Chapter 1 - Dead Rain

Seon-mi sat at the back of the taxi, watching raindrops glide across the window being pushed by the wind.

"I should probably call and let them know I'm back in Japan now," she said.

Dialling her mom's number, she received no answer. She tried her dad next, the outcome was the same.

"Hm, guess I'll try Satsuki," she thought, attempting to call her brother, only to be met with the response of a voicemail.

"Is everyone asleep or something?" Seon-mi thought to herself as the rain continued to tap against the taxi window.

* * *

Upon arriving on her street, the narrow road prevented any cars from parking near her house, meaning Seon-mi had to traverse the remaining distance on foot. Her two-story suburban home, a common sight in the area, awaited at the end of the street.

As she exiting the taxi she retrieved her suitcase from the trunk. The rain had intensified, obscuring the surroundings. Contemplating taking shelter under a shop's umbrella, she opted to brave the rain as her house was only a few minutes away.

After a brief walk, she encountered a familiar face.

"Mister Yamashita! Nice to see you," Seon-mi greeted.

Startled by her presence, the man jolted at the sound of his name. Mr. Yamashita was her dad's partner on the police force and a close family friend.

"Seon-mi! What are you doing here?"

"Uh, I live here," she replied.

"Ah, that's right. Of course. Well I must be going now," he hurriedly stated.

"Mister Yamashita it's raining, and all you're wearing is that shirt. I've got a spare umbrella at home. I can grab it for you if you don't mind following me. I'm sure Dad would be glad to see you too," Seon-mi suggested.

"No, that's perfectly fine Seon-mi. I really must get going now. See you," he said before leaving.

"Well, that was weird," Seon-mi thought to herself but decided to brush it off, continuing her journey home through the pouring rain.

Upon reaching her house, Seon-mi's first observation was that the door was slightly ajar. As she approached and pushed it open, a disconcerting sight met her eyes—multiple sets of wet footprints trailed into the house.

"Mom?" she called, followed by "Dad?" but received no response.

Pressing on, she ventured further into the house. As she turned the corner into the living room, the scene that unfolded before her was nothing short of heart-wrenching.

The Yakuza that controlled this prefecture had a nasty way of dealing with snitches and undercover police officers. They would gut their victims and slit their throats, pulling their tongues through the slits and hanging them upside down using their organs. That was exactly how Seon-mi found her mother, father and brother in their living room.

Seon-mi fell to her knees and released a harrowing scream that cut through the air, resonating with a chilling intensity throughout the entire neighborhood. Even amidst the relentless downpour, her cry pierced through, audible to anyone nearby. The sound got the attention of concerned neighbors and passersby to the distressing scene.

* * *

Seon-Mi sat in the police station office with a police jacket draped over her shoulders. Still completely drenched from the rain, mascara streaking down her cheeks, her face devoid of all emotions.

As she sat there, she didn't blink, her gaze fixed on the empty space in front of her. An officer entered with a cup of hot chocolate and clipboard.

"Song Seon-mi, please drink something warm or you'll get sick," he urged, but she remained silent, continuing to stare ahead.

The officer sighed deeply. "This should have never happened to you, your father..." He paused, attempting to suppress the emotions creeping in. "Your father was a good man, one of our best. He saved my life once, did he ever tell you that? I owe that man everything."

Seon-Mi remained motionless.

"Here," the officer said, placing the clipboard and a pen on the desk in front of her.

"We need to take your statement, but don't feel rushed. Take your time and write whenever you're ready."

For the first time since arriving at the police station, Seon-Mi shifted. She brushed the police jacket off her shoulders and locked eyes with the police chief.

"Who?" she asked.

Confusion clouded his face.

"Who did this?" she repeated.

"Well... right now, it's hard to say. This is an ongoing investigation so I wouldn't be able to tell you much, but I promise to keep you updated on any new developments in the case."

"Are you serious?" Seon-mi's agitation bubbled to the surface.

"THIS IS YOUR FUCKING JOB! WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE NOT BEHIND BARS ALREADY!" she screamed.

Tears streamed down her face, and she could no longer contain her emotions, bursting into uncontrollable sobs.

"Why me? Why my family? We did nothing wrong. It's not fair," she continued to cry.

The police chief, moved by her anguish, embraced her as she cried uncontrollably.

"I'm so sorry Seon-Mi," he whispered.