Having arrived at the Tae Shin residence in Hannam-dong, Suyeon spotted the police who were already present and joined them between the officers. She briefly considered ringing the doorbell herself to facilitate entry, but based on her previous experience, she judged that it might complicate the situation further. The police also suggested that it would be better not to take the initiative in the current circumstances.

So, she stood behind them, anxiously waiting for about ten minutes. After additional police reinforcements and, just in case, emergency medical personnel arrived, someone stepped forward and rang the doorbell at Tae Shin’s residence.

Who is it?

“Police. We received a report and came to visit. We request your cooperation in the investigation.”

What? The police? Uh, well, that’s…

The door didn’t open easily. From afar, a worried voice calling “Madam” could be heard softly, as if the assistant checking the intercom was looking for Hye-kyung.

Suyeon narrowed her eyes. Although she anticipated it, she thought that entering the mansion wouldn’t be easy.

It was precisely at that moment. With a solid sound, the locked main door finally opened. The assistant who went to find Hye-kyung did not return with her voice, which was strange. However, that hesitation couldn’t become a reason for delay.

The police and Suyeon promptly entered.

After passing through the entrance, right when they entered the house, Sujin, standing with an anxious look beside the double door, was visible in front of the intercom.

Suyeon had a premonition that it would be Sujin who opened the seemingly impenetrable door.

From Inho’s call made to Sujin’s number to today’s events, she wanted to ask why this sudden change. However, what was important now wasn’t that.

“We received a report, and we need to search the house. Can we inspect the inside?”

“…Yes.”

Sujin hesitated for a moment in response to the police’s question, then nodded.

Suyeon shifted her gaze from Sujin, who seemed to be searching for Hye-kyung through the intercom, to the police officers who started searching inside.

Many people had thoroughly checked various places on the first floor, but no one claimed to have found Inho.

Feeling frustrated, she headed toward the small room.

Despite searching around in quite a few rooms, there was no sign of Inho. Frustrated, she impatiently walked toward the attic.

At that moment, from the direction of the stairs leading to the second floor, disorganized noises could be heard. Suyeon quickly heightened her senses and hurried toward that direction.

Then, Hye-kyung and the resident assistant, with an uneasy expression, who seemed to have just come down from the second floor, revealed themselves.

Hye-kyung, who noticed herself, showed an obvious shaky appearance, but soon controlled her expression and smiled at the police.

“Why have busy people like you come here? Is something the matter?”

“We received a report, so we came to visit. Excluding those present here, are there any other individuals inside the house?”
In response to the police’s question, Hye-kyung’s trembling hands gathered together.

“Ah… Our eldest is here, but she’s resting because she’s not feeling well. Her condition is really not good, so if you could check quickly and leave, it would be great.”

Hye-kyung tried her best to act nonchalant, but her true feelings were unmistakable to Suyeon.

Suyeon instinctively approached Hye-kyung.

“Where is he?”

“My, my husband. What’s happening here? Could it be that you brought these people with you?”

Hye-kyung, unable to erase her bewildered expression, was doing her best to avoid the situation.

Suyeon bit her lower lip and, without hesitation, went past Hye-kyung and headed upstairs.

Since she probably wouldn’t get an answer even if she asked, it seemed better to personally inspect the second floor.

She quickly ascended to the second floor and forcefully opened the door to her room.

The door, unable to withstand the force, collided with the wall, creating a rough noise, shattering the silent stillness that had enveloped the room.

As if driven by instinct, Suyeon’s gaze fell upon the silhouette drawn on the blanket.

Before she could feel relieved at finally finding Inho, she had to cover her mouth to stifle a sound.

“Ha…”

An agonizing moan unexpectedly escaped.

Without being able to look away from the eyes that had started to moisten, Suyeon could barely move her steps.

With each step forward, the face, hidden under the blanket, gradually became visible.

Each time, her chest tightened, and she found it hard to breathe.

The slow steps gained speed, and Suyeon nervously extended her trembling hand towards Inho.

“I-Inho…”

Uttering his name, which she had longed for so much, she couldn’t help but choke.

“Oh… W-What… What do I do… What do I do, ugh.”

Unable to even touch her face, she wandered nearby, groaning.

It was a mess. It was a state so wretched that it couldn’t be expressed with the term “mess.”