In their black dress at the funeral house, Yong-sun and her mother sat in the room beside Granny Kim’s photo. Every person that came to pray for her light an incense stick. Mr. Kim stood at the entrance welcoming their relatives.

 

Mrs. Kim held Yong-sun’s hand and caressed her. It hurt that her mother was killed but it even hurt more that Yong-sun was to witness her favorite person’s death. Mrs. Kim teared up watching her daughter sitting there since morning without saying anything. Yong-sun’s eyes were red and swollen. She kept staring blankly on the floor, not even greeting anyone.

 

“Yong-sun. You should eat something. You didn’t even drink a drop of water.” Mrs. Kim wiped off her tears and help Yong-sun to stand up. She took Yong-sun to one of the tables where everyone was having lunch.

 

Yong-sun hold the spoon in her hand but she has forgot to eat. Mrs. Kim touch her hand and told her to eat her share. “What about you, mom?”

 

“I am not hungry.” Mrs. Kim flashed a weak smile. “You look so thin. Eat up.” Mrs. Kim could not stop her tears seeing her daughter eat. Mrs. Kim and Mr. Kim wanted to see their daughter but now that they were meeting in such condition really tore her heart apart. Mrs. Kim put a piece of kimchi on top of the rice and gestured Yong-sun to eat it. Yong-sun looked at her mother and started to sob. “I miss grandma.” Mrs. Kim hugged Yong-sun and both cried.

 

 

Yong-sun came out of the funeral house to recollect herself. She inhaled deeply and dried off her tears. She tried to calm herself first.

 

“Miss Yong-sun?”

 

Yong-sun turned to hear the familiar voice. “Byul? What are you doing here?”

 

“My uncle. He passed away.”

 

Yong-sun nod and look away. Byul-yi walked forward and stood next to Yong-sun. “Did anyone-?”

 

“My grandmother.”

 

“I am sorry for your lost.” Byul stared at Yong-sun who was standing still. The awkwardness was growing and Byul did not know what to do with Yong-sun not saying anything. She hesitated but asked anyway. “Do you want any company?”

 

“I am sorry, Byul. I need to go.” Yong-sun sprinted towards the gate and got on a cab, once again leaving Byul to stand there alone.

 

>>>

 

Yong-sun looked around to check if anyone was following her. After making sure no one is around, she entered the pin and opened the door to an apartment in an old apartment building.

 

After the night of bloodshed, Yong-sun called Whee-in to take Hye-jin to their safe house and take out information from her while she took care of her grandmother’s body.

 

Whee-in stood up on seeing Yong-sun and guided her to a sit. She filled in on what Yong-sun had missed. After Hye-jin contacted Yong-sun that day, she was caught by Miss X’s men, the unknown person now identified as a woman. However, they didn’t just kill her. They took her hostage for two weeks. In the meantime, they locked her up in a hotel room. One night, they forgot to lock the door after giving her dinner. She took the chance and sneaked out. She was in an unfamiliar building and got lost. She avoided the elevator and used the staircase to escaped. On the ground floor, she quietly opened the staircase door and that’s when she saw the woman from the night her family was murdered.

 

“I looked up the hotel and the CCTV footage of the days Hye-jin was trapped there were deleted. So, I have appointed a forensic artist. We should be meeting her this afternoon.”

 

“Okay. Good job.” Yong-sun glanced at Hye-jin curling up in the corner of the room.

 

“She had been like that for sometime now.” Whee-in said in case Yong-sun was curious. “Also, I am sorry for your lost. I hope Granny Kim rest in peace.”

 

Yong-sun stiffened herself. “Call Tae-hyun and Jin. Fill them in about the case. I will take Eric and meet the artist.”

 

“Are you sure about this?”, Whee-in asked.

 

Yong-sun look up to Whee-in and nodded.

 

>>>

 

“What?”, Eric exclaimed with disappointment. “You and I have been working together for a long time and you didn’t even trust me?”

 

“I am sorry. I was just being over-cautious at that time. But I really need your help now.” Yong-sun begged.

 

“You trust me?”, Eric narrowed his eyes.

 

Yong-sun scoffed. “I am sorry but can we get going now? We really can’t waste any time.”

 

Eric took the wheel while Yong-sun was on the front seat and Hye-jin at the back. Eric would glance at Hye-jin every few minutes. From the moment he met her, she was quiet. He looked at Yong-sun who was in her own world staring outside the window. Eric cleared his throat loudly to take Yong-sun’s attention. Yong-sun turned her head to Eric getting his sign.

 

“I am sorry about what happened to your grandmother.”

 

“It’s alright.”

 

Hye-jin lifted her head to look at the two in the front.

 

Eric spoke again. “If you want, I can join you in this case. I can bring my team to help you.”

 

There was a long silence. Even Hye-jin started to talk in her mind. Say something. Don’t keep this gentleman waiting.

