CHAPTER 31

FLASHBACK

       Siwon smirked satisfyingly while staring at the screen in front of him. There’re so many pictures of “them”, really more even than he might thought. Briskly he plugged in his USB and blocked all those pictures, right-clicking, then copied and pasted them all into his USB.

       “Gotcha!” he snapped his fingers happily once the process was accomplished within less than one minute.

       He rose from the chair after closing the window, making sure the desktop was displaying the same screen as previous, before the owner left the room.

       “How could you be so careless, my Dear, just leaving your laptop when you had photo session, even without locking it with any password…” he grinned and murmured. “But it doesn’t matter,” he talked silently again. “Since it just would make everything easier…”

       “I’ve heard very often, people saying the easiest way to capture a girl heart was when she’s getting hurt a lot and felt so vulnerable… Let me proof it this time.”

       “With me, you will never feel wanting anything more, Baby.”

       He smirked again, this time, in victory.

PRESENT TIME

      “Kwon Yuri Ssi,” the deputy called out her name seriously.

       “Can you tell me how did you find Taeyeon Ssi and explain in detail how the situation when you’re finding her?”

       The harrowing scene was replaying on her mind again; making her couldn’t stand it anymore. In her frustration Yuri suddenly rose from her chair and hit the desk; making the sheriff startled for some moment.

       “I’ve been questioned for the same question before, before, and before!! Why the hell you’re all kept asking me the same question over and over again??? Don’t you think I’m happy to relive all those scenes? Remembering each detail when my best friend was being stabbed… Seven stabs, Man! I saw blood everywhere… even some of them was sticking on my hands… Even thought I’d washed my hands afterward, until now I still could feel it on my hand!”

       Jessica, who was sitting nearly just hastily got up and reached her girlfriend who was clearly still on her shocking mode. It was for the first time she witnessed the strong Kwon Seobang let out a loud cry; revealing her human weakness side in front of people, including her. Jessica hugged her from aside tightly, guided her to sit down again.

       “Yul,” she murmured and caressed her back few times in order to soothe her emotion. And it worked.

       Yuri seemed had already managed herself again. She heaved a huge sigh and covered her face with her palms for a moment.

       “I know it’s very tough for you, for us. But by giving them information they need, you already made them one step closer to reveal the truth, to catch the villain. There’s must be someone who have to be pointed out to take the responsibility behind it, rite?”

       Yuri nodded feebly. Jessica kept caressing her back of head gently.

       “I know you’re strong enough to go through all those things, Yul. I’m here for you.”

       Yuri nodded again, let her palm down, and now looking at her beloved girlfriend. Her girlfriend was still staring her as well, beaming an encouraging smile toward her, that finally lead her to be able to smile back at her as well.

       “Gomawo,” she said genuinely. Jessica widened her smile then facing the sheriff again.

       “You can continue the investigation now,” she said and back to her previous seat again.

       “Jwesonghaeyo,” Yuri said apologetically to the sheriff. “I’d answer your question and give you everything you need to know.”

       “Gwaenchanseumnida,” the sheriff replied understandingly. “You’re not the first who acted like this. We really understand your position. Now, will you go on?”

       “I found Taeyeon Ssi at 9 pm, at the park she used to go when she felt like being alone for some moment… She used to do it when she got some troubles… I arrived in time when the culprit stabbed her for the last time…”

       “Do you know the reason behind the murder attempt?”

       “I guess… yes,” Yuri replied weakly. “When I reached her, she was still sober,” she paused momentarily as if trying hard to continue the story. “She just smiled at me, as if she didn’t hold any pain… It’s really… really harrowing…”

       The sheriff kept writing down Yuri’s remarks and patiently waiting for her to go on.

       “She said to me ‘luckily, he didn’t get what he wanted, Yul…’”

       “What does it mean with ‘what he wanted’?”

       “The memory card,” Yuri replied briefly. “He’s after the memory card.”

       The sheriff shifted the gaze toward the paper in front of him again, then hauling up a plastic bag containing a cell-phone inside. In a glance, Yuri’d already recognized that it was Taeyeon’s mobile-phone.

       After wearing latex gloves, he carefully took the cell-phone out and pressed some buttons few times, that Yuri had already noticed that he had traced across the call history.

       “Do you recognize the number?” the sheriff asked and let her saw the last number Taeyeon had already received before the incident happened.

       Yuri shook her head.

