After SolHi left, DooSan had another visit from Kan. The detective, finding out that DooSan regained consciousness, came right away to see him, not to see if he was okay, but to scold him. It wasn’t at all a joke, this one with scolding the prosecutor. Why exactly? Because, right after he entered the ward, he told DooSan, staying in the doorway and staring at the sick person with the eyes of a hungry tiger, „I don’t know what’s between SolHi and you, Prosecutor Han, but you’ll do me a favor if you keep her away from the case. At least for a few days. Otherwise, we are all dead.”
DooSan, who didn’t understand a big deal from the detective’s words, asked, „What case?”
„The one related to a prosecutor falling into a ditch?” Said Kan jokingly. Seeing DooSan frowning, he rushed to approach the bed and said, „Just a remark! Don’t take it personally, although you should. Especially, keep SolHi close to you for a while.”
„What did she do this time?”
„The correct question is what she didn’t do. I mean here the fact that she interferes in the investigation. Something we all know is that the victims should stay away from this.”
„Tell SolHi about this too,” DooSan drily murmured.
„I told her, but she didn’t listen to me!”
„And… Do you think she’ll listen to me?” DooSan asked, squinting at the detective.
Kan smirked, something suspicious in DooSan’s opinion. Yet, he understood the reason for Kan’s grin only when the detective said, „You are sick, right?! Well, I think you have the perfect reason to keep her close.”
„For what to keep her close? Not to be bothered by flies?”
„A good reason, this one,” said Kan, smiling. Then, pulling a chair closer to the bed, he sat down. And, staring at DooSan, who was squinting at him, Kan said, „If you don’t want to be bothered for real by flies, keep her close to you. Otherwise, SolHi kills you.”
„Tell me something new!”
„Actually, I have something new to tell you!” The detective feistily said. „Make her feel guilty for you. If this doesn’t work, talk about her feelings.”
„Ia, Detective Kan, between SolHi and I…”
„I got it, I got it… there’s nothing between you two. Yet, I wasn’t talking about love, but about begging for mercy. Something you are damn good at.”
„I? Since when?”
„Come on, Prosecutor Han: let’s not play the fools. I know very well who you are.”
„And? What else do you know?”
„That you are damn good at keeping SolHi away from the office?!”
„And from you too, right?” DooSan asked, grinning.
„I won’t deny that you’ll do me a favor too. Yet, I don’t ask you this for me, but for her to be safe,” said Kan in a serious tone.
This alerted DooSan. And, tossing in the bed, he made to sit on it. And, staring at the detective, DooSan asked, „What do you mean by „keep her safe?”
„Exactly what you understood. Why? Because… we suspect that it hasn’t been an accident what has happened to you.”
„Do you mean that the truck has entered on purpose on the track, knowing that we are there?”
„As I said, we only suspect this. SolHi is sure, though.”
„What makes her so sure of this?”
„She says that she remembers that right before losing her consciousness, she has seen the driver intending to escape. He would have escaped for sure if Dja Iun’s men hadn’t impeded him from doing this. Actually, also thanks to them, SolHi and you received medical care so urgently that night. So bad that the other young man didn’t survive.”
„He had no chance to survive, Kan,” said DooSan sadly. This made Kan insistently look at him. Then, when he felt Kan’s glance focused on him, DooSan sighed again. And, without looking at the detective, he said, „I think SolHi is right. Why? Because I also remember the moment of the impact. I clearly remember this, although I’ve been unconscious for many days after this: the driver hasn’t even tried to brake. On the contrary, I think he has accelerated when he has seen us.”
„Then it’s serious.”
„Of course, it is. When he hit Iun Dja Iun’s motto, I heard that he didn’t skid. Only after the impact.”
„Damn it!” Murmured Kan, leaning on the back of the seat. „This tells me that someone important is also poking his nose in this and not only SolHi.”
„Something in particular happened?”
„Yes, some important evidence vanished. Also… both dash cams that were on the motorcycles involved in the accident.”
„What about the truck’s cam?”
„Manipulated, according to SuJin. Or something like this because he says that someone modified the video. Anyway, I’m not good at something like this. Even so, I understood the important thing here: someone is trying to take control of the investigation.”
DooSan laughed. Seeing Kan squinting at him and understanding nothing of what could have been in his head, DooSan said, „I’m not crazy, don’t worry! I had just never thought that someone could hunt me when all eyes were on me. Yet, I think I was wrong in thinking this.”
