„Prosecutor Han, I don’t know what’s between you and SolHi, but I must ask you to make her stay away from the case,” Kan told DooSan a few days ago when he came, as usual, to see him, and, since then, the detective’s words weren’t allowing DooSan calmly breath.

„What are you thinking so insistently of?” Marie asked. She was sitting next to the bed, cleaning some fruits.

Her question made DooSan wince. „What? What did you say, mother?” he eventually said, looking thunderstruck at Marie while trying to hide from her the big storm inside him.

„I was asking what are you thinking of, but… I’ll better shut up shop. I’m sure you won’t tell me about this. Or… I’m not right?”

„No, you are. I prefer to keep my thoughts for me.”

„Then, I hope you’ll tell me at least when they’ll let you go home.”

„Probably tomorrow. As the analysis is good, I can be home till the leg will be fine… why are you asking?”

„To prepare your room till then. You hadn't been home for ages. So, there’s a little bit…”

„Home? No way!” DooSan shouted, and Marie let the knife fall on the plate, watching furiously at her son.

„And… may I know why exactly?!”

„How do you think, mom?! I think that’s a little bit weird to be tied to my mother’s apron strings at my age! I’m 33-years-old, for God's Sake. I think I can handle this alone, even if I can move in one leg only.”

„What I think is that you prefer that woman to take care of you and not your mother,” and her words, said with jealousy, made DooSan stare at her.

„How did you find out?”

„Do you think that there is something in this world that you can hide from me, DooSan? I wouldn’t be a good mother if I didn’t know what my son is doing.”

„You never had the whip hand over YuSan,” DooSan murmured, sulky.

„And look how he finished. If I had kept an eye on him…”

„Mother, he was 30-years-old. He was old enough to have his own decisions. Even if he had a lot of secrets that we’ve been forced to find out only after his death. And you know very well which ones.”

„Your brother’s decisions are not to be discussed, DooSan.”

„And mine, yes?”

„DooSan, please, don’t start. You know very well that if YuSan didn’t say a word it means he had reason to act like this.”

„Reasons? Reasons, you say, mother? Like what? That a woman is now a suspect in his murder case and that we didn’t find out the truth about what happened 7-years-ago not even now? More than this… we don’t know what happened between them there.”

„And… what do you want to do, DooSan? To have an affair with your brother’s woman, eventually?” Marie told him with reproach.

„Woman… what the hell are you talking about, mother?”

„About the child that Ian SolHi lost 7-years-ago. It could have been your brother’s child.”

The news from Marie confused him so much that he felt dizzy while his mother’s words were resounding in his ears. „It can’t be true,” DooSan murmured eventually.

„What if it’s true? Will you keep showing up next to her?”

„Yes!”

„Son, please!”

„I’m asking the same, mother because I have no intention to give up. And… if I’m doing this, it’s for YuSan, to find out the truth about his death. And… I want to be alone! Please, go!” and he turned his back to her, covering himself with the blanket up to the ears.”

Marie said nothing more: she was aware that she won’t get anything else from DooSan, more knowing that he was stubborn and that SolHi was for him a real caprice and he wasn’t ready to give up on her, not yet.

***

Extremely thoughtful while cutting the paper with the scissors, SolHi was staring at a blind spot, somewhere in the empty office.

Then, suddenly, moments of the accident came to her mind when, still aware, she saw the truck’s driver trying to get out of the truck, but he was stopped by the motorcyclists. And when they were on the stretcher and the paramedics were heading toward the ambulances, SolHi turned her head and saw the driver pushed by the police from behind toward the patrol, but it wasn’t any trace of remorse in his eyes and she was sure that she spotted a smile on his face.

„It can’t be only a product of my imagination. For sure,” SolHi murmured and she was about to cut her finger if not for SuJin who so suddenly appeared behind her and took the scissors from her hand, making her wince.

„About what?” SuJin calmly asked.

„About the fact that I’ll have a heart attack if you keep sneaking around,” SolHi told him, nervous.

„But I didn’t sneak around: I normally entered the door, on my two feet. The one immersed in thoughts it was you, Nuna, and because of this you see and heard nothing.”

„Yeah?!”

„Aga. What are you thinking so intensely of?”

„At nothing in particular. SuJin, can you make me a favor?”

„Which one?”

