Now With U (Living In The Past - Book 2) (WheeByul)

AFTER 7 YEARS (Part 6)

Solar walked inside the crowded con room and took a seat. "Everyone's here? Good. Call Inspector Xuimin," she told Tae Hyung who was sitting nearest to the phone.

Tae Hyung dialed Xuimin's number and put the call on speaker for everyone to hear.

"Hello?"

They soon heard Xuimin's voice.

"Hello, Inspector. Everyone's here and ready to hear your report," said Solar.

"Okay great."

Xuimin then began telling the team about his talk with Hee-yeon and a few other people he went to see including Won-jae's landlord and neighbors.

"So all we need to do now is cross reference the names of the soccer club members to the names of students whose parents owned a restaurant or a butcher shop to narrow the list down," said the inspector, ending his report.

"I'm still working on that list, Inspector," said Tae Hyung. "I limited the search to students who were there during the four years of Won-jae hyung's study. Otherwise it'd be hard to narrow it down. I'll cross reference the names with the soccer club members."

"But that person who followed him could be a student at Yonsei now, right?"

"We don't think so. I did a little more digging," Seulgi said. "The logo on his jacket sleeve and other features of that jacket indicate that it was made and sold four years ago, when Won-jae was still in his second year of university. They alter the details every year, whether it's the logo or the font... something always changes so we can pinpoint the exact year of its sale."

"I see. Won-jae wanted to enter the soccer club in his second year. Maybe there's really something there," Xuimin said.

"We also found something else," Jimin spoke. "We talked to Senior Inspector Shin earlier today and he mentioned someone from Won-jae hyung's past. Someone named Kim Go-eun?"

"I've never heard of that name," replied Xuimin.

"She was the daughter of one of Ji-sub's right hand men. Apparently they almost dated until she disappeared, sent away by her father who didn't like her relationship with Hyung. Senior Inspector Shin mentioned that Hyung never stopped trying to look for her even after all these years. Maybe there's something there?"

"But he never told me about her," Xuimin said. "And he wasn't planning on dating anyone until he met this Ahn Hee-yeon. Even then he waited for more than five years before he asked her out. What makes you think that this past fling means something?"

"Because it's the only personal issue he had during the years when he was undercover. Senior Inspector Shin said that the girl's father was not pleased at all and I figured since the murder looks very personal, maybe this could be the key. It's just my gut feeling, to be honest," admitted Jimin.

"I have to agree with Assistant Inspector Park on this one," Byul suddenly spoke. "This murder is very personal. Plus, Won-jae never stopped looking for her. That's strange. I mean, if they were really just close, not even dating, why didn't he stop looking for her?"

"Maybe she was his first love and he couldn't forget her?" suggested Sandeul.

"Did you spend your life looking for your first love?" Byul asked the tall assistant inspector.

"Well, no but everyone's different. Look at Romeo and Juliet!"

"That's your argument? Romeo and Juliet?" asked Hwasa flatly and everyone could hear the implied scoff in her tone. "Don't be silly, Sandeul. This isn't high school. I agree with Inspector Moon. It's very unusual to have spent that much time looking for her, risking his cover and the wrath of the father who clearly didn't want him anywhere near his daughter. I'll look into it. Jimin, wanna help me?"