“Hong Ki…”


“Junhyung’s childhood friend? Him?”


Yoseob nodded and started pacing about the room, “It’s got to be him. He’s at level 19 a lot because Woohyun, his half-brother works there, and he could have left the ring in the toilet by accident there. It makes sense because he also goes to level 17 which is where he works. He’s also close enough to Junhyung to be able to know when is the best time to wait and strike, to steal the ring. Then there’s all the times where he caught Junhyung and I kissing and stuff.


Junhyung had said before that Hongki was madly attached to him and always had this fear of Junhyung abandoning him.” Yoseob turned and looked at Hyunseung straight in the eye, “Hongki must be crazily in love with Junhyung because since young, Junhyung was there for him. No wonder he wants me out of the picture!”


Hyunseung frowned as he deliberated over the smaller male’s words, “Yoseob, these are merely your speculations and as much as I trust that they are true, the court is never going to charge Hongki based on these. There is no solid evidence that Hongki is the murderer because if he loved Junhyung so much, why then did he kill his parents?”


“I don’t know myself but I bet with my life that the murderer is Hongki. It all makes sense now!”


A phone rang and everybody in the office jumped again as Hyunseung picked up his phone once more. “Yes? Great. Explain your purpose there and do your duties well. Tell him I’ll meet him in half an hour.” He hung up the phone and looked at the smaller male was staring at him anxiously, hoping for some good news out of the dreadful day.


“He’s safe, for now. The officers in charge of protecting him reported that he had arrived home alone after dinner with Hongki. I’m going over to tell him the progress of the case and see if shares the same thoug—“. “I’m coming with you”, Yoseob interrupted, running towards the door and opening it already. Hyunseung, however, had another idea as he closed the door and sternly instructed the smaller male, “You’re staying here. We are not letting Junhyung know that we have figured out what his plan is. I’ll tell him that we are suspicious of Hongki and assess his reaction. But he must not know that we are in the loop or he might put up more defences against us to make sure you do not get into any danger.”


The smaller male opened his mouth to retort but clamped it shut as he agreed that Hyunseung’s words made sense. As he watched the older male leave, he called out, “He would display no obvious reaction, and he’s the best at acting cold and indifferent. Look at his fingers instead. They are usually spread out and relaxed but once you see them curling in, just for a little bit, it means that you are spot on or have affected him with what you said.”


Hyunseung couldn’t help but smile despite the situation and propped a hand on his hips, “How did you figure that out?”


Yoseob averted eye contact and fiddled with the hem of his shirt, his cheeks tinted with a slight blush, “He didn’t talk and barely even looked at me for the first few days, thus I had to take note of other parts of him to know him better.”


“And you totally had the hots for him the moment you met him.” Hyunseung teased as he closed the door behind him, leaving the smaller male to be blushing furiously now.


------


“Mr Yong, I need a proper explanation as to why you had stated that you didn’t want Yoseob to be working for you anymore. There was a reason why I had picked him for this case and just removing him without my prior knowledge is not exactly what I would welcome in your collaboration with the police” Hyunseung spoke as he took in the room he was in and realised that indeed, like what Yoseob had once reported, the study room, the separate area with the glass door, displayed how unsafe Junhyung probably felt in his home, not trusting anybody.


“As you probably know, we have a relationship that was more than friends. He hurt me and so I’m letting him go.”


Hyunseung raised an eyebrow and did a quick scan of the man, noting that he was speaking with a poker face, “Don’t you trust him enough?”


“I believe that my personal life is not for you to question. Just accept that I no longer need Yoseob’s services as an undercover police.”


The senior inspector nodded and leaned back against his chair casually, “Well then, let me talk more about the case. Upon much discussion, we found another suspect and he’s your childhood friend, Lee Hong Ki.”


“Why would you say that?”


“We suspect that murderer to be someone close and he’s always lingering on the 17th and 19th level just like the murderer does.”


“Doesn’t seem like strong reasons to arrest him then. I think, you guys should be doing a better job in finding out who is the murderer by searching for real evidences rather than going by mere speculations. My parents’ death seems to be not of significance to the police force as you guys are not doing your job and up till now, are only depending on speculations to progress in the case.”


