Shin Maeri knew that her paralyzed body and pounding head were not a good combination right now. And although the shooting voice above her head kept chanting that everything is gonna be okay, she knew that she wouldn’t be okay. There was just something about the voice, that sounded so sinister and evilly, made the shiver ran down her spine.

“Shhh, it’s okay, it’s okay, the pain will go away soon,” the evil voice chanted.

His voice was deep, but his tone was light, but she could feel the danger in it. The dark evil sound that soon would hurt her no matter what.

“You’re so pretty, so so pretty,” the voice breathed out.

He caressed her face with his icy cold hands. So so cold. The voice began to sing, a deep melodious voice that laced with pain and hatred.

Under the moonlight, my love

You and I promise for eternity

The night is cold but our hearts are warm

I took your hand and we shared the kiss

The kiss

Maeri never heard that song before, or maybe she heard it somewhere but didn’t remember. There’s nothing particular about the song anyway, it sounded like another song people hum in one cold lonely night.

Suddenly, she heard a woman giggled, followed by a deep chuckled. The voice sounded far, but she knew it was there. She wanted to scream for help, because the deep singing voice clearly wouldn’t bring safe for her, but her body couldn’t move and her voice was soundless.

“Shh shh, it’s okay, calm down, calm down,” the voice whispered.

The giggle seemed closer and Maeri fought harder to cry for help. But nothing happen.

“I guess this is goodbye the, my love,” the voice said. Then that’s it she was left, in a cold night, helpless than ever.

 

...

 

 Kang Seokjin cursed under his breath. He just wanted a nice warm bath in this chilly night, but no, he wouldn’t get any of that because criminal just being a criminal, they just have to do their job on one chilly quite winter night.

“Detective,” a junior officer called for him, running all the way to him with blue lips and red nose, Seokjin could see his body shiver a little, and he wondered how long did that officer had stayed out in this cold weather.

“Update me,” he demanded young officer, then rubbed his arms up and down to soothe the cold a little.

“Same pattern with The Proposer, your partner and CSI unit is already there as we speak,” the officer informed.

Seokjin could see his partner, Yongmin, shouting order in a loud voice and he smirked lightly seeing the younger detective.

“We received the call from the witness at 10.35 pm and my partner and I arrived about 10 minutes later, no one around at the crime scene except for the witness and the ambulance officers, the vict-“

“Wait, ambulance? They touched the body?” Seokjin asked in irritation. It irked him whenever victim’s body been touched, they could easily contaminated and ruined the whole of crime scene investigation process.

“Yes, but sir, it’s not the body, we believe that our victim is survive, Miss Shin is currently at the hospital.”

Seokjin gaped at the young officer, still couldn’t believe his ears. After all this time, after all the perfect crime The Proposer finally did a mistake, the victim was survived.

 

....

 

Kim Seokjin hated the grounded room, even after 20 years of being a cop, he still had a chill whenever he entered the room. There was nothing peculiar about the grounded room though, it’s actually just a normal meeting room with a big round table and spinning chairs, but the purpose of the grounded room that bring the unsettling feelings whenever he set a foot in there.

The grounded room was a nick name given by detective in their precinct because the room only used if their captain summoned somebody’s whose in trouble, and now, Kim Seokjin couldn’t recall any mistake he could have done.

He sat quitely, waiting for Captain Hong to enter the room, wondering what caused him to be summoned into the very room. A minute later captain Hong entered the room wearing a tired face, his gray hair looked even grayer, guess The Proposer case really took a toll on him.

Seokjin stood up and bowed to his boss and sat when he was gestured to. “Am I in trouble?” he shot right away after them both setting down.

The captain stared at him a moment before answering, “No.”

Seokjin nodded in relieved but seeing the captain’s face, he knew that he was not off the hook yet.

“We transfer you out,” the captain informed suddenly. A loud sigh escaped his lips while massaging his temple.

“I beg your pardon?” Seokjin furrowed his eyebrows, did his ears played a trick on him?

“You and your partner, we transfer you out,” the captain repeated. “Apparently, the headquarters felt enough of this proposer and they want to take it their way, your team is no longer working on this case and you’re moving to the headquarter the first thing tomorrow.”

Seokjin gaped in disbelieve. His team worked their off this pass two years and suddenly the headquarters wanted this case, what a bull. “What if I refuse, Capt?” he said in annoyed toned.