„I need to see a video that we shot the night we arrested the guys from „The Night Sun.” Especially, I’m interested to see the part when I was with Dja Iun in front of the club.”

„The police records for sure don’t have that moment. But…”

„But?!”

„We can try to check the video of the street cameras. Come to my place,” and he right away moved toward his desk.

Until SolHi approached his desk, SuJin managed to enter the traffic police database. „Which date?”

„The 17 of June. Around 7 o'clock in the evening. Check this time, approximately.”

„Ok, let’s try it, then!” After a few clicks on the mouse and a similar number of passwords used, they saw on the screen images shot by the street cameras that night.

„Yes, this is it. Enlarge image on that part. Yes, there where I am and the motorcyclist.”

Carefully watching the video, SolHi spotted again SinJu’s car passing by them and she saw again the 728 last numbers of his license plate. „Stop!” SolHi suddenly shouted. „Enlarge image on that license plate.”

After zooming in, SuJin stared at the screen. „Oh, wait a minute. This license plate… I think that’s familiar to me.”

„Familiar? Wherefrom?”

„Boss!”

„Boss?”

„Yes. The one who often comes to the tattoo salon of Park Gin Hiok’s brother - Nam Guk Shik’s friend and who actually isn’t a simple guy and… if I’m not mistaken, he’s also a friend of the guy with the tattoos.”

„The guy with the tattoos? The brother of… just a second: the surname of Gin Hiok is Park. How can be Nam Guk Shik his brother?”

„Half-brothers, only the same mother, and… the guy with the tattoos is the one who died a few days ago.”

„What? Dja Iun and Nam Guk Shik dealt with each other?”

„It seems so. At least this is what I saw while I was following Gin Hiok. And… that car’s owner is Nam Guk Shik’s boss. I’m more than sure about this. Actually, I think that Dja Iun was trying to contact this Boss. What for… I can’t tell you.”

„SuJin, don’t say nonsenses! Dja Iun was different. Yes, I know that he was weird sometimes and that he had his gang, but … he wouldn’t have done something illegal ever.”

„Nuna, never say never for anybody. The environment where your friend was living can change someone in seconds and this is only to survive or earn money. A lot of money. Or… how do you think he found out so fast about the place that girl was kept as a hostage? You know, the missing girl we looked for for a week or more.”

„I don’t know, ok?! But I’m sure that Dja Iun…,” SolHi suddenly remembered that Dja Iun was so preoccupied seeing that car passing by them. „It can’t be. This can’t be,” after this, she headed toward the door.

„Nuna, where are you going? If detective Kan comes back and doesn’t see you, it will be really bad,” SuJin yelled without standing up.

„Not if you keep your mouth shut,” but when to exit the office, she met Yoon Suk, who forced her to take a step back.

„May I know where are you going?” Yoon Suk told her, crossing his arms over his chest.

„To the Hell. At least there I won’t see you blowing down my neck,” SolHi told him feisty and after pushing him away from her, she slammed the door behind her.

Yoon Suk stared this time at SuJin who looked right away elsewhere. „SuJin, tell me, where did she go?”

„Why should I know that? I’m not her mother to ask her an explanation,” and he right away turned off the video and when Yoon Suk went toward SuJin’s desk to see what he and SolHi were looking at, he saw only the image SuJin had as a background. SuJin instead just rushed to exit the office, claiming that he lacks air.

***

Grabbing him tightly by the collar of his coat and threatening him with the gun, SolHi managed to push Dja Iun’s friend, the one named the Bear, against the wall.

The young man stared thunderstruck at her because he heard from Dja Iun and not only once about what happened to SolHi 7-years-ago and that it was more than sure that she was off her beam or that at least she had a screw loose. „Come on, faster man, tell me: who are you calling the Boss?!”

„I don’t know what are you talking about!” the young man mumbled, staring elsewhere.

„Listen, Bear or tiger or whatever your nickname is, don’t make me lose my head and talk: who’s Boss and why Dja Iun’s dashcam is missing after the accident?”

„The dashcam? What dashcam?” he asked, watching her in amazement.

„Are you trying to play the fool right now? You know as well as I know that Dja Iun never used his motorcycle without being sure first that everything was fine. Especially he was checking the dashcam. So, tell me: where it is?”

„We don’t have it! I swear! When we got to the accident place, I saw it next to the motorcycle, but none of us touch it, because… we were afraid not to let fingerprints on it. Police must have it for sure.”