“I assure you that the police is doing their very best to solve this case. Although I wished you had not hurt one of our smartest officer, leaving him so upset that he can barely think straight or logically now.” Hyunseung deadpanned, deciding to lie a little to instil some guilt in the man that hurt his friend as a form of juvenile but much desired revenge. He held back a smirk as he saw the little curling of Junhyung’s fingers.


“How…is he?” the CEO asked cautiously.


“He’ll be better”, Hyunseung replied as he stood up, walking out of the glass door.


------


The next day, Yoseob had a beanie on his head along with a pair of black, geeky spectacles and a face mask that most people wore. He had dressed himself in Hyunseung’s casual clothes, folding up the pants as they were a tad too long for him. Checking himself out at the mirror, he nodded at his reflection, pleased with his appearance. After a discussing and planning with the team, it was decided that Yoseob would stay with Hyunseung with two other officers until the murderer was caught so as to keep him safe. The smaller male would disguise himself to follow Junhyung around as he knows the CEO’s actions and antics best. Thus, he would be still be able to protect the man while two other officers would be on standby near Yoseob to assist him if necessary.


Hopping on a kick scooter, he scooted casually to the office building, fully aware that the other two officers were following him nearby although well hidden. When he reached the building, he took the quiet side gate that he knew of and entered the building successfully. Looking around to make sure he has not been spotted, he walked along the known areas that are out of the CCTV’s surveillance.


Entering the lift for goods, he swiftly pressed the number 9 and waited. As soon as the doors opened, he had slipped through the gaps and entered the stairs that were completely free of surveillance. Knowing that this was the highest he could go on a lift, he sighed as he saw the flight of stairs he had to take to reach level 20. He also had to do it fast in case some fitness maniac worker decided to take the stairs instead of the lift.


As he reached the 17th level, he stared bitterly at the door and frowned. Behind this door was the murderer, wandering freely and pretending to be an innocent friend and yet, there was nothing Yoseob could do about it. He clenched his fists and focused on the stairs ahead, moving upwards steadily. Just as he was about to make a turn up another flight of stairs to the 18th level, he heard the opening of a door a distance above him and some rough scuffling.


Alarmed, he leaned against the wall hiding from the view of anyone standing on the 19th level, hoping that whoever had just entered would not go downwards or they would see him immediately. Breathing hard, he kept quiet and waited.


“You were the one who murdered my parents, weren’t you?”


Yoseob’s ears pricked up immediately at the sound of Junhyung’s voice and he started panicking, afraid that Junhyung had so rashly confronted Hongki. Just as he was about to run up and make sure that Junhyung did not come to any harm, he heard a voice that was completely different from Hongki’s.


“On what basis are you accusing me?”


“My parents did not pay for your mother’s hospital bills. You hated them for that and killed them.”


“Yes I hated them but I didn’t kill them,” Woohyun snarled as he tried to push Junhyung, who was pushing him on the shoulders up against the wall, away. The police officer frowned as he crouched lower, afraid to give himself away as he strained his ears to catch more of the conversation.


“Don’t lie. Admit to it if you dare to do it. It was your mother that didn’t want to look ugly and weak in front of you. She knew that she would die anyway and she wanted to die gracefully, she wanted to die looking like a beautiful mother that you would remember her by. Yet, you stupid and ungrateful bastard, you killed my parents!” A loud thud was heard and Yoseob guessed that Junhyung had probably punched Woohyun in the face.


“If you think I did it, then find the evidence! If not, then live with it!” Woohyun spat vehemently and another loud thud was heard, Yoseob deducing that this time, the CEO was the one being punched. “You are the stupid one by the way. I heard you fired Yoseob. He was the best thing that could ever happen to a pathetic being like you and you let him go. He would have been happier with me.”


A scoff was heard and Yoseob’s heart fell as he heard the brutal words that followed, “Well then, take him. I’m happier without him anyway.”

The police officer waited till it was completely silent and he fell to the ground, his body trembling as he heard the venomous words that Junhyung had said. It wasn’t true. It was all an act. Junhyung thinking he was with Doojoon was just an act, wasn’t it? Why then would the CEO say such a thing when there was no reason to act in front of Woohyun?