DILEMMA
"You killed him! He's your father! Hangyul-ah! You killed your own father!" Park Heejin cried out in anguish.
"No... I didn't... I did not kill him... Mom... there was a dark figure behind him! He was trying to hurt Dad! I did not kill him!" Hangyul stepped back from his father's lifeless body on the cold floor, blood dripping from the knife in his hand. Trembling in fear, he desperately tried to explain, but his words fell on deaf ears. His mother's screams echoed through the house in Jinhae.
Heejin stood up, her eyes filled with rage, and she grabbed Hangyul's arm, pulling him out of the house. "You don't deserve to live in my house! Get lost! How could I bear a sociopathic son like you, Hangyul?"
Hangyul's world shattered as he heard those harsh words from his own mother. He couldn't explain his innocence to her. Unable to convince her of his innocence, he was condemned to a fate he didn't deserve. Lee Hangyul was 22 years old when his father died and was pushed to the mental asylum by his mother. He had lost the precious years of his youth surrounded by psychopathic patients, constantly saving himself from not getting killed inside that dark asylum. Over the next decade, Dr. Park's attempts to cure Hangyul's violent behavior with various antidotes proved futile. and increased his aggressive behaviour. His memories were wiped out to the extent that he forgot his own identity.
Now, in Seoul, Hangyul sat amidst the chaos of his house, memories flooding back at the mention of "Park Heejin." The room was in disarray, a reflection of his inner turmoil. The room was scattered with papers, curtains were pulled down the window, pillows were lying on the floor and balcony was littered with the soil from the broken plants. Amidst this mess, As he stared out the window, he felt a surge of anger. Blood dripped from his feet as he stepped on broken glass lamp. Clutching his head in pain, he screamed, "Park Heejin!" and collapsed on the couch.
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9 AM, National Intelligence Centre
Kim Haneul walked inside the forensic department with a few documents in his hand. Professor Sungtae waited for him inside the laboratory where Kang Jurin's corpse was being analyzed by forensics.
"Any progress?", Haneul inquired, donning gloves.
"The heart was ripped out brutally. No marks on any other part of the body except for the rope tied to her feet. She was drugged before the murder, possibly which might have left her unconscious and she didn't resist any further.", Professor reported the information received from the doctors.
"The eyewitness, Han Dongshik, have you spoken to him?" Haneul asked.
"Yes, I spoke to him. He's been bought by Kang Chaewon. His mouth was sealed close the whole time. But looking into his eyes I can tell you, he has seen the murderer. There is a fear in his eyes." Professor said in a deep voice.
"So, you're telling me... we could actually get close to the murderer if we use Han Dongshik as our bait...", Haneul removed the gloves and went out of the laboratory followed by Professor Sungtae.
"It will be dangerous. We are risking his life.", Professor said.
"Ohhh Professor, he has already risked his life by seeing the face of that murderer. The moment he is out of our custody, you think he can survive any further?", Haneul chuckled as they both walked in the corridor heading towards the cell where Han Dongshik was locked up.
They reached the cell, Dongshik sat down on the wooden chair staring into the blank space. His face was darkened. His hands trembled in fear.
"Dongshik-ssi, you can leave now. Your inquiry is completed.", Haneul said looking at his changing facial expressions.
"Can I?? can I leave now??", Dongshik was overjoyed. Haneul nodded in yes and unlocked the cell. Professor Sungtae observed everything with his keen eyes standing beside Haneul.
"Professor! Today we're handing over the corpse to her family, right?", Haneul asked loudly as Dongshik walked out of the cell.
" Yes, the post mortem is done. We can hand it over to the victim's family", Professor said knowingly.
"Ohh, then there must be a grand funeral arranged for the mayor's daughter today. We should go and visit it", Haneul said to Professor keeping his eyes on Dongshik as he walked away from them.
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1 PM, City Hospital, Seoul
The afternoon sun cast its warm rays onto the hospital bed. Haneul felt the heat on his eyes and the sensation of his finger trapped in something. Slowly, he attempted to open his eyes, only to be blinded by the intense sunlight projecting directly onto his face. Attempting to shield his eyes, he realized his right hand was pierced with IV needles. Confusion washed over him as he took in his surroundings, understanding that he was admitted to the hospital.
"Oh, you woke up?" echoed a voice in the room. Hangyul focused on the figure across from him; Seong-ah sat on the couch, legs crossed.
Hangyul felt a partial relief knowing that it was Seong-ah who had admitted him, not Doctor Park, who frequented visits to provide antidotes.
