BTS WORLD ARCHIVE: ANOTHER STORY

Chapter 2-5: The violent crimes division?

"Lee Wanjae, age 43 has a mental disability..." Detective Park was talking to one of his coworkers.

"Please find Jiyoung... I'm begging you," Jiyoung's father tries to get his attention.

We couldn't find Jiyoung anywhere. So, we went to the police station to report her missing.

"Detective Park will find her. We just need to verify your statement," the detective that was supposedly helping us tells us this.

"Hm? again? Okay... Okay," Jiyoung's dad agrees tiredly and timidly.

It's been like this for a while now. The detective keeps asking Jiyoung's father the same questions. It's almost like he doesn't believe his answers, just making Jiyoung's dad more tense and bewildered.

"I'm the one filing the report," I cut in, impatient and frankly annoyed, hoping to alleviate Jiyoung's father's trouble. "You can direct the questions to me. I know as much as he does about the situation."

Detective Park finally turns to look at me for some reason. His eyes feel like knives. "You know as much as he does? You're not even family. How was that? Why are you even involved?"

I am appalled. "What the ---?" I'm not sure I like where he's going with this. "I'm a friend of Jiyoung's who look after a stray cat together," I try to say calmly.

"You're friends with a 7 year old," Detective Park assessed..

"Yes, so?"

Detective Park narrows his eyes. "Do you hear yourself? Does that sound normal to you? How long have you known Jiyoung?"

I gaped. "Are you considering me a suspect? I didn't do anything but tell the truth!"

"Okay, but how long have you known this child?"

Even if that might make things worse for me, I tell him the truth. "One week."

Detective Park nods. "Right. One week. Of course it would be a week. That's all the time you would have needed to earn Jiyoung's trust before abducting her."

"Excuse me?" It's hard to keep calm when Detective Park has twisted everything so much.

Detective Park slammed his hands on the desk refusing to back down. "What do you think you're doing yelling at me like that?"

Jiyoung's dad regards both of us anxiously. He tries to calm the situation. "No, that's Jiyoung's friend. We've had dinner together."

"So, you cased the house," Detective Park assumed. "Very thorough of you."

I felt heated. "It's not like that---"

"Quiet." Detective Park ordered, crossing his arms. "Okay, then. Tell me, what were you doing in the neighborhood in the first place?"

"That's..." I'm going to get framed at this rate.

Detective Park keeps pressing me for details, he seems to know I don't have a good explanation for my actions.

There's no time for this. We need to find Jiyoung!

That's when Namjun flings open the door and strides into the violent crime's office.

"The reporter was there to interview me," Namjun breezily answered for me.

"And who are you?" Detective Park demanded.

"I'm another friend of Jiyoung's and another witness," Namjun says, sizing the man up.

I'm in awe. Namjun speaks confidently. He doesn't miss a beat!

"Friend witness..." Detective Park repeated Namjun almost mockingly.

A detective who followed Namjun into the office speaks up, his nametag said Detective Mo. "We confirmed that he's a friend. And another witness," he announced. "He's given a statement, too."

Detective Park side-eyed his colleague. "His statement corroborates their story?"

Detective Mo nodded. "It does."

"Are you satisfied?" Namjun asked. "What was that about just now?"

"What?" Detective Park's cold gaze turned back on Namjun. "What do you mean?"

Namjun crossed his arms and nodded to me. "It sounded like you were trying to turn my friend here into a suspect. Is that right?"

"What?" Detective Park waved it off. "No, that's a complete misunderstanding."

Namjun raised an eyebrow. "So...You weren't?"

"Of course!" Detective Park's voice was falsely cheerful. "This person is a friend, a witness and..."

"The report filer," Namjun finished.

Detective Park stared at him. "Yes. The report filer."

Namjun nodded. "I see. So can I take this friend, witness, and report filer with me then?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Well, can I or do you have more questions?" Namjun insisted.

Detective Park sighed and waved him off as he turned away. "No, you're free to go."

Namjun turns to face me. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go."