 

“Hey. Let me ask you something.” Yong-sun finally spoke. “Why didn’t you try to take this case?”

 

Eric pulled the brake at the red light. He pursed his lips for a while and then replied, “I took the case for one month.”

 

Both Hye-jin and Yong-sun were all ears to Eric.

 

“When the chief prosecutor found out, he ordered me to stop the investigation but I didn’t. Later he threatened me to transfer to a remote area and put me in a lower position there. That time, my mother was very sick and I must be by her side. After considering everything, I dropped the case.”

 

“So, they weren’t that strict with me because they think you might solve the case and I won’t?”

 

Eric chuckled, “What are you saying? You are the ace here. They should be more worried that you are taking the case.”

 

“Even if they fire me, I will still find that person.” Yong-sun was firm with her words.

 

“That’s the spirit.” Eric encouraged Yong-sun, admiring her even more.

 

>>>

 

Eric and Yong-sun were waiting outside while Hye-jin and the artist were having a session inside. Eric checked his wrist watch and stood up looking around. Yong-sun was brooding over the incident that had happened. She clenched the hull of her coat in anger.

 

“It’s done.” The artist showed the final sketch to Eric and Yong-sun. Yong-sun took a step back in shock. “Is this really the person you saw?”

 

Hye-jin confirmed. Eric got concerned and asked if Yong-sun knew the woman in the sketch. Yong-sun took a photo of the sketch and hurried to the door. Eric followed her and pulled her hand to stop. “What’s going on?”

 

“Please take Hye-jin to Whee-in. I will tell you everything later.”

 

On her way, Yong-sun called her mom. “Mom, where are you now?”

“At the hotel as you said. When are you coming back from work?”

 

“I might be late. Don’t wait for me. And be careful. Don’t open the door for anyone.”

 

 

Yong-sun rush out from the cab and entered the Morning café. She walked up to the counter. The young boy behind the counter smiled. “Ma’am, how can I help you?”

 

“You have an employee named Byul-yi here. Moon Byul-yi. Where is she?”

 

“Byul-yi? I don’t know any employee with that name.”

 

“She used to work the night shift but now she works in the morning shift.” Yong-sun pulled out her phone and showed him the picture. The man took a closer look at the picture. “Isn’t this Seulgi noona?”

 

“Seulgi noona.” The boy called someone and she came running to the counter. “Isn’t this you?”

 

“What are you talking about?”, the woman laughed and look at the picture. Her eyes widen on seeing the sketch. She looked at Yong-sun who was holding the phone. Yong-sun was staring at her with her jaw dropped. “Aren’t you Byul?”

 

Both the women took the table in the corner with privacy. Seulgi sat on the opposite side of the table and Yong-sun on the other. The boy kept an eye on them from the counter while he serves the customers.

 

“Who are you?”, Yong-sun asked.

 

“My name is Seulgi.”

 

“Don’t you work in the morning shift?”, Yong-sun was trying to confirm if she was really another person.

 

“No. I have never worked here in the morning. I have my music classes.” Seulgi replied with a shaky voice. Yong-sun asked Seulgi a series of questions to confirm she was not Byul.

 

“Do you have a twin sister?”, Yong-sun clearly didn’t want to beat around the bush.

 

Seulgi hesitate for a second. “No, I don’t.”

“Moon Seulgi. Please don’t lie.” Yong-sun glared at her. Seulgi instantly covered her name tag. “See. You are being obvious.”

 

Seulgi bit her lips deciding on what to do. “You can take your time. But the longer you do, you will be accused of several murders and spend your life in the prison. No music. Nothing. And even worse, you could be executed.”

 

The last word scared Seulgi to her bones.

 

“I left home three years ago, on 23^rd of January.”

 

“Go on.” Yong-sun secretly recorded the conversation.

 

“Yes. I have a twin sister. Her name is Moon Byul-yi. She is crazy. Everyone in the family is crazy. I ran away because I was scared of them. Are you a cop?”

 

Yong-sun nodded and show her badge. “Your sister will soon be a wanted criminal. And you could be in trouble. We have to take you in.”

 

“Did she kill anyone?”, Seulgi asked making a face wishing it was not true.

 

Yong-sun gave her business card to Seulgi. “Take this. Let’s meet again tomorrow at the B park 11am.” The more she looked at timid Seulgi, Yong-sun realized she was nothing like the confident Byul-yi except they really look alike.

 

Yong-sun took Seulgi phone number and address. She apologized for shocking her with the instant news.  Yong-sun walked out of the café and ring up Whee-in.

 

 

“We have to be careful now. She has a twin sister.” Yong-sun could hear Whee-in’s loud sigh over the phone. “I am meeting the twin tomorrow at 11. Inform this to the team. And tell Jin to keep an eye on her. I will send the address. We have to keep her by our side.”

 

Yong-sun stood at the bus-stand. She approached me on purpose? Does it mean she has control over the situation?

Who are you, Moon Byul-yi?