Life, Once Again!

After Story 199

He was taken aback by the story progression which was half a step faster than he had expected. He knew that today’s episode was the last episode and that things had to come to a conclusion one way or the other, but he didn’t know that it would abruptly end like this.

The confrontation between Ahn Changsik and Yoon Hojung was bound to happen. When Changsik was looking for a suitable location, Daemyung thought that the two would soon face off. It seemed obvious to any avid watchers of dramas.

The sense of unease grew as the actors raised the tension. No one would blame them even if they ended the drama with a stereotypical ending. In fact, many would praise it as being decent.

However, Case Number 0 was way outside the norm. There was an avid interest in the conclusion that it was the point that there were heated discussions online about the drama.

With all the attention from the public, the media was talking about Case Number 0 as well. The anticipation rose along with the interest in it. The heightened sense of expectation resulted in the viewers being unable to be satisfied with an ordinary ending.

In a situation like this, if they ended up going with a predictable ending, the viewers would probably go on a riot online. Daemyung also felt that he would curse it.

He knew in his head that he didn’t participate in the production and had to respect the intentions of the producer. He was also a writer himself, so he was aware of the agonies of the producers as well.

Despite that, as an avid viewer who had watched since episode 1 without missing a single episode, an obvious, predictable ending was hard to accept.

If the drama that broke through the mannerisms of existing public TV dramas went with a common ending at the end, he felt like he would go mad and complain about it online.

However, his worries were for naught. The director managed to give him a satisfying blow. He did expect the two to face off but not that Yoon Hojung would act so quickly.

He would’ve thought that it was a rushed plot if there was no plausibility, but that wasn’t true either. From Yoon Hojung’s perspective, there was no better timing than that. It was the perfect time for murder.

The alleyway he walked down together with Changsik was a path he had investigated dozens of times while planning his murders. They did not meet anyone midway, and no one knew that he was meeting up with Changsik. Even if someone knew, there was no evidence that could link Changsik with Hojung.

Hojung must’ve looked into Changsik’s psychology as well. He must’ve realized that it would be dangerous if he let Changsik be. And the reason he did not stand in court despite killing five people must’ve been because of his quick judgment and actions.

Just from how he hid the other trophies as soon as he discovered that the cross disappeared was enough to tell the viewers about Hojung’s preparation skills, actions, and daringness.

The drama borrowed a stereotypical story at the end and went a beat faster before pulling out a result that was different from what Daemyung expected.

The drama gave him tension and interest until the very final episode.

Now, he looked forward to how they were going to wrap it up.

Hojung must’ve been arrested on the scene. He may have not put up any resistance and just obediently let himself get caught. From what Daemyung could tell, Hojung was thinking of both the murder and the pursuit of the police as a form of pleasure. The moment it ended, he would probably only express his disappointment and let himself get cuffed.

Daemyung drank the water he had poured beforehand. Strangely, he felt thirsty. Maybe it was because he was too focused on the figure on the screen.

“Then what about the knife…”

Daemyung muttered to himself as he thought about the knife that Ahn Changsik took with him. Before he called Yoon Hojung out, he took with him a box knife. Changsik looked very indifferent as he put the knife in his pocket.

That made him freak out even more. What did the box knife signify? If it ended like this, it was likely that Changsik’s knife would end up being a MacGuffin.

Maybe it was just an item to increase tension. It wasn’t bad, but Daemyung wished the knife would’ve been brought up in more detail.

Along with Daecheol’s shout, the blackened screen changed into a scene in the hospital.

An old car entered the hospital parking lot. The camera shot inside the car. The one sitting inside was Lee Daecheol. The news flowed out through the car speakers.

-It’s been discovered that the attempted murderer caught last week, Yoon, has committed a series of other murders, giving shock and grief to many. The police say that this is not Yoon’s first crime as the several people that went missing in…

The news was cut off by the car door closing. The camera, which shot Daecheol from his back, scanned the hospital following Daecheol’s gaze.

He went past the hospital entrance and through the corridor. He saw the name tablet in front of the ward.

Ahn Changsik.

Daecheol opened the door and went inside.

