After a long beat of silence, Hongjoong exhaled. His heart hammered in his chest.

"Fine, you monster," he hissed. When he stomped in Seonghwa's direction, the widow's lips curled into a triumphant smile.

"I knew from the beginning you were more." The sickening slithering of his voice seemed to crawl up Hongjoong's arms to leave shivers in its wake when he touched the shiv. He gripped it so hard his knuckles turned white and whirled around to the terrified Elizabeth May. Her youth intensified the horror in her gaze. The plea not to do this.

Hongjoong gritted his teeth.

Seonghwa came up behind him, pressing his lean body to Hongjoong's back. He guided him forward, steadying the tremble of his arms. His heat, his frame, his scent, everything about him was addictive.

"Stab her wherever you want. The eye if you want her to suffer. The stomach if you want to be gracious. If you prefer to slash her throat, do it like this." White fingers trailed down Hongjoong's arm, showing him the motion from his elbow. He shuddered in Seonghwa's embrace.

Elizabeth wound herself on the ground, still pressed to her knees.

"No, please. Please don't do this-" she whimpered through her broken voice.

Hongjoong exhaled. He steeled himself and tried to distance his body from his soul.

And as Seonghwa's chuckle announced his sickening fun with this scenario, he twisted around to slash at the widow's unprotected neck.

Pearls spilt over the floor in a gush. Seonghwa staggered back and Hongjoong did the same, unsure if he even hit him. The blade was so sharp it cut as if through butter.

But Seonghwa's eyes were wide with shock.

"W-What? What have you done?"

Blood seeped from his fingers pressed to the side of his throat. Gushing so fast, drenching his unmarred skin. Seonghwa broke to his knees, whispering soundlessly when blood filled his throat and he choked on it.

Hongjoong dropped the knife. His stomach twisted in revolt and his knees suddenly wobbled under his weight. A bitter satisfaction filled his heart, but his hands trembled like never before.

"Play your games with the devil," he spat, his voice no more but a whisper

Seonghwa slumped to the side. The pool of blood tickled at Hongjoong shoes, which meant he sliced at him deeply. Did well.

Killed him.

The room spun. Hongjoong noted the mute lugs with their wide eyes and gathered his last authority.

"You two better run if you don't want the police on your heels."

The two looked at one another and their bleeding master on the floor. He still twitched as his hot blood streamed from him, but blood covered his lips and pearly teeth. His beauty left with the curse of his life. Twinkling eyes dulled.

Hongjoong couldn't look. Couldn't realise he had done this. 

No blood clung to his hands, but he wiped them on his pants. Couldn't trust their feeling. Were they slippery? He couldn't tell.

He was losing his mind.

Before he could collapse, he bent to the terrified jane. He undid the bindings around her wrists and tugged her to her feet. Though she quivered just as bad as him, she tried to stabilise him back. So many wounds on her young skin. But she would make it.

Hongjoong exhaled.

Feck, he needed a fag.

The stench of blood overpowered Seonghwa's perfume. He wasn't moving anymore.

"Let's get out of here," Hongjoong gagged out. He stumbled with the girl in his arms and her strength returned to her at the promise of freedom. When her eyes lit up, Hongjoong tried to smile back.

He did something good. He must have. Seonghwa killed people before and he would have done it again.

"D-Detective..."

Hongjoong wiped his hands on his pants. Steeled himself to be strong before the distressed girl.

"You are safe now. Don't worry anymore."

The door swung open to an innocent night full of stars. As Hongjoong led the disturbed Elizabeth May outside to find a call box and call for help, the frigid air refreshed his senses.

He should get the coppers in here to secure the body and all the evidence.

And then he had to explain to Yunho.

-

Time passed since that day in the countryside villa. Hongjoong got out unscathed and The Cursed Widow's case was declared resolved as Seonghwa Park was confirmed dead. 

Elizabeth May made a full recovery. She returned to a striving young lady full of admiration for the law and Hongjoong. She often gifted him flowers, blushing sweetly when he told her to take care on her way home.

But the detective was haunted. He started wearing gloves to shake off the feeling of blood making his hands slippery. Wiping them on his pants became a tick. Yunho told him it was the character of their job, a necessity in an emergency. And though Hongjoong began carrying a bean shooter at all times, he never dared pull it.

Often, lips stained with red followed him through his dreams. Chuckled his name until red gushed from a pale neck and gleaming eyes died out.

Hongjoong won at an awful cost. And in all his years as a gumshoe afterwards, he could never quite shake the feeling of a dark shadow lingering behind him and whispering into his ear.

Secret Ending