Time ticked by as Junhyung watched more police officers filling into the house, dusting everywhere, collecting samples, packing different items into different sized bags. He was waiting for someone to give a shout of exclamation, a yell of discovery, anything… Anything that would give him a little hope that they would be able to find Yoseob, that there was a chance that Yoseob was still alive. His line of sight fell on the bloodied couch again and his breath hitched as he tried to not ponder on the likelihood of Yoseob lying there, minutes or hours ago, bleeding from the same knife wounds that his parents had suffered.

He jerked when he felt a hand on his shoulders, but seeing that it was Hyunseung, he immediately stood up and stared into the senior inspector’s eyes. Hyunseung was ready to speak the moment he had walked towards the forlorn looking man but when he is staring straight into those eyes, all words were lost. The pleas and the desperation in Junhyung killed him on the insides. Lowering his head to avert eye contact, Hyunseung dropped all professionalism and bowed deeply to the CEO. “I’m sorry. I should’ve known Yoseob well enough to guess that he would have done this.”


Junhyung gave a nervous laughter and held the man by his shoulders, “No, don’t tell me you’re sorry. Yoseob’s fine. Yoseob is just chasing after the murderer. He’s fine. Right? You guys would be able to find out where exactly he is, right?” Hyunseung’s lips trembled as Junhyung’s words stabbed him at each utterance. This wasn’t a situation that he would have expected when he assigned Yoseob to the case and got the man to accept it. In fact, this was the last thing he would have expected if one and a half months to two months ago when the silent CEO approached him at the police station with the proposal of an idea.

Logically, Hyunseung knew that when assigning Yoseob to the case, the smaller male falling in love with the CEO was the last thing he would have thought of happening. Therefore, he really isn’t directly to blame for the smaller male’s sacrificial actions. Yet, guilt was creeping up to him. And judging by Junhyung’s pale face, it was obvious that rationality was lost in that man too as he was visibly struck with guilt and regret for even proposing the idea. It didn’t help the heartbreak at the loss of a loved one.


Straightening his back and clearing his throat to maintain professionalism, he frowned, “We haven’t found anything significant. We’ve set up the computer and stuff at an untouched room on the left. The pen that Yoseob mentioned was found, the other two cameras are as predicted by him, destroyed. Thankfully, the pen really remained untouched. Would you like to view the video with us?”


“You… want me to watch the gruesome act Hongki did to Yoseob?”


“I strongly understand if you don’t want to. I just thought that since you know Hongki for so long, you might be able to help us in guessing where Yoseob’s body could be at.”


“Yoseob. Not his body.”


Hyunseung sighed, “Look, the blood on the couch, that’s not a normal amount. And if he really bled that much, it meant that the wound was deep and he probably was still bleeding while being dragged away. Yoseob is not just a colleague but also a dear friend to me. But right now, we’ve got to be realistic and work together to bring that man to justice, to make Yoseob’s death worth it.”


The CEO glared at the senior inspector but still followed him to the room, trying to prepare himself to see what exactly transpired in the house. As one of the police officer clicked the play button, he inhaled sharply when he heard the love of his life’s voice filling the room.


“So it really is you.” The camera’s angle shifted as Yoseob obviously had placed it down after clicking the record button. Now, it was clear to see that Hongki was sitting on the opposite couch of the one that Yoseob was sitting on, the one that was bloodied.


“Not even a single trace of surprise, I’m impressed. Junhyung or that idiot senior inspector isn’t here, is he?”


“Nope.”


“I saw the note in the trash bin. Seems like you know me very well, Yoseob.”


“I don’t. You are just too easy to read”, Yoseob replied lazy as he twirled a strand of hair with his finger, his eyes staring mockingly at Hongki.


The man was obviously unimpressed as he crossed his legs, an attempt to seemingly hold back his anger was simmering in him, “So why did you invite me here?”


“To convince you to turn yourself in.”


A loud shout of laughter and a raised of an eye brow later, “You think you could do that?”


“Not really. So I’ll let you do whatever you want to me and I’m smart enough to drop clues and evidences that would prove that you are indeed the murderer of Junhyung’s parents and I.”


