“The Lost Constelacion, an antique work of art by the Spanish paintr Agia. This masterpiece was painted in the 1640’s in the midst of the Cretan War. Constelacion was supposed to be destroyed by wildfire in Crete but it had miraculously survived and retrieved. The painting is ought to be auctioned tomorrow night with a starting bid of five hundred million won….”

“Inspector!” A woman exclaimed  as she came rushing inside the office of Detective-Inspector Kim Jong-in; a well-known man in his field who hasn’t a single case left unsolved. His excellent critical-thinking skills and keen eye for observation has made him the most sought-after detective.

“Where?” The Inspector merely asked, his eyes not leaving the newspaper he’s holding.

“Museum of Classic Arts, a janitor found a dead body and called in minutes ago.

Jong-in placed down the newspaper on the desk and stood up from his swivel chair then grabbed his coat. He walked out of his office with the woman following closely behind him. “Have you sent the forensics team?” He asked.

“Yes, they’re on their way.”

“Good, as soon as you learn of the dead man’s name, find out his address and send it to me.”

“Yes, Inspector.”

“Inspector.” The head of the forensics team; Park Chanyeol, greeted when he arrived at the crime scene.

“Where’s the janitor who found the body?”

“This way.” Chanyeol led him inside the museum and into the main lobby. He gestured for the large, middle-aged man sitting on one of the benches.

Jong-in’s sharp eyes quickly ran over the janitor.

“You want to talk to him? He might know who the murderer is.” Chanyeol suggested, hinting at something.

“He’s not the murderer if that’s what you’re thinking.” Jong-in said flatly.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Look at him, morbidly obese, single man living on his own, look at how people flinch when he talks; an undisguised halitosis, internet addict, low self-esteem, tiny IQ, and a breathing pattern of an untreated heart condition. If he was the murderer why do you think he called for a police and detective if he had successfully committed a crime without anyone seeing?” Jon-in explained in one breath as if it was the most obvious thing in the world making Chanyeol’s mouth hang open. “Now show me the body.”

All Chanyeol could do was nod and show him the way to the locker room. The body lay by the door, with a gun on the right hand, blood stained the floors and a foul smell lingers heavily around the area.

“How long?” Jong-in asked.

“Dead for at least a day, caused by a bullet shot through the right side of his head. Obviously suicide. The name is Kim Joonmyun.”

“No, it’s not suicide.” Jong-in muttered, earning him a questioning look from the forensics head.

“It’s not?”

“Is this his locker room?” Jong-in dismissed Chanyeol’s question.

“Yes.” Chanyeol followed the Inspector inside. “But what do you mean it’s not suicide.”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?” Jong-in stated after surveying the small room. “Gun shot’s on the right side of the head but Joonmyun was left-handed. If he shot himself there was quite a bit of contortion, wasn’t there?” He said sarcastically.

“How could you possibly know that Joonmyun was left-handed?”

Jong-in let out a sigh and looked at Chanyeol as if he’s the dumbest person on Earth. “Look around his locker room.. at this desk; telephone’s on the right, notepad and pen on the left which means he picks up the phone with his right and writes on his left. This plate in the corner; an unfinished toast on the right, butter and knife on the left, which means he holds the bread with his right and applies butter with his left. Most importantly, look at his body, the gun pouch is on the left hip, why? Because he pulls the gun with his left hand. You need more?”

Jong-in’s phone beep. He pulled it out of his pocket and read the message.

Jong-in arrived at Kim Joonmyun’s flat. The guy lived on his own in a small room on a low-priced condominium. The room is on the sixth floor and it only has two doors; one front door and one bathroom door. There’s a single bed pushed against the wall and beside it is a small desk. On the other side of the wall is a window and in front is a telescope.

Jong-in went to the desk and found a stack of hardbound books, mostly about stars and the galaxy.

‘An amateur astrologer.’ He induced.

He opened the drawers and found a few photos of a painting; the lost Constelacion painting. Jong-in quickly pulled out his phone, as if struck by some revelation, and dialed a number. As soon as the receiver picked up, Jong-in spoke.

“That Constelacion painting’s a fake.”

