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CHAPTER 09
The blue haze visible to Jincheol’s eyes.
If he followed the trail of a person’s blue haze, he could peek into all of that person’s past memories.
Crime. Cases.
The reason suspects were so difficult to catch was because the time in which those events happened had already disappeared into the past.
A detective’s job wasn’t limited to simply catching suspects.
To Jincheol, the true job of a detective was reconstructing vanished moments in time through evidence, clues, and surrounding circumstances.
That was how he viewed his profession.
But then an unbelievable aftereffect appeared before him.
Not guessing or reconstructing past memories anymore—
Actually entering that time and directly seeing and feeling it himself!
The appearance of the missing person reporter, the one and only person connected to Miran’s vanished memories, made it impossible for Jincheol to suppress his smile any longer.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Jincheol walked past Miran’s mother and headed toward the apartment building she had come from.
“Why is that detective…”
“Oh, he’s a bit unusual.”
Chief Jang changed his frown into a friendly smile while watching Jincheol’s back.
Then he looked at the confused mother and said,
“But his skills are exceptional, so you can trust him.”
How could he call Jincheol a rookie detective in front of the victim’s mother?
He spoke kindly to reassure her, but internally Chief Jang was cursing nonstop.
To the point where he had already decided he’d beat Jincheol half to death once they got back.
“Thank you.”
Miran’s mother lowered her head deeply again after her doubts faded.
At that same moment—
“Found it!”
Jincheol located the apartment connected to the blue haze trailing from Miran’s mother.
Without hesitation, he shoved his hand into it.
‘Just wait a little longer, Miran. Hyung will find you.’
Flash!
= = =
An hour and a half had already passed since the investigation began.
Chief Jang and the two detectives with him had searched the area countless times and reviewed nearby CCTV footage desperately trying to preserve the golden time for missing persons.
But no matter how much they searched, no evidence appeared.
Slowly, the word “give up” began creeping into their minds.
Now there was only one thing left.
“Um…”
The only witness connected to the case.
And the person who reported Miran missing.
Her mother, Park Miyang.
The only remaining option was piecing together hidden fragments of memory through conversation with her.
“Yes…”
“Would it be alright if we spoke for a moment?”
“Yes…”
Seeing how lifeless Park Miyang looked, Chief Jang bit his lip.
He too was a father with two sons, one eight years old and one five.
He couldn’t truly imagine the pain of losing a child, but compared to detectives without children, he could empathize more deeply.
Leading Park Miyang slightly away from the playground, Chief Jang began speaking seriously.
“According to your statement, about an hour and a half ago, around 3:50 PM, you were playing in the sandbox with Miran. You said you played together for around thirty minutes, and afterward she was playing alone on the slide. Were there really no other children around?”
“Yes… Today was the kindergarten parent roleplay day. So there probably weren’t any other kids there. Miran said her stomach hurt, so I personally picked her up early.”
That part had already been verified through the statement and other nearby mothers.
“Miran was born weak and got sick often. She always wanted to play at the playground, but other kids crowded her so she could never properly use the slide. So… so… I thought maybe she could enjoy it alone when nobody else was there… sob… If I knew this would happen, I never would’ve come here… sob…”
As she continued speaking, Park Miyang finally broke down crying.
Chief Jang felt his chest tightening painfully.
As a parent himself, he understood her feelings too well.
She probably thought this was her daughter’s only chance.
The only moment Miran could freely enjoy herself.
‘But that became the poison.’
The private freedom given to the child, along with the absence of other children nearby, had also become the perfect opportunity for a criminal.
Chief Jang bit his lip while sharing in her pain.
But he had no choice.
Revisiting these memories was undoubtedly driving nails into her heart.
Still, with no evidence and no clues…
Her memories were the only lead left.
“I know this is hard. As a father myself, I want to find Miran no matter what. So please stay strong and tell me everything you remember from that time. I’ll find her somehow!”
At his words, Park Miyang struggled to regain composure.
“You’re right. I need to stay strong! Ask me anything. I’ll answer everything.”
Wiping away tears with her sleeve, she took a deep breath and looked at Chief Jang.
And so Chief Jang continued carefully drawing out details beyond what was already written in the statement.
