“No fear and full of confidence,

This is the charismatic you,

Only you are able to do it,

Only you can do it.”

– Find Your Soul, Girls’ Generation

“Jongsuk oppa, why are you calling me in?” Krystal says as she takes a seat in front of the older interrogator. This marks her first time in the interrogation room since it has not been her turn for the 1 on 1 interrogation nor have the rest called her name in. Jongsuk is the first person to summon her.

“I guess you’re suspecting me too, aren’t you? Just like Kai,” she adds, nodding her head in comprehension.

“Well, you can pretty much say that,” Jongsuk deadpans. “In all honesty, you’re the one with the most blatant evidences.”

“I won’t deny that. It’s true. All the evidences you guys found pointed to me,” Krystal replies of her own accord. With a feeble smile on her luscious lips, she leans closer and looks at the older boy with a pair of glimmering eyes. “So… is there anything you’re curious about me? I’ll answer your questions honestly,” she halts on the spur of the moment and grabs her momentum back. “Rest assured, oppa. I won’t lie.”

“So…” Jongsuk starts, fiddling the pen in his grip in a rather inconsistent movement. “Did you really leave the house after Baekhyun went home? I mean, you could’ve lied about that and you actually were still in the house, waiting for the right moment when no one was around but Baekhyun himself. And needless to say, you killed him.”

Krystal lets out a laugh and ironically, her laugh sounded very sardonic. “You really do have a good, imaginative mind, Jongsuk oppa,” she heckles, still laughing. “For sure, I left the house just about Baekhyun went home and that’s it. Why could have I been hiding in the house, oppa? To kill my boyfriend that I loved so dearly?” She shakes her head. “Nah, I didn’t kill him.”

“And when I said it,” she pauses. “I mean it.”

“Fine.” Jongsuk easily concedes defeat. He still has a lot to ask her, anyway. If he still debated about her not-so convincing alibi, his interrogation time would end just like that. “Before you left the house to your flower shop, you met Lu Han, didn’t you?”

“That’s true.” She nods submissively. “Lu Han oppa came to our house to meet Baekhyun, but he went home after knowing his best friend was out for work.”

“You two talked a bit, right?” When Krystal nods upon his question, he continues, “What kind of things did you two talk about?”

“I don’t quite remember, to be honest. We only greeted each other and talked about stuffs like our work and yeah, he asked me about my relationship with Baekhyun.”

His eyebrow furrowed at the last statement. “He asked you about that?” he inquires eagerly. “Why would he want to know, huh?”

“How would I know?” Krystal snaps. “Perhaps… Baekhyun didn’t tell about us to him?”

Jongsuk closes his eyes for a mere moment, trying to come up with a possible theory. When he is done, his eyes fluttered open and he looks up at the younger girl with an inquisitive look.

“Does he… by any chance, like you, Krystal?”

“That doesn’t make sense,” the young girl remarks curtly. “From what I know, he doesn’t have any romantic feelings for me and nor do I. I only love Baekhyun.” She offers a casual shrug at the end of her remark.

Jongsuk bites his lip, not knowing what to do right now. He is actually pretty clueless right now. At this very moment, his brain could not come up with a bunch of decent questions.

“Oh, speaking of the devil,” Krystal says, a smirk crept on her lips. “Yoona unnie and I found something unexpected in the master bedroom.”

Jongsuk shrugs, appears uninterested. “What is it?”

“We found that Baekhyun actually sent you a letter of intent to sue you.”

Jongsuk freezes at her words. His face darkens immediately. Never had he thought they would stumble across the sue letter. He had hidden it in a perfectly good place, though.

A cynical chuckle escapes the young girl’s lips. “I didn’t expect Baekhyun wanted to take legal action against you, oppa,” she stops. “And… finally we knew the reason of Baekhyun being mad at you. You didn’t lose his money, but rather, embezzled it.”

He just clenches his fist, unable to do anything. His secret that he had been keeping quite safely has leaked and now, he is so dead.

Like a recorder, the conversation during free talk and when Jeon Jungkook appeared as a clue, replays in Krystal’s head.

“To be completely I think that’s not a very important issue here,” Yoona butts in. “Above all, where were you at that moment, Jongsuk?” She eyes the mentioned boy suspiciously. “You’re his manager, aren’t you? Taking care of his welfare is your job, right?”

Jongsuk is silenced by her outburst. He is caught off guard and his face grows dim.