-You’re here.

Changsik’s mother greeted Daecheol with a haggard face. Daecheol greeted her as he handed her the juice that he brought with him.

While they exchanged words of greetings, the camera shot Changnsik, who was sitting on the bed. His eyes looked empty.

Daemyung thought that Maru’s eyes were really great. Those eyes told more stories than any words could. There was no sense of ecstasy from catching a criminal, nor was there any relief that it was all over.

The director was really good at making the audience nervous.

The case was supposed to be over now. Yoon Hojung was captured and put on trial. Even the crimes that had been buried were being revealed.

Evil had been eradicated and justice survived. The bastard child of lawlessness had lost and justice had finally gained victory.

However, the victor was neither happy nor sad. In fact, Changsik looked like he had fallen deeper into the abyss than when he was stabbed by Yoon Hojung.

Daemyung pondered about it as he looked at the screen. The end was approaching, but he couldn’t grasp it at all.

-Mom, I have something to say to the detective. Can you stay outside for a minute?

Hearing Changsik’s words, his mother looked at Daecheol in unease.

-It’s nothing much. He just wants to say a couple of words to me.

-Mom, I’ll stay with the detective for a moment.

After asking Daecheol to take care of her son, Changsik’s mother left the ward. The camera shot the two people from the ceiling of the ward. Even though the two looked like they were within arm’s reach, they looked strangely distant.

A moment of silence later, Daecheol took out something from his pocket. The camera replaced Changsik’s gaze. Seeing the box knife in Daecheol’s hands, Changsik faintly smiled.

-I was wondering where that went. I remember taking it with me.

-I found this by your side after subduing Yoon Hojung and taking care of you who passed out.

-You hid it?

-It’s not an object that a victim should be holding.

Daecheol looked at the box knife and continued.

-I do understand how you feel. I know that this was insurance.

-I was scared. I was afraid to go there with nothing, so I took that with me.

-Hey, what were you going to do if I came too late?

-But you didn’t.

-Like I said, what if I did? If I was ordered to dispatch, then I wouldn’t have been able to go there. I would’ve called you and said that we should change the appointment.

-Detective, it’s all over now. The criminal has been caught, and I’m intact. What’s the problem?

Only then did Changsik chuckle. Daecheol looked at Changsik for a while before putting the box knife back in his pocket.

-You didn’t come to return that to me?

-No, I’ll keep this with me.

-Okay. I have no need for it now anyway.

Daecheol stood up after telling him to take care. Before he opened the door, he looked back at Changsik. Changsik was calmly looking outside the window.

-Is there a problem with my child?

Changsik’s mother, who was outside, asked. Daecheol smiled and shook his head.

-Not at all. It’s all over now, so I’m sure he’ll be fine.

Daemyung crossed his arms. The director did not forget about the box knife. He had it reappear in a scene near the end. A strange sense of nervousness continued.

Changsik was placed in the middle of the screen. After looking outside, Changsik turned his eyes to look directly at the camera.

Daemyung freaked out as though he had made direct eye contact with Changsik.

The screen turned gray and returned to the last moments of Changsik and Hojung’s confrontation.

Yoon Hojung was smiling bitterly. However, it didn’t look like he had given up. The way he looked left and right implied that he was thinking of escaping.

Just then, a box knife fell out from Changsik’s pocket. Hojung’s eyes moved at the clanging sound. He saw the box knife on the ground and then looked at Changsik.

-You. You tried to kill me, didn’t you?

Changsik didn’t reply and just gasped for breath.

Daecheol’s shout could be heard. Put the knife down, get down, I’ll shoot, et cetera.

-I thought it was a coincidence that you brought me here. I thought you were fated to die in my hands just like your sister. But I was wrong. This place was prepared by you for me. You tried to kill me in the most ideal way, just like I did.

Behind Hojung’s shoulder, Daecheol could be seen aiming his gun barrel and shrinking the distance. Hojung whispered into Changsik’s ear.

-You understood me.

Yoon Hojung carefully pulled out the knife. Then, he raised Changsik’s hand to press it down on the wounded part.