„Min SinJu?”
„I won’t exclude him. Eventually, he’s my worst enemy. Everybody knows about our enmity. Yet, many others are bothered by my presence as a prosecutor. Or… those whom I sent behind bars.”
„Then, it’ll be a good idea if we start to check the old cases.”
„Nea, don’t waste your time with this. It’s not worth the effort. You should better focus on the evidence we have. Especially, check the place of the accident. Even if they „cleaned” it, they might have missed some evidence. I don’t wait for a miracle, but we might be lucky, who knows?!”
„It’s a good idea. If I’m not mistaken, SolHi had suggested something like this before I left the office.”
„SolHi? Where is she now? At the place of the accident?”
„Nea, I turned her into a bookworm for a while.” DooSan, who didn’t understand what Kan meant, stared in amazement at him. The Detective burst into laughter seeing DooSan staring like that at him. „Don’t worry: she’s still in our office. I gave her some work: to cut a huge pile of paper with the… scissors.”
DooSan scratched his head when he remembered how many boxes with waste paper waited to be destroyed. That’s why he murmured eventually, „It means she’ll be busy for a while.”
„And not only for a while. Yet, if she finishes it this year, I will send her here… to protect you from flies. Now… I’m gone!”
„Which way?”
„To catch one! A fly, I mean! And, as I know that they love to fly in stinky places, who knows: I can find him at the place of the accident, maybe.” Then, laughing with all his heart, Kan closed the door of the ward behind him.
After the detective left, DooSan didn’t stay calm. He, taking the phone from off the nightstand, sent a text message to SolHi. „I need you here at seven. And… bring something tasty to eat! Otherwise, I’ll take my bed with me and I’ll look for you even into the snake’s hole just to piss you off.” After sending the message, cunningly grinning, DooSan rubbed his palms: he was sure that his text message would drive SolHi crazy and would bring her there for sure: to send him to the other world, but she would come to see him that night yes or yes.
***
Reading the text message sent by DooSan, SolHi cooked her nose. „Does this one think I’m his courier or what? I’ve been his private nurse not long ago, and now he asks me to bring him sweets. Yeah, right, Han DooSan: wait for this. Who sent you to that hospital bed should bring you candies and tasty food, not me.”
„Aren’t you the one who has sent him to hospital by chance?” She heard Yoon Suk’s voice. Staring to her left, she saw him at his desk, checking some files.
„Are you looking for a fight?”
„Of course not! I just call the things by their real name. Or what, am I wrong now? I clearly remember that you’ve been the one who proposed the race.”
„Of course, you are wrong. It wasn’t me who asked for that race, but Dja Iun.”
„If he did that, it was because of something in particular. And… I think it’s because of Han DooSan and the jealousy they felt for each other. You know, right?! That men feel the jealousy better than any other creature?!”
„Are you speaking from your own experience?”
„Of course not. I’m „healed” already,” murmured Yoon Suk, smiling and imitating a punch. „I still remember the „treatment” you administered me to heal me.”
„I prescribed you, you wanted to say.”
„No, you administered it. You even took care to make it effective. Now, to change a little the subject: do you remember who from Dja Iun’s boys have been at the place of the accident that evening?”
„No, I was unconscious. Why do you ask? Do you think they might have been involved in this?”
„I think this might have been the case. Eventually, as you said, they were the only ones who knew about the „race.” They could have easily organized the „accident” too.”
„No, I don’t think so. If they had been those who organized the accident, they wouldn’t have told Dja Iun about the truck.”
„Are you sure they warned him? Maybe it was a simple coincidence: he saw the truck and once he had feelings for you…”
„Of course not. Yoon Suk, I’m sure that they warned him. I heard this while they climbed us in the ambulance.”
„You heard? What exactly?”
„You shouldn’t have told him. He’s dead because of you.”
„Dead because of you,” repeated Yoon Suk as though trying to remember the sentence. „This sounds like guilt to me.”
„It sounds like a concern to me. And… trust me: since I met Dja Iun again, I got to know his boys. They wouldn’t have done something like this for nothing in the world. I rather bet on Min SinJu.”
„I wouldn’t bet on nobody, SolHi. Eventually, we all wear a mask. It won’t be anything strange if we find out that it was everything set up.”
„Maybe, but I still think that it’s not because of them. Why? Han DooSan shouldn’t have been there that night.”
