December 2018, Yangyang-gun
Under the velvety night sky, a canvas of dark black, stars adorned the heavens, shimmering like white sparkles scattered across the celestial expanse. The freezing grip of autumn reached its zenith, with an ice-cold breeze weaving through Heejin's silky brown hair. Seated beneath the skeletal branches of an almond tree in the courtyard of the ancient Yangyang house, she gazed at the stars, lost in contemplation.
"Heejin-ah! Come inside! You'll catch a chill, dear," called Suhyeon, her mother-in-law, breaking the enchantment of the night.
Heejin, abruptly returning from her reverie, shivered, feeling the cold seeping into her satin pink gown after an extended sojourn on the wooden bench. Suhyeon approached slowly, and Heejin extended her hand as her mother-in-law joined her on the bench.
"Omeoni, I would have come inside. Why did you walk out without warm clothes?" scolded Heejin, her concern evident.
"Keep quiet. Let me savor this cold breeze that you love so much! Tell me, why do you sit here every night in this freezing cold?" Suhyeon retorted.
"It's just that... I can't forgive myself... and this is my repentance..."
"You think this is how you should repent? By hurting yourself? What good will it do for your son admitted to that mental asylum?" Suhyeon grumbled, her thoughts dwelling on her grandson.
"That is a research clinic, Omeoni! Not a mental asylum..." Heejin hesitated before completing her sentence.
"Hmm, say more. Why stop in between? Do you even know what kind of treatment Danny is providing for your son? It's been five years already, Heejin... let go of your rage over that poor boy and bring him home! He's had enough of treatment. The last time I went to the hospital, I couldn't even recognize my grandson... Please, Heejin, bring him back... You've already lost your husband; don't lose your son now," Grandma Suhyeon implored, tears streaming down her weathered cheeks.
Park Heejin embraced her, offering solace. "Omeoni, I'm sorry... I will bring him back tomorrow... I'll visit the hospital tomorrow... don't worry," Heejin reassured, tears mingling with the warm hug from her mother-in-law.
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10 PM, December 2023, Jinhae
Cops swarmed the once silent town, now plunged into chaos. The police siren blared, a dissonant symphony as numerous police cars inundated the streets. The severity of the murder resonated—the next victim of the serial killer was Jeong Suhyeon, former chairman of Phoenix Group of Industries. The only heir to the empire, Lee Hangyul, emerged from hiding, driven to claim his rightful inheritance.
The bungalow, once filled with life, now echoed with eerie silence. Jeong Suhyeon's dead body was taken away by the forensic department. Lee Hangyul sat near the balcony, his gaze fixed on the motionless wooden swing in the lawn. Yoon Seong-ah conversed with the police, seeking information on the serial killer in Jinhae.
"Why would he kill an old lady who runs a small tteokboki shop?" Seong-ah asked a familiar cop.
"Tteokboki shop? What are you blabbering, Seong-ah? She was the former chairwoman of Phoenix Group, the largest shareholder of your news channel," the cop clarified, surprised that Seong-ah had no knowledge of the influential woman.
"Phoenix group? Do you mean to say... the one dead right now is founding member and the former chairwoman Suhyeon Jeong?" Seong-ah was flabbergasted. She turned to look at Hangyul, who sat at a distance, staring out of the balcony.
Does he even know about it? Does he remember that he is the most sought-out person right now? Does he know that his single identity reveal would bring chaos to the country? And does he realize that his life is in extreme danger from the moment of his reveal?
Numerous thoughts stormed Seong-ah's brain. If she had known this fact a month before, she would have approached it as a journalist, exploiting the situation for news. Now, standing as Lee Hangyul's life partner and the only person he trusted, her only concern was how to shield Hangyul from this chaos and protect him with all her might.
Seong-ah walked to the balcony, stood beside him. He sat on the floor, and she patted his head lovingly. Hangyul looked up with a cold face. As she kneeled down to face him, she reassured, "I will protect you, Hangyul. Always." Her boyfriend's face, initially cold, showed a faint smile at her words of reassurance.
A group of five men rushed into the house, their loud footsteps startling Seong-ah and Hangyul. It was the team of detectives reporting under Senior Detective Kim Haneul, in charge of the Damyang serial killing case. After extracting enough information, Kim Haneul looked at the couple sitting near the balcony. Though his heart clenched at the sight of them holding hands, his job required him to set aside personal feelings. Haneul approached them, and Seong-ah stood up quickly, covering her loved one.
"I'm not here to arrest him," Haneul asserted, observing his childhood friend's desperate efforts.
"Whatever it is, you can talk to me. He is not in the condition to face your inquiry," Seong-ah said firmly, holding Hangyul's shoulders.
