Another installment of the Beyond the Board Collection featuring Ray! This is totally not how I planned for this one to turn out, but I kinda like it! Hope you all enjoy! ~Admin Kelc

You tilted your head back and looked up at the Victorian style mansion from under your umbrella. You looked around as you walked up to the iron gate at stood at the front of the property.

Police cars, throwing flashes of blue and white into the rainy night, were parked along the gravel driveway and dozens of police officers, medics, and crime scene investigators were scattered around the yard, many bustling in and out of the front door.

You looked away from your surrounding when a man suddenly rushed up to your side.

“Good evening, Lieutenant Park,” you nodded at the man as the two of you fell into step. 

“Good evening, Detective,” he nodded in return as he removed his police hat.

You tucked your hand into the pocket of your coat as the two of you strolled up the cobblestone path that led to the front door.

“So, do care to tell me why I was called out to this mansion in the middle of nowhere at,” you took a quick glance at your watch, “midnight?”

“A murder was committed earlier tonight,” Park said as he pulled out a small notebook from a pocket inside of his raincoat, “The victim was a Mr. Byun Doo Seob. Cause of death was blunt force trauma to the back of the head and the murder weapon was found to be a metal meat tenderizer.”

“What did Mr. Byun do for a living?” you asked as you stepped onto the porch and closed your umbrella.

The officer looked flipped through a few pages of his notebook as the two of you walked through the front door into the foyer, “He was the CEO for a talent agency in Seoul.”

You made a mental note in your head as you admired the crystal chandelier that was hanging from the ceiling above your heads and the grand staircase that branched off into opposite directions.

“How many suspects?”

“Six. They’re all in the living room. I can take you to them now,” he said as he motioned towards his right.

You nodded and walked out of the foyer into the living room, Lieutenant Park right on your heels.

The moment you entered the living room, six pairs of eyes snapped towards your figure and all of the men in the room immediately stood up from their various seats.

“Gentlemen, this is Detective Kim” Park announced, “She’s heading this investigation and all the questionings that will be done tonight. If any of you do not cooperate, we have the right to arrest. Understand?”

They all nodded, not daring to say a word.

“Okay, well then,” the Lieutenant turned towards you, “Good luck, Ms. Kim.”

“Oh, thank you. But,” your lips quirked up into a smirk as you glanced at the six nervous young men who were glancing at each other, “I don’t think I’ll need it.”

---

You dropped your pen onto the wooden dining table and ran a hand through your hair in frustration.

“I’m going to ask you this one more time,” you glared at the boy who was sitting across from you with his feet propped up on the table, “Where were you when the murder took place?”

He glanced up and raised an eyebrow before crossing his arms over his chest, keeping his lips sealed.

“Mr. Yoo,” you gritted your teeth, “Please answer the question.”

He let out a sigh and sat up properly in his chair, “I was on the balcony, making a phone call. I heard a maid scream, I ran back into the house and found everyone crowded around the guy’s body in the hallway with that meat hammer thing lying next to him.”

You nodded your head as you wrote down notes on your notepad.

“Can I go now?” he pleaded, “I’ve seriously told you everything I know.”

You glanced over your notes once one before nodding, “Just don’t leave the living room and send in the last one.”

The man quickly stood up to make his leave but abruptly stopped and turned back towards you.

“I don’t know if any of the other guys told you this,” he said in a hushed voice, “But I think the butler did it.”

You stared back at him, unfazed, “I’m sorry, Mr. Yoo, but I don’t really need to know what you think. I need to know facts.”

He simply shrugged before walking out of the dining room without another word.

You puffed out your cheeks and tied up your hair into a ponytail as you reread all the stories you have collected so far.

“That’s the third one to say that the butler did it,” you mumbled to yourself, “But I still need a confession.”

You looked up from your pad when another male entered the dining room.

You couldn’t help but notice how strikingly attractive he was, but maybe that was just because of the classic black tie suit he was wearing.

“Please take a seat,” you motioned to the chair directly across the table from you.

He silently nodded his head and sat down.

“When I ask you a question, please answer to the best of your knowledge and what you know to be the truth,” you said as you pressed the record button on your voice recorder and flipped to a clean page of your notebook.

“I didn’t do it.”

You looked up at the boy through your lashes, “I didn’t ask you a question yet.”

“But you told me to tell you truth,” he responded, his piercing eyes looking straight into yours.

You stared back at him for a few seconds before quickly blinking and clearing your throat, “Please state your full name.”

“Lee Hyun Il,” he said quietly, “But Mr. Byun called me Ray.”

“Well, what do you do for a living, Mr. Lee?”

“I’m, or I guess was, a butler for Mr. Byun.”

‘Explains the suit,’ you nodded as you quickly scribbled on your notepad.

“So, where were you when-“

“I didn’t do it,” Hyun Il interjected.

Your eyes widened for a split second before you nodded slowly, “Yeah … I got that. But –“

“I know everyone is saying that I did it,” he cut you off again, “But I really didn’t kill Mr. Byun. I promise.”

You looked into his eyes and saw nothing but sincerity. You wanted to believe him and part of you actually did. But you knew that you couldn’t trust him just like that. If there was one thing that you’ve learned through your job, it was that some people were really good liars.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Lee, but I can’t just take your word for it,” you said slowly, “I need to make sure that your alibi is legitimate and –“

“You think I’m the murderer, don’t you?” he asked with disappointment.

“I didn’t say that,” you denied, a little too quickly in your own opinion.

Hyun Il let out a harsh laugh, “You didn’t have to.”

You clutched your pen in your hand and glanced down at your notebook, a hint of guilt tightening your chest.

“But that’s the cliché right?” he continued, “‘The butler kills the rich guy for revenge.’ But why would I want to kill him? I’m not actually his butler, I’m a trainee from his agency. He was going to make me singer. Why would I kill someone who was helping me reach me dream?”

As he continued his testimony, you took a deep breath and stopped your voice recorder.

Hyun Il stopped talking and looked at you in confusion, “What are you doing?”

“I believe you,” you whispered.

“What?” he asked with wide eyes.

“I don’t know why and I might regret this later if you’re lying to me, but I do.”

The boy across the table stared at you in utter shock, “Are you serious?”

“Should I … not believe you?” you asked hesitantly.

“No! You should!” he furiously shook his head, “It’s just that, I didn’t think that you would. I mean I’m the last one to defend myself and most would assume that it was me and -”

“Well I don’t it’s you,” you gave him a small smile, “But if you’re lying to me, I will be sure to hunt you down and arrest you myself.”

“Deal,” he gave you a bright smile and a nod.

You froze in your seat with Hyun Il suddenly reached across the table and took your hand into his.

“Really,” he said softly, “Thank you so much.”

You felt like your heart was going to explode in your chest when he gave you another smile and your hand a light squeeze before standing up and leaving the dining room.

You stared blankly at the table in shock.

“What just happened?” you wondered aloud.

---

“Unbelievable.”

 “What?” you asked as you took a seat at the small dining table in your apartment, two cups of coffee in your hands.

“It was his assistant who killed him,” your boyfriend shook his head as his eyes scanned the article.

“How about that, huh?” you shrugged your shoulders, “But why are you reading that old article anyways?”

Hyun Il gave you a look before folding up the old newspaper and laying it on the table, “This article is very important to me. You might have forgotten, but I almost got arrested because of this case.”

“Well, I guess you’re lucky someone believed you,” you shrugged innocently before taking a sip of your coffee.

Hyun Il shrugged as well with a playful smile as he picked up his own mug, “Yeah, I guess I am.”