Case#01 Part 1
Title: SM-5 The Perfect Mystery
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Mystery, Angst, Action
Ratings: All ages
Case #01: V o i c e
Part 1
~~~
"It’s the Channel 5 News reporting to you live. A rookie singer by the name of Kim Jonghyun has been found dead in the recording studio where he was said to be recording his debut song ‘Ice Princess’ featuring his label-mate, solo singer Jessica Jung. Authorities are still investigating the case, and more information will be revealed when they have found out more."
~~~
“I have said this a million times, I refuse!”
He stomped his way down the corridor, his arms folded, hugging his thick stack of books to his chest. He rolled his eyes as he turned his head to see the man still following him, wondering what to do. He groaned, and continued to walk, ignoring the fact that the man would probably follow him all the way back to the dormitory.
Cho Kyuhyun couldn’t take it. “Can you leave me alone?!”
“Kyuhyun-shi, your results are exemplary, and the police force would need a genius like you on the team.” The man tried to convince him.
“What makes you think that I will be willing to join the police force?” Kyuhyun rebutted the man harshly.
The man sighed slowly, thoughts running through his mind. “Well, because the boss is offering you a high pay raise, you’ll get a nice desk, and uh…it’s a high position since you’re-“ The man paused, muttering under his breath. “You’re just a nerd, gosh.”
“Well, then your boss really looks down on nerds.” Kyuhyun retorted as he was about to continue walking once more.
“Wait!” The man called after Kyuhyun. “The boss said that he would give you the head position of the tech lab if you stayed with this collaboration for one year!”
Kyuhyun stopped the moment he heard those words. Once again, he was, as his sister Sooyoung liked to call him, a clever nerd, and if he wasn’t one bit tempted by those words, then he was a complete idiot. He knew one thing for sure - it was his lifelong dream to be able to enter the research and technology laboratory in the metropolitan police base, let alone head it.
“Tell your boss I’ll be there in an hour.”
~~~
“Uncle, you have got to be kidding.”
He was not amused as looked at the new task sheet, then back at his smirking uncle. He carefully read through the piece of paper once more, to see if it was one of the jokes his uncle had played on him once more.
“I am certainly not, Changmin.” Lee Sooman sat up straight in his seat.
“I am not going to lead a team of undercover detectives- no, rookie detectives, who haven’t even stepped into the Police Academy before.” Changmin was firm. “I have told Aunt that I have no intention, whatsoever, to get myself involved in anything to do with the Seoul Metropolitan Police, ever.”
Lee Sooman raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Your aunt said that you needed work, and here I am, giving you the perfect opportunity to put those skills into use - why did you get a degree on business if you’re not going to use it?”
“The police force is not a business, uncle.” Changmin’s fists balled up. “You’re supposed to be protecting the people, not setting up useless undercover agents, and paying them high wages when they don’t even hold a proper police pass.”
“That’s why I’m sending you to lead the team, aren’t I?”
“Whatever it is, I’m not going to do it.”
Changmin’s mind had been made up several days before, when his aunt had told him of what to do. He did not want any involvement with his uncle, and as he headed towards the large double doors to exit the office, he was sure he wanted it to be the last time he ever stepped in or out of the treacherous room.
“Your father would be ashamed if he was watching.”
Changmin froze at his spot. “What?”
“That his own son won’t join the very place he headed.”
The words rung loudly in Changmin’s head as he turned around sharply, glaring at his uncle with daggers in his eyes. No doubt, he knew it was merely one provocative sentence to pressurize him, but he found no way to rebutt or to use defiance to go against his uncle’s words. Whatever his uncle had planned, Changmin knew that it had all worked, and he was, once again, defenseless.
“Tell me the details, Uncle.”
~~~
“No way we’re letting you in, lady.”
She frowned as she stood in front of the sliding glass doors, with two policemen barring her from entering. She rummaged through her bag for the slip of paper she had gotten from the email that was sent to her, flashing it in their faces as she argued for entrance.
“Look, I was emailed to come here and join the new team of undercover detectives!” She protested loudly. “It doesn’t matter whether I have a police pass or not, this email with the seal-“ She pointed to the page. “-is what matters the most.
“Firm instructions from the top, lady.” The police officer did not budge.
