CH 02 | When things get rough

 

 

***

 

 

"Look at this kiddo, yah, that's mine!"

 

Yoona pouted sadly and cutely looking up to her brother after taking her favorite bottle of mango juice which is also her brother's favorite.

 

"Aish, where's yours?" Siwan felt annoyed and shouted on his little sister but only to see her cry childishly. "Oh gosh Im Yoona, you're freaking 20 years old! stop acting..."

 

"Ommaaaaa!!!" Yoona got on her feet and runs to their mother, hugging her tightly immediately and cries in her shoulders.

 

"Siwan, just give it to your sister." Mrs. Im told her son.

 

"Ugh, how about me, Omma? This is mine to begin with. She already finished hers." Siwan said as a matter of fact.

 

"I'll buy you another one."

 

Yoona stop crying and looked up to their mother. "Me too Omma. Buy me one."

 

"Yah, Im Yoona!" Siwan shouted and as he tried to reach on her, Yoona automatically run upstairs. "Comeback here!!!" He chases her around the house, creating loud thuds, shouts, laughs and more shouts as they fight for the bottle of mango juice.

 

Yoona could only recall and heavily sigh as she looked down to the drink Sooyoung handed earlier. She's in an ambulance, sitting after gaining back her consciousness. She passed out because hyperventilate. The police, crime investigation unit and detectives are still out there. She isn't allowed to come near while they're not yet done. Her brother's neighbor is saying he committed suicide but she doesn't believe it. Her brother is such a happy person, she had never seen him having depression. And he's such an optimistic person, no chance he would do such act. And he promised last month, he never breaks promises until this incident.

 

Taking a couple of gulps on her drink, Yoona stepped out the ambulance and sighs heavily once again as she looked up to the building. Her brother lived in 8th floor. There was a time when he would shout from there to more or if he still has anything to add if he asks her to buy something.

 

"Oppa, how am I going to tell our parents?" She just realized no one has called her parents who are residing at the province. "They would be more devastated about this news." She once again felt tears dropping from her eyes but she eventually wiped them away.

 

Moments later, she started to see the officers and crime scene investigation unit, bringing her brother's body to the ambulance car. She just freezes on her place as her eyes stuck on her brother getting closer and closer towards her. They stopped in front of her, asking her to step aside.

 

"Yoona, you can drive right?" Sooyoung came up to her with a worried face.

 

"Yes, wae?" Yoona raise her eye brows.

 

"I'm afraid you won't be focus on the road if you drive. We'll conduct an autopsy right away because we don't think it's suicide. Should you drive or I will?"

 

Yoona nodded. "I see. But I'm fine." She forced a smile. "Either way you have your own car. Just lead the way." And hastily headed to her car.

 

Sooyoung complied and she waited for the others to drive off first before she follows. Yoona carefully drives off, being the last car to follow the authorities that's taking her brother to the forensic.

 

But while in the middle of the road, her phone rings which cause her to get anxious, after reading that its their mother, calling her. It took a couple of minutes for her before she answered her.

 

"Omma."

 

[Is it true?] But she's surprised to hear her breathless voice.

 

"What... Do you mean?" Ask her, feeling nervous. She's being careful with her drive.

 

[Your brother... Committed suicide?]

 

"Where did you hear that?"

 

[Your Auntie.]

 

"Auntie was there?" Yoona didn't expect to hear it. She never saw her earlier.

 

[Someone called her. She's now on the way to the forensic. She figured you already knew so she called me rather.]

 

"I see...." Yoona sighs.

 

[So, it's true?]

 

Sighing heavily again, "Yes." She confirms as it hurt her to do so. "I'm sorry Omma."

 

[Why are you sorry?]

 

"I didn't tell you right away. I'll prepare the funeral after the autopsy."

 

[We are coming to the city. No need to worry that much about it.]

The call ended and Yoona wasn't able to tell her mother to take care but she could help and chuckle bitterly because she was anxious earlier about their reaction but it turns out her Aunt called them first. Now she wonders who called her to inform her parents.

 

 

:::

 

 

After a couple of minutes since she reached the place, Yoona saw her Auntie coming out from the crime lab where her brother is apparently being autopsy.

 

"Auntie, who told you what happened?" Ask Yoona as a greeting for her.

 

Hee Sun, her Auntie stepped forward to give her a hug. "It was one of the officers when they found my contacts in your brother's phone." She told her niece softly and let out a heavy sigh. "Your brother actually called me when you were out earlier, Yoona."

 

Pulling back, Yoona widened her eyes towards her Auntie. "He... called you? Why? What did you guys talk?"

 

"He asks me about you but you were out. I told him to call back when you returned."

 

"Why won't he contact me?"

 

Heesun shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe he can't reach you?"

 

"I'm away for the entire day but.... I wasn't busy at all." Yoona took her phone out and check if she missed any calls or messages but there's none.

 

"Or is he thinking of surprising you? Coz he mentioned about moving in."