-Don’t die. I didn’t stab too deeply. That detective will save you. You know? I thought that no one would understand this game I’m playing. I thought that no one in the world could sympathize with me. That is a really sad thing. But you understood me. You noticed the methods I devised after deep thinking. You’re right. Maybe I told you a lot of things. My reason, and even my heart.

Changsik looked at Hojung with his eyes wide open.

Yoon Hojung placed Changsik carefully on the ground and raised his head. He showed with his entire body that he had no intentions of resisting and spoke.

-You said five, right? Yes, it’s five. I buried your sister on a mountain in Sanbon-dong. I’m sure you’ll find her soon. But where are the other four? No, I guess the one from five years ago was discovered, so where are the other three?

Daecheol came over. He put Yoon Hojung down and cuffed him. Even then, Hojung did not stop speaking.

-Changsik. I’m sure you’ll find out. I’m sure you’ll discover my own secrets that no one could find out until now. You will understand my game and solve it. Think about me, ponder over me, and analyze me. Keep remembering me. How about it? You will, won’t you?

-Shut up!

Daecheol shouted.

-Changsik! Let us continue this game. You know me, and I think I now know you. Keep that knife safe. I’m sure you’ll use it one day. If the day comes, don’t forget to tell me how the sensation of your first murder is!

Daemyung felt like he had discovered a new page when he thought that he was on the last one. He exclaimed. This was how they were going to do it?

Then, the screen returned to Daecheol’s perspective. In front of him was Yoon Hojung in a prisoner outfit. Hojung faced Daecheol with a more refreshed face than ever.

-Where did you bury the three others?

-Where’s Changsik?

-Stop looking for him. I don’t plan to let you meet him.

-Then I can’t help it. The three of them will stay as skeletons. Oh, did you find Changsik’s sister’s body? I’m sure it didn’t rot since it’s winter. She was quite pretty.

-Yoon Hojung.

-Bring me Changsik. I want to talk to him. It’s not a bad deal for you cops, is it? I’ll just talk a little and you’ll solve an unresolved mystery. You have all the attention right now, right? If you solve a long-time unresolved case, you’ll get promoted as….

Daecheol jumped up from his seat. As Hojung’s figure was shrouded in darkness, only his lips were left until the end.

-Let me play with Changsik.

Daemyung cringed as he looked at Ganghwan’s acting. Maybe Ganghwan’s real personality was like that of a murderer from how he could immerse himself so much.

He knew that it was foolish to think that someone’s on-screen personality is their real personality. He knew that, but Ganghwan was still unpleasantly good at acting, so it made him suspicious. Those eyes and expressions, how was that acting?

After the screen turned black, it returned to Changsik’s perspective. He was smiling and working in a convenience store.

It seemed that some time had passed since the case was resolved. The emptiness in his eyes from the hospital scene was no longer there. He was the ordinary college student Ahn Changsik from episode 1.

As Changsik was restocking some items, a drunk customer visited the convenience store. He slapped Changsik on the back of the head for no reason and shouted at him to bring him a pack of cigarettes.

Changsik returned to the counter with an awkward smile.

-Work properly, punk. If you don’t want to die.

The camera captured the drunk customer chucking money as well as the back of Changsik’s figure. The glass door opened and closed, creating a bell sound.

The bell died down, and the camera closed up on Changsik’s hand.

The moment the bell stopped, Changsik stroked his thumb with the tip of his index finger. This was Yoon Hojung’s habit.

Daemyung let out a long breath. The ending soundtrack started flowing out and some behind-the-scenes footage of Case Number 0 came up.

It involved actors Yang Ganghwan and Han Maru playing pranks on each other instead of the cruel murderer and the college student.

“I swear they aimed for this.”

The seasonal drama was so well-made that it was resentful. There was no need to look. The drama forums would probably explode, mostly with requests for a season 2.

Daemyung grabbed his phone. He went to the web portal that he set as his homepage. He saw three words at the top of the search term rankings: Case Number 0, Han Maru, Hang Ganghwan.

He then called Maru. He must be one of the people who knows the most about the existence of a season 2 after all.

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