Victoria groaned as she held the printed out document in her hands. She was sure that she had gotten the right place - like who would get a police station wrong? And she knew darn well that it wasn’t just any police station, but the Seoul Metropolitan Police. She took a deep breath as she ran her thoughts through her mind, trying to recall any small messages that might has been conveyed through the email without her realizing.
Hearing the soft tapping of footsteps from behind her, she swung around to see a deep-eyed, ruffled haired man walking towards her. She raised her eyebrows for a moment, as the man stopped right next to her, taking a small folder out of his bag, papers bearing the exact same words on her printed document.
“You’re going into the undercover department too?” Victoria asked hurriedly as she peeked at his document. “Could you help me-“
“Cho Kyuhyun, undercover agent.” The man said as he looked at the officers.
As if it was some sort of magic words, the officers briskly moved aside and made way for him to pass. He gave her a mocking smirk as she looked at him with her eyes wide open.
“You just got to say your name. Didn’t you read the notes?” He mocked her.
She folded her arms, her cheeks turning red. “Victoria Song, undercover agent and profiler.” She emphasized her words as she said them to the officers, who immediately gestured at her to go in.
She ignored the devilish smirk on the man’s face as she walked through the sliding glass doors, looking through her printed document once more, to see if she had missed out any important instructions, but even as she scrutinized it, she was completely sure she hadn’t been cross-eyed at all the last time she read it.
“Profiler, huh?” He chuckled softly as he walked beside her. “No wonder you wouldn’t notice.”
“Wouldn’t notice what?” She snapped at him.
“Wouldn’t notice that there were instructions in white at the bottom of the second page.”
She glanced at the second page of her printed document, and sure enough, there was a large blank space at the bottom, where the letter had ended. She turned bright red in embarrassment once more, quickly walking towards the lifts to avoid the man.
“So you’re a tech expert then?” She couldn’t help herself as he rushed to keep up with her pace.
“Yes, I am.” He laughed gently. “What’s that, are you profiling me?”
“No, it takes a tech expert to realize that there were hidden messages at the bottom.”
He laughed even harder when she said those words, causing her to raise her eyebrows skeptically. “Miss Song, it doesn’t take a tech expert to realize that, it takes a person with basic common sense to think straight.”
She scoffed. “So you think that I, as a profiler, don’t have common sense?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I think that you weren’t on the right state of mind when you read the letter on your mail.” He chuckled once more. “Relationship problems?”
“Now are you trying to profile me?” She retorted cleverly.
“It’s a form of understanding a possible future teammate.”
Just as she was about to return him with a cynical comeback line, the elevator doors slid open to reveal a tall, dark-eyed and rather brooding man who seemed to have this firm and domineering aura that surrounded him. He stepped out of the lift and took one look at them, as they quickly made way for him. He walked ahead out of the lift, whilst the other two were about to step in it.
“A rookie singer has believed to have committed suicide, but the Superintendent wants the new undercover force to investigate it.” The man said, making the two stop. “Cho Kyuhyun, Victoria Song, you might as well accept your new task.”
The both of them hurried, walking as fast as they could to keep up with the man, wondering who he was as he continued to walk towards the exit. Victoria rushed forwards and studied the man, though only his back faced her.
“Team Leader.” She murmured softly.
Kyuhyun gazed over at her. “What?”
The man stopped and turned to face them. “Yes, I’m your team leader.”
“So it’s just the both of us?” Victoria purged on.
“For now, it will just include the both of you and myself.” He said curtly. “However, we are in search of new members as well, so if you please, you may put forth your suggestions to include exemplary talents that you discover, into the undercover team.”
She bit her lip as she looked at him, at a loss of words to say.
~~~
“I’m telling you, I did not kill him!”
“Well neither did I!”
“I was just supposed to deliver a damn parcel!”
“And I was just supposed to send up a beverage!”
Victoria, Kyuhyun and their new team leader, Shim Changmin, stepped over the yellow barriers that surrounded the crime scene, their eyes falling upon a short-haired young lady with big eyes, and an athletic man dressed in a ruffled shirt and an green apron, protesting to the officers who had kept them there.
Victoria was confused. “Suspects?”
“Witnesses, also possible suspects.” Changmin’s reply was immediate, then looking through the small book that he held in his hand. “Victim’s name is Kim Jonghyun, rope was found next to him, and that’s all we know for now.”
