“So what was the security team doing at that time!”
Myeongwoo, who had arrived at the scene, berated the security team.
“Sir, please calm down first.”
“No, Detective! Do I look like I can calm down right now? Do you know why our company’s actor pays that kind of money to live here? Because this place supposedly has the best security, that’s why he’s living here. But today a psycho stalker with a knife got all the way inside the villa and put on a suicide show! What were these people doing while that psycho broke in and put on that show!”
The detectives who had been dispatched to the scene blocked Myeongwoo, who was going wild. The dejected security team staff had their heads bowed. Some of them still had young faces. The stalker’s blood was spattered all over their uniform vests.
They seemed shocked by this incident too, as they were all in a daze. After the 119 vehicle took the psycho stalker away, the scene was cold and miserable. Seungun pressed his still-pounding chest with his hand. The sight of blood spurting from wrists on the screen kept flickering before his eyes.
“We’re sorry. At that time, we received a report that a stray cat had died in the back gate alley and to please clean it up quickly. It seems that woman made that report. Right when our personnel happened to be away….”
The security room team leader spoke apologetically. It was such a large villa. No matter how many surveillance cameras there were, the property area was so large that if someone came in to do something bad, there was nothing they couldn’t do, so there were hundreds of monitors attached to the security room for thorough control. Even now, people moving around inside were being broadcast in real time.
“The guardians are also heading to the hospital. She apparently had a record of causing suicide disturbances several times before. She secretly escaped from the hospital and came here. This mentally ill person has been a longtime fan of Gi Siyoung-ssi from way back.”
“What kind of fucking fan is that!”
Myeongwoo spat out a curse. And continued with a voice still full of anger.
“All incidents happen in the blink of an eye. What if that person had waited until the victim came out and then stabbed him?”
“Team Leader-nim, by any chance….”
Seungun, who had been listening silently, suddenly interrupted.
“Huh?”
“Do you remember the person who periodically sends strange letters to the company?”
“Of course I remember.”
“Could it be that person?”
“Strange letters?”
The detective asked back as if wondering what this was about. Seungun began to elaborate.
“Yes. Gi Siyoung-ssi’s fan letters are delivered to the company. But sometimes there are strange letters mixed in. There might be razor blades attached inside, or the letter contents are written in blood. If it’s someone who would hurt their own body like that, I thought they might have also sent a blood letter.”
“I think we’ll need to investigate that a bit more.”
The detective quickly recorded Seungun’s statement in his notebook. Seungun recalled the long clump of hair that was inside the blood letter and razor blade envelope. Judging that he shouldn’t know about it alone anymore, he revealed that story to everyone on the spot. Myeongwoo jumped up, asking what he was doing saying that now.
“Do you happen to still have that hair?”
The detective asked meaningfully.
“Ah. I don’t have it now, but it’s probably at home. Not my home, but Gi Siyoung-ssi’s home. That day Gi Siyoung-ssi lent me clothes, but there was a lot of blood on the pants so I just left them for the time being.”
Seungun, who said this, looked at Gi Siyoung. Under the bright incandescent light, the dark blue blood vessels stood out on his closed eyelids.
“Ah, that.”
Gi Siyoung rubbed his pale face with his palm.
“There was so much blood on it that I threw it away.”
“Ha, this is something.”
Since the hair was gone, there was no way to even find evidence of a connection with the razor blade incident. Everyone let out regretful groans. The detectives then said mechanically.
“We’ll investigate further. Please take care of your shocked body and mind today, and we’ll contact you as soon as day breaks tomorrow. We’d appreciate your cooperation with the investigation.”
“Yes, understood.”
After the detectives left, Myeongwoo collapsed into his seat.
“Should we really hold an exorcism like Director Kang said? What is all this sudden misfortune? Siyoung-ah, go home and rest. No wait. Should I book you a hotel? Want to go there? You don’t want to just go home, right?”
Gi Siyoung stood up from his seat while sweeping back his hair.
“Go to Libero.”
Myeongwoo hurriedly followed him out. When they left the security room, the oppressively hot night weather was waiting for them. Seungun unbuttoned a few shirt buttons. Still, the heat didn’t subside. Gi Siyoung stared in the opposite direction as if he didn’t even want to give a glance to where the woman had caused the disturbance.
“What? Why there? Just go home and rest. People are watching you.”
“Why should I hide when I did nothing wrong?”
“The timing is a bit… I’m just worried about you for no reason….”
“Fuck, I’m trying to cool off this shitty feeling. If I stay cooped up at home, I’m going to slit my own wrists.”
He’d been suffering from the absurd drunk driving false accusation, and just now he’d witnessed stalker blood being sprayed into the air from the front row. Myeongwoo found it hard to stop him since he could understand Gi Siyoung’s state of mind.
“Team Leader-nim has to go back to the company. I’ll accompany him.”
“You know where Libero is?”
“I’ll find out when I go.”
“Siyoung-ah. Is it okay for Seungun to accompany you? You need someone to drive anyway. Ah, normally I’d go but work is piling up.”
“I’ll go. I’ll contact you if anything happens.”
“Then I’m counting on you, Seungun-ah. I’m really counting on you.”
That meant to monitor him well from the side so that Gi Siyoung wouldn’t get involved in any more gossip or cause any trouble.
“Yes.”
The Libero marked on the navigation was not in the center of the busy district but in a remote place that required going down alleyways. When they got out of the car, the waiting parking attendant received the keys and got into the driver’s seat. Libero was a famous place that operated through word of mouth.
During the day it was an espresso bar, but at night it transformed into a wine bar. Even that was divided into a hall and private rooms to serve customers with utmost care. Im Seungun held out sunglasses and a mask as he went down the Libero stairs. However, Gi Siyoung, who was just wearing a cap, shook his head as if it wasn’t necessary.
“Still, you should wear—”
“This way please.”
As soon as Gi Siyoung entered, a staff member in a black shirt with a China collar approached with the sound of dress shoes clicking. Because of that person, he even missed the timing to forcibly hand over the sunglasses and mask. The problem was that the staff member kept glancing back while guiding the way.
He knew it would be like this. They’d already noticed it was Gi Siyoung. It was obvious that rumors would spread that Gi Siyoung, who became controversial for drunk driving, wasn’t coming to his senses and was going in and out of bars.
“Gi Siyoung-ssi.”
“Why?”
Seungun walked alongside him and whispered.
“That employee recognized you. That’s why I told you to wear the mask and sunglasses.”
“…….”
“People might swarm you. It’s already a noisy time, and if people find out you came to a bar, you’ll get caught up in more unnecessary gossip.”
“…….”
“It’s not too late even now, so please at least wear a mask.”
“People will recognize me more because of Im Seungun-ssi.”
Gi Siyoung shot back. Since it was a place frequented by celebrities, the staff wouldn’t make a fuss. Still, Seungun’s mind wasn’t at ease. He was about to take out a crumpled mask from his pocket to hand it over forcibly. The staff member walking ahead stopped abruptly. Then turned around and stared directly at them.
“…….”
“…….”
But his gaze was off by a hair’s breadth.
“Right?”
“Yes?”
The staff member was looking past Gi Siyoung at Seungun standing behind him. Seungun met the staff member’s eyes without taking his hand out of his pocket.
“Im Seungun. Isn’t it?”
“Who are you?”
Im Seungun stepped back one step and created distance.
“Aren’t you Im Seungun?”