"Keep yourself out of this situation, Miss Seong-ah. Media will reach here anytime soon. Hangyul, you have to keep your statement ready. Even though you've forgotten your past, the world hasn't," Haneul said with a straight face, addressing Seong-ah.
Lee Hangyul stood up, rubbing his eyes, trying to shake off hallucinations. He had to face the world now—the same world from which he was kept hidden for years.
"I'm fine, Seong-ah. I can talk to the reporters. But you should leave this place immediately. I don't want to drag you into this mess when you're already involved in reporting the murder case," Hangyul reassured his worried girlfriend, reminding her of her duties.
"But, Hangyul..." Seong-ah tried to make him understand, but Hangyul was in no mood to listen. He held her wrist tightly, pulling her behind him, walking towards the back door.
"Minjae! Bring those photographs here. Let me take a look at the victim's dead body," Kim Haneul called his assistant, who had captured images of Jeong Suhyeon's corpse.
Attempting to focus on the case, shutting down his weeping heart, Haneul was envious. He envied that Lee Hangyul was closer to Seong-ah, and had become the first priority in her life. As he looked at the photographs, the chain of his thoughts broke. Haneul glanced at the image his assistant was holding—a peculiar detail caught his eye.
The heart was intact. The screwdriver was stabbed below the heart. The one replicating the former murderer's method had made a mistake, intentionally or unintentionally, luring Haneul into their trap.
"Proceed with the fingerprinting of this weapon. Tell forensics that this is our only chance to get closer to the killer."
"Sir, who are you planning to match the fingerprints?" Minjae asked with curiosity.
"Everyone. All the people related to Jeong Suhyeon are our suspects. Starting from Kang Chaewon, Danny Park, her business rivals, to the person who would benefit the most from her death—Lee Hangyul," the senior detective said coldly.
"Yoon Seong-ah, too? She was also present at the crime scene," Minjae began to realize his senior's soft spot toward his childhood friend.
"Yes. She's no exception," Haneul said, attempting to conceal his emotions from his perceptive assistant.
...
2 AM, Jinhae
The night crept in, shrouding Jinhae in darkness as minutes slipped away. The tranquility of the town shattered with Jeong Suhyeon's murder. Journalists from various media outlets descended upon the town, disrupting the once-quiet neighborhood. The residents found themselves bombarded with questions about 'Hermoniebbang,' Jeong Suhyeon's tteokboki shop after retirement, her daily routine, and her past life. Unaware of her real identity, the neighbors were baffled by the sudden media frenzy.
Jung Bomin stepped out from the CBS network's car with his camera, waiting for his senior outside the victim's shop. Observing the chaos, he noticed cops pushing journalists away from the bungalow, restricting them from interviewing the heir of the Phoenix group. Engrossed in these observations, he felt a sudden, hard hit on his head. Turning around with a yell, he faced his senior, her face fuming with anger.
"Noona! Why did you hit me?" he cried.
"You definitely don't deserve a hug for the stupidity you're doing these days! All the reporters have crowded the bungalow to interview Lee Hangyul! Were you walking all the way to Jinhae?" Yoon Seong-ah shouted in frustration.
"Lee Hangyul?" Bomin's shocked expression was palpable.
Seong-ah held her forehead in frustration. "Keep quiet."
"No! Tell me!"
"Shut up! I'm already in a mess here! I don't even know where this situation is going," Seong-ah said, sitting on the ground, holding her head in anger.
Amidst the chaos, Lee Hangyul emerged from the bungalow, walking towards the main gate, where a crowd of reporters was being controlled by the cops. Kim Haneul walked beside him, followed by Minjae. Haneul gave an assuring look to his friend, about to face the media onslaught in seconds.
The crowd fell silent when Lee Hangyul stood before them, only to be blinded by the wild flashes of cameras. A collective clamor of questions bombarded him, rendering them indistinguishable. Haneul stepped in between, "One question at a time! The family is grieving; please understand!" His authoritative voice silenced the crowd once again.
"Have you been hidden from rivals all these years? Are you planning to take over the Phoenix group after the death of the former chairwoman?" asked a reporter.
"The sorrow of Jeong Suhyeon's death is immeasurable and our main priority is to find grandmother's murderer. For now, I don't want to comment on any business-related questions. Also, no, I was never hidden; I was going through a medical treatment. So, please cooperate with us in investigations, and let us mourn in peace," Hangyul replied, bowing down politely. He turned around to go inside the house, followed by Kim Haneul. Minjae and other cops engaged in calming down the media reporters.
Yoon Seong-ah stood at a distance, observing the chaos. Silently, she glanced at the pair of best friends walking inside the house.
"They're plotting something... unknown to me," she murmured softly.