„Well, they don’t have it. So, think twice before telling me where it can be or I swear that it won’t shake my hand to shoot you a bullet in your head if I consider that it isn’t the right answer. I’m capable of everything for Dja Iun. Or… if you aren’t afraid of this, talk anyway, for the respect, I hope you had for him.”

With his eyes full of tears, the young man pushed SolHi away from him while mumbling: „do you think you are the only one who loved Dja Iun, detective Ian? He was one of us. He was our boss and he’s dead now, trying to protect you!”

„I didn’t ask him to do that! I didn’t need his sacrifice!”

„But he wanted to do this and he did it as he actually investigated what happened 7-years ago, trying to prove that you are innocent.”

SolHi looked at him thunderstruck. „What? Dja Iun was investigating the 7-years-ago case of murder? I’m more than sure that I asked him not to do this. Actually, I forbade him to do this.”

„As if Dja Iun was a man to stay away from something if one of his was in danger?! His friends and his family were everything to him. He would have done everything to protect them and … you were for him…”

„I know. I know who I was for Dja Iun and what he felt for me. It’s not necessary to tell me this. You better tell me what he found out investigating the 7-years-ago events.”

„Not that much. That’s why he was looking for entering the Boss’gang. He was meeting him in Nam Guk Shik’s tattoo salon.”

„How often?”

„2-3 times a week. At first, Dja Iun told us that he had debts to that man and that he was trying to get a period of time to pay them. But… after we’ve insisted, he told us, eventually, what he wanted to do.”

„When was that? I mean, when did you find out this?”

„A few days before the accident. When he told us that he must leave for a while.”

„To leave? Where exactly?”

„I don’t know. He didn’t say it.”

„And that man? The Boss - did you ever see his face?”

„Once or twice when he came to Guk Shik’s tattoo salon and on the night of the accident.”

„On the night of the accident?”

„Yeah. Dja Iun told us not to get him out of our sight and he ordered this before coming to that club where he met you and the prosecutor.”

SolHi took her phone out of her pocket and showed to the Bear a photo of SinJu: „is this guy?”

After watching the photo for a while, the Bear slowly nodded yes. „Yeah, it’s him,” eventually he mumbled.

„Are you sure about this?”

„Absolutely. Actually, I have his photo on my phone,” and, verifying in his own phone, the Bear showed SolHi a photo of SinJu exiting his club. „And … there’s something weirder than this.”

„Like?”

„One of ours… we call him Scorpion… he’s missing. Right after the accident.”

„He’s missing?! Do you mean that someone took care of him and…”

„No. We think that he was involved in that accident and… now that you’ve mentioned Dja Iun’s dashcam: that night when you had the accident, only two of us approached Dja Iun - Su Won and Scorpion. But I’m sure that Su Won had nothing to do with this because he’s still looking for evidence to make the one who killed Dja Iun pay for this, but Scorpion… we think that he just sneaked around and… ran away.”

„Or they got rid of him already as they did with the waiter. Thanks for the info, Bear. If something, you can find me on this number,” SolHi told him, giving him her business card. After this, she left.

„Nuna, mete out justice for Dja Iun. For us too. I swear that we’ll do everything we can to help you,” the young man shouted behind her in tears, staring after SolHi who didn’t even look back.

Eventually, SolHi mumbled furiously: „Nobody should doubt this - I will make justice!”

***

Exiting the club and hurrying to get inside his car that was parked not that far from the entrance, SinJu met SolHi who was waiting for him supporting her back against his black car with the same final number of the license plate: 728.

Even if he wasn’t excited to see her there, SinJu approached her, forcing a smile: „detective Ian, what a surprise to see you here.”

„I’m also sure that’s a surprise, but I’m not that sure that it is a pleasant surprise - for you.”

„Why shouldn’t it be this way?”

„Wherefrom should I know this?! As it was supposed to be dead by now,” and SolHI looked straight into SinJu’s eyes that looked so cold at that moment, so empty, even if it was a mask not to reveal the fact that he was boiling inside due to a sudden desire to suffocate her there and to finish what others couldn’t do.

„Ei, don’t talk like this, detective! Not for nothing, but others can think that I ordered your murder when I consider you an admirable person, in fact,” SinJu lied, slowly tapping SolHi on the shoulder.

SolHi finally stood up normally and approached SinJu, not taking her glance off his face. „Do I look that affable, mister Min?”

