Letting out a huff, the culprit quickly jogged back to the tall door, once again reaching up to the clinking locks, unchaining the plank from it's confines.
It felt like the thousandth time, his tanned, large hand had been hoisted up, and his calloused fingers pushed at the mechanisms. But he had to keep going. To keep this act up.
As the door opened in full, Chanyeol saw some familiar faces from a few days prior. The ever-powerful Sehun stood centre with two other officers stationed behind him in v-formation. Their faces were blank and indifferent, yet Sehun let a small smile grace his features. This may be easier than he initially thought...
"Busy night, Mr Park?" Sehun queried, tapping at his own cheek, teasingly.
Chanyeol's eyes flew wide, slapping a palm to his cheek. He looked down, the realisation hitting him. Baekhyun's lipgloss... It smelt like cherries.
He laughed awkwardly, scratching at his neck. "Sorry 'bout that..." he murmured, pulling back to allow the officers inside.
Remembering his friend in the other room, Chanyeol spoke up again. "Kyungsoo's in the other room fixing a curtain for me... is that okay?" The blonde wearily asked, tilting his head as his muted footsteps thumped against the old carpet.
"We'll let him finish." Sehun instructed, softly. "We can't allow anyone, outside the investigation, present, thanks to the leaks." He sighed, leading the two other men to the living room. What were their names again?
That was until one spoke up. He had incredibly pale skin, emphasised by his slicked-back, black hair and his gaze was strong and almost absent.
"And who's fault is that, huh?" He grumbled, his voice rather high and accented.
"Yixing, now's not the time." The other foreign officer warned, sending him a distasteful look before turning, worriedly, to his brunette superior.
Sehun seemed to scowl to himself, back turned.
Chanyeol felt like there was something important he didn't know, so he stayed quiet.
"No, 'myeon. I don't care where we are. We need to talk about this." 'Yixing' replied, his glare at Sehun not faltering. "It was his little boyfriend who leaked everything, after all." He spat, causing Sehun to spin around.
"Shut up." He snapped, "Luhan isn't my boyfriend and he didn't leak the information. He... wouldn't do that." Sehun's dark brown hair dropped into his eyes, making him appear much more threatening than usual.
The sheer look sent a shiver down Chanyeol's spine. He had to leave the conversation, and fast, before he asks a stupid question that turns the anger onto him.
Clearing his throat, the blonde gained the threesome's attention. "Forgive me, but I just woke up. I need to use the restroom." He said, speedily taking his leave as soon as he saw the officers' affirmative nods.
He dropped his back against the closed bathroom door, eyes squeezed shut. The cold wood was rather refreshing, coaxing the blonde into contently opening his eyes. But what he saw, sucked the newborn air from his tiring lungs...
In the sink, blood stained the porcelain. The scarlet splashes groped at the curves, oozing around a particular tainted object. It was a knife. The small dagger sat upon the plug, it's elegant metal shimmering in the white lights. It was distinctly Baekhyun's... from last night.
Chanyeol stepped forward reaching into the sink, calming down from the shock, his brow relaxing.
It was really rather beautiful; bejewelled with it's ivory carvings. Hypnotising patterns swirled along the warm handle and spouted from the shining base of the royal blade.
It was then that Chanyeol had noticed a small note; laying limply in the liquid, it's creamy, notebook paper, soaked. He reached out for it, pulling it close. It read:
'Thought I wouldn't save you a souvenir? Good luck, Park. I'll see you soon.'
Chanyeol chuffed to himself, almost picturing the shorter man, tongue poking out from the side of his mouth, as he scribbled the note down, his regal handwriting eloquently gracing the empty, lined page.
The blonde flicked on the tap and cheap, grey water pillowed out, gradually drowning away any traces of the coppery red. He pocketed the dagger after flipping the blade in to the handle, the sliver, sliding into the busy body. Like this, it was much harder to determine what the object was on the basis of silhouette alone.
He binned the letter, making sure to bury it under other items, just in case.
Standing back, he checked over the room to see if he had missed anything incriminating, and after deeming it safe, he swept back his hair, flushed the toilet, took a deep breath and reopened the bathroom door.
The handle squeaked as it opened, revealing a comforting face. "I've finished up." Kyungsoo whispered up at him, tipping his head up, towards the taller, so he could hear his hushed tone. Chanyeol nodded in response. "I can see that I'm not wanted, so I'll bid you adieu. Just be honest, okay? I'm sure they'll cross you off the list just like everyone else." He continued, a relaxed smile attempting assurance.
'Honest'? Chanyeol almost snorted.
Kyungsoo politely tapped the blonde on the shoulder, before turning and making a hasty exit, it was rather clear that the presence of police officers had made him quite unnerved, and Chanyeol wondered if the raven's words of support were more for himself than than his suspected friend.
He watched as Kyungsoo jogged through the living room, Jongin's old gym bag clutched tightly to his side. The shorter harshly bowed towards the officers as his hasty fingers stumbled with the weighty, worn lock. Sending Chanyeol a final, supportive glance, he span around and exited the aged apartment, the door, loudly shutting behind him.
The three police men watched him with slight amusement, before they slowly turned their heads in the remaining blonde's direction.
The latter could feel the sweat on the back of his neck gather and the heavy heat of the gifted flip-knife in his back pocket.
"Mr Park? It's time we ask you some questions.", the person Chanyeol recalled to be 'Junmyeon', sternly called out. "We are on a schedule after all, so this will be quick." He hummed, causing his coworkers to nod in agreement.
"Of course." Chanyeol oozed, his cheeks straining with his smile.
An// little filler~ sorry lmao -🔪
