Doodlebug | Beomjun, yeongyu |

Chapter no. 14

"So, what do you want?" he asked, his voice low.

"We're not sure who's sending the notes," Yeonjun admitted cautiously. "But they seem to be connected to the killings. The first note had the initial 'x' on it, and the first victim's name started with 'Y', although we never found any threat for yeji but in yeji' pocket there was a paper where 'X' was printed and then xiyeon died. This one has 'A,' and..." he trailed off, his eyes flickering nervously towards Beomgyu.

The older officer's gaze followed Yeonjun's, finally landing on Beomgyu, whose face was pale and drawn. A flicker of recognition seemed to dawn on the officer, a connection between the note and Beomgyu finally clicking into place.

"So, if this killer is targeting students based on the first letter of their name, and this latest note is a warning to... him?, we heard that story last time too, but i guess there's a way to see if it's true" he finished, gesturing towards Beomgyu with a jerk of his chin.

Beomgyu felt a cold sweat prickle his skin. The officer's words were blunt, the reality of his situation hitting him like a physical blow. He was a target, and they knew it.

"We believe so," Taehyun spoke up, his voice firm despite the tremor running through his body. "But the latest message we received throws a wrench into the theory. It says the game has changed, and the order is being rewritten."

"Alright," he conceded, his voice gruff. "We'll look into this message and the alphabetical pattern you mentioned. But in return for our cooperation, we need your complete honesty. Tell us everything you know about these notes, your source, and i believe that this student," he gestured towards Beomgyu again, "is in danger."

The tension crackled in the air like static. Beomgyu felt a flicker of hope as the officer agreed to consider their information. But before they could fully explain their situation, the door creaked open, revealing an unexpected visitor.

"Yo," Kai greeted them casually, a backpack slung over his shoulder. "Just thought I'd swing by and see if you boys needed some backup."

Taehyun's eyes widened in surprise. "Kai? What are you doing here?" he hissed, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Uh, delivering some intel?" Kai replied with a shrug, his nonchalant demeanor at odds with the gravity of the situation. However, a flicker of something akin to concern darted across his eyes as he met Taehyun's worried gaze.

The officers, however, seemed more curious than alarmed. The older officer leaned forward, his gaze flickering between Kai and the four boys.

"And who might you be?" he inquired, his voice gruff but laced with a hint of intrigue.

Before Taehyun could fabricate a cover story, the younger officer, who had accompanied Kai to the interrogation room, spoke up. "Sir, this is Kai. He's... been assisting us with the investigation." He shot Kai a pointed look that seemed to say, 'Explain yourself, kid.'

Beomgyu felt a knot of confusion tighten in his stomach. Kai was working with the police? This wasn't part of the plan. How much had he told them?

The younger officer, Miller, seemed to pick up on Beomgyu's apprehension. "Don't worry, kid," he said reassuringly. "Kai here has been a big help. He's got a good eye for detail and knows a lot about the students."

Before Beomgyu could question this further, Kai unzipped his backpack and pulled out a manila envelope. "Here are some photos I took of Ashley Choi," he explained, placing the envelope on the table. "They might be helpful in profiling the suspect or understanding her routine."

The older officer, whose name tag read 'Detective Lee,' gestured towards the photos. "Let's see them."

Kai carefully spread the photos on the table. They were candid shots of Ashley – walking to class, chatting with friends, sitting at her lunch table. Beomgyu recognized the familiar scenes, a pang of grief twisting in his gut with each image.

Suddenly, Miller spoke up, his voice devoid of the earlier suspicion. "Sir, I just came from the scene. They've retrieved the body." A somber silence fell over the room. "There were no signs of struggle. The security footage shows her walking alone down the hallway, then... falling."

Kai nodded, his expression unreadable. "Seems like a tragic accident."

Detective Lee looked at Miller, a silent question passing between them. Miller met his gaze and nodded curtly. "It's true, sir. No signs of foul play. Just a terrible accident."

Disappointment washed over Yeonjun like a cold wave. The photos, the information they'd meticulously gathered – all seemingly dismissed by the officers. Frustration bubbled up in his chest.

"But sir," he protested, his voice tight with controlled anger, "you can't just write it off as an accident! The alphabetical pattern, the cryptic note – these things point to something more sinister!"

Detective Lee, however, remained unconvinced. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze unwavering. "We appreciate you bringing this to our attention, boys. But the forensics team has concluded there's no evidence of foul play in either case. As for the alphabetical thing – "

He paused, a patronizing smile playing on his lips, "– teenagers are known for their elaborate pranks. Maybe this is just a misguided attempt at some morbid schoolyard game."

Yeonjun bristled at the implication. "This is serious! We can't ignore the fact that two students are dead, and there's a clear connection between them."

Miller, the younger officer, chimed in, his voice dripping with skepticism. "Or maybe you're just letting your imaginations run wild. You students are too quick to jump to conclusions these days, fuelled by horror movies and internet conspiracy theories."

Beomgyu felt a surge of anger, but Taehyun squeezed his shoulder in a silent plea for calm. They couldn't afford to lose their cool now.

Yeonjun, however, wasn't ready to back down. "But the note we showed you! It mentioned a change in the game! How can you explain that as a prank?"

Detective Lee sighed, clearly weary of their persistence. "Look, we appreciate your concern. But trust me, the police department takes all threats seriously. If there's any real danger, we'll find it. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a lot of work to do."

He gestured towards the door, effectively dismissing them. Disheartened but not defeated, Yeonjun opened his mouth to argue further, but Soobin placed a hand on his arm.

"It's no use," he whispered, his voice laced with resignation. "They've made their decision."

With a final, defeated glance at the officers, Yeonjun turned and led his friends out of the cramped interrogation room. The weight of their failure pressed down on them like a physical burden. They had presented their case, and it had been dismissed as childish paranoia. But the truth is, if yeonjun hadn't knew about zico's death he'd also think it was coincidence. 

As they walked down the sterile hallway, Taehyun spoke up, his voice quiet but firm. "Our only hope is a autopsy report, any way that we can know how she died"