This is more like a filler chapter lmao but I'm satisfied with it, for now, uhu keep a look out at the future chapters! more clues on who the actual kidnapper will be dropped. some of yall claim to already know the plot and I hope I live up to your expectations since this is my first try at writing something mystery related. I'm nowhere near Agatha christie's level of mystery writing so don't keep your hopes up too high! Thank you to all my subscribers, wow we hit like 60+ I'm so happy, wish I could hug all of you precious souls :') 

“How did the ‘date’ go?” Mark joked and earns himself a harsh shove from Haeun. She had just arrived at the department after dropping off Lucas at her house. Immediately, she sat down on the couch and buried her face in her hands. Taeyong was the first one to approach her and sat down beside her.

Taeyong poked her arm, “You alright?” Haeun turned to look at him and shook her head, “Hell no. I’m not talking about this here. Please tell me we got some sort of lead – I need the distraction.”

“Then a distraction you shall get,” Johnny plopped down on the empty seat beside her, “Is it like a thing for teenage girls to have diaries? Digital or the book? Did you have a diary back then? Did you fill it up with daily notes like ‘today, I saw my crush talking to another girl. I’m so mad!’ – stuff like that?”

Haeun rolled her eyes and laughed, “Ew, none of that stuff but I did have a memo book. For daily thoughts or stuff. Why? Did you guys find diaries at the other victims' houses?”

Johnny whistles and WinWin holds up the three diaries. “Only Gayoung didn’t have a diary. They managed to retrieve the girls’ phones – pretty beaten up. Not much chance of getting anything out of them,” WinWin explains from his seat. Haeun purses her lips, nodding her head. Seems like having a diary was a phase most girls’ went through – putting their most secret thoughts and emotions into a piece of paper.

“We read the recent entries. Around 4 to 3 months before their disappearances, they wrote down about meeting some guy. In short, they described him as handsome, tall and good looking. No specific characteristics. It was a string of random encounters and eventually, these girls agreed to meet up with him for lunch or coffee. The last entries they wrote down would be a pretty similar situation. The guy would invite them out for a movie date or late night coffee trip and they sounded pretty excited about it. Hyerin notes that ‘it was the first time anyone had asked me out’.”

“We need to visit their classmates. We need to know more about these girls,” Haeun orders, standing up from the couch to head to her desk. “We have to find out what did they all have in common – what connects them to the big picture. It could be only a matter of time before he finds another target, we have to act fast. Has Chief Kim made a press announcement on this?”

Mark shakes his head, “I think it’s scheduled but I’m not sure if there’s been any confirmation.”

“Did anyone look up on the history of the school I’m attending?” Haeun asks to no one in particular. Taeyong answers her, “The website is pretty vague. Not much history on the school’s past. I looked up your old school’s name and nothing popped out. Not even a website on the school.”

“Well, that’s one more thing I’m going to have to dig out,” Haeun sighs. “Tomorrow is a school day. Did I mention how much I hated school?”

“More than a dozen times,” Johnny snorts, “Just don’t mess up your cover. Did you memorize the profile WinWin sent to you?”

Haeun nods her head as she whips out a copy of her new alias. “Born in Korea but moved to China and lived there until my parents passed away a few months ago. Now, I live with my cousin Dong Sicheng and he’s now my guardian, apparently,” she looks up to see WinWin smiling at her. “This is so that WinWin can come near the school but not draw suspicion, right?”

“Nope, he just put that in for fun. Although, you, WinWin and Taeyong will be living in the same place until the undercover operation is over. This is to ensure your safety,” Johnny points at the three people he mentioned. “Chief Kim’s orders,” he chuckles as he hears Haeun groan, “You guys will be moving in tonight so I suggest you go and pack your things.”

Again, Haeun groans.

“So, you’re leaving?” Lucas wonders, still not being able to fully understand the situation. He watched as Haeun packed her clothes in her duffle bag.

Haeun sighs, folding another shirt before placing it inside. “No, I’m not leaving. We’ll be living a couple of blocks near the school so that we can keep an eye on suspicious activities better. The last time we had an undercover operation, I had to wait for 5 months… Let’s just hope we finish this up quickly.”

Lucas frowns and Haeun moves over to comfort him. She his hair, “Hey, I won’t be gone for long. You can keep the house company, rent a room or stay with Mark. He said his doors are open for you.” The frown on his face didn’t budge.

“The last time you went on undercover is where you got that bullet graze on your arm. I don’t like this, Haeun,” Lucas admitted, his eyebrows knitting together. He shoulder slumps down and he lets out a long sigh. “And I especially don’t like the fact you’re going to be living with 2 men. I know you’re capable and so are they, but what if the guy who did this will try and hurt you guys?”

“You should worry about yourself – what if he came after you? Look, Lucas,” she takes his large hands into her smaller ones. “I… I was thinking you could head over to my mother’s. It’s further away from here and I contacted a friend at the police station there – you’ll have protection there and you can work with my mother.”

“Haeun…”

“The last thing I want is something to happen to you while I’m not there for you. Just… Just think it over, Lucas, for me. Okay, for me?” she crouches down to meet his eyes. “You’ll use a new identity and everything. My friends in the police force can take care of you there. If something happens to you – Lucas, I can’t bear to live with that guilt in me.”

“And I don’t want you to get hurt because of me either, Haeun,” Lucas argues, his face moving closer to Haeun that she could almost feel him breathing on her skin. Both of them were equally as stubborn but one of them would usually give in in the end. Haeun turns her face away and pulls her hands back, she needed to finish packing her things.

“It’s not safe for you to stay here, Lucas,” she mumbles, packing her underwear next. “As much as I’d like to stay and protect you, Chief Kim doesn’t think it’s a safe idea for you to continue being here and I agree with her. We need to get you to a place with fewer people who know you. The town my mom moved to a couple of years ago is nice and quiet. The twins miss you, they tell me sometimes,” she sighs, rubbing her temples as she feels a headache coming up. “And you know my mom, she was a trained police officer before she decided to quit