#Case037 – 「One Shot」

The clear, deep blue sky seemed to go on forever, with just a few fluffy clouds hovering motionless near the horizon.

Time had passed. And it’d already been about a year ever since the incident where the Madman – or as known as Jung Eunhwa among the police authorities – should be arrested.

But as if she was nowhere to be found, even searches for her had been launched since the tragic accident that happened to her and Head Detective Lee Gunwoo; the police authority decided to enlist her as dead.

As for the Madman cases, it almost had been closed right after Eunhwa’s disappearances, as they thought the real Madman had been found and yet missing, which shows no sign of the same method of killing afterwards and made the police authorities took a decision to close the case right in the next month.

Now, Madman wasn’t becoming a person that haunting each person’s lives anymore and the citizen starts to slowly forget about the serial killer.

Maybe this is a good year to start everything anew.

Right?

“President Kim,” A subtle knock then entered his eardrum before his secretary entered his room. “The meeting is about 5 minutes left.”

Himchan who was still looking towards the scenery right before his eyes finally shifted his eyes to see his secretary. “Don’t worry; I’ll be coming up later.”

“Yes, President Kim,” His secretary bowed as he made his way out from Himchan’s office.

Himchan gave a soft looks towards his name plate on the table. Then, he glanced towards everything inside his office with his sad eyes.

It’s as if he was going to say goodbye.

He carefully touched his chair and soon sat on it as his eyes closed for him to be in his own space for a moment.

Angel Air – is the place where he had put most of his efforts and ideas – almost his everything-to-be in his life – to create a better future of the company, right since he was just an ordinary worker up until he’s becoming the youngest CEO of the company and now; as the President that was appointed to replace the late President Hong.

He knew that he would always cherish every moments he had created here.

And he never regrets it – his own decision – when he had made so many things to contribute for a better Angel Air than what late President Hong had created before. And he had even pushed away all those negative comments regarding his young age and lack of experience by showing them the born of his own empire, Wings Air, which was the sub-company of Angel Air that had shown a great impact ever since from its establish.

He was proud by it; and he is still proud for it – even though he will leave this company.

He knows that he will face the negative commentary once again after this, but he was ready.

He is ready.
 

“It’s all because of you.”

He smiled. “Jung Eunhwa,” Soon, a name of a girl that he loved the most had been spoke out from his parted lips.

Yes, Jung Eunhwa. He made this decision, just for her.

It’s all because he didn’t want to let go of her, even for a second, and he would like to be with her in every seconds that he had in order for him to redeem his days without her before.

24/7.

He will never abandon her. He promised.

Himchan opened his eyes. He slowly stood up before he went to the door and took a glance towards everything behind him for the very last time.

“Goodbye.” Himchan slowly closed the door behind him. “And thank you.”

“From now on, I’ll live my life back as an ordinary person that is longing for a calm and quiet life; as I’d made my very best throughout the period where I’m becoming the youngest President in history of a gigantic airlines company, Angel Air.”

The television was left opened in the living room; when suddenly someone slowly approached it.

“I’m now resigning from becoming the President and I’ll give this position to my Vice President as I personally think he was going to do his best to improve Angel Air’s position, more than me, from now on.”

The person inside the television was being eyed with rage.

That man, Kim Himchan, was the one who made her suffered.

And he was also the one who put his mask on his face all along, and hiding the actual fact that she started to realize since the incident that took a life of a person that always put his faith on her till the very end – which is one of the reason she would never forgive him.

Her another reason?

Madman. It’s not her; it’s never been her since from the beginning.

It’s him. Kim Himchan.

He is a killer.

CLICK

“Eunhwa ahh.”

A call of her name made she turned her face towards the door where she finally could see his face in front of her for real, not in the television anymore.

And how just she wished that she could just ended up dead rather than be with him like a prisoner.

He went towards her and gave her a warm hug. “I miss you, Eunnie. I miss you very much,” Then, he glanced towards her pale face. “Do you miss me too?”

