Chapter 83: CH 11.4

I mulled over what one of them had said, dumbfounded. Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office…?

“I’m investigator Kim Chuljin. You’re staff, right?”

The man held out his ID card, but I couldn’t even think of checking it. The other man walked further to the sofa.

“Hey, mister!”

“Investigator Kim. I think you need to take, over… there.”

I heard a familiar voice. It was unreal. Felt like it couldn’t be heard in a place like this. I forced myself to turn my stiff neck.

Yeon Woojeong was standing at the door. Wearing the same outfit that I saw during the day with his hair styled neatly and his tie crisp.

He saw me. The open lips slowly closed. He looked as if he had seen a ghost. I can’t believe Yeon Woojeong could make that kind of face. This moment felt like a dream.

“Yes, Prosecutor Yeon. First—”

“Uh?”

“…”

“I think this person is dead.”

I looked over. It was deafening. The investigator who was touching the neck of the lying man looked at me. I felt the blood drain out of my body beneath my feet. 

I turned my head again slowly, looking for Yeon Woojeong. He was looking at me with a pale face. I didn’t think my face would be any different. 

Why does this kind of thing only happen to me? I couldn’t blame anyone. I brought those upon me, and I am a human who jumped into those kinds of things.

It wasn’t me. I had to say it, but I couldn’t open my mouth. I was only stupidly staring at Yeon Woojeong. He was the first one to break the suffocating silence. Looking away from me, he slowly opened his mouth.

“Is there any injury?”

“No. There’s no injury for now.”

“Preserve the scene and check if there’s CCTV in the area.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yeon Woojeong’s face was cold, and his voice was dry. Yeon Woojeong’s eyes turned to the investigator next to me. It was dizzy. It was blurry. 

“And this person, I guess I’ll have to take care of him.”

“Oh, would you?”

“Yes. Please give him a brief first. I’ll take care over there.”

“Yes.”

Yeon Woojeong turned around. Then he left. My heart raced as he walked away. It felt like I was trapped inside a small room with loud heartbeats. I thought I was going to die from the sound of my own.

“Alright, it’s 11:27 p.m.”

The investigating officer grabbed my arms.

“You’re under arrest on the charge of violating the drug—”

“It, wasn’t me.”

I could open my mouth after Yeon Woojeong left. Looking at the investigator, I shook my head. I was suffocated by the thought of getting framed as a murderer suddenly.

“Yes. You can tell that in the office. And the reason you’re under arrest now isn’t that.”

The investigator continued on, telling me about the rights I had. Giving statements, attorneys, excuses… They were all words that scared me.

He didn’t want to listen to me further. He only kept talking with a stiff face and formal tone. I couldn’t say anything under that pressure.

Is that person really dead? I looked back as I was led out by the investigator’s hands. I can’t believe the man I thought to be sleeping was a corpse. My head turned blank.

The once quiet corridor became cluttered and noisy. Those who appeared to be investigators were dragging everyone in the room away. Several of the men, who were high on alcohol and drugs, were led away in handcuffs while shouting loudly.

What will happen now? I looked around, and I made eye contact with Han Juhyeok, who was also dragged by the investigators like the other people. His anxious face made him look like a child in contrast to his bravado earlier. His anxiety seemed to rub off on me. 

Outside, there was a line of vans. I was frisked before getting into the van. There was only my phone and the money in my pocket. The money in the investigator’s hand looked light and shabby.

There were male staff wearing the same uniform as me inside the van. We all exchanged glances with dead eyes, but it wasn’t the mood to say anything. 

You are reading story Stranger at novel35.com

I felt like throwing up as I looked at the rattling night scene. I couldn’t tell if I was getting motion sickness or if I was just feeling weird. I recalled the face looking at me, pale, which soon changed into a cold, straight face.

Yeon Woojeong pretended to not know me. He should be. It would be awkward for him to pretend to know me in a place like this. 

