10

Trigger warning: and drugs.

“It all started around six months ago. Nayeon and Chaerin aren’t as close to her as I am, so they don’t know anything. She didn’t tell me in the beginning, she wasn’t even sure what was really going on until she could feel it all physically.”

Jungkook’s jaw clenches and he looks out of the window next to him while the recording continues to play. 

Namjoon is sitting on his office chair, chin resting against clasped hands. Jimin is standing next to the wall behind him, eyes wide and arms wrapped around himself. Yoongi who had entered to drop off a few reports had stayed after Namjoon’s instructions, and he’s standing close to the exit, eyes distant and hands clenched into fists in the pockets of his lab coat. 

“It was Jaebum, that slimy bastard. Always walked up to her and talked to her, even during choir practice. Always showed up even though there was no reason for him to do so. He would ask to speak to her alone, her parents instantly let her, but her brother always seemed a little suspicious.”

“Do a full detailed search on Shin Jaebum,” Namjoon murmurs against his hands and Jimin nods next to him but doesn’t move from his spot.

“How did Jaebum and Father Yongchul drug her?”

There is a moment of silence before Minah sniffles. 

“When everyone left and us girls were helping them clean up, J-Jaebum would ask her to help him place the chairs in the storage room in the basement. No one really liked doing that part, so naturally everyone quickly left when Jaebum so kindly took it upon himself. In the beginning, Jiyeon didn’t seem so hesitant to join him, but then she started experiencing these blackouts that lasted for like two hours, and she realized something was wrong.”

“I feel sick,” Jimin murmurs, grimace on his face, and Yoongi gives him a brief frown from where he’s standing before averting his gaze. 

“I always waited for her to finish up, and she always seemed so tired and drowsy. I don’t know why her parents didn’t worry, they just brushed it off as her migraine. Her brother was always busy with work, and he always left the church before everyone else.” 

Jungkook doesn’t want to think about what that implies, but he knows. He wouldn’t want to stay in a place where he was unwelcome either. 

“I remember in the beginning, this one time after football practice, I noticed a hickey on her chest. Jiyeon thought it was a bruise, as did everyone else, but-but I’ve seen hickeys up close before. I thought she was keeping something from me, maybe Jaebum made a move and she accepted? But I wasn’t sure about that theory because Jaebum suddenly started talking to me too, asking me if I liked Seoul better than Busan and other bull he was spewing out of his .”

Minah is quiet for a moment before she mumbles a shy “sorry.”

“No worries. What happened then?”

“She deliberately stayed behind for the cleaning sessions, always made sure I left before her. I really did think she and Jaebum had started dating, so I decided to give them some space. But she suddenly changed, didn’t smile as much as before, showered alone in the private showers. One time, she had a big fight with him, and she only told me about it. But she never specified what happened.”

“How do you know the holy water was drugged?”

“Father Yongchul always brought a small bottle with him, said it was from the Vatican and had been blessed by the Pope himself. Jaebum always got it, but he said he could share it with whoever helped him with the cleaning sessions. Whoever helped to selflessly serve the church, he would say. My uncle always pestered me to stay behind with him but my aunt started on a new medication and had to leave early to take it, so I would use that as an excuse. Jiyeon then realized she was the only one who got to drink from the prized bottle. Six sundays in a row.”

Jimin drags in a deep breath and walks over to the window, quickly throwing it open to allow some cold september air inside the stuffy office. Namjoon throws him a worried frown, Yoongi almost steps away from the wall he’s leaning on, but Minah’s next words have everyone freeze in their spots. 

“Jiyeon always had her suspicions because there were marks on her body and sometimes she would ache in places she shouldn’t. So she pretended to drink the water one time and found out that during their cleaning sessions which she would always so conveniently forget, Jaebum liked to take off her shirt. And her skirt. Jiyeon fought back. Jaebum was surprised, that er, but he didn’t back down, and it turned violent before he- before he.” 

Minah doesn’t say anything after that. There is a long moment of silent crying, the occasional shout of a child’s playful laugh in the distance. Minah then clears , her voice shaky. 

“Jiyeon told me everything that night. She was a mess. She didn’t dare to go home, made up an excuse and stayed over at my place. I threatened to call the cops, but Jiyeon said she couldn’t bear the shame. Not when it would affect her family. So I stayed quiet, but I never left her side. She was barely herself at that point, but I never left her alone after church sessions. Jaebum kept wanting to see her alone, father Yongchul even tried reaching out to her, but I always interfered before that old er could also get his hands on her.”

