Because it is Christmas

Bonus ep3: Warm Snow

-1 year ago-

Ha Chae Yoon was rubbing her temple. She has been working on a difficult case and her eyes are tired.

It was snowing as in mid winter of January.In between of her busy time, she made a trip to Seoul national university hospital. At the department of Pediatric Psychology, Chae Yoon made an inquiry.

She was hesitating if she should show her badge ID that she belonged to Korean National Police, but decided against it.

"Excuse me, I am looking for a Professor Kim Tae Pyung, I am sorry I came without an appointment, but professor never return my email."

The young staff looked questionably at her. "Professor what?"

Chae Yoon looked into the documents in her hand again. "It's Professor Kim Tae Pyong, associate professor, department of  Pediatric Psychology, m'am."

The young staff looked into the paper, "we do not have a professor name as that. Are you sure it is the  correct department?"

The medical staff helped her inspect the document again.

"The address of the department is correct, just we do not have this person. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"I would like to inquire about my present participation of Professor's research. You see, my children enrolled in his research project about the recognitive behavior in fraternal twins in primary school in Seoul area".

Chae Yoon read the research project title from the parental consent papers that she signed 2 years ago.

"It was informed that by allowing the staff from his team to conduct a bi-annual behavior observation at school, the children who participated would receive school fee reimbursement...... I was informed that professor's student did come to collect the datas, however....."

She paused .

"I inquired many parents who also had twins same age as mine, nobody has ever heard of this project. I also looked in the non profit organizations. I also looked in the hospital website and I can't find Professor 's name and I had inquired through the phone contact number and email written in the information sheets but I never get the reply."

She paused.

" I was concerned if there's any misunderstanding."

"I will inquire in the staff meeting. You see,  sometimes we have temporary visiting professor so the website may not be updated. If you leave your contact number, we will respond to you later." The staff told her and asked her to leave a contact number behind.

Chae Yoon sat down in the hospital lobby for quite a long time.

Chae Yoon did not know what to think of this strange discovery.

If there was no such project, who would have give the money for the school tuition?

To be honest, the current private international school that Chae Yoon's children were going was quite a sum of money. She quietly confessed to herself that it did help relieved her expense's burden.

She did not know how long she had been sitting there. When she looked at her phone as she turned in the silent mode for the hospital area.

She was shocked.

There was 20 missed calls from her children's Homeroom teacher in the last 2 hour. Panicking, she dialled back. The other line picked up.

"Hello, is that Min Hyeok's mother? We have been trying to contact you."