The captain shook his head. “I believe that this is not a request, detective, that’s an order and you are going to do it, whether you like it or not,” the captain replied sternly. His voice refused to be objected but Seokjin begged the differ.

“You can let it happen, the kids worked so hard on this case, you can’t just take that away from them,” he protested with a loud voice.

“Listen, Kang this is not about some cop’s dignity or pride, this is about the sick bastard out there who killed women with cold blood, if we move the case to the headquarter is for the best, then be it. You should be grateful that you and det. Kim got a shot to work in this case again anyway,” the captain spat angrily.

Seokjin closed his eyes to calm his rapid heartbeat, “Capt, we got a legit witness now, the victim is still alive, we have another shot, we can work on this,” he tried again.

Captain Hong stood up, signaling that the discussion was over, “either you move to the headquarters tomorrow or say good bye to the case forever, detective. Now go home and get some sleep, it’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”

Seokjin rubbed his face in frustration and cursed for the hundred times that night, as the captain dashed from the room.

“What is it, hyung?” an eager Park Bogum, the maknae of the team, asked as soon as Seokjin walked out from the grounded room, apparently he already waited for the older detective all along.

Bogum trailed behind him like obedient puppy as Seokjin walked to his desk and approached the rest of the team.

“Bad news, guys,” he told them with a heavy heart.

“What is it?” his partner Yongmin asked. Worry lace in his tone and his forehead wrinkle in frowned.

Seokjin sighed, he didn’t like it. Seeing his team members’ disappointed face was the last thing he wanted to see that night. “The headquarters took the case, it’s the national case now,” he announced in tired voice.

The whole team groaned in frustration, the case was like a baby to them, the baby they wanted to get rid of, but once the case taken from them, their inner possessiveness rose.

“So that’s it? 2 years of hard work gone just like that?” Bogum exclaimed. His hands rose up frantically, showing how annoyed he was.

“Damn,” Jung Daehyun, their pretty boy detective muttered. Slightly massaged his nape while looking at Seokjin. “That’s it,” he shrugged, “it’s not a surprise anyway, we heard it before.”

“What?” Yongmin turned to the pretty boy, his face showed confusion.

“Yeah, we supposed to see it coming anyway, 9 girls, 2 this past 3 months, the whole nation is concern, sooner or later the headquarter will take the case, it’s national concern.” Daehyun explained. “Besides, rumour has it that the chief already form a very special team to take care of it, and if my source is right, you will lead the team, is it right, hyung?” he asked Seokjin with piercing eyes.

Seokjin gulped, not ready for the confrontation. He had been thinking about the way to tell his team, but never expected that Daehyun would shot the bullet right away.

“What?” the other two turned to Seokjin.

“You have some explaining to do,” his partner shot.

“Honestly, I don’t know about the leading part, but it’s true that they want me to work the case with them,” he explained quietly. “With Yongmin, they want us to move tomorrow.”

“What?!”

Yongmin just blinked dumbly by the news. Bogum muttered a string of curses while rubbing his face and Daehyun calmly nodded, as if it’s the most understanding situation ever.

“We get it,” Daehyun spoke for him and Bogum. “Seriously, this is for the best, with them, you have all the recourses you need to catch that bastard, we’re proud that you make it to the special team,” he smiled slightly.

Yongmin blinked more, unable to utter a word and Seokjin looked contemplated. “I don’t know if I want to or not, guys. I mean, how can I leave this place, I’ll just find a way to make the case stay with us,” he sighed.

“No, hyung,” Bogum finally back from his mental break down. “Dae hyung is right, you have to take the oportunity, both of you should,” he stressed when Yongmin made a dejected face. “Go to the HQ and catch him for us, we’re gonna be fine here.”

Daehyun nodded in agreement. “If they call you to the grounded room, means it’s an order, right? You can say no. Catch him, work this case like usual, we’ll help you from here.’

Yongmin looked like he wanted to cry, being a soft person he was and Seokjin just stared at his juniors. These guys were indeed his family, they just understand him  no matter what.

“Thanks guys, as soon as we catch this bastard, we’re going back here, just behave when I’m away,” he ordered sternly in playful manner.

The guys began to smile and laughed, “Yeah, that’s the boss I know.”

Seokjin made a promise to himself that night, he will catch The Proposer with all his will and made the bastard pay.

---

The special team will appear in the next chapter.

Viviooo