can’t see her anywhere. He can’t see her.

 

Where is she?

 

“Soo Youn-ah.” He croaks his voice rough and coarse. Bad images are starting to enter his mind. The killer got her. He killed her. Soo Youn’s dead. Dead. Soo Youn. Soo Youn’s dead.

 

His eyes are wide, his brain is useless, his hands are clenching the bottom of his black shirt with so much force his knuckles are turning white, and his legs feel like they’re about to buckle. He can’t breathe.

 

Is he going to shock? What’s wrong with him? He needs to run back there. He needs to find Soo Youn. She can’t be dead. She was right there, right next to him; holding his arm like she was going to fade away if she didn’t.

 

“Jae Beom-ah, look! Look, I got the picture!”

 

The sound of a voice so familiar pulls Jae Beom out of his thoughts to look straight ahead. There, running wildly with one hand waving and the other showing of her phone, is Soo Youn.

 

His mind goes blank. Soo Youn?

 

She looks like Soo Youn. Same orange colored hair that comes right below her shoulders, same wide hazel eyes, same height, and same build. “Jae Beom-ah!” She yells in delighted happiness as she continues to run to him.

 

Soo Youn. It’s Soo Youn.

 

Jae gathers his thoughts together just in time as she reaches up to him waving the phone in front of his face. “It’s not a great picture because all you can see is the hat covering his face, but under his right eye is a small scar and not many people have scars under their eyes so that’s enough information to find him…right?” She blabbers on and on while shoving the phone closer to his face. She barely even notices him starring at her like she might break away as if she’s just a figment of his imagination.

 

“Soo Youn-ah?” He asks hesitantly, interrupting her speech.

 

She finally glances at him and once seeing him a state of confusion she tilts her head to the side, “Yeah?” She frowns when all he does is stare at her. “Is something wrong?” She asks as lines begin to form on her forehead from frowning.

 

Suddenly, as if finally gaining a piece of reality, Jae grabs a hold of Soo Youn’s shoulders and pulls her right into his chest. He wraps his arms around her shoulders and buries his head into her neck, his breaths hitting the bare skin in between her neck and the end of her shoulder where his leather jacket resides.

 

She on the other hand places her hands on his chest and gently tries to push him away. “Don’t,” He whispers calmly. At the word she stops pushing his chest and keep her hands firm against him. “I thought you were right behind me.” His voice comes out shaky as she begins to feel something wet on her shoulder.

 

Drop.

 

Drop.

 

Drop.

 

Tears; Jae Beom’s crying…because of her. It didn’t register in her head when she ditched him that he might get scared, or nervous that she’d get hurt. It didn’t register in her head that her actions could ultimately hurt someone else. It didn’t register that he cares about her.

 

“I told you not to go. I told you to follow me.” Though he’s beginning to get angry his voice is still mellow and calm. He doubts in this situation that he could actually lash out at her. “Why did you go back? He’s a killer.” Jae Beom pushes his head away from her neck to stare at her straight in the eyes.

 

Soo Youn doesn’t like it. He looks like . His eyes are red, there’s tears running down his checks ending in a cluster at his chin, his hair is messy, and he looks like he could yell at her at any second but on the other hand it looks like he won’t. “He’s a serial killer—one of the deadliest in Seoul. What made you think you’d be okay if you went back? Are you crazy? I told you not to go back. You should’ve listened. I thought—”

 

Jae stops himself as he pulls away from her, smoothing out his hair as he stands up straight. The last thing she needs to know is what he thought when he couldn’t see her. “Let’s go.” This time he latches his hand onto her hers, interlocking their fingers together. This time he won’t loose her.

 

“Jae Beom-ah?” She asks lightly as he continues to pull them farther away from the building where hopefully the murder and the teenager haven’t heard them.

 

He doesn’t look at her, “What?”

 

“Are you mad at me?” She asks and he finally lets out a breath of relief when he finds his car. He doesn’t answer her question and she knows why. He is mad. But he’s also completely scared that something will happen and needs to get them out of here before yelling at her that she’s an idiot and messed up.

