11.05AM
Dabok Villa
Security Guard Post
"I already met him."
Sungyoon whispers to his mic as he stands at the door of the security guard post. The elder dressed in the guard's uniform reappears, looking worried.
"Oh dear, you are still here, Detective?" The old man says. "Did you find the boy?"
Sungyoon notices the guard's black boots and he sniffs a strong pungent odour. The soles of the boots are soiled and dusty.
"No, not yet," Sungyoon utters. "Sir, could you remember any visitor who claims to be Oh Sujin-ssi's father?"
The old man tilts his head, looking stumped. "There are so many visitors that I don't think I can remember."
"Araso," Sungyoon responds, his eyes continued to fix on the elder's. "Where were you just now?"
The guard smiles, "I was doing a regular check at the machine room."
"By any chance, would you think the boy will be hidden there?" Sungyoon asks, reflecting the same sinister smile.
"Well, Detective. I did not see anyone going in while I was there."
"I like to check it out now. Will you bring me there?"
"Let me get you a drink first, Detective," The old man opens a portable fridge and retrieves a small grape juice in a bottle. "Here, have a sip!"
Sungyoon accepts it reluctantly. "Thanks, I guess."
"Drink up and follow me. You need that much energy if you want to go in there," the old man shares with Sungyoon in a carefree manner. "That place is stuffy and as hot as the sauna!"
Sungyoon opens it and chugs a mouthful. The old man leads the way out of the guard post.
11.07AM
Emergency Call Center
Joochan holds his breath, recalling what Sungyoon said. Who did Sungyoon meet?
"Chief Hong!"
Daeyeol reminds Joochan of his presence, crossing his arms. Joochan faces him fully, meeting the Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit.
"Your Golden time is up," Daeyeol states with a side smirk. "You lost."
Joochan blinks away with hurt, clenching his hands tightly.
"That's unfair," Bomin interrupts all of the sudden, surprising Seungmin and Joochan. "We are close to finding the boy. Give us ten more minutes."
"Well, that is not what we promised, right, Sergeant Hong Joochan-ssi. I suppose you stop whatever you are doing now and let me and my team find the boy. I am sure there are other callers that need your emergency tag lines," Daeyeol rubs his hands, implying the battle between him and Joochan was conclusive.
Joochan is defeated.
"Corporal Choi, Corporal Han," Joochan straightens his posture and summons the two officers.
"Ye, sir." "Ye, Chief".
Joochan readjusts his headphones and shuts his eyes. "Please escort the Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit out of the call room."
Daeyeol widens his eyes and yaps. "Mwo?!"
"The boy trusts me to save him," Joochan glares his eyes at Daeyeol. "I will not let him down. Please leave."
"Yah!" Daeyeol yells back and he is about to jump onto Joochan when Bomin and Officer Han drag him by the arms, towards the doors. The two officers who were here to arrest Bomin leave as well.
Daeyeol shrugs the officers hands off once he stands at the corridor, grunting and hissing unhappily. He glares at Joochan who barely look at him back.
He dials his phone and calls Jangjun. "Yah, where's the boy?!"
"We are still searching, Chief. We don't have any lead as to what vehicle he is in," Jangjun explains nervously. "We are almost reaching the border gates."
"Use your brains, jinjja! Think where the boy will be taken to when he is in that state! There must be some blood trail or something! Hurry! Pali pali pali!"
Daeyeol cusses and punches a fist on the wall, eyes piercing a burning gaze towards the Chief of the Call Centre. "What a rude ass. Who cares? You lost, Hong Joochan. If that boy dies, it's all your fault again. No one will trust you now."
"Joochan," Seungmin approaches the Chief, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Joochan exhales a short breath and presses the button to connect with Sungyoon again. "Detective Choi Sungyoon, do you copy? Where are you?"
There is no response.
"This can't be happening," Joochan cusses and switches to another line. "Detective Kim Donghyun, do you copy?"
A buzz enters and Donghyun responds. "It's Detective Donghyun. What is it, Chief Hong?"
"Where are you now? Are you with Detective Choi Sungyoon?"
"No, he went somewhere else."
"Be more specific!" Joochan asks desperately.
"Aish," Donghyun hisses and recalls leaving Sungyoon behind. "I saw him walking towards the security guard post when I left him."
