I-jun's pov
After I dressed up, I went to Min Yun's office.
" Ready?" I asked them . They didn't notice me right away because they were busy arranging the documents in the cabinet.
Ji Han smiled at me and called Min Yun . "We're ready."
We were about to go out the office when a man entered the door, panting. " H...Help us" he said sounding nervous.
My eyebrows crossed because of curiousity. Min Yun is just quietly looking at the man.
"What happened?" finally Ji han spoke up.
"I... I... saw someone... who was killed.... in Kipatchi town. "
All of us are shock because of what we've heard. Kipatchi town, again?
"Did you see the killer?" Min Yun asked.
He shrugged. " I only saw them wearing a black suit like a ninja."
Min Yun looked at me. " I'm sorry if the dinner will be cancelled. We need to go to Kipatchi town."
"Can I go?"
Min Yun got shock on what I have asked. He was hesitant to allow me.
"You can't"
"I think this is the part of the king's case." I whispered so that no one can hear us.
He sighed. " okay."
I secretly smiled and we went out and ride our horses---- correction, their horses because I don't even know how to ride a horse.
"Come here." Min Yun offered his hand who was sitting at the horse.
I accepted it and sat at the horse. I put my hand on his waist and hold his clothes tightly. I thought it would be enough not for me to fall but I was wrong. In order for me not to fall on th ground, I shyly put my hands around his waist. My face is touching his back.
*dug,dug,dug*
I could hear my heart thumping. I am hoping that Min Yun wouldn't hear it.
I was in that position for how almost an hour. Kipatchi town is not a near town. We crossed 3 rivers and 2 forest just to get there. It felt like an hour travel.
When we arrived, Min Yun went down the horse and he gently help me to go down as well.
"Thanks" I smiled. He just nodded and went to the crowd who are busy looking at the corpse.
"Give us a way." Ji han announced and the crowd give us a way to enter the crime scene.
I saw a person lying on the ground. I couldn't see the face because it was covered with sack.
Min Yun unbotheredly get the sack to see who the person is.
"The killer." he whispered but I heard him.
"He...." Ji han was about to say something but Min Yun stared at him.
"I knew it will come. Just what he had said."
"Do you know him?" I asked whispering.
"Let me explain later." Min Yun stood up and signaled the soldier to get the corpse.
The crowd is still murmuring and is curious on who is that person.
Min Yun, Ji han and I were about to leave together with the corpse when someone shouted while crying.
"No... my father!!!!!!" she cried hard and I can hear her pain.
"What have you done to my father!!!!" she continued crying while kneeling the ground.
"Who killed my father.... He is a good and kind hearted man... How could you do this to him." I saw how stress she look. Her eyes are red and big because of her eyebags. She looks thin and pale. I can't help but feel sorry for her especially on what happen to his father.
I went to her and tapped her shoulder who is still crying.
I wanted to hug her and calm her but I couldn't do it.
" I'm begging you, find who killed my father." she said while still sobbing.
Min Yun squats to face the woman. "Can I ask you some questions? Do you mind?"
She wiped her tears and nodded. "I want you to know that my father is not bad. "
I stood up and help the woman stand up. I looked on Min Yun and Ji han. Ji han looked worried while Min Yun's emotion is blank.
"Can we come to your house?"
She nodded. "But we don't live here. We are from Kayshi town."
I notice the reaction of the two. "Let's go there."
The woman rode on Ji Han's horse. The soldier who were with us a while ago, went back to the palace together with the corpse. They will do the autopsy and investigate how that person died.
"Can I see my father's corpse fo the last time?" the woman requested while crying again.
"We can go to the palace after we go to your town."
She nodded and became silent. We traveled less than 30 minutes. When we arrived, I saw a small nipa hut.
To my surprise, I saw two children sitting outside the nipa.
"Sister!!!" they excitedly shouted and went to her. " Have you seen father?"
As I am watching, I couldn't help but to feel the pain. The pain of losing someone and the pain of wishing that someday you will meet the person you love the most.
She cried in front of her siblings. "I'm sorry"
"What happened?" the other girl asked.
"Father will never come back again." the woman explained.
"But why?" the kids are starting to cry.
"He was killed. I saw his corpse."
The kids and the woman started sobbing. I couldn't help but to let my tears fall down. It is not what I expect to happen. I thought we will just having a nice dinner and we will drink alcohol until we got drank. Now I regret coming with them only to witness this such heartaching scenario.
After minutes of crying. The woman let the kids rest on their small room. Ji han voluntered to prepare tea and food. He went out just to buy some because the family has no food and tea.
"Did you know that your father killed someone and he was put in jail?" Min Yun started asking.
