𝘖𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳 | JJK |

8

"...Yes, I'm currently at the scene right now. The body washed ashore on the shore of Yeongsan was first reported around 7:30 am. It's 7:45 now and the emergency officials—"

"Yoongi, turn off that damn TV! It's 7 in the morning for God's sake!"

Yoongi did not feel any inclination to listen to the order as he turned around to give her a look. "Actually, this might interest you, Ms. Prosecutor. Someone died near the Yeongsan river and people are going crazy thinking the Yeongsan murderers are back. This case will end up with you."

Heiran waved a hand in the general direction of Yoongi, pacing back and forth in the living room as she obsessed with her phone. "The Yeongsan murderers are already caught and are behind the bars. This is the media trying to make conspiracy theories for viewership."

Yoongi tilted his thoughtfully, "You can never tell. Some of them might still be out there, you know, the uncaught accomplices of Lim Yoo—"

"Don't!"

Heiran shouted at a volume so high that it seemed to shake the whole building. He raised an eyebrow in question at her sudden change in mood.

"Don't ever say her name again." She warned in a tone that was oddly serious, her fingers shaking like a leaf. Yoongi took note of it but said nothing. Her phone rang and she answered the call.

As soon as Heiran had submitted the strange pills from the journal to Dohyeok, he had gotten right to work, promising her that he'd have the results for her by the next day. As a person whose virtue of patience was missing since her teenage years, she had demanded to know the exact time he'd be able to get her results. Kind Dohyeok with his angelic patience had simply told her that he'd get it done by 7 in the morning even if it meant he would have to work overtime. Heiran had felt guilty for taking advantage of his kindness but Dohyeok was quick to reassure her that he whole-heartedly wanted to help her in any way possible. Sometimes she wondered why Dohyeok stayed friends with her even when she was such a terrible friend. Even Yoongi. She concluded they were angels sent from heaven. Well, maybe not Yoongi, who almost certainly must have crawled out from hell with a personal mission to torment her at any chance he got.

"Dohyeok. What did you find?"

"Heiran, your suspicions were so right. You won't believe what I found." Dohyeok exclaimed, sounding gravely serious. Heiran closed her eyes, thanking the guardian angels who had helped her out.

"So it is a drug?"

"The worst of its kind, Heiran. This shouldn't even be out. This drug never passed the approval for release." Dohyeok explained, the sound of shuffling papers coming from the other end.

"What do you mean?" Heiran questioned.

"Heiran, this is C-67. A dangerous and addictive hallucinogenic developed almost 13 years ago as a painkiller. The Drug Administration never passed its approval because of its dangerous side effects. It effectively eats your brain cells one by one. In short, it's a one-way ticket to becoming a human vegetable. This drug was banned and the pharmaceutical company that developed it went bankrupt then." Dohyeok explained quickly. It was evident that he had done his fair share of research on the drug for her. Heiran couldn't help but feel touched by his dedication.

"Do you know the name of the company, Dohyeok?"

"It's Lillis. Lillis Pharmaceuticals. Why? Do you know that company?"

Heiran did. The name had been hastily scribbled on the center of a crooked diagram on one of the pages of the journal. "It's in the journal, Dohyeok. Finally, there's the connection."