Seriously Yours

Chapter 7 - Assumptions

Darkness has almost settled in when I decided to go home finally. When Jeon Hee dropped me off earlier, I was hesitant to go in, and so I took time to stroll in the village. It's funny how I thought I'd be safer outside than inside my house, thanks to that creepy story Jeon Hee supplied to me. So why did I suddenly thought that Jeong Hyeok is a possible suspect?

First, although he lived here before, he is obviously estranged from the people and the place. Plus the fact that he decided to live here in Jeju at the same time the serial killer is rumored to be in Jeju. Isn't that a coincidence?

Second, the serial killer is said to be a 6-feet tall guy with a fit body. Jeong Hyeok is so tall that I have to look up whenever I talk to him. He has a super fit body too (not supposed to be a compliment, but yeah). And, he has that "reflex" of a trained fighter.

And lastly, Jeon Hee told me that the suspect is known to have misophonia, someone who dislikes noises. Aside from the time he suddenly appeared at my door after hearing me scream and warning me not to make noises, this morning, I heard him shut his bedroom door loud when my alarm went off. Like, he was totally mad!

Now, what should I do? I can't just tip the police about him with these assumptions, right? I need a piece of evidence.

The adventurous side of me feels euphoric. Who knows, maybe it's my fate to catch a wanted person. Is there any other better condition to practice my taekwondo skills than an actual fight?

I laugh at my absurdity.

Though bold, I wish Jeong Hyeok is in his room when I quietly open the door of the house. But alas! he is still sitting in the chair where I last saw him today. Looking as if he is waiting for my arrival.

I close the door behind me and plan to pass by the living room like a mouse and run to my room. But I cannot deny his heavy stare against me that I glance at him quickly at the corner of my eyes.

"Where did you go?" His tone is grave.

I stop in my tracks, just right in front of him. I see his eyes change a bit as he continues cooly, not wanting to appear intrusive: "-don't get me wrong. I thought I heard a car dropped you off a while ago."

I swear I saw his eyes changed from exacting to simply curious.

"I just checked the neighborhood," I reply grumpily. Then to divert my attention from him, I glance somewhere else which happens to be the newspaper on the table beside him. I think it is the same newspaper I saw in the car. So, did he already read the news?

Jeong Hyeok must have noticed that my eyes grow a bit upon seeing the newspaper so he cocks his head in its direction.

"Do you want to read?"

'No. I should act like I'm totally ignorant that a serial killer exists!'

"No!" I refused abruptly. But I think I spoke a way too defensive that his brows furrow at me and he gives me a demanding look.

"-I mean... I don't read newspapers," I feel my throat run dry and words get tangled inside my brain as I search for words.

"-I'm not particularly interested with what happening outside.... on what's happening in the country or in the whole world, rather. I don't even care that the won-dollar exchange increased.... or the fact that there's a serial killer roaming across the country! I can't even care that he's here in Jeju!"

He blinks at me twice.

I did the same. Flabbergasted that I just spilled it all out. I open my mouth then close it again.

"Well, I guess, you don't really need to read this," he casually says.

* * *

"Shocks!"

I stifle my voice down for him not to hear. I smack my mouth and close it with my palms. What should I do? Jeong Hyeok already knows that I am aware that there is a serial killer.

I heard steps coming so I put my ear on the door and listen. I heard his door closing and then him coming out again. I followed his steps, my ear now stuck on the wall. I walk backward and stop at the corner of the room. Then I heard the water on the shower running.

He is in the shower! (We only have one bathroom in the house which is in the middle of our rooms)

It's time. I have to gather evidence that he is the killer. I go out of my room bravely and quickly enters his room. The room is neat and bigger. Why do I feel like my room looked unfairly shabbier than his room? I throw a sharp glance in his direction. Hmph!

Not wasting any time, I look around hastily. Actually, I don't know what I'm exactly looking for. Maybe a toolbox? A knife with a stain of blood? Well, he would have washed before keeping it right? A bloody shirt? Ropes to tie his victims? A knock-out drug? Whatever! I will know once I see it.

He had hung his clothes quite neatly and his things tidy in boxes. I haven't found anything peculiar in those. I carefully stack them again. My room will shy away from how tidy his room is.

"There are only a few things here in his room," I mutter disappointingly. Maybe, he hid them somewhere else. Snap! The basement!

I am about to leave his room when suddenly a thought crosses my mind. It makes me a little nervous. I walk slowly and quietly near the bed and grab the pillow up.

A gun!

The approaching sound of footsteps surprises me much more than the sight of the fatal weapon in front of me. It makes me jumpy and agitated. Where should I hide? Of course not on the cabinet! What if he opens it to get a shirt?

I find myself squishing underneath the bed face down, which is the only option left when the door burst open. By the small gap of the floor and the edge of the duvet (hiding me well), I can see his feet walking towards the bed. He sits right where my head is and my heart races fast-paced. I am never been this nervous all my life. Not even when I was checking my name on the list of the board passers.

He is quiet. Is he thinking? The silence makes me even antsier from hiding. And I can't breathe normally. Then suddenly, something vibrated near my tummy, realizing what it is I gasp and immediately clasp both of my hands on my side pocket as if it could conceal what's coming next.

A ring.

Is it my phone? I close my eyes before the impending danger.

"Hello?"

Hello? I look up startled and saw that he has stood up already and is fidgeting in the middle of the room. I reach over my pocket and see that the ring is not from mine.

'Thanks, goodness!'

"Yes... What? She was shot?.... they should have fired back!...."

Shot? Fired?

"-People already know!" he says gritting.

Wait? What is he talking about? I nearly choke from fear hearing those brutal words from him. Oh my goodness! So he really is the killer? Since my heart is thumping wildly, his words become incomprehensible in my ears. I can only feel the impatience in his words.

"-Anyone would do. I need to finish this quickly.... yeah, as soon as possible."

After the call ended, he leaves the room. I wait for a few moments, making sure he is not just outside, and quickly return to my room. I rest my back on the door.

"Oh my goodness! What did I just hear?"

I put my hand across my chest, trying to normalize my breathing. It feels like I am in a race.

I stop and ponder over a piece of information I heard from his call. I don't know if it is a sort of evidence but...

He needed a woman. Badly.