"So, did you hear?"Detective Kim Seokjin asked as he entered the break room of the police station. His partner, Bae Joohyun, was making herself another cup of coffee.

"Hear what?" Joohyun asked, stirring some energetic creamer in her cup. She yawned and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "If it's about another murder, I officially need a vacation. We have too many cases as it is."

"There's always another murder but that's not what I'm talking about. There was a fire at the complex that YouTuber lives at. Roseanne Park — the girl involved with Chou Tzuyu's death."

Joohyun's right brow lifted in curiosity. "Is that so? Did she start it?"

"No."

She made a sound of dissatisfaction. "I would've loved to see her arrested. That girl just gets on my nerves in general."

"She's not that bad."

"She's making videos about a dead girl to get views."

"Technically, she's making videos to make sure Chou Tzuyu's death is investigated properly. Anyway, it was her apartment that caught on fire. Apparently, someone broke in, set the place on fire, and stabbed her friend. Officer Chanyeol just called me to complain about his night. As tough as homicide is, I don't miss working those kinds of cases."

"Tzuyu's death just keeps getting stranger, doesn't it?" Joohyun asked mindlessly before taking a gulp of her coffee.

"Because of Dr. Kang? He always seemed like such a nice guy. I still can't believe it."

"That's part of it. I mean all these weird things keep happening when it comes to Chou Tzuyu's death. Chou Tzuyu was murdered. Roseanne Park gets Tzuyu's necklace in the mail. You said Roseanne had a break-in at her apartment, right?"

"Yes. Chanyeol told me about that too. He thought it might be a stalker case but he isn't too sure if she was just making a video."

"What are the odds of the one person who videotaped the sound of someone getting murdered also having a break-in?"

"It wouldn't be strange if the person who killed Tzuyu is also the one who broke into Roseanne's apartment," Namjoon said.

"True, but if it wasn't strange enough, Roseanne Park touched the murder weapon. Now her apartment was set on fire. There are too many connections to Roseanne Park, don't you think?"

"Forensics believe her fingerprints were much newer than the blood on that bookend," Namjoon reminded her. "The blood had dried before she touched it."

"It's still suspicious," Joohyun argued.

"Well, she posted that video about Tzuyu's death. It's odd how she cares so much about Tzuyu since the two weren't friends that I'm aware of. Tzuyu was only really friends with that Kim Yerim girl. As popular as Tzuyu seemed to be, she didn't have too many friends in the industry."

"Well, being stuck-up and rude will do that. No one had any nice things to say about her. I bet it'd be the same about Roseanne Park. I'm still not sure if I believe their results about those fingerprints. I mean, look what happened to the coroner, Dr. Kang? Who knew he was secretly doing drugs? Has he been formally charged yet?"

"No," Seokjin answered. "I guess the department was lucky in regards to Chou Tzuyu not having any relatives coming forward to complain that her death was ruled an accident when it shouldn't have been. Not that it matters. Roseanne's YouTube videos caused enough of an uproar. Do you think she'll stop now that we're actually pursuing Tzuyu's case as a homicide?"

"I doubt it. Everyone seems to want a piece of the Chou Tzuyu pie even if that pie is gone. My niece called them all clout-chasers. I don't understand why they don't just let her rest in peace."

"They're YouTubers. It's what they do. Although, Roseanne is different. In her videos, Roseanne always says she just wants to get justice for Tzuyu."

"Are you seriously defending her right now?"

"No, but her apartment was on fire. Someone hurt her friend."

"You said that already."

"Yeah? Well, it's true. Now isn't the time to be wishing the worst on her. We need to be empathetic to the situation," Seokjin said. "What if Tzuyu's killer really is after Roseanne?"

"I doubt that."

"Why?"

"Because Roseanne Park has a ton of anti-fans. Have you seen her social media accounts? Sure, she's getting followers but a third of the comments are hate comments. People are telling her to commit suicide."

"Disgusting," Seokjin muttered.

"A lot of them are calling her a hypocrite. Some of them are cursing her."

"Don't you feel bad for her?" Seokjin asked. "I kind of do. She grew up without her parents. I know she misses her dad. She says so in some of her videos."

"No I don't. We all have problems and we have to deal with them."

***

Dr. Kang Daesung was running out of options.

His cellphone lit up the darkened room as he sat in the middle of his bed. The blinds were shut and dark curtains stopped any light from entering. His sponsor was calling him again but he didn't want to talk to anyone.

