She was sitting alone sobbing, crying on the hospital bed, her long hair falling over her shoulders. She’d really lost it, she’d really lost her 3 month old fetus. There had been nothing wrong with her nor had she done anything to the fetus. It had just suddenly decided to die itself in her womb. Tears streaked her face as she recalled his last smile. The fetus was the only thing he’d left her before dying because of paralysis after he’d been in a bad car accident. Now she had no one, no where to go. She was all alone in the hospital room waiting for the sun to come up so she would be able to leave.

When the sun did rise up 10 hours later she stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. How pale her face was, it was as if she’d dropped half of her weight within the middle of the night. Finally turning around she unlocked the door and stepped out of the bathroom and out of the hospital room.

Just recently she’d found out that she’d been transferred from her current position in town to Seoul University where she would teach psychology. After she found out she’d planned to go straight home, pack, then leave this town…forever. However, things hadn’t gone as planned when she’d gone back to the apartment building. Before heading into her apartment she’d planned to stop by her neighbor’s apartment just below hers. Sandy and Il Chung lived together, they were planning to get married the upcoming fall…but by then she wouldn’t be here anymore. They’d become friends ever since she had moved into her apartment a year ago, so she’d want to stop and tell them of her plans before she left.

She rung the doorbell once, twice, thrice, and one more time before she found the door was unlocked. Glancing at the golden doorknob she could feel her heart pound faster and faster as she slowly pushed the door open not really anticipating what she’d find inside. Once her eyes landed on the two bodies before her Victoria let out a loud scream that woke up the neighborhood that morning.

/////

He stared into the mirror. Perfect! He was so proud of his image sometimes he felt it wasn’t wrong to be conceited. Smiling to himself in the mirror Lee Donghae pointed to himself and made a shooting sound then laughed before his phone began ringing.

“Lee Donghae speaking.”

“Lee Donghae!!!! Where are you!”

“Uh…yes chief I’m still at home getting ready.”

“You better hurry your sorry self over here before I drop you out from this new case!”

“We have a new case?”

“There’s been a homicide so hurry yourself over here before the investigation team starts filing in.”

“Yes! I’m on it!”

Donghae ran out of the bathroom and grabbed his cup of warm coffee and chugged it down before setting it back on the table then headed out grabbing his jacket after him. He got into his black Mercedes that he was super proud of and drove out of his driveway.

At 24 turning 25 he was a newbie detective or better he liked calling himself an investigator. It had a much better feel to it than the boring label detective. He was accepted into the police academy after high school graduation and shortly after was accepted into South Korea’s bureaucracy. Well, not really South Korea’s bureaucracy-it was something he liked to make up and brag to others about-he was actually an investigator for someone at the higher police departments. He’d been there for almost a year and a half now and he was mighty proud of his job, it kept his life going excitedly and also sent shivers down his spine sometimes. Once in a while he wasn’t able to really believe that he was actually standing in front of some of the most murderous criminals. Even though he’d rarely ever had the chance to stand in front of murderers he found it amazing and quite an experience.

Donghae wasn’t sure why he loved solving crimes so much maybe it had to do with his parent’s murders. A couple of months after his 12th birthday a robber had stolen his way into their home and was caught red handed by his parents, which created a brawl between the adults. Donghae, who had been sleeping peacefully and dreaming of riding a rollercoaster awoken when he heard screaming. Running out of his bedroom he witnessed a moment he hadn’t been able to forget and it haunted him until 6 years later when his parent’s murderer was caught and sent into jail. His father’s brother had taken him in and raised him like his own son during those 6 years. Loving cousins, aunts, and uncles surrounded him and gave him an inviting environment to live in while he matured and grew up. However, they all thought he was crazy when he had gone to the prison to visit his parent’s murderer after he was arrested and sentenced to a life in prison. They were never able to understand why he’d gone to see the murderer.

At the prison Donghae had met him and was able to talk to him through the visitor area where a window blocked interaction between prisoners and normal citizens.

Donghae had picked up the phone and said, “One day you’re going to see my name in the newspaper and I’m going to put all those trouble makers into jail beside you.”

“Sure, you go do that boy, but I’m not going to feel bad for killing your parents like that.”

“You don’t need to feel bad, I didn’t come see you to make you feel guilty. I want you to see how I’ve grown after 6 years and I want to declare to you because I won’t die with my eyes closed until I get at least a dozen criminals behind bars. Enjoy the rest of your life in prison.”

/////

Kim Heechul, yes, that was his name. An impressive photographer…he loved taking pictures at crime scenes. He loved the feeling when he’d spot something in his pictures that every other police officer or investigator had missed. He had told them out straight in their faces that they were wrong and he was right. Only his pictures could capture the right evidence that led to the mystery killer.

Heechul was sitting in his small apartment sipping a cup of coffee with a newspaper laid out on his knee crossed over his other leg. He’d been reading about a crime that his special pictures had solved just last week. And just this morning he was having a feeling that someone would call him out to the investigation scene to snap some pictures up for them. And his feelings were just about right every time because his phone started ringing just seconds later.

“Photographer Kim Heechul here!” he greeted in a loud proud voice.