„They knew you would be there instead. I think it was enough for them.”
„Well, I think you are wrong this time. I hadn’t ever been after any of them. None of them had a reason to kill me. Only if someone hired them to do this. Something risky in my opinion once Dja Iun was always with them. They knew about Dja Iun’s feelings for me and that he would have done everything to protect me. Thus, if something had happened to me because of his gang, he would have eaten them alive. No, they wouldn’t have taken such a risk even for money.”
„Then… someone was with his eyes on you that night.”
Yoon Suk’s words made SolHi wince. This reminded her about the car Dja Iun looked at so worriedly, right before she approached him and then they had decided to race. Yet, once she wasn’t sure about this, she decided to keep silent. At least for a while until she would have found out the truth.
***
„What are you thinking about so intensely?” Marie asked her son. She was sitting next to his bed, on the same chair Kan had stood when he came to visit DooSan, peeling two apples.
DooSan, too immersed in thoughts, didn’t hear her question. Only when Marie touched his hand, did he wince. And, staring at her, he asked, „What? What did you say, Mother?”
„The aliens are coming,” Marie suddenly said, leaving the knife on the vessel in which she peeled the apples. „I asked you what you were thinking so intensely. Yet, as I realize that you won’t say a word about this, I better keep my mouth shut. Or… am I wrong in thinking so?”
„No, you aren’t. I really want to keep my thoughts to myself only.”
„Honestly, I haven’t expected anything else from you. Yet, I think I deserve to know at least when you are discharged, right?”
DooSan reproachfully looked at her. „Would you like not to exaggerate, Mother? I’m not that shameless.”
„Then? When are you discharged?”
„In a few days, I think. They are waiting for the blood work to be okay. The cast isn’t a problem: I can wear it at home too. Why are you asking anyway?”
„To know when your room has to be ready. You haven’t slept at home for years and…”
She kept silent the moment DooSan shouted, „No way!”
This made Marie slam the knife of the vessel. After that, furiously looking at her son, she asked, „May I know why not?”
„Come on, Mother! I’m thirty three not seven to stay at my mother’s house. I can handle this alone. Even in one leg, like the storks.”
„You would rather prefer a certain „woman” take care of you and not me,” Marie said, jealous.
Her words made DooSan attentive. And, frowning again, he asked, „How did you find out about this?”
„As everybody finds this out: from the radio.” A joke DooSan didn’t taste at all. That’s why he insistently looked at her, waiting for a better explanation. „I have my source of information, okay?!”
„Something strange in my opinion: that you know everything I do. Did you hire someone to follow me?”
„Not yet. But… I’ll do it because I’m your mother and I have to know what you are doing.”
Such words enraged DooSan. „You keep your eyes on me now while you’ve always acted differently with YuSan. You allowed him everything.”
„And look how he ended. If I had kept an eye on him too…”
„I think you are exaggerating already. He was thirty, not three to keep an eye on him. He was a grown man, Mother. He was perfectly taking care of himself. That’s why he also had a lot of secrets, which we found out only after his death. One of these secrets is that…”
„Your brother’s decisions are out of discussion, DooSan!”
„And mine yes?” DooSan feistily asked.
Marie, understanding that arguing with him, wouldn’t gain anything, told him in a kind voice this time, „Let’s not fight again, DooSan! You know very well what I am trying to say. And… if YuSan hid some things from us, it might be for a good reason.”
Her answer enraged DooSan even more. „Reasons? Come on, Mother: you can do more than that! Why? Because his „reasons” follow us today like ghosts. And not only us but others too. At the same time, someone is still a suspect in his death case. Even after seven years. Even if we had investigated this case all this time, we still hadn’t found the truth. That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing. Something correct in my opinion.”
„Really?! And, since when does having an affair with your brother’s woman seem fair to you?”
„My brother’s woman?” Murmured DooSan, thunderstruck. „What the hell are you talking about this time?”
„About Ian SolHi and the child she lost seven years ago. A child that might have been his child.”
The news Marie gave him confused DooSan so much that he even felt dizzy at one moment. Then, with her words still buzzing in his ears, DooSan said, „This can’t be!”
„What if it’s so? Will you continue to be around her?”
„Yes!”
„Son, please!”
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
„I ask you for the same thing, Mother: please, don’t interfere in my things! I won’t give up. Why? Because I do all this for YuSan, to find out the truth! And… I want to be alone! So, please, go!” After that, DooSan turned his back to her. He even covered himself with the blanket up to his ears.
