9.00PM
- Sungun Hotpot Place –
"Geonbae!"
The officers raised their soju glasses and tipped the alcohol down their throats. After successfully completed their mission, the Violent Crimes unit enjoyed a feast of three hotpots with a wide variety of seafood and meat.
Laughing away, Sungyoon brought his glass towards Jangjun who happily poured for him.
"Nothing beats soju after a three-days stakeout, right, Sunbae?!" Jangjun chuckled and poured some in his own glass.
Sungyoon nodded crookedly and his lips broke up a smile. "Don't leave my glass empty then, Pabo-yah."
Jangjun tickled himself and waved a thumbs up as a yes that he heard his senior loud and clear.
Youngtaek swallowed the food in his mouth and grinned. "Yah, I was gobsmacked when I watched Sungyoon jump onto their leader. I seriously thought he would have escaped! Yah, no one can run away from Sungyoon-Sunbae!"
"Don't be oblivious, Son Youngtaek. We are talking about Sungyoon-Sunbae. Nobody can beat him in running. Seriously, jinjja. Nobody wants to play catching with him. His childhood must be boring!" Jangjun said as he laughed heartily even though he noticed the senior's glare on his face.
The restaurant owner, an old lady in her late fifties, came by to add more ingredients and expressed her feelings of being honoured to serve the detectives.
"Aigoo, have the other officers lost their jobs?" She joked, patting the Chief's shoulder. "You lot seemed to be the only ones catching the bad guys."
Daeyeol blushed at the praise. "Jinjja, Ahjumma! Our team is the best in the whole South Korea! Even with the American Special Forces or FBI or whatever Avengers, we are definitely better."
"Stop exaggerating, aigoo. It must be the age," Sungyoon grumbled playfully behind a smile.
"Yah," Daeyeol hit the table with his hand. "Stop poking on my age, hajima. Aren't you glad you're teaming up with us?!"
Sungyoon could not answer his senior as his phone rang. Jangjun even insisted to answer it for him, because the caller was their colleague who belonged to the other team.
Speaking like a happy drunkard, Sungyoon answered it.
"Yah, Donghyunie! We're at the old lady's place. Come over and join us!"
His teammates joined in with his laughter but the caller seemed uninterested.
In matter of fact, he sounded worried.
"Sungyoon-hyung, have you spoken to Jihye lately?"
Sungyoon snorted and smirked. "Why are you asking about my fiancee? Yah, you talked to her or something?"
"Ani... Hyung."
"I think she called me earlier. Why?" Sungyoon answered nonchalantly as he picked up a slice of grilled meat with his chopsticks.
"Sungyoon-Hyung. Listen to me, okay. I am at Eunhyeong-dong. There was a murder case here and I'm with Chief Hwang."
"So, you're busy!" The meat went into Sungyoon's mouth as he chewed and chuckled. "Aigoo, too bad you cannot join us, Donghyunie! We are going for another round!"
"The victim is a lady," Donghyun sighed before continuing. "When we opened her wallet, we found... We found your fiancée' ID."
Sungyoon swallowed the meat slowly.
"Yah, Donghyunie."
The atmosphere in the restaurant suddenly became tensed, just by the sound of Sungyoon's stern voice. Even Jangjun froze in his cooking and looked at Sungyoon.
"If you think this is a joke-"
"Aish, Hyung!" Donghyun yelled angrily, obviously offended to be taken lightly. "Do you think I would joke about such a thing?! Hyung, listen. Chief Hwang wanted me to inform you because you probably would tell us anything-"
"Which street is it again?" Sungyoon stood up and dropped his chopsticks. "Eunhyeong-dong? You said that right?"
Donghyun bit his lower lip and reluctantly said, "You don't have to come here."
"YAH KIM DONGHYUN-AH!" Sungyoon shouted at his phone. "If I come over and find out you are lying, you are going to get if from it."
Donghyun exhaled a breath of complete surrender. "Araso. Before you do, call her."
The call ended with the annoying beep. Sungyoon has his face cracked in irk and quickly dialled Jihye's number.
Daeyeol watched across the table of food. Youngtaek continued to eat discreetly, unable to stop due to his hunger. Jangjun was feeling too worried to eat.
They were supposed to be celebrating their success for their capture of the infamous drug dealers but to know that one of their close ones murdered while they were working, it defeated any kind of good news.
