Lines of Deception

Case File Entry #006

The morning light filtered through the station windows, but the weight of Nanon's case cast a shadow over everything. In his office, Ohm met with Captains Beam and Por, both of whom were awaiting his orders.

"From now on, I want you both on day shift," Ohm instructed, his tone authoritative. "No more night shifts. I need your focus on this case during the day, working alongside me. I'll have Leo covering the night and reporting every detail he observes."

Beam nodded, exchanging a brief glance with Por. "Understood, sir. But... last night's report from Leo, the way Nanon was singing, speaking about pain—it's unsettling."

Ohm nodded, his gaze unwavering. "Nanon's behavior is meant to disturb, but we can't let him get to us. This case is different, yes, but we're treating it with the same professionalism. Stay sharp and pay attention to the details. We'll get to the bottom of this."

With a final nod, the two officers left the room, and Ohm mentally prepared himself for another conversation with the strange young man. He walked down the hallway toward the holding cells, his footsteps echoing in the stillness.

When he arrived at Nanon's cell, he found him sitting cross-legged on his cot, head tilted slightly as he stared at the floor. He looked up as Ohm approached, a small smile forming on his lips, an expression that hovered somewhere between innocence and mischief.

"Oh, you came to visit me again," Nanon murmured, his voice soft, almost sweet. He paused, studying Ohm's face as though he were reading an invisible script. "Did you bring me something?"

Ohm kept his expression neutral, though the request threw him slightly. "What exactly were you expecting?"

"Mango sticky rice," Nanon replied, his eyes bright with a strange eagerness. "It's sweet, don't you think? Sweet things make the bitterness fade, even if it's just for a moment."

Ohm leaned against the bars, arms crossed. "If I bring it, you'll need to give me something in return. A real answer."

Nanon's expression shifted, the eagerness fading, replaced by a distant look, his smile turning cold. "An answer?" he repeated, his voice soft, detached. He paused, then leaned forward, his eyes glinting. "Alright. Would you like to hear a story?"

Ohm watched him carefully, sensing that this story would hold some hidden meaning, some twisted riddle.

Nanon's voice softened, growing almost wistful. "There was a little girl, once, who wore red. She wandered into a jungle, alone. Everyone told her it was a sacred place, safe... but they lied." He smiled faintly, as if relishing each word. "In this jungle, there was something watching—a fox, hidden in the shadows."

Ohm listened in silence, his focus intent.

"She kept walking, deeper and deeper," Nanon continued, his tone taking on a darker edge. "She thought she was safe, but soon, the jungle started whispering to her. It told her things, dark things. Until she... wasn't herself anymore." His smile widened, unsettling in its innocence. "She became the fox, red and dangerous, blending into the shadows, becoming part of the jungle."

Ohm's voice was calm but probing. "And what does that mean?"

Nanon's eyes grew distant, the smile on his face fading as he whispered, "Sometimes the things we trust most are hiding things beneath the surface. Sometimes... sacred places are red on the inside."

Without breaking eye contact, he slowly raised his hand to his mouth, biting down hard on the soft flesh of his palm. The pressure increased, his teeth sinking into his skin until a thin line of blood trickled out, staining his hand. He held it up, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling intensity.

"See?" he whispered, holding out his hand for Ohm to see. "This is how red the jungle was."

The sight of blood trickling down Nanon's hand, his expression twisted with both pain and pleasure, sent a chill down Ohm's spine. Nanon watched him, eyes locked, an eerie smile creeping back onto his face, as if daring him to step into the "jungle" himself.