His stubbornness hurt Marie a lot. She was right in feeling this because she understood that Ian SolHi had been right too: DooSan was stubborn and it was almost impossible to convince him of something. Especially, Marie found it really hard to convince him to stay away from „that woman.” Yet, even if she clearly understood that what DooSan did was because of his caprice, she decided not to give up on her plan too.
***
Staring in front, SolHi kept cutting the paper with the scissors. She did it so badly, barely moving the sharp edges of the scissors on that sheet of paper. Yet, SolHi didn’t care about this instead. It seemed that she wasn’t even aware of what she was doing.
Her reaction was normal because, alone in the office, even for a short time, she had time to immerse in her thoughts. Thus, she got to see the moment of the accident over and over again. At first, the images were unclear. It was like seeing something through the fog. Then, slowly, she started to remember what happened that night. The first image was that one when she was still lying on the heap of earth and opened her eyes for the first time after the impact. It was when she saw the truck’s driver stepping out of the truck and intending to run away. He couldn’t do that eventually because of Dja Iun’s friends, who surrounded him. Then, when they were on stretchers already and the paramedics were heading toward the ambulances with them, SolHi turned her head a little and looked at the driver, whom she saw smiling, something that let her understand that he felt no remorse for what he did.
These memories made SolHi suddenly hiss through her teeth, „It wasn’t only my imagination. It was real. That man tried to kill us.” Suddenly she winced when SuJin, who entered the office without being felt by SolHi approaching her, took the scissors from her hand. He did well when he took the scissors from her because SolHi was about to cut her finger with them. Yet, instead of being grateful for this, she furiously looked at him, „Again you!”
„Me again! Now tell me who was right!”
„Me! Why? You are always sneaking around. Like the cats! I swear I’ll have a heart attack because of you one day.”
SuJin, at all bothered hearing her mumbling something like this, smiled. Then, calmly, he told her, „It won’t be for sure because of me if you have a heart attack one day!”
„Really?! Whom should I blame then if not you?”
„Yourself! Nobody told you to immerse in thoughts and not feel people entering the office: normally and not sneaking around. However, even if I had stood in the doorway and you had stared at me, you wouldn’t have seen me for sure.”
His answer made SolHi think a little. „Are you sure?”
„Absolutely. If you don’t believe me, you can check the security cameras. So, tell me: what were you thinking so intently?”
„At a lot of things, but at nothing in particular. And, if you are here already, tell me: can you do me a favor?”
„Depends. If it’s not a favor to get me in trouble… Well, no, tell me! I’ll do it! For you… I will do everything!” SinJu sweetly smiled.
SolHi reproachfully shook her head. „You never learn. Well, it’s nothing dangerous or to get you into problems. What I need is to see the video we recorded in front of the club „The Night Sun.” Especially, I want to see the images with Dja Iun from that night.”
„This will be a little difficult.”
„Why?”
„Because the police generally record only the arrest and the operation, not the rest. Yet…”
„Yet…?”
„We can find something from the street surveillance cameras. However, if someone catches us, we are both dead.”
„Less I care about this. If this happens, I’ll assume the entire fault. You just do what you need to do.”
„Come to my desk then!” SuJin said, heading toward his place.
Standing up, SolHi carefully looked around. Seeing that they were alone there, she was astonished. „Where is Yoon Suk?”
„He said something about buying dinner. He probably got out for this.”
„So, we have a few minutes for us. And, if you don’t want to be caught, I suggest you hurry up!”
When SolHi approached SuJin, she saw that the boy had already managed to enter the Traffic Police Database. Then, he proudly asked, „What date do you need to check?”
„17th of June. Around ten o’clock in the evening.” After that, looking at the screen, SolHi saw how fast SuJin was working, using different passwords and changing the images on the screen so fast that she felt dizzy at one point. Then, the moment she saw Dja Iun’s motto approaching the place, she said, „Stop here! It’s what I need. Now, zoom a little here, I need to see the plaque of that car.”
SuJin, like an obedient child, did everything she asked for. Then, seeing the registration number of the car, which ended in 728, he frowned. „Oh, I know this number!” He murmured, confused.
„You know it? From where?”
„Boss!”
„Boss?”
„Yes, the one who often visits the Tattoo Parlor, the one Ko Gi Hiok’s brother owns. Honestly, I remember that Gug Shik and the dude with the tattoos were good friends.”