A random drug test already settles his fate. Daesung was going to lose his job at the coroner's office. Chou Tzuyu's body had been re-examined and a press conference had been held. Everyone knew she was murdered. Everyone thought he had made a mistake. Soon, they would know it wasn't a mistake. It was a cover-up.

"Daesung?" His wife called out from the other side of their bedroom door. "You can't stay there all day."

"Leave me alone, Minzy! I need to think."

"Why won't you just tell me what's going on? You said something happened at work but you didn't say what."

"I told you I don't want to talk about it!" Daesung shouted. He pulled at his hair. "Just let me handle things, alright?"

The door handle turned as Minzy shouted. "Let me in, Daesung! We're married. You're supposed to tell me what's going on!"

His phone began to light up again.

"Daesung!"

He cursed as he picked up his phone. "What?"

"Did you relapse?" His sponsor asked on the other end.

"No."

"Tell me the truth, Daesung. I saw the news. Weren't you in charge of that YouTuber's autopsy?"

"I made a mistake. That doesn't mean I relapsed. Why don't you believe me?" Daesung snarled.

"Are you on the phone?" Minzy asked, now banging on the door. "I can hear your voice. You'll talk on the phone but you won't talk to your wife? What the hell is going on? Why haven't you been going to work? Are you having an affair?"

"I can hear her," his sponsor said. "You haven't been to work?"

"Shut up, Minzy!" Daesung shouted.

"Shut up? You just told me to shut up when I know you're talking to someone else even though I'm here and have been asking for days what's going on. All I want is for you to let me help you."

"I don't need your help!"

"You shouldn't talk to her that way," his sponsor said.

"You know what, Daesung? If you want to wallow in your misery, go ahead and do it. I'm done. I'll be at my mother's house you big jerk!" Another bang sounded against the door before he heard the front door slamming shut.

"Are you going to tell me the truth now?"

"I told you-"

"You don't make mistakes like that, Daesung. Not when you're sober."

"You don't know."

"Yes, I do. Tell me what's going on."

A sob escaped Daesung's lips. "They're doing an internal investigation."

"Why?"

"They did a random drug test. I failed."

"So, your relapse affected your work?"

Tears began to fall down Daesung's cheeks. "No. Yes, I don't know. Yes. I was so stupid. I was tired and stressed. I went to a club. I just wanted to see some women dance, you know?"

"We've talked about triggers before, Daesung."

"I know. I'm so sorry. I thought I could handle it. I'd been so good."

"Tell me what happened."

"There was a man there and he offered me a few pills for free. I should've known better but I didn't."

"What were they?"

"Molly."

"Ecstasy?"

"I'm such an idiot," Daesung hissed. "I went a few more nights and each time, this guy acted like we were friends. He told me he owned an apartment complex nearby. The pills were cheap and I didn't think I was harming anyone."

"When you do drugs, you're harming yourself, Daesung."

"I know. Now, Minzy won't stop harping about wanting to talk. She knows something is up because I've been missing work. I was suspended without pay."

"Were you under the influence while you were doing your autopsies?"

"No!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm positive."

"Then how did you make that woman's death an accident?"

"It wasn't a mistake," Daesung whispered.

"What?"

"It wasn't a mistake. I knew she had been murdered."

"Daesung, be very careful about what you're telling me. Are you saying you purposely hid her murder?"

Daesung's shoulders shook as he cried. "Yes."

"Why would you do that? That means someone's getting away with murder. They might kill again."

"I didn't have a choice."

"We always have choices, Daesung. It's why we have relapse plans-to remind us of our choices and help us make better decisions."

"No, you don't understand. That guy. The one who gave me the pills...he was recording us."

"He was recording you under the influence?"

"Yes, and he recorded me taking the pills. He called me right before I was going to turn in my report. I don't know if it was premeditated or if fate is just cruel. My life is ruined. Everyone is going to know I'm an addict. My career is in the toilet now. Minzy is going to leave me."

"Daesung, I think maybe you should stop telling me what happened. It sounds like you need a lawyer more than a sponsor right now."

"No, I have to tell someone."

"Daesung, if the police come and ask me questions, I won't lie. You need to talk to your lawyer. I'm your sponsor but I don't want to get caught up in some blackmailing case. You know I'm on probation."

"No, I already started so I can't stop. I need to get this off my chest. Someone needs to know what happened before they come after me. He blackmailed me. He said if I didn't say it was anything but an accident, I would be ruined. It didn't matter. That stupid YouTuber caused such a ruckus, they re-examined the body. Then they asked that I be questioned because I shouldn't have made such a mistake. Then, out of nowhere, I was asked to do a drug test. I should never have gone to that club."

