How could they…

Why did they betray her?

She did everything for them… she protected them but in return they run for ones but her. They should remember their promise that they would only lean to one another, no one else.

She took material arts so she could protect them. She was the oldest, so it was her duty to look out for her younger ones. She didn’t ask much just they would rely on her – only her.

She did all the dirty works for them to living a clean live.

Couldn’t they see that she had scarified everything for them?

She remembered their younger days. Just lying there due to weak after got beaten for hours. No food, no water. Until she looked at her surrounding and realized it was only her who could fight back. Thus she fought back. And they were safe. Now they were safe.

So why did they betray her?

“Aaaargh!” she screamed, trying to get rid of the raging feeling that bottled inside, once more pounded the heavy stone into the lifeless body in front of her.

**

“This is more brutal.” Kang Namsik commented, sighed deeply.

“This one was done with anger.” Park Dongshin seconded, shook his head in disbelieve he still had to witness such a crime even in his second decades as a police detective.

Sandara’s stomach turned with the sight welcomed them. They got the call that morning, saying probably there was another case for them in Gangwon Station’s juridical. And right away, they believed this was another murder from their serial killer, looking at the pattern the killer had left, the special knot and the trace of salt that poured on the wounds. This last victim was the worst among all, heavily beaten with stone than had been left just like that. Head gaped open and brain splattered, face couldn’t be recognized.

She closed her eyes, tried to block what she had seen from lingering on her mind. That was when her ears heard some faint noise.

“Who is there?”

The senior detectives turned their head on her, brows raised. The noise got louder and quickly she strode toward the source of the noise. All of them started to be on alert and hands move on their weapons, ready to pull them off. Just as she was near, a form dashed from behind the factory machine, hit her on the process and caused her almost to fall.

“Wait!”

**

Jiyong came as soon as he got the call. Crowds of news reporter had gathered with some officers had hard time to stop them getting close to the crime scene. He made his way and showed his ID so he could pass. Just right outside the door from the factory building, an ambulance parked with the back door opened, Sandara was sitting there and a paramedic was treating her.

“What happened?” He asked once he reached the ambulance.

“A witness got agitated and tried to run.” Kim Junho who was also there answered. “Cut story short, he fight her at the process. Now he’s in his way to headquarter for some questioning at the back of the police car.”

“And the wounds?” he looked at the big cut she had on her palm and scratches at the forearm and the wrist area started to get swollen. Blood stained the once white gauze the paramedic dabbed on the palm wound. It needed to be stitched.

“Fell down, must be cut by something, didn’t realize until Junho sunbae told me so.” She grimaced as the paramedic pushed the needle through her wound, attempted to close it off.

“What with the short sleeve? You know, as a police you can rolling around on the dirt at the field. Short sleeve is bound to give you more wounds.”

“I took my jacket off just before got the call, totally forgot and left it at the office.” she smiled at him sheepishly.

Her hair falling on her back in a messy way, he doubted she intentionally came with that arrangement. “And the hair?”

“Her hair got pulled when they fight.” Junho informed, caused the female detective glared at him. “This is the result.”

Didn’t happy at all with all the answers he got, Jiyong only sighed, took her hand in his. “Let me,” he said to the paramedic, took over as the stitches had been done. She got five, he counted.

“I’m okay.” She told him, but he didn’t answer, dressing the wound.

“You have to go to ER just for precaution, you have to get tetanus shoot.” He said without looking at her, but kept his eyes on her now gauzed hand. “This factory is producing parts for refrigerator, so we wouldn’t know how far the steel and iron bits are scattered.” He lifted his head and staring at her.

Before he knew what he was doing, his hands moved on their own, tried to comb it with his hands. He pulled out a rubber band from his sling back and clumsily tied her hair into ponytail.

“Seem like you need more practice with this stuff, Doctor. And here I think you’re a pro.” she , but he only stared her with hooded expression.

“We’ll talk about this later, now please go to ER.” He dismissed her joke. “Your wrist is starting to swell, ask for x-ray too in case you break something when you fall.” He added and then he turned to the paramedic, “Can you please take her?”

The paramedic nodded before moved to tidy up the earlier mess and be ready to get going.

“I feel okay,” Sandara protested, now stood up, challenging him.