Beyond barriers/ Kim Namjoon

|5|

The dimly lit interrogation room seemed to shrink around me. Just as I was about to enter, Namjoon intervened, expressing his objections to my presence during the questioning. Luckily, his authority was limited to Mr Lin's decisions. The room, with its minimalist setup, held three chairs and a small square table, and across from us sat a young man.

Slightly shorter than Namjoon, the man exuded sophistication in his black suit and white long-sleeved shirt. His short, dark hair added to his overall elegance, and it would be a blatant lie to deny his undeniable handsomeness. Truthfully, he was exceptionally good-looking.

"Make yourself at home," he unexpectedly said, manspreading with a cheeky smile. His hands folded on his abdomen, looking far too comfortable considering he was the one about to be interrogated. It was clear he'd been in this position before.

Without uttering a word, Namjoon sat down, signaling for me to do the same. However, I found it hard to tear my eyes away from Mr Jeon's piercing gaze. I eventually sat down, still captivated by the mysterious aura surrounding him.

Mr Jeon, leaning back in his chair, gave a cheeky smile. "Finally, something interesting in here, Kim," he remarked, pointing at me with a nod. I felt an unexpected awkwardness settle in the room.

"For you, Mr Kim. I don't recall us meeting before," Namjoon stated, his jaw clenching.

A moment of silence hung in the air, broken only by my nervous chuckle. Mr. Jeon seemed unfazed.

"Well, Mr Jeon, we would like to ask you some questions," I said, pulling out my iPad from my purse.

"Ask me anything, sweetheart," he replied, his cheeky smile persisting. Despite his young age, he knew how to navigate conversations to avoid trouble. I realized I had to adopt a different approach, but the exact strategy eluded me.

"Mr Jeon, we are aware you were a good friend of Mr Min," Namjoon began, placing a picture of our victim on the table. Jeon's response was unexpected.

"Oh, I thought she would question me," he said, winking at me. The tension in the room heightened, and I could sense Namjoon's growing displeasure.

"Are you sure you want to do this that way?" Namjoon asked Jeon directly, surprising him with my partner's reaction.

"Oh, I see how it is... Yeah, I mean, who wouldn't, right? The moment she came into the room with you, I can't take my eyes off her," Jeon remarked, undeterred by the growing intensity.

Mr Jeon, seemingly amused by the tension, leaned forward, his cheeky smile widening. "Can't blame a man for appreciating beauty, can you, Namjoon?"

I tried to maintain my composure, focusing on the task at hand. "Mr Jeon, let's stick to the matter at hand. We need to understand your connection with Mr Min."

Jeon leaned back again, chuckling. "Straight to business, huh? No fun in that."

Namjoon, still visibly annoyed, shot back, "This is a serious matter, Jeon. We expect your cooperation."

Jeon's playful demeanor shifted slightly, a glint of something more serious in his eyes. "Alright, alright. Ask away, detectives. I'm an open book."

"We know, you were friends with Mr Min," I said finally after another akward silence caused by Mr Jeon's attitude. 

"Yeah, long time ago," he said, suprisingly without any sarcarm. 

"We are also aware he was in debt to you," said Namjoon finding a file with their mail records.

"He is in debt," Jeon pointed out slighly irritated. 

"Well, Mr Jeon. He is dead, so practically he was," I said looking at Mr Jeon's whole mood change.