Lee Teuk had been sitting on his computer for days, staring at the nearly blank Word document which he had opened probably about a week ago. And after a few, long wasted hours, he thought he could just do something a little more productive. The 30-year-old author hovered his mouse over the Internet icon and entered that chat room which he had been neglecting for the past month. He hoped, that maybe someone in the chat could have ideas that could inspire him to at least write another sentence.

Thoughtless_Mind: Does anyone have any interesting story plot that I could use for a new novel?

Thoughtless_Mind: I’m having a writer’s block right now…

Guesswho: @Thoughtless_Mind What about some of your life experiences?

Anonymous Guest: I do have one.

Thoughtless_Mind: You do? What is it about?

Guesswho: @Anon What is it?

Anonymous Guest: It depends on the cut I get when you publish this novel. And also the credit for the plot.

Thoughtless_Mind: Are you asking me to pay you for it??

Anonymous Guest: I’m glad I don’t need to explain further

Guesswho: @Anon You seem serious… Relax dude.

Thoughtless_Mind: This is just a simple chat room

Thoughtless_Mind: There is no need for all these business stuff…

Anonymous Guest: Take it or leave it.

Lee Teuk hesitated. He had his hands were over the keyboard, thinking of whether to accept the deal or not. For one thing, this Anonymous Guest seemed really full of himself, and it was tempting Lee Teuk to accept the offer.

Thoughtless_Mind: How much are you asking for?

Anonymous Guest: 60% cut, no negotiation and credits.

Thoughtless_Mind: 60%?? That’s like more than half!

Anonymous Guest: Do you still want this offer?

Thoughtless_Mind: WAIT

Thoughtless_Mind: FINE. Talk to me on a private chat.

It seemed like Anonymous Guest wasted no time in contacting him because it was literally only 1 second later when a new chat popped up.

Anonymous Guest: Hi

Thoughtless_Mind: So what do you have in mind?

Anonymous Guest: What about a murder?

Thoughtless_Mind: Okay, sounds cliché but carry on…

Anonymous Guest: It will be about this auditor who gets murdered.

-

Jessica had received a call earlier to which she responded almost immediately. She managed to reach the victim’s house in 10 minutes despite the crazy traffic during the peak hour.  There were patrol cars out in the front and groups of police officers standing around. She made her way past them and entered the house.

“What do we have here?”

“Jennifer Lee, 30, an auditor,”

She looked at the injured victim. Jennifer, as named on her ID card, was sprawled out on the floor, lifeless. She had a small injury at the side of her forehead and a torn pillow lying beside her corpse.

“Has the coroner established a time of death yet?”

“She has been dead for about 3 hours now,”

“And who called in?”

“A Mrs Kim called the police when she saw someone wearing all black running out of the house. Apparently she describes the runner as a ninja,”

“A ninja?” Jessica raised an eyebrow.

“Yup, all black, from head to toe,”

“Did she say anything else?”

“She said she saw the ninja carrying some papers but she wasn’t that sure since it was late in the night,”

Jessica squatted next to the victim and picked the torn pillow up. It seemed bitten. She then turned to her right to scrutinise the victim’s mouth and saw a few threads in between the straight set of teeth.

“It seems like she was fighting for her life. She was biting through this pillow for some air,”

The blonde Captain stood up, facing Taeyeon.

“Okay. Detective Kim, could you find out which company she was working for and also the past financial records of the companies she audited for?” Jessica then turned towards Sunny and motioned her to come forward.

“Detective Lee, I need you to talk to the neighbours and ask them if they had heard anything or seen anything suspicious,”

“Yes Captain Jung,”

“Captain Jung!” Jessica snapped her head to Sooyoung’s direction and walked towards her. The tall Lieutenant was standing outside the house, facing upwards and of course, still stuffing food into . Jessica also noticed the loud barking of the K-9s.

“Yes, Lieutenant Choi?”

“Look who we found,” Choi Sooyoung pointed up at the tree with her dirty fingers full of sugar frosting.

There he was, a man, dressed in black from head to toe, hugging the tree branch tightly as he looked at the dogs below in fear.

“What on earth is he doing up there?”

“Seems like someone tried to escape when the police arrived,”

Jessica sighed after hearing Sooyoung’s comment.

“Lieutenant Choi, could you help to bring this man downtown? Thanks,”

“No problem, Captain,”

She was about to walk away when Jessica called her.