„The dude with the tattoos? The brother of… Wait a minute: who are we talking about? As far as I remember Gi Hiok’s family name is Ko. Guk Shik’s family name is Nam. How can be they brothers?”
SuJin squinted at her. „Nuna, are you serious now?” SolHi looked at him, confused. „If they have a single mother, but different fathers, of course, they have different family names.”
„Sounds logical now. What about the dude with the tattoos? Who is he?”
SuJin sighed. „The guy who died in the accident in which you and Prosecutor Han are involved too.”
„What? Iun Dja Iun and Nam Guk Shik did business together?”
„Honestly, I have no idea. Yet, it seemed so to me because I saw him not only once passing by the Tattoo Parlor. He wasn’t the only one who often came there, by the way. This one, whose plaque ends in 728, also passed by often. Don’t ask me who he is because I don’t know his name. Actually, because of this, Gi Hiok and I started to call him Boos. That’s all I know. Oh, no, wait: I remember that Boss gave Dja Iun a yellow envelope one day. What was in, I don’t know.”
Unable to control herself anymore, SolHi furiously stared at SuJin. Then, she hissed through her teeth, „Can you stop talking nonsense? Dja Iun wasn’t the guy to be involved in dubious affairs. Moreover, if it was illegal. I know what kind of man he was.”
„If I were you, I wouldn’t be that sure, Nuna! Why? Because the world where he lived is so different from ours. One can change in seconds living there: to survive or win more. Or what, do you think that it had been a simple miracle that he found out so quickly where Kim Ha Na was?”
What SuJin said sounded logical. Yet, she couldn’t believe it. It was unreal for her because she knew Dja Iun was a good man, someone she could count on. Now she found out that he was probably involved in dubious affairs, something that confused her a lot. Because of this, she felt dizzy at one point. Not to fall, SuJin grabbed her hand and forced her to sit on the chair he pulled closer to his. Then, in a kind voice, understanding how hard it could have been for her to find out such things, he told her, „I know that it might be hard for you to understand this, but you must accept that reality…”
„I know, SuJin! I know that reality might sometimes be so different from what we imagine. Yet, I can’t say that’s not hard because Dja Iun was for me…” For a few moments, she kept silent and covered her face with her palms, murmuring, „It can’t be! This can’t be!” After that, she stood up and headed toward the door, saying nothing more. Her reaction amazed SuJin a lot because he couldn’t understand what happened to her at that moment.
Eventually, SuJin stood up and asked her, „Where are you going, Nuna? If Detective Kan finds out that you left, he’ll kill us for sure!”
„If you keep your mouth shut, he won’t find out.”
When she was about to step out of the office, she met Yoon Suk, who was returning from shopping. Seeing him appearing in front of her made SolHi step back. And, not to let him know about her thoughts and feelings, SolHi looked elsewhere.
By doing this, she didn’t manage to deceive Yoon Suk. He, taking a few steps toward her, forced SolHi to take the same number of steps back. Then, putting the bag on one of the desks, he blocked her way and, folding his arms over his chest, he asked her, „Which way, turtle dove?”
„To the Warm Countries! I mean… to hell! I hope at least there you’ll stop blowing down my neck!” And, taking advantage of that Yoon Suk, who was unpleasantly surprised by her words, looked elsewhere, she passed by him and left the office, slamming the door behind her.
„Wonderful, what can I say?!” Murmured Yoon Suk. „Now… Kan leaves me bald for sure. And you will suffer the same if you don’t tell me where she’s going.”
SuJin shrugged. „It’s your problem and not mine,” the boy calmly said. „I know nothing, anyway! I’m not her nanny to always know what she’s doing.” Then, seeing Yoon Suk heading toward his desk, SuJin turned the computer off and left the office, mumbling that he lacked air there.
„Well, now things go like that, huh?!” Murmured Yoon Suk, pissed off. „You think I’m stupid and I can’t check on my own or what? I’ll show you both how wrong you are.” Yet, turning SuJin’s computer again on, he saw with stupor that it had a password, something damn difficult for him to guess. That’s why he gave up before having a headache.