= = =
Flash!
The familiar electric sensation pierced through Jincheol’s mind again.
But this time he didn’t stagger.
The horrifying sensation, like bugs crawling across his entire body, no longer felt unfamiliar.
Now it thrilled him.
Because this feeling meant clues from the vanished past that could catch the culprit.
Whoooooosh.
Jincheol followed the blue haze step by step.
What was the truth?
Who was the suspect?
What happened to Miran?
And where was she now?
Following the haze, Jincheol finally stopped in front of the playground slide.
“Sob…”
A faint image of the crying Park Miyang flashed before him.
Blue haze drifted before the slide.
“How horrible.”
The moment he reached his hand inside—
Jincheol whipped his head around somewhere with indescribable rage burning inside him.
= = =
“It really… really happened in an instant…”
While listening to Park Miyang’s detailed explanation, Chief Jang’s expression gradually became calm.
Anyone could see she was a grieving mother who had lost her child.
But then something caught his attention.
“By the way, why did you come out wrapped in a blanket?”
“Ah… I heard detectives had arrived, and I’d been lying on the sofa, so I just came out like this. I’m sorry. I’m not really thinking straight right now…”
That was understandable.
How mentally shaken must she have been?
Chief Jang nodded and continued questioning.
“So you’re saying you didn’t see who took her or how?”
“Yes… It was only for a moment. I think I focused on the video site for maybe two minutes? And in those two minutes, she disappeared. Completely.”
“What was Miran doing the last time you saw her? Two minutes is a very short time.”
“The slide! She was climbing onto the playground equipment to use the slide!”
Chief Jang calmly reviewed the statement.
At this point, his gaze had become sharp, almost detached emotionally.
“In your statement, it says jungle gym, not slide. Did you mix them up?”
“I was just so out of it… You know how it is. Even when I came here with other moms, we’d usually watch videos while chatting together. It wasn’t just me. Everyone did it.”
That was understandable too.
Sometimes severe shock altered memories as a defense mechanism.
But Chief Jang’s expression grew uncertain.
His detective instincts were reacting strangely.
“Video… site? I’m asking about your child right now. Why do you keep bringing up the video site…”
He knew he shouldn’t think this way.
As a fellow parent, he knew it wasn’t right.
But his instincts kept sharpening strangely around Park Miyang’s words.
Just as he was about to continue—
“She’s defending herself.”
Right when Chief Jang was beginning to sense something strange, Jincheol approached.
And he said exactly what Chief Jang had been thinking.
Looking furious, Jincheol suddenly made an odd request to Park Miyang.
“I’m a little thirsty. Could you guide us to your apartment?”
“Ah… then I can buy you cold water nearby—”
“No. I’d rather drink it at your home.”
“Why…”
“Because I think it’ll help us find Miran.”
Creak.
The sound of Jincheol grinding his teeth could be heard clearly.
Chief Jang carefully observed his expression.
‘What did he find?’
Confused, Chief Jang felt Park Miyang grab and shake his sleeve.
“Why is that detective acting like that? He suddenly seems scary…”
She was probably asking for help.
But after seeing Jincheol’s expression, Chief Jang made an unexpected choice.
“Ah~ actually, I’m thirsty too.”
“C-Chief?”
“One glass of water should be alright, yes?”
Just moments ago, Chief Jang had been furious with Jincheol.
But at this moment, he stood on Jincheol’s side.
Especially after seeing Park Miyang’s trembling hands.
“M-my house is messy…”
“That’s fine. Please guide us.”
“I… right now is a little…”
Fwap.
Chief Jang suddenly opened his wallet.
Inside was his worn government detective ID that had been with him since his younger detective days.
“This is necessary for the investigation. Please cooperate.”
A detective’s instincts.
If Jincheol was a sharp sword fresh from the forge—
Then Chief Jang was like an old spear worn from countless battlefields, yet still razor sharp.
“Then let’s go.”
Chief Jang stood up.
And carefully looked at Jincheol.
= = =
In the very first blue haze memory, Park Miyang had clearly looked terrified from the grief of losing her child.
“‘A new detective arrived? Okay, I’ll come out right away.’