“And Sooyoung, make sure those fingers are clean. I don’t want ants everywhere,”

Sooyoung looked at her fingers and grinned guilty as she rubbed her hand against her shirt to dust off the sugar.

“I meant with water,” Jessica narrowed her eyes.

The tall girl then proceeded to her fingers while Jessica rolled her eyes and walked off to her car.

-

“So…. Jung Wooyoung,”

“How did you end up on the tree?” Jessica asked the suspect while flipping through the papers in the file. He didn’t respond in words, but rather in tears. Jessica was shocked to see a man so big, cry. She had worked for several years now but none of her cases involved a crying adult. Mostly just those annoying ones who denies and keeps lying about everything or those that requested for their lawyer the moment they were caught, or those who were scary when they threatened (not that Jessica was ever once intimidated). So Wooyoung did capture Jessica’s sympathy. He brought his hands up to his face and covered it. For a moment, she didn’t know what to do. It was only until his cries became so loud that she hurriedly rummaged through her purse, only to find a piece of wrinkled tissue. But she figured that Wooyoung probably didn’t mind using a piece of dirty tissue at this point of time.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry...” He apologised while continuing to cover his red face, with the used tissue clutched between his fingers.

“What are you sorry for?”

Wooyoung kept apologising but Jessica was still puzzled.

Then someone knocked the door. Jessica looked over and stood up from her seat to open it. She peeped through the small gap she made.

“What is it?”

“Wooyoung’s lawyer is here. Seemed like he already made his call when he was up in the tree,”

The blonde turned around to look at the weeping Wooyoung.

“Is that what you were apologising for? For calling your lawyer?!” Her voice boomed and the echo bounced off the walls. Everyone kept silent as the suspect kept his head down, refusing to even look at Jessica in the eye.

The blonde continued to stare at him while she gathered her items to leave the interview room. She was about to leave the room when she suddenly whipped her head around and looked at his hand. She was fighting the urge to snatch that piece of tissue covered in snot and tears and God knows what from him. Well, it was technically still hers.

Then the feeling of regret washed over her. She shouldn’t have even offered that piece of tissue. After all, he was the same as the rest, falling back into the category of annoying suspects who calls their lawyers the moment they were caught. But Jessica decided it was best to just leave him alone. It wouldn’t be good for her if her colleagues knew about it.

So she finally stepped out of the room and as she closed the door, she saw a gorgeous lady standing right outside it. Jessica couldn’t help but to check her out. First, her crescent shaped eyes, then the cute little button nose, the plump lips, the sweet-looking and those hips, Jessica salivated just at the thought of spanking her . Who was this girl anyway?

Jessica finally looked back up when she saw the figure smiling back at her.  She immediately flushed when she realised she had been caught staring at the girl like a ert.

“Ahem, Captain?” When Taeyeon finally managed to draw Jessica’s attention away, she continued, “This is Wooyoung’s lawyer,” Jessica glared at her when she saw the detective trying to hard not to snicker.

“Hi, I’m Tiffany Hwang,” Oh damn, that voice of gold. Jessica gulped. This wasn’t good at all.

-

It was about a month after the book was published. He was finally living his dream, sitting in front of reporters, holding a press conference. In fact, the novel had done so well that he had been contacted by movie producers and was even promised a major role in it.

“Lee Teuk-shi, could you tell us how you became inspired to write this novel?” The man only chuckled and did not reply.

“Lee Teuk-shi, was the writing style of this book different from the other books you’ve written before? Have you changed anything?”

“Lee Teuk-shi, did someone inspire you do write this?”

The expression on his face changed the moment he heard that question. He had forgotten all about Anonymous. He had to admit, the plot given by Anonymous Guest was fantastic and very well thought out. In fact, this could happen and no one would be able to catch the murderer. But he wasn’t going to tell anyone that the plot was thought out by someone else. Not when he was just beginning to experience the fame and prestige.

“I thought out the entire story myself as I was driving home from. You know, I thought, since human nature is to be curious, why not make an investigative novel? And alas, this bestseller was written, maybe one comparable to Harry Potter even,” It made the reporters murmur, probably about aggressive comparison to one of the bestselling books of all times. It would probably be reflected in the headlines on the front page of the news the next day.

Lee Teuk looked around and smiled at the commotion he had caused. But what he failed to notice was the pair of narrowed eyes and furrowed brows in the audience as he said that.

-

Anonymous Guest: Hi

Lee Teuk was shocked. He didn’t expect Anonymous to talk to him again after the last conversation they had a month ago. Was he supposed to reply? He thought about it, and decided that it was better for him to reply politely. After all, Anonymous did give him a bestseller.

