Mind Games - Night has come

19

Min-ji turned her head gradually, her body mirroring the movement, the name badge delicately held between her fingers. "What?" she replied, a perplexed expression on her face.

"My name badge," Da-beom simply stated, extending his hand for her to return it.

Hesitating, Min-ji clutched the badge. Rather than returning it, she voiced the lingering question in her mind., "What was it doing here?"

"What do you mean?" Da-beom responded, retracting his hand and taking a small step closer. He observed her, tilting his head slightly.

Involuntarily, Min-ji retreated, taking a step back. "You know what I mean. Answer the question," she demanded, a trace of irritation laced her voice.

"Hey, Yoon Min-ji," Da-beom started, leaning closer, his gaze intense. "You don't think I had something to do with Seung-bin's death, do you?" His tone remained low.

"Just answer the question." Min-ji raised her voice, appearing to lose her composure. Her mind buzzed with thoughts, and amid anger and annoyance, a touch of fear lingered as well.

Da-beom fell into silence, maintaining his composure. He nodded calmly. "Alright," he began, reclining to afford her some room. "It must've fell earlier when Jun-hee and I moved Seung-bin's body to the freezer." He informed her composedly.

Min-ji's face betrayed her thoughts, confusion and doubt etched across her features. On one hand, she entertained the possibility that the badge fell during the process of moving Seung-bin to the freezer. Yet, on the other hand, there was a lack of concrete evidence linking it to that specific incident.

"Why else would it be in here?" Da-beom interjected, pulling her out of her contemplation. He had noticed her silence and preempted her internal debate.

"What?" Min-ji responded, refocusing on him, her gaze returning to the spot where Seung-bin had been.

"The badge... why else would it be in here?" Da-beom reiterated, looking down at his badge in her hand before meeting her eyes. "I've only stepped foot in here to help Jun-hee with Seung-bin," he continued, pausing briefly. "And I had it on this morning, right?" He knew she wouldn't have an answer to his last question, considering her preoccupied state when she woke up.

Min-ji nodded slowly, as if trying to recall him wearing the badge that morning, avoiding the alternative answer she didn't want to consider. "Right," she muttered, lifting her hand and extending his name badge toward him.

Da-beom swiftly took the badge from her, his fingers deliberately brushing against hers, watching her reaction carefully. He sought any sign of the earlier fear, wondering if her trust in him had wavered.

Min-ji, however, collected herself promptly, choosing to set aside the unsettling thoughts she was reluctant to confront. "Let's go," she stated plainly, starting to walk out of the arcade.

Da-beom observed her departing figure, adjusting his name badge on his uniform before stepping out and trailing behind her. Min-ji didn't bother checking if he was following; she simply walked ahead.

On their way back to the room, they crossed paths with Yoon-seo, who was headed in the opposite direction, holding Woo-ram's camera. Min-ji halted before her. "Where are you going?" she inquired.

Yoon-seo stopped as well, facing her. "Well, there's something I want to investigate," she explained.

"I'll come with you," Min-ji swiftly responded.

Yoon-seo glanced between Min-ji and Da-beom, who had also stopped right behind her, before nodding. "Okay, come on," she said, leading the way. Min-ji turned on her heels and followed her.

Leaving Da-beom in the hallway, who likely returned to the room, and the two proceeded to what appeared to be an office room. Yoon-seo opened the door, entered, and Min-ji followed, promptly shutting the door behind her.

"It's so strange," Yoon-seo murmured to herself, looking down at the open camera in her hands as she scrolled through the videos. She made her way to one of the desks and sat down.

"What is?" Min-ji questioned, walking over and leaning against the desk.

Without warning, Yoon-seo raised the camera and snapped a picture of Min-ji.

Min-ji flinched at the sudden click and flash. "What was that for?" she asked, perplexed, adjusting her hair. "You could've at least warned me," she mumbled, preparing herself as if expecting another picture.

"Look at this," Yoon-seo replied, deeply immersed in the camera.

Min-ji leaned down, examining the camera to understand Yoon-seo's focused attention.

"It's doing the same thing," Yoon-seo remarked, her furrowed eyebrows revealing her confusion. "Our faces look weird in all of the videos and pictures that Woo-ram took. It's still doing it." She elucidated, displaying the recently captured image of Min-ji, now distorted and glitchy, her features barely visible.

"That's weird," Min-ji responded, recalling the unsettling photo Yoon-seo had presented in the surveillance room. The distortion on everyone's faces mirrored what she was now experiencing.

Yoon-seo proceeded to capture images of her surroundings, conducting a series of tests on the camera. The consistent outcome revealed that only their faces became scribbled when photographed – a puzzling phenomenon.

Min-ji stood contemplative by the desk, her eyes scanning the compact, daylight-filled office. The room, adorned with a closet and folders, raised questions about their contents. She couldn't help but wonder if they were as empty as the ones Jun-hee and she had encountered on their second day in this peculiar youth center.

"Hey, Yoon-seo," Min-ji spoke suddenly, as if recalling something important.

"Hmm?" Yoon-seo replied, fully engrossed in her ongoing investigation.

"You took pictures of Seung-bin's murder scene, right?" Min-ji inquired, turning to face Yoon-seo.

Yoon-seo lifted her gaze from the camera and nodded, "Yes," she affirmed. "Why?" she added, returning her focus to the camera.

"Could I have a look at them?" Min-ji requested.

Yoon-seo, acknowledging Min-ji's request, nodded and handed her phone over, returning to her investigative efforts.

Min-ji, now in possession of Yoon-seo's phone, stood up from her leaning position and swiftly accessed the camera roll. As she scrolled through the pictures capturing this morning's grim scene, she noticed Yoon-seo's precise documentation – from close-ups of Seung-bin's lifeless body to the blood that surrounded him. However, one particular image seized her attention.

In a seemingly ordinary photo of Seung-bin's entire body, a closer inspection revealed a small, nearly imperceptible object situated exactly where she had found it earlier.

All of the pictures were taken before they moved Seung-bin's body.

Despite the storm of emotions within her, Min-ji composed herself externally. Without hesitation, she promptly deleted the incriminating picture from Yoon-seo's camera roll, deleting the picture exposing Da-beom's name badge at the crime scene and erasing a crucial piece of evidence.

The abrupt wail of the siren jolted her, causing her to glance up from Yoon-seo's phone in astonishment.

"Cha Yu-jun has died."

"Yu-jun?" Min-ji echoed in disbelief, her gaze swiftly meeting Yoon-seo's as they exchanged a startled look in response to the sudden announcement.

"Cha Yu-jun was the Doctor."