„It seems that Tak Kyung Mi and Hon Su Ho were misbehaving again,” said Kan, right away he entered the door. Then, throwing the file on his desk, he squinted at it eventually because this gave him not only headaches but also added a lot of work to them.

Seeing him so angry, DooSan looked at him in amazement for a while because, although he knew the detective’s character very well, he still couldn’t understand what could rile him right from the morning. Then, looking on the sly at the rest of those who were in the office, he saw them as amazed as he was. That’s why he asked Kan eventually, „What do you mean by „they were acting badly again?” Scam?” After that, DooSan stood up and took a few steps toward Kan.

„Scam” is an understatement,” the detective growled, giving the file to DooSan, which he started to browse.

Then, he right away looked at Yoon Suk, who returned to the office at the same time as Kan, when this one said, „The two spouses were recently into loan sharking.”

„Did they really go that far?” Inspector Yu inquired. „I knew they were always hungry for money, but… I knew they were involved only in small things and not in something like that.”

„It seems that they changed the tactics,” DooSan said through his teeth, throwing the file back on the desk. „Yu SuJin, did you find something about this?”

„Actually, yes, Prosecutor Han. Not long before they disappeared, two days ago, around 5.00 p.m., Tak Kyung Mi posted a short message on social media. A short but interesting message to be more precise, „Finally rich!”

„Finally rich? What was this supposed to mean? Did they win at the lotto or what?” Kan asked, furiously growling afterward.

„You can say it so,” A Rim joined their talk. After that, happy that she could make everybody attentive and watch her with wide-open eyes, she said, „Tak Kyung Mi and Hon Su Ho declared themselves bankrupt. Thus, was their message a simple… bluff?”

„What about not talking nonsense, huh?” SuJin growled at her. „Bankrupt? I’ve just said that they wrote on social media - „Finally rich.” I don’t think that they bluffed by writing this.”

„I didn’t say that. I was just informing you about more serious things than a simple sentence on social media.”

The rivalry between SuJin and A Rim, who recently got to show their fangs to each other, made Yoon Suk curious. That’s why he suddenly asked, making everybody wince, „Do you try to imitate them or something?”

„To imitate? Who exactly?” SuJin asked, frowning. Understanding the hint when he spotted the ironic smile on Yoon Suk’s lips, the young man suddenly jerked to his feet, making the chair fall. Then, he yelled at the young detective, „What about not beating around the bush? This witch and I? Never!”

Yu slapped his forehead when he saw his son’s eyes sparkling because of anger. DooSan and Kan exchanged glances instead. Then, DooSan had the brilliant idea of asking, „Witch? Did you fall for her or something because of a magic potion she gave to you?”

„I’ve prepared that potion for you, Prosecutor Han. Should we try it tonight, maybe?”

„I say no to that, thanks!”

„The same goes for me because, as I’ve said once and I repeat - I would rather never marry anybody than mess with a certain specimen. Especially to someone like him.”

„What’s wrong with my son?” Yu felt offended. „He’s a good boy, working regular hours, not into bad things… a good husband, I think.”

„Keep him around you then, until he’s old with a long gray beard. I… say no to such love and… what about being serious now, huh?”

„If you say so,” said DooSan, smiling, trying to piss her off. Understanding that they went too far with that joke, and DooSan understood that when he saw that A Rim and SuJin looked like two vampires about to suck each other’s blood, he pulled back and said, „Be as you wish: if there is no love between you, we’ll accept that. So, no need for collateral victims or to kill me for that.”

„What we should do instead is to be serious. Yet… who lost seriousness for someone from this office to find it?” Said Kan, allowing himself to fall on the chair. Then, seeing the glances of the others focused on him, a big part of them not understanding a word from what the detective said, Kan comfortably sat on that chair, cleared his voice, and only after that did he say, „I was talking about the case. I mean… I was trying to tell all of you that it’d be a good idea to be serious.”

„We’ll act like that, for sure: as soon as two ogres stop begging for attention,” Yu said feistily, a hint that he wasn’t happy that Kan broke the fun. The inspector was also pissed off because of A Rim, who dared to denigrate his son, and he didn’t have the chance to defend him. Yet, he had to leave all this for later when he saw DooSan’s glance focused on him. „What now?” Yu snapped at the prosecutor.

„Nothing. I was just thinking.”

„About what? That I’m not serious now?”

„No. I was thinking about the case „The Court.” We worked on it together when I started working here four years ago.”

„The one about drug trafficking?”

