Aftermath

1091410211022092021

Lawyer Ko and Gaon were sitting in Chief Jo's office looking at the findings. It was late in the evening. They had not gotten the complete result yet. But the remark from the forensic team was  death by drowning , due to the volume of liquid found in the lungs. The liquid matches the water from the lake , there were no bruises , no skin particles at the victim's nails or scratches leading to the evidence that she might have been attacked. Chief Jo had dispatched his team to to view the CCTV around the park , stretching to East and West lake area as well as interview the husband and her workmates. 

"So far we can only deduce it as accidental  or suicidal until complete investigation is done."Gaon looked back at the  the pictures of the victim.

"What about this  picture, her left palm, there's a faint written number on it , 1091410211022092021,"said Lawyer Ko pulling out the photo. All three of them looked down at the picture. The numbers were written in black ink. 

"The numbers are too long for a bank account or phone number, 19 digits ."

"But it must means something for her to write on her palm, " said Gaon. 

" The last 8 digits seem like a date to you right? 22.09.2021. That's tomorrow. Any significant thing tomorrow? " Lawyer Ko and Chief Jo  shook their heads. Chief Jo said that his team can check with the family   member on any clue to the date.

"From her hands and legs, there's the  'washerwomen ' wrinkles suspected she's been in the water for more than five hours. She left work last night at 10pm , anything from then to this morning. The question is why she detoured to Seokchon lake which is away from her house. "

Gaon rubbed his neck. He didn't feel good about the case. Normally, for suicide there would be some sort of letter or note left either instructions or apologies to love one , or in  his father's case , he hung himself visibly for the  family members to find him. But Ms Bang had a caused , surely she wouldn't have killed herself before her  daughter is found. 

If it was accidental, why was she at Seokchon Lake all by herself at night, a place that was  forty minutes away from her  house ?Especially at 10pm after work, finishing her shift and feeling tired? The first thing  in  mind would be to head back home , take a shower and sleep or cook dinner for husband and then go to bed. She was already passed 50 and married, Gaon doubted that she would want to go for Happy Hour at that time. Unless she was meeting someone..

Gaon has been starring at the picture for along time. He was back at home. Lawyer Ko had insisted to drive him back even though he could just take the train. Gaon leaned back on his chair, stretching his neck, trying to get some rest. His stomach was making rumbling noises. Gaon patted his stomach and realized that he did not have anything for lunch and dinner. Chief Jo had graciously offered him a sandwich from the cafeteria , but he wasn't hungry then. 

But he was starving now. He got up and went to the fridge. An unpleasant smell greeted him when he open the fridge door. His eyes watered and he covered his nose . It must have been the leftover from last night take away dinner. He was reading through a few cases and ate only half of the rice dish. Gaon immediately threw it away and rummage through his fridge. There actually wasn't anything to rummage as there wasn't much there except Madame Ji herbs , an egg and  a spoil milk (  definitely have to throw away). His stomach was rumbling louder, Gaon searched through the room and happily saw a ramyeon cup on top of his book shelf. 

Gaon felt his body relax when he was cooking the ramyeon, he grinned as he put a little bit of Madame Ji's ginseng ,thinly sliced. Since she gave him might as well use .... a little bit of it.Of course ramyeon is not cooking basically boiling, but just the simple act , putting the ingredients and eggs just makes him at ease, he wished there was kimchi, or carrot or radish. His mind wandered off to all the vegetables and meat that he can put inside.He really need to go to the grocery and buy some food for the house. He had been living on takeouts , ramyeon and fastfood for almost a year.Gaon didn't understood why he was hungry that day, he could spend days on just  crackers and coffee. He was practically drooling , when he took the pan off the stove and walked back to his study table.