"There's more, sir."
"Yes?"
"Well," the scrawny man shifted slightly, not sure how graphic to get with the details. Although Kae Jong had worked for the Song family for many years now, a recent promotion had placed him among Prince Song's inner circle of men—a promotion he wasn't sure would be a blessing or a curse yet—and he didn't quite know how to read the deceptively calm man in front of him.
Indeed, the Song heir stood leaning easily against the wall, arms folded casually in front of him like he was listening to a typical business report and not the details of a criminal who had hurt his close friend and an innocent girl. But though Woo Bin seemed unaffected by the news, Kae Jong knew better than to take things at face value. This observational skill had allowed him to progress quickly in his field despite his slight stature and earned him the position he now held as one of the five men allowed to personally report to the mafia heir.
Watching the man now coolly interrogating him, Kae Jong knew if there was anything similar between Woo Bin and his well-known mafia lord father, it was their ability to handle "business" with steely cold resolve rather than emotions—a trait that had earned them both respect and fear in the underground world they presided over.
Refocusing, Kae Jong decided to just lay out the facts, "we think Dae Sabs been targeting the young lady and So Yi Jeong for quite some time now. Security footage shows him stalking her and trailing behind the two at night, as well as buying multiply knives in a specialty store. The store clerk said he was a regular and often came to add to his collection."
Woo Bin stood as calm as ever, but a dangerous flicker crossed his eyes at this news. There was a long pause before he spoke again.
"What of his family?" came the dark tone.
"Typical upper middle class, nothing remarkable. Father works for the government, and mother is a daughter of the Lee family, so they have some old connections but little backing from anyone significant. We also searched Dae Sab's personal rooms in the family's estate, but nothing turned up. The man lives like a robot, not a thing out of place," Kae Jong added in disgust, seeing the scowl forming on his boss's face, the man rushed out with the last bit of his report, "But we did find an apartment taken out in his name not more than 6 months ago."
The song heir looked at him with new interest, "An apartment?"
"Yes, sir, the boys were going to search it when we got your call, but I thought it best to report first."
"Very well," Woo Bin ruffled a hand through his hair, "spread a rumor that the Song family has taken a particular interest in Dae Sab's 'activities,' hopefully his family knows better than to try and help their scumbag of a son. As for the police, we'll let them handle him for now. Let me know if he's released on bail or they fail to press charges."
Pushing off the wall, Woo Bin headed out of the hospital room he had commandeered for this little conference when, stopping at the door, he turned and ordered coolly, "Oh, and leave the apartment alone for now. I want to take a look at it myself."
"Bad news?" Jun Pyo questioned seeing Woo Bin's stormy expression as he entered Yi Jeong's hospital room and sat opposite the ShinHwa heir.
Glancing around, Woo Bin ignored the question, "Where's Yi Jeong? Don't tell me he's refusing treatment again?"
"No, he's in her room." Ji Hoo answered from the door before walking in to collapse on the single unoccupied recliner in a tired heap.
"Awake yet?"
"No, not yet. You know Yi Jeong though, can't blame him for wanting to be close." Ji Hoo closed his eyes against the blinding sunlight streaming through the window with a grimace, he'd been working around the clock as an extra hand for the hospital since they arrived yesterday—the one condition the hospital had in allowing him to oversee Ga Eul's treatment—and had barely taken a moment's break since. He just needed to catch a few zzs, heaven knew he wouldn't get any rest until his stubborn friend relented and let the hospital take care of him.
Hopefully, Jandi would have some luck convincing him to take a break and let the others stand watch for a while. Still, Ji Hoo didn't hold out much hope for that, he'd seen the man stubborn before but nothing compared to the determination that burned in his friend's eyes when anyone tried to convince him to leave Ga Eu's side for even a moment. Yi Jeong had changed since Ji Hoo last saw him, he'd become more grown-up and wasn't afraid to show his protectiveness of those he cared about-long gone were his days of cool indifference to the world, Ji Hoo thought with a soft smile.
"Your friend would do better to get some rest and leave the girl to the professionals," a curt voice broke in, causing all heads to snap up to see who the rude intruder was. It was the same snappy nurse from the other day, only this time she seemed even more frazzled and annoyed as she scurried about the room, syringes in hand, yanking drawers open here and there before banging them closed and rummaging through more.