***
Arriving in front of Bear, whom she asked to meet her in the same place where she and DooSan met Dja Iun a few days ago, SolHi grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall. Her reaction amazed the young man a lot and made him stare at her as though he saw a ghost. Before that, he heard from Dja Iun that she was crazy, but he had never thought that it might be true. Yet, he convinced himself of this that night when he felt the barrel of the 9mm gun touching his chin and pushing it up. Then, SolHi hissed through her teeth, barely controlling her anger, „Tell me who this fucking Boss is or I’ll blow your head off!”
The Bear, although he knew very well what SolHi was asking him about, preferred to play the fool. And, looking elsewhere, he mumbled, „I have no idea who you are talking about, Detective Ian!”
„Really?!” SolHi feistily replied. „If you don’t know this, I was born yesterday, Bear! I’m not stupid and I know very well that you have been Dja Iun’s right hand. You knew everything he was doing. So, before I completely lose my mind, answer these questions: who is Boss, and where has Dja Iun’s dash cam vanished after the accident?”
This time SolHi managed to make the young man attentive. He even looked in amazement at her when he asked, stuttering, „The dash cam? What dash cam?”
„Are you playing the fool again? You know very well that Dja Iun never rode his motto without his dash cam. He was very meticulous about such things and he always made sure that it was on the motto and working. Now, that dash cam is gone. So, I hope you’ll tell me where to find it.”
„I don’t know, okay?” The young man yelled. „We don’t have it. I swear. More than this, when we got to the scene of the accident, it was there, next to the motto. None of us touched it because we were afraid to leave fingerprints on it. The police must have it because…”
„Well, they don’t have that dash cam. So, think carefully where it might be. Otherwise, as you know my right hand shakes when I hold a gun, I can shoot a bullet and I send you to Dja Iun. You know very well that I never joke about such things. For Dja Iun, I’m ready for everything.”
The Bear pushed her this time away from him. Then, he yelled again, „I think it’s been enough threatening me! Why? Because there’s no use for it, for any of us, by the way!”
„Then, talk, or I’ll be forced to use this gun to find out answers! Tell me at least something because I’m sure you loved Dja Iun. I need at least something to help me investigate this case and find the miserable creature that sent our Dja Iun to the other world so early.”
Seeing tears in the young man’s eyes amazed SolHi so much. Moreover, when he told her in a shaking voice, „Do you think you are the only one who cared about Dja Iun, Detective Ian? If yes, then I assure you that you are wrong! Before being your friend, Dja Iun was our friend and our boss. He was our brother, who died trying to protect you, although you might not have deserved this.”
„I didn’t ask him to do that! I didn’t need his sacrifice!”
„Dja Iun did that for you! He wanted to do that because he loved you! He not only stood by your side all this time but did everything to find the criminal who did that to you seven years ago and for you to be free of charges!”
„What?” Murmured SolHi, thunderstruck. „What the hell are you talking about? Dja Iun was investigating this case although I prohibited him to do that?”
„As though Dja Iun listened to someone! If you believed that, then you never knew him. Why? Because, for Dja Iun, his family and his friends were everything. That’s why he did what he did… because you were everything to him, Detective Ian.”
Feeling that tears were filling her eyes, SolHi bit her lower lip. She did that not to allow the tears to bathe her cheeks. She didn’t want to cry in front of the young man, who she saw had suffered more than she suffered.
„I didn’t confess this to make you suffer, Detective. I just wanted to make clear why Dja Iun…”
„I know. I know everything, including Dja Iun’s feelings for me. He also knew that I couldn’t feel the same for him and the reasons why I couldn’t do that. Yet, he kept hanging on feelings with no future, although I asked him not to do this.”
„We can’t control our thoughts and hearts, Detective. And…”
„It doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is to tell me what Dja Iun found out about what happened seven years ago.”
„Not much, as far as I know. For this, he infiltrated the Boss’s gang, with the help of Nam Guk Shik, who was his friend. Actually, they often met in the Tattoos Parlor.”
„How often?”
„Two or three times a week. Yet, what he was investigating, we found out much later than this. At first, he told me that he had debts and that’s why he was seeing the Boss. Yet, we felt that he wasn’t telling us the truth and forced him to tell us.”
„When was that? I mean… when did you find out?”
„A few days before the accident. It’s when he told us that he had to leave for a short time.”
„To leave? Where?”
„I don’t know. He didn’t say.”
„And that guy? The one known as the Boss, have you ever seen his face?”
„Once or twice, when he passed by Guk Shik’s parlor. And… on the night of the accident.”
„On the night of the accident too?”
