"Yeah...oppa..." Mihyun hesitated when someone on the other side picked up. She tapped her fingers on the table of the library she's sitting in.
"Mihyun?"
The deep and soothingly gentle voice sounded surprised as she never called him first before. She bit her lip before talking again.
"Yeah it's me..." she slowly said. A sudden rush of embarrassment coursed through her. "How are you?"
It's been nearly a year she left his house and moved into the hostel. Her brother, was too protective of her after what she's been through. He didn't want her out of his sight but she insisted. Because he's a busy man and has too many important things to worry about than to care for a step sister, who can't even behave well with him.
"Wow...was the sun not up this morning?" He chuckled.
"Oppa!" She whined. "I'm hanging up!" She was about to do as said but then she heard him hurriedly apologizing.
"Hey hey! Don't hang up on me!" He let a exhale of relief out as she put the phone back to her ear. As if knowing what she did without even seeing. "I was just teasing you. I'm good. How are you?" He asked.
"My college hostel shut down for a few days. And I'm homeless again." She went straight to the point because there's no hiding from him. He'll figure things out anyways.
"Why didn't you call me earlier, I'd have sent my manager to pick you up." She heard some papers shuffling on the other side. He must be busy. "Jimin didn't tell me anything either."
"I was with my friends and I thought you might be busy..." she ran a finger through the lining of the wood. The table she's sitting at is pretty much on a corner and it looks like no one liked this spot as much as she did. She's all alone here, it made her comfortable.
"I was. But not anymore. Where are you I'll come to pick you up."
"What? No!" She exclaimed a bit louder than expected and pressed a hand over her mouth.
"Why?"
"Aren't you out of city?" She asked while looking outside on the street. Although she secretly wanted him to rush to her, she couldn't possibly ask him to do that. It will sound unfair.
"So what? I can't let you wandering around..." She heard him telling someone to get him a coffee. Possibly to his secretary who stuck outside his room all the time. Him and his coffee addiction.
"Its okay. I can manage a few days."
She couldn't. It's a pure lie. After what happened back at the cafe she shouldn't be saying this.
"You don't have to. I'll be back by tonight. So just come back home."
The home everyone talks about...
At least it's home, somehow.
She sighed. These people care about her more than her actual family. Well in a way, he's family too. But what's the point? She never considered him as one. She just took advantage of his soft heart when she needed.
The line went dead and she put the phone down. She now feels lighter because she won't have to worry about a place to stay the night anymore. She can stay with him as long as she wants. He'll be more than glad and welcoming about it.
She saw Jimin texting her again but flipped the phone so it can be ignored. She opened the laptop ( at least she snatched his laptop, that can suffice as revenge ) and continued to read through the report from earlier.
"...Police suspected her husband as the murderer but his alibi was strong enough for investigators to let him go..."
Makes sense. Because after that the case had went cold. Until the second murder happened.
No DNA or fingerprints were found on her body nor the crime scene. The way the body was arranged so perfectly, it's not surprising. The killer even made sure to erase their footprints on the sand. It must've taken a long term planning to commit a crime this clean.
Whoever it is, smart as fuck...
She found her phone buzzing again and was expecting Jimin because who else will be so worried about her being angry except him. But when she picked it up, it was Seokjin.
"Hello?"
"The reports came out." Seokjin said from his side. "It's Aconitine again."
"Thought so. Did they find anything new?"
"Nothing. Body was cleaned with alcohol before dumping." She heard him staring his car. "Like the last three. No struggle, nothing. I'd expected some bruises as she was kidnapped. Didn't find those either."
This doesn't make sense. She remembered the knocking and desperate voice outside her room. There should've been something.
"Oh but..." Seokjin said after a pause. "She did knock on doors. Her nails have paints and scrapped wood underneath."
"I was reading through the first case. Are they all the same?"
"Pretty much." Then he thought for a bit. "Umm...actually yes. All the same. As the investigating officer Jung told me...this one is the same too."
"The killer's consistant then. It should be easy to find some connections." She typed away in the laptop again to find the second case.
"One more thing," he said. "The girl, her name's Ha Ji Won. Her fingerprints and DNA matched with the ones found at your Dean's murder scene."
She stopped. It matched. That means the police woman was right. She was associated with his murder.
"Really?"
"We're suspecting she's the murderer herself. But then unfortunately she got killed as well." He sighed.
"Can't even ask her now." She slowly said. The second victim report popped up on the screen. "Okay oppa. I'll look into it a bit more and talk to you later."
"Are you at the cafe? I'm coming to have lunch."
"Oh?" She completely forgot about that. "Yeah I'll be there soon."
"See you."
Mihyun felt a strange tension around her when she put the phone down. She could feel someone was watching her from a distance, like a pair of eyes intentionally making her uncomfortable. She's not sure what to do about it.
She carefully looked around the library. As previously, she's all alone on this side of the library and no one is in sight. Some people are sitting here and there but they're too focused on themselves to notice her. Then why is she feeling uneasy?
She looked at the laptop and then suddenly decided to close it. Later. She thought. Then stood up to leave as Seokjin already called her over.
Don't get too into this thing Mihyun. Get a hold of your thoughts.
"Yah!" Jimin whined, stomping both his feet on the floor as she kept eating silently with a straight face. Taehyung looked at her but she didn't respond at all. Just stuffed her mouth with more rice.
