Misun
*Around midnight*
I could not sleep, not at all. I had been going from the morning simply on caffeine. I had drunk so much coffee that my hand shook slightly – or maybe that was just nerves. All I knew was that I simply could not sleep. All I could see was the case…
The case…it was better to refer to it like that. It helped me to focus – to not let myself get my judgement clouded with emotions. If I let myself open up to the emotions, I would just drown in them.
I sighed as I looked back at the board where I had a copy of all the information I had so far. Natalie was murdered in her own, after being tortured. Good God – that thought alone still made me sick to my stomach.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to get myself to focus. I needed to focus. I opened them back up and looked at the personal information bit.
Park Natalie was twenty-seven years old. She worked as a scientific researcher for a private company that focused on medicine and medical interventions. We didn’t know much about her job, but we did know she worked in the research department.
She lived alone in an apartment in Seoul. She had been living there for quite some time, even before the accident that had put her in a wheelchair. For the past six months, Taehyung often slept over at her apartment, but not always. It depended on their schedule – both her work and his.
Last night was one of those nights where Taehyung didn’t sleepover. Our team had stayed late to finalize a case and then went out for some celebratory drinks. Then we all headed to our respective apartments together, including Taehyung. Natalie had worked late so she had not come for the drinks with us. She was then given a lift by her co-worker Hyun-Joo.
Jungkook and I had interviewed him since he was one of the last people to see her alive. He had driven her to her apartment and then went to meet a couple of friends in a bar. His friends confirmed his presence, along with the barman and the CCTV camera footage from the bar, confirming and solidifying his alibi.
Yoongi had gone over financials and didn’t find anything suspicious. His team even went through her electronics and e-mails, but there didn’t seem to be any threats going her way. He even managed to get the CCTV footage from the camera right outside the apartment. All we got were two masked men…which I guess was better than nothing.
I looked over at the forensic information we had which was rather scarce, not for a lack of trying. Hoseok’s team spent hours, trying to go over all the crooks and crannies but didn’t find much. It was clear that gloves were used and the perps were very careful about what they were doing. They left no trace – nothing to go by.
By the looks of things, they were professional. That was the only explanation for the lack of evidence left behind and the torture – but the questions remained – why and who?
I grabbed the glass of whiskey I was drinking and threw it at the wall, unable to help myself as I let out a little scream. ‘Goddammit!!’ I yelled as I rested against the table.
I felt my eyes burn with tears that wanted to fall, but I refused to let them do so. I reached for my packet of cigarettes and pulled another one out. I lit it up and inhaled, letting the smoke fill my lungs, hoping it can calm me down. I knew it was bad for my health, everyone who smoked knew that and especially at the rate I was going at, but right now, it was the only thing that could calm me down.
No, that wasn’t true either. Jungkook could but I could not go to him, no matter how much I wished for that. If Natalie’s murder reminded me anything is how fragile life is – how easily someone can be taken from you and in our line of work, that is even easier. I can’t let myself fall. It won’t end good – not for me or Jungkook. I had to protect myself and him, but right now I had other things to worry about.
I frowned once more as I paced around the room, settling back in front of the board, just as I inhaled another breath of the deadly poison in my hand.
Suddenly, I heard the door open and I instantly reached for my gun. I turned around, took a step forward, gun aimed at … Jungkook.
‘Whoa calm down, it’s only me,’ he said as I sighed and put down the gun. ‘And why the hell are you smoking again? I thought you quit!’ he said with a scowl as he approached me hurriedly.
He took my cigarette from my hand and squashed it, making me roll my eyes as I put my gun back in its place.
‘I just… I needed it,’ I said as I walked back to the board, hearing his footsteps right behind me.
‘I get it but what happened to coming to me when you need to calm down or when you’re overwhelmed?’ he asked, his voice a hundred times gentler. I just shrugged. ‘What’s going on with you today? I mean I know it’s hard, but it’s hard for all of us. Why are you shutting me out?’ he asked.
‘Because I need to focus Jungkook,’ I said. I saw him flinch slightly, both at my tone of voice and the use of his full name. ‘Sorry, I’m sorry. I just…I’m so angry and…and scared…and God, I haven’t felt like this in a long time,’ I said, struggling to just not break down in front of him.
‘I know princess, I know. It hurts and it makes you angry because it makes me angry too. I feel lost and it just doesn’t make sense, but princess, you have to let me, us, in. You’re more than capable of doing this case on your own, but don’t break yourself like that,’ he said.
‘I just want to catch the *s who did this to her. Natalie…she…she couldn’t even defend herself Jungkook!’ I yelled as I felt myself fisting my hands while trying to ease my anger.
‘And we will princess… we will, I promise,’ he said as he pulled me into a hug. I felt myself go stiff. I wanted to push him away and he seemed to sense that, but instead of letting go, he hugged me tighter. I felt his arms around my back as he squeezed me against him. I felt him bury his face in the crook of my neck and shoulder while his other hand went to the back of my head. ‘Please…princess, please don’t let me go,’ he whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.
