"That's a joke, right?"
But Sari just sighed and slumped on the chair she sat in that cafe, as if feeling deflated with all the events that had happened that day. When the ordeal was dealt with, she immediately called her friends and asked them to meet up with her somewhere.
"I really wish it was just a joke or some prank. But that's what happened there," Sari said in response to Riyoung's comment after telling them the events that had occurred in the principal's office.
"I know old man Kang was someone cunning, but not to this point, though," Sejin commented and looked at Sari. "By the way, how are you feeling after that?"
"Felt like my soul left my body. I didn't even know how I got out of that room after that."
"And yet you still managed to call us and tell us what happened. You're still in shock, I could tell," Seoha said jokingly and smiled.
"Well, it's not just what Professor Soohoon's father said to the others that shocked me. But it was the fact that he truly knew my father. They were old colleagues, he said. He even told me some stories about my parents before they got married."
Of course, all three of her friends' eyes widened as she dropped that news. That was something else entirely, they thought.
Riyoung, who seemed more than willing to go on a hunt for a certain man, spoke first.
"You mean... he actually knows your father?" she asked. Sari nodded slowly.
"How did that even happen? And how come you don't know about it?"
"I have a feeling that it's one of those things that my father decided not to mention to me since I was still young back then. And I don't think he had the need to tell them to me unless it was necessary."
Her father Yoon Hocheol was like that for a long time and she had known him that way. But now that she was only learning about his acquaintances ㅡ and enemies ㅡ after he disappeared, she couldn't help feeling left out of the things and details about who her father really was.
Then again, this wasn't the time for her to feel down because of what she had learned. She had to know how to move forward now that she got herself in this kind of trouble. Not that she blamed Mr. Kang for what he did and even the "lie" that he said just so he would have a reason to protect her.
But she also had to think of some ways to get through this. Professor Park and Professor Lee's suspension, and even the three girls who were tasked to follow her and Professor Soohoon to get "evidence" of "betraying" the university, won't stop more rumors from spreading out. Even her so-called "engagement" with Professor Soohoon would definitely become some topic to talk about.
"You have to know that we're still here to help you out in case things get worse like this again," Sejin said, breaking the silence that hovered around them.
Sari faced her friends, only to see the encouraging smiles on their faces. In a way, she considered it unusual since she wasn't used to this. Or perhaps she had forgotten how good it truly feels to have people have one's back at such a troubling time.
"Guys, you know I can't let you get involved in anything problematic so easily unless it's already too much."
"Well, then. You have to know that you're left with no choice. We're your friends, and we're going to stick with you and help you deal with your problems whether you want us to or not," Riyoung responded, almost with a huff that made her smile a little.
"Thank you guys," she said with sincerity. And when she saw how sincere the other two were, she felt relieved, finally. Because even though she knew that this would happen, she hadn't prepared herself for it.
And even though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she needed her friends by her side. For support, to make sure that she wouldn't be alone in this. After all, even with everything she has been through before, she couldn't possibly imagine what would happen next without their help.
She was grateful. She really was.
Seoha grinned as well. "We will be your best friends that we always want to be for you."
"You already are. Thank you." It made Sari giggle a little. Of course, they would always be there for her.
"Now, are you going to tell us what this whole thing is about?" Sejin’s question interrupted her thoughts, which gave her momentary distraction.
"What do you mean?"
"Are you planning on dating Professor Soohoon or whatever?" Riyoung asked.
The words made Sari laugh out loudly, causing everyone around to look at her surprised expression. "Geez, Riyoung! Don't say stuff like that!"
"Why not? He seems nice enough. And definitely handsome that a lot of women would usually ask him out, almost on a daily basis. You could seriously turn that engagement issue into a reality, if you want to."
Sejin sighed before continuing. "You know that I love you, but sometimes you need to take things seriously. This isn't a game, Riyoung."
"And you think I'm not aware of that, Sejin? Hear me out, okay? Out of the rest of us, the Kang family's influence in this town is something you shouldn't take lightly. And we're all aware of that. If there's someone who could provide a decent amount of protection for Sari while she continues looking for her father, it would be them. Uncle Hocheol and old man Kang were friends, right? Maybe if he would allow it, he could provide you with some additional help, as well."