Joochan holds his breath. "Listen! I want to go and find him right now."
Donghyun blurts. "What?! He told me to follow the hyungs-"
"Please listen to me! I have a bad feeling about this!" Joochan begs. "Detective Sungyoon said he already met the man who took Aram away."
"He said that?!"
"Ye. We think it could also be Oh Sujin's abusive father. He has been abusing Oh Sujin since child. Since he was caught because of her, he is probably using her as revenge now. I strongly think the father was the man with those heavy army boots and has arthritis in one knee. He is more suspected to have come before you came to Aram's house, instead of the husband," Joochan knits his brows, thinking hard and making as many deductions as he can do that are aligned to the information he gathered and the sounds he has been listening. "Sergeant Kim Donghyun, this man probably knows the villa best as to escape meeting you when he took Aram away. Do you see any suspicious old man in his sixties that knows the villa well?"
Donghyun slows down his speed of driving and he recalls anyone that fits that description. The only old man he met was the security guard.
Was he suspicious?
"Hold on," Donghyun remembers the way the security guard moves, limping to one side. "Did you say the man who took Aram away might have arthritis?"
Joochan gulps, "Yes. Do you-"
"Yah, it could be the security guard!" Donghyun yells with the sudden realisation. "Shit! What the hell?! Jinjja!"
Abruptly Donghyun hits the brake and drifts smoothly, drawing an arc on the main road and speeds towards an alley, taking a shortcut back to the villa.
"Security Guard?" Joochan perchs his hands on his hip and looks over to Seungmin. "Sergeant Bae."
"Already on it," Seungmin replies faster than Joochan can finish his sentence.
Seungmin overhears everything and he is already working on his monitors. He starts opening windows of different camera views. Bomin perchs nearby wondering why Seungmin is opening surveillance cameras again.
"What are you doing now?" Bomin asks.
Seungmin does not answer Bomin until he sees two figures entering a building. "Chief Hong?"
Joochan nods. "Talk to me."
"Detective Sungyoon is with the security guard and they are entering the general building of Block 6. The suspect is carrying a torchlight," Seungmin states what he sees before he looks at Joochan. "I think they are going into the basement."
Joochan bats his eyes and thinks deeply. "Basement of an apartment building?"
"It could be the best place to hide Aram!" Bomin suggests, hitting a punch on the frame of his cubicle. "Furthermore, that place will get poor reception. Aigoo! Detective Sungyoon could be in danger. He is already inside!"
"Damn it!" Seungmin grabs his headphones. "Sergeant Bae here. Calling all action teams on Aram's case. Pull back and return to the villa! Detective Sungyoon is in danger! I repeat, Detective Sungyoon is in danger!"
11.10AM
Dabok Villa
Machine Room
Climbing down two flights of stairs, Sungyoon scrunches his face, disliking the clouds of dust hanging in the air as he moves down.
The security guard chuckles, "Aigoo. This complex is old. We have to do regular maintenance so that it is still in good shape."
"I see," Sungyoon sighs, walking into an opened door and into a corridor filled with stored machines, most likely damaged and hopeless.
"There aren't many things here. No one can come here too," the guard says nonchalantly, walking behind Sungyoon.
"Detective Sungyoon!"
Sungyoon hears his radio buzzing calling his name but the voice sounds hazy and unclear.
"Mwo?" Sungyoon asks, through his mic and earpieces. "What did you say?"
"Get ou- there! It- a trap!"
Sungyoon adjusts his radio again. "What is it? I can't hear you."
The guard suddenly groans and sighs. "This is in the basement, Detective. There is no reception. Seriously jinjja, why is everyone making a fuss about finding this kid?"
Sungyoon meets the guard's eyes. "A fuss, you say?"
"Ahh that is not what I meant," the guard smiles. "It's the parents' fault. They should take good care of their children. Nowadays, parents are too soft on them. They say children have personalities. That's all nonsense."
Sungyoon continues looking around while listening, hoping to find any trace of Aram. Nonetheless, he tries to be involved in the conversation.
"Sometimes, old man, kids are better than adults," Sungyoon responds to the comment, eyes still wandering around him. "They are honest and innocent."
