Jeongyeon lowered Momo's sleeping body to the ground. She has cried herself to sleep. She'll be having guilt panic attacks for a while. Poor girl Jeongyeon sympathized. She still remembers her first combat as a cop.
['Listen to me Yoo', her squad leader told her. 'Inside that building are five civilians with guns pointed at them. Inside that building are criminals who won't hesitate to fire at you and kill you until your life ends. This isn't just a matter of saving those civilians. It's also a matter of you walking out of there alive and be able to do more for the city after that.']
Jeongyeon experienced a week of nightmares after that night. Her first true experience of the horrors of crime. The people she killed... And the squad leader she failed to save.
But now wasn't the time to remind herself of that. She looked upon the rest. It's only been a few minutes, to Jeongyeon anyway, and they already looked emotionally battered. She can't blame them, they just woke up in a strange room and finding out they're in the room with strangers, one being a murderer. And now they have to kill that murderer or die. It's a lot to take in in a very short time. But if they have to survive this place, they're gonna have to toughen up and tackle the matter at hand. Find the murderer and kill them. She stood up and went into the middle of the room. She sighed. This is gonna be tough.
She observed them all. Nayeon was following her every move. Jihyo is going around talking to the others. Seemingly consoling them. Sana is unashamedly checking the tall girl, Tzuyu out. Dahyun was pacing around biting at her fingers muttering how she's still young, until Jihyo calmed her down. Mina was talking the small one, Chaeyoung. And Tzuyu was standing, with her body leant on the wall giving Sana side-eyes and raised eyebrows from time to time to which the latter would look away, blushing.
Jeongyeon woke Momo up and sat her next to the others. She forced a cough that got everyone's attention. They all looked at her. She sighed again.
"I'm really bad at speaking to an audience, so bear with me." Jeongyeon began. "I know we're all really... Overwhelmed by the events that transpired, and information that got dumped on our heads like a bucket of water." She looked upon them one by one. "I know that some of us, many of us are strangers to each other. I also know that we are very distrusting of each other at this point because we are in the room with a possible murderer. But we must tackle the matter at hand."
That got everyone's attention even more.
"There is a murderer among us. And if we are to survive, we must find her and..." Jeongyeon paused "kill her before we're crushed by this very room we are in." Everybody was silent at this.
"So what do we do?" Nayeon asked.
"I need your cooperation." Jeongyeon replied. "I need to interview you one by one. So I could come up with possible suspects."
"Why should we leave the investigating to you?" Tzuyu asked. Everyone looked at her in incredulity. "What? I'm just asking the proper questions. It could be anyone of us. What qualifies her to do the investigating and not I don't know, Jihyo-ssi over there who also has experience in people matters, Dr. Myoui who is a psychiatrist, hell, even Chaeyoung-ssi here who's a painter can spot details not many can see? It is not an offense to you, Lt. Yoo, but it's the majority who should decide who will conduct such crucial matters."
What followed was what could only be described as chaos. Everyone was talking at the same time. Some were balking at Tzuyu's statement, Momo most vocably and some agreeing.
"EVERYONE PLEASE!" Jeongyeon shouted. They all slowly went silent. "Tzuyu-ssi has a point. You have to vote who will conduct this investigation. It is a matter of life and death. Literally. So now's not the time for more disagreements."
"I still say it should be Jeongyeon. She is lieutenant of the police force. If anyone is qualified to investigate someone, it's her." Momo declared.
"Well why don't we choose someone who can help Jeongyeon instead?" Nayeon suggested.
"That is actually a good idea." Jihyo concurred.
"Anyone for Mina?" Chaeyoung quickly suggested. Everyone gave her a teasing look and she indeed blush.
"Actually not a bad idea. Mina as a psychiatrist can probably see proverbial cracks in people's alibi." Tzuyu added.
"That is the first thing you said that actually made you sound likeable. Nice one Yoda." Chaeyoung smiled.
"Yoda?" Tzuyu asked, bewildered.
"You look like Yoda" Chaeyoung replied nonchalantly.
"I DO NOT!" Tzuyu exclaimed.
"You know, you kinda do look like a very tall Yoda." Sana butted in.
"I- that's- Shut up Squirrel, nobody asked." Tzuyu said and looked away.
"Aww she called me 'Squirrel'." Sana blushed.
"I don't think that's a compliment." Jihyo told her.
"Then I'll take it as one." She replied happily.
"ANYWAY!" Jeongyeon interrupted everyone. "Back on track. Does everyone agree on Dr. Myoui?"
A round of yes' were said by everyone.
"If that's okay with you Dr. Myoui?" Jeongyeon asked.
"Yes. And please everyone. It's just Mina." She replied.
"Then let's begin. Let's start with the oldest one of you here..." Jeongyeon trailed off.
Nayeon sighed and stepped forward.
"You're the oldest here?" Jeongyeon was baffled. Waaah She looks like Chaeyoung's age.
"I'm older than you actually." Nayeon huffed. "Now let's get this over with."
"Alright." Jeongyeon replied.
YOU ARE READING
The Box (A Twice AU)
Mystery / Thriller"Lieutenant Yoo Jeongyeon was a normal cop, climbing the ranks. Her life was simple. Until she woke up inside a strange room alongside other girls. The objective, find and kill the murderer before the time runs out." // Disclaimer: Characters, perso...