„Exactly. If I’m not mistaken, we’ve started the investigation also because of a sentence one of the suspects wrote online. Because of the same sentence, we’ve been about to lose our lives.”

„I also remember the case. If I’m not wrong, it was proven later that the sentence was written to lure the authorities to a certain place, right? Something like: look for bones to chew while we do our job.”

„You are actually right, Kan. That case was more about - some people win more than others do. Yet, not this was important but the fact that they led our footsteps toward a fake track, not knowing that they were also doing all of us a favor at the same time because we could find them eventually.”

„We can’t say the same thing about what SuJin found, can we?”

„Yes, Yoon Suk,” said DooSan thoughtfully. „Yu SuJin, when exactly did they post the message?”

„Around 2.30 p.m. On 12.12. Why?”

„Because, if I’m not mistaken, they were declared as missing on the 14th of December.”

„You are actually right, Prosecutor Han. And, as I mentioned, I remembered that while checking this case, I also found out that on 12.01 they were in Busan.”

„In Busan? What did they lose there?”

„What do I know? The day of yesterday, maybe?” Seeing the others squinting at her, A Rim pulled back, saying while smiling, „You can sharpen your fangs on my throat later. Now, the important thing is another one: they visited an auction that day.”

„An auction? What kind of auction?” The inspector asked.

„The information about this is secret. Yet, this didn’t impede me from checking the transactions made by the companies Hon Su Ho had - something related to loans and… tattoos.”

„Tattoos again!” Growled DooSan. „No matter what we do, we are back to them.”

„That’s not all,” said A Rim, not paying attention to DooSan’s mimics. „I also found out that, one day before the auction, all the companies and the properties Hon Su Ho had were put in the name of another company, „Don Construction.” Now the most interesting thing comes… this company belongs to someone who died two years ago.”

Yu burst into laughter, although he wasn’t in the mood for that. „Are we investigating ghosts lately or what?”

„You can say it so. Yet, this sounds more like a fraud to me. Isn’t it, A Rim?”

„You are actually right, Detective Oh. Why? „Don Construction” was also declared bankrupt a few days ago.”

„After all the money that company received?” Kan asked, thoughtful.

„Yes, and this is damn suspicious. More than that, following the transactions, I found out that not only the company’s official account was closed after they paid Hon Su Ho for the company, but also the two accounts where the money was transferred.”

„The reason for closing that account?” DooSan inquired.

„Strictly personal,” said A Rim, glancing at her notes.

„Could you find out who withdrew the money from that account?”

„Yes, Tak Kyung Mi.” Saying this, A Rim widened her eyes. „She withdrew the money the same day she was declared as missing.”

„Everything is clear now,” said DooSan, smiling. „The scheme, in particular - they forced Hon Su Ho to sell everything he had, luring him with „Being rich.” Then, after all the documents were signed and the money was transferred to a ghost account, Hon Su Ho was taken out of the game. The same happened to Tak Kyung Mi, who withdrew the money.”

„Do you suggest that Tak Kyung Mi planned all this?”

„I have no idea, SuJin. Even so, I still consider all this strange because… there are a lot of question marks around this business.”

„Like?” Inquired Yoon Suk.

„Like… that message on social media, for instance. Then, there is the fact that she was eventually the delivery woman for the same money she bragged so much that would make her rich. All this doesn’t smell so good to me.”

„I feel the same,” growled Kan, rolling his sleeves. „So, let’s try to find out what stinks in that story. Yet… where should we start from?” Seeing DooSan staring at him while weirdly grinning, Kan frowned. „What are you planning this time?”

„I? Nothing out of the ordinary. I was just wondering what a fresh tattoo would look like on your strong arm. I heard you wanted one.”

„I? Did I want a tattoo? When exactly?”

„A few minutes ago?” DooSan replied, smiling, making the others smile too when they understood that he was simply teasing Kan. „And, once I’m so eager to see your new tattoo, I’ll accompany you, Detective.”

„Hell no,” Kan hissed through his teeth. „If you want to experience that, find a new patsy. There are enough eager young people around here.”

„Maybe, but… I still insist on you as my patsy. Why? I like the older ones. Why? They are so naive about tattoos. So, old wolf and lonely, follow me because we’ll feel pain today for sure. Oh, we’ll have some fun, I mean.” Saying this and struggling not to burst into laughter, DooSan headed toward the door.

Looking at the others, whom he saw so happy, Kan showed them his fangs. „I considered you my friends! Yeah, right! So, Kan, you are alone with your old age!” The detective complained about this, touching the back of his head. Soon after this, he’d been forced to catch a small bottle of vitamins on the fly when Yoon Suk threw it toward him, something that made the detective growl, upset, „Do I look like I need them?”