“That’s right.” Lu Han keeps his position at the edge of the seat, wondering the same question asked by the same-aged girl. “Where were you? Weren’t you present at the music video filming?”

Jungkook interrupts before Jongsuk could utter a word. “He wasn’t there.” He gives them a convincing shake. “I didn’t see him there once.”

Jongsuk continues fidgeting as every gaze is on him. Beads of sweat trickling down his temple, blatantly making him look so fragile at the moment.

“Care to explain, hyung?” A sly smile creeps on Kai’s lips, internally thinking something is not right with the older boy. His fidgety look explains everything.

“I wasn’t present at that moment,” he says at last.

“Where we you?” Yoona’s face tightens. “Were you taking a leave on the day of murder because you’d plotted to kill him, weren’t you?”

“Why would I do that?” he groans. “If I wanted to kill him, at least I needed a motive.”

“…but I didn’t have one, did I?”

Krystal stares at him deeply before she clicks the table with her finger. “Now, you did have a motive to kill Byun Baekhyun, didn’t you?”

And ultimately, Jongsuk’s time limit for the 1 on 1 interrogation against Jung Krystal burnt just like that as he prefers to stay silent without defending himself.

///

“What took you so long, Lu Han?” Yoona spots the same-aged boy as he goes upstairs. “You were in the interrogation for quite some time.”

“Actually, I, uhm, got something from Suho.” Yes, he decides to simply share the clue, though the host said it would be better if he had it by himself. “You know, I guessed the final’s round game and yeah, I got that clue.”

“Oh, that one,” says Yoona. “But why didn’t Jongdae tell me or the rest anything?”

“He may not want to share it with us,” Lu Han answers passively, shrugging.  “After all, we have the right to tell you guys about the clue.”

“I see…” Yoona looks at him curiously. “So… you decided to share it, eh?”

“Yes,” comes out his reply. He glances around sneakily before he fishes out a piece of paper from his pocket. “This is what I got; the deleted message of Baekhyun’s cell phone and it was from Kai.”

“Don’t tell Kai about this clue, by the way,” Lu Han reminds. “I don’t want to let him know.”

“Sure.” She later has her utmost attention on the paper. Shock would be an understatement; she is beyond and terribly flabbergasted of the true. No wonder Kai seems suspicious in her eyes. “I never thought Kai would threaten Baekhyun just because the latter didn’t answer his text message.”

“And matter-of-factly, he was already mad at him about the change of his comeback schedule.” He tilts his head questioningly. “Don’t you think it’s a tad fishy?”

He continues, “I mean, I understand that people would do anything when they were mad, but to the point saying he would kill his rival… don’t you think it’s too suspicious?”

“I get what you’re trying to suggest, Lu Han.” Yoona nods, understood. “Kai couldn’t be ruled out. His motive is too clear.”

“Maybe Krystal wasn’t the actual culprit,” he murmurs distinctively. “Kai is the one who murdered Byun Baekhyun.”

“I didn’t suspect Krystal in the first place. It was just you, and yeah, Jongsuk and Kai.” Yoona puckers her lips in annoyance. “And… speaking of Jongsuk, Krystal and I found something shocking about him.”

“What is it?” Almost immediately, he jerks his body towards the girl’s direction and it causes Yoona to retreat a few steps.

“W-what are you doing, Lu Han?” she says, flustered. She was too surprised that she becomes speechless. Lu Han was an inch away from her, and for God’s sake, she swears her heart thumped so fast just now. “I know you’re curious, but don’t be too impulsive, goddamit!”

“Sorry!” he mutters an apology as he scratches the back of his neck. Right now, he is blushing so furiously that one could notice how embarrassed he is at the moment. “I didn’t mean to do that, seriously.”

“It’s okay.” She takes a deep breath. “Now, let’s continue where I left.”

“Okay.”

“We found a letter in Baekhyun’s drawer of the night stand,” she says. “And yes, it was locked before we had to find keys.”

Lu Han raises an eyebrow. “Why was it locked?”

“As if I know the reason,” Yoona replies monotonously. “Anyway, can you figure out what kind of letter is that?”

“No idea.” Lu Han does not feel like guessing right now. “Just don’t beat around the bush and tell me straight to the point.”

“It’s a letter of intent to sue.” She presses her lips together into a thin line. “Baekhyun wanted to sue his manager, Jongsuk, for embezzling his earnings that was said to be supposedly lost.”

The young boy lets out a gasp of surprise, clamping his hand over his mouth. “I-I didn’t expect that. It… just doesn’t make sense.”