Seeing the reddening faces of the two more hot-headed members of the F4 as they glared at the irate lady who had so brusquely intruded, Ji Hoo quickly intervened before they could explode at the nurse. "Well, Ms. Jun, is it? You don't know our friend, and I'd kindly remind you to keep your opinions to yourself in the future, it's both unprofessional and warranted." Ji Hoo knew it wouldn't do to further irritate the woman in charge of the burn unit so had kept his words short and to the point.
Stopping in her tracks in a huff, the woman turned her icy glare towards the trio whose flushed faces and tense jaws did little to hide their anger or how much they were restraining themselves. "Maybe so, but your friend could face permanent damage to his hands for that girl if he doesn't listen to the specialist and get therapy instead of staying in her room all day." Seeing the others about to interrupt, Nurse Jun rushed on with her acrid words, "And you'd do better to consider your friend's health and not expect everyone to jump at your beck and call. This is a hospital for goodness sakes, and certain procedures need to be followed regardless of who your parents are," she spit out with a sniff before turning on her heel and slamming out the door.
A stool clashed against the wall before falling on its side as Jun Pyo rose abruptly from where he had been sitting about to storm after the nurse in his rage. Ji Hoo was about to stop him, but he didn't have to; Jun Pyo had paused at the door, hands gripping the handle before turning slowly and pacing back towards the window at the far end of the room. Stooping calmly to upend the stool he had left moments before, Jun Pyo returned it to its corner before turning to face the window. Seemingly calm and collected, the tall, curly-haired man didn't move for several minutes, but Ji Hoo noted the way his hands clenched the windowsill and knew he was tamping down his rage. It appeared more than one of his friends had changed over the years, and in the same way Ga Eul's presence had changed Yi Jeong, it seemed Jandi's fiery spirit had inspired this more controlled Jun Pyo.
"She seems to have a personal vendetta against us."
"Yeah, no kidding." Woo Bin dug out his phone in annoyance.
"She's got a point though—don't give me those looks—I mean about Yi Jeong getting his therapy…He refuses to even think about it till Ga Eul's out of the woods." Ji Hoo rubbed fingers over tired eyelids, choosing not to notice his friends' pointed looks in his direction.
"Well, some things matter more," Woo Bin eventually broke the silence hotly.
Jun Pyo nodded from where he stood. Somewhat surprised at Woo Bin's outburst, he eyed the man curiously as he turned slightly to face his friends, "I know if it was Jandi, I'd never leave her side, even if it meant being permanently handicapped, which for Yi Jeong, thankfully it doesn't. He just might lose full range of motion if what the specialist said this morning was true."
"The burns that bad?"
"No, but the doctor thinks he must have smashed his hand against something, it looked pretty messed up."
"Probably that creep's face." Woo Bin offered from the corner where he was still pouring over his phone, typing away furiously.
"Or the wood walls of that shed" came Ji Hoo's dry reasoning.
"Either way, he'll need therapy if he's going to fully recover use of his hands, it wouldn't hurt him to take a break either."
"Well, you can be the one to tell him he needs to rest, I already tried and he almost murdered me."
"I think we should just leave Yi Jeong alone for now. He doesn't need us pressuring him"
"Yeah, but is it fair for him to sacrifice his hands? Pottery was his life for so long, the one thing that gave him peace from his family."
"Perhaps so, but it seems to me Ga Eul's replaced that need in his life." Woo Bin answered slowly, "Now, about that nurse…"
"Are you sure Yi Jeong was involved?"
"Yes, sir. We've already stopped any negative broadcasts about the incident. Although the majority has been positive, a few outlets tried to slant it as a publicity stunt for the new exhibit. In fact, our major shareholders are prepping for a meeting right now to handle—"
The gray-haired man leaned back in his chair, no longer listening as a distant look crept over his face. Perhaps his grandson would be alright after all.
"—Sir?"
"Hmm?"
"Should we send men to move Yi Jeong to the So clinic?"
"ah, yes, I suppose you should."
The man bowed and was about to leave when the old gentlemen thought better and stopped him.
"Leave him be for now."
"But sir—"
"that's all."
Yi Jeong stared at the still form hooked up to countless wires as monitors beeped their steady, torturous rhythm. Ga Eul looked so small and fragile lying there almost swallowed up in her hospital bed, her usually glowing face now paler than her pillow with bandages wrapped around her arms and neck hinting at the extent of her injuries. It had been hours since surgery, and she was still unconscious to the world around her, unaware of the person sitting beside her or his silent pleas that she would wake up.
