1 A web of lies
A woman with a bag over her head was forcefully dragged from an unmarked dark van and tossed onto the snow-covered road at eerie hours of the night. The men rushed back in and slammed the door shut before making a sharp turn and zoomed away in the opposite direction. Blood began to gush from beneath the soaking sack that had become red, the lifeless body of the woman was like of a ragdoll stripped of human kindness.
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In another part of the city a phone call was made to the police station.
"Is this the police department? This is Shin Min-ah, I'm calling to report a missing person."
The feminine voice was devoid of emotion while her fingertips drummed on the tabletop.
"This is officer Park can you tell me the last time the person was last seen with their full name and date of birth with their national ID?"
Three nights in a row Park Bin was dead tired that not even the coffee he had on his desk could keep his eyes open for much longer. Sheer willpower was what kept the officer from skipping the phone call to call it a night.
"So Ye-jin, her birthday is April 9th, 1994, NID 9xxxxxxxxx. I last saw her on Friday when leaving work at 7 pm, she did not show up to the company dinner that was held today.... I found it unusual for her not to show up and even called and left messages on her phone, but I haven't heard back since."
Shin Min-ah coolly gave her side of the story as the police officer entered the information on the computer. It was Sunday night at around 11 pm no less that the missing person report was being filed.
"Miss. Shin Min-ah what is your call back number so that we can touch base with you?"
"01xxxxxxxx."
After reading out the number to the police, the two then ended the phone call.
"Farewell So Ye-jin, everything you own is now mine. Blame yourself for trusting too easily."
Wearing a snicker, Shin Min-ah poured a glass of wine to give a toast to her rival's demise.
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KNOCK
So Ye-jin heard a sharp tap on her door while working on a design for a client whose wedding was in two weeks' time.
"Yes?"
A head slid through the crack on the door to show a pixie haired woman in white cotton jumpsuit with a prominent gold safety pin that held the front collar in place, she had gold hopped earrings and nude acrylic nails. Not looking up from the project that she was working on, So Ye-jin kept sketching the outline of the design for the wedding dress while absent mindedly twisting her hair.
"Ye-jin! Come on, let us go! Everyone has left for the day."
Shin Min-ah urged the woman that was sitting behind a desk, wearing a black elbow length V-necked shirt and dark knee length leather skirt.
"Big sister, is 7 already?!" asked So Ye-jin in disbelief.
"This is why I can't leave you alone, one of these days you will work yourself to death!"
The junior partner at YE-JIN bridals reprimanded the brains behind the successful brand that had graced the covers of big magazines in Seoul as well as internationally.
""I am trying to finish the sketch then on Monday I can source for the fabric at ARABEIL, that will take up the entire day. That's the part of this job that I hate."
So Ye-jin winced as the thought of spending the day shopping for supplies that she will need to make the dream wedding dress for her client. Under the desk her dark open-toed pumps littered the hardwood floor.
"Make sure to lock up after yourself, the last time you didn't. My concern is not the dresses but personal information of customers that could be stolen and used to defraud them of their valuables."
"I will be mindful to keep the doors locked, Big sister."
"Keep up the good work and don't forget to attend the company dinner at Bupyeong joint, be there by 6 pm sharp! Put it on the calendar that is in your phone or work calendar just don't give me the excuse that you forgot."
Shin Min-ah released the door to shake her index finger in warning to a serial defaulter. So Ye-jin saw how intently Shin Min-ah was looking at her, this caused her to feel a wave of guilt from the times that she would give lame excuses for her absences at social gatherings set up by the company. Pink in the face, So Ye-jin picked up her phone to enter the event and time.
"It is done, I now have it stored on my phone. I will be there for the company dinner."
"See you on Sunday."
As soon as she heard the promise from the younger woman, Shin Min-ah gave a winsome smile and waved at her before proceeding to shut the door. The ominous sound was lost on So Ye-jin who continued to work on her current project.
A pair of white stilettos moved down the stairs in a dark symphony to the humming sound that came from the one who wore them.
