Jung tied his shoelaces as he glared at the reflection of the clinic from the glass door of the coffee shop opposite the establishment across the street. Today is Thursday, and yet the clinic is closed because Doctor Soyeon left the province to attend a family wedding. Jung knew this because the doctor told him so just a few days ago. He even saw the papers permitting her to do so from the Ministry of Transportation.

Even then, the clinic is far from unguarded. The unknown guard that the doctor hired to look after the clinic was the owner of the unique boots that Jung discovered at Eun Mei’s crime scene. Somehow, the bastard was involved in this for some reason. But why? What interest does this grown man have in Eun Mei?

It just doesn’t make any sense.

Jung reviewed what he knew about the man. Late 30’s to mid-40s. The uncle knows how to handle himself based on his balance and weight distribution on his feet. The jeans look well worn and yet stretch comfortably, making it easier to kick or run. And then there are the freaking boots. It is also good for both defense and offense. Now that he is thinking about it, the leather jacket he always wore can also be used as a form of armor.

Yeeeah, maybe he should not deal with him head-on.

Jung turned his head surreptitiously from side to side. No one is walking outside the clinic, and the doors are closed, with an emphatic sign telling anyone that the clinic is indeed closed. But the lights inside the windows are open, indicating that the room is occupied.

So if he is indeed involved with Eun Mei’s abduction, then why the hell is he still here in the clinic? What would be more important than Eun Mei? Jung stopped for a moment, thinking hard.

The medicine?

Why?

Now that he thinks about it, he wonders why there is so much medicine from that particular brand in the clinic. Sure, it's medicine, and the clinic may utilize it, but that is like 20 years of supply for the entire population of the town already. There is simply no need to stock up on that many. So why?

Jung made his way across the street and passed the clinic’s front door. He bypassed it all together, and he walked in the nearby alley to go to the back of the clinic, where he knew there was a door. He tried it nevertheless, but of course, it was locked. But there is another way.

Several feet away from the backdoor is an exhaust fan that goes directly to the patient’s restroom. Jung already noticed a long time ago that the entire panel is connected only by two lonely screws, and the damn thing rattles annoyingly. Surprisingly, only Jung Hee is the only one who is bothered by it. Maybe it is because he is an actual employee who spends some time in the clinic. The other patients barely notice it. Jung slightly lifted the contraption so he could manipulate the bolts with his nails. He needed to be careful because the machine was activated and he would lose a few fingers if he didn’t focus. 2 minutes later, Jung is able to easily dismantle the entire gismo and then carefully drop it to the ground. He then climbed the small opening and wiggled himself inside the room.

Dropping silently, Jung waited for a bit and listened to everyone around him. He heard the tell-tale sign of a person wandering around the upper floor. The clinic is a duplex house that both serves as the doctor’s business and her home. The ground floor and the basement are for the clinic, while the upper floor is her apartment. The mystery guard is somehow staying at the doctor’s apartment.

Are they in a relationship? Jung wondered.

Jung hesitated. What the fuck am I doing here?

The boot pattern suddenly became less compelling, and the evidence pointing to the man just became circumstantial at best. He is breaking into someone’s home because... because of what?

A hunch?

He shook his head. A flash of Eun Mei’s distressed face was all he needed to strengthen his resolve once more. He left the restroom and sneaked his way first to the basement. Sure enough, the massive load of drugs called Eliquix, a sort of powerful blood thinner, is stacked neatly in the middle of the basement, nearly filling the entire room.

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Jung immediately noticed the camera in one corner of the room. But all Jung did was close the basement lights, and the camera was useless. It is one of those cheap knock-offs from the 90s with grainy visuals and no infrared vision capabilities. The moment Jung closed the lights, it rendered the damn thing useless. Jung, meanwhile, has no problem seeing in the dark with his own natural night vision, and he stepped closer inside to look for a manifest and any other form of billing or serial number he can find in the box filing.

He found everything he was looking for in the boxes and more. Jung frowned at himself. So this isn’t anything done in the black market, Jung thought. Everything seems so official. Frowning, Jung turned and walked back outside. While he did so, he returned the lights. The entire incident barely lasted 20 seconds, and hopefully, whoever is looking at the camera won't see the quick disturbance.

Jung made his way up the stairs, which was the only way that led to the top entrance and into the doctor’s private sanctuary. Jung had never been invited to the doctor’s home, and he had no idea about the room layout. But as he silently walked upstairs, he stopped halfway through as he continued to listen. His Listening skills suddenly became useful at a time like this. Whoever is upstairs has no problem making noises, and from the way his weight moves on the wooden floor, Jung can guess that he is just beyond the door. Jung surmised that beyond the door was the direct living room since he could hear the television working and the skid marks of some heavy furniture, probably a sofa or a long table. Either way, the guard is just beyond the door, and there is no way for him to sneak in.