Silence.

“Ah, I almost forget it. I’m sorry Eunhwa ahh. But, you do know that I still love you despite your inability, right?”

“You’re the one who made me like this, Himchan ahh. You’re the one!”

Eunhwa yelled in silence to Himchan. She couldn’t talk, as she faced the consequences from the latest incident that marked another history in her life where another person that was important in her life dead – right when Gunwoo was dead in front of her eyes.

She was afraid to speak.

As she was afraid of the devil that was hiding behind a human mask named Kim Himchan.

Himchan then slowly leaned in to kiss Eunhwa’s lips when suddenly Eunhwa swiftly moved her face towards opposite direction, and made his lips landed on her head instead.

He sighed hard as his hands ruffled his hair messily. “You still hate me for that, don’t you? I had tell you before right? I felt very regretful for every sin that I’ve committed – but what else could I do? It’s just...I don’t want to lose you, Eunnie ahh. I don’t want you to go far from me.”

“Enough with all your obsession Himchan ahh! It’s your fault!”

“I did those things...” Himchan kissed Eunhwa’s forehead lovingly. “...because I love you, Jung Eunhwa. I love you.”

“I hate you, Kim Himchan. I hate you.”

“But maybe you don’t see that enough yet,” Himchan weakly stood up and sighed. “I’ll prove my love to you, Eunnie ahh. Then, you’ll believe me, right?”

Eunhwa looked towards the window. She didn’t even bother to face Himchan.

In fact, she was actually couldn’t face him right at the moment.

“I won’t believe you. No more, Kim Himchan.”

He almost spit his drink right when he saw Himchan’s face on the television.

“From now on, I’ll live my life back as an ordinary person that is longing for a calm and quiet life; as I’d made my very best throughout the period where I’m becoming the youngest President in history of a gigantic airlines company, Angel Air.”

“Yah! Yah! Soojung sshi! You should see this- oh?” Jongup exclaimed before he scratched his head with curiosity as he scanned the whole living room and found out there was no existence of the person that he looked for. “Where is she?”

Jongup shifted his gaze back to the television. Himchan’s face was still there – and he swore that he heard the most unexpected thing ever.

“I’m now resigning from becoming the President and I’ll give this position to my Vice President as I personally think he was going to do his best to improve Angel Air’s position, more than me, from now on.”

“Wow,” Jongup scoffed. “I wonder what on his mind right now.”

“Jongup sshi!”

Soojung’s shoulders heaved up and down as she gasped for air. Jongup who was surprised by the Soojung’s sudden appearance quickly went towards her anxiously. Then, as he thought that Soojung really needs a glass of water, he went to the kitchen and gets one for her.

“Yah! Why you’re so sweating like this?” Jongup gave the glass to Soojung. “Don’t say that there’s a ghost chased you-“

“I found it.”

Jongup became flabbergasted. He couldn’t believe what he had heard from Soojung’s mouth. “You found what?”

“I found it!” Soojung raised up her voice so that Jongup could hear her clearly. “I think I’ve found something that could lead us to prove that Himchan oppa is the Madman.”

“How you- no, I shouldn’t ask that,” Jongup gulped for a moment before he rectifies his question. “Where is it could be?”

Soojung looked towards Jongup’s dark orbs carefully. “Don’t be surprised by it – it’s right inside Himchan oppa’s house.”

Soojung and Jongup looked towards each other. Even though they weren’t talk to one another, but as if they have the ability to read person’s mind; they nodded in sync.

They must, at least, enter this lion’s den; even though both of them now were in a real danger.

“This is his bedroom, isn’t it?”

Jongup finally broke the still air as he looked towards Soojung’s trembled hands on the door’s handle. She looked like she was struggling with herself, as she have to choose whether to open the door and reveals Himchan’s top secrets; or not, which will made any secrets inside this bedroom will be remain unknown for forever.

