KILL THIS LOVE | JENLISA

Chapter 79

Jennie

Thermodynamics was never in particular my strong suit in high school. I worked hard, paid attention in class and kept my grades up, yes, but all the countless equations and laws had always seemed pretty fruitless to me. Until today.

I remembered learning about the second law of thermodynamics in junior year. I could faintly recall hints about the law, how it was concerned with the concept of entropy, or in simpler terms - uncertainty. How the uncertainty of the universe keeps changing. All of it made perfect sense now.

My life two months ago revolved around nothing but my academic scores, keeping away from any possible distractions and persevering hard to be the best in what I did. My life was dull, weary even, but orderly. But two months later, here I was, having foolishly developed feelings for a serial killer who was now on the run, both my physical and mental state in absolute ruins; and now waiting queasily to know whether or not I was going to be incriminated for being an accessory to murder.

So the second law, in retrospect, made perfect sense to me - You think you have control over the life that you create, you have order, that all the reins lie in your own hands. And that's precisely when all the havoc wreaks loose. All that order you prided yourself in having, turns into chaos right in front of your eyes.

"So, Miss Kim."

I glanced up, watching Sergeant Cha as he crossed his arms, his hardened eyes boring into mine.
I was seated at his desk, across from him. It was hilarious, the fact that the reason I was in this predicament in the first place, began with a scenario awfully similar to this one. Perhaps life really does come back in a full circle.

We were surrounded by several other desks, occupied with other officers, I presumed. Coming to the station, I'd assumed it would be like the movies, that at the minute of my arrival I'd be arrested and put into hand cuffs and be thrown into the confession room. Perhaps it was my guilt talking tall.

"You were speaking to Manoban for about 2 months now, is that right?"

"Yes." I paused, hesitant to say my next words, "I don't understand, I've already answered these questions before, with the other detective."

"Detective Choi is no longer in charge of this investigation, I am." He stated passively, "I'd like to go over some details again, you can call your lawyer down if you wish to."

I didn't have a lawyer, And I'd prefer to keep it that way. I would be the only person spewing lies in the room that day. I curtly shook my head, refusing the offer.

"What did you talk about?"

'Why are you still a virgin?' my fingernails dug into my palms, not enough to draw blood, but just ample to channel my exasperation. I hated my subconscious for bringing that memory up as the very first response to the Sergeant's question.

"Uh, just a bunch of questions from a standardized questionnaire. And a few random, very normal ones, that's all." I crossed my heart and hoped I was just convincing enough to fool a cop.

Sergeant Cha's eyes divulged nothing, he kept a poker face, leaving no way for me to even gather a hint of whether he believed me or not. Maybe they already know. This is just a ceremonial game they play with the culprit before the big reveal.

"So Lisa Manoban never talked about anything.. unusual?"

An unfitting ghost of a smile came over my lips, "She's a psychopath with an alternate personality. Unusual has got to be in the textbook description for that."

"Let me put it this way," He narrowed his dark eyes, his tone rising, "How about a plan for starters? You ever talk about one? A plan that promised someone a bunch of benefits in the grand scheme of things?"

My head tilted to side slightly, "What.. plan? I'm confused."

"Miss Kim, there's an 'all-points bulletin' and 'be on the lookout' out on Lisa Manoban; any time she's sighted, the department will be alerted." He uncrossed his arms, "The thing is, it's been three weeks since that crazy-ass disappeared and hell, managed to even kill a girl out in the open. But you see, we have nothing on her, except for jack with plenty of squat." I could swear I saw a vein in his forehead pop as he spoke.

"Seoul may be a large city, but there's no way in hell a lunatic with a thirst for blood can just hide in plain sight. She needs food, shelter and supplies."

"You're saying she has an..."

"An accomplice, likely yes." He looked at me in an incomprehensible manner, "So if you know anything, now would be the time to speak up. Withholding information from us is not wise, it's only a matter of time before we find out."

My hazel eyes widened exponentially, "You think I'm helping her?!" That was insane. I may have unknowingly transported the key to her, lost my virginity to her, felt my heart shatter because of her, but I sure as hell was not assisting her in her deranged work.

"We have to look at every possible angle." He glimpsed downwards into a file, "You said you were at a party from 9 pm to about 12 on the 27th of last month, the night she escaped?"

"Yes."

"Do you have anyone who could support your alibi?"

I nodded, "You can ask around, plenty of people might have seen me there."

"You don't have any friends who could attest to that?"

Friends? As in, plural? It was laughable really. "Mino Song, I went with him." I answered quickly.

"Speaking of airheads," Sergeant Chalet out a weighty exhale, "We'll have to have a chat with Mr. Song too, again."

I chewed on my bottom lip, "Mino? What does he have to do with this?"

"Your friend has quite the criminal record that he conveniently forgot to mention when he talked to Detective Choi."He pronounced the word 'friend' with free flowing disdain. "Defacement and destruction of public and private property."

I almost sighed. The very second month of me being friends with him, Mino had confided in me about it all. How his name was put on the criminal record for vandalism at age sixteen, ruining his chances of a career in soccer and costing him admission in many big universities across the country.

That was precisely why he was stuck in Seoul, studying a course he had no interest in, since his parents insisted on him going to college. But old habits diehard.

He still was the same delinquent teen who'd spray paint phallic objects on any wall, any chance he got. I'd always known that Mino's penchant for graffiti would get him in very serious trouble sooner or later, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if the Lisa Manoban thing got pinned on him, seeing that it was my fault all along.

"Did you hear me?"

"Hmm?" my attention was snapped back to the Sergeant staring at me like he saw right through my facade. I muttered a small 'yes', gulping visibly.

"Hey Sergeant Cha." Both me and the sergeant turned our heads sideways, towards the direction of the voice. It was the woman from before, Detective Kim Hye-soo.

"The lab just sent their report on fingerprints from the psychiatric institution's back gate."

I stilled in my seat.

Shit. Shit. Shit.