"Excuse me?..."
A faceless figure hums with a voice that slices through the stillness of the night like a blade.
"Can you tell us where Professor Edwin is? Please?"
The young man, a student from the most prestigious university in Corea, sways as the alcohol he consumed an hour ago is slowly reaching up his head.
He stands under the faint glow of a street lamp with a cigarette between his lips. His dyed red hair catches the light, standing out against his dismissive demeanor. His oversized jacket dangles on his slender shoulder... his crop-shirt lifts slightly revealing his narrow, thin waist as he raises his hands to light the cigarette.
"What do you want from Professor? "
He drawls in a thick tone with indifference.
"Do you also have some business with that oldie?"
He points at a male walking away to the residency ally, talking on his phone to someone.
The faceless figure stares at him and a second later he replies,
"He's...the one staying at professor's apartment?"
"Too talkative.."
The young male mutters, nodding as a response to his question.
"He's schooling doesn't stop.."
Then, almost as an afterthought, he jerks his thumb toward the male still visible among shadows.
"Go talk to him yourself. Don't bother Prof. Ed."
Without waiting for a response from the other, he turns on his heel and moves sideways.
When he looks back, he sees the blurred faced man sauntering away into the shadows.
_______________________________________
"I don't remember his face!!"
His voice cracks as the words tumble out with a mess of panic and desperation... his hands clutch the edge of the cold metal table, knuckles turning white.
The officer across from him, young one, with a sharp jawline and piercing eyes, slams his fist onto the table.
"Yeah? The murderer was right in front of you. But can't remember his face!"
He snaps...causing the other to flinch as his hands gripping the edge of the table.
"Officer, how many times have I told you? I'm not related to any of them!"
His voice rises in desperation.
"The police car taking me here from campus... it could ruin everything."
"... Really. Are you worried about your future?"
The raven head cuts through with a bitter dru laugh, shaking his head as if hearing the punchline to a cruel joke. For a split of a second, his vision blurs.
His voice lowers, dripping with venom.
"But you didn't think about him..."
He says, letting out a shaky breath,
"You didn't think of those children of the orphanage who depend on him... the church that's waiting for him. The people...who... not of his blood but were... his family."
The one sitting across him stares at him... beseechingly...
His gaze blurs all of a sudden as those eyes fill with some unwanted watery substance... that... his foster parents have always told to hide... as it makes him look weak.
He looks away... controlling... doesn't let them fall.
The one standing, towering in front of him leans forward. His tall..wide.. slender frame shadows over the other.
"...you...out of all, Kihyun.."
He says...his breath trembles...
"... sorry. Yoo Kihyun... Right?"
The other looks up at him again... but the eyes are calmer than before.
"Just tell me THE TRUTH!!"
The officer growls. So does the one cuffed.
"I AM TELLING YOU THE TRUTH!!"
... his voice ricochets off the walls of the interrogation room.
"I couldn't see his face!! I don't remember his face.. I Was Drunk!!"
His eyes widens... glassy, as if he's pleading for understanding as the male now standing close, furious, shouts,
"THEN HOW COULD YOU SHOW FATHER TO HIM!!"
The other officer, a woman with a calm yet icy demeanor, shakes her head.
"Calm down Hyunwoo."
She says to the male towering over the other.. however, fails to stop him,
"Is the surveillance telling lies?!! Is the video fake?!! Are we just some bunch of idiots sitting here investigating the only person who saw father Kim for the last and final time?!!"
He slams his hands on the table, making the other flinch, worried only that he might hurt himself.
"Weren't you... just a few meters away from father Kim... when he was stabbed.. 14 times."
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"You have the sharpest brain of all, son. You have the brightest future."
The one who's of his father's age says, pulling out the cigarette from his lips.
"Stop this nonsense."
"Hey, mister.. don't act like my father."
The younger male says, snatching back the cigarette from the elder, annoyed. But fails to show his annoyance due to his advance state of inebriation.
"Listen to me.. start studying hard.. and I promise you, you'll face the peak of your success, son."
"Just leave me alone, man."
The young male says, though subconsciously he knows his behaviour is not appropriate... to this person at least. But it barely bothers him.
The older sighs, and drops his head.
"Don't ruin your soul.."
Before leaving, he says softly, flashing a warm smile.
"Try to love yourself. You'll see the beauty of life."
.
.
.................
"Do you also have some business with that oldie?"
.
.
.
"Too talkative.. he's schooling doesn't stop.."
----------------------------------------------
"... I ... would've told you if I could remember."
The male behind the interrogation desk says softly, his voice trembling. He feels as if something is clutching his throat... tight... not letting him breathe...
Is it guilt.. regret...
He thinks. But denies.. why would it be guilt when he didn't do anything...?
"... I... promise I'll tell you the moment I recall his face.."
Not letting him complete, the taller male leans in... so close that the younger can feel the heat of his breath.
His face darkens.,
"You'll regret it, Yoo Kihyun."
He murmurs as his eyes burn with anger, locking onto the other's which seem filled something unreadable...
"Your whole life... you'll regret it... Whatever you've done..."
.
.
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YOU ARE READING
The Light Behind the Darkness
FanfictionA cop, for seven years trying to find the perpetrator behind the local church pastor's demise... is unexpectedly paired with a newly appointed lecturer of criminal psychology who vowed never to show his face to the former until proving his innocence...
