Chapter 21: Telling Them (Hyunjin POV)
First Posted On: 12th October 2021
Last Updated On: 12th October 2021
T/N: This takes place on 16th September 2020.
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"So we are releasing the teaser for your '12:00' comeback later today. Keep an eye out for it and be prepared as we will be interacting with Orbits soon," manager-nim informed us.
He also told us to continue our hard work during these comeback preparations. For the second comeback in a row, Haseul unnie cannot join us so it will be a challenge to work with the choreography for 11 members again.
But why not? (pun pun)
"What shows will we be guesting on during this comeback, manager-nim?" Yeojin asked.
"NADOL wants half of y'all to be there," he said while casually pointing to Chuu, Jinsoul and Olivia Hye. "As for the whole group, we have a schedule with Dingo and Idollive. I guess you know which shows I am talking about."
It will be exciting! Mafia Dance and Idol House are shows the members and I enjoy watching.
We were informed that more schedules will be released in the coming days, but first we gathered together in a meeting room to watch the very first trailer for our comeback.
"Does this mean Yves unnie is going to hand over MC duties to someone for the time being?" Heejin pointed to the 'Fact iN Star' host.
"I heard WJSN sunbaenim's EXY has been given that task for our appearance," Kim Lip told her.
As she said that, the trailer started screening.
And immediately, I was feeling mesmerised by the constant beeping tune of the clock in the trailer. The concept was they were showing the times across the world until it hit 12:00 in Seoul.
Still, with each beep, I could only be reminded of the clock ticking...and it was not the most pleasant reminder...
(Flashback - 8 Years Ago)
Tick...tock...tick...tock...
That wall clock was the most forboding thing in this dank space. I used to hate it, but for the sake of today, I must pay attention and embrace its monotonous tune.
I needed to, for what I was about to do.
In my scrubs of clothes, which I am pretty sure I haven't had washed in a while, I will leave this place. Thank goodness I outgrew the clothes I was in when I was first abducted, because I'm pretty sure my captor wouldn't have cared less until I demanded him to get me new clothes.
But that won't matter anymore...because I am guaranteed to not see him again. I hope.
The sound of a creaking door jolted me from my daze and I counted down the seconds before his arrival. I've gotten so used to that clock sound it's scarily annoying that his footsteps don't match the ticking.
Or maybe that is just my OCD.
"How's my little 천사 doing?" his voice was unusually mellow. Still frightening considering the dark basement I was in.
"Better than you..." I uttered as if I lost all emotions (like the psychopath my captor is).
"Tsk tsk..." he sighed in annoyance. "Little flies like you don't know how to bite back...and that makes me sick."
Look who's talking.
"But hey...at least you cannot be an annoyance to anyone else outside this basement," he stated coldly. This made me wonder why he found me so annoying that he would kidnap me in the first place.
For the record, I still had a hazy memory of my past. Whatever he did to knock me out a long time ago...was pretty effective. But now it is time to switch up my strategy.
"If I am that annoying," I challenged solemnly, "you must know who I really am. Probably you would have seen my name if anything..."
"Of course I know who you are you brat!" he sneered. "It's been all over the news."
Good that got him triggered.
"Then tell me," I pleaded. "What's my name? You can at least grant me that wish if you won't tell me yours..."
It was true...I didn't know my own captor's name.
He refused to budge, but I could see uncertainty in his eyes. He was quivering at the sound of the clock...something shifted in his demeanour. Did I finally have him in my control...? After all those years?
Perhaps not in control of myself, I whispered, "Tell me...아빠"
(Flashback End)
"So Hyunjin, what did you think of the teaser?"
It was Gowon who nudged me. I guess the members realised I was unusually quiet even for an AI persona.
"Captivating?" I offered my thoughts. "I think it will motivate us when we go and film for our MV and reality show."
"역시 애응," Jinsoul laughed. "Straight to the point."
While I smiled in agreement, I couldn't shake off the memory of my captivity away again. That day was a significant one...but for what I felt were the wrong reasons.