She nodded slowly in response, gazing once more at the young lady and the man who were still quarreling with the officer. Of course, after reading and watching a lot on crime, and of courses, crime scenes, she knew witnesses played a big role. But still, as she saw the earnest way the two people talked, as a profiler, all the more she knew sooner or later they would be released. She moved towards the studio, slowly looking away from the quarreling duo.
“… the rope wasn’t even what killed him!”
She spun around the moment she heard those words, stopping both Kyuhyun and Changmin as she headed towards the person who said it - the young lady with her short hair, dressed in a uniform which seemed to Victoria, that the girl was a simple parcel-deliverer.
“I’m sorry to stop you but, what did you say?” She stepped over to the two.
The girl looked bewildered. “I said it the rope didn’t kill the victim.”
“How would you know?” Victoria suddenly became both curious and suspicious. “No information has been released, and the crime scene hasn’t been fully investigated yet.”
Victoria’s words were rather harsh, and in a way, demanding, causing the girl to shrink back in fear, covering her mouth as she looked away from Victoria. However, the man did not cower, and stared defiantly.
“She’s right, Ma’am.” The man defended the girl. “The rope didn’t kill whoever that guy was.”
Just as Victoria was about to ask once more, Changmin saw a need to step in. “We’re sorry for this, but may we ask why you have made such an assumption? You are the ones that discovered the crime scene first, am I right?”
The man quickly nodded. “Yes, Sir. I met her a moment ago when we coincidentally came up the same lift. She needed to deliver some parcel, and I work at the downstairs café as a bartender and an order was placed by this studio.” The man was polite.
“The doorknob’s broken.” Kyuhyun’s voice came from the back, as he stood scrutinizing the door. “Did you break it?”
The man nodded once more. “I broke the doorknob and kicked the door open, and we found the man lying here, and some squealing girl from behind us saw us standing in front of the studio, facing a dead body inside it. So she called the cops and here we got caught.”
Victoria shook her head. “I still don’t relate why the rope wasn’t used to kill the guy.”
“The mark on his neck was a straight one.” The girl spoke up softly. “The rope’s made of threads, and the markings should be of different depths, but the mark was like one ring around his neck, same depth.”
She was stunned for a moment. “Well, we’ll check the rope for-“
“Wait.” Changmin stopped her. “Both of you, go into the studio, and take a look around. Give as many inferences as you can.”
The two witnesses, or rather, the two who discovered the crime scene, exchanged confused looks as they slowly stepped into the studio, automatically looking around, both seemingly nervous. As Kyuhyun glanced around the crime scene, Victoria took the time to observe the two, bit by bit, analyzing them in her head.
“The room was locked from the inside, and it must be suspected as a suicide, right?” The man asked. “However, there are is one more door leading to the recording studio interior itself… The door to the studio was locked from the inside; however the door leading to the recording studio is left unlocked.”
“Since the rope wasn’t used to kill the victim…” The girl murmured. “Then it was murder.”
Changmin focused his gaze on her. “Explain.”
“If he committed suicide, marks on his neck would be inclined vertically upwards, not horizontal.” The girl looked at the dead body that still lay in the interior of the main studio. “Also, the rope would be still around his neck, and he would be hanging from the ceiling.”
“He could have used the rope to strangle himself.” Victoria pointed out. “The rope was found in his palms, yes?”
The girl shook her head. “Impossible. Because, then the markings on his neck, once more, would be inclined vertically downwards.” Her eyes wandered to the victim’s palms. “The rope would leave a grazing on the palm of the victim if he had clung on it tightly, however, there was no grazing, and both palms were red, fingers have straight markings…”
“Inference?” Changmin suggested.
“The signs of a struggle.” It was the man who answered this time, picking up one of the many wires that were scattered all over the interior recording studio. “The murder weapon was a wire. With wire, it will leave straight markings and no grazing.”
“And so, you’re both trying to say that the murderer got in, killed Kim Jonghyun with the wires that lay on the ground, left rope in his palms to try and show that it was a suicide, and locked the door to the studio, but not to the interior recording studio.” Changmin made a conclusion. “…in other words, murder.”
The girl nodded. “I suppose.”
“What are your names?”
“Im Yoona.” The girl replied.
The man seemed to think for awhile. “The name’s Minho.” He shuffled slowly. “Work downstairs at the bistro as a bartender, the bistro’s a part of the Choi Group’s dining circle.”
