Fatal Trouble | Y.Jw

| 14 |

"I'm gonna need you to put Miss Young and her apartment under 24/7 surveillance and protection for the next three weeks," Jungwon casually pointed out to Detective Ahn, who was in the midst of packing up his things for the day.

"If I'm to put anyone under that type of protection I need a good reason," Detective Ahn sighed heavily, "and you finding her the slightest bit interesting or pretty isn't enough."

"She's the next victim. I have two weeks to figure out who this murderer is, otherwise, you'll lose your transcriber. And God forbid the next to be murdered in this little town is a student with incredible potential," Jungwon sternly warned.

"How would you even-" Detective Ahn started.

"Defendant Jung said it himself. After the Brewer, it would be a journalism student. I'm still convinced it's members of that book club, and how she's on the list before even being part of the club I'm not sure of yet. Planned play I don't know. The two weeks were on her usual table in the auditorium. It's used for journalism lectures and it's where she sits-"

"She told you?" Detective Ahn questioned.

"It's obvious. She kept glancing at the picture on my clue board and the table where they painted 'two weeks' had traces of ink smudge. The same colour ink from her typewriter here," Jungwon waved it off, "the murderer is playing a game. They think it's funny to give me two weeks and if I don't do it... then I'll regret it because the victim is gonna be someone I'd rather not see go."

"I can't put her under protection because you might have a teenage crush on her," Detective Ahn reminded with a tired look, "I'm starting to think your professionalism is slipping-"

"Put her under protection. If not... then I can assure you that in two weeks by dusk, exactly, your transcriber will be lying dead on the floor of a nearby pine forest," Jungwon warned harshly and Detective Ahn paused and looked up at Jungwon.

"Where is she now?"

"Front hall."

Detective Ahn looked over Jungwon thoughtfully, humming and turning to look down at his papers with a frown on his face.

"Is Miss Young aware that-"

"If she were, she wouldn't have gone here with me," Jungwon pointed out calmly. She cannot know."

"It would be safer to tell her," Detective Ahn pointed out.

"And risk her doing something stupid?" Jungwon arched a brow, "put her under protection and surveillance. If anything happens or she disappears I need to know as soon as possible."

Once Detective Ahn kept on just staring at him Jungwon sighed heavily and dropped the small file on the table in front of him. Placing his palms together in front of him.

"I rarely ask for anything sir, but for once in my life I will beg. I am begging you. Please put her under surveillance and protection," Jungwon's voice turned soft as Detective Ahn finally looked up at him, "I am begging you."

"Alright. We'll keep an eye on her," Detective Ahn finally nodded, getting a small smile out on Jungwon's face, "but if you're wrong-"

"I'm not. I assure you. I will have this case solved before the two weeks run out. In fact, I'm sure I'll have it solved by the time Defendant Jung gets his sentencing in just three days," Jungwon proudly stated and grabbed his file once again, "good evening sir."

Jungwon picked up his pace as he rushed back out to the front hall where Jiyeon sat. Her bag was in her lap, squished by her arms that lay on top of it. She looked like any innocent citizen waiting for the police to take their time and listen to her case. The way she was just blankly staring at the wall across from her, following the grey line that separated the tiles all the way up to the ceiling.

"Let's get you home," Jungwon stated and Jiyeon finally tore her eyes away from the wall and over to him, "you good?"

"Tired," Jiyeon excused quietly, "can I pull my bike this time? I won't bike away."

"Yeah... sure," Jungwon hummed with a small nod.

He watched closely as she got up from the seat and walked in front of him outside, only sending him a small smile when he held the door out open for her. Something seemed to have happened in the few minutes Jungwon was speaking with Detective Ahn. For once, he couldn't figure it out from her face.

"You know..." Jungwon started once she had unlocked her bike and started walking down the street along with him, "I would've never figured out the two weeks thing without you."

"Yeah you would've," Jiyeon murmured, "I just sped up the process by a few minutes... maybe ten at most."

"Hardly," he assured with a small smile, noticing how she immediately looked away once he glanced at her. Lips pursing and eyes darting around down the street, "are you getting sick?"

"Just a little headache," Jiyeon shook her head quickly.

"Well, something happened and you've told me it's rude to figure it out myself," Jungwon pointed out and she snickered slightly before letting out a small breathy laugh. Breath visible in the night air for a few seconds.

"It is rude," she clarified and Jungwon just nodded, "I just... thought of something while you were talking with Detective Ahn. You can deduct it if you want. Shouldn't be too hard for you."

"Piling work on me here Miss Young," Jungwon remarked, "how about I solve this case first and then I'll deduct my way to what you're thinking?"

"Whatever way you want to do it," Jiyeon shrugged quietly and halted outside her apartment building, turning down a small alley to chain up her bike before returning back out to the street where Jungwon was waiting in the dim light from the nearest lamp post, "try and think a bit though. Maybe you'll see it's more obvious than your case."

"Sure, sure," Jungwon chuckled in amusement and shoved his hands into his pockets. Turning his head to glance at the kitchen he had gotten takeout from the last time he was on that street. They were already closing up. The cook turned the 'open' sign in the window to tell everyone that it was now closed, "go up and get a pain killer. I'll see you at work."

"In court," Jiyeon corrected, getting a funny look from Jungwon, "my next shift is in court. Defendant Jung."

"Ah... right," Jungwon nodded and glanced off for a second, "well... I'll see you then. Stay safe Miss Young."

"Of course," Jiyeon frowned slightly before letting out a small chuckle, "easily. I just study and work, what could I possibly do that-"

"Just... sleep well then," Jungwon interrupted with a small smile, "alright? I'll see you in court."

"Alright," Jiyeon hummed with a small nod, "and lay off the alcohol a bit. Aight?"

"Sure," Jungwon chuckled and watched as she wandered up to her front door and locked herself inside.

She sent a last glance over her shoulder before stepping in and closing the door behind her. Only a few seconds later did Jungwon notice a light turn on just about where her apartment was.