#Case023 – 「Suspecting」

The eastern sky is beginning to light up. And the first crack of dawn could be seen against the dark sky that slowly started to fade away. Soon the sun will rise and another busy day will begin.

But for Jongup, today’s morning is just another morning for him to get through but it’s seemed to be a little bit different; as he couldn’t sleep well last night, all thanks to the thing that was now in his hands.

The necklace with silver heart shaped pendant.

Jongup let out a sigh before his finger opened up the pendant.

TAK

And once again his gaze fell on the girl’s picture, and gave him weird feelings that used to tell him to keep trying to figure out who she is.

But he couldn’t. Eventhough he had tried for so many times.

But one thing for sure that he had concluded where this necklace could came from. It’s absolutely no other than a man who used to wore a full complete black apparel in Angel Air; which was the main suspect of President Hong’s death as well as be known as...

Madman.

Because he had bumped into him before.

He needed to ask for somebody’s advice as he completely didn’t know what to do with this necklace. He wanted to just give the necklace to the police, but he did feel a slight hesitation in his heart as he had seen the girl’s picture.

As he did think that she was not the person that police looked for.

Jongup glanced to his watch; it’s already time for him to go to Angel Air – his workplace. He slowly stood up and went to prepare himself for another day called today. The necklace had been left opened as he put it on his table. And as soon as he closed the bathroom door, the empty space beside the young girl’s picture had been flashed by the sunlight rays that emerged from outside.

And something could be seen from there. Something that was blurry – somewhat looked like a shadow figure of someone.

There’s actually a picture engraved yet hidden inside it.

And Jongup missed it.

It just took Jongup about several minutes to make him completely ready to go to work. And plus with another minutes of his journey by his car, he made his way to Angel Air right on time. He made his way quickly to Angel Air building that was still under police surveillance at the moment.

“Jongup ahh!” Jongup smiled right when he saw the person that he actually looked for – Jaekyung, in front of his eyes, who was waving her hands to him with her lips curled up into a smile.

“Jaekyung noona.” Jongup walks in faster pace in order for him to walk beside Jaekyung, in their way to the check-in counter. “I’m really glad to see you this morning, noona. Because I really need your advice on this one thing.”

Jaekyung furrowed her eyebrows. “What do you mean by that, Jongup ahh? My advice on something? That sounds serious somehow.” Jaekyung stopped her steps and looked carefully to Jongup’s face.

Jongup nodded. “You do know that I’m on the temporary suspects’ lists before right? And I’d found this accidentally yesterday in my jacket pocket.” Jongup then slowly took out the necklace and showed it to Jaekyung.

“That’s not yours right?” Jaekyung looked towards Jongup to ask for his verification. Jongup nodded. “Oh my...don’t say that this is....”

“I do think it’s his.” Jongup didn’t said the Madman words aloud; he just referred him as ‘his’ to exclude himself and Jaekyung from the undercover police officers around Angel Air as he wanted to ask for Jaekyung’s opinion about it first.

Jaekyung looked around and held Jongup’s wrists to bring him to the isolated side of the Angel Air’s lobby. “I think you must give this to the head detective in this case. This could be the clue that could put Madman,”  Jaekyung softly said out her last words before continued her sentences. “to the jail.”

“Do you think so?” Jongup asked Jaekyung for the confirmation. “It’s not that I won’t give this but you see, I think I do know the girl in this locket.” As soon as he said that, he opened carefully the heart shaped pendant and showed the girl picture to Jaekyung.

“This girl...” Jaekyung became astonished when her eyes fell on the picture. She did think the same way as Jongup – she knew her. But the question was; who’s she?

“You do think the same thing as me, noona? You know her?” Jongup asked Jaekyung that was closing her both eyes; trying her best to remember the girl’s complexion in her mind.

“I don’t know...I do think I recognized her but...not even a single name appeared in my mind though...” Jaekyung shook his head in despair. Jongup let out a sigh.

“Seems like I have to meet Detective Lee, isn’t it?”

Jaekyung nodded. She agreed with Jongup’s decision. “That’s the best way after all. I think I’d just see him somewhere here, in Angel Air – so, you must give this to him then okay, Jongup ahh?”

Jongup fervently nodded. He would give the necklace to Gunwoo for sure.