“What do you mean it’s a fake?” Lee Sanbong, a morbidly obese man who is the head of the museum exclaimed. He was glaring at the Jong-in who was standing in front of him inside the museum’s office, on his right stood the chief police officer Kim Jongdae, and on his left stood the controversial painting; the Constelacion. “That painting passed all authentication tests!”

“Well it’s a very good fake then!” Jong-in retorted.

“What proof do you have Detective-Inspector?” Jongdae asked curiously.

“Kim Joonmyun.”

“The security guard? But he is dead.”

“Exactly, Mr. Lee. He’s dead, he was murdered.”

“Murdered? He committed suicide!”

“No, not all Mr. Lee. The murderer made it look like suicide because the murderer knows the Joonmyun knew something about the painting that would stop from getting the auction money.” He stated and looked at Mr. Lee slyly.

“So you’re saying that Joonmyun knew that the painting’s a fake, but how?” Jongdae asked?

Jong-in fell silent and averted his gaze. He does not know how but he knew that the painting’s a fake. He looked at the painting, if he wasn’t what he was, Jon-in would have easily believed the painting to be authentic. But he is a detective and he had already made his inductions that lead him to the conclusion that the painting is fake.

But the problem is he cannot prove it. Joonmyun knew immediately that it was a fake with just a glance at the painting. Jong-in cannot do that. He was not one to care about such ordinary things. Arts, and colors, and . He wasn’t fond of them and he has very little knowledge about painting.

“You are wasting our time inspector, I cannot anymore go on with this senselessness. I have important matters to attend to.” Lee Sanbong turned to leave but before he opened the door, he turned to Jong-in again, suddenly remembering something. “by the way inspector, feel free to come to the auction tomorrow night.” With that, he left completely,

“I’m sorry Jong-in but until you have proof, we can’t do anything.” Jongdae told him and went on his way as well.

Jong-in was exasperated. How could he prove it? He always solved the cases that were thrown at him. Every single one. And Jong-in cannot let this one ruin his record. He will find out soon. He will prove it. And he will stop the auction.

He went out of the office and called for the forensics photographer. “Take photographs of that painting. Take every angle, every grid, and sent it to me tonight.”

“Yes, Inspector.”

“I’m home.”  Jong-in declared as soon as he entered the house. He took off his shows and coat and went to the living room. “Kyung?” He called out but there was no answer. Jong-in frowned, it’s almost nine in the evening, Kyungsoo should be home by now.

With furrowed brows, he went upstairs to their room and there he saw the said man. No wonder Kyungsoo did not hear him, he had his earphones plucked in and he was fixing the bed covers, kneeling, his up for Jong-in to stare at.

Jong-in quietly walked towards Kyungsoo, taking by surprise as he wrapped his arms around the man’s waist and got on top of him. “I see you’re already in position.” He whispered on Kyungsoo’s ear.

“Kai! What the –“ Kyungsoo shrieked when Jong-in grabbed a cheek. He turned his body so he was now facing Jong-in. “ert!”

Jong-in just chuckled and lay beside him.

“Have you eaten dinner?” Kyungsoo asked.

“I’m not hungry, but sure I’ll have my dinner now.” Jong-in answered and started nibbling Kyungsoo’s ears.

Kyungsoo lightly pushed him back. “Kai, I just changed the covers.”

Jong-in sat up and surveyed the sheets. “Really? I didn’t notice.”

“When did you ever noticed things?” Kyungsoo muttered as he sat up. “You don’t really care about such things. Come on, let’s have dinner.” Kyungsoo got off the bed and Jong-in did the same, when his phone beeped. He swiftly pulled it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen.

“Go on, I just need to check on something.”

“Okay, I’ll set the table.”

Kyungsoo left the room and Jong-in strode towards the desk and flip open his laptop before turning it on. He immediately checked his mail; he had received the photographs of the painting.

He quickly opened the files and the photographs appeared on the screen. Jong-in sat there, quietly scrolling around the photograph, zooming it in and out. He heard the door open moments later.

“Kai, the table’s set.”

“I’ll be there.” Jong-in muttered.

Kyungsoo went to Jong-in’s side and curiously peered over his shoulder. “What’s that?”

“A painting.”

