The Reflection We Fear || Taekook

Chapter 3: Control Freaks

The man was sitting in the dark room of his office, typing away on his computer, making the sound echo through the entire department. Hoseok had been in the same position for over six hours now. Hunched over his computer, the screen burning his eyes and his fingers working continuously over the keyboard. He hadn't noticed the world darkening as night fell, he hadn't paid attention to the fact that he was the only one in, as all his colleges have left to go back home. Back to their families. Or to knock up a bar or two, making excuses as to why they are getting drunk and blaming it all on work and the pressure.

The screen of the computer that he had been furiously typing on, lit his face and was the only source of light in the dark building. His back was aching from the position, his eyes were sore from the constant staring and more often than not he wouldn't blink. He managed to ignore his rumbling stomach and he kept refilling his mug with caffeine, from the pot he prepared beforehand, knowing he was going to need a lot of coffee to pull an all-nighter. This was fairly unusual, seeing as he was an independent agent with almost no deadlines, except for the ones he made for himself. He didn't have time limits on his hands to wrap up a case, because he wouldn't stop until he finished or realised there was no hope left to solve one, which rarely ever occurred. But this time his hands were tied and Hoseok found that he hated this idea. He got so used to his own pace he had forgotten what it was like when he was ruled over by his subordinates, and the foul taste in his mouth that hasn't surfaced in five years, made him uneasy. He hated being given such a case that was so below him. Ever since "DOWNFALL", was shoved in his face and handed to him, nothing was satisfying anymore. All the cases he would take in the beginning of his career, so eager to work, seemed like a waste of time now.

Honestly, he thought he was going to have this whole thing wrapped up in two hours, but this was something different. At first sight it might seem something like the usual stuff. A kid missing, not coming back home, sobbing and worried parents, nothing was out of the ordinary, and Hoseok believed that if he wrapped this one goddamn case up, he could get that fucking "interview" with fucking Pak Sung, in no time. But as he opened the files there was literally nothing. This kid, Kim Taehyung, suddenly vanished. Only one witness, no security cam shots of him, no lead anywhere. And if that wasn't bizarre enough, as Hoseok dove into it more he found himself dumbfounded. There was no medical history, no data from school, there was nothing on him from Primary School to University. It was like everything had been wiped. Like the fucking kid didn't even exist. If there weren't any photos provided by the parents, Hoseok wouldn't believe this kid was even breathing.

No wonder Do, gave him this pile of mess, as there was no way a mediocre agent would be able to solve it. Hell, for the first time, even Hoseok doubted his abilities. He kept on wracking his brain over and over again, but nothing came up. This was a twenty-year-old boy, he couldn't have just disappeared into thin air.

Hoseok had no choice but to dive into it again, trying to see this mess through. According to the testimony his parents gave, Kim Taehyung left at ten past seven. He had his backpack and he was wearing the most basic close- of course he was- a white shirt with black jeans and a jacket on top. And judging by the statement the witness had provided, who lives opposite Kim's Convenience Store, the boy stopped there at 7:25 and left at eight o'clock with another man.

But there were two things that were odd about this whole situation. First was the shop. When the police entered the little corner store and asked Kim Minkyo, if he recalled anyone coming in, he said no one had and he had the security cams to prove it. There was nothing on them. They looked it over about a hundred times and there was nothing. So, why would an old man lie about seeing the boy, when there was no reason to it. Not even one. On the other hand, this Kim Minkyo looked like he was hiding plenty, but there was no proof to it. The second thing that bothered Hoseok, was the supposed man Kim Taehyung left with. The old man couldn't really give him a description as he didn't pay much attention to it. Why would he, after all he hadn't known about the kid's disappearance beforehand. But according to him, Kim Taehyung was a regular customer at the little shop, which was why Hoseok found it so odd, that there was no evidence of him being there. But there are no skips, there aren't any blank pages that need to be filled in, on the video.