Soojung was taken aback by Jongup’s question. “Yes. And inside this...” Soojung couldn’t continue her sentences as soon as her mind could vividly remember back their moment together as family – together with her late sister – as soon as a sound could be heard coming out from the door handle that had been pulled down.

Jongup softly held Soojung’s hand as a smile formed in his face. “We’ll get through this together, Soojung sshi. Don’t be scared; be strong.”

Soojung weakly nodded as her eyes met Jongup’s affectionate gazes towards her. She could felt the sincerity inside Jongup’s words. She mouthed ‘thanks’ and Jongup finally took away his hand from her, to give her a space for her to push the bedroom’s door open.

A bright light shone on them which made they could see Himchan’s neat bedroom; as if it hadn’t been touched for a long time.

“He didn’t come here for some times now,” Soojung made her way into the room as she examined every corner of the bedroom carefully. “That’s why I could investigate this house.”

Jongup let out a soft cackle. “Good job, Soojung sshi. I don’t even think that we’ll eventually trespass his property, at least, at this moment.”

Soojung looked towards Jongup in guilt. She had already went to this house secretly in about many times since last year without Jongup’s knowledge in order to find for anything that could bring Himchan to the jail as the truth must be revealed; even though Madman was now no longer a threat to the citizen.

And she knew that she had to be the one who apologized.

“I’m sorry for not telling you earlier about my investigation inside this house,” Soojung turned around to see Jongup. “I don’t want you to be worry about me.”

“You should tell me Soojung sshi, I’m so disappointed of you,” Jongup walked ahead, leaving Soojung behind him as he started to look over towards Himchan’s book shelf. “But, for now, I’ll forgive you.”

Soojung smiled as she made her way to Jongup. “Thank you.”

Then, she swiftly took down one of the book from the book shelf, which then made the shelf divided into two to Jongup’s surprise. Both of them stared towards the hidden compartment inside the book shelf in awe.

It’s a door. There’s a secret room inside Himchan’s bedroom.

“Soojung sshi,” Jongup gasped. He was too surprised by the event that happened right in front of his eyes. “This...”

“This is what I’m going to show you,” Soojung stated. “I don’t even go inside it yet – it’s just...I didn’t have enough courage all by myself,” Then, Soojung eyed Jongup that was still staring towards the door. “But I’m pretty sure that there’s something inside that could led us to somewhere inside the Madman’s case.”

Jongup nodded. He was quite anticipated by this great discovery. “I think we should go inside this room, even though it’s a Pandora Box.”

“But, if it’s a Pandora Box...” Soojung sent a worried looks towards Jongup and the door back and forth as if she was unsure with her decision. “...I’m scared that anything behind this door will make me and Himchan oppa; we’ll be more than just a stranger. Maybe worse than that.”

Jongup sighed. “I understand what you feel right now Soojung sshi. You don’t want to hate him that much as he was the one who taking care of you after all. You’re afraid, that you’ll end up hating him, am I right?”

Soojung slowly nodded. “I know what I feel right now is wrong, as he wasn’t a person that we could simply look past. And to simply let him free, no, that’s been the worst that could happen.”

“Soojung sshi,” Jongup slowly called out for Soojung. “You have to keep the faith in yourself, Soojung sshi. You’re doing this for his benefit. He has to face his punishment by law for every sin that he committed. That’s the only way for him to repent his mistakes – you know that right?”

“I know.”

“You make your choice, then,” Jongup replied. “We’re going this far, it’s all thanks to you. And whether you’ll open this door or not, I’ll respect your decision.”

Soojung took a deep breath. Then, she looked over the door, trying her best to be confident with her choice.

She still loves Himchan as a part of her family right deep in the bottom of her heart. He was a part of her life – and she just couldn’t erase that fact.

And so, she’ll make it.

Soojung walked to the door of the secret room and twisted the knob to open it.

Himchan’s Pandora box.

