It's been an hour and Sehun's still waiting. His fingers were tapping on the table, sometimes sipping his latte, or playing with his phone, anything that could remove his boredom. How he wished he could just tell those customers to leave, but he knew he couldn't do that. Sehun wasn't the patient type, but seeing how Minseok turned pale when he saw Krystal, the long waiting seems worth it. There must be a connection between them.

  The last customer had finally left the place. Minseok and a few other staffs were cleaning the café as Sehun took the last bite of his second sandwich. A staff came up to him and took his empty plate and cup, "Kid, we're about to close right now. Are you going to-"

  "He's my guest, Seungri." Minseok interrupted, "You guys should go now. I'll clean the rest."

  "For real?" A girl, looked nothing more than seventeen, stared at Minseok in disbelief. Excitement in her eyes. A small smile was formed on Minseok's lips, "Yep. Go ahead, Sooyoung. Be careful, 'kay?"

  "Yes! Thank you so much, oppa!" The girl who called 'Sooyoung' dashed to the staff room, and ran off the café with her bag, "See you tomorrow!"

  Somehow, Sehun smiled as well. "Is she a part-timer?"

  Minseok chuckled, "Yeah, every afternoon until we close. Park Sooyoung is a pretty good worker, actually." He walked towards the door to flip the small board that hung on the door, from 'open' to 'closed'. He turned back to Sehun and took a seat across him.

  "Well," Minseok cleared his throat, "I guess it's time to tell you about her, isn't it."

  A small part of Sehun felt guilty, seeing his friend's expression hardened. It must be a sensitive topic. "No need to be hurry. Just take your time, hyung." He said.

  The barista stared at the table. He took a deep breath, "alright." And exhaled slowly. He then took something from his pocket.

  "I had a sister, her name was Kim Minjoo." He began. "If she'd lived until now, she must've at your age. But, she died three years ago."

  Sehun eyed a small picture Minseok'd shown him. It was Minjoo, wearing her P.E uniform, smiling so brightly with a trophy in her hand. She had his brother's eyes, also his gummy smile.

  "Minjoo was a smart student. She has sweet personality, also a great basketball player. She was the only family member i had." Minseok continued. "She was very precious to me, and i will do anything to keep her safe."

  "One day, a guy named Kim Jongdae came to the scene. He happened to be Minjoo's boyfriend. Me, of course, didn't just let my sister date a random guy i never knew before. I watched Jongdae carefully, seeing if i can trust this guy. It turns out Jongdae showed me that he was serious to Minjoo, he showed me that he can protect Minjoo, which satisfied me a lot. Especially seeing the fact he made my sister happy, i gave him trust. Until..." Minseok paused, his face went pale again.

   Sehun tilted his head, "Until...?"

  A few seconds of silence. The older guy inhaled deeply again, as his eyes met Sehun, "Until i found out Jongdae was a member of Red Alpha."

  Sehun almost got choked by his own spit. Shivers sent through his body.

  "And that wasn't the worst part." Minseok nodded, "Jongdae himself was sent by his boss to kill Minjoo."

  "It all happened in one night. Jongdae barged into our apartment. I remembered it very clearly the way he pointed his gun at Minjoo. I was shocked, and angry as well. But i couldn't do anything because other two people were holding me tight, locking my movements. Jongdae told me everything, he apologized and said he hated doing that as well." Minseok's hand began shaking. Tears began to form in his eyes. 

  "Before Jongdae took the next step, another people: a man and a younger girl came to the scene. I remember how the man scolded Jongdae before saying something to the girl. Unlike Jongdae, The girl didn't hesitate to took out her own gun a-and... k-killed... minjoo.."

  This time, Minseok couldn't hold back anymore. Sehun patted his back as comfort as the barista cried hard. Sehun could feel how difficult it is for Minseok. Now he understands.

  "The girl was Krystal." He sobbed. "Krystal killed my sister."

   Another shiver sent down to Sehun's body. His jaws clenched as he heard her name. Again with the blonde girl. Seriously, how many victims she'd killed? Sehun wondered.

   "You said something about a man came with Krystal." Said Sehun, "Who was it?"

  The older guy wiped his tears. His eyes swollen. "I don't know. But i think he's sort of an important guy, since he wore suit all the time."

  "I see."