 

Once getting to the car, he practically shoves Soo Youn into the passenger seat, before maneuvering around and into the driver’s seat. “You’re mad aren’t you?” She prods once more.

 

He starts up the car promptly ignoring her once again. “Just answer the question—”

 

“I’m not angry I’m pissed.” He yells his hangs gripping the steering wheel so tightly it might actually break. “You’re just a person not a police officer. It would be different if you were but you’re not. You shouldn’t have followed me along. I shouldn’t have let you come with me.”

 

Now he’s beginning to blame himself smacking his right hand against his head like that’s going to let some sort of common sense flow in. But it doesn’t, and it won’t. “Jae Beom-ah, I’m sorry. I was just trying to help.”

 

“I don’t care.” He pulls the car to the side of the road. The last thing they need is to get into a car accident. It would be ironic. “Keep yourself safe. No matter what, you always keep yourself safe.” After a second or two of breathing heavily, he runs a hand through his mop of hair and turns to face her. “Let me see the picture.”

 

Her eyes watched with curiosity as he ripped the phone out of her grip to stare down at the picture on the screen.

 

He doesn’t find anything of use besides the large scar under his eye. “Send the picture to Ju Hyun. Make sure to explain what it is.” He throws the phone into her lap, and restarts the engine before pulling back onto the road.

 

 

 

 

JU Hyun sits quietly next to Taec Yeon, her legs propped up on the chair in front of her as she silently reads through a manual about driving. “You know, you don’t have to get your driver’s license. Sunbae and I will always drive you around.” Taec Yeon lightly nudges Ju Hyun in the shoulder but she just bats his hand away.

 

The last thing she wants is to rely on her oppa and samchon—let alone her own parents who are barely ever around. All they’ve ever done is taken care of her, so in return she should learn how to take care of herself so they never have to worry about her. Though what she doesn’t understand is that no matter what she does her uncle and Taec Yeon will worry their heads off.

 

“May I help you?” Jin Young asks as he rises to his feet. There, in front of him, stood a short blonde haired woman wearing dark glasses, bright red lipstick, and a brown coat tied at the waist. And Jin Young can swear she looks familiar he just doesn’t know why or where he’s seen her.

 

She nods while placing her black clutch on the side of her face to block Taec Yeon from looking at her. “Yes, I called earlier about credit card fraud.” She whispers in a deep voice—catching Jin Young off guard by how manly it sounds. “My name is Lee Soon Kyu.”

 

Jin Young snaps his fingers as realization washes over his face. “Right,” He mumbles while opening up a book for her sign into. “Sign here to say that you came by.” He passes her a pen and she uses it to quickly jot down her name, number, and the date. “Alright, Officer Ok will be taking over your case.” He says with a smile while pointing over at Taec Yeon who is still trying to get a glimpse at the woman who is continuously ducking her head.

 

“Uh,” Soon Kyu pales as Jin Young guides her over to sit right in front of Taec Yeon. Taec Yeon stares at Soon Kyu with wide eyes and mouth a jar, and the minute Jin Young leaves the desk—he’s pointing his finger accusingly at her.

 

“Sunny?”

 

She dips her head down in embarrassment, “Its Soon Kyu.” He only sighs in return, having forgotten her actual name since he only knew her by ‘Sunny’ for the past two years. “I didn’t come here to argue. I came here to deal with a problem,” She leans over the desk closer to him, and he stiffens in response. “A scary problem.”

 

His eyebrows clash together in confusion. Didn’t she just come here for credit card fraud, what’s scary about that? “Alright I just have to ask you a series of questions, okay?” She nods and leans back in her seat allowing for him to carry on with the investigating. “Have you contacted your bank about this case?”

 

“Yes, and they said because the person took out over twenty five million won, that it needs to be taken up by the police.”

