~~~~~Your POV~~~~~

It might just be that I have been hanging out with Seung Heon a little too much but his running habit has really rubbed off on me. I run when I’m bored, I run when I’m stressed and I even run when I’m happy. I didn’t even run this much when I was working on increasing my lung capacity back when I was in Alpha.

Finishing off my post-run stretches, I fixed my hair and sat down on the park bench, observing the people in the park. It might have been the Autumn weather kicking in but I felt so lonely as I watched a group of teenagers hanging out in the park and the couples detouring through the park on their way home from university.

Letting out a regretful sigh, I took out my phone to check the time.

01:13pm

“Jenny!” Seung Heon called out. I turned around and asked him why he was here.

“I like running past this park ever since we did the Slender case. I get a bit sad when we pass the school though.”

I do really miss Jungkook and the other kids…

“I heard from Jong Hyun hyung that you requested Jungkook’s number?”

I laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of my neck, “Yeah...”

Seung Heon smiled and shook his head, “You know he likes you right?”

“I showed him my couple ring, I think he got the message.”

Seung Heon pursed his lips together and frowned.

“So did you just finish your run?” he asked.

Nodding my head, I joked, “I was actually planning on putting up a post online about how lonely I felt watching the teenagers and families hang out with each other.”

“Do you want to go past the high school again? Just to remember the good times?” Seung Heon suggested.

I chuckled, “You say it as if we graduated from the high school.”

Seung Heon widened his eyes, “If you didn’t solve the case, we could have. So what do you say? Want to go past the high school?”

“I guess I could since I do go home that way…”

Seung Heon reached his hand out and I grabbed it so I could get pulled up from the bench. I kind of wish Kris was here, even though the poor guy hates running. Feeling like I was in a drama, I took out my phone and posted a message online:

Why is Autumn such a lonely season for me?

~~~~~~~~~~~

The view of the school building just came into our sights when we noticed a female figure standing on the rooftop.

“Don’t do it, Shin Shi Eun!” I heard a voice echo at the bottom of the building.

Slipping through the opening of the gate, that should be closed on a Saturday, I saw principal Oh pleading from the bottom of the building. A woman, kneeling beside Principal Oh, was crying hysterically.

“Shi Eun ah, don’t leave your mother behind!” she pleaded.

Running towards the building, I turned around to ask Seung Heon, “Oppa, are you calling-”

Holding the phone up to his ear, Seung Heon nodded, “We’re going to attempt to negotiate with her-”

The piercing shriek of the mother and the sound of impact sent shivers down my spine. Sharply turning around, I hurried over to the wailing mother.

“Forget the fire brigade, get the medical examiner to come…” Seung Heon trailed off.

“My Shi Eun!” she cried, “My Shi Eun!”

Just as she was about to cradle her daughter, I quickly pulled her hands away, “She might be alive, you don’t want to do anything drastic to her spine.”

“My Shi Eun! What am I going to do? My baby is gone!” she screamed.

Turning the mother’s face away from the limp body, I watched on as Seung Heon bent over the body and checked for her pulse. Almost too afraid to look up, Seung Heon slowly moved his fingers away from the girl’s neck.

“Is she dead?” Principal Oh asked. The rushed tone in his voice was probably the last straw for the girl’s mother.

“YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!” she blamed.

Helping herself up, she grabbed him by the collar with her blood stained hands and shook him violently.

“I didn’t do anything!” he protested.

He is acting like he played no part in this at all. He wants to completely detach himself from all responsibility.

“She was bullied and you didn’t do anything about it! I read her letter!”

That’s strange, the school was renowned for their anti-bullying policy. Despite being characterised as the cultural outcast, everyone accepted me with open arms at the school. I also never heard of any bullying cases after the Han So Ri incident.

“There were no indications that there was any bullying going on inside the school,” the principal argued.

“THIS IS THE SECOND SUICIDE THIS WEEK!” the mother shouted out, “YOU TELL ME WHY THIS IS HAPPENING!”

Seung Heon removed the mother away from the scene and left me and principal Oh standing over the girl’s body.

Second suicide? The principal must have pulled a lot of strings to not get this out on the news. Jungkook would have told me if this issue was raised to the whole school. I can’t believe he didn’t make a big deal out of this. Wait, I take that back, I can believe that he wouldn’t make a big deal out of this. This is like the Han So Ri case all over again.

“What happened to your anti-bullying policy?” I questioned the principal.

“Moon Jae Mi, how dare you talk in that tone with me. I am your superior.”

“My police colleagues are on their way and if you don’t answer my questions, I will get a warrant to search every nook and cranny inside the school and I will find evidence to charge you with anything that I can come up with.”

The principal’s eyes widened as his brains processed my threat, “You- you- you are a detective?”

“I’m glad we are on the same page, principal Oh.”

I’m guessing I’m going straight to work then…

~~~~~End of your POV~~~~~

~~~~~Kris’ POV~~~~~

Why is Autumn such a lonely season for me?

Man, I feel so terrible. I haven’t been hanging out with Jenny that much lately. She’s been busy with the trial, EXO has been in China promoting the new song and Alpha have been preparing for their comeback. Maybe I should surprise her with a special event?

I should take her to the studio and let her listen to the song that I have been working on. I know she’s feeling really regretful about the whole Alpha thing. Getting her back into the studio will cheer her up.

8:12PM

Maybe I should call her now and have the date tomorrow.

---------Phone call--------

Jenny: Hey. What’s up?

In the background, I could hear people frantically discussing things.

Me: Are you at the police station, I thought today was your day off.
Jenny: There’s a suicide case at the high school that I was undercover at.
Me: They assigned you the case?
Jenny: Well… Seung Heon and I were there when it happened so… yeah…

Her and Seung Heon again?

Me: So when are you coming home?
Jenny: Umm… I don’t know. Don’t worry about me. Seung Heon oppa will take me home. You should get your rest. You’ve only got one week in Korea to rest up.
Me: No really, what time are you leaving the office?
Jenny: I know you really want to meet up with me but I am not really in the mood to go out.
Me: Okay, but-
Jenny: Sorry honey, I really have to go. The media is getting a little invasive, if you know what I mean. Love you, bye!

-------End of phone call-------

“Bye…”

I stared at my phone in disbelief. This was not the first time that Jenny has brought up Seung Heon in one of our conversations and this isn’t the first time that Seung Heon has crossed the line with Jenny. He is getting too close with her.