Little did Eon Jin know that Tae Pyung was actually anticipating the same thing when they did that handshake. Unfortunately, they were both disappointed in the end as not a single thing happened after their contact.
Eon Jin was the first to loosen her hold from his hand. Both of them put up a pretense to make it seem like it was a casual gesture and there weren't any motives behind it.
So it wasn't because we touched, Tae Pyung concluded in his thoughts. If it's not because of that, then what?
Eon Jin nervously cleared her throat, bringing Tae Pyung's attention back to her.
"See you around, then," she told Tae Pyung with a tense smile, then gave him a quick nod before she climbed on to her car and drove off.
Tae Pyung went back to his team shortly after Eon Jin left. However, his mind was still trying to figure out the connection between his visions and the woman whom he met today as Son Eon Jin.
"Everything okay, sir?" Kyung Won, his second in command, asked as he handed Tae Pyung a cup of coffee from a nearby vending machine.
"Of course," he replied, trying his best to sound normal. "Have they wrapped things up by the river?"
"Yes, just a few minutes ago," Kyung Won confirmed. "Initially, it doesn't seem like there was foul play. The man was a known drunkard and the assumption is that he fell in the water by accident."
Tae Pyung took a sip of his coffee while Kyung Won and the other team members filled him in on the rest of the preliminary findings. He was listening, but somehow his thoughts were still hovering over the possible catalysts for his déjà vu. Even so, a part of him felt quite disheartened knowing that he was back to the drawing board.
"Should I tell the team to pack up and return to the station so we can discuss?" Kyung Won asked, pulling Tae Pyung's mind back to their conversation.
"That's a good idea," he agreed, keeping his pretense that he was attentive the entire time.
In one gulp, he chugged his already lukewarm coffee and crushed the cup before throwing it in the nearby waste bin.
"I'll meet you guys there," he told Kyung Won, giving him a pat on the shoulder before he headed back to his car.
The following days were hectic for Tae Pyung and his team. As it turned out, the drowning of the man in the river was not an accident. They were able to find a lead on the culprit, who was in fact the second cousin of the dead man. The perpetrator plotted the crime to swindle the man's insurance money and almost got away with it, until several suspicious transactions were traced back to his bank accounts. Reporters were having a field day covering the progress of the investigation due to the interesting backstory, which made it extra difficult for Tae Pyung's team to covertly carry out the manhunt.
A week passed since Tae Pyung's team found out that the incident was a probable murder. Everyone was on their toes, desperately wanting to close this case as soon as possible. They worked day and night and were basically taking up residence at the police station as they carried out with their investigation.
Tae Pyung threw his head back in frustration upon hearing from one of his subordinates over the phone that the suspect left his motel room hideout five to ten minutes before the police arrived.
"How could one person beat us over and over!?" Kyung Won lashed out as soon as Tae Pyung hung up, slamming his fist on the table.
"It's like we're looking for a needle in a haystack," one of the junior investigators said. "We don't even have an idea what he looks like now. How do we expect to catch him?"
"That scum," Kyung Won spat.
"He planned everything down to the T," Tae Pyung thought aloud, his eyebrows knitted so closely together while his hands fidgeted with a pen that was randomly lying on his desk. "He faked an accident so he can get a free surgery and change his appearance. Then, he went on with his scheme by tricking his cousin to drink more than his limit and even mixed narcotics to the alcohol to make a lethal combination. And when he dumped the body in the river, he was able to do so without getting caught by the CCTV cameras."
He buried his face in his hands and let out a long sigh.
"I hate it when murderers do their homework," Tae Pyung groaned.
The three of them sat in an awkward silence as they tried to devise another plan to catch the culprit. After a while, Tae Pyung told his colleagues to get some decent sleep in their own homes for the meantime as he already noticed how the long hours were taking its toll on them. He literally had to shoo them away before they budged and obeyed his orders.
He was on his way out when his hand phone rang. He checked the caller's name first before swiping right to answer.
Private Kim reporting for duty, sir! said the caller, a boy in his pre-teen years.
Tae Pyung smiled at the inside joke.
"At ease, Private Kim," he responded with a modulated tone, to which the boy chuckled. "How are you, buddy?"
Where are you right now, Dad? Are you still at work? the boy deflected.
"Yes, I'm still at the station. It's been a crazy week," Tae Pyung replied. "Why do you ask, Ji Won? Is something wrong?"
Nothing, Dad. Everything's okay, Ji Won assured him.
"Are you sure?"
The boy did not respond.
"Hey, Kim Ji Won," Tae Pyung jokingly chided. "What's up?"
It took a quite awhile for Ji Won to speak again that Tae Pyung started to wonder if the call got disconnected.
Uhmmm... Dad, Ji Won mumbled. Are you coming home this weekend?
"I'm not sure yet," Tae Pyung apologetically replied. "What's the matter?"
I badly need help with my Math, Ji Won sighed. My teacher said I'm a hopeless case since all I do is space out and daydream.
"Do you, now?" Tae Pyung asked with the tiniest hint of a smile on his lips, feeling relieved that it wasn't anything serious.
I contemplate, Dad! That's totally different from spacing out and daydreaming, Ji Won protested. There's just too many numbers and letters in Algebra that I need to process.
Tae Pyung stifled a laugh and had to clear his throat before speaking, so as not to embarrass the boy. He found it really funny that even if they were living a few miles apart, he could actually visualize Ji Won pouting or picking at something as he made excuses.
"To be honest, Math is not my strongest suit, buddy," he admitted. "But sure, let's work on your practice sheets together this Saturday."
Ji Won hooted and sent several flying kisses to his dad over the phone, which, at that moment, made Tae Pyung's heart full after so many long days at work. If there was anything to be thankful for that week - his entire life, actually - it was the fact that he had an endearing eleven year-old who always made him strive to be the best person in the entire world, or at least in the boy's eyes.
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to come home last weekend, Ji Won," he sighed, feeling guilty that the kid had to call and ask him. "This case I am working on is really something. Even Uncle Kyung Won is starting to become grumpy because the culprit is always one step ahead of us."
It's okay, Dad, Ji Won assured him. You'll catch him soon, I know.
"Aww... My Ji Won is being extra nice because he's going to make Dad's head hurt on Saturday doing Math problems with him," he teased. "Until then, try to wing it, ok? That's what the Kims do best."
Yes, Dad.
"And please stop with the spacing out and daydreaming," he added. "Just look straight in front of you and pretend to listen, will you?"
Ji Won hung up a few moments later when Tae Pyung reminded him that it was already way past his bedtime. It was the same for him, too, as he felt the exhaustion finally kicking in after several days and nights working overtime.
However, just as he was about to lock the door of this office, one word crossed his mind.
Daydream.
Without wasting any second, he quickly went back to his desk and unlocked his computer, then launched the search engine to find all the logistic companies near the area where the man's body was found.
Lucky for Tae Pyung, only one name came up.
He dialed the phone number listed on the company's website, hoping that the office was operating on shifting schedules. After a few rings, one of the staff picked up.
"Hello, my name is Kim Tae Pyung," he told the person on the other line. "I'm looking for the address of one of your clients. Can you help me with this, please?"
Sure, the employee said. May I ask for the name of the establishment?
"I forgot the name of the store," he lied. "But I have the name of the proprietor. Would you be able to look it up for me?"
In a matter of seconds, Tae Pyung was able to get the information he needed. He also made a mental note just as he was leaving the station that he will be cancelling his morning agenda to pay Son Eon Jin a visit.
—
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash