Threading the strands of an old sweater

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"HANSOL won't inherit the money," Seokjin repeated, when he heard no response from the flabbergasted siblings.

"H-how is that possible?" Wheein began, ready to participate in an argument. Hoseok stepped forward.

"Granted, you admitted that you wouldn't interfere with Mrs. Kim's wishes, however, if you say that Mr. Chwe cannot inherit the money-"

"I mean it. He simply cannot. It's against the law," Seokjin said coolly.

"Sir, adultery cannot enter the case if Ms. Kim was married to Mr. Chwe, if that's where you're driving your point to," Hoseok reminded him.

"But it isn't adultery that I'm referring to."

Hoseok could feel his patience slide off him like silk but he held on to it tightly. Yes, Wheein was quick to lose her temper and the Kims were infuriating with their word mazes and complex family issues. However, if both of them would succumb to it, the conversation would go nowhere.

"Then what is it?"

Seokjin took a deep breath. "According to my father's will, a clause exists (it does in most wills nowadays) regarding each bequest. The beneficiary had to survive the benefactor for a month to claim the inheritance. Mr. Han notified me of this when I informed him about Joohyun's will. I thought that perhaps he made it up to soothe me, however he was correct. Kim Joohyun didn't survive my uncle for a month and therefore, the money isn't hers to leave. Of course, Hansol can do whatever he pleases with the other bequests. The furs may fetch a pretty price in the market, enough to buy a decent gun so he can shoot himself-"

"That's quite enough, Mr. Kim. You wouldn't like to say things you mean, do you?" Wheein said.

Seokjin's lip curled. "I spoke no lies, did I?" he said, deriding his cousin's ex-fiancé. Hoseok suppressed a smile. It didn't matter if his thoughts could be mistaken as highly biased, however Hansol did deserve the snides he was receiving. The outburst of Kim Yerim in the library proved it.

"We must thank you for the useful information, even though it takes away yet another hopeful suspect in the case," Wheein said.

"I had to do what I should. Withholding information that may come handy isn't often legal or wise."

Hoseok and Wheein stood up.

"Will you be releasing Hansol, then?" Seokjin queried.

"We will have to since there isn't sufficient reason to keep him in the prison for questioning for longer than a day. Until we find solid proof against him besides cheating on Ms. Kim and being the sole benefactor in Mrs. Kim's will, he will be a free man," Hoseok said.

Seokjin looked as if Hoseok's words had left a bad taste in his mouth.

"So, he confessed to cheating on Yeri, eh?"

"He did and even if we didn't there was word against him and a witness in your staff who refuses to be named. Unless he is convicted of murdering Park Jimin, we cannot reveal her information," Hoseok replied.

Seokjin was flummoxed. "Why do you say that?"

Wheein took the turn to explain things out. "For one, we see no reason for murdering Park Jimin apart from him being a witness to something connected to Kim Namjoon's murder, or simply knowing who did it. However, your housekeeper Ms. Son testified that she had seen someone on the night of the family dinner, someone outside the house, in the lawn. It could be Mr. Choi. It could be one of the gardeners working on a night shift. It could be you."

Seokjin was back to his composed state. "That seems rather far-fetched but if it helps your case, do brainstorm about it a little more and hunt for more proof. I will be your guest."

"It was a mere assumption, Mr. Kim," Hoseok quietly spoke.

Seokjin only smiled in answer. He checked his watch and looked up. That was enough to indicate that the interview was over and he had to head to his next meeting.

"Well, I hope I have been helpful in the short period I managed to spare for you. I've ordered some coffee for you. Please have some and then you can leave," saying so, Seokjin bowed and left his office.

Hoseok bowed and once Seokjin closed the door, he sank into the plush, black sofa. Wheein copied him. It had been an exhausting day. First, the interview with the house maid, Ms. Kang, who revealed that she had seen Hansol and Joohyun kissing in the library two months prior to Namjoon's death, then the bone-crunching search in the archival library, followed by a visit to their mother's grave and finally, the interview with Seokjin.

Shortly, Seokjin's secretary entered the office (the two of them hurriedly straightened up) and served them coffee. They thanked her and she left.

Wheein knew Hoseok was itching to tell her something but knew he found it unwise to do so, sitting in Seokjin's office and all.

They quickly finished their coffee, left their cups on the glass-topped table and left the firm.

Once in the safety of their car, Wheein turned to her brother.

"You may divulge whatever you wished to say in Seokjin's office."

Hoseok smiled in gratitude. "Thank you. Well, I'm glad I trusted my instinct. There was much to learn from that interview. It confirms and yet, also debunks all my suspicions."

"Well then, go on," Wheein pressed on.

"Patience, Whee-Whee. I am getting to my point. There are many reasons my suspicions are confirmed but one, no, two powerful reasons debunk all of them. Which would you like to hear?"

"I would like to hear why your suspicions are confirmed."

Hoseok took a deep breath in. "Firstly, Seokjin is now the principal benefactor. Hansol was, at first, but now that we know the clause in Namjoon's will, it obviously points at Seokjin. My prediction is that Yerim might end up joining the company. I'm placing my bets on Seokjin manipulating her to keep the money she inherited in the company. We both know that he does have that edge to him, don't we?"

Wheein smirked as she remembered the first time they met the new head of the House of Kim.

"Yeri isn't a simple girl but she can be manipulated with ease if it is related to something she wants - in this case, to work in the family's firm. Perhaps she won't mind. So the money stays in the company."

"What about Taehyung?" Wheein pointed out.

"He had nothing left to him but he is still a junior partner. Maybe he would wish to work for the family too. Or maybe he would just want his shares. On that front, I am less sure."

"However-" Wheein began, addressing the elephant in the room.

"However," Hoseok continued. "There are two reasons why I cannot say all of this with utmost certainty. The first, the solid alibi for the first murder that Seokjin has. We were able to confirm that he did visit East Africa with the airlines, the hotel he stayed in, the ambassador, etc. The second, that all the evidence - without the money angle - points at Kim Yerim."

Wheein's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Yes, I can understand your sentiment. My reaction was precisely that."

"It's not the time for bad jokes, Hoseok. Fill me in, now."

Hoseok sighed and muttered to himself: "But I wasn't joking ..." However, he checked himself in time and offered a quick apologetic smile to his sister before he began to explain.

"The sticky note we found in Joohyun's bathroom, it has a match. We ran a DNA test on it as you remember and I got the results for it today. Turns out, it matched Kim Yerim's. We did some digging in her room and found a lipstick of the same shade."

"What does that prove?"

"It only proves that Yerim may have a hand in Joohyun's murder, maybe even Namjoon."

Wheein sank in her seat as she thought about this. The more she gave the disturbing matter more attention, the more sense it also made. Namjoon's murder settled a fat sum of money on her and gave her freedom. Joohyun's murder may have been to extort revenge for all the mistreatment and perhaps (if she was a brilliant actress) even for the adultery committed against her. Jimin's murder could have been to silence the poor lamb for whatever he may have known. Maybe, it wasn't about the money angle at all - at least, for the second and third murders. Suddenly, a name flashed in her mind.

"Juri!" She exclaimed. Hoseok nodded.

"Maybe Jimin was an accomplice, for all we know. To add sugar in Kim Namjoon's cup of tea so that her hands were clean. He was madly in love with Juri to do anything for her. Either they are (or was, in Jimin's case) both excellent actors or we can be outrageously wrong."

Wheein repeated the mantra that she had been chanting in her mind. "A murder for gain, a murder for revenge, a murder for safety."

"Yes. It's only the tricky matter of alibis. Say, d'you want to visit Jeju Island?"

Wheein gaped at him. "Jeju Island? Hoseok, this is not a time for a vacation!"

Hoseok flicked a finger on her forehead. "No, you idiot. Remember Juri's postcard?"

"Oh yeah ..." Wheein said. The two exchanged a look before bursting into peals of laughter.

It felt like a long, long time since the last time they had done that.

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