Confession

"I would like to make a report.", I finally mustered up the courage to speak. 

The man in the uniform was a little startled, then confused, but soon beamed me a warm and accommodating smile. 

"How may I help you, Ma'am?"

"I know the killer of Minji. From last night. The girl who got burnt to death at the Italian restaurant in Apgujeong. It was horrific. Absolutely horrific. God, I don't even know where to begin."

I took a deep breath. 

"OK, where do I start… It was when I was working at my previous company. This crazy woman walked into our office. Wearing a suit. Jet black suit jacket and trousers. Beautiful leather shoes, showing her ankles. No, but that's not important."

I looked at the kind man and he seemed to be sympathetic enough to hear me out. The full details. 

"Anyway, then Mr. Lee, my colleague, he tried to call the cops-, oh sorry, I mean the police. Yes, he tried to call the police. It's not you guys' fault that you weren't there because Mr. Lee never got to make that call. Then this crazy woman threw a knife - a frigging knife! Can you believe that? It went right through the phone and through poor Mr. Lee's hand. I saw the knife come through the back of his hand. He was bleeding. A lot."

I had to catch my breath. Now that I got started. I intended to confess everything. 

"I'll tell you. To be very honest, I thought she was kinda cool. Don't get me wrong. I'm not crazy. I'm just giving you the first impression I got. That will help, right? But never mind me. She then asked me to lead her to Mr. Park's office. That was my ex-boss. A sly old man, but wait-, don't suspect me. I never had anything against him. It wasn't my fault. I was threatened. My life was in danger."

The man said nothing, but he took in a deep breath and was about to say something. 

"Please, not now. Let me continue… so yeah, I led her to Mr. Park's office. It wasn't my fault. I was threatened. She would have slit my throat if I didn't listen. Nobody wants that, right? So I walked her to the office. It was like funeral proceedings, but before someone actually died. But like I said, it's not like I wanted to help the killer. I was just…"

Something came over me and I felt like breaking down with tears, but I bravely held myself back. 

"Then we walked into Mr. Park's office. Then… then… she launched herself at the guy. Lightening fast. Before I knew it, she was cutting him up. Like a butcher. It was horrible. Absolutely terrifying. I didn't enjoy it one bit. I tell you-, are you writing that down? It wasn't my fault, right? Why aren't you writing that down? Write it and underline it."

"Ma'am. Could you please calm down a lit-"

"I AM CALM! Listen! I told you guys all this already but nothing was done. That's why my friend Minji had to… she was such a nice girl. I didn't particularly like her. But she was my friend. She was so pretty. Positive. Outgoing. She had her vices but we all do, don't we? She didn't deserve it. No matter what she did… nobody deserves such an end… I… I… Do you have a tissue?"

The kind man passed me a tissue, I wiped my tears a little and blew my nose. 

"OK. So let me continue. She walked from behind me. I didn't see her coming at all. But then it was like, the whole place went dead silent. All I heard was her footsteps-, no I'm NOT mad. I know you didn't say that, but that's probably what you are thinking right?"

"No, Ma'am."

"Thank you. Thank you so much for your patience. I'm getting to the part. I just thought I had to give you all the details. Why aren't you writing it down? Never mind. Now, she comes to our table. Minji just took a sip of wine. Red wine. I don't think I can drink that anymore. It would remind me of blood. I've seen too much of it. Probably more of it than everyone here combined. And I'm not even a doctor, hang on. Can I have a cup of water?"

"Would you like some ice with it?"

"Oh, you are so kind. Yes, please."

The man passed me a large paper cup half full of ice with plenty of water. It felt good to gulp it down. My mouth was so dry from non-stop talking. 

"OK. Where was I? I feel like I can continue now. Thank you again for the water. Then I asked Minji to run. Oh, actually-, no. It's not like I knew what was going to happen. I don't know that killer at all. I've never seen her before in my life. How would I know what was going to happen? I just had this-, bad feeling. Yes, woman's sixth sense. I'm sure that comes in handy for you as well, right? That's why you have so many female colleagues here."

I clenched my fist tight, opened it, and clenched it tight again. Bringing it up to my chest as a sign of resolve. To give me the strength to recount the most terrifying details of what came next. 

"Then Minji started running. The killer threw a knife. It hit Minji right on her back. The spot between the spine and her right shoulder blade. Here, look. Right here."

I turned to show him my back and pointed at the spot. I was good with such details. 

I turned around again to face him and continued my confession. 

"Then it happened. The killer walked over to Minji and took out a bottle from her inside pocket. I think it was a 500ml bottle. I'm quite sure. She poured it on the poor girl… poor Minji…"

The man, so far very patient, looked a little disturbed now. 

This was disturbing indeed. 

"She… she recited a verse from the Bible. As if she was an angel came to take her life away. As IF! Then she poured… the liquid onto Minji. I knew it. I knew it straight away. I smelt it. It smelt like petrol. I was horrified. I knew what was coming - not saying I knew what was coming, but I knew what was coming. And then she lit a match and boom! Minji caught fire. She burnt. She burnt right in front of my eyes! Screaming… screaming… the poor girl…"

"Ma'am…"

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME!"

He was taken aback by the sudden outburst. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout. I'm just… so broken now. Emotionally broken. I thought I was in love. It was my first love. I never felt this way before… damn, what the hell am I even saying?! Forget that. Don't write that down. Please, forget you've ever heard me say anything like that, OK? OK?!!"

"OK, Ma'am…"

"But the petrol wasn't enough. So the killer went to the kitchen and got some cooking oil. She killed - although I don't know and I really hope he didn't die - she killed another man there. Then she got this big plastic container of cooking oil. A gallon I would say. She poured it on Minji, who was already burning… I… I just can't do this anymore."

I was shivering, pulling my hair out, biting my lips.

"Please. You gotta catch that woman. She's a professional killer. She's going to kill even more people if you guys just stand here and do nothing! Why are you still here?! Just get out and catch that woman already! More people are going to die! You hear me?! You hear me?!!!"

"I'm sorry but…"

"What?! What is it now?!!!"

"Ma'am. This is McDonald's."

Oh.