Chapter 38 - He didn't stop killing

Eun Min Ah and Do Sejin are sitting on the bed. Both are depressed for different reasons. An early morning, they received a call from the law firm that they have been dismissed. The reason? Due to the 100th-day case's upcoming hearing, Jung Kwang-soo and Ahn Hana are extremely busy. They can't keep interns and also, they don't think that Eun Min Ah and Do Sejin are mentally ready to accompany Jung Kwang-soo and Ahn Hana during these times.

Eun Min Ah doesn't understand. Yesterday, she had convinced three people. Boss Jung told her that she was a help. He even patted her head and took her to a fancy restaurant for lunch. He listened to her talk when she opened up about Do Sejin and the agreement. He was sympathetic toward her when she told him that Do Sejin might not stay with her after this. He had told her that he would always lend a listening ear and a helping hand if she ever was in trouble.

Why are they saying this now? Did Boss Jung find her pathetic and clingy when she talked about her relationship? She wasn't even planning to. It was he who kept asking her why she looked sad.

Do Sejin knows the real reason. Ahn Hana doesn't want to see him anymore. He has lost her chance to be around her. What should he do? Argh.

Both sighs heavily.

For some unexplainable reason, she wants to see Boss Jung again. He is so kind with words. She liked it when he patted her head.

***

"Jung Kwang-soo." Ahn Hana cracks her knuckles. "Why can't I go to work? The hearing is the day after tomorrow."

"You have to go to the hospital." Jung Kwang-soo blocks the doorway. "You can't leave this house until Bo Ji-Won comes back."

"I want a different doctor," Ahn Hana lowers her voice. "She should be on her honeymoon. I will go to the hospital later. Let me go to the office first. It's only for two days. Besides, you can't force me to stay at the hospital without my consent."

She won't go to the hospital if he doesn't let her go to the office. Jung Kwang-soo doesn't know what to do. She is stubborn when it comes to cases.

"Do you promise to go to the hospital like a good girl after the next hearing whether we win or not?"

"Yes." She holds his hand. "Now, tell Ji-Won to stick to the original plan. I will go to her place on Thursday. We should find the killer first."

Jung Kwang-soo stands aside. He wonders if they can find the killer in two days. "I will stay with you all the time. Everywhere. I will increase security. Tell me if you feel any discomfort. We will go to the hospital straight away."

"Ok. Ok. I promise." She opens the door. "I have to check something about the victims. If it is like the way I think it is, we will have the links and pattern in the murders. After that, nobody can keep Baek Han Sol in prison."

"It would have been best if the murderer kept killing even after Baek Han Sol was captured." Jung Kwang-soo wraps his arm around hers. "In case, you faint suddenly."

She stomps his foot and frees her hand from his arm. "Jung Kwang-soo, I have been walking by myself for the last two weeks. I am not that sick."

"Woman, you have a tumor in your head." He scowls at her. "Don't be too proud to accept support."

"If you want to support me, there are other ways." She looks out of the window in the car. "I am sure that he didn't stop killing. He didn't make it obvious like the 36 murders."

***

Do Sejin formulates a plan. Whether Ahn Hana likes it or not, he can't let her be alone at this time of her life. The killer. Her illness. How could he? After finally admitting his feelings, he can't back away now.

He takes a quick bath. Eun Min Ah is still on the bed and thinking about her boss. She looks at Do Sejin while he dresses up casually. "Sejin, are we going out?"

"I am going out to meet someone."

She jumps on her feet. "Wait, I want to come with you."

"You can't," He tells her sternly. "We can't stick 24 hours a day. I will come back at night. Why don't you think about your tactics to make me fall in love with you? It has not been working so far."

She bites her lower lip in frustrations. She knows it. He doesn't have to say it like that. She watches him quietly leave. Plan. She will show him the plan. She will tie him to her at any cost.

***

"You were right. The victims are people who were related to you or your cases in the past except for your parents and Noe Kyung-Hee." Jung Kwang-soo confirms her doubt.

"How sweet," She says wryly. "He has been taking revenge for me. Have you checked up on Ong Han Bin?"

"I have talked to him." He looks at his phone. "Two weeks ago, his pregnant mistress slipped from the stairs and died. Ong Han Bin was not at home. It looks like it was an accident."

"Let's talk about the 36 murder first." Ahn Hana arranges the pictures in order. "What do you see here, Kwang-soo?"

"Random?" He scratches his head. "The murders started in 2009. They ended in 2016 when Baek Han Sol was arrested. 38 murders in 7 years if we count your parents."

Ahn Hana takes away the pictures of her parents' corpse and Noe Kyung-Hee. She rearranges the pictures. "7 years. 35 murders. 19 of them are related to the people who were involved in the big cases that I won in the past. They were killed 100 days after I won it. These 19 cases are important because I saved the guilty ones. The other victims are related to those who have wronged me in some way. The truck driver's mother was the first victim. She was killed a few months after he went to prison for drunk driving."

Jung Kwang-soo swallows down his saliva. She is right. Instead of Baek Han Sol, it is related to her. How closely has she been watched?

"Now, Noe Kyung Hee is a special one." She picks up the picture. Her voice is eerily cold as she observes Noe Kyung-Hee's last picture. "He killed my parents because he wanted me to change and become who I am today. Noe Kyung-He was killed because she loved Ok Min Ji. She died for her love. The killer is also trying to portray how much he loves me here. Doesn't she look beautiful lying on the red bloody sheet?"

The door is pushed open at the same time. Jung Kwang-soo jumps in his seat.