       “I think whomever the person, he’d be determining witness in Taeyeon Ssi’s case,” the sheriff stated.

       “And now we have him here,” he added casually then beckoning some man to bring someone joined them.

       An old man stepped into their place and just sat down once the sheriff invited him.

       “Jae Suk Ssi imnikka?” the sheriff checked once again.

       “Ne,” the man confirmed.

       “Do you recognize this girl?” the sheriff proffered him a photograph of Taeyeon.

        “Ne,” he nodded his head.

       Yuri seemed slightly taken aback hearing his remarks, but still, she couldn’t figure out anything. How could this man connected with all of the tragedy occur to her best friend?

       “Now can you tell me why did you call her at that night?”

       “I needed to meet her,” he replied. “To give something I thought I might need it most.”

       “What kind of thing?”

       Jae Suk pointed out at the memory card with his eyes.

       “You got it,” he answered briefly.

        “Do you have any idea why someone would have intentionally killed her just for getting this small stuff?”

       “Yeah,” Jae Suk nodded again. “Actually I’m a head of security on Choi Entertainment.”

       Yuri’s eyes widened hearing his statement. So… he’s one of the employees in Choi company… But… what’s his relationship with Taeyeon?

       As if could read Yuri’s mind, Jae Suk tilted his head toward him and flashed a smile.

       “Taeyeon Ssi was a warm-hearted girl,” he said. “I owe her. She once ever saved my daughter from an accident.”

       With his remarks, suddenly Yuri felt like the truth was gradually revealed. She felt like could decipher everything. The man went on his remarks.

       “Just insert it on the device and I’d like to show you the one who will answer all of your questions you’re going to ask me.”

       Siwon embraced Tiffany tightly, let her poured her tears as long as she wanted into his chest. He her gently and not let her go even for a second. Tiffany, just looked like an absent-minded one, leaned her head onto his chest while her mind just never stop thinking about Taeyeon.

       “She’s suffering pain because of me, Oppa,” she murmured.

       “Aniya,” Siwon replied. “Don’t blame yourself, Fanny~aaa… She must be sad if finding you blame yourself like this. She wanted you to be happy, rite?”

       “How could I be happy, while my only real happiness is only to be with her?”

       Siwon clenched his teeth secretly hearing Tiffany’s remarks.

       “Do you really love her that much?” he asked, trying to sound as poised as possible.

       Tiffany nodded her head.

       “More than… your love… toward me?” he asked again, this time stammering.

       “Mianhae, Oppa,” Tiffany said. “I don’t know why, but I think I’d never feel loving someone else just like the way I felt toward her,” she admitted bluntly.

       “Gwaenchana,” Siwon replied understandingly while patting her back.

       “Oppa,” Tiffany piped in again. “I think you deserve a better girl…”

       “Don’t say that, Fanny~aaa,” he said. “You’re getting hurt and me too. Why don’t we try to get over it and start a new chapter together?”

       Tiffany seemed taken aback with his remarks.

       “I was super serious when I asked you to marry me, Tiffany. I didn’t give a damn with your female-female relationship. I believe you’re still the best for me,” Siwon said sincerely, making Tiffany felt touched.

       “Oppa…,” Tiffany couldn’t say anything and Siwon struggled hard to hide his smirk.

(Look at you, Tiffany… Few months ago you’re just looked like a shining diamond…

You showed your arrogance by rejecting and ignoring me…

And now… look at yourself… So fragile, so brittle, so vulnerable…

You aren’t more than dusty gloom thing already losing its sparkling…

And now, your destiny is totally in my hand…

Oh, I almost can’t believe it! The world is indeed on my side!)

       “Tiffany, let me make you relax,” Siwon gently said and guided her to lie on the bed. Tiffany, who still like hadn’t recovered yet, involuntarily just followed him.

       Siwon smiled and kissed her forehead gently; afterward his hand began to move down, ing the clothes of absent-minded Tiffany.

       “W-what are you doing, Oppa?” Tiffany asked stutteringly.

       Siwon kept crouching and touched her cheek, while the other hand was still busy finishing ing her.

       “Gwaenchana,” he smiled. “After this all of your pain just will lose. I promise!” he widened his smirk.

       At that time, Tiffany suddenly felt siren inside! But… but… it’s already late.

       Her eyes widened in surprise, but she’d already known, that time, it’s really dead-end. It’s only they two were inside the room. She had already known as well, Kim Taeyeon would never come for her again this time…

to be continued...