Himchan touched every single thing in his new office with a straight reaction on his handsome face. He wandered around in his office since from his arrival to Angel Air in an early morning before anyone else.

His feelings was mixed up; he didn’t know what he supposed to feel exactly as he had already officially became Angel Air’s president right after late President Hong’s sudden death. Should he happy? Or should he still grieve upon late President Hong?

One thing for sure; life must go on.

He took a seat on the black leather chair before closed his eyes and breathe in the new air into his lungs. There’s a lot of things lingering in his mind yet he still have to focus on his work as he had been chosen as the angel of Angel Air – so, he had to take this responsibility to be put on his own shoulder.

TOK TOK

Himchan stunned by the knocks on his office door thus he quickly opened up his eyes. “Enter!”

The door slowly cracked open, and he could saw a familiar figure smiling widely to him. “Congratulations, Himchan – oops! I have to call you President Kim now, isn’t it?”

Himchan laughed. “Eunnie ahh...” he stood up from his seat and approached Jieun who was running towards him and gave him a bear hug. He shocked by her sudden action at first but he finally gave into the hug. “Gomawo for the wish.”

Jieun’s lips pouted soon after she broke the hug. “Why you didn’t tell me in the first place though? I just got to know about your sudden new position from the Internet.”

Himchan caressed Jieun’s cheeks softly with his hand. “I’m sorry. As you’d said just now; it’s so sudden. I can’t even have a time for myself to tell you about this. Please do accept my apology then, hmm?”

Jieun gave a deep stare to Himchan. “If I do forgive you...” Himchan waited for her next sentences with a full anticipation. “What you will give me in return?”

Himchan lifted up one of his eyebrows. “What will I give you in return?” Himchan asked Jieun with a confused face while for Jieun, she nodded as a yes for Himchan’s question just now.

“Something good in return such as...a kiss maybe?” Jieun gave a sly looks in her eyes.

Himchan became quite flabbergasted by her request. He lowered his gaze and scratched his head – didn’t know how to fulfill her wish at the moment. He felt very awkward, eventhough Jieun was his lover for now.

Jieun just stared towards Himchan with a weird looks. “Are you okay, Channie ahh? Y-you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to. It’s just, you know – I miss your touch actually.” Jieun paused herself for a moment. “We’re a couple but I can’t even felt like the way it should be. I know that you’re busy and I never have a complaint about it. It’s just...we don’t have a private time just two of us even for a bit and that...did make me feel slight disappointed by it.”

Jieun’s eyes started to become watery. She bit her lower lips, tried to hold back the tears that would fall to her cheek in anytime from now. She never meant to confessed out her feelings like this and in this second but it’s just her heart had felt so hurt as Soojung’s sentences were still stuck in her mind.

“Oh... But he didn’t even propose to you yet; how come you’re so sure enough that you’re his future then?”

“Waeyo? You’re afraid that I’ll take Himchan oppa away from you? Yeah...I’m also have something relationship with Himchan oppa; which maybe more important than you, Song Jieun sshi.”

Jieun shook her head vigorously. She would prove her love was really pure and more than Sooyeon’s love towards Himchan to Soojung, no matter what.

She would prove her wrong.

Himchan’s heart softened upon he saw Jieun’s teary eyes. Deep inside his heart, he did wonder why he couldn’t love Jieun as the way he loved Sooyeon?

Was he still couldn’t forget about Sooyeon? No. He sure that he did.

Eventhough it’s just for a bit.

He had tried his best to keep move on, up until now. And in front of him now was a girl that was waiting for his love for years and finally she got him to be hers – why not he tried his best to give his love towards another girl other than Sooyeon which was his best friend before; to someone named Song Jieun?

“Song Jieun.” Himchan slowly whispered Jieun’s full name to her ear before his hands hugged her on her waist. His shut his eyes closely. “I love you.”

Jieun stunned in her place and a tear did escape her eyes right when she heard those three enchanted words that been finally said by Himchan to her.

The words that she waited for so long enough.

Her hands slowly been lifted up to his waist. And she even leaned her head on his broad chest while another tears falling down her cheeks. She did thought for a one thing that could finally make her heart in ease.

‘The moment that you waited for had finally arrived, Jieun. It’s really worth a wait. Your every sacrifice is worth for those three words.’

