inclement ｜choi yena

IV

Sakura and Chaeyeon placed their items at the empty room in Yena's apartment and looked out of the window, where the police were visible, patrolling the building. Yujin sat in the living room, feeling anxious.

"Yena, did you lock the doors and windows?" Yujin asked. Yena nodded and walked over to Yujin. She placed her arms over Yujin's shoulder and hugged her.

"You'll be fine. Yuri and I will make sure the killer won't be able to lay a finger on you," Yena said. Yujin smiled at her, still feeling afraid. Yuri was in the kitchen, busy sharpening the knives. Yena had instructed her to do so just in case the killer actually finds a way to enter the apartment. 

Sakura and Chaeyeon went to the kitchen and asked Yuri if they could do anything to help. Yuri responded, "Well if the killer does enter the apartment, I suggest you run into the room and lock it. Yena and I should be able to handle it."

Chaeyeon randomly asked, "How are you so sure that you will be able to handle it? Do you have any experience doing so?"

Yuri looked at her, unsure of whether to answer it. Yuri picked up the butcher knife and pointed it towards Chaeyeon's direction, causing Chaeyeon to back off. "To put it simply, yes. Yena and I had a similar experience, 8 years ago."

Sakura told Yuri to put down the knife and said, "Please don't point that. You're scaring us. Just curious, though, what happened 8 years ago?"

"Long story. It had something to do with the inclement killer. Yena's brother died because of it. Yena didn't witness it., but I did."

"Did the police catch the killer?" Chaeyeon asked.

"No. The police concluded that the killer committed suicide by burning himself in a tub of acid. In reality, the person that burned inside the tub was Yena's brother. The killer placed his lifeless body in it."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. It must have been hard for Yena," Sakura sympathised. 

"Just to give you a heads up, Yena and I believe that it is the same killer that is out to get Yujin and we are sure that she is already here."

"So it's a she?" Chaeyeon asked as her eyes widened. Yuri just shrugged her shoulders, pretending not to know. Yuri went out of the kitchen to take a look at the two girls. Chaeyeon and Sakura quickly followed her, afraid that the killer might enter by the kitchen window even though it was closed. 

The doorbell suddenly rang, alarming the girls. Yuri went to take a look through the peephole and saw Detective Kwon Eunbi and Detective Kim Chaewon. She opened the door and welcomed the two.

"Hi, I am Detective Kwon and this is my partner, Detective Kim," Eunbi said as she offered to shake Yuri's hand. Yuri just smiled and invited the two to take a seat in the living room. 

"Both of us are assigned to protect all of you until the killer is found and arrested," Eunbi stated. 

Yena looked towards Eunbi and frowned. "Are both of you staying in our apartment too?"

"Yes, we are. We want to be sure that you guys are safe." Eunbi stood up and walked to the kitchen. Yuri followed her, feeling a little wary. 

"Nice place you guys have," Eunbi complimented. "How long have you guys been staying here?"

"4 years. Would you like something to eat or drink, Detective?"

"Water would be fine, please." Yuri picked up a glass and filled it with water. She handed it to Eunbi, who thanked her for it. Eunbi stared out of the window, surveying the police at the bottom. Yuri returned to the living room and sat next to Yena.

Eunbi followed soon after and pulled Chaewon to the side. "I need you to get down there and make sure that the police are doing their job. I caught them slacking. Make sure you bring your gun."

"Ok, Eunbi. You sure you'll be fine up here?"

"Yep. I got things under control here."

"As you wish." Chaewon went out of the apartment and made her way down. Eunbi sat in the couch next to Sakura and looked at Yena.

"Have we met before? You look familiar," Eunbi said to Yena.

"8 years ago, Detective. My brother was murdered by the inclement killer but you guys could not find his body."

"What was the name of your brother?"

"Sungmin."

"Ahhh I see. I am terribly sorry that we could not retrieve his body."

"I'm sure you are, Detective Kwon. I'm sure you are." Eunbi looked at her, looking puzzled by Yena's sarcastic tone. Eunbi then smirked at her.

"You sound like you think that it's my fault," Eunbi said. 

"I'm not saying that it isn't, Detective."

"What makes you think that it is my fault?"

"Because you did it."

Eunbi was surprised and replied, "Woah, hold it right there. You don't have any concrete evidence that I did it. Plus, I was the one investigating it so how could I possibly do it? The killer in the past is dead."

Yuri interrupted, "Are you sure, Detective? You guys only made that conclusion because the police couldn't find any trace of the killer."

"You're right. We couldn't find a trace of the killer. Only a tub of acid where the killer burned in."

"You mean where Sungmin burned in, Detective," Yuri said.

Eunbi frowned at her. "Looks like my cover has been blown. I guess I'm going to have to kill all of you instead of only Yujin."