„Yes, Dja Iun told us not to lose sight of him. He ordered us this before coming to that nightclub to meet you and the Prosecutor.”
„So, if you see him again, can you tell me if it’s him?”
„I cannot only recognize him, but I also have a photo of him. Dja Iun gave it to me to know who we should follow.” Saying this, the Bear took the phone out of his pocket and showed her a photo of SinJu.
„To be damn! Min SinJu is back in the story!”
„Besides following this guy, something stranger than this happened.”
„Something else happened? What exactly?”
„One of us disappeared after the accident.”
„Disappeared? Who exactly?”
„We call him Scorpion. Since the night Dja Iun died, none of us saw him again.”
„Do you think he was killed?”
„No, we think that he’s been involved in the accident. And, if I’m not mistaken, on the night of the accident, only two of us approached Dja Iun’s motto - Su Won and Scorpion. Yet, unlike Su Won, who does everything to find evidence because he also doesn’t think that it has been a simple accident, Scorpion has disappeared.”
„Or those who hired him got rid of him, as happened to the waiter,” murmured SolHi. „Got it! I’ll check this for you. Meanwhile, we’ll stay in touch. You know my number, right?” The young man nodded. „Good! Now, get rid of Dja Iun’s phone.”
„Why? Do you think he was followed?”
„Most likely yes. Yet, until we find this Scorpion and make him talk, we can’t be sure of anything. And… it’ll be better for all of us to be cautious. Now, I’m gone!”
SolHi stopped after a few steps when the Bear told her in a shaking voice while fighting with the tears, „Detective Ian, do justice to Dja Iun! I swear we’ll help with everything. He deserves to rest in peace!”
„I’ll do it, don’t worry!” SolHi replied without watching him. Then, quickening her pace, she whispered, „I’ll do it because who did that to Dja Iun doesn’t deserve to live for sure.”
***
Getting out of his club and heading toward the car that was parked not far from the entrance, SinJu saw SolHi. She was staying next to the car, whose registration number ended in 728. She wasn’t only waiting for him but was supporting her back against the car, on the rear door, determined not to let SinJu go away without talking to her first.
Understanding this, right after seeing her, SinJu cooked his nose. Yet, although she was the last person he would have liked to see that night, SinJu told her in a playful voice, sketching a large smile too, „Detective Ian, what a pleasant surprise to have you here! Again!”
SolHi, who wasn’t at all impressed by his cheap play, smiled. „Well, I’m sure it’s a surprise to see me. Yet, if it’s a pleasant one, I’m not that sure.”
„Why not?! A beautiful woman is always welcome in my club or be watched by my eyes.”
„Really?! So stupid of me to think that you were so insistently looking at me, afraid that you saw a ghost. I mean… as it was supposed to be dead by now.” SolHi stared into SinJu’s eyes after this, trying to see his reaction.
SinJu kept watching her with cold eyes. He even seemed careless. Yet, it was everything a play because he didn’t want to give himself away, not in front of her, that he badly wanted to strangulate her there, in front of everybody, and all this because SolHi was hovering around him more often than usual.
He could control himself eventually and sketch only a smile. After that, he told her in a sweet voice, „I don’t know what you are talking about, Detective Ian! Just as I’m sure that those who can hear you talking like that might misunderstand your words and think that it was me who ordered your crime. Something wrong, in fact, because… I don’t have a reason to get rid of you once I consider you an admirable person.” After that, he slowly tapped on her shoulder.
SolHi burst into laughter. After that, straightening her back, she looked straight into his eyes and said, „Do I look so available or friendly?”
„What?!” Murmured SinJu, confused.
„In your eyes, I mean. I think so, once you afford the luxury to touch me, Min SinJu.” Then, right in front of him, SolHi kept staring into his eyes. SinJu did the same: he kept staring into her eyes too, confused because he couldn’t understand what was in her mind at that moment. He winced eventually when SolHi said, „Being so close to you and looking at you, I find you really attractive. Interesting, it’s better to say. Especially… your eyes are interesting to look at: the eyes of a serial criminal.”
Her commentary managed to drive SinJu crazy. „Detective Ian,” he shouted. „Watch your tongue!”
„Why? Did I say something wrong or what I shouldn’t have said?! I don’t think so. Yet, if you think so, you can sue me. However, surprise: I’m sure no Court in this world will judge me for saying what I think. A sincere opinion!”
„Are you sure of this?”