Victoria raised her eyebrows softly as she heard his words, finally finishing her full profiling. Kyuhyun took it as a sign to walk out of the room as he saw Changmin taking down both names in his book. Changmin himself came to a decision.
“I’d like you both to come back to the station with us.”
~~~
She sat awkwardly on the chair as she looked around, studying the small, yet well-designed office. Set exactly on the fifth floor, it was high, at the same time, not too high, just enough to be able to see Seoul’s skyline. She grumbled to herself, wondering why the heck she had landed herself inside a police office.
“Hey.” The boy beside her poked.
She looked at him in surprise. “What?”
“You’re Yoona, ain’t you?” He shot her a charming smile.
“How would you know?”
He chuckled softly. “You mentioned it just now.”
“Good memory you’ve got.” She commented casually.
“I think your skills are pretty good, though.” He complimented her.
“Thanks.”
She swore she barely knew him, especially since they had just met a few moments ago. It was strange when she had stepped into the lift with some really handsome, refined looking guy and just happened to be heading to the same floor, same room, and delivering things to the same person. And of course, most epicly - being the two to discover the murder of the rookie singer Kim Jonghyun.
“You know, after this, if you’d like to grab a coffee-“
“You’re trying to hit on me, aren’t you?” She was cynical.
He laughed in defeat, leaning back against his chair. “Well, I just failed.”
“I-“
“Yoona-shi, Minho-shi, I have just gotten the approval from the Superintendent.” Changmin stepped in front of both of them, interrupting their conversation, with Kyuhyun and Victoria coming over as well as they saw Changmin walk in. “I would like you both to join the new undercover team as investigators.”
Minho raised his eyebrows. “Seriously?”
“But I thought you needed to graduate from the Police Academy to be able to-“
“That is the rule for every other team, but this is a Special Investigations Unit that will not be directly involved with every single crime, and it will only work on specific crimes that seem to be above the intelligence of the local police.” Changmin intervened. “Investigation and analyzing the crime scene is very important, and we have come to a very quick conclusion due to your help, so yes, we would like to recruit you.”
Minho bit his lip. “I don’t think this would be a good-“
“I’ll do it.” To everyone’s surprise, Yoona had an immediate answer. “We were caught at the crime scene, so that makes us suspects as well.” She looked up. “I’ll just do this for this case alone, since I’ve got to clear my name.”
“Yoona-shi…” Minho became even more uncomfortable.
“Alright, we have one acceptance.” Changmin turned to look at Minho. “It is up to you if you want to join or not, especially since this is extremely voluntary…” Changmin’s words made Kyuhyun crack up for a moment. “…then again, like Yoona-shi has said, you are held liable as a suspect as well, so make a careful decision.”
“I’ll come along as well.” Minho turned to look at the girl beside him.
He wasn’t very sure it was the right decision, considering the fact that he wasn’t supposed to be messing around in the bar anyway. He knew his father wouldn’t be very pleased, but then again, the girl had somewhat compelled him, in a way, to join, and for some reason, he just wished to learn more about her. In any way, it seemed to him that it was fated that their talents were somewhat similar, and that they had found the victim together…
Unknown to him, Victoria had been watching from a distance, throughout the entire time. She had prided herself for being a very accomplished profiler who majored in Psychology in general, and not merely criminal psychology. She pulled Changmin to a corner, giving him a serious look.
“Is there anything wrong, Victoria-shi?” He seemed confused.
“I think you should reconsider putting that Minho guy in the team.” She said firmly.
His eyes widened. “Why?”
“Because he’s the heir to the Choi Group.”
~~~
“Explain.” It was a demand.
Minho sat on a chair in the team leader’s main office, after he was dragged in by a very furious Changmin. Victoria had followed, after she told Kyuhyun to distract Yoona with some online games, as she lent them her laptop. With his arms folded, Changmin now glared at Minho, who was at a loss for words.
“I work at the bar every now and then, and shift around to different restaurants under our group to monitor each place, that’s all.” Minho shrugged lightly, wringing his hands together. “Gained a few observation skills from there, I guess.”
Changmin raised an eyebrow skeptically. “So you’re saying you’re going to work for the police though you’re an heir of a major company. You do know that police have a risk of being killed, don’t you?”