"What happened?" he asked, lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
"It should be me asking you that. What happened?" Seong-ah sighed, walking towards the window and drawing the curtains to shield Hangyul from the sunlight.
"I can't remember," Hangyul said coldly.
"Oh right, you never remember anything. Why did I even bother? Anyway, you called me in the middle of the night and said nothing over the phone. I had to rush to your apartment and drag you to the hospital with your bloody feet. Uhhh! Why do I even bother? I should've just left you to die there," Seong-ah vented in frustration.
"You should've done that," Hangyul replied, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.
"Don't worry, I'll not even step outside my house when you call me again in the future," Seong-ah declared, throwing her intense gaze over Hangyul. A tense silence lingered between them.
"Do you want to see Kang Chaewon? Today, I have entry tickets for Kang Jurin's funeral ceremony," Seong-ah said, showing the tickets. Hangyul looked puzzled at the sight of 'funeral tickets.'
"Don't stare at me! These are the official tickets from Mr. Kang Minseok, the Mayor of Seoul. You know... to grant permission for media coverage..."
"Why do you want me to go there?" Hangyul asked, attempting to sit up in bed.
"I just want you to join my investigation. I can't leave you alone on this path. You're living in darkness, and I'm offering a hand to pull you out into a real world," Seong-ah said, smiling softly, extending her hand towards Hangyul.
Behind that soft smile of Seong-ah, there was more. She wanted Hangyul to remember his erased past, which could lead her closer to the killer. She was damn sure that Hangyul had seen the murderer ten years ago at her house, where her parents were killed. Kang Chaewon being his mother's younger sister solidified her hypothesis.
Unaware of her hidden motives, Hangyul held her hand slowly. All he ever wanted in his life was to be trusted. His mother didn't trust him, and his grandmother still regarded him as her son's murderer. Seong-ah was the first to trust him with her investigation, and he aimed to shed the label of a sociopathic patient for now and forever.
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6 PM, Mayor Mansion.
Silence enveloped the Mayor's mansion as relatives mourned the loss of a young soul. The altar in the huge living room was decorated with photos and statues of the Buddha as well as photos and objects to honor the deceased, Kang Jurin. Food, flowers, and mourners filled the room, offering their respects with bowed heads and folded hands in prayer. Monks chanted in the distance, casting a melancholic atmosphere.
Kim Haneul, accompanied by Professor Sungtae, entered the room in black suits, surveying the scene. "Not many people around... I expected a massive crowd with all the media coverage," noted the professor, observing the primarily familial attendees.
"Just wait, Professor. This funeral will make headlines tomorrow," Haneul cryptically smiled.
Mayor Kang Minseok, donned in black hanbok, descended the stairs, acknowledging Haneul. "Detective, I thought you might decline my invitation," he hesitantly remarked.
"How could I refuse a special invitation from our esteemed Mayor?" Haneul smiled pretentiously, bowing slightly. Bodyguards surrounded Minseok as he approached the altar.
"Where's Kang Chaewon?" Professor Sungtae whispered, noticing her absence.
"Busy with something more important than her daughter's funeral, apparently," Haneul smirked, casting a glance at the professor. "Keep a close eye on Kang Minseok. I'll be right back," he added before slipping into the mansion.
Professor Sungtae settled at a table, observing Minseok. The sorrow on his face which was nowhere to be seen a while ago, that sorrow and despair of losing his daughter was overflowing on his face once he stood beside the altar. Media flashlights on his pretentious face were intensifying as the crowd of reporters increased. Just when Sungtae was engrossed in observing the suspicious behaviour of Kang Minseok while analyzing his facial expressions with a criminology perspective, a sudden whisper in his ear startled him. He looked above with frustration only to find a smiling Seong-ah standing behind him.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Professor!", she sat down beside him, searching for someone.
"Who?" the professor inquired with a gesture.
"Lee Hangyul.", Seong-ah replied as she spotted Hangyul in the crowd, raising her hands in the air to grab his attention.
"What? Seong-ah?! Are you out of your mind???How could you bring him here?" Professor panicked as Hangyul approached.
"Relax, Professor. He's not harmful; he's just lost," Seong-ah reassured, smiling at Hangyul, who took a seat beside her.
"Don't come ranting to me if you regret this later," the professor muttered.
The funeral procession begin with a sound of gong, followed by ringing of the bells. A group of monks walked ahead offering a variety of sutras, chants, and reading sermons. Kang Jurin's body placed inside the casket was being transferred to crematorium. Kang Minseok lead the procession with his head facing the ground and tears flowing his eyes.