“I’ve gotten away from the murders and you didn’t even suspect that I was the murderer until recently. What makes you think I wouldn’t get away with this again?”


“Well”, Yoseob placed a finger on his chin dramatically, “For one, everybody in the police force knows that you are listed as a suspect already. And secondly, the person you are going to murder now would be me. I’m definitely more capable in leaving evidences, even with my dead body, as compared to kind and defenceless Mr and Mrs Yong. Whom, really was murdered by you so unfairly that if not my civility, I would have beat the daylights out of you for already.”


“They deserved to die”, Hongki spat. “Who are they to get me to leave Junhyung? Who are they to separate us? Junhyung and I are inseparable, since young! Even when I found my real parents, I couldn’t care less! Because I had Junhyung and having him was enough. I don’t need family, I don’t need anything else. But if anyone were to take Junhyung away from me, I would do anything to make sure he stays.”


“And yet, Junhyung has no idea of this very touching love you have for him. Worse, he doesn’t even reciprocate the same feelings.” Yoseob drawled, leaning comfortably back against the couch now as he continued taunting the murderer.


Hongki’s knuckles had turned white from gripping the sides of the couch so tightly as he glared hard at the police officer, “One day, he will.”


“I wouldn’t count on that. Junhyung is so much in love with me.”


An ear-piercing cackled blared through the computer’s speakers as the policemen and Junhyung watched Hongki turning hysterical through the screens. “You are just temporary. Once I’ve gotten rid of you, he’ll be mine. And you can’t do anything because…well, you’re dead.”


“Hmmm”, Yoseob hummed impassively, “So how do you plan to kill me? Just like how you did to his parents? Stabbing at my most vital artery of my neck and ensuring that I died on the spot? Great, this means I don’t have to suffer for long.” Junhyung clenched his fist as he wanted to enter the screen and shake Yoseob hard for provoking the murderer.


“Mr and Mrs Yong were granted a fast death because I didn’t have much time and I knew Junhyung was around. You…. You might not be that lucky.”


Yoseob chuckled and shook his head, “Oh my, I’m getting more excited now. But I’m still curious, how did you manage to get into the vacation house so easily?”


“Thanks to Hyung of course. He goes back to tidy the place often and sometimes, I would follow him and memorize the passcode.”


Yoseob gave a small smile and looked at the camera momentarily before sighing in relief, “So it has nothing to do with Junhyung shouting the numbers out in the convenience store.”


“Of course not, I knew of the passcode way before that.”


Junhyung shut his eyes as more tears flowed out from it. He knew what the smaller male was trying to do. He knew that Yoseob was doing this to get rid of the guilt that Junhyung has towards his parents for letting slip of the passcode in public.


“Okay, so now what do you plan to do with me?”


“I want to strike some fear in you,” Hongki replied confidently, gazing into Yoseob’s eyes. “You are sitting too calmly there and I don’t like that. I want you to fear me before you die.”


The small police officer eyed Hongki in amusement and giggled, “Sure, please do make me afraid. I can’t wait.”


“I don’t like how you are so willing to die in my hands. I want you to be begging to kill you and that’s when I would take your life.” Hongki murmured as he took out a knife for his pocket, its blade gently.


“Reality check. Aren’t I begging you to kill me now already?”


“I’m not stupid, Yoseob. I’m sure you’ve planted cameras around to record the conversation we just had and the process of me killing you. But I’m sorry to say, your cameras are poorly placed. It’s a commendable effort of hiding them but I’m smarter than you really think I am.”


“Oh?”


“In a potted plant”, everyone watched as Hongki crossed the room through the computer screen and pulled out a camera, stomping hard on it. “What, is this a drama or something?” Then, Hongki strode towards the couch he was sitting on and patted the innocent teddy bear that was placed with it. He stabbed the knife into the bear’s eye in one swift move and dug out a camera. Crushing it with his foot, he laid back on the couch and glance at Yoseob, “Good try, but too bad.”


A look of shock and disappointment shone on the police officer’s face for a couple of seconds before Yos