He sighed as he smiled playfully, leaning against his seat. “My dad’s more focused on putting my older brother on the CEO’s chair, and my younger sister’s pretty ambitious too. I figured I’d make some use of myself if I join y’all.”
“You’re just trying to clear your name, aren’t you?” Victoria smirked.
“Gosh…” Minho looked at her in frustration. “Would’ya wanna be arrested for a murder y’didn’t do? Besides, why’re you so much buttin’ in my business? Not like I’m some criminal.”
Victoria leaned towards Minho’s ear. “Mr. Choi, I suggest you use your naturally eloquent speech with us, because using informal tones and acting like a ruffian will gain you no plus points with the police.” Her words were clever as he sighed, and sat up straight.
“What?” Changmin looked at Victoria, dumbfounded.
“We’re ‘butting’ into your business not because we’re concerned about your background, but we will be the ones in deep trouble if you suddenly die and no one is there to take care of your oh-so high society company.” Victoria’s words were cleared as she paced about the room. “In other words, you die, we’re the ones who become criminals.”
“How did you know I was-“ Minho was about to say.
“Your words, your manner, and your watch.” Victoria was contemptuous. “You said you were a bartender, but first you mentioned who owned the bistro, instead of the exact name of the bistro, because you were afraid to get the name wrong, which is apparently because you’ve been shifting between different restaurants. You acted like a good-hearted guy in front of Yoona, but in front of us you tried to act like a ruffian to show you were good-for-nothing. You actually have an amazing sense of intelligence to switch your personality around, which of course, could only mean you were trained. And last but not least, your watch.” She pointed at the silver watch around his wrist.
“What?” He tried to hide it from view.
“One can tell an extremely expensive watch from a cheap one, Minho-shi.” Victoria was triumphant as she saw the defeated look on his face.
“Damn profiler.” He muttered under his breath.
Changmin gave Minho a weary look. “So what’s your conclusion now, you want to work, or not?”
“I suppose he will want to, since his eyes have gotten caught by that girl, and that he’s so afraid that the questioning department will set his mouth on fire since he’s still a suspect.” Victoria chuckled softly. “And besides, since he’s got an older brother, I suppose the consequence on his family won’t be so hard.” She made an attempt to provoke him.
“I’ll be out of here.” He stood up and walked towards the door, but turned around to look at them once more. “I ask of you not to tell anyone about this though…I’ll tell everyone who needs to know…when it’s the right time.” He added, before he walked out.
Changmin was impressed. “You’re a swell profiler.”
“And maybe now you’re showing a bit of your true self?” Victoria teased.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you were real cold and quiet this morning, but it seems that you’ve loosened up a bit.” She smiled as she picked up her bag. “Look, I know the mystery’s gonna be a hard one, and I’ll do my best as well, but it’s good if the team leader would try to reach out to his teammates, yeah?”
“I-“
“It’s hard to have pressure from the top, and pressure from the bottom pushing you around on all sides.” Victoria smiled gently, her hand on the doorknob. “Loosen up that necktie a bit, your head will clear.”
As he stepped out, he found himself doubtlessly amazed by her talent. He was sure that she could probably understand him, in a way, without even asking him, knowing that it was not his plan to form the undercover team. But then again, with her profiling talent, he knew there was probably a lot more about her, just waiting to be discovered. For the moment, he contented himself with knowing that Victoria Song was one of the most intelligent profilers he had ever met.
~~~
Hi everyone, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I thought it might a be a tad bit complex for you, so I made this.
It's a sketched version of the crime scene. The interior studio, is inside the exterior studio, and it takes two doors to enter. But the outer door was locked, the inside one was not. No windows, no fingerprints, how did the murderer escape? And yes, about the rope - it's not the murder weapon. Where's the murder weapon? Who's the killer? What's the motive?
Difficult for you to understand? Don't worry, I'll be guiding you through everything step by step until the very end. This chapter had quite a lot as the start, and not only does it leave questions about the murder, but it also leaves questions about the characters. Why was Changmin so cold and hesitant to join the undercover group at first? What is Victoria's painful past that led her to become a profiler? Of course, the girl who is the story's biggest mystery - Yoona. What's up with her? Kyuhyun and Minho are more clear-cut, but still, more is to come for this story. It's only the start, get ready for a heckload of info to try and piece the whole mystery together. Warning: It won't be easy.
Candyredhearts - Simplistic
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