  "The man warned me to keep my mouth shut. Or he'll track me down and make me the next victim." Said Minseok. "I was so terrified, Sehun-ah. I've been keeping this dark secret for years. Detectives constantly visited me, trying to get informations until the case closed. Even your father tried before. But i didn't dare to speak up. I thought telling them won't solve the problem. Since it's regarding my own life, which i didn't want to lose."

  He took a shaky breath, "But i realized i was wrong. I'm very sorry, Sehun. I wish i'd told them sooner, Krystal wouldn't be out there carving symbols on victims's skin right now."

  Sehun's eyebrow rose. "Wait, how do you know that symbol murderer is Krystal?"

  "Jongdae told me after the incident." Minseok replied, "He gave me a picture with an exact symbol in it. It was the Red Alpha's symbol. He told me to run away when i see this symbol, because it means the Red Alpha was near."

  "So, he's on your side?"

  Minseok shrugged, "I don't know. I guess he just gave me that to pay his mistakes."

  Sehun pressed his lips into a straight line. "If Kim Jong Dae was a Red Alpha..." he murmured. As if a light bulb popped in his head, his eyes widened. "That means he knows the group inside and outside! Hyung, can you tell me where Jongdae is?"

  Minseok was slightly stunned. "I'm not really sure. I'd never seen him eversince. But, i'll write down his old address. Hopefully it'll help."

oOo

  Skies had turned dark. The sun had given its position to the moon and the stars. Sehun decided to spent the night at the police office, in the archives room.

  Ten minutes of searching from aisles to aisles. Sehun'd found file records of 2011, which was the year where Kim Minjoo was killed. As he found the case file he'd been searching for, Sehun took a seat nearby and opened the file.

  Kim Minjoo, born in June 24th 1994. Died in March 3rd 2011 at 22.45 pm for being shot in her chest. Sehun read it carefully. Right below Minjoo's picture was a picture of a man, brown-haired and has small eyes. Below the picture was some letters written: Kim Jong Dae.

  That must be Minjoo's boyfriend, Sehun thought. He opened the next pages to get further informations about the guy. But he got nothing.

  "Didn't expect to see you here, son."

  Sehun only gave his father a slight look, "Oh. Hi, dad."

"What are you doing?" Sangwook approached him and took a seat across him.

  Sehun closed the file and handed it to his father, "You'd handled this case before, right?"

  Out of curiosity, Sangwook opened the file and read it carefully. "Ah, yes. This was before you joined the team." He sighed, recalling the past. "Her brother was a witness. We would've caught the murderer if he would tell us the whole thing! But, he just won't spill the beans. So we decided to close the case."

  "Well, guess what, dad." Said Sehun. "It turns out her brother is a good friend of mine. And he'd told me everything." With that, Sehun told his father about Minseok's past. The information Sangwook wanted to get for years.

  "So this Jongdae was a Red Alpha. No wonder Minseok kept his mouth shut." Sangwook murmured. "How could you make him talk?"

  Sehun shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe he's just tired of keeping that secret."

  "You are one lucky brat."

  His son only gave him a grin as an answer. "Listen, dad. I've been planning on something."

  "I'm listening."

  "As we know, Kim Jongdae was a member of the Red Alpha. Which means he knows about the group inside out. Who is the owner, how the group was created, probably about the members." Sehun spoke. "So i'm planning to find him and get some informations. Who knows, we can figure out how to stop the symbol's murderer. And-"

  "Whoa, whoa, hang on." Sangwook cut his son's sentence. "Jongdae disappeared with unknown reason. He might change his name, got out of town, or maybe had a whole new identity! How the heck can we find him?"

  "I got his old address." Sehun replied calmly. His father shot him a glare, as if he was saying, really?

  "Dad. You said it yourself you want to know everything about the blondie. Well, this is our chance!"

  Sangwook remained silence.

  "Dad, this is our only way." Sehun said once again. Giving him a more convincing look.

  "So, what you're saying is that we searched all around Seoul, probably the whole South Korea, to find this guy. With a ten percent chance we would make it, also with a risk of getting caught for not having the full authority to continue this case?"

  "Exactly."

  A laugh escaped from Sangwook's mouth. "Son, you've gone mental." He said, looking at Sehun.

