the scent of yours
Victim number 6, found in the basement of HQ apartments.'
"Fuck."
Jaehyun muttered. This had been the sixth case under the continuation of murders that had been going on for two months. He had made several strategies with his team but it all ended up in vain. None of them could help him catch the person behind this crime.
They were certain of the fact that this was all done by just one person, who was clever, _fast, _quick. This person was cunning enough to leave misleading hints and they had figured it out after the fourth case.
Jaehyun let out an exasperated sigh, exhausted to the core. Dropping his writing pad on the table, he walked up to the water dispenser and let his mind calm down, taking huge gulps of water. He had discovered something with this case.
This person had never left any real clue but, definitely a scent.
It was absurd to think of it as the rotten smell of a corpse was all one could think of at the crime scene but on close observance, there was one specific scent that lingered within the air of death. He wasn't any expert with perfumes or deodorants but his olfactory senses were definitely at peak when required.
He approached his table yet again to think of something that could be done in order to avoid another murder. His thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing of his phone. He picked it up and without his consciousness, a smile adorned itself across his features. It was the call of his fiancée, Maya.
"Hi love", he cooed sweetly, keeping all the previous thoughts in the back of his mind.
"Jae...god stop making me melt with just one word....ugh."
He laughed softly. He was so glad to have someone like her in his life, who lifted him up when he felt down and became a shoulder he could lean on. She was always there to remind him of his efforts, of how brilliant of an investigator he was, of how loving and gentle he was with her. She never let him fall into the void of insecurity that seemed to constantly be looming around him.
"Okay I'll stop. What happened?"
"Well, I wanna go shopping and I don't want to be alone."
"Oh babe...I'm slightly busy right now. Remember the case I told you about...there's another victim."
"Oh...oh my lord. I'm so sorry for not being understanding, I'm so –"
"Hey hey, calm down, it's alright. You didn't know. And don't worry, we'll go shopping on the weekend, I promise."
"Alright Jae. I love you!!,", she almost squealed in the phone and Jaehyun couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"Love you too Maya. Take care."
And after that call, he went back to the most nerve-wracking case of his life.
As the weekend approached, Jaehyun got even more hopeless due to the lack of clues and evidences for the crimes. He needed to calm himself and thought of the plan with Maya. He knew that was the perfect way for him to unwind.
Maya noticed the glum on his features the moment she stepped out of her apartment and unconsciously frowned herself. Taking his hands in hers, she left a gentle peck on them and nuzzled her cheek on it, sighing gently at the feeling of contentment. This little act was far more intimate to them as in that very moment, it assured Jaehyun of how Maya cares for him and would be there to listen to him, comfort him and just be there for him, no matter what.
After reaching the city centre mall, they held each other's hands, protectively, and made their way towards the building, just having the thought of each other and pure bliss.
Jaehyun almost laughed at a point at how Maya's personality transformed while shopping. She behaved like a whiny kid who wouldn't like anything in particular and yet wants everything. Not that he was complaining, but he found it hilarious.
He found himself gazing at her while she tried to figure out a dress for herself, with her nose scrunched in concentration. The only thing that mattered to him in that very moment was her happiness. Of course, his job was tedious and could take a huge toll on his mind but just the mere thought of her made everything better.
He felt blessed and thanked God in his mind, for the ninth time that day, or maybe tenth, we'd never know.
Once again, he was broken from his chain of thoughts when Maya called him to help her buy something. He didn't even realize when they had ended up in this section of the mall. The vicinity was fragrant with drops of citrus, rose, spring and some darker ones as well.
The perfume section.
After almost ten minutes, Maya decided upon a perfume. Apparently, Jaehyun figured out that she bought the one she had always used rather than buying something new, which was her actual motive.
"I just can't choose anything over this I guess, plus, this perfume is rare you know. You dont find it anywhere actually. Yet I manage to find it somehow", she had tiredly admitted.
He smiled 'cause he didn't know how but, how adorable.
When she let his inhale the essence of the fragrance, he felt as if time had stopped. The world was still and his mind screamed at the familiarity of this.
The scent at the crime scene.
The thought of it being a coincidence hit him but then he recalled Maya's statement – This perfume is rare you know. You dont find it anywhere actually. Yet I manage to find it somehow.
How did he never realize she wore that fragrance?
His brain was messed up 'cause this was definitely not something he could've thought of in this lifetime.
'Oh god', he thought, 'could it be...her?'
