Sung-min patted the Band-Aid on his forehead, making sure that it was still in place. It had been a week since his argument with Ryeo-wook and his encounter with the masked man. He was now back sitting in the office of Kwon Boa, updating her on the findings of his investigation.

“There is certainly something very suspicious going on here,” he told her, his voice cold and serious.

She nodded. “So what have you found about Cho Kyu-hyun? Is he definitely up to something?”

“Well, actually...” Sung-min paused as he scratched the back of his neck. “I haven’t been able to pin anything on him exactly, but about this ghost...”

“Who is the ghost then?”

“I don’t know.”

Boa put her hands through her hair and then dropped them to her sides in a dramatic movement. “What are you going to tell me then, we are being haunted by an actual ghost?”

“I don’t know who the ghost is yet, but I can confirm the presence of a suspicious figure. I overheard him speaking in one of the dressing rooms last week.”

“And what did he say?”

“Well, I’m not really sure. I didn’t catch all of it.”

“Dear Sung-min,” she said softly, “are you really up to this? I know I put you under a bit of pressure and you’ve been through such a hard time in the last few weeks...”

“I’m fine, I’m really fine!” Sung-min replied in a huff, bitter and somewhat ashamed that Boa was so unimpressed with his detective work.

“I received another letter.” Boa retrieved the white envelope from her top drawer and passed it over. It was a short note this time, only a few words.

Get rid of the goat.

Sung-min considered it carefully. “This can’t be the work of Cho,” he said at last. “He told me that he wanted to keep the goat in the show as long as possible. He said it was popular with the viewers. Why would he want to sabotage his own show?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” she replied simply. “Knowing Kyu-hyun, he is probably insulted by the thought of having his program thrive on the popularity of a farm animal.”

He passed the note back to her.

“I think I’ve made up my mind,” she continued. “I want to this farce to end as soon as possible. I will talk to Mr Cho directly and make arrangements for the show. Thank you for your help Sung-min, you are now free to go.”

Sung-min stood up slowly. “Boa, there is something else I think I should tell you.”

“Yes?” she replied. A slight strain in her voice suggested that her patience was near its end.

“One of the singers from Singing Star has gone missing. I met with his aunt and she told me that he hadn’t been home at all in the last five days. He was last seen on the day the last episode of Singing Star was filmed.”

“Did she call the police?”

“No, she didn’t. When I went to her house and spoke to her, she didn’t seem bothered at all. She seemed to think that her nephew had come into some good fortune.”

Boa sighed. “I can’t see how this is relevant. Perhaps he has found some good fortune. All this means is one less contestant for Singing Star 2, and that is not a show I consider to be a major priority at this point in time.”

Sung-min swallowed with some difficulty. “And what if I was to say that I suspect he has actually been abducted by this so-called ghost?”

A hint of kindness touched Boa’s features. “I would say that Sung-min you are a dear fellow and you should go home and get some rest. I am sure that the boy will show up again, likely having been through some youthful misadventure. Don't worry yourself too much.”

Sung-min could say no more and the meeting ended there.

Sung-min left Boa’s office feeling nothing but worried. He went home, but rest was out of the question. He could not stop thinking about Ryeo-wook and what unthinkable danger he could be in. He was tempted to call his house again, but he was worried that the family would suspect him of being a bit mad. It was infuriating to him how they did not share his anxiety over Ryeo-wook's disappearance. When asked about it, his aunt merely smiled and continued watering her pot plants, stating simply that Ryeo-wook was a pure and wholesome boy, and he could not possibly have got himself into any trouble of a erted nature.

To Sung-min there was nothing pure or wholesome about this teacher person that Ryeo-wook spoke of. In his mind he could only imagine the worst scenarios taking place. As the afternoon turned to dusk, he put on his scarf and hat and stepped outside. He was going to look for Ryeo-wook, find him and bring him back to where he was safe.