Meanwhile, Jongup looked at every Soojung’s movement as he was worried about Soojung more than how he would feel worry to himself. He knew that she was facing a great dilemma in her life and yet, he feels that he should be at her side at this very moment in order for her to make a wise decision.

Both of them were now in danger; and they’ll still be – even though they didn’t open the secret room.

He knows that. And he was sure that Soojung knows it too.

The door to the secret door was now opened. And both Jongup and Soojung couldn’t hide their curiosity about things inside the room.

“Good job, Jung Soojung.”

Jongup casually patted Soojung’s head before he went inside the room; just to be more surprised by the first view that he saw.

Soojung who was quite shocked by Jongup’s sudden touch, then finally snapped back to reality as soon as she heard nothing from Jongup that was already inside the secret room.

And as curious as she would be, she went inside the room and saw Jongup that was still frozen in his spot. “What are you looking at?”

“T-there...” Jongup stuttered. He soon lifted his forefinger to show the direction of the thing that he saw right before his eyes to Soojung.

Soojung shifted her gaze following Jongup’s direction and gasped loudly.

She couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Hmm?” Soojung went closer towards a giant frame that held a picture of a woman smiling broadly that hanged on the black painted wall. Then, she looked over towards Jongup. “This woman; who is she?”

“Jung Eunhwa.” Jongup quickly said out a name that entered his mind. “Eunhwa noona.”

TAP

“What?!” Soojung yelled in surprise. “Jung Eunhwa sshi?” Soojung then once again looked towards the frame carefully, and then to the coffee table beside her which has a lot of photos on it – and it are all Eunhwa’s photos.

“My goodness. You should see this, Jongup sshi.”

Jongup as if finally got back to his senses, went near Soojung and looked over the photos. “These all are Eunhwa noona’s pictures.”

TAP

“How can Himchan oppa have all these?” Soojung rummaged through the photos up until when her fingers touched a crumpled paper near the photos. “What’s this?”

She took it out and looked at the single sentence written on it.

TAP TAP

“It’s all because of you,” Soojung read it aloud for Jongup to hear it. “I’m going crazy.”

“That ‘you’ is probably, Eunhwa noona?” Jongup asked randomly as he massaged his temples. Then, he blurted out his opinion as soon as he could put all pieces of the puzzle together in his mind. “Now, I got it.”

“What do you got?”

“I think I know why Eunhwa noona could be included in this case. This is his game; since from the very beginning, Soojung sshi. We’re all been fooled enough.”

“Do you mean that Himchan oppa is the one who made it looks like Eunhwa sshi’s wrongdoing since his first victim?” Soojung gasped hard. “But...why? He and she didn’t even-“

Soojung couldn’t continue her sentences as soon as she scanned the whole room which made her finally discovered that this room was somehow dedicated for someone named Jung Eunhwa.

There were a lot of her pictures hanged on the wall. And all the photos were a candid one; it’d been taken secretly without Eunhwa’s knowledge.

And Soojung swear that she could felt the chill down her spine.

Kim Himchan was Jung Eunhwa’s stalker.

“This is insane!” Soojung shook her head fervently. “I’d never know about this. And even I’m sure that Sooyeon unnie didn’t know about this either. Just how...how they’re related to each other? We’re-“

“Too dumb to even think that I love her with all my heart.”

Soojung and Jongup were just wanted to turn around as a husky voice greets them in between their conversation; when suddenly both of their head been hit with something hard on the spot.

As results, Soojung and Jongup were falling weightlessly on the floor.

And it successfully knocks off their consciousness.

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

"It's all because of you, I'm going crazy." - it's actually the quote of this story ^^

Now, it seems clearer from time to time isn't it?

I hope that you've got the answer for your every questions that lingering around your mind~

So, 3 chapters left, and Going Crazy will meets its end. *wink*

And, another clue as promised!

#Third_clue

'Come back to me, I only had you'