Jongin turned his head when he sensed someone approaching and smiled. "Hey, Hyung. Welcome back."
"Hey," Haejoon replied then looked around. "So this is where the guy lives? Quite nice."
"No. This is where his parole officer lives. I'm waiting for him."
"What have you found out so far?"
"Well, Park Soyul's little brother was ten when his father sent his sister away and got killed shortly after. He didn't have a mother to take care of him so Yongbak's people took him in."
"Hence his little drug dealing stunt at the university?"
Jongin nodded. "I'm pretty sure he had started selling even while he was in high school but we can't prove it, unfortunately. His name indeed popped up in the list of Yongbak's old crew who were released from prison just this year. He spent five years there."
"That's quite quick for dealing drugs," said Haejoon in surprise.
"He didn't serve time for dealing, technically speaking. I asked around and apparently, they couldn't find enough drugs on him to bring him down for dealing. They knew he was doing that, of course, because of his ties to Yongbak and because they caught him in the act, but he denied the accusations and they just couldn't prove it. His lawyer used this to bring the charges down to mere possession. Hence the reduced sentencing."
"They knew he was dealing but they couldn't pin it on him?"
"Yeah."
"Shoddy work," grumbled Haejoon.
"You'll be glad to know that I've read through his prison records as well. Guess what I found listed among his personal belongings?"
"A Yonsei varsity jacket and his soccer club membership card?"
"You got half of it right, Hyung." Jongin chuckled. "Yes to the varsity jacket but no to the soccer club membership card."
"So the jacket was kept for him until he was released?"
Jongin nodded. "He must be very proud of his alma mater."
"So proud that he decided to corrupt his fellow students with drugs?"
Jongin could only shrug. His eyes then caught sight of a man walking towards them. "I'll brief you more later. There's his PO. Let's go talk to him."
—-
Jiyoon went straight to the bathroom then to her room once they arrived back at the apartment.
"At least she showered and brushed her teeth first before bed," Taeyeon joked, trying to make the frowning Tiffany smile. "Even though it's not even her bed time yet."
"I don't like this. It's been going on for too long."
"What do you want to do? Interrogate her? I liked the idea but now that I think of it, it might just drive her back further into her shell. Just let her be, for now. She'll talk to us when she's ready."
"What if she never does?"
"She will. She knows we love her so she will talk to us sooner or later." Taeyeon wrapped her arms around Tiffany and pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry about it. It's just a phase. We've all been there. Parents do get annoying at some point."
"I know that but there has to be a trigger to all this moping around."
"We'll find out soon enough, okay? Give her some space. She'll come around." Taeyeon loosened her hold and smiled when she saw Tiffany still pouting. "You still look surprisingly cute when you do that."