A soft tap sounded on the door and a familiar figure walked in, wheeling behind her a hospital computer. "It looks worse than it is," Jandi said sympathetically, gesturing to the bandages with a sad smile while she began recording stats and talking encouragingly to the troubled man.
"Fortunately, the majority of her burns are first and second degree—I don't know how she did it, but she managed to avoid the worst of the flames, even on her way out of that burning shed—though I suspect you had something to do with that." The kindly nurse eyed him proudly, nevertheless, noting his own bandaged hands, she continued in a slightly firmer voice, "still haven't let Ji Hoo take your scans?"
"I'm fine. What about her lungs? Did the tests show anything?" Yi Jeong studied the nurse carefully, he knew she wouldn't hide anything from him but this whole experience had caused him to be wary of everyone, even his closest friends.
"As Ji Hoo probably mentioned earlier, we're concerned about the amount of smoke she inhaled. Unfortunately, it's impossible to say for sure what the extent of the damage is at the moment. All we can do is wait and let her rest. I wish I had better news, but that's all we know till her scans come back. Now, its time you went back and got some rest yourself—"
"I'm not—"
"Now don't even try, let me remind you I'm just as stubborn as you" the nurse balled both firsts on her hips and grinned disarmingly at the man who looked about to drop from exhaustion any second. "She'll be alright for now, her oxygen levels were pretty low when she got here, but there has been a steady improvement which is a really good sign. Come on now, I promise to let you know the minute her results are in."
With that, Yi Jeong allowed Jandi to lead him back to his room on the condition she alert him if there was any change at all.
Remnants of broken glass crunched under Woo Bin's feet as he crossed the threshold into the luxurious apartment. Woo Bin knew his men had done their job and left the apartment untouched, so the damaged entry meant someone else had already broken into the place. Perhaps the creep's family had tried to destroy evidence of his wrongdoings and left the apartment destroyed in an attempt to elude suspicion? He hoped for their sake they hadn't attempted to interfere as he trudged through more glass past the entry and into the apartment's open layout. Strangely, the broken window shards were the only hint someone else had been here. Everything else was untouched.
"Not exactly the kinda place you'd expect a loser like that to live in" Jun Pyo's voice could be heard already surveying the kitchen area while Woo Bin continued into the living room and down a hallway. Now that Yi Jeong was finally resting and both patients in good hands under Ji Hoo and Jandi's careful eye, Jun Pyo had insisted on coming and Woo Bin had been only too glad to have his friend with him.
Taking in the furnishings and the shelves of expensive wines and vintage music records that lined the spacious rooms, Woo Bin had to agree,
"Yeah, guess it makes sense cuz of his mother's connections. Still, I always picture those types living in slums somewhere."
A slam met his ears, followed by a few more bangs of cupboards and crashes of dishes.
"yah, keep it down. We're investigating not ransacking the place."
"the man's got even less food in his fridge than Ji Hoo, can you believe it?"
"Really? Looking for a snack at a time like this?"
"Hey, I'm just making sure he doesn't keep drugs or something in here," however, the barely audible sound of crunching betrayed the great F4 leader's words, and Woo Bin shook his head at the man who could flip so quickly from serious to childlike.
Turning back to his perusal, Woo Bin squinted his brows as a decorative wall hanging met his gaze, thought he was just a college bum, what's with all the antiques? Stepping closer, he noticed a blade missing from the mounted knife display. A cold shiver passed down his spine. What was with this guy? Why did Woo Bin get the feeling he had stumbled down into some dark, dungeon-esque sanctuary despite the white walls and bright iridescent lights? Shaking these thoughts from his mind, he continued through room after room, half expecting to discover something, anything, that would give a clue into the stalker's psyche. But each room was as empty as the last; save for a few sparsely furnished corners and the occasional decoration, the apartment was bare.
Making his way down the last of the rooms opening on either side of the hallway, Woo Bin eventually came to the final door. Perhaps this room would yield some answers, he thought as he shoved the dark cherrywood door open. More blank white walls greeted him. There was a large bed flush against the wall, a lone dresser in the far corner, and a single wardrobe opposite it, but besides that, nothing. Nothing. Maybe he was just a random stalker after all? No dark secrets, no mystery behind his harassment of Ga Eul or Yi Jeong? Just a random creep that had picked the wrong targets?
