In Do Hyun's Apartment
Detective Unit 1 gathered in Do Hyun's apartment, all of them wearing weary expressions. The tension in the room was thick.
Min Seok sighed, "They really pulled the case from us."
Do Hyun leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Did they disband the unit?"
"No," Soo Hyuk replied, "But they reassigned us and gave us a missing child case. Apparently, the mother's been raising hell at the station."
Jin Ho scoffed, "Right when we were getting so close typical."
Nam Woo Jin added, "It's almost too convenient… Just when Keunsa was getting cornered, they yank us off."
Do Hyun's eyes narrowed. "You think Tae Won's behind it?"
Soo Hyuk nodded. "He doesn't want us digging deeper. And now they're keeping you on a leash too heard you're 'on holiday'."
Do Hyun smirked. "Then me enjoy my 'holiday case' first then I can consider what I should do."
They all looked at him, confused. He stood up straight and said, " You guys should find the missing boy. While I discovered what to do with Tae Won's case or Mr Kim."
---
Few Hours Earlier – College Cafeteria
Lee Chae Min sat quietly eating when the news flashed across the TV.
"Breaking: A local shop was ransacked last night and the owner's child, 9-year-old Park Tae-ri, has gone missing…"
Chae Min froze. "Park?"
Something clicked — the name stirred a memory. Like he had heard it or seen it somewhere, A idea came to his mind to pay a visit.
Later that day, Chae Min is seen walking in the shop of the woman whose child was taking. The shop was dim and quiet. The mother sat on a stool, holding a worn photo of her son. Tear stains covered her cheeks.
"Excuse me," Chae Min said gently. "I saw the news. I want to help."
She looked up, broken but hopeful :"Can you help me to find my son." . "I can try my best" Chae Min replied to him. She told him everything the raid, her ex-husband, and his connection to a man called Mr. Kim. A name Chae Min knew all too well. She told Chae Min she suspected the man since the very day he met with her ex husband. She said she tried to talk to her husband about the man and her hunch of not feeling safe around him but he never listened to her which led to her divorce.
"Do you think… it could be him?" she asked.
Chae Min didn't answer right away. But deep inside, he knew the truth the Tae Won might have something with this.
Chae Min promise to find the woman son before leaving the store.
"I'll do what I can," he finally said. "You'll see your son again." . He gave her some money and the woman thanks him once again before leaving.
—
In Chae Min's Apartment when he had got back home,He tore through the ledger until he found the name Park Jae-sung with some activities that he had with several businesses.
"Logistics. Cleanup. Paid by Keunsa."
His eyes widened.
He did some research and printed out the pictures of the man,He dialed his quickly.
"Do Hyun. We need to meet. I think I found something."
-
In Do Hyun apartment,Do Hyun was still seated with his former teammates Soo Hyuk, Jin Ho, Nam Woo Jin, and Park Tae Yang,as they quietly discussed the reassigned case involving the missing boy. Though frustrated, they were all still mentally wired into the bigger picture.
Suddenly, Do Hyun's phone buzzed. He checked the screen: "Chae Min".
He excused himself, stepping out of the room to answer.
Do Hyun (on phone):
"Hello?"
Chae Min answer quiet but serious :
"Do you know anything about the recent kidnapping case? The boy, Park Tae-ri."
Do Hyun furrowed his brows.
"Well that is what my team and I were just talking about. But I was dispose out of the team so I can not be of help to you and consider yourself saved. But why are you asking about the missing boy case?"
Chae Min paused, then said, "I think it's connected to Kim Tae Won."
Do Hyun stiffened.
"How do you know that?"
"I just… have a feeling. I'll confirm it myself."
"Wait Chae Min,let meet up then we can decide on what to do, don't do anything rash. If this really connects back to Tae Won—"
Click.
Chae Min had already hung up.
Do Hyun stared at the screen, his instincts immediately going off. He knew what Chae Min was like. If he said he was going to check it out… he would dive headfirst into the fire and the results is not going to be good. If he needs to do something,he needs to do it fast before Chae Min does something bad.
He rushed back into the room, face more serious than before.
Do Hyun said to his team that was talking to each other:
"What do we know so far about the boy's case?" .Park Tae Yang pulled out the folder. "Name: Park Tae-ri. Age 9. Missing since two nights ago. The mother owns a small shop. Father is divorced, an ex convict but no records of him currently after release. Shop was ransacked and the child was taking forcefully from his mother. Security footage was too dark to ID suspects."
Do Hyun skimmed the file.
"Jin Ho, go and meet the mother for questions. Woo Jin,check the father have been up to since,his history,business partners, employers, financials. I think this case ties into Tae Won."
Jin Ho blinked: "Are you sure?"
"I've got a strong lead. Just trust me."
They all nodded slowly. The fire had returned in Do Hyun's voice and that always meant something big was about to break. They made their way out of Do Hyun apartment to do some digging.
As the team began moving out, Soo Hyuk lingered behind, watching Do Hyun knowing who might have called him.
Soo Hyuk said :
"Did Chae Min call you?"
Do Hyun looked at him but didn't answer directly. He only nodded once.
Soo Hyuk:
"Then this just got serious. You have to track him down,we don't want him to make us lose another witness."
Do Hyun leaned in slightly to Soo Hyuk and said, almost whispers :
"Be on alert. I have a feeling things are about to move fast. If something happens, I'll call you first."
Soo Hyuk gave a curt nod and walked away.
--
Somewhere across the city when the night falls, Chae Min enters a dark internet café all black with his black mask, pulling up encrypted files he had saved earlier from the ledger.
He stops when he sees a name…
"Park Jae-sung – Handler – Logistics – Keunsa Ops.Address --"
His jaw tightens as the address of Park Jae-sung resident appears. His eyes blood shot and dangerous looking as he mark his next location.