Chapter 258 - Comeback (18): The Picture

Eli peered ahead, keeping an eye for the school and hospital. 

"There's the school," Mirae said, pointing at it. "But I don't see any hospital."

"I'll go around the area," Eli frowned. "Maybe it's on the other end."

She went around the school area but there was no hospital there. Instead, a small clinic stood around the edge.

"I don't see any hospital," Sunye stated. "Are you sure it's the right place?"

"Let's ask someone," Mirae suggested. Eli pulled over and lowered her window.

"Ahjusshi!" she called out an elderly school guard. The guard came forward.

"Ahjusshi, wasn't there a hospital next to this school?" she asked.

"Hospital?" he questioned in a rural accent. "Nah! There wa' no hospital 'ere. Always a clinic."

The girls looked at each other in confusion.

"Do you know if there is any Jeon Seri living in this area?" Eli asked. "She moved somewhere around here a few years ago."

"Ah, Ms. Jeon?" the guard guessed. "She liv' in tha' alley!"

He pointed at a very narrow and dark behind the school. It was so dark in there that it was almost impossible to notice it at first glance even during that time of the day. 

"Thank you ahjusshi," Eli said. The old guard grumbled and walked away. Eli turned to the others. 

"You two go ahead," she said. "I'll park the car and join you."

Mirae and Sunye got out of the car and went towards the alley. Mirae turned on the torch of her phone and stepped ahead with Sunye in tow. There was a small apartment unit meshed between the school and the clinic. There were rows of clothes hung outside the units, so the place was occupied. Most of the inhabitants were probably at work.

The ground was wet and muddy due to the years of negligence. They took each step with care, not wanting to slip and fall. There was a smell of rotten flesh and trash in the air but it did not bother them since they had come across such stenches a lot. A pair of footsteps caught up with them from behind.

"This is where she lives," Eli said as she came near. "Second floor."

She led them upstairs. The stairs creaked loudly under their feet. Some of the apartment owners peered at them through the window as they passed by. They looked out of place due to their aura and appearance so some people even came out of their houses to ogle at the three women.

"This one here," Eli said, pointing at the nameplate with Jeon Seri's name on it. 

"Is she even home?" Sunye frowned.

"Let's find out," Mirae said. She rang the doorbell. A soft voice came from behind the door.

"Who is it?" a woman asked.

"I'm Detective Eli," Eli informed. "I would like to ask you a few questions about your father, Jeon Shin."

The woman behind the door hesitated a little before unlocking the door. A frail, dark haired woman in her late thirties stood in front of them.

Eli held up her badge. "Is it alright if we come in, Ms. Jeon?" she asked politely.

Seri nodded and let them in. She showed them to a futon laid on the living room.

"I'm sorry I don't receive many guests at my home," she apologized. "But please make yourselves comfortable."

The three women sat on the futon while Seri sat opposite them. "You want to know about my father?" she asked.

"Yes," Sunye said. "I'm looking for my younger brother. I've lost him when we were very young and I've been looking for him since then. Your father may have known my family and I was wondering if you had the old client list?"

She took out her locket and handed it to Seri who studied it. "Yes," she nodded. "It's his creation. The tulip logo with the golden bordering was his signature. No other brand can ever use it due to the strict copyright he put on it. But a client list…" 

Seri trailed off, frowning a little. "My father was a very renowned jewelry maker. He only made special jewelry for a limited customer base. Each and every client was close to him. He knew all of them by name so he did not keep a client list."

Sunye sighed in disappointment. She had let her hopes up too high. How was it possible to find someone from almost three decades ago? Her brother would probably not even remember her.

"But he had a photo album," Seri remembered. "He used to take photos with his clients as memorabilia. It made him really happy. Maybe it could help?"

Sunye's head snapped up. "Yes please!" she said eagerly.

"Wait here," Seri said. She got up and disappeared in her bedroom. After a few minutes, she emerged with an old album. She handed it to Sunye. The other two ladies huddled around them, peering over their shoulders.

"All the clients he ever worked with," Seri said, flicking the pages carefully. "They're here."

"These people belong to the famous families," Mirae said, recognizing a lot of the people. "That's the previous head of the Sung family. Sung Jinshin and his son Sung Gojin. They own CNQ Media, one of our rivals."

"Sung Gojin?" Eli frowned. "I remember his daughter, Yoona. One of her ex-college mates filed a complaint against her for bullying her but we found no evidence. But she seemed like a nutcase when I went to question her."

"The whole family is twisted," Mirae grimaced. "You're not related to them, are you Sunye?"

"God I hope no!" Sunye exclaimed, feeling a little disgusted. She kept on turning the pages until…

"That!" she pointed at a family picture. Sunye found her five year old self holding her baby brother. She was seated on the lap of a very handsome man with messy dark hair. Next to him was a petite woman in her late twenties. 

"They're my parents," she whispered. Her heart was feeling overwhelmed. She was staring down at her family.

But Mirae was staring at the mother. Her eyes were wide in shock. 

"Are you sure this is your family?" she asked in shock. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"T-this is my brother," Sunye said, pointing at the chubby dark haired baby.

She was puzzled. Mirae was in disbelief and was silent with shock.

"What happened?" Eli asked curiously, looking from Sunye to Mirae.

"I think you need to come with me," Mirae finally said.