„Honestly? Yes. Why? You don’t look thirsty this time!” Yoon Suk said, winking at Kan. „Anyway, even if you don’t need them, you should still take them because… I heard that it’s good for blood flow for the old wolves.”

When Kan threw that bottle of vitamins toward him, Yoon Suk burst into laughter. The same the others did. Then, sparkling like a mad cloud on a rainy day, Kan left the office, slamming the door behind him. His reaction made the others loudly laugh because… yes, it was eventually funny to watch an old wolf having a temper tantrum – so similar to an inexperienced one, and it was still funny, although Kan did that all the time he wanted to play the role of the clown.

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

***

In front of the tattoo parlor „Snake” and looking at the plaque with the name of the place, SolHi frowned. „I think I’ve heard this name before… somewhere,” she said after a few moments of silence.

„You are actually right, Detective Ian,” said Bear, who was in the passenger’s front seat. „I mentioned this name the same night you came to ask me about Dja Iun. This is the tattoo parlor of Dja Iun’s friend, Nam Guk Shik.”

The young man’s words made SolHi frown again. This happened because she tried hard to remember when exactly he talked to her about Nam Guk Shik. She winced eventually when she finally remembered the car’s plaque with the number 728, which she saw in front of the nightclub „The Black Sun.” Remembering this, she punched the wheel, growling through her teeth, „Damn you… Min SinJu! Is Nam Guk Shik in business with that dog?”

„Something like that. At least this is what we found out after you asked us to help you with the investigation.”

„Yeah, I’ve asked you for this, but I still regret that.”

„Why? Because everything seems to be related to Min SinJu?”

„Mmm. I feel this because I don’t want someone else to suffer because of me and my desire to get rid of that stinky worm. Yet… forget it and tell me about Dja Iun’s helmet. Did you find it?”

„Yes. Jae took it when he spotted someone rounding the grave. This started a few days after you were declared dead.”

SolHi frowned again. „A few days after what happened in the DOC parking lot? But… I don’t get it: why did someone go to Dja Iun’s grave then?”

„Honestly? I have no idea. Yet, it’s possible that they also didn’t believe the story of the ghost. Or… the fresh flowers on the grave, the same you used to buy for Dja Iun, made them suspect just as it happened to us.”

Yes. SolHi was already sure that she made a mistake when she went to Dja Iun’s grave and left those flowers there. Thus, she let Bear and the others know that she was still alive. Two days after the incident, she met Bear not that far from the building where HanSol lived. She tried to get rid of him that day, but she failed because the young man knew a lot of things about her from Dja Iun. That’s why she couldn’t deceive him. It’s how they forced her to involve them in the investigation too. Still, she didn’t regret that because they saved her life so many times after this, as it happened the night she saw Scar in the sawmill. Only after that night when she saw what kind of danger lurked on all of them, SolHi regretted having involved them in that case. Yet, she also knew that it was too late to pull them back from that because they were already involved body and soul in that investigation just to bring justice to Dja Iun.

Such memories made SolHi close her eyes for a few moments. After that, she leaned against the back of the seat and covered her eyes with her arm as though the light of the day bothered her. She didn’t stay like that for a long time - only for a few moments, opening them when she felt Bear moving next to her and thought that he did that because he saw someone and gave her the signal to hide.

Looking at him and seeing him with his arm stretched toward her and squeezing a phone in his hand, SolHi frowned again. „What’s that?” She asked in amazement.

„The proof that you had nothing to do with the death of that high school teacher. Why? You couldn’t be in his village at the hour he was killed.”

„I couldn’t prove that and you know this.”

„I know, just as I know that you haven’t looked in the right place for that evidence. Yet, here it is.”

Taking the phone from his hand and turning the record on, SolHi widened her eyes. „The flower shop! How didn’t I think about it? They have surveillance cameras.”

„Yes. The same cameras filmed you staying there for hours. There it’s also the fact that you left the flower shop at dawn, around 6.3, much after the crime.”

„Still, why didn’t this evidence get to the police? As far as I know, someone was assigned to investigate this and retrace my steps hour by hour just to find out what happened that night.”

„I don’t know that, Detective. It might be that someone deliberately ignored certain details.”

„Captain Lee!”

„Or that dirty prosecutor. We’ve already found out that he refused to accept a witness at your trial.”

„A witness? Whom?”

„The guardian of the park where you have the tree with the memorial plaque.”

