SILENCE [JAEYONG]

二

22 June 2018

"Good morning, Detective Lee. Captain wants to see you in his office." Jimmy, Captain Kim Doyoung's secretary, said.

Taeyong took a mouthful of coffee he was holding to moist his throat, he gulped it down rather quickly causing that to burn his tongue a little.

"Owie."

He stood up and brush the invisible dust off his uniform and proceeded to the office after knocking the door and getting a consent, "Come in."

"Captain, I heard that you wanted to see me." Taeyong said as he stood awkwardly behind one of the two seat that was in front of his captain's desk.

Doyoung nodded and simply pointed to the chair that was in front of him. Taeyong understood the gesture and pull out the chair before settling down.

"Well, I have a case for you that came in the early morning but you can accept it if you want to, I won't be forcing you." Doyoung said as he pushed a folder towards Taeyong.

Taeyong looked at his captain with a slightly confused expression, but kept his mouth silent preventing himself from asking any other questions before looking at the case.

He opened the cover and saw a photo of his parents' bedroom attached to a few other paperwork. He looked up to Doyoung who just gestured him to continue looking so he complied.

"You're?" Taeyong didn't have the guts to finish the sentence, his stomach was already churning from all the coffee that was keeping him awake.

He felt the need to puke like he had a terrible hungover, his eyes were still glued to the crime scene, never leaving it. He needed to get out of the office now.

  "Another precinct wants to reopen the case and apparently help you solve that case, so I'm allowing you to." Doyoung said as the file slipped out of Taeyong's hands.

  His hands were trembling so much that he couldn't think, he couldn't even pick up the fallen papers. He continued to stare at his superior with opened mouth.

  "Why?" That was the only word he could manage out, if he has to keep talking, tears will be flowing out shortly after that.

  "You're one of my best detective, and I have seen you work really hard in all your cases, you have never disappoint me, and I think you should really solve the case to relief yourself a little." Doyoung simply answered.

  Taeyong knew that that wasn't all, there was more to it. He wanted to know why, but after looking at his parents photo he can't seem to find the courage to ask further questions.

  "Alright, I care about you a lot and I'm tired of seeing you work on this case during your breaks. You deserve to know who did it, I'm giving you a few months off, take your time." Doyoung said before dismissing Taeyong.

  Taeyong grabbed the papers from the floor and stood up, before he closed the door he turned around and gave a weak bow.

  His hands were cold even though summer was yet to end, his eyes were getting blurry from all the tears he was trying to keep in.

  "Taeyong, is everything okay?" Jimmy asked and handed Taeyong a piece of tissue.

  Taeyong gave a meek smile and hugged the folder close to his chest before rushing back to his desk to cool down. He needed to calm down and think.

It was so overwhelming and nothing seems to be processing in his mind at the moment. His breathe hitched in his own lungs, completely giving up on him.

  "Hey? Are you Detective Lee? Detective Lee Taeyong?" A stranger dressed in a uniform asked.