He was beyond worried. But there was still a small hope in him that Anonymous was only here to sincerely congratulate him.

Thoughtless_Mind: Hey

Anonymous Guest: Congrats. I heard the good news. Your book is on the bestseller’s list now.

Thoughtless_Mind: Thanks

Anonymous Guest: So how are you going to make the payment? And when are you going to own up?

Lee Teuk did not reply to that. He didn’t know how to. So being the bastard he was known to be, he logged off, refusing to pay a single cent to this unknown person. Who was he to take Lee Teuk’s money and fame anyway? Besides, Lee Teuk was famous now, which also equated to being invincible in his mind. So to him, there was no way Anonymous could lay a finger on him.

After more illogical thinking, he became more confident that his stupid decision was the right one. Smiling, he moved his mouse to the top right hand corner of his computer screen and clicked the X button.

Thoughtless_Mind is now offline.

-

“Now Mr Jung, could you tell me why you were present at the scene?”

Wooyoung looked at Tiffany for her approval to talk. With a slight nod of her head, he looked back at Jessica and answered.

“I was delivering goods to her house,”

“In black? Covered from head to toe? Where is your uniform?”

“Don’t answer that,” Tiffany interrupted.

“What were you delivering to her?”

“Don’t answer that,” Tiffany interrupted again.

Jessica was annoyed. It was no doubt that Tiffany was cute and pretty, and clearly Jessica’s type of girl, she wasn’t about to let the lawyer get away without letting her client answer anything.

“Do you eat beef?”

“Don’t answer that,” Tiffany responded almost immediately without even listening to the question.

Jessica frowned, hard. “Look here Ms Hwang. We found your client on the tree when the police arrived and clearly he was doing something more than just delivering goods. Maybe something more LIKE MURDER?”

“Well, that’s for you to find out, isn’t it? That’s your job. And unfortunately for you, mine is to ensure my client doesn’t say anything to ruin himself,” Tiffany leaned forward and whispered while staring at Jessica’s thin lips, “If you are planning to charge him with murder, tie him to it. Because he isn’t going to say another word to you,”

Jessica looked into Tiffany’s eyes and saw the determination, and of course, Tiffany’s line of vision. She wet her lips and gulped.

“Fine.” Jessica piled the files and left the room.

Damn the nerve of that y lawyer.

-

Lee Teuk was planning to never go back to that chat room. Not when someone was persistently hounding him for his share of profits. Anonymous had been sending him offline messages which started off as simple questions which foreboded the later ones which came in the form of threats. So it wasn’t a very smart thing to open an official webpage, but the incoming inbox of questions about the book was flooding his manager’s inbox. It then led to the idea of using a chat room for Lee Teuk’s fans to directly contact him without spamming the manager’s email which was supposedly meant for

“…more important stuff,”

“You want to open a webpage for me?”

“Is there a problem with that?” His manager was still scrolling through his email, not even bothering to give Lee Teuk some eye contact. The writer couldn’t object to it because it would lead to the question why which he clearly couldn’t answer.  

“Not that there is a problem with that…”

“Good. So it’s settled. I’ll contact some web company tomorrow so don’t you worry about it. Just get some rest and think of better ideas to write a sequel or something. Goodnight,”

So there he was, browsing through the site and answering all the questions when a comment popped up and caught Lee Teuk’s attention.

Anonymous: Are you Thoughtless_Mind?

Oh My G-

Lee Teuk: I don’t know what you are talking about.

Anonymous: You thief, you stole my story.

Lee Teuk: Stop it, I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.

He waited for a reply. He began to tap his feet against the ground, bite his nails and started fidgeting. But none came. Then there was the huge wave of worry that washed over him. This was a public chat, which meant that anyone could have read whatever this Anonymous had typed. What if people started digging up and found out that not only was the idea not his, and that he didn’t credit the person he was supposed to? It could lead to very, very bad publicity.

But part of him was relief that Anonymous didn’t reply. Maybe, just maybe, he had giv-

Lee Teuk’s train of thoughts was disrupted when he heard the vibration of his phone.

From: unknown

You really want to play this game, huh?

Lee Teuk trembled as he held the phone. He hurriedly deleted the message and looked at the clock on his computer. Noticing that it was still during the working office hours, he immediately dialled the service operator to have his number changed. But deep down inside him, he knew that this measure was only temporary. Something inside of him was very certain that Anonymous would find him again.