 

Taec Yeon’s eyes widen and only one thought came to mind. How did she not notice twenty five million won went missing until now? “Do you have any suspects whom you may think would do this?”

 

Soon Kyu nods and leans in again, catching Taec Yeon off guard once more. And although he knows she’s doing it to whisper and be discrete, all he can focus on is how much more beautiful she’s gotten after all this time away from him, and he wonders if it was better off to have broken up with her even though he misses her.

 

“There’s been a strange man following me around for a couple of weeks—at the most a month. I didn’t report it because he never touched me or anything, he’d just follow me from a short distance and smile a lot.”

 

At the new information Taec Yeon smacks his hand down on the desk scaring the out of both Soon Kyu and Ju Hyun—whom still sat adjacent from him. “Yah, if someone’s following you, you call the police. You call me! Understand?”

 

“He didn’t seem like he was going to jump me or anything.” She responds.

 

He shakes his head, “When does this man usually stalk you?”

 

“I don’t know he’s always outside my apartment when I get there. Always. It doesn’t even matter what time…since I’m always getting home at different times. I’m sure that Soo Youn-ah has seen him when she gets home, but probably not as often as I do. I’ve got like a six sense for noticing things.”

 

Taec Yeon glances at the right hand corner of the desktop. It’s only noon. Which means he’s allowed to go anywhere else before he has scheduled desk duty at two. “Alright, come on. Let’s go to your house to spot this guy out.” He stands up, grabs a hold of his brown coat, and drags Soon Kyu along with him and out of the precinct.

 

“Was that the woman who came to pick up unnie the first time we met her?” Ju Hyun asks while glancing over her shoulder at Jin Young. He shifts his eyes up from the book he’s reading and watches Soon Kyu’s retreating back vividly.

 

He nods, “Yep seems like it.”

 

“So then that’s the woman that Taec Yeon Oppa dated!”

 

Jin Young once again glances up from his book to nod, “Yep seems like it.”

 

Ju Hyun only shrugs as she goes back to reading the manual and ignoring the feeling that Taec Yeon is doing something with Soon Kyu that doesn’t involve working.

 

The concentration on her book only last for a second before a loud chirp is heard. The chirp she uses for her ring tone. She glances down at her phone and reads through the information quickly before bursting into a bright shriek. “Oh my God, samchon! They got a picture!”

 

Jin Young glances up from his book to frown, “What?”

 

“Jae Beom Oppa, and Soo Youn Unnie managed to get a picture of the serial killer and they think they found where he actually kills them. Look.” She scurries over to him and shoves her phone into his face, showing off the low quality picture. “If we just analyze the features of the right side of his face we could possibly run it through the system for any matches from prior records.”

 

Jin Young tilts his head at the sight of the picture, “I don’t know. It usually takes forever for evidence to be analyzed—when you have a good picture. And with a crappy one like this…” He trails off knowing that Ju Hyun gets the idea he’s trying to clarify for her. He’s eyes are telling her not to get her hopes up. “Just go ahead and analyze it. We’ll find out more when the two get back.”

 

Strangely enough, Jin Young doesn’t focus on the evidence, rather than that he focuses on why Soo Youn is with Jae Beom in the first place and why he agreed to take her with him because he swears to God that the two hate each other. Or at the very least he hates her and she’s completely oblivious to the fact.

 

 

 

 

JAE parks the car in his usually darkly lit parking spot which is conveniently in front of the station. “Come on, Ju Hyun and Jin Young are probably waiting for the information.” He mumbles without glancing at Soo Youn who merely nods her head and watches as he gets out of the car, blatantly ignoring her.

 

The way he’s ignoring her, hurts. She doesn’t like it. She now knows she did wrong, but he should be over it by now. He can’t care that much. They’ve only known each other for a few months. She’s not even sure if she cares that much about him.

 

Nevertheless she follows him inside the station to find Jin Young and Ju Hyun watching a large screen projected onto the white wall. Faces of different men quickly flash on the right side of the screen, while the picture she had taken earlier sat still on the left.