"You're too young to understand, Detective. Kids need to be disciplined by adults in order to learn. So that they've become decent adults," explains the guard as the two go deeper into the machine room.
They reach somewhere light is scarce and the only thing Sungyoon can see is what the torchlight can shine on.
"Well, I have a daughter. She's such a headache."
Sungyoon stops his tracks and searches for the guard's face in the dark. "You have a daughter?"
The guard's grin somehow illuminates hauntingly. "Didn't you just meet her earlier?"
His question triggers Sungyoon to feel disturbed even more than before, saying that Sungyoon could have met his daughter. That can only mean that the daughter is Oh Sujin.
The realisation makes him want to ask the guard more but sometimes hinders his voice from coming out.
In matter of fact, the detective in black jumper waves sideways, his hand slapped on his forehead. Sungyoon does not know where this dizziness comes from. All of the sudden, his hands turn cold and his knees give way.
He falls, crashing against a stack of boxes behind him. Numbness controls him, as he squirms on his back, trying his best to look up at the guard who does not seem concerned at all.
The smile on the old man only lengthens. "You should not accept drinks from a stranger, ara? Didn't your parents teach that at least? That drink has midazolam, numbing your breath and brain."
"You're.. You're Oh Sujin-" Sungyoon struggles to mouth his words, sweat glistening on his face.
"Yes, you are right. That child, how stupid to screw up now," the guard scoffs. "And what's the problem having some kids dying anyway? Why are you trying to stop me?"
Sungyoon breathes in short hot puffs. "Yah, how many... kids have you... killed?"
"Kill? They were going to be thrown away like garbage anyway. They should be grateful I let them live like humans. If it weren't for me, they would have died long time ago."
The guard retrieves a syringe from his pocket and a bottle of solution. He pokes the needle in and pulls a small amount into the syringe. As he is ready to kill Sungyoon with the deadly drug, Sungyoon takes one last chance talking to him.
"Oh Sujin..." Sungyoon's breath hitches. "You threatened her... Why?!"
"She reported me. I could not let her live happily," snickers the old man and aims the syringe.
"No way... did you kill her husband?" Sungyoon asks, widening his eyes as he stares at the syringe.
The old man cannot help but giggle. "He fought till the very end. What a fighter for his love. But he is gone. Now, enough of your nonsense. Let me finish you too."
The syringe reaches Sungyoon's neck slowly and when the guard is able to find a good spot for a plunge, Sungyoon grabs his wrist, holding him back.
Sungyoon begs to let it go but the old man channels all his energy down to his hand, pushing hard to give the final blow.
"Jankanman, let this go," Sungyoon groans, managing to lift the hand with the syringe far from his face.
Finding the guard's appalled face, Sungyoon surprisingly stops throbbing in pain and sighs in relief. The guard is dumbfounded and frozen until Sungyoon leans forward, pulling out his phone where the screen shows that Sungyoon has been recording their conversation.
"You have confessed, Oh Sujin's father," Sungyoon smirks evilly and lands a hard kick on the guard's stomach, tossing him back in a distance and the syringe flying to nowhere.
The guard pushes himself up, shock written all over his face. Sungyoon picks up a strayed wrench, tapping on how heavy and strudy the tool is. He paces towards the suspect who trembles in fear.
"Aigoo, old man. Why are you all looking surprised?" Sungyoon takes his turn to giggle maliciously. "I mean, you were telling many juicy things so I played along. How good was I? Was I such a good actor?"
The old man has his jaw dropped, speechless and he tries to scoot away from the sinister detective who stoops down to look at each other on the same eye level.
"But you drank it. I saw you-" the old man tries to reason.
Sungyoon tilts his head mocking the old man. "I hate grape juice. It has a nasty smell. And didnt your school teach you not to throw bottles out open in your trash? Okay, okay. Let me make you happy. I did drink it but I spit right before we came into this stinky place. Happy?"
"Yah.. you sick punk," the guard attempts to run away.
Sungyoon holds him down. "Yah, we should have met a long time ago. I too have a stinking personality. We can have a lot of fun together."
"This is excessive use of force! I want my lawyer!"
Sungyoon has his right eye twitching. "Lawyer. I will give you the best lawyer in the world. But first, you must stay alive."
