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Third POV

As the newbie, Seohyun had high expectations of herself to get things right on her first case that she was taking part in.

The case she was given to investigate was the death of Im Krystal. After coming to know the background of the victim, Seohyun found herself looking into the death of Im Yoona. Who also coincidentally died in the same room and hotel, Room #19 in the Lost City Hotel.

At first glance, it seemed she might've committed suicide from the deep loss of her beloved sister.

However, the autopsy report showed a different context. She was murdered and in a similar way to Yoona. Im Krystal was strangulated to death.

Both autopsy reports showed the similarities of cause of death but the line of suspects and motives were unknown because Yoona's case had no evidence of great use.

It was outlandish and absurd for a case this early in it's investigation to already head down a cold path.

No footage, fingerprints, or suspects. That's impossible especially in this day and age.

Seohyun did find reasonable links in Park Chanyeol and Jung Eunji. Park Chanyeol as he is Yoona's former fiance. Jung Eunji for being connected to Park by their minimal interactions.

From her conversation with Eunji she learned some details of the timeline and insight into Krystal's thoughts but not enough to make Seohyun believe that Eunji was a suspect. If anything she was a witness.

The circumstances were similar for Park Chanyeol. She had a gut feeling that he wasn't a suspect. Many of her colleagues continually, including her partner, tried to convince her that he fit the profile of a prime suspect. It was easy to amuse Park Chanyeol was the killer rather than to explore the possibility that someone else might be  responsible.

No matter what Seohyun couldn't force herself to believe what they wanted her to. It would be against everything she knew and believed. For her to blindly label someone as a killer without hesitation was not in her book of justice served.

That's why she was struck at this very point. It was too easy to choose Park Chanyeol, it was both upsetting and frustrating. It was the real deal.

Seohyun sighed as she closes her eyes and presses her forehead into her palms.

The constant thinking was starting to hurt her mind. It didn't help that a strange conversation she had with a fellow coworker was floating in her mind.

"Are you still staring at that case?"

Seohyun glanced to the side at the person speaking to her. It was a policeman.

"I'm trying to figure it out."

The man chuckles a bit, "You should just let it go."

"Why do you say that?" She questions with an unbothered smile on her lips despite herself. Her smile slips away immediately once the policeman's easy expression darkens.

He places his palms down on the edge of her desk and leans his body over. Seohyun almost flinches away in discomfort but she decides to keep herself still.

"Because no matter what you do, this case will never be solved." He quietly states before he backs away from her desk then proceeds to lift his lips into a diabolical smirk, "Besides...money is both power and freedom."

The policemen unceremoniously leaves down the hall.

Seohyun doesn't know how long she sits there staring at nothing with her thoughts in a whirlwind.

Her eyes eventually fall down to the papers on the table.

No doubt Park Chanyeol has money.

But the only reason he has money is because-

That's when it hits Seohyun.

"Park Soohyuk..."

The more she thought about the hotel owner as a suspect, the more she was convinced of his ultimate involvement.

Somehow, Park Soohyuk was never mentioned in both the cases. In spite of Park Soohyuk's position as owner of the Lost City Hotel.

No one ever interrogation him, obtained video footage from him, or made him sign anything.

He was unmentionable.

A normal person would have no choice but to do everything by the book.

Park Soohyuk avoided the rules.

The hotel owner had all ways and means of being untouchable.

Park Soohyuk is the man with the unlimited amount of money to buy his own power and...

"Freedom."

-

Are we innately evil or are we coerced into it like a slow acting poison.

Who are we?

Who was he?

It was his choice, Park Chanyeol was the only one able to determine who he was.

He lifted his eyes away from his father's face to the faint reflection of himself on the surface of the window.

He couldn't recognize himself.

Disheveled hair, eyes of flint fury, and nails embedded in skin. He looked feral, animalistic like he carved for pure flesh and blood.

This isn't who he is.

He tried, for years, to be this person that was suddenly staring relentlessly back at him for so long.

He knew he could never be this person because he yearned for love, to be happy.

It was all he ever wanted.

He hates what has happened. He hates that his mother isn't here. He hates that he could never have Yoona back. He even hates that Yoona's sister was a casualty in this.

But he would hate himself more if he ever turned into his father.

Killing him would prove he is no different from his father.

Hateful, greedy, and heartless.

It would prove that the poison did overtake him and his father won.

Chanyeol's eyes shift away from the window to his father's eyes.

"This is one thing you won't be able to take from me."

Chanyeol releases himself from Soohyuk's grip and the pull of vengeance.

He staggers away from his father as he hears him cough and take large intakes of breath.

"Chanyeol..." Eunji's calls with a scratchy and weary voice.

Chanyeol's gaze reaches her red, glassy ones.

Lost in his own anger, he completely forgot about Eunji.

He quickly goes to her. When he remembers that she is restrained, he frantically searches for anything to free her.

Chanyeol practically takes the desk apart before he finds scissors.

He takes a moment to calm his racing heart enough to cut the zip ties tightly bound around her wrists.

When she is out of them, Eunji immediately holds both sides of Chanyeol's face. Her eyes search his with worry then she wraps her arms around him.

"Chanyeol...I'm so sorry..." She held him like he was child in her arms. And that's when everything crashed down on him again expect this time he broke down in tears. "I'm so sorry..." He could hear her quietly sob along with him.

Unbeknownst to Park Chanyeol and Jung Eunji, Seohyun and the police arrived into Soohyuk's office to arrest the man for murder.

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This chapter was inspired by holgacity's video on YouTube --

I had no idea how to end this story and this video helped me out of my minor block.

Now, we're reaching the final door of Room #19.

Are you ready?

-Jiselle🌸