“Nor do I think it makes sense,” Yoona groans. “Everything is just so messed-up and full of twists. Everyone is all suspicious and I just couldn’t tell apart which one of us is lying and which one of us is not.”

Lu Han prefers to stay silent, still digesting the breaking fact he just heard.

“By the way, how did the interrogation with Jongdae go?”

“It went quite well, I’d say,” he simply states.

“Did you ask him who he thinks the culprit is?”

“I did.”

“And he said…?”

“It’s between Kai and Jongsuk.”

A look of confusion spreads across the girl’s face. “W-what? He said the culprit is between them?”

Lu Han frowns, bewildered. “Why are you so worked up, Yoona?”

“Last question.” Yoona glances at the time shown on the wall. She only has about a minute before somebody else takes her turn.

“Out of us, who do you think is the culprit?”

“At the moment, it’s Krystal,” he reveals. “It may change later, though.”

She rolls her eyes. “Why do you think Krystal killed Baekhyun?”

“All the evidences pointed to her.”

“What evidences?” She appears dumbfounded.

Jongdae groans. “Those scandalous photos that Kai discovered.”

“Those photos?” Yoona is against his opinion. Krystal had told them that she had broken up with his ex-boyfriend long time ago and just recently met him – nothing more than a friendly purpose. “Okay, fine if you think it’s her. But can you tell me why Krystal killed her boyfriend if it was because of those photos?”

“She was angry because Baekhyun found those photos and took off his money in her bank that he’d once given her,” he says in one breath. “That was a strong motive, noona. Think about it.”

Yoona is still in disbelief. It just does not make sense that Krystal was the culprit. Krystal looks innocent, she would say, though sometimes, her actions and body language are quite shady.

“Believe me, noona.” Jongdae still has the urge to persuade the older girl. “I’m pretty confident the culprit is Krystal.”

“I was wondering why he said to you that the culprit is between them,” she says sluggishly. “During our interrogation, he clearly said to me it was Krystal who’s likely to be the culprit. Don’t you think it’s weird?”

“Nah, it’s not weird.” Lu Han shakes his head confidently. “I think he’s changed his mind when I interrogated him.”

“Really? Do you think so?” There is a little speck of suspicion lingering around her mind. Kim Jongdae, to her, is just as suspicious as Kai and Jongsuk. That is why he tops her suspect list from the beginning of the game and up until now.

“I do. Just…. stop thinking about him being the culprit… because he isn’t.”

Yoona groans and could not stay put. He is still thinking about the young boy.

“Kim Jongin, you were chosen for a 1 on 1 interrogation.”

“Ah, Krystal must’ve called Kai after she’s done with Jongsuk,” Yoona deduces.

“Where is Kai, by the way?” Lu Han looks around, to find a tall figure of the idol around the second floor.

“I saw him with Jongdae in the dressing room and then, he went downstairs.”

///

“I know you’d call my name, Krystal. I can feel it.”

“Come and sit down, Kai,” Krystal says welcomingly, though there is no trace of smile across her face. Perhaps she feels utterly bitter towards the idol as he keeps on insisting that she is the culprit. If one were to be in her shoes, he or she would feel the same way – agony, dissatisfaction and anger.

However, she could not do anything to change his perception, could she?

“What do you want to talk about, huh?” Kai crosses his arms across his chest as he already feels comfortable in the seat. He then shoots her a questioning yet piercing gaze. “Though I don’t want to answer any of your questions, I have to… since this is your interrogation.”

“I don’t have any questions to ask since we basically have known everything,” she simply states. “However, there’s one thing I’ve been curious about your relationship with Baekhyun.”

“Fire away,” he remarks casually, arms still crossed his chest.

“If Baekhyun hadn’t been murdered, what would you do to avenge him for ruining your comeback schedule?” Her question is totally straightforward and she expects a decent answer in return.

“I will confront him and ask him to fix what he’s done.”

“But you did confront him, didn’t you?” She rolls her eyes inquiringly.

“Who wouldn’t be mad, right?” Kai sighs exasperatingly. “That Byun ing Baekhyun had ruined my comeback! I was so mad by the info and quickly asked the producer about the sudden shift. He didn’t want to tell me at first, but I forced him until he opened up to me.”

Yoona inquires, “What did he tell you?”

“That bastard actually persuaded him to the point he couldn’t do anything and make my comeback go ruined.” Kai clicks his tongue. “I knew it. I knew he did that. Everyone knows how greedy he can be when it comes to money and the fact he wants to outshine me.”