One hard smack lands on the guard's knee, causing the man to scream in pain and struggle his way out of Sungyoon's clutches.
"How dare you abuse and kill children, jinjja?" Sungyoon gets ready to give another hit. "Tell me where Aram is now!"
The guard winces in pain, "Do you think I will tell you?!"
Another hit, blood slowly oozing out of the man's pants.
"I will hit the same spot, old bastard. Think about where you hid Aram. I will count to three," Sungyoon speaks deliriously, eyes masked in anger and hatred.
The intention to kill the guard is getting louder in Sungyoon's head. Murderers like him deserve to die in Sungyoon's hands. The need to wipe out psychos like this man and that bastard who killed Jihye should all die in his hands.
Sungyoon will punish them first-hand.
"One..."
"Two..."
"Three!"
"Don't do it, Detective Sungyoon-ssi!"
Sungyoon freezes with his hand holding the wrench up high in the air. The old man continues to tremble and whimper in pain.
"Detective Sungyoon-ssi, stop wasting time on him," Joochan speaks through the radio, surprising Sungyoon to hear him and knowing what Sungyoon is doing.
The detective deliberately lowers down his microphone and the radio's speakers so he could pretend that he lost their signal.
Joochan has been listening all this time, despite the minimal coverage given to him. Sungyoon catches his breath and addresses Joochan.
"How the hell-"
"Aram! He is downstairs! Go down and locate him!" Joochan states in panic. "Hurry!"
Sungyoon sighs and reminds himself that Joochan is not any ordinary call operator.
This officer claims to hear sounds from anywhere regardless of volume and pitch.
"You can hear him, is that what you are telling me?" Sungyoon grunts.
"Yes. He is downstairs. Please move now. He is injured! It is very soft but I can hear him. Please turn up your volume and hurry down!" Joochan orders.
Sungyoon hisses and throws the wrench away. He shoves the old man down, spitting to the side. Sungyoon adjusts his radio and searches for the stairs to the lower levels.
"Where should I go now?" Sungyoon asks as he raises his walkie talkie up.
Joochan pauses and answers. "Left."
Sungyoon continues pacing into a narrow corridor, following every direction Joochan is giving.
"Do I go straight now?"
"Yes, further down."
"Yah," Sungyoon begins to hesitate, seeing a wall at the end of the corridor. "Are you sure? It's a dead end. Only a wall there-"
"Closer. I can hear him there."
Sungyoon huffs and quickens his pace towards the wall.
"More closer."
"No more," Sungyoon looks up the wall, searching for any sign of a door. "I am already at the wall."
Sungyoon takes the chance to knock on the wall and calls out Aram.
"He is definitely inside! He is making the sound louder that he can hear you," Joochan states.
"What the- Forget it. Explain to me later," Sungyoon scoffs, knowing the wall is made up of wood.
A mallet is placed not far from him. Sungyoon fastens his walkie talkie to his belt and carries the mallet. With a few swings, he breaks down the wall, pulling out the pieces of wood with his own bare hands.
When Sungyoon finally makes a hole about his own height, he calls out for Aram again and suddenly a horrible stench fills his nose. Sungyoon coughs in reflex and covers his nose with his wrist cuff. He uses a torchlight and shines inside.
To his shock, he finds red cages mounted against the wall, and a few wrapped corpses on the floor. His eyes widen in horror, beholding a sight too inhumane and vicious that Sungyoon wants to return to that old man and give another beating.
But Aram's state comes first. Sungyoon shines further in and he finally spots a boy in white sleeveless shirt and grey pants, both drenched in blood.
Sungyoon pulls back and forces the mallet down on the wall, breaking a bigger hole for him to come in. He hits repeatedly and when he thinks he can enter, he jumps into the hole. His desperate need to save the boy drives him to do such measures.
The fearless detective rolls inside the filth of whatever room it was and climbs up onto his fours. He crawls his way to the cage where Aram is. He uses the same mallet to break it open.
"Aram! Aram! Hold on! I am a policeman! I am here to save you," Sungyoon comforts the boy and breaks the lock of the cage.
Gently, he pulls the boy out, laying him down and checking his pulse. He dials the radio and takes a breath.
