𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳 | JJK | ✓

29

Well past noon, Heiran peeked in through the hospital door to find the unconscious form of Damin still sleeping soundly on the bed. A monitor beeped at her side with stable rhythmic beats as the IV drip connected to her wrist injected fluids into her body. Dehydration and malnutrition had been the cause of Damin's exhaustion. The child hadn't had proper food in almost four days. In the back of her mind, Heiran wondered if 'feed the cat' was really just a code to feed Damin. If so, why had the attacker stopped? Had they caught up on Heiran?

Heiran could tolerate many things: big brutal crime scenes, gruesome remains of decaying bodies, dismembered limbs, and more. But innocent children getting dragged into them were something she could never come to terms with. It wasn't something she ever tolerated.

The memory of the fragile form of Damin as she quivered in her arms or the nauseating smell of hospital disinfectants were making her head throb. Turning away from the door, she found the detectives who had escorted them to the hospital nearby along with Dohyeok whom she had coincidentally met at the hospital. Upon sensing her gaze Dohyeok turned to meet her eyes and gave her a nod of acknowledgment. Heiran walked up to them.

"They checked. Apparently, no one has reported any Jung Damin missing in the recent weeks." Dohyeok answered her before she could pose the question. Officer Kang Taemin, the city police officer nodded his head in affirmation, "Yes, Ms. Ahn. We are working on trying to identify the student though. Currently, our best option seems to be to wait until she wakes up."

Heiran sighed out loud, "Officer, could I ask you a favor?" When the police officer shook his head in assent questioningly, she replied, "Let her have her rest for the time being even if she wakes up today. She's been through a lot, that child."

Officer Kang seemed hesitant but thankfully Dohyeok intervened, "Yes, I agree with the prosecutor. That child is in no state to answer any questions at the moment."

Officer Kang nodded his head finally, turning back to her. "I will see to that, prosecutor."

Heiran shot Dohyeok a grateful look which he returned with a playful blink of his own as if to say 'no problem'. Heiran and Dohyeok had grown closer after their initial encounter at the high school students' crime site and the meetings only grew from then on as Y began to go on their rampage and deaths became something of a frequent affair.

"And also keep her under strict supervision. Never let her out of your sight. She's not safe. Not yet." A third voice joined from behind and Heiran didn't have to turn around to figure out that it was Jungkook.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, prosecutor?" She questioned, turning back.

"She's probably a survivor." He replied, voicing out her assumptions.

At his affirmation, Heiran breathed under her breath, unwilling to imagine the gruesome fate that must have awaited Damin. "We saved someone..."

Jungkook dipped his head in a nod. "We saved her."

When she gazed up at him, the sincerity and sheer understanding that shone through his eyes reflected what she felt and for the first time, Heiran felt fortunate to have Jungkook as her partner.

Breaking out of her reverie, she took note of Officer Kang's stare and sent him an exaggeratedly polite smile. At her response, the officer cleared his throat and looked away.

Shoving her hands into her hoodie, she walked away and Jungkook joined her soon. She sighed out her musings, "Ahh, I should really change out of these clothes. I feel like people are not taking me seriously. If only Yoongi was here. Where'd he even run off to? Bet he's embarrassed about his ghost story and took off..."