Plus the fact that it was Sungyoon's future wife, everyone including the restaurant owner were completely shocked.
"Yah, why is she not picking up her phone?" Sungyoon was getting agitated, getting no response from the other side. "Is she watching Kdrama again, aigoo?"
Grabbing his coat, Sungyoon walked away from the table, his steps all wobbly and almost tripping over his feet. Jangjun stood up and wanted to follow him but Daeyeol stopped his kind junior.
"Kajima," Daeyeol warned him. "He is too drunk that he won't tell if you're a friend or foe. If you take the wrong step, you'll get punched."
Jangjun looked at Daeyeol with a stressed look. "We are his team members! Are we supposed to just watch? I just lost my appetite! I can't eat anymore!"
Youngtaek sighed and put down his chopsticks. "Listen to Chief, sunbae. He knows Sungyoon the longest."
With a heavy heart, Jangjun shrugged, brushing back his hair and eventually let himself dropped on his seat.
"Sungyoon-Sunbae, be strong."
9.15PM
Eunhyeong-dong's Crime Scene
The light rain further dampened the atmosphere around the dead victim. Barricades of police tape circled the scene, both the policemen and forensics working in collecting as much evidence they could despite the wet weather. The deceased was covered by the large white polyethylene sheet with number tags standing around her. Some stood by her blood splutter, her belongings and any pieces that were valid for evidence.
Chief Hwang was busily talking to the forensic team, wondering what could be the weapon. Neither of them could come with a conclusion. It did not seem to be a sharp object but rather a heavy solid one that could cause severe damage to the tough structure of a human skull.
The sight of the victim was horrifying that any policeman who have seen it could not swallow their food.
When Chief Hwang was finally on his own, he noticed his junior teammate who just finished informing the victim's families. Chief Hwang called him over and Donghyun ran to him and bowed with respect.
"Did you inform him?"
Donghyun remained staring at the floor. "Yes, Sir."
"Is he coming over?
Donghyun blinked and looked up at the Chief. Chief Hwang stretched a quick smirk, knowing his junior very well.
"Ahh, it is pointless for him to come. That brat is only good at running after escapees. This time, the bastard responsible for this is long gone. Aigoo, I cannot comprehend his MO."
"What do you mean, Sir?" Donghyun frowned hearing the wise man talk.
"Initially, I thought it was an incidental case where the victim crossed path with a potential rapist. Now that we identified the victim, I had second thoughts. Could this be some sort of a revenge?" Chief Hwang spoke as he tightened his jaw and looked around him. "Aigoo, doing the deed in this weather ruined most of the evidence here. And with the fact it is an alleyway, there is no camera or witness that can identify him. And the victim..."
Both of them turned to look at the covered victim.
"In my long years of service, I have never seen such a brutal assault like this. I don't think Sungyoon-gun can stomach this. That is why, Donghyun-gun, please watch out for him."
Donghyun bowed lower than he used to, feeling more of the burden that was getting heavier than it should be.
"Yah, what do you think you're doing?!"
A sudden blurt of anger was heard from afar. Chief Hwang and Donghyun looked up, watching a man barging against the fort of policemen who were guarding the crime scene.
It was Detective Choi Sungyoon.
"Hyung," Donghyun muttered, leaving the Chief's side abruptly and ran towards Sungyoon.
Sungyoon who saw Donghyun reaching him, chuckled. "Aigoo, Donghyunie. You really got all of them involved to pull a prank on me. It's not my birthday today, right?"
Donghyun sucked back his tears. "Hyung, get yourself together, jebal."
Sungyoon snorted and pushed Donghyun aside. "Let me see your efforts tricking me. Wah, the blood looks and smells real. Aigoo, Donghyun, I am impressed!"
Donghyun could not handle his senior's drunken thinking. He grabbed Sungyoon's arm, stopping him from reaching the victim but Sungyoon was strong enough to flap his arm and release himself from Donghyun's grip.
Sungyoon made his way to the victim, walking zig-zag due to the intoxication of alcohol in his body. He eventually dropped on his knees and crawled his way to the dead body. He broke into a laughing fit again, amused at himself falling on the ground and getting dirty and wet. He could not believe someone would put so much effort to trick him just because he was getting married.
His hand eventually touched the white sheet, his fingers curling in and pulling the cover up.
All he saw was blood and hair.