The woman was a bit shock on what she heard. " My father will never do that. "
"But he did. He was caught and he didn't deny his crime."
"But...how?"
"The last time I've talked with him, he said that he is expecting to be killed by someone. He knew he will be killed."
The woman started sobbing again. "I don't know what is happening. All our lives, I've seen him as a loving and kind father. I know he will never do such thing."
"Have you seen suspicious act of your father? For the last few days?"
She wiped her tears. "Someone visited my father. That is the last time I saw and hugged my father."
"Is the face of that person familiar to you?"
"I don't know him but he looked like a ninja. He wore black suit with a sword."
"Didn't you hear anything in their conversation?"
She shrugged. "But I saw the man giving money to my father."
"Where is the money?"
She whispered "In my father's room. Before he went out of the house the other night, he told me to keep the money. It is huge and it will make our lives better."
Min Yun and I stared at each other. We have a hint that this might be Kim Man Shik's doing. I don't know what to say but the evilness of Kim Man Shik is getting in our nerves. How dare he killed someone who has a family? They are too young and has nowhere to go. They looked lonely and scared.
The woman got the money in her father's room. She showed the bag of money to us.
It is a huge amount of money. But what did he do in return? Did he really killed someone as what Min Yun had said? But looking at her, it seemed like their father is a good and loving father. Who should we believe?
"For now, I want you to stay on another place. It will not be safe to stay here knowing that someone had already visited here. " Min Yun gave his advice.
"How can we live in another place? I don't know my relatives, I dont know anyone. All my life, I have never found a friend because of our life status. I only have my siblings."
"We can get you a place. We will help you. " Min Yun gave his assurance.
She cried again. "Thank you. You are a great help to us. If you were not here, I don't know what to do. I am too young to be the guardian of my siblings. I don't know how to start moving on. It really stressed me out."
Min Yun tapped her shoulder. " We will not leave until you are okay."
She smiled. After the conversation, Ji han came back carrying some food.
"Just stay for a while, I will prepare our dinner."
He went to the kitchen. I roamed around the place ..It was really small for a family. I can really see how poor they are. They have tiny bodies as if they have no enough food to eat. I saw the two kids staring at the hole.
I smiled sadly and told them they can get out.
After that, the door opened and the two kids sat in front of us beside their sister.
"Sister..." called by the little boy.
"Hmm?"
"Is it really true?"
The woman nodded sadly.
"But how?"
The little boy kept asking and he looked curious as to what had happened.
"We will do the investigation after we make sure that you are safe on your new place. " Min Yun explained.
The little girl interrupted. " You look like a good people. "
"We are" I answered.
"Don't worry, everything will be handled by him, he is a good soldier." I added.
The conversation was interrupted by Ji han. He put the tea on the table then serve the food.
"Thanks ,Ji han." I said. We started eating our dinner. The two kids looked hungry because they kept munching their food like a person is in a hurry.
"Slow down." Ji han warned the kids and offered a water.
The dinner lasted for 20 minutes. After that, Min Yun decided to bring them to their new place.
"You can pack your things now. We will travel to your new place. "
The three of them went inside and we stayed outside the hut.
Min Yun sighed, I could sense his frustration because of this case.
"I'm sorry. " he said.
"For what?" I asked.
"It is suppose to be a happy dinner but you are here with us solving the case."
"It's okay, in fact we don't know that this will happen. It is good that we are here to help them. Surely, no one would dare to help them."
" Let's have a dinner tomorrow, I guess?" Ji han asked.
I smiled " It's up to Min Yun."
"It's not a problem to me." He sounds tired.
"Should we tell it to the king?" I asked.
"Is it part of the King's case? It's really odd. I can feel something." Ji han said.
I wanted to tell to Min Yun about what I have read but I can't do it now since Ji han is here.
"Let me help them carry their things." Ji han excused himself.
"Min Yun, I have to tell you something."
He looked at me waiting for me to talk. " Kim Man Shik is not the only one who is doing this."
"What do you mean?"
"Their is another powerful person who is behind this. More powerful than Kim Man Shik."
"That came from the book?" He asked.
I nodded.
"I only tell it to you because I want you to know about this. It's quite complicated and I don't want to share it to Ji han yet, I might sound suspicious to him."
" As much as I want to tell him who I am, I am afraid he might be scared of me. I don't want to ruin our friendship. " I continued.
"You can tell it to him when you are ready. "
I nodded.
He sighed. " That means Kim Man Shik is not the only enemy. How can I figure out things?"
Our conversation was interrupted when Ji han and the others went out with their bags.
"Let's go."