“So that’s why you went to his house?” Yoona asks again.

Kai could not help but nod. “I rushed to his house because I knew he was there. He’d just come back after his music video filming. However, I got nothing in return.”

“Meaning?” Krystal questions.

“I left his house insulted. He said that no matter how mad I can be, it can’t be changed. News had all spread that he will be coming back with a new album.”

“Did I say that?” Kai chuckles in amusement. He tilts his head and adds, “I don’t quite remember it, though.”

Krystal senses something is wrong with him upon receiving her reply. It feels like his pupils are shaking and his body is shrinking nervously. Her so-called telepathic ability tells her that Kim Jongin is definitely lying.

“Don’t you think killing him will solve everything?” She tries to use psychology this time. Perhaps the great Kai would retreat, somehow?

“You’ll have your comeback on your way and that rival of yours will finally be gone,” she says significantly. “Don’t you think so, Kai?”

Kai suddenly clicks his tongue in distaste, much to the young girl’s astonishment. “Instead of asking that little question of yours, may I ask you a question?”

She shrugs. “Why not?”

“Are you trying to pin it on me just because everyone’s now suspecting you and there’s no point of return for you?”

It caught Krystal off guard, really. Her face darkens.

“Just like I initially guessed,” he snarls. “You’re trying to drive me to a corner, Jung Krystal. You know everyone’s turned their heads against you and you have to put the blame on someone, which turned out to be me in order for you to escape. However, I am not that stupid. I perfectly know what you’re trying to do.”

Krystal’s ears continuously stung at his non-filter outburst. However, she tries to suppress the boiling feelings of hers deep inside. She could not look feeble in front of him.

“For your information, not everyone’s suspecting me,” she says. “Yoona unnie is not a bad person like you and the rest. She believes in me.”

“That’s because your unnie cannot differentiate between gem and plastic.” The tanned boy let out a boisterous, scornful giggle. “The rest and I are gems because we’re not the culprit and you are that goddamn plastic for being the ing culprit.”

“And yeah, Yoona noona is plastic too,” he drops an afterthought, smirking too widely and triumphantly. “I suppose she doesn’t suspect you out of conscience. She thinks that one should be rooting for you since we are all suspecting you. How plastic she is.”

“Can’t you talk properly and out of respect to the older, Kai?” she shrieks. “I don’t give a if you think I’m the culprit, but for God’s sake, please mind your damned manners, bastard! You’re crossing the line way too much! You’re an idol, goddamit!”

“It’s a persona, I’d say.” Kai does not want to give up. He wants to win against her. “People would just think this is my personality when I appear on shows.”

“Would,” she jeers. “I guess you must’ve been so blind, right? Please stop thinking everyone worships you, bastard. You’re just an annoying little amateur idol who thinks that the world is yours. I don’t ing get how your group members and fans can stand that ty attitude yours, seriously!”

“Two minutes left,” Suho breaks in a tad faster than Kai. “And please, no more vulgarities.” There is an ultimate tension in his strict voice.

Just because you’re a girl, I’m trying to hold it back. The idol clenches his fist tightly as he shoots her a deadly glare. The girl is being too much, he thinks. If she were a boy, she would have already been dead.

“By the way, I’d like to know something,” she says.

“What is it?” he answers grumpily.

“If I really killed Baekhyun, can you tell me what my alleged motive is and what kind of method I use to kill him?”

“Sure.” It does not take much time to answer her curiosity because he has remembered everything. “Your motive would be revenge. This is a crime of passion, like Yoona noona told us.”

“You were mad because Baekhyun didn’t only know about your damned affair with that guy, but to the extent of taking back his money off your back. He was mad at you for being a two-timer.”

Krystal does not in; she listens soullessly to every of his words despite its absurdity.

“Since you’re a girl, you’d have to use a less dangerous method which is medication,” he continues. “Lu Han hyung suspected that you’d put sleeping pills in his ramen, but I don’t think so–”

“I’d like to clarify something here,” she cuts off brusquely. “How can I drug him to sleep, huh? He made that ramen himself! I’d gone out to work during that time.”

“There’s a possibility that you didn’t go to work,” he says. “You could have been hiding in the house.”

“Merely as if,” she scoffs, flipping her hair in annoyance. “Anyway, carry on. I’d like to hear the rest of your so-called theory.”

“Instead of sleeping pills, I think you drugged him using the painki