CHAPTER 9: MY FIRST LOVE

The next day, Dr. Kim So-yeon's funeral started, and many people came to confirm the rumors from the viral video. Sam and his fiancee's families were troubled by So-yeon's death, and Sam's mind was in chaos after learning about the postmortem report at the hospital.

"The doctor told me it's a clear case of suicide, and there's nothing unusual," Sam thought, replaying the joyful moments with So-yeon in his mind.

Completely broken, he overheard one of Yeon's relatives blaming her, "I thought she was innocent, but she turned out to be a bad example of what a girl shouldn't be. She's not fit to be a doctor, enjoying herself as a lesbian, cheating on Sam. Her life is not worth it."

Sam intervened, saying firmly, "Shut up your fucking ass Mr. Michael ! She was my girl, and I knew her. Whether she was a lesbian or whatever, you have no right to judge her. The parents lost their only child. If you can't console them, at least don't blame their daughter. She's no longer in this world."

Sam went straight to the restroom, locked the door, and started to cry for Yeon's suicidal death. His inner voice echoed, "I'm a strict police officer, and all I loved is my job and my father. He always wanted me to be a police officer like him. I cried once like this for my mother's death when I was eight years old, and my father told me, 'Heroes never cry, they're brave and help people who cry over sadness.'

Like every boy, my father is my role model, my favorite hero. I always focused on studies and sports, so there was no love story in my school or college days. After being selected for police training, it was tough, but I managed to be strong in the position.

After becoming a police officer, I was on my way to tell my father, and suddenly, a foreign girl bumped into my shoulder. She was beautiful like an angel with long hair, brown eyes, and she looked like a model. The only thing missing was her clear face,she wore a black mask. I followed her, thinking it was a job I needed to fill the vacant in my life ,a girlfriend. She thought I was a pervert, but I explained by showing my police identity card. She believed the ID card, but not me.

Every day after my duty, I waited just to see her brown eyes. After three months of following her, I got her phone number and texted her messages every day. I didn't even ask her name, so I gave her one 'Ms. Sparkle.' But I shared everything about my personal life with her.One day, I accidentally made a video call, and even in the call, she wore the same black mask.

The information I got to know about her is that she is a half-Indian girl and a college student. To impress her, I tried so hard to learn her language, Hindi, through online courses, but I failed several times in the computerized bot tests. I even made an effort to learn about her culture and other important aspects of India.

She proved herself as Dad's little princess by talking proudly about him. Later, I got an Instagram account. What's the use? It was like a fake account of hers where she only posted some skies and her costumes. She usually sent memes through it daily, and I had no time to check it, so I replied with smiley and heart emojis.

Through chatting with her daily, I learned that her favorite color is black, her favorite food is ramyeon, she likes K-pop idol like BTS, her favorite K-drama is Boys Over Flowers, her favorite actor is Lee Min-ho, and most importantly, she values family.

After five months of chatting, I decided to propose to her. On a sunny evening, I dropped off my car with flowers, ran towards her, and said, 'Hey, Sparkle! whoever you are, I love you. I promise not to ask you to remove your mask. I don't mind your appearance because you are beautiful just the way you messaged me. I want to marry you, will you accept me?'

Ms.Sparkle was about to accept, but my strict father saw it all, and I got a slap. He told me, 'You have my full support to marry any Korean girl, not a foreigner, especially an Indian girl. Do you think she's worth your love? Stop this nonsense and focus on your career.'

Following my father's wish, I ended my first love and removed her contact, but her eyes still run in my mind. Two years later, I dated his friend's daughter, Kim So-yeon, at my father's insistence. I liked her because she looked exactly like my mother. My heart found new wings of love, but now she's gone. The saddest thing in my life is losing the woman I loved, like my mother, my first love, and finally, my girlfriend.

Next week, I was about to get married at Seoul International Catholic Church. Even my wedding suit, which I had ordered, almost looked perfect. Everything I had dreamed about for my married life seems useless today.

All my life has been spent chasing criminals and finding clues to detect the culprits behind murders, but my lonely heart chased love, and it ended up broken.

Is Yeon really a lesbian? Does she use drugs? If I have to confirm Yeon's true identity, I have to find the real truth. Where to start? Where... where? Huh! The high school girl whose brown eyes exactly the same as my first love. She saw the suicidal death of that teacher, Hwa-young. I promise to myself that if I find out the videos aren't real, I will confront the culprit with my bare hands. So, first, I have to check Yeon's phone.After finishing up this funeral event, I have to go to the police station and get Yeon's mobile phone."