Silent Lies

Clue!?

Next day

Seungcheol sat hunched over his desk, the soft hum of the fluorescent lights above the only sound filling the otherwise silent room. The place was a mess—papers scattered across the surface, photos pinned to the corkboard, all of it pieced together with string that stretched across the wall like some disjointed conspiracy theory. Every clue seemed to lead to a dead end, and the weight of the unsolved disappearances hung heavy on his chest. He rubbed his temples, fingers pressing hard against the growing headache that throbbed in sync with his frustration.

Jeonghan, on the other hand, was positioned against the doorframe, arms crossed loosely. His sharp eyes scanned the room, then the clutter of papers on Seungcheol’s desk, a slight frown playing on his lips. He couldn’t quite place it, but something about the entire investigation felt off. They were getting too close, but the closer they got, the more elusive the truth became.

“You’re making no progress, are you?” Jeonghan finally asked, his voice smooth, almost too calm, as he observed the frustration that was slowly turning into despair on Seungcheol’s face.

Seungcheol glanced up, meeting Jeonghan’s eyes. “I’m trying,” he muttered, frustration lacing his tone. “But everything is just… scattered. There’s no clear connection between the disappearances. The only thing that’s consistent is the pattern of… nothing.”

Jeonghan didn’t respond immediately. He pushed off the doorframe and walked across the room, pausing to look at the array of photographs. “You know, when things feel like this, it’s usually because the connections are too obvious to see. People overlook the simplest answers when they’re too focused on the complicated ones.”

Seungcheol narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

Jeonghan smirked, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’m just saying, sometimes you need to step back and look at things from a different angle. Don’t get so caught up in the details that you miss the bigger picture.”

Before Seungcheol could respond, the door creaked open and the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway. Seungcheol turned his head just in time to see Joshua standing in the doorway, his usual relaxed smile on his face, though there was a glint of concern in his eyes.

“Am I interrupting something?” Joshua asked, his voice smooth, almost like he belonged there, as if nothing unusual was going on. His gaze flicked between the two of them, pausing just a moment longer on Seungcheol.

Seungcheol sat up straighter in his chair, feeling a little relief at the interruption. “Not at all,” he said, his tone much calmer than before. “Actually, we could use a fresh perspective. This case is… complicated.”

Joshua stepped fully into the room, shutting the door behind him. He leaned casually against the wall, his hands in his pockets. “I can imagine. I’ve been hearing bits and pieces about the recent disappearances.” He glanced at the scattered papers on the desk, then back at Seungcheol. “It’s unsettling, isn’t it?”

Seungcheol nodded grimly. “Yeah. And we’re nowhere near a breakthrough.”

Joshua tilted his head, thinking for a moment. “Have you considered the places that might’ve been overlooked? Sometimes, answers aren’t as hidden as they seem—they’re just waiting to be found in the places you don’t expect to look.”

Seungcheol frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

Joshua shrugged, his expression easy, almost casual. “Well, let me throw something out there. There’s an old building down by the river, part of an industrial site that’s been abandoned for years. People used to say it was haunted, but it could just be one of those places people forget about. It might not seem like much, but maybe there’s something there.”

Seungcheol studied Joshua’s face carefully. There was something about the suggestion that felt… off, like he was being led into something he hadn’t considered yet. Joshua’s tone was light, as if he wasn’t offering anything substantial, but Seungcheol couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the advice than met the eye.

Jeonghan, however, raised an eyebrow and turned his gaze toward Joshua. There was something calculating in his expression, a wariness that he didn’t bother to hide. “And you just happened to think of this place now?”

Joshua laughed lightly, lifting his hands in mock surrender. “Blame it on my curiosity,” he said, his smile widening slightly. “I’ve been hearing things, and you two seem like you’re already digging into every lead. Just thought I’d share what I’ve heard. Could be nothing, but…” He trailed off, leaving the thought hanging in the air.

Seungcheol looked at Jeonghan, and then back at Joshua, his mind turning over the possibility. He had been so focused on the disappearances that he hadn’t thought about locations that weren’t directly tied to the victims. It made sense. If there was one thing he’d learned in his career, it was that people often missed the most obvious clues when they got too deep into the theory of it all.

“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Seungcheol said, finally nodding. “It could be worth checking out.”

Jeonghan let out a slow breath and glanced at the door where Joshua stood. He hadn’t expected the suggestion to come from him, of all people. It seemed too convenient, almost too perfect. But he didn’t voice his suspicions, at least not in front of Seungcheol. Instead, he forced a smile and turned to Seungcheol. “Then let’s go check it out.”

Joshua smiled once more, the expression easy and unassuming. “Good luck. I’m sure you’ll find something interesting.”

As Joshua turned to leave, his footsteps echoing in the hallway, Seungcheol stood up from his desk, gathering his jacket. Jeonghan remained seated for a moment longer, his eyes narrowing slightly as he stared at the door. There was something about the whole exchange that didn’t sit right with him. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but he wasn’t convinced that Joshua’s advice had been entirely innocent.

“Seungcheol,” Jeonghan spoke, his voice soft, his tone more serious than before. “Do you think it’s strange that Joshua just happened to know about that building?”

Seungcheol looked back at him, slightly confused. “What do you mean?”

Jeonghan stood and walked toward him, his steps measured. “I mean, it’s a random suggestion. The timing seems… convenient, don’t you think? Maybe he knows more than he’s letting on.”

Seungcheol shook his head, brushing off the doubt. “He’s just trying to help. Besides, it’s not like we have any other leads.” He gave Jeonghan a reassuring smile. “Let’s not overthink this. We have a lead to follow.”

Jeonghan didn’t say anything else. He followed Seungcheol out of the room, his mind still turning over Joshua’s words, as well as his sudden involvement. Something about it nagged at him. But for now, they had to focus on the next step of their investigation.