The dresser held nothing, it was completely empty except for a few papers in the top drawer and scarf in the next. Odd. Opening the stately wardrobe, a line of perfectly tailored suits and a row of neatly placed shoes filled the small compartment. It matched the rest of the house. Polished. Sophisticated. Bland. But something was off. It was all too perfect…even the F4's family mansions with all their maids, butlers, and house staff had rooms that were "lived in;" a coat thrown over a chair, paperwork on a desk, pictures of relatives on the walls…this place was stripped bare of any touch of warmth or humanity. It was stark and almost sterile like the hospital Woo Bin and Jun Pyo had just come from. The thought of their friend in the hospital renewed Woo Bin's anger, and he slammed the wardrobe door shut in a rage, shaking the frame as it creaked on its hinges.
But the sound was off.
The thud had echoed.
Yanking the door open again, Woo Bin felt along the wardrobe's back paneling in a frenzy. Cursing to find nothing but the smooth polished wood, Woo Bin turned his attention to inspecting the edges of the small interior, working his way slowly around the backing till, at last, he found it—a small, paper-thin ridge along the rightmost side. The flaw was almost imperceivable, but such an imperfection didn't belong in expensive furnishing such as this unless it was intentional. Digging his nails into the slight crevice, all Woo Bin needed was a slight tug and the paneling swung open in a wide arch, pushing the suits above it to the side in a sweep. A hidden compartment.
Night had long fallen, bringing with it nightmares that tore away at the young man twisting and turning in his hospital bed. Visions plaguing his dreams and sleep evading him, it was no surprise Yi Jeong found himself creeping back towards the one room that could bring him some peace. He had to see her.
The room was as still as ever, the open blinds allowing the moon to cast an eerie glow on the young girl's face as she lay unmoving in the quiet. Yi Jeong settled in a chair close to the bedside and wrapped the blankets more carefully about her form.
I don't care if I never make anything again, you have to be alright. Yi Jeong's head sunk into his hands as his mind swirled with memories of the girl who had been so full of life just a day ago. Please come back to me, Ga Eul.
"Come on, just a bite."
"No way you're getting me to try that. That's just wrong."
"What do you mean?" Ga Eul asked coyly, wiggling the grilled chicken foot under his noise, stifling a laugh at his freaked-out expression.
"It's just wrong. I shouldn't be tasting something that's run around in the dirt and its own, well, you know."
"Pfftt, you won't even try it? It's the perfect drinking snack."
"I just won't eat something that still has its claws," Yi Jeong involuntarily shuddered at the thought and wondered what his award-winning chief back home would think about this "snack" experience that might as well have been exotic given how foreign it was to him.
The girl just giggled lightly, crunching down on another "delicacy" she had plopped in hot sauce, and Yi Jeong felt himself melt as she looked back at him, cheeks flushed with warmth and doe eyes glowing in her slightly intoxicated state.
If only he could rewind the clock and go back to those happy moments when she had smiled so brightly at him. Sitting in this hospital room, those moments seemed less tangible than a daydream. Yi Jeong leaned his head against the bed where his hand held hers and looked up at the angelic girl whose face hadn't escaped the scars of fire. A small bandage over her right brow crinkled with a grimace. Wait! Yi Jeong couldn't be sure, his half-asleep brain had fooled him more than once, but, there it was again! Her brow had creased ever so slightly, eyelashes quivering as if fighting to open…it was barely perceivable, but all Yi Jeong needed to renew his hope. She would wake up. She would recover. She had to.
Woo Bin's blood ran cold as he stood frozen, staring at the stomach-turning display before him. A collage of pictures was plastered over every last square inch of space in the small compartment. Pictures of college students, pictures of young girls on the streets, even pictures of the back of heads on buses met his gaze. All girls, all with long dark hair, and all oblivious of the creep that had stalked them. Woo Bin felt a sickening weight in his stomach as he recognized the sweet face of Ga Eul among them. The man had dozens of pictures of her. And, while many of the random images scattered haphazardly along the wall were taken from far away, all the photos of Ga Eul were taken at a close range, hinting at the boldness Dae Sab's sick obsession had given him. A setup towards the center made Woo Bin's blood boil in rage, if he could get his hands on the bastard, the man would regret the day he was born.
"Anything?" Jun Pyo's voice broke through the darkness filling Woo Bin's mind as the leader poked his head around the bedroom door,
Woo bin stepped aside, too angry to speak, allowing him a full view of the hidden shrine. For a shrine, it was, with incense sticks placed strategically below the largest center picture of Ga Eul smiling broadly at a man, a man whose face had been scratched out and in whose head the missing blade from the display case sat, firmly anchored in the wall where it had been pinned. Neither had to guess who the man was.
"Shit."
