Youth | Gyuhao

- 1

| Chapter 1 — A smelly start |

Minghao stepped around the police tape, walking inside the bedroom.

He was quick to scrunch his nostrils, the horrid flare of blood and body fluids wafting throughout the room, a scent so awful he couldn't even begin to explain it if he tried.

He examined the crime scene, sighing deeply.

The woman was very much deceased. She was covered in blood from head to toe, seeming to be beaten horridly with a weapon that the station had yet to find. And the state in which she laid was one of the most heart wrenching things Minghao had ever seen, and he was used to death. Very.

She was on her side, unmoving. It seemed like she had been on the bed before being pushed harshly off. Minghao could only imagine how hard she must've fought for her life.

It was sad. Painful. But Minghao held it together. He always did.

"It's definitely a homicide." Junhui was Minghao's partner, having stepped inside just a moment after him. Minghao watched him look around the bedroom, "What do you think happened?"

Minghao sighed, walking forward. He bent down in front of the woman, frowning at her state, "Something she had no control over." He says, tightening the gloves on his hands before reaching one down, closing her eyes gently, "She definitely fought— dragged it out as long as she could."

Junhui frowned, but nodded nonetheless, "I'll tell the others to get Forensics in here. There's a lot to cover."

Minghao hears Junhui make his way out of the room, and soon after, he follows him.

"Is it bad?" Their close friend, as well as other detective, Soonyoung, asked, face sour as well. Minghao could tell the man had smelt all the blood. It was strong— the body had been there for days.

Minghao nodded, "We need to get Forensics in there. There might be evidence as to who did this." He said, "If we find fingerprints of anything whatsoever, that would definitely help."

"Right on it." Soonyoung slipped out his phone, pressing a few buttons before bringing it to his ear.

"Stay here with Soon. I'll head back down to the station to gather up the further information. Don't worry about the fingerprints. I'll look into it once the tests get back."

Junhui nodded, "Copy that."

"I'll see myself out then." Minghao bid his friends a goodbye, being mindful of all the tape as he walked out of the apartment.

He dropped his shoulders once he stepped out, feeling a fresh drop of air finally reach his lungs. The smell that illuminated from that apartment was so terrible, he honestly regretted that they didn't wear masks before stepping inside.

When Minghao steps outside, he looks up at the Sun, at the sky, as if to apologize to the victim as she looks down from the clouds. He did this often, greeting the soul in the sky and apologizing in advance for the difficultly in which her remains must go through, as well as the hearts of her family and friends, even the truth as well.

Minghao begins walking down the sidewalk, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

He stares down at his shoes as he walks, watching himself kick the stray pebbles in his path, seeing all the different kinds of shoes in his peripheral stroll past him as well.

His mind wandered into thought.

Death, it's natural.

It's a noun. It's the irreversible cessation of all vital functions, especially as indicated by permanent stoppage of the heart, respiration, and brain activity.