„Absolutely. Or what? Do you think I talk without knowing what I say? Of course not! What I said it’s exactly what I think about guys like you. I know you well! And… Do you know what else your eyes told me about you? Besides the fact you look like a serial criminal?”
SinJu grinned. „Surprise me!”
„About your fear… despair… anger… and disappointment. I assure you that’s not nonsense what I say because it’s why you sent the truck to kill us: Prosecutor Han and me. Yet, surprise: we are both alive!”
SinJu seemed surprised. „What? Did you and Prosecutor Han have an accident?” Words that resounded so phony in SolHi’s ears. That’s why she burst into laughter again.
SolHi even clapped at one moment. „Brilliant! The way you pretend to be worried about someone. You definitely deserve an Oscar.”
„Do I pretend? No, Detective: I am worried. Why? Because it’s really preoccupying that the men of law are in danger. Especially with such „accidents.”
„Yeah, sure! I can see the „concern” in your eyes. Something that makes me doubt, by the way.”
„You see?! I just…”
„I was talking about your concern, Min SinJu. Why? Because I’m an Unfriendly Witness for you right now. A witness that can ruin your plans.”
„Witness? I don’t really understand what you are talking about, Detective Ian. I did nothing illegal, as far as I remember.”
„It hasn’t been proven yet. But, it’ll be, don’t worry! I’ll take care of this!”
„Will you take care? Of what?”
„To take your mask of hypocrisy off! Thus, everybody will know how you actually are: a monster with thousands of faces and many deaths on your shoulders. Who did you kill? Innocent people like Iun Dja Iun. Not only him, you killed, but also Lee Ha Ni and Yun Shi Yon. I won’t even be surprised if I find out that you also have something to do with Prosecutor Han YuSan’s death.”
SinJu suddenly winced. „How did she find out about this?” Yet, he said nothing, seeing SolHi’s insistent glance focused on him.
SolHi smiled instead, seeing him so scared. „I’m a good person, you know?! That’s why I’ll give you a piece of good advice: don’t worry! Not now. You’ll have time for this when I handcuff you and close you into a maximum-security jail. You’ll pay only this way for Dja Iun’s death.” Saying this, SolHi turned her back to him, intending to go. After a few steps, she stopped and, without looking at him, she asked SinJu, „Iun Dja Iun and Nam Guk Shik, do these two names tell you something interesting?”
„Should they?”
„Of course, once you often go to Nam Guk Shik’s Tattoo Parlor. Even so, I’ve seen only one tattoo on your hand. Where are the others, Min SinJu? Hidden?” SolHi ironically asked.
Although he was badly shaking inside because of anger, SinJu wasn’t at his first interrogation of such kind and managed to control himself before SolHi could realize this. Then, smiling, he said, „I can show you them, Detective! If you are interested, I mean. Yet, I’m afraid you won’t accept a „private meeting,” right?”
„Right! Why? Because… it’s useless to waste my time with such… things. Yet, I know other people that might be interested in those like you… „tattooed girls?!” Who are those interested in you? The prisoners. I’m sure you’ll be their favorite „girl.” After that, she winked and headed toward the corner of the street, paying no attention to SinJu, who was boiling inside because of anger.
When she left SinJu in the street and headed toward the corner of the street, SolHi didn’t seem interested in what he would do. Yet, it was only a mask because, right after turning left, she stopped and, hidden, she lurked on him. Thus, she saw him giving a phone call and heard what he said after this, „It’s me! Please do me a favor: find out everything you can about Ian SolHi! Exactly, the detective who works with Han DooSan! I’m interested in finding out her weak points because I want to twist her neck as soon as possible.” Then, hanging up, SinJu entered his car, on the back seat, and the vehicle left the place at full speed.
Smiling, SolHi finally got out of her hideout. And, looking behind the car, she murmured, „Ah, Min SinJu, ah: you are so predictable! I love this: when people dig their own graves. Thank you! For help, I mean, because, finding out about my „weak points,” it means one wrong step for you. Thus… you give me the chance to send you behind bars… once and for all!”
Eventually, taking her phone out of her pocket, SolHi sent a message to the Bear. „Find Scorpion, as soon as possible!” She wrote in that message. „To make sure you’ll find him, keep an eye on Min SinJu. I’m sure Scorpion is somewhere around him.” Then, sneaking the phone back into her pocket, smiling, SolHi hid in the shadow, trying to be as invisible as possible.