 

“Nothing yet?” Jae asks as he makes his way around the desk to take a seat next to Jin Young. At the rate of the faces going by, it seems like they haven’t found a match, nor have they gotten close to anything called a match.

 

Jin Young shakes his head, “Nothing. He turns his attention to Jae as Soo Youn takes a seat next to Ju Hyun with a smile—who smiles back. “How did you get the picture anyway?”

 

Jae stiffens. The last thing Jin Young needs to know is that Jae accidentally lost Soo Youn in the process of trying to get away from a murder and his daughter…daughter. Why didn’t he think about that before? The girl was wearing a uniform with a crest on it. Jae maneuvers himself to the computer and begins to type information about the girl’s uniform.

 

Greenish black skirt, grey shirt, dark green crest, white stockings, and black heeled shoes.

 

Kyunggi High School popped almost instantly after typing all the information into the search engine; an all private girl’s school catering to the Gangnam, Seoul area of Korea. The number for the school is listed in the lower left hand corner where the address of the school and the principal’s name is.

 

Jae grabs for his phone and dials the number for the school. It’s not late out, around five at the most. Someone at the school has to be there. “Kyunggi High School this is Miss Park speaking.” The voice came out slightly ruff, and strict at the most. Not comforting and nurturing like he expected.

 

“Uh, yes, this is Officer Park Jae Beom of the Gangnam police station. I need some information about a student that maybe from your school.” The woman on the other side stands up from her plushy chair in a jiff as she tramples over to the student book that lists all the students in the book.

 

The woman takes a deep breath, “Do you know the student’s name?”

 

“No.” He responds while wracking his brain with information.

 

The woman takes another deep breath, “Do you know what she looks like?”

 

Jae stays quiet for a second as Soo Youn takes the phone from him and puts it up against her hair. “The girl looks to be sixteen. She has brown hair with green streaks throughout it, dark brown eyes, and she wore a pink belt around her waist that looks like it isn’t supposed to be school permitted.”

 

“Ah, yes. I know exactly who you’re talking about.” The woman chuckles in distaste at the reference of the girl, “What did she do this time? I wouldn’t be surprised if the girl killed someone.” Soo Youn glances in Jae’s direction to see him starring back at her with curiosity.

 

What is she finding out? How did she remember all that information about the girl? Probably because she went back to take that picture.

 

“What’s her name?” Soo Youn asks.

 

“Soo Jung."

 

"Soo Jung?"

 

"Yes, Soo Jung." Soo Youn shoves the phone back into Jae's hand as she runs a hand through her hair. Soo Jung. Soo Jung. Her little sister was named Soo Jung. And her little sister would've looked like that Soo Jung. She knew the girll looked familar. But now, this isn't just familiarity this is.. this is something else. That girl, may be her sister.

 

 

 

Word Dictionary:

1. Oppa: Term that means older brother/male used only by younger sisters/females said only to older brothers/males.
2. Appa: Term that means dad/father/daddy.
3. Hyung: Term that means older brother/male used only by younger brothers/males said only to older brothers/males.
4. Unnie: Term that means older sister/female used only by younger sisters/females said only to older sisters/females.
5. Sshi: A standard suffix most often used for formality reasons when talking to people you’ve just met and have yet to come familiar with.
6. Ah: A standard suffix most often used for informal speech when talking to someone you’re rather close to.
7. Sunbae: Is said only to someone who has more experience to you in something.
8. Ahjussi: A term used to address men a lot older than you.

 

Medical Dictionary:

1. HEAL Trials: Means Healthy Experiences After Loss. It’s a self-managed intervention to prevent PGD for certain individuals.
2. Prozac: A drug used to treat both depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder along with other mental disorders (PTSD being one).

 

Other Dictionary:

1. Dosirak: Korean lunch box.
2. 25 Million Won: Twenty one thousand USD.
3. Stalker: Virtually any unwanted contact between two people that directly or indirectly communicates a threat or places the victim in fear can be considered stalking