"What the hell?" Sungyoon hissed. "You could not even try to make it look like her. I am disappointed, Donghyunie."
"Yah, why are you still in denial, Hyung?! Don't make this hard for any of us!" Donghyun was too angry to stay quiet that he raised his voice at his respected senior.
The detective's laughter died down when his eyes moved to her fingers that was not covered by the sheet. The rain could not blur his sight when he stared at the diamond ring he bought for his fiancée.
He stared at it for too long that even the alcohol cannot trick him.
His silence was enough to tell Donghyun that Sungyoon began to rethink his words. The drunk detective rubbed the diamond ring with his fingertip, his mind playing flashbacks of him ordering and purchasing this customised ring for his beloved.
"Jihye..." Sungyoon muttered, his fingers moved to hold her icy cold fingers. "Why?"
Donghyun bit his fingernail, suppressing the need to separate them. When reality finally sunk in, Sungyoon forgot the world around him and focused on the deceased before him. Chief Hwang could not bear watching the detective's sadness that he came down to his eye-level and showed him a letter.
"She was heading to your stakeout location," Chief Hwang read the letter for him. "Looks she was trying to surprise you because it is your birthday."
Sungyoon sucked in a deep breath, grabbing the letter only to crush it. "Pabo... Pabo yah, Jihye. Why would you do such a reckless thing?"
"Enough already, Sungyoon-ah. Let the forensics do their job and go home with Donghyun," Chief Hwang instructed.
Sungyoon barely responded to the Chief's advice. When Chief Hwang tried to carry him, the older detective was shoved aside and Sungyoon stood on his fours.
"Jihye," Sungyoon struggled to speak, while holding her cold hand in his. "Let me send you home. Let's go, Jihye."
Donghyun knitted his brows. "Hyung. Hajima..."
"Let's go, Jihye. Do you want me to carry you?" Sungyoon choked on his tears, pulling and tugging her hand up. "Come on, Jihye. You'll... you'll catch a cold like this."
"Donghyun," Chief Hwang nudged his head towards the junior. "Escort him home before this gets worse."
Donghyun reluctantly nodded. "Yes, Sir."
November 18, 2017
10:00AM
Kim Jihye's funeral
It has been an hour since Sungyoon sat there by her coffin. He only moved when guests came to pay respects for the dead. Jihye's parents were loud behind him, still expressing pain and shock after losing their precious princess. Thinking about what had happened to her was unbearable for Sungyoon.
Ever since Sungyoon left Jihye's dead body in the street yesterday, he mercilessly hit himself for not being there to save her. The guilt of not protecting her was so massive he dared not to eat or drink until he felt he deserved to stay alive. Memories of Jihye's smiles, laughter and sweetness stung him in every inch of his body, reminding him ceaselessly that he would never experience them again.
Because Jihye was gone. Brutally. All alone.
While he continued torturing his mind and soul for losing his other half, Donghyun has been occupied kicking away the press and unwanted guests who wanted to confront Sungyoon. His name as the most feared detective in Seoul has been replaced to being the detective the entire nation was sympathising for. His reputation was tainted, calling him a fallen hero because he failed to protect his loved one.
Sungyoon could not bother with such nonsense.
Despite the sadness, his heart was still ablaze in anger. He wanted to run outside and drag the asshole who did this by the hair. Nonetheless, the last moments of Jihye being above the ground mattered to him more than anything. He contained his anger behind his silence and relied on Donghyun to hide him.
The Violent Crimes Unit eventually came, the members exchanging hugs with Donghyun as he let them through. Daeyeol came forward first, followed by Jangjun and Youngtaek. They were dressed in black suits and stood before the coffin. They came to their knees and bowed before repeating the actions with Sungyoon.
Daeyeol was about to speak when the impatient Jangjun came forward. "We caught the guy, Sungyoon-sunbae."
Sungyoon maintained his silence and posture despite Jangjun's eagerness to report. Chief Daeyeol pushed Jangjun back, telling him by the eyes to stand back. Jangjun nodded subtly, allowing Daeyeol stoop low to meet Sungyoon in the eyes.
"We found her blood in the clothes of this guy. We already arrested him in the morning. Once we investigate him, we will make sure he pays the price," Daeyeol spoke with calm and stern voice. "Looking at the crime he did, he would definitely get life-sentence. That's probably the maximum we could fight for."
