FOX IN A SUIT

Chapter 20: Strange Night

As they left Minwoo's house, Jiyeon's heart raced with excitement. The disturbing things they had learned during their visit still circled in her mind. With all the questions she still had, it felt like a heavy weight was pressing down on her chest and making her feel very uneasy. Han-neul kept his eyes on the road, but he couldn't help but look at her occasionally. It was impossible for him not to notice that she was uncomfortable because of her tense body language and wrinkled face.

"Detective Kang, is everything okay?" After a long time of silence, Han-neul finally got the nerve to speak up.

Jiyeon took a quick look at him, and her face lit up with worry. "I'm not sure, Detective. Something about that whole thing doesn't seem right to me."

Han-neul nodded to show that he understood and took his eyes off the road for a moment. "I agree with you. There's more to this than meets the eye."

As they drove on, Jiyeon couldn't help but think about what Minwoo had said and the strange things that had happened. She couldn't escape the unsettling sensation of constant surveillance, ensnared in a complex web of mysteries beyond her comprehension.

The car jerked out of the blue, making Jiyeon tighten his grip on the driving wheel as a flood of memories came flooding back. She was surprised when a clear picture came out of nowhere, sending her off track in a dangerous way.

"Watch out, Jiyeon!" As Han-neul reached for the steering wheel, his voice was full of anxiety.

While the horns were going off, Jiyeon tried to keep herself straight. As she tried to get back in charge of the car and keep it on the road, her heart was racing.

Han-neul's face turned pale as he firmly gripped the seat. His heart was beating fast in his chest. "Detective, what's going on? Are you all right?"

Jiyeon's breathing sped up as she carefully took back control of the car. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her mind was racing with the clear picture that had just come to her.

She stuttered, "I... I'm not sure." Her voice was shaking. "I experienced a sense of time travel, reliving a vivid memory."

As if they were total strangers, Han-neul gave Jiyeon a quick look. He just knew, in his gut, that something wasn't right. "Are you sure you're okay, Detective Kang? You seem... different."

Jiyeon's shaking hands showed that she was trying to calm down. "I... I'm fine, Detective Oh."

He kept his eyes on her the whole time, and his face showed that he was really worried about her. "Are you sure? Carelessly swerving the car, as if you were completely disoriented, Plus, the expression on your face makes it seem like... it's like you're not yourself."

The weight of her worry was making Jiyeon feel a lump form in her throat. "I told you, I'm fine. Possibly I was just briefly distracted. There's no need to be worried."

Heaving a tired sigh, Han-neul wasn't swayed by what she said. "Fine, if you insist. I don't think you should drive right now, though. I'll take over."

Jiyeon stopped, and her shaking hands on the steering wheel showed it. Even though she knew she wasn't mentally fit to drive, the thought of giving up control made her feel even more vulnerable.

She finally said, barely audible above a whisper, "Okay, if it makes you feel better. But I'm fine, Detective Oh."

The look on Han-neul's face showed that he understood. "Keep your cool, okay? I trust your words."

Han-neul took control of the driver's seat with confidence, while Jiyeon moved smoothly to the passenger seat. Even though the car got back on the road, there was still noticeable stress between them. Jiyeon's mind was jumbled, full of doubt and worry because the picture from her past kept coming back to haunt her.

Jiyeon had a lot of questions in his head as they drove along in silence. What kind of people were Minwoo and Ryu? What did they have to do with Mr. Kim? And finally, what caused them to lose awareness at the same time? This is probably the most interesting question of all.

One of the things that Han-neul talked about was what happened at Kim Ji Sung's house, where they met Minwoo and Ryu.

"Are you sure you don't remember anything about what happened at Mr. Kim's house?" Han-neul asked with his eyes fixed on the road in front of him.

Jiyeon shook her head. She was still not sure what to think. "No, nothing," she said, but it was hard to hear her. "Everything is a hazy memory."

Han-neul's face furrowed even more, and his mind was full of questions. "Do you recall the moment when you aimed your gun at them?" He pushed, his voice tinged with worry.

Jiyeon became extremely excited when someone brought up her gun. "I remember," she said, a little trembling in her voice. "Unfortunately, I do not remember what Ryu said about the smell. We didn't remember anything, and they were only about 15 meters away, so I think he was lying. However, I'm not sure what to think."

Han-neul remained silent, his gaze fixed on the distant object. He had a strange feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Jiyeon had a creepy feeling that something wasn't right. As the memory rushed through her mind, it came apart like a thread, revealing secrets she wasn't sure she wanted to see.

A loud noise broke through the peaceful silence of the night, startling Jiyeon and making her jump from her seat. Han-neul screeched the car to a stop with lightning-fast reactions, just barely avoiding disaster as a downed tree stood in its way.

"Whoa, what the heck..." Han-neul whispered something under their breath while looking straight ahead at the barrier.

As Jiyeon looked around in the dark, her heart was racing as she quickly searched for any possible danger. At that very moment, she became aware of the disturbing light coming from the forest next to them.

"Look!" Jiyeon yelled and pointed her finger at where the light came from.

When Han-neul looked after her, his eyes widened in shock. A beautiful orange light flashed through the trees, giving off a warm glow that looked like it came from a fire far away but was approaching fast towards them.

"What the hell is that?" Han-neul asked.

With a sound that echoed through the quiet evening, they swiftly exited the car and gazed toward the glow.

As the glow got closer, the fire got hotter. Jiyeon and Han-neul gave each other a knowing look.

They kept their eyes on what was happening in front of them.

"What is it?" Among the roaring fire, Han-neul whispered something.

Jiyeon said, "I'm not sure." Her heart was racing with fear and curiosity.

Two strange figures appeared out of nowhere in the shadows. After realizing they weren't normal, they gave Jiyeon the creeps. There was a magical glow coming from the creatures' eyes, and their tails moved smoothly behind them.

One of the creatures asked, "Humans?"

After witnessing her terrifying display of power, Han-neul and Jiyeon were frightened.