Jin-kyong’s Apartment
Atlanta, GA
United States of America
November 2016
She had no one else to call but Eun-seok.
A number of investigators had been sent over to her apartment to ask about that night; the memory she had been doing best to repress since she had learned about it. There were two of them; a tall male Korean with a consistent look of sympathy, and a shorter lady with her hair pulled back and doing her best to look neutral-faced. While initially wary of entertaining both of them, the lady explained that they had to ask just to make sure that nothing fishy had occurred when Kim Soo-yeon’s death had occurred.
That made her relent, and she let them into her apartment. The lady thanked her; the man promised that it wouldn’t take too long.
The process was a quick one; Jin-kyong had been asked if Soo-yeon had been drinking, if Soo-yeon had gotten into the car alone, if anyone else was in the car with her. After that came different questions; questions like if Soo-yeon had travelled her usual routine home, if Soo-yeon had any plans to meet anyone else. Those questions bore into her memory and she found herself digging deep into her subconscious just to remember.
She found herself tearing up. At that, the lady’s eyes softened and she dug around in her bag before retrieving a few tissues and extending it to her. At that, the man spoke.
“We know that remembering can be painful,” he told her slowly, choosing his words carefully, “but believe me when I say that anything you can remember can greatly contribute to our investigation. The pain you feel right now is going to be very much worth it.” Jin-kyong thought that the male grasped at something but then thought that it was just part of her imagination.
Taking a shaky breath, Jin-kyong opened her mouth and proceeded to answer whatever questions they had for her.
“Kyong?”
“Here,” Jin-kyong replied quietly. Park Eun-seok entered the apartment living room and was surprised to see the place in a more stable condition compared to what it had looked like the last time. “Do you have food?”
“Yeah, of course. I have your favorite.” Jin-kyong’s eyes fell to the paper bag in his hands and Eun-seok began to set the food on the glass coffee table and Jin-kyong waited until Eun-seok took a seat beside her on the couch. “You don’t usually ask for fast food until it gets stressful,” the other Korean commented after a period of silence. He delicately picked out a container of french fries from the paper bag and passed it to her, “So what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, really. I just…had to remember some painful things a few hours ago,” she said carefully, slowly. Eun-seok blinked after claiming his own fries. “Don’t be alarmed, okay? Two investigators came over to ask about what happened to Soo-yeon before the car crash.” this made the male Korean frown slightly.
“Why?”
“They need it to make sure that Soo-yeon’s death doesn’t have anything weird.” Jin-kyong slumped against the couch and idly held the container of fries in her hands, “They told me that those cases happen often. Actual deaths to look like accidents, murders that were arranged. Of course, I don’t want Soo-yeon’s death to be some kind of asshole move all along, but…”
She trailed off. Eun-seok understood, however.
“You want to make sure. Just in case.”
“Yeah.” Jin-kong gave a small nod, “I just want Soo-yeon’s death to have some peace. Ever since it happened, things haven’t been okay.”
“Define ‘haven’t been okay’.”
“Workplace, of course.” Jin-kyong didn’t say anything after that. She sighed, “We all changed after it happened…”
“So have you.”
Jin-kyong didn’t say anything after that.
After eating in silence (and Eun-seok grimacing at the amount of disgusting fast food he had eaten), Jin-kyong curled up on the couch and flipped through the channels. Eun-seok had disposed of the offensive paper bag and was browsing his phone, both of them remaining quiet. Neither of them wanted to speak; Jin-kyong didn’t feel like remembering the interview while Eun-seok had no idea how to comfort one of his closest friends in the modelling agency.
The news articles were still there. Fashion websites reporting of Soo-yeon’s death, blogs listing down their favorite outfits that the late Korean model had worn throughout her entire career. There were even pictures of their friend when she was just starting out; time before Eun-seok and Jin-kyong had even stepped into the modelling career.
He found himself unable to read said articles or even look intensely at the pictures, including the one with Jin-kyong and himself. It was a photo of the three of them taken during an award event; they had been nominated and Soo-yeon had bagged the award. Surprisingly, neither of them had been upset.
In fact, they were happy for Soo-yeon. He remembered Jin-kyong running up to her in those tremendously high heels and locking her arms around the other woman’s waist.
He snapped out of the memory. Jin-kyong was merely resting her head on the armrest of the couch this time, most likely to rest. Eun-seok watched her silently before moving closer to the short-haired girl and lifting her legs gently so that her feet could rest in his lap.
When her tired eyes met his, he gave a small, tentative smile. “Sleeping?” the other merely nodded and Eun-seok glanced towards the television, saying nothing at all. He adjusted his position on the couch slightly so that Jin-kyong could be more comfortable, and before he knew it, he could hear her deep breathing from merely a foot away.
The smile slid off his face as he turned back to her, watching. “You’re a wreck,” he muttered quietly. “An honest wreck, Lee Jin-kyong. Soo-yeon would hate it if she were to see you like this right now.”
And the rest of us, something in him chided. The rest of us.
Be strong for her, Eun-seok. The male’s eyes kept focused on the sleeping figure beside him, she’s spent all this time giving everything to Soo-yeon that she barely spared anything for herself.
Don’t be a fool, he reminded himself. Do this for her.
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