Jieun couldn’t stop herself from feeling thankful. Meanwhile, Himchan had felt his shirt wet by Jieun’s unstoppable tears hurriedly broke the hug. “Jieun ahh...hush. Stop crying... I’m right here for you. Only you.”

Jieun nodded while Himchan finger wiped her tears slowly. Then, his hands cupped her face in a slow motion and he looked straightly to Jieun’s sparkle eyes. Soon, he drew closer to Jieun’s face and put his lips onto hers.

He kissed her.

But, without both Himchan and Jieun’s knowledge; there was a figure that was looking towards them with a full hatred yet disappointment eyes.

It’s Jung Soojung.

She just arrived to Angel Air to give her congratulatory present to Himchan when her steps finally halted upon she heard Jieun’s confession towards Himchan. She was triumphantly smirked when she knew that Jieun was in despair with her relationship with Himchan.

But her smile won’t ever last longer. She just wanted to enter the room just before she heard a sentence that Himchan had once said to her sister, Sooyeon.

“I love you.”

“I’m right here for you. Only you.”

Anger had already conquered her mind, body and soul right when she saw the kiss scene between Jieun and Himchan right in front of her eyes from the slight opening of Himchan’s office door.

Soojung’s hand had already formed into a solid fist. And she could even felt that her body had experienced a slight vibration as she tried to contain most of her anger. As Himchan and Jieun had become deeper in their kisses, Soojung quickly went away from Himchan’s office area.

She pressed the elevator button eagerly before her eyes stopped on a dustbin beside her.

TING

Soojung entered the elevator right when the door was opened and waited until the elevator’s door closed before her eyes. But she no longer held the gift anymore in her hands.

As she had already threw the gift away right into the dustbin.

Eunhwa walked along the pedestrian with a sad heart. She still couldn’t believe her own eyes and ears as she heard that Himchan is still alive.

Her best friend, Kim Himchan.

“Kim Himchan...why you’re still alive?” Eunhwa asked for a question to Himchan, but not in front of him as she just being alone currently at this time. Then, she shook her head. “No, that’s wrong. It should be; Kim Himchan, how you’re still alive?”

How. It was indeed questions that keep strike her mind. She just couldn’t figure out why; after several years later, she got to know the truth or exactly Himchan’s status.

Last time; which was two years ago, was the last news that she got about Himchan that did make her feel so much guilty and at the same time put all the blame to herself.

The news of Himchan’s death.

The incident happened months before his brother and fiancé’s death – but still in the same year – which was a mourn year for Eunhwa personally.

But now, she just knew that the same Kim Himchan that once she recognized so well before had turned back alive; which was like a reversal of fate. She was totally stunned by the news, especially when she got to know that her friend had already became the youngest president in history; the Angel Air’s President.

And without she herself knew, she already been right in front of Angel Air headquarters building – eventhough not exactly in front of it – but it had been more than enough for her eyes to see the gigantic building from afar.

“Angel Air...” She slowly looked up to the name of Angel Air building and said it out slowly. “Angel...why I think that I’m going to laugh for it? Is an angel really existed in this pathetic world though? This world is dying...like my dying heart.”

Eunhwa smirked and fixed her gaze to the building full with enthusiasm. “If angels do really exist, I’m sure that Daehyun and Youngjae – two people that I loved the most – will be alive back, same as Himchan. I’d always pray for it...and yet people around me do always said that the dead one will be never back. But why? Why Himchan could be back alive and have a happy life? It’s unfair... Totally unfair!”

Eunhwa let her heart out and she even weep in loud sobs. She didn’t care about what others would think about her – as she had even been classified as a weird person after all, right after Youngjae and Daehyun’s death.

The world is too cruel for someone like her.

Just when she could control her sadness that engulfed her before, her eyes saw a person that went out from the Angel Air building which was her neighbor, Kim Jaekyung.

Blood everywhere.

A bloody knife.

A figure lying lifelessly on the cold floor.

Someone in mask looked to the lifeless figure with evil eyes.

“AHH!!” Eunhwa yelled loudly until most of the people around her sent her a curious looks. Eunhwa held her head; she just got a kind of deja-vu.

And she actually had already experienced it long time ago. The time during her student, Kim Eunyoung’s death.