"I found Aram! Send an ambulance here now!" Sungyoon reports to Joochan before carrying the boy on his lap. "Aram? Aram, are you okay?"
"Where... is the phone?" Aram mouths the words weakly.
Sungyoon takes his walkie talkie out and calls Joochan. "Hong Joochan, he wants to speak to you."
"Okay," Joochan mutters despite the vast amount of relief he is feeling when Aram is found.
"Ahjussi... I kept my promise... You said... you can find me... no matter... how low the sound."
Sungyoon blinks, cradling him tighter. His heart tightens knowing that the dying boy can believe Joochan's talent and he listens to him without doubt.
Joochan answers softly. "That's right. Thank you, Aram."
"I'm sleepy..." Aram says before he shuts his eyes completely.
"Aram, Aram!" Sungyoon shouts and calls the radio again. "This is Detective Sungyoon here! Hurry up with the ambulance! This boy is bleeding alot!"
11.15AM
Emergency Call Center
Conference Room
Joochan is internally stoked.
Aram is saved on time. Even though the time to rescue him is not 10 minutes, it is still within 30 minutes, the longest period of the Golden Time.
Joochan looks at every officer on their seats, their eyes fixated on him. He takes a longer look at Seungmin who is smiling with pride. He does not forget Bomin as the younger lad sits upright, ready to serve Joochan's orders.
With a sigh, Joochan takes off his headphones and rests it on the table.
"Thank you for all your hard work. Great job. Please focus on your own calls now," Joochan speaks in a calm manner.
The Chief of the Call Centre leaves the room and heads to the bathroom. Bomin wants to follow him but Seungmin stops him.
"What?" Bomin asks, confused.
Seungmin shakes his head. "Rest assured, he accepts you working here. If you still want to work here, that is."
"Yes, I do, hyung," Bomin nods with gullible eyes. "I just want to hear a formal statement from him."
"Not now. Give him some space. It was a challenging case."
"Nonetheless, the rumour about his hearing abilities," Bomin smiles. "Sergeant Hong is amazing."
Seungmin chuckles. "Hajima. Now, let me explain your role and responsibilities."
"Ye, Sergeant Bae-sunbae," Bomin grins, fixing his headphones.
11.20AM
Dabok Villa
Block 6
Wrapped in blue towel, Aram is carried by Sungyoon and the paramedics tag behind him. The ambulance van opens its doors, showing Sungyoon where to place Aram. As soon as Aram is secured on the stretcher, the ambulance speeds away to the nearest hospital.
Donghyun's car pulls over not far from where Sungyoon stands. Donghyun parks his car and runs towards his senior.
At the same time, two patrol police officers apprehend the old guard, giving him support to walk because of his injured leg. Sungyoon barely gives the old man a glance. Donghyun can only shake his head in disbelief, witnessing a man in that ripe age would commit such a horrible crime.
Donghyun reaches Sungyoon and holds him on one shoulder, giving him an once over. "Are you okay, Sungyoon-hyung? Did you get hurt?"
Sungyoon does not respond and Donghyun takes another glance at the police car that leaves with the criminal of the case.
"Jinjja," Donghyun sighs and looks at Sungyoon. "How did you find out?"
Sungyoon looks at Donghyun in the eyes and then at the building again. Aram's words play in his head, how he promised Joochan he will continue to make sounds so that Joochan can hear.
The fact that Aram is locked behind a wall, and Joochan can hear him from a far distance. The sound a meek injured boy can do is almost negligible.
How can Hong Joochan hear it?
Nothing can reason it out except one.
Joochan does have a special talent. And Sungyoon has to learn and believe him.
"Let's go, Donghyun," Sungyoon walks towards Donghyun's car. "I'll tell you more as we go."
Donghyun follows behind. "Where are we going?"
"To the Call Centre. I need to speak to Hong Joochan."
A/N:
Thank you for your support reading and voting this story! Sorry for the longest delay ever. I was caught up with life haha
Anyways Golden Child's Ddara is legend!!! And Oasis is on repeat since it first came out. The song is so beautiful I cannot live another day without listening to it once!
Kim Jibeom still killing me with his visuals. Damn where all the Goldenness! Golden Child needs to get more recognised!!!😁🙃😘