BTS WORLD ARCHIVE: ANOTHER STORY

Chapter 2-6: Unexpected problem solver

It's been a few hours since the report was processed, but there are no updates on Jiyoung's case.

"I'm not trying to place any blame, but we need a plan," Senior Detective Kim announced. "We don't even know her last whereabouts."

"It's been a while since we received the report," Detective Mo agreed. "We can't delay this any further."

Senior Detective Kim turned to Detective Park. "Have you tried assessing the missing person's telecommunication records?"

"We can issue a warrant, but it's a Saturday," Park tells his advisor. "We might not be able to get to it until Monday."

"So, what do we do?" Mo wanted to know. "We wait? There's a kid missing. If we got to hack those phone records, that's what we do!"

Detective Park regarded him. "First of all, where would we find a specialist at this hour?"

"So, we're just going to sit here twiddling our thumbs." Mo stated.

Detective Park didn't like that. "Watch it."

"Hey, excuse me." A smooth voice calls out from behind the detectives.

"Ugh," Detective Park lets his annoyance known with a groan. "What are you doing here? Friend witness report filer, I thought you went home."

"We were heading out," Namjun tells him. "But I'm not friend witness report filer. You didn't forget already, right?" Namjun gestures towards me before carefully continuing to speak. "I couldn't help but overhear you need a hacker. I'm pretty good at it."

Senior Detective Kim gaped, "What?"

The detectives looked a bit taken aback at this unexpected information.

"Aren't you just a college student?" Detective Park inquired.

Namjun shrugged. "Yeah, but I've dabbled in it."

Detective Park scoffed, "Dabbled and you're offering to hack for us? Go home, kid."

Seeing as Namjun didn't seem to be winning this fight, I pipe up, "Detective, please listen to him. He's really good at hacking."

Detective Park groaned and rubbed his temple. "You're both giving me a headache now."

"Namjun won a prize at a hacking competition," I went on. "That's why I was interviewing him."

Senior Detective Kim seemed mildly intrigued. "Ah, didn't you say that you met while working on a story? So, you're saying he's more skilled than he lets on?"

Namjun shoots me a grateful smile before saying, "Once I start something, I keep practicing until I'm good at it."

"What do you think you're doing?" Detective Kim snapped. "Does this look like a game to you? Don't listen to these silly---"

Detective Mo suddenly speaks, cutting Detective Park off. "What kind of competition? Is it well known?"

Detective Park frowned. "What do you think you're doing?"

Everyone ignores him as Namjun answers with a careless shrug, "Well known enough for a reporter to interview me and a big company to give me a job offer."

Slowly, everyone turns towards Detective Park.

Flushed, Detective Park stammers. "You. You do know that hacking is illegal, right?"

Namjun smiled. "Ah, so you're also aware that it's illegal for detectives to hack."

The room went silent.

Senior Detective Kim piped up, "Want to put your skills to the test?"

Detective Park gaped. "You're the team lead! Why are you---"

"We don't have much time," Senior Detective Kim points out. "And that means we have to try everything."

Detective Mo lets his support be known, "Well, I'm all for it."

Defeated and grudgingly, Detective Park looks to Namjun, "Can you handle the responsibility? Are you prepared?"

"I have to be as a friend. A witness. I know how important this is," Namjun says determinedly.

"I'm the report filer," I remind the old man.

Detective Park rolled his eyes. "Stop. Stop already and get it. Friend witness report filer." He looks displeased.

Namjun meets his eyes with a serious look. "Can I use this computer?" He sits down without an answer, a grim expression on his face.

That's how Namjun got involved with the investigation of Jiyoung.