„What?!” SinJu asked her confused.

„That you allowed yourself to touch me, Min SinJu.” Stopping only one step from him, SolHi approached her face so much of his and when she was only a few millimeters from it she analyzed it very carefully. „If to watch you by close, I can say that you are really handsome or better to say - interesting. Especially your eyes: the glance of a criminal.”

„Detective Ian, I suggest you watch your tongue!”

„Why so? Did I say something wrong or what shouldn’t I have said?” If you consider so, you can call me to trial, but I doubt that any Court in this world will consider me guilty for telling you the truth.”

„Are you sure?”

„Absolutely. And … do you know what else I read in your eyes, besides the „assassin?!”

„Surprise me!”

„Fear… despair… anger, and disappointment. That’s why you sent that truck to kill us. But… surprise: both I and prosecutor Han are still alive and we didn’t die in the accident you’ve planned.”

„What? Did you and prosecutor Han have an accident?” SinJu said in an obvious tone of a shammer preoccupation, and this made SolHi burst into a peal of hysterical laughter.

„Brilliant! Absolutely perfect! The way you are acting the fool is absolutely gorgeous, Mister Min. You deserve an Oscar for this - for pretending that well!”

„For pretending? No, detective Ian, I’m really preoccupied because such „accidents” which are involved officers of the law endanger our country's security.”

„Wow, really?! To be honest, I can see the preoccupation on your face, even if I can’t deny it.”

„Do you see? I just…”

„…you just worried about a tedious witness that could trap your ace, and that witness is me, Min SinJu.”

„Witness? I don’t understand what are you talking about, detective. From what I know I didn't do anything illegal.”

„Nothing proved yet, but it’ll be. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this.”

„Worry? About?”

„That I’ll throw off your mask of a hypocrite and that everybody will see who you really are because Dja Iun’s death is something you wear on your shoulders as I’m more than sure that you have more skeletons hidden in your closet, besides those of Li Ha Ni and Yun Si Yoon. And … I recently found out something really interesting - that you had something to do with what happened 7-years-ago to prosecutor Han YuSan and to me. What can you tell me about this, huh?!”

SinJu suddenly winced: „how does she know about what…,” but he suddenly kept silent, seeing SolHi’s insistent glance.

„Don’t worry for this: all in good time and… all after handcuffing you for Dja Iun’s death.”

Taking a few steps away, intending to go, SolHi suddenly stopped and turned toward SinJu who was about to get into his car: „Iun Dja Iun and Nam Guk Shik, are these names familiar to you?”

„Should?”

„Yeah, especially knowing that you are so good friend of Nam Guk Shik and that you are his faithful client in his tattoo salon, but the only tattoo I’ve seen is the one on your left hand. Or, are the other ones that well-hidden?” SolHi said with irony.

Even if he was shaking because of anger, SinJu wasn’t at his first interrogatory of such type and he could control himself and smile, eventually: „I can show them to you, detective Ian, but I’m afraid that you won’t accept a private „interrogatory?” Or… Am I wrong?”

„No, you aren’t, because … I’m sure that there are others much more interested than me to see those tattoos: the prisoners. I’ve heard that they simply adore „tatted girls.” SolHi winked and headed toward the corner of the street.

But SolHi didn’t go too further. When she’d been sure that neither SinJu nor his people will notice her, she turned right and hid behind the parked cars, approaching again as much as she could the place SinJu was standing next to his car, making a phone call. Thus, she could hear him telling someone: „it’s me! Do me a favor! Find out everything you can about Ian SolHi! Yes, the detective that’s all the time around Han DooSan. I’m especially interested in her weak points. Yeah, something like this: I must break her neck and as soon as possible.” After this, he got into his car, slammed the door, and the vehicle left the place at full speed.

Exiting her den, SolHi looked behind the car, murmuring: „ah, Min SinJu, I simply love when people are digging their own hole. But… I’m sure that I'll tell you a thank you very much for your help, Min SinJu because I’m sure that „investigating my weak points” you’ll do something wrong that will help me to get you, in the end.”

After this, SolHi took her phone out of her pocket and wrote a text message: „keep looking for the famous Scorpion. And … you can start with breathing Min SinJu down his neck and don’t let him do anything without you being aware of this. I’m more than sure that Scorpion has something to do with Min SinJu.”