The office was calm. The walls were painted a silent beige behind the shelves lining them, filled with an extensive collection of academic textbooks, research papers, and case studies. A large desk sits at the center of the room, adorned with neatly organized files and a collection of psychology reference books.
An elegant leather chair was positioned behind it, where she sat, engrossed her reading. Her gaze was focused upon the pages of 'Violent Offenders' as her hands rested on the book, occasionally flipping a page or jotting down notes on a pad of paper nearby.
"Oh." She raised her eyebrow and straightened her posture every time her gaze landed on something interesting, yet she was calm and composed. That, until her door swung open.
"Eun Narae."
"I told you to knock before walking in, Ethan." She sighed heavily, lifting her eyes from the book before meeting the gaze of a tall figure standing at the doorway. Heeseung, a police officer she frequently collaborated with, stood there with a sheepish grin on his face, holding a file in his hand.
"Sorry, couldn't contain my excitement," he replied, stepping further into the room. "I've got some new case details for you. Thought you might want to take a look. He's real work." She cleared her throat, her initial irritation giving way to a flicker of curiosity. Then she closed the book, placing it gently on the desk as Ethan sat across from her. "A mass murderer. We arrested him a few years ago, and now they're looking for a psychologist. What do you say?"
Her curiosity piqued and she leaned forward, her eyes fixed on Ethan. "A mass murderer? Tell me more."
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his expression growing serious. "His name is Shim Jake, and he's responsible for the "Crimson Lake Massacre." He targeted a small, secluded community, taking the lives of seventeen innocent people in a single night. The details of the crime were horrifying, with each victim meticulously chosen and methodically killed. He's been serving his sentence since then, but recently he has become a subject of interest for us. There have been whispers of a potential accomplice who helped orchestrate the massacre."
She nodded, absorbing the information. "And now they want someone to make him uncover the truth?"
"Yes." Ethan let out. "There have been recent developments that suggest he might have more information about unsolved cases, cold cases that have haunted us for years. The authorities believe that if we can gain his trust, he might be willing to cooperate and provide valuable insight into these unsolved crimes."
She leaned against her chair, folding her arms over her chest. Working with a notorious mass murderer was not without its risks, but the potential for uncovering the truth and bringing closure to the families of the victims enticed her.
"Do you think I should cooperate?" She muttered, staring at him before he shrugged.
"It's risky, and we can't ignore the potential dangers and emotional toll it may take on you, but it's worth the shot. Don't you think?"
"I believe it does." She smiled, making him sigh in relief.
"I knew I could count on you. This is a highly anticipated case so we'll have to work faster than we're supposed to. Are you free?" At that, she pointed at the book on her desk and he smiled. "I see you can make time for this."
The two of them rode to Shim Jake's high-security facility in tense silence. Narae looked out the window, her mind already racing with thoughts of how this case would unfold. Working with criminals was never an easy job, and sometimes, she'd go into mental battles of her own, questioning her choices and the impact they might have on her own well-being. But understanding the human mind was her biggest passion, and she firmly believed in the potential for change and redemption, even in the darkest of individuals.
Upon their arrival, they were greeted by the stern faces of the facility's security personnel. Narae looked around her and at the dark walls of the place, The high-security facility exuded an aura of confinement and despair, as if it were a place designed to contain the very essence of darkness.
Ethan led her to the room where she would conduct her sessions with Shim Jake, and the security personnel unlocked the door with a series of mechanical clicks, letting it swing open with an eerie creak. Narae took a moment to compose herself before entering the interrogation room, her gaze landing on the chained figure of Shim Jake.
He sat there, motionless, his eyes fixed on the ground. She stood there, watching him from afar while he refused to look at her. Then she silently walked to her desk, feeling his intense gaze upon her, even without looking directly at him. She folded her arms over her chest and kept looking away. He was scared, she could sense it.
"Hello," Narae whispered, her voice barely audible in the silence that hung in the room. She took a moment to let her words settle, allowing the weight of them to fill the space between them. The room was dimly lit, casting long shadows that seemed to dance with the faint flickering of the overhead lights.
Shim Jake remained motionless, his gaze still fixed on the ground. The chains that bound him to his seat clinked softly as he shifted. She could still feel his intense gaze upon her.
She looked at him, and he looked down, his gaze fixed on the ground. "Ethan, I will need you to untie Jake." Her words made Shim Jake finally look at her as she held eye contact with him. His eyes were empty. She felt as if she was looking into a void.
She had clicked on the red button on her desk, alerting Ethan of her plan. But it appeared her plan was highly disapproved. "What? No. Do you know how dangerous he is? This man killed 17 people, Narae. There's no way we can-"
"Then, I'm not taking this case." She leaned against her chair, crossing her legs and folding her arms over her chest."
"Narae, this isn't right. We don't know what he might do."
"He's not an animal. I'm here to talk to a human, and unless you untie him, I'm not taking this case." Her words were final and everyone in the other room knew that she was indeed serious.
The door creaked open as Jake turned his head to the corner of the room, avoiding everyone's eyes. The security team carefully untied his hands and legs, letting him crawl back into his dark little corner. Ethan glanced at her and she nodded, letting him know that she knew her job well enough to make decisions she'd never regret. And he did believe her.
The door closed behind them and the two were left alone in the dimly lit room. Jake held both of his wrists, the feeling of freedom still foreign to him. His eyes darted around the room, searching for any signs of danger or traps. But Narae remained calm, maintaining her position in the chair, observing his reactions.
"My name is Narae," She looked away, giving him the space he needed to absorb everything that was going on and to glance at her once again. "Can we be friends?"
Friends was a concept he hadn't entertained in years. She could feel his surprise in her veins and when she looked back at him, he didn't look away. And that was enough to make her want to dive into that twisted mind of his.
