Chapter 4:

8:58 AM Monday, December 18

Do I regret making a jab at his weak spot?

As a detective, not in the slightest, especially since it would hopefully coax him to speak.

As a person, I feel absolutely terrible. Especially after seeing the vulnerable hurt on his face after I said it.

Given any other circumstance, I would have immediately apologized and then promised to treat him one day to make up for it, but I had to keep up a strong front if I have any chance of getting anything out of him.  He's my best shot at finding the actual killer. Even so, it doesn't change the fact that I spent most of the weekend trying to imagine how I should make it up to him after the case is closed.

My sour mood isn't helped even as I walk into my office.

"Detective, the Chief wants to see you."

I groan audibly. I was literally about to sit down, what could he possibly want with me immediately after I come in? I look at the unsuspecting Officer Yang, who looks like he just flinched at my reaction. I soften, "I'm sorry about that, thank you for bringing the news."

His normal bright smile returns to his face. "I'll bring a coffee to you for when you return," he promises brightly before zipping out of the doorway.

I shake my head at him. The world doesn't deserve Officer Yang, he's too kind. At least my mood perked up before facing the beast. I reluctantly rise from my seat and walk to the Chief's office. After knocking twice, his booming voice lets me in.

I open the door to the large office lined with wooden walls and a mahogany wooden desk standing right in the middle of the back wall. A large picture of the Chief stares menacingly down from behind the desk with the national flag flanking it on one side.  The stern eyes make me shake more than I already am. I'm not usually called to the Chief's office unless he’s assigning me an urgent case.  No one else gets called into here unless they’re being reprimanded or fired.

I take a seat in the chair in front of the desk, where the Chief sits. "You wanted to see me, Sir?" I vocalize as calmly as I can.

The Chief puts his papers down and takes off his glasses. It's expected that a Chief of a police station would be a strict, no-nonsense man with a stiff neck. And that's exactly what he is, only much scarier than you may think.  His eyes perpetually crease into narrowed slits, and his lips into a frown, constantly scrutinizing everyone he sees. It's hard to believe that someone as upbeat as Kibum could have possibly been raised by such a cold, calculated man such as the Chief.  But I follow orders because I don't want to rock the boat and be forced to see the boss.

"Yes, Detective Lim," the salt and peppered hair man grunts out, folding his hands on the desk. "I won't waste any time with this because I have business to attend to."

My heart starts beating rapidly. I can't even imagine what I could have done for me to be sent here. The brief pause he takes between his next words feels too long.

“I want you off this case at once.”

My heart drops, and so does my jaw. I couldn't even materialize any thoughts or words to respond to the man, but the first thing to come to my mind is-

Taemin.

“But Sir-”

“I don't want to hear it!" he booms out. "You seem to be too slow in taking in your first suspect when there's enough evidence for you to take someone in for questioning."

I grit my teeth. Kibum must have filled his ears real nicely. "Sir, I had a suspect in mind, but I found more evidence that he can't-"

"I think you've spent enough time sitting on this case," he continues, not bothering to listen to me as he puts his glasses back on. "Someone else should look at it with a fresh set of eyes.  Detective Kim told me that he already saw all your evidence, so it makes sense to transfer all your notes to him. In fact, he says he already has an idea of who the killer is.”

Of course, that bastard must have taken record of all my notes while I was gone, I think as my blood boils. I try to be level-headed and reason with him, "Sir, please, Kibum doesn't have all the evidence-"

“Lim Hee Chan, stop talking back before I fire you for disrespecting your superior!" the Chief booms in finality, glaring at me with piercing eyes. "I want you off this case and all your notes transferred over to Detective Kim by the end of the day, do I make myself clear?”

I grit my teeth against all the foul-mouthed protests I want to scream. “Yes, Chief," I mumble submissively.

"Good," he finally relaxes back into his chair. "Now, please leave, I have work to do."  He proceeds to ignore me in favor of the small print papers on his desk.

Keeping my mouth shut to prevent any screams of profanity from coming out, I rise from my seat and politely bow before taking my leave. As soon as the door to the Chief's office closes, my fists clench as I try to walk as calmly as I can back to my office.

"Ouch, I wonder what happened to you in there."

I resist my entire urge to punch Kibum in the face. I turn around to face his smug expression, almost like a calico cat but much crueller. "I guess you were so bored with yourself that you had to swoop in and steal my case," I spit at him, my fists clenching so hard my knuckles turn white.

"Well, it seemed like you were dragging your feet," he gracefully walks towards me, "And it's our job to serve justice for Seokjin’s roommates, don't you think?" He stops right next to me, his smirk deepening more.  "But, maybe you've forgotten your job, because you're too busy having fun with the suspect."

The anger in me intensifies as it mixes into shame as I feel the heat reach my face.  "How dare you accuse me-"

"Don't act innocent," Kibum scoffs, "I saw the two of you on a date yesterday."

"That wasn't a date, Kibum!" I half-scream, "He's not the killer, you haven't seen the rest of the evidence to tell that it isn't him."

"Save it, Hee Chan, it's too late for you to say anything now," he waves me off. "The case is mine now, and if you want to disobey the chief then go right ahead, but it'll guarantee your termination."

I'm furious to the point of dizziness as I turn to follow his receding back. "What have I ever done to you, Kibum?  Why do you treat me this way?" I call desperately.

He stops in his tracks and turns his head halfway to face me. "You're just you, Hee Chan, and I can't stand it," he states vaguely, before walking away again.

I feel unable to breathe again. All I can think about is how I've let allowed someone innocent to go to jail and face a death sentence.

"We find the Defendant Guilty!"

Bars shutting harshly as a receding figure's back trudges away from me in his chains.

"Oh, and by the way."

My head snaps up to face the monster with the smug face again.

"I think my suspect is already here for questioning, so don't get too emotional, dear. Remember that you're still at work."  His smirk adds salt to my bitter wounds as he finally turns a corner out of my sight.

A man sobs in front of me through a glass as he clutches the phone in his hand.

His hair changes to jet-black and his features chisel into a harsh jawline and thick lips.

My heart pounds once.

No, I won't let that happen to him.

I desperately make a beeline towards the interrogation hall. Through the one-way glass of Room 2 I see him.  He's leaned over the table, his wrists cuffed to the insert on the table. His expression looks broken, vulnerable.  A part of me feels guiltier than I originally felt fro