Chapter 14: Pandora box

Present,

“Officer moonbyul…” Minho made a sudden call to her.

“Officer Minho, is there something urgent you need to inform me right now? I’m kinda busy.” She Solar’s silky hair, giving a worried look. Solar fainted out of a sudden, in the daycream centre. Moonbyul couldn’t help but to worry.

“Yes. It’s actually about our target, Kim min seo.” Officer Minho started to stutter, he couldn’t bear to break the news to her. “Yes?” Moonbyul felt uneasy. “He was found dead this morning... when we arrived at his house.”

“What?!” Moonbyul shot up from her chair. She covered right after that, realizing Solar was still resting. Through clenched teeth, she asked, “What happened?” She repressed her anger and tightened her grip on her fist.  

“When we forced our way into his house this morning. We spotted his corpse at the living room. We were one step late. Minah-ssi had estimated his death time to be around 8a.m this morning.

“So it happened just when we arrived at daycream centre.” Moonbyul thought to herself. “Something is amiss.” She thought deeper, reconsidering many possibilities.

“Does she know if it’s suicide or homicide?” She exhaled through pursed lips.

“She said that the possibility of homicide is higher.”

“I got it. Thank you, Officer minho.” She hung up, feeling devastated.

“No…no…Eunji!” Solar awoke in a cold sweat. “Are you ok?” Moonbyul rushed back to her side. Without much thought, she crouched beside the bed cupping Solar's petal-soft cheek in one hand. 

“Yea…I’m fine.” She lied, and averted her red-rimmed eyes. Her words were unconvincing. The look on her face have betrayed her. Her ice pale lip quivered. She definitely doesn’t seem fine to moonbyul. “Alright, everything is gonna be okay.” Solar felt secure in moonbyul's arms as she enclosed her. Moonbyul's hand comfortably nestled at her thin waist. She clung to moonbyul's neck, nestling her face in her shoulder. Her lips parted as she silently mouthed the words she have once said, in the convenience store, “I miss you.” She wasn’t sure why these three words always pops up in her mind whenever Officer Moonbyul is around.

Moonbyul Solar’s back gently. “Just wait a little longer. I will close the Pandora box for you.” Moonbyul made a promise to herself.

3 days before Kim Min Seo was killed,

“Here’s the updates about the recent serial murder case.” Minah passed the autopsy report of all the recent victims to her.

“2 cups of sugar free hot mocha with hazelnut syrup please.” Moonbyul ordered the usual. Then, her eyes drifted back to the file.

“The face of the suspect was captured on the CCTV footage in that convenience store. You have already know the identity of the suspect. So why do you need to reinvestigate the victims particulars?” Minah knew her inside out. Moonbyul wouldn’t possibly do unnecessary things. “…” Moonbyul just let out a smile, quietly flipping through the papers.

“Thank you.” Moonbyul closed the file as the waiter served their coffee. “He’s not just any serial killer.” She took a sip of coffee and continued,  “He might be the lock to the Pandora's box. But most importantly, he might lead us to the key which opened that box. Moonbyul leaned back, interlocking her fingers.

“You're saying that... he was involved in that incident?” Minah squinted. “In this recent case, all the victims have some similarity. Female, middle-aged, light brown short hair and a mole on their face.” Her eyes roamed around the cafe briefly and pointed at her 3 o’clock direction. “Like that pretty girl over there." To her surprise, that girl’s eyes meet her eyes. Awkwardly, Moonbyul lowered her arm and pretended to be stretching.

"Hey ,don't you dare to flirt with anyone else. If yong sun finds out, you are in big trouble." Minah joked, recalling that super jealous girl. Moonbyul softly chuckled, "Indeed." There was nostalgia in her eyes.

“That case six months back, those victims have the same points. The only difference is that instead of being strangled, they were hit by the metal bat.” Moonbyul took her eyes off that girl and continued.

“Well that link sounds valid.” Minah nodded in agreement. “So when was the last time you saw that six months old report?” She asked, just simply curious. “Six months back.” Minah jaw almost dropped. “Six months?! Then how could you remember so clearly the contents?” She finds it unbelievable.

“I’ve read through that report more than a hundred times, and spent days reading it over and over again.” Moonbyul tried to sound nonchalant but there is sadness in her eyes. She didn’t felt proud for reading diligently, rather she felt guilty for being so useless on that day. The atmosphere stiffened up, as moonbyul's face fell when she recalled that day. “Oh…” Minah scratched her scalp, eyes facing her own coffee.

“I will arrest Kim min seo.” Moonbyul gathered herself together and mustered up her determination. “And I will force him to tell me everything.”

“Don’t do anything foolish okay?” Minah reached out and covered moonbyul's hand in a warm, firm grasp. Moonbyul avoided her eyes and and puckered her own lips.

“I will try to.”  Actually, she isn’t sure of what she might do then.

Back to present,

“What can I do now?”

“All the bridges have broken down.”

 “He’s dead.”

“There’s no way I can catch him now.”

“How am I gonna catch the mastermind?”

Moonbyul locked herself in the car. She pulled back the seat, lying down with an arm pressed over her eyes.

“Wait a minute.”

“Mastermind? The key to the pandora's box.”

“Kim min seo can’t possibly t