Raehyun lay on the bed, covered himself with a blanket, and closed his eyes. The darkness in the room and under the blanket mirrored his emotions.
The same words echoed through In Hyuk's brain continuously: "I was also one of your victims," and he couldn't sleep. He got up early in the morning, unable to sleep well. When he came out of the room, Raehyun was heading out.
"Where are you going this early?" In Hyuk asked.
Raehyun didn't reply. In Hyuk huffed and followed him, grabbing his arm to stop him, but Raehyun pushed him away.
"Okay, let me ask you something," In Hyuk spoke. "What will you gain from sending me to jail?"
Raehyun ranted, "So you are admitting to those murders?"
In Hyuk retorted, "That's not my question."
"If you go to jail, you will not be able to kill anyone anymore, and..." Raehyun stopped talking.
"And?" In Hyuk asked with a curious gaze.
"You will be safe and alive," Raehyun replied in a hushed voice. "But that was not what I wanted; that is the result of your actions," he added.
"Safe and alive? Looks like you don't know a lot about prisons. This world is filled with beasts everywhere," he snickered. "How about that? I will go far away from you, where you can't find me, so that you don't have to worry about my acts."
Raehyun questioned, "Will that wash away your sins?"
In Hyuk snapped, "That's none of your business."
"How," Raehyun's voice escalated, "how is it none of my business? You living in hiding on the other corner of the world doesn't mean we are strangers. You think I wish not to see any bloodshed? I just wish not to see you tainted with blood."
Raehyun headed to the parking lot. In Hyuk stood there, looked at the leaving car, and headed inside. He made a toast and took a bite. It felt tasteless, and he put it back on the porcelain plate. He looked at the window mirror that had a blurred reflection of himself.
"He must be tired by all of this. He is right; I never thought about him. Why can't I live an ordinary life like everyone else?" He pondered, staring at the reflection, and a series of memories ran through his head: Palace massacre, dying people due to starvation, trespassers getting executed, lifeless dead body of Seoyeon, and the mummified body of Minji.
A smile appeared on his face while his eyes were teary. "Right, it was the right choice. Although I was cruel to my brother, that was much more cruel than anything. They deserve a punishment."
Then a memory flashed through his head. In 2014, In Hyuk was scolded for beating a bully by his mother. The next morning, Raehyun entered his room and pulled his blanket away , "Why did you do that?" he asked.
In Hyuk, who was still sleepy, muttered, "What are you talking about?"
Raehyun grabbed In Hyuk's arm and pushed him out of the bed. "The boy, why did you do that?"
In Hyuk ranted, "Are you asking because you don't know? He was a bully."
"But you almost killed him?" Raehyun demanded.
" He deserve__
"Again," Raehyun shouted. "Again, those words! __Right, I should know better that a king who had to protect his people killed people instead. How could he be a little wiser?"
"You must be a good king after taking the throne. That's all what matters. I didn't even rule Silla that long," In Hyuk remarked.
Raehyun's eyelashes became heavy with tear drops, and he came out of the room.
This memory made In Hyuk ponder about Jiho Reign. He picked up his phone and called the number saved as Folklore Professor Kim Sang Woo.
"Yes, University Folklore Professor Kim Sang Woo speaking," the person on the other side said.
"Yes, Professor, I am Kim In Hyuk, the son of Kim Jihyun. How are you doing, sir?"
"Ahh, In Hyuk, I'm doing very well. How about you?" Professor replied.
"I'm fine, thank you so much, sir."
"How did you call me?" Professor inquired. "Do you want me to send you a list of new historical discoveries?"
"No, Professor, I just wanted to ask you about something," he replied.
"Sure, go ahead."
In Hyuk said, "There is a gap between King Kim In Hyuk and King Kim Jung In that is not written in history. I was wondering if I could find anything related to that period."
Professor explained, "That was not noted down for unknown reasons, but I remember reading about it in Queen Kim Ji An's diary. I will look it up and let you know."
"Yes, thank you, sir. I will wait eagerly for your reply. You must be busy; I will leave you to it." In Hyuk stared at the phone for a while after the call ended and got ready to go to work.
Raehyun stayed silent and focused on studies for the time being, thinking he couldn't do anything about it as there was no evidence. But the more he thought about it, the more he felt convinced that it's not something he should overlook.
"What is this?" Injae asked.
Raehyun replied, "A letter."
"Seoul Central Police Station, Kang Haru," Injae read the receiver. "But why are you sending a letter to the police station?"
"I'm going to request the in-charge of the murder cases to appoint me as a police investigative assistant," Raehyun replied.
"That's definitely going to be ignored," Injae remarked. "There is no way they will request you to be a police investigative assistant to the station."
"I know, it's the fourth letter already," Raehyun replied.
"Are you even breathing?" Injae asked, noticing Raehyun's gloomy face.
Raehyun nonchalantly said, "What do you mean?"
"It's just you look like a living corpse," Injae expressed. Raehyun looked up in his eyes. "Don't worry, I am doing pretty well than you think."
**o**
Chul Woo handed a letter to Kang Haru and said, "You have got the letter again. This guy is meticulous."
Kang Haru put the letter aside, and Chul Woo asked, "Are you not going to read it?"
"It is filled with nonsense anyway. There is no use reading it," Haru replied, going through files.
"How about meeting him in person and talking to him?" Chul Woo suggested.
"Hey, he is a Police University student and one of the top students. Do you think he does not understand things better?" Haru replied.
"Then shouldn't you give him a chance to explain things? I mean, if he knows things very well, then there must be some reason why he is being like that," Chul Woo expressed, offering Haru a cup of coffee. At that time, another officer entered with a criminal cuffed in a neon blue hoodie and looked around thirty years old.
"You stole something again? Why are you getting into bad habits? You should look for another job, not getting into illegal things," Chul Woo advised as he saw him entering. Everyone got busy with their work.