During my daze, I made eye contact with Heejin, and then our outing with Soojin and Monday replayed in my mind. That day was fun...for the most part. However, Monday's words still bugged me...
You will overcome whatever or whoever hurt you. And even if I, Min Min, cannot find my sister, Jin Jin, I'm glad to call you my unnie too.
The promise I made to her together with Heejin. We will find Jin Jin.
Although...if that glimpse of the past from when I met Monday for the first time was real...and I really felt like I was-
No, it cannot be. It simply cannot be pure coincidence. My memories of my past aren't clear anyway.
Anyway, between Heejin and I, we decided to keep my act of heroism a secret from the members for now. Yet, even I knew the whole story will be shared at some point...
...including the one about my captivity, which even Heejin does not know about yet.
The members and I now adjourned to our practice room as we had to discuss logistics and procedures for our MV filming in two days. The agency already booked a set and location for photoshoots for our album as well. Obviously, making schedules for 11 members is as hard as it sounds.
To make things easier, the managers were briefing us in our units and yyxy chose to go first. I sat together with my 1/3 subunit; albeit with Yeojin in Haseul's place since she was still on hiatus.
Second-guessing my troubled thoughts, Heejin tried to converse with me, saying, "Hyun...is there something you want to share with us at least?"
Yes there is...
"아니..." I lied. "You know my head is always empty."
That made Yeojin chuckle while Vivi unnie facepalmed. However, I knew the longer I avoided talking about my past, the harder it will be to hide it once it gets the better of me.
That 'it' being a kind of guilt I will never understand.
"Oh," Yeojin spoke after a short silence. "I heard you and Heejin unnie went to meet your former Mix Nine chingu recently. How did that go?"
"A good time of catching up," Heejin answered for me. "Soojin is so happy now in Weeekly."
"Sure she is," I agreed. "You know we are going to make our comeback at the same time as Weeekly? I'm excited!"
"Genuinely," Heejin teased, "this is the first time since our subunit promotions that you are actually looking forward to making a comeback."
"Mix Nine must have been fun..." Vivi unnie was interested in our chat. "It's a shame you did not get that first debut."
"I mean..." I sighed thinking back to the controversies surrounding the show after it completed, "there are worse ways to audition-"
Our talk was abruptly interrupted by the door opening. It was Blockberry's CEO accompanied by two men in suits. Worryingly, these men had badges on which suspiciously looked like the ones belonging to the Seoul Metropolitan Police. Err...not to jump the gun or anything, but we certainly aren't in some financial trouble already...right?
"Ah, Kim Hyunjin-ssi," the CEO walked up to me once we made eye contact. "Could you step outside for a moment?"
Amidst the silence among the members, I bravely walked out of the practice room with the CEO. I could now confirm that the men with him were indeed from the police.
While walking along the corridor, CEO-nim explained, "These officers here would like to have a word with you. We prepared an empty meeting room for you since it is less troublesome than going down to the station. Don't want to get caught by papparazzi, do we?"
"내..." I answered cautiously, but caught a glance at the officers taking notes. Did I do something wrong...?
Once we reached the meeting room, CEO-nim informed me that he is not allowed to take part in this interview with the police as this is a matter that concerns me. Although, it was my choice to share the details of it, according to data protection laws. With that, I was left with the police officers, Kang and Jo and we exchanged formal greetings with each other.
"Is there a problem, officers?" I seemed uncertain although I didn't want to admit what they might be here for.
"Well Hyunjin-ssi," Officer Kang spoke first, "we need you assistance in our investigations for a cold case. It appears some details have surfaced...and you are currently listed as a witness..."
Witness...?
At first I thought it was the fire from a couple of months back that I saved Weeekly from. But the officer clearly said cold case. 설마...
"So, you know about the arson case-turned-mystery from 2012...?" Officer Jo spoke next. "You must have heard it on the news or around the streets, right?"
"Not entirely sure because I don't pay attention to the news," I answered honestly, "also I am not aware that this arson case you are referring to was heavily talked about..."