He could just kick the door open, barge in, beat the crap out of the guy, and threaten him to tell him where the hell Eun Mei is. But the dude looks like he is not just going to break with a few bitch slaps. And if he is wrong about his hunch, then such action is a one-way ticket to the gulag.

With a sigh, Jung slowly retreated and walked back out of the confined corridor or stairs.

On the ground floor, Jung looked around until he found a row of windows in the inner-upper part of the duplex, and with a series of parkour jumps and acrobatics, Jung hung on a window sill with his fingertips. He quickly climbed back up, and with a quick tag, he was able to enter the upper rooms. One quick look and Jung realized he was in the doctor’s bedroom. He walked near the door, and he could hear the loud TV still in the living room, presumably distracting the dude guarding the house. The door to the bedroom is only ajar, and with the right angle, you can look inside and outside. Carefully, Jung risked it and noticed the guard cooking something in the kitchen. The television was indeed blaring, but the man was more interested in his phone as he cooked.

Jung retreated quickly and looked around the only room he had access to. In a controlled panic, Jung opened drawers and cabinets to find anything he could use and explain why this idiot was involved with Eun Mei’s abduction.

Side drawer, nope. Cabinet? Just full of mattresses and typical dresses. Check the wall pictures for possible secrets… nothing. Under the bed? Huh, nothing but dust. The doctor should clean that at least once a week.

A small commotion in the living room made Jung’s heart jump, and he almost dove out of the window. But everything subsided, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Then he noticed a pad of paper in the same desk drawer he’d been looking at for a while now. There is nothing written on the top paper but Jung can feel the indentation of the last one written on it. With his "touching" skill, Jung immediately recognized the doctor's handwriting

It was a simple list written in the doctor’s penmanship. Jung had seen her writing for a while, and now he can instantly recognize it. Using his touch, Jung is able to read the simple previous note.

The note listed:

*2 trucks, 2 drivers—1,350k won.

*Province road permit: 150k won

*Jae Kyung (labor): 100k won

*Guang (labor): 100k won

*Baek-hyeon (labor): 100k won

*Iseul (security): 400k won

Total: 2.2 million won

By Sunday!

Kim Jung-hee stared at the residue of the note for a long while. He remembered the names Jae Kyung and Guang. They were the same dude who harassed Bon Won during the gym incident a few year ago. Of course, it could have been any other person with the same name, but Jung doesn’t buy it. He is a local and lived his entire life in this part of the world, and he knew every other local in town, at least on sight.

It could be an outsider, sure, but his instinct didn’t think so. The doctor is using the delinquents in town. He finally has confirmation that the mystery guard in the living room, who owns the boots in the footprint, and Jae Kyung, the delinquent owner of the sunglasses he found at the scene of Eun Mei’s kidnapping, are connected. Sure, it could still be coincidental, but Jung doesn’t buy it. If there is smoke and all that.

Then he remembered Eun Mei asking him about the boxes of medicine in the clinic several days ago. Are they all related? Is the doctor somehow connected with all of this? Then Jung looked at the door. He imagines himself kicking it open and beating the unprepared guard in the other room. But all he has is a footprint on the scene of the crime. The bastard can easily slip out of it by pointing out how far-fetched his evidence is. Then Jung gave a loud sigh.

No, there are too many loopholes for him to wiggle out of.

Then his eyes returned to the note. More specifically, to the name Jae Kyung. Now this one is different. He remembered noticing the blood on one side of the sunglasses, and a sudden image of a bloody Eun Mei made his blood boil all over again. The evidence should be right in his face, and he can lean on him. The bastard was there when the girl was abducted, and he actively aided in Eun Mei’s disappearance.

I will find the truth even if I have to reach down his throat and force it out of him.

Then his eyes returned to the note and slid to another name. Guang. Jung Hee remembered a semi-conscious fat boy during the gym incident that he almost bashed with a dumbbell. He never saw Jae Kyung again in the following years, but this Guang dude happened to cross paths in town at least a few times as Jung went back and forth around town because of his duties in the junkyard or at the clinic. Usually, they look at each other accidentally, and then Guang looks away first. He never really changes direction and just goes where he wants to go, and Jung never stops him, but both are aware of each other and what happened in the past.

So Jung has a general idea of where the bastards go. And by following him, this Guang fellow will eventually lead him to Jae Kyung, who will then bring him to Eun Mei. Jung silently opened the window and climbed out.

Just wait for me, Eun Mei, Jung thought grimly as he jumped out of the window of the doctor’s room.

I’m coming…