LONDON SEOUL (BTS)

XI

After the shock washed out, I realized that I did not know where actually the attack happened. So I took a detour to the station to get the horse back, and get the directions here and my cane. This was far north of the city in the industrial center and far more common place for attacks. I paid the carriage.

As soon as I got off, I saw a couple of people I recognized from the station. So, I was at the right place.

The attack had taken place in one of those new buildings, which were far too tall for my comfort. Fortunately, the room wasn’t that high up. I could hear Jungkook talking to someone from outside the room. 

As I entered the room, I could smell the charred sheet that had been recently burned. I got here too late. The body had been removed. The curtains and anything flammable had been burned on the concrete floor. Even the fire had already gone out. 

Jungkook was talking with a middle aged man. “Sir! This needs to be classified as a vampire attack.”

“It is suspected, but it could have been caused by any other causes,” the man, who must be a royal advisor, replied keeping his tone mockingly neutral.

“How can you say that, sir?” Jungkook was trying to keep his cool through this all. 

“Well, your department has been less than productive these past few years. We do not want to overwork it more than it already has been," he advisor said as he walked out of the room nodding once at me as he left.

Jungkook finally turned to me, his silhouette was contrasted sharply with the harsh sunlight through the empty windows. “Where were you?”, he asked. His voice wasn’t loud but I could sense how angry he was. He had never been this angry at me before.

“When are you going to take responsibility for your job? You know, it didn’t used to be this way. This department used to be a functioning unit with people who actually took responsibility for it.” He didn’t have to say it but it was clear he meant father. He was far more responsible towards the station and Jungkook. He properly took care of the then learning detective. “This all would make sense if-”

“Father was here,” I completed it for him.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

I looked down, ashamed. I was gripping the cane, wishing I would never have had the reason to have it in the first place. I wanted to tell him that I would rather have had him here as well. I would rather be back at university with Joonie learning nothing of importance and ignoring responsibilities I carried towards my family.

That I would rather not have been sent a letter from the government that my father, who I hadn’t seen for 4 years, was dead and burnt. Maybe not having had any reason to run to university in the first place. 

I didn’t. I just backed away, walked outside and felt my lungs constrict more than it had been when I was inside. All these pent up guilt was forcing its way out of me. Then, I took the first carriage that came my way home.