Yoongi
I tossed and turned in my bed, frowning loudly. I looked at the watch that marked 2:45 am, almost as if it was mocking me and my inability to sleep.
HA! Who would have thought I – Min Yoongi would not be able to sleep? I sighed as I got out of bed and walked out of the bedroom. I walked into my daughter’s bedroom and smiled as I saw her fast asleep in her bed. My little Bong-Cha was growing up quickly but she still liked to cuddle to things to sleep. For the past year, that had been a soft toy that Jin’s son – Yoseob – had given her.
I smiled as I recalled that memory. We had been at the park, having a picnic. Most of the group were playing football, including the girls. Jin and I had decided to stay sitting down, playing with Yoseob and Bong-Cha.
Bong-Cha was five at the time and Yoseob six. They were playing catch when Bong-Cha fell and scraped her knee while she busted her lip. She had instantly started crying and while I ran to her, Yoseob was already hugging her, not caring about getting blood on him.
It had taken a while to calm her down, but she had remained upset. So, Yoseob waddled to his bag of toys and pulled out his favourite panda soft toy and gave it to her. Ever since that day, she never let go of it.
We always commented how close the two were, almost like siblings, yet a part of me wondered what the future held for them. I couldn’t help but think that maybe…just maybe… those two would have a future together. It would be pretty cute…and that meant I could rest my mind that my little angel would be with someone good because Yoseob already showed how much of a gentleman he was going to be.
I left the room and headed towards the kitchen. I switched on the little lights by the counter and went to the cupboard. I grabbed a glass and put it on the counter and then headed towards the fridge. I opened it and pulled out a bottle of water. I closed the fridge but my eyes fell on a photo that was attached with a magnet.
I grabbed it and took it and the water to the counter. I filled the glass and set the bottle down and took a sip while I grabbed the photo with my other hand. I stared at it, unsure of what to feel.
The photo showed everyone in our little family. It showed Jin and Yoseob sporting a matching pink sweater while Hana was wearing a bright white one. There was me next to Areum while Bong-cha was on my shoulders. Hoseok was next to Eunji, holding her tightly by the waist.
There was also Namjoon who was back hugging Boram who was holding their daughter in her arms. She was still a baby! Jimin and Jungkook were goofing about next to Misun who was sporting a big smile. Then there was also Taehyung and Natalie, with Taehyung joking around and appearing to be as if he was sitting on Natalie’s lap.
We had laughed so much when we took that photo! I heard myself chuckle all while I felt tears running down my cheeks. I sniffed as I tried to stop myself but the tears just fell.
I cried for Natalie. I cried because she was so pure and she didn’t deserve to get tortured and killed in her own home. I cried because my friend had been hurt, in pain, scared and alone. I cried for Taehyung. I cried because he had lost the person he loved more than anyone else. I cried because he lost the love of his life. I had really thought their love story was given a second chance, but it was not their fate. What they were given was not a second chance at love, but a chance at reconciliation – proper reconciliation.
I cried for Misun. I had seen that look in her eyes – a look that scared me. It was a look of overwhelming feelings coming together – sadness, grief and anger, but there was also determination. I knew she was determined to get the sons of *es who did this, yet, I was still scared. Last time, emotions got the best of her and she rushed into a house that was on fire. She spent days unconscious and then more days taking care of the burn on her back. I was worried for her.
Suddenly, I felt arms hugging me from behind causing me to flinch. ‘Shh baby, it’s only me,’ my wife said as she kissed in the space right between my shoulder blades.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up,’ I said as I remained like that for a while.
‘You didn’t love. I um…I woke up from a nightmare,’ she admitted. I sighed as I turned around and she tilted her head. ‘You were crying. You should have woken me up,’ she said as she reached for my face and wiped away the tears with her thumbs.
‘I just… I feel so sad, so angry and just so worried about Taehyung and Misun,’ I admitted.
‘I know baby,’ she said as she wrapped my head around my neck. ‘Do you want to talk about it?’ she asked.
‘Not really. I’ll have to spend plenty of time tomorrow investigating this. Right now, I just want to be in your arms,’ I admitted.
‘I can help with that. Let’s get you to bed first hmm? What do you think yeobo?’ she asked and I nodded. I put the glass of water in the sink and the photo back in place and then let her lead me to the bed.
Instead of me spooning her into my arms, I rest my head on her tummy while I hugged her. She played with my hair, relaxing me and I sighed slightly once more.
‘Baby…you know how much I love you, right?’ I asked.
‘Of course, I do and I love you too my little sugar cube,’ she said, making me chuckle slightly at the nickname of when we had started going out and coming up with weird endearing names.
‘Please…please never leave me. I… I would die without you yeobo,’ I said as I snuggled closer to her.
‘I’m not going anywhere love. You’re stuck with me for a very long time,’ she said.
‘Good,’ I said as I wrapped my hand around her waist.