Chapter 11

Narrator POV

The current case of the world has everyone on the edge of their seats. No one knows the next move, or the motive of any actions taken. Detective Cho Han sat at his desk sighing, laying his arms out in front of him to reach his laptop. All he could think of was the possibility. Many possibilities, the kid could have had a point but if he did how could a 28-year-old detective of 8 years miss this.

Sitting on his desk was a stack of papers he pulled from the back room sighing every evidence report just to review a case from a year ago dismissed with ease after the current set of events. His attention moves from the computer to the top of the folders grabbing one.

"I can't believe I'm doing this right now," he mumbles under his breath looking around to make sure no one entered the department. "This is crazy," flipping open the book the first thing he sees are the pictures, five men all skinny and poorly dressed. Looking at the case everything was different. Men instead of women and poor instead of middle class, two different MO's. Even someone with no training could tell this was the work of a different person but in the back of the detective's head was filled with questions.

He takes a closer look bringing the image up to his face, only the first image with a frail guy, tanned skin, ripped white tee, dirty pants, and no belongings other than a worn-out wallet with thirty dollars to his name. He was laid out in a field of sunflowers like a deer taking a rest. His arms and legs were bent slightly with bruising staining his skin. Cause of death was a stab to the heart and chest-

The detective lowers the paper dropping it on his desk, "A stab to the heart and chest," he mutters under his breath looking up at the ceiling. "Heart and chest," he repeats, sitting up straight this time before picking up the current case that sat on the opposite end of his desk.

No way-

Back on campus Tae, Yori, Dal, and Jae sat at the cafeteria table in silence as the life of the party was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you really Kang's friend," Tae asked, directing his attention to Jae at the end of the table. "Huh," he responds, looking around as his arm starts to itch.

"You haven't visited Kang since he's been in the hospital," Tae pouts as Yori places her hand on his shoulder, "I can't believe he said you were his best friend it's obviously me."

The table gets tense, and the silence comes back in a wave as they all begin to depart from the table with Dal and Jae leaving together. Ever since Kang introduced the two, they began to grow on each other.

"I think Tae doesn't like me," Jae looks to the floor as they walk down the crowded halls to their next class. Jae was always one to find conflict but since he was removed from his gamer 'friends' he thought his life had changed for the better.

"He's just upset that Kang said he liked you better but honestly I think Kang likes both of you the same"

"Then why would he say that"

"I don't know," Dal shrugs, "He is a really strange person but oddly enough he is very fascinating to me."

"He is a pretty weird guy," Jae laughs right as his phone chimes. "Hold on a sec," he looks down at his phone as his feet stop moving. He was just smiling but as he eyes the text his face changes briefly before letting out a sigh. "Actually, can you go to class first I'll meet you there," he forces his face to stretch before meeting Dal in the eyes.

"See you later"

Running off in the opposite direction he reaches a stretchy looking building a mile away from the school. The windows were shattered, and the paint was peeling off while the grass that surrendered the area reached his knees.

"Did you bring the money," a voice from behind him emerges as he grips onto the bag on his back. Footsteps get closer, crunching on grass one movement at a time making Jae's heart skip a beat.

"Ah he actually did bring it," another person approaches, ripping the bag off his back pushing him forward. He trips on his own foot, stumbling forward before face planting into the dirt. "If you bring this much every month you might be able to pay off your debt before your 30th birthday," the guys laugh as Jae rolls over on his back looking up at the two guys standing over him and the other five behind him.

"But- but that's in 12 years?" he counts his fingers, "You told me that if I brought you guys three thousand a month, I could pay my debt off by the time I graduated." The men eye each other laughing hysterically holding onto their stomachs even one had to wipe tears from his eyes. The amount Jae had set was more than enough to get his debt off his back but the money hungry group that followed him around thanks to his bullies always needed more. More food, clothes, girls, etc. It was always something with them.

"Look kid," one guy with a mohawk and a scar over his right eye kneeled to the ground. "Just do as we tell you and there will be no problem," his face stretches up into a grin as he runs his long scaly fingers through Jae's hair making Jae shiver a little. "Go home kid- we will call you next month for our cash." The men depart and Jae stays to the ground staring up at the blue sky for comfort. There was no way he could keep paying three thousand every month, he could barely pay this month so it's no different now.

The doors to the class open and in walks Jae thirty minutes late and covered in dirt on his back side while Dal and Tae stare at him on his way in. They could spot every inch of grass, dirt and even a little scratch on his cheek that was bleeding, leaking down his face.

"Jae, are you okay?" Tae rushed out of his seat to help and got pushed away by Jae's arm, not wanting to be touched. His eyes were all red and watery, but he managed to get to his seat before anyone could notice.