"You guys act like babies, what should I do with you two?" Taehyung sighed and saw Mihyun smirk. She glanced up from her plate and rested her chin on her hand.
"Am I your baby Tae?" She smirked again.
Taehyung choked on his food and started coughing at her sudden interrogation. Trying to recover from the shock that she just gave him. Jimin patted his back and offered him the glass to drink.
"Tsk tsk..." she shook her head.
"You shouldn't be saying things like this when hyung is here..." Taehyung whisper yelled at her and looked over at Seokjin. He was too busy with his food and didn't look like he heard anything. But they better be careful.
"Why?" She put her chopsticks down loudly and made everyone flinch. Including Jin this time.
"Calm down, love...what's wrong?" Seokjin asked with wide eyes.
"I want ice cream..." she changed the topic like nothing happened and went back to her food.
"Then say so..." Jimin huffed.
"No one asked you-"
And their bickering started again. The Kim Brothers were left face palming as the other customers in the restaurant stared at them like they just came out of a spaceship of some sort.
"Mihyun wait..." Taehyung called her and she looked over at him. His heart fluttered at the way she smiled back. Sometimes he just finds himself speechless by this odd girl being this lovely and beautiful.
"What?" She happily licked the ice cream Seokjin bought her like a cat would. Her lips were a mess of chocolate and he couldn't help but chuckle.
"Where are you going now?" He asked and saw her creating more mess with it. She tried to talk but the ice cream won't let her.
"Home, why?" She asked back.
He didn't say anything. Just stared at her with a smile. His hands itched to reach over and wipe the chocolate that's now running down the corner of her mouth. And before he could help himself, he reached over.
She felt her heart skip several beats at a time as he stared down at her lips for a good minute and then wiped the cream off with the pad of his thumb. The butterflies were back. What's he doing?
He visibly gulped and then looked away awkwardly, scared that she might read his face or hear his desperately beating heart. So did she. It's nothing she can get used to. And it always made her go crazy inside. These little things he did to her.
But the butterflies disappeared as soon as they appeared. A tension was created again, she could feel the stares on her back again.
This time she thought it was just Taehyung. But he's looking elsewhere at Seokjin who's paying for their lunch. Jimin is clinging to Seokjin too.
Then...
She again took a look around herself. It's not just a feeling. Someone is definitely looking at her from afar. She can feel it more this time. But she doesn't know who it is. She can't see anyone.
"Darling?" Seokjin came and she snapped her head towards him. "What are you-"
"Let's go. I have to pick my luggage at your house." She abruptly walked towards his car and hopped in, slamming the door shut as soon as she was in. As long as I'm with them, there's nothing to worry about. She told herself in her head and let her tensed self calm down.
"Is she okay?" Jimin worriedly asked.
"I don't think so..."
Oppa :
Should I come and get you?
Mihyun:
I'm on my way. I'll meet you at your house don't worry.
She put her phone down and watched the street lights running backwards. Her mind won't stop running either. As if thinking too hard on things became a part of her habits. Which shouldn't be the case.
Her days made an 180 turn since the morning she saw a dead body outside her hostel. Strange incidents, strange people had made her uncomfortable like never before. She wanted excitement in her life. But now she feels like her life has become the same horror movie she escaped from.
It can't be because of the case, can it?
Her instincts said she was being followed by someone and being stalked on every step. It was never like this, or she's just hallucinating because she knows this can happen in near future.
Nobody knows about the case yet...
The taxi stopped on the side of the road with a jerk. She turned to the driver confusedly as it wasn't where she's supposed to get off. He looked back apologetically.
"Sorry ma'am. The car ran out of oil." He said.
A day can't be worst.
No, it's better than yesterday...
"It's okay Ajusshi." She nodded. Genuinely smiling at him.
She knew how hard it was to lead a good life. She may have fucked herself up with bad memories and dark rooms, she can never have the nerve to look down on people. She didn't learn so.
She got down and dragged the luggage with herself after paying the driver the full fare. Her phone in other hand as she struggled with the bags. It was only a block or two to reach her brother's apartment complex. It won't be that difficult.
She turned a corner but her steps halted as she heard another set of footsteps right on her back. As if there's something stuck to her shoe that made a second noise. It was still evening so people were on road, pedestrians still passing by. She shouldn't be this worried.
But it felt like someone was intentionally following her after a few more steps. The empty side of the road she's on, no one was there except her when looked back to check.
She's sure now...
"Come out..." she said that to nobody. She doesn't know where the person is hiding but she definitely knows someone is hiding.
"COME OUT I SAID!" she shouted. The fear in her head rising and making a circle panicked scenarios in her head. The most real one, had stepped out of the hiding place.
A silhouette appeared from behind a wall. She forgot how to breathe when the face came to light. She didn't feel like she can stand anymore. Her legs almost gave up.
Her thumb instinctively presses the button on her phone 3 times before it slipped out of her hand and landed on the tarmac. The shadow figure appeared fully to her sight.
"Missed me?" The man had a harsh voice and it gave her goosebumps, with that smirk so evil. She never imagined she'll have to meet him here. Again.
"Dad..."
---To Be Continued---
A/N: Why another boring update ? Cause I love you guys a little too much. Can't make you wait!
Kidding 🐸... it's boring that's why I updated.
Any guesses what's going on? Let me know 😌
Be safe and take care...
Byeee 💫💌