„Old Kim!” SolHi murmured, stunned. „I forgot that I saw him that morning when I visited Un’s grave. And… Do you say that San DuSik refused to listen to the old man’s testimony?”

„That’s right. I’ve already found out that the old man went to the police station to say what he saw. San DuSik instead not only broke his testimony but also threatened the old man with his life and told him not to look for his death everywhere.”

„Dog!”

„This is a big word for someone like him. I’d rather call him Cobra because he’s someone who bites everything he meets in his way. Anyway, let’s leave this for later. Now, I say that you should check all the evidence I found. It’s in the next video.”

„Is there something more than this?”

„Yes,” the young man said, changing the frames on the phone’s screen. Thus, SolHi saw a few pictures of So Ari following her and a short video the young man took from Old Kim’s workplace. „So Ari didn’t only follow you that night but before that too.”

„Are you sure?”

„Pretty sure. You can convince yourself of that if you turn on the next video.”

Slowly gnashing her teeth when she felt betrayed by finding out such things about Ari, SolHi turned on the next video. It was when she saw Ari in front of her apartment. She wasn’t only staying there but formed the code and entered the apartment.

„Honestly, I found the video before the trial. Yet, as I didn’t see her face and she used the code to enter the apartment, we thought at first that you were the one in the video. Only after we found the first video you saw and realized that she was following you, did we piece this all together and check the records once again, finding the camera she had in the hall.”

„The camera was already there, Bear. DooSan asked for it. This happened a few days after he moved to my apartment.”

„I won’t deny that. Why? Because we have the next video from that camera.”

„Where you have seen that So Ari, not knowing that she was recorded, installed another camera to find out the door code,” growled SolHi, seeing the young woman doing this.

„That’s right. Honestly? She didn’t enter your apartment only once but several times. The first time she entered your house was about a month after Dja Iun’s death. She stood there for around 1.5 hours. When she left the apartment she was furious, something that makes me think that she didn’t find what she was looking for.”

„When did she enter for the second time?”

„A day before your arrest. She’d been inside for about five minutes. When she left the apartment, we saw something coming out of her pocket. Something wrapped in cellophane.”

„The knife with my fingerprints,” said SolHi, taking the young man by surprise. „I’m talking about the murder weapon that Ari used to kill Do Ian Jun. Yet, I don’t understand what she tried to get with all this.”

„Most probably she looked for a patsy to pay for her crime.”

„I also thought about this. Yet, I don’t understand why she did that to me. As far as I remember, she didn’t have a reason to hate me. I helped her a lot when she’d been raped in high school.”

„More likely they asked her to do that. You said that: there are enough of those who want you out of the game.”

„You are actually right. Even so, all this seems unbelievable to me.”

„It shouldn’t be like that. Not after everything that happened because… I’ve already found out that there aren’t loyal friends in this world.”

„I agree with you now. Even so, it’s strange because… even if someone asked her to involve me in that crime, I can’t understand what she won with all that.”

„Avoiding spending enough years behind bars?”

„It might be. Or… they had something against her and she didn’t have any other choice than to betray me.”

„Less likely, Detective Ian. Anyway, we’ll find out her reason later. For the moment, I asked my boys to find out whom So Ari was involved with lately, particularly before her death. And, if it’s true what you say and she was forced to betray you, we might find someone whom she trusted enough to tell him about this.”

„That person might also know about her revenge.”

„Revenge? Against you, Detective?”

„No, against Do Ian Djun. The reason? Ari suspected him of being the one who abused her in high school. At least she suspected him of being the one who instigated someone to do that.”

„It’s serious then. If so, it was premeditated murder.”

„I also think so. Yet, involving me in the crime? Why? Only to turn me into a patsy? It seems unbelievable.”

„Do you think someone could have made her believe that you’ve been involved in that case?”

„Involved? What do you mean?”

„The rape. The case you told me that wasn’t ever concluded. You’ve been a witness in that case, right?”

„Yes. So?”

„I’m speaking about the fact that someone could have used that to make So Ari believe you’ve been involved in what happened to her.” SolHi frowned. „Why do I think so? You and Prosecutor Han, who was found dead eight years ago, were involved in her case. Thus, someone who might have a reason to take revenge on you could have told Ari that the one who abused her wasn’t ever found because you didn’t want that.”

„Sounds logical. Even so, I can’t understand who made the connection between me and what happened to Ari.”

„It is definitely someone close to you at that time. A friend or maybe a colleague.”

„No, it’s impossible. The only one whom I trusted at that time was Pack Mina. Yet, she wouldn’t betray me for anything in the world.”

„Are you sure of this?”

