Unevitable | Ryeji |

Chapter 15: Tangled Threads

Yeji’s Pov

The office was unusually quiet today. Most of my team was out investigating leads or tracking down suspects, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I couldn't shake off the feeling that something crucial was slipping through my fingers. It wasn't just the cases that haunted me; it was the nagging sense of déjà vu every time I thought about Hyunjin.

I glanced at the photograph pinned to my bulletin board. It showed Hyunjin with that familiar, enigmatic smile, and it made my heart twist in an unexpected way. My gut told me he was connected to the broader web of crimes we were trying to untangle, but I needed more evidence. A simple confession from him wouldn’t be enough, not with the layers of deception and manipulation at play.

The office door creaked open, and I looked up to see Seungmin walk in with a stack of files. He shot me a quick, almost apologetic glance before dropping the files on my desk.

"New leads, Captain," he said. His tone was polite but carried an undercurrent of tension. The team had been uneasy since the President’s engagement event. They felt it too—the sense of impending danger.

"Thanks, Seungmin," I replied, taking the files. "Anything else?"

He hesitated before speaking. "There’s a rumor going around about the President’s nephew. People are saying he might be targeted next. Have you heard anything about that?"

I nodded slowly, a frown forming on my forehead. Yeonjun. His name was becoming more prominent in our investigations, and it was no coincidence. "I’ll look into it," I said. "Keep me updated if you hear anything else."

As Seungmin left, I flipped through the files, my thoughts racing. The connections between the murders, Hyunjin, and now Yeonjun were becoming clearer, but the pattern was still incomplete. It was like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing.

My phone buzzed with a message. I glanced at the screen and saw a cryptic line: "The lines of fate are tangled. Be careful where you tread."

I stared at the message, a chill running down my spine. It was a reminder to stay cautious, a sentiment that seemed to echo the warning in my gut. I couldn’t ignore this. I needed to stay sharp, especially with everything that was happening.

I put my phone down and shook off the unease that settled over me. I needed to focus. I turned back to the files, trying to piece together the latest developments.

As I read through the reports, a new lead caught my eye: a witness had seen someone suspicious near the hospital where Yeonjun was staying. I made a note to follow up on this immediately. If there was a threat against Yeonjun, it could be connected to the broader conspiracy we were investigating.

I dialed Seungmin's number. "Seungmin, I need you to check the security footage from the hospital. Look for any unusual activity or individuals who shouldn’t be there. We need to find out if there’s a real threat against Yeonjun."

"Understood, Captain," Seungmin replied.

After ending the call, I leaned back in my chair and tried to calm my racing thoughts. The investigation felt like a tangled web, with threads leading in every direction. The more I uncovered, the more complex it became. Hyunjin’s involvement was becoming clearer, but connecting him to the bigger picture was proving difficult.

The office door opened again, this time with a softer creak. I looked up to see one of my colleagues, Minho, entering with a concerned expression.

“Captain, I just got word that there’s been a disturbance at the hospital where Yeonjun is. They’re saying it might be related to our case.”