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33.

"Again?" Jieun mumbles in shock. Jisung grabs the hospital bed's railing in frustration. "I swear if you start another nonsense again-"

"Is this..." Jungwoo takes a deep breath. "Is this about what you were saying earlier? About lying to protect me?" 

Eunbi lets out a defeated sigh. "This is a secret I wanted to take to my grave if possible... I am sorry things have turned out this way."

"Mom you're not making any sense."

"Didn't it strike as odd to you guys why Jongin was spared when both Jimin and Prosecutor Huang paid with their lives?"

Doyoung raises his hand. "I did think of it. Then I thought, since the case was shut down and everything else was covered up, maybe that's why Teach was spared. But is that not the case?"

Taeyong who was deep in thought, moves to the front now. "Johnny how many victims and collateral have been officially recorded for the Aphrodite killings?"

"6 victims and..." Johnny pauses to recollect. "If I'm remembering correctly, 3 collateral. Why?"

"All this while I thought that the collateral were Mrs. Park and her children. Seems like that is not so, right Mrs. Kim?" Taeyong turns to Eunbi with narrowed eyes. "If Jieun and Jisung were to be protected from the killer, it would make sense if they were listed as collateral. That's why they were put in an orphanage, lied to and then adopted by Teach. Am I right so far?"

Eunbi doesn't reply. She studies Taeyong with an intense look. "No wonder Kai calls you his ace Detective Taeyong." With a raised brow, she calmly asks. "Yes, you are right so far. What about it?"

Taeyong smirks a little. "The third collateral, it wasn't Jieun's mom. Yes?"

Doyoung lets out an audible gasp. "What are you saying Tae? How else would you explain-"

"Mrs. Kim said the fake killer was caught after the fifth murder."

"So?"

"Think about it, the case was covered up after Prosecutor Huang and Detective Park's supposed 'accidents'.  Then why do the official records state there are six victims?"   

Gears turn in Johnny and Mark's brains. "Wait. Are you saying that Mrs. Park was the sixth victim?" Johnny asks bewildered.

"Precisely." 

"That doesn't make sense hyung. All the victims had broken up with their boyfriends before murder right? Mrs. Park doesn't fit the criteria." Mark states.

Taeyong hums in agreement. "We don't know the full story so of course it seems that way. But Mrs. Kim seems to know. About how Mrs. Park actually died and the third collateral. That's the secret you've been hiding, isn't it?"

Eunbi gives a bitter smile. "You got me young man. As much as I want to refute you, I can't."

"Hold up." Haechan dramatically holds his head. "None of this is making sense to me." Jaemin nods. "Yeah, I'm getting a headache."

Eunbi points at Jungwoo. "Jungwoo is my eldest son. And he had a younger brother who was Jieun's age."

"Had...?" Jungwoo repeats in a daze. Just as his legs are about to give out, Mark steadies him. "I had a younger brother?" 

Eunbi grips her blanket tightly. "The third collateral of the case..." She gulps back her tears. "My youngest son died protecting Jieun."

A wave of shock and sadness spreads across the room. Doyoung and Jaehyun look at the floor with pressed lips. While Johnny and Taeyong look at Eunbi and the kids in sympathy. Mark rubs Jungwoo's back soothingly and Chenle does the same for Jisung. But Jieun sits unmoving and Renjun looks at her in worry. 

"Detective Taeyong is right." Everyone focuses back on Eunbi. "Sieun was that killer's sixth victim. The motive? Don't know. Just that he had been sending death threats to Sieun."

"Death threats?" Renjun asks, glancing at Jieun. Eunbi also shifts her eyes to Jieun. "That day, all of us were gathered at Jimin's house because it was his and Sieun's marriage anniversary. Sieun and I were in the kitchen. Kai and Jimin were in the study room and the kids were playing." 

Eunbi swipes her hair back and covers her eyes with her arm. "I mentioned we rushed Jungwoo to the hospital right? Jimin also left to meet with Prosecutor Huang. Sieun was alone at home with the kids. Jimin didn't want her to step out, thinking she would be safe at home."

"Except she wasn't. The killer showed up at their house." Johnny comments grimly.

 "Kai rushed to Jimin after hearing about the 'accident'. I rushed back to check on Sieun. But when I arrived..." Eunbi breathes shakily. "The house was on fire. I tried my best to find a way to get inside, but I couldn't. The fire was everywhere. And then I heard it. A gunshot."

Eunbi pauses trying to breathe properly. The sobs she had been suppressing for so long start to break through. "Near the kitchen door... my son was crouching before a trembling Jieun. The poor girl was holding a crying Jisung in her arms and trying her best to shield him from any danger." 

Jisung looks at Jieun with teary eyes. Breaking away from Chenle's hug, he walks over to engulf Jieun in his arms. "Noona..." He whispers sniffling. Jieun clutches his arms as she tries to hide her own tears. She looks at the woman breaking down in front of her, finally understanding the rage, the hate and the guilt in her eyes from over the years.

"I know it wasn't Jieun's fault but... I couldn't... I just could never..." Eunbi sobs clutching her heart tightly. "My Jungwoo... I didn't want to lose him as well. So, I did what I thought was right. I'm sorry..." She trails off wiping her eyes. 

Jungwoo walks over and gently wraps his arms around his mother. "Mom." At Jungwoo's voice Eunbi cries harder, refusing to look up at Jungwoo.

"It's okay Mom. I'm here with you."  

Yikes! I totally did not intend this to be a heavy chapter. 👉👈

Lighthearted moments coming after this, I promise.

Meanwhile, let me know how's the story so far. Are you guys enjoying it? Or not?

And what are the thoughts on our main leads?