„Pretty sure. Why? If Mina wanted me out of the game, then… she wouldn’t have done anything to help me after what happened to me that night. No, it’s impossible because she sacrificed a lot for me. She suffered more than me after that fatalistic night I can say.”

„Then… I don’t know, Detective Ian. Even so, I feel that the one who hurts you knows you damn well.”

„If it’s so, it means that he or she has been around me not only at that time but after that too.”

„More likely yes. Anyway, we can exclude those who are with you right now, and this is a good sign. Why? As far as I could find out, all of them, including Han DooSan, appeared in your life after what happened to you eight years ago.”

„That’s right. Both Kan and Oh Yoon Suk entered my life after that night. For the rest, none of those I know was close to me at that time or made me suspect them.”

„Still, we can’t exclude the fact that someone follows you step by step from the shadows.”

„Why do you think so?”

„Old hatred? Envy? You’ve gotten in the way of someone without realizing that? Honestly? I have no clue. What’s a sure thing is that that person hates you so much that organized all this only to make sure that you are out of the game.”

SolHi sighed. „You are probably right, Bear. Yet, no matter what I do, I still think that Min SinJu is involved in this.”

„We’ll prove that if it’s so. This happens sooner or later because… I have someone following in his footsteps, from damn close.”

„What?” SolHi shouted. „Did you involve someone in Min SinJu’s organization?”

„I didn’t send him there. He was already involved. Even so, he helps us because he has no other choice than to do that. Why? He has a lot of debts he wants to pay back.”

„Debts that can cut our head, young man. Why? I’ve convinced myself already and not only once that debts never keep someone loyal to you.”

„I’ve never said that he owes us. Who has debts in front of that person is Min SinJu.”

„What exactly do you mean?”

„Honestly? I also don’t know too much about this. All I know is that he wants to help us. Actually, he’s the one who has come to me and told me about what he said. I’ve never asked him to do that.”

„What if he did that to lure you into the trap?”

„It’s definitely nothing like that. Why? Let’s say that a wolf smells another one from far away. After all, I can’t say too much about this right now because, as you probably know, the less you know about this case the safer you are. Yet, I’ll tell you everything I know at the right time. And, be sure of one more thing, Detective Ian - who’s been Dja Iun’s friend - is our friend forever. Particularly you.”

„I don’t see what I have so special, young man.”

„Probably nothing. Yet, Dja Iun loved you and gave up on his life just to protect you. Because of this, we’ll continue his legacy and protect those he loved.”

„You don’t have to do that!”

„I know, but I’ll do it anyway!”

„Why?”

„I owe my life to Dja Iun. All of us owe it because… he gave all of us a reason to live and a home. He taught us not only how to survive but how to live too, just as he taught us what loyalty means. That’s why we’ll always be by your side, even after bringing justice to him. Be sure of this, Detective because… being his friend, you’ve gotten to be our friend too!”

SolHi said nothing after such words. She did that because she was aware that there weren’t any more words needed. Not only did she know that, but Bear was also aware of this. Even so, she couldn’t say that she didn’t feel weird hearing a stranger telling her that he cared about her and wanted to know her safe. The reason? Too many of those whom she had believed in betrayed her, something that made her not believe in the loyalty of the strangers. Even so, she had to do this because they proved to her that they were someone she could trust, although they didn’t know each other for too long. This also didn’t impede her from staying with them and allowing them to help her in that investigation even if it was dangerous to do that.

Honestly, even if her mind asked her to trust the young men from Dja Iun’s gang, SolHi’s heart asked her to be careful too. Why exactly? Life taught her that. Life taught her that even the one who gave you life could betray you, that’s why the stranger could do that too. Her father betrayed her when she was only a child. Her mother did that too when turned her life into a nightmare, and So Ari did the same thing, although SolHi did everything to help her. Then… she betrayed herself and DooSan did that to her too when, along with Kan, he checked her past behind her back.

SolHi found out all this from Lee the day she accepted to enter jail. That day, Lee told her where Kan and DooSan had been the night Do Ian Djun died. Finding out all this, SolHi put everything together and understood that DooSan’s care and love were simple words. Because of this, she refused to see him in that year spent in jail. She did that besides wanting him safe. SolHi refused to see him also because she was afraid that she could trust him again and be betrayed by him one more time. Eventually, she did violence to her conscience and accepted him next to her again. Yet, this didn’t mean that her fear that DooSan could betray her again vanished. No, SolHi was sure that DooSan would betray her again. When exactly? It was only a matter of time until he would have done that to her again and she would have found this out…