Sasaeng Sister [In big roles: Sunghoon, Lee Know, skz, Ateez, Jungkook]

Chapter 24

Before going to sleep, I went to say goodnight to Minho. We ended up talking for a couple of hours.

It was close to midnight when his stomach growled, and I realized he hadn't eaten anything because his sandwich had been smeared on his face.

"Let's go for a night snack," I said, but Minho didn't want to because he needed to lose weight.

He had already gotten skinnier after the abduction.

"I'll get you something. It's not healthy to starve yourself," I said and tiptoed downstairs, hoping that Hari was not in the kitchen anymore.

She wasn't there. Instead, Mike and Ae Ri sat on the couch. They didn't notice me.

Ae Ri leaned her head on Mike's chest.

"I feel like I have failed both of them. I can't do anything about the videos. Usually, I can take down bad press, but now, I need to watch how torture videos of my child circulate online..."

Her voice quavered.

"I shouldn't have let him become an idol after all. I gave him permission on one condition. That he lives at home and not at the dorm... I thought then we would stay close and what happened to Hari would not happen to him... But I shouldn't have let him become an idol."

Mike stroked her hair.

"You let them follow their dreams. You couldn't have known."

"It's not even that. I was never home. I... I was always busy. And their dad... I should have divorced him as soon as I realized how toxic our relationship was. I think that living with him affected Hari too."

"Now we are here, and we move forward," Mike said.

Ae Ri burst out in tears.

"They called Hari in for another interrogation today. Did you know that?"

Mike offered her a tissue.

"Does she have something to do with it then?"

Ae Ri blew her nose loudly. She was ugly-crying. I had never seen her that vulnerable.

"She can't have done anything that serious..."

Ae Ri wiped the corners of her eyes.

"And... she would not survive in prison. She... she is so fragile. Her condition would get worse."

"But you can't cover up her mistakes. You know that, right?" Mike said.

He adjusted his position and saw me at the stairs. Ae Ri followed his gaze. She quickly smiled at me, acting like she had not just bawled her eyes out.

"Filina, is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, don't mind me. I'm just grabbing something to eat," I said and hurried into the kitchen.

I made a sandwich slowly because I wanted to hear more. Unfortunately, Ae Ri and Mike changed the subject.

It was already 2 a.m. when I actually went to sleep. I had planned to call Sunghoon about the Senior Inspector's email reply, but it was too late now. Talking with Minho and bringing him food had messed up my schedule.

***

I called Sunghoon the first thing in the morning. He couldn't believe that Hari was left off the hook again.

"What will we do now?" he asked.

"We need to continue digging her dirt up. Which reminds me of something that might be useful. Guess who was at our house?"