"You need to tell the police, Daesung. You need to tell them what happened. Did he kill that girl?"

"The guy who was blackmailing me?"

"Yeah," his sponsor said. "Was he blackmailing you because he killed that girl? Wait! Don't answer that. I don't want to know. Just go to the police."

"I don't think he killed anyone. I think he was working for someone."

"Dammit Daesunf. I don't want to know. I'm hanging up. Just call the police, okay?"

"No, don't hang up! I need you right now."

"Daesung, you know I have kids. I'm trying to keep my nose clean. If there's some murderer out there I don't want to be involved. I know I said I'd tell the cops whatever you told me but I can't. I won't go back to prison. I've been clean for years now and I want to stay that way for my ids. I can't go back. I'm sorry. If you need a new sponsor, you need to go back to the meetings."

"Don't do this to me!"

Daesunf was greeted with silence. He looked down to see his sponsor had disconnected the call. His grip around the phone tightened as he brought it to his chest and closed his eyes. How would he tell Minzy he was a sex and drug addict who relapsed? They'd been married three years now. She had no idea he had such vices.

His phone vibrated.

He peered down to see a number he didn't recognize. He ignored the call and sighed. Sooner than later, he was going to be arrested. He could feel it. Would they give him some sort of deal if he turned in the man who gave him the Molly?

His phone vibrated again.

Daesung saw it was the same number from before. Once again, he ignored the call.

The ringing of his doorbell echoed through his small home. Daesung groaned. He wasn't going to answer the door. Knowing Minzy's mother, Minyoung, she was probably outside, wanting to have a talk with him about her daughter and how he treated her.

Minzy was too sensitive. Sure, he could've opened up to her but Daesung knew she'd leave him the moment he found out he did drugs. She wouldn't be able to understand the crippling weakness that came with addiction.

"Leave me alone," Daesung whispered. He really just wanted to wallow in the dark some more.

His phone vibrated a third time. Only it wasn't an incoming call but a text.

"Kill or be killed."

Daesung frowned. "What the hell does this mean?"

The doorbell rang again and Daesung finally pushed himself out of bed. As much as he didn't want to deal with his mother-in-law, putting her off would only make the lecture worse later on. If anything, Minyoung was more of an expert at guilt and nagging than his wife. Not bothering to switch on the bedroom lights, he made his way to the front door and peered out the peephole.

No one was outside.

A piece of apprehension slid down his spine.

Daesung licked his lips and took a step back. Perhaps Minzy's mother had gotten tired of waiting and decided to leave? No, he remembered when he and Minzy were first married. Minzy's mother had stayed parked outside their house for six hours while waiting for him to come out and apologize to her daughter. She wasn't the type to leave in frustration or anger. She stood her ground until she got her way.

"Minyoung, is that you? Minzy didn't have to send you here to talk to me. I promise I'll apologize to her when she gets home."

His phone vibrated with another message. "You made me wait so I'm inviting myself in."

"What?" Daesung looked around. He dialed his wife's number and waited for it to ring. When she answered, he asked, "where are you?"

"I told you. I was going to my mother's house. Listen, Daesung. I'm not sure what's going on but I'm not going to beg you to talk to me. We're married. We're supposed to be communicating. You shut me out. That is not communicating and it makes me feel small. Our couples therapist told us about this happening, remember?"

Daesung took a hesitant step towards his bedroom. He had the phone up to his ear. "Okay, Minzy. I'm sorry you feel small."

"You made me feel small. That's the important part."

"I'm sorry about that too. I'm going to hang up now. Something strange is going on."

"What? Daesung, don't you dare ha-"

He disconnected the call and swallowed the ball of fear stuck in his throat. The lights to his bedroom were turned on.

How were the lights turned on? Daesung stood still, hoping silence would bring him the answer his eyes and brain couldn't.

"Who's there?" He called out. "Minyoung is that you? Are you playing some kind of joke on me to get revenge?"

He took another step forward, mentally debating whether he should call the police or not. What would he tell them? Someone turned on my bedroom light. Can you please send a parole car to my house?

Daesung was standing in front of the open doorway. He immediately noticed one of the bedroom windows was open, the curtain billowing from the light breeze outside. He rushed forward to close the window shut.

His phone buzzed with a new text message. Daesung forced himself to look at it.

"You know too much."

Before he could understand what the message meant, a tight pressure curled around his neck. Daesung struggled to free himself but he couldn't breathe and the grip around his neck was harsh. He took his last breath and collapsed to the ground.