To Keep Her Warm

P R O L O G U E

2025
Year of 'To Find Her Again'

The faded voice spoke upon deaf ears as the young man sat against the back of a chair and stared at the white washed ceiling above.

His face was serene and calm with a flare of amazement circling within his eyes, as if he were admiring and completely enthralled by the mystical aura of something only he could see.

"Mr Kim" the voice persisted, slowly pulling the man back to reality as it dragged out in slow motion within his mind.

The young man became agitated at the slow voice piercing through his trance and began to shuffle uncomfortably in his seat, attempting to remain in his hypnotic state - unwilling to end the fantasy.

"Kim Taehyung, can you hear me?" The voice said sternly, now completely bringing the young man back to reality.

Taehyung rolled his head and locked eyes with the older man sitting across from him at the metal table. His long white coat was crisp and held an ID card clipped to the front pocket, Taehyung mumbled the name before his eyes trailed up the white buttons to meet the doctors eyes.

"Taehyung, do you know where you are? Do you know why you're here?"

Taehyung nodded and continued to glare at the man across from him.

"Why do you think you're here, Mr Kim?"

"I killed people" Taehyung answered, a flicker of a small smile lit up his face for a moment before returning to his serenity.

The man sitting across from him noticed the smile and swallowed hard, "Do you know why you killed them?"

Taehyung shook his head, "No, sir," he spat, "can we talk about something else? This is boring and I am not entertained at all" he grinned and straightened his back, clasping his shackled hands together in anticipation for an exciting change of conversation.

"What would you like to talk about?" The man asked.

"Hmm," Taehyung pondered and glanced at the ceiling, his serene face returning, "can you see them, Doctor?"

The doctors eyes slowly trailed around the room, connecting with the security cameras in each corner, "See what, Taehyung?" he asked hesitantly.

"Oh, you don't see them?" Taehyung chuckled and shot his eyes all over the room, not leaving anywhere unseen, "they're everywhere, I see them, I see them right now, Doctor"

"What do you see?" The Doctor asked.

"The stars, Doc," Taehyung answered, "the stars, they're all over the ceiling. They're sparkling and dancing, they're happy"

"I can't see any stars"

"Do you know why you can't see them?" Taehyung asked, the doctor sat back in his seat and shook his head.

"No, Taehyung," the doctor answered, "why can't I see them?"

Taehyung broke out into a fit of laughter as he swayed vigorously back and forth in the chair whilst his feet connected with the floor sending echoes mixing in with his manic laughter around the room.

"They're dead!"

Detective Wolfe watched Taehyung laugh manically on the small monitor with stern eyes as Detective Park sat nearby holding down his anger. Multiple officers stood by and watched the scene unfold.

"He's nuts," one officer commented in a worried tone, Detective Wolfe turned his head and shot the officer a harsh glare, "sorry sir" the officer said with a lowered head before leaving the room alongside the other officers.

"Mr Kim," the doctor spoke with a gentle tone, Taehyungs laughter slowly dimmed to a mere giggle, "can you tell me what happened? Can you tell me what you remember?"

Taehyung smiled widely and leaned forward over the table.

"Oh, Doctor, I'll tell you everything"