"Where the hell is Kang Chaewon? The procession has started, and she's still not here," Seong-ah wondered aloud, puzzled by the mother's absence.
Professor Sungtae looked around for Kim Haneul as half an hour had passed since he went inside the mansion. Lee Hangyul remained seated but the sound of chants were making him restless as the past memories of his father's funeral were flashing before his eyes.
Hangyul struggling with his memories, caught Seong-ah's attention.
"Lee Hangyul, open your eyes and pay your respects," Seong-ah urged, knowing it would stir his memories.
Amid their conversation, a piercing scream echoed in the room.
"Han Dongshik???!!", Professor Sungtae pretended to exclaim in surprise.
Han Dongshik ran inside the room screaming for help. He was drenched with sweat, constantly looking behind in fear, he kept running towards the halted procession. The bodyguards covered Kang Minseok immediately pulling out their guns and pointed it towards him. But within a split second gunshots were fired from the entrance, followed by next round of double shots. Han Dongshik, fatally shot, fell to the ground as the bullets pierced his chest and blood splattered all over place.
"Kim Haneul?" Seong-ah screamed in shock as he stood at the entrance with a revolver. However, his target was the masked assailant who shot Dongshik. Commotion ensued as the people gathered for the funeral tried to run outside but were trapped inside as the cops ran inside the mansion to cover the crime scene.
"NOBODY WILL MOVE! I SAID NOBODY WILL MOVE!" assistant detective Minjae announced through a microphone. Professor Sungtae ran towards them, "Report to the headquarters, Detective Kim Haneul has encountered the Damyang serial killer-"
"Professor, at least check the face behind that mask before declaring", a voice echoed in the hall. Kang Chaewon wearing a black Hanbok and white ribbon hairpin walked inside, with a cold face. Seong-ah and Sungtae stood up looking at her as she passed beside them. Hangyul still remained seated as he struggled to keep himself in control.
"Hmm? Remove his mask.", Chaewon said as she stood front of Haneul who was still holding a revolver. He signaled Minjae to check the fallen assailant, unveiling a shocking revelation – an innocent civilian.
"Sir... He is... one of the relatives...", Minjae stuttered.
Kang Chaewon mockingly clapped, "Great!! Detective Kim Haneul, you've taken life of an innocent civilian, Professor, hurry up, we need to report this to headquarters-"
"Kang Chaewon!!!!!!", Hangyul raised from his seat and sprinted towards Chaewon with a syringe in his hand which he was trying to inject during the chaos but failed to calm himself down as he heard Chaewon's voice.
"Seong-ah?? Stop him!", Professor shooked her shoulders as she remained silent.
"No." she said sternly.
On the other hand Haneul covered up Kang Chaewon and stopped Lee Hangyul from attacking her with the syringe.
"Everyone back off!! He is a mentally unstable patient!!", Haneul held his hand as the cops approached to lock him up.
Lee Hangyul continued to look angrily into Kang Chaewon with his eyes turned red still tightly holding the syringe in his hand as he was held on his waist by Kim Haneul pushing him away from her.
"I guess it's about time you should be sent to the mental asylum again.", Chaewon whispered in his ears with a sinister smile on her face.
"Can my daughter rest peacefully?? Chaewon-ah!!! Please, drop your business at least for today!!! It's our dear child!!!", Kang Minseok cried as the procession was halted due to the chaos created in the funeral hall. Cameras flashed lights on his face as cried out loudly gaining sympathy from the mourners present there.
Chaewon joined him as the procession begin to move, "Congrats on gaining the sympathy votes and painting me as a villain again", she whispered.
"Villain? stop degrading yourself, darling... Monster sounds better on you...", Kang Minseok wiped his eyes while being filmed by the reporters.
On the other hand Kim Haneul dragged Lee Hangyul to the hospital as he passed away while trembling in uncontrollable anger. And Seong-ah stood beside Professor Sungtae watching the procession going out of the main gate of the mansion.
"You saw that right? Hangyul may not seem harmful when he is normal but he can always turn into a dangerous person once he is triggered!! He can even hurt himself !!!", Professor said while facing Seong-ah.
"As if I care him getting hurt!", Seong-ah chuckled "I want his memories, and I would go to any extent to make him remember his past. Even if that means him hurting other people or himself."
There was no black or white in this investigation, everything and everyone connected to Damyang serial killings were morally grey. Good in evil and Evil in good. It was a Dilemma of truth entangled in thick network of lies.