"Hmm, it is interesting you say this, but we will just fill you in on what happened," Officer Jo told me. "A regular patrol that day smelled something burning at a warehouse in Gyeonggi-do. Closer inspection revealed that the basement of the warehouse had been severely charred. Horrifying to the regular person if they were to visit the place back then."
"Again," I tried to explain. "I don't understand why I have anything to do with this... I was probably 12 years old then so I probably was in school when it happened."
What a lie, Hyunjin. You didn't even go to school when you escaped your captivity.
"You have school at night?" Officer Kang seemed to catch my lie. "Well that's where we were getting to. The police patrol was at the scene in the evening."
Crap.
"Anyway," he continued, "we were more shocked to find the semi-burned remains of a notorious serial kidnapper-turned-rapist in the basement. However, an autopsy revealed that he did not die because of the arson...and was in fact already dead for some time before the basement was set alight."
"I believe you have heard this kidnapper's name before, right?" Officer Jo probed me. "Surely the people around you have said his name a lot."
"Daejoon," I uttered in a suspiciously emotionless manner. "Yoo Daejoon..."
Ugh...stupid gut feelings that always turn out to be right. Somehow I was not too affected by that revelation.
"There was no trace of evidence left after the fire," Officer Jo added on. "And because it was evening, the CCTVs couldn't capture anyone entering or leaving the building that night."
"Didn't those CCTVs capture him entering and leaving the warehouse though?" I wanted to be sure. "Wouldn't it have been possible that he wanted to commit suicide but staged it to look like an arson committed after he would have died?"
Whatever I said must have caused the officers to murmur with each other. Did I perhaps know too much?
"We did consider that possibility, but the circumstances just do not make sense," Officer Kang sighed in defeat. "He was an honest employee of a handyman business for 10 years up until his death. Yes, that warehouse was where they stock their wooden materials and it is a fire hazard. However, why did the arsonist not burn the entire warehouse and instead just the basement where Daejoon was found dead? What if, it was a targeted murder and the controlled arson was just to destroy evidence?"
What if he wasn't an honest man, Officer Kang? What if the arson was pre-meditated? Did you not consider those factors?
"I still don't see why I am involved in this?" I lightly challenged them. "You shouldn't waste my time and attention that can be spent preparing for LOONA's comeback."
"Hyunjin-ssi," Officer Jo calmed me down. "I understand and we apologise for disturbing you, but we really need your co-operation. Give us a moment and let us explain why we need your help."
Reluctantly, I watched as Officer Kang turned his laptop to show me a CCTV recording of the entrance to the warehouse. They told me it was still under the same handyman company and by then the basement was refurbished and fire protocols updated.
"You know what's interesting?" Officer Jo stated. "There's been a visitor going to that warehouse almost every month up till August 2018. I say almost because there are some unusually coincidental gaps between some of the visits..."
Sure enough, the CCTV recordings showed a young teenage girl pacing around the warehouse entrance; usually during the afternoon. However, she looked apprehensive and nervous; unable to enter the place. And in a recording dated sometime in November 2016, a week before my solo debut...she turned to face the camera.
And I had no words...
"Kim Hyunjin," Officer Kang quietly got my attention. "That's you in the CCTV, isn't it?"
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A/N: Hyunjin's past haunts her while the police think she can assist them with their investigation. But in this stalemate, is there actually more to Hyunjin's abduction than we once thought?
Right, to be clear, this is not a time to jump to conclusions. I have just been heavily inspired by 'Criminal Minds: Korea' to incorporate investigative skills into a chapter. It does give a little hint about what Hyunjin is truly struggling with and for the most part, this is where the main action of the fanfic starts.
Older readers of my fanfics might cringe at how I played out tense fight scenes (especially in 'The Assassin, My Twin'), but I am trying to change the writing game a little and focus more on the investigation component. And yes, I have improved a lot in my writing styles since then.
As for newer readers, I hope this is still intense for a chapter without much action. Thank you ScytheLancaster for appreciating such chapters in this fanfic thus far, so this chapter is dedicated to you!
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