 

"What?" Again, Yoona is surprised to learn. "He's... planning... To finally live with us." But it hurts at the same time. "I could've seen him and talk to him... If I didn't leave. I could've stopped him also." And she's starting to regret. "Aish." As it frustrates her also.

 

"Hey, don't think like that. We should accept what happened with him."

 

"Auntie, do you really think it's a suicide?"

 

Hee Sun nodded. "His neighbor says so."

 

"But Oppa is never a person that get depressed. We know him better." Yoona insisted firmly. "My friend, detective Choi, she's thinking the same as me so they're conducting an autopsy right now."

 

"No wonder... "Hee Sun sighs heavily. "He sounds brighter when I talked to him though."

 

"See? There's no way he committed that. Aigoo, from being fired to this. This day couldn't be worser."

 

"Wait you were in your company?" Hee Sun asks as it surprised her to learn. "I thought you were just at the park. And it's Sunday."

 

Yoona was about to explain when an officer interrupted them.

 

"Here's his belongings from where he fell." The Officer handed a bag.

 

"There was a bag earlier?" Yoona grabs it immediately and she opened it to check what's inside. But she pauses when she realize something. "You guys get into his belongings?"

 

The officer nodded and left them. Yoona took a seat at the nearby bench and continued checking the stuff inside. It only contains his personal belongings especially his clothes. But he didn't see his phone and his iPad which he normally carries with him.

 

"He was definitely planning to move in." Hee Sun commented.

 

"But with only this stuff? It's like... " Yoona pause as she searches for that word in her head. "He's running away from someone?"

 

"Let's let the police investigate this. We can't conclude right away." Hee Sun couldn't agree right away with her niece. Even though she's suspecting the reason for her nephew's death.

 

"Excuse me ladies." Sooyoung approached them with a little bow. "The autopsy will finished in a while and it will be transferred for cremation, someone will approach you guys later for the process of it. I know it's still hard for this to accept but can we invite you to the station, this is for statements from his family."

 

"Sure, Soo." Yoona briefly smile as she agreed right away.

 

"Then I'll see you ladies tomorrow." Sooyoung bowed and left them casually.

 

"Aigoo, your parents haven't even arrived."

 

"No need to worry."

 

Hee Sun smiled a little back heaving a sigh in the process.

 

 

:::

 

 

No sleep at all, Yoona finally take her turn to relax her legs as she took a seat in one of the tables in the funeral place. She watches her parents from nearby, greeting people who are paying respect to her brother. There are relatives, friends and colleagues of him as a civil service. She only knows few of them that she just doesn't mind.

 

Taking her chopsticks, she was about to eat when her phone rings. She casually put her chopsticks down and took her phone from the side. "Sooyoung ah."

 

[Is it okay if I get your statement there?]

 

"Are you going to ask my family too?"

 

[If they allow, why not?]

 

Yoona pause as she glanced to her parents. "I don't think it's a good idea. Maybe after the funeral. But I can give you my statement today."

 

[Okay, I'll see you after dinner.]

 

"Oh I thought you're going straight here?"

 

[I still have other cases right now to finish.]

 

"I see. See you later then." Yoona replied and ended the call herself. A sigh escaped her lips as she finally took a couple of bites of her meal. But for the second time, someone interrupted her when she received messages. She checked it only to see it's from scarlet she has started messaging yesterday. Just like when she introduced herself, she sent photos with her brightest cute smiles, unconsciously bringing smile in Yoona's face.

 

seocarlet: i tried calling you back last night but you missed it. are u busy? What do you do in life by the way?

 

Yoona hastily hold her phone in two hands so she can type a response but she stopped halfway and deleted it changing her mind. As she thinks sharing personal life is uneccessary, especially that they're both strangers for each other.

 

Yes, I'm quiet busy. I'm a journalist. Sorry if I hang up the other day right away.

 

So she decided to just reply like that.

 

seocarlet: I see... I hope I'm not disturbing you.

 

Yoona pause as she unconsciously looked down to her unfinished meal and chuckle lightly. For the second time, this scarlet called while she's eating but she doesn't mind at all.

 

Nope. I'm free.

 

seocarlet: oh, so can we video call again?

 

No! I mean, I'm... I'm at home. Yeah, and I haven't freshened up.

 

seocarlet: i bet you still look cute without taking a bath. so why not?

 

The response got Yoona speechless and cheeks blushing. 'How is she so easy telling thos words? Not to mention, from someone she barely knows.' She thought as it really surprised her.

 

Please, let's just chat. I'm not ready at the moment :(

 

seocarlet: No probs. Kekeke you are probably just lazing around. Same, can't go out with this hot weather.

 

I love summer. So it's nothing for me.

 

seocarlet: Oh i love winter. Now we're not same in that. But it's fine, you'll warm me up during winter kekeke.

 

Yoona's heart skipped a beat upon reading her response again. She couldn't even come up with a response and stares down at he