  "I'm in."

oOo

  Catching her breath, Krystal wiped the sweat out of her forehead.

  All she did was sitting on a roof, staring at the streets blankly. She kept questioning herself why did she do it. She couldn't believe she herself had let her target go when it was obviously in a close range.

  It happened two hours ago  krystal had found her next target, Jang Hye Ra, sitting on the swings at the park, alone. Which was a bonus for Krystal. Was it easy for her? Of course! All Krystal needed to do was approach her slowly, stab her in the back, and carve the Red Alpha's mighty symbol on her body.

  But boy, she was wrong.

  She never thought the girl could be that sensitive. As soon as Krystal rose her knife, Jang Hyera turned around and screamed. She didn't want waste anymore time to run off. Not wanting to lose her target, Krystal chased her. With a mask covering and nose, also a cap so no one will recognize her, Krystal ran after the girl.

  Hyera was smart enough to ran to a crowded street. But the blonde killer didn't give up and increased her pace. Around seven to ten minutes, Hyera began running out of energy. She realized she can't just keep running, she needs to hide.

  In desperation, Hyera looked around the street to find anything she can take as a hiding place. When she turned around the corner, she'd found an alley. A deep and dark one, which was perfect. Without hesitating, Hyera entered the alley. Thinking the blonde girl wouldn't see her there.

  Bad move.

  Krystal was known for having her eagle eyes. Once she locked her target, there is no way her target would escape. So when Hyera hid in the alley, she was simply jumping to a trap for herself.

  The blonde girl stopped her steps and faced the alley, watching Hyera running deeper. Krystal rose her knife once again, ready to throw it to Hyera's back. With a smirk plastered on her face, Krystal swung the knife.

  Hyera shut her eyes, desperately meeting her death. Until she heard a clashing sound, as if two metal things crashed to each other. For the next five seconds, Hyera wondered why the knife hasn't jut through her stomach yet. So she opened her eyes.

  At Krystal's right, was Sehun pointing his gun towards where the knife was swung. It turns out Sehun shot the knife so it flew off Hyera's direction, so it won't stab Hyera.

  Sehun faced Hyera, "Quick! Run as fast as you can!" He cried. Hyera was stunned, but immediately got to her senses and do what Sehun told her.

  Krystal cursed under her breath, she took her knife which had fallen to the ground and was about to chase Hyera again. But Sehun held her wrist stopping her to do so.

  "What the heck- let me go!" She demanded.

  Sehun shook his head, "You can't kill her!"

  "Yes, i can! Now, out of my way!"

  Putting more strength, Sehun snatched her knife away and threw it. He took Krystal's other wrist as he pinned her to the wall, "No! Don't kill that girl!" He repeated

  "Sehun, let me go this instant."

  "Not until you promised not to kill her."

  Krystal groaned in frustration, "Sehun!"

  "She's just an innocent girl, Krystal. Killing her won't do any good to you, right?

  Krystal tried to struggle harder, but the man was stronger. Probably because the chasing thing drenched her out, she felt weaker than usual.

  "Krystal." He called her name, this time softer.

  Their eyes met. Krystal saw his expression softened. "Please." He said. She wasn't sure how, but his voice calmed her down. Krystal took a look at the street, Hyera had disappeared from her sight. She exhaled, struggling to free herself was pointless anyway. Since she lost her target.

  She glared at the dark-haired man, "Fine. I hate you."

  Sehun's expression was hard to read, but he released Krystal's hands. Krystal grunted lightly as she took her knife again, "Well done, big guy. Now i lost my target."

  Sehun looked at her, "Why do you keep doing this?"

  The blonde girl sighed, "You'll never understand, okay? Just don't interfere my work anymore."

  "Your work? Killing innocent people?" Asked Sehun. "Tell me, Krystal. What is your benefit by killing people like this? Aren't you tired?"

  This time, how Krystal responds him made Sehun a bit surprised. Krystal looked down to her feet, "I told you, you will never understand." She answered. Her voice sounded shaky.

  Sehun could only look at her sympathically. Somehow, Sehun seek some desperation in her. "Krystal-"

  The girl didn't respond. Instead, she turned around and left the place. Leaving Sehun with unanswered question he was about to ask.

  hello~ it's been awhile, eh?

school is very exhausting, urgh.

anyway, hope you like this chapter!