Department Zero | NCT Dream

File 13: Thirteen is an Unlucky Number

[Date: December 22, 2020]

[Weather: light snow]

|Drink of the Day: Hot Hazelnut Coffee|

{Cases: 1}

- P. JS
.......

A manila folder slide itself into Donghyuck's waiting hands, the front cover flipping open to reveal it's contents to the team leader. 

"Our next destination is Seoul," Jisung said with finality as he took a seat on the armchair of one of the jet seats. Donghyuck looked at the other, his eyes scanning the other team members as they poured over the case file, "There is a massive number of people dying in one neighborhood, currently six people. There are talks of a gas leak, but more people are latching onto the fact it's a serial killer." 

"I'm guessing that it's none of the above," Mark said cheekily and the habitual 'smack' ensued as Renjun hit the other on the back of the head. Donghyuck snorted in amusement and Jisung cracked a smile too, nodding in response to the other's comment.

"You got it Lee," he crossed his arms across his chest, tapping his dress shoe against the floor of the airplane, "Department Head Moon placed one of his informants undercover in the area. After a day or two in the area, they reported seeing a man in all black wearing a gat." 

"A gat? The traditional hat from the Joseon era?" Chenle interjected, frowning at the other as Jisung nodded in confirmation. 

"Why would that be important?" Jeno countered from his seat next to Donghyuck, leaning forwards onto his forearms, "It could just be some old man finding some sentimentality in it? I mean, you can probably get them anywhere nowadays."

"That's true," Jisung mused as someone who already knew the answer to the question, "However, this figure was seen almost everywhere, including in the areas where two dead bodies just happened to turn up within the next four to five hours."

Donghyuck clicked his tongue at this. "Any more descriptive factors to help us determine what it is?" 

Jisung shrugged, the young informant sliding backwards to sit sideways in the airplane chair. Jaemin's fingers thrummed against the table from where he sat across from Donghyuck. Renjun pipped up from where he sat in one of the single chairs.

"So we're saying six deaths, tied to this guy who dresses in all black and wears a black gat? Reminds me of some sort of grim reaper," he snorted in a joking manner but Chenle jolted, slamming his hands against the table. 

"That's it!" he snapped his fingers, looking around at everyone. "It's probably a Jeosung Saja, they're similar to but not exactly like what people widely refer to as Grim Reapers." 

The mythology expert paused for a moment, his fingers drawing strange patterns in the air as his eyes fluttered closed. Everyone remained silent at the revelation, waiting for the expert to continue his tirade. 

"They're also known as 'Netherworld Emissaries' and they help to guide all souls to the afterlife, whether they are good or bad. Traditionally, the Jeosung Saja wear dark robes and a black gat - a type of hat worn by many noblemen in the Joseon Era. They are also rumored to carry around a book that has the death date for every living soul." 

Chenle paused in his rant, his eyebrows furrowing together. "But, the strange thing is that they're normally known for being gentle and calm despite their job. They are simply scouts and soul collectors for the King." 

Jeno frowned. "The King?" 

Chenle looked up in surprise before laughing slightly, "Oh yeah, the King of the Netherworlds -- the Great King Yomma. I mentioned him before I think, he's the same king rumored to have sent out the Bul-Gae to capture the sun and moon." 

The team stilled a bit at the connection, Jaemin's fingers halting in their insistent fidgeting. There was this king again...and if this case was connected to the Bul-Gae...then it was possible that this could provide some kind of link. And yet, Donghyuck couldn't focus on that. 

A Jeosung Saja. 

A Jeosung Saja. 

Donghyuck could feel his chest tightening. 

"Excuse me for a moment," Donghyuck managed to grit out, sending the team a small smile as he stood up, heading to the bathroom that rested at the back of the jet. Locking the door behind him, Donghyuck felt tears spring into his eyes, a bit surprised at how much it still hurt.

The death of his parents. 

The death of his sister.

His fingers curled around the front of his shirt as he slid down into a crouch. The team leader chided himself for the pain he was feeling. He had been so young when it had happened, he was supposed to be over this by now. 

And yet the mention of the main in all black with a gat resurfaced the words that his grandmother had muttered to him all those years ago. 

"They were taken by death too early." The words his grandmother had muttered as she held him close, a rusted, golden cross dangling around her neck, "The spirits are furious. Taken too soon by death himself." 

It wasn't until he was older that the words his grandmother had uttered had come back to him in a dream. It wasn't until he was older that he had begun to research explanations for the deaths that plagued him every night. He talked with his grandmother; he talked with supernatural experts; he read books; he poured over the internet. 

A rouge Jeosung Saja. 

A rouge grim reaper.

That's the conclusion that he had come to all those years ago, and here it was again. He would be damned if it wasn't a rogue grim reaper, and his stomach twisted at the opportunity. The leader could get answers -- could get revenge. 

And when the team stepped out of the plane into the crowded city of Seoul there was an odd, strange sort of tension in the air. The members found it a bit confusing, especially since it had been around five months since they had formed their team.

But no one made a comment, quickly getting to work to prevent another death from being added to the growing list.

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