Everyone agreed with Riyoung.
"And we'll be there as an emotional support, if she needs to vent out a little bit. So, are we all cool with that?"
To be honest, Sari didn't know what to say about that. But even though she wasn't talking much, she was glad that these people came to her life and were still supporting her insane decisions. She smiled at that thought.
"You guys shouldn't sell yourself short with the help that you've been giving me all this time," she said. But even so, she bowed to them. "Thank you. I definitely owe you a lot for this."
"Just don't forget to invite us to your wedding with Professor Soohoon when it finally happens."
"Seoha!" Does he really have to say it like that? What was he thinking? "You know that engagement wasn't real, right?"
"And yet you're blushing..." Sejin teased in a sing-song voice.
Her cheeks heated up even more and she had the urge to cover her face with her coat.
But the rest of them just laughed. Having light moments in times of such worries lingering wasn't so bad, after all.
xxxxxx
Days after that confrontation continued on for Sari and the others. And Soohoon was glad that it started to work out all right again for that woman who he has taken interest in since the moment she saved him. From time to time, he would receive updates about her from his sister.
There were no new updates with regards to her. And to be honest, he should be happy with that.
But he couldn't.
And now he knew the reason why.
"Are you sure it was him?" Soohoon asked again to Detective Seo Jinho who visited him at Haigen University's History department where his office was located.
But Detective Seo remained grim as he stared at Soohoon. An indication that his police friend wasn't lying.
'Professor Park was found dead in the woods, killed in the same manner as the Huijin serial killer rider would have done to his victims.' That realization hadn't fully sunk in at first when he heard it.
But now, looking at the crime scene photos, and even seeing the said professor's dead body lying face down on the mossy ground, he finally came to terms with the truth that this was indeed real.
But the problem now was why the person he had been trying to find ever since the incident with the rider happened was still missing. A part of him felt disappointed with himself because he failed to discover the culprit. However, he couldn't help questioning a lot of things.
Mainly, the motive for killing Professor Park. As he looked at the state of the dead body, Cedric could tell that this was done out of hatred.
A sudden thought struck him that made him face the detective. "Jinho ㅡ"
"You don't have to worry about Miss Yoon, if you're going to ask that," Detective Seo spoke before Soohoon could even continue what he wanted to say.
"How did you ㅡ"
"I had the same conclusion as you when I saw this, mainly because of what Sejin told me about what happened at Gangbeodeul University several days ago. But Miss Yoon was in the police station on the night this professor was killed."
Soohoon frowned. "Why would she be at the police station late at night?"
Detective Seo sighed and took something from the brown envelope that he was carrying. "She brought this particular set of photos to me, saying that this might have something to do with the attempt to kill you that day and also about her father's mysterious disappearance five years ago."
Soohoon didn't say anything else and just took the brown envelope that Detective Seo was handing to him. His frown deepened at the pictures printed on those papers he found inside the brown envelope.
"This is..."
He saw photos of another crime scene. But these ones looked old, as if from some decades back.
"Yes. They're still in reference to the Huijin serial killer rider. But this time, with the connection to her mother's death."
"Her mother? Are you telling me that Yoon Sari’s mother was killed the same way my mother was murdered?"
Detective Seo nodded grimly. "Apparently, both incidents were done out of pure fury. And I'm sure that if we could look into these documents, we would know why the killer was doing all of this."
"But how come Sari has these photos?"
His head snapped to look up at Detective Seo once again who wore an expression that told him that he already knew exactly the answer. "Because these were pictures taken from the crime scene. By one of the officers who were a part of that case and possibly a friend of Yoon Hocheol. And according to Yoon Hocheol's notes to his daughter with regards to these photos, he stated something there that I know only your family is aware of."
Detective Seo paused and took a deep breath before facing Soohoon once again who was waiting for him to continue.
"Yoon Hocheol wrote to his daughter that the instigator of the Huijin serial murders ㅡ both the old and the recent ones ㅡ must be someone who was linked to your past life."
No comments:
Post a Comment