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September, 6
Wednesday

The air was thick with the scent of rain, a storm looming on the horizon. Grove Park, usually serene at dawn, buzzed with activity. Police officers secured the area while crime scene technicians meticulously gathered evidence. The distant rumble of thunder made her shiver.

Detective Vienna Song stood at the edge of the scene, casually leaning against the hood of her black Mustang. Her eyes swept over the yellow police tape cordoning off a cluster of trees and then back to the empty one-lane road. She tapped her foot impatiently and glanced at her watch again.

Where is he? Typical Yoongi. Probably spilled coffee on his shirt or got lost in his thoughts as usual. She smirked to herself. If he doesn't show up soon, I might just solve this case on my own and take all the credit.

Just then, an unmarked police SUV pulled up, and her partner stepped out, holding a brown paper cup. He walked over with his usual laid-back demeanor, though his eyes were sharp and observant.

"What, no coffee for me?" Vienna scoffed, raising an eyebrow.

"Get a rookie to fetch you one," Yoongi purred, taking a deliberate sip from his cup.

"You're late," Vienna said, folding her arms.

"I know, I know. Yoona decided to redecorate the kitchen with her cereal this morning. Had to clean her up and... What?" His head jerked to the side, a hint of defensiveness in his tone.

"Being a dad looks good on you, partner," Vienna teased, giving him a playful jab in the shoulder. "Next time, maybe bring some of that cereal art to work. I'm sure it'll brighten up the precinct."

"Shut up, Song," he blushed, but there was a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Besides, you'd probably just critique her artistic technique."

"I would never!" she exclaimed in mock horror, clutching her hand to her chest, which earned her a good-hearted laugh from Yoongi.

They approached one of the officers standing near the perimeter. "Who found the body?" Vienna asked.

"A jogger, ma'am. Around 5:50 am," the officer replied, his face red and sweaty. He stood at attention, and Vienna smiled internally at this.

"Make sure they come to the precinct to give a detailed statement," Yoongi instructed. The officer nodded and made a note.

Vienna turned to another officer to give further orders. "We need patrols doing a door-to-door of the surrounding houses. Someone might have seen or heard something early this morning."

"Yes, Detective Song," the officer responded, and quickly relayed the orders to his team.

With the preliminary instructions given, they made their way toward the body, the leaves crunching under their feet. Vienna internally braced herself—looking at murder victims hadn't become easier for her despite almost seven years on the job.

Partially hidden by foliage, the young woman lay on her back. Her lifeless eyes stared blankly, bloodshot and haunting. Her long, dark hair was disheveled. She was dressed only in dirty, torn underwear. Cuts and bruises marked the skin across her neck and arms.

"The ground around her shows no signs of a struggle. She was likely killed elsewhere," Yoongi observed, scanning the area with a practiced eye.

"Why Grove Park?" Vienna muttered, shaking her head.

"Makes sense for a dump site," Yoongi replied. "Secluded, not much foot traffic this early."

Crouched next to the body was the medical examiner, meticulously studying the scene. Despite the grim task, he managed a faint smile as he saw them approach. "Good morning, detectives. Well, as good as it can be, given the situation."

"Morning, Hoseok," Vienna responded, her focus sharp. "What have we got?"

"Young female, early twenties," Hoseok said, standing up and pulling off his gloves. "Cause of death appears to be strangulation, but I'll need to confirm at the lab. Notice the petechiae on her earlobes and the facial swelling—classic signs of asphyxiation."

"Pete... what?" Yoongi raised an eyebrow.

"Small red or purple spots caused by bleeding into the skin, often seen in cases of strangulation," Hoseok explained.

Yoongi knelt beside the body, his expression hardening as he examined it. "Matches the description of our missing person, doesn't she?"

"Yeah," Vienna said with a heavy sigh. "Michelle Park. Reported missing two weeks ago. Damn it."

"We'll need to invite her next of kin for body identification to be sure," Yoongi said. "I'll make the call."

"There's more," Hoseok added, glancing between them. "There are no defensive wounds, which is unusual. She might have been unconscious or otherwise incapacitated during the strangulation."

Vienna and Yoongi exchanged a look.

"This is the first body we've found from our missing persons case. Has he escalated to murder or..." Vienna began.

"Or became bolder with where he disposes of them," Yoongi finished her sentence, a frown deepening on his face.

"Either way, we need a break soon," Vienna breathed out, clutching her fists.

"One more thing," Hoseok said, directing their attention back to the body. "She was branded."

A heavy silence hung between them as he carefully moved some fallen leaves, revealing a grotesque symbol seared into the woman's ribcage. Vienna felt a wave of nausea but forced herself to look closer.

"I don't recognize the symbol. Looks like a flower," she said thoughtfully, glancing at Yoongi.

Her partner shrugged, a puzzled expression crossing his face. "Does he get off on torture? Or what is this about?"

Vienna decided not to speculate yet and instead turned to the forensic doctor. "What's the time of death?"

"Based on lividity and rigor mortis, I'd estimate between 1 and 3 am," Hoseok replied, pointing at the purple discoloration of the woman's skin and the stiffening muscles of her arms.

Vienna took note of that on her phone.

"If you're done here, detectives, will you excuse me? I'll prepare the body for transfer. Expect my report by tomorrow. Hopefully, we can get some usable evidence."

"Thanks, Hoseok. We appreciate it," Vienna said.

As the medical examiner and his team began the process of moving the body, Vienna and Yoongi walked back towards the parking lot.

"Think this is the breakthrough we need?" Yoongi asked, glancing at her.

"It has to be," she replied. "I'm tired of hitting dead ends. This case needs a break."

They got into their cars, the information replaying in Vienna's mind as she drove away. The park, once again, began to return to its deceptive peace, the sounds of nature slowly reclaiming the space as the crime scene cleared.

Let's hope Hoseok finds something, Vienna thought, gripping the steering wheel tightly as she drove towards the precinct.

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A/n:
Next chapter will introduce JK.
Who's excited?
I know I am💜

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