"Will you leave it at that? Won't you get involved in this case?" Bomin asked, peering at Seong-ah's serious face.
She smirked at her junior's question and tapped on his shoulder lightly.
"Hong Siwoo trusts you, right? I'll give you one last chance, Bomin... not to betray me... Anyways you know how active I am in exposing drug-addicted kids of the politicians, hmm?" Seong-ah smiled, her eyes throwing blades at Bomin, who, for the first time ever, was scared of his senior.
...
8 AM, Seoul, Mayor's Mansion
"How could you not do one thing right, Kang Chaewon?!" Siwoo thundered over the mayor's wife.
She shivered in fear as the person standing before her leveled a cold gaze. "I... I just wanted to clear up a few things with her," Chaewon stuttered.
"And what were those things? That you've always wanted to rob her position and the Phoenix group? That you appointed a psychopathic cannibal murderer a decade ago to kill all of her loyal shareholders? And his bloody thirst went so out of your control that he went on killing innocent lives too?" Hong Siwoo ran towards Chaewon, who stood near a sofa in the living room. Dr. Park stepped into his way, trying to protect his sister.
"Why are you taking your anger out on us? Chaewon has done nothing to that old lady! We just discussed a few things with her about the business handover!" Danny Park shouted.
"If my plan fails, it's on you. You know what you've to pay, right?" Siwoo calmed down, returning to his usual cold composure. He left the mansion, leaving the two siblings frozen in fear.
Kang Chaewon crashed down on the sofa, clenching her hair tightly. Her brother sat down beside her, attempting to bring her back to her senses.
"Noona, please. What's wrong with you? You're Kang Chaewon, the most powerful and fearless woman in this drug business! How could we lose to such a prick like Hong Siwoo?" He tried to reignite the fire within Chaewon.
"No, Danny. Do you know that Hong Yushik is still alive? Hidden somewhere in this world... All my empire can come collapsing down the moment he is brought out into the sun. I've already lost my daughter, Danny. Yes, I'm fearless, but I never wanted such an ending for my Jurin. I've held her heart in my hands," Chaewon spoke with her eyes wide open, her face turned pale.
"Do you really think that was Jurin's heart? Let me tell you a very interesting thing, noona. Hong Yushik was a complete maniac, a bloodthirsty cannibal. But his son Hong Siwoo has empathy in his eyes. He might be pulling this act of being a clinical psychopath like his father, but I've never seen that hunger for evil in his eyes. Rather, he seems very traumatized, resulting in this violent behavior."
"He is killing people, Danny."
"Not the innocent ones, Noona. All of them he killed were of your use, I think he just wants to break your links in the business one by one."
"Then what about Jurin? She was nowhere related to my business!"
"Did you forget that you had named all your illegal property in the name of your daughter?"
"So?"
"She's gone now! The property has been abandoned!! you've not nominated anyone after Jurin's death, as you've never imagined her to die before you! You cannot claim that property legally, as it will put Kang Minseok in trouble of stepping down from his position. So, which means..."
"The property will go to... the government if not claimed by anyone..."
"No, Noona. The property will be bought by Hong Siwoo under the name of BlueChip Investment. Why can't you think in a right mind, Chaewon noona! He is bluffing us!"
"But now, this old woman's death... who killed her?"
"We'll find that out soon. Who is the one benefitting most from her death?"
"Lee Hangyul, the only heir of their group of companies."
"Don't you think we need to continue our treatment again?"
"How? Will you force him? He is not a 22-year-old mentally disturbed Hangyul anymore."
"I have my ways. Don't worry."
Dr. Danny Park said with a satisfied smile on his face. All the hypotheses he was studying were coming true. His mind was twisted, but his experience with the human brain was even more twisted. Never going wrong with his study subjects.
...
12 PM, Yongsan city
An unfamiliar shadow silently crept into the BlueChip Investment office, going unnoticed by the busy employees. Swiftly, it entered the innermost cabin, and the door opened slowly.
Hong Siwoo, deeply engrossed in his laptop work, oblivious to the stranger's presence in his cabin, was startled by a sudden warm breath behind his ears. He turned around quickly, raising all his senses, one hand reaching for the revolver hidden inside the drawer.
"Failed already?" the veiled person asked him softly.
"No," Siwoo replied after loosening up upon recognizing the voice.
"Find out who killed Jeong Suhyeon, sabotaging our plan," the mysterious veiled person said, walking out of the cabin. Hong Siwoo quickly followed behind and untied the black veil covering the face.
"Oops," he smiled with a sinister edge.
The long brown hair fell down the shoulders, exposing the scarred face. There, stood the reappeared Park Heejin, emerging from her five-year exile.
The untied veil was about to unleash an immense earthquake in all the lives connected to the Damyang murder case.