“Painting.” Kyungsoo’s brows scrunched. “Why are you looking at a painting? Are you planning to buy one? I thought you didn’t like tho–“

“It’s from my current case. This painting, it’s all over the news.” Jong-in explained. “Painted in the 1640’s, destroyed by a wildfire but had , for some unknown reason, survived and retrieved, just a month ago, and to be auctioned tomorrow for five hundred million won. A security guard was murdered because he knew that the paining is a fake.”

“Fake? How?”

Jong-in sighed as he clicked the next button and zoomed in on the painting. “That… I don’t know.”

The two fell silent as they both stared at the painting, only the sound of the mouse button being clicked was heard. Jong-in clicked the next button again and this time it was a close up shot of the night sky in the painting.

“Wait, scroll up.” Kyungsoo abruptly instructed, Jong-in –though puzzled at the latter’s action –complied.

“What is it?”

“Look at this.” Kyungsoo pointed his finger at the brightest star present on the painting. “This is called the Dalmatia Supernova, it was part of the Cassiopeia Constellation; the one that forms a wide “W” when connected. Why is this supernova here?” Kyungsoo asked to no one in particular.

“What in the world are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about this star, and mind you stars aren’t in the world, that’s primary school stuff, how could you not know it!” Kyungsoo blabbered out as he strode towards the shelf and grabbed a book before going back to Jong-in’s side. He opened the book and flipped open the pages to a topic about the constellation.

It shows a photograph of the stars in the galaxy that is the same with the stars in the painting. “Look, it’s the exact same stars, and this one, the Dalmatia Supernova only appeared in 1769, a hundred years after the Cretan War, that was why it was named Dalmatia because the war happened in Dalmatia, Crete.” Kyungsoo closed the book and looked at Jong-in.

“So?” Jong-in asked flatly.

Kyungsoo almost wanted to strangle him. “So? Don’t you see? This star only appeared in 1769 so how could this ..” He gestured to the painting. “…had been painted in the 1640’s? Idiot!”

“Oh!” Jong-in gasped, finally realizing the connection. “That’s –that’s right. Kim Joonmyun, the security guard, he was an amateur astrologer.” He remembered the telescope in Joonmyun’s flat. “That was how he was able to find out that the panting is fake. This is brilliant!” Jong-in exclaimed and smiled smugly. No unsolved cases in the end.

“You’re welcome Detective-Inspector.” Kyungsoo muttered sarcastically.

“Thanks to you, of course.” He cooed and pulled him in for a kiss. “But how did you know that?” He asked when they pulled away.

“Mr. Park taught us that in high school. And I used to star gaze, remember? That was how we met, you saw me at the school’s rooftop.”

Jong-in smiled. “I remember.”

“What are we looking at, Chief?” Jong-in questioned Jongdae who was sitting in front of him. On his side is the museum head, Lee Sanbong with a guilty expression.

“Well there’s conspiracy, fraud… murder.” Jongdae said casually as if scanning through a restaurant menu. “Where did you get that painting anyway?” He motioned for the painting laying on the desk.

“I m-met a man in-in China. Great artist he w-was and he.. he said he could forge this painting, this Constelacion.” Lee answered, stuttering.

“This painter, what’s his name?”

“He didn’t give me his real name, only his pseudonym. He called himself Kriscasso, a combination of the name Kris and the Spanish painter Pica–“

“Yes, obviously.” Jong-in rolled his eyes. “Well, then Chief, it’s solved now. I shall excuse myself.” Jong-in stood up.

“Yes, thank you for your help Inspector.” Jongdae reached out for a handshake to which Jong-in accepted.

“Good day.” He said then left.

It’s half past midnight when Kyungsoo felt that Jong-in wasn’t by his side. He slowly opened his eyes and sat up. When his vision cleared, he glanced around the bedroom. “Kai?” he called.

He got off the bed and went outside the room. He found Jong-in at the veranda, looking up at the night sky. “Kai, what are you doing?” He asked in a sleepy tone.

Jong-in glanced back at him and smiled. “Nothing, just stargazing.” Kyungsoo went to his side and he instinctively wrapped an arm around the  man’s waist. “It’s beautiful isn’t it?” He said, looking at the stars.

Kyungsoo looked at him in disbelief. “I thought you didn’t care about –“

“Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate it.” He looked at Kyungsoo, smiled warmly, and gave him a passionate kiss.

A/N: My first try at detective-ish plot XD