After hanging up, Park Miyang headed toward the wardrobe to grab outerwear.
At that time, Jincheol thought her trembling hands were simply because hearing the word “detective” made her relive Miran’s disappearance.
But then something happened that triggered his instincts.
Swish.
Just as she was about to open the wardrobe, Park Miyang suddenly flinched violently, turned around, grabbed the blanket from the sofa instead—
And headed downstairs.
That was the first memory recreated by the blue haze.”
Why?
There should’ve been proper clothes inside the wardrobe.
Much more comfortable than a blanket.
So why specifically avoid it?
At first, Jincheol tried dismissing the suspicion.
She must’ve just been overwhelmed.
He had read enough books about the grief of losing a child to understand.
So he ignored the strange feeling and focused deeper on the blue haze.
Then he found another haze connected to the apartment entrance.
And the moment he touched it, everything about the case changed.
“‘W-what do I do…? What do I do…’
The trembling hands from the first memory appeared again.
At first, Jincheol naturally assumed it was from unbearable grief.
Until he saw the blood covering her hands.
‘The wardrobe?’
Park Miyang sat collapsed before the wardrobe she previously refused to open.
Her hands were covered in blood.”
The second blue haze disappeared.
Then a third haze led Jincheol back toward the playground.
Walking back down the apartment stairs, deep wrinkles formed between his brows.
‘That trembling…’
A powerful instinct crawled across his skin.
Maybe it wasn’t grief after all.
And then he encountered the third memory connected to the playground.
“Hahahahaha!”
“Kyaaaaaah!”
The moment he saw it, everything he believed shattered.
Miran’s screams.
And Park Miyang’s laughter.
“Is this the place?”
Recalling all the memories, they arrived in front of Park Miyang’s apartment.
Her hands trembled endlessly while entering the keypad code.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Error!
“I’m sorry.”
Her hands shook so badly she kept pressing the wrong buttons.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Error!
“I think I’m just too overwhelmed…”
The second, third, and fourth failures made both Jincheol and Chief Jang begin looking at her strangely.
The face of a grieving mother suddenly carried a completely different meaning.
“Could you maybe come back another time? I… I’m really exhausted… Huff… huff…”
Her breathing became ragged.
And finally—
Thud.
She collapsed down as if about to faint.
At that point—
“Let’s go back.”
Chief Jang forcefully turned Jincheol around by the shoulder.
“Chief?”
“I said go back. The reporter’s safety comes first. Do you understand what happens if something goes wrong with the victim?”
They had reached the truth.
And now he wanted to leave?
Just as Jincheol was about to explode in anger, he saw Chief Jang wink.
Then Chief Jang lightly pinched his shoulder, silently signaling him.
“…Understood.”
“Huff… huff…”
Still staring intensely at Park Miyang, Jincheol finally turned away.
“Please rest. We’ll come back later.”
Chief Jang bowed politely to Park Miyang and led Jincheol downstairs.
After descending about one floor, they heard her voice from above.
“Thank you! Chief… thank you!”
Then came the keypad sounds.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Ding-dong~
The same password she repeatedly failed moments ago suddenly worked perfectly in one try.
Both Jincheol and Chief Jang heard it clearly.
“Chief…”
Now it was certain.
Inside that apartment…
Lay every answer to the case.
“Confirmed.”
And the moment Chief Jang confirmed Park Miyang was perfectly fine—
His eyes changed.
He immediately pulled out his phone and called someone.
“Detective Lee.”
[Yes, Chief.]
“Bring Detective Kim and come to the reporter’s apartment.”
[What? Why now…? We just need to check the pork cutlet restaurant CCTV before—]
“Shut up and get over here! Not there, here!”
[…Understood. Hey Cheolhwan! Finish greeting them and let’s go! Chief says to head to the reporter’s apartment!]
The call ended.
Chief Jang lightly patted Jincheol’s shoulder.
“If you accuse someone without evidence and things go wrong, you’re the one who gets screwed. I’ll show you how to handle both the reporter’s condition and the case properly at the same time. Watch carefully and learn, rookie.”
For the first time, Chief Jang’s stiff expression relaxed slightly.
Then his face hardened again as he headed toward Park Miyang’s apartment upstairs.