Youngtaek nodded in agreement with his chief, as he tried to hold back his tears watching his respected senior mourning. Jangjun wanted to say more but Daeyeol's warning could not be any scarier than this. Sungyoon seemed that he was not willing to engage in any conversation with them. Daeyeol decidedly stood up and pat on his juniors' back to leave when he heard Sungyoon's call.
"Daeyeol-Sunbae."
Daeyeol waited patiently as Sungyoon broke his silence. "What is it?"
"Make sure you locked him inside for life."
Sungyoon lifted his head, looking up under the heavy exhausted eyelids. "Because if he ever walks out from there, I will butcher him with my own hand."
Daeyeol composed himself not to react to Sungyoon's vulgar choice of words. Sungyoon's stare could easily burn anyone. Daeyeol offered a nod and patted Sungyoon's on the back. While the team conversed, Donghyun watched them from afar. He was alittle worried whether Sungyoon would throw a fit again, violently releasing his sadness.
"Kim Donghyun-ssi."
Donghyun heard his name and turned towards a man dressed formally in a black crisped suit and blue tie. Donghyun blinked his eyes repeatedly, recognising the young man but still surprised to find him at the wake.
"Bong Jaehyun," Donghyun uttered the man's name before shaking hands with him. "What brings you here?"
The handsome young man looked over Donghyun's shoulder, capturing a glance on Sungyoon. "How is he?"
Donghyun exhaled a tired breath. "Barely coping. Are you going to pay respects?"
"Unlikely," Jaehyun smiled gently. "You probably know why I am here."
"Jaehyun-ah. Even though you're a friend to me, I will still kick you out, just like the other prosecutors that came before you."
"They caught the wrong guy."
Shocked at the sudden statement, Donghyun chided and grabbed Jaehyun by the blazer roughly. "Are you trying to rile him up?! You have no idea what I have been through to calm him down!"
Jaehyun curled his hand around Donghyun's wrist. "You know better I never lose a case. From the files gathered on Kim Jihye's death, there were too many loopholes unattended. I am telling you, Donghyun-ah, that the prosecutor handling this case is doing a horrible job."
"Hajima, Jaehyun-ah. This is not the time to be selfish and use this for your promotion."
"The one who received the victim's call, that call operator confessed that he heard the suspect's voice. He could identify the real one, Donghyun-ah."
Donghyun snickered defiantly. "You actually trusted that useless prick who couldn't send the team on time! If it was not for his incompetency, Jihye would still be saved!"
"Stop talking about something you cannot change," Jaehyun tightened his grip around Donghyun's wrist. "If you want to bring justice to her undeserved death and punish the correct guy, transfer the case to me and I will handle it."
"That is not my call," Donghyun shoved Jaehyun's hand off him and stepped back. "Jebal, Jaehyun-ah. I want this case to close quickly and Sungyoon-Hyung can move on."
"Donghyun-ah."
"Leave already," Donghyun pointed outside. "We're done talking."
Jaehyun brushed his hair back, clicking his tongue in displease. He was about to turn and leave when he halted and gave another glance at Sungyoon. He then looked at Donghyun's angry face.
"You're going to regret this, Donghyun-ah," Jaehyun stated painfully. "Just so you know, I respect Sungyoon-nim just like my hyung too. Whoever you just pinned as the murderer is only going to be a short-term solution. When Sungyoon-nim finds out the truth, you're going to be drowned in a shithole."
"Leave already!" Donghyun yelled at Jaehyun, before shoving him to the door.
Jaehyun dusted his blazer and looked at Donghyun in the eyes. "Remember my words."
Donghyun hissed and slammed the door at Jaehyun. No matter what Jaehyun said, Donghyun could not deny him. Donghyun was too exhausted taking care of Sungyoon that he could only depend on the team to capture the right guy. He could not leave Sungyoon's side and investigate it himself.
He needed to trust Chief Hwang and his team. They would not betray Sungyoon and him. They were colleagues, after all. A prosecutor could only speculate but Jaehyun was a friend. Feeling torn and confused to whom he wanted to trust, Donghyun kicked the door angrily before looking at Sungyoon by the coffin.
The young man was like an older brother to Donghyun and he lost his source of happiness. Donghyun would do anything to support Sungyoon in recovering from this loss.
And even if it was the wrong guy, as long as Sungyoon could move on, Donghyun would continue to believe in the lie too.
____
A/N: Thank you for reading!