“Do you know if anyone in the family found out about the pregnancy?”

“Her-her mother did. Jiyeon found out two months ago when she realized she hadn’t had her period in five weeks. I helped her buy a pregnancy test and held her tight when it showed positive. We had no choice but to tell her mother, and I don’t know how but god was on our side because Mrs. Kim instantly booked an abortion for her, in the city. I couldn’t join them, but Jiyeon kept me posted and told me everything went well.”

Yoongi’s phone suddenly vibrates in his pocket, and he quickly checks the caller display before accepting the call. 

“Come to Namjoon’s office now,” he orders into the phone before hanging up. Jungkook assumes it’s Hoseok. Yoongi doesn’t really have that many friends besides his coworkers. 

“We kept it hidden from her father and brother. From then on, her mother would keep an eye on her during masses. Jaebum seemed irritated, maybe he thought Jiyeon had exposed him. But then he stopped approaching her, he ignored her completely. It wasn’t until two weeks ago, before her death, that we found out Jaebum had taken a sudden interest in Yeri.”

“Wait, does Yeri still go to the church?”

“Yes,” Minah cries, “Jiyeon and I, we tried approaching her but Yeri doesn’t know what’s really going on and she went off on us, told us we’re jealous of the special attention she’s receiving and that she’ll tell Father Yongchul that we’re spreading lewd rumours about his nephew.”

“ing- hey, contact Yeri the second we’re done here,” Namjoon growls, and Jimin moves from the window and nods, impatiently biting at his lip as he waits for the recording to come to an end so he can carry out his orders.

“I don’t think he has done that to her yet, at least I ing hope not because she’s still acting like herself, probably under the impression that Jaebum is genuinely interested in her. But before her, it was Jiyeon, and before Jiyeon, god knows how many other girls Father Yongchul has allowed his nephew to use as he pleases.” 

“And, a little off note, but do you know anything about the necklace?”

“What neckl- oh, the cross? She got that from Father Yongchul, all of us did but hers was different. Maybe Jaebum made him buy her a more expensive one, or maybe he did it himself - he must have taken a liking to her since day one. ing ert. All I know is that she hated it, used to take it off at school and put it back on when she went home. Her dad had scolded her a lot for taking it off, so she always made sure to put it back on.” 

There’s the sudden sound of a phone going off, everyone in the room reaching for their pockets before they realize it’s coming from Jungkook’s phone. Minah mumbles something about her aunt calling her and Jungkook quickly assures her that he’ll drive her home. 

“Just, before we’re done here, could you tell me what you remember from the football practice on the night of the murder?” 

“Jiyeon was worried about Yeri. She’s two years younger than us, so we usually can’t reach her unless we ditch class and wait for her. Jiyeon had tried searching for her the whole day, but Yeri had been avoiding us. So we decided to come clean and reveal everything to our families. First, Jiyeon’s parents because her father has more authority at the church compared to my uncle. And then we were supposed to tell my family.”

“But that’s not what happened that night.”

Minah inhales shakily.

“I got a call directly after football practice ended. Aunty had fainted while showering, my uncle had to call an ambulance and told me to get there right away. I was worried out of my mind, Jiyeon told me to go, that we could do it the next morning. I shouldn’t have left, I-I should have stayed behind and joined her, but I was so worried about my aunt. I didn’t know someone was going to ing murder my best friend that night.” 

Minah whimpers and Jungkook can be heard whispering comforting words. The conversation wraps up and then there’s an awkward goodbye mumbled by both parties when Jungkook drops Minah off. 

The office is engulfed in thick, palpable silence. 

The sun is setting now, painting the sky a dark orange along with a myriad hues of red. The sound of the traffic outside is the only source of life in the office until the exit door is thrown open and Hoseok scrambles inside. 

“What the was that about Yoongi, you can’t just order me around like that without giving me some details! Who the died? Why does everyone look so down?” 

Hoseok looks from one face to the other, frowning deeply, and Namjoon is the first one to break the silence. He pushes his chair back with a determined jolt and grabs his coat.  

“Hoseok, call Jinyoung and his team. We have two rapists to arrest.”