But… What should I do if he thinks I killed that person? I didn’t. I really didn’t do that. If I had known this, I wouldn’t have said I was going to kill that woman or that I had dreams of killing people. If Yeon Woojeong misunderstands me because of what I said…

My mouth went dry. I ripped off the hangnails that started to grow again at my fingers. He must be angry. He must be. He was busy because of this case, but here I was… I should have had my unluckiness alone if I were destined to be unlucky. What should I do if Yeon Woojeong gets into trouble because of me?

My head hurt. A familiar road gradually came into view outside the window. My fingers were numb as I got closer to the Prosecutors’ Office. What will happen to me? Will I get punished just because I worked there? Am I going to be accused of murder? 

The van stopped in front of the Prosecutors’ Office. I looked out the window and saw Yeon Woojeong standing at the entrance. After everyone inside had gotten out, I was the last to be led out by the investigator.

I met his eyes. I was dragged closer to him.

“Thanks for your hard work. Let’s go.”

Yeon Woojeong turned around. His back looked distinctly heavy today. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as I walked inside and got on the elevator. It was quiet inside the elevator. The air over my head grew heavier as we rose, floor by floor. 

The elevator stopped. The door opened, and after Yeon Woojeong got out first, I followed.

“Uh?”

A man stood in Yeon Woojeong’s way. It was the prosecutor I saw at the seolleongtang restaurant. 

“Prosecutor Yeon, how was the trip? Who’s this? Isn’t he that kid?”

The prosecutor approached me and looked at my face, leaning his head exaggeratedly. I looked down.

“Wow. Did he get into a mess? Again? At that place? He did it even though our Prosecutor Yeon bought him a meal?”

Yeon Woojeong looked back at the man with a cold face.

“That’s why I told you. You can’t educate a black-haired animal.”

The man smiled. With a face telling, “Now, look at this. I won against you.”

Yeon Woojeong heard such words because of me. Because of me, Yeon Woojeong, who lacked nothing, heard such words from that bastard.

The man grinned as he looked at me. While I clenched my fist and avoided his gaze, the man’s finger pushed my forehead.

“Hey. Why are you tarnishing Prosecutor Yeon’s name…”

Just as the finger was about to push my forehead again, Yeon Woojeong grabbed the man’s hand. The veins on Yeon Woojeong’s hand popped out as he grabbed the man’s hand.

“Prosecutor Lee. Are you free?”

“What?”

“As you can see, I’m busy.”

He shook off the man’s hand. The man let out a wry smile, and Yeon Woojeong walked away while the man was touching his hand-printed wrist. The investigator greeted the man by bowing his head, then he followed Yeon Woojeong and asked.

“Did you know each other?”

I turned stiff at the investigator’s question. Yeon Woojeong’s head turned slightly to me.

“Yes. Just for a moment.”

“Aha. I see.”

The investigator glanced at me as if it was understandable and then clicked his tongue. I felt like I was burning up. 

We got closer to the office that I had visited several times. Though I never expected that I would come here again for this reason.

What’s in Yeon Woojeong’s head now? I was afraid no matter what he was thinking about. Feeling afraid even made me feel like I was doing a bad thing.

The door to the office was opened. Kim Jiyeon, who was inside, stood up and opened her eyes wide when she saw me. Her face soon turned stiff. How did Yeon Woojeong introduce me to that person? I couldn’t bring myself to look up.

As we entered the office, the investigator who brought me thanked Yeon Woojeong and left. Yeon Woojeong glanced at me briefly before opening the door to the break room inside. It was hard to move my feet, but I walked inside. Yeon Woojeong entered with Kim Jiyeon. He spoke while keeping his eyes on me.

“Miss Kim. Can you please give us a moment?”

“Prosecutor Yeon.”

“I’m not going to question him, but have a conversation. I hope you can leave us for a moment.”

Kim Jiyeon looked between me and Yeon Woojeong alternately, then she left and closed the door with a worried look. Yeon Woojeong turned around and closed the blinds. It was only Yeon Woojeong and I, completely cut off from the outside gaze.

You can find story with these keywords: Stranger, Read Stranger, Stranger novel, Stranger book, Stranger story, Stranger full, Stranger Latest Chapter