"I told you, I'm done nothing wrong..." Soo Young looked up. Her eyes pierce towards the investigation officer. The cold four wall room represented her inner side; gloom and empty.
Her stubbornness paid a good amount of toll when those four rods that bound her squeeze all of her hands and legs, creating a deep cut and bruises on her skin. She gave out a grimace face, supressing the pain that abused her body.
"What's the purpose of you presented yourself before jeoha mama?!"
"I've told you, I was asking for his favor. His personal eunuch knew about it. He's the one who arranged the meeting-"
"He said nothing!"
"Sure... He won't dare to snitch..."
Again, with that, Soo Young had to hold the pain. She refused to scream, as it will show how we she was in front of these ruthless people. She remembered General Kim's once told her; if she believes the truth, not even a mountain could kill her.
For that, she held the justice, even if she had to die there. She won't die as a wimp, let alone as a murderer!
"Let me ask you again... Why were you there?" asked the officer.
"I was called. I had a meeting with jeoha mama. I was trying to ask for his favor to help me. The eunuch-" Soo Young bitterly gazed at the old man, who already shrunk next to a royal guard. Obviously, he was pressed not to tell the truth.
"I was told that I could only meet jeoha mama that early, because he had to travel to the East for some royal business," Soo Young continued.
"For what favor do you want to ask from mama?" asked the officer.
Soo Young was about to open her lips when she realized something.
If she tells them, she might dragged Dan along with this. Hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do.
"It's personal. I won't tell anyone. It's a family affair-"
This time, a bucket of ice water splashed on her; from head to toe. The cold, icy sensation pierced all over her body, through those wounds. Not to mention, Soo Young almost drowned and losing her breath.
"You better tell us. Now!"
Soo Young cough, grasping for air after a long run of interrogation process. She held her stubborn face, refused to cooperate with the investigation. No matter what it is, she won't dragged Dan and his family in this matter.
Never!
***
"Asura..."
Asura quickly stood up when he saw a glimpse of Sun An entered the room. The man dashed at once whilst learning about the incident. He's the only one who could present by now as Indra was still at the North Kingdom, perhaps on his way back with Myung Yu and Uk.
"She's so brave. I don't know why she refused to tell the truth-"
"It will drag Dan-ssi along with this. We have a lot of people to think about. If she tells the truth, they might use this as the opening to blackmail Ki's family-" Sun An took a glance on Asura. "Or worst, they might put them in prison for obstruction of justice."
"Of course they won't spare anyone in this!" Asura balled his fist and knocked the table, supressing his anger.
"Did jeonha mama acknowledged this?"
Hearing that made Asura sighed even more heavier.
"The royal family knows. But, the statement from the kingdom was really frustrating! They chose to focus on jeoha mama's funeral and the mental health of the family. So they handed the case to the royal investigation," said Asura with heavy-hearted.
Sun An frowned as he tried to think about something.
"Where's the investigation report?" he suddenly asked Asura.
"I haven't lay my hands on it. They told me, it still in process..."
"How can they conduct an investigation before the paper even released?"
Sun An's inquiry slapped the reality in Asura's mind. He was too panic to even realize the flaw in this case.
"We gotta go, or we'll lose Soo Young-ssi tonight!"
***
The pain was unbearable now for Soo Young. She lost conscious at least twice by the span few hours during the interrogation. But, she kept her words firm.
She was innocent and she won't dragged anyone in this!
"You have a strong motive to kill jeoha mama. Everyone knows how he tried to rape you before..."
Those words open up an old wound inside Soo Young. The fact that she tried to bury that incident deep inside her heart, how hard it was for her to let it go, but now it seemed that all of her hard works were fruitless. The wound bled again, and this time, it might caused her life as well.
"Tsk, even after you died, you still trying to embarrass me, jeoha mama..." Soo Young murmured. Her voice was a bit soft here and there, not enough for anyone to hear it.
"What's more as your excuse?!" the officer yelled at her. Soo Young looked up at him with her blue black, bruised eyes.
"It got nothing to do with this. I didn't kill him!"
"Why are you there?!"
"Like I told you, I need his favor. You can ask his eunuch. Stop pressing that old lad, he will tell you the truth!"
A hard slap reached out her cheek, making Soo Young bursted out blood. She coughed as she almost choked herself with her own air.
"You have a motive to kill jeoha-"
"Can we stop talking about that..."
"You can't take it anymore! You have that urge to kill him! Or, perhaps, maybe, you were trying to seduce him-"
"If I want to kill him because of that, I've done it years ago!" Soo Young's stern voice echoed around the room. The birds flew away, wind swept away her hair from her face. Her eyes, though they were swollen, they showcase a determination of the lady to upstand her innocence.
"It's true. He tried to rape me before. I did contess, with the help of daegum jaga. Everyone accused me of lying, just because he is Seja! But, even at that worst, I never let myself swayed til the extend of killing jeoha mama! Though he is a bad person, I know my place!" said Soo Young.
"And, now... I have no reason to kill him, yet still, you thought I hold a grudge against jeoha mama! How pathetic is your mind to ever think that I can't move on!" she continued as tears rolling from her eyes slowly. She's break down already; exhausted, disappointed and anger mix in and stirred her vulnerable heart.
The officer sighed. Perhaps, he had enough of Soo Young's stubbornness. His legs slowly move towards her, bending his back so she could look at him straight into his eyes.
"So, you won't admit your mistake?" he whispered to her. Instead of replying, Soo Young shot a deadly stare at the man. He shut his eyes, and flick his finger.
"Since you refuse... I guess, let's use this method instead..."
From her spot, Soo Young gasped as she watched General Kim and Lady Kim, being brought by the guards into the room. She almost screamed out her lung when she saw them; bleeding and injured.
"Gae dwae ji!" Soo Young spit on the ground and growl as she almost jump from the chair that bind her. The straps cut her skin deep, making her wrist bled as she could hear Lady Kim screamed her name from far before that poor lady got knocked from behind.
"So, let's starts from the beginning, shall we?" the officer smirked.