She looked up and saw Jaekyung had already seen her from afar. Without any delay, Eunhwa quickly ran away from the place as soon as possible as she didn’t want herself to be haunted by that scary deja-vu anymore.

She just afraid that it was actually a sign. A sign of next upcoming death.

Gunwoo stared to Jongup directly into his eyes as soon as he had examined the necklace that Jongup had said as the proof from Madman. Then, he cued Mr. Han that was standing beside him, to put the necklace into a transparent plastic bag which would be labeled as ‘Madman Case’s Proof’.

“You know what Jongup sshi. I’d already have a hunch that you would give the biggest clue for me.” Gunwoo smiled as soon as Mr. Han had given back the necklace to him.

Jongup was smiling too as well. “I’m glad that I could help you. But, is it okay as I’d already touched it for several times? As there would be a lot of my fingerprints especially onto the surface of the pendant.”

Gunwoo slowly shook his head. “It’s okay as I know that you’ll feel very interested to see the necklace carefully though.” Then, Gunwoo looked towards Jongup in his usual professional face. “But you have to go to the police station right after this as we had to take your fingerprints in the first place.”

Jongup nodded. “Yes, I will. But Detective Lee...there is actually something that I didn’t tell you about this necklace.”

Gunwoo furrowed his eyebrows. “Something about this necklace?”

Jongup gave out an assured looks after he took a deep breathe. “Yes. The pendant is actually can be opened and I’d found a picture of a girl inside it.”

“A girl?” Gunwoo then hurriedly took a handkerchief from his pocket and Mr. Han helped him to open back the transparent plastic bag. Then, Gunwoo slowly took out the necklace and then tried to open the pendant with all his might.

TAK

Gunwoo was amazed by the pendant that could be opened quite easily. Them, once again he slowly opened the pendant widely and seconds later, he could saw the girl’s picture that been claimed by Jongup just now.

And he himself did think that he knew her.

Gunwoo took a closer look towards the picture. The girl in the picture was smiling brightly – and the girl’s name that existed in his head; she had never once smiling at all.

“I think that I know her, Detective Lee. So that’s explained why I keep looking towards the picture, and my handprints will be a lot on the pendant.” Jongup slowly stated his point that made Gunwoo finally put the necklace in its opened state back into the transparent plastic bag.

“You know her, Jongup sshi?” Gunwoo asked Jongup with a curious face, because as far as he knew, the girl that she thought of right now was a loner.

She never smiled, even once to him.

“I think so...” Jongup slowly nodded. Then, he looked back to Gunwoo. “You do know her then, Detective Lee?”

“Yes. I know her very much.” Gunwoo leaned back on his seat while let out a sigh. “She never smiles; and I think she never gave a smile or exactly bright smile like this to you, right? Let me tell you who she is. Her name is Jung Eunhwa.”

“Jung Eunhwa?” Jongup stunned. “Oh! Yes!! She is the one! Eunhwa noona; the new neighbor of Jaekyung noona! No wonder her face somewhat familiar in my eyes.”

As Jongup had feel really happy as he finally got the answer about the girl’s true identity, Gunwoo just stared to the opened pendant; he looked to Eunhwa’s picture with a glistened eyes.

Why her picture would be the one who’s in this pendant? Why?

Gunwoo had already clueless about this case. When he moved deeper to the case, he felt like he had been surrounded by the darkness more than it should be. It’s not the lightness that he found, but a pitch darkness that would possibly made him blind.

Be blinded by his surroundings.

He started to wonder about Eunhwa. Jung Eunhwa. Why she have to be always exist in between whenever he tried to dig in the cases deeper in order to find the Madman. He’d promised to protect her; but what if she’s the real Madman?

“Jongup sshi. Are you sure that the person that you saw on the day late President Hong’s died is a man?”

Jongup fervently nodded. “Yes. I’m really sure of it.”

Gunwoo let out a sigh. This is getting really confusing from time to time.

It’s all because of an unknown identity of the Madman.

Petite_Star's Corner : Feel free to give comments for this chapter. Thank you~ :)

Madman case is getting complicated.... Who the Madman exactly is?

And why he haunted every soul in Korea by his existence? And who is his next target?

There's still a lot of things that have to be revealed little by little in this story~

Keep waiting for it, my lovely readers <3 ^_^