Landing in Your Inbox

92 - she lived alone

One year ago

Her new door lock was keyless, only requiring a six-letter code to gain access to her new apartment. Seri was confident about the PIN she chose, though security specialists would frown down upon her choice. It was her birthday. No one else knew that or cared enough to ask. People didn't bother knowing or remembering something as negligible as that.

She wanted a lot of chairs in her apartment, the designer surmised it must be to outfit it for large parties and gatherings. But Seri just wanted different places to work around her literal urban jungle.

Though she opted for a huge bed, it was meant to be laid by one. Seri frequently dated but the conversations were punctuated at the restaurant or at the car. Breaching her private quarters, much more be permitted inside her premises, was a dream those men would never realize.

Seri enjoyed her own company inside her penthouse apartment with a striking triangular roof, surrounded by lush green tropical plants and some eclectic art pieces. Her choice, her style. Music wafted in the room and a glass of wine in hand, Seri acknowledged that she lived alone and she was fine.

***

May 8, 2021 7:30 AM
Maibaum Apartment, Seoul

Geum Eun-dong called home first thing in the morning to greet his family on Parent's Day, apologizing that he couldn't go home to visit but that he would make up for it. Then he helped his roommate and senior, Park Kwang-beom, to toast bread and cook eggs. But Kwang-beom left the table just as they were about to eat so he could take a phone call, bringing his voice down a notch as he conversed. Eun-dong was used to obvious attempts of secrecy, focusing on slicing his sunny side egg in half, golden yolk running out, soaking his toast.

Kwang-beom didn't return to the table after the call. He would ring up a couple of people. Eun-dong thought he heard him say Seri and Chi-su and that piqued the pilot trainee's interest. What was going on?

"Who was it?" Eun-dong asked when Kwang-beom returned to the table.

"They apprehended one of the men who ambushed Seri. Captain Pyo and I will go to the station." Kwang-beom took his jacket hanging from the coat hanger.

"I should go with you." Eun-dong made a move to stand but Kwang-beom pushed him down.

"No, stay here and finish your breakfast. You can have mine, too." The egg on Kwang-beom's plate remained perfectly round and intact. "If we take long, just use my account and have lunch delivered. Wait for my call."

Often being the youngest in their group of friends left Eun-dong for much of the action. His brothers would always baby him, even if he was a witness to the ambush incident himself (and proudly held his own, if he might say so).

But he couldn't argue against the man of the house and watched him leave the apartment. With a sigh, Eun-dong resigned himself to be content with watching the group chat and depend on any information that could come out.

"Seri must know about this now. I hope she won't be rattled." Eun-dong mused as he chewed on his sliced cube of bread.

***

May 8, 2021 8:30 AM
Seoul Namdaemun Police Station

They know their contact in the station as 'Officer Lee', he was the same one that greeted Kwang-beom and Chi-su when they arrived. They were told to wait in the superintendent's office, completely kept away from public view, as the suspect was being questioned in the holding area.

"This is the power of chaebols." Chi-su mused inside the quarters squeezing the arm chair rests, "If people had any idea that this isn't a random ambush and the victim is none other than the heiress of Queens Group, there would be a lot of press making noise outside the station. All TV screens throughout Seoul will be showing this place. And look, we're being treated like VIPs." Chi-su indicated at the coffee cups they were being served.